Chapter 45 Military operation in Esdos and First encounter

Jin POV

Jin was currently on the aircraft carrier 'Ardio' in the war room, where he was talking to the admiral and the commander of the 8th legion, whom he would be taking command from.

"So, we're using the new generation of fighters and bombers currently on standby on the deck of the carrier?" Jin said with a slight smile. Since the Emperor couldn't use them on Pangea, he decided to deploy them on a distant continent.

"Yes, we have tested them and they are ready for combat. Right now, it's just about seeing their effectiveness," the admiral responded.

"Us, the 8th legion, have been given new weaponry to test out, soon to be given to the other legions," added the general of the 8th legion.

"What are the new weapons?" Jin asked, as he had sometimes been oblivious to the new developments in weaponry.

"Well, we have new tanks called Drasirain Type 1. They have a top speed of 120 km, their tracks can switch to any type of terrain, and their fuel tanks can last for 5 days, and for emergencies, 7. They are also outfitted with magi crystals to power up the basics and switch from engine to magic engine if the engine runs out of fuel. They're operated by a crew of four: a tank commander, a driver, a mechanic/loader, and a detector," explained the general, with a hint of pride.

"How many shells are they given?" Jin inquired.

"Around 90, since the majority are stored in a magical bag, and most are multi-purpose shells; just needed to switch the cap for whichever shell is needed."

Jin nodded, and the general continued.

"As for the infantry vehicles, they have been given an upgrade too. We have a scout car called 'Hawk,' which has a drone and is one-time use, made out of cheaper materials. It can carry 15 personnel. Then, there's the infantry fighting vehicle, called 'Striker,' capable of entering heavy warzones and staying intact if anything below Duke class attacks its armor. It can carry 30 men. Lastly, the trucks have been given slight upgrades, like places for the driver to sleep and more room for supplies and ammunition."

"How many personnel have we brought?" Jin inquired.

"100,000, the entire 8th legion. But since we need a vanguard, the 3rd Marine Brigade of the 8th Battle Fleet will take that role, followed by us," the general replied with a bit of embarrassment.

"Alright, we will begin our objectives for this campaign in a place on the continent we shall call Erdos. It's a supercontinent quite hidden from the world, and only our empire is able to enter this supercontinent. Our first objective-" Jin pressed a button, and a 3D model appeared on the TV screen in front of them.

"We are currently 100 km away from the nearest port, a suitable target for our first territory in this continent. At the exact time that the Queen of Valyria and her army cross the border, we will start the invasion and capture the port, which is 3 days from now," Jin said, pointing at the screen. The commanders and officers took notes, knowing this was their first conflict in another continent, far from home, and reinforcements would take a while.

"Since the new upgrades of the army have been implemented and new armor types like Draconic armor, but this nation will be a challenge. I've tested and gotten results that their weapons can combat the anti-magic, but that is due to a special type of steel, the name of which is unknown to me. So, we shall call it 'Valyrian steel.' It can withstand the anti-magic bullets we have, but with a few dozen more shots, we could kill them." Soon the projector changed.

"Next objective is expanding our territory within 2 days. After expanding, we have 1 week of consolidation. I will station 40k soldiers to garrison the lands conquered and establish order, and the rest will march with me, either witnessing or joining the battle when her army clashes with the so-called Demon King of this continent. Plus, it's a great show," Jin continued.

"Excuse me, but what is the role of the navy and the air force in this?" asked the admiral, knowing their roles.

"Well, the first objective is simple; your ships will provide saturation bombardment on the port city. For the second objective, air support and further air combat operations into Erdos. The Special Forces unit, 'Firefly,' will attack the industries of both enemy parties, the Demon King's and Valyria's."

Everyone finished jotting down notes.

"By tomorrow, at 0400 hours in the morning, we strike and begin combat operations. Have the men sleep early; prepare for war! Glory to the Empire!" Jin finished, saluting with a raised fist to the air, which everyone followed suit.

"Glory to the Empire!"

Jin left the war room, heading to the deck of the carrier, or to be exact, the railings overlooking the deck, where the jet-powered aircraft were being launched and the new catapult system that Alex developed was being tested.

"Sir, are you still thinking about the argument you had with her?" one of the agents Jin had been working with since his deployment asked.

"Somewhat," Jin lightly muttered, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, taking a deep drag. He turned to his colleague and spoke.

"We had the biggest argument, and she put forward her revenge over the people. So, I decided to take her territory and force her and that blasted Demon King to sign a treaty that will create a demilitarized zone," Jin said as he looked further over the night sky; the line of warships and troopships were lit up, and some soldiers were cleaning their weapons.

"You know her stubborn nature of not admitting defeat," he said, as he gazed over the horizon. Before the battle, he would order the planes to devastate her cities.

That night

Erik the Red POV

He was riding on a gunboat, with a dozen berserker knights behind him, heading for one of the islands of the Mystara Archipelago. The location was the place where the remaining neutral party faction members were staying, and he needed to negotiate with them.

"Sir, we're entering the fog in 15 minutes," said the captain of the gunboat, looking at the wall of fog enveloping the island.

"Alright, maintain speed, and order our men to secure the perimeters," Erik spoke, as he turned to one of his men and nodded. They entered the fog, and all of them stood in their positions, looking around. They saw some shipwrecks and bodies floating.

"They are from both light and dark factions," said one of the soldiers on the railing as they could see some banners floating.

"Sir, we are nearing an island, and it's almost larger than an island, like a mini-continent," said the captain of the ship, relaying the findings of the radar man. As they approached, they saw a bunch of people on ships made of unknown material.

SWOOOSH!

Soon, a spear came darting towards them fast. In a split second, Erik placed one foot behind, and the spear went past him. He grabbed the edge before it hit the deck of the gunboat, spun the spear, and aimed the tip back at the ship. He threw it back, and after that short exchange, the spear collided with the ship's deck, tearing it apart. Erik heard screams of pain and some shouts.

"Launch the flare that Lino gave us," he ordered one of his men, and they followed suit as they fired a flare. It lit up the sky as a magic formation turned into the banner of Lino's house.

"We are representatives of the Draconian Empire! Sir Lino has already informed you!" Erik shouted, and his voice reverberated through the surroundings.

Soon, he heard footsteps, and the lead ship that was damaged approached. A lady with black hair and black eyes, wearing silver armor covered in magic inscriptions, carrying the spear that Erik threw back, gazed down at the gunboat, mainly focusing on Erik.

"We have been waiting, and sorry for that sudden attack. We have been dealing with scout ships from the two warring factions for the past few months," she grumbled and looked down.

"Please follow us; we have already a place for your ship to dock," she said as she shouted to her people to fix the damage done to the ship.

After a few minutes, they began heading to the nearby port, and after a few more hours, they arrived at the large port where he saw dozens of people and armed guards waiting on the dock.

"Be ready," he whispered to the men, who were already on edge, even with the anti-magic armor; they might have a hard time.

"Greetings, the representatives of the Draconian Empire," said one of the people of the neutral faction.

"Then let's settle formalities and get straight to the point," Erik said as he looked around.

And soon, they were led to a small hill overlooking the bay and the wall of fog. They arrived where a large wooden table was placed along with a dozen chairs. Erik sat down, and his soldiers stood behind.

"So, let's begin. His Majesty the Emperor would like to assist you in gaining control over the islands and creating balance," Erik said as he observed their reactions.

"Why would he assist us in this? We just want peace," the woman said with a slight scowl.

"Yes, he also wants peace, but he does not want to see more bloodshed across beyond the islands and the archipelago. He wishes to involve my legion to assist you guys in combat operations and material support."

"So, the Emperor of the Draconian Empire wants our land?" she spoke as if it was obvious.

"Yes, you can say that. But he wants to establish a proper system of magic, and he shall be crowned the Magic Emperor. Sir Lino will be crowned the first Wizard King and the Mage King; it's reserved for now since no one can be considered."

"And what are the requirements for being the first Mage King?" she asked, as if interested in that position.

"Well, first, they must be exceptional at combat and can cast multiple attack spells. They must be on a level that can rival the Emperor, who is a god," he said.

Soon, both parties began discussing the plans, and the Empire planned an intervention once the Chronos war is over.

To be continued