| 008 | Port of Dawn's Expansion

In the Fleet Admiral's office was Abraham resting on his extravagant office chair. The morning training took its toll on his body. It kept aching as though a car hit it head-on and threw it on the sidewalk.

But it was a lot better than his situation a couple of hours ago. After the grueling training, he could barely move his body and almost lost consciousness.

It was a bit embarrassing, especially when he was the Fleet Admiral of the United Navy. Nevertheless, Abraham didn't regret the training he went through. Especially when it made him understand something vital about his body.

It was the ability of indefinite recovery.

Indefinite recovery was the reason why he felt revitalized when he woke up in the middle of nowhere. Instead of feeling weak, he felt energetic. 

According to Systema, indefinite recovery will help him regenerate his body limitlessly without any disgruntling side effects such as cell degeneration.

Of course, it wasn't without a price for every action that needs energy.

Indefinite recovery needed him to eat a lot of food, about 5 kilograms worth of meals in one go. Naturally, this would be under the pretext of getting recovered from an injury.

If he trained until his bones break and his muscles tear, this would be the price of recovery. It was a small price to pay as he could accelerate his regeneration so that it wouldn't take weeks for him to recover.

Like now, it only takes several hours before Abraham completely recovers.

It was an overpowered ability for a normal human like Abraham. It also gave him the opportunity to train without worrying about breaking his body into bits. 

With indefinite recovery, he could practically train until the end of time and transcend the limits of humans. 

But that was for the future. 

For now, going through some hellish training and managing the United Navy was his priority.

"Though… I regret getting help from the 2nd Lieutenant. If not for my indefinite recovery, I would have been in bed for a number of days." Abraham wryly smiled and went through the files on his table.

It was afternoon and various things had happened throughout the Port of Dawn in the duration of the United Navy's second day.

Most of the reports in the files were primarily about the stabilization of the manufacturing sector and the recording of the port's logistics. 

According to the paper, the materials in the warehouses of the port could barely last the United Navy a month. After that, the Navy will be facing a shortage of countless materials.

With this in mind, they planned to accelerate the plan to acquire resource collection points throughout the island.

"They want to send research teams to several locations of interest. Of course, to safely tread the island, they need the assistance of the marines." 

Since the Marines weren't deployed at the moment, it was the best opportunity for them to be used. So, Abraham didn't hesitate and sign his signature in the document.

Tomorrow, the mission will begin.

Abraham thought about the mission and felt that they needed to prepare a lot. They must not underestimate the sea and the land of this new world. Especially when they had little to no information about it.

"It looks like I'll have to add some requirements to the mission." Abraham furrowed his eyebrows as the safety of his personnel was the number one priority. 

He had no idea about how to acquire them without summoning a ship or constructing a port. Even when he asked Systema yesterday, the same answer appeared.

Abraham must summon a ship or construct a port to receive personnel. It was a bit disappointing, but it was manageable for someone like him.

'I can't believe I am getting accustomed to the position of Fleet Admiral.' Abraham shook his head and felt a bit of pride from his unexpected management skills.

Perhaps, ordering your teammates during an important match of a game had its own effects on him. 

Anyhow, Abraham started writing the requirements of the mission in the file and went along with various options. The requirement was that the task force must be transported through helicopters.

Spoken helicopters must be armed for combat, and the same could be said with the task force. Attack helicopters will be on standby for reinforcements, and the task force must not spend more than four or five hours in the locations of interest.

Abraham's requirement was simple. It didn't ask much and merely warranted the existence of extra security and caution.

Now that the requirement has been set. He looked forward to the mission that would be done tomorrow. This would be an interesting one for sure.

But he hoped that it wouldn't be too problematic for the United Navy to deal with.

――<● >――

A night passed, and the radiant morning followed. The golden sun rose from the lines of the boundless horizon, bringing about a new day to those below the azure heavens.

In the defense sector of the Port of Dawn, were four UH-60M Black Hawks within its airstrips. Various maintenance workers and engineers were preparing the transport helicopters to be deployed into the field.

Meanwhile, in a small building beside the airstrip were the personnel who would be undertaking the task under the orders of the Fleet Admiral and Lieutenant Commander Morgen.

There were marines of the UNS Light Bringer in the building while there were various expeditionary research personnel that would be divided into teams.

"That is all you need to do for the task's completion."

Inside the debriefing room was 2nd Lieutenant Campbell. He was assigned as the field leader of the small task force. The debriefing mostly consisted of warnings and what was needed to do when something unexpected happened.

There was also a time limit of 5 hours in the field, so the expeditionary research teams must not waste their time when examining the locations of interest.

But what were the locations of interest? Well, there were two locations of interest that were the primary goal of the mission. 

It was the northern plateau of the island that might have rich deposits of mineral, and the suspected oil field in the eastern grassland. That's right, the island was big.

Exploration had been done since day one and the island has an approximate area of a quarter of Britain. It was massive, so it might take time for the Port of Dawn to have complete influence over the island.

At any rate, after the debriefing of Campbell, it was time for the mission to officially begin.

The marines packed their military bags, and the research personnel equipped themselves with their briefcase where sensitive equipment was held.

They soon got out of the building and immediately heard the roars of the helicopter's propellers. The Black Hawks were ready to go with its armaments and ordnance armed.

One after another, the personnel of the expeditionary research teams entered the transport helicopters. The last to step in were the marines who kept the doors wide open.

With the Black Hawks fully loaded, it was time for them to lift off. 

*This is Delta 1-2, Ready!*

*Delta 1-1, Ready!*

*Delta 1-3, Ready!*

*Delta 1-4, Ready to go!*

*This is DATC, Birds are clear to go!*

Following the confirmation of the Port of Dawn's Air Traffic Control Tower, the transport helicopters lifted themselves from the ground and hovered in the airstrip.

Dust shrouded the surroundings of the airstrips as thunderous applause of the propellers resounded throughout the skies and the ground below it.

When the Black Hawks were up in the air, they slowly pointed themselves towards their destinations.

The transport helicopters were in an echelon-right formation as they began to fly through the heavens, heading to their designated landing points.

While the Black Hawks flew onward into the skies, the marines calmly observed the surrounding forest and hills of the island. 

With rifles in their arms and a pair of shades covering their eyes, it was reminiscent of the war they had fought before getting transported into the new world. 

Ironically, their target was an oil field and mineral deposits.

2nd Lieutenant Campbell, who was in Delta 1-1, gazed at the dense evergreen forest. He remembered the words of the Fleet Admiral before debriefing the task force personnel.

"2nd Lieutenant, be careful in the operation and never let your guard down. This island is not what it seems, and we humans are far from its complete dominator. So, I implore you to be careful until we become the island's apex."

Campbell understood the words of the Fleet Admiral. A new world meant new things. As they had little to no information, they had to be cautious when undertaking missions.

The personnel of the United Navy cannot be replaced. They had no boot camps where new marines, infantry soldiers, sailors, or military personnel could be trained.

With this in mind, every personnel was a resource, which must be what the Fleet Admiral was trying to say. This was why the rumored maritime-security mission had an entire duration of a week to prepare.

'I mustn't let my guard down.' Campbell thought to himself with his eyebrows furrowed. He looked at the rusting trees and gripped his rifle tightly.

The success of this mission was paramount to the United Navy's future. And they must secure it with caution and efficiency.

*Delta 1-3, Delta 1-4, we will be breaking formation, Over!*

*This is Delta 1-3, Roger!*

*Delta 1-4, Roger!*

The four Black Hawks separated into their respective two groups with one heading towards the northern plateau while the other headed to the eastern grassland.

As the separation of the task force had been done, it was finally time for the first stages of the mission to start.

Delta 1-1 and Delta 1-2 were headed towards the northern plateau. Campbell took notice of the rigid terrain slowly covering his sight. They were about to enter the mountainous area of the island. 

It took several minutes before the two Black Hawks arrived at their landing points. As the transport helicopters hovered from the stone ground, they slowly descended from the skies.

When the Black Hawks were a foot away from below, the marines swiftly descended and created a defensive position.