Enemy infantry scattered. The unexpected artillery barrage put a large number of troops out of action.

"Get the cannons ready!" an officer yelled. "Counter bombard them!"

"But milord!" a soldier yelled back. "They are out of our range!"

"Do it anyway! The dust and smoke should at least block their line of sight!" There was another explosion.

"Cannon No. 1 has been destroyed!" The imperial commander looked on in disbelief.

"Impossible…"

A Galladian soldier ran up to the commander.

"Milord!" he said. "The infantry must not march! They will just be targets for the enemy!"

"Shut up!" the commander exclaimed. "I am the one giving orders!"


"Enemy infantry incoming!" a trainee yelled. Everyone in the trenches immediately aimed their rifles and muskets at the oncoming enemy. The Imperial infantry marched forward in a shield wall formation. Behind the shields a number of musketeers could be seen. Suddenly, a 105mm HE shell landed right in the middle of the line, sending men and equipment into the air. Then various caliber artillery shells landed and detonated within the enemy lines. Some scattered, but others bravely pushed forward.

The 40mm on the city walls shot down another Wyvern.

The trainees began to fire with their rifles and machine guns. Most of the defence group members were confused, since their impression of the gun was from muskets and the enemy was outside effective musket range. But the rifles and machine guns tore through the ranks of the enemy infantry. Brass casings clattered onto the ground as shot after shot was sent into enemy lines.

"Fire... unlock bolt… pull bolt back… push bolt forward… lock bolt… fire…" Marco repeated in his head. He took down another enemy soldier. Then another. A machine gun clattered next to him. The scrapping of someone reloading a musket was heard next to him as well.

"Loaded," a female voice said. "Level… fire!" The musket fired with a puff of smoke and a hole formed in an enemy soldier's head. Marco's eyes widened slightly.

A headshot with a musket? Now that's rare…

The enemy infantry began to fall back. Marco collapsed and sighed in relief. The girl from earlier sat down next to him, too.

"How did you guys do it?" she asked.

"Hmm?" Marco made a confused face.

"You know," she said. "Actually hitting your targets?"

"Oh," replied Marco. He then pointed the rifle at the girl, not aim, but just pointed. The girl jumped a little.

"It's fine," Marco said. "It's not loaded."

He pointed at the grooves in the barrel.

"It's called 'rifling,' I hear," Marco said. "The grooves spin the bullet so that it flies in a straight line."

The girl looked down the barrel with some interest. Then puffed out her cheeks.

"Why can't we get these," she complained.

"Because you're LDG," Marco replied. "We're Regulars."

"You're still a trainee," the girl countered.

"... I can't win."

Suddenly there were footsteps. Marco looked up to find an officer running towards him.

"Something wrong sir?" he asked the officer.

"Everyone take cover!" said he. "SSFU is gonna start an airstrike!"


Imperial encampment

"Milord," began an officer, "a majority of our troops have been wiped out on the first push. The men are exhausted and hurt." The imperial commander simply stared at the enemy positions.

"Resupply everyone," said he. "We will attack again as soon as possible." The officer blinked in disbelief.

"But milord," said he. "Our men cannot last against enemy fire. They are gunning us down before we can even get our muskets in range. And all of the men are shaken from seeing their comrades dying all around them…"

"It does not matter," said the commander. "There will be no retreat. We will attack again."

The officer walked out of the commander's tent.

"Damn colonials," thought the commander. "They can't do anything. If I had legions from the mainland I could wipe the floor of these rebels in an instant…"

"Damn Imperials," thought the officer. "They know nothing. They don't care what happens to their men. Even when they see the truth before their eyes they refuse to accept reality. Imperial supremacy is over!"

Suddenly, the officer began hearing a faint buzz sound coming from above him. He looked up, expecting to find some pesky mosquito, but to his horror found strange flying beasts, flying in formation, red dots on their wings.

The bellies of the beasts opened up. That was when the officer realized. These were no beasts. They were creations of man! Munzo had created flying machines!

Something began to rain from the machines...


The G8N1 bombers of the SSFU rained hell on the Imperial encampment. The garrison forces of Ariash city watched in amazement and horror at the scene that unfolded. The 800 kg bombs from the massive aircraft decimated the Imperial troops. Some flew into the air. Some left half their bodies on the ground. Others simply ceased to exist.

A few wyverns rose up to intercept the planes, but out of nowhere, a stream of 7.7 mm and 20 mm bullets struck one of them and the wyvern plummeted down to the ground.

Marco saw what flew over his head and gasped in awe.

Such a magnificent creature.

No it was not a creature, it was a machine.

But machine was not what Marco could have described it as.

The machine looped around before making another attack run.

The Zero flew again.


Author's notes: What's up guys, it's Karl the Arty, back again with another chapter from Munzo's war of independence. It is confirmed that other factions now posses firearms, but it is not enough. The Imperial Japanese Military strikes for the first time, their G8N1s and Zeros crushing their foe.

Don't worry, we will focus on the FSFU aka the US Marines at some point.

Invading nations beware, Munzo's technological advance is rapid! You may be informed that they have guns, but when you invade they will have lasers (oh I wish lol)!

Also another announcement. I have decided that I will accept a limited number of Original Nations. Yes, NATIONS. These must be of YOUR creation and can only exist in the GATE universe. They also cannot surpass the technological level of Munzo. Other than that, yeah. It's pretty much up to you.

So, GO! Get creating!

Please review. It keeps me writing. Keep on Keeping on and I'll see you in the next chapter!


GODDAMN SPOILER ALERT*


If anyone wants Munzo to be in their Gate story (because a modern army steamrolling the Empire could get boring sometimes) let me know. There would be some... changes... hue hue hue...