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“Akasaka-san, what is this ace in the hole we are being told of? Does something like that really exist?”
“Well, that’s a bit complicated to…”
“Akasaka, I think it’s better to leave the explaining to me.”

Wait a minute... That voice, could it be?

“It’s been a while, Kurokawa-kun.”
My eyes pried onto the man descending from the hangar’s second platform. The pale, middle-aged man wore a black jet black naval uniform. He could be aptly described as ‘plain,’ if going by appearance alone, but not when it came to his name.
“Captain Suwabe!” I answer the man with an instinctive salute.
"Kept you waiting huh?"

Nagamasa Suwabe, better known as ‘Suwabe of the Miracles’, he was one of the core captains of the Combined Fleet and my father’s close colleague. True to his nickname, he and his ship, the Haruna, were rather infamous for surviving some of the most dangerous battles they fought throughout the war. He has been labeled MIA ever since an encounter with the Khaganate’s Beiyang Fleet at Amakusa Gulf, where Haruna reportedly sank in action.

“Suwabe-dono, I thought you were…”
“Not quite dead yet, Aono-kun, not quite.” he laughs, pulling down his navy cap
Satoru pushes his glasses up “So… about this ace in the hole”
“The battleship, Yamato”
“Ya--Yamato?”

A new battleship? That was a first.
Satoru was equally surprised as I am. For the longest time, the country’s shipyards have ceased to churn out anything that’s larger than a standard heavy cruiser as war attrition built up.

“In a way, you could say it’s the sister ship of Beiyang’s Taishan.” Suwabe explains, “More accurately, Taishan was Yamato’s prototype.”

Taishan, the flagship of the Beiyang Fleet, armed with three 42cm quadruple shock mounts as its main battery and sporting the revolutionary Ragna Engine, it was widely deemed to be the most powerful battleship that has ever been laid down to date. No matter how you look at it, that thing doesn’t look the slightest like a prototype, yet…

“When the Denisov Research Institute received orders to build a new battleship for the late Yu Dynasty, we sold them an experimental model used to replicate the power of the Valkof.” Margaret cuts into the conversation, appearing with Yanagi from another entrance. “Now with combat data and improvements in her design, the ‘complete’ version, Yamato, will be the world’s first true super-battleship.”

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>Wait a minute, what do you mean by ‘will’?
>Where is Yamato now?
>But it still just one ship!
>Write in

>>2163040
>But it's still just one ship!
>Where is Yamato now?

>>2163040
>>Where is Yamato now?
Aiteng time soon. Remember, she is best girl, and needs a new man in her life.

>>2163035
>>Where is Yamato now?
>>But it still just one ship!

>>2163040
>Where is Yamato now?
>But it still just one ship!

>>2163035

> Won't one super-ship be a very tasty target for a whole fleet?

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>>2164962
>>2164686
>>2164118
>>2163284
“Pardon me, but… it’s just one ship!”
Taishan’s formidability as a battleship is well known and documented, but even then it was still just one battleship. There was no way she could ever sustain herself if she went up alone against an entire fleet. In that case, the same logic could be applied to Yamato, it won’t be sufficient enough to turn the tide by itself, not with the current state the Combined Fleet is in.

“You are correct, Kurokawa-kun.” Suwabe nods. “Yamato alone may not be sufficient to restore our nation, but with her power and support from the Empire, we may be able to force the Khanate to restore our sovereignty.”
“The Empire has finally decided to intervene directly!?”
“Yes and no.” Margaret explains, her arms crossed, “The plan was never to use Yamato against the Khaganate in a head-on battle, but to deliver her back to my homeland. The Empire is currently the only country with the resources and capability to mass-produce Yamato’s system.”
“And once that happens, it could be used as a diplomatic threat…” Satoru connects the dots.
“The quintessential gunboat diplomacy…” Yanagi mutters.

I see, if this new engine is as revolutionary as Margaret hypes it up to be, a country with an entire fleet of warships retrofitted with such can easily claim ownership of the seas with relative ease. The Empire might really just be using this mainly to wrestle maritime hegemony from the Atlantic Federation, but Zipang to them has always been an excellent buffer against the threats from the east.

“Then, where is the Yamato now?” I ask, crossing my arms. It certainly can’t be in either of the occupied ports, which begs the question as to how something of that size can be hidden.

“Eh… about that,” Margaret scratches her head. She looked… rather uncertain?
“In the hands of the enemy," Suwabe announces in a stern expression. Of course, that only warranted panic and confusion from the people around him.
“What?”
“Suwabe-dono, is this true?”
“Doesn’t that mean we’re bust then?”

“Please calm down, ladies and gentlemen.” The captain assures, holding up his arms. “She is here in Kure when Beiyang captured this city, but she’s only 80% complete.”
“However, my brother has convinced the Khagan to continue with the project instead of scrapping it,” Margaret adds. “The construction of Yamato is still in progress just as we speak.”
“We will let the barbarians finish Yamato for us, and by the time it’s completed,” Suwabe raises a clenched fist. “That’s when we conduct operation Ten-Go: Raid Kure and take back Yamato.”

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>>2165031

"So... how long do we have to get ready for the repossession operation?"

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With a clear explanation, the confusion soon died down, though there was still some uncertainty hanging in the air.

“But in order for the operation to succeed, the power of us alone is not enough.” He continues. “This is where I have something to ask out of you.”
With our attentions all focused on him, Suwabe begins explaining the situation.

“The last piece of this puzzle lies in Aki, the last foothold of our armed forces on Honshuu.” He points to a map stuck onto the wall. “A detachment of an army and marine corps are stuck in the city, with the orders to hold the city at all costs… given by the Army Marshal himself. The marines, our people, however, are not subject to his orders.”
“I need you to relay my orders to retreat to our boys, and get as many of them out as possible. Each of our brothers you rescue will significantly increase our chances of success in Operation Ten-Go.”

“And we will offer as much help as possible to help in this mission.” Margaret says with a smile, shooting me a wink.

“Aki is situated at the end of a river, with an east-west landmass and a delta stuck in between. The river itself is not wide enough for large ships to pass, but also deep enough that tanks cannot pass through without assistance.” The captain says. “The majority of the enemy forces are stationed at the delta-southeast junction, as that is where the army is putting up their resistance. Our objective here is to break a hole in the delta-northeast junction encirclement, relief our boys, and then help them get through the opening, where they can retreat farther north into the mountains.

He then turns to me.

“Kurokawa-kun, you can choose how to tackle the situation.”

>Coordinate a pincer attack at delta-northeast with the marines
>Forcefully crash through the enemy lines and cut off the connection of delta-northeast by blowing up the junction.

oh and sorry for the delay, I tried doodling around with mipui for the map but the image ended up looking quite atrocious.

>>2165055

(You're doing great work, but I gotta go to build lasers)

>>2165053
>Coordinate a pincer attack at delta-northeast with the marines
This has the advantage that the marines will be ready and in place for the retreat immediately.

>>2165053

>Coordinate a pincer attack at delta-northeast with the marines

>>2165053
>>Coordinate a pincer attack at delta-northeast with the marines

>>2165053
>>Coordinate a pincer attack at delta-northeast with the marines

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>>2165062
>>2165146
>>2165403
>>2166411
“We should coordinate a pincer attack at the delta-northeast junction with the marines,” I say. “It might be a bit complicated, but if successful we will be in a situation to retreat immediately.”

“Good.” He points to a hangar to the far left. “Going by the nature of this operation, you would need a tank to back things up. Thankfully for us, the Empire has provided us some of their best-armored tech available, so no tin cans this time around.”

Tin cans, everyone chucked in jest as that word was mentioned. As the war went on, it became a term used to mock Zipang’s abysmal armored technology, to the point even we embraced it. That said, our tanks were also known as ‘tin coffins’, and just like that name, tankers tend to not return alive from the battlefield.

“Akasaka and Denisov will introduce you to our new vehicles.” The captain says, placing his attention on Akane. “And Akasaka, this might not be the easiest task for you, but it would be greatly appreciated if you can return the vehicle in one piece.”

“Roger,” Akane answers with enthusiasm, a little smile creeping up from the side of her mouth.

“I'll leave you to get acquainted, and Kurokawa-kun, I would like you to report to my office once you’re free."
Saluting the captain as he leaves, the next thing I felt was an immediate yank as Margaret took hold of my other free hand and guided me towards the leftmost hangar, with Akane following shortly behind.

It was rather awkward… being so close to Margaret like this. She was essentially behaving the same way as she did back in Osaka, except this time we are pretty much under public eye. Sure, Margaret doesn’t seem bothered the least bit, but…

“Kurokawa-san, your face is red.” Akane signals, causing me to almost jump out of my skin.
“Are you alright?” Margaret’s immediate action was to clasp my face to check whether or not I had been struck with fever.
“I’m fine!” I stammer, disengaging before she was about to place a cheek on my forehead.

A short walk took the three of us to the leftmost hangar, sat there alone was…
>A massive siege tank, a famous model from the Second Europan War.
>A modified highly mobile medium tank adorned with a distinct patterning.

>>2167035
>A massive siege tank, a famous model from the Second Europan War.

>>2167035
>>A modified highly mobile medium tank adorned with a distinct patterning.

>>2167035
>>A modified highly mobile medium tank adorned with a distinct patterning.

>>2167035
>A modified highly mobile medium tank adorned with a distinct patterning.
Famous Second Europan War models all jobbed to Gallian ones.

>>2167035
>A massive siege tank, a famous model from the Second Europan War.

>>2167035
>>A modified highly mobile medium tank adorned with a distinct patterning.

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>>2167214
>>2167303
>>2167422
>>2167555
Sat there alone was a modified highly mobile medium tank adorned with a distinct patterning. It looked very similar to the Schakal, a limited production heavy tank from the Second Europan War. Though, it appears to have some noticeable changes from the unit it was derived from. Most notably, it was smaller in size, putting it in the same weight class of a medium.

“This is Object 128, the cutting edge prototype of the Empire!” Margaret explains in great enthusiasm. “Our engineers took some inspiration from the Gallian tank design and merged it with our superior metalworking and technical to create this masterpiece.”

“That Bv-10 100mm main gun outclass every single tank gun currently in the field, even the loathed Gallian 88 Ragna, with penetrative power comparable only to our very own D-25T 43/122 cannon!

The defenses are equally as remarkable, with its low profile body, sloped glacis plate, and domed turret all well protected by our Empire’s state-of-the-art experimental sloped SK composite armor. Rest assured, not even direct fire from the Genghis’ main gun can penetrate its frontal plates."

“To put it simply, this thing was constructed specifically to combat the armors fielded by the Khaganate.” Akane interrupts with an easier to understand explanation. “That said this would be its first test run.”

“That’s not even its most distinct feature.” Margaret points at a little protruding sector at the back of the turret.

"Object 128 is specially equipped with an electric-powered hydraulic system and an experimental gunner assist system, meaning it only needs one person to operate. It can even aim and fire accurately while moving!"

“More than enough for me,” Akane says, cracking a knuckle. “At least it’s not yet another tin can.”
“But please take care of it, Akasaka-chan.” Margaret addresses her, holding a finger up. “It would be easier for us to undergo mass production process should the model stay intact.”
“I don’t need to be reminded of that thrice.”

Observing the vehicle a bit more, it did appear a lot more impressive with Margaret’s input. Though, there was still one issue which bugged me continuously. It was not the fear of aerial bombardment, as this was a night operation. But because of all these fancy specifications made onto a Schakal, the radiators had to be placed under the tank and not behind it. Sure, this gives the much-needed protection against enemy lancers and grenadiers but makes it highly vulnerable to any sort of mines.

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“How about enemy mines?” I ask, “Placing the radiators there makes it quite susceptible to those things isn’t it?”
“Good insight, Kurokawa-kun.” Margaret applauds “But that shouldn’t be a problem on this operation, wouldn’t it?”
“If anything, it would be our men who’re laying the mines in Aki, the steppe barbarians probably cleared them out when they invaded back then,” Akane says. “Still, we can find a way to deal with this problem after tomorrow’s operation.”

“Is there anything else you want to sort out before reporting back to Suwabe-dono?” Margaret asks, bending down to meet me at eye level.

>Look for Satoru and Yanagi, they are the key members when it comes to establishing connections with the marines on the other side
>Denisov-san, you seem quite attentive when it comes to weaponry.
>Hang out around the hangars and see if there are some extra equipment that can be taken.
>Report to the Captain's quarters

>>2167565
>Look for Satoru and Yanagi, they are the key members when it comes to establishing connections with the marines on the other side
Coordination will be key in this operation.

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Oh and by the way, choosing the first option would've yielded a Batomys, just so if anyone's wondering

>>2167575
It jobs, as I've said.
Killed with fucking hand grenades, is there anything more pitiful?

>>2167564

>Look for Satoru and Yanagi, they are the key members when it comes to establishing connections with the marines on the other side

I'm curious about our character's father since he's a famous fleet admiral hopefully we will reunite with him later.

>>2167565
>>Denisov-san, you seem quite attentive when it comes to weaponry.
>>2167583
He's fucking dead, bro. Aiteng wiped him out.

>>2167565
>Look for Satoru and Yanagi, they are the key members when it comes to establishing connections with the marines on the other side
>Denisov-san, you seem quite attentive when it comes to weaponry.

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>>2167783
>>2167893
>>2167566

"Denisov-san, you're... quite attentive when it comes to weaponry.” I point out. If anything, it was her knowledge of these machines that overwhelmed me a bit. “You seem rather passionate about it.”

She gives a light chuckle upon hearing this, as I would expect from her. “Well, of course! My family made these machines after all. And you know… It’s part of my job to do some marketing, as one of the Denisov heirs." She looks away, blushing slightly.

“But if you are asking what I really like, it would be culture.”
“Culture?”
Margaret responds with a confident nod. “Customs, architecture, lifestyle, everything that made people from a place special and unique… Don't forget the infinite variation of cuisines these cultures can offer! Tasting is half of life’s joy, after all."
“Was that why you chose a photographer as your disguise?”
“It’s the career choice I would choose, had I not been born a Denisov.” She says, letting out a slight, almost invisible sigh.

“My family did everything they could to shield me away from the society, so my life was rather sheltered, for the most part. Truth is, this is the first time I've ever been able to go out without being under constant surveillance."

“That sounds… harsh.”
It also conveniently explains Margaret’s rather bold attitude towards others, assuming that her family was the only people she interacted with.

“No, no, not at all!” She denies by a wave of her hand. “It’s thanks to them that I am here today, even though they might be a bit overprotective at times…”

If there was anything positive to take out of her childhood, it’s that Margaret appears to have developed a powerful bond with her family. That was something I wished to have, yet never attained due to various environmental circumstances. It was not something I can blame dad for, after all, he probably wished for the same thing.

“And you?” Margaret asks, placing her face dangerously close to mine. “What would you like to do if not for this war?”

That was… quite a sudden question.
Well yeah, I should have expected her to ask after how she revealed hers to me, but this was a topic I never really put much thought in.

“No idea… Something stable seems nice?”
"Stable? What would you consider stable?"
"I'm not sure either... I've never put much thought into it."
And at that moment I felt her hand rubbing against my head, in front of me was the Valkyria’s angelic smile. Though it calmed my heart back then, this time it did quite the reverse.
"It's something to think about, then!" She says, still oblivious to her invasion of my personal space.

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“Denisov,” Akane interrupts from the sidelines “The guys have finished maintenance work for Rhongomyniad, you wanna take a look?”
“Ah, thank you, Akasaka-chan.” She answers, turning away her attention. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
"I’ll be going now, Kurokawa-kun. Your friends are waiting for you, aren't they?"
“Take care, Denisov-san.” With that, she was off, to which I gave a thumbs up to Akane, thanking her for the save.
“I wish you all the luck, Kurokawa-san.” She replies with the same hand sign. However, with that rather malicious smile she puts up naturally, I never know she was being genuine or trying to set me up for something.

I searched around the place for my two friends, as they would again be key members for the next operation. Despite how large the hangars were, it wasn’t too hard to find them, thanks to this weird scent. Something does smell awfully nice as if there’s someone… cooking?

“Subaru, there you are!”
From a distance, I could see Yanagi waving at me. Both Satoru and her were sitting around… a campfire?

“What’s going on?”
“She sniffed around and found a stockpile of unused navy supplies,” Satoru explains. “Amongst them were some unused rations from, well, a while back.”

Rations tend not to expire that easily, but judging from that slight pause in Satoru words, it would be better for me to stay alarmed.

“Yanagi, are you sure you want to eat that?”
“Well, folks gotta eat, you know?” she answers in a matter of fact manner, “Don’t worry, they’re properly canned and stored in a nice, cool place. And of course, I’ve checked them individually. They’re all in rather decent conditions!”
“Doesn’t make it sound any safer.” Satoru gives her a jab.
Believe it or not, there was the logic behind Yanagi’s rationale. The three of us haven’t had a hot meal since god knows when, and this is most probably what will sustain us as long as we’re here.

Squatting down, I sat between my two childhood friends.

“It’s like… a little campfire, how did you start it here though?”
“Simple. Plastic explosives,” Yanagi says, adjusting the content. “Nib some C3, give it a light and you get a fire!”

I’ve heard stories about soldiers heating food with it, but until now I never thought it was actually doable.

“Stay clear of the flames though, the fumes will make you see dancing mushroom people.”
“Huh?”
“You don’t want to know.” Satoru cautions “Trust me.”
“Let’s see what we have here, boiled Saba, mixed corned meat, peaches...We’ve even got kujira yamatoni!”
Braised whale in ginger soy sauce? That seems oddly luxurious, for a situation like this.
“Here, have some!” Yanagi shoves a plate onto Satoru, who promptly refuses the offer.
“I’m not risking stomachaches on the eve of an important operation.” He pushes it away and then places his attention on me. “Say, my friend, any ideas on our route?”

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Ah yes, the route. To contact the marines on the other side, there were approximately two routes that could be undertaken each with a different approach. One would be a roundabout way through the woods farther north. Taking this route means we would encounter way fewer enemies but comes with a high chance of encountering enemy snipers.

The next option would be under the bridge, straight through the enemy lines, and through an urban area. Fewer enemy snipers, but more ground troops. While Margaret and Akane would be playing the role of diversion in both circumstances, the success of the second option would rest a bit more on their initial success.

>Through the woodlands farther north [+3d field experience for Sniper]
>Through the urban area [+1d field experience for Sniper, Tanker, and Grenadier]

>>2171010
>Through the woodlands farther north [+3d field experience for Sniper]

>>2171010
>urban route

>>2171010
>Through the urban area [+1d field experience for Sniper, Tanker, and Grenadier]

>Through the woodlands farther north [+3d field experience for Sniper]

>>2171000
>Through the woodlands farther north [+3d field experience for Sniper]

>>2171010
>Through the woodlands farther north [+3d field experience for Sniper]

>>2171010

>Through the urban area [+1d field experience for Sniper, Tanker, and Grenadier]

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>>2176148
>>2173765
>>2173549
>>2171098
“We take the safer route around the woodlands,” I say. “This way we don’t have to deal with many enemies on the way, Denisov-san and Akasaka-san can also save their energy till we make contact with those on the other side.”

“I see,” Satoru ponders. “I have a feeling we’d be walking directly into a sniper’s nest like this, but I suppose we can avoid them by keeping our movements as inconspicuous as possible.”

“We’re doing this at night after all.” Yanagi finishes up, swallowing a spoonful of canned meat. “Those steppe barbarians may have good eyesight, but surely they won’t be able to see in the dark.”

“Well, at least we won’t be encountering any elites.” Satoru comments, the flames of the campfire reflecting through his glasses, “Though that doesn’t make their trainees any less dangerous.”

From what I know the Tengar Khaganate has employed a rather complex way of enlisting and training their snipers. Elites were always tasked to train the next batch of snipers, never to serve on the frontlines unless absolutely necessary.
But even then, the average trainee could spot from a distance of 800 meters on average and engage at 500 meters, which just goes on to show the insane eyesight these steppe inhabitants possess.

“At least we’re getting some new equipment,” Yanagi mentions, ripping out another piece of whale flesh. “Our gaijin pals want us to help them test some prototypes on our way in, presumably some gear to help with night operations.”
Then, she jabs her fork into another piece of whale and guides it right in front of my face
“Do you want some? It tastes fine, I can assure you.”
With an eyebrow raised, I took a little time to observe the piece of meat. I cannot let myself off Satoru’s previous warnings, yet this is whale meat, you don’t get to eat them at times like these.
“Say ahh~~”
Tired of waiting, Yanagi has decided to go straight for the offensive.

“Kurokawa-kun, there you are!”
Only to be interrupted by Margaret barging into the scene without any warning.
“Suwabe-dono is looking for you. He has something he has to tell you privately.”
…
…
For a moment, Margaret appears to have realized she might have just ruined the mood but immediately went on pretending that never happened.
“Ah, you're in the middle of a meal? It smells rather nice, what are you having?”

Yanagi sighs in response to this sudden intrusion, but returns right back to her initial mood, seemingly playing it up with Margaret together.
“Braised whale, Yamato style! Go ahead, give it a try!”
“Whale?”

Leaving the two and their food discussion, I stood up and took my leave, Satoru giving me a wave as I made the way towards the captain’s office.

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“It’s Kurokawa” I spoke softly, knocking the door of the sole room on the second floor
“Come in,” came his voice from behind the door.

If there was one word used to describe his room, it would be ‘simple’. Other than the basic furniture, it lacked any sort of mundane decorations, only the barest of barebones. Oddly enough, I found that quite fitting for someone like him.

"Subaru Kurokawa of the 18th Kainuu Brigade, reporting for duty, sir"
"Welcome, Kurokawa-kun." The captain returns my salute, “Take a seat, there were some things back there that I wouldn’t be able to say in front of everyone.”

Something that cannot be spoken in public… if anything it only made me even more nervous.
“I see, quite the attentive one are you, just as your father has described.” He observes, “Then I’ll just say it firsthand, both of these things I’m about to tell you are not good news, so to speak.”

He takes a deep breath, eyes unfocused for a moment, and begins.
“Yesterday, at around 16:25, the remnants of the Combined Fleet, led by no other than Admiral Kurokawa himself, sailed off the coast of Shirabeshi ferrying civilians across the border into the Empire. They met a large force of Khaganate battleships and cruisers lying in wait, among which included the Taishan.”
“No.”
“The Beiyang Fleet crossed the T, and completed the destruction of what remained of our navy.”
“No…”
“The Kongou was sunk at 17:40 and along with her…”
“Enough!”
“He carried out his duties to the very end.”
“I know.”

I stopped for a moment to take a few breaths, clearing my mind of the clout and confusion. What in turn left was a blurry haze clouding my vision. Wiping it off did no good, as the same haze filled up my irises yet again no matter how hard I tried.
It was truly bizarre, despite our general lack of interaction with each other, I still found myself weeping for him as if my heart has been ripped out of my body.

“And unfortunately, I’m also about to meet my end.”
As Suwabe continues, the man unbuttons his uniform, revealing a large, horizontal scar sprawled over his chest. It was indeed a miracle that he actually managed to survive such a grievous wound.
“When Haruna’s bridge took a direct hit, I thought I had perished with my crew, only to be rescued by our allies and brought here.”

With his left hand, the captain slowly traces along the scar, stopping at its midline.
“The Empire’s surgeons did all they could to save my life, which was successful, but not without drawbacks. Unfortunately, even the best have limits...”

“There are still pieces of ragnite shrapnel stuck within my body, their locations making surgical removal way too risky. And as you can see, because of that…”
“Ragnite poisoning.”
Suwabe nods, buttoning up the uniform.
“The doctors gave me 6 months max before my internal organs completely fail from radiation overdose. I might not be able to survive the trip, but I will make sure to live till I see the operation carried out successfully.”

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I imagine he has not told anyone about this, knowing how much such news would affect morale. But if that’s the case, it also leaves one question hanging.
“Why me?”
Why am I singled out for this? I understood why Captain Suwabe would single me out when it comes to the tragedy involving my father, but his own terminal illness?
“Because as his son, you must carry out your father’s will, the final mission issued to him.”
“His will…”
“Operation Ten-Go is an order that came not from the higher ups, but an order issued directly by the Miko-hime herself. The order is simple: Take the Yamato and deliver her to the Empire, the only country with the resources and capability to mass-produce her system, so one day our nation can finally be liberated.”
“So even the Miko-hime gave up on resistance.”
“Can you blame her?”

From what I’ve seen living through this war, I really can’t blame her. With the Combined Fleet destroyed and the majority of the country under occupation, there was really no point not to surrender.
But that was what made the people of Zipang unique, even if the Miko-hime did come out and issued an unconditional surrender, the populace would continue to struggle against the invaders, for the shame of surrender and humiliation of defeat is often less preferable than death.

“I can’t, not after witnessing every chapter of this conflict played out in front of my eyes.”
“But even so, the spirit of us, the people of Zipang, will not take submission kindly, the Miko-hime’s order is a true manifestation of such spirit.” He answers, holding my hands in a clasp. “Subaru Kurokawa, son of Kagetora Kurokawa… Are you ready to carry on his legacy?”

>It is my honor
>I need some time to stomach this
>[write in]

And here, an apology for the late updates recently. For some reason I found this scene rather grueling to write, along with a slightly tighter schedule at the end of the last week

>>2178168
>No, I still have so far to go to be ready to carry that burden... But even so, I will do everything in my power.
>>It is my honor

>>2178168
>It is my honor

>>2178168
>>It is my honor

>>2178168

>It is my honor

>>2180983

>I’ll continue using the 97

>Spend time with the squad

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>>2178189
>>2178301
>>2178337
>>2178502
“It is my honor.”
I stood up, straightened myself, and saluted, holding back the tears still clouding my vision. Thinking back, my entire life up till this point has been dedicated to preserving his image as his son. Since things have come to this, it was only logical that I, as his son, were to carry out his final will.

The captain, on the other hand, faintly smiles as if a heavy rock has finally been lifted off his back.
“Looks like Senpai raised an excellent kid worthy of his title.” He finishes with a pat on my shoulder.
“I still have so far to go to be ready to carry that burden. But even so, I will do everything in my power to carry out his will.”
“Good answer,” he nods approvingly. “The operation shall commence at 2:00 am, a night battle. Rest well until then, you’ll need it.”
“Yes, Sir.”

Exiting his office, I was caught with the sight of my squad, congregating around the Object 128. Margaret, ever keeping up with family tradition, was promoting her family’s products again. There was no reason for me not to join.

“This is an active sonar system!” Holding the box-like device with only one hand, she passed the machine onto Satoru, who was weighed down with surprise by its rather bulky weight. He looked back at the tall Valkyria, most likely wondering how she was capable of carrying such a gadget so effortlessly.

“It allows you to send out a pulse that can detect electric signals emitted by living things, much like the way sharks detect their prey.” Margaret continues to explain, not paying the slightest attention to my friend’s disposition. “But please keep in mind, this device creates a noticeable beeping noise when activated. So use it wisely.”

Then, she held up a something looks like some sort of a rectangular box, resembling a small backpack.
“This is our newest prototype portable radio design, soon to be the standard issue radio system of the Empire’s signal corps. It does everything the standard military radio is capable of, with half the size and weight!”
And with a light toss, it was in Yanagi’s possession, she took no time to begin inspecting its panel.

“Oh, I almost forgot, please hold onto these batteries.”
She then hands them 2 two ammo belts, each fitted with 6 cylinders.
“Each battery last about 5 minutes. When the power is running low, the light on the power switch will start to flicker. When that happens, please change them immediately.”

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As she finishes, Akane steps into the spotlight, bringing out two rifles from a stash.
“Here are the first semi-automatic rifles by the Tousaka armory, the Type-4. Specs are top notch, compared to the usual bolt-action types. Sadly it’s developed too late into the war to see much action.”
“Our engineers have specifically chambered them to also use the 7.92 rounds used by the former Yu forces,” Margaret cuts in. “So replenishing ammunition on the field shouldn’t be a problem!”
“Scavenging again huh,” Satoru pushes up his glasses. “Never thought we would be doing it again, but the prospect of having limitless ammunition is quite alluring.”

As I approached my squad, one more thing I noticed in the scenery was a gigantic, black-clad spiral lance placed right beside Object 128. Red crystals embedded on the massive artifact gave it an appearance of a thorny vine. That must be Rhongomyniad.

“And Kurokawa-kun,” The Valkyria waves at me, “we have things for you too!”
She hands me a pair of… goggles? For a pair of goggles, they do appear quite heavy.
“And this is one our Foundation’s greatest prototypes: thermal goggles! Try it.”
Doing as instructed, I put on the pair of weird, heavy goggles and turned on its power. Only to witness my entire surroundings burst into a myriad of obtuse silhouettes that ranged from dark blue to bright yellow. The general surroundings were displayed with shades of blue, while Margaret and Akane’s silhouettes were outlined in shades of bright red, orange, and yellow.

While the experience itself was jarring, I immediately knew what having this in my arsenal implicates.
“Thank you, Denisov-san. With this, I will never lose a sniper battle.”
Not only that, now I can also perform my duties at night.

“Be careful, Kurokawa-kun,” She warns, helping me take off the goggles. “This device may also obstruct your field of vision, making traversing terrain difficult. The detectors are also prone to malfunction after prolonged usage, so please use with caution. It’s a prototype after all.”
“Ah… I’ll take note.”

She was right, no matter how useful this device is, I should probably not place all my bets onto prototype gadgets yet to be proven on the field.

“And here is a Type-99 sniper rifle,” Akane takes up a rifle resting on the side of the tank. “I don’t think there’s need for any fancy introductions to this thing. Put it simply, a larger caliber Type-97, more lethal, but also louder.”

“Kurokawa-kun, would you like to keep your old rifle, or would you like to use this one?”

>I’ll continue using the 97
>I’ll take the 99 [-2d experience, upgrades existing potential]

And for later activities
>Spend time with [specify a character]
>Rest until the time of the operation.

Geez, had to delete everything and repost again because I forgot to add the entire thermal goggles in there.

>>2181059
>I’ll continue using the 97

>Our squad

>>2181059
>>I’ll continue using the 97
>Rest until the time of the operation.

>>2181059
>I’ll take the 99 [-2d experience, upgrades existing potential]
>Rest until the time of the operation.

>>2181059
>I’ll continue using the 97

>Our squad

>I’ll take the 99 [-2d experience, upgrades existing potential]

>Spend time with Akane

>>2181059
>Continue using the 97

>Rest until the time of the operation.

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“Thanks, but I’ll continue using my old 97,” I reply, taking a good look at the 99. “I’ve actually grown quite attached to it.”
“As you wish,” Akane responds, putting away the rifle. “So, what are the Captain’s orders?”
“Operation shall commence at 2:00 am, so he wants us all to rest while we can.” I turn around to face everyone. “Once we are there, the squad will be divided into two groups, Satoru, Yanagi, and I will form the infiltration group, establishing contact with the marines inside the delta.”
From a side of my vision, I see them both nodding in acknowledgment.

“Denisov-san and Akasaka-san will form the breakthrough group. Once we have established a connection with the marines, we would contact you through the radio. From there onwards we shall count on the two of you to execute the other side of the pincer attack.” I turn my attention to Margaret. “Denisov-san, can you do it?”
In probably the aptest response possible, the Valkyria effortlessly picks up that two-meter tall spiral pylon of hers with one hand and confidently thrusts it into the sky.
“My Valkyrur power isn’t just for show!” She declares with certain conviction and pride. “Please leave everything to me, Kurokawa-kun!”
“Ah, looks like I’ve been completely overshadowed.” Akane jabs at the atmosphere with her typical mocking tune.

“If it is possible, I want to depart during midnight.” I turned to Akane to confirm the plan's feasibility.
“Akasaka-san, I suppose there is a route that can take us around Kure to Aki unseen?”
“No worries on that part.” She assures, pointing a finger east. “The tunnel leads all the way to the outskirts of Aki.”
“Good, then as the Captain commanded, let’s rest until then.”
“Akasaka-san, can you show us the barracks?” Yanagi shoots her arm up to catch her attention
“It’s my pleasure.” Akane replies “Please follow me.”

“Subaru, you are not coming?” Satoru asks, noticing me not following up.
“There’s something else I need to do.”
“I see. You probably should contact her.” He advises. “She’s the last family you have left, after all.”
Both of us stopped in our tracks and locked sights for a moment.
It appears Satoru knew what happened to my father, yet he did not tell me about it all this time while I was with him. Granted, he probably did not want to ruin my mood, but I would still have preferred it if he said something.

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Walking around the hangars, I made myself into a hallway filled with phone booths. Since this was a time where everybody was too busy concentrating on their own tasks, nearly all of these phones were free for me to use. Picking up one of the phones, I dialed a number that was coded for the Formosa prefecture.
…
…
Someone picked up from the other side.
“Hello?”
The voice was muffled from the weak signal, but it’s enough for me to know I got the right number.
“Tewi?” I muttered the name of my last living family member.
“Subaru? Is it you? Subaru nii-san!”
“Tewi, it's me.”
“Nii-san! You’re alive! I, I…” She makes a noise as if she choked on her own tears. “I was so worried! Why didn’t you call earlier!? I thought you were…”
“I’m fine, Tewi. It's alright. I'm here.”
It took a while of comforting before her mood finally returns to normal, where our conversation resumed as it always does.
We talked as we always do, about even the minutest of things that happened since the last time we got to talk to one another. Even then, I refrain from talking about the battlefield. There’s no telling what would happen if I were to tell her about father’s fate.

“You’re not going to do anything dangerous, are you?”
“I won’t be. I promise.”
“Liar, Suwabe-dono already told me about your next mission… Even what happened to dad.”
“So you already knew.”
“Yeah”
“Then you should know what it means to me, right?
A temporary silence stalled the conversation, but I stayed with my sister until she ultimately broke the silence.
“Stay vigilant and come back in one piece, that’s all I’ll ask. Promise?”
Instead of a promise, it felt more like an order- an order I do intend to follow, by all means.
“I promise.”
“Good. I'll pray for your safe return, Nii-san. See you until then.”
“Goodbye.”

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Truth be told, I did not like riding in a tank, the focus being ‘in’. Since the Object 128 was designed to be operated by only one pilot, sticking two people in turned the already tight space even tighter as if to promote crippling claustrophobia, something I would prefer not to get infected with.

Hence, I decided to have my body out of the hatchet for the trip, joining myself with the other three squad mates who hiked on the moving tank.

“We are here,” Satoru informs us as Object 128 bursts through the seemingly endless tunnel, finding itself showered under an ocean of stars and the gentle breeze of fresh oxygen that can only be found in the outside world.
From afar, explosions and gunshots could be heard as the horizon lights up in dim, orange light, accompanied occasionally by several flashes from two opposite sides of a river tributary. Just as Akane said, it was an ideal place to give the full view of the harbor city.

“I suppose this is where we split up?” Yanagi says, disembarking the tank. Satoru and I follow shortly in order.
“Good luck, Kurokawa-kun, Morishima-san, Aono-kun.” Margaret sends up her blessings, looking even more like a legendary figure as she openly brandishes the spiral spear.
“There’s another one of these radio prototypes installed onto Object 128,” Akane pops out from the hatch. “So give us a shout if your side is ready, or if you need any support.”
With the last bout of exchanges done, the three of us vanished deeper into the forests with darkness as our cover.

>Tread carefully, there might be traps lying around despite how remote this path is
>Move faster, the steppe barbarians have escalated their offense if those mortar shells were any indication.

>>2186894
>Move faster, the steppe barbarians have escalated their offense if those mortar shells were any indication.

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Alright, so I was a bit busy the last two days, though I still managed to put this update out in the end.

Good thing is, things will return to normal sans January, excluding a weekend where I'm taking a flight elsewhere.

Other than that, an early happy new years to all. (as I might not be updating till Jan 1)

>>2186894
>>Move faster, the steppe barbarians have escalated their offense if those mortar shells were any indication.

>>2186894
>Tread carefully, there might be traps lying around despite how remote this path is

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>>2186895
>>2189168
roll me a 2d10 for Yanagi

Rolled 4, 2 = 6 (2d10)

>>2189432

Rolled 4, 7 = 11 (2d10)

>>2189432

Rolled 9, 19 = 28 (2d20)

>>2189432

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Archived and moved onto a new thread
>>2194275
>>2194275