CHAPTER 9: THE FÜHRER AND THE MONSTER

It has been about a week since we left Yokosuka harbor aboard the Führer’s personal ship ‘Fugaku’. 

It was a very spectacular boat trip. 

Suddenly Ayame-san invites me to the swimming pool, I have to wear a women’s swimsuit, and she demands that I wear knee-high socks. 

When I managed to get changed and arrived at the swimming pool, I was greeted by the captain with big boobs in her swimsuit, or so I thought, but then Ayame-san hugged me so hard that it hurt. 

I wonder what was that about? 

　……Anyway, a lot happened, but we arrived safely on the new continent. 

Now, this is a new continent, but what kind of place is this… 

If you want to create catchphrases that are pleasant to the ear, the lush green New World is the place to go! Is it not? 

Well, the impression you get when you actually see this continent is not that simple “Green and lush? you must be referring to the jungle, right?” 

This new continent is 3,000 kilometers far south of the mainland of our Yamato Empire. The latitude of our mainland is about the same as that of Japan, so it is just below the equator. 

It’s in a position that’s not much different from New Guinea. 

It’s hot and humid, one step inside from the coastline and you’re in a deep jungle. 

On the contrary, I think it was the right decision to bring in one division. See, with the labor-intensive directives of clearing out the jungle. 

Regarding supplies, we have our elite navy and transport ships that were mass-produced during the final war, so there is no problem unless we go inland. And coal for the ship’s fuel can be obtained on the mainland, so there is no problem. 

And on this new continent full of jungle, I am riding on the ‘Type 3 Light Tank’ the most advanced light tank of the Yamato Empire. 

It is the self-proclaimed strongest light tank in Rasbata. 

With a total weight of 7,4 tons and a 40-horsepower engine, the maximum speed is an astonishing 20 kilometers per hour. 

It is significantly slower than a moped. 

By the way, this is in a nicely cleared area. On a rugged, uneven terrain like a battlefield, you can only go as fast as it can run. 

It is armed with a 37mm cannon as the main gun and a 7.7mm machine gun as secondary armament in the front of the vehicle and on top of the turret. 

For protection, well, it’s protected by… 12mm armor plates. I know. 

To put it bluntly, it is weak. 

As a comparison, the increased performance of the latest tanks of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces… 

It weighs about 44 tons, has a 1,200 HP engine, and a top speed of 70 km, It is armed with a 120mm smoothbore cannon as its main gun, and although exact figures are not available, it is equipped with composite armor equivalent to several tens of centimeters of steel plate… or so I’ve heard. 

It is not even comparable. 

The only thing that can be compared to the Self-Defense Forces tank is that both tanks have a crew of three. 

However, we cannot afford the luxury. After all, the technological capability of our Yamato Empire is around World War I.　

It is a first-class tank, even such a weak tank that can’t even be compared to tanks of the 21st century. 

It was proudly ranked first in the ranking of the strongest light tanks in Rasbata. 

Furthermore, in our country, even this tank is in short supply, and the survey team this time only has six tanks belonging to the Imperial Guard. The remaining vehicles are older Type 99 light tanks. 

Oh, and by the way, the Type 99 light tank is just a Renault FT-17. It’s a WWI light tank with a 37mm cannon. 

In terms of the game system, I just changed the name of the default light tank within the Rasbata. That’s all. 

The Type 99 light tank, a pseudo-Renault tank, has a fatal flaw in that it is not equipped with a machine gun, and will die if it is flanked by infantry. 

So, if you ask me why I, the Führer, drive around in a tank like that… 

“Eryu-san, there are goblins 150 meters ahead! The number is 11, please fire the main gun!” 

“R-roger!” 

In front of us is the jungle, and behind us is a newly built supply base. A company of 14 light tanks, including the one I ride in, and a battalion of 600 Imperial Guards stands at the front of the jungle to protect the base. 

And, what jumps out of the jungle is a monsterー it’s a goblin. 

They are monsters, that look like a dirty little man. 

You never know what they will do to you when they approach you. Under the direction of Ayame-san, who is the machine gunner, the 37mm main gun is fired at the approaching goblins. 

The shell was fired… 

“It’s a hit! I hit it, Ayame-san!” 

The 37mm shell I fired landed cleanly in the middle of the goblin herd. It explodes and manages to blow up half of them. 

Then the remaining goblins are hit by a barrage of bullets. The surrounding tanks and Imperial Guards shot at them with concentrated fire. 

Yes, I know, I think you have already guessed. 

This new continent was full of unfamiliar monsters. 

After reaching the new continent, we arrived at an inlet that the cruiser Izumi had found beforehand that looked like a good place to land, and sent a scouting party from the Marine Division to land on the continent. 

That’s where these monsters were discovered. 

Goblin, Orc, Ogre. That’s the gist of it. They all seem to be dangerous creatures that happily attack humans when they find them. 

As expected of another world, right? 

Of course, there were no such monsters on the earth I knew, and there were no such monsters in Rasbata. Rasbata is not the kind of game where you fight monsters. 

However, we just can’t back down in front of the precious land just because of the monsters… Under the slogan “If blood flows, you can kill,” with the support of naval gunfire, the 1st Marine Division launched an assault landing. 

It’s a bit Normandy in its appearance. 

More than 10,000 marines said, “Long live the Führer!” and started attacking the monsters while shouting. 

Hundreds and thousands of monsters emerge from the jungle, mowing them down with rifles, machine guns, and artillery fire, forcefully securing the bridgehead. 

The monsters here don’t seem to be that strong, and even rifle bullets are effective. 

More followed as the Engineering Corps landed and began clearing the jungle. 

Then, once a certain degree of safety was secured, I boarded the ship with the Imperial Guards in tow. 

So far, it has been three days since our arrival. It was reconnaissance on the first day, the engineer corps started assault landing on the second day, and I landed on the third day. 

Rejoicing over her victory against the monster, she thrust the ‘flag of sun’ into the ground and said, “This shall be our Manchukuo State!” As far as I can tell, things are going well. 

And after I landed, the Marines Corps further extended their war effort. Using the sheer numbers of one division, 15,000 strong, we began to invade more and more of the surrounding area. 

But that’s where the problem begins… the jungle has poor visibility, and the path is difficult to navigate even if there are no enemies. 

Furthermore, the monsters suddenly appear like guerrillas. They probably gathering in response to gunfire and the sound of cannons 

The damage has been minimal because the opponent is not armed as far as I can tell, but it is still extremely troublesome. 

From time to time, a group of Goblins may come to my rear, caught in occasionally, like earlier, a goblin pack will come up to the rear where I am, passing through the eyes of the marines on the front line. 

The Engineers Corps is still in the process of desperately constructing the base in the rear. The Marines who are supposed to protect them are also desperately fighting in the jungle. 

On their behalf, we need to protect the vulnerable engineers corps from the monsters. 

Then there is the imperial guard battalion who are wasting their time under the guise of guarding me. 

There’s no reason not to use them, right? Besides, the Imperial Guards are deployed with valuable armored forces in this survey team. 

With that being said, I myself, the Führer, got on a tank and made a sortie, doing mobile defense. So we are pushing tanks side by side and firing tank cannons at the monsters. 

　……I mean, Imperial Guards, they won’t make a move unless I go to them. 

This Imperial Guards, they say that our mission is to protect the Führer, and they won’t leave me. 

If I wanted the Imperial Guards to fight, I had to step forward. 

　……I looked out of the cupola to search for an enemy, and I saw a soldier on a horse coming from the rear. 

　She is not wearing a maid’s uniform and does not appear to be an Imperial Guards member. 

Oh, by the way, horses are still active and in service in our Yamato empire. There are also in town and horse-drawn carriages. 

Now, what exactly are that soldier’s needs? Is it a messenger? 

“Your Excellency, the Führer! an urgent report! please return to Fugaku as soon as possible! ” 

Urgent report…? 

I see, then let’s retreat. I was able to secure safety around here for the time being. 

=====

A little supplementary explanation 

Yamato Imperial Army Infantry Gear Edition

The basic equipment is about the same as the armies of each country during World War I or after the war. The infantry’s primary armament is bolt-action rifles, but each platoon is also equipped with light machine guns. 

The ammunition used is 6,5mm rounds. It is the same as the Type 38 Infantry Rifle of the Imperial Japanese Army. 

However, vehicle-mounted machine guns, for example, use larger caliber 7,7mm ammunition. The armor of the Type 3 light tank that appeared this time seems to be thick enough to withstand this 7.7mm bullet.