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Chapter 59
Chapter 59 - The Great Sea Battle Off Baltica 2
World Union Fleet
wooooOOOOOOO
Mu’s self-developed mechanical siren rings out a piercing, chilling noise across the vast, quiet ocean. The fleets of all the nations turned to the skies in anticipation as fighters from 5 of Mu’s prided aircraft carriers and wyvern lords from 4 of the Nigrat Union’s dragon carriers began taking off.
Each nation prepared for anti-aircraft combat with their own independently-developed technologies.
“Anti-aircraft combat preparations complete!!”
Mu’s flagship, the La Erdo, has also completed its anti-aircraft combat preparations.
“How long will it take for the Union of Second Civilization Dragon Knights to reach us and provide support?”
Commander Raider asks the ship captain.
“It seems that they left the base right after Meltima’s squadron had made contact, but the enemy attack came too fast. I think that it will take them some time to get here after the enemy has reached us.”
A request for support had been sent out right after Meltima last reported, but considering their distance from the base, it would take some time for them to arrive.
Not long after, several black dots appeared in the clear sky. Intercepting fighters took off in the direction of the dots, wary of enemy dive bombing. Personnel manned the numerous newly-installed 20mm autocannons on the battleship La Erdo and looked up to the sky with nervousness.
Mu Fleet Commander Raider begins to talk to the ship’s captain beside him.
“Captain
 The Union of Second Civilization Dragon Knights is stationed at a base on the continent. Isn’t there a possibility that the Gra Valkas Empire had already attacked and wiped them out?”
“The base does have runways and whatnot, but since they are camouflaged against naval attacks, it isn’t easy to spot from the sky. We have also not received any reports that they have been attacked as of late, so I am concluding that they are safe.”
“Hmm
”
The battlefield continues to develop.
Nigrat Union Dragon Knights Commander Morenor has begun diving from the wyvern lord’s maximum altitude of 4200m. He recognized that the enemy is attacking from an altitude of around 3000m, and since the enemy may not have noticed him yet, his face broke into a smile.
“Blasted empire! We’ll show you!!!”
The union’s wyvern lords differ from those of other countries. Since their body color blends into the sky, there are a lot of instances in mock air battles where they would spot their enemies first. Below him are around 20 enemies with 15 wyvern lords on his side. With a surprise attack, they’d have the advantage in the fight.
At Commander Morenor’s signal, each wyvern lord spreads their wings out and extends their neck. Fireballs gradually begin to form within their mouths.
“Hm?!”
One of the enemy fighters banked and started spreading out. It seemed to be an escort fighter
 However

“It’s too late for you! Fire!!!”
As many as 15 fireballs fly across the sky, tracing lines of flames throughout the blue sky. As for the timing

“W-what?!”
The Gra Valkas Empire fighters individually spread out, dodging all of the fireballs fired by the Nigrat Union Dragon Knights.
“Shit!! What movement ability!!”
Surprised, they immediately reorganized themselves. The enemy has already advanced far from them.
“They’re fast!!”
By the time Morenor tries to turn the head of the wyvern lord towards the enemy for another shot

“Commander! An enemy fighter to your rear from the left!”
Turning around, an enemy fighter is gaining on him from behind.
“Oh no, you won’t!”
Turning his head downwards, he begins to dive. Lines from bullets of light whiz through where he was flying a moment before, followed by delayed reverberating sounds of ratatatatatatata

Sweat pours over Morenor’s back at the realization that a slight misjudgment would have led to his death. The enemy swings their nose towards Morenor.
“Ah, shit! Bastards! What’s up with your speed, you monsters!!!”
The enemy seemed to possess not only a speed faster than them but also an absurdly high turn rate. Bullets of light loomed and then connected with his beloved comrades with whom he fought with until now up massive holes in their dragons. They instantly died; not being spared the moment to cry in pain.
“Agh!”
Nigrat Union Dragon Knights Commander Morenor made contact with Antares-class carrier-based escort fighters from the Gra Valkas Empire Eastern Fleet First Attack Squadron and died a noble death in the wide, open sky.
・・・
Flagship Ceintel , Bronze -class magic battleship, Holy Mirishial Empire Local Forces, World Union Fleet
Tensions run high from the battle reports resounding within the bridge.
“Mu fighter squadrons, annihilated!”
“Nigrat Union Dragon Knights, annihilated!”
“170 knights from the Union of Second Civilization Dragon Knights are approaching the fleet! However, they are still about 15 minutes out!”
“A command from the main fleet! Hold out for the time being!”
“The enemy will be in sight in about 2 minutes!”
Captain Lergen shuts his eyes and listens to the reports.
“XO! It seems we’re being discarded away as game pieces
”
“Yes, there’s no doubt there.”
The World Union may have assembled a huge fleet but what was gathered was not merely outdated tech but antiques. They may have a mechanical warship of the second strongest superpower Mu, but even it is outdated in comparison with the Holy Mirishial Empire’s oldest warships.
And so they felt weak
 With the Gra Valkas Empire ships thought to be on the same level as the Holy Mirishial Empire’s Silver-class magic battleships in front of them, they were nothing more than just cannon fodder.
Nevertheless, the sight of several hundred ships still attracted notice.
“Do you think we will survive this?”
“They may be outdated but the ships at our disposal are many
 The enemy is very likely to go for soft targets which are easier to aim at and in about 15 minutes the numerous Union of Second Civilization Dragon Knights will appear right above us.
There are about 500 knights in total but only 170 knights will be heading here for the time being. We will be able to withstand this first wave of attack.”
“We don’t ever learn the second time, don’t we
 Hm?”
neeeeooooOOOOOOO
A low-frequency sound slightly echoes over the ocean. With a pair of binoculars, he looks up at the sky. Right in front was a propeller similar to what Mu’s airplanes have and a low-wing design similar to what the Holy Mirishial Empire employs.
An unfamiliar yet beautiful aircraft has flown into view.
“Is this it?! Prepare for anti-aircraft combat!!”
At the captain’s orders, preparations for anti-aircraft combat are made swiftly and promptly.
“Beginning to raise magic engine outputs from 45%!”
“Connecting to attack circuits while maintaining 45% power distribution!”
“Connection complete!”
“Loading magical power to the anti-aircraft magic light cannons
 80%
 90%
 100%! Anti-aircraft magic cannons energy transfer complete!”
“Put the remaining magical power to the capacitors to strengthen armor!”
“Anti-aircraft magic light cannons magic circuits activated! Element allocation of 48 explosive power, 22 firepower, 30 windpower! All anti-aircraft magic light cannons ready for firing!”
Particles are sucked up into the muzzles of the Ceintel’s anti-aircraft cannons. The guns point up towards the sky and the sights are aligned with the fighters of the Gra Valkas Empire.
The empire’s dive bombers have begun diving from an altitude of 4000m and are trying to perform some sort of attack. Sounds emitted from the dive bombers descending turn into high-frequency sounds due to the Doppler effect.
“Fire all anti-aircraft magic light cannons!”
After the particles have been sucked into the muzzle, the sound of explosions is followed by light bullets flying up into the sky.
A series of light bullets flung across the sky
 At first glance, it looks as if an intense attack is being directed somewhere towards the sky. However, lacking in proximity fuses and the manual nature of the aiming despite rapid-fire, the attack frustratingly slugs on without any real damage.
The first enemy to have dived strafed the battleship and dropped its bombs.
・・・
Flagship Barthelma , armored ship of the line, Magicaraich Community
“Enemy aircraft are beginning to dive on us!!!”
Captain Terun brushed the wrinkles on his brow for letting the enemy attack so easily. As soon as the report came in from the lookout, the high-pitched sound of the enemy aircraft began to be heard. In unison with what seemed to be the god of death screaming at them, the enemy plane turned its nose towards the fleet.
“Commence anti-aircraft combat!!!”
Comparatively, small magic cannons turned upwards towards the sky and began firing. The bullets of light, coming from single-shot cannons, completely missed the enemy.
“Fuck!!”
At the following moment, the enemy plane fired its bullets of light.
Machine gun bullets from the dive bomber opened up massive holes on the wooden deck of the ship, piercing it from top to bottom.
“Damage to the ship’s hull!! We’re taking in water!!”
“W-what?!”
No longer hiding his surprise at the fact that a single bullet from the flying weapon has pierced his ship, Terun scowled at the enemy.
“What the hell is that?!”
The enemy plane dropped something black and raised its nose as it flew away.
Gachack! FwueeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEE

A bomb dropped from a Gra Valkas Empire dive bomber pierced the deck of the Magicaraich Community’s flagship, the armored ship of the line Barthelma, and unleashed its explosive power, setting off the powder in the ship’s interior and the pressure from the blast spreading radially.
An intense flash of light shines throughout the ocean followed by the sound of an explosion, reducing the ship to smithereens and erasing the Barthelma from existence.
・・・
Flagship La Erdo , Mu Naval Task Force
Enemy aircraft are circling the sky as if they owned it

Anti-aircraft guns from Mu and the Holy Mirishial Empire could hardly hit the enemy, but on the contrary, reports of grim resolve echoed within the ship.
“Magicaraich Community flagship Barthelma has been sunk!!”
“Ships from the Torquia Kingdom Battle Fleet, Helma, Pecnos, and Jayard have all been sunk!!”
“Magic ships of the line from the Gilliseira Principality, Narno, Pirco, and Mirril have all been sunk!!”
Their casualties continue to grow
 Friendly forces engulfed in flames all over the ocean
 Due to their numbers, the percentage of losses as a whole was still small, however, the sight of bright red flames that continue to appear all over the blue ocean instills terror into the hearts of the soldiers.
Two of Mu’s aircraft carriers have already been bombed and are currently fighting fires. Mu’s anti-aircraft cannons only shot down 3 aircraft, which felt horrifyingly meager when dozens of enemy aircraft were all over the place.
“To think that there was this much of a difference!!!”
Mu Commander, Raider, gripped his hand so tightly that blood trickled from his fist. Many of the crew members turned their attention towards enemies diving from the sky.
“Enemy aircraft flying low! 4 of them are heading straight for the aircraft carrier Towen!”
Sweat perspires on Raider’s back. It was an attack he had read before in materials procured from Japan
 A weapon that moves underwater, attacking a ship below the waterline where the blast of the explosion is forced by the surrounding ocean onto the hull due to the immense pressure, causing extensive damage
 There was no doubt about it
 This is a torpedo!
“N-no!! Don’t let them near the carrier!! Focus all fire and shoot those bastards down!!!”
After Raider gave the command, Mu’s anti-aircraft cannons faced horizontally. A storm of bullets of light sweep over the ocean like a meteor shower with some missing and splashing onto the ocean surface.
If there was one word to describe it, it would be “terrific”
 Moreover

“The enemies have dropped something and are flying over the 4 ships!”
“Look at the water! Incoming attack from underwater!!!”
A white wake from a torpedo spreads out from the drop point towards the aircraft carrier Towen.
“Evade it! That’s gonna cause a huge amount of damage!!”
The aircraft carrier Towen slowly begins to dodge it, but to the people who have gathered to watch the scene unfold, it feels tantalizingly slow. The first attack grazes the carrier.
“Alright!”
Within the following moment after a faint hope emerged from dodging one attack, the Towen shook.
Dun!
 Dun!

The thunderous sounds were accompanied by two enormous columns of water jutting out from the ocean.
“Woaaaaaah!!!”
The people who were watching were aghast and could not say a word. Torpedoes jettisoned by Gra Valkas Empire torpedo bombers hit the aircraft carrier Towen, rocking the ship and causing severe damage to the ship’s bottom. The warship then begins to list rapidly.
“Message from the Towen! Large amounts of seawater are flooding into the hull!”
The ship was visibly slowing down. It was obvious to anyone looking that the ship was beginning to sink.
“Bastards!! They’re done for!!”
Raider shouts.
“Captain Masiga has ordered all hands of Towen to abandon ship.”
In plain view of many people, the prided aircraft carrier Towen from the Second Civilization’s great mechanical country of Mu slowly sank into the ocean. Swirls of water from ocean currents engulf the aircraft carrier from all around
 The pride of Mu’s aircraft carriers disappears into the sea, taking with it the sailors who couldn’t escape.
The 1st attack wave from the Gra Valkas Empire Naval Air Corps, which had tossed the World Union Fleet into a frenzy, ceased its attacks and returned to their stations.
By the time the Union of Second Civilization Dragon Knights had appeared in the sky, the enemy was long gone.
・・・
Flagship Grade Atlastar , Combined Fleet, Gra Valkas Empire
The superdreadnought Grade Atlastar, originally assigned under the Imperial Judgement Forces, due to its command over a supreme arsenal of firepower was given the duty of flagship for the Combined Fleet, and Commander Caesar of the Imperial Navy’s Eastern Fleet was on board.
“Incoming message from the 1st attack wave. Reports on damage and the need for a 2nd wave
”
Extremely favorable results of the attack are reported to the bridge. On the other hand, losses incurred towards the empire are exceedingly insignificant.
Caesar closes his eyes and ponders.
“Despite being a weak adversary, their numbers are too many
 Alright! Commence repeated air attacks and send a strike group with battleships at the center!
Taking into consideration the possibility of an ambush, they will move in
”
The Gra Valkas Imperial Navy Combined Fleet has opted to send a part of its fleet to force the World Union Fleet into a decisive battle and obliterate them.
・・・
Outside of the Sea of Baltica
Onboard the Mithril-class battleship, the flagship Lotto, of the Holy Mirishial Empire’s 1st Fleet

“The percentage of losses are low due to their numbers but
 They were surely beaten up
”
Commander Lettal Kauran says to Captain Tagus.
“Indeed. This attack has caused serious damage and losses to Mu’s aircraft carriers. They are an enemy not to be looked down on.”
“However, we are the main force here. It’s safe to say that we are the 95% while the 5% are those of the World Union Fleet.”
“Incoming report!!!”
“Message from the 6th recon patrol! The enemy fleet has been spotted! 10 battleships, 9 aircraft carriers, around 40 cruisers, and numerous small warships! It’s a big fleet!!!”
Commander Lettal Kauran’s lips slant upwards. In terms of the scale, this may be the enemy’s main force

“We finally found them! Well done! Send out the floating ships of the heavens! Send
send the enemy out of this world!!”
From the perspective of a modern Japanese person, this aircraft carrier, at first glance, seems advanced
 It is from this aircraft carrier that numerous aircraft take off.
Carrying all sorts of expectations and opinions, the battlefield continues to develop.
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