| 033 | Sea Hunting

Three kilometers away from the herd of Leviathans.

An MH-60R Seahawk, codenamed Harpoon, hovered 10 meters from the rough waters of the high seas. Below it, descended the dipping sonar system which could detect underwater targets with remarkable ease.

"Sonar deployed!" An aviation crewman reported while looking down at the vicious tides from the confines of the interior.

"Target group has been detected. Distance 2,800 meters and closing." The maritime aviation warfare officer muttered under his breath.

Following his words, the crew operating the Harpoon gazed at him with anticipation. They were the trigger of the first strike operation, so it was somewhat exciting for the aviation personnel.

The officer took a deep breath and continued with his words.

"Mark 54 lightweight torpedo ready for deployment!" He glanced at the radar system and saw the target group getting nearer by the second.

"Locking to the leading Leviathan." Another crewman reported, signifying the signal to open fire.

"Foxtrot, release!" The maritime aviation warfare officer released the torpedo from the anti-submarine helicopter with a single push of a button.

As the torpedo fell from the Seahawk, it landed on the rough tides with a splash and immediately propelled itself into the high seas.

It headed towards the target group with ferocity and targeted the Leviathan leading the herd of sea monsters.

The aviation personnel watched the propelling torpedo as it pierced into the waters. It only took a minute for the freedom torpedo to be half a kilometer away from the target group.

They kept watching through the monitor screen while the radar system detected both the torpedo and the leviathan about to make contact.

And then… It happened.

*BOOM!!!*

An explosion resounded throughout the high waters as it erupted into damnation. A massive splash was made and blood splattered along with it.

"Observing results…" One of the crewmen reported and observed any movements from the leading Leviathan.

"Results confirmed! Target has been engaged and terminated!" With the results of their engagement clear, the dipping sonar system was pulled from the waters.

The Harpoon swiftly elevated its altitude for necessary precautions and immediately reported what had happened to the Overwatch.

"Overwatch, this is Harpoon. Torpedo's engagement was a success. Leading leviathan has fallen." The maritime aviation warfare officer reported to the UNS Light Bringer.

*Harpoon, success confirmed! Effects have been recorded and the herd has loosened its acceleration. Further engagements have been authorized through hellfire weapon release.*

The next order of the Overwatch was not surprising for the aviation personnel of the Harpoon. With the Leviathans so near to the surface, it was the greatest opportunity they had before the sea monsters submerged.

"Affirmative, Overwatch! Harpoon will further engage." The officer accepted the next orders with calm.

*Good… May the United Navy be with you, Harpoon.* For some reason, the radio operator on the other side started uttering references from their old world.

"May the United Navy be with me, Harpoon out." The maritime aviation warfare officer played along with the reference and closed the transmission.

After the transmission between Overwatch and Harpoon ended, the officer relayed the further engagement orders of the high command to the aviation personnel.

"Overwatch has ordered us to continue our engagement against the sea monsters. Our main priority will be slowing them down and buying time for the armada to prepare for the incursion."

All of them nodded in understanding and weren't against the new orders. Their torpedo didn't seem too effective against the herd, so they needed to engage further.

With the orders relayed by the officer, the pilot swiftly flew the Harpoon to the herd of Leviathans charging towards the armada of the United Navy.

The officer watched the giant sea monsters swimming through the rough waters while pummeling through the corpse of the leading Leviathan.

"It looks like they are determined to reach their target." The officer muttered in disappointment as it would have been better for these fishes to retreat.

"Sir, hellfire has locked into the remaining leading Leviathans."

An aviation personnel coolly reported to the officer. He looked at the locked sea monsters on his monitor screen with a digital square moving along with them.

The officer looked at the aviation personnel and nodded before ordering the release of the air-to-surface missiles.

"Open fire!" The maritime aviation warfare officer ordered with a thunderous voice. Subsequently, the aviation personnel opened fire and released the AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.

*Swooosssh!*

*Swiiisshhh!*

*Swuuusshh!*

*Swiioosshh!*

One after another, the hellfire missiles propelled themselves into the air with unparalleled acceleration. They pierced through the air like a hot knife through butter and left a trail of smoke behind.

It didn't take long for the missiles to arrive at their destinations. What ensued were deafening explosions almost rivaling that of the torpedo eruption.

*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*

"Locked targets hit confirmed! Verifying damages and results." Upon impact, a crewman reported to the maritime aviation warfare officer.

"Damages verified. Results, four leading Leviathans have been disabled but not terminated. They are slowing down with a grievous wound along their body."

Another crewman reported to the officer, and it seemed that the effects were somewhat disappointing. None of the Leviathans hit by the hellfire missiles were killed.

They were only severely injured, but perhaps this was enough.

"Target group distance 1,252 meters. Speed 43 knots. They are decelerating, Sir." The piece of good news was the success of their operation. The herd of fishes finally slowed down.

This would buy the armada enough time to prepare for the incoming assault.

"I'll be paying for dinner once we return!" The officer smirked and glanced at the pilot. "Maintain our altitude and be cautious as we don't know much of their capabilities."

The pilot merely nodded to the officer's orders while the officer opened the transmission with Overwatch through the communication operator.

*Harpoon, this is Overwatch Actual. Congratulations on your operation's success.*

*You have bought the United Navy enough time.*

Abraham's voice escaped the confines of the communication device, making almost every crewman in the helicopter straighten their back and instinctively salute.

"The honor is ours, Fleet Admiral. It was also because of your wisdom to initialize the mission that brought us this victory." The maritime aviation warfare officer responded with great care.

*My involvement matters not.*

*Harpoon will Exfil from the target group and return to Overwatch. While Exfil, the Harpoon will drop sonobuoys for increased accuracy in the data link.*

*The first-strike protocol will soon begin, so brace yourselves.* After giving them a warning, Abraham's transmission ended.

Silence encapsulated the interiors of the Seahawk before the pilot had the helicopter evacuate from its previous location.

If the Fleet Admiral's words were correct, a missile barrage would strike the target group and a bloody event would unfold. They needed to get out, fast.

"You've heard the Fleet Admiral, let's drop the sonobuoys in the route of the target group!" The maritime aviation warfare officer ordered the sonobuoys to be dropped.

Sonobuoys were small expendable sonar buoys dropped from aircraft or ships for anti-submarine warfare. They were extremely useful, especially when the data link couldn't be used to its complete potential.

Without delay, the aviation personnel dropped the sonobuoys in numbers while returning back to the UNS Light Bringer.

Gazing at the crewmen, the officer merely grinned at them and remarked.

"Brace yourselves, men!"

Things would be bound to be shaky in the near future.

While the Harpoon flew back to the United Navy's armada, flickering alarms blared over the Combat Information Center as things were about to get heated.

Several intelligence officers, radio, and communication operators were deeply concentrated in their devices and duties, monitoring the incoming target group.

"Are the tomahawks ready?" Abraham asked Captain Lux, who calmly stood beside him.

The Tomahawk in the UNS Light Bringer was a RGM/UGM-109B Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile, a perfect weapon that would hammer the sea monsters into the abyssal depths of the high seas.

"Tomahawks are ready for release, Fleet Admiral." Captain Lux nodded and responded to Abraham's question. The middle-aged man was pleased and followed the protocol.

"Good, armada will begin the first-strike protocol," Abraham ordered the beginning of the first-strike protocol and the alarms blared even louder throughout the interiors of the ship.

It wasn't only the UNS Light Bringer that had its alarms blaring. Both the UNS Zarya and UNS Guardian of the High Seas were also in the same state.

"Datalink has connected with the sonobuoys. Target group has been detected with greater accuracy!"

"Designating target group. Alpha 100001, Alpha 100011, Alpha 100111, Alpha 101111, Alpha 111111, Alpha 100002, Alpha 100012, and Alpha 100112."

With the Leviathans in the target group assigned with their own identifications, it was time for them to lock in.

"Locking in… Alpha 100001 locked, Alpha 100011 locked, Alpha 100111 locked, Alpha 101111 locked, Alpha 111111 locked, Alpha 100002 locked, Alpha 100012 locked, and Alpha 100112 locked."

"Targets have been locked, Sir. Awaiting for weapons release." The naval personnel slowly turned their gaze and looked at the Fleet Admiral with anticipation.

Abraham met their gaze with determination and declared the first strike of the United Navy.

"Weapons open!"

Following his words were the various reports of the naval personnel proceeding with the order and launching the tomahawk missiles.

"Unlatching 8 VLS Door Cells, Foxes are open!" One of the naval personnel reported, and his words were followed by another calm one.

"Tomahawks ready! Launching in 3…2…1…" Following the sequence of the launch was the vibration of the entirety of the UNS Light Bringer. It shook for a second before the missiles resounded like thunder.

*SWOOOSHHH!!!* *SWIIIISSHHHH!!!* *SWUUUUSHHH!!!*

The tomahawks propelled themselves into the heavens and pierced through the blue skies with a radiant flash. With it were the missile launches of the allied warships, UNS Guardian of the High Seas, and UNS Zarya.

Each of them also deployed a large number of tomahawks into the incoming targets.

*SWOOOSHH!!!* *SWUUSHH!* SWIISHH!*

Abraham could only watch the multiple launches of expensive freedom warheads with a cold expression. The price was a lot to pay. Probably reaching the number of tens of millions.

But.

"It's a small price to pay for survival." He muttered under his breath, observing the monitor screens recording the launches.

For as long as the United Navy stands in this foreign world, abhorrent prices have no heed over Fleet Admiral Abraham Shepherd.