Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V4Part5

Part 5

“In less than an hour, what had been a world of only blue was now filled with the silhouettes of steel giants. Leo’s voice came through the speaker.

"The main fleet of the archipelago forces is assembled. Quite a sight, isn’t it? The spherical formation on the eastern side is the First Air Fleet with the Raven and Hydelund, while the cubic formation on the west is the Second Assault Fleet, led by the battleships Riviere and Red Deer."

As Kiyoaki listened to Leo’s explanation, he also observed the massive assembly of the St Vault naval air force. It was indeed a sight unlike anything he’d seen before—an enormous airborne fleet, spreading vertically from 2,000 to 5,000 meters and horizontally across about five kilometres.

The First Air Fleet, which Kiyoaki and his squad were about to board, was a carrier task force. At its core were the pride of the St Vault naval air force, the regular flying aircraft carriers Raven and Hydeland, with four light carriers and four heavy cruisers positioned at the tips of each axis, while eight light cruisers and sixteen destroyers formed a spherical perimeter around the carrier group. Any enemy air force attempting to attack the Raven and Hydeland would be caught in the deep net of anti-air fire, suffering significant losses.

Behind them was the Second Fleet, an island-assault force cantered around battleships. The precise cubic formation consisted of sixteen ships in four rows, stretching from 1,000 to 5,000 meters in altitude. Two super-dreadnought flying battleships occupied the centre of the cube, heavily defended by eight heavy cruisers, four light cruisers, and two destroyers. Once the carrier task force secured air superiority, the Second Fleet’s mission was to use ship-to-ship artillery to neutralize the ground defences of the flying fortress Kalkinos and support the landing forces.

Further behind the cube formation, hundreds of flying boats and dozens of assault landing ships fitted with lift devices followed like a school of sardines. These carried nearly 50,000 ground troops waiting for the opportunity to storm the flying fortress. For their safe landing on the floating island, the Voltec Air Squadron needed to establish air superiority.

"First and Second Squadrons, land on the Raven, Third Squadron on the Hydeland," Leo commanded, leading the descent spiral toward the centre of the spherical formation.

The majestic sight of the First Air Fleet grew larger in front of the windshield.

The awe-inspiring spectacle of these massive steel giants moving in precise formation through the sky sent shivers down Kiyoaki’s spine. Was this breathtaking display of power, an angelic host in the heavens, the ultimate result of perfecting the art of death and destruction? Like the twelve angels of myth, the airborne fleet spread its wings of lift devices, solemnly welcoming the Voltec Air Squadron into their ranks.

Safely landing on the Raven at 3,500 meters, Kiyoaki and the others handed their aircraft over to the carrier’s mechanics and gathered in the ready room below deck for a briefing on the upcoming mission.

According to the Raven’s air operations officer, Uranos had already detected their movements and dispatched an airborne fleet to the area near the Great Waterfall. Kalkinos would undoubtedly come out to meet them.

"The goal of this operation is not to occupy Santos Island. It’s to annihilate the enemy’s airborne and naval forces. If the Voltec Air Squadron doesn’t secure air superiority, the mission can’t proceed. We’ll handle the direct defence of the First Fleet."

Beside the air operations officer, the Raven’s squadron leader nodded grimly. Normally, it would have been the Raven’s air squadron in charge of securing air superiority, but given the importance of this decisive battle, the elite Voltec Squadron had been selected instead. It seemed that the base air squadrons were more accustomed to air combat than their carrier counterparts. While this decision likely did not sit well with the Raven’s air squadron, the fate of the nation resting on this battle made it inevitable that St Vault’s strongest squadron would be entrusted with the critical task.

It would take about two more hours to reach the Great Waterfall, so the Voltec Squadron members were put on standby in the crew quarters.

The room quickly filled with the smell of alcohol, cigarettes, and cigars as the enlisted pilots eagerly anticipated the battle ahead, unable to hide their excitement. Everyone was fired up, eager to take off as soon as possible.

In wartime, they say the hardest thing is waiting.

Would they make it back alive? Would all their comrades return unharmed? Perhaps today would be the last day of their lives. With their adrenaline pumping and a mix of excitement and fear swirling inside them, all they could do was sit tight and wait for the encounter with the enemy fleet. Beside Kiyoaki, Kagura and Illia wore tense expressions. Only Reiner, with his usual nonchalant grin, seemed unaffected, making his usual careless remarks.

"Look, we’re just PR material. Just coming back alive is enough to make headlines. No need to push ourselves. Let’s just take it easy and come back."

Illia raised an eyebrow at his words.

"We can’t slack off. Doing so would put our allies at risk. We might be PR material, but we should give our all to achieve victory."

"Yeah, I figured you’d say that. It’s the kind of thinking that gets you killed. This is your first big air battle, so just treat it like a learning experience. No one’s expecting us to achieve great results."

"This isn’t our first sortie. We can’t just sit back and act like guests. If we mess around, the burden will fall on the rest of the squad. What exactly are we supposed to learn by leaving our comrades to die?"

"See, that’s exactly the kind of thinking that gets you killed. You, especially, Illia. You’re the type to charge in alone, get surrounded, and shot down."

"What did you say!?"

"Enough," Kagura interrupted, stopping Illia from getting any closer to Reiner. She took a deep breath, her eyes steeling with determination.

"Illia’s right that we shouldn’t slack off, and Reiner’s right that we shouldn’t push too hard. The decision is mine as the squad leader. It’s not up to you two."

She spoke with resolve, though the tension of commanding her first squadron was evident. Kiyoaki, offering his support, nodded.

"Yes. I’ll stick with you, Kagura. I won’t leave your side."

Illia, too, turned to Kagura with a serious expression.

"I was out of line. On the battlefield, I will follow your orders."

"Good. I intend to fight aggressively, but we’ll all come back alive."

"Yes!"

Kiyoaki and Illia’s voices chimed together in response.

Kiyoaki resolved within himself: Today, my role isn’t to shoot down enemies. It’s to protect Kagura as her wingman.

At that moment, an announcement echoed through the ship.

"Enemy flying fortress Kalkinos sighted! Voltec Squadron, prepare for combat!"

A cheer erupted from the squadron as the pilots rushed toward the upper deck.

"Let’s go!"

Kagura’s firm voice spurred Kiyoaki into action. He dashed out of the crew quarters and climbed the ladder to the upper deck.

Already, the escort fighters were taking off, swarming around the spherical formation like bees. In front of the bridge, thirty members of the Voltec Squadron had gathered. The Raven’s squadron leader stood before a blackboard, where he had pinned a map of the battle zone. He marked the friendly fleet’s position with white circles and the location of the enemy flying fortress, as reported by reconnaissance, with black circles.

"Approximately 350 kilometres to the northwest, just beyond the Great Waterfall, the Kalkinos is accompanied by two regular carriers, two battleships, ten cruisers, and sixteen destroyers. While we haven’t confirmed the presence of lift devices, assume that the carriers and battleships are capable of flight."

The thirty pilots of the First and Second Squadrons listened intently to the briefing. The squadron leader continued.

"Our task is to first neutralize the carriers, then secure air superiority around the flying fortress. The remaining naval forces will be dealt with by the Second Fleet. Focus on the Kalkinos."

His words were firm, and the pilots responded with resolute shouts.

"The air superiority squad will launch first, followed by the bombing and torpedo squads twenty minutes later. This won’t be settled in a single strike. Expect second and third waves of attacks. Remember your fuel, fight with all your might, and come back alive!"

"Sir!”

“Let’s go! Knock those sky pirates down into the Great Waterfall!!”

At the rear of the deck, the Beo-Eagles were already lined up, engines running. Kiyoaki once again leaped into his beloved aircraft and waited for the moment to take off.

Ahead of him, comrades from Leo’s battalion were taking off one after another. Unlike land-based operations, they couldn’t launch three aircraft simultaneously, which made the process slower. After Kagura and Illia took off, Kiyoaki connected the engine shaft with the inertia-driven mechanism, lowered the flaps, and fully opened the throttle, lifting off just before the bridge.

As they joined up with the fifteen aircraft launched from the Hydeland, a lead aircraft with three seats took the front of the formation. A skilled navigator, who excelled in celestial navigation, calculated the speed and course of the enemy fleet and led the 45-aircraft squadron of air superiority fighters toward the estimated contact point.

As Kiyoaki gazed at Kagura’s tail fin, his heart began to pound faster.

The enemy’s air force was clearly superior. Their numbers were nearly double that of their own.

But…

We have to win. This battle will decide the outcome of the war.

Both the enemy and allied forces had brought almost all their air and naval strength to this battlefield. Whoever was annihilated here would be the loser of the Hydrabard Campaign, without a doubt. No matter how large the enemy was, they had to be brought down. Casualties in the process were unavoidable.

I don’t want any of my comrades to die…

With that prayer in his heart, Kiyoaki kept flying.

Before long…

“We are entering the target airspace. All hands, prepare for battle. Stay vigilant, and report any abnormalities immediately,” Leo’s voice came through, and Kiyoaki narrowed his eyes as he stared ahead.

They were flying at an altitude of 2,500 meters. Beyond the windscreen, the horizon seemed to rush toward them at an abnormal speed.

No… that’s not the horizon.

It’s a rupture in the ocean.

The blue ocean stretched endlessly, broken by a horizontal crack that seemed to divide it. Even from this altitude, the crack’s end was lost in the atmospheric haze, beyond the range of sight.

The infinite blue was torn open.

The Great Waterfall.

The moment he realized it, the ocean below them vanished into the abyss.

It was as if the ground had been pulled out from under them, dropping them into a deep chasm.

The ocean collapsed, like an avalanche of snow.

The water that collided with the lower sea surface spewed massive plumes of mist at the base of the Great Waterfall, stretching into the horizon and forming thousands of rainbows. Looking back at the waterfall, it appeared as though a wall of rainbows stood behind them.

The vertical drop of the rupture was about 1,300 meters. As planned, Kiyoaki adjusted his altimeter to 3,800 meters using his fingertips. It was a breathtaking sight, no matter how many times he saw it, but now was not the time for leisurely sightseeing.

The lead aircraft shook its wings vigorously, signalling that it had visual on the target.

“Forty degrees to the left, enemy fleet sighted!!”

“Flying fortress sighted!!”

The speakers crackled with announcements in quick succession. Kiyoaki focused his gaze in the indicated direction.

To the southwest, there was a swarm of steel ships spread out on the ocean’s surface. Two massive silver slabs lined up side by side, with two colossal whale-like shapes ahead and behind, surrounded by smaller ships like a school of fish.

Their first target was the Uranos carrier fleet in its circular formation.

Far behind the fleet, hovering at an altitude of about 2,000 meters, was a familiar, ominous island-like silhouette.

“Kalkinos, approximately 30,000 meters away!!”

The lead plane identified the fortress by its shape and calculated the distance, relaying the information to the entire squadron. Leo’s orders came through clearly.

“The first target is the carrier fleet. Secure air superiority around the fleet.”

“Hah!!”

At 3,500 meters, Kiyoaki looked down at the imposing fleet below. It was the largest fleet he had ever seen. Their task was to neutralize it and then move on to the flying fortress. The battle would continue until both were defeated.

“Enemy aircraft sighted!!”

Hamilton’s shout rang out from the speakers. Kiyoaki quickly scanned the surrounding airspace but saw nothing.

“Lead the way! All planes, follow Hamilton!!”

Leo’s command echoed, and Hamilton flipped his wings like a hawk, catching the sunlight as he climbed for altitude.

Kagura followed, with Kiyoaki and Illia guarding her flanks as they ascended.

The Beo-Eagle engines roared, pulling the planes rapidly upward.

At 5,700 meters, Hamilton levelled off. Kiyoaki strained his eyes in the direction of Hamilton’s nose and spotted them.

“Enemy fighters…!”

They weren’t Idra. These were unfamiliar fighters with W-shaped silhouettes when seen from the front.

“That’s the Ion. It’s Uranos’ new model. Two 20mm cannons in the wings, two 13mm machine guns in the fuselage. I’ve never seen so many of them at once. Be careful, they’re much stronger than the Idra,” Leo’s calm voice warned.

The enemy had apparently spotted them as well. A swarm of about seventy enemy planes approached head-on at the same altitude.

“We’re evenly matched. Don’t chase them too far. Their numbers and performance may be better, but we’ve got teamwork on our side.”

“Hah!!”

Kiyoaki responded through the mic, feeling his adrenaline spike.

The enemy formation closed in rapidly.

Their wings were curved in an unusual shape, and he could see the 20mm cannons jutting out from the wings. It was an eerie opponent, unfamiliar and unsettling.

They were less than 5,000 meters away now. With both sides at combat speed, the distance would disappear in the blink of an eye.

“Here we go!!”

“Yee-haw!!”

“Let’s do this!!”

“Don’t die, everyone!!”

Voices of command, cheers, and encouragement echoed from the speakers, as streams of tracer rounds rained down in front of Kiyoaki.

“Contact!!”

The deafening roar of propellers passed overhead.

Simultaneously, a barrage of incendiary rounds sliced through the air around the cockpit.

Black smoke billowed, flames erupted, and Kiyoaki’s eyes widened in concentration.

His focus was solely on Kagura’s plane.

I must protect Kagura.

That was the only thought on his mind.

“Kagura Squadron, moving into pursuit! Kiyoaki, Illia, cover the rear!!” Kagura’s clear voice broke through the chaos on the radio.

“Hah!!”

Kagura twisted her plane, looking up at the ocean from beneath, and dove into a roll. As Kiyoaki followed her lead, he noticed the Ion squadron chasing one of their own Beo-Eagles, oblivious to their approach. Kagura had already spotted a vulnerable target.

I hadn’t noticed it myself.

Feeling a slight pang of frustration, Kiyoaki followed Kagura’s right wing, descending 1,500 meters in one quick dive. The Ion chasing the Beo-Eagle was completely unaware of their presence.

Through the windscreen, the upper surface of the Ion grew larger.

It was a textbook perfect angle for a deflection shot. A good omen.

Kagura’s plane became the hawk, sinking its talons of armour-piercing rounds into the exposed back of the defenceless prey.

“Kill confirmed!!”

As the enemy plane turned into a ball of fire, Kagura’s triumphant shout echoed through the radio.

“Well done, Kagura!!”

As Kiyoaki followed Kagura’s pull-up, he praised her. Nearby, the grateful Beo-Eagle pilot signalled his thanks to Kagura.

“Don’t let your guard down. The enemy still has the advantage. Keep a lookout.”

“Hah!”

After exchanging words with Kagura, Kiyoaki scanned the skies above.

The airspace was a chaotic dance floor, where the Beo-Eagles and Ions clashed.

It was a brutal dogfight, with no room for hit-and-run tactics.

Each side chased the other’s tail, gnashing at each other, and one by one, planes turned into fireballs, scattering in the blue sky.

Shattered fragments of aircraft whirled through the summer air. Sparkling like glittering dust, they were kicked aside as the silver wings of the Beo-Eagles spat streams of tracer rounds. The Ions, like wild gazelles, dodged the fiery arrows with nimble manoeuvres, executing a series of nearly impossible high-G turns that allowed them to flip behind the Beo-Eagles. After a few exchanges, it became clear that the Ions had superior manoeuvrability.

It was dangerous.”

“I’ll protect them!!”

Kagura shouted, echoing Kiyoaki’s own thoughts.

Kagura surged upward, rushing to rescue a comrade who was being tailed by an enemy. Kiyoaki quickly followed in formation on her right, when—

“Enemy aircraft at one hundred and twenty degrees left!!”

Illia’s voice rang out.

Kiyoaki turned in the indicated direction. Just as Illia had said, three Ion fighters were heading toward them. They were outnumbered, and in this chaotic battle, it was inevitable they’d be chased.

“Illia, Kiyoaki, I’m counting on you…!!”

“Yes!!”

Kagura had to prioritize helping their ally. Meanwhile, Kiyoaki and Illia had to fend off the three approaching enemy planes to protect Kagura.

I won’t let Kagura be killed right in front of me.

Kiyoaki tightened his grip on the control stick, pouring his soul into it.

He glared at the approaching enemy planes.

“Come on.”

His eyes sharpened like those of a fierce predator.

Illia’s calm voice came over the radio.

“Let’s stay calm, Sakagami.”

“Yeah, stay calm.”

Together, they rolled their wings and approached the enemies stalking Kagura. They quickly positioned themselves to intercept the incoming threat, placing themselves in the perfect position to shoot down the enemy if they dared to target Kagura.

Kagura was completely focused on her original target. Locking onto an enemy during a dogfight required all her concentration, leaving her unable to deal with any pursuers. During this vulnerable time, it was up to her wingmen to defend her.

Kagura trusted Kiyoaki and Illia, and they entrusted their lives to protecting her.

The three operated as one.

We will protect her.

With intense concentration, Kiyoaki closed in on the enemies, occasionally coming close to colliding with them, firing intimidating bursts of 20mm rounds directly at their noses.

Kagura’s wings unleashed fire, and once again, a fiery explosion blossomed in the sky.

“Enemy down!!”

Kagura twisted her body as if leaping off the ground, like a deer. The enemy that had been chasing her kept following, and now Kiyoaki was tailing the enemy in turn.

The chase lined up like a string of beads: enemy, ally, enemy, in a continuous pursuit. Just as the enemy was about to lock onto Kagura, Kiyoaki had his sights on that very same enemy.

There was no hesitation.

He squeezed the trigger, and the enemy plane shattered in his sights.

Instead of the expected rush of exhilaration, Kiyoaki felt a chilling sensation creep over him.

He didn’t even have time to shout in triumph before glancing back.

“What!?”

A new Ion had appeared right behind him, so close that its presence sent a shiver down his spine.

It was a sure hit.

I’ve been caught.

In that moment of resignation, Mio’s smiling face flashed before Kiyoaki’s eyes.

Mio, I’m sorry.

I won’t be able to come see you.

In the split second he silently apologized, the Ion’s left wing was blown apart.

Kiyoaki’s impending death was sent flying out of sight, far off into the distance.

Instead, a Beo-Eagle soared upward, scattering the debris of the destroyed enemy plane. From the cockpit, a beautiful girl waved at Kiyoaki.

“Illia!!”

“Stay focused. We still have a long way to go.”

Filled with gratitude, Kiyoaki followed Illia. That was a close call. If she hadn’t intervened, he would surely have been blown to pieces and fallen into the ocean.

“Yeah, sorry, and thank you…!!”

After reuniting with Kagura, Kiyoaki and Illia exchanged signals of thanks and turned their attention back to the battlefield.

The situation was still dire. Despite their valiant efforts, they were at a disadvantage in both numbers and aircraft performance.

Kiyoaki saw two, three Beo-Eagles trailing long tails of fire as they fell. The planes carried comrades who had been drinking and fooling around on the beach just the night before. From the speakers came the desperate calls for fallen friends.

“Moby!! Please respond, Moby!!”

“No, Glenda, don’t leave, Glenda!!”

They were familiar names. So Moby and Glenda had been aboard those two planes that had just crashed into the sea. Moby had been the one to casually talk to Kiyoaki when he was still a nervous newcomer. Glenda, though tough, had a kind heart, often standing up for Illia when the non-commissioned officers teased her with crude jokes. Had those kind souls really been reduced to nothing but sea foam?

But there was no time for grief on the battlefield.

“Fight! You can cry later!!”

Kagura’s commanding voice rang out, shaking Kiyoaki from his sorrow.

That’s right. There’s no time to mourn.

He realized he had almost let himself be overwhelmed by sadness. In this place, drowning in such weak emotions would surely invite the Grim Reaper’s scythe in the next instant.

Right now, there was only one thing to do. Fight with everything he had, to make sure no more comrades died, so that as many of them as possible could make it back alive.

“Yes! I will fight with you!!”

He threw his response over the radio and chased Kagura’s tail once more. With only courage in his heart, he dove into the deadly melee where enemies and allies clashed fiercely.

Their only advantage was their formation flying.

Kiyoaki constantly checked Kagura’s position, ensuring he didn’t lose sight of her while keeping an eye out for any enemies targeting her. When Kagura moved in to strike an enemy, he immediately provided cover, intimidating or distracting any threats that tried to interfere.

The inside of Kiyoaki’s skull grew hotter.

With every enemy Kagura shot down, and with each one Kiyoaki himself downed, he felt his entire body surge with adrenaline.

The sweet intoxication of battle was overtaking his thoughts. His instincts for survival and battle were rising to the surface.

I want to shoot down more enemies.

Despite being surrounded by death in this chaotic air battle, Kiyoaki felt no fear. Instead, the thrill of shooting down enemies made him crave more.

It’s not enough.

Pushing through clouds of smoke, watching enemy planes disintegrate in flames, Kiyoaki had already turned into a beast, driven solely by the hunger for more kills.

Isn’t there a more challenging enemy out there?

He had long since stopped counting how many planes he’d downed. His only focus was breaking through fireballs and reducing fleeing enemies to twisted metal.

At that moment, when he was seeking his next target—

“Kiyoaki, you’re going too far!!”

Kagura’s voice snapped him out of it.

He looked around, suddenly aware of his surroundings. Kagura was nowhere to be seen. Illia wasn’t there either. Two Ion fighters were closing in from his rear, approaching fast.

He cursed under his breath.

Realizing he had let himself get carried away by the heat of battle, Kiyoaki saw the Ions’ 20mm cannons aiming right at his fuselage.

He rolled sharply to the side to dodge and began a dive. The enemy followed, turning sharply as they pursued. Their superior firepower, speed, and manoeuvrability meant that if he stayed on the defensive, it was only a matter of time before they shot him down.

“Damn it.”

He had been warned so many times not to fly off on his own, and yet here he was, completely isolated. Outmatched in both numbers and aircraft performance, their only advantage had been their formation tactics—and Kiyoaki had abandoned it.

“Kiyoaki, where are you? I can’t see you!!”

Kagura’s panicked voice came over the radio.

“Sakagami, I’m sorry, I’ve lost visual…!!”

Illia’s apologetic voice followed. Kiyoaki responded with a strained voice.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll handle it…!!”

Even though his job was to protect Kagura, Kiyoaki had let the chaos of the battle consume him, and now he was paying the price. He had to at least clean up his own mess.

I’ve fought one-on-one with Illia so many times.

Compared to Illia, you’re nothing…!!

He glared at the enemy fighters chasing him. Their speed was superior, and the gap between them closed quickly.

Altitude: fifty meters.

The ocean stretched right below him. All he could do now was fly low, skimming the surface and waiting for his comrades to come to his aid.

If I keep running, someone will help me.

Trust your comrades. Just hang on until then.

Kiyoaki reassured himself as he timed the enemy’s shots, slamming the foot pedals.

The 20mm rounds from the enemy plane peppered the sea surface, sending up thousands of water spouts.

As he dodged the bullets, another enemy plane fired its second barrage.

“Dammit…!!”

Barely managing to kick the left pedal, Kiyoaki narrowly avoided the attack. A split-second mistake in manoeuvring would mean instant death, turning him into nothing but debris on the ocean floor. The slightest mistiming, too early or too late, would spell the end. Yet, this was the only way to survive.

“I won’t lose to you, you bastard…!!”

He growled as he glared back at the pursuing enemy. Just then, the lead Ion exploded into pieces.

“What!?”

"I told you not to go in alone."

A reprimanding voice came over the speaker. A friendly Beo-Eagle shot past Kiyoaki, and painted on the nose was a playful lion.

“Lieutenant Leo!!”

The moment Kiyoaki shouted in joy, another Ion’s wing was blown apart.

“Yoo-hoo, Kiyoaki, you’re looking brave out there~”

“Don’t get cocky, kid!”

Leo’s wingmen, Lulu and Lala, waved cheerfully as they overtook Kiyoaki. Swallowing his pride and feeling gratitude, Kiyoaki waved back.

“Yes, sorry! Thank you so much!!”

Both Illia earlier and now Leo’s squad had saved his life twice. If not for them, Kiyoaki would have died already. He reflected on his recklessness and vowed not to repeat the mistake.

“The strike force has arrived. All units, switch to escort duty. Don’t engage unnecessarily, protect the torpedo bombers.”

Leo’s command echoed, and when Kiyoaki looked up towards the great waterfall, he saw a massive formation of one hundred and twenty St Vault aircraft: dive bombers carrying 500kg bombs and torpedo planes equipped with oxygen torpedoes.

Though they hadn’t achieved air superiority yet, the attack would proceed. Knowing that the enemy fleet was also launching its own attack on the friendly fleet, Kiyoaki understood that some of his comrades would inevitably fall prey to the enemy fighters, but the strike had to go ahead now.

Kiyoaki turned his craft toward the strike force. He was still being pursued by enemies, but for now, protecting the friendly bombers was the top priority. Circling around the slow-moving formation of bombers, he fended off any approaching enemy fighters, driving them away.

The bombers moved agonizingly slowly. To the fighter pilots, they seemed to crawl along. Kiyoaki, taking on the role of a sheepdog protecting a flock from wolves, tried to keep his mind clear and assess the situation.

The enemy Ion fighters attacked the bombers from all directions using hit-and-run tactics. Kiyoaki focused on disrupting their attacks, aiming his guns at their noses to drive them off. The goal wasn’t to shoot them down, just to keep them from attacking the bombers. In an air superiority mission, the priority was killing enemies, but during escort duty, the focus was entirely on protecting the friendlies.

But it wasn’t easy. Unable to engage in proper dogfights, Kiyoaki saw two, three of his comrades’ planes go down. Each time, desperate voices crackled through the speakers.

“I’m hit… I’m done for.”

It was Jude’s voice. Glancing down, Kiyoaki saw a Beo-Eagle trailing a long tail of fire as it plummeted toward the ocean. The pilot was waving from the cockpit.

“Bail out, you can still make it!!”

“Don’t go, Jude! It’s too soon!!”

“No, please, Jude, don’t die!!”

The anguished cries of his comrades filled the radio. Kiyoaki could only shout in desperation.

“Jude! Use your parachute!!”

But the flames had already engulfed the cockpit. Jude’s final words came through, filled with resolve.

“Win this… for me, guys!”

With those words, Jude’s plane exploded. The fireball rose high into the sky, and the squad’s screams followed in its wake.

“Don’t lose heart! Fight! Fight for Jude!!”

Leo’s angry shout pierced through the airwaves. Though sadness tinged his voice, there was only one thing left to do now: fight.

Kiyoaki glared at the approaching enemy fighters. Jude, who had joined the Voltec Air Squadron to pay for his brother’s medical bills, always led the charge during their drunken antics on the beach. That crude but kind-hearted young man was gone now. For Jude’s sake, Kiyoaki knew this attack had to succeed.

All units came together, focusing everything they had on protecting the bombers and torpedo planes. After what felt like an eternity, though only two minutes had passed, they finally reached the decisive battleground, despite the heavy losses.

“Thanks, fighters. Raven dive bombers, entering bombing run.”

“Hydeland torpedo squad, thanks for the cover. We’re commencing the attack.”

With those brief words of gratitude, the dive bombers began their descent from 3,500 meters, accompanied by the roar of their propellers. Below, the torpedo planes fanned out in an arc, launching their attack.

Their target was the ring-shaped formation of the enemy carrier fleet, a castle-like stronghold on the sea.

As the air thickened with anti-aircraft fire, the bombers and torpedo planes were engulfed in a storm of shrapnel.

Bombers exploded in mid-air, torpedo planes were torn apart, all while still carrying their payloads. But no one stopped. They left behind the deaths of their comrades in an instant and pressed forward, single-mindedly focused on their target.

They broke through the screen of destroyers and cruisers and locked their sights on the enemy carriers. Swarming Ion fighters tried to stop them, but the Voltec Air Squadron literally shielded them with their bodies.

Amidst the cries of death and destruction, bombs and torpedoes streaked toward the enemy carriers.

Mixed in with the cries was a shout of victory.

“Direct hit!!”

“Take that, you bastard!!”

A 500kg bomb had landed squarely on an enemy carrier’s flight deck, and a massive fireball erupted as the ship lurched to one side. A moment later, two massive plumes of water rose from torpedo strikes along the carrier’s flank.

“Torpedo hit!!”

“That’s for Jude, you bastards!!”

The shouts of triumph from the Voltec Air Squadron echoed in Kiyoaki’s ears. He couldn’t help but share their satisfaction. This victory was achieved at great cost, paid for by the lives of their comrades.

The subsequent waves of allied bombers followed suit, unleashing their payloads on the enemy carrier fleet. One carrier was critically damaged, and another had its flight deck destroyed by dive bombers. The first wave of attacks had gone exceptionally well.

“Return to base! Prepare for the second strike!!”

Leo’s command reverberated through the air. With the first attack complete, there was no reason to linger. Leo led the Voltec Air Squadron as they turned back toward the Great Waterfall.

“Don’t let your guard down. There’s still the flying fortress to deal with…”

Burning Leo’s warning into his mind, Kiyoaki found Kagura and took his position behind her. After a quick apology, the surviving members of the squadron aligned their wings and returned to their mothership, Raven. Though exhausted from the first wave, the battle was far from over. The fight to obliterate the enemy’s remaining forces would continue.

We will win, and we will survive.

Kiyoaki etched those words into his heart as he followed Kagura across the waterfall. The long day had only just begun.