CHAPTER 128 – OPERATION 69

CHARLOTTE MARGARET

As the first light of dawn illuminated the horizon, casting a golden hue upon the ocean, the Windwalker embarked from the aircraft carrier's airfield. Captain Hiraya stood at the ship's prow, her gaze fixed on the distant silhouette of Kraghelm Island.

"Operation 69, commence!" Hiraya declared with fervor, pointing towards our objective with determination.

The aircraft carrier launched its fighter jets, their engines roaring as they streaked across the sky towards the western coast of Kraghelm. Sonic booms reverberated through the air as bombs rained down, striking the Republic's artillery defenses with precision.

Amidst the chaos of battle, I couldn't shake the nagging question that had been lingering in my mind. Donning my diving suit in preparation for our mission, I turned to Hiraya, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.

"Why did you name the operation after a... sex position?" I inquired, my tone laced with incredulity.

Hiraya responded casually, her explanation catching me off guard. "It's because we'll be attacking the enemy from their private place, while they'll also be counter-attacking us once our fighter jets retreat. The key to this assault lies with you three in the commando unit, so you three will serve as a dick to surprise their mouths."

I exchanged a glance with Darlix, who seemed equally perplexed by our captain's unconventional choice of naming. "Now it's getting hard to believe that you're the reincarnation of Goddess Exceria," he muttered under his breath.

"You'll get used to it," I assured him, only to realize that his face was uncomfortably close to mine. Reacting instinctively, I delivered a sharp slap to his cheek. "You're too close! Back off, you insolent peasant!"

"Gah!" Darlix recoiled, his hand flying to his cheek in shock. "There's no need to slap me!" he protested, clearly taken aback by my reaction.

As Hiraya and Xenon shared a laugh in the background, I couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration at their amusement. What they found comical, I found irritating and slightly embarrassing.

Suddenly, the static of our earpiece erupted into the voice of Captain Benjamin Pryce, the dwarven commander of the aircraft carrier.

"Captain Misteltein, the third wave of fighter jet bombardment is over. All anti-air and anti-sea artillery has been destroyed," Benjamin reported.

"Good. That's one condition cleared," Hiraya acknowledged before adding ominously, "Any moment now, they will use their trump card."

As if on cue, crimson light began to emanate from various parts of Kraghelm Island. These sparkling crimson lights heralded the transformation of the Republic's dragonoid forces into full-fledged dragons, courtesy of the bell tower's power.

A smirk played across Hiraya's lips as she observed the unfolding events. "They're taking the bait. Kate, Mariko, Gaeun, and Earvin, prepare to sortie."

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"Roger that, Captain!" the four acknowledged in unison, saluting before swiftly making their way to the hangar of the Windwalker airship.

The plan was set in motion: draw out as many of the enemy dragon forces as possible, allowing the commando unit to breach from behind and destroy the bell tower. Now, the war would become a battle of attrition, with victory hanging in the balance.

Hiraya's command echoed through the earpieces of all troops, signaling the commencement of the second phase of the plan. As the dwarves from the aircraft carrier shifted to anti-air battle stations, a flurry of activity ensued.

"Attention all troops! Switch to anti-air battle stations. Utilize flak cannons and lightning magic to clear the skies. Hold this position and advance cautiously once the skies are clear," Hiraya ordered.

"Roger!" the dwarves responded, their voices resolute as they readied their weaponry. With a unified chant of "Forge!", they activated their magic, imbuing the aircraft carrier with an arsenal of anti-air artillery and missile launchers.

Meanwhile, Earvin and Mariko prepared to join the fray, activating their Vesryn Pulse abilities before catapulting from the hangar atop their respective dragons. The Kyubi Dragon unleashed devastating magical bubbles, while the Warflame Dragon transformed its arm into missile launchers, relentlessly pursuing the enemy dragons with precision.

"Team Xenon, standby in the submarine pod. We'll deploy you to the depths once we've cleared the first wave of dragons," Hiraya instructed.

"Roger that, Captain," Xenon acknowledged with a salute before addressing me and Darlix with a teasing remark. "Let's go, you lovebirds."

Darlix responded with enthusiasm, while I offered a sassy flick of my hair in response to Xenon's jest.

Amidst the explosions that dominated the skies, we made our way to the submarine pod. Crafted by the dwarves and powered by magic, it was touted as the fastest underwater vehicle in their arsenal, ready to carry us into the depths of the sea.

Darlix couldn't resist boasting about his contributions to the submarine pod's creation. "Did you know? I'm the head creator of this submarine pod. Impressive, right?"

I responded with a sardonic flick of my hair. "Did you know? I didn't care."

Undeterred, Darlix continued, highlighting his engineering prowess and the efforts of his team. "My engineering team is awesome too. We built a nuclear reactor from scratch, and I organized a team of dwarven marines to create this masterpiece."

Rolling my eyes, I couldn't help but retort, "Oh really? Why don't you start a sewing club so you can sew your mouth shut?"

Xenon wore a pained expression, silently fretting over our team's dynamics.

After enduring five minutes of Darlix's self-aggrandizing chatter, Hiraya's voice finally broke through the radio, a welcome relief from the incessant boasting.

"Team Xenon, get ready for launch," Hiraya instructed.

"Roger," Xenon acknowledged before turning to me and Darlix. "Once we're out there, I need you two to cooperate. Understand?"

Darlix chimed in eagerly, "Okay!"

I, on the other hand, remained defiant. "No promises."

Xenon, seemingly unfazed by my attitude, pressed the button to initiate the launch. He should have known by now that my brusqueness was simply a reflection of my true self.

As the submarine pod plunged into the depths of the ocean, it accelerated at an astonishing speed, curving towards the southern part of Kraghelm. This detour allowed us to bypass the ongoing warfare at the frontlines.

I couldn't help but be impressed by Darlix's piloting skills. The submarine moved swiftly, deftly navigating through the underwater terrain while maintaining a low profile just below the sea floor. We zipped along at an incredible pace, reaching speeds of around four hundred kilometers per hour.

Within a mere ten minutes, we had circled around the island undetected and emerged on the east coast of Kraghelm. There, we observed enemy dragons transporting their military equipment from east to west, a response to the destruction wrought by the dwarven fighter jets.

"The coast is clear. Enemy forces are moving as predicted by Captain Misteltein," Xenon informed us, donning his black hooded cape.

Darlix and I followed suit, wrapping ourselves in identical black capes crafted by dwarven magicians. These capes were said to possess magical camouflage properties, rendering us invisible to the enemy.

Xenon nodded to both of us before opening the hatch of the submarine pod. "Let's do this."