/
Chapter 58
Chapter 58 - The Great Sea Battle Off Baltica 1
Baltica Sea, the continent of Mu to the north, Second Civilization Area
A grand fleet that completely blanketed the entire ocean was facing west.
The World Union Fleet: a powerful force which can no doubt be called the united army of this world. They head west to destroy the fleet of the mongrels that had militarily defaced the world order and threw out the status quo, the Gra Valkas Empire.
The World Fleet consists of ships from various countries with varying levels of technological application and from afar it looks like a collection of ships from a museum.
There are ships that belched out columns of black smoke and ships that advanced with full sails unfurled. It truly is a bizarre sight.
However, the main force of the Holy Mirishial Empire is missing from the fleet.
The empire only has 8 ships from the local force
 Matching the speeds of the other ships, it seemed that the primary reason there were only 8 was that their respective fighting capabilities were reduced.
“So many ships
 You can feel the strength by just looking at them all. It truly feels like we won’t lose to any enemy that will come.”
Raider, the commander of Mu’s naval task force, is taken aback by the sight before him. He looks out from the bridge of the Mu flagship, the La Kasami-class battleship, La Erdo.
“That’s no good, commander! “Just by looking”, you say.
If the report of the previous battle is correct, then the superpower fleet before our eyes might lose if the Gra Valkas Empire decides to attack.
However, with the Holy Mirishial Empire and the force of 500 knights from the Union of Second Civilization Dragon Knights
 Even if our enemy is the Gra Valkas Empire, we may just win by sheer number.”
La Erdo captain Tenal responds to the commander.
He continues.
“We have also compiled tactics and weapons useful in countering our own forces based on research done from Japan’s military data
”
Tenal looks over to the battleship. In front of them are 20mm autocannons pointing upwards like the spines on a hedgehog’s back.
“Ah well
 I wonder just how effective these are.”
He considers the strength of the grand fleet spread out before his eyes.
The World Union Fleet:
Mu Naval Task Force, 50 ships (Second Civilization Area Superpower)Holy Mirishial Empire Local Force, 13 ships (Central World Superpower)Torquia Kingdom Battle Fleet, 82 ships (Central World)Agartha Kingdom Magic Ship Convoy, 70 ships (Central World)Gilliseira Principality Magic Battle Fleet, 98 ships (Central World)Central Kingdom Great Magic Ships, 2 ships (Central World)Magicaraich Community Armored Ships of the Line, 28 ships (Second Civilization Area)Nigrat Union Dragon Carrier Task Force, 30 ships (Second Civilization Area)Pamir Kingdom Small Fireball Artillery Ships, 115 ships (Second Civilization Area)Others

Detached Force:
Union of Second Civilization Dragon Knights, 500 unitsHoly Mirishial Empire 1st, 2nd, 3rd Fleets; each fleet consists of 2 magic battleships, 2 aircraft carriers, 4 heavy cruisers, 8 cruisers, 20 small warships, for a total of 36 in each fleet and 108 in all.
Tenal and the other Mu military staff are unaware that 2 ships of the Ravernal Empire’s ancient weapon, the aerial battleship Pal Chimera, are joining the fight as well.
He braced himself for the coming fight which will go down in history.
The collision of the powers and the resources that they have fielded is about to start.
・・・
La Erdo , La Kasami -class battleship, Mu Navy Flagship
“Incoming report. One enemy plane spotted heading our way on Aerial Sector 2. Distance, 108km. They are heading straight for us!
In addition, the enemy is too fast to intercept!”
A chilling tension runs within the bridge.
“It has finally begun
 If it were a recon plane, I’d want to have it downed

Message to the fleet, battle stations! Send out 10 fighters to intercept! Shoot them down!
Inform the other fleets that a recon plane is coming!”
The commander of the Mu fleet, Raider, barked out orders.
“Acknowledged!”
Had it been an offensive, the skies above the fleet would be filled with escort fighters, but since the target is a reconnaissance plane, instead of the highly trained escort fighters, comparatively regular fighters were chosen instead. Mu’s aircraft carriers begin to accelerate.
Marin carrier-based fighters are preparing to launch from one of the aircraft carriers. Facing towards the clear blue sky, they have begun taking off.
・・・
Meltima, Marin fighter pilot, Mu 2nd Fleet Air Corps
10-something minutes after departing from the Naval Task Force, taking into consideration the enemy’s relative velocity, the enemy should soon come into view.
Meltima’s 10 fighters of the Air Corps fly in formation.
“I still can’t believe it
”
Mu, an advanced machine-based civilization, is said to be the sole best in a world dominated by magical civilizations. The power that it has used to climb to the higher echelons of the superpowers is genuine, and it takes pride in its Marin fighter, which compared to older aircraft has faster acceleration, better turning abilities, and an unmatched top speed.
When I first piloted this Marin carrier-based fighter, I was surprised that the land of my birth could produce such a fearsome weapon. However, the enemy that has abruptly emerged, the Gra Valkas Empire
 They have demonstrated how fearsome their capabilities are in their previous raid on Cartalpas.
Having faith in the aircraft he is piloting and in his own experience, even if they were warned in the operation meeting of the threat of Gra Valkas Empire’s aircraft, Meltima thought they couldn’t possibly lose.
He has also heard from the engineers about the performance of Japanese aircraft, but since the information given has been limited and he hasn’t experienced the performance, he couldn’t bring himself to believe it. There was the occasional rumor from travelers who have been to Japan but he thought of how much it may have been just exaggerations.
“Aircraft silhouette confirmed! 12 o’clock, low altitude!”
A squad member with good eyes reports in. It seems that they have gotten above them after 10-something minutes of climbing.
The higher one gets in air combat, the more kinetic energy they build-up, and so they can carry out attacks with advantage. Adding the kinetic energy released in a dive with Marin’s top speed and with a simultaneous attack from 10 aircraft, they are sure to take down that recon plane.
Meltima smiled at the opportunity they’ve come across. They slowly closed the distance with the enemy plane.
“Is the enemy aware of us?”
An enemy maintaining a straight line at a constant velocity
 A slight doubt arises.
“For them to not notice our squadron
 There’s no way they’re that inexperienced!”
I felt that this slight doubt beckoned the recklessness in me and so I shot down such thoughts. I mustn’t be reckless! Not in battle!
“What the? That plane
 Does it only have one set of wings?”
An enemy aircraft I have seen countless times on documents is right there in front of my eyes. A plane with a completely different shape to the traditional biplane
 It carries a faint terror that screams “ I am your enemy from another world! ”
No! We can do this!
Drown out the warnings from my instincts with principles and knowledge!
The distance to the enemy aircraft has gotten even closer.
I sent out a hand signal to my subordinates through the canopy
 Commence attack!
Meltima’s squadron of 10 aircraft rolled over and began diving.
Mu’s proud carrier-based fighter, the Marin, has plunged into a dive. Its maximum speed is 380km/h, but with acceleration due to gravity from their dive, they were able to raise their max speed. With such a fast speed, the aircraft’s airframe shook, and the thunderous sound of wind flapping reverberated within the cockpit.
“Huh?!”
He had faintly noticed it
 How different his assumptions were from reality

Even with gravity helping them raise their speed, the enemy has long passed underneath them and has started to create distance.
“N-now I’ve done it!!!”
By the time he had noticed the overwhelming difference in speed, it was already too late. The enemy has gotten past his squadron.
“Gah!!”
His frustration had vented out. This was his blunder. The difference in aircraft performance was shocking, but he has no choice but to believe it. With his anger in check, he radioed back to the fleet.
・・・
An aircraft from the Gra Valkas Empire has appeared in the skies above the World Union Fleet. It seems to have outrun Meltima’s squadron which was sent to intercept it.
The recon plane flew in circles above the fleet as if the sky were its own. Mu’s proud naval task force could do nothing as the enemy led them by the nose. Not only that, but it was way outside our cannon range.
“Bah! It’s humiliating us!”
Mu’s commander, Raider, looked up at the sky. As he looked at the immense speed of the enemy aircraft flying in circles, he was beset by an unpleasant hunch.
“Hm?!”
The Holy Mirishial Empire fleet traveling in front of them successively fired light bullets up into the sky.
“Wow! They can hit from this distance?!”
Countless anti-air magical light bullets fired successively from 8 ships traced lines of light throughout the sky. Countless bullets drew lines around the enemy aircraft’s vicinity, but it seems the Gra Valkas Empire recon plane has avoided them all.
“They know where we are
”
Raider braces himself as he imagines a massive army of enemy fighters appearing over the sky.
The sky above the waters west of the World Union Fleet
Meltima’s squadron, which was completely outrun by the Gra Valkas Empire recon aircraft, advanced onto the airspace where the enemy is expected to pass. They flew vigilantly to intercept enemy formations that may likely be spotted.
“Aircraft silhouettes confirmed, right ahead!”
A report from a subordinate with good eyes comes in.
They looked ahead and squinted their eyes.
“!!!”
Black spots like smudges on the blue sky gradually come into view which gradually increases in number. There wasn’t just 1, 2, 10, or 20
 The number increases dramatically.
“What the fuck!! There’s
 more than a hundred planes!!!”
A subordinate spouts out over the radio.
“You shitting me?! There are more than a hundred of those high-performance planes?! And they’ll sortie out in 1 swoop?!”
Terror spreads into his squadron. There didn’t seem to be any difference in altitude. There is a hopeless difference in strength
 It certainly feels that they will die here. The faces of his family pop up in his head.
Meltima’s instincts raise an alarm to fall back with all hands. However, for the military’s state-of-the-art aircraft and for an experienced pilot like him to back down, it can’t be helped that others will also back down.
Even if he understood with certainty that he would die
 He pushed against his instincts for his family and Mu.
“Let’s do this!”
As if to inspire himself, Meltima screams into his radio and punches the throttle to max power. The engine roars to its maximum output and the propeller follows suit, spinning powerfully.
The distance to the enemy rapidly closed.
“Just
 just a bit more!!”
Just a bit more and they’ll be in the range of the Marin’s 7.92mm machine gun. He thought that strafing them while they pass by each other would have high chances of hitting them.
“Ah!”
Just as he heard that faint sound on the radio, his subordinates flying diagonally from behind him burst into flames. Then, bright lines of light traced by bullets rained down on them from above. Another friendly plane took several shots and the airframe was engulfed in fire.
“Shit! They’re attacking from the sun!!!”
To escape from the sights of the enemy, Meltima yanked the joystick sideways to turn 90 degrees to the side, with the airframe violently responding against the joystick. He then yanks the stick closer to himself and as his aircraft begins to turn rapidly, white trails emanate from the wingtips. At the following moment, lines of fire ran through where he was. He then hurriedly turns his head towards all sorts of directions.
“Fuck!!!”
His subordinates whom he brought along were dropping successively like flies. Numbers of enemy planes flew in close and slipped underneath him.
“You mongrels!! Such absurd speed and firepower!!!”
Meltima, who had witnessed how only a few shots from them can break apart airframes and the speed at which each shot flies, continues to report back as he performs evasive maneuvers. 20mm machine guns, which Mu hasn’t been able to deploy on aircraft yet, while their trajectories aren’t stable, they can unleash massive damage on impact, and with just a few hits they can bring down a plane.
Unable to perform attacks, Meltima puts his all into performing evasive maneuvers. It was then that he realized that all his subordinates were shot down and he was the only one left.
“It’s not just their speed, their turning ability is amazing!!”
Regaining his composure, he took hold of his joystick, and the nose of his plane faced the direction of one of the enemy planes. He was going to shoot them down.
The enemy plane was already out of his machine gun’s range
 It truly was a hopeless gap in technology.
“At least
 At least let me catch up!! Gah!!”
Impacts run through the rear of the airframe. When he looked back, he saw that the vertical and horizontal stabilizers were blown off. Having lost its stability, the plane began to turn hectically and starts to fall into the sea of clouds

“Is this it
”
Meltima’s plane fell into the sea of clouds as it spun.
10 Marin aircraft from Meltima’s squadron of the Mu 2nd Fleet Air Corps encountered and engaged with the first 108 escort fighters from the Gra Valkas Empire Eastern Fleet Air Wing around 130km west of the World Union Fleet. They were all annihilated.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!