Chapter 251

Chapter 251: The Black Bats

When it came to speed, these Black Bats—resembling ordinary Vanguard ships in shape—instantly showcased performance far surpassing standard models. Whether turning, accelerating, or executing tight evasive maneuvers, they moved with unbelievable swiftness while operating with minimal noise.

Though inferior to Midi’s crimson Vanguard ship enhanced by the Ghost Cry skill "Demon Shadow Step," the Black Bats fully deserved the title of the Rothschild Guild’s most advanced creations, unmatched even across the entire Sea of Clouds.

As Idak led his elite squadron into the battlefield, the third round of exchanges hung on the verge of starting. If Midi chose to confront Idak, he’d lose the advantage accumulated since the first volley and forfeit the chance to crush the one hundred and twenty Vanguard ships. Yet refusing to engage would plunge him into immediate peril.

The proverb "The mantis hunts the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind" held true. Aerial combat unfolded in three dimensions—beyond flanking and encirclement, dominance could be seized from above. Idak’s choice to hover like a chessmaster overlooking the battlefield ensured that even if Midi destroyed the Guild’s Vanguard ships, he’d remain vulnerable to attacks from above, unable to counter or escape.

Idak had chosen the perfect moment and position to strike.

Halt the counterattack or continue? A wrong decision meant annihilation; even a correct one left Midi at a disadvantage.

But such dilemmas applied only to ordinary aerial combat. For Midi, an Awakened One of Extraordinary Awakening, this posed no real conflict.

Spotting Idak’s reinforcements, Midi yanked the control stick without hesitation. His crimson Vanguard ship shot vertically upward, charging head-on at the twenty Black Bats—a third option. He split his forces: continuing the assault to crush the Guild’s squadron while breaking off alone to face the newcomers. Only someone supremely skilled and confident in aerial combat would dare this.

Seeing Midi’s solo charge, Idak grinned savagely. "I knew you’d do this! But did you think your meager skills could defeat me? Kill him!"

At his order, the bellies of the twenty Black Bats opened, revealing streamlined black projectiles. Bombs were near-useless in the Sea of Clouds—even ground battles on Arad saw miscalculated drops from high-speed Vanguard ships. How could bombs hit airborne targets here?

Yet Midi’s eyes narrowed. As a reincarnator, he recognized these weren’t bombs but rocket-propelled projectiles—magic crystal-powered weapons streaking through skies at blistering speeds.

"Did you think I wouldn’t notice your magic-coated ship?" Idak sneered. "Impressive control, but against the Sea of Clouds’ finest weapons and pilots, you’re helpless!"

Twenty rockets plummeted briefly before fiery tails ignited, propelling them faster than any Vanguard ship. Then, as if guided by invisible strings, they veered sharply, homing in on Midi’s crimson craft like bullets from a master gunslinger’s pistol.

Midi accelerated into evasive maneuvers, but the rockets adjusted their rudders, pursuing like bloodthirsty sharks.

"Run! Savor your fear and despair before becoming scraps!" Idak roared, abandoning his usual courtesy. Pure magic coalesced in his left hand—the gunner skill "Pursuer."

Originally called "Self-Explosive Pursuer," this technique let unawakened gunners deploy explosive drones in Arad’s cramped battlefields, steering them mentally to hunt enemies through complex terrain.

But this was the Sea of Clouds, where gunners rarely encountered narrow terrain. Most aerial combat occurred in the endless sky – pilots maneuvering Vanguard ships or operating at full firepower from Skyship artillery positions.

Therefore, the "Pursuer" skill of cloud sea gunners wasn’t used to guide self-destructing robots, but to steer shells!

Of course, shells lacked propulsion systems and couldn’t change direction, making this guidance minimally effective.

Yet when Idak quietly replaced standard shells with newly developed Rocket-propelled projectiles, the coordination between gunners and weapons achieved an unbelievable leap in efficiency.

Incredible power with perfect accuracy!

With these two factors, no wonder Idak dared confront Midi directly on the battlefield.

Through years of aerial combat experience, he knew Midi’s crimson Vanguard ship couldn’t escape these guided rockets – whether through sudden 180-degree turns, erratic maneuvers, or pure speed. The speed difference between Vanguard ships and rockets was simply too great. This was the King’s Path of suppression.

Twenty rockets fired simultaneously, guided by Idak’s elite gunners, streaked across the sky like flaming meteors. Ahead, Midi’s crimson Vanguard ship zigzagged desperately, executing sharp turns and sudden reversals while firing, yet failing to shake the relentless pursuit.

Occasionally Midi’s counterfire would strike a rocket, causing spectacular midair explosions. But the remaining projectiles exploited the visual cover to close distance. Moreover, each Black Bat Vanguard ship carried multiple rockets – losing one simply meant launching another.

Despite Midi’s efforts, twenty rockets persistently trailed him until the distance finally vanished.

A thunderous roar erupted as Midi’s ship vanished within an expanding fireball. Second and third rockets followed in quick succession, then the remaining dozen mercilessly converged. Twenty consecutive explosions merged into continuous thunderclaps, the flaming bursts resembling festival fireworks. No trace remained of Midi or his ship – only devouring flames hung in the air.

The battlefield fell silent, stunned by this sudden death.

Guild pilots erupted in cheers while their commander stared grimly at the hovering Black Bat squadron. Had Idak not betrayed them, those guided rockets would be targeting his own forces now. Could even 120 Vanguard ships withstand such precise destruction? The commander shivered at the thought.

But this world recognized no "what ifs". Idak had betrayed them. Victoria remained merely a woman – clever in commerce, yet incapable of controlling powerful subordinates without relying on male admirers. Her defeat was inevitable now that her champion "Blade" lay destroyed.

"Why linger? Clean up these ships yourself," Idak’s sneer crackled through magical communications. "I’ll be returning to the Narwhal to… persuade Lady Victoria."

Having witnessed the rockets’ might, the Guild commander dared not protest. The Sea of Clouds worshipped strength above all – and Idak had proven his dominance.

The Black Bat squadron turned toward the Narwhal without sparing a glance for Captain Domon’s bait Arrow Fish Skyship or Midi’s surviving pilots. Mopping up wasn’t work for elites.

Then a mocking voice cut through the fading flames:

"You thought such pitiful attacks could defeat me? How amusingly naive."

Through dissipating smoke, Midi strode casually across empty air 30,000 meters high – walking as effortlessly as legendary wind-treading Elves.