Very Wrong Reincarnation: Isekai with Game Nation

Vol. 2 Chapter 2

"In the upcoming eastern conference, it's rumored that Marjorie got a request to dock and join the conference, a power at the end of the world," she said to him.

"And that?"

"The annihilator of Callusia," said Arin in a cryptic tone. "The Holy Empire."

"Holy Empire..." said Viram. More than a decade ago, Callusia was annihilated by the Empire of Sanctium. While tens of thousands of miles away, it was still a profound event that shook the core of the world. The fall of Callusia and the entire continent of the western world-world is just a metaphorical word for a place composed of three continents and two world powers-the Rylus and the Callusia, both fallen, with Rylus as the recent victim eight years ago, just in time for the arrival of Cignus in this world. Over a billion souls fell to Sanctium's grasp, with heavy indoctrination, genocide, and all forms of terrifying and demonic actions toward their subjugated subjects.

"Careful talking to them, Lady Arin. I give you the authority to take the initiative with Norvoga. Nonetheless, I will draft a proposal for the Eastern Continent conference and seek Valur's support in addressing our concerns. In the meantime, we will begin coordinating with our allies on all potential locations. Understood?"

The council members nodded, some still visibly anxious.

As the meeting concluded, Chancellor Viram issued a final word of caution. "Avoiding conflict is our priority, but letting a dangerous country nearby go unchecked is a dangerous gamble. Let's proceed with wisdom and strength."

The representatives dispersed, each with a task at hand, as the looming threat of Cignus's military exercises weighed heavily on their minds.

A week later...

Failing to abort the largest military exercises of Cignus, the entire continent watched from the sidelines as it unfolded at Nightmare Firing Range, a mountain devoid of life and seeded with countless artillery shells, rockets, bullets, and unexploded ordnance.

"2nd Regiment! 5th Panzer Division!"

The commanding officer's voice boomed over the comms as a line of boxy vehicles, belching smoke from their rear bodies, lined up. Each tank stood almost 4 meters in height and 3.7 meters in width. The squarish turret looked alien compared to the typical Cignus's Cold War Soviet-style tanks, American Patton round turrets, or even the rare Abrams tanks. Its appearance was reminiscent of a Tiger I, hence the name "Panzer," suggested by Oliver when he saw the prototype a few years ago. This name paved the way for its mainstream deployment outside Cignus proper, without using their modern MBTs in their new territories. Weighing 35 tons, the tank's armor was rated at 90mm on the front, 50mm on the turret, 15mm on the sides, and 30mm on the exposed engines.

"Fire!" The 100mm guns roared, rocking the earth as they lobbed high explosive shells from a distance of 2 kilometers.

Soon, explosions blanketed the mountain's bare surface.

Cignus officials looked on with satisfaction. In just three years since the tank's induction, they had deployed roughly 900 units, achieving this mass-production feat in just two years. The hull and turret was casted, and the armor was bolted.

Unfortunately, the engines were too large to fit entirely within the chassis, leading to exposure at the rear and interfering with the turret's total rotation. The turret could only fire within a 160-degree arc in front, 220 degrees at maximum risk. The gun depression was limited to minus 3 degrees, with an elevation of 25 degrees.

The tanks lacked advanced optics, but their armor and immediate threat perception were sufficient for current engagements as mobile protected firepower vehicles. However, they had no stabilizers, forcing them to stop before firing. Their top speed was 30 kph on roads, slower on rough terrain, using simple transmissions and leaf springs for suspension, resulting in a very rocky ride. Panzers were prone to getting stuck in the mud, lacking power and ground clearance to overcome obstacles independently. They required dedicated tow units and recovery vehicles when moving outside cities, soft or wet terrain, and away from major roads.