Welcome to Hell!

Chapter 164: Offshore battleship Assault – Strategy

Looking back from Niuglo Port, there, just slightly closer than the horizon, loomed a massive battleship. It was about the size of a small island and no matter how one looked at it, it was made of metal, confirming that it belonged to the Republic’s navy.

The sheer size of it was astounding, but what puzzled me was how a hulking mass of metal could stay afloat. Common sense would dictate that it should sink, but… I couldn’t fathom the logic behind it.

“If something like that’s out there, there’s no room for complacency. Asumi, do you know anything about this?”

“I don’t have a clue. I’ve never seen or heard of a battleship like that. Besides, my information is already outdated.”

“On any front, technology has made significant advancements during the war. It would be arrogant to think that progress is only from our side.”

This formidable battleship, which could easily be deemed a floating fortress, appeared to be a new construction by the Republic’s military. Just as the Coalition Army had been recycling Republic technology to develop powerful weaponry, the Republic’s military was actively developing countermeasures.

In fact, the performance of the enemy’s armor, firearms, and self-propelled artillery had undeniably improved. Soldiers enhanced by that armor moved more effectively, sometimes making close combat encounters more difficult.

However, when it came to firearms, with a demon’s regenerative abilities, injuries were not a significant concern for me. Moreover, bullets had no effect on my exoskeleton in the first place. Close combat was merely a nuisance, and the only time I felt genuinely threatened was when I faced those descendants of the gods.

Setting aside the strength of the enemy soldiers, if Asumi didn’t know, then there was no way to learn more. The Empire would undoubtedly attack that battleship, and we would have no choice but to fight as ordered.

“Hey, you demons! The strategy has been decided! Listen carefully!”

While we chatted casually, waiting outside Niuglo Port, it was that man who brought an end to our tranquil moment. A strategy… It was probably some pointless scheme. Handling demons in the Empire was rougher than on the central front.

However, we had no right to refuse. All we could do was listen obediently. Hopefully, the plan wouldn’t be too risky, but that seemed unlikely. At best, we would have to listen to this so-called plan and hope for the best.

“In three days, the imperial army will launch a full-scale attack on the battleship floating on the open sea, and we will destroy that battleship!”

Attacking the battleship seemed like the natural course of action. I had no way of knowing if the Imperial forces possessed the firepower to sink it, but they must have had some plan in mind. I didn’t delve into that topic.

However, merely attacking from the port wouldn’t be enough to sink it. If that were the case, there would be no role for us, and there would be no need to communicate the plan.

So, it was clear that we needed to get closer to the battleship from the open sea. But was that even feasible? Even from a distance, I could see countless gun emplacements, and it was hard to believe that the battleship merely had that many weapons. Approaching recklessly would likely result in us getting blasted to bits.

The Empire couldn’t possibly overlook what I could think of. How did they intend to break through that? That was the most critical part of the plan. I wanted to hear about that aspect.

“Of course, the enemy won’t be foolish. A fierce counterattack is expected. You lot will be at the forefront, boarding the battleship to prevent it.”

No way; this plan seemed impossible. In fact, he should praise me for not rejecting him reflexively. I had no idea how to overcome the expected fierce counterattack and make it to the battleship in one piece.

While it was possible for our comrades who could fly to transport us, it would severely limit our maneuverability. It was obvious that we’d become sitting ducks for the battleship’s anti-aircraft fire and getting collectively shot down was more than just a possibility.

Maybe one or two of us could manage to get on board by sheer luck, but with such a small number, it would be impossible to destroy all the battleship’s weapons. Even someone as resilient as myself would undoubtedly be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

“However, approaching from the air is difficult. Instead, you will head underwater. Fortunately, we’ve recently produced new sea demons. We’ll have them transport you in highly sealed containers.”

Oh? It seems they aren’t entirely without a plan. When he mentions sea demons, is he referring to those former pirates Marcellus spoke of? Their reputation is less than stellar, and entrusting our lives to such a bunch… the future looks bleak.

“The empire demons who can fly will launch an aerial assault alongside the Special Operations unit demons who can fly to divert the enemy’s attention from the air. Understand?”

With those words, our superior finished speaking and promptly returned to the port. Left behind, we quickly gathered to discuss our next steps. The topic, of course, revolved around the attack on the massive battleship scheduled for three days later.

“Approach from underwater, huh? Do you really think that’ll work?”

“Why not give it a shot? Marcellus mentioned that the sea demons have been sinking battleships left and right.”

“That’s precisely why they’ll come up with countermeasures. Asumi, what kind of countermeasures do you anticipate?”

While Tigar expressed optimism, I voiced an opposing opinion. Didn’t we just discuss this? Throughout this war, the coalition army and the Republic’s army had been devising countermeasures for each other’s weapons. So, wouldn’t it be safe to assume they had prepared countermeasures for an underwater assault as well?

In response to my question, Asumi placed a hand on her chin; she appeared to be deep in thought. After stating that she wasn’t an expert, she began to share her perspective.

“I’m only familiar with land-based warfare, but it wouldn’t be surprising if there were weapons like landmines underwater. Floating in the sea, they might be contact-triggered explosive devices.”

“Ew! I’d rather not become fish food without being able to do anything.” Linardo said.

“Don’t forget, Linardo. I’m not a researcher; I was just a soldier like you. They could have developed even more advanced weapons.” Asumi added.

Weapons that exploded underwater… just the thought of them spelled danger. If there were such bombs, we’d have to approach the battleship while avoiding them.

But as Asumi had pointed out, there might be weapons with capabilities beyond her expectations. In that case, the importance of the sea demons who would be towing our transport containers had increased significantly.

“The biggest issue is that we can’t trust those sea demons who are supposed to transport us.”

“Even Marcellus has had his hands full with them, right?”

“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it. Just ignore whatever they say,” Linardo casually responded.

Linardo’s nonchalant attitude was surprising to me. It wasn’t because he lacked patience or had a quick temper; it was because there was one thing he would never tolerate.

“…What if they insulted your wife or child?” I asked.

“”I’d slaughter them!””

“You yourself can’t just ignore them.”

Both Linardo and Tigar voiced their concerns simultaneously. These two held their families in high regard, so it was obvious that they would react with anger if their loved ones were disparaged.

If they were subjected to crude insults, it could easily escalate into a violent confrontation. While they would obey orders if given, it was equally certain that they would make every effort to quash any insults in the absence of such commands. All I could do was hope that it wouldn’t come to that.

“Dealing with the sea may be difficult, but the skies are no cakewalk either. Those aerial combat units have a grudge against us.” Mika said.

“Flying and fighting through the sky while using spiritual arts is quite a specialized skill. It probably doesn’t sit well with them that we’ve become capable of it just by becoming demons. We didn’t choose to become demons willingly…” Farl added.

Farl let out a tired sigh. Demons like her and Mika, who were synthesized with creatures possessing wings, had the ability to soar through the sky. Consequently, they had been involved in numerous operations where they attacked from the air alongside aerial combat units or squads comprised solely of flying demons.

However, the aerial combat units harbored strong resentment towards us, or more precisely, towards demons capable of flight. There was only one reason for this: they were jealous.

As Mika rightly pointed out, engaging in aerial combat using spiritual arts was quite difficult. While I could create sand platforms to hover in the air, my maneuverability in the sky was nowhere near as good as on the ground.

However, Farl and the others possessed the ability to fly with agility comparable to, if not surpassing, the aerial combat units. Those who had acquired specialized skills through rigorous training could hardly be matched by individuals who had simply become winged demons. It was understandable that members of the aerial combat units would feel some jealousy.

Nevertheless, their envy was unjust from our perspective. None of us had chosen to become demons willingly, and when it came to flight, we had to struggle until we were able to fly unless we were demons like Farl and others created by Orvo.

Unlike Orvo, who selected creatures to synthesize based on their individual characteristics and constitution, Karelvo prioritized efficiency and often disregarded the person’s inherent qualities during the synthesis process. This approach meant that it took a considerable amount of time for demons made by Karelvo to grasp the sensation of flying. Being a demon came with its own set of difficulties.

“If they envy us so much, why don’t they become demons themselves? If you don’t like that idea, then don’t complain.”

“That’s true, but it’s difficult to suppress your emotions. Just like you guys did a moment ago.”

“”Ugh!””

“While our source of unease may never disappear, sadly, that’s the way it always is. Everyone, we will all survive.”

“””Ou!”””

In truth, there had never been a time when we embarked on a mission without some source of unease. Therefore, what mattered most was ensuring our survival. As usual, I concluded, and the discussion came to an end.

***********

TN: Keep in mind that while Mika was indeed synthesized by Karelvo, the latter actually made the synthesis using Orvo’s method. He chose a good beast for Mika which if you forgot is a giant bat.