The headquarters of the Ukrainian landing army was bustling with news from all fronts.
“Beacon occupation complete!”
“Message from the 124th Infantry Regiment: Reached Omaha Point. Will wait for subsequent units to join!”
“Enemy coastal artillery suppressed!”
“The 19th Division has successfully entered the coast. We will advance further!!”
“A message from the 1st Battalion of the Special Response Brigade: They have entered Guadalca Island and captured the defensive fortresses.”
While there were mostly good tidings overall,
Lieutenant General Sony Chepelin remained seated with a tense expression.
At 0800 hours, the first-ever landing operation in Ukraine commenced,
and fierce shelling immediately targeted Damasco Beach.
Of course, the coastal artillery of Azoff did not fall behind and started firing as well.
Even if they were coastal artillery produced by the Adalya Kingdom, the lack of operational experience among Azoff’s troops made it impossible for them to accurately target the warships.
In this process, one frigate and one corvette unfortunately sank.
However, the armored battleships and ironclads, capable of projecting firepower effectively, continued their bombardment without hesitation, pouring out all the ammunition they had loaded inside.
As a result,
the main division of the landing army, the 32nd Division, successfully landed on Damasco Beach
and secured a foothold to advance inland after clearing the beach fortifications.
With the successful deployment of the follow-up force, the 19th Division, the coast of Standal Island, essentially the capital of the Azoff People’s Liberation Front, was completely paralyzed.
The third frontline of the Special Response Brigade, which was deployed to detach part of the main forces, also fully occupied the pre-designated fortress strongholds.
There was no issue saying that the operation was going smoothly.
However, the problem arose from the 8th Aerial Mage Infantry Combat Unit, which was supposed to be reliable on the first frontline.
Hill 921.
It was a terrain formed along the path leading to the center of Standal, where the leadership of the People’s Liberation Front was holding out in Damasco Beach.
A natural stronghold on the coast, capable of defending the east, west, and south except for the cliffs on the north side of the island.
According to the preliminary reconnaissance and information transmitted by Nur Ezenner, there were numerous cannons set up there to intercept ground attacks.
Even though the landing army had overwhelmingly more troops,
it would be overwhelmingly difficult to engage the artillery positions on the hill without the support of armored ships, let alone battleships.
Therefore, the task of occupying the hill and capturing the artillery positions was assigned to the 8th Aerial Mage Infantry Combat Unit, which could perform surprise landings from the air.
If necessary, Lieutenant General Sony Chepelin herself might even deploy to sweep the hill,
but then, it would be very unfavorable in terms of international discourse.
A mage knight is a walking strategic weapon.
Thus, they must obtain permission from the “Twilight Dawn Council,” which consists of twelve mage knights, to use magic outside their own territory.
This was why Ukraine could not actively respond to the attack despite having such formidable power as Lieutenant General Sony Chepelin.
She was also a mage knight who joined the Ukrainian Army for the same reason.
At least, in fields other than magic, the military was the only place where the country could project its influence.
However, the mage infantry combat unit commanded by Colonel Enok Revendale, responsible for the first frontline, went silent after urgently reporting that the second ship, Lebandovsky, was hit.
Ironically, the ‘relay station’ got hit.
The distance between Hill 921 and the flagship ‘Kajeif,’ which Sony Chepelin was using as her temporary command post, was such that communication was impossible without the relay station.
Even the unit at the forefront of the 32nd Division that had just landed on the shore might barely communicate.
“Don’t worry too much, Commander. Don’t we all know what kind of person Enok is?”
“That’s true…”
Colonel Joseph Lebandovsky, watching Lieutenant General Sony Chepelin visibly anxious, spoke.
“Moreover, the 32nd Division is planning to send messengers. Even though they’ve seized the coast, without properly occupying Hill 921, movement inland will be impossible.”
Now, all the landing army headquarters could do was hope for the best and wait.
The landing operation had been successful.
Now, in the critical phase of advancing inland, the most important thing for them was the victory report of the 8th Aerial Mage Infantry Combat Unit.
Thus, the headquarters of the landing army was newly established within the completely seized Damasco Beach.
While the 32nd Division reorganized battle lines by platoons,
as the forces of the follow-up unit, the 19th Division, climbed up and rearranged the front line,
“Commander!!”
A bright-faced messenger entered the tent. Despite the serious gathering of department chiefs, colonels, and majors,
the messenger burst out with an uncontrollable exclamation.
“Message from the 8th Aerial Mage Infantry Combat Unit! They say they have completely secured Hill 921!!”
Upon hearing the last piece of the puzzle fall into place, the personnel at the headquarters all showed relief.
Some sighed in relief, some raised their fists in triumph, and some enthusiastically clapped.
And finally,
“Puh, ugh…”
“!?!? Commander-in-Chief of Operations Staff!!”
“No, no, I’m fine… It’s just because my tension has eased.”
“But how much tension did you have…!! You seemed so relaxed!!”
There were even those who spat bl**d from their mouth and nose.
Most of the artillery deployed on Hill 921 were fixed installations. This was natural.
Given the current technological level, mobile cannons with powerful firepower and long range had not been widely commercialized.
Therefore, the artillery units of Azoff stationed on Hill 921 were practically the best artillery force that the People’s Liberation Front possessed.
Despite deploying additional anti-aircraft artillery and concentrating spellcasters from Alamuut to repel the attack, they failed.
In other words,
Azoff’s People’s Liberation Front’s effective firepower was virtually annihilated.
The leadership of Azoff tried desperately to find a way out, but with Guldaca Island, connected to the main island of Standal, falling under Ukrainian control,
they were completely surrounded, excluding Malanka, the central island.
Port Morok, being a large port city, could withstand a certain degree during a siege operation,
but Malanka of Standal was not.
Moreover, since it wasn’t a situation involving civilians being held hostage,
there was no reason for the landing army commanded by Lieutenant General Sony Chepelin to take a defensive stance.
It was like a seal being broken.
Furthermore, the 32nd Division, composed of people who had a bad relationship with Azoff,
launched even more aggressive offensives.
Major Kinbel Lesanchef deployed all artillery battalions forward and continuously bombarded day after day.
With the new deployment of 57mm Grizzly Howitzers, old mobile field guns, and precision artillery fire from mage knights, the city was reduced to ruins.
It wasn’t just the artillery that caused chaos. The cavalry regiment under his command also fiercely attacked nearby villages, burning food warehouses.
It took less than a week for Standal to turn into a complete wasteland.
Naturally, there was constant shouting within the People’s Liberation Front of Azoff.
There was no longer anyone willing to prolong the war, which was only getting worse, until the end.
Surely, the New Year should not end in a state of conflict.
As the year came to an end,
in the last week of December,
“The People’s Liberation Front of Azoff declares unconditional surrender.”
The Second Quernen War ended in victory for Ukraine.
The People’s Liberation Front of Azoff lost complete influence in the Azoff Archipelago, and most of its leadership was either killed in internal disputes or surrendered.
Ukraine, having avenged the humiliating defeat of the previous Quernen War with a half-hearted victory ten years ago,
completely reclaimed the lost territories of the Azoff Archipelago that it had failed to secure in the past few decades.
However,
approximately 800 dead,
about 1,200 wounded,
resulting in a total of 2,000 casualties,
were sacrifices that Ukraine would have to bear alone.
Those who were someone’s child, parent, spouse, friend, or lover shed bl**d that could never be considered trivial.
Claude Rain opened his eyes in the depths of darkness. Pain, forgotten for a moment, began to surge wildly.
Though it was excruciatingly painful, he realized that he was definitely alive.
‘Looks like I couldn’t make it this time.’
His last memory was of platoon members rushing towards him from beyond the trench.
Had he completely lost consciousness after that?
He must have looked ghastly.
“Tsk.”
As Claude Rain clicked his tongue, a familiar voice came from beyond the curtain.
“…You’re awake?”
“Bella Meyer.”
“It was a miracle you survived. You know that, right?”
Her white robe was stained red with bl**d all over. Indeed, she had earned a new nickname as the “Angel of White” in this war.
Claude turned his gaze slightly to the left. There should have been an arm, yet it was nowhere to be seen.
“The severed arm… couldn’t be reattached. It was too contaminated. There’s no way healing magic could regenerate it.”
“I understand.”
“At least, I’m glad the right arm was saved.”
Hearing this, Claude clenched and unclenched his right hand. A sharp pain shot through his muscles with every movement.
“At least, you’ll need to undergo rehabilitation for several months. All the nerves are damaged. Even the skin and bones are in terrible condition.”
This was almost like living as a corpse.
“There were four gunshot wounds, countless cuts like those made by a kn*fe, and multiple wounds from red and purple magic.”
Bella Meyer, looking at her comrade with a tired expression, added.
“Anyone would think they were a monster. It’s amazing how someone can survive with these injuries.”
“Oh, you wanted me to d*e?”
“You! Always saying things like that…”
Just then,
“Platoon Leader!!”
A woman with ragged breaths stood behind the drawn curtain.
So, surviving wasn’t just about himself.
With a heart full of warmth, Claude gave a faint smile.
Lieutenant Hilton Callia.
She approached him and hugged him tightly.
“I’m sorry…!! I was powerless…!!”
“It’s okay. Being alive is enough.”
It was a scene reminiscent of a family reunion. Of course, it felt even more tender to Bella.
So, she sharply closed the curtain.
They had spent quite some time together.
Though they had exchanged harsh words, they valued each other as comrades.
That’s why Bella knew.
The remnants of the past that had kept Claude Rain trapped in despair had finally fallen away.
“…Uncharacteristically, you’re smiling.”
