Two elite Sub-Level Fleets of Bloodblade, comprising over thirty starships.
Now, less than twenty battered destroyers and a handful of cruisers remained, drifting without unified command, like sheep surviving a wolf pack's onslaught—terrified and disoriented.
The cruiser-class combat strength had been nearly wiped out by the pack-hunting tactics of "Gale."
Isabella Marlow stood on the bridge, her ice-blue eyes reflecting the chaotic battlefield displayed on the tactical screen, and the still orderly, menacing formation of the Pluto Fleet.
Shock, like cold steel needles, pierced through her usual composure and calculation.
It was too fast.
From the ambush's initiation to the concentrated fire crippling the "Colossus."
Then the Gale pack hunting down the Dire Wolf's cruisers.
And finally, the "Kunlun Mountain - Modified" delivering the decisive blow…
The entire process flowed seamlessly, ruthless and decisive, without the slightest hesitation or delay.
The coordination between ship classes, the precision in firing timing, and the devastating strikes on key targets—their synergy was unnervingly efficient.
This was nothing like… the coordination expected from a newly established fleet, barely months old and composed mainly of recruits.
Even by Imperial Fleet standards, such tactical maneuvers—target identification, firepower allocation, and efficient execution in such a short time—were exceptional.
Zane Barrett's "Bloodblade" main force, renowned for its ferocity and aggression, might not have executed it so cleanly.
The opposing commander's control over the fleet, as if it were an extension of his own will, and the resolute, precise execution of orders by the crew, far exceeded her expectations of a "new fleet."
Qin Bei Wang… What method did he use to forge such a fleet to this level in such a short time?
As Isabella's thoughts raced, trying to reassess this formidable opponent before her, the Pluto Fleet moved again.
They neither retreated nor formed up for a head-on assault against the Iron Curtain's solid defensive line.
Instead, the massive, deep-blue array of over ninety starships split neatly in two, as if parted by an invisible giant hand!
Two nearly equal fleet groups veered sharply to the left and right.
Their engines flared with brilliant trails, carving two elegant yet fierce arcs. The maneuver was swift, perfectly synchronized, without a hint of disorder.
Their intent was unmistakable.
They were abandoning a frontal charge against the Iron Curtain's "shield wall," opting instead for high-speed flanking maneuvers against the Iron Curtain Fleet's flanks!
"They're trying to outflank us!" the adjutant exclaimed.
Isabella immediately grasped their tactic.
The Iron Curtain Fleet was renowned for defense, its frontal formation as solid as a rock—a costly proposition to breach head-on.
But if the enemy successfully flanked or circled to the rear, even the strongest frontal defense would develop gaps, forcing adjustments and leaving them vulnerable.
Splitting into two groups for simultaneous flanking was especially ruthless.
It compelled the Iron Curtain Fleet to divide its forces in response; a breakthrough on either flank would collapse the entire defensive line.
Yet dividing their forces… would weaken the Iron Curtain Fleet's greatest asset: the layered joint defensive field reliant on a dense formation.
"Order—
"Left Sub-fleet, led by the 'Fortress City', turn 15 degrees to starboard, maintain formation, and intercept the enemy's left flanking fleet!
Right Sub-fleet, led by the 'Bulwark', turn 15 degrees to port, intercept the enemy's right fleet!
Central main force array, decelerate, maintain orientation, prepare to provide fire support and counter any central breakthrough!"
Isabella swiftly issued orders, attempting to block the enemy with locally superior forces while maintaining the stability of the core position.
The massive Iron Curtain Fleet began to adapt, like a slow and heavy giant trying to spread its arms to block the swift and fierce flanking attacks of two agile birds.
However, the speed and determination of the Pluto Fleet's flanking maneuvers once again put pressure on Isabella.
The enemy seemed completely unconcerned about potential weaknesses in their own formation due to dividing their forces.
Or perhaps, they had absolute confidence in their coordination and command cohesion.
Yet, problems soon emerged.
The Iron Curtain Fleet specialized in defense, with its starships designed around thick composite armor, multi-layered energy shields, and powerful fixed-point firepower.
This made their individual ship mass generally far exceed that of comparable warships, like mobile steel fortresses.
This sturdiness provided unparalleled resistance to strikes, but sacrificed crucial maneuverability.
When the two flanking clusters of the Pluto Fleet, composed mainly of high-speed warships, pushed their engine power to the limit and executed sharp-angled tactical sprints, the Iron Curtain Fleet's interception formations appeared somewhat clumsy and sluggish.
Their turning and acceleration processes were like a heavyweight boxer trying to catch a lightweight opponent—while stronger, they were always half a beat behind in rhythm.
The contest for tactical positions in space changed in an instant.
The Pluto Fleet's objective was crystal clear.
Failing to secure the unfavorable "T-head" position, they aimed to seize the advantageous "vertical T" position.
In space combat, since starships have smaller frontal projection areas with main armor belts and main battery groups concentrated forward, securing a position at the front flank of the enemy fleet column (the top of the vertical T's stem)
allowed one's own fleet to unleash the most intense frontal firepower on the side of the enemy column (the T's crossbar) with minimal area exposed to fire, creating local firepower suppression.
The Iron Curtain's right flank "Bulwark" fleet had just completed its turn, attempting to position itself across the front of the Pluto Fleet's right route.
But the Pluto Fleet was faster, their formation sharper!
Like a precise awl, they shot through gaps in the "Bulwark" fleet's array before it could fully deploy into a line formation, successfully securing a position at the front flank of the "Bulwark" fleet's column.
A perfect "vertical T" tactical position!
Without a moment's adjustment, without the slightest hesitation. The moment the tactical window appeared, the prelude to destruction began.
The first to strike was again the "Kunlun Mountain - Modified", hovering at the rear like death gazing upon the battlefield.
Its heavy particle beam turrets adjusted slightly, the gun muzzles once again gathering terrifying energy that distorted space itself.
The pale white annihilation torrent crossed the battlefield for the second time!
This time, its trajectory aimed directly at the flank of the "Bulwark" fleet's column.
A destroyer on the outermost edge of the column bore the brunt, its shield and hull pierced and vaporized as if made of paper.
The beam continued unabated, piercing through a medium cruiser that had attempted to move forward for cover, leaving a terrifying cavity with molten edges at the center of its hull.
The beam's ultimate target was unmistakably the "Steel Plate," the flagship battleship at the core of the "Bulwark" Fleet—a heavy defense battleship renowned for its exaggerated frontal armor and super shield generator.
The captain of the "Steel Plate" issued a full defense command the instant the beam lit up.