The Tension Escalates

The sun hung low in the sky, casting an eerie orange glow over the turbulent waters that separated the Valorian and Ruthenian fleets. The morning mist had dissipated, leaving a stark clarity that seemed to amplify the tension between the two navies. The Ruthenian fleet, led by the imposing RNS Imperator, held its V-shaped formation, anchored just outside Valoria's territorial boundary. On the opposite side, the Valorian fleet maintained its defensive line, each ship bristling with loaded cannons and primed torpedoes, waiting for a signal.