Reincarnated with a Country Creation System

Onboard the RNS Imperator, Admiral Orlov stood motionless, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared at the Valorian fleet through binoculars. The rage simmering behind his eyes was barely contained. The downed scout plane was a slap in the face that Ruthenia could not ignore.

"Admiral," Captain Sokolov approached cautiously, "the Valorians have not made further aggressive moves, but their coastal batteries are now fully trained on our fleet."

Orlov lowered his binoculars and turned to his captain, his face a mask of cold determination. "If they think they can fire at us without consequence, they are gravely mistaken."

He stepped forward, his gaze flicking to the tactical display showing the positions of both fleets. "Prepare to fire a warning shot. Make it clear we will not tolerate their provocations. Target the waters just in front of their flagship."

Captain Sokolov hesitated for a split second. "Aye, Admiral," he finally responded, turning to relay the order. "Gunnery, target the waters one hundred meters ahead of the VNS Titan. Prepare to fire."

Aboard the VNS Titan, Admiral Reinhardt remained tense as the Ruthenian fleet's radio silence grew increasingly ominous.

"Admiral," the communications officer called out, his voice laced with anxiety. "We're detecting increased radio traffic from the Ruthenian fleet. It looks like they're preparing to fire."

Reinhardt's eyes narrowed. "What are they targeting?"

"Hard to say, sir," the officer replied, sweat beading on his forehead. "But... they're zeroing in on our position."

Before Reinhardt could respond, a flash of light erupted from the RNS Imperator's forward gun turrets. Moments later, the sea ahead of the VNS Titan exploded in a towering column of water. The warning shot had landed alarmingly close, sending waves crashing against the bow of the battleship and rocking it slightly.

"All stations, report!" Reinhardt barked as the bridge trembled from the shockwave. The crew scrambled to check their instruments, alarms blaring in response to the sudden impact.

"Damage control reports no hits, Admiral," Captain Brandt confirmed. "But that was a clear warning."

Reinhardt's jaw tightened. He knew Orlov's message was clear: Ruthenia would not hesitate to escalate if provoked further. But Valoria could not afford to appear weak.

"Admiral," Julieanne's voice crackled over the radio, the connection directly from Volkshalle. "The Supreme Leader is aware of the situation. His instructions are to hold your position but be prepared to respond with force if they fire again."

"Understood," Reinhardt replied, his voice cold. "We will hold the line."

Back on the RNS Imperator, Orlov watched the aftermath of their warning shot through the bridge's reinforced windows. A small, satisfied smile played on his lips as he observed the ripple of activity aboard the Valorian flagship.

"Valorians are holding their position, Admiral," Captain Sokolov reported. "No signs of a counter-attack."

"Good," Orlov said quietly. "Let them think on the consequences of their actions. But keep our guns trained on their lead ship. The moment they cross the line, we'll unleash hell."

He turned to his communications officer. "Send a final message to the Valorian fleet: 'Any further aggression will be met with decisive retaliation. You have been warned.'"

On the bridge of the VNS Titan, Reinhardt listened to the Ruthenian message, his grip tightening on the edge of the command console. He turned to Brandt, his eyes burning with the weight of the decision that now lay before him.

"They're trying to intimidate us," Reinhardt said, his voice low but filled with resolve. "But we cannot let them think they can bully Valoria into submission."

"Orders, Admiral?" Captain Brandt asked, tension lacing his voice.

"Maintain our defensive posture," Reinhardt commanded. "But keep our guns locked on their lead battleship. If they fire again, we will respond in kind."

"Aye, sir," Brandt replied, turning to relay the order. The crew on the VNS Titan adjusted their targeting systems, the massive guns swiveling to aim directly at the RNS Imperator.

In Volkshalle, Alexander stood before a large map of the Valorian coastline, listening intently to the live reports filtering in from the fleet. Julieanne stood beside him, her eyes scanning the dispatches as they came through.

"They fired a warning shot dangerously close to the Titan," she reported.

Alexander's expression was unreadable, his eyes cold and calculating. "And our response?" he asked.

"Admiral Reinhardt is holding position as ordered. But the situation is escalating. If they fire again, he's prepared to return fire."

Alexander nodded slowly. "Good. But make it clear to him that under no circumstances are we to fire the first true shot. If Ruthenia wants war, let them be the ones to bear the blame."

Julieanne relayed the message, her fingers flying over the telegraph key.

Back on the front lines, the standoff continued. The Ruthenian fleet remained in their V-shaped formation, guns trained on the Valorian ships. The Valorian fleet, meanwhile, held their defensive line, each ship's crew braced for the inevitable.

On the RNS Imperator, Orlov's patience was wearing thin. He could see that the Valorians were not backing down, their defiance a thorn in his side. He knew that one miscalculation, one twitch of a trigger finger, could turn this standoff into a full-scale battle.

"Admiral," Captain Sokolov ventured, "should we proceed with another show of force? Perhaps fire another shot, closer this time?"

Orlov considered it for a moment, then nodded his head. "Do it closer this time."

"Captain, if we do that, there is no turning back, we are bringing Ruthenia into a war against Valoria."

"If that is the case, then it's going to be a war that we are going to win," Admiral Orlov declared, his voice laced with a steely resolve that sent a chill through the bridge of the RNS Imperator.

Captain Sokolov swallowed hard, nodding as he relayed the order. "Prepare to fire another warning shot," he commanded.

"Target the waters directly ahead of their heavy cruiser. This time, make it clear we're not here to play games."

The gun crews on the Imperator moved. The Ruthenian battleship's massive forward guns adjusted their angle, locking onto the designated coordinates. Every man on the bridge held his breath, knowing that this shot, even if it didn't strike a Valorian vessel, would escalate the situation to a point of no return.

"Fire!" Orlov commanded, his voice booming through the intercom.

The roar of the Imperator's main battery was deafening. The entire ship seemed to shudder as the shell tore through the air, a streak of fire against the rapidly darkening sky. The projectile landed with a thunderous splash just fifty meters from the bow of the VNS Valeria, sending a massive plume of seawater into the air that drenched the decks of the Valorian cruiser.

On the VNS Valeria, Captain Lysander braced himself against the rail as the shockwave rocked his ship. The crew scrambled to regain their footing, their eyes wide with alarm.

"Admiral Reinhardt, they've fired again!" Lysander shouted into his radio, his voice crackling through the static. "This one was dangerously close. They're pushing us."

Back on the VNS Titan, Admiral Reinhardt's jaw tightened as the report came in. The Ruthenians had fired once more, this time nearly striking one of his cruisers. He knew Orlov was testing him, trying to bait him into making the first move that would give Ruthenia the pretext it needed to escalate.

But enough was enough.