| 012 | Successful Exfil

In the northern plateau, 2nd Lieutenant Campbell and his Marines were laying suppressive fire to their adversaries. Massive leopard-like monsters that seemed to be determined to hunt them, and perhaps eat them for lunch.

*Bang!* *BRRrrrrttttt!* *Bang!* *Bang!*

It has been a minute since contact was made with these monsters, and the defense perimeter constructed by the Marines barely held up from the storming bastards.

"Load your GLMs!" After noticing the disappointing effects of their rifles, Campbell knew that they needed to use their grenade launchers again if they desired to last longer.

When the Marines heard the orders of their platoon leader, some of them swiftly loaded the GLMs with ordnance while the others continued suppressing the climbing monsters.

The Marines with loaded GLMs pointed their rifles toward the advancing monsters and fired their grenade launchers.

*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

Several grenades flew into the air and headed straight to the bottom of the northern plateau where a large number of leopard-like monsters swarmed up.

*BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!*

The deafening roars of explosives resounded while another wave of lead pierced through the air, riddling the monsters with holes.

*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *BRRrrrrtttt!*

"Sir, the Black Hawks are ready!" A Marine shouted at Campbell who was commanding the battlefront. Upon hearing the words of the Marine, Campbell nodded and immediately ordered his men.

"Our birds are ready, prepare for Exfil!" Following his words were the rumbling echoes of the transport helicopters' propellers. 

With the orders of Campbell, the Marines slowly backed away from the defense perimeter and headed towards the transport helicopters.

One Black Hawk was already in the air, containing the expeditionary research teams. The lead researcher of the Alpha Task Force gazed at Campbell and shouted.

"We will be waiting for you at the base, 2nd Lieutenant!"

Campbell merely nodded at the lead researcher while the Delta 1-2 retreated back to the Port of Dawn. On the other hand, the Marines stepped into their Black Hawk with their rifles pointed at the defense perimeter.

A couple of seconds later, the elephant-size monsters emerged and charged at them. 

The Marines fired without hesitation as the 50. Caliber machine guns installed in the Black Hawk also assisted them in their suppression.

Unlike their rifles, the machine gun was somewhat effective in laying waste against the massive monsters. It bought the Black Hawk time to ascend from their previous location.

When the Black Hawk was up in the air, it didn't hesitate and rapidly retreated from the northern plateau. The Marines also stopped shooting but didn't delay on cursing the ones below them.

It was an instinct for the crayon-eating cavemen to curse at their enemies at a moment's notice.

Campbell watched the northern plateau slowly shrinking. It was fortunate that they had evacuated without any severe casualties. Some equipment was lost, but he didn't feel bad about it.

The equipment left behind was supposed to be abandoned when sh*t hits the fan.

"Aliens, huh… Aren't we the aliens?" Campbell muttered while gazing at the massive monsters that conquered their location of interest.

It didn't matter who the aliens were, what mattered was that the so-called monsters had touched the United Navy.

'Their existence will not stop the expansion of the United Navy into the island. Sooner or later, one of the two will have to be expelled from the island.' Campbell knew the truth.

If things continued in this way, the situation would be bad for the monsters below. But he didn't care much about them. After all, in his heart, the priority was the United Navy.

Nothing more, nothing less.

The growth of the UN was akin to the solidification of their beliefs. 

Before Campbell could continue thinking about the implications of monsters throughout the island, a transmission was received by the pilots. 

*Delta 1-1, this is Cleaver 1! Proceeding with the safekeeping mission, Deltas are clear to RTB!*

*Cleaver 1, Delta 1-1, Roger!*

Two Apaches could be seen soaring on the horizon. These attack helicopters were supposed to be escorting the Black Hawks. However, with the new orders, priorities changed.

The Apaches went past the Black Hawks and headed towards the northern plateau. Campbell could only watch them in the transport helicopter with a smile on his face.

"Those monsters will be in for a hellish session of how to make alien barbecue." 2nd Lieutenant Campbell shook his head while the Marines around him cheered the arrival of the Apaches.

In the military, things were different. Revenge wasn't best served cold, but better when served hot.

And so, as the two Apaches reached 50 meters away from the northern plateau. They saw their targets in the location of interest and calmly announced their engagement.

*Cleaver 1, engaging hostiles!*

*Cleaver 2, foxtrot!*

Their current adversaries were different from the ones in the eastern grassland. They were larger, stronger, and looked much more abominable. As such, they decided to give these monsters what they deserved.

A barrage of freedom rockets. 

*Swiiishh!* *Swooosshh!* *Wooosshh!*

In mere seconds, dozens of Hydra 70mm unguided rockets escaped their pods and propelled themselves forward at unparalleled speeds. 

Each one left smoke trails behind as they pierced through the air with ferocity. 

The massive monsters who rested on the northern plateau were currently licking their wounds. They thought they had struck a jackpot when they saw several meat bags lurking in their territory.

It was saddening that the meat bags managed to escape.

However, these leopard-like monsters wouldn't be able to continue being dejected. After all, the Valkyries have arrived.

Several rockets landed on the northern plateau, specifically the resting spot of the massive monsters. This brought about a barrage of deafening explosions.

*BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!*

The Hydra rockets weren't to be underestimated. Each one laid waste to a monster, bringing about burnt and crisped bodies in their wake. 

Some even exploded with blood, organs, bones, and scales scattering throughout the ground. 

The resting monsters panicked and swiftly made their escape. They went downhill, with some falling to their deaths because of their hasty legs. 

But the iron birds that had conquered the skies were vehement in destroying them. 

*BBBRRRRRRTTTT!!!*

*BBRRRRRRRRRRTTTT!!!*

Chain guns in the bottom of the nose started firing at the escaping massive monsters. Hundreds of leads roared out of the barrel in two seconds while bullet casings fell in large numbers.

Smoke and dust shrouded the surroundings, but the Apaches kept firing with all their might.

*Swooossh!* *BOOM!!!*

*Wooossh!* *BOOM!!!*

It was a massacre. The massive monsters that boasted numbers of over a hundred became barely a dozen. Such power was great to wield and easy to abuse.

No wonder several men had become dictators after tasting the strength of military power. In their eyes, as long as they held the military, none would be able to stop them.

Meanwhile, in the Black Hawk, 2nd Lieutenant Campbell observed the horrific sight unfolding before him with calm. Yellowish lights radiantly gleamed in instants while thunderous echoes followed.

The northern plateau became a battlefield. Two cleavers of death gave the hammer of execution to those who assaulted the personnel of the United Navy.

And to think there would be hundreds of such cleavers in the future. 

The power of modern military technologies and doctrine wasn't to be underestimated.

"It will take time for the northern plateau to be cleaned up," Campbell muttered since the northern plateau would obviously become a quarry of the United Navy.

Its minerals were lucrative to the machine of the United Navy. It was something they needed to extract, store, and refine. After all, the UN must grow.

The 2nd Lieutenant observed the passing evergreen trees below him. While the foreign world wasn't much more different than the former one, it still had its strangeness.

When Campbell heard of the monsters and saw them with his very own eyes. He understood that he underestimated the foreign world. It was no wonder why the Fleet Admiral sought caution in their operations.

If such monsters existed on land, what kind of abominations could live under the sea? Without the limits of weight, how big could they get? Especially with their special biology.

The maritime security mission would be problematic to accomplish, but as said before, they were the United Navy. For they are the sailors of the seas, in the deep blue shall they go.

Minutes later, the Black Hawk arrived at the airstrip of the Port of Dawn. Campbell observed the busy airstrip and saw three Black Hawks with various personnel stepping out.

He smiled in relief after seeing his men alive. 

As the transport helicopter, Delta 1-1, landed. 2nd Lieutenant Campbell stepped out and headed towards the Marine formation of the Bravo Task Force.

His steps were steady while his Marines followed from behind.

It didn't take time for Campbell to stand before the Marine formation. He saluted at them and they saluted back with a grunt.

"All of you look bad," Campbell smirked at his men in the Bravo Task Force. The Marine officer who led the BTF Marines stepped forward.

"We've seen worse days, Sir!" The Marine officer grinned at the platoon leader. Campbell felt proud of his Marines since none of them became a casualty during the evacuation.

"Retreating from giant monsters. This is the first." Campbell remarked and the Marines around him chuckled.

Fighting against other combatants was their job. Trying to take down monsters was far from it. However, it was an intriguing change of pace for the Marines.

"It is the first, 2nd Lieutenant. And we are fortunate to have not lost anything from it." A sagely voice entered their conversation. All of the Marines immediately saluted once again.

What emerged beside them was an old white-bearded man. He was the commanding officer of the UNS Light Bringer, Captain Lux. 

He watched the Marines with interest with a smile on his face.

"This will not be the only moment we will be fighting against monsters, men. The challenges of the United Navy will be difficult and rough. But as the Fleet Admiral had said. We, the United Navy, are destined to be in this world."

"As such, we will prevail!" After the short speech of the captain, the Marines gave their battle cries to commemorate it.

"""Oorah!!!"""