Pathway to Japanese Literature

The Secret of the Cruiser Mogami

“Gentlemen, I feel deeply conflicted about disclosing our navy’s classified information—but I wish to share with you alone a grave secret.” “It concerns the four cruisers currently under construction: Mogami, Mikuma, Yoshino, and Chigusa.” “These four sister ships displace 8,500 tons according to Navy Ministry specifications—armed with fifteen 15-cm guns and four 12-cm anti-aircraft guns—capable of 33 knots.” “These figures alone confirm the Mogami-class as world-class light cruisers.” “Even the Americans gasp in awe—their Navy technicians click their tongues in amazement at our unofficially released blueprints from the Naval Technical Department.”

The designer was Dr. Toshio Takeda—an authority in global naval architecture and head of the First Division at the Naval Technical Research Institute. Dr. Toshio Takeda was both a Doctor of Engineering and a naval engineering captain. Dr. Parkes of Cambridge University in Britain stated: "At present, among the world's ten greatest scholars, up to three are Japanese. One is Dr. Kotaro Honda of Tohoku Imperial University, another is Dr. Hantaro Nagaoka of Osaka Imperial University, and the last is Dr. Toshio Takeda of the Naval Technical Research Institute."

Admiral Kato, former Chief of the Naval General Staff, had certified this by declaring: “Marshal Togo and Dr. Takeda are two national treasures born of our navy.” “Gentlemen,” continued the officer, “those four Mogami-class vessels represent Dr. Takeda’s painstaking efforts—works into which he poured his very lifeblood. That the U.S. Navy now gasps in astonishment should surprise no one.” Yet his tone shifted as he leaned forward. “But the Mogami-class harbors secrets far greater than those already revealed.”

The first secret lay in its steel.

The steel used in the Mogami was no ordinary steel. Until then, the strongest steel in the world had been the nickel-chrome steel produced by Germany’s renowned Krupp arms company. However, our Mogami’s steel was far, far stronger than Krupp’s steel. The name of this steel was “Honda Steel”—a product of the renowned Dr. Kotaro Honda, former director of Tohoku Imperial University’s Metal Materials Research Institute. At that time, Tohoku Imperial University in Sendai was under strict guard by the military police. In the heating furnace of the Metal Research Institute, a chunk of steel was being burned in a 1,600-degree inferno.

The Honda Steel—forged through repeated burning and tempering before receiving secret enhancements—possessed approximately three times the strength of Krupp steel. "Therefore, gentlemen, you can well imagine how formidable the defensive capabilities of this new steel-clad Mogami must be."

The Mogami’s armor was three inches (7.6 cm) thick. However, this strength did not lose to nine-inch armor. “As you all know,” declared the officer addressing his audience through narrowed eyes that gleamed with technical pride beneath his peaked cap, “the armor of battleships Kongo and Haruna measures eight inches (20.3 cm), making Mogami’s protection superior.” Ah! Light cruisers surpassing battleships! These steel monsters now approached completion day by day at Japan’s four great shipyards—Kure Naval Arsenal’s towering cranes casting shadows over Yokosuka’s dry docks while Kobe Kawasaki’s riveters echoed through Nagasaki Mitsubishi’s slipways.

Once these were completed, operations in the Pacific would undergo a complete transformation. The fifteen sister ships of the U.S. heavy cruiser Chicago boasted of themselves as the "Pacific's Invincible Fleet." While their tonnage of 10,000 tons and 20-cm guns were indeed formidable—pitiable!—their defensive capability amounted to nothing. A single hit from a 15-cm shell would immediately pierce through them. "No—even our destroyer Fubuki's 13-cm guns would prove dangerous if they took aim."

Even Admiral Pratt, former Chief of the Naval General Staff, “Our heavy cruisers are tin cans!” has confessed. “Gentlemen, imagine the moment when their spindly tin-can heavy cruisers and our light cruisers clad in Honda Steel armor clash upon the Pacific.” “Doesn’t your heart race?” “Doesn’t your blood surge?” “The design is Dr. Takeda’s! The steel is Dr. Honda’s! These glorious Mogami, Mikuma, Yoshino, and Chigusa are the crystallized brain matter of these two world-renowned scholars!”

Astonishing World Record

However, the second secret—even more astonishing than the steel—was the power of its engines. The Mogami's diesel engines had been painstakingly crafted by Dr. Takeda—so much so that even Germany's prized pocket battleship Deutschland's diesel engines paled in comparison. Having been equipped with these superb engines, the Mogami achieved a truly remarkable world record with an operational range of 75,000 nautical miles.

At a speed of 15 knots，U.S. heavy cruisers could only sail 15，000 nautical miles．Moreover，if they ran at full speed of thirty-three knots，they’d burn through their fuel after just two thousand five hundred nautical miles． Nothing guzzled heavy oil as voraciously as cruiser engines did．Even if loaded with 3，000 tons of heavy oil when departing Hawaii’s naval port，slightly increasing speed along the way would leave them already running low around the waters off the Ogasawara Islands．

That is how quickly heavy oil runs out. In other words, current warships are prone to running out of steam.

However, our Mogami and Yoshino were different.

The Takeda-style Diesel Engines could travel seventy-five thousand nautical miles with two thousand five hundred tons of heavy oil. Moreover, they maintained a cruising speed of twenty knots. Even when continuing at full speed, they could safely manage twenty-five thousand nautical miles. It should be noted that while Mogami's full speed was officially stated as thirty-three knots, she could actually reach forty-five knots.

Ah, was this not truly to be called the "Pacific's Invincible Light Cavalry"? There existed not a single warship in the U.S. Navy capable of pursuing the Mogami. Nor was there any warship that could escape when pursued by the Mogami. Furthermore, the Mogami had been equipped with what was then considered the world's finest optical weapon created by Dr. Aoki of Tokyo Imperial University and a terrifying new weapon devised by Dr. Hantaro Nagaoka—though there remained no time to explain each innovation individually.

In any case, the crystallization of Japan's science lay in these four light cruisers. Naval Minister Yamamoto issued top-secret orders and urged the construction forward with increasingly desperate cries of “Faster! Faster!”

○

At this point, we must mention Dr. Takeda’s beloved younger brother, Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi was sixteen years old that year and still a third-year student at Tokyo Prefectural ○ Middle School, yet his intellectual prowess already marked him as a genius on par with Imperial University engineering students. He had been taking a leave of absence from school since the second term of Showa 8 (1933) and commuting to the Meguro Naval Technical Research Institute with the Doctor. Kiyoshi’s skill as a shipbuilding technician was truly splendid. The world could never imagine that such a rosy-cheeked, delicate-faced youth could possibly be engaged in research on weapons of utmost importance at our military science research institute.

The Terrifying Dr. Fuller

On December 31, 1933, New Year's Eve night, Dr. Takeda and Kiyoshi remained shut in at the laboratory until late. “Hey, Kiyoshi! Once Mogami is finished, next up are the aircraft carrier Shōkaku and submarine Fuji.” “Once these two are completed, I’d feel sorry for the U.S. Navy—they’d better not pick a fight with Japan then.” Dr. Takeda boasted while glaring at the blueprints on the desk. “That’s right.” “The Fuji is incredible, you know.” “Once she’s completed, every navy in the world will surely turn pale.” Kiyoshi’s cheeks turned apple-red as he grew excited. On the desk lay spread out the ominous blueprints of the top-secret submarine Fuji, marked with crimson “Classified” stamps.

Kiyoshi’s cheeks flushed apple-red with excitement. On the desk lay the blueprints of the mysterious submarine Fuji—bearing a crimson “Top Secret” seal—ceremoniously unfurled. “The Mogami’s nothing compared to this one.” Dr. Takeda growled low in his throat.

Ah, the submarine Fuji—what magnificent combat power must it possess? “However, building her will take a year.” “What if Dr. Fuller in America completes his Black Eagle Bomber in the meantime? —Once that dreadful plane is finished, the U.S. will surely come picking a fight!” “And our navy will face a brutal struggle.” “Ah, I do hope there’s no war for a year... Kiyoshi.”

A gloomy shadow fell across the Doctor’s face.

In America existed Dr. Fuller—Dr. Takeda’s formidable rival. At the World Industrial Congress convened in Tokyo during Showa 4 (1929), these two had clashed fiercely over steamship engines. And Dr. Takeda emerged victorious. At that moment, Dr. Fuller’s face twisted with bitter frustration,

“I will cease my research in naval architecture as of today.” “And from tomorrow, I will begin my research in aeronautics.” he declared.

And then,

“Steamships and warships are already outdated, you know. From now on, it’s all about airplanes, no matter what you say—” Dr. Fuller sneered maliciously.

That very Dr. Fuller recently sent a letter along with terrifying bomber blueprints.

The letter contained the following words scrawled in rough handwriting.

“Hey Takeda-kun, are you still fiddling with those sluggish cruiser designs? Quit it! That cruiser of yours wouldn’t last three minutes against my bomber.” “This blueprint’s something I drafted two years back. Worthless scrap paper to me now—though your navy might pay five million yen for it.” “Why not sell my design to Japan? You’d be rolling in money then.” “Takeda-kun—drop the stubborn act and bow to my command already.” “While I breathe, Japan stands no chance against my America.”

Audacious—what utterly insolent words! However, true to his boasts, Dr. Fuller’s blueprint was truly terrifying.

The top engineers at our Naval Aviation Headquarters examined it in detail and all shuddered in horror. “If this thing really gets built, even *Mutsu* and *Nagato* would be in danger!” Even Captain Osako, the Technical Director of the Yokosuka Naval Air Arsenal renowned as a stalwart, widened his eyes in alarm.

But Dr. Takeda did not lose. Dr. Takeda wrote a reply.

“Dear Dr. Fuller, I have indeed reviewed your letter and blueprint. As one would expect from someone called the Second Edison, your skills have even impressed our navy somewhat. However, trying to intimidate me with something like that won’t work. My research has progressed to much deeper levels. Ah, what would you do if you knew the combat power of my submarine Fuji? —Dr. Fuller! I warn America: If you dare challenge Japan, you’ll face a terrible reckoning!”

Insolent Challenge

However, the submarine Fuji had only just completed its design. Whether they would build it at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal or construct it at Kure Naval Arsenal—they hadn’t even decided which factory would handle the production yet. However, Dr. Fuller's Black Eagle Bomber was already completed. At the secret factory on the Arizona Plateau, testing of the first unit had been completed, and assembly of the second and third units was rapidly underway.

General Arthur, the Chief of Staff,

“When Black Eagle No. 10 is completed, our air force will reduce Tokyo to ashes in three days.” General Arthur uttered this provocative statement. What an insolent remark! Yet General Arthur’s boast was no lie. It was no empty threat. Had the Black Eagle Bomber Squadron reached Hawaii, our Tokyo would have been finished. Within ten hours, those bombers would have picked off every target at their leisure!

When they considered this, the officers of our Staff Headquarters and Naval General Staff had no choice but to grit their teeth in silence.

Gentlemen. You must not think of the staff officers as cowards. The combat power of the Black Eagle Bomber—which our military intelligence agents had painstakingly uncovered through relentless effort—was truly terrifying enough to make one shudder.

With a maximum speed of 450 kilometers per hour, it could fly up to 18,000 kilometers. Moreover, it was equipped with two cannons and six machine guns. The bombs weighed fifteen tons.

When faced with such a monster, even Mutsu and Nagato—those “fortresses of the sea”—would be unable to flee, let alone put up a fight. “How’s that, you yellow-faced monkeys? Must burn your pride to ashes!” When the U.S. government completed this fearsome weapon, they suddenly began acting arrogantly. And then incited China to pick a fight with Japan.

Ma Zhanshan became the military commander of Beiping.

In Nanjing, Zhang Xueliang became the Air Force Commander-in-Chief. Day after day he would take to the skies in an American-made Curtiss fighter, flying over our destroyers anchored in the Yangtze River. He would always pretend to drop bombs, skimming just above the destroyers' masts. The destroyer stationed in Nanjing was the gallantly named 'Hatakaze'. Her captain was Major Tachibana - a gallant man born in Banshu Akō. "That bastard Zhang Xueliang! Who does he think he is with these stunts!"

The major stood on the bridge and glared intently at the red-painted Curtiss fighter. However, from the Naval General Staff had come the order: "Do not engage in conflict under any circumstances."

“Captain! What a damn shame, huh...” The young ensigns and lieutenants pounded the barrels of the anti-aircraft guns in frustration. “Damn it! Just you wait!” The sailors too had their eyes blazing with frustration.

The Valiant Battle of the Destroyer 'Hatakaze'

But finally, the last day arrived.

Showa ○, the end of January—it was a bitterly cold morning.

Zhang Xueliang took off from Nanjing Airfield with five American officers. As the six red fighter planes reached the Yangtze River, they abruptly nosed downward.

Below, in the mud-colored water, the Hatakaze floated. The naval ensign looked like a flower. Ah! Zhang Xueliang abruptly raised his right hand and signaled! Bombs away!

Small twenty-kilogram bombs came raining down in a scattered cascade. The Hatakaze was instantly engulfed in towering plumes of water. A fire erupted as murky black smoke gushed thickly from the smokestack. Crimson flames roared and swirled about the mast with furious intensity.

What a cowardly surprise attack it was!

Major Tachibana was furious. And he fought like a wounded lion.

But the enemy was not limited to Curtiss fighters.

Fifteen enemy ships surrounded *Hatakaze* and began bombarding her chaotically. Among them was even the American gunboat *Guam*!

“All right, target that bastard!” The major glared at *Guam* and clenched his fist. The *Hatakaze*, while burning, fought valiantly with its four 12 cm guns. Behold the brilliance of Japan's meticulously honed gunnery! After one hour of fierce combat, the enemy's losses amounted to seven sunken Chinese warships led by the *Anqing*, with eight others including the *Sanmin* sustaining heavy damage, while four Curtiss fighters were shot down—all spearheaded by the American gunboat *Guam*.

Major Tachibana remained defiant until the very end, sneering derisively: "What do you expect? Chinese cannons can't hit anything!" When their ammunition was exhausted, he declared "This is the end!" and set fire to the gunpowder magazine himself, sinking in a blast. No sooner had a pillar of fire swept up over the Yangtze than the Hatakaze vanished into the muddy waters—was this not a most gallant end, truly befitting a Japanese destroyer? Even the Chinese must have been deeply moved by this demonic display of valor, for the Lion Mountain battery fired twenty-one guns in a funeral salute to honor the spirits of our warriors.

Ah, the waters of the Yangtze were dyed crimson with blood, and the mournful roar of cannons faded into the overcast sky.

Gentlemen—thus was the cord cut on the Pacific War.

○

Upon hearing of the Hatakaze's demise, our Third Fleet Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Kimura in Shanghai resolved to act. A battle flag was raised on the mast of the flagship Izumo.

And then, off the Wusong Battery, they sank three U.S. destroyers. Our landing force raided the U.S. Marine Corps and took three hundred enemy soldiers prisoner.

In the Taiwan Strait, the cruiser Tama defeated the enemy submarine S-30. The retaliatory battle for the Hatakaze began.

However, the enemy was no pushover. That very night, Philippine-based Martin bombers flew over the dark Bashi Channel and launched a night raid on our Taiwan Pingtung 8th Air Regiment's base.

Furthermore, enemy submarine S-29 sank the luxury ship Kirishima Maru of Nippon Yusen Kaisha off the coast of Shanghai.

Ah, war clouds loom darkly over the Pacific.

The Combined Fleet gathered in Ise Bay.

Upon seeing this situation, the U.S. Ambassador presented our Foreign Minister with an ultimatum: “The Japanese government must apologize. The person responsible for the incident is Vice Admiral Kimura; therefore, execute him. Pay fifty million yen in compensation for sinking the gunboat Guam, submarine S-30, and three destroyers. And deliver this response within twenty-four hours. Should there be no reply within that time, our U.S. Navy shall have no choice but to dispatch forces to the Orient.”

he threatened.

Foreign Minister Hirota silently read through the ultimatum, then suddenly ripped it violently and cleanly in two.

The U.S. Ambassador turned bright red with rage.

“Alright! This means diplomatic relations are severed!”

Two days after the Hatakaze sank, a declaration of war was already issued.

The Imperial General Headquarters was established within the Imperial Palace, and martial law was declared.

Commander-in-Chief Admiral Sueyama of the Combined Fleet boarded the flagship Nagato and hurried from Yokosuka toward Ise Bay. This was to pray for victory at Ise Grand Shrine.

Admiral Sueyama was a man from Nagato Province—the land that gave birth to Yoshida Shōin and Yamagata Aritomo. He was a thin, small-statured admiral, but his eyes held a light stronger than that of an eagle. As the "God of Tactics," the Admiral's name resounded throughout the world. The Admiral crouched in the solemn sacred precincts of Ise and offered a silent prayer. “If I go to sea, I shall return a corpse washed by the waves—from the very beginning, our Combined Fleet fights prepared for total annihilation. O Heavenly Gods and Earthly Gods, deign to protect this imperial nation.”

――This was the Admiral’s prayer.

Ise Bay is, for the Japanese, the 'Sea of the Gods'. Moreover, from a strategic perspective, it was the second most crucial location after Tokyo Bay as a base for Pacific operations. It was not too distant from any of the three naval ports—Yokosuka, Kure, or Sasebo—and proved ideal for concealing fleet movements. As a secret base, there was hardly a better bay than this.

That Admiral Sueyama chose this "Sea of the Gods" as the first-phase base truly lived up to his title as the "God of Tactics." Following the Nagato, over 150 warships—destroyers, submarines, and special service ships—rushed from three naval ports toward Ise Bay.

Gentlemen, wartime fleet organization was the highest military secret among secrets, the most closely guarded of confidential matters. However, had one seen the warships gathered in Ise Bay, they might have formed some general picture.

Battleships Nagato, Mutsu, Hyūga, Ise, Yamashiro, Fusō, Haruna, Kongō, Kirishima. "The Hiei is also surrounded by a torpedo squadron!" The Yamashiro and Fusō had undergone major retrofitting, completely altering their appearance. At a glance, they looked even more formidable than the Nagato and Mutsu. The heavy cruisers thrust their 20-cm guns fiercely toward a corner of the sky, their robust forms resembling sea beasts. There were also four ships of the Atago-, Takao-, Maya-, Chōkai-, and Nachi-classes. There was also the Kako. There was also the Aoba.

The monstrous behemoths looming offshore were the aircraft carriers Akagi and Kaga. The Ryujo and Hosho were hiding in the shadow of the First Squadron’s Nagato, Mutsu, Yamashiro, and others. The twenty-four Fubuki-class large destroyers, possessing combat power not inferior to cruisers, fluttering their pristine flags, were as beautiful as a painting. The submarine squadrons were a pod of whales. The Chidori-class torpedo boats were the hunting dogs of the sea. Ah, 150 warships! Truly impressive. Truly powerful!

Moreover, what could have happened? The Mogami—into which Dr. Takeda had poured his heart and soul—was missing. The Mikuma was missing. The Yoshino and Chigusa were nowhere to be seen!

They had already completed their outfitting, left the shipyards, and were nowhere to be found in Kure, Kobe, Yokosuka, or Nagasaki. And yet, their forms could not be found within the Combined Fleet! Then where are they?

I had finally reached the point where I must speak of the Showa Guerrilla Unit's secret.

“Demon Island”

This is Heikai Island, situated south of Hachijōjima and north of the Ogasawara Islands. The entire island is surrounded by cliffs, exactly like a naturally formed fortress.

The cliffs were clad in thousand-year-old moss, and the spray from raging waves scattered like blossoms. And a flock of albatrosses flew above, crying out with hoarse voices. The waters surrounding the island were ferocious currents. They were whirlpools. The pitch-black tide roared thunderously as it flowed like an arrow.

What would become of a small motorboat if it were to accidentally catch these currents? In an instant, with a screeching sound like a scream, the hull shattered into pieces, and both the ship and its crew were dragged into the demonic whirlpool. That is why fishermen from Ogasawara and Hachijōjima have called this island "Demon Island" since ancient times and do not approach it.

What was especially fearsome was the water gate located in the north of the island. There, a towering cliff 150 meters high split cleanly in two, gaping open like a mouth. From afar, the inside of the cliff appeared to form a large bay—the northern water gate was indeed the entrance to this bay. Ah, what an intense, terrifying spectacle it was⁉ Behold. Were not violently turbulent currents rushing into the bay at speeds exceeding twenty knots? And was not waterspout-like spray billowing thickly around the water gate?

Even the renowned Murakami naval pirates of old, or the Viking pirates who braved mountainous waves, would not be able to navigate through this water gate.

Even a destroyer exceeding thirty knots might manage to break through by sheer momentum, but even then, the water gate's width remained too narrow. At the sight of jet-black rock masses - terrifyingly huge and grotesque - thrusting their heads through churning waves, even the boldest destroyer captain would surely shudder involuntarily and flee.

That is why Heikai Island remains an eternal secret realm. It is an uninhabited island.

○

However, gentlemen, on the night of February 1st, Showa ○, a mysterious warship suddenly appeared off the northern waters of this island. And then, with bold daring, didn't it turn its bow toward the demonic water gate! In the cold sky, the fierce wind screamed. The moon, with ice-clear razor-sharp clarity, cast its cold light upon the raging waves. The shape of the mysterious warship resembled the heavy cruiser Takao when viewed from afar, but upon closer inspection, it became clear that it was markedly different.

It did not have the imposing, angular appearance of the Takao. The entire ship had a rounded shape. That was the streamlined form often seen in new airplanes.

And what indeed became visible even in the moonlight but the fifteen 15cm guns in their triple mounts?

Try to make out the ship’s name on her stern. “Mogami”! Ah! The Mogami! The Mogami—excluded from the Combined Fleet’s roster—had now, before anyone knew it, made its appearance at this demonic island. Ah, what an ingenious maneuver (the handling of the warship)! Our cruiser Mogami, upon encountering the raging current, executed a sharp 45-degree turn to port and, shrouded in spray, plunged into the water gate. And in an instant, its form vanished beyond the water gate.

Behind it, only the cliffs remained, bathed in moonlight and towering jet-black. The rough waves of the Pacific shattered against the rocks, roaring ceaselessly. The cruiser Mogami struggled at the water gate. The cruiser Mogami, raising plumes of spray as it charged into the water gate of Demon Island—Heikai Island. Its form disappeared into the shadow of the 150-meter cliff as if being sucked in. The water gate was exactly like a long valley. The cliffs on both banks stretched on and on endlessly, jet-black.

Through the darkness at the valley floor, our Mogami was being swept along by a ferocious current as it pressed deeper and deeper into the passage.

Two small shadows. On the deck near the bow，they were moving. One of the shadows was a girl whose beauty shone through even in the darkness of night. Wearing a red woolen hat，she was wrapped in a leopard-skin coat. “Hey，I’m scared. How far does this watergate continue?” With her round obsidian-like eyes，she peered into the depths ahead，but the jet-black cliffs loomed to block the ship’s path，making it impossible to gauge how far they must go before reaching the open inlet.

“Teruyo, this is hell’s gateway.”

The other small shadow whispered. He wore the uniform of a Petty Officer First Class, yet was a fair-complexioned beautiful youth. Bright cheeks, eyes shining with crystalline clarity. It was a face that looked somehow familiar.

Why, if it isn't Kiyoshi-kun! That's right—it must certainly be the boy Kiyoshi, younger brother of Dr. Takeda, designer of the Mogami. He now stood imposingly at the bow of the mysterious cruiser Mogami, arms firmly crossed. The darkness of the water gate grew ever deeper. When looking up, between the towering cliffs enshrouded in thick fog, a dim moon glowed faintly.

The Mogami churned through the water, sending up plumes of spray as it pressed ever deeper into the passage. In the currents of the water gate, terrifying whirlpools swirled here and there, and when the ship ventured into them, even the mighty Mogami—crafted from Honda Steel— Creak... creak... let out a creaking, groaning noise. The terrifying power of the whirlpools.

“It looks awfully deep, doesn’t it?”

Teruyo clung to Kiyoshi’s shoulder and peered over the side. “Fifteen fathoms—about thirty meters deep,” he said. “You can gauge the depth from how the whirlpools swirl.”

Kiyoshi-kun spoke with the tone of a genuine petty officer. However, he was mistaken. In truth, the depth of this water gate was over fifty meters. And at its bottom, terrifying man-eating sharks swam in a massive school.

○

About thirty minutes after entering the water gate entrance, as the current finally narrowed, the *Mogami* came perilously close to colliding with the cliffs, forcing it to repeatedly reverse and advance while making little progress. Commander Ogawa, the Navigation Officer, was in great difficulty. At the bow, the real Chief Petty Officer emerged and stared fixedly ahead with intense eyes. The searchlight brilliantly illuminated the moss on the cliff face, and from behind that light, the *Mogami* veered right to avoid a rocky outcrop, then left to avoid another as it pressed forward.

The current slowed as it flowed deeper, the water growing stagnant, but the valley narrowed until there was barely enough width for the *Mogami* to slip through, grazing the rocks.

If the helm was mishandled even slightly, the ship would collide with the rocks and face disaster. “Chief Petty Officer. “It’s just like ascending the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.” Even Kiyoshi-kun, perhaps having grown somewhat uneasy himself, furrowed his brow worriedly and peered into the Chief Petty Officer’s face. But Chief Petty Officer Tani, the lookout, remained deadly serious. His eagle-like eyes blazed fiercely as he kept staring straight ahead, not even glancing at Kiyoshi-kun. At this moment, even a momentary lapse in vigilance would spell catastrophe. Look. Streaming down the nape of Chief Petty Officer Tani’s neck was greasy sweat!

Now, the *Mogami* was battling rocks, battling currents, exerting every ounce of its strength to demonstrate the prowess of the Japanese Navy’s navigation skills. Water spray hung thickly over the valley floor, and only the searchlight’s beam glowed pale and hazy in the darkness.

The Mogami dropped anchor at Wolf Rock.

That was the moment!

Suddenly, from beyond the valley, Grooowl... grooowl... grooowl A tremendous underground rumble reverberated through the air. Then, high atop the cliffs, a red eerie light flared up. What was that? The boy Kiyoshi and Teruyo instinctively drew close and clasped hands. A firelight glimmered in this otherworldly realm. ——A will-o’-the-wisp? Or perhaps a bonfire lit by savages? "How suspicious..." Teruyo turned pale, her body trembling violently.

“What’s going to happen to us? Where are we being taken?”

“I don’t know either. Even if I ask him, he just yells at me to shut up—.” Kiyoshi-kun had also turned slightly pale.

○

Bearing the doubts of the two youths, the Mogami continued plunging deeper into the passage.

On the bridge atop the mast, Commander Kinoshita, Navigation Officer Ogawa, and Dr. Takeda—clad in the uniform of a shipbuilding colonel—were studying the nautical chart with grave expressions. Around two o'clock in the middle of the night, the ship dropped anchor in the shadow of a large rock shaped like a crouching wolf and came to a stop.

“We’ve finally reached Wolf Rock.”

Commander Kinoshita patted Commander Ogawa’s shoulder while wiping away sweat. Truly, Commander Ogawa was a renowned navigation officer. He had managed to navigate through the thirty-nautical-mile water gate.

“You’ve done well.” “I was on pins and needles.”

Dr. Takeda was also wiping away sweat.

“Even so, your niece Miss Teruyo is remarkable.” “For a girl to come to a place like this—that’s impressive.”

Commander Ogawa loved Miss Teruyo. “Yeah, that one’s crazy about adventures. “Still just sixteen though. “But writes a fine hand – that’s why I made her my secretary.” Dr. Takeda too found his niece utterly adorable.

“I haven’t told those two anything about this island yet. Now then, shall I reveal the secret to you?”

Colonel Takeda stood up.

Beyond Wolf Rock, in the darkness, a sea that appeared to be an inlet spread out pitch-black.

Ah, Oni Island—the mysterious inlet. What secrets lay hidden there?

Morning in Heikai Bay

That night, the Mogami anchored in the shadow of Wolf Rock. The boy Kiyoshi and Miss Teruyo spent a sleepless night in their hammocks, but when dawn broke on February 2nd—today—they would finally uncover the secrets of Heikai Island, the "Oni Island"!

The boy Kiyoshi in a petty officer uniform and Miss Teruyo in a navy-blue sailor suit, led by Dr. Takeda, emerged onto the rear deck while it was still dim.

The vast inlet—Heikai Bay—was shrouded in thick fog, as the southern morning breeze chilled their cheeks. Between the Mogami’s port side and Wolf Rock, a motor launch came puttering in.

At last came the landing.

“Captain, I’ll be going now.” “Goodbye, Uncle Ogawa—and everyone else.” Kiyoshi and Miss Teruyo nimbly climbed down the gangway and boarded the motor launch. The captain was Chief Tani. “Advance!” At the command, the motor launch immediately began moving. Yet it crawled at an excruciatingly slow speed. The bay lay smooth as a mirror, without a single ripple. Kiyoshi and Miss Teruyo leaned out the window, straining to peer through the fog ahead.

—Nothing was visible.

When they looked back, the forms of Wolf Rock and the Mogami were blurring into a hazy mouse-gray. It was eerily quiet. “Brother, is this an uninhabited island?”

Unable to hold back any longer, Kiyoshi asked the Colonel. “No, that’s not it.”

The Colonel shook his head and opened his solemn lips.

“Actually, I’d meant to tell you last night.” “But you were both being rocked in your hammocks, fast asleep—so I held back.” “Kiyoshi... Now I’ll lay it all bare.” “Listen close—this Heikai Island is our Imperial Navy’s secret base!”

“Huh?!” “Secret base?”

"That's right. It's our secret fleet of handpicked elites from the Imperial Navy—the Showa Guerrilla Unit's base!" "Huh? Secret fleet?" The two exchanged astonished looks at the Colonel's extraordinary declaration.

○

It was known that Fort Asahi existed on Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands. However, who could have imagined that such a secret base existed north of Fort Asahi on Chichijima? Moreover, that besides the Combined Fleet led by the renowned General Sueyama there existed a secretly organized fleet—if they were to inform U.S. Fleet Commander-in-Chief Admiral Yarnell of this, what kind of face would he make? When one thought about it, it was exhilarating. Truly, the Japanese Navy! They were truly doing the unthinkable!

Ah, the military port of the isolated island surrounded by sheer cliffs!

The secret fleet lurking deep within the thirty-nautical-mile strait! Once this began to move, what storms would be unleashed across the Pacific? Just thinking about it made scorching-hot blood of adventure surge up from the depths of their chests! —Moreover, they were now entering deep into that secret Heikai Bay. The boy Kiyoshi involuntarily shivered with a warrior's tremble. His cheeks flushed crimson, redder than any flower. But even so—where was the secret fleet? Where was the secret artillery hidden?

Was there nothing to see besides cliffs and sea? “Uncle, where is that Showa Guerrilla Unit fleet? I’ve looked everywhere and still can’t see it.” Miss Teruyo, her eyes shining, continued glaring into the depths of the fog. “Wait, wait—no matter how much you glare, it won’t work. The fog will clear up soon, so just be patient until then. If you keep leaning over the side like that, a man-eating shark’ll jump up and get you!”

"Oh, are there man-eating sharks here?" Miss Teruyo hurriedly pulled her neck in.

“You’re such a coward—what’s a shark anyway?” Kiyoshi mocked Miss Teruyo while ostentatiously stretching out his hand and vigorously stirring the water’s surface.

“You fool!” “That’s dangerous!” Before the Colonel’s shout had even finished，a bluish-black shadow shot upward from the depths like an arrow． “Ah，a shark!”

The boy Kiyoshi swiftly pulled back his hand. Just in the nick of time! A giant shark over three meters long, its terrifying fangs glinting, leaped up. Had the shark’s attack come one second earlier, Kiyoshi’s right hand would have undoubtedly been bitten clean off. What a terrifying sea! Even he turned pale.

The Showa Guerrilla Unit Revealed Its Gallant Form

The boy Kiyoshi was thoroughly scolded by his brother, the Colonel. And while he was being scolded, the thick, thick morning fog that had settled over Heikai Bay gradually cleared away.

The fog thinned away, swirling in white vortices upward and upward along the 150-meter cliff.

Behold, what a magnificent view this was!

Surrounding the bay in jet-black, a great cliff formed a circular formation several tens of kilometers across! Its imposing form was like the Japanese Alps rising from the sea. Miss Teruyo looked up at the continuous line of towering cliffs while recalling her experience climbing Hakuba Mountain last summer, when she had gazed upon the majestic Hida Mountains. “Uncle, the shape of these cliffs—they somehow resemble the Alps—” She tilted her red hat and looked up at the Colonel’s face. Colonel Takeda nodded vigorously,

“Yeah, that’s right. So even the Navy has named that massive one Rengadake and the pointed one over there Yarigatake.”

But—this was no time to be marveling at the cliffs’ grandeur. Where was the secret fleet? Where was the Showa Guerrilla Unit hiding? The impatient boy Kiyoshi grabbed Chief Tani’s arm and asked. “Chief Tani, where’s the Showa Guerrilla Unit?” Chief Tani silently moved the helm with his right hand while pointing at the cliff ahead with his left.

“Take a look under Rengadake.” When they looked, a large cave gaped open like a black maw. “Let’s go take a look.” Chief Tani forcefully turned the helm to starboard. The motor launch approached the cave, leaving ripples in its wake. The height must have been fifty meters. It was a terrifyingly immense cave. The motor launch cut its engines at the entrance. “Ah, there it is!”

Behold. In the dimly lit cave lurked a mysterious warship with its bow facing this direction—was there not? Moreover, the golden light shining upon its prow was none other than the glorious Chrysanthemum Crest.

○

"Gentlemen, the mysterious warship lurking in Rengadake's cave was the Mogami's sister ship Mikuma. Deep within the cave lay provisions storage and ammunition depots, while inside rock-excavated heavy oil tanks sat stored 10,000 tons of viscous reddish-black heavy oil." "The Mikuma possessed the capability to burn 2,500 tons of heavy oil and cruise 75,000 nautical miles." "If there were 10,000 tons of heavy oil, conquering all seven seas one after another would have meant nothing."

“What a fearsome base.” “Incredible…”

The boy Kiyoshi and Miss Teruyo felt their hearts racing with excitement.

Teruyo's Scream

The large caves were not just one; there were two more. They were the caves of Tsubakurodake and Hotakadake. On Tsubakurodake, the *Chigusa* lay hidden. In Hotakadake was housed the *Yoshino*.

There were three other small caves, but their interiors were dark and nothing could be seen. ——

When they finally reached the massive cave of Yarigatake, Chief Tani quietly whispered to Kiyoshi.

“This is the *Mogami*’s cave, you know. The *Mogami* is the flagship of the Showa Guerrilla Unit.”

“Hmm.” The boy Kiyoshi crossed his arms and groaned.

The more one considered it, the more terrifying the island became. If they hid within this cave's secret base, even if Dr. Fuller's "Black Eagle Bomber" from America came attacking with however large a formation of squadrons, they wouldn't so much as flinch.

Even if 1,000-ton and 2,000-ton bombs came raining down, this great cliff would absolutely not crumble!

However, gentlemen. The secrets of Heikai Island still had unfathomable depths. The motor launch carrying Kiyoshi and the others proceeded deeper and deeper into the cave from Yarigatake.

"Where are we going now?" "It’s Fuji Cave, you know. "It’s located in the very back."

Chief Tani once again turned the helm to the left.

Fuji Cave—just what kind of place could it be?!

Miss Teruyo—it felt as though she were being dragged into an endless, mysterious world, and she found herself growing strangely afraid. When she looked back, Heikai Bay resembled an emerald-colored mirror. Miss Teruyo stood entranced for a while, gazing at that beautiful hue.

But for some reason, her complexion suddenly turned deathly pale before their eyes.

“That—there’s something terrifying—” A scream like tearing silk burst from the girl’s throat.

What could have frightened her so?

The waters of Heikai Bay, which had been mirror-smooth until moments before, suddenly began to churn and roar as a terrifying whirlpool surged upward!

The Second Generation of Battleship Yashima In Heikai Bay, waves churned as a whirlpool surged up with a roar, splitting cleanly in two with a thunderous “Gwooo——!” before their eyes. And then, a huge gray monster emerged majestically from the waterfall-like spray. “Ah! A submarine!” The boy Kiyoshi let out an involuntary cry. “Oh, my heart is pounding.” When Miss Teruyo furrowed her beautiful brows, the submarine fully surfaced, its upper deck revealing the terrifying form of a gun turret loaded with massive guns.

“How’s that, Kiyoshi? Surprised?” Dr. Takeda patted his beloved younger brother’s shoulder while puffing contentedly on his large sailor’s pipe, tobacco smoke swirling around them. The boy Kiyoshi blinked rapidly with his dark eyes, “Yes, I was shocked… Brother, that submarine looks completely unfamiliar.” “Nonsense—that’s the I-5 Submarine you know well.” “They completely rebuilt her at Kure Naval Arsenal, hence the different appearance.” “See? She never had 20cm guns like that before.”

Dr. Takeda extended his large hand and pointed at the massive guns on the upper deck.

“Ah! Is that a 20cm gun?!”

The boy Kiyoshi was startled once more and let out a loud cry. Gentlemen, it’s no wonder he was surprised. A giant submarine loaded with 20cm guns! With this, it wouldn’t lose even to cruisers! Wasn't it splendid! They had believed only one such monstrous submarine existed in the world—the French Navy's Sarcoff—yet here at this unexpected South Sea isle emerged a submarine of awe-inspiring might: crimson naval flag rippling, gleaming gun barrels thrust forward in gallant display.

“Brother, with this we won’t lose to the Sarcoff.” Kiyoshi was so happy he could have cried. Dr. Takeda nodded deeply, “Lose? Not a chance! “Look at the rear deck—you’ll see something like a warehouse there. “Inside are Kamikaze-type combat reconnaissance aircraft. “And we’ve converted all engines to Takeda-style.” Ah—if these elites were unleashed across the Pacific—what exhilaration that would bring! A shiver ran through young Kiyoshi’s chest.

At that moment, Chief Petty Officer Tani interjected.

“Kiyoshi-kun. “Since the armament has been changed, the name has also been changed—this ship is now called Yashima.”

“That’s the name of a battleship from way back, huh?”

That's right. Kiyoshi-kun knew well. That was the name of the honorable battleship that had met a heroic and glorious end off Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War. The second-generation Yashima too wanted to demonstrate a fierce fight off Hawaii’s Pearl Naval Port that would not pale next to that of its predecessor. “Give ’em hell!” Kiyoshi-kun stood up on the launch’s deck and shouted loudly toward the Yashima growing increasingly distant.

The True Nature of Fuji Cave

Following *Yashima*, the sister ships *Chiyoda* and *Akitsushima* surfaced with churning whirlpools, but the launch sped at full throttle toward Fuji Cave in the innermost part of the bay. Unfortunately, neither Kiyoshi-kun nor Miss Teruyo could get a good look at the subsequent two submarines.

However, hadn't they now vaguely grasped the true nature of the secret fleet—the Showa Guerrilla Unit?

Flagship Mogami and the world-renowned light cruisers Mikuma, Yoshino, and Chigusa—the elite. And the monster submarines with fearsome names—Yashima, Chiyoda, and Akitsushima! These mighty, mighty seven vessels were the Showa Guerrilla Unit.

To organize such a powerful, swift guerrilla fleet; to quietly conceal it at a secret base; to exploit the enemy’s complacency and unleash a scientific grand ambush—was this not proof of brilliance in the Naval General Staff Chief’s strategic mind? Truly, Commander-in-Chief General Uesugi’s concept embodied “divinely cunning strategies and demonically brilliant tactics.” All naval officers and sailors across the fleet should have been hailing him as “General Uesugi is the world’s greatest commander.”

○

But still—who could be the commander of this secret fleet? And when would the fleet leave Heikai Island's cliffs behind, churning up white waves as it sortied into the Pacific? As Kiyoshi-kun's heart raced with these thoughts, the launch parted emerald-green waves and drew near its destination—Fuji Cave.

“Here we are—this is my workplace.” When they entered the dim cave, Dr. Takeda’s eyes gleamed with excitement. Electric lights cast a faint glow across massive rock walls while cave waters shimmered gold. As they ventured deeper inward, the cove gradually narrowed—and with each constriction, Fuji Cave’s true nature grew unmistakably clear. Gentlemen, behold! Bathed in radiant electric light stood nothing less than an immense shipbuilding dock. There beneath a towering black crane lay its slender form—was this not Colonel Takeda’s *Fuji* submarine, our oceanic lion consuming his very lifeblood in its creation?

Ah, the secret factory within the cave! The workers, each gripping hammers and oiling the machines, were waiting for Chief Engineer Dr. Takeda to arrive. The workers who had crowded around the inlet's wharf, upon seeing the launch enter,

“Colonel Takeda, banzai—!” they shouted. The sound of their voices echoed through the hollow cave and lingered long and forlornly. “The voices sound kind of sad…”

Miss Teruyo swayed her beautiful bobbed hair and whispered into Kiyoshi-kun’s ear. “Of course they are sad. “Dr. Fuller in America has already finished his Rough Eagle Bomber, but Brother’s Fuji hasn’t even been completed yet. “It’s frustrating, but Brother’s losing.”

Kiyoshi-kun regretfully gripped the brim of his military cap and pulled it down firmly over his eyes. He must not have wanted Miss Teruyo to see his tears of frustration. What was this order? Colonel Takeda ascended to the wharf, promptly changed into his blue work clothes, and—covered in oil—directed the construction of the Fuji. Homeland Japan was now being targeted by the terrifying Rough Eagle Bomber. Admiral Sueyama’s Combined Fleet—the twentieth century’s invincible armada—had to wage a desperate, grueling battle against that mighty U.S. Navy assembled with three hundred warships.

Seeing this crisis, Colonel Takeda (Dr.) could not remain still for even a minute.

"If only we complete Fuji, Japan will never lose." Even by a month, a day—no, even an hour or ten minutes—this submarine battleship had to be launched faster. That was why Dr. Takeda worked with death-defying intensity.

“Commence operations—” At the Colonel’s command, the machines roared like beasts with a “GRROOOWWL GRROOOWWL,” the clanging of workers’ hammers striking steel echoed off the rocky walls with metallic crashes, pale electric sparks crackled and scattered, while within the blast furnace, Honda Steel burned crimson red and began sizzling fiercely with a “HISSSS HISSSS.” The cave’s secret factory, which had been silent and hidden until moments ago, suddenly erupted into battlefield-like chaos.

○ However, young Kiyoshi and Miss Teruyo had to leave the secret factory starting that very evening. Around six o'clock in the evening, a sudden secret order arrived from the Commander of the Showa Guerrilla Unit to the two working beneath the large crane. On the red-ruled paper brought by the messenger,

“Fleet Order No. 19. Kiyoshi Takeda, Teruyo Takeda. The aforementioned individuals shall immediately withdraw from Colonel Takeda’s command and proceed to the flagship Mogami within Yari-ga-take Cave.” The words were written in jet-black ink with grave formality. “What could this be? I’m so worried,”

Miss Teruyo’s beautiful eyes took on a frightened hue.

“Teruyo, Kiyoshi—the Commander’s orders. Go at once. And make it a proper adventure.” Colonel Takeda smiled with deliberate significance and patted both their shoulders.

“What?” “We’re going on an adventure?” “Alright, I’m off!”

“Oh, what kind of adventure is this?”— Kiyoshi-kun, who puffed out his shoulders cheerfully, and Miss Teruyo, wearing a worried expression, were put aboard the small boat that the messenger sailor had arrived in and departed from Fuji Cave. The messenger sailor rowed skillfully with his thick arms, hurrying across the swamp-like Heikai Bay toward Yari-ga-take Cave. “Hey sailor, what’s this secret order about?”

Miss Teruyo called out, but the sailor curtly replied with just a single word. "I don't know." "Miss Teruyo—are you scared? If you're scared, you shouldn't have come to this island at all! ...Why act so jumpy now? This is exactly why I hate women—coward!"

Kiyoshi-kun in his petty officer uniform was quite spirited. "That’s so mean!" Miss Teruyo glared at young Kiyoshi, her gentle eyes glinting sharply.

“Remember this, Kiyoshi-san. I won’t lose to someone like you. I love adventure!” Miss Teruyo squared her shoulders defiantly in her red sailor uniform with unyielding resolve. “Hah! If you love adventure so much,” Kiyoshi mocked, “why get so jittery?” When he teased her，she retorted defensively， “I’m not jittery at all! You’re the one who’ll shrink into your shell like a turtle when cannon fire booms!” “Such a sharp tongue! Just watch me!” Kiyoshi-kun pounded his navy-blue uniformed chest fiercely with a solid fist. “I’ll show you too!” Miss Teruyo’s rosy cheeks flushed as she stared intently at Yari-ga-take Cave drawing near.

“I’m not scared at all! It’s you, Kiyoshi-san, who’ll shrink your neck like a turtle with a yelp when you hear the cannons roar!” she retorted. “Sharp tongue you’ve got there. Well, just watch me.” Kiyoshi-kun struck his navy-blue uniform’s chest firmly with his sturdy clenched fist.

“I’ll show you too! Just you watch!” Miss Teruyo also stared fixedly at the approaching Yari-ga-take Cave, her glossy rose-colored cheeks flushed.

Showa Guerrilla Unit Commander

In Yari-ga-take Cave, the Mogami—having departed Wolf Rock—was maneuvering its massive bulk into position. On the gangway, Chief Navigator Commander Ogawa stood puffing his cigarette as he waited to greet them. "You've made it, Miss Teruyo."

When the boat reached the foot of the gangway, the Commander extended his large hand and lifted Miss Teruyo up. Next, Kiyoshi-kun grabbed the rope by himself and leapt across nimbly. “Both of you, come with me.” Following behind the Commander, they passed through the quarterdeck hatch into the dimly lit ship’s interior and immediately came upon the captain’s cabin.

Behind the maroon curtain stood Commander Kinoshita—a six-foot-tall large man—his tiger-like eyes glowing fiercely as he stood. As soon as the Commander saw their faces, he suddenly boomed, “Ah, you’re back! Dr. Takeda had asked me to thoroughly temper you both—to harden your resolve." “I’ll be taking you into battle from now on.” “How about it, Miss Teruyo? Not scared, are you?” It was a loud, gruff voice befitting a seafarer.

“Oh! No.” Teruyo’s bobbed hair swayed in tufts to the side. “I see. “That’s commendable. “Since Miss Teruyo is a girl, I’ll specially grant you ensign rank. “As for Kiyoshi-kun here, he’ll continue to be treated as a Petty Officer Third Class as before. “Well? Any complaints with that?” “Yes, I don’t mind even being a Seaman Third Class. “I can’t wait to get into action!” Kiyoshi-kun’s large black eyes sparkled. “Good!” The Commander nodded reassuringly,

“You are assigned to serve on the submarine Yashima.” “Miss Teruyo will remain on the Mogami under Commander Ogawa’s instructions.” “Understood?” “Oh…” Teruyo made a slightly sad expression—yet the idea of them fighting separately wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Kiyoshi-kun turned toward her, “Sure thing! “Hey, Miss Teruyo—you can’t ride a submarine because your heart’s weak.” he teased. Teruyo-san put on a sulky expression,

“Oh, that’s not true! My heart is very strong!”

“Enough of this childish bickering.—Very well, Kiyoshi-kun, proceed directly to the Yashima at once.—Though it’s improper to offer spirits to youths, let us share a farewell cup.” “Commander Ogawa—you shall join us.” Commander Kinoshita retrieved a wine bottle from the cabinet. “This is an aged wine crafted in France a century past.” “My personal treasure.” Wine red as blood trickled steadily into glass goblets.

"I may be a colonel and unworthy of command, but by orders, I now stand as commander of the Showa Guerrilla Unit. Let us see how far we can push—while breath remains in us, we'll strive onward. Once we sortie tonight, weep though we might, our fates rest with the Pacific's fury." Commander Kinoshita raised his cup aloft. So it was Captain Kinoshita who commanded the guerrilla unit! This colonel hailed as the navy's foremost hero would surely see through any perilous venture, however dreadful the battle.

Kiyoshi-kun and Miss Teruyo clinked their cups together, nodded in silent agreement through exchanged glances, and prayed for each other’s martial fortunes with a “To your fortunes!”

○

Outside was a hazy moonlit night, and even into the cave, the pale moonlight faintly streamed in. Ah, on this isolated South Sea island far from their motherland, what dreams might our boy and girl see tonight, on the eve of battle?

Finally, the Sortie

February 3rd, 3:00 AM. The island was still before dawn.

The four cruisers of the Showa Guerrilla Unit had already raised their anchors and now waited poised for the sortie order to be issued. “Assemble at Wolf Rock.” The Mogami’s wireless telegraph transmitted the first command via radio waves. Soon searchlights from four caves flashed across Heikai Bay’s waves; ship after ship began moving toward Wolf Rock until by four o’clock they formed an imposing single-file column led by the Mogami with Chigusa Yoshino and Mikuma following in succession.

Behold, the mountain-like sturdy warships emerging in the dawn's light! The sixty 15-cm cannons thrust their muzzles skyward as if ready to belch fire at any moment, while the lookout atop the foremast, shrouded in drifting mist, stood imposingly formidable to behold. “Advance! “Follow the flagship!”

The Mogami steadily departed Wolf Rock while issuing commands via wireless telegraph. Ah, the sortie begins.

Commander Kinoshita stood imposingly on the bridge like a Nio guardian deity, staring fixedly ahead. If one looked up, the crimson commodore's pennant fluttered high on the foremast! The trailing part split into two and fluttered about. The Commodore's Pennant was an honorary flag raised only by colonels who had attained the rank of commander equivalent to major generals or lieutenant generals. The colonel who flew this flag had to be either the foremost or second greatest tactician or valiant commander in the entire navy. Our Mogami’s Commander Kinoshita was both a valiant commander and a brilliant tactician.

Following them were three ships bearing three thousand officers, petty officers, and sailors—not a single coward among them. The Showa Guerrilla Unit’s cruiser fleet, churning up thick spray, proceeded into the valley of the water gate.

From the flagship's rear deck came the military band's rendition of "Farewell Song"—the Long Sign melody mingling with wave sounds and lingering long in the air. Miss Teruyo climbed up to the mast's crow’s nest and gazed at Heikai Bay’s receding waves when suddenly her chest constricted and her eyelids burned hot. They battled waves, skirted reefs, completed their perilous voyage through the valley—then burst through the northern water gate at full speed to meet the Pacific. Though sunlight glittered over open waters, raging waves roared with spray.

But what were raging waves? "Waves, if you would rage, then rage!" The Mogami—like a lion shaking its mane in brave defiance—cut sharply through the water, sending up a blizzard of spray as she swung her helm hard to starboard.

Ah, the Showa Guerrilla Unit had now become marine beasts, plunging headlong eastward—ever eastward. Speed—a full thirty-eight knots! When it came to the might of the Takeda-style engines, even the raging waves of the Pacific had no power to block them.

Teruyo, exposed to the cheek-tearingly cold gale, gazed out from the crow’s nest endlessly mourning her farewell to the motherland. Far on the horizon, the shadow of Mount Fuji—white, brilliantly white—stood out in sharp relief. Ah—floating upon the waves—the nostalgic Sacred Mountain Fuyō Peak! Mount Fuji! "May you eternally protect motherland Japan."—Teruyo offered this heartfelt prayer to the sacred mountain, beautiful black hair streaming in the bitter wind.

May the gods hearken with pity to the maiden’s prayer!

The Mogami's Maiden Battle As the Mogami group rushed eastward north of the Ogasawara Islands, three submarines—the Yashima, Akitsushima, and Chiyoda—passed through the undersea channel flowing beneath Yarigatake Cave under Commander Aoki's orders, likewise advancing eastward toward the Hawaiian Islands. What did our young Kiyoshi—now aboard the flagship Yashima as a Petty Officer Third Class—do? And how valiantly did those three submarines fight off Hawaii's coast? We shall keep that concealed for a little while longer.

Rather than that, we must not lose sight of the Mogami's whereabouts.

○

About a thousand nautical miles west of Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii lay Midway Island. A small isolated island lay adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Over black rocky crags flew pure white seagulls, while palm leaves along the shore rustled softly in the breeze.

A warm, peaceful southern island. Yet visible through the palm leaves were three large light-blue cruisers—their star-adorned naval ensigns fluttering crisply. These formed the vanguard of the United States reconnaissance fleet: the Third Cruiser Squadron's *Chicago*, *Houston*, and *Augusta*. All were 10,000-ton warships armed with nine 30-centimeter guns. This peaceful, picturesque island was in truth a terrifying forward base for the U.S. Navy.

And the Showa Guerrilla Unit was coming to seize this base.

February 7th, morning. With *Mogami* at the lead, our Showa Guerrilla Unit appeared off Midway. When one then two Kamikaze-type reconnaissance planes were launched from the catapults, the battle flag was swiftly hoisted high atop the mast, and all sixty 15cm guns were trained on the island shadow visible far off the starboard side. 35,000 meters! Even the 40-centimeter guns of *Mutsu* and *Nagato* couldn’t fire at this range. And yet *Mogami* was already hoisting the "Commence Firing" signal flag!

When the hands of the four gunnery officers pressed the buttons, white sparks instantly flickered with a *kirakira* glint, and yellow smoke billowed up in thick plumes,

"Boom-boom-boom... KABOOM!" A thunderous cannon roar resounded like rolling thunder. “*Whiiine-whiiine*”—the shells screamed as they flew. Miss Teruyo stuffed cotton in ears and hung a gas mask across chest as she intently watched the bombardment from inside the crow’s nest. Before long, thick black smoke began billowing up from the mountain shadows of the island, and an ominous booming sound like an earthquake could be heard.

“It seems they hit the ammunition depot.”

Commander Ogawa whispered softly into Miss Teruyo’s ear.

“Taking out an island like this is no trouble at all.” While advancing at thirty-five knots, the Showa Guerrilla Unit executed awe-inspiring precision bombardments with their well-honed gunnery skills. The island was rapidly engulfed in flames. Yet the enemy proved formidable—eighteen Curtiss fighters launched a death-defying counterattack, clashing chaotically with our Kamikaze-type reconnaissance planes in a storm of machine gun fire. A terrifying aerial slaughter ensued. One after another, they plummeted seaward. Silver wings blazed furiously before burning out, vanishing beneath the waves while trailing black smoke.

Enemy craft plummeted; our own met the same fate. In just twenty minutes of fierce exchange, eighteen enemy planes and ten of our own sank to the graveyard beneath the raging waves. The remaining eight Kamikaze-type reconnaissance planes flew low, so low over the waves, their engines emitting a mournful sound as if mourning the fallen warriors. Even the bravest among them turned pale. The Showa Guerrilla Unit’s bombardment intensified further, and our *Mogami* sank the enemy ship *Chicago* charging from the island’s shadow with just a single strike.

*Chicago* burst into flames and vanished from the waves in a mere three minutes as if swept away. Afterward, "Revenge!" roared the rocky mountain battery as they fired, but alas, their shells could only reach twenty thousand meters. They all fell into the sea, doing nothing but raising white pillars of water. Ah—is the Showa Guerrilla Unit already seizing the enemy’s forward base in their very first battle? The seagulls startled by the cannon's roar were swirling madly in the sky. The cowardly enemy ships *Augusta* and *Houston* hid themselves in the cove and did not emerge.

“It’s finally time to occupy!” Commander Kinoshita gazed at the raging waves and patted his chest with a grin. “The U.S. Navy is full of such cowards, isn’t it?” Miss Teruyo too was putting on a lively, bold front. The battle flag’s hue grew ever more crimson, and our forces remained without a single scratch.

○ But when the *Mogami* turned its bow toward the island, Miss Teruyo’s chest suddenly began pounding wildly. For some reason, she felt as though something terrifying—something truly terrible—was drawing near. The wireless telegraph antenna was crackling with bluish-white sparks. They were like ghostly flames. Could this be a bad omen? In the eastern sky, black clouds spread out, and the waves grew increasingly rough! “Hey, Commander Ogawa. I... I don’t know why, but I’m getting scared.”

When Miss Teruyo clung to Commander Ogawa's thick arm, Commander Kinoshita—clutching the wireless telegraph report in his hand—also abruptly paled.

What could have frightened the greatest hero of the navy? “Commander Ogawa, change course!” The commander’s face turned ghastly pale as he shouted. Gentlemen—what ominous words were written on that report that terrified him? Let us look. "To the Captain of the *Mogami*: Is Colonel Takeda aboard? I am Dr. Fuller. Having boarded Rough Eagle Bomber No. 1, I am currently east of the Hawaii Islands. I shall now proceed to bomb your Japanese fleet. It pains me to kill you, but this cannot be helped. Should you sink the *Mogami*, I shall drop a wreath from above."

Ah! This was Dr. Fuller’s challenge letter. Which would prove stronger—the Rough Eagle Bomber or the *Mogami*? Dr. Fuller must have believed Colonel Takeda was aboard the *Mogami*. That was why he had come to issue this duel. Terrifying Rough Eagle Bomber! Though formidable herself, alas—the *Mogami* could never match that winged demon. Commander Kinoshita turned pale because Colonel Takeda’s warnings about the bomber’s horrors resurfaced in his mind—"Ah! Will our Showa Guerrilla Unit meet annihilation here?"

Ah—if the Showa Guerrilla Unit were to lose here, what would become of the Japanese Navy? And would our beautiful Miss Teruyo too vanish into the Pacific's depths, forever parted from young Kiyoshi?

○

“Ah! Here it comes!” Teruyo saw a suspicious shadow streaking across the black clouds like an arrow!

At last, the terrifying demon—Dr. Fuller—drew near. Ah! The battle flag tore! A suspicious shadow streaking across black clouds like an arrow—the Rough Eagle Bomber closed in rapidly. Miss Teruyo gripped the telescope in trembling hands and pursued that shadow. Threading through gaps in inky black clouds, emitting an ominous low growl as it surged forward—a jet-black form.

It looked formidable at first glance. Commander Kinoshita of the Showa Guerrilla Unit, Lieutenant Commander Ogawa—everyone wore worried expressions.

“It can’t be helped. Let’s scatter the formation.” At Commander Kinoshita’s order, signal flags were raised, and the four cruisers scattered in all directions. Whether in column formation (⊂⊂⊂⊂) or line formation (∩∩∩∩), it’s dangerous because they can all be targeted together. The flagship Mogami turned its helm to the left. The second ship Chigusa and third ship Yoshino split off to the right. The rearguard ship Mikuma continued straight ahead.

Even the formidable Showa Guerrilla Unit now completely scattered and broke their formation.

The Mogami’s Takeda-style engines crackled with bluish-white sparks as they burned heavy oil. It fled at forty knots. Raging waves crashed with a thunderous roar, and soon even the 8,500-ton great ship *Mogami* was engulfed in swirling spray.

The four-barreled Kure-style anti-aircraft guns had their muzzles aimed skyward, poised to open fire at any moment.

The black clouds spread ever wider, and the surroundings gradually grew darker. The sound of the waves and the voice of the wind raised sad, sorrowful cries.

Miss Teruyo did not wipe her spray-wet cheeks and stared intently at the Rough Eagle's form. The terrifying enemy aircraft approached at a height of 4,000 meters. Enveloped in black clouds, it flickered in and out of view. "Ah, it's disappeared again." When Miss Teruyo released the telescope, gently wiped her face with a handkerchief, and let out a sorrowful sigh, *Whiine—*

A fierce gust of wind blew.

And behold! The crimson battle flag that had been fluttering vividly atop the mast until just moments ago was suddenly torn in two—wasn't it?! "Oh!" Miss Teruyo turned pale, sensing it bore some ill omen.

The waves grew increasingly violent.

Pitiable Kamikaze Reconnaissance Team

“Gentlemen,” “Before I report on the battle between Mogami and Rough Eagle, I must witness the final moments of our brave Kamikaze Reconnaissance Team.” Having shot down eighteen enemy fighters and won the aerial battle, our Kamikaze Reconnaissance Team’s remaining eight aircraft were abandoned by the Showa Guerrilla Unit they had relied on as their mother—left like birds without a nest. The sixteen brave men, seeing from above that the guerrilla unit had scattered in all directions, “It’s hopeless.” They thought. Ah—from the east came the terrifying Rough Eagle Bomber’s attack. Mogami and her group—the mother ships they had trusted—were fleeing.

“Damn it!” “Now that it’s come to this—let us show them an end worthy of the Japanese Air Force!” Major Katagiri, having steeled his resolve, raised his white-gloved left hand high and swung it violently sideways. It was the signal to prepare for combat.

“Here they come.” The same resolve filled all sixteen men. The Kamikaze Reconnaissance Team formed an echelon formation and charged headlong toward the Rough Eagle Bomber. (Echelon formation)

Buffeted by fierce winds, the small Kamikaze-type planes were nearly blown away like leaves. The Rough Eagle Bomber they were targeting was hidden within the black clouds. “That cloud.” With Katagiri’s plane at the lead, our eight aircraft plunged into the clouds while firing their machine guns with a rat-tat-tat-tat!

Nothing could be seen anymore. Only the sound of machine guns could be heard. As they watched this desperate battle from the Mogami, a red fire suddenly flashed within the clouds. "Oh, I see fire!" When Miss Teruyo spoke to Commander Ogawa, a red flame whirled and fell beyond the waves. One of the Kamikaze Squadron’s planes had been taken down. Then, two, then three planes could be seen falling as balls of fire. Ah, our allies were losing.

“Commander Ogawa... what should I do?” Teruyo’s chest tightened with sorrow—she could no longer bear to watch. “Major Katagiri looks so pitiful.” Commander Ogawa could do nothing. Tears welled up in the commander’s eyes.

○ While Miss Teruyo kept her eyes shut, seven out of our eight Kamikaze Squadron aircraft had been shot down.

The Rough Eagle Bomber had machine cannons mounted beneath its wings. This machine cannon was conceived by Dr. Merkatz of Germany and proved ideal for precision firing in aerial combat. Despite being an extraordinarily heavy bomber, the Rough Eagle Bomber possessed greater climbing capability than fighter planes. When Kamikaze-type reconnaissance planes approached, it would swiftly ascend above them to take aim from overhead. When its 3-cm shells struck with a thunderous boom, the fragile reconnaissance aircraft stood no chance. They would burst into flames almost instantly.

“Ha ha, pitiful Japanese flight officers.” “Go become food for the sharks of the Pacific.” “Here—this is the funeral bouquet for your graves.” Inside the Rough Eagle Bomber, Dr. Fuller laughed like a demon. White ominous narcissus bouquets fluttered down, trailing after our reconnaissance planes. “You detestable demon!”

The sole remaining plane at the bitter end—Major Katagiri resolved to employ his final gambit: collide with the Rough Eagle Bomber and crash together with the enemy. And he charged forward with ferocious momentum.

However, the pitiable Major had failed. The Rough Eagle Bomber nimbly evaded, then fired its machine cannon from behind as Katagiri's plane passed by. Ah, Major Katagiri was struggling in the flames. “It’s a hit. With this, all enemy planes have been annihilated. Now, we’re going to take down the ‘Mogami’.”

Dr. Fuller turned his aiming telescope beneath the clouds and began searching for our ‘Mogami’ being tossed by the waves.

"Mogami's gunnery is off." Rough Eagle Bomber No. 1 gradually descended. And then, like a kite swooping down on fish, it launched an attack toward the 'Mogami'. With a roaring gust of wind whipping up around it, the bomber kept descending through two thousand meters, then one thousand meters—plunging through the shell smoke from our high-angle guns without faltering in the slightest.

“Oh, how unsettling...” It was only natural for Miss Teruyo to tremble. The black wings resembled those of a giant bat. At the nose of the aircraft, two large eyes glared. And on the fuselage’s flank was a disturbing illustration—a red Rough Eagle clutching a bomb in its beak. The Mogami, pursued by this monster, strained with all its might. At its full speed of forty-five knots, it ran like an arrow. But one minute, two minutes. Finally, the Rough Eagle Bomber came overhead. Ah—would even the elite 'Mogami' finally fall prey to Dr. Fuller?

At that moment, the wireless telegraph’s antenna once again crackled with pale blue sparks. It was a transmission from the Rough Eagle Bomber. “Mogami! Your high-angle guns are useless.” Upon seeing this wireless report, Commander Kinoshita and Commander Ogawa locked eyes intently and nodded in mutual understanding. Miss Teruyo looked worried, her beautiful brows furrowing,

“Uncle Kinoshita, “Why aren’t the high-angle guns hitting?”

“That’s to lure the enemy in.”

“What will you do after luring them in?”

“You keep watching quietly.”

Commander Kinoshita made a fearsome face and pressed the brass megaphone to his mouth, “Prepare to launch Number Thirteen!” he barked. “Number Thirteen? “What a strange name.” “What could it be?” Miss Teruyo, trembling with anxiety that she might be scolded again, gently poked the Colonel’s back with her fingertip.

“Uncle... Isn’t thirteen an unlucky number?”

“Yes. For Dr. Fuller, it’s an unlucky number.”

Now that was a strange remark from the Colonel.

On the Rough Eagle Bomber’s side as well, they seemed to find it strange that the Mogami’s high-angle gunfire was so terribly inaccurate.

At an altitude of about seven hundred meters, it circled round and round, showing no sign of dropping its bombs.

The wind raged in a corner of the Pacific where waves ran wild, and now two monsters locked in an ominous standoff. The Strength of the Mogami

Gentlemen.

Let us now recall what weapons and defensive capabilities our Mogami possessed.

In addition to cannons, there were Nagaoka-style chemical weapons. There were Aoki-style electrical weapons. "Number Thirteen" was that electrical weapon. Gentlemen, had you not heard anything about the "Aoki Ray" being researched at Tokyo Imperial University? When a strong electric current was applied to the ultraviolet rays in sunlight, anything that touched them would be burned pitch black. The true identity of 'Number Thirteen' was the 'Aoki Ray'. The small searchlight-like machine atop the Mogami’s turret. This machine was the real threat.

Two officers forcefully tilted the gunnery director upward, taking aim at the 'Rough Eagle Bomber'. However, sadly, because the machine remained faulty, they could not fire unless the enemy descended to five hundred meters. ...To explain Commander Kinoshita's reasoning here—the Colonel had concluded that while the high-angle guns' shrapnel could not penetrate the Rough Eagle Bomber's steel armor, and even if they emitted pitch-black smoke from the smokestack to hide within it, they would inevitably be overtaken by the bomber in the end.

Thus, as a last resort, they lulled the enemy into complacency and drew them perilously close—only to suddenly unleash 'Number Thirteen'. At this critical moment, their sole reliance lay in the immensely strong Honda Steel.

The Mogami's deck armor (iron plate) was eight centimeters thick but had the strength of thirty centimeters. Would the Rough Eagle Bomber’s bomb pierce through this formidable Honda Steel deck, or would the Aoki-style ‘Number Thirteen Ray’ incinerate the bomber’s engines? "Ah! The bomb..."

Miss Teruyo screamed. A black mass plummeted down like an arrow. And it plunged down about fifty meters ahead of the Mogami’s bow. The water column surged up with a terrifying roar like that of a wild beast, then—whooshing and rumbling—collapsed like a waterfall. The Mogami had plunged headlong into that waterfall-like cascade—which was why Miss Teruyo’s sailor uniform was completely soaked. “Hey, you really got it bad, huh?” Commander Ogawa had also become drenched like a rat and was trembling from the cold.

However, as expected, the ‘Mogami’ was strong. Even after having such a large bomb dropped so close, the Honda Steel didn’t budge an inch. “Miss Teruyo, if it were a weak cruiser, it would’ve groaned and warped from the shock of that bombing just now.” Commander Ogawa gently embraced Miss Teruyo’s trembling shoulders. “Hey, aren’t we going to lose?”

“Now now, just watch... That Rough Eagle Bomber’s about to get a shock.” The Commander stared intently at the monster in the sky with his large eyes.

Blue beam.

This was Rough Eagle Bomber Number One.

They descended to six hundred meters and dropped their first bomb, but the Mogami remained unharmed. It plowed through the waves, fleeing westward.

“Major Smith.” “Though an enemy vessel, this Mogami that Dr. Takeda built remains an impressive ship.” “That it won’t yield even after such bombardment irritates beyond measure.”

Dr. Fuller and Major Smith, the bomber's captain, exchanged looks in astonishment.

“Shall I drop another one?” When Dr. Fuller pressed the button, the 500-kilogram bomb— Whistle— fell with a roar. When he looked through the targeting telescope, it seemed that this time it had hit.

The aft mast snapped in two, and the red battle flag fluttered down like flower petals onto the waves.

However, what was happening? The Mogami, as if declaring "What's a little scratch like this?" continued plowing through the waves westward. “Even after that massive bomb hit, it still won’t sink?” Dr. Fuller shuddered at how indestructible the Mogami remained. “Let’s go lower.” Major Smith adjusted the rudder, and the Rough Eagle Bomber descended another hundred meters. At five hundred meters altitude—just as they prepared to release the third bomb—that was the moment.

A bluish-white light suddenly flashed across the Mogami's deck. Dark clouds hung low over the gloomy, dimly lit sea—a glaring blue ray streaking like lightning! It was like a painting.

The ‘Number Thirteen Ray’ was fired. The blue light clung to the black wings of the Rough Eagle Bomber, which resembled those of a giant bat. The wings burned with a crackling sound. “Damn it!”

Dr. Fuller hurriedly adjusted the rudder. The Rough Eagle Bomber let out a shriek and struggled to climb upward. However, the blue beam continued its relentless pursuit. In the dark clouds, the Rough Eagle Bomber’s figure, frantically maneuvering to evade the beam, was terrifying to behold. The wind grew increasingly fierce, and even rain began to mix in.

Ah! A submarine! Dr. Fuller streamed with cold sweat, fighting desperately for survival…… Finally having fled to eight hundred meters altitude, when the doctor let out a sigh of relief, Major Smith trembled as he delivered the awful report. “Doctor, the second engine has stopped.” “What? The engine stopped?”

“Yes. It seems to have been hit by the ray. It hasn’t been moving since earlier.”

“It’s hopeless. Let’s return to Pearl Harbor Naval Base. We’ve lost to Dr. Takeda.”

Ah, he had thought the Mogami would succumb to a single strike, but Honda Steel proved far stronger than anticipated—and being ambushed by that strange ray on top of it all left Dr. Fuller thoroughly disheartened. When he looked down, the sea raged violently with white waves churning tumultuously, not a trace remaining of where the Mogami had gone. The Rough Eagle Bomber was lurching through the sky using the power of its single remaining engine. If the storm continued to worsen like this, it was unclear whether they could make it back to Pearl Harbor Naval Base or not. The speed was barely reaching two hundred kilometers.

Dr. Fuller sat silently, deep in thought. Ah, what could the doctor be thinking? Could it be another terrifying plan of revenge?

○

At last, the Rough Eagle Bomber lowered its rudder into the storm, flying east and ever eastward, skimming wave crests as it descended lower and lower.

The Pacific was now a stage for the tempest.

As night approached, the Rough Eagle Bomber had weakened considerably. The engine sounded off somehow. “Major Smith, what time is it now?” “It is 4:38 PM.”

“So three more hours to Pearl Harbor Naval Base, right?”

When Dr. Fuller leaned his head out the window to peer at the sea below—ah! Look! Three whale-like large submarines were racing eastward through the raging waters in a single-file column.

Rough Eagle Bomber's Final Attack

Dr. Fuller shuddered as he saw three submarines racing through the raging waters.

When peered at through the twilight, they were unmistakably Japanese submarine cruisers. "It's over." Dr. Fuller turned pale and exchanged a look with Major Smith. The staggering Rough Eagle Bomber, which had its second engine burned by the Mogami’s ray and its wings damaged—how could it possibly fight against a fresh submarine guerrilla unit? "There's no helping it. It’s my fate to die in my first battle." Dr. Fuller made his final resolution within his heart. “Major Smith—the bomb was still there, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, one five-hundred-kilogram bomb remains.” “Good—we’ll make this our final stand.” “Sinking even one of Dr. Takeda’s submarines would let me die fulfilled.”

Dr. Fuller grinned unnervingly. Now was the time to retaliate for earlier. The Rough Eagle Bomber vanished into black-black rainclouds, its remaining first engine roaring. Concealed within the clouds, they crept closer to mount their ambush.

Major Smith stared fixedly at the clock’s second hand. One second, two seconds, three seconds, five seconds—twenty seconds. “Captain, we must be right above the enemy now.” “Yes—the bombing commences now.” At Major Smith’s command, the Rough Eagle Bomber sharply lowered its nose and executed a steep dive from the clouds toward the waves. It was a desperate attack. Ah—would Yashima, Akitsushima, Chiyoda—which of the Submarine Guerrilla Unit’s ships might fall victim to this five-hundred-kilogram bomb? Or would the Rough Eagle Bomber be irradiated by the “Thirteenth Ray” once more and meet a pitiful end?

The Rough Eagle Bomber's crew members all glared down at the sea with bloodshot eyes. But how utterly bizarre! The submarines that had been floating just twenty seconds earlier were nowhere to be seen. The dark sea raged with waves, the wind howling furiously, but there was no trace of their targeted Japanese submarines. “Did we miss them?” Dr. Fuller gnashed his teeth in frustration. "But to submerge in just twenty seconds—admirable foes indeed, even as enemies." Dr. Fuller inwardly marveled at the Japanese submarines' swift maneuver.

“Doctor, the enemy doesn’t realize we’re weakened here.”

Commander Smith’s blue eyes glistened.

“Yeah, that might be the case. Even if they’re submerged, let’s drop the bomb on them.”

Dr. Fuller pressed the button forcefully with his fingertip. A large bomb fell like a black monster toward the bottom of the sea. “Hahaha… You there, bomb! Chase down those enemy ships fleeing to the depths of the sea—one after another!” Dr. Fuller waved from the aircraft and bid farewell to his final bomb. “I don’t know where you are, Dr. Takeda, but consider today’s battle a draw!” “Captain, there’s a drifter.” Having completed its bombing run, the Rough Eagle Bomber flew low—so low it nearly skimmed the waves—circling the area.

They were keeping watch for oil rising to the surface. If cracks had formed in the submarine from the force of the earlier bomb's explosion and it had been destroyed, oil would surely have risen to the surface. If oil surfaced, it was proof the submarine had been destroyed.

“Well? Still no sign of oil?” “No, it’s not visible.”

They searched for about ten minutes, but ultimately, the oil never surfaced. Dr. Fuller looked disappointed.

I wanted to declare right there and then.

“Our Showa Guerrilla Submarine Unit, led by the brave Colonel Aoki, won’t so easily become your prey.”

“Major Smith, the attack has failed. “It can’t be helped. Let’s head back.” “What a damnable enemy.” Major Smith adjusted the helm with a disappointed look.

That was the moment. A sailor let out a shout. "Captain! There's a drifter below the port side."

“What? A drifter?” The captain immediately moved the helm and reduced speed. Peering down, he could see a small human figure being tossed by the waves. A pale face was turned upward. Dr. Fuller peered intently through the telescopic sight, “Looks like an enemy sailor.” “Why, it’s a boy!” “Let’s take him prisoner.” “We might extract some Japanese Navy secrets!” “Major Smith—isn’t there any way to capture him?”

“It’s no good. The waves are too rough; we can’t get close.”

“What a pity.” “He’s a petty officer with such a sweet face.” “Even if he’s the enemy, I can’t help feeling sorry about letting such a boy die.” “Poor fellow.” “He’ll soon be attacked by sharks and devoured.”

Major Smith also peered down with a grim expression.

“When the enemy ship submerged earlier, he was left alone on the deck. At least tie some food supplies to a flotation device and throw it to him.” Tears welled up in the doctor’s eyes as he pulled away from the telescope. “You know, Major Smith, that young petty officer is about the same age as my eldest son, Arthur. He’s swimming bravely while being tossed by those rough waves! Because he’s being so gallant, it’s making me feel strangely sad.”

Soon, a flotation bag was thrown down alongside the doctor’s tears. “O boy of the enemy nation! Stay brave to the very end!”

The crew of the Rough Eagle Bomber saluted the young petty officer being tossed by the waves in farewell.

The rain suddenly began to pour down heavily. The Pacific’s twilight was being enveloped in grieving darkness.

Oh, where am I being swept away to?

Gentlemen. You have likely already realized that the young petty officer drifting among the waves was our Kiyoshi. Earlier, when the Guerrilla Submarine Squadron spotted the Rough Eagle Bomber flying low overhead, they had submerged with lightning speed under Colonel Aoki's command. Even Colonel Aoki had never imagined that the Rough Eagle Bomber might have been damaged. When it came to diving speed, Japanese submarines were number one in the world. In particular, because the Yashima and Chiyoda had special designs, their command towers would submerge in under thirty seconds.

At that moment, Kiyoshi stood in the shadow of the 20cm gun turret on the deck. While gazing at the exhilarating rough waves of the Pacific, he became completely distracted by the sound of the waves and failed to hear the dive alarm. And no one noticed that Kiyoshi had remained behind. As the advancing *Chiyoda* began to submerge, by the time he thought "Oh!", the *Yashima*’s deck was already sinking into the waves. Terrifying waves attacked like wild beasts. The ship was sinking rapidly before his eyes.

The moment Kiyoshi thought the Chiyoda's command tower had disappeared, a wave swept his feet out from under him. Knocked sideways, he was dragged right off the Yashima's deck. "Damn it!"

He shouted, but it was already too late. He was dragged straight down to the depths, then naturally floated back up again. The seawater stung his eyes, the throbbing pain sharp. His chest tightened.

He was lifted up with a roar by mountainous raging waves, only to be immediately plunged back down into troughs like valley depths. No matter how much he cried or shouted, the Yashima had already plunged deep beneath the waves. He alone had been left behind—utterly alone—in these terrifying, raging waves. In the dark, gloomy sky, the Rough Eagle Bomber flew, roaring. "Ah, is this my end?" Kiyoshi clenched his teeth and desperately pushed through the water with hands growing increasingly numb.

The face of his elderly mother back in Tokyo appeared dimly within the clouds. "Mother... goodbye."

Kiyoshi firmly covered his eyes and steeled his resolve.

○ It was at this moment that Dr. Fuller threw a life buoy. Kiyoshi moved his exhausted body and finally clung to the life buoy. A small box was tied to it. It was a box of rock sugar.

Soaked through by water, it was hard to make out, but there was pen writing scrawled on the surface.

“O valiant sailor of Japan… To my regret… I cannot save…” “Stay brave… to the very end…” “…Rough Eagle Bomber No. 1”

Ah, the enemy's gift. Did even they have their own Bushido? Kiyoshi felt his eyelids growing hot.

When he raised his eyes, the Rough Eagle Bomber was already flying away beyond the black clouds. The sound of the propeller gradually grew fainter in the distance. “Dr. Fuller. As my brother’s enemy, you are by no means someone to be ashamed of.” Kiyoshi shouted, his cheeks drenched in rain and tears.

Before long—the sun completely set.

The rain began to fall increasingly heavily.

In the terrifying, lonely darkness, Kiyoshi clung to the life buoy and was swept away to nowhere. The terrifying sea where sharks dwell. Even near the South Seas, the night waves were cold. Could it be that the dreadful hand of death was about to seize our Kiyoshi?

Gallant Youth of the South Seas

Kiyoshi vanished into the night sea somewhere.

There, I had to temporarily cease searching for the boy’s whereabouts and speak of Natsuna Island, located at the northern tip of the Borneo Archipelago far to the south.

Natsuna Island. This island was a green volcanic island washed by the Kuroshio Current. Large coconut trees grew densely across the entire island, and cold, clear water gushed forth from the valleys.

The people living here were a brave clan called the Ranon. They had reddish-black skin, sturdy frames, and piercing gazes. They lived in small, shabby huts with roofs thatched with coconut leaves, but their spears, swords, bows, and guns were splendid ones. They were all robust—when they climbed mountains, they ran faster than deer, and when they dove into the sea, they submerged more skillfully than sea turtles. It was their wish that after death, they would be enshrined as Panlima, the God of Brave Warriors, in the volcanic mountain behind them. Therefore, they despised cowardly acts above all else.

They were the Spartans among the South Seas people. They were Japanese. No—they genuinely believed that "the Japanese are descendants of our Ranon people," and took great pride in this conviction.

That may have been a misunderstanding by the indigenous people. However, it was true that their ancestors had valiantly fought against British and Dutch pirates and warships. In days of old, Western sailors would tremble violently upon hearing the name 'Ranon Pirates.' Among these brave indigenous people stood one Japanese man revered as a living Panlima—Brave Warrior. He was a young man with a face full of stubble. His name was Sekiya Ichirō. He served as supervisor of Natsuna Island's coconut grove for Nanyo Industries Company.

He came to this island at eighteen years old, and over the past ten years, through his righteous, compassionate, and valiant disposition that willingly confronted hardships, he became thoroughly revered by the indigenous people, ultimately becoming their leader. When it came to "Mr. Sekiya of Natsuna Island," among the indigenous people, he was more esteemed than even His Excellency the Governor-General of Borneo. Now, in this time of Japan’s bitter struggle, would this patriotic gallant man Sekiya Ichirō remain silent forever?

No, no—when the telegram stating "Kimura Third Fleet engages in battle at Yangtze River" arrived, he immediately summoned the indigenous people to the house on the coast.

He would throw away his life without even hearing the reason.

The coast of Natsuna Island, a white cottage built on the rocks of the cape. Around it, five or six large coconut trees towered.

Tonight, the moon was bright. The indigenous people who had gathered in the square before the house numbered two hundred. The sea was calm, and a cool breeze blew gently.

“Have you all gathered?”

Mr. Sekiya, dressed in a white shirt, appeared on the veranda. The indigenous people maintained a solemn posture. “The reason I gathered you here today is none other than this: I want to know whether you truly possess courage or whether you truly have a chivalrous spirit.” Mr. Sekiya glared sharply and looked around at them all. “Commander! You mustn’t doubt us Ranon tribesmen!” “I am no coward!” The tribesmen all began clamoring at once. Sekiya waved his hand,

“Alright, I understand.” “The Ranon people certainly have courage.” “There’s one more thing I want to ask.” “Do you all care for me?” “We do!” “Then I love you.” Again they erupted in clamor. “Very well—if you truly value me, give me every one of your lives.”

Mr. Sekiya stared intently at the crowd of Ranon tribesmen with a grave expression. At his unexpected words, the tribesmen—perhaps momentarily startled—fell utterly silent for a time, but true to their honor-bound nature as Ranon people... Soon, one leading figure rose to his feet and shouted.

“Hey, listen up, everyone. “The living Panlima (Brave Warrior) is asking for our lives.” “If any of you say no, you’ll bring shame upon the name of the Ranon Pirates!” “I’ll be the first to die and be enshrined as a god in that fiery mountain!”

“That’s right!” “I’ll take the second strike!” “My life belongs to Mr. Sekiya, I tell you!” Shouting “Me too! Me too!,” fifty or sixty warriors instantly rose to their feet. Among them were the overeager ones, “Commander of Japan! “Go ahead and kill me!” he came rushing out.

“O brave warriors,” Sekiya Ichirō declared, his voice carrying across the moonlit square. “You would cast away your lives for loved ones without question… Yours are hearts that mirror the divine.” He pressed his palms together in silent reverence, bowing deeply to the tribesmen. Yet knowing these warriors despised sentimental displays, he swiftly masked his tears and barked commands with renewed authority. “True heirs of the Ranon Pirates you are! Since you’ve entrusted me with your lives, I’ll see our ancestors’ honor upheld. Mark this—all resolved men shall gather at the cape tomorrow night! Load your vessels with a month’s provisions. Bring poison arrows and firearms. We sail to strike my enemies.”

Night Sortie

The following night.

Five sailing ships gathered at the cape. The reckless tribesmen who had boarded numbered sixty. They were sixty chosen from among the bravest of the brave, having refused the pleas of all two hundred who begged, "Take us with you."

Where they were headed to attack, no one knew. Even so, they were brimming with courage, just like the military sorties of old.

The group who remained on the island were burning a bonfire on the sandy beach. The sound of farewell drums, Boom-boom-boom, boom-boom-boom. resounded through the coconut grove.

At the bow of the lead ship stood Sekiya Ichirō, the renowned sword Seki no Magoroku thrust at his waist, a horn in hand, like a Nio guardian deity.

The time finally came for our sortie.

At the signal of the horn, the five sailing ships slid out smoothly across the moonlit sea. “O dear Natsuna Island. “O coconut grove!” “Farewell to you forever.” “Goodbye.” Mr. Sekiya bid farewell to the fading silhouette of the island. Even the tribesmen all wore reluctant expressions.

“Hey! The road ahead’s long,” “Give us a show of Ranon Pirate skill!”

He tapped Chief Soro on the shoulder and pointed toward the vast expanse of the night ocean stretching into the distance. “Ah, let the storm come! Let the winds blow! The spirits of our ancestors possess this arm, I tell you!” Chief Soro slapped his iron-like arm with a sharp smack. He was a reliable man.

"We are Japan's allied forces." For over ten days thereafter, overcoming wave after wave and island-hopping across the sea, the five-ship fleet sailed eastward and ever eastward.

The skills of the Ranon tribesmen were truly remarkable. In their leaf-like sailing ships, they navigated through the very heart of great storms. They battled against swarms of sharks. They crossed fierce ocean currents. And finally, riding the Kuroshio Current and being blown by the trade winds, they reached a small uninhabited island on the edge of the Marshall Islands. Mr. Sekiya landed on the island, gathered the tribal chiefs, and there, for the first time, revealed the operation to attack Kōgyoku Island—the base of the A-country fleet.

“Now Japan is being attacked by A-country. “Our navy is strong. “But the enemy has a massive army. “The battle has become desperate. “That’s why we’ll form Japan’s special detachment and storm their main base. “Kōgyoku Island holds a great fortress. “And there lies their grand fleet. “Our detachment will melt into the darkness and strike there. “Understood?”

Mr. Sekiya used Seki no Magoroku as a staff and glared intently toward Kōgyoku Island.

“Commander, then does that mean we’re part of the Japanese military?”

Chief Soro asked with gleaming eyes. "That's right. "You are the Japanese military. "You are Japan's allied forces!" "Whoa—long live Japan!" The tribesmen leaped up. Thudding—the drums began to beat. Instantly, it became a gallant departure dance. "Japan is Asia's supreme commander." "The Ranon are Japan's honored ancestors." Chief Soro began singing an odd song; among them, some fired blank shots with loud bangs to boost morale.

Watching the scene intently, Mr. Sekiya felt his chest tighten with emotion. “Hey, you all—is joining the Japanese military truly such a joyous thing for you?” ……He involuntarily turned northward, gazing up at the sky where His Majesty the Emperor dwelled as hot tears streamed down his face.

People came flowing in.

That night, Mr. Sekiya imparted detailed tactics to the tribesmen. However, I think I’ll keep what that tactic was a secret for a while.

It was finally the final course.

Mr. Sekiya named this five-ship fleet the "Ranon Suicide Squadron." At the tribesmen's request, they hoisted atop the mast a banner resembling our naval ensign - a flag the tribesmen had drawn with blood from their cut fingers.

Go, go, Kōgyoku Military Port is near! Hoisting sails as white and beautiful as swan feathers, waving blood-stained flags, the sixty-member suicide squadron charged forth with ever-growing valor.

There were guns. There were poison arrows. There were swords. There was terrifying dynamite. ……There was no shortage of weapons. All that remained now was a desperate charge. ——On the second night after leaving the uninhabited island, having come slightly north, it had grown cold. Moreover, there was a tremendous storm.

The wind roared. The sea raged. In the sky, not a single star was visible—an eerie night.

“The seas’ll rage tonight.” “Not a wink of sleep in this!”

When Mr. Sekiya and Chief Soro exchanged looks in the blue lantern light, the lookout tribesman shouted. “Commander! Someone’s drifting in!” “A cute kid!” “A child soldier!”

"Chiyoda's Encrypted Telegram"

What became of Kiyoshi drifting on the night sea and the Ranon pirates afterward?

The guerrilla submarine unit that had hidden on the seafloor surfaced after the Rough Eagle Bomber departed. Then, Commander Aoki ordered the second ship, Chiyoda, to search for Kiyoshi's whereabouts, while he himself hurried toward the attack on Kōgyoku Island with Yashima and Akitsushima in tow. The waves grew ever rougher, the wind increasingly fierce.

“It’s tragic, but in these waves, Kiyoshi can’t be saved.” “By now, he must have become flotsam in the Pacific.” The Commander stared at the dark sea and muttered sorrowfully.

However, late that night around two o'clock in the morning, an unexpected encrypted telegram arrived from the Chiyoda that had been left behind. Breaking down that code and translating it: "We have discovered the boy Kiyoshi. Just as we were grieving with all hope lost, we spotted four or five sailboats appearing and disappearing among the waves. Hastily intercepting them, to our surprise, it turned out to be a group of Ranon tribesmen led by the Japanese Sekiya Ichirō, on their daring mission to attack Kōgyoku Island. The boy Kiyoshi had been rescued by them while drifting. This vessel promptly received the boy and is currently chasing after the main fleet. The Ranon sail fleet bravely plowed through the raging waves toward Kōgyoku Island. This vessel saluted their military fortune.—Major Kitaura, Captain of the Chiyoda"

Ah, Kiyoshi-kun was saved! Commander Aoki patted his chest in relief and immediately sent a reply to the Chiyoda. The telegram read:

"Thank you. I entrust you with Kiyoshi-kun's care. Tomorrow night, the main fleet should arrive off Kongōdai Battery at Kōgyoku Military Port. I'll show them a proper bombardment! You (Chiyoda), come quick!" In the pitch-black sky, blue wireless telegraph sparks crackled and scattered.

Ah, the great waves raged, churning up foam. The wind howled. A storm at the cape. Yashima and Akitsushima charged toward the enemy base like wild horses. Fast, fast! A speed of twenty-three knots! Among the world’s submarines, this was the fastest speed on record. Moreover, riding the ocean current, they shot forward like arrows. Our two submarine cruisers swiftly vanished into the darkness beyond.—Gentlemen. Doesn’t tomorrow’s splendid battle feel too long in coming?

The Great Fortress of Kōgyoku Island

Now there were many concerns—Kiyoshi’s condition, what became of the cruiser Mogami afterward, and Miss Teruyo—but before all that, let us investigate the enemy’s situation (their current state).

The Kōgyoku Island targeted by *Yashima* and *Akitsushima* was the base of the A-country Pacific Fleet. The island was about the size of our Shikoku, and as it lay near tropical seas, royal palm trees spread their green leaves across its sandy beaches. The mountains were rocky and towering, and from the volcano behind the military port, thick smoke billowed upward. This smoke is the smoke of sorrow. Until thirty-five years ago, these Kōgyoku Islands, though small, were an independent nation. The islands were deceived and taken by A-country, and the pitiful Queen of Kōgyoku Country passed away while lamenting, "How infuriating! How infuriating!"

Could it not be that her grudge remains unextinguished, still rising as volcanic smoke even now? However, since A-country intended to use this island as a base to dominate the Pacific, they spent hundreds of millions of yen to construct the world’s largest naval port. At the renowned Kongōdai Battery, three 40 cm cannons were set up in the shadow of the forest, while in the depths of Kōgyoku Bay floated a 50,000-ton dry dock. The island’s garrison army numbered twenty thousand troops, with two hundred fifty aircraft and fifty tanks. Offshore, over thirty thousand naval mines were laid.

Lieutenant General Lloyd, the garrison commander, struck his chest, “Even if a hundred thousand Japanese troops attack, we won’t budge an inch!” he boasted. That was no empty boast. All strategists around the world—those who devise war strategies— “Kōgyoku Island is impregnable. It would be difficult for human forces to capture it by assault.” they are indeed afraid. Ah, what scheme will our Showa Guerrilla Submarine Unit employ to attack this formidable fortress? Moreover, what will become of the Ranon Pirates, who possess no proper weapons to speak of?

When one thought about it, it was disheartening.

The enemy fleet sortied. No—attacking and capturing it from our side was not merely difficult. "Gentlemen, look out over the open sea from atop the Kongōdai Battery."

The night storm had vanished somewhere, and the waves of the Pacific undulated low and gently as far as the eye could see. Three hundred naval ensigns fluttered across that navy-blue sea! Ah, from the tip of the opposite cape all the way to the distant, invisible open sea, the A-country Pacific Fleet was arrayed in formation. Now, Admiral Yanell, Commander-in-Chief, had hoisted his admiral’s flag high on the mast of his flagship Kentucky and was about to embark on the great expedition to Japan. The fleet he commanded consisted of:

15 battleships 7 aircraft carriers 15 large cruisers 15 light cruisers 3 aviation cruisers 164 destroyers 57 submarines 48 special service ships Ah, this fearsome great fleet of 324 ships—this was indeed the Pacific’s "Invincible Armada." In the command tower of the flagship Kentucky, Admiral Yanell gleamed his large, eagle-like blue eyes, while the gaunt Chief of Staff Mahan gazed wistfully at the coastal palm groves.

The moment came at last.

From beyond the Kongōdai Battery, army aircraft appeared in a ladder formation. It was a farewell flight. Boom-boom-boom—boom!

The battery fired a salute. From the flagship's rear deck came the sound of "The Farewell Song," its valiant yet sorrowful tones resonating through the air. The lead torpedo squadron began moving first, followed by the submarine squadron plowing through the waves. "Dolphin," "Whale," "Tornado," "Kuroshio," "Pirate," and "Columbus"—these six vessels were the A-country Navy's prized large submarines, every bit as formidable as Japan's Yashima and Chiyoda. On the strangely shaped bow was carved a statue of the 'Sea Deity' holding a spear. Upon the mast, the star-studded naval ensign fluttered blue and beautiful—a gallant sight of departure, even for an enemy.

“Ah, Your Excellency, the submarine squadron is departing.” “Yeah, they’ll definitely sink the Mutsu and Nagato!” Admiral Yanell waved his hand high, “Long live the Pacific Fleet!” he shouted. “Whoa―! Long live―! Whoa―!” A thunderous war cry erupted from the submarines.

The third was the aviation squadron.

"Amazon," "Orion," and "Saratoga"—mountain-like, enormous aircraft carriers—emerged from behind the cape.

On the mast of the flagship Amazon, signal flags were hoisted. That was a formidable signal. “Rough Eagle Bomber No. 5 swears to annihilate all Japanese battleships. —Dr. Fuller” Ah! Dr. Fuller had already brought his new Rough Eagle Bomber and was aboard the flagship Amazon. Having seen Dr. Fuller’s signal, Admiral Yanell tapped his Chief of Staff on the shoulder, “Chief of Staff, this time it’s Dr. Fuller’s revenge—he’s going to raise hell.” “Yes. The enemy Sueyama Fleet will be bombed to the last ship.”

○

Gentlemen, having thus left the shadow of Kōgyoku Island behind them, the A-country Pacific Fleet advanced majestically in a ring formation, brandishing thousands of cannons as they pressed westward and ever westward.

This was none other than the second Mongol invasion for our motherland Japan. Where on earth could the Sueyama Combined Fleet, which had to confront this formidable enemy, be located?

Ogasawara Islands? The South Seas Islands? That was a military secret, remaining unknown for now. However, our Yashima and Akitsushima were already closing in on the Kōgyoku Archipelago!

Thrilling Night Attack

It was on the evening of the Pacific Fleet’s sortie that Yashima and Akitsushima arrived off the coast of Kōgyoku Island. The sky held no moon, but stars twinkled, and the cape of the Kongōdai Battery floated its jet-black form upon the water. The pale searchlight beams streamed across the sea——our submarine, with only its periscope above water, crept closer in secret. The patrol destroyers were prowling about, but they didn’t seem to have noticed yet.

Ah，the time for our thrilling night attack had come． Major Aoki was planning to fire 20-centimeter shells over Kongōdai Cape into Kōgyoku Bay Naval Port beyond themountains．

“All right. Surface!”

When the order was given, our sea monster churned through the waves with a splashing roar as it surfaced its head. The 20-centimeter guns opened their muzzles and, as if shaking off spray, forcefully raised their cobra-like heads and glared at Kongōdai Cape. At last, the Japanese Navy's first bombardment of Kōgyoku Island had begun. When the gunnery officer pressed the button, a thunderous boom reverberated with deep resonance as red flames burst forth in rapid flashes. The guns, like enraged serpents, extended and retracted their cobra-like heads while firing the second and third shells without pause. A thunderous roar erupted from beyond the mountains. The shells must have struck an ammunition depot or fuel oil tank. The enemy batteries, caught off guard by the surprise attack, hurriedly opened fire with their fortress guns. Fifteen or sixteen cannons roared out in unison—it was chaos.

In the sky, illumination rounds trailed streaks of light like meteors, while on the sea, water columns erupted more violently than tornadoes. "No matter how formidable Yashima and Akitsushima might be, they couldn’t withstand being bombarded like this." Our Major Aoki hurriedly fired off four or five shots, then bellowed "Dive!" in a loud voice and swiftly submerged deep into the sea with movements too swift for the eye to follow. When the enemy batteries were firing fiercely, our two submarines, startling a large group of sharks in the process, clung tightly to the seafloor, stopped their engines, and concealed all sound and presence.

“Navigation Officer, our submerging techniques surpass even those of Sasuke Sarutobi and Saizō Kirigakure. However, we were nearly finished off there.” Major Aoki boasted while wiping away cold sweat. “The enemy is firing with ferocious intensity. The depth charge sounds are resonating much more powerfully now.”

Navigation Officer Major Shibata looked worried. A droning... then a deep roar—an ominous sound echoed incessantly. Destroyers, as many as four or five squadrons, sortied and were apparently dropping depth charges from their launchers.

The Demise of Yashima

Depth charges were weapons devised by Admiral Jellicoe, commander-in-chief of the British Grand Fleet that had been tormented by German submarines during the World War, to destroy those detested undersea vessels. They fall to a depth of about sixty meters before exploding. It is through their explosive force that submarines are destroyed. The Yashima had submerged to a depth greater than one hundred meters. Therefore, even if a depth charge exploded directly overhead, being forty meters away meant the shock wouldn’t reverberate strongly enough to crack the hull.

However, the Yashima was not a ship constructed with Honda Steel. That steel was weaker than that of the Mogami. In the deep, deep sea depths, compressed by the water’s weight, the hull (the submarine’s body) creaked and groaned with strange noises.

And then, from somewhere, water began dripping in. The muggy, murky air made breathing difficult. Gradually, the reverberations of the depth charges grew stronger until BOOM... BOOM... they began resounding right beside their ears. Each time, the Yashima shook violently. "Commander, the enemy's depth charges are detonating at nearly eighty meters." Major Shibata furrowed his eyebrows.

The enemy destroyers seemed to have brought out formidable depth charges. Moving was dangerous because any sound would be detected, yet remaining still in hiding was equally perilous. “Damn it all!” When Major Aoki glared upward with bulging eyes, a thunderous rumbling shook the earth, and the Yashima listed violently. A depth charge had detonated right nearby. Kreeeak... The steel screamed as the rivets loosened. “Ah—Captain! We’re taking on water!”

A shrill cry rang out as seawater gushed through cracked seams in a torrent. "Damn it!" Commander Aoki's face paled instantly, but it was too late. The water cascaded in like a waterfall, flooding Yashima's interior completely within moments. "What a pity." "I wanted to wreak more havoc..." As the sailors' frustrated voices echoed around him, Major Aoki moved his paintbrush across the bulkhead. He began inscribing his final lament.

"I have no excuse for losing His Majesty’s ship. That we attacked Kōgyoku Island remains my deepest regret, yet it was our truest purpose. Not a single subordinate feared death; military discipline was strictly maintained. I, your subject Major Aoki, shall become a guardian demon of the nation even in death."

On the white-painted wall, the color of the black paint stood out vividly.

The water had already reached chest level.

“Commander, please let me write something too.” Major Shibata, swimming through the rising water, swept his brush in bold black strokes across the ceiling.

"Grand Marshal His Majesty Banzai! Long live the Imperial Navy! First Spear at Kōgyoku Island Submarine Yashima Banzai!" Ah, this was the end. The Major's black head vanished into the swirling water.

The fire went out, and the surroundings plunged into pitch darkness.

From where they had caught the scent, ten—fifteen sharks of the "Sea Murderers" bared glinting fangs as they crept closer. "If one goes to sea, one becomes a waterlogged corpse"—and thus did the seventy brave warriors of the Yashima come to rest eternally in the Pacific's depths.

Above the graveyard of brave warriors, eighteen A-country destroyers scrambled chaotically like hunting dogs, running about in disarray.

Over Kongōseki Cape, a crescent moon rose hazily.

The Great Fire of Kōgyoku Fortress

Sad, sad was the end of the Yashima. Though they had been first to charge into enemy territory, all their valor came to bitter naught when they became prey for man-eating sharks.

However, Major Aoki and your seventy brave warriors—your vengeance has been admirably fulfilled by Sekiya Ichirō's Ranon pirates. Ah, had Major Aoki's spirit seen Lieutenant General Harigan's suicide note, he would surely have smiled contentedly and rested peacefully in his grave. Lieutenant General Harigan's suicide note lies stored deep within the vault of the A-country Army Ministry, bearing these inscribed words:

"Tonight, our Kōgyoku Island Fortress was attacked by Japanese submarines. A 20-centimeter shell struck the ammunition depot, causing a fire to break out.

However, our destroyers fought valiantly, conducted a full-scale depth charge attack, and drove away the enemy. Because the enemy had fled, we let our guard down. The officers danced at the club, unaware of how late the night had grown, and the soldiers, exhausted, fell fast asleep. At that moment, a group of natives sneaked in like demons. They beached their sailing ships near Kongōseki Cape. Because their ships’ hulls were shallow, they didn’t trigger any mines.

A Japanese man wielding a large sword shouted orders, and the natives, screaming wildly, attacked the fuel oil tanks. Dynamite was thrown. The tanks caught fire. Ah, thus began the terrifying great fire. The fire burns and burns.

It was a fire more terrifying than an eruption of Kōgyoku Volcano. Now, the area near our fortress has become a sea of fire. There came a sorrowful report that the Kongōseki Battery had caught fire. The Army barracks are also burning.

Now, at 3:30 a.m., when viewed from this fortress command office's window, the fire's reflection turned the seawater crimson. The sky too glowed scarlet like a sunset. Ah, the world's greatest Kōgyoku Fortress was now being burned by weaponless natives. Has there ever been such a regrettable event? My chest swelled with bitter frustration. Of course, our brave garrison did not stand idle. We fought the natives and slaughtered them all. As for the Japanese who appeared to be their leader, we captured him where he lay wounded and executed him by firing squad. He was a bold man - even standing before the rifles, his expression never changed until the very end.

Thus, we killed the enemy, but the burned Kōgyoku Island will never return to its former state. Our A-country Navy has had its key stronghold destroyed. The guilt for this lies in my own negligence. As Fortress Commander, I am so ashamed I want to crawl into a hole. I shall die and atone for this sin.

“Ah, God. Protect A-country. Protect my friend Admiral Yanell’s Pacific Fleet.” After leaving this suicide note, Lieutenant General Harigan took his own life. Was he not a pitiable general, even as an enemy—like Admiral Ding Ruchang of Shina, who had long ago been defeated by our navy and drank poison to end his life?

But even so, the Ranon pirates fought splendidly. The detonation of the fuel oil tanks was truly an excellent strategy.

Sekiya Ichirō was executed by firing squad, but his name will long remain in the annals of battle history.

○

“Gentlemen, Kōgyoku Island has become largely ineffective as a naval base.” A-country’s garrison gazed at the charred black wasteland and appeared dazed and drained of spirit. However, applause was still forbidden.

Admiral Yanell’s grand fleet, without a single ship damaged, was now surging toward Tokyo.

The Kuroshio Current was raging.

The whale cried sorrowfully. The war clouds over the Pacific grew ever darker indeed.

Kiyoshi's Heroic Deed

The whereabouts of the consort ship *Akitsushima* (literally "friend ship"), which had bombarded Kōgyoku Island together with *Yashima*, remained unknown—whether it had been destroyed by depth charges or managed to slip away safely under cover of darkness.

Meanwhile, the *Chiyoda*, aboard which Kiyoshi was riding, had been chasing after the main force toward Kōgyoku Island when it unexpectedly encountered Admiral Yanell’s grand fleet.

It was evening. Since three o'clock had already sounded, it was past 5:30 and nearing six.

Under the crimson-burning sunset sky, the distinct silhouette of a grand fleet emerged clearly!

Major Kitaura, captain of the *Chiyoda*, called Kiyoshi to the periscope. “You, take a look through here.” Kiyoshi had slept soundly through the night, and now his fatigue had completely vanished. However, with no clothes of his own, the sight of him wearing the captain’s oversized uniform was comical. “Thank you, Captain,” he said brightly. When he pressed his eye to the periscope—Ah! He could see them! He could see them! What a formidable fleet. Closest by, a squadron of destroyers ran in a line, kicking up white waves. What appeared to be three large whales lined up in the distance was undoubtedly the air squadron.

“I wonder if that lead one’s *Amazon*.” “Or maybe it’s *Saratoga*.” Kiyoshi gazed fixedly at the enemy fleet, heart quivering with excitement.

The battleships were hazy on the far horizon and could not be seen clearly. In this area, where a current branching from the Kuroshio flowed violently, the sea was black as ink.

The *Chiyoda* was within this current. In the sky, three or four enemy reconnaissance planes were flying on alert, but due to the dark waves' hue, they couldn't spot the *Chiyoda*'s shadow.

“Now’s our chance for a surprise attack!” Major Kitaura, captain of the *Chiyoda*, had been an adventure-loving reckless daredevil ever since his days at the Etajima Naval Academy.

He had been itching to move ever since catching sight of their massive prey—the enemy fleet. “It’s about time we sent a single big torpedo their way.” The Major shuddered violently with a warrior’s tremble, “Hey, Takeda-kun. “We’re going to take down the Amazon. “Want me to let you fire it?” “Ah, please, let me do it!” Kiyoshi, filled with courage, struck his chest.

“Gentlemen, behold! The valiant, death-defying tactics of the Japanese Navy have finally commenced!” Our *Chiyoda* deeply concealed itself beneath the water and, at an underwater speed of twelve knots, plunged headlong into the very midst of the three-hundred-ship enemy fleet. Ah! It passed under the destroyer’s hull. The daring Major Kitaura seemed determined to close in on the enemy’s main force. One cannot obtain the tiger’s cub without entering the tiger’s den. How could one expect to win a battle while clinging to life? How could one expect to sink a large enemy ship?

The *Chiyoda* plunged ahead with unstoppable force. Alright, surface!

Suddenly thrusting up the periscope’s head, they found the massive form of the *Amazon* looming into view right before their eyes. “Fire!” The Major’s command resounded like a tolling bell. Kiyoshi pressed the launch button in a frenzied daze. The silver 52-cm Kure-style electric torpedo buzzed violently as it shot out. Immediately after came another one. “Fire!” It was an attack like a whirlwind. Just as a shark or orca might cleave through the waves in a sudden leap only to vanish into the depths in an instant, our *Chiyoda* too—having finished launching its torpedoes—plunged downward at blinding speed, deeper and deeper into the abyss. This was Major Kitaura’s way of fighting.

From above came a faint boom—the sound of an explosion.

“Heh… Got ’em, got ’em.” “That was a solid hit!” The Major looked pleased—this being his first battle’s achievement. Kiyoshi too, having accomplished a major mission, felt the blood in his heart pound and race.

Kuroshio's Three Fortresses

While the Showa Guerrilla Unit was attacking Kōgyoku Island and raiding the A-country fleet, our Combined Fleet, led by Admiral Sueyama, lay secretly and stealthily hidden in the shadow of the Ogasawara Islands.

This island was one of Japan’s three Pacific fortresses. Heikai Island, Tori-shima to the south, and the Ogasawara Islands in the center—these three were our three Pacific fortresses.

Kiyoshi and Teruyo called these the “Kuroshio Three Fortresses.”

Of the three fortresses, Heikai Island now had only its garrison remaining, as the Showa Guerrilla Unit had all departed.

At Tori-shima, the large air force under Lieutenant General Katō, three hundred aircraft strong, was eagerly awaiting the moment for aerial combat. At the Ogasawara Islands, two hundred vessels of our Combined Fleet—warships, destroyers, submarines, and special service vessels—lay hidden among the rocky shadows of Chichijima, Hahajima, Anijima, Aogashima, and the other islands.

The fortress of Chichijima was hidden by green foliage and could not be seen. However, beneath the banana trees and behind the black rocks, cannons gleamed with sharp eyes.

Climbing Asahi Mountain, the highest peak on the island, one could see six battleships in the inlet directly below. The First Squadron's *Nagato*, *Mutsu*, and *Yamashiro*; the Second Squadron's *Fusō*, *Hyūga*, and *Ise*. On the flagship *Nagato*'s masthead, the admiral's pennant fluttered briskly in the spring breeze. Beneath that banner stood our renowned Admiral Sueyama. "Major Kitaura is a reckless man."

Wireless telegrams had been pouring incessantly into the flagship *Nagato*. The scout ships deployed to the eastern offshore area were sending them.

The *Sendai*, *Naka*, and *Abukuma*—light cruisers of about 5,000 tons each—had taken up lookout roles and ventured near Kōgyoku Island. Also, Type 7 flying boats, formed into units of two or three at a time, were searching for traces of enemy ships. The flagship *Nagato* silently monitored the wireless messages from those scout units. They never issued any commands from their side. Because if they issued commands via wireless, the enemy would immediately discover their location.

Shortly after the guerrilla unit’s submarine *Chiyoda* informed them that “The A-country fleet is heading toward Tokyo Bay,” it signaled, “We have sunk the aircraft carrier *Amazon*.”

Then, all night long, the *Chiyoda* trailed the enemy fleet.

“The Guerrilla Unit performs admirably,” remarked Admiral Sueyama. “The *Chiyoda*’s captain was Major Kitaura?” Admiral Sueyama had been addressed by Chief of Staff Inoue. “He may be reckless,” replied Inoue, “but none in the Navy surpass his courage. Once he bites into an enemy, he won’t let go—not for broken fangs, not even death itself—like a bulldog.”

Chief of Staff Inoue was Major Kitaura’s uncle. “Hmm,” he remarked approvingly. “Sinking the Amazon was splendid work.” “The Golden Kite Medal, Fourth Class.” Admiral Sueyama added his praise. Yet he surely never imagined that young Kiyoshi had fired those torpedoes with his own small hands.

Our forces deployed!! At last, the enemy Yanell Fleet drew near. If we dawdled, they might enter Sagami Bay and attack the Miura Peninsula. If that happened, Yokosuka Naval Port would be in danger.

Admiral Sueyama, having listened to the wireless report from the *Chiyoda*, finally resolved to engage in the decisive battle.

All hands, move out! Move out! Signal flags snapped high on the flagship's mast. *Nagato* hoisted the "Follow me" signal flag and began to move. *Mutsu* followed. *Yamashiro* also raised anchor. The Warship March could be heard flowing forth.

In the forests of Asahi Mountain, the Army's heavy artillery unit displayed farewell signal flags. Eighteen Type 7 flying boats roared as they assumed the vanguard.

Behold. From beyond Asahi Mountain emerged the Second Fleet's Atago, Takao, Nachi, and Myōkō. Far in the distance advanced the torpedo squadron. Where had they been hiding? From the shadows of islands here and there, from beyond the rocks, squadrons emerged one after another. Approaching the cape of Ani Island was Vice Admiral Matsuyama's First Air Squadron. Akagi, Kaga, Ryūjō—an awe-inspiring assembly. They were like steel floating fortresses.

Admiral Sueyama climbed atop the Nagato's mast and surveyed the entire fleet's formation. Leaving the green island behind, two hundred ships advanced eastward and ever eastward. It was a truly gallant and beautiful formation.

The sturdy Seventh Squadron’s Haguro and Maya,

The nimble-looking Fubuki, Ikazuchi, and Inazuma The leopard-sharp Aoba and Kinugasa Ah, these were all the warriors of the sea protecting glorious homeland Japan. "If I go to sea, I shall return a corpse awash..." Two hundred ships charging into the jaws of death. Forty thousand men prepared to die. Ogasawara Islands! Goodbye.

The spring wind was warm, but the clouds flowing over Asahi Mountain were somehow black and unnervingly colored. The seagulls screeched hoarsely.

The enemy was a mighty foe. A contest of three hundred ships versus two hundred. Would the Sueyama Fleet truly crush the Yanell Fleet? The engagement with the enemy fleet would likely occur the next morning, while it was still dim.

The Pacific Invincible Fleet

This was the A-country Fleet.

It was a grand fleet of 322 ships. When they departed Kōgyoku Island, there had been 324 ships, but after last night’s sinking of the aircraft carrier Amazon and cruiser Yukon, their number had decreased by two.

However, as far as the eye could see—waves upon waves—the great expeditionary force stretched beyond the horizon. The world called this the *Pacific Invincible Fleet*.

Ah, the Invincible Fleet! That name was a name steeped in arrogance upon arrogance.

Over three hundred years ago, the Spanish Invincible Armada, which had arrogantly boasted, "We are the world's greatest navy!", was soundly defeated by a small British fleet. Wouldn't the Pacific Invincible Fleet also be defeated by Showa Japan's Nelson—the "Second Tōgō," Admiral Sueyama?

However, Admiral Yanell—

“I’ll smash that Sueyama Fleet to pieces with one mighty blow!” Admiral Yanell boasted.

“With twenty-four 40 cm guns and one hundred thirty-six 36 cm guns—if these 160 heavy cannons open fire, even the *Mutsu* and *Kongo* will be sent bubbling to the bottom in an instant.” Admiral Yanell stood atop the mast of his flagship *Kentucky*, gazing at the darkening sea as he resolutely shrugged his shoulders. The gold braid insignia on the military cap glowed yellow.

Chief of Staff Major General Mahan stared fixedly at the sea surface, seemingly devising some strategy. The admiral tapped his shoulder,

“Chief of Staff, last night didn’t go well.” “The enemy appears to have been submarines from the Showa Guerrilla Unit, but we ultimately failed to capture them. A regrettable outcome.” “It’s a shame we let our guard down and lost the *Amazon*.” “Well, however, our fleet still has five large ships: *Orion*, *Rocky*, *Saratoga*, *Arizona*, and *Mexico*. The enemy has four ships: *Akagi*, *Kaga*, *Ryūjō*, and *Hōshō*. Since two of them are smaller ones, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I see. And that’s because Dr. Fuller and the *Rough Eagle Bomber* were a great help. When the *Rough Eagle Bomber* shot out from that tremendous explosion’s flames, even I was startled.”

“Ha ha ha, the enemy must think Dr. is dead.” “The Showa Guerrilla Unit targeted the *Amazon* to kill Dr., you see.” “Heh heh heh... That’s what they get.” Major General Mahan gave a cunning fox-like laugh.

Ah, the Amazon had sunk, but Dr. Fuller hadn't perished? Then where could he be? Behold the deck of the new flagship Orion that had replaced the Amazon. The monstrous form spreading jet-black wings could only be the Rough Eagle Bomber. And there—the face of the large man in white work clothes examining the engine—the high nose, hawk-like eyes—ah, was this not unmistakably our arch-enemy Dr. Fuller?

Tomorrow is the decisive battle.

The Showa Guerrilla Submarine Unit's Chiyoda and Akitsushima had been maneuvering near Kōgyoku Island—closing in on and breaking away from the Yanell Fleet—until they finally reached waters near Ogasawara Island. Though initially operating independently, the two submarines became aware of each other's positions after the Chiyoda sank the Amazon one night, followed by the Akitsushima—catching up from astern—destroying the cruiser Yukon.

Then Major Kitaura, captain of the Chiyoda, took command as acting commander and pursued the enemy. Kiyoshi served as the boy staff officer. He grew increasingly vigorous—no matter how long he endured those breathless, suffocating dives, he never weakened. He had learned to operate wireless telegraphy too. The boy’s only concern lay with the Mogami’s whereabouts. No matter how many wireless messages he transmitted, no response came. What had become of Teruyo-san? Was Commander Kinoshita still alive?

But now, the Chiyoda could not afford to search for the Mogami. The enemy fleet was approaching Tokyo Bay. The Sueyama Fleet may have already sortied. The decisive battle between the Japan-A navies was finally drawing near.

Major Kitaura's eyes transformed. They blazed with a fearsome glare.

“The Showa Guerrilla Unit’s proper engagement begins with tomorrow’s battle!” “None of you better pull any cowardly stunts!” Major Kitaura gathered his officers and roared. “Listen up! Tomorrow’s the decisive battle that’ll split heaven from earth!” “Don’t screw this up!” The officers who’d been chewed out by Major Kitaura each rounded up their sailors and berated them. “Hey! Shape up already!” The sailors who’d been reprimanded by the officers shouted themselves hoarse at each other. Everyone was dead serious. They resembled a forlorn hope. Even the engines’ roar carried both sorrow and valor.

Kiyoshi felt his chest grow hot.

The night before battle deepened. The Chiyoda was now charging headlong through the pitch-dark sea, making straight for the enemy reconnaissance fleet.

As the enemy fleet finally drew near, they plunged beneath the waves.

Let battle commence!

The eastern sky still showed no sign of dawn. The sea was pitch black. However, the Chiyoda's periscope—being an excellent model of the Aoki-style optical weapon—could see clearly even at night.

A squadron of heavy cruisers was advancing with all lights extinguished.

“Shall we take them out, Commander?” Lieutenant Suzuki, a third-degree kendo practitioner, seemed to be itching to act. “Not yet, not yet! Let these guys pass for now.” Major Kitaura shook his head in refusal. A short time later, “How about this one?” “It’s a big catch.” “That’s an aviation squadron.” “Hey, let’s take a shot.” Lieutenant Suzuki persistently pleaded, but the Major remained silent and pondered, “Hey, this is strange.” “The Orion isn’t visible.”

“This is strange.” “Please let me take a look.” When Kiyoshi looked, four large aircraft carriers were advancing in column formation. They were the Arizona, Mexico, Saratoga, and Rocky. The Orion, of the same class as the Amazon we sank, was missing.

“It’s true. “What’s going on? “Surely the Akitsushima didn’t sink them on its own, did it?”

Kiyoshi also tilted his head and thought it suspicious.

Neither Major Kitaura nor Kiyoshi knew that Dr. Fuller and the flagship Orion had received a secret order from Chief of Staff Mahan and slipped away from the fleet in the dead of night. So, no matter how much they thought about it, they couldn’t possibly figure it out. “Alright, do it!” Soon after, Major Kitaura shouted loudly and issued an order. “The target is the lead ship Arizona!”

Ah, the Chiyoda was already about to commence the Great Pacific Naval Battle without waiting for dawn.

In the reflector, the Arizona's form was clearly visible.

Now? Now… Kiyoshi had his hand on the launch button, poised for the “Fire!” command. The blood in his heart had grown hot like fire.

That was the moment! Suddenly, a boom—like an earthquake—resounded. “Damn it!” When Lieutenant Suzuki shouted, the Arizona’s form reflected in the periscope vanished instantly, leaving only pitch-black darkness behind. The periscope had been struck by an enemy destroyer.

“Captain! I can’t fire!” Kiyoshi-kun’s tearful voice echoed through the pitch-black darkness. It was regrettable. The Chiyoda abandoned the enemy before its eyes and fled ever deeper into the sea’s depths.

Which is stronger—the Wokou ships or the pirates?

Showa ○ Year, ○ Month, ○ Day.

The early spring Pacific was shrouded in clouds of battle. Chiyoda's attack had unfortunately failed, but Akitsushima sank the enemy battleship Montana. A blood sacrifice by the vanguard. The 28,000-ton great battleship spewed crimson pillars of fire into the dawn sky, split clean in two, and sank. Here came the Japanese submarines! —The A-country fleet turned pale. They feared our submarines more than monsters, more than demons.

Like a cowardly samurai wildly swinging his sword on a night path, the A-country destroyers began frantically dropping depth charges. With a thunderous roar, thud-thud-thud... The depth charges exploded with tremendous sound. Commander-in-Chief Admiral Yanell turned bright red and flew into a rage.

“The Showa Guerrilla Unit has come again.” “What the hell are our submarine squadrons doing?!” “Immediately commence the retaliation battle now!”

Instantly, signal flags fluttered swiftly up the flagship’s mast.

“Great Submarine Unit, immediately take independent action and assault the enemy battleship fleet.” —This signal would forever remain etched in A-country naval history. This was because Colonel Ogan, commander of the submarine squadron, had followed this signal and fought so fiercely that he nearly matched our guerrilla unit in his rampage.

The colonel, upon receiving orders from the flagship, immediately parted from the fleet.

*Whale*, *Dolphin*, *Tornado*—six formidable vessels plowed through waves churned by tidal winds and headed north. Colonel Ogan was A-country's finest submariner. Three years ago, he had served as a military attaché at the embassy and been stationed in Tokyo, so he knew Admiral Sueyama well. And he greatly admired Admiral Sueyama, who was like a samurai of old. However, now it was war. No matter how much he admired him, they were now enemies on opposing sides.

“Admiral Sueyama, I’m sorry, but I’ll be taking your life.” Colonel Ogan stood on the deck of the *Whale*, drenched by seawater, and glared fiercely at the skies over the Ogasawara Islands. “The night is pitch black, The light went out. Roaring raging waves Cold spray Even so, *Whale* will not cry.” —It was the song of the submarine *Whale*. The colonel cried out inwardly.

“Which is stronger—the descendants of the Wokou ships (Japan) or the sons of pirates (A-country)? O Japanese Navy! Just you wait!” Which is stronger—the sons of pirates (A-country)? —O Japanese Navy! “Just you wait!”

Five-colored water pillars.

Before long, the eastern sky gradually brightened. Ah, the two great fleets of East and West drew inexorably closer. The sword was drawn.

At 6:00 AM, our Second Fleet and the enemy's reconnaissance fleet finally clashed. Five hundred nautical miles east of the Ogasawara Islands and two hundred nautical miles north of Torishima. Our commander-in-chief was Vice Admiral Yamaguchi; A-country's was Vice Admiral Mason—both were spirited brave commanders.

Seaplanes were launched from the catapults. Japanese planes were silver; A-country planes were aqua. Our side had eight planes, the enemy twelve—they glared at each other. Two seconds, three seconds—they all burst into flames at once. Machine guns exchanged fire. Hawks and falcons clashed.

After two or three fierce exchanges, three aqua planes let out mournful shrieks and came spiraling down in flames. Incredible! Japanese Air Force! Vice Admiral Yamaguchi, disregarding the aerial battle, led the four great cruisers—*Atago*, *Takao*, *Myoko*, and *Nachi*—steadily pressing forward into enemy lines. Thirty thousand meters. Twenty-five thousand meters. Twenty thousand meters.—All right! Forty 20-centimeter guns turned to the right and raised their cobra-headed barrels.

Four battle flags fluttered like flowers. "When would the 'commence firing' order come?" The aimed gun muzzles moved, tracking the enemy's shadow. At that moment, they had drawn the bowstring taut. The enemy's gun muzzles also faced this way. It was a breathless standoff. The two squadrons ran while locked in a glaring contest. Our fleet held its fire. Before long, the A-country fleet seemed to grow impatient.

What a damn hassle! The enemy’s gunnery officer must have flown into a rage.

The four ships of the vanguard squadron unleashed gunfire like lightning. The moment they realized it, a sound tore through the waves as thirty-six artillery shells came rushing in. They're close! The shells fell 200 meters to the right of our squadron.

With a thunderous roar that emitted a terrifying noise, a forest of water pillars surged upward. They were beautiful colored shells. The ink inside the shells melted, staining the water pillars. Red, blue, purple—the shells from the Alpha-ship, Bravo-ship, and Charlie-ship all used different colored inks. The enemy’s gunnery officer used the colors of these water pillars to determine whether their fired shells fell short or long. Our fleet was enveloped in a beautiful five-colored rainbow. As the multicolored spray scattered in a flash, the enemy ships once again flashed like lightning.

It was the second bombardment.

○

“Gentlemen.” “The Pacific naval battle has finally commenced.” “The Sueyama Fleet’s two hundred ships will clash with Yanell Fleet’s three hundred.” “What a difficult, arduous battle this will be!”

However, what I found heartening was that Commander Kinoshita’s Showa Guerrilla Unit—which had been absent from sight for some time—was hastening northward through a point one hundred nautical miles south of the battlefield.

In another three hours, they would reach the battlefield. It was at this moment that Honda Steel and the Takeda Engine would demonstrate their true power. The flagship Mogami hoisted its commodore's pennant (the flag of a captain serving as commander) and pressed forward. Following were Mikuma, Yoshino, and Chigusa. Teruyo's beautiful sailor uniform was visible atop Mogami's masthead.

The figures of Commander Kinoshita and Commander Ogawa could also be seen. Neither of them had time to shave their beards, giving them faces like Hanawa Danemon.

“Hey, Uncle... We will win this time, won’t we?” Teruyo wore a worried expression. She was indeed just a woman. It seemed she couldn’t attain resolve like Kiyoshi’s. “We will win!” “The A-country fleet will be annihilated!” Commander Ogawa looked up at the dawn-tinted sky and stroked his unkempt beard. 36 knots! The Showa Guerrilla Unit raced ahead as if flying. Teruyo’s black hair swayed like seaweed in the wind.

Teruyo's Prayer

Off the coast of Ogasawara Island, the great naval battle had already begun. The Showa Guerrilla Unit raced northward across the dawn-tinted sea toward the battlefield in desperate haste, driven by the thought: "We can't afford to be late for the decisive battle!" Their combat speed reached thirty-six knots. They charged through the waves with ferocious momentum.

Teruyo stood on the masthead of the flagship *Mogami* and stared fixedly at the still dimly lit northern sky. A shadow of sorrow hovered in her beautiful eyes.

"Ah... The time for the decisive battle has finally come... But... but will Japan truly prevail? Though we have Admiral Sueyama with us... if... if that dreadful Dr. Fuller's Rough Eagle Bomber appears... Oh, what shall we do?" In her slender chest, anxieties kept bubbling up endlessly. Teruyo gently lowered her gaze. Her delicate lips quivered faintly—she was praying. "I humbly entreat the august spirit of Emperor Meiji enshrined in Yoyogi Forest... Please safeguard our navy... Please summon forth the divine wind... And... and may this Showa Guerrilla Unit accomplish truly great deeds..."

The remaining words were drowned out by the roar of a fierce whirlwind that had suddenly arisen. Under Commander Kinoshita’s orders, our *Mogami* began to exert full speed. As a result, a sudden whirlwind was whipped up.

Ah, forty-five knots at full speed! It was truly an astonishing speed. In moments, the Showa Guerrilla Unit became enveloped in a haze of spray as the wind howled ferociously. The battle flag upon the mast seemed ready to be torn to shreds at any instant. Though inside the masthead, Miss Teruyo staggered unsteadily, nearly swept off her feet.

"Faster—please go faster!" Miss Teruyo screamed silently within her heart. At that moment, thunderous cannon fire—like a roaring storm—resounded from beyond the distant horizon. The naval battle had already commenced. Ah—was our fleet prevailing? Or had the tide already turned against us?

Miss Teruyo was so worried that she inadvertently sat down on the deck. “God, please let this Teruyo be wounded. No, rather than that, please take my life. Just as Ototachibana-hime of old nobly offered up her life for Prince Yamato Takeru, so too does Teruyo wish to die as a living sacrifice in place of the Showa Guerrilla Unit. Even if this small life of mine should vanish, if only the Showa Guerrilla Unit’s victory remains... then... then... my true wish shall be fulfilled.”

Miss Teruyo had made up her mind completely. Because she was a woman, she could not fight in combat. However, by showing the true courage of a Japanese girl, she could encourage her allies. Just as the Maid of Orléans, Joan of Arc, had valiantly stood at the forefront of battle, so too did Miss Teruyo resolve to be struck by enemy fire and stir the hearts of the three thousand brave warriors of the Showa Guerrilla Unit.

Ah, the cannon fire had grown ever closer. The Showa Guerrilla Unit rushed toward the battlefield like a pride of enraged lions. The white water spray was a gallant mane. The 15cm cannons were sharp fangs. Our Miss Teruyo was the goddess of battle astride this lion.

“I entrust you with our vengeance.”

The Showa Guerrilla Unit arrived at the battlefield just before eight o'clock. The battlefield was shrouded in thick, billowing smoke screens. The cannon fire roared like the sound of the sea.

What appeared to be the A-country fleet could faintly be seen beyond the waves. "Hey, Commander Ogawa. Looks like the Yamaguchi Fleet had a tough fight."

“Hmm, seems they’ve been taken out.” “That’s unfortunate.” Commander Kinoshita and Commander Ogawa bitterly regretted having failed to encounter them during the battle and desperately searched for any sign of the Yamaguchi Fleet, but it was nowhere to be seen. As they relentlessly pursued the path the enemy had taken, before long, far off the port side, a warship could be seen blazing with fire.

“Hey, isn’t that the *Atago*? Looks like she’s caught fire!”

As they drew closer and looked, it was the *Takao*, a sister ship of the *Atago*. A terrible sight. The mast collapsed from the base, the funnel was blown away, and the rear turret lay shattered beyond recognition. And from every hole, red flames spewed forth fiercely.

“Thank you for your valiant efforts.” The *Mogami* raised signal flags. Then from the burning *Takao*’s upper deck came a reply via semaphore signals. “We entrust you with our vengeance.” “With only *Myōkō* and *Nachi* remaining, our fleet stands nearly annihilated.” “The Commander-in-Chief has fallen in battle.” “What became of the enemy fleet?” “The enemy reconnaissance fleet too nears annihilation.” “Only three or four ships remain.” “Make haste and pursue them.” These were the cruiser *Takao*’s final words. When the signals ceased, flames must have reached the ammunition magazine.

A series of massive explosions that seemed to split the sea itself erupted one after another, and as thick black smoke billowed upward, the ship's form vanished from sight. The three thousand brave warriors of the Showa Guerrilla Unit performed a solemn salute to these fallen comrades who had concluded their honorable battle. The *Mogami*'s military band played a sad, sad funeral march. A lonely melody flowed over the waves. "We'll definitely, definitely avenge you."

The sailors wept while shaking their fists at the whirlpool left by the sunken *Takao*.

And then, the Showa Guerrilla Unit chased after the Mason Fleet, shouting "Revenge! Revenge!"

Dragons and tigers were wounded.

“Gentlemen.” “I must deliver sad news regarding the great naval battle off Ogasawara.” “It concerns our renowned Admiral Sueyama having vanished like sawdust upon the Pacific.”

When the Showa Guerrilla Unit caught up with the First Fleet, the decisive battle had already ended. Protected by destroyers from the Torpedo Squadron, five or six of our battleships—severely damaged—were attempting to pursue the enemy. *Kongō*, *Shinano*, *Ise*, *Fusō*, and *Mutsu*—all had sustained terrible damage. "Where is the enemy fleet? Where have they gone?" "How could you let them escape?" "What are you dawdling for?!" —*Mogami*'s signal flags fluttered furiously, as though raging.

Immediately, the *Kongō* raised a reply signal. “Our fleet has sunk seven enemy battleships. The remaining enemies are fleeing. The fleet’s speed has reduced; we regret being unable to pursue swiftly.” “Where is our flagship?” “The flagship has achieved an honorable sinking. I will take command of the fleet as commander of the Second Squadron.” Ah—Admiral Sueyama had fallen in action. Commander Kinoshita involuntarily sighed. The Commander hadn’t known—that morning’s decisive battle had been a cataclysmic ‘fight to the death’. Five battleships had exploded into sinking hulks; both Matsuyama Air Squadron lay annihilated; even First Torpedo Squadron verged on total destruction.

So, had our navy been defeated? No—we would absolutely not be defeated. The A-country fleet had sustained even more severe damage. Seven battleships had been sunk. *Orion*, *Rocky*, *Mexico*, and *Saratoga*—four aircraft carriers had gone down. Our brave attack planes carried out their desperate bombing. Three hundred A-country planes, their carriers sunk, shared the fate of migratory birds without nests.

Groups of fighter planes that had run out of fuel fell scattered onto the waves like weary swallows, letting out mournful cries as they went down. Both enemy and allied forces alike had sustained mortal wounds.

We had lost two commanders-in-chief, and the enemy had lost four admirals.

The waves of the Pacific sang a sorrowful song. The sea breeze played a farewell tune.

The A-country fleet left the battlefield as if fleeing. But our fleet no longer had the speed to pursue them.

○

After announcing Admiral Sueyama’s death in action, the commander of the Hibiya Second Squadron immediately issued orders to the *Mogami*. “The Showa Guerrilla Unit shall immediately pursue the enemy fleet and annihilate them.”

The enemy's course was northeast by east. The time for revenge came at last. The Mogami turned the rudder with a deep groan and veered to starboard.

"They prayed for the Showa Guerrilla Unit’s victory." The *Kongō* raised ceremonial signal flags.

Guerrilla Unit's Fierce Fighting The Guerrilla Unit pursued relentlessly until they finally caught up with the enemy fleet. Even battered, it remained a mighty fleet. Forty or fifty ships still survived. Through the targeting scope, seven massive battleships advanced at the formation's core. Leading them was the flagship Kentucky. "Oh! The Kentucky hasn't sunk!" "Admiral Yanell still lives!"

Commander Kinoshita looked at the tattered admiral’s flag fluttering on the enemy flagship’s broken mast and muttered regretfully.

“Good—I’ll avenge Admiral Sueyama.” The colonel called for Staff Officer Lieutenant Miyake,

“Battle stations!” he shouted. The lieutenant’s cheek glowed a vivid red. The gallant blare of battle trumpets erupted suddenly. The *Mogami* hoisted exhilarating “General Pursuit” signal flags and swooped in to attack the enemy fleet from behind. 15,000 meters. At last, they commenced firing. Sixty cannons roared across the sea and thundered forth.

Behold. Indeed, this was the marksmanship of the Showa Guerrilla Unit. Our shells fell into the very midst of the swarming enemy fleet. Direct hits.

Three cruisers burst into flames. Black smoke billowed thickly, and the mast swayed unsteadily.

Next came the second round of firing. This time, they scored hits on a battleship. The collapsing turret was visible as clearly as if they could reach out and touch it.

Teruyo-san peered into the telescope while trembling. The enemy ship appeared large in her view. The 36-cm guns were aimed in their direction. Ah! A tremendous flash of gunfire erupted. She instinctively covered her ears as the enemy shell emitted an eerie Hiss-Shooo-GOOM! before plunging into nearby waves.

A crimson geyser, like a tornado, blocked the *Mogami*'s path. This was the enemy's counterattack.

From then on, it was a chaotic battle. The Guerrilla Unit, with speed approaching forty knots, churned through the waves as they circled round and round the enemy fleet. And with their Kure-style 15-cm guns, they fired and fired, unleashing a relentless barrage. The enemy fleet, pitifully all damaged, could only manage a speed of fifteen or sixteen knots. Even if they tried to flee, they couldn’t escape. First, the weaker cruisers were sunk one after another. Destroyers vanished one after another into the sea’s debris.

The four surviving seaplanes, transformed into suicide projectiles, charged forth like arrows—a valiant effort from enemies—but when struck by the Aoki Ray, they all became masses of flame and burned away. "How's this? Doesn't it feel exactly like we're hunting?"

Commander Ogawa gently stroked Teruyo-san's black hair with his sturdy hand. "Yes, a Pacific encircling hunt," she responded. Teruyo-san had been resolved to die, but with none of the enemy shells striking her, she found herself unable to become Joan of Arc. "Surrender."

By around four in the afternoon, all that remained of the enemy fleet were seven battleships, including the *Kentucky* and *Jaguar*. On the flagship *Kentucky*, Admiral Yanell stood his ground on the bridge. He had a bandage wrapped tightly around his head, likely from a wound. Major General Mahan, the Chief of Staff, wore a torn uniform stained with blood here and there, his face pale with only his eyes gleaming fiercely.

“Admiral, it’s hopeless. The Showa Guerrilla Unit might as well be monsters. For mere cruisers, they refuse to sink even when hit by 36-centimeter shells!” “Yeah, neither the Chigusa nor the Yoshino are sinking.” “Perhaps they’re equipped with heavy armor like battleships.”

Admiral Yanell glared fixedly at the *Mogami* with resentful eyes. To admirals unaware of Honda Steel's strength, the guerrilla unit appeared as mysterious monsters.

At that moment, the *Mogami* suddenly closed in. "This feels off."

When Major General Mahan looked through his binoculars, signal flags were being raised. “What? What? — To the Commander-in-Chief of the A-country Fleet:” “Cease this useless combat and surrender! —You fools!” “Hey, signalman.” “Prepare the signal flags.”

The major general turned bright red with anger. However, the signalman wore a sorrowful expression, “Chief of Staff. This ship no longer has any masts.” “Then use hand flag signals! —O Showa Guerrilla Unit. It is you who must surrender! —Hey, hurry up and do it!” “Aye, sir!”

The signalman climbed up the broken mast and waved the flags. Then, the *Mogami* raised another signal. "O A Fleet who know not a warrior's mercy. Dost thou desire total annihilation?" When these signal flags were lowered, twenty-four massive torpedoes came charging forth with white wakes trailing behind them. "Ah!" When Major General Mahan let out a terrified scream, the torpedo swarm plunged into the fleet's rear. Then came deafening explosions that threatened to rupture eardrums - in mere two minutes, the rearguard ship Kamchatka and sixth vessel Missouri sank as if swept away.

While smoke from these two ships still lingered over the sea, the *Mogami* raised signal flags once more. "To the Commander-in-Chief of the A-country Fleet: We reiterate—" "Surrender promptly."

By this time, the sun had already sunk far westward, staining streaks of clouds crimson across the sky. The waves grew gradually rougher. Albatrosses circled above while great shoals of sharks swarmed below, drawn relentlessly to feast on drowned warriors' flesh. "Mahan," Admiral Yanell said, "it can't be helped. Our fleet has been defeated." The admiral gazed up at the sunset clouds with lonely eyes. "So... surrender?" Major General Mahan's expression remained defiant.

“The enemy is the Showa Guerrilla Unit. Losing to them is no disgrace.” “Losing to them is no disgrace.” Admiral Yanell rebuked Mahan. However, the admiral’s eyes were also wet with tears.

Before long, a white flag was raised on the *Kentucky*. The five battleships slowed their speed and now merely drifted on the evening sea, at the mercy of the waves. Evening was drawing in. Ah, Japan had won. The Japanese Navy had won. The great commander Admiral Sueyama had fallen in battle, and half the fleet lay sunken beneath the Pacific’s waves—yet their grueling struggle bore fruit, for the enemy now flew the white flag. Admiral Yanell had surrendered. Behold. Behold the figures of the enemy ships, dejected and powerless, their heads hung low.

The three thousand brave warriors of the Showa Guerrilla Unit felt the backs of their eyelids growing inexplicably hot.

At the command of "Cease fire," the gunfire stopped. The only sounds that could be heard were the sound of the waves and the hoarse cries of albatrosses mingling with them.

The battlefield at dusk had fallen as silent as a graveyard.

However, soon, that silence was shattered.

From somewhere, voices shouting "Banzai" began to rise. “Banzaa—i.”

“Banzaa—i.” It was a solemn voice. It was a divine cry. The voices of these brave warriors would surely, surely resonate—strongly, strongly—all the way to the forests of Chiyoda and even to the souls of the war dead. Teruyo too tried to join the cheering, but her voice cracked, leaving only her lips trembling uncontrollably. Whether from joy or sorrow, hot tears surged up uncontrollably. Disheveling her beautiful hair, she finally collapsed into quiet sobs.

Commander Kinoshita and Commander Ogawa kept their eyes firmly shut and remained as still as stone. …They must surely have been giving thanks to His Majesty the Emperor’s august prestige and mourning the spirits of the war dead.

The shadow of the setting sun shone crimson upon the white flag of the *Kentucky*.

Ah, had the Showa Guerrilla Unit's mission truly ended with this? Had the war clouds over the Pacific vanished?

No, no—

The battle had not yet ended. The terrible demon was drawing near through the evening clouds, targeting the Showa Guerrilla Unit. Behold. The ominous wireless telegraph antenna was scattering pallid sparks once more!

Oh no—this was a challenge from Dr. Fuller.

“To the A-country Fleet and Japanese Fleet: The aircraft carrier Orion, bearing Rough Eagle Bombers, advances toward this battlefield. At 0400 hours today, the Rough Eagle Bomber struck Tokyo City. Pitiful Tokyo now burns in catastrophic fires, belching volcanic plumes of smoke and flame. We subsequently assaulted the enemy airbase on Tōtōjima, annihilating their grand air force of two hundred aircraft. Commander Katō has perished in combat. Now then—from this moment forward—we shall hunt down and blast beneath the waves every last vessel of the Japanese Fleet. Japanese Fleet! Make ready your final preparations!”

"A-country Fleet! Do not falter. Fight to the last." "At last, Showa Guerrilla Unit of Japan— I take delight in battling you. The graveyard of the Pacific awaits you." The face of the telegraph operator who received this wireless message turned as pale as a ghost. His hands burst into violent trembling. It was not because he feared Fuller. The thought of our navy’s glorious victory being torn to shreds was unbearable.

Ah, tonight's battle is dangerous!

What if they returned to Heikai Island? The Rough Eagle Bomber advanced through the twilight sky, aiming for the Showa Guerrilla Unit. However, there we now wanted to turn our gaze back toward the battlefield some two hundred nautical miles west and see where young Kiyoshi had gone.

Young Kiyoshi and his submarine unit fought desperately to the death in this morning’s decisive battle. The Akitsushima sank the enemy battleship Manhattan and destroyed three cruisers, five destroyers, and three oil tankers. Young Kiyoshi's Chiyoda had its periscope destroyed, yet through bold close-quarters attacks sent the battleships Lion and Star to a watery grave and subsequently sank nineteen enemy vessels including the aircraft carrier Mexico.

The brilliant prowess of the Showa Guerrilla Submarine Unit left both enemies and allies alike gasping in astonishment. With the battle concluded, our two submarines were now hastening northwest through the waters east of Ogasawara. Could they be heading back to their base at Heikai Island?

Young Kiyoshi climbed up to the command tower with Major Kitaura and looked back at the receding battlefield.

“That was one hell of a battle.”

Even the valiant Major seemed exhausted from fifteen hours of continuous combat. He wore a dark expression. "Yes, but for me, it was exhilarating." Young Kiyoshi vigorously rubbed his arm. The military cap he had received from the captain suited him well. "Hey, Captain—what do you think the Mogami is doing right now? I can't help feeling worried somehow. We sent wireless messages but got no reply..."

“Don’t worry. Commander Kinoshita isn’t sending wireless messages to keep the guerrilla unit’s actions secret.” “Hmm... I wonder. If only that were true...” “I hope you’re right…” “Hey, you little staff officer! “Don’t mope around.” “When we return to Heikai Island, I’ll definitely let you meet Teruyo-san.” Major Kitaura tapped the boy on the back and pointed toward Heikai Island far off to the northwest. “I don’t care what happens to Teruyo-san or anything, but…”

Kiyoshi uttered a lie contrary to his heart and turned his face slightly red in embarrassment.

At that moment, from far off in the northeast, came the low, rumbling sound of cannon fire like distant thunder.

“Oh, still going at it, huh?” The Major pricked up his ears and glared at the twilight sea. "The 'Whale' rampages." Enemy submarines attacked our fleet as it returned wounded to Tokyo Bay. The Kongo, Ise, and Hyuga fired 14-cm shells into the waves, while the destroyer squad threw depth charges to suppress them.

“Impudent little submarines.” Rear Admiral Hibiya clicked his tongue regretfully. These enemy submarines were none other than Colonel Ogan’s A-country large submarine fleet. The three vessels—Columbus, Dolphin, and Kuroshio—had sunk, but Whale, Tornado, and Pirate remained on the battlefield and now launched their final challenge. The Shinano, damaged and capable of only twelve knots, fell slightly behind the fleet as it fought. The Whale’s torpedoes sneaked up to target that vulnerable spot!

The torpedoes became silver snakes that bit through the Shinano's hull. One, two, three—three torpedoes struck home. The wounded Shinano groaned and listed. The mast that had hoisted the naval ensign fell weakly to the right, ever to the right. The smokestack began to belch ink-like black smoke. Ah, she was sinking now. The 29,600-ton great battleship lay capsized, exposing its red underside as it thrashed about for a time, but soon left behind a great whirlpool as its shadow vanished forever into the depths of the waves.

Dusk was closing in. Where had the enemy submarines fled? Not a trace of them remained.

Our fleet, while mourning the deaths of their comrades, dejectedly turned their helm northwestward. Struck by an unexpected blow, Rear Admiral Hibiya's heart sank into gloom. However, Rear Admiral, do not lament. While fleeing, the enemy clashed with the Showa Guerrilla Submarine Unit, and at last, vengeance for the *Shinano* was achieved.

"The Battle of *Chiyoda* and *Whale*"

The Chiyoda and Akitsushima, rushing northeast upon hearing the gunfire, saw three monsters approaching from ahead. They were the Whale, the Pirate, and the Tornado. Major Kitaura grabbed Kiyoshi’s arm, “Hey, we’ve got a good target here!” He bared his white teeth in a sly grin. If the enemy had seen it, it must have been a chilling sight. Now, the 24-cm guns took aim at the enemy’s silhouette.

“Commence firing!”

The Major's booming voice resounded through the evening sky. With a burst of red fire, the cannon shell shot out. It was the Showa Guerrilla Unit's final battle. The enemy also fired back bravely. However, 12-cm guns stood no chance against 20-cm ones.

After exchanging fire for about five minutes, signs of defeat became visible in the A-country fleet. "The Pirate" burst into flames. The "Tornado" too had its guns destroyed and fell silent. Only the "Whale" continued fighting while bearing its wounds. True to being Admiral Sueyama's friend, Colonel Ogan proved himself a formidable naval officer. He commanded the Whale and fought for fifteen minutes. Finally following Pirate and Tornado, it sank. As in the Whale's song: "Night turned pitch-black, all lights extinguished." The sight of the Whale burning as it sank held nobility even in an enemy. Those who die for their nation are noble.

“How pitiful...” Young Kiyoshi assumed a motionless stance and saluted the sinking enemy ship. Major Kitaura saw enemy soldiers drifting in the waves and issued the order: “Rescue them!” However, the waves were rough. The sun sank, and the sea began to darken. The enemy soldiers were swiftly swallowed by the waves. In the sky, albatrosses sharpened their beaks, trying to peck at the flesh of the dead.

The Chiyoda made various efforts, but in the end could only rescue five people. Among those enemies was a single officer. He had piercing eyes. His arm was wounded, blood dripping steadily. "Oh! You're Colonel Ogan, aren't you?" Major Kitaura stared intently at the man's face. The enemy officer likewise stared fixedly at the Major's face. "Ah! You're Lieutenant Kitaura? You were Admiral Sueyama's adjutant, weren't you?" "That's right. I was promoted to major at last year's end."

“Congratulations on that.” “We’ve finally met on the battlefield.” “I’m happy to be your prisoner.” “Yeah, you fought bravely—just like yourself.” “I must admit, even as an enemy, I’m impressed.” “You must be tired.” “How about some wine?”

Major Kitaura tapped Colonel Ogan’s shoulder nostalgically. However, the Colonel hung his head sorrowfully, “No—I am the man who killed Admiral Sueyama. For the Japanese Navy, I am a demon. I beg you—shoot me here and now.”

“What?! So you’re the one who sank the flagship?” “Yes.” “Go on, kill me.” “Avenge Admiral Sueyama’s death.” Colonel Ogan pressed in on Captain Kitaura. “I refuse.” “I cannot kill a prisoner of war who is a brave warrior.”

Major Kitaura refused with tear-filled eyes.

“Then... you there.” “Won’t you shoot me?”

Colonel Ogan called out to Kiyoshi. “You’re quite the young brave warrior.” “Yes.” “If I die by the hands of a brave Japanese boy, it would fulfill my greatest wish.” Kiyoshi fidgeted awkwardly, at a loss.

That was the moment.

Dr. Fuller’s demonic wireless transmission reached our Chiyoda as well. “Japanese Navy,” “Prepare yourselves.” “Showa Guerrilla Unit,” “A grave awaits you.” An eerie voice resounded from beyond the dark clouds.

The Coward's End

The guerrilla unit won. The enemy flagship *Kentucky* raised a white flag and surrendered. The submarine *Kujira* also sank. *Mogami*’s battle flag glowed crimson in the setting sun, and there, the curtain was about to fall on the Pacific Naval Battle.

However, suddenly, the *Rough Eagle Bomber*'s wireless transmission resounded like a demon's voice. *Rough Eagle Bomber* incoming! Fuller comes! The Showa Guerrilla Unit aimed their anti-aircraft guns at the twilight sky and stood ready to engage in their final decisive battle.

Once more, the sound of battle trumpets could be heard; their gallant resonance faded into the evening gloom. "Oh, we must fight that sky demon again."

Teruyo furrowed her brows in concern.

Night fell completely. “We shall now commence our attack on the guerrilla unit.” Another wireless transmission came through from the *Rough Eagle Bomber*. And then two or three minutes later，a red light was seen darting swiftly through dark clouds in the north like a meteor. It was the *Rough Eagle Bomber*’s light. On the bridge of the *Mogami*，Commander Kinoshita，Commander Ogawa，Staff Officer Miyake，and others gathered，staring fixedly at the sky. Teruyo had shrunk back into the rear． “Oh，they’re sending a flare signal．”

Staff Officer Miyake pressed the night vision goggles to his eyes. “What kind of signal is that?” “The Kentucky is signaling. ‘...FEAR THE SHOWA GUERRILLA UNIT...RETRACT YOUR SURRENDER...ESCAPE WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT...’”

“Damn it!” “They’re despicable!” Commander Ogawa stamped his feet and fumed in frustration. Teruyo-san was also frustrated. They retract their surrender after raising a white flag? How cowardly! she thought. However, no matter how much Teruyo-san fumed, it was futile.

The five enemy ships suddenly lowered white flags and fled.

“Pursue the cowardly, indecisive enemy!”

*Mogami* raised its signal lights and chased after *Kentucky*. *Yoshino*, *Chigusa*, and *Mikuma* followed suit. Searchlights cast a ghostly light, illuminating the enemy ships' silhouettes. "Commence firing." Instantly, a tremendous roar of gunfire erupted. The enemy ships returned fire, not to be outdone. In the darkness, small red fires flickered and flashed.

The guerrilla unit closed in on the enemy fleet with ferocious speed. It was the second torpedo attack. A black monster darted out. Torpedo! “Teruyo-san, take a good look. This is the coward’s end.”

When Commander Ogawa leaned close to the girl's ear, a thunderous "Boom!" erupted. The *Mogami*'s torpedo had struck the *Kentucky*. A crimson pillar of fire resembling a dragon surged skyward with terrifying force. The waves shimmered red. "This is your punishment for lying."

Commander Ogawa glared intensely at the burning *Kentucky*.

"Engage the Rough Eagle Bomber in decisive battle."

With the *Kentucky* sunk, the remaining four battleships began to rampage frantically. Even damaged, they were still battleships after all. They were not to be underestimated. Thirty-six-centimeter shells roared as they assailed the guerrilla unit overhead. No matter how strong Honda Steel was, we couldn't afford complacency. Our cruisers blinded the enemy's vision with their blistering speed, evaded the massive shells, and fired their fifteen-centimeter guns without respite. For night engagements, light and rapid-firing fifteen-centimeter guns were best. Though these shells couldn't sink battleships, they set decks ablaze, toppled observation towers, and pierced through smokestacks. The enemy ships erupted in flames, fire consuming them whole.

The guerrilla unit aimed at those flames and launched torpedoes. Night torpedo attacks were the Japanese Navy's specialty. Every one found its mark. The enemy ships weakened one after another, and in just twenty minutes of battle, two sank while the remaining three were engulfed in flames, their end drawing near. Ah! In the annals of world naval history, had there ever been an instance where a cruiser fleet defeated a battleship fleet? During the Russo-Japanese War, our Kamimura Cruiser Fleet that crushed the Russian Fleet off Ulsan had been formidable. Yet the Battle of Ulsan had been a cruiser-versus-cruiser engagement.

At the beginning of the World War, the German Spee cruiser fleet that rampaged through the Pacific was formidable, but off Hawkland Island, it fought against British battleships and was annihilated.

However, our Showa Guerrilla Unit was about to deliver the final blow to the A-country Battleship Fleet off Pacific Bird Island.

Behold. Finally, the *Rough Eagle Bomber* was overhead. The guerrilla unit might face retaliation. But their great achievements and valiant efforts would forever be preserved in the annals of world history. "The enemy fleet nears total annihilation. Exert your utmost strength and engage the *Rough Eagle Bomber* in decisive combat!" Commander Kinoshita raised the signal light of desperate resolve. The searchlight illuminated the *Rough Eagle Bomber*'s form within the dark clouds. The entire fleet's anti-aircraft guns opened fire simultaneously. But it was futile. The *Rough Eagle Bomber* remained unmoved. It floated serenely amidst clouds of bursting shells. Then, through an ignition signal,

“Guerrilla unit! The armor of our *Rough Eagle Bomber* is way stronger than Honda Steel!”

He jeered. Teruyo-san felt an ominous, terrifying sensation, and somehow a restless unease gripped her chest.

The Rough Eagle Bomber descended lower and lower in a threatening manner. The guerrilla unit launched the Aoki Ray. A bluish-white beam assaulted the *Rough Eagle Bomber* like lightning. But how frustrating! The light proved too short and weak to shoot down the *Rough Eagle Bomber*. The *Rough Eagle Bomber* flew silently through the low clouds, as if thoroughly scorning the guerrilla unit, without even attempting to drop bombs. No engine sound could be heard at all.

Commander Kinoshita turned toward Staff Officer Miyake, “Hey, the *Rough Eagle Bomber* isn’t making any noise at all.” “Yes, Dr. Fuller must have finally completed his soundless propulsion system.”

"Hmm." "What a terrifying man." Even the valiant Commander Kinoshita shuddered at the monstrous Dr. Fuller's terrifying power.

Dr. Fuller's Demonic Hand The *Rough Eagle Bomber*, while evading the guerrilla unit's shells, began emitting ignition signals again. "To the Guerrilla Unit: "Dr. Takeda! "The contest has been decided in my favor. "Surrender. “Surrender and become my disciple.”

The bluish signal fire vanished, and the *Rough Eagle Bomber* suddenly disappeared as if erased. They chased it with searchlights, but all that was visible were black, black clouds. "What a bastard! Demanding surrender—you're insulting the Japanese Navy!" Commander Ogawa's face grew increasingly stern, resembling that of Hanawa Danemon. "To demand that Uncle Takeda become his disciple—how awful! How simply awful!" Teruyo-san, who also understood Morse code, was so frustrated she could hardly stand it.

“All right, send the wireless transmission!”

Commander Kinoshita barked. Before long, the *Mogami*'s wireless telegraphy called out to the invisible *Rough Eagle Bomber*. “Dr. Fuller, In the Japanese Navy’s dictionary—the two characters for ‘surrender’ do not exist. Dr. Takeda resides on a solitary island in distant seas. He is not aboard the *Mogami*. Our Dr. Takeda is no fool who would become your disciple. Dr. Fuller, You should become the disciple of our great Dr. Takeda!”

It was a satisfying remark. Teruyo-san became so happy her heart pounded. She thought Commander Kinoshita was truly remarkable. However, the monstrous Dr. Fuller no longer feared the guerrilla unit in the slightest. When the *Mogami*'s signal ended, suddenly from above the clouds— “Do not be alarmed! “Japanese Navy! “How about it? Even Dr. Takeda couldn’t produce a live voice signal like this, could he?” A large terrifying voice resounded. It was not an ignition signal. It was not wireless telegraphy either. It was Dr. Fuller's actual voice. It was a real voice coming from his lips. “Oh!” Teruyo instinctively doubted her own ears.

“O Valiant A-country Fleet. “I see you’re having trouble with a fire. “First, let’s extinguish this fire, shall we?” The doctor’s voice resounded solemnly. He must have been speaking through an extremely powerful loudspeaker. The doctor’s voice echoing through the dark sky felt eerily like that of a monster. There was no telling what terrifying weapons Dr. Fuller still had concealed beyond this. Soon, one or two trails of white smoke descended upon the enemy ship where flames raged fiercely.

Then, mysteriously, the fire that had been glowing crimson over the sea rapidly dwindled, and before the guerrilla unit could even voice frustration, the enemy ship vanished into the darkness. “There—the fire’s out. O A-country Fleet! This time I’ll drop poison gas! I’m sorry, but do me a favor and sleep for a while—you too, along with the Showa Guerrilla Unit! I’ll come back to save you later.” Dr. Fuller finally revealed his devilish true nature.

Teruyo-san jolted upon hearing "Poison gas!" Her legs began trembling violently. “Showa Guerrilla Unit! Now I’ll drop the poison gas! If you’re going to raise the white flag, now’s your chance. How about it? Won’t you surrender?” Dr. Fuller’s loathsome voice stirred the blood of three thousand warriors in the guerrilla unit. Ah, to fall before the devil’s poison gas was our fate too. Yet what we regretted was the Imperial Navy’s honor. The Imperial Navy’s history remained unblemished. We would not meet an unsightly end. We refused cowardly acts.

“Fight to the bitter end until the last moment!”

The *Mogami* raised a mournful signal light. Donning gas masks and protective coats, our three thousand brave warriors began their final struggle. Bullets screamed as beams flashed. Miss Teruyo too covered her face with a gas mask, her gloved hands gripping the disinfectant pump's nozzle with desperate strength.

“Ah, Great God, please protect the Showa Guerrilla Unit.” Looking up at the sky through her gas mask’s glass with shining black eyes, suddenly rain came pouring down.

“There! I’ve dropped it! Poison rain! Poison mist! Go ahead—if you can block it, then try!” Dr.Fuller's triumphantly boastful voice was loathsome. Miss Teruyo removed the disinfectant pump nozzle. White mist suddenly gushed out.

However, the poison mist was potent. Like a specter, it crept across the *Mogami*. Ah, Commander Kinoshita staggered drunkenly. Staff Officer Miyake collapsed in a heap. The Aoki Ray's flames died out. The cannon fire too grew fainter and weaker.

My chest felt tight. My heart ached...

Miss Teruyo staggered involuntarily. "It's all over now," she thought. Her vision went dark. In the pitch-black darkness, a phantom of Kiyoshi-kun floated up hazily. The phantom Kiyoshi-kun's face was blue—so very blue. The sound of waves reached her ears faintly, faintly. At last, Teruyo-san lay motionless as if dead.

A Sorrowful Morning

She felt cold.

Miss Teruyo gently opened her eyes. The gas mask was heavy. She gently removed it. A refreshing morning wind flowed coldly into her chest.

"Oh... I didn't die?" When she tried to rise unsteadily, Commander Kinoshita stood before her with a deathly pale face. His legs lacked strength, his posture slumped. "Oh Captain... your complexion..." Forgetting her own discomfort, Miss Teruyo stood and took the Commander's arm. "We were poisoned. Staff Officer Miyake... ultimately couldn't make it."

The Commander was breathing heavily with his shoulders, his face contorted in pain. "Oh! Then what about Uncle Ogawa?" "Yeah, Commander Ogawa's alive. He's taken command in my place now. Listen, Miss Teruyo—regrettable as it is, we'll make for Heikai Island first." "Yes... But how infuriating." Miss Teruyo gently bit her crimson lips. "Look there. That Rough Eagle Bomber still hasn't left." In the dawn-tinted sky indicated by the Commander's finger floated a solitary black speck. Was that demon still lingering?

“Miss Teruyo, now look at the sea.” The Commander’s hoarse voice trembled with sorrow. “Yes.” What has become of the Yoshino and Chigusa? Thinking this, she looked to starboard—white wave crests stretched endlessly, with no trace of the Yoshino and others she sought.

“Maybe over here?” With that, she looked to port, but there was only the churning of the tidal current.

“Oh, the Yoshino and Chigusa aren’t here either.” Miss Teruyo suddenly realized and looked at Commander Kinoshita’s face. The Commander was crying. Tears had pooled in his black beard. “They’re all at the bottom of the sea. Miss Teruyo, the only one remaining in the guerrilla unit now is our Mogami.” “What?!” “A tragic end. I... have no excuse before the Emperor. Look at this.” The Commander took out two or three sheets of paper from his pocket.

“It’s Fuller’s handwriting.” Miss Teruyo silently accepted the paper. With trembling hands, she held the fluttering paper that bore a large printed emblem of the *Rough Eagle Bomber*, beneath which lay scribbled writing resembling earthworms.

Dr. Fuller’s Letter

"O sleeping Captain of the Mogami, Through the efficacy of Fuller’s Poison Gas, your guerrilla unit has all fallen into slumber. It resembles a fleet of corpses."

"I have now thoroughly inspected your *Mogami* from bow to stern with officers and sailors from the mothership *Orion*. I've completely uncovered the secrets of the Takeda-style engine. I've also probed the secrets of the Aoki Ray. I've ascertained the true nature of the Nagaoka-style poison gas. (Though it's inferior to Fuller's Poison Gas, isn't it?) With this, my Rough Eagle Bombers will grow mightier still. Captain, Your confidential documents suggest my friend Takeda-kun hides on Heikai Island north of Ogasawara. And it seems the Submarine *Fuji* remains incomplete. How pitiful for you."

"You shall return to Heikai Island and inform Dr. Takeda—once Fuji is completed, let me know." "The Rough Eagle Bomber is ready for a decisive one-on-one battle at any time." Finally, they had sunk the Yoshino, Chigusa, and others. It's a shame about the 2,400 war dead, but such is war. It can't be helped. "My battleship Maine is being towed back to Kōgyoku Island by Orion." "You will awaken early tomorrow morning." "Then return to Heikai Island without delay." "And inform Dr. Takeda of my challenge to a duel."

"Until your Mogami begins to move, the Rough Eagle Bomber will be watching intently from above!"

“Oh...” Miss Teruyo let out a weak sigh. “The guerrilla unit lost... I’m so frustrated.”

“No—we won’t be defeated. “…I’ll surely repay this!”

Commander Kinoshita firmly planted his staggering feet.

To Heikai Island

The *Mogami* returned forlornly to Heikai Island. Ah, dear Heikai Island.

On the moss-covered cliffs above, a flock of albatrosses wheeled. At the Northern Water Gate, a fierce current swirled violently.

“Ah, dear Heikai Island.” “I’ve finally come back.”

Miss Teruyo’s beautiful eyes were wet with tears. Her complexion was a pale blue and forlorn—perhaps poisoned by Fuller’s Poison Gas. The *Mogami*, having navigated through the perilous water gate, first dropped anchor in the shadow of Wolf Rock. The great cliffs surrounding Heikai Bay showed their majestic form, unchanged from when they were first seen. The mountain range of Renge Peak, Tsubakuro Peak, and Yari Peak loomed blackly, while at the faintly visible base of Tsubakuro Peak, the cave of the *Chigusa* yawned open.

Ah, the cave’s secret base remained unchanged, but the sight of the *Chigusa* entering it could no longer be seen.

Miss Teruyo sadly hung her head.

Commander Kinoshita, Commander Ogawa—all of them had blue faces.

○ Eventually, the *Mogami* entered the cave of Yari Peak.

From Fuji Cave, Dr. Takeda arrived. Dr. Takeda too must have endured terrible hardships—his beard had grown wild and unkempt, his cheeks hollow and gaunt. “You’ve done well.”

Dr. Takeda addressed Commander Kinoshita. "You haven't done well enough. I'm disappointed." Tears streamed down from Commander Kinoshita's demon-like eyes. "The A-country fleet was annihilated, but Dr. Fuller is still alive. At the end, we were caught and mercilessly pummeled. Here—look at this." The colonel spitefully took out the crumpled letter from Dr. Fuller. Dr. Takeda's eye glinted sharply.

“Oh, don’t worry,” said Dr. Takeda. “In just another month, the *Fuji* will be completed.” Commander Kinoshita pressed, “Can’t you work faster? If you keep dawdling like this, Japan will perish!” “I’m working as fast as I can with my life on the line,” Dr. Takeda replied. “As a submarine, it’s completely finished—but...the crucial point still isn’t ready.” His face darkened at these words. What could “that crucial point” be? The phrase hung mysteriously in the air. “I see,” muttered Commander Kinoshita. “So you still haven’t completed that?”

Commander Kinoshita also sighed. Dr. Takeda changed his wording,

"Commander Kinoshita. The Chiyoda and Akitsushima just returned." "When I asked Major Kitaura, he said there was a large B-country fleet approaching south of the Ogasawara Islands." "What?! The B-country fleet?! I didn't know about that." Commander Kinoshita was shocked. "We can't let our guard down. If they see Japan struggling against A-country and weakening—it's the sly B-country Navy we're dealing with." "They might try to occupy Taiwan or the Ogasawara Islands!" "No—I won't allow such cowardly, self-serving schemes."

“We can’t let them get away with this! After all, we still have the *Mogami*, *Chiyoda*, and *Akitsushima* remaining.” “Moreover, in Tokyo Bay there’s the *Kongō*, *Ise*, and *Fusō*. The *Mutsu* took damage but remains combat-ready. We won’t lose to some B-country rabble!”

Commander Kinoshita stood up with a fearsome expression. “How about this? I’m afraid I must ask you to depart from the waters off Ogasawara tonight.” “Alright, let’s sortie immediately. You hurry up with the *Fuji*.” “Yeah, just you wait and see. We’ll shock A-country and B-country—no—the whole world, I tell you.”

The two colonels clicked the short swords at their hips.—The sly B-country Navy—building a massive naval base in the South Seas and secretly aiming to instigate a great upheaval in the Orient—had begun extending its sinister claws.

It began to stretch out its sinister claws.

In the east: the monster Dr. Fuller. In the south: a new B-country fleet. —The Showa Guerrilla Unit was finally in dire straits. However, to make this secret island their base and fight valiantly until the very last moment—as Imperial Navy servicemen, wasn't this their true calling?

Commander Kinoshita was about to set out once more into the southern seas to wage a dreadful yet splendid adventure-filled battle.

A Long-Awaited Reunion

Late that night, deep within Fuji Cave's rocky shadows, Kiyoshi and Miss Teruyo met again after a long separation. The dim electric light was hazily illuminating Miss Teruyo's pale face.

“You look pale.”

"Yes, I was hit by poison gas." "Weren't you afraid?"

“Yes, but I’m a girl, you know. After all, I shouldn’t have gone out to the frontlines.”

Miss Teruyo quietly lowered her face. Kiyoshi peered at her face, “Hey, why can’t you go?”

"Well, you know, I thought about becoming Japan's Jeanne d'Arc. I wanted to stand on the frontlines and show the enemy the bravery of a Japanese girl. But I mustn't have such thoughts." Her voice grew quiet. "There's nothing wrong with going! Empress Jingū herself was a woman, you know. There's no use moping around!"

Kiyoshi shook Miss Teruyo’s shoulders with strong hands. “Yes, but I’d only be in the way.” “Then what do you expect me to do?”

Kiyoshi's voice resounded angrily through the rocky cave. “I think I’ll stay as Uncle’s secretary after all.” “This island is full of men, isn’t it?” “That’s why Uncle has become so unkempt—thickly bearded, grime-stained, and rather disheveled.” “I want to do something that only a woman can do for him.” Miss Teruyo looked up at Kiyoshi with gentle eyes. “I see.” “In that case, I understand... And also,” “Actually, I can’t go along on this Ogasawara sortie either.”

“Why can’t you?” “Because the *Fuji* will be completed soon.” “So you’ll be boarding the *Fuji*, then.” “Yeah.—This time I’ll really give it my all!” Kiyoshi rolled up his sleeves and flexed his muscles. “That’s right.” “Give it your all.” “A man must be strong.” “I’ll stay on this island and pray for your success, Kiyoshi-san.”

“Oh, it’s already eleven o’clock. The Guerrilla Unit’s sortie time.”

Kiyoshi took Miss Teruyo's arm and stood up. Cold dew dripped from the cave's ceiling.

Hold out until that day arrives.

Late that night, the Guerrilla Unit set out for their second battle. Commander Kinoshita left a short sword each for Kiyoshi and Miss Teruyo. “Hey, before long, the enemy might attack this Heikai Island too. When that time comes, both of you must fight bravely to the end under Colonel Takeda’s command.” The commander stared intently at their faces. “Yes, I will never resort to cowardly tactics.” Miss Teruyo quietly drew her sword and nodded with her beautiful eyes.

“Alright, both of you—think of those short swords as me.” Commander Kinoshita appeared to have resolved to die in battle. The enemy was the formidable B-country fleet. With only three allied ships under his command advancing toward Ogasawara Island, Commander Kinoshita’s resolve mirrored that of Kusunoki Masashige heading to the battlefield of Minatogawa six hundred years earlier. “Commander.” “You must be suffering.”

Miss Teruyo felt terribly sorry for the Commander. "What hardship?" "It's an honorable sortie." "Hey, both of you—give a Banzai cheer!" "Yes, sir!"

They shouted at the top of their voices. “Long live His Majesty the Emperor... Showa Guerrilla Unit banzaiii…… Cruiser Mogami banzaiii……”

Their voices spread high into the night sky, echoing through the Yarigatake and Tsugadake mountain range. “Banzaiii……” “Banzaiii……” The solemn reverberation of the mountain echo. Were not Heikai Island’s mountains and peaks too bidding farewell to the Showa Guerrilla Unit? Both Kiyoshi and Miss Teruyo’s final cries caught in their throats, trembling faintly.

○

Major Kitaura of the *Chiyoda* remained as fiercely energetic as ever. When Kiyoshi and the others took their leave, he suddenly—

“Hey, this time I’m going to annihilate every B-country battleship and return!” he shouted. Yet to Miss Teruyo, that face somehow seemed lonely.

“Advance! “Guerrilla Unit, “Hold the line! “The front line. “Off Ogasawara Island—it’s perfectly acceptable if we’re annihilated there!”

"After all, these lives have been dedicated to His Majesty the Emperor." "Behind you stands the *Fuji*!" "I, Dr. Takeda, am alive!" "Once our mysterious submarine begins to move, even the sea god of the Pacific will be astonished!" "*Mogami*! "*Chiyoda*! "*Akitsushima*! "You are the vanguard. "Until the day the monster *Fuji* sorties, defend the front line valiantly to the death!" Dr. Takeda offered a deep silent prayer to the retreating form of the *Mogami* as it vanished beyond Wolf Rock.

Dr.Fuller returned to Kōgyoku Island.

Through the fierce efforts of our Combined Fleet and the Showa Guerrilla Unit, Admiral Yanell’s A-country grand fleet suffered a crushing defeat in the battle off Tori Island.

The A-country warships that returned to Kōgyoku Island were a pitiful sight to behold.

The sole remaining battleship Maine had neither masts nor smokestacks. It was merely a "Steel Island" floating on the sea. The destroyers that followed also arrived at the entrance to Kōgyoku Bay at a sluggish speed of seven or eight knots. Two cruisers, eight destroyers, three submarines, and five transports that had left the battlefield early—that was all that returned. The 324-ship grand fleet had returned as a mere 19 ships. Where in world history has there ever been such a crushing defeat?

There had been more surviving warships, but some ran out of fuel during their return voyage and vanished after drifting with the Kuroshio Current; others sank from severe flooding; still others were destroyed in pursuit by our *Myoko* and *Nachi*, which fought to the last—their numbers beyond counting. The A-country fleet's demise proved more tragic than that of the Spanish Armada. The cobalt naval ensigns had faded, and even the palm fronds concealing Kongōseki Mountain's hidden gun battery rustled as they sang their mournful elegy.

However, the aircraft carrier *Orion* alone had not sustained a single scratch. The Rough Eagle Bombers had slaughtered the Showa Guerrilla Unit, and Dr. Fuller’s vigor was tremendous.

The *Orion* entered Kōgyoku Bay slowly, receiving a salvo from the Kongōseki Battery. At the pier, the new commander, Lieutenant General Frost of the Army, had come out leading the garrison unit.

Dr. Fuller jumped from the *Orion* onto a motorboat. The motorboat cut through the blue, blue water and reached the side of the damaged battleship *Maine*. The gangway was gone, and a rope ladder dangled down. Dr. Fuller nimbly leapt onto the rope and swiftly scrambled up to the deck. Lieutenant General Gray, the new commander-in-chief who had succeeded Admiral Yanell, and the chief of staff rushed over to the doctor. Both men had torn clothes, sunken eyes, and looked like sick patients.

"The Japanese Navy was formidable even as an enemy! If you hadn't been here, we would have become a global disgrace. Our navy stands ashamed before the Rough Eagle Bombers." The chief of staff firmly gripped Dr. Fuller's hairy hand. "Oh, there's no need to fear the Japanese Navy. Even the Showa Guerrilla Unit loses all mettle when facing my Rough Eagles." Dr. Fuller puffed out his chest, his large eyes gleaming fiercely.

“That’s right.” “Now your Rough Eagle Bombers alone remain our hope.” “This battered fleet serves no purpose.” Lieutenant General Gray laughed with desolate mirth.

Dreaded Secret Operation

That night, Dr. Fuller, Lieutenant General Gray, the Chief of Staff, and Lieutenant General Frost held a secret strategy meeting in a mountain hut at the Kongōseki Battery. The hut beneath the palm fronds, its curtains drawn tight against the darkness, permitted not even a sliver of light to escape. At fifty meters' remove from the hut, over a hundred Army sentries formed an iron perimeter, bayonets fixed and vigilant.

The matter concerned military secrets, so no one outside the four could possibly know about it. However, a single ruddy-faced boy sat on a chair in the corner of the hut, listening to this secret strategy. Arthur, the boy. He was Dr. Fuller’s only beloved child. Because Kiyoshi resembled this boy, when he had been thrown from the *Yashima*’s deck into the raging waves of the Pacific and was drifting, he had drawn the doctor’s sympathy. Arthur was a cute, blue-eyed boy with thick blond hair. Like a rabbit, he pricked up his ears and listened intently to his father’s words.

Dr. Fuller was now about to reveal his final plan. “……We must attack Tokyo once more and force Japan to surrender…… At Arizona’s secret factory，twelve Rough Eagle Bombers are currently being produced．When these are completed，I will immediately load them onto the *Orion* and sortie off Inubōsaki．”

Dr. Fuller paused there to catch his breath and looked around at the three generals' faces. "Then when thirteen Rough Eagle Bombers form up and attack, even that stubborn Japanese government will scream and surrender." "After all, this bombing campaign has already turned nearly half of Tokyo into scorched earth." "Ha ha ha!" "But what if Japan still refuses to surrender?" Lieutenant General Frost interjected from the side.

Dr. Fuller smirked slyly, "In that case, we'll have the Army intervene." "We've also created something at Arizona's secret factory—a strange monster of a tank exists there... I call this the 'Lion Tank,' and this beast wields might surpassing even the French Army's seventy-ton tanks." Ah—the Lion Tank! What an amazing tank it must be. With Father being who he was, he must have absolutely, without doubt conceived something extraordinary.—Arthur felt his heart race as he listened.

“How many are you planning to deploy?” Lieutenant General Frost’s eyes also gleamed.

“Five hundred units.”

“Five hundred? …Hmm.” “It’s practically a fleet on land.”

Lieutenant General Gray leaned forward from his chair.

“That’s right. With our land fleet, we’ll crush Tokyo and run rampant across the Kantō Plain.” Dr. Fuller finally unleashed his most intense rhetoric yet. “This is still known only to three people: the President, the Army Chief of Staff, and the Chief of Naval Operations. However, the twenty special duty transport ships to carry this Lion Tank Corps have already been fully prepared…” “Hmm.” “That’s… formidable.” The three generals crossed their arms and groaned.

“At last—with this, we can utterly crush that insolent yellow race.” Lieutenant General Frost squared his khaki-clad shoulders. “My chest feels lighter. "The very notion of Orientals defying us whites is outrageous. "We must punish them thoroughly—ensure they never rise again.” “Then let’s proceed with that vigor,” Dr. Fuller responded. "I too fight for white racial supremacy.”

Dr. Fuller raised a cup in toast to the lieutenant general and bellowed, “Long live the white race!” “Japan has this Dr. Takeda—a naval engineering captain. This man ridiculed me at the World Industrial Conference. I cannot remain silent after being insulted by such inferior Orientals. I’ve resolved to use this war as my chance to settle this scientific rivalry with that man. That man created the Showa Guerrilla Unit. I created the Rough Eagle Bomber. And now at last, our Rough Eagle has prevailed!”

...As expected, Father truly is remarkable... Arthur felt hot blood rush to his cheeks.

Dr. Fuller grew even more impassioned. "I've won! I've won." Yet deep down, some unease remained. That man—Takeda—was building the submarine Fuji. His secret base on Bikais Island was an impregnable fortress surrounded by sheer cliffs, making even a cautious attack impossible. But I won't lose. There's no way I'd lose to Orientals. "What's this Fuji? What's a submarine? Just some sluggish contraption that wallows underwater!" "With my Rough Eagle Bombers and Lion Tank armada, I will seize final victory!"

Dr. Fuller's eyes became bloodshot. The three generals raised their cups high and prayed for Dr. Fuller's victory. Arthur felt inexplicably frightened and began trembling uncontrollably.

“Father is great. He might be the god of war... But he hates Japanese people too much. And isn’t he overestimating white people too much? That is wrong. Orientals are great too. Buddha is also an Oriental. Confucius is also an Oriental. And even that great Admiral Togo is also an Oriental. Looking down on Orientals is wrong. And what’s more—what’s more—Father isn’t fighting solely out of patriotism. He’s fighting because he can’t bear the frustration of losing to Dr. Takeda. He’s fighting out of a base, terrifying desire for revenge.

That's wrong. ...Oh God. Could Father be possessed by a demon? Oh, if that were true, how sad I would be. Mother, who passed away, must surely be grieving in heaven...

Arthur frowned and quietly peered out through the glass door. Outside, perhaps there was no moon—it was pitch dark. The leaves of the royal palm trees rustled noisily, and in the distance, the faint sound of the sea could be heard. Dr. Fuller’s secret meeting dragged on endlessly, and the sentry rubbed his sleepy eyes and continued circling round and round the hut.

The B-country fleet fled. While Dr. Fuller was devising his terrifying plan to conquer Japan, on Bikais Island, Dr. Takeda was single-mindedly rushing to complete the submarine Fuji's construction within Fuji Cave. The Mogami, Chiyoda, and Akitsushima that had sortied to Ogasawara Island encountered the B-country fleet; yet despite facing our guerrilla unit, the B-country fleet made no move to fire upon them.

“Hmm, this is strange.” “Aren’t those bastards supposed to have come to attack Japan?” Commander Kinoshita tilted his head while peering through the rangefinder’s eyepiece. The image of the B-country fleet reflected in the optics appeared majestic. Leading the formation was likely the flagship Dragon (Ryū). The forty-thousand-ton floating fortress lived up to its colossal reputation. Following were the battleships Achilles and Krishna (God of War). The massive fleet—eight battleships and 150 vessels in total—circled Ogasawara Island at a cautious distance.

As the Mogami approached, the Dragon fired a salute. And, "We shall return to the South Seas Camden Naval Port." After hoisting signal flags and swinging hard to port, they led the entire fleet in retreat toward the south. "What’s going on here?"

When Commander Kinoshita expressed suspicion, Commander Ogawa sneered and,

"They must be afraid of the guerrilla unit." "Because those B-country bastards are cowards." "They’ve always just bullied the weak and never faced a strong enemy...so they’ve lost their nerve." That might be the case. Admiral Staal, Commander-in-Chief of the B-country Fleet, had long held a terrible fear of Japanese submarines after all. Thereupon, Commander Kinoshita immediately sent a wireless telegraph to Dr. Takeda on Bikais Island. "The B-country fleet has fled southward, as if they have no intention of occupying Ogasawara Island." "Military strength: approximately 150 vessels under the Dragon." "The Showa Guerrilla Unit will immediately pursue and intends to monitor their movements."

Memorial Service at Bikais Island

Upon receiving this wireless telegraph, Dr. Takeda,

"Alright! While the B-country fleet flees, I'll definitely—definitely complete the Fuji and show them!" Deep confidence flowed across Dr. Takeda's oil-stained face.

Then, day and night, from dawn till dusk, within Fuji Cave, the grueling, intense work continued.

Amidst that busy work, one night atop Yarigatake Peak, a memorial service was held for over ten thousand war dead including Admiral Sueyama, Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet. Led by Dr. Takeda, hundreds of engineers and laborers scaled the steep rocky mountain, lit bonfires, and paid tribute to the late admiral and his fallen comrades.

The mournful music played by the garrison's military band faded faintly into the night sky. On the unpainted wooden altar, branches resembling sacred evergreens were propped up, and the white paper streamers fluttered in the wind. The boy Kiyoshi and Miss Teruyo knelt before it and silently offered their prayers. When they recalled that tragic great naval battle off Tori Island, their chests tightened somehow, and before they knew it, tears streamed down their cheeks.

Ah... Admiral Sueyama had passed away too. Colonel Aoki was gone forever. "But their souls... their souls will remain in the Pacific," Miss Teruyo whispered through tears as she pressed herself against the cold rock face, shoulders trembling with suppressed sobs.

It wasn't just Miss Teruyo. The workers and engineers were all showing unrestrained tears. Dr. Takeda stood up on a higher rock and addressed the group. "Here we have gathered the souls of His Excellency Admiral Sueyama and ten thousand brave warriors. "The nights of Bikais Island are dark, and our sorrow knows no end." "However, our navy carried out that mission at the risk of total annihilation. "The victory at Tori Island Naval Battle is no less than the great victory in the Japan Sea. "Therefore, the spirits of the war dead do not grieve or fret, and even now continue to watch over us."

"The Sueyama Fleet, with two hundred vessels, nearly annihilated a great enemy force of three hundred ships. The enemy ships that returned to Kōgyoku Island were likely no more than ten or twenty. Admiral Sueyama was unfortunately struck down by an enemy bullet, but this was no different from Admiral Nelson's death at the Battle of Trafalgar. No—His Excellency Admiral Sueyama's end was far, far more splendid than Nelson's." "Moreover, our Showa Guerrilla Unit fought most valiantly. Though we lost the Chigusa, Yoshino, and Yashima, their heroic names shall forever shine as blossoms in our nation's history."

"Our Combined Fleet and Showa Guerrilla Unit protected the Imperial Nation and Orient through bloodshed." "If not for the Sueyama Fleet's valiant fight, the Yanell Fleet would have attacked Ogasawara, attacked Yokosuka, and Japan's seas would surely have been entirely occupied by them." "But we still have the Mogami, Chiyoda, Akitsushima—and also Mutsu, Kongō, Ise, and Fusō remaining." "Isn't it that the B-country fleet fears our true strength and avoids showing their hand?" "Can they afford to act recklessly?"

Dr. Takeda swept his piercing gaze across the group. The bonfire's flames cast a red glow across the doctor's cheek. "However, here still lies a formidable enemy. "That would be Dr. Fuller—whom you all know. "Once more than ten of Dr. Fuller's Rough Eagle Bombers are completed, Japan will likely face nothing but annihilation. "And the B-country fleet is waiting to strike. "When Japan is battered by the Rough Eagles, they'll surely bring a massive fleet from the south to seize Taiwan and Ogasawara in one fell swoop."

"They may have returned to Camden Naval Port in the South Seas now, but we must never lower our guard." "And now, Japan's sole means to repel the Rough Eagle Bombers and deter the B-country fleet rests with our submarine Fuji—this alone." "If Fuji exists, Japan triumphs; without Fuji, Japan perishes.—Come!" "Let us return to the cave and resume our work." Dr. Takeda leapt down from the rock, raised his torch high, and led the group down the mountain.

Kiyoshi and Miss Teruyo descended slowly and carefully from the very back.

Omen of Victory

“Hey Miss Teruyo, there are others besides our naval comrades I want to mourn.” Kiyoshi rested his hand on Miss Teruyo’s shoulder and whispered. “Who?” “Remember what I told you before? The Ranon Pirates. Mr. Sekiya Ichirō and the Natsuna Island natives—though missing now, they must’ve fought bravely to the end. I want to pray for their souls.” “Right. I’ll pray with you.”

“Right. I’ll pray together too.” The two of them still did not know about the Ranon Pirates' fierce battle.

Kiyoshi. The precious soul of Mr. Sekiya Ichirō was now quietly watching over them from atop the Diamond Battery of Kōgyoku Island, smiling. ……Kiyoshi stood up on the highest rock of Yarigatake, faced east, and pressed his hands together in prayer. In the sky, the Big Dipper twinkled silver.

Long ago, the renowned commander Sanada Yukimura had believed: “Those who face northward toward the Big Dipper shall fall defeated; those who fight with southward stars at their backs shall claim victory.” Now when one looked skyward, those seven stars turned their spearhead’s edge toward southeast skies. “Ah! A victory omen!”

It might be superstition. However, to Kiyoshi, it somehow seemed that Mr. Sekiya's spirit was announcing Japan's victory.

*Before the Storm*

The war did not progress after that.

Dr. Fuller had perhaps hidden himself away at a secret factory in Arizona, for he was nowhere to be seen. In the meantime, our four battleships entered the dry docks at Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo, and Kobe, repairing their armor and installing new guns. Both BA and their air squadrons were merely patrolling nearby waters, showing no signs of actively seeking to engage the enemy. Occasionally, submarines would sortie out to sink merchant ships or engage destroyers, barely evoking any real sense of warfare.

However, the attitudes of southern B-country and the northern Soviet Union gradually grew increasingly ominous.

The number of B-country warships gathering at Camden Naval Port continued to grow, and hundreds of bombers flew over Camden Island's jungles where tigers roared. Moreover, in Siberia, over 300,000 Red Army troops had gathered as mechanized corps encircled the Manchurian border. The red stars on military caps reflected in the Amur River's waters, the massive shadows of bombers looming - the white man's demonic hands reached ever closer toward the Orient.

Japan was surrounded by white armies to the east, north, and south.

To the east were formations of Rough Eagle Bombers and Lion Tanks; to the north, the Red Army’s massive forces; and to the south, the world’s greatest naval force.

What the ancients called "a tiger at the front gate and wolves at the rear" is precisely Japan’s current strategic posture (strategic circumstances).

Moreover, compounding this situation, China's corrupt generals—despite being fellow Asians—appeared to be colluding with A-country and planning to declare war on Japan once the Rough Eagle Bomber Squadron commenced its attacks. However, the fact that distant European nations—Germany, Italy, and France—recognized the Japanese nation’s strength and mission, maintaining strict neutrality in our favor, remained our strategic advantage. Moreover, the Manchurian Empire stood armed, and the brave Mongol people, shouting "The blood of Genghis Khan flows in our veins!", monitored the Red Army's cavalry forces in the Gobi Desert.

The calm before the tempest. Rain-laden black clouds covered the Far Eastern sky.

The second decisive battle was drawing near.

Ah, O Fuji. Show your majestic form swiftly!

"The Fuji was complete!"

In the autumn of Showa ○, half a year had already passed since the Bird Island Naval Battle ended. The early autumn moon grew clearer each night. In the Pacific, golden and silver waves clashed and mingled, while a pod of dolphins frolicked unaware that battle was near. On September 1, Dr.Fuller sent an arrogant wireless message addressed to our Chief of the Naval General Staff Uesugi and Dr.Takeda: “We will commence our attack within one month. Prepare to meet your doom.” Tonight was September 15—the Rough Eagle Bomber Squadron may have already taken off from the Arizona plateau. The transport ships carrying formations of Lion Tanks may have already set sail from Kōgyoku Island.

“However, Kiyoshi, there’s no need to worry.”

Behold the inlet of Heikai Island.

A submarine floated like a giant whale! Its shape somewhat resembled the Yashima and Chiyoda, but its sides bulged heavily, creating a stern appearance. At its bow sat a large steel protuberance. The guns measured thirteen centimeters - smaller than the Yashima's armament - yet six were mounted fore and aft. This was none other than Dr.Takeda's painstaking masterpiece: the submarine Fuji. Dr.Takeda and the boy Kiyoshi stood on the deck clad in white work clothes.

"Well then, with this, we bid farewell to Heikai Island for about ten days." Dr. Takeda shielded his eyes with a hand and looked up at Yarigatake towering blackly. The moon cast its beautiful light through gaps in the clouds. On the rocks at Fuji Cave's entrance, Miss Teruyo's white sailor uniform stood visible. Among the clustered crowd behind her, Colonel Ogan - now a prisoner - stood mingled within. The boy Kiyoshi formed a makeshift megaphone with his hands,

“Miss Teruyoooo! Goodbye—” he shouted. “Goodbye—” The moment Miss Teruyo’s faint voice was heard, it transformed into a great echoing sphere that resonated throughout Heikai Bay. “Hey, if you keep dawdling, you’ll get locked out again!” Colonel Takeda lightly tapped his brother’s head. “Once was more than enough for me!” Kiyoshi entered the conning tower while scratching his head.

Eventually, Fuji submerged quietly, leaving a whirlpool in its wake.

Phantom Moonlit Night

After passing through the secret cavern entrance and departing Heikai Island, it surfaced into the glistening moonlit sea and continued heading straight northward. Full speed thirty-five knots! A velocity matching destroyers. Spray transformed into silver beads scattering across the bow. Kiyoshi stood imposingly on deck with Commander Kinoshita's memento dagger at his waist, getting drenched by spray. After running for about an hour, it submerged once more.

Submerged speed: twenty-five knots! With this speed, it could pursue any battleship! Though engineers worldwide had struggled in vain to achieve speeds above eleven or twelve knots underwater, Fuji was now traveling at more than double that speed. Even schools of sharks leaping through the Kuroshio Current fled in terror from this monstrosity. “Brother, this is incredible.” The boy Kiyoshi looked up at his brother Dr. Takeda’s face in astonishment. “Ah, there are greater marvels yet to come.”

Dr. Takeda flashed his white teeth within his long beard. And then，taking out a black cloth from the work clothes’ pocket，

“Kiyoshi, put this on!” “What are we doing?” “It doesn’t matter. Shut up.” Forcibly blindfolded, he saw nothing and heard nothing for thirty minutes. “Alright.” Dr. Takeda removed the blindfold. “Look outside.” “That’s mean! Brother, you…” “Brother, you…” Kiyoshi glared resentfully at Dr. Takeda’s face but turned his eyes to the window— “Ah!” he cried out.

Behold. Pale waves were spread out far below his eyes—weren't they? And wasn't the shadow of an island resembling Hachijō-jima also hazily visible below? “Kiyoshi.” “Surprised?”

Dr. Takeda, his eyes gleaming with scientific intensity, placed a hand on his beloved younger brother's shoulder.

“Uuugh…” Kiyoshi’s lips trembled as if stammering. Ah—the true identity of the monster Fuji was— Flying Submarine It was indeed a flying submarine. The crucial point the Doctor had struggled with was flight itself. Concealed within the swollen hull were wings. Now those massive wings spread wide to either side. Pale blue sparks scattered from the wings with sharp crackles—the rocket thrusters’ fire. Ah—Fuji soared through the heavens by rocket power. And there was no sound.

A silent flying warship. In this regard too, our Dr. Takeda proved no less than Dr. Fuller. The boy Kiyoshi's chest quivered uncontrollably from sheer joy. "Brother..."

After that, tears threatened to spill over, and his voice caught in his throat. “Kiyoshi, don’t cry.” “With this, Japan will win.” “However, this ‘Fuji’ was by no means conceived by Brother alone.” “We prayed to the gods who soar through the heavens, and through their power it was made, I tell you.” “It’s the power of god.” “It’s the power of heaven.” “We will surely win.” The doctor’s voice also caught.

Indeed. The pure, pure mountain spirit of Mount Fuji must have been secretly protecting the doctor's great mission.

The flying submarine Fuji dashed through the moonlit sky at 300-kilometer speed, like the Taihō.

To Tokyo, to Tokyo. Dr. Fuller! Demon. Come forth. Japan no longer fears thee!

Midnight Parting

On the night of September 15, the flying submarine *Fuji*, which had flown north past Hachijō-jima like a monstrous bird, vanished without a trace—not a single soul witnessed where it went thereafter. The owls dwelling in the sacred forest of Meiji Shrine in Yoyogi know that one late night, Colonel Takeda and the boy Kiyoshi passed through its great torii gate.

Two black shadows crouched in the shade of a large pine tree, and a divine prayer could be heard. After offering prayers before the Emperor, the two drove a car bearing an anchor emblem toward Meguro Hill. The Colonel was gripping the steering wheel. The car came to a stop in front of a small house nestled in the shade of a forest. It was the dear home. The interior of the house with extinguished lights was enveloped in darkness, and the akebi leaves at the gate rustled with a dry sound. “It seems Mother has already retired for the night.”

Colonel Takeda whispered into Kiyoshi's ear. Kiyoshi silently clenched his fist tightly.

Ah, Mother... Dear Mother. I will now go to the battlefield together with Brother. I don't know if I'll be able to return alive. Mother. If I were to vanish like seaweed in the Pacific, you must not—you must not—hold it against me. Mother. Right now, without meeting you, Mother, I am hiding outside the gate and bidding farewell in secret... Kiyoshi fought back the urge to cry as he bid farewell to Mother in his heart.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Before long, Colonel Takeda urged Kiyoshi onward and once again ran off into the darkness toward some unknown destination.

At dawn that night, a motorboat carrying the two disappeared into the morning mist off the coast of Kannonzaki. Their whereabouts were unknown.

Where was the Fuji hiding?

The Pirates' Song

The day of terrible bloodshed was drawing near. The time for Dr. Fuller’s revenge was drawing near.

Twelve Rough Eagle Bombers that had departed from their secret base on the Arizona Plateau flew in stealthily to Kōgyoku Bay one night.

Twenty special transport ships loaded with Lion Tanks were also hidden beneath the Diamond Battery, under the shade of palm fronds.

Ah, the night of September 25th was now on the verge of breaking into the dim light of dawn.

The aircraft carrier Orion was seen off by the garrison’s “Pirates’ Song” and left Kōgyoku Bay behind.

The thirteen Rough Eagle Bombers lined up on the deck were painted a pitch-black ink color; on their noses, the figure of an enraged eagle was depicted in red paint. Their appearance was garish. Two eyes and a sharp beak glinted silver.

Dr.Fuller ascended to the command tower accompanied by beloved son Arthur. The South Pacific sea breeze swept through Arthur's blond hair.

Arthur furrowed his brows, “Hey, Father, there are thirteen Rough Eagle Bombers. Thirteen’s an unlucky number, isn’t it? I just can’t shake this awful feeling something terrible’s going to happen.” He looked worried.

“Yeah, something bad might happen.” “After all, our enemy is Dr. Takeda.” “I’ve steeled my resolve deep within.” “Arthur, listen carefully.” “They’re all singing the ‘Pirates’ Song.’” Dr. Fuller gazed at the deck with a grim expression. There, officers and sailors stood arm-in-arm in a circle, stamping their feet in rhythm as they sang another song. ...The pirates sailed forth,

...With banners fluttering they sailed forth, Alas for those who never return, But do not mourn, The sea alone is his native land. Sleep in your native land's tomb

Oh, child of pirates... A sad, sad melody. It was a funeral song mourning with sorrow those pitiful pirates who had sailed to distant seas and never returned. "Arthur," he said, "navy men die at sea. The sea becomes their grave."

Dr. Fuller patted Arthur’s head. “Then… is the sky the grave for the air squadron?” “That’s right. Father’s place of death is that blue sky.” Dr. Fuller raised his blue eyes and gazed up at the vast sky. Pale crimson clouds drifted beautifully. Arthur leaned against his father Dr. Fuller’s chest and moistened his eyes with tears, just like a girl.

Father really was a good person. He had resolved himself to die. But what burned in Father’s chest was his single-minded determination to defeat Orientals, to crush the Japanese. This "single-mindedness" might have been an evil "single-mindedness." It might have been the heart of a demon. Yet I too was white. I didn’t want to lose to Orientals. Oh, Mother in Heaven. Please... watch over Father. Ah—I wished we could conquer Japan just once, even if it meant our complete annihilation. I wanted to die only after seeing Tokyo burn. ...

Ah, before leaving Kōgyoku Island, Arthur—who had cursed his father Dr. Fuller’s vengeful spirit and held sympathy for Orientals—heard the "Pirates’ Song" and learned of the doctor’s resolve; before he knew it, he had come to harbor a heart that cursed Japan and damned the Orient. ……The sea alone is his native land.

Sleep in your native land's tomb

Oh, child of pirates... ...That's right. We whites are the children of pirates. Whether it was Spain, the Netherlands, Britain, or America in the old days, pirates always led the way in expanding territories. That's right. The blood of my pirate ancestors flows within me. I must become braver and braver. I'll harden my heart like a demon and crush the Japanese...... Arthur’s small hawk-like eyes glistened as he glared intently at the western sky.

“Hey, Arthur! Even if it comes to battle, don’t resort to cowardly tricks.” “I’ll be brave—absolutely brave. “How could I lose to Orientals?!” Arthur squared his shoulders resolutely.

Gentlemen. How I wish young Kiyoshi could hear these words!

Fuller Comes Again

With the flagship Orion at the forefront, twenty transport ships formed a column formation behind it and advanced westward across the Pacific. Mistaking clouds on the horizon for Japanese cruisers and spouting whales for submarines, they finally pressed toward the waters off Kujūkuri Beach early on the morning of September 30th, crossing the swift Kuroshio Current east of the Bōsō Peninsula.

“Now begins the final all-out attack!”

Dr. Fuller donned a baggy leather flight suit and boarded the Rough Eagle No. 13. Next, Arthur also entered the Rough Eagle's fuselage, his large flight goggles glistening. Orion was now running at full speed. Atop the mast, a special command flag emblazoned with a Rough Eagle fluttered fiercely in the wind. At last, Rough Eagle No. 13 emitted a low sound and began to roar. When the signal flag fluttered sharply, the black monster raced across the deck and instantly soared into the dawn-blazed sky.

Next, No.12 leapt out. After that, No.11 and No.10 followed, and the seven Rough Eagles vanished into the northwestern sky from above Taitō Cape as a single group.

To the northwest of Taitō Cape lies Tokyo.

Dr. Fuller rapidly pulled up the rudder and ascended to an altitude over ten thousand meters.

As far as the eye could see were clouds. There was a sea of clouds. The sea of clouds, illuminated by the sunlight, glowed crimson and gold. “Beautiful.”

Arthur stroked the machine gun's barrel as he was struck by nature's grandeur. In the far distance rose a snow-capped peak. "Father, that mountain is beautiful." "Yeah, that's Mount Fuji."

“Ah, so that’s Mount Fuji. What a beautiful mountain.” Arthur let out an involuntary sigh. Even he, of a different race, must have felt the divine majesty of the sacred mountain. Yet Dr. Fuller remained incapable of sensing Mount Fuji’s grand and profound beauty. His mind held nothing but the Tokyo bombing. To Tokyo, to Tokyo. The seven devilish planes cast shadows upon the clouds as they raced northwest—ever northwest.

After about fifteen minutes, eighteen Japanese fighter planes came charging up from within the dense clouds like hunting dogs. However, alas, every last one of them had fallen prey to the Rough Eagles.

“Look at you now! Yellow dwarves!” Dr. Fuller bared his teeth in a sneering laugh as he mocked our plummeting fighter planes. Ah—just five or six minutes until Tokyo’s skies.

“Rough Eagle First Squadron! Tokyo now lies beneath our wings! In the name of the A-country Air Squadron’s honor, let us annihilate the enemy territory completely!” Dr. Fuller’s unamplified voice resounded through the clouds. “Captain! Our plane will rain down Fuller’s Poison Gas! Hahaha! Don’t wet yourselves now, you Orientals!” The vice-captain of No.10’s voice boomed like thunder. “I am determined to burn Tokyo to ashes with thermite bombs. I can almost see the tearful faces of the Japanese.”

No.8 was also shouting dreadful curses. The swarm of terrifying demons, each chanting their own incantations, plunged into the black clouds. “Arthur, your father is now like Napoleon who crossed the perilous Alps. A beautiful city lies beneath us. And your father will crush it. You’ll make your mark too!” Dr. Fuller, with a face like a vengeful demon, embraced Arthur, the boy, against his chest.

"Lion" Tanks Land

When Dr. Fuller's 1st Squadron departed beyond Taitō Cape, Lieutenant General Frost aboard the 1st Transport Ship took command thereafter. The remaining six Rough Eagle Bombers attacked our defensive positions south of the Kuriyamagawa River. They rained down Fuller’s Poison Gas. The poisonous rain softly soaked our coastal positions. Neither gas masks nor protective suits were of any use. Just as the Showa Guerrilla Unit’s cruiser Mogami had been taken out, the infantry and artillery fell one after another.

It was a soundless attack. It was a bloodless battle. Fifteen minutes after this eerie attack began, our position had become nothing less than a 'trench of death'.

Both officers and soldiers lay fallen, still wearing gas masks. A soldier lying fallen still gripping a machine gun; a petty officer collapsed unconscious against an artillery piece. An officer lying prone in the trench with sword still drawn—a truly regrettable and pitiful sight.

“Hahaha! The enemy’s given up.”

Lieutenant General Frost grinned slyly. Twenty A-country transport ships approached the coast near Kujūkuri Beach, intent on defiling its soil. They were transport ships in name only; in reality, they were a type of aircraft carrier. Each ship was equipped with four 20cm guns and had a flat deck, just like the Akagi and Orion.

Behold. Squadron by squadron, 240 Hayabusa bombers—sister craft to the Rough Eagles—spread their wings and glared down upon the skies of Shimōsa!

A single signal flag was raised aboard Lieutenant General Frost’s flagship. Ah, the massive air fleet commenced its sortie. The large formation of Hayabusa bombers followed behind Fuller Squadron and headed toward the Shimoshizu Plain and Narashino Plain.

Next, the second signal flag rose.

“Land the Lion Tank Corps!”

The twenty transport ships made strange noises and opened large mouths on their sides. From those gaping maws emerged a swarm of tanks. The sight of them brandishing their cannons as they emerged from the dimly lit holds was no different from wild beasts crawling out of a burrow. This was truly Dr. Fuller’s new weapon. The massive tanks, each weighing nearly a hundred tons, did not sink into the sea but charged forward over the waves, kicking up sprays of water. Five hundred heavy tanks advancing to attack the shallow coast. If our coast defense force’s brave soldiers were to see this, how they would tremble with battle fervor!

However, alas, all those brave soldiers had been rendered unconscious by Fuller’s Poison Gas. There was not a single soul left to prevent the landing of this hateful, hateful army.

The swarm of "Lion" Tanks swiftly trampled over our "Trenches of Death."

Salvation Mist

Whether Dr. Fuller's Rough Eagle Bomber Squadron had succeeded in annihilating Tokyo. We will inform you of that later.

This was Shimoshizu Plain in Chiba Prefecture. Our 1st Division had constructed a defensive position approximately five kilometers long and lay in wait for the incursion of the "Lion" Tank Corps. Division Commander Lieutenant General Tachikawa, though his frame was small, stood as the foremost bold general under heaven.

In the trench, he sat with his arms crossed, his eyes firmly shut beneath the visor of his steel helmet. Lieutenant General Tachikawa had a formidable strategy fully formed in his mind; however, regrettably, there was nothing he could do about that mysteriously potent Fuller’s Poison Gas. No matter how many gas masks they wore, our soldiers kept falling one after another. In this situation, even the greatest commander couldn’t possibly devise a strategy. No matter how strong soldiers may be, once sprinkled with deadly poison gas, they become no different from clay dolls.

"Ah, if the Lion Tank Corps were to attack this position while spewing poison gas, how would Lieutenant General Tachikawa plan to confront them in decisive battle?" The enemy advanced at high speed through Shimōsa's low mountains. Any delay would mean Shimoshizu Plain being drenched again in Fuller’s Poison Gas, becoming a 'field of death.' Yet Lieutenant General Tachikawa remained utterly composed. He resembled Takeda Shingen positioned at Kawanakajima. Not even an eyelash twitched. Why was this?

It was because eighteen armored vehicles were charging straight toward Shimoshizu Plain from Narashino Plain at ninety kilometers per hour. In the lead vehicle rode Dr. Nagaoka, a professor at Imperial University. He must have been continuing his life-risking research. His beard grew thick and wild, his eyes sunken deep.

As they approached the battlefront, the armored vehicles scattered, with twelve advancing behind the trenches of twelve battalions. The remaining six advanced into the shadow of the pine grove located ahead of the right flank of the position.

Dr. Nagaoka jumped down from the car and immediately entered the trench where Lieutenant General Tachikawa was. “General Tachikawa, I finally made it in time.” Dr. Nagaoka’s voice was hoarse, caught in his throat. “Dr. Nagaoka, I have no words to thank you.” The lieutenant general stared fixedly at the doctor’s face and solemnly saluted.

“Chief of Staff, spread the Nagaoka Liquid over the position!” When the order was given, faint red smoke began spewing from the armored vehicles. It rapidly spread to every corner of the trenches, soon dampening the soldiers’ bodies like a misty drizzle. This was the Nagaoka Liquid. Dr. Nagaoka had examined corpses of war dead from the Mogami sent from Heikai Island, investigated Fuller’s Poison Gas’s true nature, and created this liquid to neutralize its toxicity.

That had finally been completed this morning. The mist of Nagaoka Liquid dampened the dew-laden grass and soil, and even the pine trees in the grove were faintly moistened. Come at us. "Lion" Tanks.

Our forces, following Lieutenant General Tachikawa’s orders, lay in wait quietly, holding their breath for the enemy’s incursion. What strategy was the lieutenant general—dubbed “the Shōwa-era Kusunoki Masashige”—conceiving?

When the Nagaoka Liquid had been completely dispersed, our two hundred Kamikaze fighters from Narashino base formed a grand formation and surged into the dawn sky. Soon would begin an aerial showdown with the enemy's Falcon Bomber Squadron. The Lion Tank Corps that had annihilated our coastal defense force- "Crush the Japanese army in one squeeze!" -formed five or six columns with five hundred vehicles, advancing as if charging across an empty plain.

Lieutenant General Frost stood at the vanguard of this tank wave, commanding the entire force with shouts of “Advance, advance!”

Landmine Ambush The Lion Tanks growled as they charged toward our 1st Division's position. “Disperse the poison gas!”

An order blared through loudspeakers from Lieutenant General Frost's command vehicle. Five hundred Lion Tanks advanced while training their poison gas cannons on our position. Pale green Fuller’s Poison Gas immediately began raining down upon the trenches like monsoon showers.

"Here comes the baptism of poison. This will wipe out the Japanese forces completely!" Lieutenant General Frost laughed like a demon inside his gas mask. But Lieutenant General, how unfortunate for you—our forces had not suffered a single casualty. The brave soldiers of the 1st Division, doused in Nagaoka Liquid, did not flinch even when enveloped in the poisonous smoke. They hid in the trenches, poised and waiting for orders to come at any moment.

The hands of soldiers gripping their rifles as they leaned against the damp earthen walls were tinged faint red with Nagaoka Liquid. This red liquid was the guardian deity of our lives. Unaware of this truth, the Lion Tank Corps that had released poison gas saw our position lying silent and still, thought "Now at last, the Japanese forces have perished," and while reducing their speed, approached right before the trenches with their wheels rumbling loudly.

“Commander-in-Chief, it seems the Japanese bastards have kicked the bucket.” “Ha ha, truly satisfying!” When the lieutenant in the command vehicle called out to Lieutenant General Frost, suddenly—"Boom! Dududududu…"—a tremendous noise erupted from the bowels of the earth, shaking the ground. “Damn! “Landmines!” Lieutenant General Frost turned deathly pale and staggered. And then, along with iron fragments, he was blown away into the black smoke.

One minute later, the massive form of Lion Tank No. 1 lay shattered into pieces, and Lieutenant General Frost had been blown away to who knows where, leaving not even a corpse visible. Even a massive 100-ton tank, when encountering a large landmine loaded with ○ hundred kilograms of explosives, must meet a pitiful end. Now that their command vehicle had been destroyed, even the vaunted Lion Tank Corps began to falter—some stopped their charge in shock and panic, others reversed course or turned away, their formation suddenly thrown into disarray.

O pitiful enemy forces. Before our position lay an entire field of buried landmines. Unbeknownst to them, the Lion Tank Corps had been lured into that nest of mines. Then tremendous explosions erupted here and there. Behold—the once-invincible land battleship fleet lay wounded, shattered, and scattered; the monstrous carcasses of yellow-painted iron littered Shimoshizu Plain, strewn across its expanse from one end to another.

Nevertheless, they still believed—without a shred of doubt—that they had annihilated the Japanese forces with poison gas. Therefore, they decided to temporarily withdraw from this minefield and attempt to attack Tokyo by taking a detour via Inba-numa. From the new command vehicle, the order thundered forth: "Fall back to the rear pine grove!" Four hundred fifty-six Lion Tanks chaotically changed course and surged toward the rear pine grove.

Lion Tank Corps in Distress

"That should suffice. Shall we let the artillery open fire?" Our renowned commander General Tachikawa, having observed the enemy forces thrown into disarray, issued the firing order to his Chief of Staff. In the pine grove on the right flank lay concealed the Kōnodai Field Heavy Artillery Regiment. Their trigger fingers had been twitching with restless anticipation since earlier. "Has the order come yet? Has it?" The regimental commander's bloodshot eyes blazed fiercely even as he spoke. Then came the decisive command. Now was the moment for the Kantō Artillery to demonstrate their prowess!

From within the pine grove erupted the tremendous roar of 10cm cannons and 15cm howitzers. The target was large and right before their eyes. Even firing wildly and haphazardly, they couldn’t possibly miss. In an instant, the pine grove was engulfed in artillery smoke, and the Lion Tank Corps stood frozen amidst a rain of fire. The Japanese forces they had thought dead had unexpectedly begun shelling. The tank unit, caught off guard, thought, This is it—we're done for.

If they remained stationary, the Japanese artillery fire grew increasingly fierce. Well, at this point, they had nothing left to lose. If we're to be annihilated either way, let's be annihilated after breaking through the Japanese positions.— Truly, the desperate Lion Tank Corps lived up to their name. Though foes, they showed admirable resolve, turned their course toward our infantry positions, and maintaining their column formation, launched a desperate counterattack.

“Come on, bring it.” Here, Type 9△ mortars and infantry guns—several hundred units—were lined up with their muzzles aimed. The Lion Tank Corps courageously braved the field of landmines and pressed forward with their attack. Dark red smoke billowed up as landmines detonated one after another. It was a fearsome battle. The Lion Corps had already lost nearly a hundred vehicles in just thirty minutes of combat. Even so, with nowhere to retreat, they charged up to our positions like deranged beasts, only to be struck by heavy mortars and finished off.

A fierce battle raged for one hour. Even the vaunted enemy finally began to falter. They stopped attacking our strong right-wing positions and turned toward the left flank. Our left-wing forces showered them with a rain of mortar shells, declaring, "May you prove worthy foes." The enemy forces recoiled and attacked their left flank once more. However, our positions were strong, and nowhere could be breached. The Lion Tank Corps advanced left, left, north, north, and before they knew it, drew near Sakura.

In the distance, the waters of Inba-numa glimmered white.

The autumn wind crossing the reed fields reeked of blood.

The wounded Lion Tank Corps hurried as though pulled by the Reaper—toward Inba-numa, toward Inba-numa. Just then, from Narita's skies where Fudō Myōō, guardian deity of our battles, holds court, a squadron of Kamikaze fighters entered the battlefield, their silver wings gleaming as they threaded through cloud gaps.

Self-Destructed Beasts

The Lion Tank Corps, cornered at Inba-numa, made their final desperate stand against the Sakura Regiment, but struck by our mortars and bombarded with Nagaoka gas shells from Kamikaze fighters, they ultimately exhausted their arrows and bullets. By the time they reached the shore of Inba-numa, their massive force of five hundred vehicles had been reduced to a mere two hundred. Moreover, those that remained were all injured and weakened. The true might of tank warfare lies in hundreds of vehicles forming a massive force that relentlessly crushes enemy positions in a raging surge, like a flood.

Even if the Lion Tanks were large and powerful, once they botched their initial attack and began fleeing this way and that, their numbers would inevitably dwindle until defeat was certain. Tanks with weak offensive spirit were no different from beasts that had lost their fangs. Though they bore the name Lion Tanks, the A-country tank units lacked the ferocious offensive spirit of Japanese samurai. Had they pressed forward without regard to being fired upon by the heavy artillery in the pine grove from the start, a corner of our positions might have been breached.

However, with Lieutenant General Frost—their brave commander—being the first to fall in battle, even the vaunted Lion Tank Corps found themselves struck by cowardice, ultimately abandoning all hope of continuing their assault. "What a waste..." "I wanted to crush Tokyo under our treads..." The A-country officers and soldiers all voiced their frustrations, but with the battle now lost, what was the use of lamenting? Their last commander, Colonel Smith, could do nothing but gaze at his homeland's distant skies and weep.

“Very well! At this point, let’s at least ensure our Lion Tanks don’t fall into enemy hands.” Colonel Smith nodded inwardly and issued the order. “Lion Tank Corps, enter the swamp.” It was a strange order. The Lion Tanks trudged along the shore in a line and entered the swamp. The swamp bed was muddy ground mixed with sand. With a sucking sound, the heavy tanks sank into the mire. A-country soldiers abandoned their sinking tanks and clambered up onto the bank. They were captured by our pursuing troops and taken prisoner.

“What a terrible waste.”

While watching the Lion Tanks sink here and there in the swamp, our troops could do nothing but click their tongues in regret. Colonel Smith had become a prisoner of war, but— “With this, we’ve managed to keep our new weapons out of enemy hands!” Colonel Smith gloated triumphantly. However, the Colonel’s triumph would not last long. General Tachikawa, who had galloped over on his horse and rushed to the scene, summoned the Colonel, “Colonel, Japan has no desire for Lion Tanks or such things.” “Your much-vaunted Lions—with a horde of five hundred vehicles—couldn’t even breach an infantry position, could they?”

General Tachikawa declared decisively. The Colonel bit his lip regretfully but showed no sign of relenting.

"No! Even if the Lion Tank Corps is annihilated, the Rough Eagle Bomber Unit will never be defeated! Tokyo has likely become a scorched wasteland by now." He squared his shoulders defiantly as he spoke.

Dark silhouette

That's right. "The Rough Eagle Bombers are an invincible fleet of the sky." It was no wonder the Colonel was so defiant. However, if Tokyo had been bombed, there should have been an immediate report to General Tachikawa. The lack of reports—could it be that both the Staff Headquarters and the Security Command had been completely wiped out?

The Lion Tank Corps were defeated. The Hayabusa bombers had also been repelled. Yet perhaps only against those Rough Eagle Bombers could they find no defense? General Tachikawa silently gazed upward at autumn's crystalline sky. White clouds sailed across its expanse.

"Hm?" From between those clouds, a strange black shadow emerged.

"Is that the Rough Eagles?" General Tachikawa firmly closed his eyes. Ah, has the time finally come when the sacred soil of the Imperial Land will be defiled by enemy forces— The suspicious shadow closed in on our positions like an arrow. And suddenly, a loud voice resounded through the clouds. "Your Excellency, Commander of the First Division—congratulations on your valiant efforts. I am Commander Takeda of the Navy, captain of the flying submarine Fuji. We have just repelled the enemy's Rough Eagle Bomber Unit in Tokyo Bay and are now proceeding to annihilate the enemy fleet off Kujūkuri Beach. Long live the Empire of Japan! Long live the Imperial Army!"

Ah, Dr.Takeda. That was the submarine Fuji.

Lieutenant General Tachikawa looked up at the flying submarine in the sky and calmly drew his military sword. It was a celebrated blade from Bizen Osafune. A two-shaku-three-sun gleaming sword, its light pristine. The lieutenant general swung it high into the air twice, three times. It was a salute to Commander Takeda. Our submarine Fuji cast its black shadow upon the waters of Inba Marsh and charged eastward, racing toward the waves of the Pacific!

The Prisoner's Boast

Gentlemen, our long-awaited submarine Fuji finally revealed itself on the battlefield.

Spewing white rocket fire from its stern, it charged headlong toward the eastern sea. Its airspeed could exceed two thousand kilometers per hour, but it had now deliberately reduced its speed to eight hundred kilometers. “Oh, is that Dr. Takeda’s secret warship?” “Hmm, that’s impressive.” Lieutenant General Tachikawa watched Fuji’s form disappear into the mountain shadows of Shimōsa, with evident satisfaction, “Hah! Hah!” he brandished the celebrated Osafune sword. Colonel Smith, the prisoner, was shocked and trembling.

Lieutenant General Tachikawa thrust his ice-cold gleaming blade before the prisoner’s eyes, “Colonel, behold this sword. In this is imbued the noble soul of Japanese warriors. This scent, this light—where in the world could there be such a beautiful, divine weapon? And then, the submarine *Fuji* that just vanished into those mountain shadows—that is the very crystallization of Japanese scientific power. The Rough Eagle Bombers and Lion Tanks—once they face the Fuji, wouldn’t they be nothing but pitiful mantis’s axes? It is Japan’s military that has united the spiritual power of this Japanese sword and the scientific power of that *Fuji*! How could we allow this divine land protected by our sacred military to be defiled by your muddy feet? Colonel Smith, you are enemies of the world who defy the sun!”

Lieutenant General Tachikawa stared fixedly at Colonel Smith’s face with eyes shining with dignity and passion. Colonel Smith, burning with frustration at having lost his Lion Tank Corps and now hearing of the Rough Eagle Bomber Unit's complete annihilation, clenched his teeth tightly; then, with a sharp motion, he shook his disheveled hair and boldly glared at Lieutenant General Tachikawa, “But Japanese people have yellow faces, don’t they? The yellow race is an inferior race. Our forces may have been defeated this time due to lack of fortune in battle, but we will never sincerely surrender to Japan! We are the white race. Commander of the Japanese Division! You are a vile colored race. You’re a different species from us. What’s a Japanese sword? What’s the Fuji? Our A-country will most certainly, most certainly have our revenge! Long live the white race!”

The colonel shouted loudly and recklessly. “Quite the impudent one for a prisoner.” “Shall we discipline him?” Two or three officers exchanged meaningful glances with the lieutenant general. However, Lieutenant General Tachikawa shook his head sideways. “Do not mistreat prisoners. He’s a pitiable man. Only white people believe themselves to be a superior race. Hahaha! Let’s take him back to Tokyo and show him the fine arts of the East. He’ll surely come to think differently.”

The officers, stopped by the lieutenant general, took Colonel Smith's hand and patted his shoulder, “Colonel Smith, the Japanese military does not humiliate prisoners like some nations do, so you need not worry.” “You will go to Tokyo with your sword still at your side.” “And take a good look at whether the Japanese are inferior to white people or not.” they said solicitously in unison.

Having lost the battle and become like a madman, Colonel Smith turned his pale face toward everyone, “I don’t care about any of that! Just you wait! Our Dr. Fuller will most certainly, most certainly take revenge! Don’t you dare come crying when that time comes!”

he continued to bellow.

“Colonel, but the Rough Eagle Bomber Unit has already been completely annihilated.”

A lieutenant placed a hand on his shoulder with a pitying look. “Shut up!” Colonel Smith violently shook off the hand. “That’s impossible! Even if the Rough Eagle Unit was defeated, would Dr. Fuller lose so easily? Lies! That’s a lie! Dr. Fuller is most certainly, most certainly alive! And he will take terrible revenge on you all!”

The Rough Eagle Unit was defeated.

That's right. Colonel Smith’s shout was not a lie. The Rough Eagle First Squadron that had headed toward Tokyo Bay was ambushed off Kisarazu by the submarine Fuji, which suddenly leaped out of the sea and annihilated before they could mount a defense—yet miraculously, only the Thirteenth Unit carrying Dr. Fuller survived. Now, the Thirteenth Unit was fleeing south and further south off Izu Ōshima. Dr. Fuller sat with a pallid face, his arms crossed. The boy Arthur, too, had timid eyes that looked sorrowful beneath his flight goggles.

“Father… We’ve finally lost, haven’t we?” “—” The doctor remained silent. “Dr. Takeda is impressive, isn’t he?” “—” “Father, why are you staying silent? Submarine Fuji was incredible, wasn’t it?” Arthur was utterly astonished by Submarine Fuji’s formidable combat power.—

○

Looking back, it had been a terrifying battle. Having passed Kisarazu and nearing Shinagawa's fortifications, just as they approached, a colossal monster tore through the white clouds beneath them and emerged. Before the Rough Eagle Squadron could even complete their startled "Ah—", Dr. Takeda's voice rang out crisp and clear.

“Dr. Fuller! We meet at last! Now let us settle this - whether my Flying Submarine Fuji prevails or your Rough Eagle proves superior. This is the moment for our honorable contest! Oh valiant warriors of the Rough Eagle Bomber Unit I so respect - come at me from any direction you choose!”

It was a powerful voice. A voice that resonated in the gut. The Rough Eagle Unit remained silent. For even Dr. Fuller - confronted by such an unexpected monstrosity - found himself choking on his own spit, rendered speechless. "Now we go!"

Along with Dr. Takeda’s voice, the 13-centimeter cannon spewed fire like a flying dragon.— The combat that followed was something the boy Arthur found too pitiful even to recall. The Eighth Unit was shot down first. Next, the Tenth Unit that had been boasting "I'll rain down poison gas on you" let out a sorrowful cry amidst the clouds as it burned and fell. “Scatter!”

At Dr. Fuller's command, the remaining five aircraft scattered in all directions.

However, Fuji was a high-speed rocket ship. It pursued the fleeing enemies and fired relentlessly. The Twelfth Unit was shot down into Ōmori's Sannō Forest. The Ninth Unit vanished into the churning waves of Tokyo Bay.

The Eleventh Unit managed to escape to Sagami Bay, but it too was finally swallowed by the raging waves of the Pacific.

The Seventh Unit that had fled the farthest valiantly declared over Mount Hakone, "Since we must die regardless, let us at least collide with Fuji and fall together!" as it launched a desperate charge, only to be repelled at the critical moment by Kiyoshi's Number Two Cannon fire. Then it sank deep into Lake Ashi's abyss. Dr. Takeda, who understood samurai compassion, lowered Fuji's bow to honor the enemy warriors' final moments. The sole surviving Thirteenth Unit exploited Fuji's pursuit of companion aircraft to infiltrate Tokyo, battling Kamikaze fighters while bombing the Great Wireless Telegraph Station.

Truly worthy of the Rough Eagle Bomber. They next attempted to bomb the army arsenal, but at that moment, from the southwestern sky came Dr. Takeda’s Fuji, flying like an arrow and radiant with victory. Seeing this, “This is the end. In that case, let us at least go out to the Pacific to die.” With that, Dr. Fuller turned the helm southward.

Fuji rapidly closed in. It was a terrifying form. It was an incredible sight. Arthur felt like he was about to lose consciousness.

“Don’t flee, coward!”

The voice audible from Fuji was Dr. Takeda. “This isn’t cowardice,” “I do not want to expose an ugly corpse to enemy soil.” Dr. Fuller answered in a strained, anguished voice. His eyes were welling with tears. Fuji fell silent for a while at Dr. Fuller’s unexpected yet honorable reply, but before long, Dr. Takeda’s voice rang out again. “My friend Dr. Fuller.” “I offer my sympathy and respect for your noble resolve.” “Very well, you may go.” “To the Pacific!” “...North of Ogasawara lies our base, Bikais Island.” “In that sky above, let you and I have our duel.” “Well then, goodbye for now.”

As the voice faded, the monster Fuji instantly vanished into the clouds.

“Dr. Takeda, thank you.” Dr. Fuller uttered just a single word. And now, having lost its comrades and become the sole survivor, Rough Eagle Bomber No. 13 was skimming past Izu Ōshima.

○

“Hey, Father, submarines flying through the sky—Eastern scientists are truly remarkable.” “Is Dr. Takeda greater than Edison?……” Arthur placed his hand on his silent father’s shoulder. “……” “Hey, being able to adjust speed faster or slower with rocket propulsion… Dr. Takeda really is a great figure in 20th-century science.”

The boy peered into Dr. Fuller’s face. On the father’s pale cheeks, two streaks of tears glistened. Ah, Dr. Fuller was crying.

Were those tears grief over defeat in battle? Resentment at losing the scientific contest? Or lamentation that he and beloved Arthur must vanish like flotsam into the Pacific? The Izu Sea raged with white wave crests dancing. They had passed Hachijō-jima. The black silhouette of Bikais Island emerged above the horizon.

He wouldn't surrender!

The flying submarine Fuji, having left Shimoshizu Plain behind, appeared over Kujukuri Beach with bullet-like speed.

High above Cape Taito, the six planes of the Rough Eagle Bomber's 2nd Squadron were now preparing to embark on their second bombing raid against Tokyo. The six Rough Eagle Bombers, their silver eyes blazing fiercely, beat their wings northward with terrifying intensity!

However, our Fuji spread its steel wings and blocked their path. “Rough Eagle Bomber Squadron. Surrender. The First Squadron has been annihilated over Tokyo Bay!” Following Colonel Takeda’s warning, the boy Kiyoshi shouted at the top of his voice. “If you dawdle, you’ll be annihilated. Quickly, quickly—as a sign of surrender, please land on the coast of Kujukuri Beach.” The Fuji, emitting bluish-white rocket smoke from its hundred-meter-long wings, charged straight into the heart of the Rough Eagle squadron. With a roaring howl, a whirlwind gust erupted.

The six Rough Eagle Bombers screamed and scattered in all directions. “Now hurry up and surrender! This is your final warning!” Kiyoshi’s voice rang out gallantly. One panicked enemy plane fled eastward in blood-streaked desperation. No matter how far it fled, its fate was sealed—a crash into the endless waves. “Stop! Land now or we fire!” The two 13cm guns of Fuji’s forward turret flashed crimson. The cannon’s roar echoed ominously through the clouds. Ah—the fleeing Rough Eagle listed unsteadily. Flames burst forth. The pitiful aircraft, its right wing shattered, spiraled down into the waves. With a splash, pure white spray surged upward alongside dark red smoke.

For a brief moment, the Kuroshio's waves swallowed the enemy plane without a trace, flowing away toward Inubōsaki. “Did you witness that, Rough Eagle Bomber Squadron?! That is the fate awaiting those who refuse to surrender!” Fuji aimed its six cannons forward and backward, glaring at the remaining Rough Eagles.

The fourth bomber of the Rough Eagle squadron, having witnessed the terrifying demise of its ally, flapped its wings fearfully, cut its engines, and abruptly nosed downward into a glide. Below them spread the sandy expanse of Kujukuri Beach. The No.4 bomber finally surrendered.

Following that, another plane—the squadron leader’s No.6 Bomber—followed suit. Ah—was the squadron leader surrendering too? The remaining three planes could only drift through the clouds as if dazed. However, this was indeed the squadron leader’s plane. The No.6 Bomber was not going to surrender. He poured down a continuous barrage of machine gun fire from behind the treacherous No.4 Bomber. Brrrrrrt... As the gunfire ceased, the No.4 Bomber—engulfed in crimson flames—crashed down in flames at Kujukuri Beach’s water’s edge. Those who defy military law meet with a miserable end.

The squadron leader’s plane twisted around sharply，executed a rapid climb，and charged gallantly toward Fuji. “O monster of Japan!” “The A-country Navy knows nothing of surrender!”

Even if victory was impossible, determined to die gloriously in battle, the Rough Eagle No.6 Bomber launched a suicide charge toward the Fuji. Behold the might of Fuji! “Take out the squadron leader!” The remaining three planes also attacked from the front and rear. It was the Rough Eagle Bomber Squadron’s final attack. The red eagle’s face glowed like a living creature, and the machine gun fire seemed like the breath of an enraged fierce bird.

Assaulted by four enemy planes, Submarine Fuji suddenly unleashed storm-like speed, pierced through the clouds to vanish skyward—then abruptly plunged straight downward as all six cannons roared in unison. The bluish-white light of the Aoki Ray flashed once more! Ah—the Fuji, whose wrath makes even the sea god tremble! With this single volley, the four enemy planes vanished without trace.

All that could be seen were white wave crests; all that could be heard was the roar of the Kuroshio Current.

Even the formidable Rough Eagle Bombers, into which Dr. Fuller had poured his heart and soul, proved no match for our "Aerial Battleship." Struck by the Aoki Ray that Submarine Fuji unleashed during its steep dive, the Rough Eagle Bomber Squadron burst into a single fireball and scattered like cherry blossoms across Cape Taitō’s sky. “The Aoki Ray is incredible! The battle was decided in just two or three seconds!”

Aboard the Submarine Fuji, young Kiyoshi stood amazed at his own weapons' destructive power. "Hmm," said Dr. Takeda, his deeply clear eyes shining as he stroked his younger brother's cheek. "Without rocket propulsion and that powerful ray, we couldn't have won this Showa-era war." "But our enemies fought bravely too!" "They met an honorable end." Dr. Takeda's eyelids glistened with pearly tears. "When this war concludes, we'll build a memorial monument at Taitō Cape." "Ah," Kiyoshi nodded solemnly, "like the monument for that enemy general at Ryojun's Tōkeikan Mountain Battery." "That," Dr. Takeda murmured, his voice thickening with emotion, "is the essence of Japanese bushido."

“That’s right. That is Japanese bushido.” Dr. Takeda’s eyelids were beaded with white teardrops. Kiyoshi’s chest tightened, and he found himself growing somehow sad. O brave warriors who, though enemies, fought for your homeland’s honor until the very end. May you sleep peacefully in the depths of the Kuroshio Current!

○

Having witnessed the defeat of the Rough Eagle squadron, the aircraft carrier Orion and twenty transport ships desperately fired their anti-aircraft guns in a wild barrage—firing and firing and firing—but the monster Fuji remained silent and unflinching. It did not attack. It merely waited until they exhausted themselves from firing before dropping just a single bomb. When it struck one of the transport ships, a tremendous fire broke out, staining the waves crimson.

“It’s hopeless!”

The aircraft carrier Orion was the first to raise a white flag. Next, the transport ships vied with each other to raise white flags. The white banners of the Genji clan had been brave symbols of martial prowess with bow and arrow, but these white flags were no mark of honor. “We surrender.” It was a pitiful surrender flag. Having no desire to further torment the defeated, the Fuji accepted their surrender. “Surrender is granted. Proceed to off Kannonzaki in Tokyo Bay. We will monitor you from beneath the waves. Any suspicious activity will result in immediate sinking!”

Submarine Fuji, having issued them their orders, suddenly lowered its bow sharply, flapped its wings, and leapt down into the sea. No sooner had the spray shot up than its figure vanished into the waves. It submerged. Flying Vessel Fuji transformed into Submarine Fuji in an instant. The A-country transport fleet, feeling as though they’d been tricked by a fox, remained dazed for some time, but eventually turned their helm southwest and began advancing toward Kannonzaki.

Strange captives. The Kuroshio Current's waves struck their hulls mockingly. How frustrating, how disappointing. Yet they couldn't recklessly attempt to flee. The monster Fuji kept its watchful eyes glowing intently from beneath the sea. Before long, the remaining twenty-one ships were formally captured by our destroyer squadron off Kannonzaki.

“Now, to Blue Sea Island! Dr. Fuller awaits us there.”

To Blue Sea Island, to Blue Sea Island—our Submarine Fuji now made haste toward its final battlefield.

Knightly Etiquette

Dr. Fuller, who had fled southward, soon discerned the silhouette of Blue Sea Island beyond Hachijōjima. At the base of the jet-black cliff rising sheer from the sea, white waves shattered like scattering blossoms. "Arthur, look. That's Blue Sea Island." Dr. Fuller pointed downward with a gloved hand. "That's the Shōwa Guerrilla Unit's base, isn't it?"

“That’s right. Just watch. Any moment now, a large inlet will appear beyond that cliff…” Rough Eagle Bomber No.13 reached directly above Blue Sea Island at 300 kilometers per hour, swift as the blink of an eye. Looking down, the waves of Blue Sea Bay—imbued with ancient mysteries—shimmered in a profound deep green. Near the narrow channel, a solitary black dot visible was likely Wolf Rock. The Yarigatake Caves and Fuji Caves lay hidden at the mountains’ base, invisible from the air.

“Father, this is strange,” said Arthur. “The Shōwa Guerrilla Unit shows neither shadow nor form.” Blue Sea Bay lay still as if sleeping under Arthur’s suspicious gaze—not a single flying fish broke its surface. “Then we’ll descend further for inspection,” declared Dr. Fuller. The Rough Eagle dipped its rudder and skimmed low—lower still—over Yarigatake, Tsubakurodake, and Rengedake. “If enemies truly waited here,” Arthur observed, “they would have fired anti-aircraft guns by now.”

“Hmm, perhaps a submarine is lurking at the bottom of the inlet.” “Shall we try dropping one bomb?” “Father, you mustn’t do that. “We’re surviving by Dr. Takeda’s mercy. “Please, Father, uphold ‘knightly etiquette’ until we face Fuji in decisive battle. “I’m begging you.” Arthur clung to his father Dr. Fuller’s arm.

“What is this ‘knightly etiquette’?” “It means keeping promises. Please, Father—by the honor of the white race, stop the bombardment.” “No! I make no promise to spare Blue Sea Island.” Dr. Fuller shook off his son’s clinging arm. “Bombardier—release payload!” “Oh, Father...!” Arthur’s tearful cry went unheeded. The disengaged bomb became a tiny white speck plunging toward Blue Sea Bay’s innermost inlet.

With a thunderous roar, the green waves shattered as an untimely whirlwind erupted. "Hahaha...! The Rough Eagle Bomber won't meet such a worthless end!" Dr. Fuller threw back his head and laughed with exaggerated bravado.

Blue Sea Island Bombardment In the Fuji Caves of Blue Sea Bay, Teruyo remained with the garrison sailors and workers. Colonel Ogan, captain of the submarine Whale, had also been taken prisoner. On the moonlit night of September 15th, fifteen days had passed since Submarine Fuji slipped through the secret channel and left the island. With a lonely heart, Teruyo spent each day gazing at the inlet waters and worrying.

Would Fuji truly be able to defeat the Rough Eagle Bomber squadron? Uncle Takeda was brilliant, but Dr. Fuller might possess even more terrifying power than that. What if—what if that demonic doctor were to win? Oh, what would become of Japan?—

Her heart in turmoil, Teruyo had had another terrifying dream the previous night. Dr. Takeda and young Kiyoshi were being chased by Dr. Fuller across a vast field until finally, as Kiyoshi tripped over a stone and staggered, he was shot down by the doctor’s pistol. The sight of Kiyoshi’s bloodied, sorrowful face from that moment made her shudder even to recall it. “Oh, Kiyoshi... Please stay alive.” Teruyo pressed her face against the rocky shore’s edge and prayed silently to God.

That was the moment. The Rough Eagle Bomber Number 13 revealed its loathsome form above the island. “Rough Eagle Bomber!” “Fuller’s here!” The garrison sailors immediately donned gas masks and swiftly reached the anti-aircraft gun position atop Hotaka Mountain. However, to lull the enemy into complacency, they restrained their eager hearts and held back from opening fire.

The enemy plane was flying just above the cliff, "Ah—!" It was a bombardment. The bomb fell right in front of Fuji Caves. Boom— A terrifying roar rang out.— Teruyo's ears buzzed with a piercing ring as she instinctively clung to the rocks. Spray coldly soaked the back of the sailor uniform. Ah... So Fuji had really lost after all. Dear Kiyoshi... You'd finally perished somewhere in the Pacific. It was so frustrating—what was I supposed to do?—

Miss Teruyo trembled with frustration as she heard the second explosion that followed, weeping bitterly as though her heart would break. In stark contrast to Miss Teruyo's grief, Colonel Ogan—now a prisoner of war—quivered with battle-hungry exhilaration.

“Ah—Dr.Fuller has arrived!” The Rough Eagle Bomber had finally defeated Submarine Fuji. “Long live the A-country Navy!—”

But Miss Teruyo—wipe away your tears of sorrow. And Colonel Ogan—it’s still too early to be shouting ‘Long live’!

When the Rough Eagle Bomber dropped its third bomb, our undefeated flying submarine Fuji had already revealed its imposing gray form in the western skies above Hotaka Mountain.

Takeda vs. Fuller: Single Combat

The two great men had finally met. One was Dr. Takeda, the great scientist of the Land of the Rising Sun, who boarded the rocket warship Fuji and valiantly arrived at the final dueling grounds. The other was Dr. Fuller, A-country's foremost scientist—trembling before inevitable defeat yet clinging to white racial pride—now seeking to counterattack Dr. Takeda with his beloved Rough Eagle Bomber. At that moment, Blue Sea Island's skies ominously darkened as a mass of black clouds descended near Yari-ga-take's peaks.

The waves crashing against the cliff suddenly roared violently, and a flock of albatrosses cried out with hoarse voices.

“Dr. Takeda! The decisive battle is finally here. “Inferior Japanese! Behold the attack of my Rough Eagle Bomber!” Amidst the sound of a gust of wind, Dr. Fuller’s detestable voice resounded. The Rough Eagle Bomber assaulted Submarine Fuji in a nosedive. The machine gun fire flashed in midair like a fire dragon’s breath. Next, Fuller’s poison gas shells were launched, and for a time, our Fuji was enveloped in toxic smoke.

“Ah—could it be that even the mighty *Fuji* cannot endure this chemical weapon ambush?”

That was right. Had they been unable to load the Nagaoka liquid off Shinagawa that morning, Submarine Fuji might have been defeated by this strike. Even if its combat capabilities were unmatched, without the medicine to counter Fuller’s poison gas, the two-thousand-ton invincible aerial warship would have been enveloped in blue smoke and, writhing in agony, plummeted into the waves. But now they had the Nagaoka liquid. Before the poison could take effect, a thin red liquid had been thoroughly applied to every inch of its gun turrets and wings.

Behold. Before long, Submarine Fuji shook off the smoke and ascended into the skies above Hotaka Mountain. Then—for reasons unknown—instead of counterattacking the Rough Eagle Bomber, it turned its bow from Wolf Rock toward the waterway. “Running away, Dr. Takeda?!” The Rough Eagle Bomber roared its battle cry and struck from behind. The autocannon glowed like a red-hot iron rod from relentless firing, yet even this deluge of shells failed to pierce the Takeda steel.

Dr. Fuller was filled with unbearable frustration. Gritting his teeth, he glared at Submarine Fuji’s retreating form. Submarine Fuji circled Blue Sea Island two or three times as if pitying the frenzied enemy, waited until their bullets were exhausted, then extinguished its rocket flames and came to a halt directly above Blue Sea Bay. “Respected Dr. Fuller, the battle ends here. I bid you to surrender. And for the sake of world science, live on. I do not hate you. I simply lament the loss of your exceptional intellect.” Dr. Takeda’s resounding voice carried across the waters. It was a merciful plea for surrender. Yet Dr. Fuller could only tremble with bitter resentment. Raising his voice hoarsely, he shouted—

Dr. Takeda’s powerful voice rang out. It was a merciful call to surrender. But Dr. Fuller was consumed by frustration. He shouted at the top of his voice,

“Dr. Takeda! I am a white man. “I would be ashamed to surrender to Orientals. “My bullets are spent, and I have no bombs. “All that remains is collision!” Before his voice had faded, the Rough Eagle Bomber transformed into a human bullet and charged at Submarine Fuji. Ah—this was Dr. Fuller’s final strike. To remain motionless would mean peril. Even samurai compassion had reached its limit.

“Now, Kiyoshi! Fire!” Dr. Takeda issued the command as if pitying the arrogant enemy rushing into the flames. The boy Kiyoshi steadied his heated heart and pulled the trigger. Ah! The red visage of the Rough Eagle Bomber crumbled. Flames blazed up like a flower. Within those flames, silver eyes glowed resentfully. “Ah—it’s going down!” Dr. Takeda closed his eyes and mourned his worthy rival’s demise.

The End of the Rough Eagle Bomber

The Rough Eagle Bomber, now a mass of flames, plummeted into Blue Sea Bay. The green cove had taken on an unseasonal crimson hue, but by the time they launched the boat from Fuji Cave, only five or six pale-faced surviving crew members remained floating among the waves.

Submarine Fuji, having shot down the Rough Eagle Bomber, descended soundlessly into Blue Sea Bay. Ah, beloved island! Dear inlet!

Colonel Takeda and the boy Kiyoshi hurriedly rushed out onto the deck.

“Hey! How many enemies survived?”

When he called out to the boat, a sailor with rolled-up sleeves turned back toward them. “Two.” “The rest were all killed by sharks!” “Bring those two here immediately.” “Yes, sir! We’ll bring them right away.”

Before long, the boat carrying prisoners was brought alongside Submarine Fuji. "Oh! Isn't this Dr. Fuller?!"

Colonel Takeda was surprised. When he peered in, there lay Dr. Fuller, covered in blood and gasping for breath at the bottom of the boat. And beside him, a boy was weeping bitterly, looking utterly grief-stricken. “Dr. Fuller, it’s me—Takeda. Hey, pull yourself together.” Dr. Takeda gently, carefully moved over to the boat and embraced the pitiable enemy’s shoulder.

Dr. Fuller narrowed his eyes and continued to speak as if muttering. “Sharks! Man-eating sharks! It was the sharks that got me.” “I will not lose to Orientals.” “What’s Dr. Takeda?” “I won’t lose! Damn him, that bastard!” “Ah! It hurts!” “Damn sharks!” “Takeda, you bastard!” “I was done in by sharks.” Alas, the stubborn doctor had finally lost his mind. The clouded hue of his eyes seemed unlike that of any living person.

The shark-bitten wound was quite severe. With so much blood loss, there was no longer any hope of saving him. "Ah! Sharks! Sharks! Arthur! Arthur! My dear Arthur!" "Sharks!" "Arthur! Arthur! My dear Arthur!"

The doctor’s hands groped frantically through the air. “Dad, it’s me. It’s Arthur.”

With tear-soaked hands, the boy clung to his father. “Uu...” Dr.Fuller’s lips trembled violently, but he no longer had strength to speak. He went limp and collapsed against Dr.Takeda’s chest. An albatross shrieked ominously as it whirled madly above Wolf Rock.

Ah, where would the soul of Dr. Fuller—who died on this desolate island in the distant sea—wander lost from this night onward? The boy Kiyoshi sincerely mourned the passing of this great enemy.

The war was over. The shell that Kiyoshi fired at the Rough Eagle Bomber became the final shot of the Pacific War. With its navy annihilated, its Lion Tank Corps and Rough Eagle Bomber Squadron defeated, and even Dr. Fuller lost, A-country no longer possessed the courage to continue fighting. The wireless telegraph station on Kōgyoku Island sent a plea for "ceasefire" to Tokyo. They must have been terrified—if they hesitated any longer, they feared Submarine Fuji would attack and destroy them completely.

Shortly after A-country surrendered, B-country’s fleet also withdrew far from the South Seas. Witnessing the great fleet—flagship Dragon followed by 150 ships—withdraw dejectedly toward the horizon after leaving Camden Island, Major Kitaura of our guerrilla unit Chiyoda exclaimed triumphantly, “With this, the seas of the Orient have returned to the hands of Orientals!”

he exclaimed triumphantly.

Ah, when the Shōwa guerrilla units of the South Seas—Mogami, Chiyoda, and Akitsushima—returned majestically to their base at Blue Sea Island, escorted by natives shouting "Banzai, Japan!" from beneath palm fronds, Kiyoshi and Teruyo knelt upon the rocks at Yari-ga-take's summit, bowing reverently toward the distant northern sky where Chiyoda's Imperial Palace lay.

After finishing their prayers, while being brushed by the autumn sea breeze, the two looked at each other and smiled gently.

“It’s wonderful, isn’t it? Kiyoshi-san, you’ve accomplished a feat just like Shigenari Kimura, haven’t you?” Teruyo looked beautiful as a flower in her sailor uniform, her thick black hair peeking out from under a red beret that suited her perfectly. “Yeah, Japan’s work begins now.” The boy Kiyoshi crossed his arms and braced both feet firmly on the rock. His eyes were fixed on the distant horizon where Pacific waves met sky. “The aftermath of war is what’s important.”

“Yes.” “We mustn’t let our guard down.” “Japan’s mission is much, much greater.”

The two stood upon the rock on and on forever. No matter how long they looked，they never tired of watching Pacific’s waves. The boundless sky enveloped everything.

—O my beloved boy and girl. Take into yourselves the soul of this great ocean, and make your hearts pure and abundant. — The waves breaking against the moss-covered cliff appeared to bless the future of the two.

Golden Mount Fuji As for how the postwar arrangements were progressing, neither young Kiyoshi nor Miss Teruyo fully understood. They felt sorrow at parting with brave Colonel Ogan, but joy that fatherless Arthur had come to wholeheartedly admire Dr. Takeda and would remain in Japan. “Hey, starting today, you and I are brothers. Let’s get along well.” In the shadow of rocks outside Fuji Cave, Arthur—with Kiyoshi’s arm around his shoulders—sparkled with sapphire eyes,

“You’d really make me your little brother? I’m so happy!” he exclaimed cheerfully. “I’m your big sister.” Miss Teruyo put on a straight face and gently pinched the boy’s cheek.

○

November 3rd was the morning of the Meiji Festival.

The Shōwa Guerrilla Unit, with their military exploits gleaming, left Blue Sea Island behind and at last triumphantly returned to Tokyo Bay.

Before the night's darkness had faded, the Mogami, Chiyoda, and Akitsushima left the island, their flags streaming in the sea breeze. Our Submarine Fuji departed slightly later, lingering regretfully on Blue Sea Bay's waves as it skimmed Yari-ga-take's peak and turned northward. The Pacific sky burned crimson with dawn. The sea stretched out smoothly, while floating white above the distant horizon stood Fuyō Peak—Mount Fuji. When approaching Oshima's smoke-trailing offshore waters, looking down revealed the three ships of the Shōwa Guerrilla Unit advancing in a small but beautiful single column formation, white wakes stretching behind them.

“It’s just like a painting. What a beautiful triumphal return!” Miss Teruyo, with tears of joy welling in her eyes, whispered into Kiyoshi’s ear.

“Oh, look! There’s another fleet over there.” What appeared as specks rising along the northern horizon pointed out by Kiyoshi was none other than the elite of our victorious navy—the four great battleships Mutsu, Fusō, Kongō, and Ise, led by Admiral Hibiya. Ah, the Pacific's early dawn. The black iron floating castles protecting the divine land kicked up white waves at their prows, while our invincible Submarine Fuji spread its wings and beat them in triumphant return. The divine land shall never perish—Japan will not perish.

Behold. The steadily rising sun cast its golden light upon the summit of sacred Mount Fuji!