The Tycoon's Odyssey

Chapter 418 418:Black Day

All the systems had suddenly stopped working. Screens flickered before shutting off completely. The hum of the electric machinery was replaced by an eerie silence.

"It's an EMP attack," an officer realized, his voice filled with dread.

Electromagnetic pulses, or EMPs, were powerful bursts of electromagnetic energy designed to disable electronic systems. The floating city had unleashed one with surgical precision, targeting the submarines and leaving them dead in the water.

"They've shut us down completely," the commander muttered, his face pale.

Before they could regroup, crimson lights began to glow from the base of the city. One after another, the lights intensified, casting an ominous red hue across the waters.

Then, with a deafening roar, beams of energy erupted from the city. Each beam struck the submarines with pinpoint accuracy, triggering massive explosions. The submarines were torn apart, reduced to fiery debris that sank to the ocean floor.

"Submarines destroyed!" a panicked voice shouted aboard the carrier.

"We've lost all contact!" another officer confirmed.

The command center fell into stunned silence as the admirals stared at the monitors, unable to believe what had just happened.

"What now?" one of them whispered, his voice trembling.

The admirals waited tensely as the sea calmed, hoping to regroup. But just as the tension seemed to ease, a new sound reached their ears—a deep, metallic crinkling that grew louder with each passing second.

"Something's rising!" a lookout shouted.

From the heart of the city, a massive circular object began to ascend. Its surface was sleek and black, shimmering faintly under the sunlight. As it rose higher, its immense size became clear.

"It's... it's a spacecraft," one of the admirals muttered, his face pale.

The sight was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The spacecraft was a marvel of modern technology, with a smooth, almost organic design adorned with intricate energy conduits that pulsed with a bluish light. Around its edges, faint ripples of energy hinted at the presence of another barrier—one far more advanced than the plasma shield they had just overcome.

The admirals' initial awe quickly turned to determination.

"Fire everything we've got!" one of them ordered. "Use the barrier-shattering missiles!"

The missiles, named "Thunderbreakers," were specially designed to pierce energy barriers. One by one, they launched toward the spacecraft, their trails streaking across the sky.

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But before they could reach their target, a seismic wave pulsed outward from the spacecraft. The shockwave detonated the missiles mid-air, creating fiery explosions around the ship's periphery.

"It's deflecting everything!"

The shockwave wasn't just powerful—it was precise. Designed to neutralize incoming threats without causing any collateral damage to the surroundings. The technology behind it was beyond anything the admirals had ever encountered.

"Keep firing!"

Missile after missile was launched, only to be obliterated midair by the spacecraft's defenses. On the carrier, soldiers and officers shouted in frustration and fear.

"We can't get through!"

"Damn! That's it! Now we've got something!"

The jubilation spread like wildfire across the fleet. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, a glimmer of hope flickered in their eyes.

But once again, their celebration was short-lived.

As the dust and smoke began to clear, the sleek black surface of the spacecraft became visible once again. It remained floating, its sleek, black hull as pristine as before as if untouched and undamaged.

It was as though the powerful blast from before had been nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

The cheers died instantly. A heavy silence fell over the fleet as disbelief and dread settled in.

"How... how is that possible?" one soldier whispered, his voice trembling.

Before anyone could process what was happening, the control systems on the ships began to ring with an alarming announcement and the next instant an ominous sound crackled through them.

[Surrender.]

The voice was cold, mechanical, and devoid of emotion. It echoed through every communication channel, sending chills through every soul aboard.

[Surrender within the count of five, or else.]

The words hung in the air like a death sentence.

"Or else what?" one officer asked, his voice trembling with fear.

"Shut up!" another reprimanded, trying to maintain composure.

[I will begin the countdown now.]

[5...]

The tension was unbearable. Soldiers exchanged panicked glances, unsure of what to do.

[4...]

Chimney clenched his fists, his mind racing for a solution.

[3...]

Sweat dripped down the faces of the admirals as they stared at the impenetrable spacecraft.

[2...]

"No... this can't be it," someone murmured, their voice barely audible over the countdown.

[1...]

A collective gasp filled the room.