Very Wrong Reincarnation: Isekai with Game Nation

Vol. 3 Chapter 19

The war in Valur expanded at a speed that even Cignus did not fully expect. Within days, Cignus forces were already facing shortages of ammunition and bombs because of how fast and how hard the campaign was pushed. In less than three days, Cignus aircraft flew more than 3,300 bombing sorties. On average, that meant roughly 1,100 sorties per day, conducted continuously during both daylight and nighttime hours. Around 400 light and heavy bombers carried the bulk of these missions, striking approximately 800 separate targets in an extremely short time span.

The targets were chosen with clear priorities. Bridges were destroyed to cut movement and retreat. Dams were hit to disrupt power and water control. Forts and defensive positions were flattened to prevent organized resistance. Mining sites, industrial centers, military bases, and government buildings were systematically attacked. Entire command structures were erased before they could properly react. The scale and coordination of the strikes left little room for recovery or counterattack.

The difference between the war against Kashim and the war against Valur was clear. During the Kashim war, Cignus had large stockpiles of bombs, but sorties were fewer and spread out over longer periods. In Valur, the pre-war bomb stockpile was similar in size, but the tempo was far higher. Sorties were more consistent, aircraft numbers were greater, and far more assets were dedicated to carrying and dropping ordnance without pause. This resulted in an overwhelming and continuous pressure that Valur could not match or adapt to in time.

This campaign became the largest tactical bombing and paradrop operation in Cignus history. More than 2,000 aircraft were placed into full rotation. Around 14,000 paratroopers were dropped deep behind enemy lines. On the ground, Cignus committed its largest fielded force ever deployed on the continent. Over 800 tanks advanced with support from roughly 4,000 artillery pieces. Combined military and guard forces reached approximately 250,000 personnel.

The speed of the invasion caused widespread shock and confusion. Many border cities and towns, especially those without major forts or garrisons, were left untouched in the opening phase. In several places, civilians did not even realize a war had started until Cignus troops were already nearby. The advance eclipsed the pace of the Kashim war entirely. In a matter of days, more than 100,000 square kilometers of land fell under Cignus influence or effective control.

This rapid expansion was achieved largely through airborne operations. Paratroopers were dropped near the manors and seats of local rulers. Many were captured quickly, forced to surrender, or pressured into defecting. Some rulers were already loyal to the old regime that had ties with Cignus, while others had been bribed or politically aligned long before the coup. As a result, ground forces often moved forward with little resistance or only brief, disorganized opposition.

Unlike the end of the Kashim campaign, strict orders were enforced to prevent large-scale genocide. Valur was considered far too valuable to destroy or depopulate. Its infrastructure, workforce, and political position mattered. Aside from minor complications, such as Oliver's legal claim to the country as the father of its heir and the prospective husband of the future empress, there was no need for brutal conquest. The primary objective was the complete destruction of the coup forces that had usurped the throne, not the annihilation of the nation itself.
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Aboard the CFNS Agustin, we were already on the way home. The ship moved across the sea at a constant speed, the engines producing a low vibration that carried through the deck and into the walls. It was not loud, but it was light enough that you always knew the ship was moving. I sat at the table in the briefing room with a report and iPad in my hands, reading through the compiled war reports while the overall operation was still ongoing.

Most of the information was familiar. I had already seen parts of it through live updates, short briefings, and emergency summaries sent during the coup. Still, reading the full reports made everything feel more concrete. Everything was laid out clearly, from troop movements to casualty counts, from logistics to command decisions.