ORDER A HEAVY BOMBARDMENT

The air in the room was thick with tension, the silence punctuated only by the rustling of papers and the occasional cough. A large, oval table dominated the center, its surface strewn with maps and reports, each marked with red circles indicating the areas of conflict. Sunlight filtered through high windows, casting long shadows that danced across the faces of the high-ranking officials gathered there.

Emperor Alberto, with his neatly combed hair and tailored uniform, stood at the head of the table, his brow furrowed as he scanned the documents in his hand.

"SO UNTIL NOW, WE HAVE MANAGED TO OCCUPY ONLY SEVENTY PERCENT OF THIS LAND," he said, his voice steady but tinged with frustration.

"Huh!" the Minister of Defense exhaled in disbelief, shaking his head. "That's sad. One thousand three hundred sixty-three soldiers were killed, three thousand seven hundred eighty-nine wounded, and sixteen tanks and forty-seven military vehicles were either destroyed or damaged. Ah! We also lost a helicopter, and a destroyer ship was heavily damaged." He leaned back in his chair, the weight of the losses evident on his face.

The room fell silent, the only sound a faint ticking from the ornate clock on the wall. Everyone exchanged grim looks, the reality of their situation sinking in.

"Your Majesty," the Army Chief began, his voice low, "these monsters are very powerful. We are giving our best, but the enemy is relentless."

"Yet here we are," Alberto replied, his tone sharper now. "WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THE DEFEAT OF OUR FORCES NEAR MOUNT TITUS IN THE SOUTH?"

"Um... Your Majesty, I am ashamed of it," the Army Chief stammered, his gaze dropping to the table. "Our forces encountered Oozes. Bullets have no effect on them. They can melt through armor, weapons— even our tanks. We were outnumbered—hundreds of thousands of them. I've already requested assistance from the Department of Magic and the Department of Science & Technology."

Alaric, the Minister of Magic, Science & Technology, spoke with urgency in his eyes. "Your Majesty, according to our analysis, their weakness is fire. Oozes, being magical semi-liquid creatures, thrive in humid, damp terrain. They consume everything in their path—organic or metallic—and rapidly multiply when exposed to heatless energy sources. However, fire magic and thermobaric compounds disrupt their cohesion. Napalm is highly effective."

"Our department has developed an improved version—MS Napalm 2.0—using a hybrid of science and elemental fire magic. It will not only obliterate the Oozes but will also be effective against the other southern threats: giant spiders, Titans, and trolls. I will email you the full report."

"Ah! That's great!" Alberto's expression brightened for a moment, the glimmer of hope lifting the heavy cloud in the room.

"I lost many of my men to those giant spiders, Titans, and trolls," the Army Chief said, a grin breaking through his earlier grim demeanor. "If we destroy them completely, we won't have anyone left to lose."

Alberto's fingers danced over his laptop's keyboard, accessing the data just sent to him. "Hmm. You've done a great job," he said, his voice a mix of admiration and relief.

"We are pleased to serve the Empire, Your Majesty," Alaric replied, his chest swelling with pride.

"Okay, Lopez," Alberto said, turning his gaze to the Chief of the Air Force.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Lopez responded, straightening in his seat, his demeanor professional.

"How many bombers do we have?"

"Sir, we currently have two hundred fifty bombers, including thirty Tupolev Tu-95s—locally manufactured by our aircraft division," Lopez replied, his voice steady, though a flicker of concern passed across his face.

"HMPH, VERY GOOD. PREPARE ALL BOMBERS. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE MORE PEOPLE. FIRST, BOMBARD THE AREAS INFESTED BY THE OOZES. THEN TARGET THE ZONES WITH GIANT SPIDERS, TITANS, AND TROLLS. DESTROY THEM ALL."

"But, Your Majesty..." Elizabeth interjected hesitantly. "The forest will suffer irreparable damage..."

"I KNOW," Alberto snapped, his frustration boiling to the surface. "BUT THIS IS MY DECISION. ORDER A HEAVY BOMBARDMENT ON THAT REMAINING THIRTY PERCENT AREA."

"Understood!" Lopez responded, his resolve firming as he nodded.

"Yes, Emperor," the others echoed, though a cloud of uncertainty lingered in their expressions.

Alberto leaned back in his chair, the weight of leadership pressing down on his shoulders. "WE MUST ACT DECISIVELY. THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE MORE LIVES WE LOSE. OUR PEOPLE NEED TO SEE STRENGTH, NOT HESITATION."

.............

At Sea —

The Royal Britannia Navy was patrolling the open waters. The fleet, under Admiral Nicholas Haddock, was tasked with securing maritime trade routes critical to the kingdom's economic survival. Beside him stood his subordinate, Admiral Edward.

"Admiral, do you really believe there are countries beyond the Monster Sea?" Edward asked, squinting over the waves.

"They're supposed to arrive today to meet the queen," Nicholas replied. "But even I find it hard to believe. That sea is cursed. Many have ventured into it seeking new lands—and none returned. I've heard rumors they arrived in giant metal ships... Still, it sounds absurd."

Suddenly, a crewman rushed over. "Admiral! We've spotted three fast-moving islands from the south—heading directly toward us."

Nicholas furrowed his brow. "Islands?"

"They look like ships, sir. Huge ones. Empire-class ships."

Nicholas squinted through his spyglass. "Hmm. Their ships are bigger than anything we've seen—even larger than the Dwarven trade vessels. If they have such large ships, that explains how they crossed the Monster Sea."

"What should we do, sir?" Edward asked.

"They've been granted diplomatic entry. Guide them to Port Java," Nicholas ordered.

The three ships—a behemoth battleship flanked by two escort destroyers—closed the distance quickly. Their sleek, steel hulls towered over the Britannian warships, casting long shadows over the ocean. The Yamato-class vessel and its escorts passed through the fleet with a grace and speed that left the Britannian sailors speechless.

"They passed us like we were standing still..." one crewman muttered.

......

Port Java —

Back at Port Java, civilians and soldiers alike gathered along the docks, their faces a mix of awe, fear, and confusion.

"Did the Royal Navy lose a battle?" someone asked aloud.

"Is this an unannounced invasion by Dwarves?" another speculated.

The size and design of the ships defied local understanding. The sheer bulk of the Yamato-class battleship caused murmurs to ripple through the crowd.

However, as the ships attempted to approach, it became clear the port was too shallow. Coral reefs and low tide threatened to damage the propellers.

Onboard the Yamato, Captain Aruga turned to the Empire's Foreign Affairs Minister.

"Minister James, this port is too small. We can't get any closer without risking damage."

James Thompson smiled calmly. "That's expected. Their ports weren't built for ships of this scale. We'll disembark using small boats from here."

"I understand," Aruga nodded.

Boats were lowered. As the delegation prepared to meet Britannia's royalty, the people of Port Java continued to stare, caught between curiosity and dread—aware that this meeting could change the fate of their kingdom forever.