February 13th, 2021, 23:00

  km northeast from Saga prefecture, Kyushu, Japan

  A rare aerial battle between 32 American AH-64E Apache Guardian choppers, which was considered to be the most powerful in the world, and the stealth WAH-91SP Peregrine Falcon choppers was about to begin.

  Stealth capabilities would be useless in a battle where both pilots could see each other, but the powerful SEMP distortion radio waves had prevented the Apache Guardian choppers from using their radars to auto-target. They ended up being attacked by the Peregrine Falcon chopper’s S-ALAM 60 Black Dragon missiles first.

  The 32 rounds of the S-ALAM 60 Black Dragon missiles flew towards the Apache Guardian choppers.

  Some of the Apache Guardian choppers evaded the Black Dragon missiles by using their chaffs and flares that confirmed their reputation of being the best in the world, but the remaining 12 choppers were directly hit and crashed into the ground while turning into a ball of flames.

  When the distance between the two groups had closed to 5km, the Apache Guardian’s second pilot and arms operator used manual targeting to lock onto the Peregrine Falcon choppers. Then they retaliated with their AIM-9 sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

  The 24 rounds of the AIM-9 sidewinder air-to-air missiles used their heat-seeking sensors and flew towards their targets. The Peregrine Falcon choppers used their own chaffs that were made of magnesium and sodium that could emit heat up to 2000 degrees Celsius and began to make the Loop maneuver*.

  *Loop maneuver: Turning 360 degrees in the air. The maneuver involved not tilting the aircraft to the side and have the starting and ending altitude be equal to each other.

  The maneuver was famous from the popular TV series from the 1980s, “Airwolf,” where the main chopper would use it when fighting against the enemy.

  The chaffs flew off and they resembled an angel spreading its wings. The AIM-9 sidewinder air-to-air missiles that had been flying at a speed of Mach 2.2 activated their heat seekers. The missiles had changed their targets and exploded after reaching the chaffs.

  The Peregrine Falcon choppers had evaded all the missiles from the Apache Guardian choppers and launched their remaining S-ALAM 60 Black Dragon missiles.

  The Apache Guardian choppers used their remaining AIM-9 sidewinder air-to-air missiles with their manual targeting.

  Woosh~ Woosh~

  The air-to-air missiles from both sides flew adjacent to each other at a distance of 4km. The Peregrine Falcon choppers and the Apache choppers both sprayed their chaffs and flares and went into evasive maneuvers.

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Thirteen Apache Guardian choppers became engulfed in black flames before crashing to the ground. The shrapnel from the sidewinder missiles sprayed against the Peregrine Falcon choppers’ sides. However, the liquid metal alloy coating had prevented them from exploding in the air or crashing. The explosion and the shrapnel had made the Peregrine choppers’ equipment go dark temporarily-

  This is Goose 3. We’ve been hit on our right side! We’ve been hit! Weapons are down! Weapons are down!-

  This is Seafowl contacting Goose 3! Disengage! Egress!-

  This is Goose 3! Roger!

  The Peregrine Falcon choppers that had been emitting white smoke left the battlefield after raising their altitude.

  After the two rounds of air-to-air missile attacks, both sides had exhausted their missile supply. The choppers started to use their M230 30mm chain guns and 22mm Laser Vulcan beams for their battle.

  The Apache choppers were now the outnumbered side compared to the start of the battle. The Apache choppers began to fire their 30mm chain guns. The 30mm rounds were too slow against the Peregrine Falcon choppers making evasive maneuvers. Instead, the Apache choppers were torn to shreds by their 22mm Laser Vulcans.

  Boom!

  February 13th, 2021, 23:00

  The northwest plains 5km from the Saga prefecture in Kyushu, Japan

  The Peregrine Falcon choppers had stopped their attack on the ground and moved north to face off against the Apache Guardian choppers. The plains were now the stage for the fierce battle between the 72 K-23P-M Hyunmu armored vehicles and the Type 10 tanks. It was foolish to face off against the tanks with just a vehicle type armored vehicles, but the Corean armored vehicles were no ordinary ones.

  The Corean armored vehicles had the plating that matched a light armored tank’s and were equipped with a 50mm photon cannon that was far more powerful than the 120mm cannons the Type 10 tanks had. So, in terms of attack and defense, they were more than capable of facing off against the Type 10 tanks.

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Since it was a nighttime battle, the flames from the cannon rounds and light of the photon rounds lit up the darkness. However, the 50mm photon rounds traveled at the speed of light so it looked more like a beam of light.

  “Our 2 o’clock, distance at 890, fire!”


  Sergeant first class Hong Sung-joon gave the order to fire when he saw a Type 10 tank emerge from behind the hills.

  Pew!

  With a clear sound, the photon round flew off and penetrated the upper turret of the Type 10 tank. The 50mm plasma round had melted through the multiple layers of armored plating covering the entire turret and began to ravage the interior of the tank.

  “Bravo! Bravo!”


  Sergeant first class Hong Sung-jin from the 3rd platoon’s number 732 vehicle raised his hands and exclaimed after taking out a Type 10 tank moving at high speeds. Then, he set the turret to face the second target he had already set on before and gave another order to fire.

  “Seven o’clock! Distance 12000, our next target is them.”


  The 732 armored vehicle rapidly banked left and shot forward. The marines aboard the 732 vehicle were severely carsick from the off-roading. They were about to puke, but since they were outranked by the vehicle’s commander, they could not say anything. They all figured it would be better for them to just open the hatch and leave the vehicle.

  Sergeant Kang Joo-yong, the squadron leader, finally had enough and shouted to the vehicle commander, “Sir! Can’t we go out there and fight?”


  Sergeant first class Hong Sung-jin, who had been excitedly setting targets with the Infantry Commander’s Panoramic Sight (ICPS) turned around and shouted back. “Are you nuts? Do you want to be burnt to a crisp by the tank rounds?”


  A large shock had come from the right side of their vehicle.

  Boom! Crash!

  “What was that?”


  A 120mm round from a Type 10 tank had hit the lower side of the armored vehicle and deflated two tires. Luckily, the hydronium alloy plating had prevented an internal explosion. The issue was that the 732 vehicle had now lost its mobility, and were now sitting ducks for the Japanese Type 10 tanks to pick off.

  “Commander, we’ve been hit!”


  “Did we lose mobility?”


  “Yes, sir. Tires 2 and 3 on our right are out,” Sergeant Na Hyun-ho, the driver of the 732 vehicle shouted after looking at the monitor showing the vehicle’s status.

  Sergeant first class Hong Sung-jin changed his ICPS into panorama mode and checked his surroundings. At three o’clock, he saw a Type 10 tank speeding towards them through the infrared vision.

  “Staff Sergeant Kim! Our 3 o’clock, distance 1200! Fire! Keep firing!”


  Pew! Pew! Pew!

  The Type 10 tank had been hit twice by the photon rounds. Its turret blew off and became covered in flames from an internal explosion.

  “Damn it! This is going to be annoying.”


  They had avoided the immediate danger, but there’s no telling when another Type 10 tank would hit them. Sergeant first class Hong Sung-jin looked at his marines on board and gave an order.

  “Staff Sergeant Kim, keep watch on the perimeter with the panorama scope. You guys are to get off board and get into a defensive position. Don’t overdo it. Otherwise, all of you might get killed.”


  “Understood, sir!” Sergeant Kang Yong-joo, who seemed to be highly pleased from being sent into the battlefield, smiled while answering.

  “All right gang, let’s go to hell!”


  The rear hatch of the 732 armored vehicle opened and the marines spread across the area. When the marines got off the vehicle, they hid in pits and the wreckage around them.

  Corporal Na Dong-yoon, who was the gunman of the squadron, quickly set up the KS3 laser minigun while his subordinate Private Kim Kyung-tae shouldered the S-LTM 50A2 metal bow launch tube. While this was going on, the 732 vehicle watched the surroundings and defended the marines.

  Boooom!

  A rough explosion shook the rear of the 732 vehicle. Black and red smoke billowed and made it difficult to see if an internal explosion occurred or not. Corporal Na Dong-yoon began to fire his 8mm laser mini machine gun to the Type 10 tank that had just fired its cannon.

  Pew pew pew~

  Numerous beams of light bounced against the Type 10 tank. However, the 8mm laser beams were not enough to break through the armored plating. It only managed to damage the periscopes and the optical equipment.

  Pew pew pew pew~

  Corporal Na continued to pull the trigger and gave an order to Private Kim Kyung-tae. “Private! That there! Aim for the top turret and fire.”


  Private Kim aimed with his metal bow anti-tank round and aligned his sight with the Type 10 tank’s turret. After locking on, he pulled the trigger.

  The S-LTM 50A2 metal bow round was only 60mm in diameter and 45cm in length. It shot up into the sky and landed right on the upper part of the Type 10 turret.

  Boooom!

  A pillar of flame rose from the top part of the turret, which was the tank’s weak point.

  “Great work.” Corporal Na Dong-yoon, gave Private Kim Kyung-tae a thumbs up.

  Boom!

  Suddenly, a pillar of dirt rose, and Corporal Na Dong-yoon and Private Kim Kyung-tae were thrown into the air from the HE round’s explosion. The two men were not hurt from flying past a couple of meters, thanks to their protective suits. However, the shock had put them in a daze and their ears were bleeding from having their eardrums being blown out.

  “Private, are you alright?” Corporal Na, who came back to his senses first, shook Private Kim awake.

  “Argh!” Private Kim Kyung-tae who got back to his senses cried out in pain while putting his hands around his ears. “Sir, I can’t hear anything. My ears are ringing.”


  Corporal Na Dong-yoon was in a similar state. When he saw Private Kim grasping both of his ears and crying out in pain, he shouted, “I can’t hear anything too! I think our eardrums are out.”


  From the other side of the battlefield, Corporal Kim Il-hun, the medic, ran up to them.

  “Where are you hurt?”


  Corporal Na Dong-yoon pointed to both of his ears and shook his head.

  “Wait!”


  Corporal Kim Il-un grabbed a needle from his medic bag and injected them with different shots.

  “It’s alright! It’s just a simple eardrum puncture! With some rest and these shots, you’ll get better. So, don’t worry.”


  Corporal Na seemed to have understood what his cohort Corporal Kim was saying by reading his lips. He tapped him on the shoulder and smiled. Private Kim’s face was still grim.

  “I’m worried about the vehicle commander,” Corporal Kim Il-hun said while looking at the 732 vehicle emitting black smoke.

  The squadron commander had run up to them.

  “Are you guys all right?” Sergeant Kang Yong-joo asked Corporal Kim Il-hun.

  “Yes, we didn’t get injured. We only had our eardrums punctured, sir!”


  “Keep an eye out and keep moving!” Sergeant Kim Yong-joo looked around while speaking in a concerned tone. Using the infrared and inverter vision modes, he did not see any Type 10 tanks.

  “It seems like there are no Japanese tanks around here. You two stay put!”
-

  The rest of you are to check the 732 vehicle!

  Vice squad leader’s team, you guys are to check on the 732 vehicle! My team is to check the surroundings.

  When the orders came through the squad communication line, the vice squad leader’s marines showed up and ran towards the 732 armored vehicle.

  They opened the upper hatch of the turret-

  The vehicle commander and Staff Sergeant Kim are both alright.

  After being hit on the rear hatch, the vehicle commander and Staff Sergeant Kim Il-won became unconscious for a moment. Smoke had filled the interior of the vehicle. The marines of the vice squad leader’s team pulled them out along with Sergeant Na the driver.

  When the sounds of the tank cannons and the photon cannons began to die off, the Peregrine Falcons started to shoot their plasma cluster rounds to the ground.

  Booooom!

  Twenty minutes ago, the Peregrine Falcon choppers had flown off to fight against the Apache Guardian choppers. They had finished defeating the enemy and returned. The urban battle was leaning towards the Magpie Viper regiment’s favor.