Battle of Philades Southern Sea

**Battle of Philades Southern Sea** is a naval campaign between the Emissaries of the Sun God and the Demon Lord's Army that the Imperial Japanese navy, consisting of the Alliance of the Races, attacks the 2nd Rodenius Dispatch Force with the sea monsters on the sea about 200km south of Philades Continent.

* 1st Otherworld Army Division Commander Lt. General Matsushita Takao
* 2nd Otherworld Deployment Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Kasai Ryuuken
* 2nd Otherworld Army Division Commander Colonel Sagara Katsuyuki
* Alliance Chief-of-Staff Galeos (Human)
* 6,000 orcs
* 200 wyverns
* 30 Charybdis and Kraken sea monsters
* 1 Akagi-class aircraft carrier *Ikoma*
* 2 Kii-class battleships *Kii* and *Owari*
* 1 Nagara-class cruiser *Yoshino*
* 1 Sendai-class cruiser *Kidzu*
* 2 Fubuki-class destroyers *Sasameyuki* and *Awayuki*
* 2 Hatsuharu-class destroyers *Hatsuakari* and *Toyosaka*
* 3 Supply ships *Hijirizaki*, *Tsurugizaki* and *Kousaki*
* 6 transport ships
* 50 Mitsubishi A6M2b Model 21 Zero fighters
* 40 Aichi D3A Type 99 dive bombers
* All wyverns dead
* All Charybdis and Kraken sea monsters destroyed

## Background

### Demon Lord's Army

After the failed all-out attack of the Demon Army’s Rodenius Dispatch Force on the Divine Forest, Demon Lord Nosgorath heard the report from Malastras at the encampment in the southeastern Philades. The demon explained to the Demon Lord that the Rodenius Dispatch Force was annihilated by numerous iron dragons with powerful explosive magic, making him puzzled. He reminded that they resembled the Ravernal Empire's flying ships of the heavens. As he pieced together the contents of the report, he started to make guesses as to what happened. He believed that the emissaries were connected with their sun goddess Shamash, in which the demon race as a whole treats the light from the sun as their natural enemy, so the mere mention of the name of the divine being those lords over the sun is enough to scare them. After thinking for a while, he issued new orders to Gulgorath, the Demon Lord’s closest aide, to set out from Philades over the sea with the 2nd Rodenius Dispatch Force of 20,000 goblins, 6,000 orcs, and 200 wyverns. It left 10,000 demons with the Demon Lord until the Yellow Ogre from the land of Doria, and the Blue Ogre and the White Ogre from the Mirishient continent returned with 100,000 demons.

Each Charybdis and Kraken sea monster carried around 200 to 1,000 goblins and orcs. Since the sea monsters differed in length for each individual, there was a lot of variation. On top of that, 30 sea monsters were set aside to transport, launch, and receive wyverns. The Demon Lord's 2nd Rodenius Dispatch Force under Gulgorath departed and sailed 30 Charybdis and Kraken sea monsters from Philades to the Rodenius continent for seven days.

### Emissaries of the Sun God and Alliance of the Races

After twenty other high-ranking personnel from the Alliance of the Races and the Emissaries of the Sun Gods discussed their plan for invading the southeastern Philades Continent, The Imperial Japanese began preparations for nineteen ships of the Otherworld Deployment Fleet for their departure. Each transport corps, communications corps, medical corps, and others halved to distribute to the two halves. They transported the army of the Alliance of the Races on the ships. These support units would also actively employ those from the Alliance of the Races to strive towards increasing the effectiveness of said units. The mages were especially vital, which were many opportunities along the way of enlisting their help in quick repair of damaged or deteriorated Japanese weapons, duplication of supplies when needed, and performing emergency medical aid on fatal wounds.

The nineteen ships of the Otherworld Deployment Fleet sailed toward the Demon Lord's 2nd Rodenius Dispatch Force on the 30 Charybdis and Kraken sea monsters from Philades over the sea.

## Battle

### Air Battle

Four days later, in the oceans 200km south of Philades Continent, Gulgorath spotted the black smoke emanating from the horizon. After some time, they finally realized that they were spouted by objects resembling ships. He ordered to send 50 wyverns for scouting them while 150 wyverns stayed around as overhead watch. The 200 wyverns, manned by orcs, ran down the runway-like rafts fastened around the 100m Krakens. They took off to the skies one after the other, supported by the war cries of demons and magical beasts that had pride in the blackbirds of death. The 150 wyverns flew in an orbit around the mass of sea monsters while 50 of them flew towards the unknown ships at 230km/h, the fastest among all creatures.

In the bridge of Kaga-class aircraft carrier *Tosa*, Fleet Commander Kasai Ryuuken heard the report and handed Alliance Army Commander Galeos a pair of binoculars to look at, who confirmed the orcs riding those wyverns. He ordered the crews to prepare the battle stations and the pilots to launch the air supremacy squadrons. Immediately after the orders were issued, the aircraft carrier *Tosa* and the *Ikoma* launched 25 Zero fighters, 20 Type 99 dive bombers, and 15 Type 97 torpedo bombers. Galeos looked at the planes lifting off as the ships bearing the banner of the sun sent them off.

In the sky, the orc leader, who flew at the front of the formation, glared at the approaching iron dragons with fixed wings. He ordered the wyverns to prepare to fire magic flame bullets as they began forming fireballs inside their mouths. Opening the engagement, the wyverns were now about to unleash their attack. Immediately after the orc raised his left hand, he thrust it forward, signaling the rest to fire. The Zero fighters were taken aback by the wyverns being able to spit out fireballs. However, since the wyverns could only go 200km/h and their fireballs were unimpressive in terms of speed, all fighters were able to move out of the way. Raising their engine power to the max they climbed to a sufficiently high altitude to engage the enemy before suddenly turning to dive. With speeds of over 600km/h, they closed the distance in a near-instant. Aiming for the enemy, which has yet to break formation, they pulled the trigger.

The 20mm autocannon rounds from the Zero fighters approached the orcs at speeds faster than they could react. The orc leader with his wyvern was ripped to shreds, leaving only tattered pieces of flesh and blood falling from the sky. The Zero fighters’ first strafe was so effective that they were able to wipe out half of the 50 wyverns. The remaining half-turned tail to run from the carnage. However, they were not able to outrun the Zero fighters. Turning back for another round, the Zero fighters wiped out the remaining half from their backs as they retreated. The orcs and wyverns fell to the ocean. The opening engagement of what would be a great sea battle ended after 30 minutes.

Back on the sea monster, Gulgorath trembled in fear to witness the enemy’s abnormally powerful air power to defeat the 50 wyverns in a short amount of time. Their wyverns didn't being able to bring a single enemy down, let alone land a hit, led to the conclusion that the air was lost, even if they were to move the remaining 150 wyverns to intercept them. They also can’t afford to return to the continent. Commander Gulgorath issued orders to all of the wyverns to charge the incoming enemy iron dragons as he hurried to get his thoughts in order. The 150 orcs and wyverns intercepted them after witnessing their comrades annihilated in the blink of an eye. The Zero pilots were waiting for the fireballs to come, but no such attack came. As they came close, the Zero fighters climbed and followed by the wyverns, who now had an optimal chance to strike the underbellies of the climbing fighters.

The 50 Zero fighters climbed up in perfect formation but soon began splitting up in groups of five. The Zero fighter flew at a faster speed, enabling them to climb and pull away from the wyverns at short intervals. There was absolutely no way they could force any single individual to a tight spot. As soon as they thought so, the enemy then split into groups of five before changing direction. Stopping their movements to assess their actions, the orcs saw that five of the groups climbed up while the remaining five continued their course towards Gulgorath and the rest of the transports.

The 60 wyverns went and chased after the ones that flew for Gulgorath and the others while the remaining 90 wyverns remained with their leader. However, before they could do anything, the 60 wyverns were assailed by 10 Zero fighters from above and from two other directions, robbing the wyverns of places to escape. The orc leader began to descend to chase after the 10 Zero fighters, but almost immediately after, ultra-fast somethings flew past where he was. From up above behind him, the Zero fighter was chasing after him from his blindside. They may have been able to learn how to dodge, but they still did not know how to fight back. They’d have to hurry since they could already see enemy reinforcements coming from the sky to the south. If they can dodge attacks hurled from afar, then they’d have to get extremely close; almost to the point of touching. The orcs ordered their wyverns to prepare to fire magic flame bullets. Two of the three Zero fighters approaching him broke formation, leaving only one of them approaching him. The orc leader’s mental burden got slightly lighter as he focused on the remaining one. He matched his wyvern’s path with that of the Zero fighter, slowing their speed to watch for the timing so that they could get a shot first. By the time they flew into a part of the air far from the fighting, the orc leader then ordered his wyvern to stop. When the enemy gets close enough, they would turn and fly to meet it. The wyvern flapped its wings more ferociously. Accelerating to its top speed, they charged at the enemy Zero fighter.

At the same time, he ordered his wyvern to fire its magic flame bullet, fire emerged from the enemy’s wings and nose. In the instant that the orc was showered by 7.7mm machine gun bullets and the wyvern collapsed its wings unto itself, beginning a falling roll. As the orc tried to withstand the immense centrifugal force, he kept his hands on the reins. Moments later, the wyvern once more unfolded its wings and stopped midair. He withstood it. There was no way the enemy iron dragon could dodge a magic flame bullet at such range, so he surmised that he won the duel. The Zero fighter was still intact. The roots from which its wings protrude from its body had some smoke, but it was able to shake it off. It seemed as if it was able to avoid much of the magic flame bullet immediately after he fired. Still, the Zero fighter survived. Directly above him, another iron dragon emerged from his blind spot. Showered with 20mm autocannon rounds, the orc leader and his wyvern were eviscerated.

The two other Zero fighters instructed to break off were part of the flight commander’s diversionary attack. They decided that one of them should engage and confuse the target so that the two others could aim for the target. It would have been more difficult had the enemy not bought into the duel. The wyverns were able to hold out much longer in this battle, but it was only a matter of time. Soon, the wyverns lessened in number to the point where the Zero fighters outnumbered them, enabling the Zero fighters to respond more accordingly to the dulling evasive maneuvers of the wyverns.

The 200 wyverns made contact with 50 Zero fighters. A portion of the wyverns put up a good fight, but they were not able to entirely land many hits as they were all shot out of the sky.

### Destruction of the 2nd Rodenius Dispatch Force

Gulgorath stood at the edge of despair after having seen the last of the 200 wyverns in his force get shot out of the sky. He shouted to the sea monsters turning back immediately as they saw reinforcements coming as the colossal ships far behind them got even closer. After having been instructed to support the retreat, the sea monsters that had carried the wyverns began to turn back at full speed.

Witnessing the air battle from the bridge of the aircraft carrier *Tosa*, Galeos was at a loss for words. Kenshiva, who was on the bridge of the aircraft carrier Ikoma, watched the fight and was shocked. Fleet Commander Kasai Ryuuken looked at them through his binoculars and ordered the pilots to dispose of the sea monsters with bombs and torpedoes. The 40 Type 99 dive bombers and 30 Type 97 torpedo bombers flew over the sea monsters and dropped bombs and torpedoes. The beasts riding on the sea monsters’ backs blew off in the explosions and were thrown off into the water, dooming them to a fate dictated by swarming carnivorous aquatic life.

The sea monster Gulgorath was riding in also received direct hits from bombs and torpedoes. Just as he tried to flee, he was showered with 7.7mm machine gun rounds, eviscerating him. As soon as the 70 Type 99 dive bombers and Type 97 torpedo bombers exhausted their main munitions, they then proceeded to attack the remaining sea monsters with their guns. However, their 7.7mm machine guns hardly did much against the sea monsters and were only effective against the beasts that rode them.

Once the Type 99 dive bombers and Type 97 torpedo bombers returned to the *Tosa* and the *Ikoma*, the remaining 30 sea monsters decided to deal with using the torpedoes from the destroyers. Accelerating to full speed towards the fleet’s head, the Fubuki-class destroyers *Sasameyuki* and *Awayuki* and Hatsuharu-class destroyers *Hatsuakari* and *Toyosaka* gained on the fleeing sea monsters. The torpedoes they unleashed found their marks one by one, blowing up the sea monsters to pieces and turning them to feed for carnivorous aquatic life. With that, the 26,000 forces under Gulgorath’s command have been reduced to feed for fish and sea monsters after having done nothing against the encroaching Imperial Japanese Navy.

## Aftermath

After the Otherworld Deployment Fleet crushed the 2nd Rodenius Dispatch Force, they continued northwards till Philades continent. Their goal: the part of the coastline where Galeos and the others last set foot on the Philades continent and also the location of the Demon Lord's Army camp.

The next day, at the encampment in the southeastern Philades, Demon Lord Nosgorath heard the report from a communications demon that some sea monsters that Gulgorath had perished in battle by the ships of the emissaries of the Sun God. He learned that they were moving faster to the coastline, but the Yellow Ogre, the Blue Ogre, and the White Ogre were late for their reinforcements. He ordered to deploy all 40 Goruaus beasts to the coastline ready to intercept any landings and 10,000 demons prepare the defense on the coastline.

## Outline Map

1. Gulgorath leads 26,200 troops of the 2nd Rodenius Dispatch Force (named by humankind) and departs the Philades Continent.
2. About 200km south of the Philades continent, the Japanese fleet in the other world is sighted. Gulgorath launches his 200 wyverns, but they are shot down by 50 Zero fighter planes. Gulgorath decides to retreat immediately, but the entire fleet is destroyed by bombing by the Japanese Naval Air Force and torpedo attacks by destroyers. Gulgorath dies in battle.
3. The 300 cavalry of the Wyvern Crops of the Demon Lord's Army are destroyed in the air battle with the Imperial Naval Air Force and by anti-aircraft fire from the otherworldly fleet. 1,500 coastal defense troops of the Demon Lord's Army intercept the Imperial Tank Division. 40 Goruaus beasts disable 6th systems, but they are all reduced by the second volley of artillery fire.
4. The Imperial Japanese Army’s Otherworld Army Division, Otherworld Deployment Fleet, and Alliance Force are divided up and begin their pursuit.

## Trivia

* The Battle of the Southeastern Philades only details in the light novel.