Lord of Training - Chapter 41
Only Krnovel
41. We go to the capital.
41. Go to the capital.
Rattling! Rattling! Rattling!
I try to sleep on the icy floor of the bomber.
My body is tired, but I can’t fall asleep.
A squadron of Atlantean bombers took off late at night.
It was not until dawn the next day that we were flying over the Tafeld territory.
And now we are about to cross the border.
‘Will I be subjected to the same operation?’
The distance from the Atlan Enfle airfield to the enemy airfield at Glagos Base was the same as the distance from Johnston Airfield to the barrier.
It was the same situation, I was running out of magic batteries to return to Enple Territory again.
The difference was that our bombers could land not in enemy territory, but in the wide fields of the nearby Havelock Territory.
“Commander!”
The one who called me was Ensign Herman, who was sitting across from me.
“why?”
“Look out the window. The 7th Mobile Corps’ Aerial Magic Knights are flying.”
“okay?”
I turned my head and looked out the window.
On the port side of our bomber, a squadron of thirteen air magicians were flying side by side.
‘Have you already sortied?’
Well, it’s almost the border, so it’s time for the enemy air magic knights to show up.
The number of aviation magic knights was similar, around 100.
There was also one named-class aerial magic knight.
However, it was assessed that our side was superior in terms of combat experience and skills.
So, there will be damage, but the bombing will most likely succeed.
“Shouldn’t we go out too? Why? The sortie order isn’t coming?”
“Well, since no orders have been given, just stand by. Wake up the men.”
“yes.”
Lieutenant Herman woke up the sleeping men.
Is Brigadier General Chuck Killgarven not calling us on purpose?
Somehow it seemed like he didn’t want to share the glory of victory with us.
It’s a bit annoying.
Your thinking is shallow.
I’m actually grateful for this kind of attitude.
‘What’s important about being active in battle······.’
There was no way to avoid taking damage in a battle between elite and ace-level magic knights.
Someone is bound to get hurt or die.
We didn’t have to force ourselves.
He was already due a medal for saving the Havelock Wall from the Albion bombers.
Maybe they know that too and want to complete this mission without our help?
I gave a snicker.
More important than honor or achievement is preserving my life and that of my men.
‘How do I get into the Oak Gate?’
Is it because I decided to live a life without regrets?
When I get hooked on something, I have to do it to feel satisfied.
He drew the attention of several times more enemies to save Phelps, when he entered the labyrinth gate and awakened all his platoon members, and when he disabled the enemy cannon in Ferring City.
It was the same when he entered the enemy lines and raided the subspace warehouse of the Seven Princesses of the Empire, and when he awakened the flight technique in his company members, he risked his life and only looked forward and advanced.
Thanks to that, I was able to get here very quickly.
And this time, I was racking my brain to get the dimensional gate generator from the Oak Gate.
I’m sure the Albion Kingdom Army will be guarding it.
There are 20,000 starving orcs inside the gate, so there’s no way we can just leave them alone.
“Commander, are you really going to Oak Gate?”
Lieutenant Phelps asked in a low voice.
Huh? Is it written on my face what I’m thinking?
Only Phelps and Duncan knew how to get to Oak Gate.
I nodded and answered.
“It’s a big risk, but if you succeed, the rewards are big.”
“Is that the reward?”
Phelps tilted his head and asked.
Phelps might not have thought of it as compensation.
However, the dimensional gate generator was a dangerous and very groundbreaking device.
If you can obtain the dimensional core, it means you can create a gate that can transport you to another dimension.
As a simple example, consider creating a gate right next to your territory that connects to a dimension with a magic stone mine, or a gate that connects to a spirit realm full of gnome stones.
Magic stones are traded for more than gold, and gnome stones are used as materials to make airships and other magical engineering equipment.
It meant that both of them could make a lot of money.
When the next labyrinth gate is created, if we go in and find the Dimensional Core and take it out, it will be possible in one go.
‘Perhaps it would be possible to create a maze gate that connects to the elven dimension?’
So, I absolutely must bring the dimensional gate generator.
***
How much time has passed since we crossed the Albion border?
Tutata tata tang! Tata tang!
“huh?”
Bang! Ta-ta-tang! Kwaang!
The officers all looked out the window at the sound of gunfire and explosions from afar.
“Captain, enemy aerial magic knights!”
“Everyone, standby to deploy at any time!”
“yes!”
I headed straight to the cockpit.
Tata tata tang! Tata tang!
“Captain Tuples, is this a surprise attack?”
“Yes! The lead bomber was just shot down!”
Major Tuples, the captain of the B-311 bomber, answered with a nervous expression.
Tutata tata tang! Thump thump thump!
Then again, a dozen or so Albion magic knights descended from above and launched a surprise attack.
Boom! Kwaaang!
The enemy knights dodged the machine gun fire and eventually destroyed the bomber engine in front.
The bomber began to crash, belching black smoke.
And the enemy aerial magic knight was chased by our aerial magic knight.
“Here it comes again! It’s 10 o’clock!”
I pointed to the enemy aerial magic knights diving down from above.
Then the captain shouted into the radio.
“10 o’clock, enemy!”
Wheezing! Crunch!
Our bomber’s top machine gun turret turned.
And the bombers surrounding us also fired their machine guns as if they had heard the radio transmission.
Thump thump thump! Thump thump thump!
The bomber turrets fired simultaneously.
The Albion Air Force’s flying formation, which was descending downwards, could not hold out and changed direction and scattered.
I blocked their attack.
And the squadron of magic knights next to us chased after them.
Tutata tang! Tata tang!
When I turned my head in the cockpit, I could see the aerial magic knights fighting each other, firing their rifles here and there.
This is what it feels like when you look inside!
It feels unrealistic, like watching a game.
Boom boom!
At that moment, a bullet flew from somewhere and struck the right wing of our bomber.
Fortunately, only a small hole was made.
‘If you make a bomber that can’t be penetrated by bullets, it will sell like hotcakes.’
That’s what I thought.
No, that kind of unfairness is just like a strategic weapon.
I should have kept it to myself.
Right now, I can only make slightly more efficient processes with the materials I have, but if I could create stronger and lighter metals in my alchemy workshop soon…
That could completely change the paradigm of air warfare.
Tata tata tang!
Even now, the aerial magic knights were fighting one after another above our bombers.
“They are desperate too.”
“The aerial magic knights are a problem, but I’m more worried about the anti-aircraft guns. I wonder how many of them will be crushed······.”
Actually, I was also worried about the air raid.
Glagoth was the only airfield in the southern region of the Kingdom of Albion.
So how well-defended is it?
There is a saying that it is a blind shell, but if there are a lot of anti-aircraft guns and machine guns, it can form a powerful firepower.
And because bombers of this era were slow, the chance of hitting the target was also high.
“Is the bombing point far away?”
“We still have 15 more minutes to go.”
“Fifteen minutes?”
15 minutes is almost up.
We need to prepare now too.
Tuang! Kwaaang!
Suddenly, the bomber ahead exploded, splitting its fuselage in half.
And then the rear fuselage flew towards us.
“damage!”
Captain Tuples pulled the controls sharply.
Wow!
“Eww!”
Kikikiking!
I narrowly avoided the impact, hearing a metal scraping sound from the floor.
“Haaak! Haaak!”
The captain looks 10 years older than he is, so surprised.
I really endured it for ten years.
‘What was that attack just now?’
I raised my head and looked upward.
There was a black dot there that looked like an aerial magic knight.
If you can cut a bomber in half with one bullet… that’s a named class!
At that moment, one of the aerial magic knights in front went up at an incredible speed with a loud noise.
That was definitely Brigadier General Chuck Kilgarvan.
Soon a light flashes in the air.
Bullets flew and explosions occurred.
Maybe it’s because it’s a fight between named-level magic knights.
‘It’s brutal!’
The speed at which the two moved was so fast that it was difficult to follow them with the eyes.
Is there a skill faster than high-speed flight?
I knew my level very well now.
My flying skills are now at ace level.
It was easy to deal with an aerial magic knight who hadn’t awakened the high-speed flight skill, but it was a bit difficult to deal with an ace-level knight of the same level.
If you meet an elite like Audrey or Lieutenant Colonel Nicole there, you’re dead.
I was lucky last time, but in an air battle, my current skill level is unlikely to create a variable.
‘I also need to work harder for my subordinates!’
Fortunately, the attacks became less frequent after the named knight’s attack.
Perhaps there is a fierce battle between aerial magic knights in the nearby sky right now.
Boom! Ppopppop! Boom!
“It’s an anti-aircraft gun!”
The time has finally come.
Tutata tata tata tang!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Bullets fly and clouds of smoke burst everywhere.
This meant that the bombing point was close.
Phew!
“302nd unit was hit!”
Wheeeeeeing! Kwaang!
The lead bomber, hit by anti-aircraft fire, crashed to the ground, belching black smoke.
The enemy’s firepower seemed to be much denser than I thought.
And black smoke began to billow near our bombers.
“Damn! I don’t know how much longer I can hold out.”
Captain Tuffles bit his lip.
“The anti-aircraft guns will be dealt with by me and my battalion members. Please write a good report on our performance later.”
“yes?”
I moved to the back.
At that moment, a blue light came on in the cabin.
Belt! Belt! Belt!
“Prepare to drop the bomb!”
“Prepare to drop the bomb!”
The soldiers gathered in the center.
The bombing was completely manual.
When the lower hatch of the aircraft was opened, there were six holes through which bombs could be dropped.
There were six bombs installed there, and the structure was such that when you pulled the lever, the bombs would fall.
And then the empty hole was filled with shells again.
“Open the bomb hatch!”
Rattling!
It was when the soldier opened the iron plate on the floor.
“Huh! Who, who are you?”
We found Lieutenant Audrey lying under the hatch.
“Lieutenant Audrey? Why on earth are you here?”
“I’m sorry. I followed you without your knowledge.”
For a moment I was dumbfounded.
No, I’m angry.
What would have happened if the bomber had been shot down?
It was just a dead life.
“Haa! Get out of there.”
“yes······.”
The bomber soldiers looked puzzled.
“How did you know we were coming here?”
“I overheard the conversation. They were boarding a B-311 bomber.”
“Did you know when we would take off and wait down here?”
“You can see our men through this narrow gap.”
“What? Haa!”
Another sigh escaped me.
I thought you had returned to the capital since you had followed my orders so well.
But you were lying on a bomb!
Besides, it must have been incredibly cold outside right now, with the temperature being minus 10 degrees Celsius······.
Boom! Boom!
The bomber shook violently.
The enemy’s offensive intensified.
“Lieutenant Audrey, we’ll deal with you later. For now, you’ll take charge of the 3rd and 4th squadrons.”
“Yes, Commander!”
“Listen up, everyone! We’re going to attack the ground’s anti-aircraft guns now! Don’t rush, fly in formation, attack the enemy base, and once the attack is over, immediately withdraw from the front line! Got it?”
“yes!”
“Lieutenant Phelps, distribute magic grenades to the men.”
“yes.”
Kkieeeeing!
The hatch at the back opened.
“sally!”
“let’s go!”
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The agents launched themselves into the air.
I quickly descended to the ground first.
The 1st and 2nd squadrons follow me.
Tata tang! Tata tang!
An anti-aircraft machine gun spotted us and started shooting.
Charge forward while using defensive skills.
Crunch!
Tutata tata tang!
“Ugh!”
“Ahh!”
The agents followed me down to the ground.
“Breaking through enemy lines with low-altitude flight!”
“yes!”
Bang! Tata tang! Bang!
We flew between enemy anti-aircraft guns and machine guns and attacked.
The enemy was prepared to attack from the sky, but they were completely unprepared for an enemy approaching low to the ground.
The enemy airborne magic knights were not visible either.
“Grenade Throwing!”
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Ugh!”
What we’re after are the artillerymen.
It is impossible to kill all the soldiers on the ground in a short period of time.
We simply advanced forward, reducing the number of soldiers in the places our unit passed through.
Bang! Tata tang! Bang!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
There were plenty of magic grenades, but you had to identify the target, pull the safety pin, throw it, and wait a moment.
‘Not enough firepower!’
Although we were able to quickly reduce the enemy’s numbers, this attack clearly demonstrated our lack of firepower.
In particular, it seemed that an overwhelming blow was needed, like the one that the enemy named-class aerial magic knight used to destroy the bomber with a single shot.
As we continued to advance while killing soldiers, we soon arrived at the enemy base.
Just then the lead bomber appeared approaching over our heads.
“Everyone, get off the front line!”
“Get out!”
Swish! Swish!
We moved northeast at full speed.
“stop!”
As we got further away from the base, we turned around.
Wheezing! Wheezing!
Boom! Kwakwakwakwakwak!
Hwaaaaah! Hwaaaaah!
A fierce flame engulfed the surrounding anti-aircraft guns.
And bombs were falling on the airfield, the hangars, and the supply bunkers.
On the way here, about 20 bombers were shot down, but about 40 arrived safely and were bombing the enemy.
This operation was a great success.
Judging by the aerial magic knights guarding the area around the bomber, it seemed like our side had won the aerial battle as well.
So, even if they repaired the airfield, it would be possible to launch a second or third bombing, since there was a shortage of air magicians.
‘The front line won’t be pushed back for a while.’
“Sir, the bombers are returning!”
The lead bomber turned toward the Hebrok compound.
“Shall we escort the bomber now?”
The agents asked.
“No, everyone follows me.”
Our mission is complete.
Now there’s something left for me to do.
I led my men and moved northeast.
***
A small lake frozen solid.
Above it, a familiar transport plane was waiting.
“Falcon Hoda!”
We landed next to it.
Small lakes tend to freeze solid during this time of year.
And small transport aircraft can easily withstand it.
Sergeant Curtis and six of his squad disembarked from the Falcon.
“welcome!”
“Thank you for your effort!”
And then Hela Wake came down for the last time, shuddering.
“Ugh! It’s cold!”
“Captain Hela!”
“Wow! Landing on this ice! That’s amazing.”
The team members happily welcomed Captain Hela, whom they had not seen in a long time.
I also approached Hela Wake.
“Long time no see.”
“It’s been a while. You used to contact me via the dimensional walkie-talkie when you were bored.”
“That’s just asking about the progress of the business.”
“Speaking of business, when will you deliver the metal panels? The buyer wants five medium-sized transport aircraft built right away. I have already received the down payment.”
“I’m ready. I’ll hand it over to you as soon as I get back.”
Then Captain Hela looked at Lieutenant Audrey standing behind her.
“Who is that person over there?”
“Let’s say hello later and move on. We don’t have time.”
“But where are you going?”
“The capital of the Kingdom of Albion.”
“yes?”
Hela, Audrey, and the rest of the crew all looked at me with dumbfounded expressions.
No, it was like looking at a crazy person.
There’s no way around it. The Oak Gate was right next to the enemy’s capital.
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