Translator Corner

Minasan Oidemasu! This is Yukkuri demasu!

FIRST BLOOD!

As always,

DISCLAIMER: There is no guarantee that my translation is 100%

correct. Please correct me if I was wrong.

Plus, if you

want to thank someone go to the guys at Ainus.h.i.+ Translation who give me the RAW

for this LN. They’re the real MVPs.

Author:

みのろう (Minorou)

Translator:

Yukkuri Oniisan!

Editor:

Online Grammar Checker!

Chapter 1

Upheaval

Part 6

Destroyer 『Izumo』  – Captain’s Room.

Captain Yamamoto was conversing with his XO.[1]

「Although this is the first overseas deployment of troops after our transfer

to another world, it might be a conflict as expected.」

「It couldn’t be helped. We can’t let the people starve, so the government

made this bitter decision. Furthermore, when I heard about the ma.s.sacre in Gim

city, I personally don’t want to be chummy with the Louria Kingdom.」

「The opponents don’t know our power. If it is only a warning shot…… then they

won’t turn back.」

「I think so too.」

Both Yamamoto and the XO didn’t want to spill needless

blood. There should also be some of the Louria Kingdom’s soldiers who didn’t want

to kill people, too, just like their own sentiments.

「But don’t you find it strange?」

「About what……?」

「The equipment of the Louria Kingdom and Qua-Toyne are medieval-era. Well, they

have dragons and wyverns and communication devices called manacoms, so they are

more advanced than Earth’s medieval era.」

The Captains remembered the doc.u.ments that the diplomats

and the recon units brought back from the Louria Kingdom. When they compared the

appearances depicted in the clear photographs and the remaining drawings of their

own doc.u.ments from Earth, they couldn’t get rid a sense of discomfort no matter

what.

「The s.h.i.+ps of the Lourian Army are wooden s.h.i.+ps like in the Kamakura period,

it’s not a s.h.i.+p-of-the-line.[2]

In addition, the information said that the total forces of this fleet is

140,000 men with the 4,400 s.h.i.+ps, which is actually exactlu like that decisive

battle that j.a.pan had once experienced.」

The XO made a surprised expression.

「It’s the Second Mongol Invasion, the Kouan Campaign, right?」

The Kouan Campaign. On 16 June 1281 AD, in order to

conquer j.a.pan, a large fleet was sent to j.a.pan by the order of Kublai Khan of

the Mongol empire.

The Kamakura Shogunate at that time, under the Houjou

Tokimune, ordered Houjou Sanemasa as the Grand Commander to Conquer the

Foreigners[3]

. He then the lead the defense against the Mongols.

The Mongol Empire army gathered 140,000 soldiers in

total and the number of wars.h.i.+ps used in their operations crossed 4,400, which made

it the largest naval invasion fleet in history prior to World War 2. The Mongol

fleet then attacked the northern part of Kyushu, which became the main

battlefield.

After the Mongol army landed at Iki and Tsus.h.i.+ma, they

annihilated the garrison in a blink of an eye, and then landed on s.h.i.+kanos.h.i.+ma

and occupied it. Numerous land and naval battles took place around both islands,

which served as a berthing point for the Mongol wars.h.i.+ps. Many people met their

ends at these places.

j.a.pan, with the lessons learned from the previous invasion

(the Bun’ei Campaign), had been antic.i.p.ating for the second invasion, so they erected

defensive walls, where they could rain arrows down when the enemy landed. They succeed

in keeping the majority of enemy troops in the ocean for about two months.

Finally, a typhoon occurred, which caused decisive amounts

of damage to the Mongol army.

It was said that 84,000 men from the 141,290 numbered invasion

force didn’t return home alive.

「If we considered that the number of JSDF personnel right now is about 250

thousand, and that the population of j.a.pan in the Kamakura era was only about 5

million, then an invasion force of 140 thousand men is a frightening one. But

our ancestors endured an invasion of that size. Even though the quality of

equipment, tactics, and the number of soldiers of the opponents was greater

than themselves, with the power of the nature on their side, they won. Honestly,

I feel, uneasy about the huge size of the opponent’s army, but when I closely think

about it, it’s not worth considering compared to our own ancestors' hards.h.i.+ps.」

The conversation between Yamamoto and the XO continued

until close to lights-out time.

✦✧✦✧✦

The next day  – Early morning.

The destroyer fleet departed as scheduled.

The fleet gradually increased their speed and drew

white wake trails on the ocean.

「What a speed!!」

Bruay continued to be astonished like he was yesterday.

「This speed has far surpa.s.sed that of our army’s fastest sailing s.h.i.+p! However……

the distance to the other s.h.i.+ps is too far. Won’t they need to be closer to

create a formation?」

The fleet headed west at a speed of 20 knots. About 10

hours after departure, on the other side of the flat horizontal horizon line,

the Lourian Navy could be sighted.

The naval battle, which stirred the otherworld’s history,

the so called 『Grand Battle of the Rodenius Sea』 in the future, was about to

begin.

✦✧✦✧✦

Lourian Kingdom Eastern

Subjugation Navy – Vice-Admiral Sharkun’s POV

「What a sight, so beautiful.」

The beautiful sail s.h.i.+ps traveled through the great ocean

with the wind full in their sails. Their number was 4,400. A large amount of

sailors and landing troops were on board as they headed to Port Maihark.

As far as the eyes could see, there were only s.h.i.+ps.

The ocean couldn’t be seen. This expression wasn’t

just mere words.

After a preparatory phase of over six years, with the military

a.s.sistance from the Papardia Empire, this large fleet was finally completed.

There was no means to defend against this large fleet on the Rodenius Continent.

Perchance, they could even conquer the Papardia Empire.

Or so he thought.

(No. After all, Papardia Empire seems to have a weapon that can destroy an

entire s.h.i.+p, called a『guns.h.i.+p』……)

With his reason, he calmed down the flames of ambition

which showed up for a moment. It was still dangerous to challenge the Great

Country of the Third Civilized Land. He looked at the eastern sea, which he ought

to conquer from now on.

(…… Hmm? There is something flying towards our direction)

An inorganic object shaped like an insect, came flying

with a rattling noise towards Lourian Navy. At that bizarrely shaped flying form

of the object that he never seen before, slight fear sprouted up inside Sharkun’s

heart

 (Is that a wyvern? …… No, it’s not.

What is that thing!?)

The weird object, that had a red circle painted on its

white body, hovered around in the sky where no arrow could reach and then it

spoke up to the fleet with a loud voice that couldn’t be considered could be made

by a human.

『This is the j.a.pan Maritime Self Defense Force. Warning to the Louria

Kingdom. The location ahead are the Qua-Toynese territorial waters. Please turn

your s.h.i.+ps around immediately and return to your country waters. I repeat ──』

Apparently there seemed to be people inside that flying

object. Sharkun had heard a story about how the Prime Minister had turned the diplomats

of a country called j.a.pan away and refused to deal with them. However, just by

looking at that flying object, he was doubtful if j.a.pan is really a barbarian country

like the politicians had said.

There were people who drew their bows towards 『the object』, but the arrows couldn’t reach at all and pitifully fell to the sea. That

strange object repeated the same message and after some time had pa.s.sed, turned

around in the sky and left towards the eastern sky.

After a while, he could see one small island on the sea

ahead.

(Is there an island in this place……? Can’t be, the island is moving……! No

way, it’s a s.h.i.+p?)

The s.h.i.+p, which he mistook fir a small island, cut the

path of the fleet's front row’s sails.h.i.+p at a tremendous speed and began to

travel parallel with the s.h.i.+p. Their distance was about 300 m.

「What, is that thing……? Such a huge s.h.i.+p.」

Vice-Admiral Sharkun was a bit uneasy, but there was

only one opponent. He had 4,400 s.h.i.+ps at his side, so it was absolutely

impossible to lose.

However, the sailors had the same uneasiness towards

the strange s.h.i.+p like Sharkun.

『Change your course and turn back immediately! Otherwise, we will open fire

on your s.h.i.+ps! Change your course and turn back immediately! Otherwise, we will

open fire on your s.h.i.+ps! 』

Just like the previous flying object, with a loud sound,

the s.h.i.+p issued a warning.

Sharkun thought about what they meant by open fire and

judged that perhaps it was a means of attack, before he ordered the starboard

fleet to attack. The sail s.h.i.+ps began to turn starboard and closed the distance

with the destroyer.

✦✧✦✧✦

「How big……」

Since the flying object that appeared mentioned j.a.pan,

this s.h.i.+p might belong to that country as well. The captain of the wars.h.i.+p who

was ordered to inflict the first attack at the foreign s.h.i.+p had a slight

anxiety in the depths of his heart.

At any rate, this was a huge fleet of over 4 thousand

s.h.i.+ps. To be given the honor as the foremost spear, there was no way he going

to miss it.

「Prepare the fire arrow! Don’t use the ballista yet! When the distance to

the enemy s.h.i.+p is 200 meters, release them!!」

Under the instructions of the wars.h.i.+p captain, the crews

dipped the arrow tips into the oil pot placed at the deck and ignited them with

the torch. While the archers felt the heat from the flames, they drew their bows

towards the enemy.

They closed the distance to the enemy s.h.i.+p until it

reached 200 meters.

「Release!」

The fire arrows were launched at the same time from the

wars.h.i.+p and drew a parabolic arc in the air as they flew towards the enemy s.h.i.+p.

The fire arrows that were released continuously in large quant.i.ties, pierced

the outer hull of the enemy s.h.i.+p and burned the s.h.i.+p ─ ─ or was what should have happened.

The majority of the fire arrows, that were released

from the wars.h.i.+p, struck the Aegis Destroyer 『Myoukou』[4], giving off an intermittent sound of 「Clang-clang-clang」 and chipped the paint of the outer hull.

The attack didn’t affect Myoukou’s operation capabilities

at all, but it rapidly distanced itself from the fire arrow’s effective range.

It instantly separated itself from the fleet before turned

around and stopped at a distance of about 3 km.

「Hahahahahahaaaaaa!! They ran away !!」

On the deck, the sailors mocked the destroyer and let

loose their jeers. Of course, their jeers wouldn’t reach the enemy.

However, the captain couldn’t hide his surprise at the

fact that the enemy was totally unscathed and at how fast the enemy s.h.i.+p’s speed

was.

「The fire arrow didn’t stick at all. The hull seems to be made of metal……」

How will he defeat the enemy, the s.h.i.+p’s captain

racked his brain.

✦✧✦✧✦

Sharkun, who was closely watching the first attack, felt

an uneasiness pa.s.s by his mind.

「So they ran away. Well, no matter how big their s.h.i.+p is, they couldn’t do

anything with a single s.h.i.+p. However…… The attack just now was not effective? Also,

it’s fast even though it’s big. To display such speed even without any means to

receive the wind, just what……」

✦✧✦✧✦

The Maritime Self Defense Force destroyer fleet had received

a clearly armed attack from the armed insurgent, so they decided to

counterattack.

「We received an attack. Hence, we will attack the hostile armed insurgent,

the target will be the surface s.h.i.+p at the foremost portside……」

The 127mm Compact Gun[5]

installed on the foredeck of 『Myoukou』 rotated and pointed its muzzle at the enemy s.h.i.+p.

Their aim was settled.

「…… Main gun(Shuhou) –– commence

fire(uchikata hajime)!」[6]

The JMSDF destroyer 『Myoukou』 began to fire the armed insurgent

–– the Louria Kingdom Navy.

✦✧✦✧✦

The good-sighted Sharkun noticed a slight change in the

enemy s.h.i.+p 3 km ahead.

The iron pole attached on the front of the large s.h.i.+p

looked like it was turning towards the Louria Kingdom Navy.

「What’s with that pole?」

The next moment, smoke came out from that pole.

(Smoke? So it started to burn by itself?)

Immediately after Shakun wondered about that, the sail

s.h.i.+p that was sailing in the foremost position suddenly exploded. Parts of the

exploded wood, s.h.i.+p parts and what looked like human remains scattered and rained

down onto the deck of the surrounding allied s.h.i.+ps. Then, after a delay of several

seconds, they could hear a sound like something was exploding from the

direction of the enemy s.h.i.+p.

「!? Wh-what is happening!? Impossible? An attack by the enemy!? Ho-…… Just

how did they attack from that distance?」

At this power that they never experienced before, every

single crew member on the fleet viewed this scene with eyes wide open from

shock.

「This is bad…… But, it is fortunate that the Wyversn could reach this place.

Communication officer! Request the headquarters for an air support! Say that 『We are engaging the enemy’s main fleet!』」

Although the blown apart s.h.i.+p still had its keel

intact, before long water rushed in through the holes and it quickly slanted

and sunk together with its still surviving crew.

✦✧✦✧✦

The s.h.i.+p that directly received the sh.e.l.ls from that close

range shot was the s.h.i.+p that had attacked 『Myoukou』 with fire arrows before and now that s.h.i.+p was sunk with just one attack.

「I hope they will be surprised by this and back off……」

Captain Unabara of 『Myoukou』 also wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed just like Yamamoto. Therefore, he

thought that by displaying a part of their fighting power, the enemy could

understand that they couldn’t win and withdraw.

He might be called a peace idiot, but he sincerely wished

that the enemy will withdraw with just this one shot.

Seeing that the enemy’s formation was really disarrayed

and the already slow enemy s.h.i.+p’s speed was slowed down even further, he

slightly expected that his wish will come true.

✦✧✦✧✦

「Fuh... A magic weapon of such power, but it seems that it’s not able to fire repeatedly……」

When 『Myoukou』 didn’t shoot for the second time, Sharkun made such a judgment.

「Lower the fleet’s speed. Together with wyvern's aviation support, we will push

an attack straightaway.」

Sharkun’s fighting spirit was rekindled.

☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD G.o.d!

LET’S DYE THE SEA, CRIMSON, AND THE SKY, SCARLET!

Next chapter: The glorious Mk-41 VLS.