This event took place on the day of ETSF's departure, which was the second day after SCOURGE's attack on Yeager Airport with over 6,200 aircraft.

A sea breeze drifted over the ocean surface, beneath which dark currents surged, bitingly cold.

Above the surface, a transport ship sailed slowly. From Wright Island Airport to Yeager Airport, the straight-line distance was no more than 50km—a span even within range of howitzers—yet it was the interval between heaven and hell.

Just yesterday, in merely a few days, SCOURGE had gained the capability to sortie over 6,200 aircraft from Bandit Airport to assault Yeager Airport. Fortunately, the allies successfully fended off the offensive, though they were left almost completely combat-ineffective afterward.

It's hard to imagine what such a scene would be like. If it were us, we could only hope our defensive measures were robust enough. But reality is like a crusher. SCOURGE, as a hive mind, has no room in its consciousness for something like mercy.

The soldiers on the deck, if they looked up at the sky, would find the weather quite fine today—still a sky-blue expanse, without any iron curtain of red dots.

None for now... or perhaps there is.

At altitudes imperceptible to them, like underwater currents, twelve contrails split the sky.

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Combat Log Briefing:

"Our plan succeeded. Our low-key performance meant SCOURGE didn't pay excessive attention to us. Apart from the FT air-to-air missiles, they knew absolutely nothing about us. Now the time is ripe. They launched a full-scale operation just yesterday, making today our optimal window. In M-War II, we failed to execute 'Operation Foehn' in time due to lack of preparation. We must not repeat that mistake now."

"Two squadrons of M-16As have taken off for escort duty. This brand-new fighter is equipped with our most advanced weaponry. SCOURGE's impression of us has always been that we use expensive air-to-air missiles to attack their cheap aircraft at an extremely low cost-effectiveness ratio. It's time to show that scrap metal what's what!"

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Combat Log:

Union battlefield auxiliary AI inferred that, given SCOURGE's arrogant nature, after being repelled, it would likely become even more enraged and focus more on Yeager Airport and the development of elite aircraft. Our operation, on the surface, merely involved transporting ETSF troops to Yeager Airport for support. They shouldn't pay excessive attention. But facts proved that the data samples we fed it might have been a bit too few.

AWACS indicated at least 60+ signal sources coming from Bandit Airport. The good news was, they still seemed firmly convinced our weapons were of low cost-effectiveness. Based on radar return signals, none belonged to elite aircraft—not even ten Red Eliminators, mostly Red Opponent C/Ds and Red Dash-Strike Bs tasked with anti-ship missions. It must be admitted, their learning capability is truly strong; they know to use different tactics against different opponents. It's just a pity their data samples were also too few. Because according to their logic, they should have sortied more aircraft, given that 12×7 equals 84 LT-15A FT missiles.

Due to the opponent's super learning capability, we deduced their tactic: other aircraft would venture forward to cause disruption, while Red Dash-Strike Bs would attempt ultra-low-altitude infiltration to attack the transport ship.

According to the division of labor, the six aircraft of Golden Eagle Squadron were responsible for protecting the transport ship in the core zone, assigned LT-15A missiles to destroy any approaching Red Dash-Strike Bs. The six aircraft of Red Arrow Squadron were tasked with forward interception and blocking on the periphery, assigned missiles for ultra-long-range engagement of Red Eliminators, then entering a dogfight with remaining enemy aircraft—but pursuit was prohibited.

Since the engagement distance was under 40km, the LT-15A with its ultra-long-range high-loft trajectory could be fired directly. SCOURGE anticipated this. The Red Eliminators chose to converge the formation, with aircraft spaced 50 meters apart, blending their signals to confuse terminal missile guidance, attempting to break through to within their own missile effective range. The key enabler for this tactic was SCOURGE's hive mind, granting its aircraft unparalleled coordination.

This was a bold attempt by SCOURGE. If successful, it could completely neutralize the FT missile threat. Its only flaw was failing to consider the LT-15A warhead's blast radius and their own susceptibility to chain explosions.

The first missile salvo from Red Arrow Squadron directly or indirectly destroyed a large number of fighters through blast damage alone, over ten aircraft were instantly obliterated. SCOURGE urgently dispersed the formation, halting the losses, but this also led to all remaining Red Eliminators being destroyed in the second salvo. Approximately 35 Red Opponents remained at high altitude. After the tactical failure, their closure rate suddenly increased, inferred as an attempt to rush in for close-range dogfighting, trying to force an exchange with our expensive missiles.

This time, Red Arrow Squadron chose not to act. As the distance closed to within visual range, an iron curtain forged by the memory of steel unfolded before us. Everything returned to the fight SCOURGE was all too familiar with. Although the fighters ahead looked different from before, to the arrogant SCOURGE, the distinction wasn't significant.

But, when the M-16As presented their bellies to the enemy, something didn't seem quite right again.

[A certain mysterious, scheming white-haired woman with heterochromatic eyes exerted her strength.]

The JP-2B, a new externally-mounted auto-aiming cannon developed by the Antaeus Alliance. After electro-optical lock-on, the Union AI intelligently allocates targeting. The only thing the pilot needs to do during a dogfight is to control the general angle and pull the trigger. And the M-16As even carried two of these per aircraft.

Tracers tore through the curtain like blades of light. SCOURGE, however, remained utterly silent—for it has no mouth. From the start to the end of the dogfight, over 30 aircraft were shot down in a mere five minutes. No one knew what this meant, but the implications were undoubtedly profound. Yet, that was for SCOURGE to contemplate. How could humans comprehend it?

Oh, as for those Red Dash-Strike Bs, since Golden Eagle Squadron remained completely unaffected by the peripheral battle, they were all eliminated.

Engagement concluded.

Our expenditure: 6+6+10 = 22 missiles. Zero casualties. Transport ship proceeded normally to Yeager Airport.

World Event: ETSF arrives at Yeager Airport

After breaking through the blockade, the first transport ships carrying ETSF air defense and artillery units arrived safely at Yeager Airport and immediately commenced defensive operations. This also signifies that, within the TSW, the reformists and the royalists have truly stood on the same front line.

A continuous flow of material supplies will follow, until we achieve victory.