Celestina Shoukan

Chapter 52 - Destruction of the Zeroth Fleet

Central World, Holy Milishial Empire, Western Island, Zeroth Fleet, 19th April 1527 / 228

Above decks, the warning alarm wailed in the middle of the fleet's training. They had detected an unknown fleet closing in on their position, so everyone hurried to prepare for combat.

"The unknown fleet is accelerating; they're now traveling at 30.5 knots."

"No magic power detected in the sky."

"Support has been requested from our air force currently stationed in the islands. We can only rely on forces already here, so just twenty-five friendly aircraft. They'll arrive over the fleet in fifteen minutes."

Reports came in one after another to Fleet Commander Ultema on board the 0th Fleet's flagship, the Mithril-class battleship Eckes. He turned to speak to the ship's captain, Infere, standing next to him.

"What do you think?"

It was a curt question, which held the meaning just give it to me straight.

"Yes, sir. We believe that this fleet of unknown origins belongs to the Gra Valkas Empire. While there are only two warships, they're traveling at 30.5 knots, a speed we had trouble believing from the report. Clearly, they are much stronger than Mu. On our side, we have three newly-produced warships, ones that are not at all worse than Mu's mechanically-driven ships. If there is one point of concern, it's that if the enemy also has mechanical aircraft, then a vehicle like that with only a single person on board will not appear on the magic detector until it gets very close, which is troubling. We are at a disadvantage when the enemy's planes can easily communicate with their fleet."

On the horizon, which has a distance of over fifty kilometers, they could already see clouds of smoke coming from the enemy's ships.

"Look at them, spewing all that garbage into the air; not even a speck of elegance. How pitiful. Those barbarians from outside the civilized areas defeated Leifor, and now they've grown overconfident. It's one thing to beat their chests in front of other countries in a show of strength. Another is to launch a surprise attack on the strongest country in the world, the Holy Milishial Empire... not only that, but they're attacking the Zeroth Magic Fleet, where we have all the most advanced ships; they're really asking for it. We may even trounce them untouched. Sink all of their ships, and they can all be shark bait!!!"

Fleet Commander Ultema blazed with determination to face the unknown fleet.

The Gra Valkas Empire, Imperial Judgment Force

In order to launch an attack on the self-proclaimed "strongest in the world," the Holy Mirishial Empire's 0th Magic Fleet, the Gra Valkas Empire's judgment force, traveled south. Reducing the distance to the enemy fleet down to 50 km, the morale of the crew was flying high. There were two high-speed battleships, three heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and five destroyers, a total of twelve ships ripping through the seas, swaths of dark black smoke belching out of their funnels, aiming straight for their victims. As a group, they blew through the water at 30.5 knots (56 km/h), an incredible speed that would floor any native resident of this world.

Within the flagship, the galaxy-class battleship Betel, Fleet Commander Artemis and Captain Beegel stood side by side, conversing.

"The enemy severely outnumbers us. Can we win?"

"We're picking a fight with the so-called 'strongest fleet in the world.' Based on our intel, our ships will not fall behind in terms of firepower. With only this much military strength, after we crush them, there will be nothing else in this world that could possibly match up to us. Despite them being our first opponents here, and knowing I have no basis for such a statement, that is still how I truly feel."