That Time When I Was Suddenly Reincarnated in a Fleet Battle

Chapter 50 - British Carriers in Flames

In the center of the circular formation drawn by the two small warships, three aircraft carriers were visible. All three carriers were one or two sizes larger than the escort ships, indicating that they were all regular aircraft carriers. On the flight decks at the rear of the three carriers, dozens of aircraft were lined up. Numerous people moved around in the gaps between them. Using both extended vision magic and night vision magic from an altitude of 5.000 meters beyond the effective range of machine guns and autocannons, I, who am armed with magical abilities, had a bird's-eye view of the steady preparations of the three carriers for the launch of the attack squadrons.

For me, who knows the historical facts, it is not surprising that the Eastern Fleet is planning a night torpedo attack. If that's the case, the planes currently on the flight decks would undoubtedly be fully fueled and possibly carrying flares or torpedoes. Understanding the situation, I began to infuse my magical power into three fireballs in my right hand. Although these are only mid-level spells suitable for slaying intermediate monsters, if an aircraft made of thin light metal takes a hit, it won't come out unscathed.

At that moment, a feeling of hesitation, which I thought I had discarded, crossed my mind. During the First Battle of Midway, I had already resolved to take lives, having actually killed American soldiers with my own hands. However, this time, the number might be a bit too much. If I unleash the fireballs now, undoubtedly there will be casualties among the maintenance personnel, weapon crew, and aircraft handling personnel working on the flight decks of the three carriers. And not just a few casualties; it would be a significant number. I have already taken the lives of nearly 100 American soldiers with my own hands, but this time, without a doubt, it could reach three digits, or even four. As a human being, a slight hesitation in rationality arises, but with that lingering, I still release the incendiary bombs.

To ensure accuracy, I applied automatic tracking magic to them, and they hit the flight decks of the British aircraft carriers one after another, directly striking the leading aircraft of the onboard planes.

The result is spectacular. All three British aircraft carriers, without exception, erupt in flames, occasionally producing large explosions, probably from gasoline or torpedoes detonating. From the sky, it may appear as if three torches have been lit on the sea, but there is no doubt that British soldiers are burning to death within them. There should be no sunken ship among the damaged British aircraft carriers. Their robust flight deck armor should surely protect them. However, the explosions of torpedoes and gasoline on the flight decks must have caused significant damage to the hulls and superstructures. None of the ships would likely escape long-term withdrawal.

The sudden burning of the aircraft carriers caused the movements of the surrounding escort ships to become hectic. Half of them rushed to the carriers, while the remaining half launched anti-aircraft gunfire at the F1M that had just released red fireballs. The pilot, in addition to evading, turned the nose of the plane toward the battleship fleet as part of the pre-arranged plan.

The aftermath of the destruction of the three carriers will be reported by an E13A recon seaplane from either Tone or Chikuma nearby. Expressing gratitude to the pilot who assisted in this dangerous mission, I quickly shifted my focus. In a sense, the real battle is about to begin.