Sorry for the long wait folks but here's the next chapter!
EDIT:
For people confused by the previous update, the new chapter uploaded was one I forgot to do so for a long time: "Impaling a Dragon" and "RnR Part 3".
11:55 AM Hours, April 7th, 2018 (UNSC – 2536)
Sadera, Falmart
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The Imperial spectators' mouths gaped in shock and awe at the power of the Howa Type-64 battle rifles being tried out by the Imperial senators and nobles, with nearby JSDF personnel instructors by their side. Similar to the spectators, the users who fired the rifles were also in shock at the weapons they used, as nervous sweat slowly dripped from their face. One of the users – Lord Cicero – was staring as if the weapon would come alive and attack him. Nearby a JSDF soldier was demonstrating the power of a Sumitomo Minimi LMG upon a line of vases and some imperial armors, ripping through all of them with trivial ease as if they were made out of tinfoil.
"S-such power…" One of them muttered in muted shock.
"A man could wipe out several dozen if not over hundreds of men with such weapons!" A noble whispered to his wife. "Even the best armor we have forged was destroyed like it was nothing…"
"How can you make these?! Will you be selling them?!" One senator half asked, half demanded.
"Ahh… It's a bit hard for me to understand it myself without seeing how they're made." Itami stated as he was a soldier, not a factory engineer, as his next sentence made the nearby individuals' face become disappointed. "And they can't be really be bought, I'm afraid."
Princess Pina observed the facial expression the various Senators and Nobility had towards the firearm demonstration, the dread and fear expressed upon their face, particularly at Lord Cicero. 'This is the power of a 'gun', Lord Cicero. A weapon to decimate entire armies of men in matter of moments and the manifestation of the gods' wrath.'
Their dread increased even more when the mortar team demonstrated their weapon at an open field. The following whooping sound of the mortar round arc up in the air before it fell under the hold of gravity and exploded upon the ground. A cloud of dust clearing away to show a small crater over several hundreds of meters away. The devastating heavy support weapon elicited more murmurs among the people foreign to the concept of firearms.
Lord Duen's face was disturbed at the demonstration he lay witness to; as vicarious images crept into his mind on the implication of open-war with the Japanese. Where dozens upon dozens of proud imperial soldiers instantly cutdown by firearms like scythe cutting through wheat, and entire legions obliterated into oblivion from raining mortar shells as well as the weapons reducing great fortress into its foundation.
"J-just how far can that thing fire?" He questioned nervously Itami.
"Hmmm, in the units used here… About three leagues." The 33-year-old lieutenant commented, mentally translating Earth's measurements to this world's system.
'Three Leagues!?' Duen thought in shock.
"So far…"
"Not even magic…"
"An entire battlefield would be easily within any reach." Various nobles and senators whispered to one another.
Duen's face tensed as he inquired Itami. "Just one more question… Those weapons you call 'guns'." Sweat started to increase in quantity and his eyes shaken by the power of firearms. "How many do you people have at your disposal?"
Itami gave a blunt answer that shattered the man and his companion's hope. "I don't know about the exact number, but about one per person would be a fair guess." He roughly estimated, not that the JSDF actually had enough weapons for all of Japan but enough to arm over millions upon millions of people.
'One of each…' A cold sensation swept through their heart once they heard the figure for how common 'guns' were.
'If we fight, we will be defeated… No, annihilated!' A collective image appeared within their individual minds with the revelations.
There was a part of Duen that was still proud of the might of the Empire, that they could endure through any hardship and triumph in the end regardless of the powers of their enemies. Yet what he saw before him slowly unveiled his mind that such power was something the Empire couldn't fight without divine intervention. Weapons that could strike down any foes beyond the farthest reach of any bows, and the power that of the thunder but with fire and iron. An enemy that the Empire was helpless against despite hundreds of years of blood and glory against all whom defied their march to power.
"Who are these people? Their armor looks different to what you and your soldiers are wearing." One of them inquired, pointing his finger as a group of ODSTs standing nearby, setting up a dummy with a spare ODST armor.
"Are they some sort of knights? Their armor appears to be of higher quality and armoured like knights." One of the ladies questioned Itami, who was unsurprised by it, as he could see the ODST having a likeness to knights to the Falmartians.
Compared to the average Japanese soldier with their unimpressive-looking service uniform and combat vest. The ODST's unique dark armor and helmet visor made them stand out, giving off the imagery of an imposing yet powerful knight.
Though before Itami could answer he was beaten to it by someone else. "Yes, you can say they're knights of sort." A familiar voice answers as the nobles and senators, along with their families, turned around to see Princess Pina, Ambassadors Koji Sugawara and Reiko Shirayuri, a UN official named Bestari bin Sabri, and a ODST officer approaching them.
"Your highness/Princess Pina!" The senators and nobles exclaimed as the redhead princess came closer.
"It seems they're now setting up the final presentation." The princess observed as the JSDF soldiers and ODSTs finishing the final adjustments to the last demonstration.
Then a Japanese soldier holding a HK416 rifle – borrowed from the Japanese Special Force Group contingent back at Alnus – came to the front and aimed at the dummy standing over hundred meters away. Finger pressed down on the trigger sending a volley of 5.56mm rounds down at the armoured dummy target. Most body armor of 21st century warfare would have significant issue withstanding more than one 5.56mm bullets, offering protection largely against pistol bullets and small shrapnel or debris. Except when facing against a 26th-century armor the result of centuries worth of material and armor technology advancement and refinement. The 5.56m rounds – obsolete in every capacity over the last few hundred years – simply shattered and bounced off against the titanium-ceramic armor with only some scratch to it.
Many within the audience found their eyes widening at the tough display of the ODST's battle armor. Most of them Imperial citizens fascinated and awed by the armor that made theirs look like tinfoil. In contrast, the UN's people were largely unsurprised as the armor was from an advanced spacefaring military, so it was to be expected. Nevertheless, they were still left impressed by the armor's durability. More so when the JSDF shooter emptied the rest of his mag on the armor with little effect.
"Their armor just shrugged all the hits that would've slaughtered a centuria worth of men…" One of the senators whispered.
"I can't see even a dent on the armor." A noble agreed with his friend.
Itami whistled at the display. "Wow, that's some impressive body armor you guys have." He spoke to the nearest ODST noticing the name "Stadtfeld" printed on top of his chest armor.
The ODST shrugged and pointed to his armor. "Marine armor is slightly inferior to ours but still provides a heck of a lot of protection… Not that it helps against plasma weapons."
"Alien space guns, forgot about that." Itami winced.
"Be glad you're not facing the Covenant or else things would be FUBAR." The ODST responded.
"Are they elite knights of the JSDF?" Duen questioned which Pina shook her head. "Their best soldiers whose armor withstands their own weapons of fire and metal?"
After the demonstration, the senators and nobles gathered near Princess Pina and the delegations to hear the main purpose of the party. Many of the gathered Imperials having an idea what this meeting was about: the display of wealth through gifts and food, as well as power via the many riches and military power the otherworlders from beyond the gate over the Empire. They formerly believed that the Empire would be triumphant in the end against the Japanese, as with countless other foes that seemed too powerful until they stood over their corpses in the end.
"You'd wish they were Lord Duen. I'm afraid that these knights are the tip of the spear of a much greater force, the UNSC." Pina dispelled the notion the ODSTs were part of the JSDF.
"The UNSC?" The gathered senators and nobles murmured to one another at the apparent appearance of another faction. Some glancing back at the ODSTs nearby in new light of their apparent allegiance to another faction.
"The UNSC is the military force of a vast empire that eclipses Japan in both power and size, Japan is merely a vassal of that empire, like that of our empire and some independent city." Pina started off a very basic introduction of the UNSC. The Japanese diplomatic officials to the side kept their face calm, though one could see they were a somewhat annoyed about being side-lined and the UNSC partially taking the main focus. But it was a necessary concession and pragmatic move to make the negotiations easier with the Imperials who valued strength, honor, and pride. Thanks to Princess Pina bluntly stating to Captain Cutter that the Empire wouldn't accept a peace treaty or anything resembling a surrender, their history making them blind to any sign that victory was impossible despite the losses.
An overwhelming display of strength was the only language they understood and respected. The demonstration was unveiling the true strength of the Japanese army, and the reality of the situation the Empire was in, should the continue any further aggression against Japan. The inclusion of the UNSC was a further nail on the coffin with their spaceship. But the message was the same, that further continuation of war was a futile and one-sided affair and peace was a preferable option as the JSDF could easily obliterate the empire.
"More powerful than Japan?" Lord Duen questioned in alarm. As did many other Imperial citizens, pondering on how powerful this 'UNSC' was compared to Japan.
Pina could only grimly nod before speaking out again. "From what I've seen of the UNSC, they're definitely more powerful than Japan in every way possible. Whatever weapons the JSDF has, the UNSC possess versions superior in every way possible… Especially their flying fortress of steel." She finished while her voice slowly quiet down and a haunted expressed formed on her face. Her mind still haunted by sight of the Spirit of Fire entering the airspace of Alnus Hill.
The senators and nobles listening to her were surprised by the tone of her voice and the facial expression of their princess. She took pride and cared of the Empire, yet here she was appearing like someone who had lost all hope, the energy around her seemingly stripped of life. Yet seeing the power of firearms the Japanese used and the armor of the UNSC, they wondered what the princess saw to make her appear like this that they haven't seen yet? What kind of unfathomable and monstrous power did Japan or this UNSC army have?
Then they started to hear a thundering sound from the distance. One that was so distant as first that they hadn't thought much of it, but was slowly starting to increase in intensity as well as something within the sky drawing their attention. It was at first a mere dot in the sky that many of them thought was a bird; but the 'dot' began to grow in size alongside the sound as the earth started to shake and all the people in the matinee found their attention stuck to the skies. The dot was gaining a concrete shape as those witnessing it started to become unnerved at what they exactly seeing. It was same for the people beyond the matinee in the city of Sadera and the city outskirts, who were now looking to the heavens in curiosity before shock, awe, and panic started to be drawn on their faces.
Many eyes widened; many jaws dropped in sync, in almost comedic timing. The flying fortress of metal that was the UNSC Spirit of Fire swooping like an eagle before it slowed down over tens of kilometers away from the city. Looming nearby the capital city of the Empire with a daunting presence similar to that of a volcano or a mountain giant standing in front of those lesser before it. The ship's hull gleamed in the sunlight as 44 million metric ton of armor, hull plating, and weapons was displayed in all its glory to the people who had never seen or imagined the concept of a starship.
For the people it was as if the chariot of the Gods has arrived before them or the flying domain where the Gods resided within, beyond the heavens.
"Did I mention the UNSC have a flying fortress of steel?" Princess Pina Co Lada rhetorically said out loud.