The American In Another World
Chapter 16: Operation Awe

July 30, 1639

Washington DC

President Lee sipped his coffee as he walked through the White House hall. He nodded at the few workers passing by, too tired to return their greetings. As he walked towards the Oval Office, he saw a tall, gray-haired man leaning against the wall. He knocked on a tablet, his eyes fixed on it, but noticed the arrival of President Lee. “August, Mr. President.”

"Director Klein," Lee yawned. "What brings you here?" He asked as he opened his office door, gesturing for Klein to enter.

"Well, sir, I have good news and bad news."

President Lee sits on the sofa. “So so, huh? It can't just be 'good news'?”

“At least it's not just bad news, sir,” Klein chuckles.

Lee sighed. “I think you were right there. Let's go with. good news.

“We have a good idea of the sentiment among the Lourian elite, excluding the king. Many nobles are now wary of us, especially after seeing the fleet cross their coastline unhindered.”

"Unchallenged? What, don't tell me they put all their ships in that one fleet? Lee smiled in disbelief.

"Actually…"

"Haha, it's impossible."

"Yes. More than 90% of their ships are in that one fleet. The rest stayed for anti-piracy and the others. Some tried to intercept the fleet right in one of their port cities. According to my agent, it sealed the deal for most of the Lourian upper class. Most of their troops were called back to their master's hometown. With the threat of a naval invasion, Jin Hark was unable to send his troops to restore order among the nobles and nobles.”

"Amazing. Everything went well, eh? What's the bad news?”

“Well, we tried to make the Lourian leaders aware. We managed to scare the generals and their top advisers, but the king was a bit stubborn. My assets have also identified some interesting targets: the ones we must defeat, or hell, even before we storm the castle.

"So so. Local counter-espionage?”

Klein shrugged his shoulders. “If it can be called that,” he said with a laugh. “Stay, no one knows if they have magic armor, invisibility robes, or pocket spells ready to use. It seems that so far they have had to recite some long chants, but hey, you never know.

“Ya, yes. Thas right. Oh, you read the memo from a few days ago, right?”

Klein nodded. “My set is ready when you are ready. Sir, if we're gonna do this more often, we're gonna need more gas masks. And preferably not too big.

“Ya, already working on it.”

"Sir, there are no nerve agents, right?"

In a meeting with military leaders days earlier, he lifted a ban imposed by the Geneva Conventions, allowing the use of any stored weapons, but only if deemed strictly necessary. Research into non-lethal chemicals expanded, while the destruction of old stocks of toxins and more lethal chemicals was halted. Tear gas is scheduled to be mass-produced because of its relatively small effect. President Lee recalled the order he gave to DEVGRU. "really. Haven't wanted to show too many cards.”

——

The US Navy Seventh Fleet

USS Gerald R's. Ford

The newest supercarrier in the United States Navy penetrated a giant-like current while sailing alongside the USS Ronald Reagan . Boasting the latest generation of hardware and software, the ship is a powerful addition to the Seventh Fleet. Surrounded by dozens of cruisers and destroyers, the two supercarriers ruled like kings and queens, marching to victory. The planes are launched from both carriers; they approach the shores of Jin-Hark and are ready to attack the foolish king and destroy his dreams of conquest and extermination.

Admiral Hawthorne saw a digital map on his desk. Radar data is constantly fed into the device, providing real-time strategic information. Most of the Seventh Fleet participated in this exercise, titled Operation Awe; some of their units stayed behind to guard Qua Toyne and Quila in case of any unexpected surprises.30 miles away, the, Desperate Lourians reinforced their harbors, setting their wooden ships in line to form barricades. Hawthorne found the images on the radar laughable; small dots tried to form a wall against the tsunami. If necessary, they could even break through with their thin tonnage.

Despite being a fan of dramatic entrances, Hawthorne rejected the idea, opting instead for pure efficiency. “All ships,” he announced, “After years of prolonged conflict with little advantage, against the enemy of our own design, the, we now have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors and the people before them. The Qua Toyne and Quila people face extinction and slavery, with the people of the Game having suffered these horrors at the hands of the Lourians. Today, we will end this threat forever. Seventh Fleet Sailor, we will now begin Operation Awe, and may God forgive this caveman, for we are sure we will not.

——

Jin Hark Royal Castle

The bell rang as the explosion pierced through the atmosphere, filling the eardrum of the terrified Lourians with thunder in the distance. Even within the sturdy castle walls, King Hark Louria could hear explosions along the harbor. Curious, he stood up to look at the northern base; since his castle was located on top of a hill, the scenery was plentiful. His female assistant followed him, doing her best to calm him down.

He pulled the curtain to the side and looked outside. The port was already engulfed in blazing flames and ruining a prominent scene in the region, Lourian Naval Headquarters, had vanished. Where the pride building once stood, only a crater remained. The few ships left after the Great Fleet's crushing defeat were swept away like ants; none of its last several hundred ships had survived. Instead, the giant metal giants crammed into the small harbour, releasing swarms of smaller landing craft due to the sheer size of the carrier compared to the shallowness of the primitive harbor.

Hark King Louria closed the curtain and turned around as the iron dragon exterminated a group of wyvern knights. "Hayla, get me some clothes."

One of the girls bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."

After King Louria put on his ceremonial royal armor, he walked towards the war room. The general and his advisor were busy like a beehive, except for one group. Patagene, Miminel, Yamirei, and Maus stood on the map lying on the table, pointing and discussing softly. They noticed his approach and stopped their discussion.

Yamirei walked forward with a heavy heart, his eyes hiding fear badly. "My king," he bowed.

“These Americans... how could we underestimate them this badly?” The tone of King Louria's voice was very calm, making his subordinates goosebumps.

Yamirei opened his mouth, as if he wanted to mention something, but then decided not to. Instead, he allowed Patagene to explain. "Your Majesty, based on our analysis of their tactics and weapons, we believe we are fighting a country that is equivalent to — or maybe even more advanced than — Mu."

"You, you say?"

"Yes; the dominant superpower of the Second Civilization Region, who could even destroy the Parpaldian Empire without breaking much sweat. We never had a chance.”

“Oh, and you're just saying this now? What did you do when we lost the Grand Fleet? When the Eastern army was annihilated?”

Patagene wanted to protest, because they did raise American power several times in the past, but were always cut off by His Majesty. Not wanting to stir up his anger, they remained silent. Despite their loyalty to King Louria, they saw themselves more in tune with the nation itself, not the foolish ruler before them. Recalling their conversation after Chef Wileman's comments, they wonder how they could potentially save the beloved country from destruction.

While King Louria continued to berate them and vent her anger on some unfortunate furniture sets, several explosions shook the castle. Pieces of the ceiling fell as the entire building was hit by a pressure wave from the bomb. They quickly rushed to the window, carefully navigating around the glass shards strewn across the floor. Wyvern's headquarters was destroyed, along with the barracks beside it.

What shocked the Lourians was how tight the destruction was. Commercial blocks around Wyvern headquarters were spared, only having broken windows. However, they are not safe from the occasional rain of blood and blood. Above the heads, a group of iron dragons floated past them, letting out a shrill roar as they split the air. They released several light arrows, resulting in a bloody fireworks display over the residential district. The group of poor wyvern knights instantly fogged up except for one, whose wyverns panicked and fell on the streets below.

King Louria's royal guards rushed into the room to help keep their ruler safe. “Your Majesty, we must retreat to the throne room; it's the safest one there.”

"Very good. Patagene, look when you managed to repel the invaders.” He allowed the royal guard to escort him to safety, leaving his administrative and military leaders alone.

"General, what should we do?" One of the military staff asked Patagene.

——

The sky above Jin Hark

Harrison Richthofen checked his radar; there was no wyvern left. The airspace is now crowded with dozens of American jets, patrolling the area like eagles. "Damn, how many, like two, three minutes?"

His squadron communication was filled with chatter of disillusioned pilots who barely felt the battle. Wyvern opponents really did not pose much of a threat and were annihilated almost in one fell swoop, as most of them were still in their stables, unusable due to the destruction of the Wyvern HQ runway.

After their channel calmed down, they received orders from the fleet. “All squadrons, clear sky from bogie. Reassemble at Point Alpha after each mission objective is completed.”

"All right," said Richthofen. "That's us, let's get back to the fleet." He looked down, seeing a group of people forming along the balcony of the castle. “Heh, it looks like they are trying to shoot an arrow at us.”

His teammates laughed, but the sound of their laughter was drowned out by the thunder. A bolt of lightning shot out in front of him, just a few feet above his canopy. He instinctively dove to avoid the bolts, which quickly disappeared. “Sial, all units keep height! Don't approach the castle!”

——

Jin Hark Royal Castle

Yamirei fell to his knees, panting. "Water," he asked weakly. Several officers from the castle help Yamirei and his witches recover from their attacks. Despite channeling their energy, they only managed to graze one of the enemy planes. Still, seeing them retreat back into the fleet and ascend to higher ground was a victory in terms of morals. The weary witches cheered when they saw the jet go away, but Yamirei knew better.

They did not retreat because of their spells; they retreated because there was nothing left to detonate. All military targets within the city walls were destroyed, all but the wall itself. They have a total air superiority, leaving a dozen aircraft to defend against it.

In the courtyard, the troops gathered, ready to march to the frontlines. As Yamirei drank a cup of water, he saw General Patagene and General Miminel coordinating their troops. He immediately recognized the Lourian heavy infantry from their different appearances and heavy shields. One of them stands out, with a shield with a more rounded design compared to its counterparts.

He sighed, retreating to report his recent battle to King Louria. As he approached the door of the throne room, he passed by a pair of robed men who came out. Their veils faced towards him for a moment, making him feel uneasy. Feeling more daunted than the report he was about to give, he ignored them and walked into the room.

King Louria seemed to be in a very sour mood, most likely from the robed Parpaldian envoy. He stood near one of the windows, emitting hatred and anger as the blood-red sunset shone on his figure. "Royal Magician, have you made any discoveries?"

Yamirei knelt down, almost trembling in fear. “Your Majesty, the enemy magic is endless. I gathered my witches to cast lightning spells, but we still can't destroy their planes.”

“It looks like they're backing out. You have done well to make them fall back. And with General Patagene's strategy of creating a line of defense in the merchant district.Ho, how crafty! Those soft-hearted fools had stopped their attacks!”

Yamirei looked down. He knew what Patagene was doing, yet the stubborn King continued to maintain his belief in superiority, as if he would never lose. Yamirei gathered all the courage he had to speak. “Your Highness, Americans have total dominance over the oceans and sky. I suggest that we look for alternatives before they set their sights on the castle..”.

“Ha, I will consider that if they manage to face me here. Until then, we fight. Why not have faith, Yamirei? We have managed to hold them so far.”

"But Your Majesty, we don't even have reinforcements from the nobles!"

"I'll deal with them later after I win over the invaders." He waved his hand, driving out Yamirei.

"Of course, Your Majesty," replied the disgruntled magician. He came out of the throne room, wondering how a man could be so indifferent to the collapsing world around him. He leads his witches to Patagene. He hopes Wileman's attack hasn't started yet.

——

Jin Hark Royal Castle Park

A group of dark-clothed men quietly move in the shade of the night, navigating through a maze of shrubs and trees. One of them looked towards the balcony, where he saw a man in chef clothes stretching his body.

He pointed upwards, letting his comrades be aware of the signal. They nodded and started their attack. A magical torch exploded while receiving the impact from the right bullet, attracting the attention of several guards who walked over to inspect the torch. With their backs facing the ghosts in the garden, they didn't even have the chance to stare into the eyes of death before they were no longer around.

The air strikes hit parts of the wall at random to provide audial protection, preventing the Louria people from recognizing the shots being pressed in their backyard. The men walked in, wearing gas masks and awkwardly set them under their night vision goggles. Every time they found the light source, they extinguished it; they left the defenders of the castle ignorant, both literally and figuratively. Surprisingly, they had yet to meet any of the castle's staff, and there were very few guards.

When they entered the dining room near the kitchen, they realized the reason. A man in chef clothes stood among the dozens of people who were slumped. "It took you a long time."

"Gosh," said one special agent. "What the fuck?"

"You CIA bastards are something else" said another, shaking his head in disapproval.

"What's? It's not like I killed them or anything. Just a short nap, ”dia patted the unconscious butler.

"What happened to the guards?"

Wileman shrugged. “Wish they had a toilet and Pepto Bismol, maybe. Give them enough to make Taco Bell look like a children's game.”

"Yes god. Alright."  

Wileman pointed to a passageway on the left. “Royal rooms like that. I haven't been able to get any of the royal guards, and they might be waiting for you.” He's wearing his gas mask. "Hopefully lucky."

The operators moved into the room leading to the throne room. It was empty, and filled with too many lights to fire. They removed their night vision goggles and prepared their equipment, anticipating an ambush. The man in the lead clenched his fists into the air, signaling his men to stop moving. They scanned the surroundings, and one of them saw a shadow behind a few pillars.

 Almost as soon as he saw the shadow, smoke spread throughout the room. "Gas! The gas!" The American operative in the lead suddenly finds himself in a melee, blocking the attack from the sword with his rifle. The swordsman immediately retreated into the smoke and prepared another attack, but could not. Tear gas flooded the room as DEVGRU agents released their arsenal of grenades.

"What is this ... poison ?!" The swordsman shouted before he was hit.

The remaining ambush troops, confused and leaderless, were cleared easily. With gas flooding their system, they were unable to shout and had little ability to engage in close combat properly. A lucky few survived - who were too busy coughing, lying on the ground.

The operators pushed into the throne room, where they found King Louria sitting, her head resting on her hands. “So...this is the end?” He started laughing. “After all this work, some cheating countries appeared to beat me ?!”

“Crazy...” murmured an operator.

The team leader stepped forward. "King Hark Louria, you should have known that your evil act of genocide enraged the gods."

He stopped laughing. “So, you are my divine punishment, then? Here to make me atone for my sins?”

“No, it's up to Qua Toyne and Quila. We are here to end the war. Now, we can do this the easy or the hard way, and let me tell you, we are life-seeking angels compared to the demons we can send to you.

"And what do you propose?" King Louria asked, gritting her teeth.

The leader gestured with his finger, gesturing for one of his men to come forward. The man took out manacomm from his backpack and walked towards the seated king. “Anyone who has manacomm will be able to hear this message. You can declare your surrender. If not, it's okay. We'll have more work to do, but we won't be too happy about that. The leader turned the gun in his hand. "After all, you're coming with us."

“Alright, Americans. I will declare my surrender.”