Chapter 49: Resolving Nanaue's Frenzy
Bettel City, now occupied by the Axis forces, was a strategic stronghold crucial for supply transportation. Naturally, it was heavily guarded by enemy troops.
Gun emplacements lined the city walls, providing suppressive firepower to the front. The main entrance was fortified with numerous bunkers, preventing direct enemy assaults.
The soldiers of the 107th Infantry Regiment huddled in the trenches, enduring the biting cold and snowfall as they gazed helplessly at Bettel City.
They had launched multiple charges, only to be forced back under the barrage of enemy heavy fire.
The battlefield was littered with the wreckage of tanks, silent witnesses to the sheer terror of the enemy's firepower.
At that moment, a helicopter approached from the sky.
Steve, carrying his vibranium shield, leaped out.
With his extraordinary physique, he landed from a height of over twenty meters without sustaining any injuries.
Upon landing, he raised his circular shield and advanced toward the bunker.
Instantly, a storm of bullets rained down on him.
Rounds struck his shield like a torrential downpour, sending sparks flying but failing to halt his advance.
Behind him, the assault squad waited for the right moment to close the distance and take out the bunker with a rocket launcher.
Compared to 20th-century warfare, World War II tactics seemed outdated.
Without modern guided weaponry, soldiers had to sacrifice their lives to achieve strategic objectives.
Boom!
A blue energy beam exploded upon contact with Steve's shield, releasing an intense flash of light.
The sheer force sent Steve flying backward, causing the soldiers behind him to scatter as well.
The first assault had failed.
Steve retreated.
As the assault squad took a headcount, they discovered three soldiers had died—an inauspicious start to the battle.
"What kind of weapon was that?"
Steve turned to a nearby officer.
A beam weapon like this was unheard of.
Had it not been for the glowing artillery barrels atop the city walls indicating a charging period, the Allied forces might have already considered retreating.
At the very least, the enemy's seemingly futuristic turrets had a lower firing rate than conventional artillery.
"Hell if I know what those Nazi bastards cooked up. One direct hit, and a tank is done for. If we don't take out those cannons, there's no way we're taking this city."
The officer eyed Steve's vibranium shield. Aside from a layer of scorch marks, it remained completely intact. If tanks could be made from this material, they'd be practically unstoppable.
Of course, vibranium was far too rare for such a thing to be anything but a fantasy.
Agent Carter arrived, peering toward the city walls in shock.
"The intelligence we received was accurate—HYDRA seems to have harnessed a special energy source and weaponized it."
There was no doubt—it had to be the Cosmic Cube.
The artifact contained the Space Stone, an infinite energy source.
HYDRA's breakthrough allowed them to develop previously theoretical technologies into reality.
"Can we bomb them from the air?" Steve suggested.
"No good."
The officer shook his head. "The city walls are equipped with anti-aircraft cannons. Low-altitude bombers won't get close, and high-altitude bombers lack the precision—we'd end up hitting civilians inside the city."
Another problem was the weather. After a night of heavy snowfall, the ground was covered in thick, uneven snowdrifts. Even for Steve, making a solo charge would be difficult.
"We tried mortars and howitzers, but the enemy poured water over the walls to create layers of ice, making them even tougher to breach."
Even long-range artillery was a poor option.
The Axis forces had taken civilians hostage upon seizing the city, forcing the Allies to hold back to avoid collateral damage.
The situation was a stalemate.
A suicidal charge might cost the entire 107th Regiment without guaranteeing victory.
A prolonged siege wasn't viable either—the enemy had shelter and warmth, while the Allied troops were exposed in the freezing trenches, unable to light fires for fear of being spotted.
If an ice storm rolled in, they'd risk freezing to death.
"Hey, look! Who's that?"
A soldier pointed toward the distance.
Everyone turned to see a man approaching with his hands behind his back, exuding an air of absolute calm.
Strangely, his legs weren't moving—he seemed to be gliding across the snowy ground.
"Mere mortals! This grand Core Formation cultivator has arrived! Open the gates and greet me at once!"
Allen shouted toward the city. Then, he looked down and reminded, "Nanaue, watch out for that tree."
That's right—Allen had arrived, riding atop Nanaue.
Thanks to his divine lineage, Nanaue thrived in environments rich with water elements. It made perfect sense that he could "swim" through snow.
"Allen, it's dangerous! Get back here!"
Steve called out urgently.
"What? I don't eat rice noodles!"
Allen turned his head—just in time to see a barrage of bullets heading his way.
Without hesitation, he abandoned the shark and fled.
Meanwhile, Nanaue kept swimming straight toward the city gates, kicking up a flurry of snow and drawing all enemy fire.
However, the bullets failed to pierce his thick skin.
Even the energy cannons atop the walls couldn't track him properly due to his high speed.
Despite their immense firepower, the lack of targeting systems made it impossible for them to lock onto fast-moving targets.
"Hello! Your delivery has arrived!"
With all enemy fire focused on Nanaue, Allen stealthily approached a bunker.
Lying flat on its roof, he peeked through the firing slit and casually tossed a grenade inside.
In the confined space, the grenade's blast left the machine gunners nowhere to escape.
"Take this—Extinction Thunder!"
"Open up! Special delivery! Your online-ordered girlfriend is here!"
"A gift from me—a fresh start in life!"
"Sir, your grenade—careful, it's hot!"
One by one, the bunkers that had stalled the Allied advance erupted in explosions.
The soldiers in the trenches were left dumbfounded.
Who was this guy?
He was insane!
"Charge! Take the city in one go!"
With the command given, the Allied troops surged forward through the snow.
Nanaue, now beneath the walls, went on a rampage—tearing apart Nazi soldiers with his bare hands, tanking machine-gun fire, and fully embracing his title as the King Shark.
Normally, Nanaue was docile, but the scent of blood drove him into a mindless frenzy, sending him into an uncontrollable slaughter.
Allen, having cleared the bunkers, arrived at the gates.
This spot was in the turrets' blind spot.
He picked up a rocket launcher and fired at the gate.
Boom!
Three consecutive shots blew it open.
Huffing, Allen casually blew the smoke from the launcher's barrel.
"RBQ—I love it."
"Die! Die! Die!"
"Blood! Carnage! Slaughter! Hahaha!"
Nanaue had lost all sense of reason, attacking anything that moved, friend or foe.
Pop! Pop!
At some point, Allen had leaped onto Nanaue's back.
Using his middle and ring fingers, he pinched the shark's nostrils shut.
Since the scent of blood triggered Nanaue's frenzy, cutting off his sense of smell should do the trick.
Nanaue struggled, but with his short arms, he couldn't reach Allen.
No matter how much he thrashed, Allen clung on.
Slowly, Nanaue's crazed eyes regained clarity.
"Where's Master?"
The shark blinked in confusion, looking around.
"I'm right here."
Allen, still perched atop Nanaue's head, locked eyes with him.
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