Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V7Part9

Part 9

June 15th, Imperial Year 1351, Sierra Greed Airfield No. 1, Santos Island — Command Room

At 4:45 AM, Balthazar stood before the thirty-two Valkyrie pilots, explaining the situation with a map of the Southern Archipelago pinned to the blackboard.

“Our recon planes have spotted the Uranos fleet attempting to cross the Great Waterfall. The location is here, about 320 nautical miles north of Santos Island. The fleet includes four aircraft carriers, three super-dreadnought battleships, eight heavy cruisers, twelve light cruisers, and thirty destroyers. A transport fleet is following behind them. There may be additional squadrons hidden in the low-pressure system trailing the fleet, but we have not yet confirmed them.”

The room fell silent. They had known the enemy’s scale, but hearing it laid out so clearly was daunting. The Valkyrie squad would have to hold the line against waves of fighters launching from the carriers.

“Seventy bombers from the Chandler Fortress on Mauregan Island are heading to support us. They’ll arrive in about an hour and a half. Until then, your mission is to defend the airspace over Santos Island and protect the airfield. Maintain a holding pattern at 6,000 meters and prioritize attacking bombers over fighters. This won’t be an easy task, but if we lose air superiority, we will lose the battle. I’m counting on your efforts,” Balthazar said, his voice unnervingly calm.

Akmed took over from there, rallying the squad with his trademark unshakable composure.

“Judging by the number of carriers, the enemy’s fighter numbers will likely be about four times ours. We can assume they have Alice Actus units, but we don’t have an exact count yet. You’ve all heard the rumours: the Alice Actus is considered the strongest fighter plane of this war. But the number of planes doesn’t matter. This is our chance to show the world the strength of the Valkyries.”

He didn’t raise his voice unnecessarily, but his firm tone inspired confidence in his pilots.

“We are the strongest wings in the world. Let Uranos learn that today. Everything you’ve trained for has led to this moment. Don’t forget the humiliation nine years ago when the king and queen were murdered. In the name of the Sylvanian royal family, send the enemy to the depths of the Southern Sea. Trust in your comrades and in victory. Even if you are the last plane left, keep fighting. Now, launch!”

The room erupted with a roar as the Valkyrie pilots stood up, kicking their chairs back, and ran toward their aircraft.

As Kiyoaki followed behind them, he glanced at Balthazar. This might be the last time they saw each other. He gave his old benefactor, who had once rescued him from captivity, a nod.

Balthazar, with his usual grumpy expression, returned the nod without enthusiasm. It was his way of saying goodbye. With a slight smile, Kiyoaki rushed out of the command room.

He caught up with Illia, who was running ahead, and spoke to her.

“Shall we form a wing?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“I’ll take the lead.”

“…Understood.”

In a two-plane formation, the lead was the most vulnerable to enemy attacks. Kiyoaki wanted Illia to stay safe, so he volunteered for the position.

“Stay safe,” she said.

“You too.”

They exchanged what could be their final words and waved at each other before heading toward their aircraft in the lineup.

To distinguish friend from foe, the Kazvaans were painted in a bluish bronze colour. Kiyoaki boarded the aircraft designated as number 15, checked his instruments, and prepared for take-off.

— I don’t care if I die. I have no family, and no one will mourn me.

— But Illia has her father. She needs to survive for him.

As Kiyoaki taxied his plane, Illia followed close behind, and the two of them accelerated down the runway, taking off into the early morning sky.

Dawn was breaking. A band of purple stretched low on the eastern horizon. To the north, where the enemy would come from, thick layers of June rain clouds obscured the sky, making visibility poor. The Uranos fleet could be hidden anywhere within those clouds, but their exact location remained unknown.

The squadron continued to climb, circling as they gained altitude. At 6,000 meters, all thirty-two Kazvaans gathered, led by Akmed. They flew in wide arcs, watching as the sun began to rise over the horizon.

Soon, the source of the light broke through the horizon.

A burst of golden rays shot across the sky, flooding the ocean and waves with light, etching the clouds and the Valkyries’ surroundings into their memories.

“We’ve got contact,” Akmed’s calm voice echoed through the comms.

Everyone’s eyes turned to the northern clouds.

At a distance of about 21 kilometres, breaking through the white peaks of the clouds, came a familiar sight.

“It’s the Type-3 Ion…”

The current mainstay fighter of Uranos. An upgraded version of the older Ion, it had vastly improved dogfighting and durability. Kiyoaki had faced it before and found it far superior to the Akitsu Federation’s Murasame and the St Vault’s Beo-Eagle. The comms buzzed with chatter.

“No Alice Actus in sight.”

“Just Ions? Lame.”

“But there’s a ton of them. Looks like they’re serious.”

Nine triangular formations, each with three planes, emerged from the clouds, and six such groups in total swarmed out. The precision of their movement alone showed their high level of skill.

These were not the ragtag forces of Uranos that they had previously fought in the Archipelago. Those had been outdated planes flown by less-experienced pilots. But these fighters came from Uranos' elite mobile fleet, fresh from conquering other regions. The Valkyries now faced a force with superior training, superior machines, and overwhelming numbers.

“There’s gotta be at least 162 planes. One full battalion.” “All fighters? Man, they’re really going all out.” “Hope there’s not another squadron hiding somewhere.” “Five times our number, huh? No big deal. We’ve handled worse.”

The banter on the comms helped lift Kiyoaki’s spirits. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and watched the massive enemy formation approaching Santos Island.

The enemy fighters continued their advance, seemingly unaware of the Valkyries. They hadn’t yet broken formation and moved with an eerie calmness.

“We’re going in. Target the lead planes of each squadron,” Akmed ordered, his voice steady.

He accelerated, and the rest of the squadron followed. Kiyoaki glanced to his lower right, confirming Illia was still with him.

As the Valkyries closed to within 7 kilometres, Akmed rocked his wings, signalling for the squad to disperse. From here, the battle would be a free-for-all, with each pilot relying on their instincts and coordination with their wingmen to take down as many enemy planes as possible.

Slowly, Akmed began his descent.

At 3 kilometres from the enemy, Kiyoaki’s hands grew slick with sweat again as he gripped the controls.

He glanced back one more time, meeting Illia’s eyes.

— Let’s go, Illia.

He called out to her silently in his heart.

— I’ll fight by your side until the very end.

It was a promise.

Just being able to fight alongside Illia, not as an enemy but as comrades in the Valkyries, made him happy. Compared to the terrifying air battle over Misato with the Voltec Squadron, this felt much more reassuring. Illia was with him. They would fight together until the end.

Savouring that thought, Kiyoaki pushed the control stick forward.

“Bring it on, Uranos!!”

The 1,000-meter altitude difference vanished in the blink of an eye.

The enemy finally noticed the Valkyries’ approach, and their once-orderly formation began to break apart.

Sparks erupted at the front of the formation.

Beyond the flames, Kiyoaki saw Akmed’s tail as he dove toward the sea.

The crackle of voices filled the radio as the battle began, the shouts of the Valkyrie pilots announcing their attack.

One after another, explosions lit up the dawn sky as the silver Ion fighters of Uranos fell like a burning carpet, ignited by the bronze-coloured Valkyrie planes.

Kiyoaki followed suit, tearing through the lead planes of one of the enemy squadrons.

A burst of blood sprayed from the cockpit of a destroyed enemy fighter, caught at the edge of his vision as he dived past the flames, descending toward the ocean below.

Glancing back, he saw the chaos among the enemy forces and spotted Illia trailing slightly behind him. Using the speed from his dive, Kiyoaki gritted his teeth and pulled up, turning once more to face the swarm of Type-3 Ions.

The Valkyries, too, climbed again, moving as a pack of wolves, protecting each other as they rose to deliver a second strike.

But the enemy squadrons quickly recovered, still maintaining tight three-plane formations as they descended toward the Valkyries. Their precise manoeuvres showed that these pilots were well-trained in formation combat. Kiyoaki knew that even a moment of lost focus could mean death.

— Illia is behind me.

— With the two of us, we can win…!

He steeled himself and closed in on another enemy plane.

The sky was filled with the silver-gray of the Type-3 Ions. There were an overwhelming number of them. Kiyoaki had fought in over 150 air battles, but this was by far the most enemy planes he had ever faced.

But in the face of such overwhelming odds, a realization struck him.

— The Valkyries are strong…!

The Valkyries fought like a pack of wolves toying with a giant beast.

Without needing to coordinate their tactics explicitly, they supported each other instinctively, each fighter moving in sync, ensuring that the pilot in the most advantageous position would secure the kill. It was as if they shared a collective consciousness, thirty-two planes acting as one, scattering and regrouping with perfect precision to hunt the monstrous enemy.

The Voltec Squadron was strong, and the Kusanagi Squadron had been full of exceptional pilots. But the Valkyries were operating on a completely different level.

While the individual skills of the Valkyrie pilots weren't dramatically different from those in the Voltec or Kusanagi Squadrons, Akmed had shared his unique philosophy with them. Through each aerial battle, he honed their collective tactics, making them masters of group combat. They could communicate with an unspoken understanding, their teamwork a perfect symphony.

Akmed’s leadership had transformed the Valkyries into the world’s most formidable fighter squadron. As Kiyoaki locked onto another Ion in his sights, he silently appreciated the fortune of having such a great mentor.

— We can win.

With a decisive cut, he opened the throttle.

Cutting through the clouds and tearing through the wind, his Kazvaan soared triumphantly into the dawn sky.

Below, the airspace had become a battlefield of iron, fire, and black smoke.

The scattered shards of metal, mingled with blood, smoke, and trails of gunfire, blurred into a chaotic mess.

The bronze jets streaked through the air, weaving through the pinkish flames of destruction. The silver wings of the Ions shattered into countless fragments, disappearing into the sky in an instant.

With the eyes of a hawk, Kiyoaki scanned the battlefield. Over 150 air battles had sharpened his instincts, and now they guided him to the weak spots in the enemy formation.

He didn’t need to think. His honed senses took over. His eyes identified the cracks in the enemy’s formation, and the moment they did, his wings responded.

His engine roared.

The enemy plane filled his gunsight.

Kiyoaki glanced back to ensure Illia was still following before squeezing the trigger.

How many enemies had he killed by now? Over 200, at least. He had long since stopped counting, unable to recall how much time had passed since he'd given up keeping track.

He didn’t even bother to pray for the souls of the enemies he downed.

Steel shattered steel. That was all.

He tore through the flames of his last target and immediately locked onto the next. After confirming his rear was clear, he pulled the trigger again.

A barrage of armour-piercing bullets tore through the cockpit. He saw blood splatter and flesh stick to the canopy as the enemy pilot's body slumped lifelessly, the plane spiralling down into the ocean like a puppet with its strings cut.

— Next.

The only sound resonating in his mind was the cold, mechanical voice of his instincts.

The more he fought, the less human he felt. But what of it? He was steel. This was nothing more than the physics of steel colliding with steel, metal heated to its breaking point and melting away, over and over again, demonstrated in the sky.

— Chase, corner, smash with an iron hammer.

— That’s all there is to it.

With Illia guarding his rear, Kiyoaki focused on crushing steel with steel, fully immersed in his cold, detached thoughts.

Flames blossomed around him, overlapping in waves.

Like a flurry of out-of-season cherry blossoms, the silver shards of the Ions sparkled as they were swept away by the June winds.

The bronze hammers of the Valkyries struck down relentlessly, mechanically, like an assembly line, smashing through the enemy planes one after another.

Soon, the number of enemies dwindled. What had started as a force five times larger than theirs was now reduced to four.

The Valkyries, unwavering, continued hammering away at their enemies as if nothing would ever stop their brutal, methodical destruction.

Three times their number remained. The sky turned a dark crimson, and the fragments of destroyed Ions rained down, their remnants splashing into the sea below.

As time passed, the battle became more and more one-sided.

The bronze knights, though fewer in number, now mercilessly chased down the silver enemy soldiers, driving them before them like helpless prey. The Valkyries attacked with a relentless ferocity, eager to claim the next kill, their 20mm cannons striking with deadly precision.

Among them, one pilot stood out — a hero of myth, carving a fiery path through the battlefield with unmatched skill.

Kiyoaki understood now what it meant to call Akmed the "King of the Sky."

No one could resist him. No one could stand against him. The enemies lowered their heads, making way for him as if acknowledging his dominance.

The holy knight Akmed advanced along his fiery path with regal composure.

His spear — in the form of his 20mm cannon — always found its target. There was no struggle, no hesitation. The enemy planes tried to flee, but they were mercilessly struck down from behind as they ran.

Akmed casually flicked his plane, shaking off the blood and debris from his last victim, and continued to cut through the enemy ranks with grace and precision.

No sword could touch him. His spear never missed.

It was as if this outcome had already been predetermined by some higher force. He moved through the battlefield untouchable, unstoppable.

Yes, Carnation was strong. Kiyoaki still couldn’t imagine defeating him head-on. But the way Carnation flew, polluting the sky with his presence, was the exact opposite of Akmed’s elegance.

— How beautiful...

Even in the midst of battle, Kiyoaki found himself mesmerized. Perhaps the enemy pilots were similarly paralysed by the beauty of Akmed’s flying, unable to resist him.

“Don’t get complacent. The second wave is coming,” Akmed’s voice crackled through the comms, snapping Kiyoaki out of his trance.

The enemy had more than one battalion. More waves of Uranos carrier planes were likely on their way. Getting too caught up in their initial success could lead to disaster.

Their current altitude was 1,300 meters.

The enemy still outnumbered them two-to-one, but the disorganized formation showed they were now hesitant, waiting for reinforcements. The continuous dogfights were causing them to lose altitude, so now was the time to regain height and prepare for the next wave.

“Sakagami here, ascending to 6,000 meters,” Kiyoaki reported.

“Understood. Scout the enemy’s full strength. The clouds are obstructing our view.”

“Roger that.”

Kiyoaki acknowledged Akmed’s order, pulled back on the stick, and began to climb, the wings of his Kazvaan gathering as much lift as they could.

The engine roared its protest, but Kiyoaki pushed the plane higher, feeling reassured as Illia followed close behind. With her covering his rear, Kiyoaki felt confident as he ascended.

At 6,000 meters, he could finally survey the entire battlefield. The once-organized enemy formation was in complete disarray, with the enemy planes scattered, desperately trying to regroup. Meanwhile, the bronze Valkyries were like wolves chasing down a flock of sheep, sinking their fangs into the throats of the stragglers.

As Kiyoaki surveyed the scene, his sharp eyes caught something unusual on the ocean below. Cutting through the waves, leaving white trails in its wake, was a massive steel leviathan — heading directly for Santos Island.

“Super-dreadnought battleship!”

Ahead of the carrier fleet, a battleship squadron was approaching, likely intending to strike the island. Without bombers, the Valkyries were powerless to stop it. No matter how much they dominated the skies, they couldn’t halt the advance of the steel giants on the water with machine guns alone. The island's coastal artillery was outdated and manned by poorly trained crews, rendering it ineffective. The only hope was the seventy bombers from Mauregan Island, still forty-five minutes away.

Panicking, Kiyoaki grabbed the radio and urgently reported the approaching fleet.

"Enemy strike fleet approaching from the northwest, centred around battleships! The main force is escorted by eight destroyers. Formation: two-column line, with two super dreadnought battleships and four heavy cruisers. Speed: fifteen knots, time 0535..."

What Kiyoaki could do in his Kazvaan was clear: hold the skies and ensure the bombers arriving from Mauregan Island could safely strike the enemy fleet. That was the only objective. If they lost control of the skies, the reinforcements would be shot down by enemy fighters, and the Uranos fleet would bombard Santos Island into a sea of fire without opposition.

"Please... no more enemies," Kiyoaki prayed as he scanned the battlefield.

It was fine for now — the Valkyries still ruled the skies. The enemy fighters had lost their will to fight and were scattering across the sky...

Suddenly, Ilya's voice came through the radio.

"Kiyoaki, something feels off. Up, to the north-northwest..."

"Feels off...?"

For Ilya, who usually gave precise reports, this was an unusually vague statement.

Kiyoaki looked up. High, wispy clouds drifted above, seemingly harmless. Was Ilya just on edge? But then, she flew alongside him, pointing through the canopy toward a specific part of the sky.

Ilya was pointing toward a layer of clouds at about 7,500 meters. They seemed like nothing more than thin clouds, drifting with the high-altitude winds...

But no. Kiyoaki's instincts, honed through countless battles, reacted to Ilya's warning.

"...Huh?"

For a brief moment, something almost transparent, like a small fish swimming in a clear stream, seemed to flicker behind the clouds.

A current of electricity surged through the air.

An overwhelming sense of menace came through the atmosphere, unlike anything Kiyoaki had ever felt before.

With over 150 battles of experience, alarms rang loudly in his head. He was sure the same was happening in Ilya's mind.

Before he could even see it, Kiyoaki grabbed the mic.

It wasn’t visible yet, but it was there. He was sure of it.

"At 7,500 meters, the second wave of fighters!!"

The moment he shouted —

The clouds tore apart, and "Alice of Light" revealed its blood-soaked smile toward the battlefield.

"Alice Actus!!"

Ilya’s scream echoed through the comms to all the Valkyries. It was the most powerful single-seat fighter in this war, known for easily tearing apart Beo-Strike fighters.

And in an instant —

A bolt of lightning sliced through the air between Kiyoaki and Ilya.

“!?”

It was as if a spear had been hurled from the heavens, tearing through space.

What could only be described as an "artillery shell" cut through the sky with an eerie howl, leaving a trail of scorching heat just beside Kiyoaki.

Having flown a single-seat fighter equipped with a 37mm cannon like the Ikaruga, Kiyoaki understood immediately. If that had even grazed him, the Kazvaan would have been critically damaged.

"Kiyoaki!!" Ilya's shout jolted him back to his senses. He blinked, tearing his gaze from the projectile, and quickly looked up.

From the zenith, Alice Actus descended.

The machine guns jutting from its wings were locked on, their deadly intent aimed directly at Kiyoaki.

“Damn...!”

Kiyoaki flipped his plane, turning the view outside his windscreen from the sky to the sea below.

They had completely lost the altitude advantage. Fighting back head-on would be difficult now.

This was not good at all. The entire Valkyrie squad had lost altitude superiority to the Alice Actus fighters.

There was only one option: retreat.

"Ilya, cover me...!!"

"Leave it to me. I’ll assess Alice's capabilities...!!"

Kiyoaki dove toward the sea, flying inverted to pick up speed.

He clenched his teeth, his eyes narrowing as the turbulent waves of the southern archipelago rushed up to meet him.

Even without looking, he could feel Alice Actus rapidly closing in from behind.

It was gaining on him. Their plane's performance was superior. Just from knowing that Beo-Strike fighters had been so easily defeated, Kiyoaki could tell that the Kazvaan was two levels below in every way.

"Enemy fired!!" Ilya’s shout came just in time.

Kiyoaki twisted the plane.

Where his wing had been, a flash of lightning slashed through the air.

He sensed a second shot coming and rolled hard to the side, continuing his descent.

The Kazvaan groaned under the strain, its wings creaking as if in pain. Kiyoaki knew he was flirting with the limits of structural integrity, but he didn’t stop descending. In the midst of the spiralling world, two, three, burning streaks tore through the space he had just occupied.

Even a graze would be enough to bring him down...!!

Alice Actus was still right behind him. No matter how much he descended, the distance between them wasn’t widening. Now Kiyoaki understood why the Imperial soldiers had named it "Alice of Light." It was a fitting description for its lightning-fast manoeuvres.

Ilya was doing her best to harry the enemy with desperate shots from behind, but Alice Actus paid no mind, its sole focus remaining on Kiyoaki.

The enemy was far faster. If Kiyoaki tried to escape normally, he’d be dead.

He had no choice but to gamble everything on his next move.

Once Alice Actus got within a fatal distance, Kiyoaki hit the brakes, bracing for a possible collision.

— Don’t break, flaps!

With a silent prayer, he lowered the flaps by eight degrees and partially deployed the landing gear — the wheels tucked within the wings.

The Kazvaan’s speed decreased rapidly. Alice Actus closed in too fast, almost ramming into his tail.

— Dodge!

Kiyoaki kept his hands steady on the control stick, hoping for a miracle. The enemy plane swerved hard to the right, narrowly avoiding a collision, but in doing so, it leapt ahead of him.

In an instant, the roles were reversed.

Kiyoaki descended while bringing Alice Actus’s wide wings into his sights.

— I got it...!

Kiyoaki squeezed the trigger. The 20mm machine gun roared, but—

"What!?"

The expected bloom of destruction never came. The 20mm shells flew uselessly through the air, vanishing into nothing.

In a split second, Alice Actus deepened its dive, slipping out of Kiyoaki's range with a descent too steep for Kazvaan to follow.

The difference in horsepower and structural resilience was immense. Even at what seemed like a perfect, unavoidable distance, the enemy had forcefully escaped. Kiyoaki recalled how, when he piloted the Ikaruga in the Kusanagi Squadron, Beo-Eagles had seemed to lumber through the sky like flying oxen. Now, Kazvaan must appear the same way to Alice Actus.

— This is tough...

The thought echoed in his mind, but for now, he had shaken off the pursuit. He glanced back and saw Ilya still safely following him.

'Our allies are in trouble, there are too many Alice units!!'

At Ilya's warning, Kiyoaki looked up. In the intense dive, he had dropped to an altitude of 1,500 meters. The main battle was taking place between 2,000 and 3,000 meters. He throttled up, gaining the necessary speed to climb back and search for allies to assist.

He could already see the silver-gray Alice Actus units pouncing on the bronze-coloured Kazvaans. Thanks to Ilya's early warning, they had avoided being ambushed, but it was clear at a glance that their side was struggling.

The erratic movements of the silver-gray units stood out sharply. The bronze-coloured Kazvaans were barely managing to flee, and even when they got behind the enemy during the chaotic melee, they were quickly outpaced, just as Kiyoaki had been moments before.

'Damn it, these things are fast!!' 'How many Alice units are there? Looks like a lot...' 'Over forty! We need to coordinate better if we're going to survive!'

The radio was filled with confusion. The Valkyries had thought they had the upper hand, but now a massive force of Alice Actus units had descended from above, pinning them down. It seemed the earlier wave of Type-3 Ions had merely been bait, lowering their altitude so the real Alice Actus force, waiting at a higher altitude, could strike.

It was a brutal fight, but giving up wasn’t an option. The bombers from Mauregan Island would arrive in just over 30 minutes. If they lost control of the skies, Santos Island would be reduced to ashes. Elisabeth would die. The hope of the archipelago would be lost.

Kiyoaki tightened his grip on the control stick and glared at the "Alice of Light." Without a doubt, this was the most powerful single-seat fighter he had ever faced. From a rough estimate, there were 40 to 50 of them. If they didn’t shoot down every last one, there was no way they could win.

"Let's go, Ilya. We have to fight."

'Yeah. Let’s give it everything we’ve got. It’s going to come down to our skill and spirit!'

Kiyoaki nodded and soared through the sky with Ilya. As she had said, their only weapons were their honed bodies, skills, and mental strength. To overcome the gap in aircraft performance and sheer numbers, they had no choice but to rely on what they did best.

'Keep your plane constantly slipping. Don’t fly straight. Push the enemy forward, then wait for your chance.'

Akmed’s calm voice came over the radio. Just hearing the "Sky King" speak was enough to inspire courage.

'Well, we finally meet this famous Alice, everyone. She seems like a pretty cocky girl. Let’s show her what we can do.'

Sanatra’s playful words lifted everyone's spirits.

'The warm-up is over. This is where the real fight begins. Let’s show them what we’ve got.'

Kandata’s steady voice also boosted the team's confidence. Though the two of them disliked leading formations, their dedication to their comrades was unmatched, and they were both exceptional pilots.

— Believe in us. We’re strong.

With renewed determination, Kiyoaki and Ilya surged toward the enemy.

Waiting for them was the "Alice of the Strange World."

Like a grim reaper wielding a scythe, the Alice Actus units pointed their 30mm machine guns forward, their blood-red lips curling into cruel smiles as they looked down on the Valkyries.

— Bring it on, Alice Actus!!

With a silent roar, Kiyoaki closed the distance to the enemy.

In an instant—

The reapers' scythes sliced through the sky.

The name "Alice of Light" thundered across the battlefield as the shattered remains of a comrade danced through the June sky.

'Whoa!!'

A scream of anguish echoed through the speakers, barely sounding human.

Someone had been shot down, cut down by Alice's scythe...!!

Kiyoaki gritted his teeth, breaking through the fiery curtain, and looked up at the Alice Actus descending to meet him.

— Come on...!!

A head-on clash meant a contest of courage. Whoever flinched would die. Even if they were outmatched in aircraft performance and numbers, Kiyoaki could not afford to lose in terms of spirit.

In that moment, Kiyoaki cast aside his fear of death.

He became nothing more than a part of his plane, charging straight at Alice Actus.

In a fraction of a second, Alice smiled at Kiyoaki from across the void.

— Break.

He fired his 20mm machine guns directly at her face.

A metallic scream, as if from a dying steel maiden, shook the sky.

The enemy’s face was mercilessly destroyed, and the aircraft spiralled out of control, crashing toward the sea.

Kiyoaki had taken down the finest fighter of the current war in a single strike, and his triumph rang out across the sky.

Looking down at the wreckage of Alice Actus, Kiyoaki’s entire body bristled with energy.

"Alice isn’t invincible! We can win!!"

He grabbed the mic and shouted to his comrades.

Cheers from the other Valkyries followed immediately.

'Don’t lose your nerve! Our courage is our strongest weapon!!' 'We’ll take them down, even if we have to ram them!!' 'Let’s go, everyone, show them the pride of the Valkyries!!'

“Kiyoaki, behind you!!”

Ilya’s shout snapped Kiyoaki back to reality. He turned to see three enemy planes closing in on him, as if to avenge their fallen comrade.

"Ilya, I need you...!!"

The distance between him and the enemy rapidly shrank. It didn’t matter how fast he flew — the three Alices, flying in perfect formation, smiled beautifully as they raised their scythes toward him.

They were going to kill him...!!

“Slip your plane, Kiyoaki! Don’t fly straight! Drag them into a low-speed fight, remember Karnasion!!”

Ilya’s desperate cry brought to mind the air combat techniques of the rival he had once faced.

Kiyoaki didn’t know if he could pull it off. But if he didn’t, he’d die.

“Guh...!!”

He kicked the rudder and rolled the stick hard to the side.

The nose of the plane tilted right, but the aircraft slid sideways. He opened the flaps slightly, deployed the landing gear just a bit, and applied the brakes while adjusting the throttle, then rolled the stick the opposite way, sending the nose left while still moving straight.

It was like performing a drift in the air.

Because he was flying, the level of difficulty was far beyond anything on the ground. If he slowed down too much, he’d stall and crash. If he misjudged the flaps, they’d be ripped off. If he opened the throttle too much, the plane would break apart. And if he didn’t slip enough, the enemy’s bullets would tear him apart.

It was aerial manoeuvring like a snake slithering through the sky.

Karnasion had demonstrated this technique during the Battle of Sierra Greed against the Voltec Squadron. When facing the faster, heavily armed, and higher-performing Alice Actus, there was no other choice but to engage in low-speed combat.

“Guhhhh...!!”

Though it sounded simple, Kiyoaki realized just how difficult this manoeuvre was. Controlling the stick, rudder, throttle, flaps, and landing gear all at once, a single mistake would send him plummeting.

The airspeed indicator needle dropped. Kazvaan’s stall speed was around 250 kilometres per hour. He was pushing it to the very limit, scraping the plane against the air.

The three Alices realized what Kiyoaki was trying to do and reduced their speed, maintaining their position above and behind him.

But Kiyoaki was far slower. The Alices couldn’t help but fire their machine guns, but their bullets missed as Kiyoaki’s drifting motion kept him just out of reach. Unable to brake in time, the three of them shot past him.

Kiyoaki glared ahead.

Behind him, Ilya was coming.

'Kiyoaki!!'

"Ilya!!"

Calling each other’s names, they opened fire with their twin 20mm and 14mm machine guns.

A storm of flames pierced through the three Alices.

Breaking through the burning witches, Kiyoaki and Ilya flew side by side, flashing quick smiles and thumbs-ups to each other.

Having Ilya flying with him gave Kiyoaki confidence from the depths of his soul.

As long as they were together, they would never lose.

Summoning his courage, Kiyoaki scanned the battlefield—

"Ahhhhhh!?"

A scream tore through the air.

'Damn it! No way, Frank, answer me!!' 'I’ll never forgive you, bastard! I’ll shoot you down, no matter what!!' 'Kill them all! Don’t let a single one escape! Andy, I’ll avenge you!!'

One after another, the tearful voices of his comrades came through the speakers.

Valkyries were falling from the sky.

The bronze-coloured planes were being torn apart, their wings ripped off, their fuselages sliced in two, some exploding in flames from the cockpit—

The once invincible squadron of ace pilots, trained to the highest degree, was falling one after another, crashing into the sea, leaving oily blooms in their wake.

Far above, the witches from the strange world of Alice laughed and danced in the sky.

Blood dripped from the tips of their scythes as they swayed and twirled, searching for their next prey.

Laughter echoed across the battlefield. The Kazvaans couldn’t keep up with Alice Actus’ rapid movements. They were being toyed with, their defences easily penetrated. Desperately trying to link up with nearby allies, the Valkyries were cut down one by one by Alice’s 30mm machine-gun scythes before the enemy leisurely disengaged. The comrades they had tried to link up with were left to stare, helpless, at the fiery blooms in the sky.

Explosions blossomed one after another, and all the wreckage falling to the sea was bronze-coloured.

The situation had flipped. The Valkyries were now being hunted, unable to mount a proper counterattack as they were engulfed in flames and shot down.

Kiyoaki’s blood boiled. Even though they were the superior pilots, the difference in aircraft performance and numbers was too great, and now they were being hunted like animals by inferior enemies. It felt like his tears were mixing with blood.

As their numbers dwindled, the enemy’s losses decreased, while their own casualties increased. The enemy had started with twice their number, but as more Valkyries fell, that number grew to three times, then four times.

And then—

'...The third wave!!'

'160 Type-3 Ions!!'

The panicked cries of his comrades came through the radio.

From the clouds to the northeast—

Just like the first wave, a battalion of 162 Uranos fighters formed a perfect formation and steadily advanced toward them. It seemed there was an enemy carrier task force hidden within the storm, completely undetected. There was no telling how many more reinforcements would come.

And then—

'Another battlegroup!! Carrier strike force approaching from the north-northeast...!!'

A voice filled with despair followed.

Kiyoaki looked in the direction they had indicated and saw a circular formation on the sea, centred around four full-sized carriers, stretching over a radius of seven kilometres. The escort ships consisted of about thirty light cruisers and destroyers. A squall had just cleared, revealing their presence. Perhaps expecting little resistance from their weakened air forces, they advanced steadily despite having been spotted. Overhead, nearly a hundred Alice Actus units covered the skies.

They had expected this. But the overwhelming difference in numbers and performance now crushed even the faint glimmer of hope they had been holding onto. The despair of the Valkyrie pilots could be felt in the silence on the radio.

— Is this where we die?

The thought whispered in his mind. He wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t. No matter how he looked at it, there was no way out.

"We will defend it to the death."

Akmed's stern command came through the radio. To defend it to the death meant they would protect this airspace until they died trying. There was no option to retreat. Even if he were to be shattered, the honour of the Valkyries would remain. The royal family's reputation would endure. Perhaps future generations would find some meaning in his death.

— I will defend this airspace to the death.

With a grim determination solidified anew, Kiyoaki fixed his gaze on the overwhelmingly powerful enemy. He knew that resisting was futile, but at this point, he steeled himself to fly until his wings were torn from him.

"Let's go."

He steadied his ragged breathing and raised his weapon once more against the Alice Actus in the sky. Half of their allies had already been shot down, leaving only a few dozen remaining. With this dwindling force, they would first have to eliminate the group of over forty witches, then deal with the 162 Ions, and finally await the arrival of the seventy bombers from Mauregan Island. They had about fifteen minutes until their last hope arrived.

From an altitude of around 4,000 meters, fifteen Alice Actus units began to cascade down.

Kiyoaki and Ilya, along with Kandata and Sanatra, were waiting at an altitude of 3,000 meters.

The witches laughed cruelly as their propellers roared. Kiyoaki clenched his teeth, glared at the Alice Actus, and charged upward toward the heavens.

The enemy was in a perfect horizontal formation. It felt like diving into a waterfall.

He would leave his fate to the heavens. He didn’t care if he was pierced and crushed by the rain of 30mm bullets.

He had to at least shoot an arrow or two back at Uranos to quell the anger boiling in his gut.

These were his comrades' enemies. They would pay. Just as he was about to unleash a storm of bullets at the approaching witches—

A barrage of 20mm rounds came from the side.

A witch was blown apart as bullets tore through her side. Two, then three, fell in rapid succession, turning into fireballs and screaming as they tumbled from the sky.

"Master!!"

Akmed had sneaked up on them unnoticed. With an elegance that seemed unreal for someone piloting the same Kazvaan, he danced through the air, pouring fire into each Alice Actus as if shaking hands.

How could he do such a thing?

Was this man operating on a different dimension than the rest of them?

The thought was unavoidable; Akmed seemed to radiate a luminous presence. The more perilous the situation became, the more the "King of the Sky" seemed to shine.

The witches began to circle around Akmed, as if drawn to his radiance. They were observing him closely. They likely knew his name, hoping to shoot him down and elevate their own status alongside Karnasion, the hero of the skies.

"I will draw the enemy's attention. You wait for your chance to strike."

Akmed's calm voice came through the speakers. With him present, perhaps they could turn this overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation around. His majesty and power instilled a sense of hope in Kiyoaki.

Summoning his courage, Kiyoaki challenged the Alice Actus to close combat. No matter how much he relied on his techniques to aim accurately, the faster enemy would quickly slip out of his range and position themselves behind and to the sides, relying on their numbers.

He desperately maneuverer to evade the rain of bullets, giving everything he had to inflict damage, even if it was just to take down one enemy.

Before he knew it, he was surrounded by enemy aircraft.

He had lost sight of Ilya. Scanning the battlefield, he saw Valkyries engaged in fierce combat against numerous enemies. Akmed led over forty enemy planes, seamlessly alternating between acceleration and deceleration like magic, creating openings for the Valkyries to attack.

But the remaining Alice Actus and Ion units that had given up on hunting Akmed charged toward the remaining Valkyries, toying with them until they were reduced to mere pieces of flesh.

"I'm sorry, this is where I go." "Everyone, thank you for everything. It’s been fun. Win for me, I know you can."

Their sorrowful voices echoed through the comms as one plane after another fell, engulfed in flames, trailing thick black smoke.

The proud wings of the world’s strongest fighters were mocked by the witches, one after another transforming into blossoms on the sea's surface.

Kiyoaki clenched his teeth, his gaze fixed on the enemy. There was no time to cry. He had to shoot down as many enemies as possible and turn them into mincemeat before his life ran out. Kiyoaki was also persistently targeted by six Alice Actus units, doing his best to evade them using the serpentine manoeuvres he had learned from Karnasion.

Looking below, Kiyoaki saw that the Uranos strike fleet had already begun their bombardment.

Two super-dreadnought battleships were firing what looked like 50cm caliber main guns, launching shells weighing nearly a ton toward Santos Island. The coastal artillery’s concrete armour was thin; a direct hit would be catastrophic. Four heavy cruisers, without facing any resistance, smoothly approached Santos Island, preparing to fire their 24cm main guns. In just one hour, the island's defences would be reduced to ashes.

The bombers from Mauregan Island had yet to arrive.

But even if they did come, in this situation, they would be swarmed by the enemy fighters and shot down without a chance. It was clear that Uranos had achieved air superiority.

— Don’t give up yet.

— Fight. Until your last breath.

Just as he was spurred on by these thoughts, Kiyoaki felt a new disturbance ripple through the air.

"What!?"

A familiar feeling of dread washed over him.

Though he couldn’t see anything abnormal, every instinct honed as a pilot was screaming—

"He's here."

Kiyoaki's body went rigid.

It wasn’t logical. It was the two experiences he had had in air combat with him that alerted him to the abnormality in the airspace.

Where is he?

While being chased by six Alice Actus units, Kiyoaki strained his eyes to scan the combat zone.

Then he noticed.

The corner of the northern sky was... clouded.

In that area, it seemed as if the resentment of those who had died in the sky had accumulated.

Nausea welled up within him. The pure blue of the sky seemed to be washed away, leaving behind a miasma of filth that felt as if it had gained a physical presence. It was as if something grotesque was flying through the air, carrying the grudge of spirits.

This was not a phenomenon visible to the eyes of ordinary humans. Kiyoaki's sharpened senses recognized "his" presence as a corruption of the skies.

— Something that sullies the sky.

The filthy wake gradually crept towards the sphere of Alice Actus units swirling in the air.

At the centre of the enemy's formation was—the King of the Sky, Akmed. A swirling vortex of malevolent resentment threatened to envelop the radiant holy knight.

— Master is in danger.

The moment Kiyoaki's intuition whispered that, he directed his aircraft toward Akmed without a second thought for his own peril.

The thick black spiral that filled the airspace sought to envelop Akmed.

Contaminated flows began to drip from the sky, threatening to cover the head of the holy knight Akmed…!

"Master, look up!!"

He grabbed the microphone and shouted.

Receiving Kiyoaki's angry voice through the radio, Akmed looked up at the sky.

Before he knew it—the zenith was filthy, like muddy water.

A greasy pattern, like spilled oil, spread from the centre of the heavens down toward the horizon.

The combat zone was being tainted around "him."

He squinted.

The man who Akmed had once plunged into a sea of flames was now descending, adorned with an army of vengeful spirits…!

"Karnasion!!"

The gazes of the "King of the Sky" clashed through the windshield.

At the nose of the Alice Actus descending in a backflip, there was a black leopard nose art.

The two "Kings of the Sky," standing side by side in the Multi-Island Sea, were now pointing their swords at each other in the sky.

"Ngh!!"

It was the first time Akmed had groaned today.

It didn’t matter how many hundreds of enemies surrounded him; he wasn’t afraid.

But Karnasion was different. This man was still alive within his range…!

He pushed the control stick down, confirming the approach of Karnasion as he dove toward the sea.

Nine years ago, during the Uranos raid that annihilated the Sylvanian Kingdom.

During the aerial combat with Karnasion, who was commanding a squadron of enemy fighters, Akmed had set the Karnasion's plane ablaze using his Valkyrie squadron's coordinated techniques. Though he was descending, burned all over his body, Karnasion had continued to glare at Akmed with a look of deep-seated hatred.

It had been since that time that they last crossed swords. However, he didn’t think this pilot would adopt such filthy flying techniques; perhaps that defeat had changed him. Karnasion's combat skills were now completely different from nine years ago. Kiyoaki could feel his prowess resounding throughout the airspace.

— His technique is on par with mine. However...

— If he can fully utilize the capabilities of the Alice Actus...

To be honest, it was grim. If they were flying the same aircraft, he wouldn’t feel like he would lose, but there were limitations to what he could unleash with the Kazvaan. Karnasion wasn’t the kind of fool who would overlook that.

If there was a chance to win, it was one.

But doing that while surrounded by such a massive crowd would seal his own fate.

Yet— it was worth showing.

It was time to entrust everything he inherited from his master to the younger generations that followed.

— Is this my destiny?

Akmed accepted everything. While fleeing, he glanced around to spot Kiyoaki approaching with enemy aircraft in tow to assist him and gripped the microphone.

He spoke to the man he believed would be his successor.

"Kiyoaki, watch closely."

"…!?"

"This is the technique entrusted to you by your father."

His father, who was also Akmed’s mentor, Masaharu Sakagami.

Now, he would draw the legendary aerial manoeuvre that Masaharu had supposedly shown against Karsten Kreischmidt, the one once called the King of the Sky.

"You will inherit this. Trust in the Valkyries."

Akmed believed in him. Kiyoaki was a man who would one day become the "King of the Sky."

With that strength, he would someday change the world.

So, he entrusted everything to him.

"Please, protect the royal family."

"Master!!"

Kiyoaki’s desperate scream shook the speakers. He must have sensed Akmed’s resolve, as his voice was tinged with tears. Stop whining, you idiot. If you have time to cry, focus. Akmed confirmed Karnasion’s pursuit.

Surrounding Akmed now were nearly sixty enemy aircraft, pouring fire into him. Having been pursued by Karnasion, he could no longer weave his previously elusive aerial manoeuvres and was forced into a nearly straight escape.

As Akmed fled, trailing a path of light, Karnasion pursued him, dragging behind him a dark tail of vengeful spirits.

No one else but he would take down Akmed himself; deep within the darkness he had created, Karnasion raised the scythe of death.

In an instant, Karnasion clung to Akmed’s tail.

He closed in on Akmed at point-blank range.

Akmed's wings protruded from the targeting reticle.

Karnasion was enveloped in a sense of pleasure.

Every time this burning pain shot through him, it only deepened his resentment toward Akmed. This beautiful flight, adorned with light, was infuriating. He would clear his name from the humiliation he had endured for nine long years right here in this sky.

“Giii…!!”

He let out a cry of ecstasy, almost like a tortured wail, as he fired his 30mm cannon.

A heavy rumble enveloped the cockpit as bright red rounds extended toward Akmed’s tail—!

The explosion should have destroyed Akmed, but suddenly he shot past Karnasion’s rear.

"Gah!?"

The cannon fire merely tore through the air in front of him, empty and without effect.

Akmed had vanished.

No, that wasn't right.

In the brief moment before the rounds landed...

Akmed flew past directly above Karnasion’s windshield, with his nose pointed forward.

Kiyoaki couldn’t comprehend the meaning. What kind of phenomenon could cause such a situation? His mind couldn't grasp the sequence of events.

Then, where was Akmed now?

A shiver ran down his spine.

Karnasion turned his gaze to the rear of his aircraft.

The knight of light was there, one unit—

Positioned right in front of him, aiming the barrel of a 20mm machine gun at Karnasion's back.

This was...

This technique, could it be?

It was supposed to be a combat manoeuvre that only existed in fiction, that...

"Snake shooting!!"

Akmed heard Kiyoaki’s shout through the radio and nodded.

You saw it, right? It can be done. This isn’t fiction or fantasy. I’ve seen it with my own eyes—the moment when my master, Masaharu Sakagami, shot down Karsten Kreischmidt with snake shooting.

So, engrave this in your memory.

So that one day, your wings will rule the sky.

— Master Sakagami. This is my humble repayment to you.

— Kiyoaki will carry on our aspirations.

At the moment the 20mm cannon rounds fired at Karnasion, who was trapped in the reticle—

Three 30mm cannon rounds from the Alice Actus descending from above tore through the upper surface of Akmed's aircraft, which had lost speed due to the snake shooting.

As the tail of Karnasion blew off, he was hit directly by three rounds, transforming Akmed into a million pieces of metal, dancing in the azure sky.

The cruel fireball erupted into the air.

Akmed's body returned to the sky in that searing heat.

The three planes that had shot down Akmed shone with the scorpion emblem on their noses as they soared into the sky.

Having been hit while barely pressing the foot bar, Karnasion lost control of his aircraft and was blown away in an unintended direction. He spun and tumbled like a spinning top before barely recovering his position in the air, looking back at his blackened nemesis engulfed in flames.

The other "King of the Sky," Akmed, had disappeared without a trace. The scattered pieces of his aircraft sparkled, melting into the blue sky like blue snow.

“Giii…!!”

The cry of humiliation was futile. Not only had he failed to shoot down Akmed with his own hands, but with this damage, he could no longer continue the aerial battle.

— He was hindered by the scorpion.

— Akmed has gone to a place beyond my reach…!!

Overcome with burning rage, Karnasion had no choice but to retreat from the battlefield. He still wanted to destroy more enemy aircraft using the Alice, but he would have to wait for the next opportunity...

"Master!!"

Kiyoaki could only shout.

He still couldn't believe it. He couldn’t understand the significance of the situation. Akmed, who shouldn’t have been shot down by anyone, had become a flower of flames.

He had left behind only the legendary combat technique.

If he hadn’t recklessly attempted the snake shooting, he could have avoided the fire from the scorpion formation. Yet he had challenged it, fully aware of the need for sudden deceleration, and had caused Karnasion to suffer while he himself had scattered...

He understood its meaning.

— The master entrusted me with this.

— The technique of my father.

— My father is not a liar. Snake shooting exists…!!

He bit down on that thought. Tears streamed down his face, and he couldn’t help it. What good was it to cry on the battlefield? If he didn’t inherit the will of Master Akmed, he wouldn’t be a man.

“I received it, Master! I’ve inherited the snake shooting!!”

Crying, he shouted into the sky.

He embraced what had been entrusted to him deep within his soul.

Masaharu Sakagami and Akmed. The legendary combat technique "snake shooting" was now entrusted to Kiyoaki through both of them.

He would definitely master it.

He would survive this sky and one day display it in the battlefield of decision…!

For that purpose.

“I will survive.”

Wiping away his overflowing tears, Kiyoaki ignited his spirit and locked onto the enemy aircraft.

“I will absolutely survive!!”

He charged straight toward the witches in the sky.

“Get out of the way, you’re in my way! Disappear!!”

Cursing, he transformed into a single unit and took to the sky, carrying the will of Akmed with him.

— I will not let your resolve go to waste.

When I was young, it was Akmed who taught me how to operate flying machines, even though Masaharu had forbidden it. I admired him and had always chased after his back.

I joined the Valkyries because both Cecil and Akmed were there. He was the first person to give me choices when I had none, only fighting on the battlefield pointed out to me.

──That person entrusted his wings to me at the very end.

Suppressing my tears with the strength of my will, I directed my hawk-like gaze towards the battlefield.

"I will inherit your legacy, Master!! Your spirit, I will carry on!!"

With the throttle fully opened, Kiyoaki soared into the sky.

Even if there is nothing but despair ahead. Even if I cannot see the future. No matter how many times the sprouts of hope are crushed by overwhelming enemies.

──I will fly in this sky.

Until this life is spent.

──My wings will forever be in the name of the Sylvanian royal family…!!

As if Akmed’s soul had possessed me, Kiyoaki etched those words into the decisive battlefield.

But there was no time for sentimentality; the battlefield wouldn’t allow it.

"Incoming! The lightning bombers from Mauregan Island…!"

In an instant, the situation took a turn.

I suppressed my emotions; if I couldn't adapt to the rapidly changing battlefield, the soul of Akmed that I inherited would vanish into this sky.

"Reinforcements have arrived, but…!!""We can't secure air superiority; at this rate, the lightning bombers will be wiped out!!"

Kandata and Illia's voices came through the speaker in succession.

In the distance, the shadows of the seventy lightning bombers from Mauregan Island finally appeared. Now, we should be able to attack the enemy fleet in the sea.

However, it was clear that we were at an aerial disadvantage. The Valkyries were barely surviving, and if we became the direct shield for the bombers now, we would surely be annihilated.

"Kiyoaki, you’re the commander. You have the responsibility to lead everyone."

Illia's voice resonated, bringing me back to reality. According to today's assignments, I held the second-in-command authority. Now that Akmed was gone, I had the responsibility to lead the surviving Valkyries.

Should I abandon the bombers to try to survive?

Or should we protect them, even if it meant our deaths?

One path must be chosen.

There was no time to hesitate. If my decision was even a moment late, the casualties on our side would only increase. In the time I hesitated, lives were being lost in vain.

I gripped the microphone with trembling hands and took command of the formation for the first time in my life.

"We will immediately protect the lightning bombers."

In response to my short words, the surviving squad members replied. Even in this situation, where just surviving was a challenge, abandoning the friends who had come so far would be a disgrace to the Valkyries' name. Even if it meant we would be annihilated here, we had to hit at least one torpedo against those super dreadnoughts. If we couldn’t do that, there was no point in fighting here. The comrades who died would have died in vain.

──Master. This choice isn’t wrong, right?

After calling out in my heart, Kiyoaki pointed his aircraft towards the reinforcements from the St Vault Imperial Navy. The enemy aircraft still relentlessly pursued us, but I paid them no mind as I ran to provide immediate cover.

In the airspace, over two hundred enemy fighters danced chaotically. In contrast, we had only nine aircraft remaining. Everyone was injured and gasping for breath, yet we somehow rushed to the reinforcements, using our bodies as shields to protect the attack squad from enemy fire.

But──.

With a difference in performance and quantity, and if we had to escort seventy slow-moving lightning bombers, the Kazvaan was like an old dog out of breath to the Alice Actus. They approached, licking their lips, slowly sizing us up, raising their grim reaper's scythe.

Once again, a sad bloom blossomed in the airspace.

"Augie!!" "Ryan!!"

The voices calling out for our fallen comrades echoed through the communication device. Augie's aircraft, blasted apart by the thirty-millimetre cannons of the Alice Actus, crashed into the sea, creating a pillar of water while scattering remnants of munitions like fireworks. Below that, within the cockpit engulfed in flames, Ryan could be seen writhing, still strapped to his seatbelt.

"It's hot, I don't want this, I don't want to die, Mom, Mom, Mom──!!"

Ryan's heartbreaking screams struck Kiyoaki's ears. It was a voice I had heard countless times on the battlefield, calling out for a mother in his last moments. It was no longer a rare occurrence. But to hear that voice as a result of my command──it sank deep into my soul. I would never forget it as long as I lived.

Yet, there was no time to mourn.

I could apologize to Ryan after I went to hell.

Only seven aircraft remained. Twenty-five of the thirty-two comrades had fallen.

The swarm of witches danced around us, seemingly enjoying the hunt.

The Valkyries wouldn’t run. There was only one thing we could do: use our aircraft as a shield to protect our allies' lightning bombers. We couldn’t pursue the enemy aircraft anymore; we would match the pace of the slow heavy bombers and wait for our moment to be shot down.

Among that sad flight, Illia was also present.

Kiyoaki's chest tightened painfully. If I could, I wanted to take the microphone and tell Illia to escape. It was unforgivable for Illia, who had undergone intense training beyond limits since childhood, to face such a cruel end. Moreover, the one who had made that decision was none other than Kiyoaki himself.

──This is okay.

At that moment, Kiyoaki felt Illia's voice in his ears.

──I will stay with you until the end.

Just like that duel at Minami Village and the sea. It felt as if I had merged with Illia in the sky; her voice clearly reached my ears.

──Sakagami. I’m glad I got to meet you.

Against the backdrop of my fallen comrades’ flames, Illia's smile reflected in the sky.

──I had always thought of myself as just a part of the flying machine.

──But after meeting you, I realized that wasn’t the case.

──I had so much fun. I never thought living could be enjoyable.

──I was able to experience emotions I had never felt before.

──I remember every sky I flew in with you.

From the communication device, I could hear my comrades' screams. Over the horrific cries of those being burned alive, Illia's pure voice resonated strangely.

"I feel the same. I'm glad I met you."

I didn't have a microphone, yet I whispered those words. Somehow, I was sure that my voice was reaching Illia right now.

I saw five Alice Actus flying in the vicinity raise their scythes toward Illia.

"Illia. No!"

I couldn't help but shout. I would be disqualified as a formation commander. Please, just escape from there.

"Run, Illia!!"

Illia's smiling face was projected into the sky.

──Being able to be with you until the end is my pride.

The bloodied smile of the Alice Actus surrounded the immobile Illia.

The grim reaper's scythe was raised.

A total of ten thirty-millimetre cannons were about to shatter Illia's body──.

It shattered instead.

"──!?"

The five Alice Actus exploded in the azure sky.

A sphere of flame shot back toward Kiyoaki.

I couldn't understand what had happened.

A fluttering, unfamiliar wing passed by Kiyoaki, who was confused.

A silver bird flew, weaving through the chaotic witches──.

No, it was an unknown fighter.

With a brilliant white silver paint that shone like summer clouds. An unknown design adorned with red trimmings on the leading edge of the wings and the middle of the fuselage, as well as the front edge of the tail.

──A new model from Urano…?

Kiyoaki's speculation was confirmed as Alice Actus continued to explode one after another before this mysterious aircraft.

The suddenly appearing fighter was attacking the Urano forces…!?

“What is that? An ally!?”

”I don't know, but... it's strong!!”

My comrades were also confused. Kiyoaki focused on the behaviour of the mysterious aircraft.

It seemed to be flying with an engine completely different from the Beo Strike or the Ikaruga.

──Is that... a hydrogen battery stack?

Typically used as a lift device for airships, the fuel is too expensive to be used in single-seat fighters.

──An ethnic group from another country…?

The silver bird executed impossibly abnormal aerial manoeuvres, taking down Alice Actus one after another.

──So strong!

It wasn't just the performance of the aircraft. The pilot’s skills were outstanding. They gracefully dodged the rain of enemy bullets like a matador, countering with a pinpoint strike to the enemy aircraft's cockpit.

It felt like a halo of light flickered around the aircraft. The traces of flight that only those loved by the sky could draw were reminiscent of Akmed.

"It's not just one, there are others! What the hell are they? Where did they come from!?""The clouds! They're hiding in the low-pressure area!!"

I snapped back to reality at Illia's last voice.

A thick low-pressure area was pushing down from the north──. Did the ethnic groups also use this gray cloud peak, which the Urano fleet had utilized to negate radar, to approach us in the same way?

Now, breaking through the clouds, the silver fighters with red trimmings were flying in one after another.

And naturally, they turned their wings and charged toward the Alice Actus!

"Anyway, continue the cover immediately! The third force is helping us, we can target the enemy aircraft more freely!"

Thanks to the reinforcements, we no longer had to cling to the heavy lightning bombers. We would spread out the surviving Valkyries and eliminate only those who interfered with the bombing run.

"This is the bombing squad; we will begin bombing now. Thanks to the Valkyries."

"Also the torpedo squad; entering bombing formation. Thanks to the brave fighter squad. Watch us, we will definitely sink the battleship."

The lightning bomber squad we had been escorting began their bombing runs towards the Urano fleet in the sea, expressing their gratitude. Countless columns of water shot up around the super dreadnoughts, and smoke billowed. This would no longer allow for one-sided cannon fire or bombardment.

However, the enemy carrier fleet remained unharmed. Seventy attacking aircraft were far too few against such a massive fleet. The fighters from the third force were reassuring, but there were no torpedo bombers...

No. That’s not it. There’s something else still lurking within the low-pressure area…!!

"…!?"

In front of Kiyoaki, the giant gray cloud slowly began to tear──.

The steel beasts of war, lined up in the air, bared their fangs with a roar that shook the heavens.

At the same time, at the operational command headquarters of the Sierra Greed Kingdom Army on Santos Island──.

“What is this…!?”

Balthazar burst out of the semi-subterranean operations room and into the open air. From this location, set up at an altitude of 1,200 meters by carving out the central mountains of the island, he could overlook the entire combat area. Not through the narrow window of the command room, but by surveying the battlefield from above, Balthazar was left speechless.

Beyond the swirling mystery of the fighter planes, a thick low-pressure system loomed to the north, completely blocking the line of sight. The surface of the "cloud barrier," standing up to about 6,000 meters like a screen of wind, bulged further due to something hidden behind it, threatening to rupture beyond saturation point.

The raging and swirling clouds embodied the ferocity of the fierce winds howling through the area in question.

The massive cloud barrier, which stretched to the horizon, began to collapse.

Beyond the mist of steam, a herd of giant beasts soared through the sky──.

In that moment, Balthazar's hair stood on end.

“An air fleet!!”

As soon as he shouted, a dozen or so giant creatures broke through the cloud barrier and appeared in the decisive battle area.

With shimmering prows displaying unfamiliar foreign emblems. Fully armoured in steel. Twelve super-dreadnought battleships, boasting a mass that distorted space, lined up at the front, kicking up the low pressure and advancing with overwhelming force!

With the cloud swirling behind them like a crown, these colossal ship silhouettes resembled the twelve legions of angels that Saint Aldista supposedly sent on the day of doom.

On the upper deck, the fifty-centimetre main gun turrets simultaneously rotated to face east.

Pointing towards the Urano mobile fleet.

Balthazar, who had never prayed to God, found himself praying for the first time.

“Fire at Urano…!”

In that moment, a total of thirty-six main turrets unleashed 108 rounds of 1.5-ton armour-piercing shells.

A sound so immense it felt as if the sky itself had ignited. Despite being about 10,000 meters away, Balthazar involuntarily took a step back.

The sky wrinkled.

The clouds exploded.

Space distorted.

The flaming trajectories etched a searing curve into the sky──.

An armour-piercing shell that struck the deck of the Urano aircraft carrier detonated the explosives inside the carrier. Flames ignited the bombs and torpedoes that were meant to be loaded onto the attack planes, ripping the carrier apart from within.

Black smoke rose to over 5,000 meters in altitude.

The sea tilted. The Urano fleet was swallowed by the waves.

The rising wall of flames consumed the sea. The Urano fleet was closed off in the crimson hellfire, merely burning like charcoal.

Balthazar clenched his fists involuntarily. The mysterious air fleet was attacking Urano as if it were the most natural thing in the world…!!

“Fire. Fire. Fire…!”

He clasped his hands together and prayed. His legs trembled. The unidentified super-dreadnought battleships continued their almost one-sided bombardment of the Urano mobile fleet at Balthazar's behest.

The combat area had turned into a hellish tableau filled with pillars of water marking the impact zones, the burning aircraft carriers, the never-ending bombardment, and the screams of crew members jumping from the deck into the sea.

Moreover, it wasn't just the battleships. From beyond the scattered cloud barriers, countless patrol ships, destroyers, and even air carriers hidden inside began to emerge, eager to attack the Urano fleet. More than a hundred attack planes took off from around the carriers, unleashing torpedoes that drew thousands of lines across the sky, pushing the Urano mobile fleet deeper into flames.

The desperate situation of battle had suddenly transformed into a historic victory for them.

Where on earth did this massive fleet come from?

It was certainly not just the scale of a single fleet from Urano.

How could such a huge fleet appear suddenly without any warning, and push the Urano fleet, which even General Raphael had given up on, into destruction?

To put it succinctly and bluntly, there was only one phrase.

──A mechanical god, Deus Ex Machina.

Now, right in front of him, the mechanical god had descended before Balthazar's eyes, sweeping away the enemy with divine power... As if this could happen in reality, not just fiction.

No.

Upon reflection, there had been a premonition.

"I’ve already made a move."

In a strategic meeting with Elisabeth right before the battle, that little girl had mentioned something like this while looking out the window at the sky.

"A low-pressure system is coming down from the Vestelant region."

"They may appear. The mechanical god."

The meaning of those words──could it be this?

“It’s your doing, Elisabeth.”

Balthazar's gaze shifted to the entrance of the operations room behind him.

At that moment, Elisabeth Sylvania also slowly appeared above ground, looking up at the awe-inspiring fleet alongside Balthazar.

“I’m glad. You came.”

She said with a sense of relief, placing her hand over her chest as she gazed at the formidable fleet.

The sky was now filled with the fleet from another country. Observing through binoculars, the task force that had been hidden within the low-pressure area now revealed itself, launching air units from their decks.

“Did you call them?”

In response to Balthazar's question, Elisabeth nodded.

“I negotiated with them over twelve days and contracted them to come as reinforcements in times of crisis. From now on, Santos Island will serve as their supply base without compensation.”

“...Why did you hide this from me?”

“I couldn't involve you in the empire's affairs. It’s an internal agreement between them and the Sylvania royal family.”

This woman, presenting such a plausible argument without a hint of guilt.

She intends to use this great fleet to break free from the puppet state of the St Vault Empire through military force. If the Emperor of St Vault learns of this, he will surely rage, but the now-declining power of the empire will likely be unable to suppress the Sylvania royal family. It seems that the Sylvania royal family intends to borrow this fleet's strength to unify the Hydrabard Islands, rather than rely on Urano or St Vault.

Balthazar hid the words brewing in his gut and asked,

“What are they?”

Elisabeth smiled slightly, looking up at the foreign fleet, which was now decisively overwhelming the Urano fleet.

“The Second Isla Fleet.”

The words she whispered echoed as the tremendous black smoke of the Urano regular aircraft carrier exploded into the sky. The Isla fleet showed no concern for the Urano mobile fleet, sending them to the depths of the sea one after another, as if to toy with children.

“They are the Saviours of the Multi-Island Sea, organized by romanticists from a foreign land.”

In Elisabeth's pure eyes, the brave form of the Second Isla Fleet and the tragic end of the Urano fleet were reflected──.

As the smoke from the Urano fleet still burned the sky──.

With the fuel running low, the Valkyries received their return orders and landed at the Sierra Greed airfield at 9:30 AM.

Brought down to the ground after the fierce battle, Kiyoaki felt the solid ground beneath him, confirming that he was alive.

Kandata, Sanatra, and Illia, who had landed earlier, rushed over to congratulate Kiyoaki.

“I’m glad. We won, but I still can’t believe it…”

“It’s a relief you’re safe. I’m glad you didn’t die. So many did, but some survived…”

According to Sanatra's report, of the twenty-five that had fallen, six had successfully parachuted down and survived. The damage was severe, but it was a small blessing that some elite pilots had managed to make it through.

Kiyoaki’s gaze met Illia’s, and reflexively, he pulled her into an embrace.

Feeling Illia alive in his arms, he rubbed his cheek against her hair.

“Illia... thank you. Thank you for staying alive.”

His honest feelings burst forth, uncontrollable.

“S-Saka... Saka... Kiyoaki…”

Illia was blushing, but he didn’t care. He was just too happy that she was alive.

“I never want to go through anything like that again. I don’t want you to have to experience that…”

He spoke his feelings honestly, squeezing his arms tighter around her.

“I understand, I understand, so calm down. This is embarrassing…”

Kandata and Sanatra exchanged glances and smiled, seemingly considerate, before stepping away from the scene. Alone together, Kiyoaki and Illia confirmed they were alive through each other’s heartbeat.

“Illia. Illia. Illia…”

Unable to express his emotions in words, he simply called her name. Illia awkwardly placed her hand on Kiyoaki's back and leaned her cheek against his a little.

“...Yeah. Thank you. You’ve always protected me…”

Her warm words transformed into peace within Kiyoaki’s heart.

“I owe it to you. I could fight because you were there. If you hadn’t been with me, I would have been dead long ago…”

Releasing her cheek, he gazed at Illia closely.

The affection surged uncontrollably, causing him to abandon all thoughts and reason, intending to press his lips against hers.

However, the loud sound of propellers interrupted their moment.

One aircraft──.

An unknown craft glided down smoothly, aiming for the runway. It seemed like it wanted to land here. Swallowing his words about reading the atmosphere, they both looked up at the abrupt intruder.

“That’s... the first fighter that appeared.”

“Yeah. I saw it too. Incredible skills. It took down more than ten Alice models all by itself…”

The control officer granted permission, and when the ground crew waved flags, the silver bird gently rubbed its wheels against the runway.

The mysterious pilot elegantly taxied next to Kiyoaki’s Kazvaan and opened the canopy.

Their eyes met.

With golden hair and azure eyes, he was a beautifully handsome young man, like a painting.

He descended from the wings and walked straight towards Kiyoaki.

As he approached, Kiyoaki felt an inexplicable chill throughout his body.

More like a fairy-tale knight than a human, he had a presence that seemed to cut through fabric with both nobility and ferocity, like a doll stitched together from reason and wildness. Cloaked in a cold, fiery aura, his golden hair fluttered as he approached Kiyoaki, ignoring everyone else.

He looked young enough to be called a boy, but the long scar running from his temple to his cheek told tales of the battles he had survived. He was likely around the same age. But Kiyoaki felt a heavy pressure, and the atmosphere around him changed to one of reverence.

──The King of the Skies.

Clack.

The clear, high-pitched sound was the sound of the young man’s heels clicking together.

“I request an audience with Her Majesty, Queen Elisabeth of the Sylvania Kingdom. In accordance with our pact, please grant us harbor and rest.”

With a salute, the dignified words rang out.

“I am Kal-el Albus, Captain of the First Air Squadron of the Second Isla Fleet. I hope that the brave warriors of the multitudes will join us to fight as one with the kin of the sky.”

END VOLUME 7