Half of the 'Frozen' Legion had sunk to the bottom.
This situation was unexpected, but not enough to make Death Temple panic.
Explosions, shockwaves, and ultra-high temperatures; the number of [Frozen Chariot Beasts] directly killed in the nuclear blasts was around thirty, roughly one-tenth of their total. The number of [Frozen Knights] and [Frozen Catapult Beasts] affected was considerable, with an estimated minimum of over 500 combat losses.
A lot…
But that was all.
Based on the engagement speed of both sides, Death Temple had already calculated the effective duration of humanity's "perception shielding technology." The same tactic could no longer threaten the legion. Although many Honkai Beasts had sunk into the water, they wouldn't drown. It was merely a matter of dispatching Temple-class units to return, retrieve them from the water, and bring them back to the ice surface—the "combined" form of the Temple-class, in addition to its basic offensive and defensive capability enhancements, was also exceptionally effective as a "transport."
The only problem was:
The speed at which they could destroy ground targets, especially the Steel Fortresses, would be significantly reduced.
The triple-barreled heavy cannons equipped on the Steel Fortresses, with calibers as large as 800mm, posed no less a threat to the [Frozen Chariot Beasts] than the combined fleet. Those "Magnetic Energy Tanks" were also a considerable threat… at least the [Frozen Knights] couldn't withstand their destructive power.
Considering the destruction level of the most recent batch of Steel Fortresses:
The time required for the human army's "threatening" targets to join the battlefield was approximately 190 minutes.
In other words—
"Plague."
"Death, are you alright?"
Death Temple's telepathic communication received an immediate response from Plague Temple.
"No harm done."
"Lead the [Frozen Chariot Beasts] in retreat. We will fall back to a position 15 nautical miles from the coastline (current position is 6 nautical miles)…"
"No."
Just as Death Temple finished speaking.
As it prepared to regroup, it immediately negated the plan it had just made.
"You lead the Temple-class units."
"Disband the 'Hundred Cavalry Formation.' Launch a surprise attack on the human fleet from ultra-low altitude. You must draw all the enemy's attention to the front."
"All land-based units are to break through the ice themselves. We will approach the continental shelf from underwater."
Death Temple not only changed the plan but also completely rearranged the deployment of various forces. Due to the influence of drag, the underwater marching speed of land-based Honkai Beasts was extremely slow. Their perception, speed, and strength would all be affected to some extent, and the smaller the body size, the more pronounced this effect.
Although this method of advancement was covert.
It was not suitable for a large legion's actions—if humans discovered the Honkai Beasts' tracks in advance, simply unleashing a barrage of depth charges into the water would be enough to cause very severe damage.
Not to mention.
Death Temple was initiating an underwater advance openly, right in front of the humans.
Faced with this situation, any commander of the combined fleet who wasn't a fool would, even at great risk, charge over and drop all their depth charges (among the depth charges equipped by the Black Sea Fleet, there were also versions loaded with nuclear warheads)…
Even with Temple-class units intercepting, it would be futile.
The reason Death Temple made this decision—
"Woom!"
Just as the combined fleet was gradually breaking free from the cold wave's control and, braving the harassment of the Temple-class units, began a full-scale charge.
Forty dazzling pillars of light suddenly descended from the sky!
Swarms of warships had their decks pierced. Fireballs erupted one after another, soaring into the air. Sky-obscuring flames and smoke billowed ceaselessly from the gradually sinking hulls of over twenty large warships!
————
What happened?
Not only did the commander of the combined fleet want to ask this question, but even Death Temple couldn't react in the first instance.
As the absolute main force.
In the Emperor's entire plan, the 'Frozen' Legion was only envisioned as reinforcements to support other fronts. How could it be their turn to receive support from others?
Yet, the reality was—
"CRACK!!"
Above the sea of fire.
A mountain ridge-like sharp blade instantly sliced the massive aircraft carrier, the "Ulyanovsk," in two!
This carrier was not only the Soviet Navy's largest displacement aircraft carrier but also the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet—
"BOOM!!!"
"ROAR—!"
The terrifying explosion failed to suppress the "excited" roar.
Along with forty Cruise-class Honkai Beasts gradually emerging from the clouds, and the Spicula-class Honkai Beasts swarming around them like a mountain roar and tsunami.
A mountainous land tortoise.
Appeared at the location where the "Ulyanovsk" had sunk.
That's right.
The newcomer was precisely the Emperor-class Honkai Beast: Pontos!
Pontos, who had originally been teleported with Cheche to the northern sea region of Mu Continent, had not joined Cheche and the [Variant · Cruise-class] in launching the attack on the land.
Instead, under the Emperor's command, it led the majority of the Honkai Beasts gathered by the Great Whale to participate in the annihilation of the combined fleet!
This was also why Cheche's northern legion consisted only of Cruise-class and Acid-class units—all other aquatic Honkai Beasts, along with forty percent of the Cruise-class Honkai Beasts, had launched this attack under Pontos's leadership!
The Cruise-class launched the first wave of long-range attacks from high altitude.
Pontos itself, meanwhile, taking advantage of the 'Frozen' Legion distracting the combined fleet, led its legion to rapidly approach the human fleet by hugging the seabed. The coordination between the two instantly dealt with the vast majority of the Black Sea Fleet's surface vessels!
Twelve "Glory"-class missile cruisers; four "Dreadnought"-class strategic arsenal ships; four "Ulyanovsk"-class aircraft carriers…
All sunk!
At the same time, the Tide-class Honkai Beasts' attacks on underwater vessels were equally efficient.
Over twenty "Akula"-class tactical nuclear submarines and two "Typhoon"-class strategic nuclear submarines were all permanently silenced on the lightless seabed. From beginning to end, the combined fleet's attention had been drawn by the 'Frozen' Legion, completely failing to notice the aquatic Honkai Beast legion stealthily approaching from the northeast.
Inertial thinking, a tactical blunder.
This wave of attacks directly obliterated the combined fleet's left flank.
The remaining thirty-odd small and medium-sized vessels of the Black Sea Fleet were utterly incapable of providing any defensive role. They didn't even have the chance to turn their hulls before being sliced in two by the Tide-class Honkai Beasts surging out of the sea.
And the complete exposure of the left flank.
Signified the impending crushing defeat of the combined fleet.
The "White Tiger" Fleet, positioned in the center, was operating at full capacity, rushing at its top combat speed towards the 'Frozen' Legion's "water entry" point. The destroyers and frigates equipped with depth charges were almost completely disconnected from the main force warships at the rear.
The Mediterranean Fleet on the right flank was in a slightly better situation.
Not for any other reason, but simply because Great Britain's destroyers were far slower than Shenzhou's.
This almost three-point layout meant too many gaps could be exploited—at the point where the "White Tiger" Fleet's large and small vessels had separated, Pontos, leading its Honkai Beasts, pounced like a surging tide!