Thump… thump… thump…
At the capital of Rothanrium – the main headquarters of the Harsavert intelligence force – footsteps echoed through the moss-covered black stone corridors. A young officer, his uniform soiled and sweat pouring down, rushed straight towards the high command chamber. The door swung open.
"Commander! Commander! Urgent report… the matter you assigned me to monitor… I—"
"Calm down. No one's chasing you. Drink some water, then speak." A deep, calm voice resonated from within.
Seated at a hexagonal stone table, Gonzlo Oshrela, a senior officer of Harsavert intelligence, thin yet stern, leaned on his cane, his eyes fixed on the glowing crystal map before him.
The young officer slumped to the floor, his hands trembling as he took the cup of water. "Nyxoria… they… they successfully tested a Karma-powered flying vessel! No airship! No traditional engine! It flew for… forty-two minutes! Over the Olemu sea!"
Oshrela furrowed his brow, squinting as if scrutinizing every word.
"Dismissed."
"Understood!"
Near Vang Forest, a Donlium reconnaissance squad was setting up an energy detection station. Amidst the shadowy trees, the Korbis – a Karma oscillation detection device – was emitting a blinding signal.
"That flying vessel is still moving… very fast… We can't determine precisely… but it's definitely over two hundred miles per hour!" The commanding officer tilted his head, looking at the Kobis, and shook his head. "A militarily weak country like Nyxoria… how could they have something like this?"
"Sir… if it's truly them… then they… are stronger than us…"
"What did you say?"
"N-nothing, sir!"
"Hmph. Connect immediately with Osvanke company. Send an urgent message to Tenebrae! Tell them: 'Unidentified flying object, suspected to be Nyxorian, is encroaching on southern airspace.'"
Southeast Tenebrae – Uz Coast Area
WOOSH… WOOSH… WOOSH…
OOOONG… OOOONG…
Nyxoria's Karma flying vessel was skimming the edge of the high-altitude clouds, heading towards Uz airspace.
"Report, current altitude… thirty kilometers, I am approaching the Uz coastal area."
"Activate Oversee! Check if Tenebrae is mining Zazak!"
"Understood!"
A scanning system swept around the vessel, creating a broad sensory field nearly five miles wide.
Kling… Kling…
Warning lights in the Uz coast defense control room immediately flared red. A strange Karma signal appeared on the screen.
"What is that!?"
"Warning: Unidentified Karma energy source. Entering Tenebrae airspace."
"Contact the Army! The Navy! Can anyone identify it!?"
The communication tower transmitted signals continuously, but received no response.
"Damn it!"
Kling… Klingg…
The second warning sound rang out. This time it was louder, clearer, as if wanting to break the tense atmosphere. Commander-in-Chief Gale Degirst slammed his hand on the metal table. "Activate all air defense systems! Summon the Imanium company immediately!!"
Within two minutes, four Karma Class I cannons were brought into position. Soldiers channeled Karma energy into the cannon cores. The energy discs spun, emitting a piercing screech. Kobis reported: the target was turning around, changing direction to disengage.
"Reconnaissance? Trying to escape?"
"Report! The object used Oversee, showing signs of collecting information about the Zazak mining site!"
Degirst hissed through gritted teeth, "Those bastards are snooping around the mining area!?"
Officer Ostara Dinako stepped forward, his hand on the control panel. "Requesting orders, Commander."
"Open fire."
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
The sky exploded as if struck by lightning. Karma projectiles launched at supersonic speeds, forming blinding streaks of light that tore through the clouds. Uz beach was ablaze.
In the cockpit of Nyxoria's Karma vessel, the main pilot's eyes widened. "Air defense!! Damn it!! They're reacting!!"
The warning system shrieked continuously.
"This is Nyxoria Recon! We've been detected! Encountering extremely heavy fire! Requesting rescue or extraction guidance!"
No one replied. In the distance, waves of incoming Karma artillery fired.
"INCREASE SPEED!!! Execute maneuvers and escape!!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The Tenebrae sky was alight. Four Karma cannons simultaneously opened fire from air defense towers along the Uz coast, targeting the object encroaching on their airspace. Inside the Karma flying vessel's control compartment, only the thrumming of the Mundor warning system could be heard.
"Report: we've dodged the first volley, speed is now over one hundred eighty miles."
KLING…..
A cannonball grazed the left flank of the vessel, leaving a charred crack. One wing was broken.
"Use Karma, use your Karma!"
The pilot immediately obeyed, applying Karma crystals to the broken wing and using additional Karma fuel for auxiliary thrust. The vessel pitched upwards, dodging the next two volleys.
BOOM!
Karma artillery from the Tenebrae warships fired, but it was too late. The pilot and the flying vessel had safely escaped the range of the cannons. They returned to Nyxoria and landed safely. Tenebrae suffered its greatest humiliation in two hundred years – a nation once considered to have the most advanced air defense system.
Three days after the reconnaissance mission, high-ranking Tenebrae officials demanded a proper explanation from Nyxoria, but the other side of the sea chose silence.
"Hmph, those bastards! Do they think this place is a free-for-all, to enter and leave as they please!?"
"Contact Harsavert and summon my engineers and scouts here!"
"Those Nyxoria fools dare to challenge us!?"
Four days later, a large amount of military equipment from Bakorof was transferred to Nyxoria. Aridonia and Harsavert military forces discovered this when a transport airship accidentally entered their observation airspace. Both contacted their allied nations and requested them to closely monitor their actions.
HAHAHAHAAA…
A hearty laugh echoed through a lavish mansion.
"We hit the jackpot! We hit the jackpot!!!"
"Hehehe… with this, we Bakorof will be rich!" A fat, bald man laughed heartily on a beast-skin upholstered chair. The commanders, generals, and scholars looked at him like he was a pig. He was Izinakiv Loernt, the King of Bakorof, a man whom his people viewed as a scoundrel who only cared for pleasure.
"Oh, aren't you happy!?" "This arms deal is certainly profitable for us!"
"What now!? Say something… Perosf, you speak up…!"
"If other nations find out about this…"
"Then what!?" He roared angrily.
"Our Joint Development Treaty has…"
"Silence! With the current scientific foundation, wiping them out is as easy as pie!"
He cast his anger aside, relaxed his body, and displayed a triumphant expression, relying on his weaponry. The commanders wearily exited the room…
"M-mister Torehr… do you know that old man will be furious if you do that!?"
"Tch… clear out, an idiot won't do anything to me…. Go on, hurry." Torehr Loeman suddenly stopped, spoke to a servant, then quickly left. The servant looked at him, then at the gradually opening chamber door, as a few commanders and scholars emerged together, whispering something before each went their separate way. Izinakiv continued to sing and dance in the room.