Guise Sea, 40 km offshore to the south of Sandhur Region.

0230, 27 Aug 2025

Under the night sky, more than 600 battleships of Buriek Navy's 4th Fleet were advancing at full speed heading north.

In the rearmost row, 10 carrier ships, 60 cruiser ships, and a dozen supply ships anchored as soon as they reached a position of 40 km from Sandhur's coastline.

The Buriek's carrier ship was up to 300 meters long and could accommodate 20 Cloud Hawks. Its hull could fully open, and was equipped with Cloud Hawk hanging perch made from an iron frame.

As for the cruiser ship, it was 275 meters long, manned by 300 sailors, and equipped with a combination of hundreds of foot-bows and ballistas.

From the bridge of carrier ship Rebbar-01, Admiral Orres looked at the hundreds of ships moving away to the north. He waited until the 4th Fleet convoy disappeared into darkness before turning to his assistant.

"Wake the Riders up and ask them to get ready."

"As your command, Sir!"

- - - - -

For thousands of years, Guise Sea had been a source of livelihood for Sandhur's fishermen. The fishermen only used small boats so they could not go too far from the coastline.

A dozen of fishermen joyfully packed up the equipment they had just used. Even though the early morning wind bit their bodies, the fishermen did not feel disturbed at all. Instead, they would smile widely every time they saw their catch, which for some reason was so abundant.

However, the fishermen's smiles instantly evaporated when in the distance there was a faint sound of screams, followed by the sound of people splashing into the sea. One of the fishermen immediately grabbed a torch, and while he tried to look into the distance, without warning a bolt shot straight through his neck.

At the same time, 20 people dressed all in black boarded the boat from each side and fired crossbows at the dumbfounded fishermen. After giving finishing touches for each fisherman, the people in black then threw the fisherman's bodies into sea.

Once the fishing boat was under control, the people in black immediately directed it to a large fishing village on the beach. Altogether there were 84 boats, and 2 km behind them 150 landing ships from Buriek Navy 4th Fleet tightly followed.

- - - - -

Femm couldn't understand why her baby suddenly woke up and didn't want to stop crying. She tried to breastfeed her, but her baby refused and continued to cry. Her baby even continued to sob when she was tired of crying.

Even though the early morning wind from the sea was not good for health, Femm still decided to get out of her hut and walk to the shoreline. Of course, she wrapped her baby tightly in a thick cloth.

Although Femm did not recognize the concept of time based on hours, she could accurately determine when her husband usually returns from fishing. Femm hoped the baby would calm down after meeting his father, like any other day when she was fussy.

When dozens of fishing boats' silhouettes appeared in the distance, Femm immediately smiled.

"Sweetie, look, your father has come home. Don't cry anymore so your father won't worry."

Femm joyfully cradled her baby, while dozens of fishing boats continued approaching the beach.

As soon as the first boat touched the sand, 20 people dressed all in black immediately jumped out. Femm frowned because she didn't recognize them, then immediately ran towards the village as soon as they drew their short swords.

Femm ran as hard as she could, but one of the men dressed in black caught up with her and slashed her back. She fell forward, but reflexively managed to ensure that her baby was not injured.

Femm hugged her baby tightly while the man in black clothes walked up to her.

"Please... Don't kill my daughter. I will do anything but don't kill her," Femm pleaded while tears started pouring down from her eyes.

The man in black looked at the baby in Femm's embrace, and doubt reflected in his eyes. The man's hand began to shake and his grip became a little loose.

"If you hesitate then you will fail to kill on the first strike, and they will suffer longer."

An older man who was also dressed all in black approached the man whose heart was filled with doubts. The older man then looked at Femm for a glance before continuing.

"Akrei, we are assigned to launch a Genocide War into Sandhur Region. If you are unable to do so, you can return to the ship and join the Balista Crew."

Akrei immediately took a deep breath and erased the image of his son, who was only a few months old from his mind. In an instant, Akrei's eyes turned cold again.

Without hesitation, Akrei then cut Femm's neck, who was trying to protect her baby. A moment later he also cut the baby's neck who was still sobbing. Then he made sure that the mother and child continued to hug, hoping that they could cross into afterlife together.

- - - - -

Dawn was just breaking when more than 1,600 people dressed in black marched toward the fishing village with their weapons drawn. After setting up a perimeter of siege, the people dressed in black immediately launched raids and massacres.

Some women who were fetching water from wells become their first victims. The screams of the women made the other residents awake, but it was in vain. Because all that was left in the fishing village were only elderly, women, and children.

Some teenagers and old fishermen tried to fight back, but they instantly got killed. Once the resistance was suppressed, a house-to-house hunt began. The cries and screams of the children who called their parents could be heard, but a moment later silence returned to envelop the fishing village.

While the massacre in the fishing village was taking place, the 4th Fleet landing crafts landed on the beach to unload logistics, support personnel, and of course the main elements that would attack the Sandhur Region.

As soon as the fishing village has been controlled, the support personnel immediately go to work. Starting from cremating the villagers' corpses, setting up defense barricades, building a logistical depot, communication posts, and a field command post.

While the foothold on the beach was being built, five cavalry squadrons of Buriek Guard moved toward the territory of Sandhur Region. Their mission was, to disturb and delay the rapid reaction elements that would be sent by Sandhur Guard.

- - - - -

The entire Sandhur Region was flanked by two cliffs which when viewed from above were shaped like an hourglass. The cliff on the left was called Levsait while the cliff on the right was called Raisait.

Levsait and Raisait extend from the coast, past Lagra City to the border with the Sviek and Rivek Region. Because of its vital position in protecting Sandhur Region, Sandhur Guard puts 60% of its strength into Levsait and Raisat. It could be said that almost the entire surface of Levsait and Raisat was a network of strongholds and fortifications.

In the beachline, Levsait and Raisat were separated by a 65 km wide sandy plain, where in the middle was a large fishing village.

Even though Sandhur Guard personnel at either end of the cliff could not saw the massacre in the fishing village, they could still clearly saw the hundreds of Buriek Navy landing craft docked and unloaded just after sunrise.

As soon as General Pommer received a report regarding Buriek Navy's landing, he immediately rushed towards Railev Pass, where Levsait and Raisat were narrowed to only 5 km apart.

General Pommer realized that on the coast there was a fishing village with more than two thousand residents. But he did not send Sandhur Guard elements to save the villagers. Because he was sure that when he received the report regarding the landing, all the villagers had already been slaughtered.

In addition, if Sandhur Guard's elements that were sent were ambushed and some were caught, then this would be tantamount to providing free information to the invaders.

General Pommer's response to Kingdom Buriek's incursions was fairly simple. He issued a mandatory military call for all Sandhur Region's residents, followed by a full-scale mobilization of Sandhur Guard.

As for the counter invasion's strategy, Sandhur Guard would withstand invasion from Kingdom Buriek in Railev Pass by utilizing a salvo of footbows.

Footbow only had an effective range of 1.5 km, but if they were fired from both sides it was more than enough to destroy 80% of the invaders who were trying to pass the Railev Pass. Therefore, the key to victory was how well Sandhur Guard in defending Levsait and Raisait from Buriek Air Corps attacks.

Meanwhile, Sandhur Air Corps already sent a Combat Air Patrol, which had found the position of Buriek Navy carrier ship at 40 km offshore.

"They really took a big risk by making a landing before getting a hold of air superiority," muttered General Pommer while his gaze fixed on the map on the table.

It didn't take a genius brain to realize that Kingdom Buriek's invasion would end in failure, if reinforcement from nearby Region arrived before Buriek Guard succeeded in controlling Levsait and Raisait.

Also, eventhough ground reinforcement would take a while before arrived, with Cloud Hawk's combat radius reaching 500 km, Sandhur Air Corps didn't have to worry about being outnumbered.

Therefore General Pommer began to wonder where the Buriek Guard higher-ups' confidence had come from. But he didn't have much time to ponder, as a communications crystal operator suddenly made an announcement.

"Combat Air Patrol from 8th Squadron reports the movement of 80 Buriek Riders, moving straight to Levsait at an altitude of 200 meters."

'Looks like they don't want to give us time to prepare,' General Pommer muttered before giving an order, "Let Sandhur Riders welcome them, and inform Sviek Riders and Rivek Riders who are standby at the border."

"At once, Sir!"

Without delay, General Pommer's orders were dispatched. A moment later 120 Sandhur Riders were flying to the sky from both Levsait and Raisat.

*****