Reincarnated with a Country Creation System

March 17th, 1939.

The pitch-black depths of the ocean surrounded the VNS Sea Serpent, a Valorian submarine that had been silently patrolling the suspected path of the Ruthenian fleet. Captain Marcus Renner peered into the dimly lit command room, where the faint glow of red lights illuminated his seasoned crew. The tension was palpable, each man listening intently for the slightest sound that could confirm the presence of the enemy.

"Captain, sonar is picking up multiple contacts," reported Lieutenant Armand Steiner, the vessel's chief sonar operator. His voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of urgency. "I count at least twenty signatures—large displacement, likely battleships and carriers."

Captain Renner's eyes narrowed as he studied the sonar readings. "Looks like we've found them," he murmured. "But we can't be certain until we confirm their identity."

He turned to his second-in-command, Lieutenant Eva Navarro, who was monitoring the navigation charts. "Take us to periscope depth, Lieutenant. We need to get a visual confirmation. But keep it slow—we can't risk detection."

The Sea Serpent slowly ascended through the inky depths, its engines reduced to a near whisper to avoid detection. The pressure inside the vessel was stifling as the crew held their breath, knowing that surfacing even partially could expose them to the ruthless guns of the Ruthenian fleet.

As the submarine reached periscope depth, Captain Renner cautiously raised the periscope. The surface of the ocean was choppy, with waves breaking against the steel hulls of the distant ships. He adjusted the focus, searching for any identifying marks on the vessels.

"There!" Renner hissed, his breath fogging the periscope lens. "I see the flag... It's Ruthenian, no doubt about it. The RNS Sovereign is leading the formation."

Lieutenant Navarro's eyes widened. "That's their flagship. This must be the main invasion force."

Renner nodded grimly and lowered the periscope. "Take us back down, Lieutenant. We've seen enough. Let's get this information to Volkshalle."

***

Back in Volkshalle, the atmosphere was tense. The command center was filled with the hum of telegraphs and the clatter of typewriters as intelligence reports flooded in from Valoria's far-flung patrols. Alexander stood at the head of the operations table, surrounded by his top military advisors, including Julieanne, who was ready to relay orders.

"Your Excellency, we've received a transmission from the Sea Serpent," reported one of the communications officers, his voice cutting through the murmur of the room. "They've confirmed visual contact with the Ruthenian fleet. They're on the move and heading straight for us."

Alexander's eyes gleamed with a cold intensity as he processed the news. "So, they've finally made their move," he muttered. "The Ruthenians are coming to finish what they started."

Julieanne stepped forward, her notepad at the ready. "What are your orders, Your Excellency?"

Alexander's jaw tightened as he turned to Admiral Reinhardt, who was still recovering from the grueling naval engagement days before. "Admiral, deploy our submarine flotilla immediately. The Sea Serpent has confirmed the enemy's position. I want our submarines to intercept and sink as many Ruthenian ships as possible."

Admiral Reinhardt saluted crisply. "Understood, Your Excellency. I will deploy the Wolf's Fang flotilla at once. But I recommend caution; we must ensure our submarines remain undetected until they're in striking range."

"Agreed," Alexander replied.

***

The VNS Sea Serpent transmitted the coordinates of the Ruthenian fleet, and within hours, the Valorian submarines were on the move. The Wolf's Fang flotilla, a group of six deadly submarines, slipped silently through the depths, their commanders eager to draw first blood.

Onboard the VNS Phantom, Captain Elias Kovac peered through his periscope, the silhouette of the RNS Red Star filling his viewfinder. "Target acquired," he whispered. "Prepare to fire torpedoes."

The tension onboard was suffocating as the torpedo tubes were loaded. Kovac gave the order, and moments later, the torpedoes shot through the water, leaving a trail of bubbles in their wake.

Seconds later, a thunderous explosion rocked the sea as one of the torpedoes struck the RNS Red Star amidships. Smoke and flames erupted from the battleship's hull, sending crewmen scrambling.

"Direct hit!" a crewman shouted, his voice filled with triumph.

Captain Kovac nodded grimly. "Reload the tubes. We're not done yet."

As the Wolf's Fang flotilla unleashed their attack, the waters around the Ruthenian fleet erupted in chaos. Alarms blared, and searchlights swept the dark waters, desperately trying to locate the unseen predators.

On the RNS Sovereign, Admiral Volkov's face twisted in rage as reports of the submarine attack poured in. "Find those damn submarines and destroy them!" he roared to his officers.

The icy waters of the North Sea turned into a cauldron of fire and chaos as the Wolf's Fang flotilla continued their relentless assault. The Valorian submarines, moving like shadows beneath the waves, had drawn first blood. But now, the Ruthenians were fighting back with everything they had.

On the RNS Sovereign, Admiral Volkov's face was a mask of fury. He slammed his fist onto the command table, causing the surrounding officers to flinch. "Deploy all anti-submarine measures immediately!" he barked. "I want depth charges dropped at every sonar contact. Flush them out!"

The deck of the RNS Ivan the Terrible erupted in a frenzy of activity as crew members rushed to man their depth charge launchers. The massive steel canisters were loaded and fired into the water, detonating with deafening booms that sent shockwaves rippling through the ocean. Explosions lit up the surface like fireworks, casting an eerie glow on the churning waves.

Below, the VNS Sea Serpent shuddered violently as depth charges detonated dangerously close. Captain Renner gripped the edge of the navigation table to steady himself. "Helm, evasive maneuvers! Dive deeper, now!" he shouted over the blaring alarms.

"Aye, Captain!" Lieutenant Navarro responded, her hands flying over the controls. The Sea Serpent angled sharply downward, plunging deeper into the cold, dark abyss in a desperate bid to escape the onslaught above.

"Sonar reports multiple detonations above us," Lieutenant Steiner called out, his voice strained. "They're trying to triangulate our position."

Renner's jaw clenched as he calculated their next move. "Cut all engines," he ordered. "We go silent. Let's see if we can slip through their net."

As the Sea Serpent fell silent, drifting like a ghost in the depths, the surrounding waters vibrated with the distant rumble of explosions. For what felt like an eternity, the crew held their breath, every man straining to hear the faintest sound of another depth charge descending.

Above them, the Ruthenian destroyers crisscrossed the area, their sonar operators desperately searching for any sign of the elusive Valorian submarines. On the RNS Falcon, Captain Yuri Makarov barked orders to his crew. "Maintain sonar sweeps and keep the depth charges ready. Those Valorian wolves are out there, and we won't stop until we've sunk every last one."