Meltima

**Meltima** is a pilot and squadron commander on the Marin fighter of Mu 2nd Fleet Air Corps.

## Personality

When Meltima first piloted this Marin carrier-based fighter, he was surprised that the land of his birth could produce such a fearsome weapon. However, the enemy that had abruptly emerged, the Gra Valkas Empire. They had demonstrated how fearsome their capabilities were in their previous raid on Cartalpas.

Having faith in the aircraft he is piloting in his own experience, even if they were warned in the operation meeting of the threat of Gra Valkas Empire’s aircraft, Meltima thought they couldn’t possibly lose.

He has also heard from the engineers about the performance of Japanese aircraft, but since the information given has been limited. He hasn’t experienced the performance and couldn’t bring himself to believe it. There was the occasional rumor from travelers who have been to Japan, but he thought of how much it may have been just exaggerations.

## Chronology

### New World War Arc

At the beginning of the Great Naval Battle of Baltica, on the Baltica Sea near the north of Mu continent, Commander Raider heard the incoming report at the bridge of the Mu flagship, the La Kasami-class battleship, *La Erdo* that one Gra Valkan plane was spotted heading straight for the World Union Fleet on Aerial Sector 2 in 108 kilometers. He ordered to send ten Marin fighters to intercept them and shoot them down. The Marin fighters launched from one of the aircraft carriers.

Meltima’s ten Marin fighters of the Mu 2nd Fleet Air Corps fly in formation. A squad member with good eyes reported to him that Gra Valkan planes have gotten above them. Meltima smiled at the opportunity they’ve come across. Meltima’s ten Marin fighters slowly closed the distance with the enemy plane. They rolled over and began diving. He had faintly noticed how different his assumptions were from reality. Even with gravity helping them raise their speed, the Gra Valkan planes had long passed underneath them and had started to create distance.

By the time he had noticed the overwhelming difference in speed, it was already too late. The Gra Valkan plane had gotten past his squadron. His frustration had vented out. This was his blunder. The difference in aircraft performance was shocking, but he has no choice but to believe it. With his anger in check, he radioed back to the World Union Fleet.

Meltima’s squadron, which was completely outrun by the Gra Valkan recon planes, advanced onto the airspace where the enemy was expected to pass. They flew vigilantly to intercept enemy formations. He heard the report from a subordinate that aircraft silhouettes confirmed right ahead. He saw more than a hundred of those high-performance planes in the blue sky gradually came into view. Meltima’s instincts raised an alarm to fall back with all hands. As if to inspire himself, Meltima screamed into his radio and punched the throttle to max power. The engine roared to its maximum output. The propeller followed suit, spinning powerfully. When he closed the distance to the Gra Valkas plan, he tried to aim it with a 7.92mm machine gun. As he heard that faint sound on the radio, his subordinates flying diagonally from behind him burst into flames. Then, bright lines of light traced by bullets rained down on them from the sun. Another Marin fighter took several shots and the airframe was engulfed in fire.

To escape from the sights of the enemy, Meltima yanked the joystick sideways to turn 90 degrees to the side, with the airframe violently responding against the joystick. He then yanked the stick closer to himself. As his Marin began to turn rapidly, white trails emanate from the wingtips. At the following moment, lines of fire ran through where he was. He then hurriedly turns his head towards all sorts of directions.

His subordinates whom he brought along were dropping successively like flies. Numbers of enemy planes flew in close and slipped underneath him. Meltima, who had witnessed how only a few shots from them can break apart airframes and the speed at which each shot flies, continued to report back as he performed evasive maneuvers. Unable to perform attacks, he put his all into performing evasive maneuvers. It was then that he realized that all his subordinates were shot down and he was the only one left.

Regaining his composure, he took hold of his joystick, and the nose of his plane faced the direction of one of the enemy planes. He was going to shoot them down with a 7.92mm machine gun. The Gra Valkan plane was already out of his machine gun’s range. Impacts run through the rear of the airframe. When he looked back, he saw that the vertical and horizontal stabilizers were blown off. Having lost its stability, Meltima’s plane began to turn hectically and fell into the sea of clouds as it spun.