Chapter 63
Fall of Alue
The Gra Valkas Empire, Valkyries Headquarters, 11th June 1527 / 228
The Gra Valkas Empire Army has its ground army prepared for the departure. They have been preparing for this invasion ever since the Celestina Empire threatened the Gra Valkas Empire to withdraw its stance in world domination several months ago. The artillery units were systematically lined up at the front line base of Valkyries 30km west of Mu border town Alue.
Base Commander Perth and Gaoggel are talking about their current situation.
"I've heard the Celestina Empire already set up their defense perimeter around Mu."
"How did they travel here so fast? They're over twenty thousand kilometers away, yet I've got word from our spies that they have deployed at least a hundred thousand personnel here. I also heard that Mu receives new weapons and vehicles from Celestina."
"That will be problematic, but don't worry. Our troop's experiences are more than what Mu can get. Our men are more than five million, so we've practically outnumbered Celestina reinforcements fifty to one."
"I'm more worried at the troops Celestina deploy here, as I've heard rumors that they deploy the elite troops to face us."
"That's just a baseless rumor, anyway. The Emperor wants Mu captured so that we can humiliate Celestina at the earnest."
"If you say so…."
General Gaoggel, recently reassigned from 8th Army to 12th Army, approaches Major General Borg, the Commanding Officer of the 4th Armored Division. His Division will spearhead the assault to the border town Alue.
"How's the new tank? Is it good?"
Sitting at the commander's seat of the Tiger II tank, Major General Borg Flats chuckles. "Ha! This tank is more than enough to make Mu tremble in fear! We do not have to worry about conquering Mu with this!"
"Borg, is our personnel mental health has been taken care of? I've heard most of our men are in high stress followed by the sudden transference over five years ago."
"No problem, sir! Our spirits are high for the sake of His Highness, the Emperor! Do not worry about our mental health, sir! Our body may be robust, but not our spirits!"
"Oh, and one thing. When we attack Mu, many of their people will become a refugee. I have no intention of rebuking how you will treat Mu citizens after this. Since there are no laws of war here, you know what this means."
Hearing that makes Borg motivated to crush Mu and humiliate Celestina. The engine of the entire armored vehicles is revved up as the Gra Valkas Empire prepares for the blitz attack on Kielseki as the first objective and waiting for the command to strike. The Imperial Army Air Corps was already in position, and it will be a matter of time before Caesar send his order.
"Execute."
Antares Fighter, Vega Bomber, Sirius Bomber, and Luna Interceptor are heading towards Mu, followed by 1st Corps spearheaded by 4th Armored Division, and elements of 3rd Corps and 17th Corps. The 12th and 21st Army will advance tomorrow as the 8th Army will spearhead the assault for the first day, conquering the town of Alue. The 8th Army will temporarily occupy Alue before joining the 12th and 21st Army for the next day.
Under Caesar's command, the Army began their advance towards Alue, and the Artillery lined up at the Valkyries base open fire.
Border Town Alue, Mu
The border town of Alue is situated on a plateau. There are numerous flat areas on the plateau, but the town is built on a small hill rising above everything else. Outside the town's old castle walls, which are useless against the big guns prevalent in modern warfare, grew patches of small grass with the bare earth showing up in some places.
On top of a small hill nearby was a forest where an artillery emplacement was installed, and there two soldiers were talking.
"Hey, did you hear? It seems that in the event the Gra Valkas Empire and Mu clash, Alue will become the frontline."
Upon hearing the words of his comrade, gunner Arts Say shuddered.
Following the humiliating victory at Cartalpas, Mu top brass are reluctant to receive Celestina's aid. The state-of-the-art fleet is scheduled to depart from Celestina this month. According to information from Fleet Commander Brendas, who was currently overseeing the upgrades work of the Fleet for Cartalpas, Mu will receive an upgraded warship, with one Mu-class Battleship from Celestina as a gift.
Because of Celestina's plea and assistance, Mu receive a series of reinforcements and have some of the armies conduct basic training to operate new weapons. Twenty Anti Tank gun emplacements of 57mm, 17 Pounder, Pak 38, and M5 Anti Tank guns are spread around Alue defensive line. For the Anti-Air defenses, Mu receive a total of 15 AA guns, consisting of 40mm Bofors, Flakvierling 38, and Flak 41. Following the training of the tank crew, Alou was able to receive 15 Mu Sherman Tank and 5 Mu Firefly Tank.
Celestina already deploys 1st and 2nd Royal Defender Battalion for evacuation, with Lieutenant Colonel Gus Amuera as the Commanding Officer of evacuating the citizen. Sofya orders Gus to evacuate as many civilians as possible when Mu Government issues an evacuation notice. The 2nd Royal Defender will drive the evacuation while the 1st Royal Defender will cover the evacuation.
"Just take a look at every asset we've received from Celestina! They're generous to give us tanks and arsenals to defend Alue! But, it's a pity that our government didn't want to receive full help from Celestina."
"You mean…. The car with armor capable of withstanding our shells and has a cannon to destroy us?"
"Yeah! But we can't let that scare us! We're the guardian of Alue!"
24th Army, West of Alue
Stretching like snakes from Alue was a 20km system of trenches extending from the town's west. A trench is a gutter or ditch dug out from the ground that is big enough to let people pass through, allowing them to avoid incoming cannon and machinegun fire, dramatically increasing the survival rate compared to moving across flat ground.
They keep the horizon in check until a lookout spotted the Gra Valkas Aircraft are inbound from the west.
"They're sending in Aircrafts! Man those Anti Aircraft Guns, and open fire! All personnel, battle stations!"
The Commander of Mu 24th Army, Colonel Dane Wates, commands all available personnel to their station and starts firing. Then, they heard explosions from their back.
"W-what!? What was that!?"
"T-they bombard our town?! That's impossible! They're completely out of sight!"
Operating at one of the trenches, Private Keynes saw a cloud of dust rising from the unobstructed horizon. Eventually, he spots many tanks clad in black and green. It's the first element of the 4th Armored Division as multiple tanks are approaching their position, and it's in a large number. "Enemy tank incoming! More than one hundred!"
"Man those Anti Tank Guns, and let's see how this weapon does! Keep our tanks protected! They're our best defense to deal with those tanks!"
Artillery Emplacement
Mu Artillery Commander Arts Say coordinates with the Artillery crew operating the 105mm Eraser Gun to conduct a suppression fire against the incoming Gra Valkas Empire's 1st Corps.
Arts Say can see the enemy aircraft flying above them, circling around as if they owned the heavens. From time to time, the bomb dropped with precision to the Alue Base were powerful, and the base starts to engulf in flames.
He can see several Mu's Marin Fighters are engaging the enemy aircraft, but they were soon annihilated by the Gra Valkas Empire's Air Force in no time. Fortunately, under Celestina's guidance and its gift of Anti-Aircraft Battery, Mu considered advanced technology compared to their AA guns. Celestina's AA guns shoot down several Antares Fighters and Luna Interceptors, giving Mu enough morale boost to hold their ground.
Under Celestina's guidance, the camouflage artillery emplacements in the forest allow them to be temporarily safe from the Gra Valkas Empire's air attack. Their position was currently undiscovered, but soon, the tank comes into their view.
"Enemy tank incoming!"
"Support our defenses! Those tanks are going to steamroll to our town if we don't stop them on their tracks! Fire! We will hold Alue no matter what the cost!"
Town of Alue
"Everyone, hurry! We will launch the Sixtieh's group of evacuation!"
Lieutenant Colonel Gus Amuera and the 1st Royal Defender Battalion are evacuating their people as much as possible. Each group of evacuation is ranged from 800 to 1500 townsfolk. So far, Celestina's Army manages to evacuate 80,000 people, but there are more civilians to evacuate.
"Incoming enemy aircraft!"
"Shoot it down!"
When the Vega Bomber is about to bomb the evacuation area, Celestina fire their Dual Gattling Tank towards the Bomber, shredding it to pieces as the aircraft tore itself apart from 25mm rounds.
"The 61st Evacuation Group has arrived!"
"Load up! Load up! Launch the 60th group quickly!"
The evacuation to the nearest command post takes around one hour and another hour to return to Alue. Celestina has to finish the evacuation and dismantle the command post today since Feena already prepares the Wild Dogs Mercenary for the attack the following day.
Mu has been releasing the evacuation recommendations for several days. With the effort of one of the local lords, Pamell Family, the evacuation was launched ahead of schedule, a week before Mu released official evacuation recommendations.
Gus approach Pamell as he and his family almost finish their packing. "Pamell, Sir. The evacuation remains on schedule. You should evacuate as well."
Pamell nodded as he loads everything his family could into a civilian version of the Transport Warthog. "I thank you for your assistance, Lieutenant Colonel Amuera. I don't know if I can't be convinced when Mu is struggling there."
"Father! We shouldn't run! We're the second country's strongest in the world!"
A girl named Ynes refuses to leave her house, believing in Mu's strength.
"No! You must leave as well! Mu is stronger, but the enemy is far stronger than us! They're monsters, Ynes, all of them are monsters! The Holy Milishial Empire can't do anything about them! All we can do is to run and live for the next day!"
Ynes can't disobey her father's order. She, along with her younger sister, Meln, goes into the Warthog to escape. As Pamell, his wife, and both of his daughters Ynes and Meln are aboard the Warthog after make a final preparation, he immediately drives his vehicle and escaped the town of Alue.
The Frontline Trenches
"Fire!"
BOOM!
The first AT gun fired from the emplacement is a 57mm AT gun with APCBC rounds to a Panzer III tank, knocking it out with a direct hit at the front.
"Target hit!"
"Switch to the next target!"
"Incoming!"
The enemy fighters rained down attack from the air. But the attack narrowly missed as the Anti Tank crew continues to fire their Anti Tank gun. The enemy tank continues to advance, but they slow down momentarily once they saw one of Mu's Anti Tank guns destroyed their Panzer III by Mu's operator.
"APCBC loaded!" Keynes reports the Anti Tank gun has finished the reloading.
"Aim to the bigger tank!"
The 57mm AT guns move their barrels to target the Panther Tank, which the enemy tank position is closer than the burning Panzer III than other tanks.
"Fire!"
BOOM!
CLANK!
"Goddamn, it bounces off! Reload! Reload!"
The Anti-Air Emplacements were destroyed one by one by the fighters and bombers, while Mu continues to defend Alue with every available strength they had. Although the enemy tank's advance slowed down after one of their allies was killed earlier, they did not stop. They saw the Panther Tank they're aiming at stops and aim its turret at their position.
"That tank is aiming at us!"
"Hurry with the reload!"
"Reload APCBC complete!"
"Destroy that tank to pieces!"
As soon as the 57mm Anti Tank gun fires its ordinance, the Panther Tank opens fire as well. The exchange weapon destroys the Anti Tank gun emplacement, while the Panther Tank receives penetration, but not deep enough to knock it out.
"AAAAHH!"
Screams erupted from one of the emplacements, followed by various places at the trenches. Keynes tries to regain his strength, but he finds his strength fading over time.
"What… happened…."
His lower body was torn to pieces when the Panther Tank's HE contacted his 57mm AT gun. The explosion separates his upper body from his lower body.
"The town… I must…."
Unable to muster up more strength, Keynes draws his last breath.
Mu Sherman Tank
"Fire!"
BOOM!
Mu's new Armored Battalion was deployed to the front lines to delay the advancing Gra Valkas Empire's 1st Corps further. Fifteen Sherman and five Firefly Tanks are entering a hull-down position to increase their survival rate.
"Enemy tank destroyed!"
"Load another AP round! Target that tank next!"
Mu Artillery destroys several Shafer Light Tank and Hound Tank, which the tank structure resemble the Type 95 Ha-Go Light Tank and Type-97 Chi-Ha Medium Tank. Additionally, several Panzer III, Panzer IV, Sherman Tank, and Crusader Tank, with 41 tanks destroyed if totaled in number. At least six Panther Tanks were damaged, but when the tank discovers the emplacement, Antares Fighters launch the airstrike, followed by the tank if the airstrike did not destroy the emplacements.
Aiming its 76mm gun at the Panther Tank, the Tank Commander commands the crew.
"Fire!"
BOOM!
The APC round goes to the Panther Tank, hitting the front, and the tank stops as the shell kill the driver, but the turret can still moving.
"Ah, shit! Shit! We just only take out the driver! Load the HE round! Aim to the same target!"
CLANG!
"Hey! Who stole our kill?!"
"Sorry, boys. Leave the heavy tanks to us. You just handle the other tanks."
A Sherman Firefly knocks out the Panther that was damaged by the Sherman earlier. Destroying the Panther is one of the fortunate events as the problem they are facing now is the airstrike from the Antares Fighter and Luna Interceptor that gains a complete air superiority.
"Enemy aircraft incoming!"
"Evasive maneuvers! Keep an eye on the enemy tanks!"
Some of the tanks barely dodge the bombing run conducted by Antares Fighter and Luna Interceptor, but some were unfortunate as some are stuck inside hull-down positions.
"GYAAAHH!"
"We lost three tanks!"
"Don't lose focus! Fire on the enemy tank!"
"Enemy Tiger dead ahead!"
"What!?"
From a distance, they saw another heavy tank, a Tiger Tank. The best tank to counter it head-on under 80mm caliber in World War II was Sherman Firefly. It possesses high velocity and higher armor penetration compared to Sherman's 76mm gun.
"Firefly! Do your job!"
"On it! APDS loaded!"
"Enemy range, 1200 meters!"
"Fire!"
BOOM!
THUNK!
The Tiger Tank stops momentarily before the crew bails out from the tank.
"We knock it out!"
CLANG!
"AAAAHH!"
Shots delivered by a Panther destroy the Sherman Firefly along with its crew inside it.
Mu continues to defend their position even though they were completely outnumbered. Mu's Armored Battalion was destroyed by airstrikes and shots from heavy tanks, while the Battalion scores 60 kills in total before its destruction.
Artillery Emplacement
Their position was exposed the moment Arts Say commands the artillery to open fire to the elements of 1st Corps. The fighters attack their position, but some artillery survives the assault and continues to fire their guns.
"Fire! Fire!"
Mu 24th Army stationed at the trenches succeeds in bringing down fifty tanks, but it doesn't slow down the Gra Valkas Empire's advance in conquering Alue.
They aim at the Light Tanks and succeed in knocking out Shafer Light Tank and Stuart Light Tank. But the terror is far from over as there were additional tanks are coming to them.
"FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!"
A loud bang resounds as the large gun manifests a magnificent show of smoke. The shell flies towards the target, and it lands right at the side of Hound Medium Tank. They can saw the tank exploding because of the explosion from the artillery. The destruction briefly lifts up the morale of Arts's Artillery unit as they successfully destroy the Hound Medium Tank.
"Get the other one!"
But, another attack comes from the Gra Valkas Empire's Howitzer as some of the Artillery stationed at the Valkyries Base is now aiming its guns at Mu's Artillery Emplacement. Corpses disappear, or even a piece of it flies scattered around the initial impact of the artillery shell.
Furthermore, he saw the Gra Valkas Empire's Sherman Tank is aiming its 75mm gun at his position and fire its HE rounds to Arts Say's position.
"Agh!"
The shell land to the Artillery, and Arts Say loses consciousness.
Mu's Artillery Unit was finally destroyed after the Gra Valkas Empire hammers Mu's position with Howitzers. In exchange for the destruction of Mu's Artillery Unit, the Gra Valkas Empire lost seven hundred and fifty two soldiers, fifteen tanks, and twenty armored cars.
On this day, the defense army of Alue was annihilated, including 20 Mu Tanks, and the town has fallen to the Gra Valkas Empire. Many prisoners of war were taken, while most of them were also executed by the Imperial Forces. Those that refuse to leave Alue met a gruesome end. The Gra Valkas Empire's banner was raised in the city, expanding their territory.
The Gra Valkas Empire lost 128 tanks, 1289 infantries, 67 armored cars, and 27 aircraft, with an additional 13 aircrafts shot down by Celestina's Royal Defender Battalion. It is an acceptable loss for the higher-ups. However, for some people, such as Naguano, he found the losses were unacceptable as the Gra Valkas Empire can suffer fewer casualties. Naguano orders the front line to retrieve any operable Anti Tank gun and tank that was salvageable so that he can study it at Leifor.
Wild Dogs Mercenaries
The Wild Dogs mercenaries are infiltrating the city as the 8th Army regroups to replenish their fuel and obtain as many spoils of war as they can. The name of the Wild Dogs mercenaries comes from the chief of its mercenaries, with the code name of Wild Dog. Attached to the 9th Buster Army under Feena Minazuki's command, their job is to wreak havoc and deal as much damage to the Gra Valkas Imperial Army as possible.
"The Grand Duchess allows us to unleash our terror on them."
"So we can destroy everything?"
"Limit the civilian and collateral damage. We don't want the civilians to cry more, but we will make those soldiers cry with our terror!"
"Yes, sir!"
"We will begin the operation in daybreak."
The Wild Dogs mercenaries are taking their positions for the next day's mission. Feena wants them to delay the Gra Valkas Empire's advance, even just a day.
The 63rd Refugee Group, 40km East of Alue
"Hurry! Hurry!"
The 63rd Refugee group is the last group to depart Alue as no more civilians are willing to evacuate. Gus Amuera, the Commanding Officer of the 1st Royal Defender Battalion, leads the convoy to the forward base 60km East of Alue.
"Enemy aircraft are pursuing us!"
"We have to lose them!"
The Gatling gun fires to the incoming attack from Antares Fighter and Luna Interceptor, destroying at least two of them. Sofya initially wants to deploy the 7th Dream Sleeper Corps to evacuate the residents, but since the Mu government disapproves of it and the citizens are also at high alert, the operation was not implemented; thus, they switch to the conventional evacuation.
Pamell continues to drive and perform evasive maneuvers while avoiding every gunfire coming from Antares and Luna.
"Ah, shit! Shit! We have to make it to the command post!"
"Father! More enemy aircraft are pursuing us!"
"What!?"
More aircraft joins the pursuit, and this time, there were Sirius Bomber and Vega Bomber with them. A total of 30 aircraft join the pursuit of Mu's evacuees. They can hear the roar of the Gra Valkas Empire's Aircraft coming towards them, and the refugees are desperately trying to escape with full throttle.
"Oh, god. Please help us!"
The Gra Valkas Empire, 8th Army, 9th Strike Wing
Leesk leads the 9th Strike Wing, as their objective is to inflict as many casualties as possible. Leesk's squad were problem characters, but their skills were widely acknowledged among their peers. Since this was their first ground invasion against a modern nation since their transfer to the new world, Perth assigned them to pursue any surviving Mu civilians and soldiers who fled the town while scouting the front line ahead.
They were now 35km East of Alue, along with reinforcements of 30 Fighters and Bombers.
"Commander, what are we looking for? Can we engage those shady-looking folk without mercy?" Albesi, one of his subordinates, asks him.
"Yes. Since we have confirmed Celestina's involvement, we will engage them without mercy."
Albesi has a troublesome personality as he enjoys gunning down non-combatants with a smile as if it were a game. A sight unworthy of a proud soldier of the empire, but he has the skill where the Gra Valkas Empire needs him.
"What was that?!"
They saw a Luna Interceptor shot down by one of the refugee escorts.
"Ohoo~~ So they're trying to get away, huh? You won't get away!"
Albesi start to dive down to initiate the attack on the 63rd Refugee Convoy
Refugee Convoy, Pamell's Family
"Let me take the wheel, sir."
"This is not the best time to do it."
"Father! The aircraft is closing in!"
"Ugh… Dammit! Here! Take the wheel!"
Pamell hands the steering wheel to Gus, and once he takes the wheel and Pamell is at the passenger seat with seatbelt strapped, Gus inserts his adventurer card into the vehicle.
"Welcome, S Rank Gus Amuera. Orders?"
"I'm issuing Military Directive C-2 as the CO of the 1st Royal Defender Battalion, engine to full power."
"Confirmed. Engine switching to the military mode."
VROOOM!
"Whoa!" Pamell is surprised as the Warthog suddenly picks up the speed from 70km/h to 120km/h.
Military Directive C-2 is an authorization code for Celestina's vehicles set to the civilian mode that was currently engaging or escaping from the enemy attack. The directive allows the magic configuration to be set into a military mode for better performance.
The first strafing run fails as the Luna Interceptor surprises that the vehicle suddenly picks up speed. It raises its nose up and goes down again as the Interceptor was about to launch a second strike, followed by Albesi's Antares Fighter behind.
"Shoot! Got few rooms to maneuver!"
Just as when the Luna Interceptor is about to fire its 12.7mm machinegun, a blue arrow struck the Interceptor and Albesi's Antares, freezing it instantly and shatters as both Fighters and Interceptors crash to the ground.
"This is "Ice Maiden." We've got you covered. We will cover your escape."
"Thank you, Ma'am!"
The Warthog escapes as the Gra Valkas Empire's combat aircraft are looking for the threat that comes to them.
The Gra Valkas Empire, 9th Strike Wing
"W-what was that!?"
"Where's that attack coming from?! Did anyone see it?"
"They shoot down Albesi's plane!"
Leesk was dumbfounded as he and the other pilot saw Albesi's plane frozen and shatters as it crashes to the ground. They didn't expect to see a blue light hit Albesi's Antares and frozen all of a sudden before crashing to the ground. After the crash, Leesk and other crew check the surrounding area where the enemy fighter comes from.
"T-there!"
They saw three fighters entering the battlefield flying low as if they were crawling on the surface, flying faster than any of the empire's aircraft, and closing the distance at an unbelievable speed.
"So, it was you! All aircrafts! Fire at will! Continue the pursuit and destroy the refugee group! Fighters and Interceptors will deal with the enemy fighters!"
"Yes, sir!"
Leesk, along with nine other Antares and ten Luna Interceptors, dives down to attack.
"Ngh!"
G-Force starts to accumulate on his body as his Antares starts to dive, pushing it against the fighter's airframe. The enemy has foolishly entered the battlefield at low altitudes. In Gra Valkas Air Combat, whoever was higher in altitude has the advantage for air dogfight.
Pushing the engine to full throttle, his Antares Fighters accelerated. The sound of both engine and the fierce gust of wind interweaved, and the airframe shook violently.
"W-what?!"
"H-hey! How did they!?"
Three fighters break formation, with one of them going towards them and launching the same blue arrow that took out Albesi earlier.
"Watch out!"
The blue arrow explodes upon contact with Luna Interceptor. The explosion quickly spread the ice throughout the Interceptors, killing the engine and crashes to the ground.
Leesk and his wing abort the dive attack after a blue arrow shot down a Luna Interceptor. They're now chasing the other fighters that are flying away from them.
"Don't let them catch our bomber!"
"It's no good! They're too fast!"
The three fighters attack the Vega Twin Engine Bomber and Sirius Dive Bomber, shooting them down one after another before encircling back to attack his remaining Wing Squadron.
Leesk saw the enemy fighters' capabilities beyond their dimensions, and the performance was clearly outclassed every single of Gra Valkas Empire's proud combat aircraft. He's fully aware that this disproportion in their performance can never be filled with skill and techniques in maneuvering.
"How absurd, this monster!"
"Sir! This could be the fighter the brass was talking about!" One of his subordinates radios him once he manages to identify the enemy fighters, which houses a winged shield with staff.
"What do you mean!?"
"It's Celestina's fighter! They're here already! The specification is according to the Information Bureau intel!"
"Now that you think about it…." Leesk heard the reports that Mu suddenly receive tanks out of nowhere, but later the spy identifies that the tank Mu receive was from the Celestina Empire. If Mu hasn't received any tanks, the casualties should be minimum. "That can't be! Radio the HQ! We have to inform the HQ that Celestina is here!"
"I'm trying, but we can't use the radio!"
"Say what!?"
BOOM! BOOM!
"We lost another four aircraft!"
"We better get out of here!"
"Chief! Look out!"
"Damn it! I don't want to die here!"
The 9th Strike Wing assigned to pursue the fleeing Mu civilians from Alue was annihilated by Fighters attached to the Recon Prowler Beta Team. Ludmila Obertas, callsign "Ice Maiden," leads the attack to protect the remaining evacuees from the Gra Valkas's 9th Strike Wing.
As a result, the Gra Valkas Empire lost another 40 combat aircraft, increasing the total of aircraft lost to 70 during the Fall of Alue.
The Celestina Empire, Recon Prowler Team Beta, ISF-8
ISF-8, named Ice Star Fighter-8, is a Fighter made exclusively for Ludmila Obertas, reports back to the Headquarters at Kielseki as she returns to the Equinox, a Nova-class Prowler designed for expedition. Ludmila radio her superior, Eleonora Lisha, to report the mission.
"Command, Ice Maiden here. We've secured the last group."
"Confirmed for the report. Amuera also reports that the last group is now away to Kielseki, and the base has complete the dismantling and withdrawing as we speak."
"Roger. We will continue recon their base, Ice Maiden out."
Ludmila continues escorting Equinox to conduct a detailed reconnaissance from the air, while Cecilia and her Zealot Team will scout the surrounding area and search for a possible secret escape route. Since the base was huge, Celestina may likely expect the Gra Valkas Empire could use this base to welcome the Gra Valkas Empire's royal family members.
The reconnaissance went without a hitch and combined with the ground recon from Cecilia, they were able to identify several escape routes and start devising a plan to capture the base.
1st Royal Defender Battalion, 63rd Convoy Group
"We're in the clear. Revert the engine to civilian mode."
"Confirmed reverting to civilian mode."
The engine starts to slow down again as Gus catches up with the 63rd Convoy Group.
"Whatever happens today, we thank you for rescuing us from this predicament." Pamell expresses his thanks to Gus.
"It's our job, sir. It's too bad Mu didn't want us to conduct Operation: Sweet Dream here. If they approve it, we may be able to rescue every last one of them, including the soldiers."
"That's unfortunate, yes. But, we can't thank you enough for this."
Arriving at the rendezvous point, Gus leaves the wheel to Pamell to drive to the extraction point as he will depart with his unit once the last civilian is away.
Ninety thousand Mu Citizens have been successfully evacuated out from Alue, leaving fifty thousand Mu citizens who refuse to evacuate. The Celestina Empire transports them to Kielseki, where Celestina will provide some temporary lodging for them to stay.
Ryusei Base, Celestina Command Center
"Wild Dog. Commence the assault on the next day. Limit the collateral damage and civilian casualties."
"Understood."
Feena will wait for tomorrow's news since she wants to delay the Gra Valkas Empire's advance at least one day as Cecilia is at a finishing phase to set up an ambush at Kielseki plains.
For the Gra Valkas Empire, tomorrow, they will face one of the biggest terrors in their lifetime.