The hot air balloon ascends to over 2,000 meters, a vertical distance measured by lightning.
With just a glance upward, she could see the clouds at her feet, like fluffy cotton balls, but to truly touch them, she would need to ascend hundreds of meters.
The entire hot air balloon was painted in blue and white patches, looking just like the sky from a distance. I, too, wore camouflage gear, as did the 'Dongfeng No.1'. At Your Highness's request, this surprise attack had to be sudden and stealthy. Thus, the First Army disembarked before reaching Silverlight City's pier and walked to the back of the nearby mountains.
Under Sylvie's surveillance, the team's route remained undetected, avoiding all eyes throughout. The next day, after the camp was set up, the Voyager slowly ascended into space to begin its mission.
Today is the first day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, counting the week spent traveling.
The white figure flying ahead of the balloon was Maxie. Since observation from the hanging basket was difficult, she took on the roles of guidance and reconnaissance. After transforming into a white-tailed eagle, even at high altitudes, she could quickly identify the roads connecting towns and the carriages moving along them—here, the eagle's eyes proved far more effective than binoculars.
Fortunately, the other party couldn't adjust the bomb's landing point, Lightning thought to himself. Otherwise, he'd have been completely at a loss.
"Feeling tired?" Anna asked, leaning against the swing. "Come in for a rest. There's no Devil around anyway." The little girl shook her head. "At this pace, I could fly all day." "A bit nervous?" Wendy leaned in too.
"Not a chance," she pouted. "I've practiced this countless times. The palace's massive enough to prevent any misses." "Really?" Wendy smirked. "But don't act tough. Your Highness always says safety comes first. And... what happened during our reconnaissance of the Devil's camp wasn't your fault." "What? I..." The other spoke gently. "Everyone could see your recent slump, but it's not that you're afraid to fight—it's just you're not good at it. If I were you, I wouldn't necessarily do better." "True," Anna added, "the Nightingale's reflexes and agility are unmatched by most Witches." "You should rest for a bit. Adjusting the bomb's landing point takes a lot of Magic Power." Hearing this, Lightning gave a soft nod through her nose and flew into the basket with her head down. Before she landed, Wendy scooped her up. "No one will blame you, so don't blame yourself either, okay?" "Hmm..."
After a morning of flying, Maxie returned to the Voyager, flapping her wings, and reported to the trio: "Graycastle's capital is ahead—we're almost there, Chirp." Lightning leaped out of the basket and raised the binoculars. As Roland Your Highness had said, the capital's majestic walls were clearly visible even from the air, resembling a thin blue thread that twisted and turned to outline the city's boundaries. At the center of the grayish mass, a white spot the size of a fingernail stood out prominently.
According to the plan, they were supposed to first scatter leaflets before launching the Dongfeng-1 rocket. However, multiple test launches revealed that controlling the direction of the paper at 2,000 meters altitude was impossible—even with added weights. Reducing the drop height would make the target easily visible, as the YTO-1 satellite's massive size combined with the constant stream of paper falling from the sky would make it hard to conceal under onlookers' scrutiny.
As a result, Your Royal Highness ultimately scrapped the leaflet campaign and instead tasked Tasa with spreading the message—she only needed to drop the bomb above the palace.
Wendy steered the airflow, keeping the basket suspended above the capital city.
"Ready?" "Pull the valve," Lightning nodded.
Then all she heard was a loud hum as the heavy balloon shell detached from the basket and plunged downward. The sudden weight loss caused the hot air balloon to rise abruptly.
She is already very familiar with the next steps.
The parachute at the rear of the Dongfang-1 rocket deployed under the airflow, allowing the lightning to swiftly catch up with the bomb and gradually alter its trajectory.
The capital was no stranger to the Witches. During their journey to the wilderness in search of the Holy Mountain, they had spent months hiding in the city's slums—both to gather food and recruit new members. It was here that Soraya and Echo joined the Witches. Though Lightning hadn't witnessed it firsthand, she often heard their stories. The capital's crackdown on Witches was far harsher than in other cities. On the outer city's Staircase Square, nearly every month saw a Witch executed. This was why they stayed the shortest: each extra day meant enduring the pain of losing another sister.
Lightning harbored no goodwill toward this bustling capital. Had she been able to hurl a bomb at Tefiko's head and end his reign, she would have done so gladly. Had Roland governed the Kingdom of Graycastle instead, such tragedies would surely have been averted.
She now has a chance to correct her mistakes.
The wind howled in the ears, the ground stretched endlessly, and the inner-city palace's intricate details gradually unfolded before Lightning's eyes.
Unlike the modest dwellings of commoners, the palace complex was a colossal structure—its main edifice comprising a domed hall, a banquet pavilion, and a towering castle, with auxiliary buildings like stables, barracks, and warehouses. Given the castle's steep walls and intricate roof design, which made it difficult to trigger fuses, Your Highness ultimately chose the royal palace as the target.
As the altitude plummets, the parachute rapidly reaches the release point. The lightning triggers the mechanism, disengaging the canopy from the missile while simultaneously lifting it for a swift ascent.
Just before departure, Your Royal Highness had sternly instructed them to ascend to a safe altitude before the bomb detonated, warning against any backward glance at the explosion. Yet the young girl, her curiosity unquenchable, couldn't help but lower her head. A blinding flash erupted from the hall's ceiling, rapidly expanding into a dazzling sphere.
The blinding light turned into a bright orange-red glow before vanishing into swirling dust. The entire process lasted less than a breath, when a deafening explosion suddenly rang out beside her, nearly toppling her.
Lightning has no shortage of battlefield experience with artillery fire, but the thunderous roar of Dongfeng-1 rocket is ten times louder than the combined roar of those fearsome iron projectile weapons!
Smoke erupted violently from the pillars and windows surrounding the hall, engulfing the outer gardens and corridors. Soon, the circular dome developed multiple cracks centered on the bomb's impact point.
Lightning could not help but stop his figure, holding his breath and staring at the last moment of the hall.
The black streaks, like ink flowing freely, instantly blanketed the entire roof. Unable to bear the weight, the roof collapsed with a thunderous crash, sending up a thick cloud of smoke and dust.
The palace collapsed under the tremendous force of Dongfeng-1.