Chapter 296: The Plan for Exterminating the Pest
“To be honest, just how strong is the Fenrir…?”
“In terms of weight and the ratio of Magic Stones, as well as the size of the Magic Stone itself, it seems to influence the capabilities of magical phenomena! Considering that, the Rain Kroin weighs approximately 1,900 tons, while the Wyvern is around 2,000 tons. If we think simply, the Magic Stone performance of the Fenrir, estimated to be between 300 to 400 tons, isn’t particularly high…”
In response to Eve’s question, Asahi tilted her head thoughtfully.
“However, this is merely a comparison with smaller monsters like Worms and Hyenas, so we can’t definitively say that the magical abilities of a threat creature the size of a Fenrir are low. Indeed, the size of the Rain Kroin’s Magic Stone was significant, and the Wyvern was of a similar size. While it’s undeniable that there’s a relationship between weight and the size of the Magic Stone, we can’t conclude that magical abilities are directly proportional due to the lack of examples!”
“Although the Fenrir is smaller than the giant Worm, it is analyzed that the Worm likely has a smaller Magic Stone relative to its body size. Among threat creatures, Worms have not exhibited particularly high magical abilities.”
The Magic Stones from Worms had also been recovered, but they were significantly smaller compared to those from the Wyvern. Worms were classified as having low magical abilities and lacked a magical barrier. In contrast, the youngling of the Rain Kroin, despite being over 4 meters long, already possessed a magical barrier capability. It was believed that the size of its internal Magic Stone was smaller than that of the Worm.
“We can’t underestimate it. In any case, we have to confront it with all our might!”
“That said, using aircraft might attract other threat creatures, like the Wyvern. Therefore, we can’t place the Gigantia Unit on the front lines.”
As Asahi spoke passionately, RINGO calmly displayed the operation map.
When the Fenrir moves south, the ground forces centered around the waiting land battleship will advance. It is highly likely that threat creatures can sense the magical abilities of their opponents and assess the level of threat. Thus, it was unclear how much hostility the Fenrir would direct toward the land battleship.
“We need to minimize radar emissions! Ground weapons are primarily designed for visual combat, so that shouldn’t be a problem, but the Gigantia Unit in the rear will need some clever tactics!”
“It will likely involve GPS guidance or laser targeting. Since there aren’t enough geostationary satellites, we need to conduct operations during the time when low Earth orbit satellites pass overhead.”
Currently, the weaponry operated by The Tree primarily utilized electromagnetic waves. It had been established that scattering aerial radar would attract the Wyvern, making it extremely risky to fly aircraft near the Demon Forest.
“So, we have a limited time for the operation. The Fenrir doesn’t seem to move that fast normally, so that shouldn’t be an issue, right?”
“Yes, Ma’am. Indeed. The Fenrir patrols its territory along almost the same route each time, so we can choose the start time for the operation.”
The basic strategy would involve neutralizing the magical barrier with ultra hypersonic missiles launched from the rear after the ground forces make contact, followed by attacks from the land battleship’s electromagnetic acceleration cannons (railguns) and coil cannons.
A concern was the possibility of being easily overwhelmed after making contact. Due to the unknown combat power of the Fenrir, it was impossible to predict the damage that would occur if a unit centered around the land battleship engaged it. Ideally, they wanted to maintain a combat distance of at least several kilometers.
“Isn’t it possible to just hit it with missiles?”
“Oh, Asahi thought of that too! However, it seems difficult to force a retreat without clearly presenting an enemy! The best outcome would be to defeat it, of course!”
“Hmm. I see. So, the uncertainty is just too great…”
The operation was chosen based on the high likelihood of being able to defeat the Fenrir, as there was no guarantee it would simply be driven away. There was also the possibility that it could become fixated and attack frequently.
Since leaving it alone would yield no benefits, they considered deploying the surplus ground forces as a means of stock disposal. Naturally, if they could be reprocessed, it wouldn’t be a waste, but currently, excavating mineral veins was a lower-cost method of resource acquisition. Automated machines would deteriorate if not used, so the idea was to use them up if there was a purpose.
“Well, fine. Let’s just give it a try. After all, we need to measure our combat power at some point.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I will organize a unit centered around the land battleship Jotun and draft an attack plan. Ultimately, we will initiate a saturation attack following the deployment of anti-magical barrier missiles, but until then, we will employ various tactics.”
“We’ve learned that electromagnetic wave weapons can also be effective! If we only consider the energy input, the most powerful options so far are concentrated operations of lasers or masers!”
When considering the amount of energy projected at a single point, lasers and masers, which can consolidate multiple irradiation points, are the most powerful. Additionally, the Microwave Power Transmission System can be repurposed to generate energy peaks at designated points.
While the Wyvern had a strong resistance to electromagnetic waves, the magical barrier of the Prava Divine Nation’s Holy Capital was vulnerable to electromagnetic wave attacks. Asahi speculated that the Wyvern’s scales reflected electromagnetic waves, preventing them from being deemed effective attacks.
In other words, the magical barrier might selectively eliminate attacks that are harmful to itself.
Thus, it was crucial to explore what constituted effective attacks against the Fenrir. For instance, it might actually possess a strong resistance to artillery fire. Though it was hard to imagine, it was still a possibility.
“Um, I should properly contact Amagio… Let’s see. Once the operation outline is ready, I can send it and arrange a meeting…”
“…It would be best to confirm with him directly.”
“…Hmm.”
“…? Amagio, what’s wrong?”
Amagio Silverhead, who had been giving a history lecture while interacting with Sarya, involuntarily voiced his surprise at the information that had suddenly arrived.
“Oh, no, it’s nothing. I just remembered something utterly trivial. Please disregard it.”
“…Is that so? Well, I understand that as a key figure in the nation, you have many things to consider!”
Sarya, aiming to be an understanding woman, said this, prompting a wry smile from Amagio. Rinanel, who was watching, also smiled cheerfully.
“Now, onto this one… Baron Raptunen. He played a crucial role in coordinating the knights guarding the border. Given the importance of defending key points, even as a baron, he received considerable support and a substantial salary. However, he wasn’t particularly close with the Border Count, as he had been siphoning off support supplies.”
As he narrated this history, Amagio Silverhead mentally processed the information that had been sent to him. His main body continued to operate as usual while utilizing the computational area of the AB Structure for information analysis.
And the information that had been sent was about the extermination plan for the Fenrir, classified as a large magical beast and a threat creature in the language of Paraiso.
By the way, the history that Amagio speaks of is all based on what he has witnessed with his own eyes. He is a living witness, so to speak.