Versatile Mage: Get the Desert Emperor clone at the start

Chapter 249 The Arrival of the Tidal Wave, and the United States' Response
The first stage is a team competition between national teams from different countries.

On the Chinese side, the strongest combatants are Qin Xiaonan, Lan Xi, Mu Nujiao, and Ai Jiangtu, plus Mu Ningxue, whose strength has been further enhanced by incorporating ice crystals, and Nan Rongni and Lu Yilin, who have fused with void insect eggs. Overall, their strength is still very formidable.

Since that night, Nan Rongni has become very low-key and hardly says anything.

After learning what had happened, the instructors from the National Academy, including Feng Li, did not interfere much, as the National Academy Competition was just around the corner.

Their ranking determines the allocation of a large portion of resources.

This is something that benefits the country, and personal grudges among members become less important at this time.

After the first stage ended, the Chinese team achieved a perfect record, and Lan Xi was the standout performer.

Lan Xi was already a relatively famous singer, and with the strength she displayed in the battle, she quickly gained a lot of support.
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The timeline is now that Qin Xiaonan and the others have just left the United States, and the Silver Wing Ant Queen has made a high-profile declaration of war against the United States.

Her declaration of war was like a battle cry.

The East Coast stretches for thousands of kilometers, from Maine in the north to Florida in the south.

Giant waves rose from the sea, and countless grotesque sea monsters, exuding a strong fishy smell and a violent aura, surged out of the tide!
The entire United States, on the Atlantic side, was engulfed in a hunting ground for raging sirens!
The entire east coastline is being assaulted by an unprecedented, organized, and large-scale sirens!

Temple of Liberty, Supreme Strategy Room.

On both sides of the long table sat the core high-ranking officials of the Temple of Liberty, as well as the top commanders of the U.S. military and Coast Guard.

A lingering gloom hung over everyone's face, their eyes a mixture of fear, anger, and a barely concealed sense of...resentment.

“Cough…” The old man sitting on the second side was none other than Cassius, a survivor of the last water-based forbidden spell.

His face was still pale, as the magical backlash from the lingering power of Tsar Azir's palm strike had not yet fully subsided.

He broke the silence first: "Gentlemen, the situation is clear. The Silverwing Ant Queen has returned. Bringing with her... the malice of the Atlantic Siren Empire."

"Last time... we gathered our forces to ambush the Silverwing Ant Queen, intending to achieve a decisive victory, stabilize order in the Americas, and enhance the temple's prestige. And what was the result?"

"It's a losing proposition! We've lost several partners, and more importantly..."

A deep fear flashed in his eyes, as if he could once again see that colossal divine hand that blotted out the sky and melted gold and iron: "The one who will strike last, the one who will wipe out Newt Harbor with a single blow... will surely be Tsar Azir! The supreme ruler of the Shurima Empire! That kind of power..."

He took a deep breath, suppressing his pounding heart. "Alas, not only did we fail to kill our target, but we've also provoked the Shurima Empire!"

A general standing nearby, dressed in a dark green uniform and bearing four stars on his shoulders, said in a deep voice, "Sir Cassius, if I may be so bold, the Sahara Desert is far away in Africa. No matter how terrifying those desert creatures are, their reach cannot extend to the American continent for the time being. Our most direct threat right now is the sirens that are frantically attacking our coastline!"

“And…” he paused, his tone grave, “and behind them, the emperor who just declared war on us!”

"That's the crux of the problem!"

“It now appears that Tsar Azir has a very clear connection with the Siren Empire of the Atlantic.” Cassius rubbed his temples wearily. “Whether there is a connection or not, there is no time to delve into it now.”

"The most pressing question is: how should we respond to this large-scale invasion launched by the Siren Empire?"

He pointed to the huge magical holographic sea chart on the wall, on which scarlet dots representing the siren's magical reaction were spreading from the deep sea to the coastline at an alarming speed, densely packed and shocking.

“My suggestion is,” a commander of a coastal defense force began.

He pointed to the several defensive lines pre-designed on the nautical chart.

"The coastline is long, and we cannot defend every place. We must establish a strong cluster of magical fortresses at key points—major ports, magical energy hubs, and the outskirts of densely populated areas—and rely on pre-placed barriers, magical energy turrets, and mage corps for tiered defense."

"At the same time, dispatch elite reconnaissance teams, sparing no expense, to penetrate deep into the sea! We need to know exactly how much power the Siren Empire has committed this time."

"Besides the known monarchs, are there any emperor-level figures hiding behind the scenes?"

"When and how will the Silverwing Ant Queen intervene in the battlefield?"

Another officer added, "Tactically, I agree with echeloned defense."

"Sirens rely on seawater; once they leave the water, their strength and mobility will be greatly reduced."

"If a section of the defense line is under too much pressure and cannot be held, we can consider a planned retreat to the pre-designated second or third line of defense, or even temporarily abandon some beaches and towns, and lure the sirens into the pre-designated 'waterless zone' battlefield inland, using the terrain and prepared large-scale magic arrays to encircle and annihilate them!"

"It is of utmost importance to preserve our strength and avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer number of sirens on the beachhead."

"Abandon our territory? Retreat?" A hot-tempered military general slammed his fist on the table. "Do you know what this means? Public panic! Economic collapse! A complete loss of international reputation! What will become of the temple's prestige?!"

"Preserving our strength is for ultimate victory!" Cassius shouted, silencing the argument.

"Elder Eve, your 'Shadow Raven' is skilled in stealth and concealment. The important task of gathering intelligence in the deep sea is now entrusted to you."

"General, immediately activate the 'Sea Shield' Level 1 contingency plan! All coastal defense forces, enter maximum combat readiness! Magic towers, charge, all restrictions activated!"

"All reserve mage units mobilized! Remember, the objective of the first line of defense is not to hold out to the death, but to delay! If things become unmanageable... execute the 'Tidal Retreat' plan and retreat in an orderly manner to the 'Inland Anvil' defense line!"

The order from the Temple of Liberty was issued swiftly, and sirens blared throughout the entire U.S. coastal region.

However, everyone underestimated the ferocity of this "tidal wave" and the destructive will behind the Silverwing Ant Queen's declaration of war.

The main force of this siren tide is the 'Abyssal Executioner'!
They are the most notorious killing machines in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, far surpassing ordinary warrior-level sirens in strength, speed, and ferocity!

Accompanying them are the 'Vortex Beasts' that can create deadly vortexes, the ocean clam spirits that provide powerful defense, and the ubiquitous leeches that attach themselves to bones.

And a large number of low-level sirens serving as vanguards and cannon fodder.

Of course, there are also several monarch-level demons, scattered in different attack groups, clearly serving as the spearhead of the attack!
(End of this chapter)