In the air, Master Albert was actually somewhat nervous, completely lacking the composure seen by outsiders. This was because he had never engaged an Armored Airship in combat before. Or rather, he was currently experiencing the first direct confrontation between Mages and Armored Airships in human history. Previously, the Saxons and Britannians were mutually wary of each other's Mages and Armored Airships, but as no fierce conflict had erupted, the interactions were more of a standoff than direct combat. Both sides were aware of the other's threat but had never truly engaged in live combat. This meant the Highland Mages' strategy for countering Armored Airships was purely theoretical.
Last night, Albert gathered his colleagues for spell preparation, primarily basing their strategy on the lengthy Highland Mage Corps' Guidance on Magical Countermeasures for Armored Airships document. As for how effective these preparations would be, Albert himself had no real certainty. But now, the arrow was on the bowstring; there was no room for hesitation.
The eight Highland Mages, led by Albert, targeted the L24 Armored Airship, which was currently executing a defensive screen mission. After confirming the ship's identity from its tactical serial number on the hull, Albert and his team knew it was an older Saxon airship model. Therefore, it was easier to approach and theoretically the most likely target to be shot down first.
Reinhardt von Hoffmann, the Captain of the L24, one of the earliest Saxon Armored Airship Captains, was intensely watching the approaching Highland Mages in the distance. In a special lens on the bridge, the Mages were visible due to their Magic Aura, allowing for visual tracking from afar. Hoffmann had already ordered the 150mm Naval Cannons to initiate interdicting fire. However, the elusive movements of this group of Mages and the shields they were casting by tearing scrolls made the interception efficiency of the 150mm anti-air shells pitifully low.
"Captain, the Mages are closing fast!" The observer's voice was urgent. Hoffmann's brow furrowed. He knew that if these high-level Mages got close, the airship's safety could not be guaranteed, even with a Magic Shield. He decisively ordered the communications man to contact the L29 Armored Airship for fire support.
Upon receiving the request for support from Hoffmann's side, the L29 Armored Airship, which had been pouring fire onto the ground, immediately changed its tactics. The massive airship began to turn in the air while increasing its altitude, aiming its four Twin-Barreled 203mm Main Turrets at the eight high-speed moving light points in the sky.
"Attention all gun crews! 'Anti-Air Shells' loaded, target enemy Mages, Fire at Will!" Schneider, the Captain of the L29 Armored Airship, calmly issued the command. The Captain could issue commands directly to the gun crews, bypassing the Fire Control Officer. The gunners in the turrets quickly loaded the specialized anti-air shells into the breeches.
"Fire!"
Eight giant cannons roared simultaneously. The deafening sound echoed in the sky. Shells, trailing faint streaks, tore through the air at an astonishing speed, flying straight toward the Mages. Albert and his comrades immediately felt an unprecedented pressure. The speed of the 203mm Naval Cannon shells far exceeded their expectation, and the trajectory of the massive shells carried a terrifying aura of death.
"Disperse! Evade!" Albert shouted loudly, simultaneously making a sharp turn, leading the immediate break from formation. The Mages attempted to scatter and evade, utilizing their flexible flight and various spells. However, the Saxon Empire's Arcane Research Institute had not been idle. Both the L29 and L24 airships had been retrofitted with the latest Arcane Tracking Technology before the war. Operators inside the airships could precisely track and generally predict the Mages' movement trajectories and share this information with the various turrets, significantly increasing the anti-air hit rate of the Naval Cannons.
With the aid of the new system, a 203mm anti-air shell was accurately fired toward a point on one Mage's flight path. The Sixth-Circle Mage was currently tearing open a new defensive scroll, attempting to fly through the airship's net of fire. However, the power of the 203mm Naval Cannon far exceeded his ability to withstand it.
"Boom!"
A violent explosion occurred in the air. The Mage's layered defensive spells, including [Stoneskin], [Mage Armor], and [Protective Energy], were completely shattered by a single impact. Immediately after, the violent shockwave and thousands of searing shrapnel fragments instantly consumed his body.
There were no screams, no struggles. The proud Highland Mage, along with his boasts of magic, was completely obliterated from the world in a flash of dazzling fire and blood mist. This scene sent a shudder through the remaining seven Mages' hearts. They finally realized that against such a behemoth, even high-level Mages were not absolutely safe.
On the Britannian positions, the soldiers who had been cheering for the Mages moments ago fell silent. Fear was etched on every face. Meanwhile, a more fervent cheer erupted from the Saxon trenches.
"Well done! Another one!"
"Show those Britannians who the master of the skies is!"
Simultaneously, the 150mm cannons of the L24 airship roared again. Though the power was lower, the dense artillery fire still rained down like a storm, casting the remaining seven Mages under the shadow of death. The Mages desperately evaded, casting various defensive spells, but their maneuvering space grew smaller and smaller.
Master Albert's heart fiercely clenched. The sudden demise of his comrade filled him with both shock and rage. But he was not overcome by anger. He keenly seized the brief pause after the L29's main guns fired their salvo, exchanging a look with another Seventh-Circle Transmutation Mage.
The two instantly understood each other. They split left and right, transforming into two streaks of light, charging at a higher speed toward the L24 airship. The twelve 150mm Naval Cannons of the L24 frantically turned their muzzles, attempting to focus their fire on Master Albert and the other two Mages. The Machine Gun Turrets furiously poured out streams of fire, but the 7.92mm rounds fired by the MG08 Heavy Machine Guns could not pose any immediate threat to the Mages.
However, the distance closed rapidly. Albert was soon within five hundred meters.
"Now!" Master Albert roared, raising his hands high. Dazzling electrical energy leaped from the tip of his staff.
[Chain Lightning]!
A thick bolt of lightning shot from his staff, instantly striking the L24 Armored Airship's Magic Shield. The lightning then jumped across the shield's surface like a living thing, crackling loudly. However, the airship's Magic Shield fiercely flickered but stubbornly resisted Master Albert's attack.
Captain Hoffmann saw the scene and breathed a sigh of relief. At least the Air Force command hadn't lied to him; the airship's Magic Shield was specially reinforced, making it difficult for even a Seventh-Circle Mage to break it with a single strike.
But his smile quickly froze. Just as Master Albert launched his attack, the other Seventh-Circle Transmutation Mage quietly approached from the other side of the airship. A green beam of light silently shot out from the tip of his staff, accurately hitting the L24 Armored Airship's Magic Shield.
[Disintegrate]
The moment the green beam touched the Magic Shield, the shield's energy structure instantly dissolved and rapidly collapsed.
"Alarm! Magic Shield unit severely damaged! Magic power loss! Cannot be repaired!" The airship's internal Magic Core compartment immediately sounded a piercing alarm. Captain Hoffmann's face fell. The Magic Shield was one of the airship's most critical defenses. If it failed, the airship's massive gas envelope would be completely exposed to enemy attack.
"Quick! Attempt emergency repair of the shield! All Magic Crystal cores prepare to re-energize!" he commanded loudly, but the reply from the Magic Core compartment chilled him to the bone. "Captain, the Magic Shield unit has sustained irreparable damage! Energy core connection failed!" This meant that the L24 Armored Airship would be completely without Magic Shield protection for a prolonged period.
Master Albert saw this and knew his opportunity had arrived! The High Mentor raised his staff again. This time, it was one of the most powerful attack spells in the Evocation school. A beam of yellow light shot from his fingertip toward the L24 Armored Airship's gas envelope, quickly coalescing into a massive fireball. The intense heat warped the surrounding air.
[Delayed Blast Fireball]
The fireball was constrained by an unseen force, burning fiercely on the surface of the gas envelope before violently detonating!
"Rumble!"
Amidst the deafening explosion, a massive hole was ripped open in the L24 Armored Airship's giant gas envelope. Thick smoke and flames erupted from the hole, like the wail of a wounded titan. The airship's balance was instantly broken. The colossal hull violently shook, and its altitude visibly dropped.
"Captain! Airship losing altitude! Cannot maintain flight!" The pilot's voice was filled with despair.
Captain Hoffmann looked at the smoke-filled gas envelope outside the window, his face pale. He knew that with the gas envelope heavily damaged, the L24 airship was doomed.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the 203mm Naval Cannons of the L29 Armored Airship fired at full capacity, launching multiple rounds of anti-air shells in quick succession. "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!" Round after round of massive explosions bloomed in the sky, enveloping the four Mages targeted by L29's fire in blasts and shockwaves. Even with Magic Shields, they could not withstand such close-range saturation fire. The four Mages who were tying up the L29 Armored Airship's attention were instantly shattered as their simple protective spells failed, their bodies torn apart by the violent energy.
Master Albert and the other supporting Mage avoided direct hits but were dazed by the shockwaves of the near-misses. He barely managed to stabilize himself, looking at the suddenly empty sky around him, his heart frozen. Eight high-level Mages were instantly reduced to him, another Seventh-Circle Mage, and one Sixth-Circle Mage. The anti-air firepower of the L29 Armored Airship was stronger than the Highland Mage Corps' assessment, and the Fifth-Circle Mages providing cover had no chance to catch their breath.
"Retreat! Temporary retreat!" Master Albert decided instantly, leading the two remaining Mages to quickly fly back toward Amiens City, temporarily disengaging from the fight.
(End of this Chapter)
TN: The novel has already been fully translated up to the last updated chapter. You can access it on my Patreon at patreon.com/caleredhair