Summoning Japan: Flights of the Fancy

Chapter 14 - The Hyūga Gets Hit

The Beta formation's Antares fighters believed to have turned to cover the Grade Atlastar were engaged in combat with the wyverns of the Nigrat Union.

The Nigrat Union intercepted manacomm transmissions between the SDF, the Cartalpas Base, and the wind dragon riders. While the wyvern carrier of the Nigrat Union was pursuing the Grade Atlastar, it succeeded in relaunching the wyverns by taking advantage of the southern wind after they landed on the ship. In contrast, the Muish Marins, which had fought against the Grade Atlastar once, faced delays in aircraft maintenance, resulting in a slightly delayed launch.

The 64 wyverns of the Nigrat Union formed a formation and confronted the Antares charging at low altitude. The four Nigrat Union wyvern carriers carried 16 wyverns per ship. A normal wyvern carrier can only carry 10 to 12 wyverns. However, the newest dragon carrier brought to the venue succeeded in carrying up to 16 wyverns by putting the wyverns in hibernation during transport. In return, they can't scramble. It takes time to wake up hibernating wyverns. However, this was not necessary this time since they had already launched once.

They were highly motivated. If Japan could smackdown the enemy fighters without effort, they believed so could they. Such was their belief. They knew that the Holy Mirishial Empire's Elpacio 3 had unilaterally lost, but it was under overwhelmingly unfavorable conditions with a force ratio of 1:5. However, the current force ratio was 3:1, and moreover, Mu's planes were waiting as reinforcements. It was a sufficient condition to believe "we can win this."

"Fool. Coming all the way to invade the disadvantageous low altitude. We'll shower them with simultaneous shots of fireballs!"

Under the command of the wyvern formation leader, all 64 wyverns charged flames in their mouths. It resembled a miniature version of the Battle of Esthirant.

"Draw them in. Not yet... now!"

As they passed each other, the wyverns fired. The curtain of flames was supposed to hit the Antares fighters on a course of direct impact.

"What!?"

The riders were shocked. The Antares in front of the wyverns performed an unexpectedly steep climb. It evaded not only the fireballs but also the wyverns. The Antares fighters maintained the formation flight and executed an Immelmann turn. Before they knew it, the wyverns found themselves dominated by the Antares in the rear upper space. The tables turned in an instant.

"What kind of climbing power was that!?"

The riders were amazed. However, they couldn't afford to be amazed forever.

. . .

"The lizards seem shocked," murmured an Antares pilot while flying upside down, looking down at the enemies below. In the next moment, the Antares began a rapid descent, closing in on the wyverns.

The Gra Valkan pilots had established countermeasures against the wyverns. Simply performing horizontal maneuvers at low speed would put them at a disadvantage even against them. Against wyverns with a top speed inferior to their own, a hit-and-run tactic mixing in vertical maneuvers proved effective.

By adding the speed gained from a rapid dive to their original top speed, the Antares approached the wyverns at an unavoidable speed. They showered the wyverns with machine gun fire at a guaranteed distance, hitting or missing, and then swiftly withdrew at a speed that the wyverns couldn't catch up with. In an instant, twenty wyverns died. The initial force ratio of 3:1 had quickly shrunk to 2:1 after the first strike.

. . .

"Dammit!"

The wyvern riders gritted their teeth. They realized that Japan, which had almost perfectly shot down that thing a hundred times, was anything but normal. Unfortunately, it was too late.