Illumination

Before the Carnford People carried away even more "fertilizer," they had to swallow the fruit of the Iron Islands whole—skin, flesh, and all!

Time had now become more urgent than ever! Every hour of delay could mean hundreds, even thousands, of "spoils" slipping away by sea!

Gron spun around sharply, the reefs trembling faintly beneath his heavy steps.

To the messenger who had been standing respectfully at the side all this time, not daring to breathe too loudly, he issued a string of orders as cold as ice yet filled with unquestionable resolve, his voice rolling across the beach like muffled thunder:

"Send the orders!"

"First, the landing force will cancel its rest! No stopping tonight—continue the assault! Throw every reserve team in! Tear open every one of their defensive lines like a pack of wolves and beat them to death! I want to see our battle flag planted on the harbor lighthouse of the Iron Islands before the sun rises tomorrow!"

"Second, order all warships to sortie in rotation regardless of damage and bombard the enemy positions along the coast without pause, especially the harbor area! Cover the landing force's advance! We absolutely cannot let Carnford ships dock so easily again!"

"Third, immediately send fast riders back to report to Great Chieftain Harald! Inform him of the battle situation here and Carnford's intervention, and request that more artillery and reinforcements be dispatched as soon as possible! Especially artillery! Tell the Great Chieftain we need more cannons! More ships!"

"Go!" Gron's final roar was like a thunderbolt, shaking the messenger from head to toe. He scrambled away in a tumble, running toward different relay points.

Gron once again turned his gaze toward the Iron Islands burning amid the night and the flames of war, his tusks flashing with bloodthirsty light