Man in the Ark: Revitalizing Kazdel

Victoria Wellington border

"Woo woo woo..." The loud and powerful horn sounded, and the high-speed warship fleet that had been facing off across the wide river for more than half a month began to move again.

The Dreadnought-class flagship, which should have been in the core area, deliberately broke away from the protection of other warships and appeared at the forefront of the fleet.

The massive hull of the Gastrill was equipped with cannons of all sizes, symbolizing ultimate firepower. The largest of these cannons could destroy a moving landmass with each shot.

Anyone pointed at by this naval gun would feel a strong sense of crisis stemming from their biological instincts, and would subconsciously choose to look away. Even soldiers who have undergone military training cannot completely overcome their inner fear.

The combined fleet of the Dukes of Victoria also dispatched their respective flagships to indicate their acceptance of negotiations. War has always been a means, not an end, and the shrewd dukes were very protective of their reputations.

This prolonged standoff was essentially a test of the other side's attitude and demonstrated strength. The Duke of Wellington's tough stance led them to completely abandon the idea of ​​direct war and instead choose negotiation.

"Your Highness, isn't it a bit risky for you to go to the negotiations alone?" On the way to the agreed negotiation location, an island in the river, the taciturn officer expressed his concerns.

"Heh... Do you really think that group of weaklings who run away from death can muster the courage to wield a weapon against death itself?"

Abrahana turned to look at the officer following closely behind, her tone full of contempt and ridicule for the Victorian aristocracy.

"I'm just worried about unexpected situations. After all, your presence is irreplaceable for Deeppool and Tara. Even if..."

The officer shook his head, not continuing, his meaning clear. He acknowledged the prince's bloodline, but did not believe the leader's sister was capable of replacing him.

“Even if it’s my dear sister, right?” Abrahana didn’t reprimand the officer for his insubordination; instead, a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.

"..." The officer didn't respond, only nodded silently. Every time he showed that smile, it meant someone was about to fall into the leader's trap; this time it might be him.

"Whether it's a deep pool or a Tara, to me they're just toys that provide fun. Even the most fun toys will eventually become tiresome."

“Lavshine will always be the most special one. Now that she has shown the corresponding ambition, I don’t mind giving her the toys I’m tired of playing with and crowning her. I have never doubted your loyalty, and I hope you can recognize your place.”

"Yes, I understand." Facing those cold eyes burning with purple flames, the officer's hair stood on end, and his voice trembled slightly.

The small boat docked, and Abrahana, spear in hand, stepped onto the island alone, her back view exuding confidence and elegance. The negotiators sent by the dukes arrived from the other side of the island, and the two sides met in the center to begin negotiations.

The Duke's demands were that Abrahana, on behalf of all the people of Tara, acknowledge that Tara belonged to Victoria, and that the Deep Pool Organization cease its independence movement.

In exchange, Victoria granted Tara a high degree of autonomy, ceased imposing any restrictive policies on Tara, and recognized the Deep Pool Organization as the administrator of the Tara region.

If both sides reach an agreement, this highly publicized war for national independence can come to an end without any casualties or damage on either side.

There is no doubt that Victoria made huge concessions on the Tara issue. Apart from being unable to declare independence, Tara has effectively become a state within a state.

If Abrahana agrees, Deeppool and Tara can enter a period of stable development that will last for several years. Once their strength has grown, Deeppool will make a comeback, and Tara's independence will be a natural outcome.

However, the red dragon, which breathes deathly flames, is inherently greedy. Faced with the tempting conditions offered by Victoria, Abrahana was not satisfied and smiled as she presented her own conditions.

"All Tara territories that Victoria has occupied since its founding must be returned. The distorted and buried history between Victoria and Tara must be made public..."

Abrahana presented a series of conditions, and the Duke's representatives' expressions grew increasingly grim. These were conditions they hadn't mentioned when they reached an agreement with Abrahana.

"Leader of the Deep Pool, don't go too far." One of the representatives finally couldn't suppress his anger and loudly interrupted Abrahana's narration.

"Heh... You can refuse my conditions, then we can have a war to determine the final victor. At that time, my conditions will be much more than these."

"Everyone, are you sure you don't want to reconsider?" Abrahana showed an indifferent attitude, maintaining control of the negotiations.

Among the dukes' representatives, each with a different expression, one quietly removed his brooch, aimed at the approaching Abrahina, and pressed a small mechanism.

"A poison specifically designed to target Drak; if it hits, even the strongest red dragon will be unable to resist. With this crucial bargaining chip, the initiative in the negotiations will return to our hands."

The fine, hair-like poison needles were incinerated by the purple flames before they could even get close. A cold smile curled at the corner of Abrahana's lips as she activated the contingency plan she had planted within the Duke's coalition forces.

"Click click click..." A large-caliber main gun in the Duke's Allied Fleet inexplicably rotated, its dark muzzle aimed at the negotiation location—a small island in the river.

"What's going on? Gunner! Gunner! Answer me! Disobeying orders, are you going to court-martial me?" Upon discovering the main gun malfunction, the captain immediately picked up the radio and shouted angrily into the other end.

"Buzz buzz buzz..." There was no response from the radio; the deathly static sent a chill down their spines. It was too late to stop the main gun from firing. This war, which should have been resolved through negotiation, had been ignited by an unwanted artillery barrage.

"Boom!" A deafening cannon shot rang out, the terrifying recoil causing the entire warship to shake. The soldiers, bewildered by the sudden barrage, were quite startled, thinking they were under attack from the enemy, since they had not received any orders to fire.

The small island in the middle of the river disappeared instantly in the flames and explosions. The river water, which was thrown into the air, fell back down and poured onto the scorching hot cannon barrel, sizzling and smoking.

"The war... is completely out of control." The captain slumped in his seat, his eyes vacant, and murmured softly.

The next second, the Gastrill's cannons roared, completely engulfing the wrecked warship in intense heat and flames. No one noticed the dazzling purple light disappearing from the wreckage.