Chapter 67: | 067 | Operation Hammer of Dawn: Erupting North
Leaving behind trails of smoke throughout their respective warships, dozens of incendiary missiles propelled themselves to their respective target locations of openings scattered throughout the northern frontier.
Inside the Combat Information Center, Captain Lux watched their missiles fly through the blue skies and sink deeper into the far distance. It didn\'t take long for them to be a dot from far away.
"36 missiles have been launched from the November Fleet, Captain Lux. Three of them are targeting a single vital opening created by the bombardment of the UNS Trinity of Solace." An intelligence officer calmly reported.
Captain Lux nodded and continued observing the direction in which the northern coast of Crescere resided. This would probably cause a lot of devastation in its wake.
Especially the underground cave system. It would probably be engulfed with a high-temperature flame that would expand and burn anything in its way.
The only thing they could do was lessen the damage it would bring to the outside.
Afterward, they would probably have to investigate the cave system and understand its inner workings so as to not accidentally make it collapse. However, this was in the expectation that it wouldn\'t collapse when its amassed gas ignites into flames.
If it does collapse, then there would be simply no underground cave system in the northernmost part of Crescere.
But it was a good price to pay to deal with the giant creatures that spread like plague. It was akin to destroying a cancer before it could grow to become a problem.
Its destruction practically paves the way for growth and stability for the United Navy.
"This should be it for them." Captain Lux muttered under his breath and stopped staring at the northern coast of Crescere.
Meanwhile… On the northern plateau of Crescere. There was calm and silence as the breeze of wind fluttered throughout the heavens. It was the day of tranquility for the north. However, things would soon change for the region.
*BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!*
Several explosions echoed out into the northern plateau. The earth trembled from their power as smoke blasted out into the open blue skies. But it was far from the end, merely the beginning of what was to come.
*BOOOOMMM!!!* *BOOMM!!!* *BOOOM!!!* *BOOOOMMMM!!!*
What followed was an array of reactions as the insides of the underground cave system ignited into hellish flames. The ground shook in a hurried manner since beneath them were explosions pushing outward into the land.
The openings of the underground cave system that was impacted by various missiles erupted like a volcanic reservoir as though containing magma. It was a magnificent and horrifying sight, heralding man\'s capabilities against nature.
Echelons of birds flew to the skies, misunderstanding the explosions as the island\'s impending doom. They flew off into the sea to find another shelter that could be their home.
However, some circled around the northern plateau for quite a time before realizing that it wasn\'t the island\'s doom that they had felt but a mere disaster brought to life by man.
It took some time for things to calm down in the northern plateau. Black smoke emanated from the openings and tapped into the blue skies, but nothing else seemed affected by it.
A kilometer away from the openings were the reinforcing troops sent by the Forward Operating Base. Aboard several transport helicopters such as Black Hawks, they followed their orders and observed the openings for any signs of activities.
The Black Hawks circled around the fiery openings and took their time investigating them with scrutiny. After a couple of minutes of tense observations, no activities could be seen on the openings.
It signified that the adversary was defeated or utterly knocked out and awaiting their end. Nonetheless, regardless of the actual truth. It was a victory for the November Fleet.
Near the mouth of the cave system, black smoke continued to puff out while hot temperatures escaped it. The November Reconnaissance Task Force tasked with surveying it noticed the inactivity of the mouth.
There were no movements as though everything beyond the fiery flame was burnt into damnation. And so, they also swiftly reported their findings to the November Fleet.
After all, this was what they desired for their operation\'s conclusion. It wasn\'t troublesome and no unknown variable emerged. A complete victory for the United Navy.
One of the aviation officers inside the Black Hawk of the recon task force glanced at his communication operator and ordered her to send the status report to the November Fleet.
"Open transmission with the November Fleet, send them the gathered intelligence of the devastated underground cave system." Hearing his orders, the communication operator nodded in understanding.
She opened a transmission line with the November Fleet and followed through with her given orders. The data intelligence should give awareness of the current status of the north.
The same could also be said with other Black Hawks. They sent their gathered intelligence, which should be immediately compiled by the intelligence officers aboard the warships of the November Fleet.
Though speaking of the November Fleet, they had recently received the reports of the recon task force and the reinforcing troops. It was pieces of good news, emerging one after another.
"Sir, no activities have been detected from the openings and the mouth of the underground cave system. The November Frontier Plan was a success." An intelligence officer reported with clear excitement.
It was understandable as most expected an unknown variable to appear during the duration of the November Frontier Plan. Fortunately, for the reports, there was nothing.
The adversaries they sought to defeat were clearly devastated into damnation. There was nothing left of the magibeasts inside the underground cave system other than the ashes.
The edges of Captain Lux\'s lips rose as he felt relief emanating from his chest. It was hard when you were leading an entire fleet in the northern frontier. He was lucky that his Fleet Admiral came to help.
"That is good. Compile the intelligence data sent by the reconnaissance task force and have them transmitted to the UNS Trinity of Solace and the Forward Operating Base." Captain Lux ordered his naval personnel, who nodded upon hearing it.
They swiftly followed through with his orders. The intelligence officers efficiently compiled the data received from the northern frontier and gave them to the communication operators who would transmit it directly to the data link.
On the other hand, in the UNS Trinity of Solace. Abraham was recently notified by the intelligence sent by the November Fleet to the data link. It was immediately written to a report and sent to him directly.
He calmly read the report, detailing the damage in the cave system and the inferno they have created. No activities could be detected afterward, signifying their victory in the northern frontier.
With this report, the Fleet Admiral smiled as this was a significant milestone. The small-scale war they waged against these monsters was practically over and they won.
\'I guess it\'s finally over.\' Abraham silently thought to himself while looking at the northern coast. After some preparation, they would probably be ready to return to the Port of Dawn.
"I hope we won\'t have to wage wars after this. It\'s too costly." He sighed to himself as warring practically sank wealth to an abysmal oblivion.
It would be foolish to conduct another special operation without the establishment of self-reliance and trade. So, he hoped that they wouldn\'t have to do it until everything was fully prepared.
\'However, things would always go far from expectations. I shouldn\'t hesitate when the time comes.\' But he also understood his responsibility as the Fleet Admiral.
When war comes to the doorstep of the United Navy. He mustn\'t hesitate because of the so-called future implications. After all, the moment they lost, there would be no future to worry about.
"But I wonder how the reactions of those two would be," Abraham smirked, remembering Charlotte and Laplace staying in the Forward Operating Base.
His Vice Admiral would probably not even think of accepting any authority over operations in the future. So, he needed to find another target.
\'Laplace?\' He thought of the dragoness before shaking his head in rejection. The problem dragon was too troublesome. She might cause more issues for them instead of relieving them.
Meanwhile, in the Forward Operating Base, Laplace furrowed her eyebrows, which was immediately noticed by Charlotte. The Vice Admiral glanced at the dragoness and inquired.
"Is there something wrong?"
Laplace looked at Charlotte before responding with a scrutinizing gaze.
"There\'s nothing wrong. It just feels like something or someone is mocking me behind my back. Whoever it is. I must teach them a lesson." She clenched her fist as her instincts never failed her.
"I see…" Charlotte was completely indifferent and continued to do her job as the Vice Admiral. But Laplace felt offended by her indifference and pouted.
"What do you mean \'I see\'? Why should anyone mock this glorious dragoness." Laplace responded with deep pride while Charlotte continued signing through the reports.
No response came, irking the dragoness even further.
"As expected of stone-faced," Laplace remarked while pouting.
Charlotte raised an eyebrow and was about to reply before an intelligence officer ran inside the command tent. Both the Vice Admiral and the legendary dragoness gazed at her.
She was panting heavily and waved a piece of paper with excitement.
"Vice Admiral, we have received news from the northern frontier! We won!"