The battleship's guns slowly turned toward their target—KABOOM! A loud volley echoed across the sea, that created shockwaves to the side of the ship.
FWOOOOSH–BOOM! The shells slammed into wooden enemy ships, tearing them apart in bursts of fire and smoke. Some ships were even lifted out of the water before breaking apart and sinking.
Above the chaos, WHOOOOSH! Jets streaked across the bright blue sky, weaving between enemy knights riding wyverns. BIBIBIP! The cockpit alarm screamed.
"Firing!" the pilot shouted, pulling the trigger.
The jet's gun roared—BRRRT!—spitting fire and metal. One of the Dragon Knight vanished in an explosion, his wyvern spinning out of control and crashing into the burning sea below.
Below him stretched the might of the Global Peace and Security Coalition's Battle Group Hades—three modern battleships, two carriers, a dozen destroyers, and their escorts. Their gray hulls cut through the ocean, sunlight flashing across their decks.
"Enemy fleet detected, bearing zero-eight-five," a voice echoed across the command bridge of the flagship G.P.S.C. Leviathan.
Admiral Harris stood near the bridge windows, hands behind his back. His eyes narrowed at the distant horizon, where dozens of white sails gleamed in the sunlight—sixty ships, wooden hulls and canvas masts, all charging toward them.It looked like something out of an old painting… yet it was real.
"Range?" he asked.
"Fifteen kilometers and closing. Their armaments are—primitive gunpowder types," the operator replied.
Harris raised an eyebrow. "Good luck penetrating armor with that,"
Outside, the Leviathan's massive turrets began to turn. The deep hum of servos filled the air as the barrels locked on target. Harris gave a single command.
"Open fire."
KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM! The calm sea erupted in thunder. Dozens of shells tore through the air, trailing smoke and flame before smashing into the enemy fleet. Wooden ships burst apart under the impact, scattering debris and bodies across the water.
The other ships in the battlegroup continued there bombardment following Leviathan's lead.
From the enemy flagship Solaris, Admiral Rourke of the Eastern Alliance gripped the rail as shockwaves rocked his deck.
"What in the goddess's name was that!?" he shouted.
"C-Captain! Their range is too far! Our cannons can't even reach them!" an officer stammered, panic in his voice.
Rourke's jaw tightened. Ahead, the ocean was on fire. Ships were being ripped apart one after another.
"Don't panic!" he barked.
"Form the line! Fire everything!"
Cannons thundered across the fleet, thick smoke covering the decks. Iron balls flew through the sunlight—most fell short, splashing harmlessly into the sea. A few lucky shots bounced off the GPSC ships armored hull without leaving a scratch.
On the Leviathan bridge, no one even flinched.
"Enemy return fire ineffective," an operator reported flatly.
"Continue bombardment," Harris ordered. "No ship escapes."
The fleet's guns answered with another deafening volley.From the skies, the pilot known as Ghost One watched the dozen explosions spread like wildfire across the sea. It wasn't a battle anymore—it was a massacre.
He switched to attack mode and dove low, the jet engines howling.
"Fox One!"
Two missiles streaked from his wings, curving toward a cluster of wyverns. They exploded midair, scattering wings and fire in every direction. The sky lit up in bursts of orange and black.
Back on the Solaris, chaos ruled. Men screamed as another blast ripped through the port side. The ship beside them vanished in a wall of flame. Even as the deck tilted under him, Rourke refused to retreat.
"Activate the shield! Now!"
A faint hum echoed through the ship as a blue energy dome formed around the Solaris, shimmering under the sunlight. For a brief moment, hope flickered in Rourke's chest.
Then the next shell hit.
BOOM! The shield rippled.
BOOM! Cracks spread like spiderwebs.
BOOM! It shattered completely.
The final round punched through the deck, setting off the ship's flamethrower crystal. The explosion ripped through the hull, sending fire and debris high into the air. Men leapt overboard as the Solaris burned from bow to stern.
From the Leviathan's bridge, Harris watched the enemy flagship erupt in flames.
"That must've been their command ship," he said quietly.
"All ships, cease fire."
One by one, the thunder of guns faded away. Only the sound of burning wood and crashing waves remained. The sea, once alive with chaos, fell completely silent.
High above, Ghost One made another pass. What had been a grand fleet minutes ago was now nothing but wreckage and fire. The ocean below was red and black—oil, blood, and smoke twisting together under the sun.
"Command," Ghost One said softly into his radio, "no more hostiles detected. The sea is clear."
Static filled the channel for a few seconds before a calm voice replied,
"Understood, Ghost One. Return to carrier. Mission complete."
He pulled back on the stick, climbing higher into the sky. Below him, the shattered remains of masts and sails drifted aimlessly across the waves. The once-proud fleet that had charged with courage and faith was gone—erased in minutes by weapons they could never understand.
No cheers came from the radio. No victory calls.Only silence.
The battle was over before it even began.
And as the smoke thinned and sunlight returned to the calm blue sea, the Battle Group pressed onward—toward an unknown world that still didn't know they had arrived.