Chapter 96: | 096 | War For Liberation Part 15: Spear of Longinus
On the southwestern shores of the plantation colony, Servusarator. The Combined-Offensive Fleet of the United Navy, Spear of Longinus, found themselves adrift with the tide as their capital ship, Trinity of Solace, laid waste to the unshielded western fortress.
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
Inside the bridge of the modernized battleship, Trinity of Solace. Abrahan observed his naval guns firing at the western fortification, bombarding it to bits.
"It took some time, but we finally arrived." The fleet admiral of the United Navy muttered under his breath as he watched the devastation his warship brought to the fortress.
"A lot earlier than expected, Fleet Admiral." Beside him was a gorgeous lady with silver-blond hair. With ashen irises that seemed cold and aloof, the lady watched the devastation with an uncaring gaze.
She was the only vice admiral of the fleet, Vice Admiral Charlotte.
Her words about being early were somewhat correct. The landing was scheduled for noon, 12 hours after Operation Phantom Liberation began.
But unexpectedly, the situation in the field escalated faster than expected so the fleet had to assist their infiltrators before the reinforcing battleships of Principatus Humanum made their landfall.
And from the looks of it, they were faster than their adversaries.
"What can we do about it? Our task forces were so good at their job that we needed to adapt to their breathtaking speed." Abraham slightly smirked while glancing at Charlotte, who was beside him.
The Alpha, Bravo, and Special Task Forces were practically blitzing through the island at remarkable speed.
The Bravo Vanguard Task Force took the eastern side of the island with some assistance from the Special Task Force, while the Alpha Vanguard Task Force liberated the central part to the west of the island.
With the intelligence gained by the Alpha Vanguard Task Force, they were able to locate the manor of the colonial governor, prompting the official mission of the Special Task Force to start.
It also didn't take long before the Special Task Force took over the manor and captured the governor alive.
Since the beginning of the mission, Operation Phantom Liberation was riddled with success which took the vice admiral and fleet admiral by surprise.
As their task forces were causing a lot of noise and chaos on the island, they understood that it wouldn't take long before the reinforcements from the Principatus Humanum arrived.
So, they had to conclude their preparation as quickly as possible to give assistance to the forces in the field.
"They did complete their missions faster than expected…" Charlotte softly uttered as she watched the combined-offensive fleet, Spear of Longinus.
It consisted of several Admiral-Gorshkov Class Frigates, an Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyer, a San-Antonio Class Amphibious Transport Dock, and finally, a Modernized-Iowa Battleship.
Their grand fleet was far from complete, but its naval power was unparalleled in the high waters of the Ferus Sea. It was their shield and sword against anything or anyone in this foreign world.
But before Charlotte could continue with her silent thoughts, Abraham beside her inquired something about Operation Phantom Liberation.
"Charlotte, has the UNS Guardian of the High Seas made its position near the shore?" He calmly questioned the vice admiral.
Charlotte looked at him for a second before answering with an aloof voice.
"The UNS Guardian of the High Seas has been reported to be a click away from the shores of Point A. It shouldn't take long until we begin the beach landing."
Hearing the vice admiral's explanation, Fleet Admiral Abraham Shepherd nodded in satisfaction. He then turned his gaze to the beach in front of the western fortress.
They were lucky that these guys hadn't placed any mines on their shores. Otherwise, a landing would have been troublesome for the United Navy.
Well, it's like no problem couldn't be solved with air power.
'Wait… Now that I think about it. What about their air power?' A thought emerged inside the mind of Abraham. And it was none other than the subject of the wyverns.
"Vice Admiral Charlotte? What is the status of their air force?" Abraham questioned Charlotte as he wondered about the current situation of the wyverns.
"Destroyed, Sir. The air force of this island has been utterly destroyed." Charlotte gave a cold answer to the fleet admiral before continuing with her words.
"A couple of hours ago, Bravo Vanguard Task Force took their time In destroying various nests of the wyverns. Barracks in the east containing wyvern riders have also been devastated beyond relief."
"It was one of their duties to cripple the air force of this colony. And they had done a good job doing so." The vice admiral ended her explanation with a slight grin.
Meanwhile, a click away from the shores of the western fortress. The UNS Guardian of the High Seas opened its stern. The last phase of Operation Phantom Liberation was finally about to start.
It was time for the beach landing.
As the stern of the amphibious transport dock fully opened, LCACs began escaping the metallic confines of the warship. Each air-cushioned landing craft was transporting one M1A2 Abrams Tank and two platoons of Marines.
Following the LCACs were a dozen Amphibious Assault Vehicles carrying a squad of 12 Marines each. This meant that the beach landing operation had over a hundred Marines participating in it.
But the landing didn't simply stop in the sea.
In the flight deck of the LPD, two Ospreys were about to launch themselves from the warship. Each Osprey was carrying two squads of Marines to create a forward task force deep into the western shores of Point A.
Their propellers resounded throughout the air as they propelled their metallic bodies to the heavens. Afterward, they pointed their nose toward the landing zone and swiftly flew toward it.
Back to the flight deck of the UNS Guardian of the High Seas, another Osprey got pulled out of the hangar deck. It was slowly tugged into the flight deck and was rapidly checked by various engineers.
After checking the Osprey which didn't take a minute. The engineers gave a go to the aviation officers, prompting the next two squads of Marines to get ready.
The preparation was quick as it didn't take long before the two squads of Marines were sent to enter the Osprey. The pilot of the bird glanced at the Marines behind him and called the air control for the upcoming flight.
The air control immediately responded and the osprey was cleared for flight.
After the squads of Marines got themselves seated in the bird, the propellers of the aircraft started rotating. Each clap echoed in the metallic interior of the aircraft as it trembled.
The Osprey then lifted off the flight deck and followed the trajectory of the first two Ospreys. The Marines inside the bird watched through the windows as the tides of the seas surged into the shore.
Beside its tides were various amphibious vehicles of the United Navy engaging in a beach landing.
Luckily for them though, the western fortress was already pummeled to the ground. Their adversaries couldn't mount an effective defense against their beach landing, resulting in no casualties upon landfall.
But things were different in the forward task force sent by the United Navy.
*Bang!* *BBBRRrrrrtttt!* *Bang!* *Bang!*
In the metallic interiors of the Osprey, the Marines could hear gunfire echoing throughout the heavens and the earth. As they observed through the window, they could see an army of men trying to destroy the forward task force.
Arrows were shot everywhere along with screams. There were also some guards operating flintlocks, but they weren't that much different from the archers with them.
The Osprey landed in the field where the forward defensive task force was erected. Their job was to halt anything and anyone from moving into the shore so that none of their arriving brothers would be killed before getting out of their amphibious vehicles.
*BOOM!!!*
An explosion resounded as the Marines got out of the Osprey. They immediately got into position as the commanding officer of the forward task force stood in front of them.
He was a lieutenant colonel and was of higher rank than anyone in the field surrounding them.
"The guards of the western fortification are deserting from their positions, but they are converging to our current location to mount an attack against the shoreline."
"Although the effectiveness of their assault on the beach can be questioned, it is our job as the forward task force to keep them at bay. Many more of your colleagues are fighting off these crazy bastards, so help them!"
The lieutenant colonel shouted at the newly arrived Marines, who nodded in understanding upon hearing his orders. They swiftly positioned themselves to assist their brothers in the defensive effort.
Since the third Osprey had landed into their position, the first one lifted off and returned to the UNS Guardian of the High Seas to pick up more Marines.
Ten minutes later, the second one followed.
*BBBRRRrrrrrtttt!*
The Marines kept firing at the incoming crazed guards. Despite deserters of their fortress, these maddened guards seemed uncaring for their lives. They were akin to possessed monsters who only knew how to destroy.
Obviously, there was something wrong about the situation the forward task force found itself in. Perhaps, a mystical phenomenon was at play.
Meanwhile… Dozens of kilometers away from the forward task force, a dark-cloaked figure stood in silence, observing the situation from afar. His spell had worked and maddened the surviving guards to attack their invaders.
But it was fairly clear that these guards were ineffective.
Though… He already bought time for the Principatus Humanum to have a chance to reclaim the island.
"Hmm… I wonder if I should summon my golems?"