Volume 4 - CH 10

High pitched alarms blared within Parabellum, alerting its people that they were in a state of emergency.

「Give me a sitrep!!」

Entering the Main Headquarters Command Center, with Chitose and Chiyoda at his sides, Kazuya called out for the current status of the situation.

「Reporting, about 5 minutes ago, we detected a monstrous flying creature in the air roughly 250 Kilometers east of Parabellum’s Mainland. Furthermore, our underwater patrols around Gloria’s invasion encountered something 100 Kilometers away from the Expeditionary Fleet, we’ve also lost contact with our submarines in the vicinity. Lastly, our ground forces advancing within the Empire’s territory have also confirmed the sight of a giant creature on the Corrad plains.」

General Aoba, who had been in the command center, much earlier than Kazuya, already had a grasp on the situation, and was able to respond in a prompt manner.

「Three large creatures appearing all at the same time?….. The situation has turned into quite a mess. ―― Chitose, Chiyoda, Tell me your thoughts, do you think this all just a coincidence?」

「Nine times out of ten, I believe this is an attack from the Empire」

「Master, I’m of the same opinion as my sister. 」

「Is that so…. Then your thoughts would seem to coincide with mine」

「Receiving video telemetry from one of our aircraft patrols」

「We’re also receiving images from other places」

While Kazuya was discussing the triviality of their emergency and appearance of these creatures not being a coincidence. The Kawasaki P-1 a maritime patrol aircraft and E-2 Hawkeye an airborne early warning aircraft, captured video and images of the giant flying creature coming towards Parabellum’s mainland.

At the same time, video telemetry of the remaining two giant creatures are being relayed from reconnaissance aircraft from their respective locations via satellite, back to headquarters.

「So huge….」

Kazuya, who witnessed the size of the titans projected on screen, couldn’t help but spill a few words.

On land, countless monsters advanced on the Corrad Plains alongside the gigantic creature which moved at the pace of a crawl.

Shaped like a towering volcano, with each step the gigantic creatures’ shell exuded a plume of smoke, as six thick stumps as legs left large imprints on the ground as it passed.

From the depths of the sea, rising with its three dorsal fins the obsidian Sea Dragon traveled at a near high speed, protruding its large head and long neck above the water.

It bore its fangs and sharp teeth while flexing its colossal jaw, whipping its head and arching back like a cobra, it sways is out-stretched tail below the waters surface, propelling itself ever closer towards the Expeditionary Fleet.

Flying in the skies, there was a colossal insect-like creature with eight pairs of wings and with its gigantic belly swaying in unnatural ways.

Cautiously moving its insectoid red compound eyes, scanning the area as it emits a shrill harsh cry.

「「「「……」」」」

All attention within the command center became focused on the three titans, as the air in the room became heavy.

「Sorry for being late, huh―― those are……..」

「……..Celica. Do you know what kind of monsters these things are? Are they natural existences to this world?」

Kazuya begins to question Celicia, who had entered the command center late.

「No, to my knowledge, there are no creatures like these, that belong to this world.  Those things where probably summoned here from a different place entirely」

「If one wanted to summon these beings, how much magic would it require?」

「At the very least……  You would need 10,000 people’s worth of magic to do so」

「I see ――is that really true!?」

Having listened to Celicia’s response, he suddenly recalls something as he turns towards Chitose.

「Chitose, not long ago weren’t there reports that the Empire were purchasing a large number of slaves who wouldn’t be used as soldiers, correct?―― a large number of them were women and children, right?」

「Yes Master. Towards the end, it was reported that they bought between 30,000 – 40,000 people」

「At that time, I thought they were purchasing slaves just to bolster the number of their soldiers」

「……. Do you think they used the slaves as sacrifices?」

「It’s possible……」

Right, it seems Celicia’s assumptions are correct….. The Empire has summoned something horrible.

With that thought, I have the perfect name for the creatures whose domains are on land, in the sea and the air.

While observing the three monsters on display, Kazuya falls deep into thought coming up with what to call the summoned creatures from the Alsace Magical Empires grand summoning ritual.

「Everyone, at this time we’ve determined that all three unidentified creatures are from the Empire and are to be treated as hostile.  I want everyone to their battle stations and prepare accordingly, we are at DEFCON 1!!  Also, the codename designated for the three beasts will be the 『Behemoth』 for land, the 『Leviathan』 for the sea and『Ziz』 for the air!! 」

「「「「Sir, yes sir!!」」」」

With Kazuya’s command, the soldiers begin to move to annihilate the oncoming enemy.

「For the time being, the Expeditionary Fleet will handle the Leviathan, the problem now is the Behemoth and the Ziz」

Observing the 3D map in front of him, which shows the position, speed & order of his units, Kazuya falls deep into thought.

「Master, the Behemoth is advancing slowly, it is still quite a ways from our troops. Should we disregard it for now?」

「Hm, the issue though is the horde of monsters that is moving along with the Behemoth. As far as our satellite telemetry scans of the Corrad Plains, the monsters will indiscriminately attack the towns and villages within the vicinity, whether they’re under our control or not, they don’t appear to be stopping.  ……. It looks like we’ll have a better chance at fighting by concentrating our forces, we may have to pull our troops from the front lines. Nevermind, the front has fallen. Pull back our forces and create a second line of defense」

If we play our cards poorly, we might lose forces one at a time.

「I understand. We’ll order the troops to halt the advance, to fallback and build a second line of defense」

「Hm, let’s do that」

Having decided to decrease their expanse into the Empire’s lands, Kazuya consolidated his forces to increase their combat power as well as create an opening for the approaching Behemoth.

「……Master, what are we going to do about the citizens of the occupied towns and villages, when we begin our withdrawal?」

「Mm…….. you’re right……..」

Unable to answer Chiyoda’s quick succesion of questions, Kazuya was a little stuck for words.

「…… For now, just monitor the Behemoth’s approach, notify the citizenry they can evacuate along with our men, and those who don’t follow, leave them.  Time is of the essence, it doesn’t wait for friend or foe. We don’t have an obligation to protect those who don’t want to evacuate」

「Yes, Master, understood」

And thus Parabellum’s army within the Empire’s territories, began to pull back from the front lines.

People residing in the occupied towns and villages on the Behemoth’s path of destruction, were informed of the horde of incoming monsters. Only 70% of residents chose to follow Parabellum’s Army as they withdrew from their cities.

But by the time of the withdrawal and evacuations, several monsters appeared, ahead of the main wave. Kazuya became concerned as the Fortress City Ballard had become the 1st to be attacked, as they were just a stone’s throw away from the Corrad Plains.

Parabellum’s 4th Army Division which had units stationed at Ballard had taken some casualties along with the populace.

Other than that particular place, the withdrawal in other areas were a success.

Arriving at the second line of defense, the evacuees who followed Parabellum’s Army, took refuge further back as the area would soon become the front lines of battle. 

…… As for the 30% of residents who refused to evacuate after hearing news of the Behemoth and the horde of monsters, only god knows what became of these people.

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With the Ziz on its way, countless ships within Parabellum’s military port raised their anchors and unfastened their lines in order to undock & embark all at once.

Raising their war flags (battle ensign) upon their central masts, the ships rush to the ocean preparing for an anti-aerial fight.

Synchronously at the airfield, F-22 Raptors taxi to the runway as pilots scramble their jets in order to intercept the Ziz, following behind the group of fighters was an E-3 Sentry,  an airborne early warning & control aircraft ready to assist.

On the airfield, planes fueled and loaded with ammunition, begin to taxi from where they were parked at a rapid pace.

As a final line of defense, ground forces within Parabellum’s mainland prepare counter-air defenses with the worst possible outcome in mind, bringing out a grand arsenal in the event of a possible enemy landing.

「Hmmm….. For now we’ll keep our focus in another direction. The biggest issue now, is dealing with that flying pest」

After passing down some instructions, Kazuya began to ponder about how to deal with their most immediate threat the Ziz, and making plans while taking in the current situation.

「……Chitose, what is the current status of our units?」

「Reporting, approximately 80% of our units have scrambled, the other 20% will deploy into the fray within 5 minutes」

「Chiyoda, are there any issues with our anti-air interceptor systems for the mainlands’ defense?」

「No Master, all systems are green」

「….So we’re all ready to intercept it」

Shall we intercept the creature at a predetermined spot and observe what happens next?

Kazuya was filled with satisfaction at the Soldiers finesse, having trained and rehearsed what to do in the event of an actual battle.

「The 27th Fighter Squadron has just scrambled, confirming the target, they’re ready to engage」

At the drop of a hat, reports of their fighters assaulting the Ziz flood in.

「This is Baron Leader!! Engaging, Fox 03, Fox 03!!」

『This is Baron 02, Fox 03!!』

『This is Baron 03, Fox 03!!』

F-22 Raptors of the 27th Fighter Squadron coming from Parabellum’s airfield detect the Ziz on their radars and fire their AIM-120D missiles all-together.

As the onslaught of Advanced medium range air-to-air missiles soar at mach 4 towards its target, streaks of white smoke dye the sky.

「The 27th Fighter Squadron have launched their missiles, 20 seconds till contact」

Monitoring the situation with the Command Center, operators watch with bated breath, as the F-22’s fire missile after missile, lights on their screens blip tracking them as they approach their target.

「Striking the target in 3, 2, 1, CONTACT!!  All missiles have hit their mark!!」

Video telemetry streaming from their P-1 Patrol Aircraft, which had taken a considerable distance from the Ziz, displayed hundreds of missiles make contact with the Ziz’z body.

「…….Did we kill it?」

As the Ziz was obscured by the heavy smokescreen, one operator unintentionally spoke his mind.

「「「「……」」」」

「*Heavy Sigh*………」

This idiot…… Don’t raise a flag now.

Hearing that single operators’ words, Kazuya sighed heavily, as all the other operators in the room stared at that person with expressions of ire.

「Huh, what’s wro………!?」

Noticing the gazes of all the other operators in the room, he comes to the realization of his actions and immediately turns pale.

「Take that piece of shit out of this room」

Appearing like a demoness, Chitose barked her orders to the guards nearby, as the operator turns white as a sheet, sweating buckets as he tried to apologize for his mistake.

「「Yes, ma’am」」

「Eh, wait, I didn’t mean to……I’m sorrrrry――」

The operator who had a slip of the tongue, was picked up by both arms by the guards as he was removed from the Command Center, dragged while trying to plea.

「…..A month’s reduction in wages」

「Understood, one moment…..Master, it’s done」

Exercising Kazuya’s judgement, Chiyoda immediately accessed Parabellum’s main server, combing through the different directories until she found that operators profile, reducing his salary for a month.

「I already suspect it, but what’s the status of our target?」

With an exhausted expression, Kazuya asks one of the operators before him.

「Sir, the target is alive and appears unfazed」

「I thought as much」

「――….. Huh!? Uh, sir, this is bad!! We’re detecting a large amount of flying creatures coming out of the Ziz’s body!! Hundreds…no thousands…. tens of thousands?…. Mr. President, our sensors can’t keep up!!」

「What was that!?」

Kazuya looks at the screen as the operator giving the report was about to foam at the mouth, due to the absurdity.

The Gigantic creature’s belly began to swell after taking the barrage of AMRAAM’s, like a grotesque stream of liquid, monsters spill out from its wounded side.

「Those are…. this…. isn’t good」

Flying monsters roughly 2-3 meters in size fill the sky like a black cloud surrounding the Ziz’s body, they were a mixture of flying insects similar to locusts, dragonflies, mantises and various others.

「Recall the P-1 Patrol aircraft and the E-2 Hawkeye!!」

「Roger that!! This is HQ, calling――」

The observing aircraft which monitored the Ziz’s actions, immediately took action and exited the airspace, following Kazuya’s instructions.

Right as the two planes had left, an RQ-4 Global Hawk which had been in the nearby vicinity took over surveillance of the creature and its brood.

And with that, they were able to maintain close observation of the Ziz with no issues.

「Scanning & re-calculating size of enemy element complete!! Sir, the number is roughly 100,000!!」

「The enemy is converging, target the entire group!!」

「What the!? The Ziz is increasing speed!!」

「The Air Force is intercepting, their currently engaged in combat!!」

Inside the boisterous Command Center, operators rapidly respond to the incoming and outgoing calls, their voices would peak and crest on top of each other. As various attack and bomber aircraft sortied, the F-22 Raptors which scrambled had already launched their assortment of missiles to their intended targets. All this information was caught by the E-3 Sentry which had been relaying telemetry at an altitude of 20,000 feet.

「Like a drop of water over a scorching stone….」

Even though the Air Force’s barrage of missiles boasted overwhelming power, it still was not enough as the number of monsters didn’t seem to decrease at all.

Not only that, pilots who had exhausted their missiles began to pursue the flying monsters and take them down with only their machine guns. But while they were successful in taking down a good amount monsters, by exhausting their remaining ammunition, they were left open to other monsters. Parabellum’s fighter aircraft began going down one by one, engulfed by the swarm.

「…….Mr. President, the Ziz has breached the second line of defense」

「I see…. Understood, have the Air Force fall back and exit the airspace as planned」

「Sir, yes, sir」

The combat occurring in the skies with the emergence of various monster species was intense as the Air Force’s fight seemed to be in vain. The onslaught of the Ziz and its brood had broken through Parabellum’s first and second defense lines.

With the failure to hold back the Ziz, the Air Force was compelled to withdraw from the airspace.

「All aerial units shall exit the battlespace」

「This is the 1st Fleet, we will intercept the enemy, commencing anti-air combat and Naval support」

All long range attack aircraft and bombers in the vicinity which had fought since the beginning, began turning their aircraft noses around. And the fighters which were engaged in close-range combat started to increase their speed, pumping fuel into their afterburners in order to pull away from the battlespace. The moment all aircraft left the airspace, a formation of ships were ready to take on the next role, the 1st Fleet gathered in order to face the enemy whose threating immensity had expanded.

Ships within Parabellum’s 1st Fleet equipped with their Aegis Combat systems, had formed a ring formation around the enemy cluster as anti-air missiles from Destroyers, Cruisers & defense ships rose into the sky. Surface-to-air missiles like the RIM-66 Standard-2MR, were launched from their respective ships from either a Mark 13, Mark 26 twin launcher or from a Mark 41 vertical launch system, all towards the flock of monsters. 

Along with Harpoons, Tomahawk cruise missiles, P-800 Oniks, Mitsubishi Type 90 ship-to-ship missiles, the Exocet, the RBS-15 and others like it all flew on a course towards the flying titan Ziz.

Countless missiles were tracked and guided using the Aegis combat system within their ships, plumes and streams of smoke would tell any onlooker that its primary target was the Ziz, as all ordinance flew in a straight line towards it.

「Enemy losses are roughly at 20%」

「Enemy is still approaching our fleet」

「Notify all ships, fire all gun turrets, Prepare for close proximity anti-air combat!!」

All sorts of standard missiles explode without interruption on the multitude of monsters, while missiles with a larger payload strike at the Ziz one after another. But it does little to impede the oncoming mass of creatures as the distance between monsters and the Parabellum’s fleet dwindles.

Within the barrage of missiles, ships began to alternate to other weapons systems and missile launchers, firing off surface-to-air missiles such as the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM), the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (RIM-162 ESSM), and the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM). In addition to that, other Anti-aircraft gun crews and the automated Phalanx CIWS continued to volley away.   

Within the vicinity, Parabellum’s maritime defenses which were built on small Island bulwarks & Ocean oil platforms, participated in air & coastal defense.  Surface-to-air missile vehicles like the MIM-23 Hawk, Type 03 Chu-SAM and Surface-to-ship missile vehicles like the Type 12 and Type 88, all launch their packages towards the mass of creatures. And much like their Navy, they also launch, Tomahawks, Harpoons, P-800 Oniks and various missiles at the Ziz.

「――!! Target is on approach at our 12」

「Enemy distance is less than 20,000 meters!!」

「They’re coming」

Responsible for Parabellum’s defense, Commander of the 1st Fleet’s Flagship the Nagato, Admiral Kitami, watched as the Ziz and its immense black cloud of creatures approach, he readjusts his naval hat in anticipation.

「Load our turrets with Type 03 ammunition and prepare to fire!!」

「Loading turrets with Type 03 ammunition and preparing to fire」

While air-to air missiles like the AIM-9 Sidewinders and RIM-116 RAM were fired from their airmen one after another, the Commander of Nagato had his orders relayed to all gun crews.

「Commence fire!!」

「Commencing fire」

Repeating back the orders of what were called, all four Twin 41cm gun turrets fired all at once.

And right as the Nagato fired off its salvo, the Mutsu fired their main guns, following suit.

As tens of seconds pass, a full salvo of Type 03 rounds explode forth from eight barrels, incinerating the monsters as they pass.

「Enemy losses, just above 50%」

But even though the rate of enemy losses had just passed 50%, a result from using Type 03 rounds on the swarm of monsters, the amount of enemies left were still enormous.

「Enemy swarm is getting closer!!」

While the main guns on the Nagato and Mutsu reload, the secondary weaponry on both dreadnoughts unrelented in their attacks. Along with assistance from their Navy’s heavy cruisers, light cruisers, missile cruisers, destroyers, they created a wall of fire and iron as it spread out like a curtain towards the enemy.

But even that was not enough to hold back the onslaught that was to come, as the ships Phalanx CIWS and other small caliber anti-aircraft weaponry were also used to counter the swarm.

「Point starboard 40 degrees, raise angle 40 degrees up!!」

「Fire, keep firing, don’t stop!!」

「Incoming enemy portside!! Just fire, Fire, Fire, FIRE!! 」

The sky around the entire fleet which encompassed new and veteran naval ships, became black and dark as night, by the sheer amount of monsters blocking the light.

Shells with variable timed fuzes & proximity fuzes were shot from the main guns, high angle guns and rapid fire guns of ships, blossoming like red lotus flowers in the sky above.

Anti-aircraft weaponry of various calibers, from 40mm, 30mm, 25mm, 20mm, 13mm and 12.7mm filled the sky as monsters were shot down.

「Enemy swarm detected, their directly above us!!――…… They….they’re ignoring us, they’re moving straight to the mainland!!」

「Stop them!! Don’t let them leave this area, take them all down!!」

All sorts of anti-aircraft weaponry fired upon the mass of creatures, until the point were their barrels became a molten red, the swarm of monsters flew directly over the 1st Fleet, without a hint of retaliation.

The flock maintained its flight towards Parabellum.

「Incoming Ziz!!」

「Shit, contact all ships, concentrate all attack on the ZIZ, that’s our highest priority!!」

「Aye aye!!」

While the swarm cloud of monsters passes over the 1st Fleet, the Ziz itself now makes its way over them, blackening the sky as its size was equivalent to three Yamato-Class battleships lined up from their bows and stern.

「It’s H-huuge…..」

「That things the real deal….」

「Everyone open fire!!」

「「Ye-, yes Sir!!」」

Before the Sailors became enraptured by the Ziz’s majestic size, the 1st Fleet opened fire with all they could muster, anti-aircraft shells left their guns, but were blocked as they couldn’t penetrate through the Ziz’s tough exoskeleton.

「Godammit, its not……!!」

「C’mon fall down!!」

Gun teams on the 1st Fleet Dreadnoughts Nagato & Mutsu fired salvo after salvo of Type 03 rounds at the Ziz to no avail. The flying titan began to pass overhead as it seemed almost impossible to penetrate the creatures dense exterior.

「…..Isn’t this extreme, can we really beat it? Even its wings don’t burn」

「It looks like our Type 03 bullets are ineffective, we would need either an armor piercing round or a bunker buster meant to wreck ships to get through, or a really large bomb of some kind……」

The Navy’s missile barrage continued against the Ziz and its brood of monsters as they all pass overhead. The gun teams of the 1st Fleet’s Anti-air weaponry became disheartened, unable to impede the Ziz as it left their range.