______
「How was it? Did you find the Sergeant?」
「No….we haven’t found him yet. But we did find the corpses of the two missing soldiers….」
The Imperial army had withdrawn after suffering enormous damage. So Kazuya had began searching for the three missing people.
Sergeant….where are you?
He at least shouldn’t be a prisoner of war.
The two soldiers he was looking for had become corpses. Only Sergeant Funasaka, who went looking for them, couldn’t be found.
「Terminate the search and return」
Though he was worried about the Sergeants safety, Kazuya made the decision to end the search.
「「「Hai」」」
Kazuya went back to the castle, where Maria was waiting.
「Kazuya-san, Karen is calling for you」
「Ah, I see」
After hearing that, Kazuya set off to find Karen.
「Tsu!!……you seem to be safe!!」
「Ah, well……6 of my men died and 1 is missing」
「…..I see」
After finding out that Kazuya was safe, Karen floated a smile that could even make flowers bloom. However, upon seeing Kazuya’s facial expression on top of his voice, she felt her chest tighten.
「…..Enemies might attack tomorrow as well. Will you be ok in that state?」
「I’m okay. Is the (Fort City) secure now?」
Kazuya asked Karen that question in order to change the subject.
「To be honest, it’s not looking good. We have no problems with our quant.i.ty of food. However stockpiles of arrows and bullets are extremely low. We were saved by your divine protection this time. Without you here, we would really be done for, wouldn’t we?」
「Well, reinforcements would have taken too long to get here」
「That’s true…..」
After having a dark conversation about the future, Kazuya left the room along with Karen.
「Welcome back, Master」
Chitose had been waiting for Kazuya in the corner of the castle, where a tent had been set up to act as a command centre.
「Are there any reports?」
「Hai. We have a report from the soldiers at the residence. Apparently reinforcements from the Canary kingdom set off at noon yesterday」
「Noon yesterday……how many soldiers is there?…..how long will it take for them to get here?」
「It’s said that the number is around 25,000. As for when they’ll arrive, I’m not sure, but it seems to be harsh time wise. Also, a damage report came in, please look at it」
「Is that right……Oh, well please show it to me」
Kazuya eyed the paper handed to him by Chitose.
「6 soldiers were killed out of a total of 50 soldiers. Because I used my healing ability, the number of injured soldiers is 0」
「…..Master」
Looking at Kazuya frowning as he read the report, Chitose called out timidly.
「What is it?」
「Since we don’t know when the canary kingdom’s reinforcements are coming. We should ask for additional reinforcements from base, it’s too dangerous otherwise.」
「…..That’s likely」
The difference in firepower is no longer in our favour….
But….if I use those reinforcements, we won’t be able to use the excuse of being ordinary adventurers any more.
Most people would be suspicious if such powerful modern weapons are used.
…..it also seems as if somebody is just waiting for us to show our full power.
「What should we do?」
「Umm……」
Chitose seems to be lost in though as Kazuya broods.
「…..I know. Let’s just move the ground forces inside the city walls. At the same time, order the air force to sortie and prepare to set off on instruction」
「Understood, Master」
Kazuya eventually decided to ask for additional fire power from the outpost.
On the next morning, everyone was anxiously antic.i.p.ating a large scale magic attack by the enemy like the day before. Before the sun had even risen, the soldiers were preparing for combat.
「…..it’s not coming」(TLN: Referring to the magic attack)
「That’s right」
But the attack that everyone was antic.i.p.ating never occurred. The attack from before seemed to have just been a warning.
Furthermore, there seemed to be no movement from the enemies camp. It seemed as if the day would pa.s.s peacefully like this.
KANG! KANG! the sound of the bell that informs the fort city of an emergency situation sounded.
Kazuya who had heard the bell, asks Chitose to get in touch with the soldiers on lookout via radio.
「What happened?」
「There’s an enemy fleet in the air to the rear of us, as well as a flying fortress」
「Fleet in the air and a fortress in the air?」
To verify the report, Kazuya climbed to the top of the ramparts.
「No way……even fantasy things such as this exists….」
What Kazuya saw, was a large floating island covered in cannons. There were also big, small, thin, fat s.h.i.+ps floating in the air either side of it.
Oh…it really does seem like an air fortress.
As Kazuya thought as much. Karen adorned in s.h.i.+ning armor, grabbed Maria hastily at the side of him.
「Kazuya, Please allow me to ask you for one last favour」
Karen said so whilst looking at Kazuya as if coming up with some type of pathetic resolution.
「….what is it?」
「Because the kingdoms army is heading here as reinforcements. Whilst we gain time for them, would you take the civilians and join up with the kingdom army?」
「………………are you trying to die?」
「I don’t want to die…..but is there any other way to keep them occupied? Anyway, this city is done for. Even if the reinforcements come, their fighting power is not nearly enough to win」
As Karen said so, she turned her sight to the large fortress in the sky.
Suddenly a man’s face appeared projected from the fortress. He had silver hair and odd eyes.
『My name is Renya. I am another worlder from a different world. However, right now I am the exclusive mage of the Elsa.s.s magic empire, Gohon』
Hey, has something started now?
Due to the guys speech, everyone present was looking up at the man who calls himself Gohon.
『–and I tell the enemy of the empire. Lay down arms and surrender immediately. As long as you do that, I’ll allow you to live』
Listening the the man’s speech, Kazuya spoke to Chitose in a low voice.
「(Is this the so called Chunnibyou disease? It seems another troublesome enemy has appeared)」
「(Yes, that seems to be it. Since he believes himself to be a mage)」
A small explosive sound was suddenly heard as Kazuya was listening to Chitose.
Looking at the source of the sound, Black smoke was rising from the enemies headquarters.
「Was there an accident?」
「That seems to be the case」
Chitose said to Kazuya as she observed the enemies putting out the fire, using her binoculars.
Karen suddenly approached Kazuya.
「I wonder if I can make a request?」
「Well. To be honest I’m not really an adventurer, so I don’t know about that」
「….? What are you talking about?」
「Oh sorry, I was thinking to myself. Is it really necessary for Karen to become a decoy?」
「Did you not hear him? If we don’t do anything, we’ll be completely destroyed. Or what? Are you going to abandon the monster and beast people and surrender yourself to the empire?」
In the face of the overwhelming pressure of the Imperial troops, Kazuya had not considered surrendering. Regardless, she grabbed Kazuya by the neck, drawing in close whilst blus.h.i.+ng red.
Kazuya glanced at Chitose, telling her to holster her Beretta, whilst he stared into the eyes of Karen.
「No….it would be impossible to do such a thing」
「Then, what can we do?」
「Oh, just watch」
Kazuya murmured as he undid the hand grasping his neck. He then grabbed his walkie talkie.
「All troops. Begin plan A. Attack, start!」
『『『『『『『『Understood!!』』』』』』』』
Ten seconds later, some thin, long objects appeared in the sky above the fort city one after another.
Karen was shocked, but this was understandable. What was flying above the fort city was a squad of F-22 Raptors as well as a barrage of AIM-120 BVRAAM air to air missiles.
The s.h.i.+ps they were aiming at could not avoid the missiles, due to their speed reaching Mach 4. The sound of explosions filled the air as the missiles ate away at the s.h.i.+ps, blowing their wings off.
The wooden s.h.i.+ps had little to no defensive powers and were easily destroyed. Furthermore, due to the presence of gunpowder from the cannons used on the floating s.h.i.+ps, it caused further explosions
Some of the missiles also hit the flying fortress, however they did little to no damage due to the powerful magic s.h.i.+eld protecting it.
「………………Kazuya…..what did you do?……」
Karen somehow managed to squeeze out her voice as she watched in shock and awe as s.h.i.+p after s.h.i.+p was reduced to a falling fireball.
「Hahaha, are you surprised?」
Kazuya said so, laughing like a mischievous boy who had succeeded in a prank.
On the other hand, the fortress was in chaos to have suddenly received that missile attack.
「Royal Oak, Prince Andrew, St Michael, Victory and Prince are sinking! Flight is impossible, prepare for emergency landing!」
「The ally fleet has taken heavy damage, retreat now!!」
「Renya!! What do we do!?」
As the damage reports come rolling in, the man pleads for a ruling on what to do.
「Why are there missiles in this world!?…..That’s impossible! s.h.i.+t! They must have another worlder as well」
Renya didn’t hear his subordinates pleading an began to make noise on his own.
「Renya-san? We need directions!」
Whilst wasting time, many missiles. .h.i.t the barrier.
The fortress quivered due to the impact.
「Ah……quickly! Prepare the cannons!」
Waking from his stupor, Renya’s face grows red as he gets angry.
「Renya-san!? We can’t! We have to lower the magic barrier to fire the cannons! The enemy will attack us when we do that!」
「Noisy! You should follow my orders silently!」
「But!!」
「Do it now you s.h.i.+t head!! That’s an order!!」
「……Understood」
Although the subordinate took the verbal abuse to heart, he followed the order regardless.
The magic barrier was deactivated as expected, many missiles approached the defenceless fortress.
It was not possible to deal fatal damage, as these were air to air missiles and their target was a land fortress floating in the air.
However, one of the missiles landed close to the command room where Renya and the others are. Blowing the wall off.
「HII!!」
Renya was somehow intact, however he saw the severed arm of one of his men and instantly backed away from it.
「Withdraw!! Escape from here now!!」
「But if we withdraw…..the ground unit….」
「Noisy!! Leave them! Withdraw now!!」
Without being able to disobey, the badly bruised soldier made the fortress withdraw.
The fleet that was giving off an overwhelming pressure a few short moments ago, was almost completely destroyed. The Imperial army went dumb in surprise upon seeing this.
―――――――――――――――
18 A10 thunderbolt II’s flew into the field equipped with CBU-87/B cl.u.s.ter bombs.(TLN: Video showing how terrifying this bomb is)
「Are you ready!?」
『2nd platoon is ready!!』
『3rd platoon is likewise, ready!!』
「Well then! All aircraft, attack!!」
『『Ya!!(Understood)』』
On the orders of the lieutenant commander, the planes drop to an alt.i.tude of 200 metres.
The planes simultaneously dropped around 198 cl.u.s.ter bombs on the imperial headquarters in a stunning, precise formation.
A sound of burst air could be heard as the cl.u.s.ter bombs separated from their fuselage. As it falls onto the ground, it splits into 202 pieces. Causing a wide area of damage. (TLN: That’s 202 sub-munitions per bomb. So around 39,996 different explosions overall)
Thousands of child bombs explode at the same time, mercilessly decimating the imperial camp.
「All aircraft, right turn. Strafe」
The air unit which had decimated the enemy, once again returned above the imperial camp.
They flew down to an even lower alt.i.tude and opened fire, whilst in formation.
「Strike!!」
―――GUVOOOO！！
When the trigger is pulled, 7 tubes of the 30mm GAU-8 gatling gun revolve at a high speed. Bullets are shot out so fast, it is as if the plane itself is breathing fire.
4,200 rotations per minute of armour piercing incendiary rounds fired into the enemy troops, turning them into cinders.
「Ammo check. All planes return to base!!」
After a short 10 second a.s.sault, the planes returned back to base. Leaving behind long burn marks on the ground, as well as a vast sea of blood.
「The withdrawal of the enemies aircraft is confirmed」
「The air corps have returned back to base successfully, one unit has remained as a precaution」
「Helicopters will arrive in 7 minutes, ground troops in 15 minutes」
Whilst listening to the reports one after another, Kazuya was gazing at the air corps flying in formation above the city.
「….those flying machines, are they your ally? Kazuya, who the heck are you?」
Karen asked Kazuya after witnessing flying machines that flew faster than possible in this world. As well as them decimating the powerful imperial army as if they were ants. It was difficult to hide her surprise.
「….I guess it’s pointless to say we’re just adventurers…I’ll tell you more later」
「Oh! Wait a moment!」
The voice of Karen is ignored as Kazuya walks to the command post, surrounded by well equipped soldiers.
「An order from the Captain General has come」
「The contents?」
「Annihilate the enemies surrounding the fort city. Show no mercy」
The shooter and the pilot within the AH-64D Apache longbow that was dancing in the air above the fort city, received the orders from Kazuya. They currently had complete air superiority, the dragon riders were all dead and the enemy fleet had retreated.
After thinking for a while, the ensign floated a fierce smile. (TLN: Ensign is the pilot in this case)
「Understood. Then let’s play “that”」
「”That”? Sounds good」
The pilot began to play songs out of the loud speaker attached below the fuselage. (TLN: I think he says this, but doesn’t say what song is playing)
「It’s over」
At these words, a merciless rain of M230A1 30mm machine gun bullets and 70mm rockets was fired at the imperial troops who had already lost their fighting spirit.
After that, the Imperial army who had boasted about their numbers of around 600,000 troops, was reduced to around 300,000 from the attack by Kazuya. 100,000 of them surrendered to the canary kingdom and 200,000 of them ran back to their homeland.
______