Frontline base Valkyries, Leifor territory, Gra Valkas Empire
Lt. General Perth continues to issue orders to every officer within the air operations command room. With the phenomenon of the radar screen going white, an enemy attack was expected so he promptly issued out deployment orders.
“1st anti-aircraft team deployment complete!”
“Affirmative!”
“Escort fighters lined up and are beginning to take off!”
“Affirmative!”
“All hands from the 1st attack group have not yet returned! We don’t know what’s coming so don’t relax your attention!”
Lt. General Perth was talking to the army officer next to him.
“Lt. General, we mustn’t underestimate our enemy. Nevertheless, whoever our enemy may be, our army is invincible! The empire will never lose!”
Perth felt a little irritated at the officer brandishing his idealism.
However, he can feel the high-level of training from the swift and prompt movements of his subordinates. It was then at that time when…
An intense flash of light suddenly leaks out from the window followed by a resounding bang. The glass windows in the base shook and broke into pieces. He then looks towards the direction of the sound.
“The… the runway!!!”
Following tremendous explosions, clouds of dust erupted from the runway. It wasn’t just one blast; followup explosions occurred all throughout the length of the runway. Further aggravating their unfortunate situation, the escort fighters that were taking off were caught in the explosions, blowing up into flames as they individually came to a halt on the runway.
“Where?! Where are you?! Agh!!!”
One of the parked aircraft went up in flames, igniting the bombs it was carrying, producing an enormous column of flame followed by the sound of the ear-piercing explosion. The secondary explosion was so great, the shockwave it generated destroyed the glass windows in the air operations command room as it violently perturbed the air.
He looked up to the sky in desperation but he couldn’t find the source of the attacks.
WOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo
After the explosions, an attack siren rings out all throughout the base. The sound of the siren stimulates human wariness, creating a tense atmosphere that permeates through every person within the base. Soldiers hurriedly move about as the soldiers who were supposed to be on break are awoken from their slumber. However, the bombing was relentless. The soldiers didn’t get enough time to prepare for the next explosion as bombs continued to drop on the aircraft parked on the runway.
The aircrafts were set ablaze, blowing up the bombs that they were carrying which were meant for the 2nd attack wave. As one plane’s bombs blow up, it sets the planes next to it on fire, blowing up their bombs in turn. Immense towers of flame and smoke rise from the base as the bombings show no sign of winding down, falling precisely and accurately on the aircraft that were parked on the apron.
No aircraft was spared. Those that were simply parked, destroyed. Those that were taxiing to take off, annihilated.
“Shit!!! Our aircraft are being maimed!!! What are the AA teams doing?!”
Perth turns his attention to the anti-aircraft emplacements. However, in the following moment, a bright flash of light emanates from the gun site, scattering its remains in all directions.
“They were also targeted?!”
They were destroyed in a single strike. There weren’t any other traces of bombs falling around them. A single bomb had accurately dropped onto them, wiping them off the face of the planet.
“What a hit rate!!! Unbelievable!!!”
They have temporarily lost their means of counterattack. Cold sweat runs down Perth’s back.
“Is the radar back yet?!”
“The radar isn’t broken, but the phenomenon seems to be due to some external factor! I will try increasing the power output!”
“Please! We’re at a substantial disadvantage without our eyes!!!”
He glares at the skies. They are still yet to understand where the attack was coming from. He understood that he could do nothing even if he were to glare at the sky, but he felt that he might run away in terror if he wasn’t going to steel himself.
It seems that the enemy is aiming for and attacking their important establishments at an extraordinary hit rate.
Just how skilled are they?
Lt. General Perth couldn’t stop himself from shaking in fear from their ungodly accuracy.
KABOOOOOM!!!
“…They got Radar No.2!!!”
“Wha-what?!”
First, the enemy took away their means of counterattack and then they went for their important facilities. For them to target their radar means that the enemy understands that radar is an important establishment.
The enemy… They have already grasped modern warfare!!!
It was shocking. The enemy is clearly a modern nation. It would be catastrophic for them to neglect to analyze such an enemy and let the flames of war spread to them.
Moreover, the enemy was extremely skilled; so much so that they don’t seem to be human at all. In his common sense, a bombing run is conducted by dropping a high amount of munitions with the hope that at least one of those munitions hits and destroys their target. However, what is currently happening is that the enemy is only using a single bomb for each of their targets.
“Radar Site No. 1, critically damaged!! Our radar is completely gone!!”
“Runway rendered unusable!!”
“Squadrons 12 through 18 are completely destroyed while taxiing!!!”
Painful screams can be heard across the radio.
“This isn’t happening!!! How could this have happened?!?!”
Unable to grasp what is happening, he repeats the same words over and over again. He couldn’t stop trembling.
“Where the fuck are you attacking from?! Wait, no way… is this a bombardment?!”
With the enemy not visible, he came to the conclusion that this was a bombardment from an enemy army.
“Enemy aircraft sighted at… super high altitudes!!!”
A lookout with good eyes reports in through the radio. The soldiers that were listening to the report immediately picked up their binoculars, desperately scanning the skies.
A streak of clouds was drawn across the blue sky as Perth finally caught sight of the enemy fighter. It appeared to possess an advanced-looking airframe as it cruised over what is probably 15,000m at speeds too fast for their minds to wrap around.
“It’s… it’s fast!!! It doesn’t have any propellers!!!”
He heard from the Navy that the aircraft of the Holy Mirishial Empire didn’t have any propellers. However, they also said that the performance of the empire’s fighters far exceeded that of theirs. The enemy fighter he caught sight of with his binoculars boasted a staggering speed, moving through the skies at an absurdly high altitude.
“A new model from the Mirishial Empire?!”
“Isn’t it the Japanese army that was reported earlier?!”
The officers that happened to be present there desperately wringed their minds for answers.
“F-from up that high?!”
The fighter was stupendously high above them. It may even be too high for their anti-aircraft guns. Yet still, it continued to precisely hit their important facilities. There’s no way it is hitting them accurately at such a high altitude. Such high-altitude bombing far surpassed areas that can be covered by a high-degree of skill.
It may have scattered a huge number of bombs with many of them landing far outside their base. He corrected his earlier thinking that them hitting their targets were just pure coincidence. For them to hit their targets at such high altitudes, there had to be several other large bombers flying with them.
“There has to be a bomber with them!! Search for other enemy aircraft!!”
The soldiers frantically scanned the skies. However, they couldn’t spot the bomber that was supposed to be there. Meanwhile, one of the bombs dropped on their ammo depot, inducing multiple secondary explosions and plunging the base deeper into chaos.
Reports were flooding the command room in such a short amount of time that they could no longer grasp just how much damage they have suffered. Friendly planes couldn’t take off as the runway was rendered unusable with some of their armored vehicles suffering catastrophic damage from the bombings.
By the time the bombings had stopped, vigorous towers of flame and black smoke rose from the base.
Perth stood silently still in front of the raging fires; their anti-aircraft guns long silenced and the aircraft that were parked in the apron devoid of animation. His brilliant subordinates, boasting formidable combat prowess in the previous world, died in an instant. The Imperial Army Air Corps which had been so powerful, was wiped off the face of the planet in a snuff.
He felt the suddenness of their death as well as its absurdity.
Since he became lieutenant general, he had prepared in his heart that some of his subordinates would die. However, this level of absurd, one-sided, slaughter was too much. Emotions welled up within him. From where he was standing, he could see the charred remains of what used to be people.
“You… you bastards…”
The edges of his eyes went hot with rage. Despite it all, he regains composure and returns to his collected self.
“Extinguish the flames!! Give me the extent of our damage!!!”
“Yes, sir!!!”
His subordinates appropriately moved about in spite of the dire situation. They truly are reliable…
“Incoming!! Several aircraft!! Around 120!! Verifying their silhouettes… They’re biplanes!!!”
With their radar sites having been long silenced, they were reduced to visual confirmation. A lookout with good eyes spots the incoming aircraft from a watchtower.
“Fuck!! What timing!! Could they be Mu’s attack group?!”
All of Mu’s large bases surrounding Valkyries should have been more or less wiped out by their bombings. Unable to grasp just where such a large attack force could have come from, he assumes that they were found by a recon craft earlier. The staggeringly accurate attack earlier may have been from a new class of aircraft from the Holy Mirishial Empire or the Japanese army as they didn’t have any prior information on aircraft that had such high-performance capabilities. Following such a devastating attack seems to be Mu’s attack group, capitalizing on their moment of weakness.
Normally, at full operation, the base would have fended off this coming attack fearlessly, annihilating all of them in the blink of an eye. However…
“All of our AA guns are destroyed!!! The runway is riddled with craters and the fighters we had on station are annihilated!!! Lt. General!!! We have no means of counterattack!!!”
With a report that borders on a crying scream, anybody could have figured out that they were helpless. Perth subconsciously wanted his subordinates to display the spirit that they were projecting a while ago that the empire would never lose.
The truth was that their AA emplacements and aircraft were all nearly wiped out.
“No… means… of counterattack…”
In the midst of his trembling, he managed to wring out some words. The attack was too accurate. Collecting himself and looking around the vicinity, he couldn’t spot any signs of bombs that landed outside their base. Judging just from the amount of bombs that hit their base, the empire’s large-scale bombing far dwarfed the number of bombs that the enemy used. However, their bombing was too accurate. Their runway, aircraft, radar sites, AA emplacements, fuel tanks, and even their ammo depots were all accurately hit as if the bombs were guided towards them.
What do we do…??
Perth was troubled. Suddenly, the door strongly opened and Gaoggel entered the room.
“All of you in air command, head for Warehouse No. 18, now!!! We still have some mobile anti-air machine guns left!
Orders have already been issued, but since the radio and barracks were all destroyed, the orders couldn’t reach you. We also seem to lack personnel to issue orders.”
“Co-commander! Are you alright?!”
“Hah… hah… hah… Quit yapping and move!!!”
Gaoggel, who was out of breath, had profuse amounts of blood trickling down from his forehead. He was likely struck by bombing shrapnel. Despite such a serious wound, he was performing his professional duties properly.
The people within the air operations command room ran out towards their designated place. The Gra Valkas Imperial Army, which was dealt an attack from way outside their expectations, continued to move in the face of the incoming threat.
・・・
Flash Sword Group, Air Corps West, Second Civilization Area superpower Mu
Most of Mu’s major air bases that can reach Valkyries were almost all catastrophically damaged by airstrikes launched by the Gra Valkas Empire, but several scattered minor bases and air bases nestled within the hollow mountains were spared from the bombings.
With Mu’s current technology, it was impossible to carry out a large-scale operation by linking up aircraft from the scattered bases. However, it was made possible by radar information shared by Japan, resulting in them managing to carry out an attack immediately after the Japanese bombing.
For Mu, this was their first and highest-degree-of-success large-scale operation since the invasion of Alue by the Gra Valkas Empire. This 1st attack group was named Flash Sword Group with the meaning that they are the nation’s sword, striking the enemy in a flash.
Leading the group was Captain Nagee. A large formation of over 150 aircraft consisting of 30 Marin fighters, one of which was piloted by Nagee, and 120 old-fashioned bombers and fighters flew across the skies. If they had come from major bases from around the capital, they would have had more modern fighters, but since they were all mishmashed from local troops, the number of old-fashioned aircraft was high.
Still, the sight of a 150-strong aircraft formation flying through the skies was magnificent, and while they were a mishmash of the country’s more obsolete models, they were Mu’s first counterattack against the alien Gra Valkas Empire. Being given the chance to become Mu’s foremost spear in its counterattack, their spirits were at an elevated high.
Due to exchanges with Japan, the performance of their radio was significantly bettered, more so than what they had 2 years prior, with magic communications becoming a thing of the past. Despite his group containing a lot of old-fashioned aircraft, all of them were fitted with radios.
In a few moments, they would reach the skies above the Gra Valkas Empire’s frontline base of Valkyries.
“The base will soon be within sight, captain!”
“Hmm! All aircraft, pay maximum caution to every Gra Valkas Empire fighter that will come!!”
There was information that the performance of the otherworldly fighters far surpassed that of their own.
“Captain, we heard that the Japanese army flew ahead of us to whittle down the enemy’s airpower, so could there actually be any fighters coming to intercept us?”
One of the soldiers asks over the radio. If this group was the country’s main fighting force, such frivolous talk over the radio wouldn’t be permitted. However, since the enemy was powerful and everyone was already heading to their certain deaths, no one contested him.
“I heard that there were only a dozen Japanese fighters sent to move ahead of us, so even if the Japanese army were to successfully surprise them and overcome the enemy’s superior numbers, it is okay to assume that the enemy would still have some fighters left. In the worst case scenario, it is also plausible to assume that the Japanese army was wiped out.”
“Huh, I see… Then why is the government defining this as Mu’s first counteroffensive?”
“It seems the fact that the Japanese army is strong is true, since many of the higher-ups in the military are saying the same thing. Since they have judged it to be the case, I am expecting that those 15 fighters that they have sent will truly shave off a lot of the enemy’s airpower.
Well, the higher ones’ thoughts go, the more they diverge from reality. However… our numbers are also substantial. What’s more is that our enemy isn’t an aircraft but an unmoving base, so the outcome of battle leans more towards our favor!”
The proud Second Civilization superpower of Mu raised itself to its current status as the world’s 2nd strongest through its endeavors as a scientific civilization, a feat unseen in other countries. However, they have made enemies of the great empire of the other world, experiencing the anguish of suffering defeat after defeat and causing the morale of their soldiers to plummet. Now, it is their turn to execute their first large-scale counterattack.
This is the first time that such a large force had come this close to an enemy base. They felt the dread of the enemy’s might, a strong volition to knock dead their enemy, and a faint hope for victory. Various emotions welled up within everyone. Captain Nagee shakes off the emotions that had mixed within him.
“The enemy has received a massive beating, so let’s go and rush in!! All of you, put in all of your spirit into this fight!! We… we are given the responsibility to deliver Mu’s first counterattack!!! We… we will protect Mu!!! Let’s go and kick those other-worldly heathens out of our continent!!!”
“Sir, yes, sir!!!”
Captain Nagee shouts to the top of his voice his orders and is greeted by replies of affirmation. Their determination is set.
“Smoke, dead ahead!!!”
Someone flying through a slit in the clouds reports in. The clouds eventually part, allowing Nagee to see the situation that unfolded from afar.
“Wha-!!!!”
The imperial frontline base of Valkyries was right there, below his eyes. Rising from the base were fierce columns of fire and smoke that almost seemed to be scorching the heavens instead. Smoke from burning gunpowder and fuel made it almost impossible to discern which is which.
“What the hell happened???”
“Almost all enemy aircraft are wrecked!!! The runway is also pulverized and rendered unusable!!!”
More reports have come in.
“Th-this… This is an opportunity given by the gods!!!!”
The possibility of a counterattack by enemy aircraft has dramatically fallen. In exchange, the morale of the attack group increased. Several of his subordinates flying ahead of him have already banked and are starting to dive. Nagee returns to his senses.
“Commence attack!!! Commence attack!!! Let those bastards know the wrath of the citizens of Alue and of Mu!!!”
One by one, over 100 old-fashioned biplanes dove towards the Valkyries base, commencing Mu’s first counteroffensive.
・・・
More than 100 fighters fired off their machine guns, followed by bombs dropped by bombers. The base’s other important facilities were set ablaze one after the other. Several anti-air machine guns fired tracer bullets into the air, hitting some of the enemy planes. However, there were more enemies than they could shoot, eventually being silenced by enemy machine guns firing in retaliation.
The empire’s proud frontline base Valkyries is on fire.
“You… you bastards!!! With such old-fashioned planes, we should have been able to…!!!”
If they hadn’t been dealt such a massive blow by what seemed to be the Japanese army’s precise attack, they would have easily fended off this attack. However, much of their fighters have been wrecked, their AA guns are almost entirely wiped out, and the only mobile AA machine guns that have survived are now standing alone against the onslaught, unable to deal any meaningful damage and prevent more casualties.
The air force of the Second Civilization Area superpower Mu was fully unleashing its power on an enemy robbed of its power to respond.
The airstrikes continue. Later on, the Valkyries air strike would be written down in history as the empire’s first severe defeat in the new world.
・・・
4th Division, Gra Valkas Imperial Army, inside the hollow mountains, east of Valkyries
The hollow mountains were made up of numerous cavities reminiscent of volcanic rock expanded a thousand times over with the ground underneath them largely flat. Not only do the rock formations provide shelter from attacks from the sky, they also make radio communication difficult. The 4th Division was making its way through the mountains from Valkyries and despite numerous attempts from the base to reach them, none of their messages patched through to the division.
On those same plains within the hollow mountains advanced a 10,000 strong modern army division. Much of their soldiers were riding onboard vehicles and tanks.
The 4th Division’s command vehicle is an armored vehicle that is slightly bigger than the combat tanks and is equipped with high-output radio equipment. Inside the command vehicle, 4th Division Commander Borg was talking to one of his subordinates.
“In about 8 hours, we will finally be outside the hollow mountains.”
“Yeah… Aw, heck. The airstrikes would have probably been over by now. If anything, the enemy army might have probably been annihilated already. If only we had a chance at them…”
Borg, who was speaking on the pretense that they will win overwhelmingly, felt a bit unsettled by his subordinate.
“Commander Borg, in the very unlikely chance that the airstrikes fail, we will be in great danger. Even if the enemy’s main force consists of mostly biplanes, air power is still a massive threat.”
His subordinate, who has started to talk about things out of a tactics textbook, had a point but reality is often different from textbooks.
“Isn’t that why we have communications aircraft? If the airstrikes did indeed fail, an Antares fighter drawing red smoke would appear over the skies the moment we exit the hollow mountains.
Once we see that red smoke, that’s the time we fall back. If it were blue smoke, we would continue with the operation. If no one came, we verify with the base over the radio. Isn’t this something we have already discussed with everyone?”
“Yes, but…”
To him, this prospect seemed very lax. If they were dealing with the great superpowers from the previous world, they wouldn’t be this overly optimistic. This leniency was scary and hard to accept but he ended up swallowing his words.
“In the previous world and in this one, the 4th Division is invincible!!! We have tanks, weapons that the enemy can’t even imagine!! We are also highly skilled!! The enemy is simply no match against our strength!!”
The empire is, just as division commander Borg says, powerful. There was no doubt about that. They are superior in numbers, skill, and technology.
The march of the division was especially magnificent, conveying a belief that no matter what kind of enemy will come, they are unstoppable.
“Indeed.”
With tanks at the vanguard, the division continues to advance. Other than attacks from the sky, there exists no enemy that can stop the empire’s advancing armor.
The Gra Valkas Imperial Army’s strongest mechanized division, the 4th Division, continued its march towards the Mu town of Kielseki.
Somewhere within the same hollow mountains
A rectangular lump of steel unseen in the new world was aiming for its prey. A single massive rod projected outwards from the steel body which was far bigger than any of the tanks the Gra Valkas Empire possessed, with its steel frame looking immensely powerful.
Roughly 2km from them advanced the empire’s 4th Division, kicking up clouds of dust as they slowly trundled through the hollow mountains. Their targets have already been set with the division of targets already split amongst each of their comrades so that there’s no overlap in fire.
Their enemy may be moving, but the fire control systems and gun stabilizers mounted on their vehicles allows them to hit their targets without missing.
10 Type 10 tanks, classified as Japan’s latest model, were about to attack the advancing Gra Valkas Imperial Army.
They have declared war on them. Almost soon after, they sank the patrol boat Shikishima, executing its crew. Despite all of their persuasions… Despite the wishes of Japan’s government for a peaceful resolution to the conflict… All of their diplomatic efforts were in vain as the Gra Valkas Empire invaded their ally, Mu.
Their first victim, the town of Alue, was subject to gruesome atrocities. They have heard of so much unsightly conduct from imperial soldiers; criminal acts unheard of in modern times.
With so many events coming together, history continues to move forward.
“Commence attack!”
A clearly defined voice sends out orders over the radio.
“Fire!!!”
Commands from each vehicle’s commander resound within their respective vehicles, promptly transmitting the order to fire to their gunners who press down on the fire button without haste. In sync with thunderous bangs, the empire’s destruction was launched from all of their guns.
10 Type 10 tanks of the 7th Division under Japan’s Mu expeditionary force commenced their attack on the 4th Division of the Gra Valkas Imperial Army.
Frontline base Valkyries, Leifor territory, Gra Valkas Empire
Lt. General Perth continues to issue orders to every officer within the air operations command room. With the phenomenon of the radar screen going white, an enemy attack was expected so he promptly issued out deployment orders.
“1st anti-aircraft team deployment complete!”
“Affirmative!”
“Escort fighters lined up and are beginning to take off!”
“Affirmative!”
“All hands from the 1st attack group have not yet returned! We don’t know what’s coming so don’t relax your attention!”
Lt. General Perth was talking to the army officer next to him.
“Lt. General, we mustn’t underestimate our enemy. Nevertheless, whoever our enemy may be, our army is invincible! The empire will never lose!”
Perth felt a little irritated at the officer brandishing his idealism.
However, he can feel the high-level of training from the swift and prompt movements of his subordinates. It was then at that time when…
An intense flash of light suddenly leaks out from the window followed by a resounding bang. The glass windows in the base shook and broke into pieces. He then looks towards the direction of the sound.
“The… the runway!!!”
Following tremendous explosions, clouds of dust erupted from the runway. It wasn’t just one blast; followup explosions occurred all throughout the length of the runway. Further aggravating their unfortunate situation, the escort fighters that were taking off were caught in the explosions, blowing up into flames as they individually came to a halt on the runway.
“Where?! Where are you?! Agh!!!”
One of the parked aircraft went up in flames, igniting the bombs it was carrying, producing an enormous column of flame followed by the sound of the ear-piercing explosion. The secondary explosion was so great, the shockwave it generated destroyed the glass windows in the air operations command room as it violently perturbed the air.
He looked up to the sky in desperation but he couldn’t find the source of the attacks.
WOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo
After the explosions, an attack siren rings out all throughout the base. The sound of the siren stimulates human wariness, creating a tense atmosphere that permeates through every person within the base. Soldiers hurriedly move about as the soldiers who were supposed to be on break are awoken from their slumber. However, the bombing was relentless. The soldiers didn’t get enough time to prepare for the next explosion as bombs continued to drop on the aircraft parked on the runway.
The aircrafts were set ablaze, blowing up the bombs that they were carrying which were meant for the 2nd attack wave. As one plane’s bombs blow up, it sets the planes next to it on fire, blowing up their bombs in turn. Immense towers of flame and smoke rise from the base as the bombings show no sign of winding down, falling precisely and accurately on the aircraft that were parked on the apron.
No aircraft was spared. Those that were simply parked, destroyed. Those that were taxiing to take off, annihilated.
“Shit!!! Our aircraft are being maimed!!! What are the AA teams doing?!”
Perth turns his attention to the anti-aircraft emplacements. However, in the following moment, a bright flash of light emanates from the gun site, scattering its remains in all directions.
“They were also targeted?!”
They were destroyed in a single strike. There weren’t any other traces of bombs falling around them. A single bomb had accurately dropped onto them, wiping them off the face of the planet.
“What a hit rate!!! Unbelievable!!!”
They have temporarily lost their means of counterattack. Cold sweat runs down Perth’s back.
“Is the radar back yet?!”
“The radar isn’t broken, but the phenomenon seems to be due to some external factor! I will try increasing the power output!”
“Please! We’re at a substantial disadvantage without our eyes!!!”
He glares at the skies. They are still yet to understand where the attack was coming from. He understood that he could do nothing even if he were to glare at the sky, but he felt that he might run away in terror if he wasn’t going to steel himself.
It seems that the enemy is aiming for and attacking their important establishments at an extraordinary hit rate.
Just how skilled are they?
Lt. General Perth couldn’t stop himself from shaking in fear from their ungodly accuracy.
KABOOOOOM!!!
“…They got Radar No.2!!!”
“Wha-what?!”
First, the enemy took away their means of counterattack and then they went for their important facilities. For them to target their radar means that the enemy understands that radar is an important establishment.
The enemy… They have already grasped modern warfare!!!
It was shocking. The enemy is clearly a modern nation. It would be catastrophic for them to neglect to analyze such an enemy and let the flames of war spread to them.
Moreover, the enemy was extremely skilled; so much so that they don’t seem to be human at all. In his common sense, a bombing run is conducted by dropping a high amount of munitions with the hope that at least one of those munitions hits and destroys their target. However, what is currently happening is that the enemy is only using a single bomb for each of their targets.
“Radar Site No. 1, critically damaged!! Our radar is completely gone!!”
“Runway rendered unusable!!”
“Squadrons 12 through 18 are completely destroyed while taxiing!!!”
Painful screams can be heard across the radio.
“This isn’t happening!!! How could this have happened?!?!”
Unable to grasp what is happening, he repeats the same words over and over again. He couldn’t stop trembling.
“Where the fuck are you attacking from?! Wait, no way… is this a bombardment?!”
With the enemy not visible, he came to the conclusion that this was a bombardment from an enemy army.
“Enemy aircraft sighted at… super high altitudes!!!”
A lookout with good eyes reports in through the radio. The soldiers that were listening to the report immediately picked up their binoculars, desperately scanning the skies.
A streak of clouds was drawn across the blue sky as Perth finally caught sight of the enemy fighter. It appeared to possess an advanced-looking airframe as it cruised over what is probably 15,000m at speeds too fast for their minds to wrap around.
“It’s… it’s fast!!! It doesn’t have any propellers!!!”
He heard from the Navy that the aircraft of the Holy Mirishial Empire didn’t have any propellers. However, they also said that the performance of the empire’s fighters far exceeded that of theirs. The enemy fighter he caught sight of with his binoculars boasted a staggering speed, moving through the skies at an absurdly high altitude.
“A new model from the Mirishial Empire?!”
“Isn’t it the Japanese army that was reported earlier?!”
The officers that happened to be present there desperately wringed their minds for answers.
“F-from up that high?!”
The fighter was stupendously high above them. It may even be too high for their anti-aircraft guns. Yet still, it continued to precisely hit their important facilities. There’s no way it is hitting them accurately at such a high altitude. Such high-altitude bombing far surpassed areas that can be covered by a high-degree of skill.
It may have scattered a huge number of bombs with many of them landing far outside their base. He corrected his earlier thinking that them hitting their targets were just pure coincidence. For them to hit their targets at such high altitudes, there had to be several other large bombers flying with them.
“There has to be a bomber with them!! Search for other enemy aircraft!!”
The soldiers frantically scanned the skies. However, they couldn’t spot the bomber that was supposed to be there. Meanwhile, one of the bombs dropped on their ammo depot, inducing multiple secondary explosions and plunging the base deeper into chaos.
Reports were flooding the command room in such a short amount of time that they could no longer grasp just how much damage they have suffered. Friendly planes couldn’t take off as the runway was rendered unusable with some of their armored vehicles suffering catastrophic damage from the bombings.
By the time the bombings had stopped, vigorous towers of flame and black smoke rose from the base.
Perth stood silently still in front of the raging fires; their anti-aircraft guns long silenced and the aircraft that were parked in the apron devoid of animation. His brilliant subordinates, boasting formidable combat prowess in the previous world, died in an instant. The Imperial Army Air Corps which had been so powerful, was wiped off the face of the planet in a snuff.
He felt the suddenness of their death as well as its absurdity.
Since he became lieutenant general, he had prepared in his heart that some of his subordinates would die. However, this level of absurd, one-sided, slaughter was too much. Emotions welled up within him. From where he was standing, he could see the charred remains of what used to be people.
“You… you bastards…”
The edges of his eyes went hot with rage. Despite it all, he regains composure and returns to his collected self.
“Extinguish the flames!! Give me the extent of our damage!!!”
“Yes, sir!!!”
His subordinates appropriately moved about in spite of the dire situation. They truly are reliable…
“Incoming!! Several aircraft!! Around 120!! Verifying their silhouettes… They’re biplanes!!!”
With their radar sites having been long silenced, they were reduced to visual confirmation. A lookout with good eyes spots the incoming aircraft from a watchtower.
“Fuck!! What timing!! Could they be Mu’s attack group?!”
All of Mu’s large bases surrounding Valkyries should have been more or less wiped out by their bombings. Unable to grasp just where such a large attack force could have come from, he assumes that they were found by a recon craft earlier. The staggeringly accurate attack earlier may have been from a new class of aircraft from the Holy Mirishial Empire or the Japanese army as they didn’t have any prior information on aircraft that had such high-performance capabilities. Following such a devastating attack seems to be Mu’s attack group, capitalizing on their moment of weakness.
Normally, at full operation, the base would have fended off this coming attack fearlessly, annihilating all of them in the blink of an eye. However…
“All of our AA guns are destroyed!!! The runway is riddled with craters and the fighters we had on station are annihilated!!! Lt. General!!! We have no means of counterattack!!!”
With a report that borders on a crying scream, anybody could have figured out that they were helpless. Perth subconsciously wanted his subordinates to display the spirit that they were projecting a while ago that the empire would never lose.
The truth was that their AA emplacements and aircraft were all nearly wiped out.
“No… means… of counterattack…”
In the midst of his trembling, he managed to wring out some words. The attack was too accurate. Collecting himself and looking around the vicinity, he couldn’t spot any signs of bombs that landed outside their base. Judging just from the amount of bombs that hit their base, the empire’s large-scale bombing far dwarfed the number of bombs that the enemy used. However, their bombing was too accurate. Their runway, aircraft, radar sites, AA emplacements, fuel tanks, and even their ammo depots were all accurately hit as if the bombs were guided towards them.
What do we do…??
Perth was troubled. Suddenly, the door strongly opened and Gaoggel entered the room.
“All of you in air command, head for Warehouse No. 18, now!!! We still have some mobile anti-air machine guns left!
Orders have already been issued, but since the radio and barracks were all destroyed, the orders couldn’t reach you. We also seem to lack personnel to issue orders.”
“Co-commander! Are you alright?!”
“Hah… hah… hah… Quit yapping and move!!!”
Gaoggel, who was out of breath, had profuse amounts of blood trickling down from his forehead. He was likely struck by bombing shrapnel. Despite such a serious wound, he was performing his professional duties properly.
The people within the air operations command room ran out towards their designated place. The Gra Valkas Imperial Army, which was dealt an attack from way outside their expectations, continued to move in the face of the incoming threat.
・・・
Flash Sword Group, Air Corps West, Second Civilization Area superpower Mu
Most of Mu’s major air bases that can reach Valkyries were almost all catastrophically damaged by airstrikes launched by the Gra Valkas Empire, but several scattered minor bases and air bases nestled within the hollow mountains were spared from the bombings.
With Mu’s current technology, it was impossible to carry out a large-scale operation by linking up aircraft from the scattered bases. However, it was made possible by radar information shared by Japan, resulting in them managing to carry out an attack immediately after the Japanese bombing.
For Mu, this was their first and highest-degree-of-success large-scale operation since the invasion of Alue by the Gra Valkas Empire. This 1st attack group was named Flash Sword Group with the meaning that they are the nation’s sword, striking the enemy in a flash.
Leading the group was Captain Nagee. A large formation of over 150 aircraft consisting of 30 Marin fighters, one of which was piloted by Nagee, and 120 old-fashioned bombers and fighters flew across the skies. If they had come from major bases from around the capital, they would have had more modern fighters, but since they were all mishmashed from local troops, the number of old-fashioned aircraft was high.
Still, the sight of a 150-strong aircraft formation flying through the skies was magnificent, and while they were a mishmash of the country’s more obsolete models, they were Mu’s first counterattack against the alien Gra Valkas Empire. Being given the chance to become Mu’s foremost spear in its counterattack, their spirits were at an elevated high.
Due to exchanges with Japan, the performance of their radio was significantly bettered, more so than what they had 2 years prior, with magic communications becoming a thing of the past. Despite his group containing a lot of old-fashioned aircraft, all of them were fitted with radios.
In a few moments, they would reach the skies above the Gra Valkas Empire’s frontline base of Valkyries.
“The base will soon be within sight, captain!”
“Hmm! All aircraft, pay maximum caution to every Gra Valkas Empire fighter that will come!!”
There was information that the performance of the otherworldly fighters far surpassed that of their own.
“Captain, we heard that the Japanese army flew ahead of us to whittle down the enemy’s airpower, so could there actually be any fighters coming to intercept us?”
One of the soldiers asks over the radio. If this group was the country’s main fighting force, such frivolous talk over the radio wouldn’t be permitted. However, since the enemy was powerful and everyone was already heading to their certain deaths, no one contested him.
“I heard that there were only a dozen Japanese fighters sent to move ahead of us, so even if the Japanese army were to successfully surprise them and overcome the enemy’s superior numbers, it is okay to assume that the enemy would still have some fighters left. In the worst case scenario, it is also plausible to assume that the Japanese army was wiped out.”
“Huh, I see… Then why is the government defining this as Mu’s first counteroffensive?”
“It seems the fact that the Japanese army is strong is true, since many of the higher-ups in the military are saying the same thing. Since they have judged it to be the case, I am expecting that those 15 fighters that they have sent will truly shave off a lot of the enemy’s airpower.
Well, the higher ones’ thoughts go, the more they diverge from reality. However… our numbers are also substantial. What’s more is that our enemy isn’t an aircraft but an unmoving base, so the outcome of battle leans more towards our favor!”
The proud Second Civilization superpower of Mu raised itself to its current status as the world’s 2nd strongest through its endeavors as a scientific civilization, a feat unseen in other countries. However, they have made enemies of the great empire of the other world, experiencing the anguish of suffering defeat after defeat and causing the morale of their soldiers to plummet. Now, it is their turn to execute their first large-scale counterattack.
This is the first time that such a large force had come this close to an enemy base. They felt the dread of the enemy’s might, a strong volition to knock dead their enemy, and a faint hope for victory. Various emotions welled up within everyone. Captain Nagee shakes off the emotions that had mixed within him.
“The enemy has received a massive beating, so let’s go and rush in!! All of you, put in all of your spirit into this fight!! We… we are given the responsibility to deliver Mu’s first counterattack!!! We… we will protect Mu!!! Let’s go and kick those other-worldly heathens out of our continent!!!”
“Sir, yes, sir!!!”
Captain Nagee shouts to the top of his voice his orders and is greeted by replies of affirmation. Their determination is set.
“Smoke, dead ahead!!!”
Someone flying through a slit in the clouds reports in. The clouds eventually part, allowing Nagee to see the situation that unfolded from afar.
“Wha-!!!!”
The imperial frontline base of Valkyries was right there, below his eyes. Rising from the base were fierce columns of fire and smoke that almost seemed to be scorching the heavens instead. Smoke from burning gunpowder and fuel made it almost impossible to discern which is which.
“What the hell happened???”
“Almost all enemy aircraft are wrecked!!! The runway is also pulverized and rendered unusable!!!”
More reports have come in.
“Th-this… This is an opportunity given by the gods!!!!”
The possibility of a counterattack by enemy aircraft has dramatically fallen. In exchange, the morale of the attack group increased. Several of his subordinates flying ahead of him have already banked and are starting to dive. Nagee returns to his senses.
“Commence attack!!! Commence attack!!! Let those bastards know the wrath of the citizens of Alue and of Mu!!!”
One by one, over 100 old-fashioned biplanes dove towards the Valkyries base, commencing Mu’s first counteroffensive.
・・・
More than 100 fighters fired off their machine guns, followed by bombs dropped by bombers. The base’s other important facilities were set ablaze one after the other. Several anti-air machine guns fired tracer bullets into the air, hitting some of the enemy planes. However, there were more enemies than they could shoot, eventually being silenced by enemy machine guns firing in retaliation.
The empire’s proud frontline base Valkyries is on fire.
“You… you bastards!!! With such old-fashioned planes, we should have been able to…!!!”
If they hadn’t been dealt such a massive blow by what seemed to be the Japanese army’s precise attack, they would have easily fended off this attack. However, much of their fighters have been wrecked, their AA guns are almost entirely wiped out, and the only mobile AA machine guns that have survived are now standing alone against the onslaught, unable to deal any meaningful damage and prevent more casualties.
The air force of the Second Civilization Area superpower Mu was fully unleashing its power on an enemy robbed of its power to respond.
The airstrikes continue. Later on, the Valkyries air strike would be written down in history as the empire’s first severe defeat in the new world.
・・・
4th Division, Gra Valkas Imperial Army, inside the hollow mountains, east of Valkyries
The hollow mountains were made up of numerous cavities reminiscent of volcanic rock expanded a thousand times over with the ground underneath them largely flat. Not only do the rock formations provide shelter from attacks from the sky, they also make radio communication difficult. The 4th Division was making its way through the mountains from Valkyries and despite numerous attempts from the base to reach them, none of their messages patched through to the division.
On those same plains within the hollow mountains advanced a 10,000 strong modern army division. Much of their soldiers were riding onboard vehicles and tanks.
The 4th Division’s command vehicle is an armored vehicle that is slightly bigger than the combat tanks and is equipped with high-output radio equipment. Inside the command vehicle, 4th Division Commander Borg was talking to one of his subordinates.
“In about 8 hours, we will finally be outside the hollow mountains.”
“Yeah… Aw, heck. The airstrikes would have probably been over by now. If anything, the enemy army might have probably been annihilated already. If only we had a chance at them…”
Borg, who was speaking on the pretense that they will win overwhelmingly, felt a bit unsettled by his subordinate.
“Commander Borg, in the very unlikely chance that the airstrikes fail, we will be in great danger. Even if the enemy’s main force consists of mostly biplanes, air power is still a massive threat.”
His subordinate, who has started to talk about things out of a tactics textbook, had a point but reality is often different from textbooks.
“Isn’t that why we have communications aircraft? If the airstrikes did indeed fail, an Antares fighter drawing red smoke would appear over the skies the moment we exit the hollow mountains.
Once we see that red smoke, that’s the time we fall back. If it were blue smoke, we would continue with the operation. If no one came, we verify with the base over the radio. Isn’t this something we have already discussed with everyone?”
“Yes, but…”
To him, this prospect seemed very lax. If they were dealing with the great superpowers from the previous world, they wouldn’t be this overly optimistic. This leniency was scary and hard to accept but he ended up swallowing his words.
“In the previous world and in this one, the 4th Division is invincible!!! We have tanks, weapons that the enemy can’t even imagine!! We are also highly skilled!! The enemy is simply no match against our strength!!”
The empire is, just as division commander Borg says, powerful. There was no doubt about that. They are superior in numbers, skill, and technology.
The march of the division was especially magnificent, conveying a belief that no matter what kind of enemy will come, they are unstoppable.
“Indeed.”
With tanks at the vanguard, the division continues to advance. Other than attacks from the sky, there exists no enemy that can stop the empire’s advancing armor.
The Gra Valkas Imperial Army’s strongest mechanized division, the 4th Division, continued its march towards the Mu town of Kielseki.
Somewhere within the same hollow mountains
A rectangular lump of steel unseen in the new world was aiming for its prey. A single massive rod projected outwards from the steel body which was far bigger than any of the tanks the Gra Valkas Empire possessed, with its steel frame looking immensely powerful.
Roughly 2km from them advanced the empire’s 4th Division, kicking up clouds of dust as they slowly trundled through the hollow mountains. Their targets have already been set with the division of targets already split amongst each of their comrades so that there’s no overlap in fire.
Their enemy may be moving, but the fire control systems and gun stabilizers mounted on their vehicles allows them to hit their targets without missing.
10 Type 10 tanks, classified as Japan’s latest model, were about to attack the advancing Gra Valkas Imperial Army.
They have declared war on them. Almost soon after, they sank the patrol boat Shikishima, executing its crew. Despite all of their persuasions… Despite the wishes of Japan’s government for a peaceful resolution to the conflict… All of their diplomatic efforts were in vain as the Gra Valkas Empire invaded their ally, Mu.
Their first victim, the town of Alue, was subject to gruesome atrocities. They have heard of so much unsightly conduct from imperial soldiers; criminal acts unheard of in modern times.
With so many events coming together, history continues to move forward.
“Commence attack!”
A clearly defined voice sends out orders over the radio.
“Fire!!!”
Commands from each vehicle’s commander resound within their respective vehicles, promptly transmitting the order to fire to their gunners who press down on the fire button without haste. In sync with thunderous bangs, the empire’s destruction was launched from all of their guns.
10 Type 10 tanks of the 7th Division under Japan’s Mu expeditionary force commenced their attack on the 4th Division of the Gra Valkas Imperial Army.
