Command Center, Railev Pass.

"We lost contact with Squadrons B1 - B3."

"Squadrons A1 - A3 have been ambushed by Buriek's Rider."

"Ballista crew and footbowmen on the southern side of Levsait suffered heavy air raids. They are requesting immediate air covers."

Not long after Captain Balan corrected the report from Combat Air Patrol, chest suffocating reports began flooding the command center.

Gen. Pommer let out a deep sigh before saying to one of the crystal communication operators, "Where are Sandhur Riders second wave and assistance from Sviek Riders and Rivek Riders."

The crystal communication operator immediately made a brief contact before answering, "Rivek Riders has just joined Sandhur Riders second wave and is already within 5 km from Buriek Riders front elements."

"How about Rider from Sviek Region?"

"They were 30 km behind and were planning to ambush Buriek Rider who were returning to the carrier ship."

"Fucking opportunist!"

Gen. Pommer cursed while clenching his fists, and he was just about to contact General Attar from Sviek Guard when a courier entered the command center.

The courier saluted before reporting, "General, Buriek Riders uses a new type of lamp oil to launch a scorched earth tactic, and the oil cannot be extinguished with water. They also don't hesitate to attack small targets such as ballista crew or footbowmen using high-risk low-flying maneuvers."

"How effective is their attack?"

"One strike to destroy a crew of ballista or foot bows."

An ominous premonition instantly filled Gen. Pommer's mind. It didn't take a genius to conclude that Kingdom of Buriek had prepared their invasion for many years.

While Gen. Pommer made calculations, another report came in from crystal communication operators.

"We just lost contact with A1 Squadron. Before the contact was lost, Captain Harek reported that among Buriek Riders there was an Ace Squadron with a Cloud Hawk bigger than regular Cloud Hawk."

"We just lost contact with A2 and A3 Squadrons."

"Sandhur Riders' second wave and assistance from Rivek Rider is unable to provide air cover to Levsait."

"We just lost all anti-air elements on the southern side of Levsait."

While reports of defeat after defeat kept coming, a Captain from Sandhur Guard entered command center.

"General, Buriek Riders have begun attacking command center's outer perimeter. You must withdraw immediately."

Without delay, Gen. Pommer said to one of crystal communication operators, "Send a message to Lagra Castle, Viscount Issel must immediately evacuate to Rivek Region with the most important family members."

"Sir."

Gen. Pommer then gave the second order to another crystal communication operator. "Send a message to every Sandhur Guard element in Levsait and Raisat, we will fight to the last drop of blood, and let's hope Sviek Riders will arrive in time."

""""Sir!!!""""

All officers in the command center responded in unison. Retreat was not an option. They were fully aware that making a retreat while the opponent was controlling the sky was a suicidal move.

Fighting spirit and murderous intent immediately filled every corner of command center, while Buriek Riders' second wave approached at full speed.

- - - - -

More than a hundred Sviek Riders flew through the sky towards the south at moderate speed. Their mission was to join forces with Sandhur Riders and Rivek Riders to defend Levsait and Raisait.

From the start, Sviek Guard's higher-ups had deliberately ordered their Riders to move at a slower pace. Therefore, when Sviek Riders entered the battle they would have many opportunities to exploit.

Of the 140 Sviek Riders, 40 were even sent to perform a flanking maneuver to ambush Buriek Riders, who were on their way back to the carrier ship after a deadly dogfight.

In the leading position, Brigadier Sherk smiled from ear to ear, as a cluster of black dots moving closer at full speed. Judging from their small number, Brigadier Sherk concluded that Sandhur Riders and Rivek Riders must have worked hard to drain Buriek Rider's blood.

Brigadier Sherk was about to give the attack order when crystal communication on his shoulder suddenly lit up.

[HQ to Sviek Formation 1, do you copy?]

"This is Sviek Formation 1, loud and clear, we are listening."

[Sviek Formation 1, avoid contact with Buriek Riders, and return to base.]

"...?"

[Repeat, Sviek Formation 1, avoid contact with Buriek Riders, and return to base immediately.]

"HQ, we are already in front of Buriek Riders, do we really have to retreat?"

[Yes, Sandhur Riders have lost more than half of their Riders, while Rivek Riders lost all Riders they sent. We also lost the 40 Riders who were ordered to launch the ambush.]

"...?"

[Until we know what we're up against, we will avoid contact with Buriek Riders and concentrate our strength on defending Sviek airspace.]

"Understood."

Brigadier Sherk immediately gave the retreat order. However, he felt something odd when in the distance Buriek Riders followed his maneuver to turn around and avoid versus contact.

'If Kingdom of Buriek's target is only Sandhur Region, then we have just made a fatal blunder.'

- - - - -

Operations Control Room, Davy Jones MOB

In the view of the traditionalists, war was only won when two maps were successfully united, and the unification of the two maps could only be done by ground elements.

The traditionalists' view did not mean to undervalue the importance of air force and navy elements. Because there was a territorial war that could only be carried out by the two elements. For example, air superiority or sea control.

Of course, the doctrine and deployment of air force and navy elements were closely related to the ground element's main task in uniting the two maps.

Therefore, it was not surprising that in the air force doctrine, assets with ground attack capabilities had a higher strategic value than assets that were only used to dominate air space. Considering that the effect of assets with ground-attack capabilities could be directly felt by the opposing side.

Since thousands of years before the first aircraft flew to the skies, human civilization was already aware of the importance of air assets with ground-attack capabilities. At least, the idea had been expressed in mythology, legends, and various stories.

That's why it was only natural that the Air Corps' higher-ups on the Amstell Continent would also realize the importance of Riders with ground-attack abilities.

However, after thousands of years of Air Corps' development on the Amstell Continent, only Marshal Ducie from Buriek Air Corps dared to make innovation by forming a squadron specifically designed to carry out air-to-ground attacks.

Air Corps higher-ups with conventional views would regard Marshal Ducie's innovation as heresy. Given that for them the ideal Rider was a Rider who was able to fight in the air and attack targets on the ground equally well.

Of course, since 'ideal' was an adjective word, its meaning and definition could never be absolute. For example, what was considered a heresy by Air Corps higher-ups on Amstell Continent, would be considered the most ideal concept for Air Force higher-ups from earth.

The formation, training, and deployment of air elements was complicated and required a massive logistics chain that was no less headbreaking. However, with the specific tasks between one squadron and another, the level of complexity would be reduced by half, while the effectiveness and efficiency of the squadron doubled.

Long before the air combat began, Marshal Ducie had full confidence that Buriek Riders would crush opposing riders and destroy the defenses at Levsait and Raisait with ease.

First, because Buriek Riders won in numbers. Second, because Buriek Riders skills were much better thanks to skill specialization. And lastly, because Buriek Air Corps was the only Air Corps in the Amstell Continent that managed to form an Ace Squadron.

The Air Corps' higher-ups in the Amstell Continent would take some time before they understood how brilliant Marshal Ducie's innovation was. But for Vex, he instantly realized the potential of Buriek Rider after the intel gathering on Buriek Air Corps began, and his suspicions were confirmed after Buriek Rider launched their offensive to Levsait and Raisat.

With a serious expression, Vex looked at the surface of Levsait and Raisait which became a sea of ​​​​fire. The view on the display table was taken by P-8 Poseidon from an altitude of 30.000 feet, and it clearly showed how effective Buriek Riders' tactic was.

"We must prevent Buriek Riders from entering Southeast Triangle's airspace. Even if we manage to shoot them down, the fire they carry will still burn the facilities or Nouel farmlands."

Nate who sat beside Vex immediately said,

"Unfortunately, I have bad news. The latest calculations show that Buriek Air Corps has 1200 Riders with regular Cloud Hawk and 120 Ace Riders with super variety Cloud Hawk. Their special lamp oil stockpile is also still quite large."

Vex sighed deeply. "Can't we do a pre-emptive strike? If they send a thousand Riders simultaneously to attack this place, even if we can repulse them, the damage we suffer will be enormous."

Nate tapped his fingers on the table before speaking, "I know your feelings, but we're not going to make a pre-emptive strike to Kingdom of Buriek, and as I said before, once they open versus contact with us we'll immediately respond by leveling Buriek Royal City, so they'll be willing to negotiate as soon as possible."

Vex sighed deeply one more time. "I hope you realize that in Buriek Royal City there are more than 2 million civilians."

"I know and I alone will be held the moral responsible for the attack."

"It's not that simple. Want it or not, all TF Amethyst higher-ups would be morally responsible for every mass destruction."

Nate still wanted to give an argument, but he realized Vex's words were completely undeniable. So in the end he could only say, "Let's hope the war with Kingdom of Buriek doesn't happen."

Vex didn't say anything and just nodded slightly, while the display table now showed that more than a hundred thousands of Buriek Guard's personnel freely passed through the Railev Pass.

*****