Ten thousand feet from the sky, a gunship Perun was flying in a circr path, overseeing the battlefield unfolding below.


    In front of the weapon system, monitor screen was the man named Leon, a major and abat system officer of the copy of the Lockheed AC-130 Gunship.


    He was watching the battle between the Ruthenian Army and the Yamato Army on his monitor screen intently all the while running his finger around the joystick, feeling an urge of pushing the buttons that would unleash hell on the enemy.


    As much as he’d want to do that, he knew he can’t disobey an order and risk getting court-martialed. So instead, he let his imagination run wild where he envisioned himself shooting down the Yamato with his 105-millimeter howitzer and the 25mm Gatling gun.


    “All systems calibrated, system diagnostics looks clean, we got everything except permission to engage the targets,” Leon informed the crew through hisms.


    “Patience my friend,” the pilot of the Perun Gunship responded. “We are going to get that permission as soon as Overwatch says so.”


    Leon chuckled. “Sorry chief, I’m just excited to see how our gunship is going to pound enemy lines. Besides, I’m tired of firing nk and dummy rounds during our training, I’m sure every one of you feels the same way.”


    “I agree with you brother,” one of the aerial gunners located at the rear part of the Perun Gunship replied.


    “Anyways, we are sent here on a mission to provide close-air support to ourrades on the front lines. Intelligence reports a battalion of tanks are heading towards the city of Pihyon, where the battlefield is set.”


    Leon manipted his joystick as he moved the camera outside the gunship, redirecting it to another position where the supposed tanks are located.


    He stopped moving his hand the moment he saw lines of light tanks of the Yamato Army on his monitor screen.


    “I have eyes on enemy tanks,” he informed the rest of the crew. “I’ll be keeping my eyes on them and make sure that they won’t get past us.”


    “Okay, let’s just wait for the go-signal from the High Command and once we do, we are going to have our fun.”


    “Huzzah!”


    ***


    Back on the ground, the frontline was intense, the Yamato positions were being bombarded incessantly by artillery strikes and air strikes. The anti-aircraft weapons they haphazardly ced atop the western-style building were being struck upon by the Ruthenian tanks with great uracy.


    Every soldier in the Yamato Army fighting the Ruthenian Army knew that at any moment, they would be overrun if their assault was not stopped before then. They had no choice but to push back. Even if it means dying for it.


    On one side of the frontline are thebined arms of the Ruthenian Army consisting of the Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Main Battle Tanks, and hundreds of soldiers.


    Their advance was unstoppable, their machine guns and anti-tank artillery couldn’t prate the armor of their main battle tanks. As of right now, the Yamato has suffered hundreds of lives for holding the city of Pihyon alone.


    Their technicals, which is their only hope of striking the enemy and deterring their advance, were constantly being neutralized.


    In short, the Yamato is at the end of their ropes. Their goal right now is to survive until reinforcements from Hanseong and rest of Pyongyang to arrive.


    In a military tent not far from the battlefield, Major Morinozuka Takashi is being bombarded by reports from all sides by his radio operators and his fellow Major.


    “Sir, the Ruthenian Army is still pushing into the city. We can’t neutralize their tanks with our anti-tank cannon. No matter what we throw at them, they are still charging forward. We need more firepower if we want to hold down this line.”


    “Don’t worry, our aircraft are on their way now from Hanseong. It’s only a matter of time before those imprable tanks are at the mercy of our nes,” a wicked smile crept across Takashi’s lips.


    “Transmit my orders to all our troops defending the line, that they shouldn’t retreat. That they should give their lives for the Emperor and our Great Yamato Empire. The Ruthenians may have gotten themselves an upgrade but it is our will that will prevail!”


    *Boom.


    A deafening roar filled the entire area, making everyone flinch. Takashi grabbed his hat and quickly rushed out of the tent.


    Outside, he saw a huge ckened crater 50 meters away from themand tent. The troops who got caught in the explosion cried in agony. Dismembered limbs and entrailsy scattered around the crater.


    Even though his fellow countrymen were brutally injured, Takashi didn’t spare them a nce. Instead, he just uttered words that could be interpreted as heartless.


    “That’s quite near to our tent. Should we start moving to a safe position?” Takashi tilted his head to the side with his eyes in the corner as he stared at his fellowmanding officer.


    “But sir, how about the injured?”


    “Well, it’s not like there’s something we can do. Casualties in war are inevitable so I’d say they are just unlucky.”


    Before Takashi could return to the tent, a man rushed out from within it. It was one of their officers.


    “Sir…a report from the High Command,” the man unfolded the note and started reading it out loud.


    “A squadron of A5M is two minutes out. They are armed and ready for tasking, sir!”


    “Atst, some good news!” Takashi grinned, a sense of excitement taking over him, “Now we can fight back! Give them the coordinates of the Ruthenian tanks. The more we can destroy, the more time we can buy for our reinforcements to arrive!”


    “Understood!” The officer performed a salute before going back into the tent to carry out his orders. Meanwhile, Takashi heard a rumble in the air.


    ‘It must be our ne,’ he thought as he turned his head up, squinting at the sky to try and see better. It was no doubt the sound of an aircraft engine. Takashi snatched the binocr off his fellow’s neck and used it to get a view of the direction of the noise.


    ‘There’s our aircraft!’


    The aircraft was hovering in the sky above the enemy formation. Under the wings of the A5M were 500-pound bombs designed to bring death to enemy armor. He couldn’t help but grin in anticipation of the Ruthenia’s frontline being crushed like dust underneath its feet.


    He was so focused on the iing payload that he didn’t notice a barrage of strobing lights that shredded the aircraft into pieces.


    “Wait…what?!” Takashi’s mouth was agape in disbelief. He put down his binocrs and just a second after, he heard a robotic guttural belch that sent chills down his spine.


    “What the hell was that?!” he cursed.


    An answer abruptly came into view as two alien aircraft screamed overhead their camps before soaring into the skies again. Takashi recoiled from the shock, as did many others nearby. Even though it happened in split seconds, he noticed its peculiar design.


    It has no propellers and the engine is fixed behind.


    Whatever that is, those nes just turned the A5M squadron into mincemeat.