Previous Chapter: The One They Call the God of War 1
Aerial battleship Pal Chimera, the ocean south of Rodenius
“Japanese planes from Rodenius are flying towards the region where the enemy fleet is. Their speed is… close to 610km/h!”
The aerial battleship Pal Chimera is equipped with an apparatus that converts magical power to electricity and emits it as radio waves and receives any reflected radio waves to infer the position of the enemy (equivalent to radar). This was developed because magic detectors can’t detect inorganic objects or objects with zero to low magical output.
“Oh? They’re certainly fast. I guess we have to give Japan a grade of ‘doing better than expected’. They’d probably reach the battlefield by dawn. I originally wanted to see everything by video but I guess we’d have to wait. Ah well… It’s their fight. Even if it’s by radar… I hope you don’t mind letting me watch.”
Showing interest, Meteos watched the radar screen displayed midair in the bridge. Soon after, the radar screen went entirely white without a single dot or line being displayed. Meteos’s eyes widened.
“What? Did something happen?”
“What the-… Don’t tell me… There’s no way…!!!”
The radar operator was astonished.
“What’s wrong? Could this be… radio interference??? Interference against electrical radar perhaps?”
From a technological perspective, Meteos soon reached the conclusion that this may be the result of radio interference. He was shocked that such an advanced system exists outside the empire.
The aerial battleship Pal Chimera was also subjected to the effects of electronic jamming (ECM), which Japan initiated before its attack, rendering its radar unable to function. However, the Pal Chimera also has anti-jamming measures.
“Why’s it still not working? Activate the countermeasures already!!!”
Thinking that the radar operators have not yet activated the countermeasures, Meteos reprimanded them for ineptitude.
“It’s already activated but it’s still being jammed!!! Our automatic diagnostics systems have also confirmed that there’s no system or machinery faults!!!”
Meteos’s eyes widened underneath his mask.
“That’s not possible! Those jamming countermeasures are a legacy of the ancient sorcerous empire! They had no enemies who could do it against them and yet they still developed such weapons by assuming there was an enemy like them. If what you’re saying is true, then Japan may very well be capable of jamming the sorcerous empire’s radar. That’s just doohickey!”
Reality just can’t seem to sink in for Meteos.
The electronic jamming being conducted by the Japan Self Defense Force before its attack on the Gra Valkas Empire fleet also jammed the radar on the aerial battleship Pal Chimera of the Holy Mirishial Empire.
“Maintain minute visual vigilance against airborne threats! Tch! To think we’ve been reduced to primitive visual detection…”
Having lost their radar, the crew of the Pal Chimera exhausted themselves in visual airborne target confirmation.
・・・
The ocean south of Rodenius
In the middle of endless darkness, an attack is descending on its target like a meteor shower. Each meteor flew straight towards a ship as if it had its own will, resulting in a near 100% hit rate. Each hit unleashed unbelievable power which, in some cases, could knock out a cruiser-class ship in a single blow.
The Gra Valkas Empire fleet, not knowing where its enemies were coming from, blindly unleashed its own meteor shower of anti-aircraft gunfire into the sky. Had a Japanese person been watching this unfold, they’d probably be reminded of the Gulf War fought by the United States against Iraq. Had they been far older, they’d probably be reminded of the US Navy Pacific fleet desperately firing their anti-aircraft guns against kamikaze attacks on their aircraft carriers during the closing phase of the Pacific War.
However…
“Destroyer Unbreille has been sunk!!! Cruisers Miranda, Qitania, and Oberon have been wrecked!!! Destroyers Pak, Creshda, and Desdemona have been hit, damage unknown!!!”
“What about our carriers?! Are our carriers safe?!”
“Currently verifying!!! Situation uncertain at this time!!!”
Tumult engulfed the bridge of the Grade Atlastar, the flagship of the Gra Valkas Empire’s Combined Fleet for the Subjugation of Japan. Too many of their ships were getting hit and sunk that they couldn’t completely grasp the entire picture.
Their anti-aircraft shells equipped with the empire’s proudly developed proximity fuze fail to bring down their enemy’s attacks, let alone hit them, as they continue to land one after another on their ships while still not knowing where they came from.
To damage their enemy they must land their attacks. To land their attacks, they train, sometimes to a point where blood is shed, to raise their skills. After that, they fire an unbelievable amount of ammunition to ensure that some or several hits could be scored. This was their common sense. However, the enemy’s attacks were guided, as if they had their own mind, ensuring a near perfect hit rate. A single attack did more destruction than a single bombardment by a battleship and could render its target no longer combat capable.
“They… wielded this much…”
Caesar muttered to himself.
The repeated attacks continued as screams from frustration of not knowing where their enemy was continued. For the enemy not to annihilate their fleet in one fell swoop must have meant that there were only several of them. However… Just how much ammunition does the enemy have?
Wrought with despair, he maintained his imposing posture as to not dishearten his subordinates and continued to stare at the dark ocean.
・・・
Command Room, JSDF base, Nahanath Kingdom
“We are currently carrying out our repeated attacks of anti-ship missiles but… there’s just too many of them. At this rate, we will run out of air-to-ship guided missiles.”
The commander closes his eyes.
“So we really don’t have enough… It looks like additional supplies also won’t make it. Leave the enemy flagship floating. It’d be bad if the number of headless chickens running towards us is that many. By making it clear to them that their casualties are grave and the disparity in strength is great, if they’re reasonable and understand the amount of damage they’ve suffered at night, they should withdraw… Rain anti-ship missiles on them till dawn and exhaust the enemy’s numbers and spirit! Naturally, include within the priority targets their aircraft carriers!”
They have a firm grasp on where the enemy flagship is. By prioritizing the sinking of their aircraft carriers, the strength of their battleships and other ships will be severely limited. However, they decided to leave their flagship be.
“Yes, sir!”
Tension continues to run through the command room.
・・・
The ocean south of Rodenius
A great fleet that covered the entirety of the sea, having instilled fear into countless enemies before, now took the limping shape of a wounded beast. Hundreds of flames and rising smoke drenched the brightening dawn sky black.
The glorious fleet of the Gra Valkas Empire, touted as the strongest by imperial soldiers, were now about to be crushed by overwhelming fear. They couldn’t repel the enemy’s attacks which took at least several hundred lives per hit. Once they’ve been targeted, they’re done for; doomed to be killed and sent to a watery grave without being given the chance to deny it.
If their aircraft carriers, symbols of their power, were to be sunk or rendered inoperable, they would also lose air superiority. The failure of this operation was already apparent to everyone and they simply marched on in hopelessness.
The imperial soldiers never wished to die meaningless deaths.
Flagship Grade Atlastar
Night had passed. Now that they were able to see, the damage situation of the fleet gradually became clear. Not long after, many reports of ships having been sunk came in. Due to the jamming of their radio, they couldn’t be properly reported that night so they weren’t able to have a precise grasp on their circumstance.
“Commander Caesar! Our aircraft carriers… All of them have been sunk! We have completely lost all means of achieving air superiority!”
In a region where there are many hostile forces, their aircraft carriers have been destroyed. There was no one in the fleet who didn’t understand what that meant. The officer reported with a distressed look. They have lost all their aircraft carriers and smoke emanated from many of their cruisers and battleships. It was more than apparent to anyone that an attack on Japan’s mainland was no longer possible and a sense of uneasiness wandered between the officers on the bridge.
“Set course for Nahanath. No change.”
“We have no means of knowing how much power the enemy has! I… I advise that we should fall back!!!”
“We can’t know how strong they are for certain. However… Since morning came, the enemy’s attacks have gotten less relentless. It’s extremely possible they’re running out of ammunition!!! If we retreat now… the sacrifices of tens of thousands of soldiers will be in vain. Set course for Nahanath! No change!!!”
The heart-breaking pain of ordering them to head straight for their graves. By his own judgement, many soldiers will die. Each person was lovingly nurtured and cared for and each had their own parents and families.
Still…
Despite being sent by the empire in full force, they haven’t been able to leave a single scratch on their enemy. Resigning themselves to this disgraceful result and turning tail was unacceptable.
If the enemy attacks sufficiently continued, falling back isn’t off the table but there was still the undeniable chance that the enemy may be running out of ammunition.
If their deaths will ultimately result in nothing, they will retreat. Still, while there’s a high chance that the enemy may be running out of ammunition, no matter how strong they may be without them, they will not yield.
Caesar, the one they call the God of War, makes his decision and fixates his glare on the far, far horizon.
・・・
Helicopter destroyer Kaga, 4th Escort Flotilla, the ocean north of the Nahanath Kingdom
The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force’s 4th Escort Flotilla is composed of the 8th Escort Squadron and the 4th Escort Squadron. They were able to somehow reach the same area as the Gra Valkas Empire main invasion fleet before they could enter within attack range of the Nahanath Kingdom.
At one glance, the helicopter destroyer Kaga1 looks like an aircraft carrier.
“Commander Sakano, the course of the Gra Valkas Empire fleet remains unchanged. The ASDF’s stock of air-to-ship guided missiles in the surrounding bases are about to run out. They will need to return to Japan to procure more ammunition so attacks will become more or less intermittent from this point forward, making it impossible to conduct saturation attacks.”
Commander of the 4th Escort Flotilla, Captain Sakano, felt pain in his stomach as it grumbled. The enemy fleet’s numbers were significantly shaved off due to the ASDF’s anti-ship missile attacks but there were still more than 400 ships left.
Currently, the 4th Escort Flotilla has 8 ships which, with the exception of Kaga, has 8 ship-to-ship guided missiles each for a total 56. In addition, 22 anti-ship missile launchers were rushed to be stationed on Kaga, topping off the total at 78.
Against such a massive fleet, the amount of missiles they had was hopelessly insufficient.
The words ‘artillery battle’ come to his mind.
It was obvious to the eye that their ammunition wasn’t enough. Although the accuracy of their guns was high, he’d rather not engage in an artillery battle against enemies who possessed many high caliber guns.
But still… The government’s orders were to ‘defend the Nahanath Kingdom’.
How the hell are we supposed to do that without enough firepower???
The officer continues their report to the silent Sakano.
“Furthermore, the aerial battleship Pal Chimera has come within 200km north of the Gra Valkas Empire fleet and seems to be watching the situation.”
“From the Holy Mirishial Empire?”
“Yes, sir. At the request of the operation commander in Nahanath, the Pal Chimera is to remain airborne where it is and, when requested, move out and attack.”
Sakano’s stomach pain was relieved just a bit.
“The enemy commanders have chosen to continue their incursion. At this rate, we will make contact with a large force with its leadership intact. Make the enemy flagship our target of attack and hit it as our first strike!!! Have all ships advance west and fire all anti-ship missiles once the enemy fleet is in range!!! Once we verified the hits, check with the Holy Mirishial Empire’s aerial battleship if they’d enter the battle!”
“Affirmative!”
“Please… Let our missile saturation attack make them turn around…”
The kantai kessen2… A type of battle from a bygone age fought with overwhelming numbers which cannot be suppressed by mere performance alone. Sakano feared they may be deadlocked into going into such a battle.
The ASDF was continuing its repeated attacks on the enemy fleet but unfortunately, there were too many enemies.
The possibility of death… the possibility of leading his men into their deaths… Sakano’s stomach continued to grumble in pain.
The 4th Escort Flotilla of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force moved to the next step of its plan westward towards the battle.
・・・
Aerial battleship Pal Chimera, the skies above the ocean north of the Nahanath Kingdom
Snap!
At the snap of Meteos’s finger, a monitor was projected onto the upper part of the bridge. It was an all-seeing clairvoyant, allowing them to see farther than 200km ahead and was far better than any modern telescopic lens. The Gra Valkas Empire fleet was displayed on the screen through this magic super telescopic apparatus.
A noticeably massive ship emerged in front of Meteos’s eyes.
“Ahhh… The Grade Atlastar… How detestable. Oh I feel like I wanna crush you right now!”
With his right hand trembling, some drops of wine spilled from the glass he was holding.
“I will never forgive you for the crime of desecrating me.”
The sight from a certain day comes to mind. The main batteries of the enemy superdreadnought landed a direct hit on their allied aerial battleship, piercing even the magically-charged armor reinforcement and sending it disgustingly down into the sea. He fled like a defeated dog.
The Pal Chimera… The embodiment of the ancient sorcerous empire’s super magical technological prowess… had fallen from the sky.
His hands shook in rage for about a minute.
“Still… that was very commendable of you…”
Projected on the map beside the video feed of the Gra Valkas Empire fleet were the spots of light representing the position of the Japan Self Defense Force. A mere 8 spots against an impossibly large number of ships. The firepower ratio is obvious.
“They were probably only ordered to do so… Ahhh, suicide is never a good option. To get things done here one must need to prepare and to measure the amount of firepower and the process needed to get to that point.
Sure, when one is told to do it, they must do it but… I don’t feel sorry for those who sent out their units yet ignored the arrangements for amassing numbers. Ideals lack rationality.”
He brings his glass to his mouth. The mere 8 points against the staggering number of points seemed brave and admirable, easing his rage a bit.
Since they still couldn’t use their anti-air radar, the positions of the JSDF ships were manually updated by their crew visually, so there may be some discrepancy from their actual position.
The Gra Valkas Empire fleet still numbered more than 400 ships. The 8 ships of the escort flotilla headed to face them hardly felt like a force that would be able to defend Nahanath.
With the Pal Chimera’s detection capabilities limited, they were not able to precisely grasp the number of ships in the fleet, and so they did not notice that the number of enemy ships had already decreased by a wide margin.
“The Self Defense Force of Japan… A technological nation which surpassesses Mu… I thought that the science civilization was the embodiment of rationality and yet here I see a force deployed irrationally. Irregular countries sure are interesting… I wonder what kind of weapons Japan uses. Come on, show us!”
He takes a seat and crosses his legs.
Then, something happened.
Among the fleet of ships displayed in the video feed, 12 of them went up in explosive flames.
The bridge became noisy.
The enemy fleet fired a rain of anti-aircraft gunfire. Regardless, explosions continued to engulf their ships one after the other.
Standing up from his seat with his eyes wide open, Meteos looked intently at the monitor trying to discern what was happening.
“What the… What the hell is happening?! Those explosions are clearly much more destructive than the magic bullets our Pal Chimera can fire! No, they’re substantially more destructive! Incomparably so! Don’t you tell me that they’re firing from that distance!!! There’s absolutely no way they’d hit!!!”
The distance between the fleets was still more than 100km. It was a distance which far surpassed their common sense of range.
“Ah!”
Meteos noticed that no shots landed on the ocean surface around the vicinity of the ships that were exploding. He reached only a single conclusion.
“Oh… This can’t be… They’re… They’re using guided magic light munitions?!?!”
He locks eyes with the technician standing next to him.
“Those are still in the research stage in the empire and we don’t understand how they work… For them, who are a technological country, to have achieved that feat without magic is truly unbelievable!!!”
Scrolling through the screen, the sight of the Gra Valkas Imperial Navy going up in flames from successive hits of anti-ship missiles was displayed. No missile missed and the imperial fleet helplessly suffered attack after attack.
The Gra Valkas Empire, which possessed enough power to force the strongest and most powerful Holy Mirishial Empire to a draw, was being one-sidedly and easily wrecked. Meteos couldn’t help but tremble at the sight of his enemies being destroyed by weapons that resembled those of the ancient sorcerous empire.
“Bullshit!!! There’s absolutely no way this should be happening!!! It should be impossible for science to… to… to attack with guided magic light munitions en masse!!! Magic is the root of power!!! There’s absolutely no way science should be able to reach such places!!!”
Meteos froze agape from shock.
The Pal Chimera comes equipped with video-recording equipment so what they’re seeing will also be seen by the top brass of the Holy Mirishial Empire.
Still, their fears of the ancient sorcerous empire became even more apparent.
“So this means that even the Gra Valkas Empire will be helpless against the ancient sorcerous empire…”
Their revival was drawing near.
While the output of their magic propulsion engines are different, the magic battleships of the Holy Mirishial Empire are thought to be somewhat comparable to those of the Gra Valkas Empire. However, with what they’ve just witnessed, if their magic battleships were to be attacked by a swarm of guided light magic munitions, they’d also be easily destroyed in an extremely short amount of time.
After witnessing an attack resembling that of guided light magic munitions, they felt the overwhelming disparity in strength. Feeling the shadow of the ancient sorcerous empire upon them, Meteos continued to shudder in fear.
・・・
Bridge of the Grade Atlastar, Combined Fleet, Gra Valkas Empire
“Cruisers Merut and Doun have been sunk!!! Battleship Togana has been hit!!!”
One of the lookouts screams.
Everything was a mess; it was truly a battlefield.
Sweat dripped from the forehead of the God of War, Caesar. He thought that the enemy had already run out of guided bombs. However, the sinking of more than 50 ships by this swarm-like attack proved him wrong.
It was still unclear where the enemy was shooting from. One possible answer was that the enemy had prepared sufficient amounts of ammunition. With all their carriers gone, they no longer had any hope of receiving air support.
“One of the flying objects is headed for our ship!!!”
The following moment after someone screamed so, an intense flash of light blinded everyone as the ear-piercing sound of an explosion reverberated across the bridge.
“Argh!!!”
Smoke rose from the front.
“Turret 1 was hit and is no longer operable!!! Fires have sprouted up and we are now commencing fire fighting measures!!!”
It was a terrible explosion.
The frontmost of the main turrets, equipped with armor that can withstand a direct hit from a 46cm shell, fired from the strongest cannon in this world, was rendered inoperable in a single hit. If the fires reach the ammunition and set it off, they’re done for.
“T-the main guns of our Grade Atlastar…!!!”
Captain Luxtal shouted.
Their armor was immense, proven by repelling countless attacks before. Its strength and durability was reliable, both in the old world and in this one. They were all shocked at the fact that one of their main turrets, being one of the most thickly armored, was made inoperable by a single hit.
The rocket was powerful enough to inflict that much damage. Had they been a cruiser they would have already been sunk. Only two of their main turrets are left combat-capable with one being damaged beyond repair as smoke emanated from its burning wreck. Another rocket struck the side of the ship’s hull, exploding and setting off fires on the deck. Every sailor desperately moved about trying to extinguish the flames.
“An aerial battleship from the Holy Mirishial Empire has appeared!!! The outer edges of the fleet are under attack!!!”
A large-scale swarming attack had just dealt them a crushing blow. Now, an enemy aerial battleship appeared, for which they had little to no countermeasures.
“This operation… No more…!!!”
Commander Caesar closes his eyes.
The enemy’s ammunition seems to be sufficient. Furthermore, they had an aerial battleship against them. At this rate, marching onwards was no different from suicide. Ships can be mass produced, but not men. The word retreat comes to his mind but they cannot retreat disgracefully like a defeated dog without doing anything or showing their resolve.
He has made his decision.
“From this point onwards, the Grade Atlastar will continue its march onwards to the Nahanath Kingdom and carry out naval bombardment!!! All other ships are to turn back now, refuel at Newland, and sail back home!!!”
Caesar’s resolve: a kamikaze3 attack.
The point of getting his subordinates caught up in this kamikaze attack would later be a point of debate among historians looking back on this event later on.
The order was immediately sent to everyone. The vast swaths of destroyers and cruisers positioned around the Grade Atlastar simultaneously and immediately followed their orders. The fleet unfolding before the Grade Atlastar split into two as the halves turned around to the right and to the left, leaving their flagship alone to push east as they set course west. Alone and bloodied, the Grade Atlastar, which had served as the heart of the Combined Fleet, sailed onwards to the Nahanath Kingdom. Smoke and fires still rose from areas of the ship from the missiles that had struck it, resembling that of a wounded fierce, unrelenting beast.
Caesars talks to Captain Luxtal.
“Forgive me, Captain. I have no excuses.”
“I don’t mind.”
Their conversation ended.
“Reporting in!!! Commander Caesar! Fleet 88 is ignoring your order, despite multiple warnings!!!”
Fleet 88, consisting of 1 battleship, 8 cruisers, and 6 destroyers, was where Caesar served during his youth and is the same fleet which he had consistently scored splendid achievements with. Fortunately, none of them have been hit by the guided bombs. The fleet’s commander and the captains of all ships used to have been Caesar’s subordinates.
“Idiots… Still… What are they saying?”
“Nothing, sir! When we asked them why they’re ignoring your order they simply didn’t respond.”
“Continue to tell them to return home! This ship is enough for the suicide attack!”
Still continuing to ignore their orders, Fleet 88 lined up with the Grade Atlastar, forming a vertical line of 16 ships advancing towards the Nahanath Kingdom.
・・・
Flagship Kaga, 4th Escort Flotilla
“Most of the enemy fleet has turned back and only 16 ships, including 2 battleships, are pushing straight for Nahanath!!! At this rate, we will make contact!!!”
Sakano’s stomach grumbled even more. They’ve already hit a substantial number of battleships but it seems that some of them have survived.
“How’s the ASDF?”
“They’re currently returning to the mainland to procure more ammunition and won’t make it in time for the upcoming battle! Moreover, we have no submarines in this area!”
“So we’re going to make contact with 16 ships, including a Yamato lookalike??? That’s not funny…”
He aired his complaint.
If they only had 20 more anti-ship missiles they would be able to render some of the enemies useless. It was truly vexing that they were out of them. Despite a 70 year gap in technology, their guns were no different from peashooters in comparison to the guns the enemy fielded. It seems that the Yamato lookalike had already suffered hits but it was probable that their other missiles didn’t register it as a target due to the smoke and automatically looked for another target. It was regrettable that it had not been sunk.
If they were to take a hit from one of the Yamato lookalike’s guns, they’d be reduced to nothing more than scrap. However, if they fall back and let them pass, the base in the Nahanath Kingdom will be subjected to bombardment. A battleship’s guns possessed threateningly devastating power against ground-based structures.
He prepared himself for the worst.
“Commander! We picked up a transmission from the Holy Mirishial Empire initiating a conversation with the Gra Valkas Empire.”
“Intercept it! Play the audio over the bridge!”
“Yes, sir!”
They started receiving the transmission.
“Bzzzzzzzt-Gra Valkas Empire friends, I am Meteos, the commander of the Holy Mirishial Empire’s aerial battleship, the Pal Chimera.”
“You’re that fool from the other battle? What do you want this time?”
“Heheheh… Such bravado! I’ve come to settle a score, you see. Aww, it seems that most of your men have turned tail. Rushing in all alone now because your men duped you? I find it difficult to understand such meaningless actions…”
“They didn’t disobey orders. They’re following my orders! It really pains my head to try and understand why you always want to talk while in battle.”
“Oh boohoo, how cold of you… Well whatever. I have no more mercy left, even if you were to beg for it now. The Pal Chimera has decided to lay waste to all of you. Especially the Grade Atlastar. I will never let you run away again.”
“How bold! Well said for someone who hides behind such paper armor. Hmph. A word of advice: as much as possible, take care not to get shot down in one hit.”
The transmission ended.
“…With that kind of back and forth, you’d think we aren’t on a battlefield…”
“I agree. It’s probably because Captain Meteos isn’t in the military.”
“Really? Still, thank god they saved our asses.”
Sakano looked at the monitor showing the positions of their enemy.
“Oh?”
15 ships diverged from the formation to face the aerial battleship. The lone ship left behind further accelerated as it continued to advance towards them.
“For some technological reason, the aerial battleship has difficulty flying higher than 300m above the sea. In addition, while 200km/h is indeed very fast, its hull is heavy, leaving its turn rate and acceleration much to be desired. The 15 Gra Valkas Empire ships are approaching the aerial battleship in a dispersed formation. Since they’ve seen in the previous battle that firepower on the level of a battleship’s main batteries could shoot them down, they’re purposefully trying not to get within range of the battleships. As a result, it’s sufficient to believe that the ship heading straight for Nahanath is the enemy flagship, the Grade Atlastar. Since an aerial battleship aiming for the Grade Atlastar was shot down the previous battle, they won’t be easily zipping through the skies close to a ship that can shoot them down. At this rate, we will make contact with the enemy flagship in one hour!!!”
“We’re gonna have to fight a ship that resembles the Yamato?!?! It had to be when I’m the commander! What a fucking coincidence…!!!”
The 4th Escort Flotilla3 of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, consisting of the Kirisame, Suzutsuki, Shimakaze, and the Chōkai of the 8th Escort Squadron and the Inazuma, Samidare, Sazanami, and the Kaga of the 4th Escort Squadron are headed off to battle to protect their fellow countrymen on the Nahanath Kingdom.
・・・
Superdreadnought Grade Atlastar
“Commander! Fleet 88 is currently engaged with the aerial battleship and is keeping it at bay! Just as we could expect from them!”
Fleet 88 is a fleet composed of highly skilled men putting up a good fight using the countermeasures against aerial battleships that they’ve been thoroughly trained at.
“Fleet sighted dead ahead!!! There are 8 ships and they are 50km away!!! It’s the Japanese fleet!!!”
In comparison to the Earth, this planet’s horizon was much further away.
“They… They’ve finally appeared!!!”
Light shines in Captain Luxtal’s eyes. Caesar turns to Luxtal to talk to him.
“Why aren’t they using their guided bombs?!”
“Well… They could be rubbing it in our faces that our guns still couldn’t reach them or maybe the guided bombs have a minimum range under which they can’t be used or maybe they’re actually out of ammo… I don’t know. What I do know for certain is that the enemy will soon be within reach of our cannons!”
With a loud voice, Captain Luxtal barks out orders.
“Prepare for artillery battle!!! Target: the Japanese fleet straight ahead!!! Let’s crush them with all our might!!!”
“YEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”
They’ve been continuously attacked one-sidedly without even knowing where their enemies were. They’ve been dealt catastrophic blow after catastrophic blow from positions far outside of their reach. Countless friends and comrades died without even being given the chance to demonstrate the skills they’ve built to the point of shedding blood. To the invincible and undefeated Gra Valkas Empire, what they experienced was something no one should ever undertake.
Everyone had held back their tears of anguish and regret.
Everyone wanted to land a blow, even if it was only one, on their enemy.
Now, they finally got their chance. The enemy has appeared in front of their eyes. In addition, there were no enemies in the sky. It was truly kantai kessen. For a ship that was built purely around the doctrine of kantai kessen, despite having lost one of its main turrets, it was a chance to demonstrate its capabilities. Everyone on the ship couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.
Massive 46cm shells were carried from the ammunition stores down below to the main turrets and were loaded into the guns.
The doctrine of kantai kessen, which time has now forgotten, is now back in the spotlight.
Previous Chapter: The One They Call the God of War 1
Aerial battleship Pal Chimera, the ocean south of Rodenius
“Japanese planes from Rodenius are flying towards the region where the enemy fleet is. Their speed is… close to 610km/h!”
The aerial battleship Pal Chimera is equipped with an apparatus that converts magical power to electricity and emits it as radio waves and receives any reflected radio waves to infer the position of the enemy (equivalent to radar). This was developed because magic detectors can’t detect inorganic objects or objects with zero to low magical output.
“Oh? They’re certainly fast. I guess we have to give Japan a grade of ‘doing better than expected’. They’d probably reach the battlefield by dawn. I originally wanted to see everything by video but I guess we’d have to wait. Ah well… It’s their fight. Even if it’s by radar… I hope you don’t mind letting me watch.”
Showing interest, Meteos watched the radar screen displayed midair in the bridge. Soon after, the radar screen went entirely white without a single dot or line being displayed. Meteos’s eyes widened.
“What? Did something happen?”
“What the-… Don’t tell me… There’s no way…!!!”
The radar operator was astonished.
“What’s wrong? Could this be… radio interference??? Interference against electrical radar perhaps?”
From a technological perspective, Meteos soon reached the conclusion that this may be the result of radio interference. He was shocked that such an advanced system exists outside the empire.
The aerial battleship Pal Chimera was also subjected to the effects of electronic jamming (ECM), which Japan initiated before its attack, rendering its radar unable to function. However, the Pal Chimera also has anti-jamming measures.
“Why’s it still not working? Activate the countermeasures already!!!”
Thinking that the radar operators have not yet activated the countermeasures, Meteos reprimanded them for ineptitude.
“It’s already activated but it’s still being jammed!!! Our automatic diagnostics systems have also confirmed that there’s no system or machinery faults!!!”
Meteos’s eyes widened underneath his mask.
“That’s not possible! Those jamming countermeasures are a legacy of the ancient sorcerous empire! They had no enemies who could do it against them and yet they still developed such weapons by assuming there was an enemy like them. If what you’re saying is true, then Japan may very well be capable of jamming the sorcerous empire’s radar. That’s just doohickey!”
Reality just can’t seem to sink in for Meteos.
The electronic jamming being conducted by the Japan Self Defense Force before its attack on the Gra Valkas Empire fleet also jammed the radar on the aerial battleship Pal Chimera of the Holy Mirishial Empire.
“Maintain minute visual vigilance against airborne threats! Tch! To think we’ve been reduced to primitive visual detection…”
Having lost their radar, the crew of the Pal Chimera exhausted themselves in visual airborne target confirmation.
・・・
The ocean south of Rodenius
In the middle of endless darkness, an attack is descending on its target like a meteor shower. Each meteor flew straight towards a ship as if it had its own will, resulting in a near 100% hit rate. Each hit unleashed unbelievable power which, in some cases, could knock out a cruiser-class ship in a single blow.
The Gra Valkas Empire fleet, not knowing where its enemies were coming from, blindly unleashed its own meteor shower of anti-aircraft gunfire into the sky. Had a Japanese person been watching this unfold, they’d probably be reminded of the Gulf War fought by the United States against Iraq. Had they been far older, they’d probably be reminded of the US Navy Pacific fleet desperately firing their anti-aircraft guns against kamikaze attacks on their aircraft carriers during the closing phase of the Pacific War.
However…
“Destroyer Unbreille has been sunk!!! Cruisers Miranda, Qitania, and Oberon have been wrecked!!! Destroyers Pak, Creshda, and Desdemona have been hit, damage unknown!!!”
“What about our carriers?! Are our carriers safe?!”
“Currently verifying!!! Situation uncertain at this time!!!”
Tumult engulfed the bridge of the Grade Atlastar, the flagship of the Gra Valkas Empire’s Combined Fleet for the Subjugation of Japan. Too many of their ships were getting hit and sunk that they couldn’t completely grasp the entire picture.
Their anti-aircraft shells equipped with the empire’s proudly developed proximity fuze fail to bring down their enemy’s attacks, let alone hit them, as they continue to land one after another on their ships while still not knowing where they came from.
To damage their enemy they must land their attacks. To land their attacks, they train, sometimes to a point where blood is shed, to raise their skills. After that, they fire an unbelievable amount of ammunition to ensure that some or several hits could be scored. This was their common sense. However, the enemy’s attacks were guided, as if they had their own mind, ensuring a near perfect hit rate. A single attack did more destruction than a single bombardment by a battleship and could render its target no longer combat capable.
“They… wielded this much…”
Caesar muttered to himself.
The repeated attacks continued as screams from frustration of not knowing where their enemy was continued. For the enemy not to annihilate their fleet in one fell swoop must have meant that there were only several of them. However… Just how much ammunition does the enemy have?
Wrought with despair, he maintained his imposing posture as to not dishearten his subordinates and continued to stare at the dark ocean.
・・・
Command Room, JSDF base, Nahanath Kingdom
“We are currently carrying out our repeated attacks of anti-ship missiles but… there’s just too many of them. At this rate, we will run out of air-to-ship guided missiles.”
The commander closes his eyes.
“So we really don’t have enough… It looks like additional supplies also won’t make it. Leave the enemy flagship floating. It’d be bad if the number of headless chickens running towards us is that many. By making it clear to them that their casualties are grave and the disparity in strength is great, if they’re reasonable and understand the amount of damage they’ve suffered at night, they should withdraw… Rain anti-ship missiles on them till dawn and exhaust the enemy’s numbers and spirit! Naturally, include within the priority targets their aircraft carriers!”
They have a firm grasp on where the enemy flagship is. By prioritizing the sinking of their aircraft carriers, the strength of their battleships and other ships will be severely limited. However, they decided to leave their flagship be.
“Yes, sir!”
Tension continues to run through the command room.
・・・
The ocean south of Rodenius
A great fleet that covered the entirety of the sea, having instilled fear into countless enemies before, now took the limping shape of a wounded beast. Hundreds of flames and rising smoke drenched the brightening dawn sky black.
The glorious fleet of the Gra Valkas Empire, touted as the strongest by imperial soldiers, were now about to be crushed by overwhelming fear. They couldn’t repel the enemy’s attacks which took at least several hundred lives per hit. Once they’ve been targeted, they’re done for; doomed to be killed and sent to a watery grave without being given the chance to deny it.
If their aircraft carriers, symbols of their power, were to be sunk or rendered inoperable, they would also lose air superiority. The failure of this operation was already apparent to everyone and they simply marched on in hopelessness.
The imperial soldiers never wished to die meaningless deaths.
Flagship Grade Atlastar
Night had passed. Now that they were able to see, the damage situation of the fleet gradually became clear. Not long after, many reports of ships having been sunk came in. Due to the jamming of their radio, they couldn’t be properly reported that night so they weren’t able to have a precise grasp on their circumstance.
“Commander Caesar! Our aircraft carriers… All of them have been sunk! We have completely lost all means of achieving air superiority!”
In a region where there are many hostile forces, their aircraft carriers have been destroyed. There was no one in the fleet who didn’t understand what that meant. The officer reported with a distressed look. They have lost all their aircraft carriers and smoke emanated from many of their cruisers and battleships. It was more than apparent to anyone that an attack on Japan’s mainland was no longer possible and a sense of uneasiness wandered between the officers on the bridge.
“Set course for Nahanath. No change.”
“We have no means of knowing how much power the enemy has! I… I advise that we should fall back!!!”
“We can’t know how strong they are for certain. However… Since morning came, the enemy’s attacks have gotten less relentless. It’s extremely possible they’re running out of ammunition!!! If we retreat now… the sacrifices of tens of thousands of soldiers will be in vain. Set course for Nahanath! No change!!!”
The heart-breaking pain of ordering them to head straight for their graves. By his own judgement, many soldiers will die. Each person was lovingly nurtured and cared for and each had their own parents and families.
Still…
Despite being sent by the empire in full force, they haven’t been able to leave a single scratch on their enemy. Resigning themselves to this disgraceful result and turning tail was unacceptable.
If the enemy attacks sufficiently continued, falling back isn’t off the table but there was still the undeniable chance that the enemy may be running out of ammunition.
If their deaths will ultimately result in nothing, they will retreat. Still, while there’s a high chance that the enemy may be running out of ammunition, no matter how strong they may be without them, they will not yield.
Caesar, the one they call the God of War, makes his decision and fixates his glare on the far, far horizon.
・・・
Helicopter destroyer Kaga, 4th Escort Flotilla, the ocean north of the Nahanath Kingdom
The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force’s 4th Escort Flotilla is composed of the 8th Escort Squadron and the 4th Escort Squadron. They were able to somehow reach the same area as the Gra Valkas Empire main invasion fleet before they could enter within attack range of the Nahanath Kingdom.
At one glance, the helicopter destroyer Kaga1 looks like an aircraft carrier.
“Commander Sakano, the course of the Gra Valkas Empire fleet remains unchanged. The ASDF’s stock of air-to-ship guided missiles in the surrounding bases are about to run out. They will need to return to Japan to procure more ammunition so attacks will become more or less intermittent from this point forward, making it impossible to conduct saturation attacks.”
Commander of the 4th Escort Flotilla, Captain Sakano, felt pain in his stomach as it grumbled. The enemy fleet’s numbers were significantly shaved off due to the ASDF’s anti-ship missile attacks but there were still more than 400 ships left.
Currently, the 4th Escort Flotilla has 8 ships which, with the exception of Kaga, has 8 ship-to-ship guided missiles each for a total 56. In addition, 22 anti-ship missile launchers were rushed to be stationed on Kaga, topping off the total at 78.
Against such a massive fleet, the amount of missiles they had was hopelessly insufficient.
The words ‘artillery battle’ come to his mind.
It was obvious to the eye that their ammunition wasn’t enough. Although the accuracy of their guns was high, he’d rather not engage in an artillery battle against enemies who possessed many high caliber guns.
But still… The government’s orders were to ‘defend the Nahanath Kingdom’.
How the hell are we supposed to do that without enough firepower???
The officer continues their report to the silent Sakano.
“Furthermore, the aerial battleship Pal Chimera has come within 200km north of the Gra Valkas Empire fleet and seems to be watching the situation.”
“From the Holy Mirishial Empire?”
“Yes, sir. At the request of the operation commander in Nahanath, the Pal Chimera is to remain airborne where it is and, when requested, move out and attack.”
Sakano’s stomach pain was relieved just a bit.
“The enemy commanders have chosen to continue their incursion. At this rate, we will make contact with a large force with its leadership intact. Make the enemy flagship our target of attack and hit it as our first strike!!! Have all ships advance west and fire all anti-ship missiles once the enemy fleet is in range!!! Once we verified the hits, check with the Holy Mirishial Empire’s aerial battleship if they’d enter the battle!”
“Affirmative!”
“Please… Let our missile saturation attack make them turn around…”
The kantai kessen2… A type of battle from a bygone age fought with overwhelming numbers which cannot be suppressed by mere performance alone. Sakano feared they may be deadlocked into going into such a battle.
The ASDF was continuing its repeated attacks on the enemy fleet but unfortunately, there were too many enemies.
The possibility of death… the possibility of leading his men into their deaths… Sakano’s stomach continued to grumble in pain.
The 4th Escort Flotilla of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force moved to the next step of its plan westward towards the battle.
・・・
Aerial battleship Pal Chimera, the skies above the ocean north of the Nahanath Kingdom
Snap!
At the snap of Meteos’s finger, a monitor was projected onto the upper part of the bridge. It was an all-seeing clairvoyant, allowing them to see farther than 200km ahead and was far better than any modern telescopic lens. The Gra Valkas Empire fleet was displayed on the screen through this magic super telescopic apparatus.
A noticeably massive ship emerged in front of Meteos’s eyes.
“Ahhh… The Grade Atlastar… How detestable. Oh I feel like I wanna crush you right now!”
With his right hand trembling, some drops of wine spilled from the glass he was holding.
“I will never forgive you for the crime of desecrating me.”
The sight from a certain day comes to mind. The main batteries of the enemy superdreadnought landed a direct hit on their allied aerial battleship, piercing even the magically-charged armor reinforcement and sending it disgustingly down into the sea. He fled like a defeated dog.
The Pal Chimera… The embodiment of the ancient sorcerous empire’s super magical technological prowess… had fallen from the sky.
His hands shook in rage for about a minute.
“Still… that was very commendable of you…”
Projected on the map beside the video feed of the Gra Valkas Empire fleet were the spots of light representing the position of the Japan Self Defense Force. A mere 8 spots against an impossibly large number of ships. The firepower ratio is obvious.
“They were probably only ordered to do so… Ahhh, suicide is never a good option. To get things done here one must need to prepare and to measure the amount of firepower and the process needed to get to that point.
Sure, when one is told to do it, they must do it but… I don’t feel sorry for those who sent out their units yet ignored the arrangements for amassing numbers. Ideals lack rationality.”
He brings his glass to his mouth. The mere 8 points against the staggering number of points seemed brave and admirable, easing his rage a bit.
Since they still couldn’t use their anti-air radar, the positions of the JSDF ships were manually updated by their crew visually, so there may be some discrepancy from their actual position.
The Gra Valkas Empire fleet still numbered more than 400 ships. The 8 ships of the escort flotilla headed to face them hardly felt like a force that would be able to defend Nahanath.
With the Pal Chimera’s detection capabilities limited, they were not able to precisely grasp the number of ships in the fleet, and so they did not notice that the number of enemy ships had already decreased by a wide margin.
“The Self Defense Force of Japan… A technological nation which surpassesses Mu… I thought that the science civilization was the embodiment of rationality and yet here I see a force deployed irrationally. Irregular countries sure are interesting… I wonder what kind of weapons Japan uses. Come on, show us!”
He takes a seat and crosses his legs.
Then, something happened.
Among the fleet of ships displayed in the video feed, 12 of them went up in explosive flames.
The bridge became noisy.
The enemy fleet fired a rain of anti-aircraft gunfire. Regardless, explosions continued to engulf their ships one after the other.
Standing up from his seat with his eyes wide open, Meteos looked intently at the monitor trying to discern what was happening.
“What the… What the hell is happening?! Those explosions are clearly much more destructive than the magic bullets our Pal Chimera can fire! No, they’re substantially more destructive! Incomparably so! Don’t you tell me that they’re firing from that distance!!! There’s absolutely no way they’d hit!!!”
The distance between the fleets was still more than 100km. It was a distance which far surpassed their common sense of range.
“Ah!”
Meteos noticed that no shots landed on the ocean surface around the vicinity of the ships that were exploding. He reached only a single conclusion.
“Oh… This can’t be… They’re… They’re using guided magic light munitions?!?!”
He locks eyes with the technician standing next to him.
“Those are still in the research stage in the empire and we don’t understand how they work… For them, who are a technological country, to have achieved that feat without magic is truly unbelievable!!!”
Scrolling through the screen, the sight of the Gra Valkas Imperial Navy going up in flames from successive hits of anti-ship missiles was displayed. No missile missed and the imperial fleet helplessly suffered attack after attack.
The Gra Valkas Empire, which possessed enough power to force the strongest and most powerful Holy Mirishial Empire to a draw, was being one-sidedly and easily wrecked. Meteos couldn’t help but tremble at the sight of his enemies being destroyed by weapons that resembled those of the ancient sorcerous empire.
“Bullshit!!! There’s absolutely no way this should be happening!!! It should be impossible for science to… to… to attack with guided magic light munitions en masse!!! Magic is the root of power!!! There’s absolutely no way science should be able to reach such places!!!”
Meteos froze agape from shock.
The Pal Chimera comes equipped with video-recording equipment so what they’re seeing will also be seen by the top brass of the Holy Mirishial Empire.
Still, their fears of the ancient sorcerous empire became even more apparent.
“So this means that even the Gra Valkas Empire will be helpless against the ancient sorcerous empire…”
Their revival was drawing near.
While the output of their magic propulsion engines are different, the magic battleships of the Holy Mirishial Empire are thought to be somewhat comparable to those of the Gra Valkas Empire. However, with what they’ve just witnessed, if their magic battleships were to be attacked by a swarm of guided light magic munitions, they’d also be easily destroyed in an extremely short amount of time.
After witnessing an attack resembling that of guided light magic munitions, they felt the overwhelming disparity in strength. Feeling the shadow of the ancient sorcerous empire upon them, Meteos continued to shudder in fear.
・・・
Bridge of the Grade Atlastar, Combined Fleet, Gra Valkas Empire
“Cruisers Merut and Doun have been sunk!!! Battleship Togana has been hit!!!”
One of the lookouts screams.
Everything was a mess; it was truly a battlefield.
Sweat dripped from the forehead of the God of War, Caesar. He thought that the enemy had already run out of guided bombs. However, the sinking of more than 50 ships by this swarm-like attack proved him wrong.
It was still unclear where the enemy was shooting from. One possible answer was that the enemy had prepared sufficient amounts of ammunition. With all their carriers gone, they no longer had any hope of receiving air support.
“One of the flying objects is headed for our ship!!!”
The following moment after someone screamed so, an intense flash of light blinded everyone as the ear-piercing sound of an explosion reverberated across the bridge.
“Argh!!!”
Smoke rose from the front.
“Turret 1 was hit and is no longer operable!!! Fires have sprouted up and we are now commencing fire fighting measures!!!”
It was a terrible explosion.
The frontmost of the main turrets, equipped with armor that can withstand a direct hit from a 46cm shell, fired from the strongest cannon in this world, was rendered inoperable in a single hit. If the fires reach the ammunition and set it off, they’re done for.
“T-the main guns of our Grade Atlastar…!!!”
Captain Luxtal shouted.
Their armor was immense, proven by repelling countless attacks before. Its strength and durability was reliable, both in the old world and in this one. They were all shocked at the fact that one of their main turrets, being one of the most thickly armored, was made inoperable by a single hit.
The rocket was powerful enough to inflict that much damage. Had they been a cruiser they would have already been sunk. Only two of their main turrets are left combat-capable with one being damaged beyond repair as smoke emanated from its burning wreck. Another rocket struck the side of the ship’s hull, exploding and setting off fires on the deck. Every sailor desperately moved about trying to extinguish the flames.
“An aerial battleship from the Holy Mirishial Empire has appeared!!! The outer edges of the fleet are under attack!!!”
A large-scale swarming attack had just dealt them a crushing blow. Now, an enemy aerial battleship appeared, for which they had little to no countermeasures.
“This operation… No more…!!!”
Commander Caesar closes his eyes.
The enemy’s ammunition seems to be sufficient. Furthermore, they had an aerial battleship against them. At this rate, marching onwards was no different from suicide. Ships can be mass produced, but not men. The word retreat comes to his mind but they cannot retreat disgracefully like a defeated dog without doing anything or showing their resolve.
He has made his decision.
“From this point onwards, the Grade Atlastar will continue its march onwards to the Nahanath Kingdom and carry out naval bombardment!!! All other ships are to turn back now, refuel at Newland, and sail back home!!!”
Caesar’s resolve: a kamikaze3 attack.
The point of getting his subordinates caught up in this kamikaze attack would later be a point of debate among historians looking back on this event later on.
The order was immediately sent to everyone. The vast swaths of destroyers and cruisers positioned around the Grade Atlastar simultaneously and immediately followed their orders. The fleet unfolding before the Grade Atlastar split into two as the halves turned around to the right and to the left, leaving their flagship alone to push east as they set course west. Alone and bloodied, the Grade Atlastar, which had served as the heart of the Combined Fleet, sailed onwards to the Nahanath Kingdom. Smoke and fires still rose from areas of the ship from the missiles that had struck it, resembling that of a wounded fierce, unrelenting beast.
Caesars talks to Captain Luxtal.
“Forgive me, Captain. I have no excuses.”
“I don’t mind.”
Their conversation ended.
“Reporting in!!! Commander Caesar! Fleet 88 is ignoring your order, despite multiple warnings!!!”
Fleet 88, consisting of 1 battleship, 8 cruisers, and 6 destroyers, was where Caesar served during his youth and is the same fleet which he had consistently scored splendid achievements with. Fortunately, none of them have been hit by the guided bombs. The fleet’s commander and the captains of all ships used to have been Caesar’s subordinates.
“Idiots… Still… What are they saying?”
“Nothing, sir! When we asked them why they’re ignoring your order they simply didn’t respond.”
“Continue to tell them to return home! This ship is enough for the suicide attack!”
Still continuing to ignore their orders, Fleet 88 lined up with the Grade Atlastar, forming a vertical line of 16 ships advancing towards the Nahanath Kingdom.
・・・
Flagship Kaga, 4th Escort Flotilla
“Most of the enemy fleet has turned back and only 16 ships, including 2 battleships, are pushing straight for Nahanath!!! At this rate, we will make contact!!!”
Sakano’s stomach grumbled even more. They’ve already hit a substantial number of battleships but it seems that some of them have survived.
“How’s the ASDF?”
“They’re currently returning to the mainland to procure more ammunition and won’t make it in time for the upcoming battle! Moreover, we have no submarines in this area!”
“So we’re going to make contact with 16 ships, including a Yamato lookalike??? That’s not funny…”
He aired his complaint.
If they only had 20 more anti-ship missiles they would be able to render some of the enemies useless. It was truly vexing that they were out of them. Despite a 70 year gap in technology, their guns were no different from peashooters in comparison to the guns the enemy fielded. It seems that the Yamato lookalike had already suffered hits but it was probable that their other missiles didn’t register it as a target due to the smoke and automatically looked for another target. It was regrettable that it had not been sunk.
If they were to take a hit from one of the Yamato lookalike’s guns, they’d be reduced to nothing more than scrap. However, if they fall back and let them pass, the base in the Nahanath Kingdom will be subjected to bombardment. A battleship’s guns possessed threateningly devastating power against ground-based structures.
He prepared himself for the worst.
“Commander! We picked up a transmission from the Holy Mirishial Empire initiating a conversation with the Gra Valkas Empire.”
“Intercept it! Play the audio over the bridge!”
“Yes, sir!”
They started receiving the transmission.
“Bzzzzzzzt-Gra Valkas Empire friends, I am Meteos, the commander of the Holy Mirishial Empire’s aerial battleship, the Pal Chimera.”
“You’re that fool from the other battle? What do you want this time?”
“Heheheh… Such bravado! I’ve come to settle a score, you see. Aww, it seems that most of your men have turned tail. Rushing in all alone now because your men duped you? I find it difficult to understand such meaningless actions…”
“They didn’t disobey orders. They’re following my orders! It really pains my head to try and understand why you always want to talk while in battle.”
“Oh boohoo, how cold of you… Well whatever. I have no more mercy left, even if you were to beg for it now. The Pal Chimera has decided to lay waste to all of you. Especially the Grade Atlastar. I will never let you run away again.”
“How bold! Well said for someone who hides behind such paper armor. Hmph. A word of advice: as much as possible, take care not to get shot down in one hit.”
The transmission ended.
“…With that kind of back and forth, you’d think we aren’t on a battlefield…”
“I agree. It’s probably because Captain Meteos isn’t in the military.”
“Really? Still, thank god they saved our asses.”
Sakano looked at the monitor showing the positions of their enemy.
“Oh?”
15 ships diverged from the formation to face the aerial battleship. The lone ship left behind further accelerated as it continued to advance towards them.
“For some technological reason, the aerial battleship has difficulty flying higher than 300m above the sea. In addition, while 200km/h is indeed very fast, its hull is heavy, leaving its turn rate and acceleration much to be desired. The 15 Gra Valkas Empire ships are approaching the aerial battleship in a dispersed formation. Since they’ve seen in the previous battle that firepower on the level of a battleship’s main batteries could shoot them down, they’re purposefully trying not to get within range of the battleships. As a result, it’s sufficient to believe that the ship heading straight for Nahanath is the enemy flagship, the Grade Atlastar. Since an aerial battleship aiming for the Grade Atlastar was shot down the previous battle, they won’t be easily zipping through the skies close to a ship that can shoot them down. At this rate, we will make contact with the enemy flagship in one hour!!!”
“We’re gonna have to fight a ship that resembles the Yamato?!?! It had to be when I’m the commander! What a fucking coincidence…!!!”
The 4th Escort Flotilla3 of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, consisting of the Kirisame, Suzutsuki, Shimakaze, and the Chōkai of the 8th Escort Squadron and the Inazuma, Samidare, Sazanami, and the Kaga of the 4th Escort Squadron are headed off to battle to protect their fellow countrymen on the Nahanath Kingdom.
・・・
Superdreadnought Grade Atlastar
“Commander! Fleet 88 is currently engaged with the aerial battleship and is keeping it at bay! Just as we could expect from them!”
Fleet 88 is a fleet composed of highly skilled men putting up a good fight using the countermeasures against aerial battleships that they’ve been thoroughly trained at.
“Fleet sighted dead ahead!!! There are 8 ships and they are 50km away!!! It’s the Japanese fleet!!!”
In comparison to the Earth, this planet’s horizon was much further away.
“They… They’ve finally appeared!!!”
Light shines in Captain Luxtal’s eyes. Caesar turns to Luxtal to talk to him.
“Why aren’t they using their guided bombs?!”
“Well… They could be rubbing it in our faces that our guns still couldn’t reach them or maybe the guided bombs have a minimum range under which they can’t be used or maybe they’re actually out of ammo… I don’t know. What I do know for certain is that the enemy will soon be within reach of our cannons!”
With a loud voice, Captain Luxtal barks out orders.
“Prepare for artillery battle!!! Target: the Japanese fleet straight ahead!!! Let’s crush them with all our might!!!”
“YEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”
They’ve been continuously attacked one-sidedly without even knowing where their enemies were. They’ve been dealt catastrophic blow after catastrophic blow from positions far outside of their reach. Countless friends and comrades died without even being given the chance to demonstrate the skills they’ve built to the point of shedding blood. To the invincible and undefeated Gra Valkas Empire, what they experienced was something no one should ever undertake.
Everyone had held back their tears of anguish and regret.
Everyone wanted to land a blow, even if it was only one, on their enemy.
Now, they finally got their chance. The enemy has appeared in front of their eyes. In addition, there were no enemies in the sky. It was truly kantai kessen. For a ship that was built purely around the doctrine of kantai kessen, despite having lost one of its main turrets, it was a chance to demonstrate its capabilities. Everyone on the ship couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.
Massive 46cm shells were carried from the ammunition stores down below to the main turrets and were loaded into the guns.
The doctrine of kantai kessen, which time has now forgotten, is now back in the spotlight.
