Previous Chapter: A Tremor Strikes the Empire 2
Namba, Osaka, Japan
To experience the local cities of Japan, Gra Cabal, Crown Prince of the Gra Valkas Empire, visited Osaka’s Namba district accompanied by Japanese guides. Despite feeling quite disgusted by the enormous number of people, the large circular spinning steel structure called a ferris wheel, the seemingly unorganized yet natural townscape, and the unending subway lines, Gra Cabal showed an interest in the national power of this enemy country.
“Huh… Japan has done quite well for itself.”
He was particularly surprised by the existence of a subway. Commuter transport in the Imperial capital relied primarily on tramcars with underground railways still a concept.
“Something caught your eye?”
“I don’t really hate this downtown-ish aura… Oh? Can I try some of that?”
Cabal was pointing at a kushikatsu1 shop. It looked like a venerable kushikatsu shop that was established in the late 1920s.
They lined up along with commoners. Well built and taller than the average Japanese, Cabal stood out in line. However, with the likes of elves and dwarves becoming very common since the transfer, the Japanese had come to see many other sorts of species. A foreigner-ish face like Cabal wasn’t a curious case any longer and he didn’t attract much attention.
Cabal was then able to get his hands on an ice-cold alcoholic beverage called beer and the kushikatsu that had caught his eye just before. He chugged down on the beer.
“This is fantastic!!! I don’t usually get to consume this sort of commoner taste! Ah, hell. If it weren’t for these burns, I would have been stuck with the food back home. The food served in the hospital must have been commoner food too, but the taste was so bleak that I can’t even bring myself to say that they’re great even if I were to be polite!”
Cabal nodded as he satisfyingly ate and drank.
He was convinced that Japan was a lot more well off than other countries.
In the end, however, superiority in military power determines everything. He felt disappointed at the prospect that such delicious and tasty food will have to be lost when they invade, but it was something that cannot be helped.
Leaving the store, he then got his hands on food called takoyaki2. The great flavoring of the sauce, the sweetness of the mayonnaise, and the faint fragrance of dried green seaweed. Matching together in subtle yet superb fashion, it was overwhelmingly delicious.
“This takoyaki thing… Surely it doesn’t have to be an octopus all the time, right?”
Going through the list, he found that their sausages, meat, and noodles were also fantastic. He gave his frank impressions on each food item while savoring the great taste. After some time, his sightseeing in Osaka had come to an end.
“Moving forward, we will now go see the capital of Japan, Tokyo.”
Their next stop would be Tokyo.
“The capital, huh. How far is it from here?”
“Around 500 kilometers.”
“I see. I guess we will be going by plane. I am looking forward to what sort of aircraft Japan has.”
“Not necessarily. We will be heading to Tokyo by train, particularly the Shinkansen.”
Cabal felt slightly horrified by the guide’s words. He didn’t like the idea of taking a train to traverse 500km. It would simply take too much time.
“Won’t it take more than 6 hours by train? Isn’t there an airfield nearby? What a blunder in your city planning!”
“Tokyo is roughly 2 hours and 30 minutes by Shinkansen. Although we will also stop at stations along the way, it’s not a problem. The bullet trains run at around 285km/h.”
Thinking he heard it wrong, Cabal clarifies.
“What was that? This train runs at more than 280km/h?”
“Indeed.”
He heard it correctly.
However, the faster a train goes, the higher the risk that it will derail.
“How many derailment accidents does this high-speed train get in a year?”
“It has been around 54 years since the Shinkansen was established but there hasn’t been a single death brought about by a bullet train in that time. As for derailment, the Shinkansen has derailed only twice while in operation. Both were due to earthquakes.”
“Preposterous! One way or another, the risk of derailment goes higher the faster a train goes. It is not possible for a train running at that speed to not derail. Are you saying that the wheels and tracks of these trains are that smooth?”
“The primary cause of high-speed derailment is vibration. Pursuing the smoothness of the tracks or wheels does not solve the problem but if one were to resolve the problem of vibration, derailment is much more unlikely to occur.”
“What?”
Speeding up trains is an urgent matter even in the Gra Valkas Empire. However, without the control technology and derailment accidents already occur occasionally, simply speeding up trains would just cause hundreds of deaths. Since no railway engineer in the empire had determined that vibration is the cause, Cabal felt speechless at the possibility that they may have already found the cause for the unexplainable derailments.
If what the guide is saying is true, then Japan may have the upper hand in railway tech.
His pride creaked a bit.
“Enough of that. Why don’t we go then?”
Entrusting himself to his guides, Gra Cabal made his way to the capital of Japan, Tokyo.
・・・
Embarking on a train called the Nozomi3 from Shin-Osaka station, they made their way east to Tokyo. The coffee placed on his table didn’t shake nor spill and the ride felt abnormally comfortable.
Astonished by the exceedingly fast, overland speed of 285km/h, the materials that composed everything, and the electronic noticeboard on top of the aisle, Cabal recognized that these techs are beyond what the empire can do and felt a little bit impatient at what the capital had in store.
Recalling his experiences in Osaka, there were TVs that were so flat that he barely recognized them, their so-called asphalt pavement had little to no wear, and the traffic lights weren’t bulky. In just those areas, the empire was behind.
On the other hand, if there was one thing the empire had done well in, it would be the height at which their buildings stand.
The empire’s architectural technology was second to none. Thinking that they were ahead in that arena, he looked at the buildings that unfolded outside his window and was blown away.
Tokyo Skytree, Sumida District, Tokyo, Japan
“Wha… Wha… What is this…?”
Gra Cabal was looking up at the Tokyo Skytree from the ground. His legs shook at the sight. The highrise buildings that cluttered around it were also exceptionally tall.
However, the Skytree still overwhelmingly dwarfed them. It was an inorganic structure that seemingly budded from the ground and has touched the heavens. Even his own sense of perception and depth had gone numb at the extreme height of the tower that stood at 634m. At that point, anything that the empire has that reaches 634m are none other than mountains.
“Bullshit!! Are you telling me that this is manmade?!”
Cabal, who has a bit of knowledge in architectural engineering, felt a great terror at the building’s height, the materials that went into its construction, and the economic might that managed to prop it up in the first place.
They headed up to the observation deck.
He cannot help but feel the greatness of national power on the journey up. The elevator moved at high speeds and the LCD screen showed unbelievable fluidity and color. Everything felt so futuristic. His feelings were reinforced when they arrived at the observation deck. From the midair hallway, he cast an astonished look at the concrete city that sprawled out unendingly as far as the eye can see with the occasional high-rise buildings that interrupt the sea of buildings.
As the guides indifferently continued on with their tour, Cabal followed them from behind.
The Japanese cities far surpass the level at which we have and are able to build our own.
Cabal could not stop thinking of this thought.
In the event that their military tech, too, far surpasses their own, the empire is doomed. Gra Cabal was determined to know more about Japan.
・・・
The next day, Hyakuri Air Base
At one of the rooms in Hyakuri Air Base, Gra Cabal was being shown a movie on the summary of the Self Defense Force’s weapons. Gra Cabal stared intently at the display as if he were to pounce on it.
Japan’s history was shown first.
The video began with the forceful opening of the country from its isolationism. Western superpowers had long encroached on Asia, colonizing most of its peoples and nations. And then war broke out between Russia and Japan… The video showed human-wave tactics and the Japanese victory at the Battle of Tsushima. Securing a narrow victory against a Western power, they have shown the rest of the continent that there is hope against the West.
Eventually, footage of the Second World War played out.
An endless barrage of anti-aircraft gunfire swept across the skies, detonating midair and showing the proximity fuzes at work. It seemed like a movie shot from one of the empire’s aircraft carrier task forces.
A single plane penetrated the wall of fire.
Its airframe resembled that of the Antares fighter. As the sound of its engines grew higher due to the Doppler effect as it closed in, the aircraft showed no signs of raising its nose.
“Ah!”
The plane never raised its nose. It would slam into the aircraft carrier, triggering an explosion followed by a massive column of flame.
The pilot was determined to die.
An unbelievable mental capacity to carry out a similarly overwhelmingly strong will. It was an attack that conveyed one’s staggeringly intense volition.
A suicide attack… Gra Cabal couldn’t bring himself to accept such tactics.
The movie played on to show planes slam into aircraft carriers one after another.
Eventually, the scenes changed to that of a torrent of bombs falling upon a town. Below the footage were the words Great Tokyo Air Raid written in the Gra Valkas Empire’s language.
Then, the movie wraps up.
“So Japan has also lived through a bloody history…”
“Indeed. With the defeat in the war that had left most of our homeland in flames, it seemed that at that time, Japan had lost everything. However, the survivors would put all of their effort into rebuilding. After the war, Japan achieved rapid reconstruction. Well then, we will now provide a summary on the weapons our country uses.”
The display on the screen changed and the exposition of modern Japanese weaponry started. One of the first weapons that were shown is a guided munition called a missile, a foul weapon that follows its target even if it tries to move away. In particular, there exists a kind of missile called an anti-ship missile that flies at ultralow altitudes to escape radar, has an accuracy of nearly 100% and has a range that far exceeds naval artillery, and a single missile has enough power to sufficiently damage a cruiser.
Footage of a target ship getting hit was shown. The explosion left a massive break in the large ship’s hull.
The disparity in technology far exceeded his imagination. Drops of sweat formed on Gra Cabal’s forehead.
“A-are these… things… true…”
“Yes. Of course.”
“I-if… such weapons were made real…”
If such weapons were made real, the landscape of war would no doubt change in an instant.
Cabal swallowed his words.
If Japan were indeed in possession of massive quantities of these missiles, it would be extremely horrible.
“Also, since we have received confirmation that the Gra Valkas Empire has ambitions to launch an attack on the Japanese mainland, the Japanese government has directed every heavy industry to mass produce all sorts of missiles. As for Japan’s production facilities…”
An explanation on the scale of manufacturing and production started.
He didn’t understand the numbers behind it all, but he was still able to understand that their manufacturing capabilities are by no means inferior to the empire. He could no longer hope that they’d run out of missiles.
“Moving forward, we will be showing you what kind of fighters our country utilizes. Please proceed to the exterior of the building.”
Following the guide, Cabal ascended to the roofdeck of the building and looked at the runway. At the end of the runway were two planes that didn’t have any propellers.
“They will now take off.”
After a high-pitched shrill, the sound of something that seemed like an explosion echoed across the base. Two jets of flame were produced from the back of the fighters on the runway as they sped up. Their speed had already far surpassed an Antares fighter’s by the time they raised their nose, climbing up at high speeds.
Whooooooooosh
A thunderclap reverberated. The fighters that had risen at unbelievable speeds climbed further away until they disappeared from sight.
“Wha… Wha… No…”
The very dimension at which it travels is far too different. If Imperial Antares fighters were to try to duke it out with one of these fighters, they would be completely shaken off. Before long, cold sweat gushed out from every pore on Gra Cabal’s body. He faintly trembled at the stark disparity in their military strength.
Fuck! This is far worse than the worst outcome that I’ve been expecting! If nothing changes, the empire will commence a large-scale assault on Japan! If they do wipe out the fleet, they’d give the Holy Mirishial Empire an opening to exploit! If we perhaps devote ourselves to defense, we should be able to survive since the Japanese army is pitifully small… Argh! There’s no way to phone home!!!
He wondered why Japan’s power has gone awfully unnoticed.
The Crown Prince of the Gra Valkas Empire, Gra Cabal, decided to pursue negotiations with Japan to save his home.
・・・
Kingdom of Riem, Third Civilization Area
At the Kingdom of Riem in the Third Civilization Area, a meeting in the presence of the king is being held.
General Rival of the Army Under Direct Control of the King has concluded his announcement of the war situation.
“So what you’re saying, Rival, is that once the Gra Valkas Empire has subjugated the Holy Mirishial Empire, they will move on to take the Third Civilization Sphere… It is sufficient to say that their strength is far better than that of Japan.”
“Yes! The results of the comparison of the firepower of both countries’ ships is that the battleships of the Gra Valkas Empire possess overwhelmingly advantageous gun calibers with firepower being proportional to the cube of the caliber. From this same matter we have deduced that the Gra Valkas Empire is a far more dangerous threat!
Furthermore, regarding the defensive capabilities of their ships, their power to mass produce them, as well as the number of ships in their possession, the Gra Valkas Empire comes out on top. The speed of their ships are also almost the same. The Gra Valkas Empire also possesses several aircraft carriers while Japan doesn’t.
In a battle at sea, Japan cannot be victorious over the Gra Valkas Empire. We could also say the same thing in land warfare. There isn’t that much of a disparity in the equipment of their foot soldiers and both countries possess vehicles called tanks.”
“Is this analysis correct, Rival? This Japan is the same country that swept over the Parpaldia Empire like it was nothing. I also heard that Japan’s escort ships have pulverized an Imperial fleet off Mu. This information is important to how we manage the country and making a mistake in the analysis is no laughing matter.”
“Your Highness, I am certain. Regarding what happened at Mu, Mu’s aircraft have taken part in the attack. I am certain there. At this rate, the Gra Valkas Empire too will sweep the Holy Mirishial Empire like it was nothing and the now weakened Parpaldia Empire will be completely wiped off the map. If we let this opportunity go by, we will be snuffed out with the rest of the Third Civilization Area. We have to act now.”
“Hmm…”
The King pondered.
A delegation from the Gra Valkas Empire that visited the Kingdom of Riem the previous week discussed a plot of land that faced the sea, an important asset to a landlocked country. They were ordered to hand over the rights to utilize the land. They also demanded to surrender to them the airfield utilized by Mu.
This plot of land was maintained as a port facility by the Kingdom of Riem for the tankers they have bought from Japan for ocean transportation. The Gra Valkas Empire intends to utilize the port as a resupply base.
“It’s for our attack on Japan.”
He remembers the Gra Valkas Empire delegation saying that plainly.
If he were to give in to their demands, not only will they lose their diplomatic relations with the second strongest superpower Mu but also with Japan, the country that had easily toppled the Parpaldia Empire.
However, there was no denying that the Gra Valkas Empire was also strong.
Subjugating the countries surrounding them in the blink of an eye and conquering even the civilized Paganda Kingdom in a short amount of time, they sent a single ship to lay waste to the superpower Leifor. Their legendary strength knows no bounds, enabling them to even strike the world’s strongest country, the Holy Mirishial Empire.
The enraged empire led the World Union Fleet to annihilate the Gra Valkas Empire fleet off Leifor and was even adamant enough to send the aerial battleships of the ancient sorcerous empire. However, the clash seemed to have ended in a draw. The superweapons of the ancient sorcerous empire were things they cannot make. With that in mind, it was virtually a victory for the Gra Valkas Empire.
With the threat ever looming, it was exceedingly difficult to decide which direction to steer the kingdom in.
“Rival… The empire has promised… not to interfere in my… in the royal family’s rule once we allowed them the use of the port and the airfield, along with the expulsion of Mu diplomats. Right?”
“Yes! There is no doubt that the Gra Valkas Empire recognizes the Kingdom of Riem as a special case.”
The King shuts his eyes.
If he refuses, they would probably be thrown under the bus.
However, if they comply, they’d incur the wrath of the Second Civilization Area superpowers, Japan, and maybe even the Holy Mirishial Empire.
The King opens his eyes.
“I hereby recognize the rights of the Gra Valkas Empire to utilize the port. Furthermore, I order the expulsion of Mu’s diplomats and the freezing of Mu’s and Japan’s assets. I will also order the airfield to be handed over to the Gra Valkas Empire.”
The meeting room filled with hushes.
The King continues.
“Even if Japan were to come and ask why, do not give them a clear answer. Let them know that our kingdom has no volition to attack them. By the time the Gra Valkas Empire attacks, it will be the end of Japan.”
The Kingdom of Riem of the Third Civilization Area has decided to bow before the guns of the Gra Valkas Empire.
Preparations steadily continued.
・・・
Dragon’s Ale tavern, royal capital Jin Hark, Louria Kingdom
With the invasion of the Principality of Qua Toyne ending in failure, the Louria Kingdom faced the humiliation of the unprecedented fact that their king had been captured. While there had been chaos following the drastic reduction in military spending, the citizens enjoyed a never before surge of wealth due to the kingdom’s proximity to Japan and the exceedingly low damage suffered by the kingdom’s infrastructure and civilians.
While they still carried the title of kingdom, they were virtually being governed by a conference of civilians. With a non-aggression pact signed with the Principality of Qua Toyne and the Quila Kingdom, diplomatic relations normalized and the Louria Kingdom began to prosper as a hub connecting Japan, the Central World, and the Third Civilization Area.
The port facilities in every country has developed to a level incomparable to before, but with the bread basket that is the Principality of Qua Toyne being their neighbor, they took advantage of the characteristics of their continental reach and used the immense amount of land at their disposal to construct humongous storage facilities that take in all sorts of goods, home appliances, cars, and others. These national policies further stress their effectiveness as a hub.
At the royal capital of this country outside the civilized areas that’s finding its footing again, there exists a famous tavern known as the Dragon’s Ale. Several drunkards were talking amongst themselves.
“Looks like the Gra Valkas Empire has manifested their raging flame-like anger on Japan.”
The slightly plump merchant from the Third Civilization Area was starting to talk. A slender-built soldier took a gulp of ale and answered him.
“We, the citizens of Louria, have experienced the horror of Japan so much that we downright hate it. Japan will finish them off hands down.”
Bam!
The sound of a table being hit.
Those in the tavern looked at the direction of the sound. A man in a robe was trembling. His face, which came to light from time to time, showed pitiful scars from burns. The man began to speak.
“The Gra Valkas Empire is powerful… I participated in the great sea battle as one of the captains of the ships in the World Union Fleet.”
This was the tale of a naval battle that they were hearing of for the first time. Those in the tavern focused their attention on him.
“I cannot say where I came from. I’m on the run, you see… A deserter… The World Union Fleet was an impressively outstanding one. Its numbers filled away the ocean and the wyvern lords and fighters of Mu’s aircraft carrier task force was nothing short of magnificent. It felt as if the fleet would strike down any opponent in a single blow. Everyone felt that way.”
The man immediately began to shake.
“But then… Those bastards… Those bastards were powerful! No! They were too powerful!!! Get it? The Mu fighters which far outperform the wyvern lords were helplessly shot out of the sky! The proficiency at which they drop their explosives is great, landing many of them on our ships and wiping out several hundred men!
Hundreds of men were killed at breakneck pace! The power of their guns, their range, and the speed of their ships… They were all outrageous! Not even Mu could do much!”
His voice trembled. It was clear that the man was truly clouded in dread.
“Our ships were set ablaze by just the bullets of light launched from those bastards’ aircraft! We… we were all helpless in front of them!! Japan will win, you say? Hah! You lot are far more naive than children believing in fairy tales!
The Gra Valkas Empire has won over the World Union Fleet. Going by numbers alone, there is no doubt that the Gra Valkas Empire is on top! They’re also on top with their firepower! Still, it seems that their defensive capabilities and speed are a match. I acknowledge that Japan is good in those areas but still, the empire commands the most important factor which is the number of ships!”
The tavern was silenced by the deserter’s words.
“Once the empire attacks, we too will be attacked due to our massive possession of Japanese goods. We’d be in a tight spot if Japan doesn’t win.”
The Louria Kingdom merchants let out an impression of anxiety.
“It seems that the empire’s guns being more powerful than that of Japan’s is true.”
Someone else mutters.
The citizens of the Louria Kingdom were overcome by the shadow cast by the Gra Valkas Empire.
Previous Chapter: A Tremor Strikes the Empire 2
Namba, Osaka, Japan
To experience the local cities of Japan, Gra Cabal, Crown Prince of the Gra Valkas Empire, visited Osaka’s Namba district accompanied by Japanese guides. Despite feeling quite disgusted by the enormous number of people, the large circular spinning steel structure called a ferris wheel, the seemingly unorganized yet natural townscape, and the unending subway lines, Gra Cabal showed an interest in the national power of this enemy country.
“Huh… Japan has done quite well for itself.”
He was particularly surprised by the existence of a subway. Commuter transport in the Imperial capital relied primarily on tramcars with underground railways still a concept.
“Something caught your eye?”
“I don’t really hate this downtown-ish aura… Oh? Can I try some of that?”
Cabal was pointing at a kushikatsu1 shop. It looked like a venerable kushikatsu shop that was established in the late 1920s.
They lined up along with commoners. Well built and taller than the average Japanese, Cabal stood out in line. However, with the likes of elves and dwarves becoming very common since the transfer, the Japanese had come to see many other sorts of species. A foreigner-ish face like Cabal wasn’t a curious case any longer and he didn’t attract much attention.
Cabal was then able to get his hands on an ice-cold alcoholic beverage called beer and the kushikatsu that had caught his eye just before. He chugged down on the beer.
“This is fantastic!!! I don’t usually get to consume this sort of commoner taste! Ah, hell. If it weren’t for these burns, I would have been stuck with the food back home. The food served in the hospital must have been commoner food too, but the taste was so bleak that I can’t even bring myself to say that they’re great even if I were to be polite!”
Cabal nodded as he satisfyingly ate and drank.
He was convinced that Japan was a lot more well off than other countries.
In the end, however, superiority in military power determines everything. He felt disappointed at the prospect that such delicious and tasty food will have to be lost when they invade, but it was something that cannot be helped.
Leaving the store, he then got his hands on food called takoyaki2. The great flavoring of the sauce, the sweetness of the mayonnaise, and the faint fragrance of dried green seaweed. Matching together in subtle yet superb fashion, it was overwhelmingly delicious.
“This takoyaki thing… Surely it doesn’t have to be an octopus all the time, right?”
Going through the list, he found that their sausages, meat, and noodles were also fantastic. He gave his frank impressions on each food item while savoring the great taste. After some time, his sightseeing in Osaka had come to an end.
“Moving forward, we will now go see the capital of Japan, Tokyo.”
Their next stop would be Tokyo.
“The capital, huh. How far is it from here?”
“Around 500 kilometers.”
“I see. I guess we will be going by plane. I am looking forward to what sort of aircraft Japan has.”
“Not necessarily. We will be heading to Tokyo by train, particularly the Shinkansen.”
Cabal felt slightly horrified by the guide’s words. He didn’t like the idea of taking a train to traverse 500km. It would simply take too much time.
“Won’t it take more than 6 hours by train? Isn’t there an airfield nearby? What a blunder in your city planning!”
“Tokyo is roughly 2 hours and 30 minutes by Shinkansen. Although we will also stop at stations along the way, it’s not a problem. The bullet trains run at around 285km/h.”
Thinking he heard it wrong, Cabal clarifies.
“What was that? This train runs at more than 280km/h?”
“Indeed.”
He heard it correctly.
However, the faster a train goes, the higher the risk that it will derail.
“How many derailment accidents does this high-speed train get in a year?”
“It has been around 54 years since the Shinkansen was established but there hasn’t been a single death brought about by a bullet train in that time. As for derailment, the Shinkansen has derailed only twice while in operation. Both were due to earthquakes.”
“Preposterous! One way or another, the risk of derailment goes higher the faster a train goes. It is not possible for a train running at that speed to not derail. Are you saying that the wheels and tracks of these trains are that smooth?”
“The primary cause of high-speed derailment is vibration. Pursuing the smoothness of the tracks or wheels does not solve the problem but if one were to resolve the problem of vibration, derailment is much more unlikely to occur.”
“What?”
Speeding up trains is an urgent matter even in the Gra Valkas Empire. However, without the control technology and derailment accidents already occur occasionally, simply speeding up trains would just cause hundreds of deaths. Since no railway engineer in the empire had determined that vibration is the cause, Cabal felt speechless at the possibility that they may have already found the cause for the unexplainable derailments.
If what the guide is saying is true, then Japan may have the upper hand in railway tech.
His pride creaked a bit.
“Enough of that. Why don’t we go then?”
Entrusting himself to his guides, Gra Cabal made his way to the capital of Japan, Tokyo.
・・・
Embarking on a train called the Nozomi3 from Shin-Osaka station, they made their way east to Tokyo. The coffee placed on his table didn’t shake nor spill and the ride felt abnormally comfortable.
Astonished by the exceedingly fast, overland speed of 285km/h, the materials that composed everything, and the electronic noticeboard on top of the aisle, Cabal recognized that these techs are beyond what the empire can do and felt a little bit impatient at what the capital had in store.
Recalling his experiences in Osaka, there were TVs that were so flat that he barely recognized them, their so-called asphalt pavement had little to no wear, and the traffic lights weren’t bulky. In just those areas, the empire was behind.
On the other hand, if there was one thing the empire had done well in, it would be the height at which their buildings stand.
The empire’s architectural technology was second to none. Thinking that they were ahead in that arena, he looked at the buildings that unfolded outside his window and was blown away.
Tokyo Skytree, Sumida District, Tokyo, Japan
“Wha… Wha… What is this…?”
Gra Cabal was looking up at the Tokyo Skytree from the ground. His legs shook at the sight. The highrise buildings that cluttered around it were also exceptionally tall.
However, the Skytree still overwhelmingly dwarfed them. It was an inorganic structure that seemingly budded from the ground and has touched the heavens. Even his own sense of perception and depth had gone numb at the extreme height of the tower that stood at 634m. At that point, anything that the empire has that reaches 634m are none other than mountains.
“Bullshit!! Are you telling me that this is manmade?!”
Cabal, who has a bit of knowledge in architectural engineering, felt a great terror at the building’s height, the materials that went into its construction, and the economic might that managed to prop it up in the first place.
They headed up to the observation deck.
He cannot help but feel the greatness of national power on the journey up. The elevator moved at high speeds and the LCD screen showed unbelievable fluidity and color. Everything felt so futuristic. His feelings were reinforced when they arrived at the observation deck. From the midair hallway, he cast an astonished look at the concrete city that sprawled out unendingly as far as the eye can see with the occasional high-rise buildings that interrupt the sea of buildings.
As the guides indifferently continued on with their tour, Cabal followed them from behind.
The Japanese cities far surpass the level at which we have and are able to build our own.
Cabal could not stop thinking of this thought.
In the event that their military tech, too, far surpasses their own, the empire is doomed. Gra Cabal was determined to know more about Japan.
・・・
The next day, Hyakuri Air Base
At one of the rooms in Hyakuri Air Base, Gra Cabal was being shown a movie on the summary of the Self Defense Force’s weapons. Gra Cabal stared intently at the display as if he were to pounce on it.
Japan’s history was shown first.
The video began with the forceful opening of the country from its isolationism. Western superpowers had long encroached on Asia, colonizing most of its peoples and nations. And then war broke out between Russia and Japan… The video showed human-wave tactics and the Japanese victory at the Battle of Tsushima. Securing a narrow victory against a Western power, they have shown the rest of the continent that there is hope against the West.
Eventually, footage of the Second World War played out.
An endless barrage of anti-aircraft gunfire swept across the skies, detonating midair and showing the proximity fuzes at work. It seemed like a movie shot from one of the empire’s aircraft carrier task forces.
A single plane penetrated the wall of fire.
Its airframe resembled that of the Antares fighter. As the sound of its engines grew higher due to the Doppler effect as it closed in, the aircraft showed no signs of raising its nose.
“Ah!”
The plane never raised its nose. It would slam into the aircraft carrier, triggering an explosion followed by a massive column of flame.
The pilot was determined to die.
An unbelievable mental capacity to carry out a similarly overwhelmingly strong will. It was an attack that conveyed one’s staggeringly intense volition.
A suicide attack… Gra Cabal couldn’t bring himself to accept such tactics.
The movie played on to show planes slam into aircraft carriers one after another.
Eventually, the scenes changed to that of a torrent of bombs falling upon a town. Below the footage were the words Great Tokyo Air Raid written in the Gra Valkas Empire’s language.
Then, the movie wraps up.
“So Japan has also lived through a bloody history…”
“Indeed. With the defeat in the war that had left most of our homeland in flames, it seemed that at that time, Japan had lost everything. However, the survivors would put all of their effort into rebuilding. After the war, Japan achieved rapid reconstruction. Well then, we will now provide a summary on the weapons our country uses.”
The display on the screen changed and the exposition of modern Japanese weaponry started. One of the first weapons that were shown is a guided munition called a missile, a foul weapon that follows its target even if it tries to move away. In particular, there exists a kind of missile called an anti-ship missile that flies at ultralow altitudes to escape radar, has an accuracy of nearly 100% and has a range that far exceeds naval artillery, and a single missile has enough power to sufficiently damage a cruiser.
Footage of a target ship getting hit was shown. The explosion left a massive break in the large ship’s hull.
The disparity in technology far exceeded his imagination. Drops of sweat formed on Gra Cabal’s forehead.
“A-are these… things… true…”
“Yes. Of course.”
“I-if… such weapons were made real…”
If such weapons were made real, the landscape of war would no doubt change in an instant.
Cabal swallowed his words.
If Japan were indeed in possession of massive quantities of these missiles, it would be extremely horrible.
“Also, since we have received confirmation that the Gra Valkas Empire has ambitions to launch an attack on the Japanese mainland, the Japanese government has directed every heavy industry to mass produce all sorts of missiles. As for Japan’s production facilities…”
An explanation on the scale of manufacturing and production started.
He didn’t understand the numbers behind it all, but he was still able to understand that their manufacturing capabilities are by no means inferior to the empire. He could no longer hope that they’d run out of missiles.
“Moving forward, we will be showing you what kind of fighters our country utilizes. Please proceed to the exterior of the building.”
Following the guide, Cabal ascended to the roofdeck of the building and looked at the runway. At the end of the runway were two planes that didn’t have any propellers.
“They will now take off.”
After a high-pitched shrill, the sound of something that seemed like an explosion echoed across the base. Two jets of flame were produced from the back of the fighters on the runway as they sped up. Their speed had already far surpassed an Antares fighter’s by the time they raised their nose, climbing up at high speeds.
Whooooooooosh
A thunderclap reverberated. The fighters that had risen at unbelievable speeds climbed further away until they disappeared from sight.
“Wha… Wha… No…”
The very dimension at which it travels is far too different. If Imperial Antares fighters were to try to duke it out with one of these fighters, they would be completely shaken off. Before long, cold sweat gushed out from every pore on Gra Cabal’s body. He faintly trembled at the stark disparity in their military strength.
Fuck! This is far worse than the worst outcome that I’ve been expecting! If nothing changes, the empire will commence a large-scale assault on Japan! If they do wipe out the fleet, they’d give the Holy Mirishial Empire an opening to exploit! If we perhaps devote ourselves to defense, we should be able to survive since the Japanese army is pitifully small… Argh! There’s no way to phone home!!!
He wondered why Japan’s power has gone awfully unnoticed.
The Crown Prince of the Gra Valkas Empire, Gra Cabal, decided to pursue negotiations with Japan to save his home.
・・・
Kingdom of Riem, Third Civilization Area
At the Kingdom of Riem in the Third Civilization Area, a meeting in the presence of the king is being held.
General Rival of the Army Under Direct Control of the King has concluded his announcement of the war situation.
“So what you’re saying, Rival, is that once the Gra Valkas Empire has subjugated the Holy Mirishial Empire, they will move on to take the Third Civilization Sphere… It is sufficient to say that their strength is far better than that of Japan.”
“Yes! The results of the comparison of the firepower of both countries’ ships is that the battleships of the Gra Valkas Empire possess overwhelmingly advantageous gun calibers with firepower being proportional to the cube of the caliber. From this same matter we have deduced that the Gra Valkas Empire is a far more dangerous threat!
Furthermore, regarding the defensive capabilities of their ships, their power to mass produce them, as well as the number of ships in their possession, the Gra Valkas Empire comes out on top. The speed of their ships are also almost the same. The Gra Valkas Empire also possesses several aircraft carriers while Japan doesn’t.
In a battle at sea, Japan cannot be victorious over the Gra Valkas Empire. We could also say the same thing in land warfare. There isn’t that much of a disparity in the equipment of their foot soldiers and both countries possess vehicles called tanks.”
“Is this analysis correct, Rival? This Japan is the same country that swept over the Parpaldia Empire like it was nothing. I also heard that Japan’s escort ships have pulverized an Imperial fleet off Mu. This information is important to how we manage the country and making a mistake in the analysis is no laughing matter.”
“Your Highness, I am certain. Regarding what happened at Mu, Mu’s aircraft have taken part in the attack. I am certain there. At this rate, the Gra Valkas Empire too will sweep the Holy Mirishial Empire like it was nothing and the now weakened Parpaldia Empire will be completely wiped off the map. If we let this opportunity go by, we will be snuffed out with the rest of the Third Civilization Area. We have to act now.”
“Hmm…”
The King pondered.
A delegation from the Gra Valkas Empire that visited the Kingdom of Riem the previous week discussed a plot of land that faced the sea, an important asset to a landlocked country. They were ordered to hand over the rights to utilize the land. They also demanded to surrender to them the airfield utilized by Mu.
This plot of land was maintained as a port facility by the Kingdom of Riem for the tankers they have bought from Japan for ocean transportation. The Gra Valkas Empire intends to utilize the port as a resupply base.
“It’s for our attack on Japan.”
He remembers the Gra Valkas Empire delegation saying that plainly.
If he were to give in to their demands, not only will they lose their diplomatic relations with the second strongest superpower Mu but also with Japan, the country that had easily toppled the Parpaldia Empire.
However, there was no denying that the Gra Valkas Empire was also strong.
Subjugating the countries surrounding them in the blink of an eye and conquering even the civilized Paganda Kingdom in a short amount of time, they sent a single ship to lay waste to the superpower Leifor. Their legendary strength knows no bounds, enabling them to even strike the world’s strongest country, the Holy Mirishial Empire.
The enraged empire led the World Union Fleet to annihilate the Gra Valkas Empire fleet off Leifor and was even adamant enough to send the aerial battleships of the ancient sorcerous empire. However, the clash seemed to have ended in a draw. The superweapons of the ancient sorcerous empire were things they cannot make. With that in mind, it was virtually a victory for the Gra Valkas Empire.
With the threat ever looming, it was exceedingly difficult to decide which direction to steer the kingdom in.
“Rival… The empire has promised… not to interfere in my… in the royal family’s rule once we allowed them the use of the port and the airfield, along with the expulsion of Mu diplomats. Right?”
“Yes! There is no doubt that the Gra Valkas Empire recognizes the Kingdom of Riem as a special case.”
The King shuts his eyes.
If he refuses, they would probably be thrown under the bus.
However, if they comply, they’d incur the wrath of the Second Civilization Area superpowers, Japan, and maybe even the Holy Mirishial Empire.
The King opens his eyes.
“I hereby recognize the rights of the Gra Valkas Empire to utilize the port. Furthermore, I order the expulsion of Mu’s diplomats and the freezing of Mu’s and Japan’s assets. I will also order the airfield to be handed over to the Gra Valkas Empire.”
The meeting room filled with hushes.
The King continues.
“Even if Japan were to come and ask why, do not give them a clear answer. Let them know that our kingdom has no volition to attack them. By the time the Gra Valkas Empire attacks, it will be the end of Japan.”
The Kingdom of Riem of the Third Civilization Area has decided to bow before the guns of the Gra Valkas Empire.
Preparations steadily continued.
・・・
Dragon’s Ale tavern, royal capital Jin Hark, Louria Kingdom
With the invasion of the Principality of Qua Toyne ending in failure, the Louria Kingdom faced the humiliation of the unprecedented fact that their king had been captured. While there had been chaos following the drastic reduction in military spending, the citizens enjoyed a never before surge of wealth due to the kingdom’s proximity to Japan and the exceedingly low damage suffered by the kingdom’s infrastructure and civilians.
While they still carried the title of kingdom, they were virtually being governed by a conference of civilians. With a non-aggression pact signed with the Principality of Qua Toyne and the Quila Kingdom, diplomatic relations normalized and the Louria Kingdom began to prosper as a hub connecting Japan, the Central World, and the Third Civilization Area.
The port facilities in every country has developed to a level incomparable to before, but with the bread basket that is the Principality of Qua Toyne being their neighbor, they took advantage of the characteristics of their continental reach and used the immense amount of land at their disposal to construct humongous storage facilities that take in all sorts of goods, home appliances, cars, and others. These national policies further stress their effectiveness as a hub.
At the royal capital of this country outside the civilized areas that’s finding its footing again, there exists a famous tavern known as the Dragon’s Ale. Several drunkards were talking amongst themselves.
“Looks like the Gra Valkas Empire has manifested their raging flame-like anger on Japan.”
The slightly plump merchant from the Third Civilization Area was starting to talk. A slender-built soldier took a gulp of ale and answered him.
“We, the citizens of Louria, have experienced the horror of Japan so much that we downright hate it. Japan will finish them off hands down.”
Bam!
The sound of a table being hit.
Those in the tavern looked at the direction of the sound. A man in a robe was trembling. His face, which came to light from time to time, showed pitiful scars from burns. The man began to speak.
“The Gra Valkas Empire is powerful… I participated in the great sea battle as one of the captains of the ships in the World Union Fleet.”
This was the tale of a naval battle that they were hearing of for the first time. Those in the tavern focused their attention on him.
“I cannot say where I came from. I’m on the run, you see… A deserter… The World Union Fleet was an impressively outstanding one. Its numbers filled away the ocean and the wyvern lords and fighters of Mu’s aircraft carrier task force was nothing short of magnificent. It felt as if the fleet would strike down any opponent in a single blow. Everyone felt that way.”
The man immediately began to shake.
“But then… Those bastards… Those bastards were powerful! No! They were too powerful!!! Get it? The Mu fighters which far outperform the wyvern lords were helplessly shot out of the sky! The proficiency at which they drop their explosives is great, landing many of them on our ships and wiping out several hundred men!
Hundreds of men were killed at breakneck pace! The power of their guns, their range, and the speed of their ships… They were all outrageous! Not even Mu could do much!”
His voice trembled. It was clear that the man was truly clouded in dread.
“Our ships were set ablaze by just the bullets of light launched from those bastards’ aircraft! We… we were all helpless in front of them!! Japan will win, you say? Hah! You lot are far more naive than children believing in fairy tales!
The Gra Valkas Empire has won over the World Union Fleet. Going by numbers alone, there is no doubt that the Gra Valkas Empire is on top! They’re also on top with their firepower! Still, it seems that their defensive capabilities and speed are a match. I acknowledge that Japan is good in those areas but still, the empire commands the most important factor which is the number of ships!”
The tavern was silenced by the deserter’s words.
“Once the empire attacks, we too will be attacked due to our massive possession of Japanese goods. We’d be in a tight spot if Japan doesn’t win.”
The Louria Kingdom merchants let out an impression of anxiety.
“It seems that the empire’s guns being more powerful than that of Japan’s is true.”
Someone else mutters.
The citizens of the Louria Kingdom were overcome by the shadow cast by the Gra Valkas Empire.
