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Above the competition field, the Immortal College launched a full-scale offensive. It had to be done in one go to break through the Astra Militarum's defenses in a single turn; otherwise, it would be easy for them to counterattack.
Desert Trolls, Sirens, and other hordes advanced toward the Astra Militarum's position. There were several tens of thousands of creatures, and the most formidable in battle were not the Sirens and Desert Trolls; rather, it was another supernatural species, the Desert Lizard. Its body length was over seven meters, and its body was covered with a thick layer of scale armor. In the desert, it moved as effortlessly as a fish in water.
The lineup of the Immortal College was well thought out in advance. Desert Trolls and Desert Lizards made an excellent combination. Desert Trolls could transform the surrounding dirt and rocks into sand, creating a terrain conducive to the Desert Lizards.
Like other lizards, the Desert Lizards could also dig pits to reduce damage from enemy weapons. The Desert Lizard buried its body into the sand and crawled forward gradually, while the artillery and machine guns of the Astra Militarum fired nonstop.
Countless rounds of ammunition struck the ground, but the sand layer significantly weakened their impact. Additionally, the Desert Lizards' thick scale armor reduced the lethality of armor-piercing projectiles. Over time, fewer than a hundred Desert Lizards were killed. Despite this, the Desert Lizards had advanced nearly 200 meters. The shells fired by the artillery caused only minor damage.
"At this rate, these Desert Lizards will close in on the unit's position," said Prokopy and the others in the battle viewing room, all frowning.
"It's not just the Desert Lizards; there are also Desert Trolls and Sirens in the rear, and above the sky, Griffins," a teacher added, shaking his head. "Not only does Immortal College possess talented units, but their lineup is also a perfect match!"
"There are Sirens for long-range fire, Forest Trolls for melee combat, Desert Lizards for charging the enemy formation, and Griffins for mobility. They have everything, hardly any weaknesses!"
"Moreover," another teacher continued helplessly, "Their Siren race also has Poseidon bows with enchanted arrows. The pilots on Sebastian's side have very limited counters against them."
"Look at Sebastian's pilots, they're now moving cautiously, too afraid to even come down!" a teacher observed.
The tens of thousands of Sirens and their ten leaders paid no mind to the ground battle; their focus was on the Typhoon in the sky. The Poseidon bows in their hands were always drawn, with enchanted arrows ready to fire.
To avoid being targeted by machine gunners, the Siren leaders retreated five kilometers to the rear, surrounded by several thousand Sirens and Desert Trolls for protection. The rest of the Sirens followed, charging toward the enemy position.
"Although the Desert Lizards' attacks aren't as strong as those from the machine gunners, if they close the distance, I fear the enemy won't have much left to counter with, especially given their numbers," said a member of the Immortal College team, smiling.
"We can't be careless," the captain warned seriously. "I've seen footage from previous matches at Hope's Peak Academy, and I know about Sebastian. We must stay alert, don't rush in en masse!"
"Long-range strike first, Alyssa," the tall young man ordered, looking at the pretty girl beside him. "Have your Siren colony get ready. When the distance closes, take out those machine gunners!"
"Got it," Alyssa nodded with an OK gesture and immediately commanded several thousand Sirens to follow. However, they remained hidden behind the Desert Lizards and Trolls, limiting their speed. They moved cautiously, aiming to prevent the enemy from gaining an advantage.
"Even without the Poseidon bows and enchanted arrows, the Sirens' range exceeds a kilometer, and their accuracy is high," a spectator commented. "Sebastian's machine gunners are defenseless at that range. If the Sirens close within one kilometer, it will be a one-sided slaughter!"
"Failure is only a matter of time. How long can Sebastian hold out? Twenty minutes?"
"If he can't even last twenty minutes, this might be the fastest decisive defeat in recent decades!"
"Sebastian, there's no need to hold out," Clifford said from the battle room, voice steady. "It's just a tournament. We've already reached the final, set new school records and surpass our previous goals."
He continued, "Look at Leonard's group; their faces must be very grim now. Even if we lose, it's no big deal!"
"Yes, you should know when to give up," added Terrell, Otwin, and Jane, nodding.
All four recognized that Immortal College's strength was overwhelming, countering Sebastian's team to the limit. Their lineup was highly capable and balanced. Without such a lineup, even attacking would be futile.
"Don't worry, guys," Sebastian said with a slight smile. "Watch carefully, I have more tricks up my sleeve. The real power is about to be revealed!"
Everyone was momentarily stunned, then watched intently. The display was impressive. Some remarked that even without the Musketeers, Sebastian's pilot skills alone could make him the strongest freshman in the competition. Now, doubts about his potential faded; everyone believed he had lost because his teammates were weak. But Sebastian hinted that there was a more formidable side to the pilot.
"Based on their movement, they'll reach our one-kilometer boundary in less than ten minutes," Yamamoto observed through binoculars, watching the Desert Lizards.
"The Siren's range is over a kilometer," Yuuki nodded. "They want to attack us from a distance."
"If this were just a sparring match without aircraft, there wouldn't be much to do," Yamamoto said with a helpless smile.
"No," Yuuki replied grimly. "The future belongs to aircraft. Ground forces will have less and less room to operate."
"Let's settle this first," Yuuki added, his expression cold and serious. "All fighters, prepare!"
In the sky, twenty Typhoons flew in neat formation, ready to strike. Inside the cockpits, the pilots narrowed their eyes, burning with resolve. They remembered their teammates being slaughtered by Forest Trolls.
"All fighters, target the Siren leaders and eliminate, or better yet, massacre them," Yuuki ordered.
The ten Siren leaders with Poseidon's bows and enchanted arrows posed a significant threat, especially at low altitude. They had to be neutralized first.
Following his command, the Typhoons dove swiftly. They divided into five groups, since the enemy surrounded the Musketeers from all sides. The ten Siren leaders, grouped in pairs across five positions, were each targeted by a squad of four fighters.
The Siren leaders, on alert, immediately spotted the incoming fighters.
"Sebastian's planes are trying to attack the Siren leaders?" the white-clad young man guessed.
"That's their only option," the pretty girl said with a faint smile. "Sirens, shoot those planes!"
At the same time, griffins that had been on the ground took flight, attempting to interfere.
"What is Sebastian doing? So reckless! How can his planes hope to take down these giant Siren leaders?" spectators exclaimed, eyes widened. Regret soon followed.
"Immortal College anticipated this," someone commented. "There are so many Desert Trolls and Sirens around the leaders to protect them; shooting them down is nearly impossible. Plus, the planes are at risk of being hit by enchanted arrows."
"Pointless, completely pointless," a teacher said grimly. "It's impossible to win. Just admit defeat, no need to risk losing more."
However, the next moment, everyone was stunned.
The twenty Typhoons began firing their weapons. Instead of typical ammunition, they launched elongated, oval-shaped objects about four meters long. This was their most advanced, powerful conventional weapon: missiles. Various types existed, but these, mounted on each aircraft, were air-to-ground missiles, specifically, AGM-12 Bullpup missiles, with each plane carrying 15.
"What is that?" the Immortal College members stared, recalling no record of such weapons.
"Be careful," the tall young man ordered. "The Siren leader might be their target. Keep the Desert Trolls and Sirens protecting the leaders, and try to shoot this down!"
The Bullpup missile shot out from the plane, whistling toward the giant Siren leader. Its initial speed was slower, but it would reach maximum velocity shortly.
As the missile closed in within one thousand meters, ground Sirens shot arrows, and griffins rushed to intercept. But how could they possibly hit a high-speed missile? The missile, traveling at incredible speed, was like a phantom, targeting the Siren leader hiding behind a massive sand pile. To be safe, the surrounding Desert Trolls quickly transformed large amounts of sand into a barrier.
Nevertheless, no matter where the Siren leader tried to hide, the missile found its target.
"Get down! Watch out!" the young man shouted as the missile accelerated past wind speed. Clearly, it posed an even greater threat than previous attacks.
The Siren leaders behind the sand pile sensed danger and quickly buried themselves in the sand.
Seeing a giant Siren leader adopt a defensive posture, the Immortal College team members felt some relief. But their relief was short-lived.
The missile streaked through the air at lightning speed, passing the sand pile and striking the Siren leader buried within.
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted, louder than thunder. The ground shook violently, and debris blasted outward in all directions. A massive wave of force swept through the area, reducing everything within a hundred meters to rubble and dust.
The explosion created a huge crater. The sand pile and Siren leader were gone. How could the Siren leader still be alive after such an impact?
The missile's destructive power alone was enough to obliterate the Siren leader. Surrounding soldiers, both Sirens and Desert Trolls, were also killed or injured due to the dense formation.