Chapter 465.1: Things Are Different Now

Danir had been right about one thing.

His superior command really had run into trouble.

It wasn’t something they could overcome easily either.

At the same time the Skeleton Corps launched their assault on his position, five Cloudfly flapping-wing planes had already slipped through the left flank of their defenses, penetrating deep into the heart of their position.

Flying at low altitudes beneath the artillery barrage, those planes went completely unnoticed by the defenders of sector G40 defenders, and the rear radar installations were equally unprepared.

By the time they appeared on radar, their remote-guided missiles had already struck the Army’s anti-aircraft positions just as planned.

The resulting fireballs and shockwaves engulfed the anti-air guns and sandbag emplacements in an instant. Many of the soldiers manning those places were killed or severely injured.

From the front lines all the way to the command post, twisted steel and flaming trenches marked the path. From above, the battlefield looked like scattered bonfires dotting the earth.

Just as the G40 air defense network collapsed, 20 Dragonfly transport aircrafts arrived over the battlefield on schedule, carrying 500 elite Flame Corps members. They passed the fortifications entirely and dove straight toward the command post in the rear.

50 W-2 Mosquito attack planes took off from the Heart of Steel, linking up with the Dragonfly transports planes to escort them and provide air support for their special forces from the Burning Corps.

Everything proceeded according to plan.

Meanwhile, down on the ground, people stared upward with terror and confusion written across their faces.

A Centurion looked to the sky and stammered, "Planes! Those are planes from the New Alliance!"

Not far from him, a logistics officer swallowed hard, his voice shaking. “Fuck... How are there so many of them?!”

At long last, the air raid sirens began to wail. Soldiers scrambled out of their tents, grabbing weapons as chaos broke loose throughout the camp.

“Where are our planes?!”

“No idea...”

“Shit!”

“What the hell is going on?!”

...

Just two days ago...

The broadcasts were still praising Pangolin’s battlefield heroics, and Triumphant News boasted of war trophies overflowing from warehouses.

The image of a weak, collapsing New Alliance had taken root in everyone’s minds. No one doubted that as soon as more ammunition arrived, they would drive the savages out of the desert in no time.

Now... The situation was far from what they had imagined.

Especially when Alliance aircraft appeared overhead, many thought they were dreaming and hadn’t fully woken up.

Standing at the entrance of the command tent, Commander Pelein stared at the sky. His jaws were agape and he was speechless.

Then, as if suddenly snapping out of it, he grabbed his second-in-command by the collar and roared, spittle flying from his mouth. “Where are our anti-air guns?! Why haven’t there been word from the units up front?!”

His officer’s face was pale, and his lips trembled before he finally forced out a response. “The front... We just got word that the 100-man company stationed at defense zone G40-1 was hit by a barrage from the Heart of Steel...”

Pelein’s eyes widened.

Before his second-in-command could finish, Pelein shouted a new order. “Tell Danir to hold the line at all costs! Even if they can’t hold it, buy me half an hour!”

The next second, his second-in-command’s expression turned grim.

Danir?

Whether that guy was even still alive was an open question.

They had lost contact with defense zone G40-1 from the very start.

According to reports from G40-2, explosions had practically swallowed the position. The troops in the trenches could even feel the ground trembling beneath them.

They saw the Heart of Steel, previously captured by the New Alliance, appear in the sky.

There was no doubt about it. The New Alliance was going all out.

The second-in-command gulped and stammered, “No response on the comms... Odds are, they didn’t make it.”

“Fuck!” Pelein cursed and shoved him aside. He stormed into the command tent, snatched up a headset, and dialed the main command.

Fools, the lot of them!

Screaming into the comms with all his might, he yelled, “This is the 40th Battalion...”

“... We are under attack by the New Alliance’s main forces, including the Heart of Steel and tanks!”

“We can hold out for no more than an hour! We request immediate reinforcements!”

“Repeat, send reinforcements immediately!”

Most of the 40th Battalion’s ammunition had been diverted to defense zone G53. Pelein knew all too well that their remaining arsenal wasn’t nearly enough to withstand an attack of such a scale.

Maybe the Army would win the war, but he wouldn’t live to see it.

What baffled him most was that, strategically and tactically, sector G40 wasn’t even a prime target.

Even capturing it wouldn’t open up the battlefield much, so why had the New Alliance chosen his sector?

Anyway, there was no time to think about it. Their front line had suffered a devastating blow.

For the enemy to breach over a month’s worth of fortifications in such a short time, they had to have thrown in a massive armored force.

If they couldn’t hold out for the time being, there would be no ‘later’ for any of them.

After reporting to high command, Pelein took his personal guards and rushed to the front, quickly organizing the remaining units in the camp.

Though caught off guard, the Army’s troops were far better trained than the Falcon Kingdom’s military. Even with the strategic situation looking grim, their morale wasn’t lost yet.

However... Having some fighting spirit wouldn’t help them to win a war.

Under countless watching eyes, 20 Mosquito attack planes broke formation and dove downward to strike first!

“Bravo team, continue escort! Alpha team, with me!”

“Turn on your speakers! Their sirens are too damn soft... Let’s feed them proper music!”

Cackling into the comms, Mosquito flipped on the switch to their speakers.

The piercing wail shrieked across the sky like the trumpets of death.

20 100-kilogram bombs rained down in sequence, bringing death from above.

The Goblin Corps’ pilots were mostly agility type players. Most already awakened, gaining their first talents.

To them, the ground forces moved like ants. They could see each terrified expression on their targets' faces.

With heightened reflexes and superhuman vision, their aircraft flew like they were on hacks.

Every bomb hit exactly where it was needed, better than any AI could manage.

Deprived of anti-air guns, the battlefield turned into a one-sided slaughter.

Thunderous explosions rolled across the plains. Fire and smoke erupted in blooms across the camp.

Tents turned into infernos. Clones burned alive before they even saw their attackers.

A Decurion rolled on the ground, trying to smother the flames consuming him, but the fire only grew bigger.

Somehow still alive, Commander Pelein staggered to his feet.

Seeing the vast shadow covering the battlefield, he looked up, his eyes glazed over.

The Heart of Steel had emerged from the clouds and hovered above like a floating fortress.

Cannon barrels passed slowly overhead. A chill of despair gripped him as though his soul itself was shivering.

All his battles had been one-sided victories. He had always fought from the dominant side of the Army in one-sided warfare. No one had ever lasted more than two rounds against the Army.

But now, the enemy appeared right above his head...

His second-in-command limped toward him, leaning on a rifle. “Frontline scouts report, an armored force is advancing from G40-1 toward us. They are less than five kilometers away.”

He paused and asked in a strained voice, “Commander... What do we do?”

Pelein gulped.

Loyalty to the Marshal forbade him from voicing despair, but the truth was undeniable.

It was over.

His shoulders sagged. He lowered his gaze from the sky. “... Help the wounded first.”

The second-in-command blinked. “But...”

Pelein handed him his rifle, patted him on the shoulder, and limped toward the burning wreckage of the camp.

One round of bombs had halved the strength of both nearby 100-man companies.

The 100 or so survivors were low on ammo, most of them injured. They couldn’t stop an armored push... In fact, they couldn’t even put up a half-decent resistance.

To fight on would be suicide.

Now that the Heart of Steel hovered above, the New Alliance’s Mosquito planes had ceased their attacks.

Likely recognizing the battle was already won, they chose not to waste more bullets.

Pelein knew he had lost the battle, and it happened in the most baffling way possible.

Other than roaring aircraft and falling bombs, he hadn’t even seen the New Alliance’s ground troops.

Was that really the same New Alliance that lost 3,000 troops to Pangolin’s 100-man company?

Looking over the wrecked camp, his eyes were void of sorrow or despair. Only numb confusion remained.

Who exactly are these savages we are fighting?

Was the New Alliance hiding its true strength?

Or was Triumphant News lying to us all along?

...