Albion Castle, Holy Milishial Empire
July 3, 1641
In the most prominent building in the capital city of Runepolis, the heart of the Holy Milishial Empire, multiple faces gathered, including the Emperor, the third imperial prince Gaius, and several other high-ranking officials. They were engaged in a discussion about the ongoing conflict in the second civilization.
"The Nigrat Union forces in Sonal have been completely devastated, and Sonal itself is on the brink of destruction due to these assailants attacking the continent," Emperor Milishial stated, his gaze focused on the information in his hand. "The Sonalian royal family is also withdrawing to Nigrat and Magikareich, accompanied by a large number of refugees from the destruction of their towns and cities, caused by what appears to be arrows of light."
Everyone in the room maintained their silence as Hirkane Parpe, the Director of the Ancient Arms Analysis and Tactical Operations Department, finally spoke up, breaking the silence. "Considering Sonal is generally the weakest independent nation in the second civilization, with a population of less than 2 million, it's understandable that they would rely on Nigrat and Magikareich for support, both economically and militarily," he began. "However, the information we've been trying to confirm for the past few months is rather concerning. The reports from the battlefield, along with the discovery of weapons resembling our own and the relics of ancient sorcerous empire, are disturbing. So far, it seems they are not them, atleast."
Agra, the head of national defense, responded to Hirkane's words with concern. "We don't have any leaks of weapons, do we?" he asked quietly. "There might be something shady going on, and our weapons could be ending up in the hands of other countries."
Hirkane shook his head in response. "That's impossible. We have already signed a treaty with all the countries in the first civilization, ensuring that any relics excavated or reverse engineered will remain within the first civilization borders. The supplies we provided to Parpaldia were not ancient sorcerous empire relics or direct but derived reverse engineered technology, thus it's rather our failed prototypes. Lastly, they were different from the excavated relics we possess."
He referred to the anti-aircraft guns, autocannons, light artillery, and assorted landmines, which were only used twice throughout the entire conflict. Additionally, the missile systems, which were not meant to be exported but were intended to prolong the war and test their effectiveness against ASEAN military units, failed miserably and were destroyed during an attack on a Parpaldian military base in the west.
However, their intention was not to genuinely support Parpaldia. Rather, they saw it as an opportunity to eliminate the filth called 'fallen aristocratic families' who had been sent to lead the foreign legion of Parpaldia. Their involvement in the war in Philades ultimately led to their inevitable demise, as they were been mostly bombed to oblivion by the forces of SEADF. Many of them were captured, and their equipment was confiscated, leading to the further fueling the anti-Milishial sentiment among the people of Southeast Asia, first began to stir the moment Milishial sends a fleet of warships in Lauria, as seen on social media platforms.
Since then, the relationship between ASEAN and the Holy Milishial Empire has been characterized as not friendly, not close, but not hostile either. However, due to the ASEAN's growing influence in the third civilization and the far reaches of the second civilization, a subtle cold war has begun to take shape between the two powers. Conflicting interests and opposing stances have created a tense situation, akin to a dam reaching its breaking point or a storm brewing on the horizon.
"Other than that..." Gaius, the half-elf half-human imperial prince, interjected and spoke up. "Shouldn't we address the fact that the operators and soldiers of the attacking forces are winged people?" He glanced around the room, seeking acknowledgment.
"Prince Gaius, we must proceed with caution. While they may be winged people, we cannot jump to the conclusion that they are soldiers of the Annonrial Empire," one of the officials replied, attempting to offer a counterpoint.
"What?" Gaius interrupted him sharply.
"We shouldn't hastily conclude that they are from Annonrial," the official reiterated.
"Bullshit," Gaius muttered, causing unease among the other officials. He continued, "Can't you see it? They are from the southern world. I have lost dozens of men to them. If they were mere barbarians, I wouldn't have lost even one. Again, I emphasize -- This happened in the southern world, and now we have evidence that Annonrial might be technologically advanced, yet everyone here is turning a blind eye? Seriously?" Gaius expressed his frustration.
Among all the people present, he was the first one who deduced and voiced the possibility that these winged people were from the Annonrial Empire. However, many officials chose to wait and see, or even come up with explanations to justify the presence of winged people who, in theory, should belong to a medieval era category by earth standards, armed with cutting-edge magical weapons such as gigantic guided missile battleships, supersonic jets, missiles, and tanks that were currently rampaging throughout the second civilization.
The official was about to utter another word in his argument with the prince. "Ahem," Agra interjected to prevent any further escalation. Normally, one wouldn't dare talk back to a prince, but Gaius, being a half-elf and subject to gossip and hostility, faced a different reality. Moreover, he had one of the worst reputations among the princes. He often engaged in tasks that were deemed nonessential by the officials, such as communicating with uncivilized countries or dealing with hostile and uncooperative nations personally, that the royalty typically avoided.
Furthermore, Gaius's inclination towards meritocracy rather than noble privilege set him apart from others and led to constant conflicts with other nobles. However, it also brought him closer to the commoners. As a result, he commanded forces from the regional flotilla, essentially the coast guard of Milishial. The regional flotilla was predominantly comprised of commoners, as aristocrats preferred to serve in the imperial navy, which boasted cutting-edge warships, high pay, following imperial tradition and privileges. The regional flotilla, on the other hand, had second-hand or third-rate ships, along with low pay and underfunded facilities. Nevertheless, they added to Gaius's personal fleet.
"Prince, even if they are indeed from Annonrial, we cannot take any action unless we are fully committed to intervening in the war," commented Agra. "Furthermore, their country is shrouded in mystery, and we must exercise caution before engaging with them."
"Yes, indeed," added another individual, interrupting the discussion. The man, with his flashy attire, green hair, and blue eyes, entered the room, a pure high elf like the Emperor. "We are already taking steps in that direction, aren't we? We have commissioned six new Gold-class battleships into service, which will allow us to phase out the outdated Bronze-class battleships from the imperial navy and strengthen the regional flotilla under my esteemed brother's command."
Agra whispered in a low voice, "Prince Ker'tian," acknowledging the presence of the second imperial prince who had been engaged in a decades-long struggle with the first prince for the crown prince status.
If Gaius, known as the philanderer and maddog of the Milishial Imperial Family, was a determined individual who would stop at nothing to achieve his objectives. However, possessed a softer side, as evidenced by his willingness to order evacuations before resorting to extreme measures such as nuking a city. And contrast, the first prince, on the other hand, held the position of imperial premier and was the Pillar of the Milishial Imperial Family. He had a cynical nature and lacked Gaius' hesitation when it came to collateral damage. He was known for his decisive actions and would strike without warning, prioritizing the accomplishment of his goals above all else. The very epitome of decisiveness.
As for Ker'tian, the second prince, he was seen as the embodiment of a tyrant. He was considered the most dangerous member of the imperial family, and collateral damage was bound to occur whenever he became involved. He earned nicknames such as "Blood Raven" or "Crimson Talon," reflecting his maternal side moniker, Raven of the North.
"Ker'tian," Gaius retorted, his brows raised in response to the disrespectful words thrown at the Regional Flotilla. Despite his urge to punch him right then and there in front of the emperor and other high-ranking officials, Gaius restrained himself. "I must correct you, I have no control over any Regional Flotilla," he stated firmly.
"Oh," Ker'tian replied, pretending to be apologetic as he covered his mouth with his hands. "My apologies for the misinformation, my esteemed brother," The sarcastic tone in his voice made it clear that he was not sincere in his apology. While the emperor and first prince would not speak to Gaius in such a manner, being wise enough to not be bothered by his half-elf nature, Ker'tian, coming from a privileged and high-ranking family, could not bear the presence of someone with commoner blood holding so much power.
Despite Gaius renouncing his claim to the throne and no longer being a contender, Ker'tian continued to attack him simply because he couldn't tolerate his presence. "But wouldn't it make you happy? You could have those newly transferred outdated... oops, I mean ships from the imperial navy. They are very powerful and could easily overpower those insignificant insects known as uncivilized and nameless countries in the east and west," he remarked, playing it off lightly.
The Regional Flotilla, also formally known as the Regional Naval Auxiliary Force, was often seen as a dumping ground for old ships, maintained on a meager budget. It was primarily used for rear support or mopping-up operations after the Imperial Navy, the "true navy," as referred to by the aristocrats, had decisively defeated their enemies in fleet battles. As a result, the Regional Flotilla was commonly regarded as suitable only for patrol duties, low-intensity conflicts, and intimidation against weaker and less developed civilizations outside the first civilization.
Nevertheless, the Regional Flotilla was a well-rounded force, albeit lacking aircraft carriers, air wings, and submersible vessels by imperial navy standards. Furthermore, despite Gaius having little to no backing from the nobles or upper echelons, his effectiveness in accomplishing tasks, political maneuvering, and applying pressure to countries within and outside the civilized zone garnered him some concessions, albeit reluctantly granted by the nobility and the upper echelons of Milishial to increase some fundings to the Regional Flotilla. Additionally, Gaius held the position of Section Chief in the Antiquities Department of Ancient Arms Analysis Tactical Operations. In some meetings, he even acted as a substitute for Hirkane in their secretive organization known to only a few, directly under the control of the emperor.
Through this position, he managed to allocate funds to the Regional Flotilla by modifying some of the ships with prototype weapons for testing. Once approved, money was not an issue for him, allowing him to increase the budget of the Regional Flotilla. This was known by the public, but what few knew was that the emperor himself was involved in these maneuvers, protecting Gaius despite accusations of strong embezzlement cases against him. Because the Emperor held a certain favoritism towards Gaius, which ultimately saved him from imprisonment. In doing so, Gaius was able to strengthen his country while evading the prying and interfering eyes of the nobles.
"Brother," said Gaius, his tone eerily respectful towards Ker'tian as he stood and slowly walked towards him with a smile. "Do you even know what's more annoying? A babbling foolish barbarian in the third civilization or an egocentric second prince of Milishial?" His words caught Ker'tian off guard, as Gaius had never before retorted to him in such an offensive manner, completely disregarding his usual provocations.
"You plebeian!" Ker'tian responded, his face contorted with rage at the comparison between himself and what Gaius deemed as barbarians in the third civilization. He swiftly drew his sword, causing chaos to erupt in the room. The imperial guards quickly surrounded the emperor, while the officials began to back off. "I'll declare a due-smack!*
Before he could finish his sentence, Gaius's right hook landed on his face, sending him flying through the air, slamming on the door behind.
"Aw, fuck, that hurts," murmured Gaius as he looked at his bleeding hands, clearly in pain after the impact that sent Ker'tian flying.
Most of those on Ker'tian's side were agape at the sight, and an awkward silence followed before Ker'tian regained his senses. Blood dripped from his nose as he realized what had happened. "You bastard!" he shouted. "Kill that half-breed bastard!" His lackeys immediately pulled out their gunblades, and the magic runes on their weapons crackled with crimson Mana, concentrating a powerful fire blast capable of burning everything within a 50-meter range, essentially a portable flamethrower. But before they could fire...
"Hold your fire, ruffians!" One of the imperial guards immediately shouted.
The imperial guards protecting the emperor drew their halberds, seemingly primitive-looking weapons with fancy decorations. However, they were actually plasma launchers, and blue plasma began to form at the tips of the double-edged blades as electromagnetic force excites it as lump of superheated plasma, not much different from Ravernal legacy homunculus or now In possession machine hybrids of Esperanto-Heiskanen, and presently directed it towards Ker'tian and his group.
"Prince Gaius unlawfully and savagely attacked Prince Ker'tian! He should be punished!" The lackeys of Ker'tian immediately retorted, "Prince Ker'tian ordered it too!"
"You fools! How dare you bare your fangs at the imperial family!?" However, it seemed that they didn't hear the reason from Ker'tian's lackeys. The fact that non-imperial family or imperial guard individuals were joining the fray was seen as an attempt to challenge the will of the emperor and the imperial family itself. The imperial guards continued to charge up their plasma-launching halberds, capable of punching and melting through thick layers of steel and concrete. If a living flesh were to be hit, it would be pulverized and incinerated to the atomic level, leaving nothing, in a literal sense that even speck of dust will not survive.
Seeing how the situation unfolded, it became evident that despite Gaius being known as a self-proclaimed playboy, philanderer, and mad dog of the empire, in fact, he was still even if rotten inside, a soldier-an admiral of his own fleet and a general of his armies. He had plenty of experience from the ending years of the Millicent warring period, not to mention successfully crushing a few rebellions in the past decades and personally leading military exercises to maintain combat readiness even in peacetime. Additionally, he was known for pressuring uncivilized and weaker civilizations, employing intimidation and gunboat diplomacy to assert Milishial's dominance.
Furthermore, even without a weapon, Gaius against Ker'tian-who was only good at ordering people around but lacked knowledge of self-defense and not-so-athletic-would be considered overkill. Thus, he shouted for help, saying, "Father! That barbarian attacked me!" in an attempt to seek assistance and save face as the situation escalated.
As Gaius heard the escalating insults hurled at him, from "brother" to "half-bred" and now "barbarian," he couldn't help but find the situation rather comical. Watching Ker'tian flail and call for assistance from the emperor, Gaius couldn't help but see it as a pathetic display of desperation. Despite their differences and conflicts, Gaius found himself smirking sardonically at the irony of the situation and the lengths Ker'tian was willing to go to save face, despite looking pathetic as he could.
Meanwhile, the emperor looked at his son, seemingly asking himself, "What have I done to warrant such a pathetic child?" He openly sighed. The emperor was typically neutral, maintaining a poker face, and only allowing his emotions to burst forth during conferences as senile old man. This strategic move served to gauge the loyalty and diligence of the nobles and aristocratic bureaucrats, helping him identify who was worth keeping and who could be dispatched to clean the upper echelon of the government. The rest, he considered disposable trash that needed to be removed from the government.
"Ker'tian," muttered the emperor, causing him to straighten up. "I'm disappointed," he said, then looked at his trusty old friend and now head of the imperial guards, Marianne, the former duchess of Astra Dukedom, one of the constituent countries of the empire. The old high elf, like him, nodded as she drew a single silver gunblade, more compact than the current mainstream gunblades in service. It wasn't a low-powered area-of-effect weapon or a catalyst for low-output magic. Instead, it acted akin to the plasma halberds of the imperial guards. However, it didn't bear the standard runic inscriptions, and its streamlined design made it appear like a futuristic non-magical weapon.
Confusion spread among Ker'tian's lackeys, including himself, as they tried to understand what was happening and what the emperor meant by "I'm disappointed." Suddenly, a high-speed projectile hit Ker'tian's head, blowing off two-thirds of it, scattering internal matter throughout the room and leaving it drenched in blood and cerebral fluid.
"Kill the rest," Marianne commanded. The imperial guards aimed their halberds at the remaining lackeys, who were unable to process what was happening and were swiftly pulverized by several plasma projectiles.
The projectiles that penetrated the unfortunate bodies of Ker'tian's lackeys immediately slammed behind them, but to everyone's surprise, the light emitted by the impact was absorbed by an unseen force, causing them to vanish without exploding or generating any heat. The emperor commented, "That's Ravernal's mind-blowing anti-magic relic for you," as if he were an amused child witnessing something extraordinary for the nth time.
Even Gaius was taken aback, his nerves shaken, as the Emperor's casual act of killing his own son was a chilling sight. His father didn't even bat an eyelid, nor did he show any sadness. In fact, he looked rather merry, more focused on the anti-magic relics of Ravernal than the death of his own son.
Noticing his other son's reaction, the emperor shrugged and said, "What? As if you haven't killed a number of people in your life." He continued, "Killing useless people before they can cause harm to the throne is of utmost priority. Even on the off chance, this stupid son of mine might ascend to the throne and destroy everything my father and I built for the last millennium." He went on to explain, "Killing my sons and siblings during the succession war isn't really any different from killing other people," and he continued to mutter as if reminiscing about the memories of killing a few of his siblings for the succession war a few thousand years ago.
Gaius sighed at the sight. He didn't even know what to say about his father who had just murdered his own brother. While he wasn't saddened by his brother's death, he found it disturbing that his father personally ordered the killing. "What now? There are still a few idiots supporting and following him. If they discover that the emperor ordered his death, you might be forced to step down from the throne," he said to his father.
In that moment, the emperor's face began to contort, then burst out -- with heartily laugh. "Pfft... Hahaha," he chuckled, not bothered by his appearance as he continued to laugh while slapping his thigh. "Is that supposed to be a joke? I am the Emperor. Some no-name aristocrats can't possibly measure against me, right?" he said to Gaius with a threatening tone.
The officials looked away, and the imperial guards remained still, not intervening in the tense situation. Gaius couldn't help but feel exasperated by his father's behavior. It seemed childish to him, and he let out a sigh. "Yeah, whatever," he said, resigning himself to the fact that reasoning with his father might not be fruitful at the moment. "What do we do about Mu and Magikareich?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation back to the matters at hand after the unnecessary drama during the meeting.
"We will continue to trade and send humanitarian relief to Muish. As for Magikareich, it's not in our hands, right?" the Emperor said to Gaius, referring to Magikareich's affiliation with the ASEAN-led UDEA, which had a mutual defense treaty with a powerful civilization in the east. Milishial couldn't intervene directly unless requested by the Milishial towards the UDEA council or if the UDEA itself asked for their assistance.
"But I'd like to ask for more observers to be sent to Mu," the Emperor concluded. "Once we fully analyze the hostile elements, we will decide on our course of action by the end of the year. Full-scale production of battleships and cruiser-class ships will be a priority for this fiscal year, along with mass production of the newly introduced Alpha VI to counter the supersonic machinations of ASEAN and this unknown threat," he added, laying out the plan to strengthen their military capabilities.
Gaius nodded in response. "What about the countries inside here, Eimor and the Central Law Kingdom?" he asked. The Central Law Kingdom had affiliated with UDEA without permission from the first civilization countries. They also didn't intervene during the summit in ASEAN, which resulted in the Eimorians' envoy being driven off the venues. This incident made Eimor appear inactive or unresponsive in the following months.
"The Eimor and Central Law Kingdom are delicate matters," the Emperor replied, acknowledging the complexity of the situation. "We must be cautious not to provoke unnecessary conflicts with the Central Law Kingdom, considering their ties with the UDEA. We cannot risk jeopardizing our relations that are already on thin ice with the alliance without proper cause."
Gaius nodded in response.
"As for Eimor," the Emperor continued, "they have been relatively silent since the summit incident, but that doesn't mean they aren't observing. While we are bound by treaty, they haven't requested a meeting, so we haven't reached the point of no return." He mused, pondering over why the Eirmorians didn't send a calm envoy to ASEAN, or ASEAN themselves didn't deescalate it.
"So we should stay put for the time being?" Gaius suggested, to which the Emperor nodded in agreement. "Alright, I want some carriers to be diverted to the regional fleet. Can you drag the decommissioned carriers for refurbishing and recommissioning?" Gaius concluded with his request.
"How many do you want?" the Emperor inquired.
"As many as you can, as fast as possible," Gaius responded.
"Agra," the Emperor turned to his trusted vassal, "how many ships are currently in reserve?"
Agra promptly pulled out some papers from his briefcase after a few moments. "About 90 ships in total, 4 of which are carriers. Only half of them could be recommissioned to an ideal degree, having been out of service for only 3 years. The other half couldn't be salvaged and are scheduled to be scrapped," he informed the Emperor.
"Bring the ones that can be brought back into service," the Emperor instructed Agra.
"As you wish," Agra replied, respectfully bowing before leaving the room.
"Anything else?" the Emperor inquired.
Gaius fell silent for a moment, carefully considering his words. "About the east... ASEAN," he finally spoke, referring to the hegemon of the eastern.
Gra Valkas Empire
October 1, 1641
The Gra Valkas Empire, a hegemonic civilization from another world with similarities to late imperial Japan in Worlds War II, finds itself embroiled in a bitter war with the superpower of this world, Mu. However, their situation becomes even more challenging as another faction joins the fray, leading to a three-way war. To their surprise, they encounter a highly advanced civilization from the early Cold War period, boasting superior jets, missiles, and ships compared to their own technology.
The three factions are now locked in a fierce and brutal conflict, driving the Gra Valkas Empire to mobilize all its available resources and industries for a massive war effort. The scale of production during this conflict surpasses even the magnitude of the War of Domination in Yggdra
Every single company within the empire has been requisitioned to contribute to the production of military components. To expedite the manufacturing process, tertiary industries have been suspended, and food rationing has been implemented to ensure adequate food supplies.
As the war rages on, the Gra Valkas Empire is fully committed to its defense and survival. The entire nation is now operating under a curfew, with the government mobilizing every able-bodied citizen to support the war effort. Men, women, and even children are enlisted to work in various roles essential for the empire's struggle against the two formidable foes in the east.
People from all walks of life are dedicating themselves to the cause. Some serve as foot soldiers, fighting on the frontlines with unwavering determination. Others toil as miners, extracting valuable resources to sustain the war machine. Workers in factories and refineries toil tirelessly to produce the needed weapons, ammunition, and equipment. Every industry is operating at maximum capacity, with tertiary nodes removed to streamline production.
In this all-out effort, the empire also focuses on securing food sufficiency. Systemic farming is initiated to guarantee a steady food supply for the population. The sacrifices are great, as food rationing is conducted to ensure equitable distribution amid the demands of war.
Factories, refineries, and mines are operating round the clock in three shifts per day, tirelessly churning out thousands upon thousands of tons of resources and components needed for the war against the Annonrial empire. The situation has pushed the Gra Valkas Empire to its limits as it strives to match the technological might and firepower of its adversaries.
____________
Ragna, Gra Valkas Empire
At the heart of the Gra Valkas Empire, there is a solemn silence as people walk around the streets. There is a lack of liveliness, not because of the war, but due to the strict implementation of curfew. Hundreds of secret police are scattered throughout the city, deployed by cabal to ensure the loyalty of the people to the new regime.
However, today is different; everyone is waiting for the clock to strike 7:30 in the morning, as it was ordered four days ago on October 1. An important announcement shall be made by the regent. The moment the clock reaches 7:30, a few seconds later, the announcement begins. The regent appears on the screen for those privileged enough to have a TV, while others who can only afford a radio listen to the static noise.
"Today, October first, marks four years since we transferred to another world, an unknown and strange world filled with magic and mythical beings," says Gra Cabal, starting to recall the events that followed soon after. "Chaos ensued, and we lost our territories and contact with our allies from Yggdra, leaving us immobilized and in confusion."
He pauses, and people watching on TV look agape, while those with only a radio can only anticipate what he is saying. Cabal spreads his hands on the screen. "We discovered civilization after civilization of unknown origin and tried to peacefully contact them," he continues. Another pause follows, and he places his hand on his chest as if in pain. "However, these barbarians killed our envoys, and they attacked unjustifiably, taking the life of a member of the imperial family, Prince Hylas, who only wanted peace and prosperity for us."
The mention of Hylas's name had a profound impact on everyone. "That's the day we realized that this world is unjust and unfair," Cabal continued with a strong tone. "This ENLIGHTENED us. If they don't dare to take a peaceful approach, to live in harmony, then we shall teach them what peace and harmony truly mean! Under the control of our GLORIOUS EMPIRE!" His words were strong and resolute, rallying the people for the upcoming conflict.
"Nothing stands before us! Not even their so-called superpowers! We strike them down with a single battleship that brought them to their knees!" Cabal's voice grew even more impassioned as he continued his speech. "But our greatest obstacles have yet to be toppled! I call upon the people, the subjects of the empire, to fully commit themselves to the act of liberating this world! Let us turn it into an ideal and wonderful world that lives in peace and harmony under the guidance of our great empire!"
His words stirred the hearts of the people. The call for unity and the war effort gained even greater support as the people were galvanized by Cabal's inspiring speech.
"Today is the beginning of their end! The dawn of our history will be remembered through the annals of time!" Cabal's voice echoed with fervor. "They will bow down before us! Our might, our resolve, and our unyielding spirit will crush their resistance and pave the way to a new era of dominance and prosperity for the Gra Valkas Empire!"
The people erupted in cheers, their spirits lifted by the words of their leader. The reel operation of Cabal had been completed, 'but would that be enough?' That was the greatest question that would later be written in the history books of the new world.
Muish Western Sea
Two ships prowled through the sea, cutting through the waves with their elegant streamlined design, resembling the littoral combat ships of the USA. However, they were armed with two triple 120 mm cannons at the front and stern, along with 2 16 VLS and 4 3-barreled Astartes cannons acting as CIWS for the ships.
These ships were known as the intermediate types, falling between cruiser and destroyer classes, boasting the firepower of a cruiser and the endurance and speed of a destroyer. They were the third most numerous surface combatant ships in the Annonrial navy with over 240 ships in service, referred to as the constellation class destroyer leaders.
Their current role was serving as radar pickets for the Annonrial navy. Their presence indicated the possible presence of a carrier battle group or a capital ship flotilla nearby.
On the bridge, the crew enjoyed a full-course meal and ice cream parfait with green tea, while keeping an eye on the 3-dimensional synthetic aperture radar screen, which showed nothing of significant interest at the moment. If there were any more probing attacks from the Gra Valkan forces, they could easily handle them due to their small numbers. However, in the event of an unmanageable attack, they would request reinforcements from nearby carriers for air support. And if a flotilla or large fleet were to attack, they would back off and let the battleships take over.
For the past five months, there had been no fleet actions, only occasional air attacks from the Gra Valkans. The eerie silence on the sea and recon on their mainland suggested that the Gra Valkans might be holding back due to their substantial losses, possibly forced to retreat like a turtle folding into its shell, while licking their wounds.
Of course, their fleet was still a threat, but the 17th fleet lacked sufficient numbers to take them down. However, this problem would be resolved sooner or later with the arrival of several wings of Melta Strategic Attack Aircraft in Leiforian airfields that they had either captured or built specifically for this mission. These lumbering supersonic aircraft were capable of flying twice the speed of sound at 40,000 feet and carrying a payload of almost 15 tons of ordnance, with a range of over 11,000 kilometers, not counting the refueling along the way for extended flight duration.
The Annonrials refrained from bombing the Gra Valkans since the initial shift of combat operations to take out the root of all the problem, it was to properly prepare and ensure everything would be wiped out in a single strike. They didn't want to risk making the Gra Valkans withdraw their factories by attacking prematurely to deeper locations. Instead, the Annonrials wanted the Gra Valkans to believe that they wouldn't act, it's safe as the enemies wouldn't reach them, until the Annonrials could unleash their full weight of firepower in a single, decisive strike, just like what they did in Leifor, which resulted in the pretty much destruction of the Gra Valkan forces in that region within a few days.
As another usual day of patrol passed, something unusual was detected on the 3D radar aperture screen - underwater craft with distinctive machine noises resonating in the expanse of the sea.
"Sound detected, searching for compatibility, completed," their operator reported as the analysis appeared on the screen. "Nine underwater vessels detected, potential Gra Valkan submarines, 31 kilometers away, speed 7 knots, depth 100 to 120 meters."
"Another round of submarines?" one of the crew members said with amusement. "They never learn, huh?" They laughed at how many times they had already sunk Gra Valkan submarines in the past nine months of the conflict. It seemed the enemy was still repeating the same mistakes.
"Let's make this quick," the captain commanded as he entered the bridge. "Target the approximate location of those submarines. Load tubes 2 to 8 with anti-submarine projectiles and pressurize them afterwards."
Silently, everyone on the bridge followed his orders, efficiently taking care of the systems to target the enemy's undersea fleet. The Gra Valkan submarines didn't pose any real threat, and they could easily detect torpedo launches, allowing them to evade and outrun any incoming attacks. The crew worked monotonously, their rhythmic button presses and clicks on the screens filling the air as the ship's runic system, resembling a modern-ish era AI support system, made their task even easier. They only needed to wait for the ammunition swap in the VLS and for the captain's official order to fire the missiles. It felt like they were simply playing a game, pushing buttons and looking at screens, with no real danger or actual hardwork involved.
The VLS systems of the Annonrial fleet came in varying sizes and types, with a mix of cold and hot launch systems. The smaller and medium-sized ships used cold launch VLS, commonly found on attack crafts and cruiser-class vessels. On the other hand, the hot launch VLS systems were primarily reserved for the heavier weapons and were typically installed on capital ships like battleships and super carriers.
One significant advantage of the Annonrial VLS systems was their capability for rapid replenishment even at sea, even during combat. Unlike Earth's VLS-equipped ships that required reloading at ports after using their missile payload in combat, the Annonrial VLS could be fully loaded with standard 68 missiles within an hour. Moreover, their VLS systems had a unique feature that allowed them to load up to twice their standard payload. By utilizing conveyer belts, reserved ammunition could be efficiently swapped and carried, providing additional missile capacity. However, this innovative feature was only available on destroyer leader-class, cruiser, and larger capital ships. Smaller ships lacked this feature, but all vessels equipped with this system were at risk of catastrophic explosions, as cramming double the missile payload with conveyor belts inside the ships means increased the chances of catastrophic loss if an enemy attack managed to luckily land a hit them.
The mechanical noise of the conveyor belt rumbled as the missiles from tubes 2 to 8 were carefully dragged towards the reserved missile storage, making way for the anti-submarine projectiles. Once the swap was completed, the airtight launch platform began to close, and the air within it was pressurized, preparing everything for the eventuality of launch.
"Good to go, Captain," one of the personnel overseeing the conveyor belt, swapping the missiles, and the pressurization process, muttered.
"Prime and ready," another chimed in, as the operator in the data link gave them the heads-up.
"Enemy fleet at grid 79-24-A, designated Clout, confirmed. Multicasting systems all generating permissible output, no deviation of Clout's course. Predictors have confirmed, gyroscope good, and Mana resonance completed. Designated future course has been targeted. Your order, Captain?" one of the operators said to him, referring to the captain who looked at the screen displaying four large crosshairs on the target fleet. It wasn't moving, as it would soon be littered with anti-submarine depth charges.
"Fire," he ordered.
"Launching now," one of them responded as the VLS opened, missiles soaring into the mid-air before their propulsion systems engaged, leaving the ships at high speed, drawing parabolic paths with gusts of white smoke trailing behind.
Seconds turned into minutes as the missiles zeroed in the projected location of the submarines. Releasing a cluster of four anti-submarine depth charges from six missiles immediately dispersed, releasing 24 depth charges in the targeted area. The cone-shaped explosives descended to 80 meters depth. After a moment's delay, the charges detonated with tremendous force.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Splash! Splash!
The explosions sent shockwaves rippling through the water, causing massive splashes on the surface. The submarines near the blast site suffered severe damage, and even those further away were impacted by the pressure.
Three submarines were in close proximity to the depth charges' landing location was instantly depressurized and crumpled like papers. Even at a distance of 100 meters, the underwater shockwaves bent their hulls, an out of standard power of the Annonrial depth charges, surpassing even the Gra Valkan counterparts. Anything within 250 meters was guaranteed to be mangled into underwater debris.
The water churned with frothy white bubbles, and debris scattered in the aftermath of the blasts. The submarines were left in shambles, with oil leaking into the surrounding waters.
Aftermath immediately clouded the 3D radar aperture screens of Annonrial's underwater detection system, which integrated a multidimensional scanning array combined air, surface, and underwater searching systems. The Annonrial relied on hydrophones akin to direct transducers, which made them essentially blind to Ang major disturbances underwater.
However, "Multicasting Systems predicts that we destroyed 3 of their submarines with 79% probability," said one of their operators. Their systems could calculate potential precision kill launches of their ships, that independent enough to suggest whether to fire another shot or not. "Suggesting additional anti-submarine projectiles with recalibrated target input," he added.
"Authorized," said the captain before something appeared on their surface and air search systems. Innumerable dots appeared, prompting the captain to ask, "What's that?" he asked, confused if their multicasting system had gone awry due to the explosion caused by the ripples of anti-submarine projectiles.
"We're detecting 352 aerial objects at a speed of 240 knots, altitude 3,000 feet, in a mass formation and... increasing, with 40, 50, 67 surface contacts at 25 knots... Radio traffic signatures detected... Analyzing ," replied the multicasting system operators with trembling voices. "A Gra Valkan battlefleet!" one of them shouted.
"Report immediately to Carrier Resov! Request an immediate sortie of both fighter screens and anti-ship aerial attack crafts!" the captain shouted in demand as the light and carefree atmosphere on the bridge turned into panic. They never expected a Gra Valkan combined air and naval attack at this moment, and they were still in the process of gathering ammunition for their offensive. The ongoing reorganization in their fleet, the distance from their nearest supply bases, and the lack of actual reinforcements from their mainland made their situation even more precarious, with only resupply fleets going in and out to replenish the dwindling supplies of the Annonrials entrenched in Leifor.
If this early stages of the conflict, the Annonrials will surely had some leisure, but they faced pressure from the sporadic Muish land counteroffensive and their nightly air raids, which were nearly invisible on radar. The Muish's use of old biplanes dropping bombs, piloted by elderly individuals beyond enemy lines at low altitudes, and mysterious undetectable heavy artillery strikes, made it very difficult for the Annonrials to counteract. As a result, the Annonrials resorted to bombing every single Muish city, town, farm, industrial base, and even small villages to the ground, resulting in the death of up to 200,000 civilians. This ruthless approach aimed to cripple the Muish's ability to conduct operations in Leifor and along their borders, but it also depleted their supplies of precision weapons and even their regular free-fall bombs already reaching critical level.
Although the strategy decimated many major civilian concentrations along the border, the Annonrials faced challenges as their precision weapon supplies dwindled. The only resources not running out soon were their food supplies, which overcrowded their storage facilities, and the magic gems that could be harvested and refined in the occupied Leifor, and numerous anti-submarine and anti-tank missiles, generally including small arms in Annonrial arsenal.
Annonrial Supercarrier Resov
500 kilometers away from the creeping Gra Valkan fleet, a gigantic 100,000-ton ship prowled the sea with 8 escorts, including a heavy guided cruiser resembling a Kirov-class battlecruiser. They were alerted by the incoming attack.
In the chaos of the impending Gra Valkan attack, the carrier Resov sprang into action. Emergency klaxons blared as the crew scrambled to prepare the jets for immediate sortie. On the deck, pairs of sleek delta-winged fighter jets lined up, their engines roaring to life, ready for takeoff.
One after another, the jets launched from the deck of the supercarrier, shooting into the sky. The pilots maneuvered their aircraft, forming a protective screen around the carrier. Their mission was clear - defend the carrier and destroy the incoming threat.
The air filled tension as the Gra Valkan closed in, its ominous presence felt by all on board the Resov. Once a squadron worth formed in the sky, the jets began to moved with full afterburner on, weaving through the skies to intercept the incoming enemy forces.
And the carrier's flight deck continued to be bustled with activity as more jets were readied for takeoff. The rapid pace of the emergency sorties added to the tension.
And thus, the Annonrial 17th Fleet and the Gra Valkan imperial forces, with their full might, were about to clash in this naval campaign of unprecedented scale.
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[REDACTED] 😅