I was listening to the sound of waves and the propellers.

A slow humming of the destroyers’ propellers was impeded by a loud noise of the Western ships’ early propellers.

A V formation of the destroyers was sailing in front of the ironclads and frigates. As the fleet was approaching the city of Benezio, the underwater activity greatly increased.

The enemy could at most approach the Armada but they had no chances of intercepting us. The prototype submarines were way too slow to even have a chance of catching up to an idling ironclad. Which is why the enemy started setting up the subs on the way of the fleet.

It is a tough task, hearing a submarine which is just suspended in the middle layers of the sea. I have to listen into every sound to just have a minor chance of hearing anything through the rattling of the ironclads.

My squadron already proved themselves incapable of doing this, while I caught two subs. All of which were sunk after they slipped below the destroyers.

From time to time my eyes were turning to the radar screen, which was showing a large group of ships to the South-East of us. The enemy fleet was following us but they did not dare entering the visible range, and I did not consider them a threat to inform the others.

We were slowly sailing towards the capital.

‘WWWWWWWWWWWtWWWWW’

A single noise was enough for me to start bombing the sea in front of us.

Pom Pom Pom Pom

When my ASW mortars discharged, the squadron followed my lead, and fired their own ASW weapons.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

I continued listening the hydrophone, and looking at the radar.

‘SLAM’

“No debris!” Patricia rushed into the hydroacoustics room.

“Got it.”

[Let’s party hard, sneaky bastards!]

Pom Pom Pom Pom

I, and the squadron, started bombing the sea ahead of us, until water started dancing like the Fountains of Bellagio.

When we were closer to the point where I assumed the sub is, I ordered to drop the depth charges on their heads.

‘Splash’

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

At the same time, Patricia flew into the room once again.

“Debris to our starboard!” (P)

“Great! I guess we wasted some ammunition~.”

“Not that it matters, right…?” She smiled wryly.

“Why would it~?” I decided not to mention that after we start the invasion, we will have to sail back to resupply.

The invasion fleet reached the visual range of the capital without any additional adventures. We lost no ships, and sunk several submarines. All without any interference from the enemy fleet.

We were sure that the enemy will not attack unless we enter the range of the coastal batteries. After all, even the most stupid commander would notice that this tactic works, after being beaten with it for countless times.

The ironclads started forming a long battle line, and the frigates hid behind them. I set up my squadron on the same side as the frigates. When the fight starts, the destroyers will be dealing with the enemy fleet, while the ironclads will focus fire on the coast.

When all of the ships were 10 miles away from the coast, the Benezian fleet stopped sailing in parallel, and started approaching.

When the fleet was just 5 miles away, the firefight started with 127mm guns opening fire.

BANG BANG BANG

“I will go to the bridge. Can I leave everything to you?” I let Yuriko sit down in the operator’s seat.

“Absolutely. My ears will miss nothing.” The woman gave me a tender smile, and started listening for submarines.

I rushed to the bridge, where Patricia was already waiting.

“Report.”

“30 capital ships, and as many light ships. I can’t see anything in the port, because of the battleships.” (P)

“Thank you. Let’s sink them.”

BANG BANG BANG

By the time the ironclads opened fire at the coastal fortifications, we sunk 4 galleons.

High explosive shells of the ironclads were quickly turning the defenses into nothing, as the vanguard made their way towards the port where we will be disembarking.

In the enemy’s place I would doubt the chances of winning.

There is a long line of ironclads and frigates, and the remnants of the fleet couldn’t contest even my squadron.

Neither could they contest the thick cloud of black smoke that was approaching the city from the West.