AN: Thanks for another Favs, fakereldineyousif, michaelthecj7king, Adam95F, and JoshHCA. I really appreciate it. Especially you, Josh. I'll respond by posting two chapters at once! Then, without further ado!
Historia Shoukan Chapter 15
Operation Yatagarasu
Date: December 12th, HS 2069/CC 1639
Location: Rairekishigaku, Hakurei Territory, Togoku Region, Historia Shoukan Dominion, Zeroth Civilization Area
Place: GUF Shoukan HQ
True to their words, GUF assembled a sizable force to subjugate Nosgorath. Currently, this force received a briefing from the Union Top Groups. The briefing was made before the departure since they will be sent to Topa via Chrono Shift with the Paradox Engine stationed there. If one were to look at the composition of this force, they'll immediately think about the Race Alliance's second coming.
No one could possibly expect them to be the return of Emissaries of the Sun God as well.
"I thank you all for responding to this call to arms. All of you know me as GUF Zen Captain, Yasei Sugaku. I'll be in charge of this operation alongside the First Champion, Reimu Hakurei. We will depart to Topa and link up with both the Oni Division led by General Yuugi Hoshiguma and Makai Frontier Brigade led by Colonel Angra Menog."
Yasei then start speaking to the assembled forces. The documents has been distributed beforehand.
"First, Ishikuma reported that our weapon placements in the Doors to the World has been destroyed by Nosgorath's forces. This includes the prototype Inferno Grand Ballista. Furthermore, she also confirmed that there are trolls and giant ogres in the enemy ranks as well. Admittedly, we lack proper intel since we have yet to made any field recons at Grameus Continent. Based from the tales of the Emissaries of the Sun God and Topa mythology, we can confirm that their number have shrunk, but they also became tougher in return. Both the Alliance and Topa have seen a glimpse of Ravernal Empire."
Everyone listened as they perused through the distributed documents.
"We also can't ignore the fact that Nosgorath have a powerful magic according to Shoukan Dimension's standard. Judging from the ancient literature and scripts left behind here, we can surmise that the max range of its magic attacks are around a kilometer."
The explanations continued. Summing up the explanation:
- The Demon Lord possesses intellect and places other ferals under his command, which he uses to systematically attempt to attack humans and the other races.
- Since their primary diet is that of the races, it's concluded that foraging is part of their organized movements.
- The Demon Lord has no life span and doesn't age.
- It's theorized that the Demon Lord is a creation of Ravernal Empire. It's believed that it may be the result of genetic manipulation or a similar technology like the one Epsilon Army and Mutsuigeki Army uses.
- The individuals known as the Red Ogre and Blue Ogre possess intellect on the same level as the Demon Lord. Their physical power is great and their stamina is second to none. There are currently reports of attacks from the knights simply not doing any damage against them. It's possible that they have high regeneration rate.
- The trolls and giant ogres are confirmed to be present, and their heights are 3m and 4m respectively. It's believed that their strength is superior to the one faced in Falmart during the war from 2041 to 2042.
- The ferals known as ogres are like titans with heights going up to 2.5m. Their intellect is low but they have sturdy bodies. They are still susceptible to arrows.
- The 2m tall orcs are known to wield weapons in combat, which contributes to Topans' adage: "It took ten knights to beat one, while a group of them can face a force more than ten times their size." Proceed with caution.
- The ferals known as goblins are weaker than humans but are very violent. Their numbers are huge and they can also be tricky as well. Double check to make sure that they're fully eliminated.
- Currently, the knights of Topa Kingdom are holding back the advance of the Demon Army at the fortress city of Tormeus.
- The objective of this mission is to exterminate the Demon Lord, both Red and Blue Ogre, as well as the giant ogres and trolls.
"This is all the intel we got from both Ishikuma and Topa Kingdom. As I said before, we'll link up with the Oni Division and Makai Frontier Brigade after the Chrono Shift. We'll make haste to Tormeus shortly afterwards."
The specifications of the planned operation are as follows:
Name: Operation Yatagarasu
Leaders:
- Zen Captain Yasei Sugaku (Leader of Top Outsiders)
- First Champion Reimu Hakurei (Leader of Incident Resolvers)
- Vanguard Lucy Thesda (Vice-Leader of Top Outsiders)
- Vanguard Marisa Kirisame (General of Kirisame Elite Corps)
- Strategist Izayoi Sakamaki (Member of Arcadia Aces)
- Land Marshal Iseya Sugaku (Leader of UNAF Grand Army)
- High General Vaati Star (Leader of GUF Joint Divisions)
- General Hotaru Mizutani (Leader of GUF Armor Division)
- General Hiroshi Kato (Leader of GUF Human Guards)
- Air Marshal Arcluz Corazon (Leader of GUF Air Force)
- Resolver Sanae Kochiya (General of Moriya Military Brigade)
- Resolver Sakuya Izayoi (General of Scarlet Maid Corps)
- Resolver Youmu Konpaku (Hakugyokurou Hades Operative)
- Resolver Reisen Udongein Inaba (General of Eagle Ravi Corps)
- Resolver Alice Margatroid (General of Rainbow Dolls Legion)
- Resolver Patchouli Knowledge (General of Voile Defense Corps)
Units:
- UNAF Grand Army
- GUF Armor Division
- GUF Human Guards
- GUF Air Force
- Kirisame Elite Corps
- Moriya Military Brigade
- Scarlet Maid Corps
- Eagle Ravi Corps
- Rainbow Dolls Legion
- Voile Defense Corps
Land Arsenals:
- 1 Manticore Superheavy Tank
- 10 Deva Assault Tanks
- 20 Azekah SPAG/AAGs
- 20 Spark Tank Destroyers
- 20 Omoikane Sniper Tanks
- 20 Hakutaku Heavy Tanks
- 20 Scarlet Mobile Tanks
- 80 Bullet Curtain IFVs
Air Arsenals:
- 1 Paradox Engine (stationed at Topa)
- 10 Miracle Helicopters
- 20 Taboo Choppers
- 20 UH-60 Black Hawks
- 20 F/A-18E Super Hornets
- 20 F-15E Strike Eagles
- 30 V-22 Ospreys
- 40 AV-8B Harrier IIs
Total Number: ~8,000 personnel
"We're leaving after all units are fully accounted for. Get ready in three hours."
The oversized brigade then began making final preparations before the start of the operation. Because Chrono Shift will be used to teleport them to Topa, they only need to inform the Oni Division and Makai Frontier Brigade to clear an area for the brigade 'drop zone', so to speak.
As stated beforehand, GUF didn't call UNM to help them subjugating Nosgorath. (UNAF Grand Army is Iseya's personal army, as a matter of fact.) Furthermore, they didn't want to divert the attention from the ongoing cold war with Parpaldia. As of the Guard forces at Fenn, Hiroshi already stated that Rikuto will be in command while he's away. The Alliance already faced plenty of inter-dimensional foes before, and Shoukan Dimension will be the staging ground for the upcoming Multiversal campaign.
Three hours have passed, and all units are fully assembled. Once all vehicles are fully loaded with passengers, the brigade then immediately Chrono Shifted to Topa, and after a momentary shock, they disembark quickly.
Location: Berngen, Topa Kingdom, Zeroth Civilization Area
In the throne room, Rados was shocked by the report he was receiving from a diplomat. He initially expected that the Alliance will be opposed to send additional forces, only to hear that they have send another brigade.
He has heard a lot of rumors regarding them.
- They wiped out the main army of Louria Kingdom using explosive magic.
- They routed the Superpower Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Oversight Army.
In addition, he has also heard that they haven't suffered a single military casualty. Should all this be true, then they are indeed a living legend. A brigade-sized unit of theirs undoubtedly will be able to defeat the Demon Lord.
Historia's military may probably be an all-great mage force.
(AN: Partially true overall, but most definitely true for GUF, again, because of Spell Card rules.)
Those who have seen them with their own eyes and those who've only heard of them from rumors must have all thought of the same thing.
"Your Majesty! Up high!"
"Is the defenses have been breached?!"
"No! Look!"
The Rising Sun flag embedded at the sides of Paradox Engine shows that it belongs to Historia Alliance. Additionally, they can also see several flying objects escorting it. And much to the Topans' shock, they also can see flying soldiers as well. On the land, a massive iron land dragon (Manticore Superheavy Tank) is leading a convoy of Alliance land force. The convoy itself consists of tens of iron land dragons of various size and horseless carriages. Needless to say, the presence of friendly forces have raised the Topans' morale. Especially since it's the Council leader's force.
"Reinforcements! Reinforcements are here!"
"Inform the front line quickly!"
Soon, they will be escorted by Topan forces and arrive in the fortified city of Tormeus. Vexing as it may that the royal army has suffered a large amount of casualties, the city has halted the Demon Lord's advance.
Rados donned his golden armor and a splendid cloak, then mounted a white horse; he truly had the appearance of a hero.
'I wonder what kind of people they are?'
With expectations and nervousness permeating in his chest, he could only wait for the reports to come.
Location: Tormeus, Topa Kingdom, Zeroth Civilization Area
Place: South Gate
Under orders from the knights group, Moah and Gai have come to the city's south gate to welcome and guide Historia force that will soon be arriving. Arrived at Topa via Chrono Shift, the force are moving towards them under escort from the kingdom's knights. Moah and Gai will guide them from the gate towards the castle, where they are poised to travel alongside their military officers.
"Hey Moah. These Alliance guys that we're supposed to guide... Just what kinda bunch are they? I heard that they have sent a brigade-sized unit."
Gai, ever so suspicious, asked.
"It seems that the unit the Alliance sent here belongs to "Gensokyo Union Fighters", one of their Superpowers. I do hope that we can get the Alliance garrison to join us, but sadly, they say that they have different objectives. Still, if they're as powerful as the rumors say, then this brigade will be more than enough to defeat the Demon Lord."
"Rumors?"
As a mercenary, Gai was supposed to be aware of what's happening in the world, but since he was employed until recently at the Doors to the World, he didn't have much access to outside information. As he sighed deeply, Moah set aside his feelings of annoyance in order to explain to his childhood friend.
"I'm talking about the rumors where they eliminated Louria's massive army in a short amount of time using explosive magic and where their huge dragon captured the Superpower Parpaldia Empire's 22 Dragon Knights. In all that, the Alliance didn't even suffer a single casualty."
"Oh? Yeah, those are indeed rumors. That's what you call information manipulation; to make yourself appear stronger."
As a seasoned mercenary, Gai promptly denied these rumors.
"Really? No wonder..."
"I've seen many battlefields. I've also come across overwhelmingly strong armies, but no matter how superior their weapons or tactics, I've never come across a single army that didn't have casualties. There's a difference between a few and a lot, but no matter how amazing the technology one has, for no soldier to die at the frontlines is simply impossible."
Gai let out a loud sigh.
While it may have sounded like a snide comment, it was nothing more than him simply speaking from experience.
"It might be true that they won against Louria and Parpaldia in a localized conflict. Well, winning against a superpower does indeed put them up there among the powerful countries, but to say that they didn't suffer a single casualty is just too exaggerated. I hate those kinda countries. If they were some country who cares for appearances, then maybe they'd come in shining gold armor? Whaddya think?"
"Hmmm. Maybe... Still, they're state guests, so we must be earnest and not disrespect them."
"Heh. Sure thing."
Not long after that, a growling sound approaching from afar could be heard. As soon as Gai and Moah looked at each other with faces that said "Do you hear that?", a guard from above the gates cried out.
"Sir Moah! I see them! The Alliance forces are approaching! They also brought several flying objects!"
The sound grew louder bit by bit. Soon, the royal knights appeared at the head of a convoy of somethings.
Vrooooooooooooom
The dark grey somethings brandishing a white flag slowly neared them.
Seeing those things, Moah and Gai's jaws almost fell off in surprise and confusion. They were land dragons that crawled on the earth. Trudging along the snowy road, the land dragons threw up snow as white smoke enveloped them.
Then, the two felt the earth shake. It did not come from the horses of the knights, but rather from the heavy weight of the approaching land dragons.
'What mass! Those things are shaking the earth itself just by moving!'
Moah was at a loss for words. The faces of the knights leading them on were also pale from the experience.
"What the?! Could those monsters have come from another world?!" (AN: Very true.)
Gai subconsciously blurted out.
The convoy stopped in front of the two. With tired expressions on their faces, the knights that had escorted GUF brigade went down from their horses and approached Moah.
"These are the people from Gensokyo Union Fighters. I'll leave the rest of the guide to you."
"O-Of course!"
From among GUF land dragons, a door opened on the lead one and out came a person with a weird appearance. The person didn't wore any helmets and wore an all-dark blue uniform. They did not appear to be wearing any armor, but they'd probably wear one in battle. The knightly formality Moah had imagined was nowhere to be found. In a single word, they were 'barbaric.' Another person came out. Compared to the first person, this person wears an unknown red-white uniform.
On closer look, the one with dark blue uniform is a man, while the one with red-white uniform is a woman. They seem to bring some type of firearm.
Both of them then approached Moah and Gai.
"I'm GUF Zen Captain Yasei Sugaku, one of the co-leaders of Yatagarasu Brigade. We came here in response of your distress call regarding the invasion of Demon Lord Nosgorath few days ago."
Yasei saluted in a flash as Moah failed to hide his surprise. But it didn't end there.
"And I'm GUF First Champion Reimu Hakurei, the other co-leader of Yatagarasu Brigade. Both of us are also members of GUF Guardians as well."
Now even Gai is surprised.
'Guardians?! Don't tell me... These two are the strongest Fighters the Alliance can offer?!' (Gai)
'Zen Captain and First Champion... Two of the Alliance Leaders are here?!' (Moah)
(AN: Actually, it's three, but Iseya decided to participate as a unit leader instead. And since Topa is part of Shoukan Defense Council, they already learned about GUF Guardians as well as Yasei and Reimu's ranks.)
It took a while for Gai and Moah to regain their composure. The latter then gives a bow worthy of a Topan knight in response to Yasei's gesture earlier.
"I-I am Knight Moah from the Topa Kingdom's Doors to the World. I will be guiding you to Tormeus' castle, and from there our officers will discuss our next move. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Alliance Leaders."
Feeling the kindness from Moah's statement, Gai was much more moderate in his bow.
"I'm Gai, also from the Doors to the World... Although the Doors have been destroyed already. I welcome you, Guardians of the Alliance."
Looking at the Captain's attire once more, Moah came across a design of a white rectangle with a red disc and sixteen red rays on top plastered on his left shoulder.
'Hm? Where did I see that before... I wonder...'
He got interested, but he put it off for later as he went on to guide GUF members to the castle.
Due to the limited space, most of the arsenals are positioned outside the wall to anticipate for any possible ambush. Five Bullet Curtain IFVs will be used to transport the leaders and their escorts.
The Bullet Curtain IFVs were able to pass through the castle gate, which could normally accommodate two carriages traveling side by side. All the way up to the castle, the city folk rushed out to see them on the roadside due to the loud noises the vehicles made, making it seem like they were on a parade. Upon reaching the castle, they learned that they could not take their vehicles inside the grounds, so only the leaders disembarked to meet the Topan knights waiting in the castle. The escorts waited outside and temporarily got some time to rest.
The front line was nearby. All of GUF forces present had their firearms at the ready just in case.
The castle, which was reminiscent of a castle from the Middle Ages, was a historical structure that dated back to after the Demon Army was pushed back during the age of myths. Naturally, as with the passing of time, the castle has undergone numerous large renovations up to that point and none of the original structure survives to this day. Taking a look at the castle that has protected Topa since days past, Yasei made it a priority to promote Topa as one of Shoukan heritage sites.
Following Moah and Gai, they went past the main entrance to the castle and went up a flight of stairs. Listening closely, the shouts of people coming from far away could be faintly heard, along with snarling, ghastly voices. Reinforcing their initial thoughts that the frontline was just nearby, everyone felt the urge to immediately run out to fight.
Just below the uppermost floor, after a winding flight of stairs, they arrived at a tightly packed hall. All along the walls were numerous, massive doors, one of which Moah knocked on.
"Excuse me. The people from the Alliance are with me."
"Come in!"
They heard a reply from beyond the door.
Inside, an elliptical table dominated the center of the room and the man at its head stood up to greet the newcomers. Hovering around the age of 40, the man was around 180cm tall. He was muscular and his hair and beard had already turned white. He constantly maintained a valiant face. He donned silver armor and wore a red mantle. Standing up, he put his knightly sword down on the table.
"Ahh, the Alliance reinforcements! You've come at last! I am commander Aziz of Topa's knights and of the Demon Lord subjugation unit. Pleased to make your acquaintance!"
"GUF Zen Captain Yasei Sugaku. The honor is mine."
"GUF First Champion Reimu Hakurei. Likewise."
Both Guardians can see that Yuugi and Angra are already present alongside their officers.
Taking their seats around the elliptical table, they started inquiring about the current situation. Summarizing it in brief:
- A week ago, the 35,000-strong Demon Army began its incursion from Grameus. The wall separating Grameus and Topa, the Doors to the World, fell and the 148 guard force stationed there were all killed in action.
- Then, they broke into the fortified city of Tormeus, flooding into the Minaisa district to the north and capturing it on Day 8 of Month 12.
- On Day 9, the main force of the Topan army arrived. Until they did, the local force suffered a lot of casualties in stopping the invasion.
- The Demon Lord occupied a manor on the west side of Minaisa and has not come out since.
- Minaisa had roughly 600 civilians that did not manage to escape in time. Every day, several dozen people are eaten by the magical beasts, and so their number has dwindled to 200.
- The Demon Army has suffered roughly 5,000 goblin losses, around 25 orcs and 12 ogres. The Topan army has suffered around 3,000 losses.
- Up to that point, they've attempted a rescue mission of Minaisa's residents three times, but either the Blue Ogre or the Red Ogre would appear in the streets leading to the main square alongside the trolls and giant ogres. They tried exterminating them from the front, but they suffered a lot of casualties in the process. The ones that tried going in from underground paths were also wiped out, and so the fighting has come to a standstill.
After being updated of the recent situation, Yasei realized that the civilians have to be rescued before it's too late.
"The situation seems to be urgent."
With a pained expression, Aziz nodded.
"Indeed... If we could only take down the Red and Blue Ogre, then maybe we could figure something out but... Their strength is a thousand times that of a regular human, but the root of the problem is that they do not get tired. As long as they're supplied, they'll continue to be combat-worthy. Furthermore, their furs are like needles and their skin is extremely tough against swords and spears. A ballista may be able to punch through, but we couldn't hope to hit something as fast as them with one."
The Red and Blue Ogre never becoming tired may be due to constant applications of faint healing magic which may get rid of wear on the muscles. As a side effect, if the wound isn't too deep, it will be healed in the process, and since their needle-like hairs already make it hard wounding them, this was as troublesome as it gets. Every time Moah checked the documents on how the brave warriors of old managed to take down these monsters, he would always end up scratching his head.
Yasei and Reimu then discussed about a particular information that Ishikuma relayed a week ago.
"Then there's the giant ogres and trolls... We already determined that their strength are superior to the one we faced more than 2 decades ago. However, we don't know how much stronger they are since we only managed to assess it from our recon operations. If we can analyze their battle powers, it will help tremendously when we face them again later."
"If that's the case, then let's make them our priority targets."
Both of them are fully aware about the urgency of the current situation. It's clear as day that the Demon Army would once again resume their movements once they're finished with the remaining civilians in Minaisa. Nodding to each other, they then announce their decision.
"It's decided, then. Once we finish our preparations, we'll take care of the giants via air strikes. Yuugi, tell Ishikuma to reinforce the castle alongside her battalion. Once Minaisa is secured, depart immediately to Grameus." (Reimu)
"Sounds like a plan." (Yuugi)
"As for you, Angra, your brigade will monitor Grameus until further notice." (Yasei)
"Got it, Captain." (Angra)
Yuugi and Angra then leave the room to relay the order.
"Air strikes?"
Reimu assures the Topans.
"Exactly. This is the specialty from our homeworld, Gensokyo. Leave it to us."
"I see. We have heard that the Alliance managed to tackle bigger threat than this. If that's the case, then your power is worth an army. We'll coordinate our forces' movement with yours."
On the surface, Aziz was delighted with the co-leaders' decision, but deep in his heart, having not yet seen GUF power, he was dubious. Their land dragons may no doubt be stronger than the ogres, but he couldn't think of them being able to match their fast movements. With that said, the Fighters themselves don't seem to have any particular physical strength to their person that makes them superior in any way.
The better half of the royal army being skeptical of them cannot be helped. On top of acknowledging this and the fact that they don't believe them, Yasei continued to speak.
"Then let's move on to discussing the plan."
"Alright. We still have to prepare the maps and other necessary documents, so give us an hour. We'll be right back."
They decided to briefly take a break.
Just as everyone was about to leave, Yasei and Reimu immediately grabs their rifles, and aims it to the window.
(AN: Well, I did stated that GUF have their own firearms as early as Historia-Louria War.)
"Incoming!"
"What?!"
Smash!
A black figure smashed through the wooden shutters of the window and flew into the room. The pieces of wood scattered about, raining on top of the desk on the heads of everyone in the room. The shadow's humanoid body was pitch black and it had wings. Draped in white cloth, the figure fluttered about as it landed on top of the round desk. Yasei keep his rifle aim at the figure while Reimu holsters hers and prepared something else.
'C-Could it be?!'
Standing up from his seat, Moah swiftly drew his sword and shouted.
"Malastras! The Demon Lord's confidant!"
The other knights in the room similarly drew out their swords. The other Fighters (barring few exceptions) brandished their firearms they carried on their backs and readied themselves. What a weird way of holding it, thought Moah as he looked on.
"Hohoho... I never thought I'd have to personally come out to take out the human leadership... In the long time since then, you've certainly moved forward!"
Malastras magnanimously spoke as he pointed his palm directly against Aziz. Magical power accumulated at the tip of his hands dyed in black, causing the air to warp as black flames emerged from it.
"Bring it on!"
The Topan vice commander closed in and struck from the side.
With a disgusting smile emerging on his face, Malastras dodged the vice commander's sword in the blink of an eye before turning the hand he had pointed at Aziz towards him.
"Hellfire!"
Black, hellish flames overcame the vice commander.
"GAAAAAAAA!"
The dark embers engulfed the vice commander. Or so it seems.
"What?!"
A barrier surrounds the vice commander, protecting him. The Fighters sighs in relief, since they managed to stop a potential death. It simply won't do otherwise.
Despite the heat generated from the black flame, they keep their combat-ready stance for any possible attacks.
Malastras looks at Reimu with anger in his face.
Turns out, Reimu activates her Duplex Barrier Spell Card, this time on a much smaller scale. Without wasting time, she grabs her rifle again.
Finally able to caught Malastras' attention, the Fighters immediately spread into formation to protect the downed Topan vice-commander. Both Moah and Gai immediately realized what they intend to do, and they watch with bated breath.
'I wonder how much power the Alliance has...'
The Fighters then take aim towards Malastras and wait for the order to fire.
"Get down!"
Reacting to Reimu's order, the others in the room simultaneously fell to the ground. Without diverting his line of sight off of Malastras, Moah hid under the shadow of the round table. Then...
"Open fire!"
At Yasei's order, all Fighters that have firearms with them starts firing.
Tatatatatatatatatatatatatatata
The firearms that the Fighters held continuously spat out flashes of light as ear-piercing popping sounds echoed across the room. One by one, the ultra high speed bullets of light landed on Malastras.
"Ack!"
Only being able to let out screams of anguish, the hole-ridden Malastras was felled anticlimactically. The bullets that pierced past Malastras and those that missed him struck the stone wall behind him, causing some of it to collapse.
"Cease fire! Lucy, Sakuya, make sure he's dead."
Lucy and Sakuya nods, and approach Malastras' prone body. They aimed their firearms (shotguns) at it, and shoot twice. Silence reigned over the room once more.
'Wh-What the...'
Looking at the darkish fluid-ridden body of Malastras, Moah was overcome with surprise.
They terribly suffered against this right-hand man of the Demon Lord. The poikilotherm wyverns could not live in the cold climate of Topa. As such, they did not have any airpower. On top of that, they had no means of counterattacking Malastras, who rained down countless attacks from the sky. Even if he did not fly in attacking them, he was still a threat mainly due to his powerful magic. It was due to this single demon that they lost more than a hundred men. And yet here, the members of GUF were able to defeat him.
There were no longer any doubts. The numerous rumors that had reached them regarding the Alliance were true, and it's further reinforced with the videos provided by Topan representative during the Great Eastern Conference.
"Zen Captain Sugaku... Thank you so much for killing Malastras."
Aziz bowed in gratitude. Having been targeted by Malastras, Aziz's face was still riddled with sweat.
Yasei nods in return while looking at the shocked Topan vice commander.
"Your welcome. I'm just glad we managed to uphold our part."
Iseya then unexpectedly speaks.
"It's our obligation to defend our fellow Council members. You gave us the distress call, and we responded as soon as we can."
The remains of Malastras were quickly mopped up, but since the room's temperature fell due to the broken shutters, the bodily fluids that flowed from Malastras would take some time to clean up, so they had to move somewhere else.
One hour later, the discussion on the operation to rescue the civilians from Minaisa started, continuing late into the night.
Date: December 14th, HS 2069/CC 1639
Location: Tormeus, Topa Kingdom, Zeroth Civilization Area
After discussing the strategy two days ago, the joint force decided on two objectives. Because of it, the brigade is split into two task forces. Task Force Kyuen is assigned to secure any survivors, and Task Force Sengoku will focus on eliminating the demon army.
Place: Topa Paradox Engine
Task Force Sengoku
Currently, the nine best Fighters of Yatagarasu Brigade are preparing themselves to make a drop from 3 km from the Paradox Engine. They're looking at the monitor that slowly descends in the center. The monitor then shows the map of Minaisa caught by Alliance satellites in space.
Two video pop-ups appear in the corner. They can see that Yuugi and Angra have linked up from their respective MCVs.
"Okay, as discussed yesterday, we got roughly half a hour before their usual dinner roulette, as we in expedition force like to call it. Task Force Kyuen are currently repairing the infrastructures, and it will take around 10 minutes before we can use it to made proper deployment. If we managed to do so, we stand a good chance to bait Nosgorath and slay him."
The map then zooms and shows few places of huge importance.
"Eliminate all giant ogres and trolls on approach. Intel indicates that there are three trolls and two giant ogres at the square, while the rest are patrolling the surrounding area. If you have time, make sure to fully eradicate all of them. We'll stand a better chance in the next battle that way."
"Copy that, Colonel, General."
"We'll move after Nosgorath is slain. Menog out."
"Best of luck, Sengoku. Hoshiguma out."
Once their preparations are completed, they received a scouting report from aerial unit of Task Force Kyuen.
"We've verified the intel, and it matches the situation at the field. Proceed as planned."
Reimu looks at the group and nods in determination.
"This is it, the reason why Amaterasu brought us here. Just like HMF, we saw a glimpse of the Ravernals. And we'll beat them again, like in 2044."
The nine selected Fighters raise their fists together.
"For the Union!"
"For the Union!"
Yasei then rallies the group.
"Alright, let's move!"
With that signal, the hatch of the Paradox Engine opens. Due to the air pressure difference, the Fighters are slowly sucked out. But instead of waiting, the Fighters run to the opening and jump out from the Engine.
"Shoe Jets, on."
Yasei, Lucy, Izayoi, and Iseya activates their Shoe Jets as soon as they jumped.
If there's one thing that Gensokyo Union Fighters is famous for, it's their aerial warfare capabilities. And it's shown by how the Fighters fly in the air. While airborne, they can see that Nosgorath's force are concentrated on Town Square and the main camp.
They also can see the Doors to the World, and the wreck of the Alliance's weapon placements can be seen on the wall. Descending from 3 km above is literally unthinkable for every Topan Knights.
"Enemy contact!"
"Fire at will!"
Just after that, Izayoi easily kills a troll by punching it so hard and pierces it. It also helps that his initial motion is diving punch and he's positioned above, since the corpse softens his landing. He immediately looks for another priority target on the ground while the rest of the Fighters stayed airborne. It just so happened that they headed towards the Town Square.
"Scratch 1 out. 19 more to go."
"Copy that."
Lucy flies close to one of the giant ogres and kills it instantly via a head shot from her modified Remington M870. Iseya fires at the group of ogre, orc, and goblin with her Pandora's Arsenal in its Rifle mode. After dealing huge damage, she lands and changes it to Sabre form and cut the rest down.
Sakuya dives into one of the trolls and immediately decapitate it with a single strike from one of her knives. It's possible because the shock wave generated by said attack is sharp enough to do so. Marisa throws her Magic Bombs to a troll and the explosions are enough to kill it near-instantly. Sanae fires her danmaku at the troll and giant ogre on her sight before finishing it with her Star Falling attack.
With two giant ogres and four trolls confirmed dead, Task Force Sengoku pushes forward to eradicate the rest. As stated in the document, they just need to find any ferals taller than 2.5 meters. Some of the orcs have weapons that is bloodied with the fallen Topan Knights.
"Rifles ready."
"Let's go!"
Both Yasei and Reimu then equips their respective rifles, a modified AK-12 and YR-77 (short for Yin-Yang Rifle Mk.77). Reimu immediately shoots one of the trolls and eliminated it by riddling its upper torso with holes. Yasei on the other hand clears the field from other ferals. Vaati then decided to join the fray and decimate those that stands in her way, including one troll that got burned by Agni Shine attack.
"Too bad for you."
Izayoi let loose and managed to thrash several ogres and orcs that came to attack him. He is one of the strongest Fighters in the Alliance. Needless to say, he is disappointed upon seeing how weak they are compared to his expectations. He merely shrugs and continue the thrashing since he can always fight one of GUF members later. On the air, Lucy did the same and managed to kill another troll with a head shot, just like before.
Knowing that she's late to the party, Vaati immediately unleashes Agni Shine High Level and it results in two trolls and those around them to turn into cinders. She follows up by Lazy Trilithon High Level, killing a giant ogre and a troll. With 3 giant ogres and 10 trolls dead, Task Force Sengoku pushes forward.
"Take this!"
Marisa flies to one of the trolls. In a daring movement, she plants some of her magic potions and grenades inside its mouth. Without wasting time, she slams it to the ground, igniting the explosives and kills it. Currently, Task Force Sengoku are around 400 meters from the Town Square, where Task Force Kyuen is currently located. A large number of enemy is detected.
Hell's Fist "Drill Inferno"!
Shotgun "Remington Break"!
Water Sign "Waterfall Rain"!
Divine Spirit "Fantasy Seal"!
Love Sign "Master Spark"!
Esoterica "Gray Thaumaturgy"!
Illusion Sign "Killing Doll"!
Multiple Spell Cards are thrown at the same time, decimating the enemies around the entrance. Normally, in a Spell Card Duel, these Spell Cards will have their lethality reduced to avoid casualties. Now, said restriction is lifted, and their true power is unleashed.
Fully intent to complete the objective, Task Force Sengoku intend to lure the remaining 6 trolls and the sole giant ogre. The giants at the Town Square is already eliminated via air strikes from the Air Force with coordinates given by Eagle Ravi Corps, while the Armored Division are preparing a defense perimeter to secure the retreat path for the rescued civilians.
Few minutes ago...
Place: Minaisa
The elven Elei, who ran an inn in Minaisa, was shaking in fear.
'No... Please... Someone help...'
Those that survived the Demon Lord's invasion were gathered in the great auditorium, the assembly hall, the school, and many other spacious places. The demons take turns watching over them to make sure none would escape. There were those that tried to escape, but they were swiftly caught and made into meals alive. The demons would usually pick those they'd eat through finger pointing, often laughing as they chanted "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe." Everyday, they'd carry out of the halls several people to eat and so the people with Elei in the great auditorium have diminished a lot.
"Today, it will be... you... you... and you!"
Menia, her childhood friend who lived next door, was picked yesterday. Both her parents desperately tried to not let her get eaten, but in the end all three of them were taken instead.
It was a living hell.
Why did the Demon Lord, a legend inscribed in nothing but fairy tales, have to come back when she was alive? If there were truly any gods, she wanted them to save her.
Her other childhood friends, Gai and Moah, should have been at the Doors to the World. It's safe to say that they're already dead. If they are indeed alive, then they must be coming to save her. The kingdom's knights have tried countless times to come to their aid, but the Red Ogre and Blue Ogre that took turns guarding the great road connecting the square and the gate always thwarted their attempts.
In the tales of old passed down among the elves, the elves that were cornered by the Demon Army prayed to the gods, who heard their prayers and sent down the emissaries of the sun god.
As an elf, if she prayed to the god of the elves after the Demon Lord from the old tales had revived, then maybe the emissaries of the sun god would come. Thinking that, she prayed and prayed.
'Gods! Oh, dear gods! Please, come save us! Please send back the emissaries... lend us their power once more! Please!'
She prayed desperately but nothing happened. Maybe the prayers don't work outside of the divine forest. Starving and in despair, she sank to the floor. Then, the beasts have returned.
"Okay, time to pick today's meat..."
These beasts served as the pageboys. They examined her as if they were looking at livestock. This must be how prisoners on death row must have felt as they awaited their execution. Please, not me, she cried.
"The Great Demon Lord did say he wanted something light for today..."
She got angry after hearing that these beasts have "tastes" for their food.
"Hmm... Then let's have vegetables as our emphasis..."
She felt relieved... but–
"And maybe female elven meat to go with it... So you, you... and you!"
The demons took her by the right hand, sending chills down her spine.
"N-No... No! NO! Dear gods! Help! HELP ME!"
Unable to suppress her voice, she screamed as much as her lungs could give. Tears flowed endlessly as she desperately tried to wrestle out of the demons' grip.
"Oi! Stop that!"
When the beasts tried to hit her, something happened.
Boom... Boom...
From beyond the walls of the great auditorium, something exploded.
Task Force Kyuen
The Human Guards unit entered Minaisa from the gate. Spanning from the gate was the 1.5km long great road, at the end of which stood guard several ogres and orcs. Hiroshi motions some of the guards to standby at the gates while the rest enters the town.
The great auditorium, which they thought housed the most number of civilians, was just across the square from the great road. Thinking that they may hit the auditorium if they fired from where they were standing, they'd need to change their location.
A detached Human Guard squad advanced through the back-alleys to the east. A few of them took positions around the group of ogres and orcs to scout them out. They then threw the Magic Potions supplied by Marisa at the enemy group, which exploded underneath their feet.
Boom! Boom!
"Direct hits! They looked this way! Time to run!"
The Guards immediately turned back towards the path they came from and started running. Enraged, the enemy group charged and chase the retreating Guards. Soon enough, all of the ferals in the vicinity joined the chase and put the squad into a pickle.
"Looks like they're mad, Sarge..."
"No shit, Sherlock! And wait a second... Since when their number increased?!"
It's very likely that the explosives caused by the Magic Potions attracted the ferals. And soon enough, said group of ferals closed the distance. The Guards then turned to an alleyway which hid their Bullet Curtain IFV and immediately enters the vehicle, taking position in the firing ports.
"Finally!"
"Take the firing ports! Target at the feral group, and fire on my signal!"
The group finally caught up with the Bullet Curtain. Fortunately, there are no civilians present.
"FIRE!"
Tatatatatatatatatatatata!
At the squad leader's signal, the IFV's Hakurei Rapid Fire Gun placement roared to life. With 750 rpm, it proceed to obliterate the feral group that were chasing the squad. Like marionettes that got their strings cut off, the ogres collapsed where they stood. Likewise, the orcs and other ferals that followed them were similarly cut down by the Plasma rounds fired from the ports.
"Cease fire!"
Safe to say, the Bullet Curtain IFV literally saved the squad's lives by decimating the feral group.
Seconds before Task Force Sengoku's drop...
"So, how long until they made the drop?"
"Soon. Our task here is to secure the retreat path in order to decrease the rescue unit's burden. Other units already have their own tasks."
Hotaru is currently looking at her surroundings. Several Hakutaku Heavy Tanks from her unit and Bullet Curtain IFVs that are occupied by UNAF soldiers are patrolling the road.
"I see them! There they are!"
Maybell points at the sky, and once the drop is confirmed, the tanks and IFVs immediately returns to the formation. Later, Kirisame Elite Corps and Scarlet Maid Corps enters the battlefield.
"Ready the Hakkero Drones!"
Immediately, several fairies armed with Hakkero Drones appeared and they aimed right at the Town Square to provide covering fire. For this specific operation, the firepower is decreased to that of Narrow Spark.
"This is Jericho. All units, attack!"
"Fire!"
BOOM!
At Hotaru's command, all present GUF units began the attack. The Hakkero Drones managed to hit several tightly-packed groups and even able to kill one of the trolls present.
Youmu and Reisen (with the latter's unit), together with Moah, Gai, and a detached force of Topan royal knights, passed through a dried up waterway before emerging out of a well behind the great auditorium to break into it. There were 60 orcs, 30 ogres, two trolls and two giant ogres. Youmu then lends Reisen her Hakurouken, which the latter accepts.
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
The Topan group is confused upon seeing it.
"What are they doing?"
Youmu and Reisen waits until the attack begun before they made their move.
BOOM!
"Now!"
"Haah!"
Both of them immediately leaps towards one of the giant ogres and managed to eliminate it. Soon after, Eagle Ravi Corps fires at the ferals in the vicinity.
Tatatatatatatata
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
Youmu and Reisen immediately reports the situation.
"Soldier to Jericho. We've reached the great auditorium and found some civilians. We've accounted for 80 and will escort them out through the well. Over."
"Jericho here. Acknowledged. Proceed with the evacuation. Over."
"Roger that. Soldier out."
"Gardener to Seraph. We've detected a giant ogre and two trolls in the vicinity. Requesting air strike at their position. Over."
"Seraph here. We got the coordinates. Moving to position. Over."
"Understood. Gardener out."
Moah and Gai were taken back by GUF personnel's skillful maneuvers but they swiftly exited the great auditorium to clear the outside of goblins and goblin lords. Quickly disposing of the guard near the entrance, Gai looked over their surroundings.
"What the hell... This plan to emerge in the middle of a hostile environment is mad... Hm?"
He saw something several hundred meters from the entrance. There, several goblins were pulling a female elf by the hand.
"I-Is that?!"
Noticing that the elven woman was his childhood friend Elei, he ran for the goblins with his unsheathed sword in hand.
"O-Oi!"
Seeing Gai charge, Moah promptly chased after him.
There were some demons among the goblin lords pulling on Elei. A skilled warrior should be able to understand the disparity between their strength and that of their targets and that they should wait for support before dealing with them. For a seasoned mercenary like Gai to charge alone was unthinkable.
Heading for one of the goblin lords pulling Elei, Gai landed a precise blow on its back.
"Ack-!"
Elei and another elf were freed from their grasp.
"Uck-!"
"Geh-!"
The remaining goblin lords were decapitated by the swords of Moah and Gai, ending their lives short.
Elei was prepared to die.
No matter how much one resists, no one the demons took came back alive. If you were chosen by the Demon Lord to be eaten, then the rest of your life was dictated for you. Elei walked dejectedly, like a prisoner walking towards the guillotine.
Suddenly, the demon holding her let go of her. A swordsman had struck the back of the demon, plunging his sword deep into the back of the demon as it emerged on the other side. The swordsman was someone Elei knew well.
"H-Hey there, Elei. Are you alright?"
"Ah... Y-Yeah..."
It was her childhood friend, Gai–a frequent customer at her inn and one of her best patrons. Three years ago, he confessed and asked her to go out with him, but Elei politely refused him. The work of a mercenary wasn't stable, she reasoned. On top of that, Elei had unrequited feelings for Moah. He was beautiful, refined, a childhood friend, as a knight he was promising, and above all he was also an elf like her. No one could be better than him.
'But...'
Just when she was about to die, he had come running to save her. Despite there being many scary demons, he had ditched his own safety to come and save her. Elei's heart was moved.
'He was a teeny bit cool back there...'
She was about to thank Gai when...
"Elei! Are you okay?"
Elei's line of sight subconsciously locked on to Moah. From Moah and Gai's perspective, Elei turned her attention to Moah in no time, giving both of them no time to react.
"S-Sir Moaaaah! You've come to save me, didn't you? I'm soooo impressed!"
'Ah, no... I've gotten all messed up! But Sir Moah also did come to save me so... Ahh... Sir Moah is my shining knight on a white horse after all... I'll never let you go!'
"Ah... Were you about to say something? No?"
The only one that wasn't saved was Gai, apparently. Noticing it, Reisen can only pat his shoulder in understanding.
The civilians in the great auditorium, the school, and the assembly hall were swiftly rescued by Eagle Ravi Corps while the ferals around the square, save for those in western Minaisa, were dealt with by Human Guards. The buildings containing the civilians all had ferals standing guard at their entrances so it was easy identifying them. As no other similar buildings could be confirmed, by the time they saved a total of 204 civilian survivors, Hiroshi declared the rescue operation a success. From then on, they would coordinate with the Topa royal army's Demon Lord Subjugation Force and move to exterminating the rest of the Demon Army stationed in Minaisa. By the time they'd fight the Demon Lord, the goblin lords and orcs, no matter how easy to deal with, will be troublesome for the Topans in the future. The Union fully intend to eliminate this threat.
Emerging from the castle gates, the 5,000-strong force of the Topan royal army split into two; one half would follow the Human Guards to the west while the other would flank to the north and head for the east side. Moah and Gai would follow Hiroshi and Hotaru to the west. The reason for there not being any mounted knights was that they were not effective against concealed demons. As for the remaining forces, they will stay at Castle Tormeus.
Strangely enough, neither Red Ogre or Blue Ogre made appearance today. Still, the Union decided to stay vigilant.
In any case, if it's just the goblins, orcs, and ogres that are left, then they should be able to deal with them. It was at that moment when...
"ROAAAAAAAR!"
The roar made their hair strands stand on their ends as it reached the ears of the Topan knights.
"Fuck! It's a troll!"
The knights panicked.
Unsurprisingly, from the west where the manor stood, there is a troll that came running towards them. It's also accompanied by 150 orcs and 120 ogres.
The orcs are so strong that it takes ten knights to take one down. If they were to come in a group, then even if they were to simply make their force ten times bigger, they still won't emerge victorious over them. On top of that, there's also the ogres and the troll.
Even though they've rescued all the survivors, the moment they go to finish off the rest of the ferals, their leader comes out to attack them. While their 1,500-strong force was a force to be reckoned with, it wasn't enough to stop the troll and its group of orcs and ogres.
'This is bad! We must retreat! ... Hm?'
As the knights fell back, three Hakutaku Heavy Tanks and 4 Bullet Curtain IFV advanced, taking positions against the oncoming charge.
The Topans finally got their chance to see how strong the iron land dragons from Historia when compared to the demon force. As it turns out, Makai Frontier Brigade already parked their Panzers in the castle gates. Still, they err on the side of caution, and decided to wait.
(AN: In case you wonder, the Panzers that Makai have in their disposal are Panzer IIIs, Panzer IVs, Tiger Is, and Tiger IIs. Blame Devil of Decline for giving me ideas.)
Because of this, the Topan knights maintain their formation and retreat orderly. With Historia iron land dragons on their side, they won't lose.
Thanks to one of the squad's experience, the armored formation didn't lose their cool as they faced the horde. Right now, they used checkerboard formation. The Hakutakus are in the front while the Bullet Curtains are in the back. It's believed that few well-placed explosions are enough to deal with the ogres and the orcs. However, it might not be enough against the troll. All vehicles present immediately set their primary weapons and took aim at the incoming horde.
"All IFVs, target the ogres and orcs straight ahead! Distance: 500m! Open fire!"
Forming a line against the rampaging ogres and orcs, the IFV crews then pulled the trigger.
Tatatatatatatatatatata
A rain of bullets engulfed the orcs and ogres, taking them out one after the other. Seeing the scene unfold, the knights were flabbergasted. The orcs and ogres, which were supposedly powerful magical beasts, were mowed down all too easily.
(AN: GUF did have prior experience facing them in Falmart more than 2 decades ago, after all.)
Tatatatatatatatatatata
The attack continued. While most of the orcs and ogres have already been gunned down, the troll pushed on as it shrugged off the stray bullets that landed on him.
"Grrrrr!"
The armored formation took note of it and didn't panic. It's as if they already expected this outcome. The same can't be said to the Topans watching the battle.
'Even their attacks aren't effective! No way! Just how do–'
Moah was in the midst of panicking when...
"All Hakutakus, target the troll!"
While the IFVs are still busy shooting, a new order has been issued.
Immediately, the loaders prepared the rounds that are most likely will be used against the charging troll, which is the AP/Armor Piercing.
"AP rounds loaded, sir!"
"Acknowledged. Readjust the aim and fire on my signal. Ready... Set... FIRE!"
All three Hakutakus fired their shots simultaneously, and the sound of explosions rippled through the vicinity. In the next moment, the troll was blown up in an intense flash in plain view of the knights. The fierce explosions threw up snow all around, engulfing the vicinity in a cloud of snowflakes making it impossible to verify anything. Slowly, the particles settled, and they could see flesh bits scattered all around where it used to stand. At the same time, the IFVs stopped firing.
"W-What magic–!"
"The ferocious troll... In just a single attack..."
Looking behind them, the aghast Topan knights only saw the Hakutakus and Bullet Curtains leaving the area.
At the same time...
"That should be the last priority targets. Fire a missile at each of them."
"Understood, Marshal."
While all of it is happening, the Eagle Ravi Corps decided to stay behind as to make sure that the giant ogre and the trolls didn't escape. In addition, these ferals has been marked for extermination. The waiting period finally ends as the rabbits saw three missiles hitting the giant ferals, instantly killing them.
"Targets eliminated. Objective completed. Return to base."
"Right away, General."
"Roger."
Noticing that the Air Force has eliminated the giant ferals, the Eagle Ravi Corps leave the area. All surviving civilians has been evacuated beforehand, and other areas has been handled by joint effort of Human Guards and the Air Force. The Topan force are also fully accounted for, and no one is left behind. Safe to say, their morale is boosted.
All that's left is to let Task Force Sengoku clear the stray ferals that might evade the initial attack. Rainbow Dolls Legion and Voile Defense Corps will stay until all objectives completed.
"Good work. We'll defend this area."
"We're counting on you, then."
Additionally, Air Cavalry units from UNAF Grand Army, Moriya Military Brigade and Scarlet Maid Corps has been dispatched as well. They're currently patrolling the air space to ensure smooth evacuation process.
"We got visual on the last giant ogre!"
"Missiles ready!"
"Fire!"
BOOM!
GRAAAUUGGHH!
The last Giant Ogre disintegrates into nothing as soon as a missile from a Miracle Helicopter hit its chest.
"This is Task Force Kyuen. We've successfully evacuated all civilians!"
"Good work. Regroup at RDL and VDC position before withdrawing."
"Yes, Captain!"
Task Force Sengoku decided to help the Air Cavalry units patrolling the airspace. Any hordes of ferals that attempted to attack the regrouping units are quickly taken down from above.
After confirming that all giant ogres and trolls had been dealt with, the Union troops promptly withdraw from the battlefield. They meet several feral stragglers that attempted to attack, but it's quickly taken care of by Task Force Sengoku and Air Cavalry units. All civilians has been fully evacuated as well. All that's left is to deal with the Demon Lord alongside its two subordinates, Red Ogre and Blue Ogre. By the time they fully withdrawed, it's already sunset and the darkness was closing in. Currently, they're at the vicinity of Castle Tormeus.
'That went better than expected...'
Due to prior experiences, GUF troops didn't have much hardship dealing with the giant ogres and trolls. In fact, several vehicles from GUF played a major role in eliminating many feral hordes at Minaisa. That's not mentioning the prowess of Air Cavalry units.
"All targets eliminated. Nosgorath is bound to come tomorrow."
Back at the Paradox Engine, Yasei decided to prepare himself for the upcoming skirmish.
That day according to Moah's diary
History is unraveling and I am right in the midst of it.
We are fighting the legendary Demon Army noted in the mythologies, the same terrifying force that overwhelmed Philades in the blink of an eye.
However, we are the elite knights of Topa Kingdom. Despite suffering innumerable amounts of casualties, we were able to stop the Demon Army in its tracks at the fortified city of Tormeus. We are far stronger than the old Alliance of the Races, even when taking into account their favorable geographical positions.
Still, even as our army suffered casualty after casualty, we were not able to stop the trolls and giant ogres.
As I look over our ever increasing death toll, it always comes to mind just how in the world did the brave warriors of old defeat them?
And yet today, something historical has happened.
These trolls and giant ogres were swiftly and all-too-easily taken down by the troops of Gensokyo Union Fighters, one of the superpowers of Historia Alliance. The weapons they used possessed power that were far too detached from our common sense. The legendary beasts that were worthy enough to be noted in the legends... were simply erased from the face of this world.
If it's them, they may even be able to take down the Demon Lord with just 100 men.
It's already late into the night and yet I'm so thrilled that I can't seem to fall asleep.