Chapter Text
Balkrus Fortress, Balkrus Region, Eastern Rayford Junta
The fortress command was in a state of chaos. The frontline had been devastated by relentless artillery fire. The frontline’s rapid collapse and the deafening explosions and tremors reaching even the headquarters, located several kilometers away, far exceeded Commander Kinjal’s expectations of the enemy’s firepower.
"The 11th Infantry Division has been annihilated!"
"The 30th Infantry Division at the rear is under attack!"
"Impossible! Their advance is too fast…!"
Even amidst the turmoil, Commander Kinjal struggled to maintain his composure as he continued issuing commands.
"Deploy the cavalry! Have them flank the enemy!"
"Understood! Dispatch the 4th and 15th Cavalry Divisions from the fortress!"
Kinjal issued orders to counterattack and mobilized his troops. One-third of the fortress’s defending forces had already been wiped out. A swift retreat was necessary, but evacuating the wounded from the front lines meant using their precious cavalry as a decoy. Following Kinjal’s orders, the cavalry divisions set out, attempting to draw enemy fire.
"Charge! Flank them from the sides!"
Amid the relentless bombardment, Major General Ajang of the 4th Cavalry Division raised his saber, signaling the charge. Horses neighed, blades gleamed, and thousands of cavalrymen surged forward, flooding the basin like a tidal wave.
In contrast, the enemy’s 71st Tank Regiment requested infantry fighting vehicles from their attached mechanized infantry company. These armored vehicles were deployed to the tanks’ flanks to protect them.
"Advance! Keep pushing forward!"
Brrrrt! Brrrrt! Brrrrt!
Brrrrt! Brrrrt! Brrrrt!
As the cavalry attempted to encircle the enemy from both sides, a merciless barrage of autocannon fire erupted. A rapid sequence of gunfire echoed across the battlefield, sending cavalrymen and their horses flying through the air in pieces.
"Gwahh!?"
"Uwaaah!!"
"Neigh!!"
"Don’t falter! Keep charging!!"
Flesh and blood splattered as riders and horses alike were torn apart. Some soldiers were thrown off their mounts by the force of the explosions. Yet, even as his forces were decimated, Major General Ajang urged his cavalry onward, determined to drive his blade into the enemy.
"I can see them!"
As the number of surviving riders dwindled, Ajang finally caught sight of the enemy’s iron-clad behemoths. But just as he did, a bright orange tracer streaked toward him, and an enemy shell landed right in front of him.
BOOOM!!!
"Gwaaaah!!"
The explosion sent him and his horse soaring through the air before crashing to the ground.
"Ah… gah…"
Pain wracked his entire body, and he felt the blood draining from him. Lying beside him was his beloved horse, its front legs blown off.
"This… isn’t even a battle…"
Muttering those words, Major General Ajang drew his last breath, resting beside his fallen steed.
"The 4th Cavalry Division has been annihilated!"
"The 15th Cavalry Division is covering their retreat!"
"Damn it… What a nightmare…"
Hearing the report of his elite 4th Cavalry Division being mercilessly wiped out, Commander Kinjal clenched his teeth in frustration at the overwhelming strength of the enemy.
『This is the 22nd Line Infantry Regiment! We’ve been wiped out! There are too many wounded—we need immediate rescue!』
『Damn it! The enemy artillery slaughtered everyone! What the hell is this firepower?!』
The only thing coming through the communications now were the desperate pleas of soldiers on the frontlines. With the 4th Cavalry Division destroyed, enemy bombardment resumed, and the fortress complex was on the brink of collapse.
"…Withdraw the troops. Lure the enemy into the basin."
"…Are you sure?"
"Yes. Execute the second plan."
"…! Understood. Commencing withdrawal."
The moment Kinjal mentioned "the second plan," his staff officers immediately understood and carried out his orders without hesitation.
"Commander, Major General Dalian of the 15th Cavalry Division has volunteered to use his remaining forces as a decoy to aid in rescuing the wounded."
"…Permission granted. But tell him not to take unnecessary risks."
"Understood."
Meanwhile, the JSDF’s advance continued unabated. They had already destroyed dozens of enemy artillery positions, pinned down infantry entrenched in trenches, and crushed thousands of charging cavalry. With overwhelming firepower, range, and sheer destructive capability, they had nearly eradicated the fortress defenses.
"This is almost too easy…" The commander of the 7th Division, Ouchida, felt a tinge of pity for the enemy—Remnant Forces of the Reiford Army. It was inevitable. The enemy’s technology was at best comparable to the Napoleonic Wars, while the JSDF wielded the full might of modern warfare.
The gap in power was undeniable. The only real threat was a potential cavalry ambush. Although their armored units were accompanied by a large number of infantry for protection, any lapse in vigilance could allow enemy cavalry to get dangerously close.
However, for now, Ouchida prioritized breaking through the enemy defenses and pushing forward.
"Alright, let’s finish this in one decisive push! Deploy reinforcements and have the tank regiment advance into the fortress!"
"Yes, sir!"
Just as Ouchida gave the order— "Report from Air Force reconnaissance! Large enemy forces detected moving from both mountain ridges!"
"What!?"
The enemy’s trap was about to spring upon the JSDF. At the fortress command, Commander Kinjarl slammed his desk, frustration evident at losing his last resort at the final moment.
"What… What the hell?! Our strategy to encircle the enemy has been turned against us, and now we’re the ones being annihilated one by one…!"
The fortress and the remnants of the Rayfordian forces had almost no strength left. Nearly all of their units had suffered catastrophic losses and were on the verge of being wiped out without being able to resist.
"Commander, our forces have taken irreparable damage. At this rate, the fortress will be breached, and we will be overrun."
"I see… Then, everyone, listen carefully."
Commander Kinjarl gathered his subordinates and began to speak.
"From this moment, we will engage in a last stand against the enemy forces storming in."
The staff officers swallowed nervously but nodded as if they had already expected this decision.
"But… to be frank, this will be nothing more than a futile death. That is why I want you young officers, the future of Rayford, to escape while you still can."
This was the last thing Kinjal could do. He wanted to give a final chance to the young soldiers who had followed him into this doomed battle. It was his final act of mercy as an aging leader.
"What are you saying, Commander?" One of the young officers grinned fearlessly and continued.
"We followed you of our own will. We will stay with you to the very end."
"That would be disobeying a direct order."
"I have never once disobeyed an order before. So, at the very least, allow me to go against this one."
The young officer stated this with unwavering determination before turning to the others. The other officers nodded in agreement, smiling.
"I too am ready to die for Rayford alongside you, Commander!"
"Me too! Commander, please allow us to fight at your side!"
"You fools… Very well."
Seeing the loyalty of his officers, Kinjarl’s eyes grew slightly misty. He wiped away his tears and gave the final order.
"We will defend the fortress to the last man! Any who wish to fight, remain here and make your stand! Those who do not, escape from the inner passages of the fortress!"
"Commander! The enemy has breached the front gate!"
"They're here…! Gather the volunteers and fortify our defenses!"
Following Kinjarl's orders, the remaining soldiers hurried to fortify the inner sections of the fortress, preparing for their last stand.
However, the enemy advanced far faster than expected, their equipment far exceeding the Rayfordians' expectations. At the barricades, waiting for the enemy to storm in, the defenders watched in horror as the fortress’s heavy doors were blown apart.
"The enemy has breached the underground gate!"
"They're coming!"
But before they could see the enemy, multiple black objects were thrown inside.
"G-grenades?!"
Bam!!!
Guhh!
In the next instant, the grenades detonated, sending shrapnel flying and instantly killing the soldiers behind the barricades. The remaining defenders were also wounded, rendering their barricade useless.
"Advance!"
Seeing the breach, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) stormed inside. The vanguard carried riot shields, gear originally acquired from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police SAT, and had been trained to use them effectively. Each JSDF soldier wore an oxygen mask, a crucial part of their preparation for storming the fortress.
"They’re here! The Japanese soldiers!"
"Fire! Kill them all!"
The JSDF stopped momentarily as the Rayfordian defenders opened fire, using their shields to block incoming rounds.
"Damn it! Their shields are stopping everything!"
"Aim for their legs! Shoot their legs!"
Despite the desperate counterattack, the shielded soldiers maintained formation. They placed their shields on the ground to cover their legs and stacked additional shields on top, forming a classic testudo formation.
"Engineering unit, prepare for deployment!"
From behind the shield wall, a soldier carrying a large device resembling a fire hose stepped forward.
"What the hell is that?!"
FUHHHHHHH!!!!
It wasn’t a water cannon. It was something far deadlier. As soon as the soldier pulled the trigger, a jet of intense flame erupted from the nozzle, engulfing the barricade in fire.
"Aaaahhhh!!"
"It burns! It burns!!"
The JSDF had brought back a long-abandoned weapon: the flamethrower. Originally designed for clearing obstacles and hazardous materials, the flamethrower was a terrifying weapon in close-quarters combat.
In the confines of the fortress, its limited range was no disadvantage. It burned through wooden barricades, filled rooms with fire, and consumed the oxygen, suffocating anyone caught in its path.
During World War II, both the Japanese and American forces frequently used flamethrowers against enemy fortifications for these very reasons. Although napalm and other incendiaries had replaced them in modern warfare, the JSDF had reintroduced the flamethrower for this specific operation.
"Shit! We weren’t told they had weapons that spewed fire!!"
"Shoot them! Don’t let them get close!!"
The Rayfordians kept firing, but their bullets were stopped by the shield wall, allowing the flamethrower operators to advance unimpeded. The soldiers wielding the flamethrowers methodically burned through every room, incinerating anyone who refused to surrender.
FUUUHHHHHH!!!!
"Damn you! You Japanese demons!!"
"Help! Somebody help me!!"
"Aghhhhhhhh!!!...Ahhhhhh!!!"
The JSDF showed no mercy. Ensuring no one survived, they continued to burn everything in their path, executing the wounded to prevent further resistance. Eventually, they reached the command center.
"This is it! The command room!"
"It’s a reinforced steel door… Drill a hole!"
BANG!!
The engineers began drilling into the thick metal door, preparing to place explosives. However, before they could set the charges, a gunshot rang out from inside the hole.
"Ugh!!"
"Medic!!"
A hidden pistol fired through the hole, hitting one of the engineers.
"Damn it! This bastard!"
"They’re still resisting… Flamethrower! Burn them out!"
As a medic treated the wounded engineer, the squad leader ordered the flamethrower to be aimed at the hole.
"Fire!"
FUUUHHHHH!!!
Flames roared into the command center, consuming everything inside. The burning air ignited documents, engulfed officers in fire, and even set Commander Kinjarl ablaze. Yet, even as his body burned, he refused to surrender.
"Blow the door! Prepare to breach!"
BANG!!
The explosion blew the door open, and the JSDF stormed inside, extinguishing the flames and gunning down any surviving officers. Finally, they found Kinjarl, severely burned but still alive.
"So… you've come… you monsters…"
"Yeah, yeah. Sorry, but you’re coming with us as a prisoner."
The squad leader secured Kinjarl, marking the end of the fortress battle. The remaining JSDF forces moved to clear out the rest of the stronghold. However, the battle had caused a major problem—the fate of the civilians who had not evacuated.
— Near the fortress, there was a small city. This was a part of the Hinomawari Kingdom, a vassal state of Rayford. The Hinomawari people had a unique connection to Japan. Centuries ago, when the continent of Mu was transported to this world, a Japanese diplomatic mission had been caught in the event. Their descendants founded the Hinomawari Kingdom. Unaware of this connection, the Japanese military had launched a devastating attack on the Rayfordian fortress, which also affected the Hinomawari civilians. Many were forced to flee their homes.
"Mom… our home…"
"Don’t look back. We have to go."
With no time to gather their belongings, they fled as shells rained down on their city. Many were injured, and children cried as they were forced to leave everything behind. "
Damn those bastards… Why did they attack our city?!"
"They’re called the Japanese. They didn’t just kill Pagandans… they’re now destroying Rayford now…"
The Hinomawari Kingdom had been a vassal of Rayford, but the relationship had been relatively peaceful. Rayford had even provided food aid during famines. Now that Rayford was destroyed, the Hinomawari Kingdom found itself abandoned. They had declared independence in the chaos, but this left them isolated. Their biggest problem was the growing number of refugees.
"We have no choice. Our city is gone. We have to find another place to live."
"But… will anyone accept us?"
"I don’t know. We just have to keep moving."
With nowhere else to go, the refugees wandered from town to town, eventually reaching the great city of Harunaga-kyo.
Harunaga-kyo was now overflowing with people. Food was scarce, shelter was limited, and yet the locals could not bring themselves to turn away their fellow countrymen. This crisis would soon reach Japan itself, but for now, Japan was too focused on the war to care.