Projekt Apocalypse: Girls und Panzer

by SuperSwanky69

The World was in flames. China and North Korea invades South Korea and Southeast Asia, taking advantage of the fact that the USA is in a Civil War. Taiwan, Mongolia, South Korea, and Southeast Asia falls to China. And in Japan, Miho and her Senshadou teammates are conscripted into the JFSD, to protect Japan from a foreign invasion. (Hiatus, part of GUP World on Fire AU)

23. Masamune

Chapter Twenty two: Masamune

Kaito bolted upright in a cold sweat. The first thing he noticed was that it was nighttime; the moon shined through the window, illuminating the room. He looked around, and saw he was in a hospital room. There was medical equipment next to his white bed. His eyes widened when he saw Erika sleeping in a chair next to his bed. He looked down, and saw Tanya laying across the bed, her head laying on his legs. He felt his head. It was wrapped by a long, smooth bandage.

He looked at both girls with a smile. He didn't know how long he was here, but he appreciated them being here. He leaned back in his bed, placing his head in his pillow.

He felt movement by his legs; Tanya, in her sleep had snuggled up to his torso. Slightly embarrassed, he gently moved his hand through Tanya's unbraided hair. He felt something once again; he looked to his left and saw Erika had taken his left hand with her own in her sleep. He gripped her hand tightly as he let himself drift back to sleep.

Several hours later

Kaito woke up again, this time in a room flooded by sunlight. He looked around, but he was the only person in the room. Where am I and how long have I been here? He thought to himself as he ruffled his disheveled hair.

"Well, well. The sleepy head is finally awake." The calm voice jerked Kaito towards the door of the room. There stood Maho, on crutches. Her right leg was in a white cast.

Kaito cocked his head to the left in confusion. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked.

Maho smiled. "Hot shrapnel into my legs. They've taken most of them out, but I won't be able to walk properly for a few days," She replied.

Kaito was about to ask another question but Maho stopped him. "We're in the Urasoe General Hospital. We've both been here for the past six days, while the battle has been raging around us. We've taken all of the objectives before Naha itself," She explained.

Kaito placed his hands over his forehead. "I've been sleeping here for six days," He repeated.

Maho nodded. "You wouldn't believe how hysterical Tanya was. She thought you were going to die," She glanced at Kaito's bandage. "You did lose a lot of blood. The doctors needed a blood transfusion to keep you stable." She stopped a minute, before continuing. "Erika was losing sleep over you as well. Both of them spent all day in here. I think Erika spends more time with you than with me, to be honest."

"So I'm just a source of stress for everyone." Kaito muttered.

Maho chuckled a little bit. "Maybe. But that just shows how much everyone cares for you," She hobbled over to the bed.

Kaito sighed. "I guess so," He whispered.

"How would you like it if someone you cared for kept on getting themselves hurt?" Maho asked.

Kaito groaned. "Fine, fine. I get it! I'll stop!" He shouted exasperatedly.

Maho smiled. "I guess I finally got it through your thick head that even a gun couldn't break open," She teased.

Kaito glared at her. "You little…" He rose out from his bed, and Maho leaned back.

"Already this active? Guess I should better tell everybody!" She exclaimed. "They'll be relieved you're alright." She said softly.

Kaito inhaled deeply. "How did the battle go?" He asked in a serious tone.

Maho nodded. "As I've already told you, we've taken all objectives, save for Naha itself. The final operation's going to commence in a few hours, I was told," She explained.

"Do you have any idea of the casualty figures?" Kaito asked.

"Casualties are heavy. We suffered around 21,000 casualties, with at least 7,000 killed. The enemy suffered even heavier casualties; 39,000 casualties, with 22,000 killed," Maho replied.

Kaito raised his eyebrows. "That is a lot of people killed," He said.

Maho nodded in agreement. "The enemy are panicking right now, according to command. They're evacuating large amounts of wounded and supplies," She said.

Kaito grinned. "I gotta go out," He exclaimed. "I have to be in the final fight."

He was about to jump up but Maho pushed him down with one of her crutches. "No," She said sternly. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't even think about it."

"But…" Kaito stammered out, but Maho cut him off.

"This is what we're talking about! You always want to jump into the center of action. This disregard of your own life is what scares us!" She shouted. "Please don't…" She muttered.

"Nishizumi Maho-san!" A voice called out from the hallway.

Maho turned her head. "I'll be there in a second!" She shouted back. She looked back at Kaito. "Please think carefully." She asked. She wobbled out, leaving Kaito alone.

Maho limped back to her room, to see Erika sitting by the bed. "Erika." she said, somewhat surprised.

Erika stood up. "Commander!" She shouted.

Maho stumbled into her bed. "I talked to Kaito," She breathed out.

Erika's face lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah. He seems to be fine." Maho told her.

Erika exhaled. "Thank God," She placed her hand over her heart. "Thank God."

Maho smiled. "Good to see you in good spirits," She said.

Erika glanced at her. "What do you mean?" She asked.

Maho chuckled. "Well, you were quite down for the last week. You wouldn't eat your meals at times. Maybe you haven't even noticed it," She told her.

Erika's face turned red. "What? I-I-" She shouted.

"It's alright. It's completely fine," Maho reassured her. "I'm happy you found someone that you care for." Erika looked at her, shocked. Maho gently took her hand. "You know I will always support you. Do what you need to do." She told Erika.

Erika hugged Maho. "Thank you!" She cried.

Maho wiped the tears off of Erika's cheeks. "Don't worry about it," Erika stood back up and ran out the room. Maho turned and looked out the window, watching the bustle of soldiers and vehicles below.

"Kaito!" Erika stormed into the hospital room.

"Erika!" Kaito swiftly turned his head towards the door. "Come in!"

Erika slowly tiptoed her way next to Kaito. "I, I'm glad you're okay," She fidgeted in her seat, blushing furiously.

Kaito turned also red. "Thanks. You were really worried for me, right?" Erika nodded furiously.

He smiled. "Well, I woke up last night, and you were still looking over me," He told her. Erika scooted back and covered her face.

"But, I'm happy that you did. It made me happy." Kaito backtracked.

Erika peeked from her fingers. "Really?" She mumbled. Kaito nodded. Erika scooted back next to Kaito.

"Are you going back to the front lines?" Kaito asked.

"Yeah," Erika answered. "I am."

"Then take me with you." Kaito shouted.

"What?" Erika was taken aback.

"Yeah. I want to fight," Kaito exclaimed.

"But you're hurt!" Erika grabbed Kaito's hands. "You were just wounded. You can't just-"

"I know I'm being selfish. But I need to be in the fight." Kaito exclaimed. "Of course, I know you all will disapprove. Especially Tanya. But I have to do this. I want to do this. I want to-" He inhaled deeply, "I want to fight with you." He said without thinking. "It's been so long since I saw you, and I missed being with you. And now I have the chance to fight with you again, but now this is trying to stop me. But I won't let a head injury stop me this time." Kaito announced.

Erika looked down at her lap. "Don't say that," She muttered. "I just want you to be safe."

Kaito leaned up against Erika. "I know. I want you to be safe too," He whispered, "We can keep each other safe."

Erika turned a deeper shade of red. "I guess it's fine then…" She muttered.

"Kaito-sama?" Kaito fell back into his bed and Erika quickly scooted out of the way as Tanya walked in the room. She eyed the both of them before strolled over to the bed. "How are you feeling?" She asked in a sweet voice.

"Fine," Kaito mumbled.

Tanya beamed. "Great!" She took Kaito's hand. "If you're thinking about going out to fight, don't do it. I will find out, and a North Korean bullet will be the least of your worries." She cheerfully told him, giving him a wink at the end. "I'll come back in one piece," She turned around and walked out of the room.

Erika and Kaito both stared at each other in an awkward silence.

"Wow," Kaito said after a while.

"Is that going to change your mind?" Erika asked. Kaito crossed his arms in thought.

Erika stood up. "Do what you think is best," She said. She turned to leave the room, but turned around. "You need to shave." She said, before walking out of the room.

An hour later

Erika strapped a helmet on her head and grabbed a Type 23 carbine as she strutted out of the hospital. The crew stood at attention when they saw her.

"Are you ready for the fight?" Erika asked.

"Yes, ma'am!" The crew answered.

…..

"So vice-commander, where's our objectives?" Lasagna asked. The Emperor's regiment looked over several maps.

Tanya adjusted her glasses. "We have to take Sueyoshi Park, the Art Museum, the University and Shuri Castle. Then we'll have to go to the harbor," She explained.

Lasagna nodded. "Hm, that'll be hard," He noted.

"Yeah, but we have an advantage in numbers and material," Tanya waved her hand. "We'll also have naval support." She said.

"Really?" Nishi slammed her hands against the table.

"Yup. It's not the navy, but an international marine organizations called the….." Tanya thought for a minute. "Blue mermaids or something along the sorts. Whatever, in any case they'll be assisting us in this final operation." She said.

"Any help is welcome," Naoki said.

"They're high school students, like the Kuromorimine Senshadou team. Well, after how much Kuromorimine helped us out, I don't think having High Schoolers having our back as particularly concerning," Tanya replied.

"I agree. It'll help us finish this faster," Megumi said.

Tanya nodded. "If we give the enemy a hard push, they're going to break," She said.

…..

Erika walked down the street, followed by the rest of the Kuromorimine Senshadou team. The assortment of Panzers were lined up against the parking garage, next to dozens of APCs, IFV, IFVs and Armored cars. She stopped by her Panzer XII, leaning against the side armor. "It's almost over," She whispered. "It's almost over."

Kanagawa walked over. "Vice-commander?" She asked.

Erika glanced over. "I'm just a little stressed, that's all," She said.

Kanagawa smiled. "Yeah, after this we'll be going home,"

"We'll be leaving this island…" Erika muttered. We're finally going to leave this Godforsaken island...She thought. The memories from the past weeks flooded into her; the first time she had to shoot down an enemy; classmates burning to death, the charred ruins of tanks from both sides, and when she was almost killed. The laugh of Koume filled her with sadness and nostalgia. She would have to endure only a few days until she can go home. With Maho and Kaito, and with all her friends.

"Vice-commander? Are you alright?" Kanagawa asked.

Erika had been scowling at the Panzer. She sighed, and fixed her composure. "Sorry," She said. "I'm just…"

Kanagawa nodded. "It's alright," She replied. "Here, take this." She handed Erika a bottle of water, who received it gladly.

After several long gulps, she handed it back. "It's just that we're actually going home after this."

"Yeah. Back on the school carrier and back to Kumamoto," Kanagawa said. "We'll have to work twice as hard to go home earlier."

Erika stretched out her arms and legs. "Are you ready to fight?" She asked.

Kanagawa smiled. "Yes, vice-commander," She answered.

Erika also smiled. "Yeah, me too,"

"Ladies! We're going to move out!" A voice rang out.

Erika straightened up and turned back to the group of girls behind her. "Girls, get into your Panzers!" She ordered.

….

The lines of Panzers rolled out of the garage, choking the already clogged streets by dozens of APCs and IFVs. Soldiers leisurely strolled down the road, marching towards the North Korean lines. Erika leaned out the cupola of her Panzer XII and looked up at the clear blue sky. She watched the jets fly overhead, firing missiles towards the enemy.

She noticed one soldier walking briskly by her Panzer. He was shorter than the rest of the soldiers, and his face was covered by his helmet. He glanced up at Erika, and she recognized his brown eyes. "Kaito." She said sternly.

Kaito froze, and slowly turned his head. "Oh, hey," He sputtered out.

Erika sighed. "So you've managed to sneak out of the hospital?" She asked. Kaito nodded sheepishly.

Erika's shoulders slumped down. "Okay, whatever," She said. "Good for you." Kaito jumped onto the Panzer XII.

"What are you doing?" Erika shouted.

Kaito grinned. "I didn't come out here for nothing," He replied.

Erika slumped her shoulders. "Okay…" She muttered.

…..

The stream of vehicles and soldiers splintered off as they set off to their separate objectives. The Panzers rolled forwards towards Sueyoshi Park. Within minutes they heard the popping and rattling of gunfire. Mushroom clouds of orange rose above the city. The Panzer convoy zigzagged through the streets, avoiding the more defended blocks.

Kaito held on tightly as the Panzer XII shook, as each bullet and explosion rocked it back and forth. Erika grabbed onto Kaito's shoulder, steadying him.

APCs stopped, unloading dozens of soldiers in the streets.

Kaito grinned. "This is my stop. Meet you at the other side," He said, jumping off the turret and ran after a squad of soldiers, who broke into a house across the street.

The Panzers broke into a thick forest, the view of the buildings replaced by tall, green trees and grass. A tree branch swung low, aiming towards Erika. Erika dipped her head, and the tree branch whipped past her head. "Spread out!" She shouted, and the Panzer column quickly dispersed into the forest.

She heard an explosion, and gasped as she saw a tree bend downward, creaking as it broke in half. The Panzer XII screeched to a halt as the tree fell in front of the Panzer, throwing launching pieces of bark in every direction. She looked around, and from in between the trees saw a Pokpung-Ho IV tank. "Enemy tank, nine o'clock!" She shouted.

"Yes, vice-commander!" The gunner exclaimed as she turned the turret. It swiveled 60 degrees, before jolting to a stop and firing once. The Pokpung-Ho IV exploded, showering the surrounding trees with sparks.

"Enemy formation west of us!"

"Enemy counterattack! We're under fire!"

"The enemy is everywhere! We're pinned!"

Erika's radio erupted with cries of confusion and panic from her classmates. "Don't falter! If you stop for even a second, you'll be surrounded!" She shouted. This must be their final desperate moment, Erika thought, Well, fortunately or unfortunately, we'll crush you like the others.

"Commander! Two enemy vehicles!" Her driver said, peering through the observation slits. "One Chonma-Ho and one Pokpung-Ho tank!" She confirmed.

Erika gritted her teeth. "Take them out!" She ordered. The barrel bobbed up and down as it lobbied a shell through the trees, hitting the Chonma-ho in the side. It fired back, missing the Panzer XII by several meters. The Panzer XII fired again, this time hitting the Chonma-Ho in the front armor. The Panzer XII moved backwards, dodging the shot fired by the Pokpung-Ho tank. The Pokpung-Ho blew up after a Jagdpanzer IV sneaked up behind it, firing at its engine.

The Panzer XII and Jagdpanzer IV advanced through the forest, followed by several more Panzers. Branches and rocks crackled underneath the treads of the tanks. Shells howl past them, with trees crashing down all around them. "Commander, enemy vehicles 11 o'clock!" the driver shouted.

Erika clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Stop!" She ordered. The Panzer XII and Jagdpanzer shuddered to a stop, just under a slight hill. She could hear the popping and explosions from across the forest. Tracers raced across the woods in the distant. The ground shook nonstop from all the fighting. An occasional bright explosion showed itself, and the constant black smoke that drifted up into the sky was coming from every crater and destroyed vehicle. She could even hear the pinging of small arms fire against armor. Erika groaned. Now there's infantry to deal with, she thought to herself.

From the right a Stug VI came rolling down, followed by two Panzer Xs.

The hatch of the Stug VI popped open, and a blonde girl with glasses came out. "Vice-commander! The enemy is regrouping just west of here. They have around twelve tanks remaining. Around three Pokpung-Hos, two Chonma-Hos, three old Type 59 MBTs and four M-2010 APCs." She reported.

Erika nodded. "Thanks. We're going to surround them, pushing them to the edge of the forest. We should try to push them out, exposing them to the infantry,"

The Panzer XII led the small group through the forest, until the remaining Panzers began joining the group. A formation of nearly sixteen Panzers roared through the forest, charging towards the final contingents of the North Korean armor.

Erika's eyes widened as she saw a glimpse of armor, glinting in between the trees and bushes. "Fire!" She ordered, and the Panzers launched a volley of fire through the woods, tearing down trees and ripping holes through the bushes. A Type 59 burst into flames, and several consecutive shots penetrated a Chonma-Ho. The wheels of a Pokpung-Ho roll out into the grass as the tracks were split apart. The North Korean tanks began firing back. Shells crisscrossed the forest, dirt and rocks flying all over the place. Erika ducked, letting a tracer fly over her. The Panzer XII fired a shell, penetrating an M-2010 APC. "Keep on firing!" Erika shouted.

Everyone was now on a steep hill, the North Koreans on the foot and the Japanese at the top, aiming down at the enemy. Barrage after barrage rained over the North Koreans, knocking out tanks one by one. The remainder of the tanks began to fall back, firing back as they went. The Panzers gave chase, following them through the thick foliage. The North Koreans split up, two tanks driving back up the hill, towards the Shinto shrine.

Erika grabbed her radio. "Three of you, follow me. The rest of you, continue chasing the retreating enemy!" The Stug VI, a Panzer X, and Jagdpanzer IV and Erika's Panzer XII followed the two tanks into the Shinto Shrines.

They entered the Shrine, and was surprised to see nobody.

"What the…" Erika muttered. Her Panzer XII drove around, covering all open ground. The Jagdpanzer cautiously drove up the stone stairs, bumping up and down for every step the treads crossed. It got up to the top, stopping for a second.

Suddenly it blew up, being shot from the side from a Chonma-Ho tank, barging out of the shrine and putting itself at an angle using the stairs leading to the shrine. It retreated back into the shrine as Erika and the other Panzers realized where one of the enemies were.

"Get him!" Erika shouted, but bit her tongue as the entire Panzer shook violently. She quickly turned around, and saw a Type 59 MBT peeping out of the tunnel underneath the shrine, its barrel smoking. Erika cursed, and banged on the top of the turret. The turret turned and blasted the obsolete piece of hardware into smithereens.

The Panzer X and Stug VI gunned its engines up the stairs, its guns aimed at the shrine. The commander of the Stug VI hesitated, not wanting to fire at a shrine, but the subsequent explosion, throwing pieces of concrete in the air changed her mind. The Stug VI roared forward, turning towards the shrine. It fired, and the shell crashed through the wooded structure and penetrated the side armor of the Chonma-Ho tank. The entire shrine collapsed on the tank, trapping the crew within. The Panzer X also fired towards the Chonma-Ho. The shell made contact, hitting the engine. The entire tank burst into flames, with the blaze spreading to the destroyed wooden structure.

Erika led the Stug VI and Panzer X back into the forest, following the rest of tanks. Eventually they caught up, with the occasional bright explosions showing itself through vegetation. Erika grinned as she saw the rear of a Pokpung-Po exposed. The tank exploded, flipping it over. The Panzer XII veered right, almost colliding with a friendly Panzer.

"Gyah! My bad vice-commander!" The commander of the Panzer X shouted in astonishment.

"No, I'm sorry," Erika apologized. "How many enemy tanks are left?" She asked.

"Only around four," The Panzer X commander reported.

Erika nodded. "Good, chase them down,"

The final remnants of the North Korean tanks fell back, towards the edge of the forest. Erika watched them as the Panzer XII stopped in front of them. The North Koreans panicked and drove out of the forest. Erika gave chase.

The North Korean tanks broke out of the forest, back into the city. The hatch of one of the Pokpung-Hos opened, and a tall, brown-haired man popped out. He wiped his sweaty brow with his hand. "Thank God we're out of there…" He muttered. But his solace were not to last; an explosion rocked his tank, and he grabbed his head in surprise. "What the hell?" He shouted. He turned, and saw a soldier with an RPG aimed right at him.

Kaito grinned. "Later sucker," He said as he fired another shot. The turret of the Pokpung-Ho shot up into the sky, covered by orange flames. From the forest burst out Erika and the other Panzers, firing down on the last North Koreans. Within a minute all the North Korean tanks were destroyed.

Kaito tossed the RPG to the side as he ran over to Erika's Panzer XII. "Hey!" He waved his hand. Erika waved back with a smile. Kaito jumped up and landed on the turret. "How was the fight?" He asked.

"Pretty intense," Erika answered.

Kaito nodded. "Yeah, I guess it always is,"

The Panzers began moving towards the Art Museum. Dozens of APCs and IFVs trailed behind, picking up soldiers and ferrying them to their next objective. As they crisscrossed the streets, they began to take heavy fire from North Korean infantry from the buildings. Bullets ricocheted off the armor as machine guns and rifles took aim at the Japanese below.

"God…" Erika turned her machine gun towards the houses and began firing, suppressing the North Koreans. Bullets ripped through the walls and hit the occupants inside. Explosions leveled entire floors as the Panzers rolled by. An APC exploded as a North Korean rocket hit the turret. A Panzer X turned its turret towards the third-story window, and when it fired the windows shattered and the wall collapsed.

The road was covered with potholes and craters, making the trip extremely uncomfortable for the men and women in the Panzers.

Each bump made Kaito jump up. "God!" He said every time, forcing Erika to burst into laughter.

They entered route 330, crossing it to get to the Art Museum. As they got closer to the Shintoshin Park, right next to the museum, they fell under fire from North Korean troops. Kaito jumped off the Panzer XII and dove to the ground. Hundreds of Japanese infantrymen stormed the park, throwing grenades and firing their assault rifles. The North Koreans fought back, gunning down several troops with their machine guns.

Kaito ran through the basketball court, slashing and cutting down dozens of North Korean troops. He grabbed the head of one soldier and smashed it against against the concrete floor of the court. He slashed the kneecaps of another. The soldier collapsed and Kaito cut his neck open. He jumped back when a North Korean soldier fired off several shots. He charged forward, putting the guntō through his neck. He looked around the basketball court. Most of the North Koreans were killed, the rest falling back into the Art Museum. Kaito dove to the ground as bullets bounced off the concrete ground.

…...

The Panzers began firing at the museum, destroying the ad hoc defensive positions. Rockets and missiles flew from both sides, with trails of smoke snaking through the sky.

One rocket headed directly towards Erika's Panzer XII. "Fuck! Move back!" She shouted. The Panzer XII gunned backward, the treads digging into the ground. It merely inched backwards, but it was enough; the rocket buried itself in front of the Panzer.

"Señora, you should be careful!" Francisca's bubbly voice made Erika throw her head backwards.

"Be quiet, you pipsqueak!" She shouted back. She drove off before Francisca could protest.

…..

Kaito ran across the green field of Shintoshin park, under red and orange tracers. Soldier after soldier fell down around him, but Kaito himself managed to stay alive as he reached the bridge.

He kneeled behind the raised steel bridge alongside another two hundred soldiers. Kaito peeked over the edge, and ducked back down as hundreds of North Korean sights all aimed at him. "Well, they dug defenses in the lawn, the usual trenches and barbed wire. It's almost monotonous," He told the other soldiers, who looked at him with a bewildered look. Other soldiers began setting up machine guns and firing back at the Art Museum. Grenade launchers fired, launching dozens of grenades into the air. The whole front lawn was turned into a piece of land full of craters. Dead bodies littered the ground.

"Let's go!" Kaito raised his guntō high in the air. "Advance!" He ran onto the bridge, followed by waves of soldiers. They charged forward, still under intense fire. Dozens of soldiers were cut down by the assault rifles and machine guns. They reached the treeline, and continued to advance. They reached the North Korean trenches, which was dotted with soldiers barely hanging onto life. They crawled out of their positions, begging for mercy. The Japanese threw them aside as they ran forwards.

The door was blocked by sandbags, iron boards and other heavy materials. "Take it down!" Kaito ordered, and a soldier aimed a rocket launcher. He fired, and the rocket imbedded itself into the door, and exploded. The door was blasted into pieces. The Japanese troops stormed through the door, where they were met with more defensive fire. Soldier after soldier fell forwards, but more poured in. Kaito joined in the charge, brandishing his blood-soaked guntō in the air. They ran through each room and corridor, gunning and cutting them down. The North Koreans used the art pieces as cover against the Japanese. Grenades blasted precious art into dust.

Kaito sliced through body after body, tossing them to the side. A screaming North Korean swung his rifle at Kaito, who jumped back in surprise. The North Korean brought the butt of his rifle on Kaito's head, who blocked it with his guntō. He kneed the soldier in the gut, and pushed him off. He dug his guntō in the man's stomach. He jumped onto another soldier and sliced his throat. One soldier aimed his AK47 style assault rifle and fired. Kaito ducked down, and the bullets hit the walls behind him. A Japanese soldier with a Type 23 carbine shot the North Korean down.

Several soldiers ran down the hallway, diving behind tables for cover.

"They brought a field gun!" One soldier shouted. The senior soldier peeked over over the table. His eyes bulged out when he saw the large barrel of a field gun aimed right at them. It fired, and the table shattered into hundreds of several pieces, and the soldiers were blown back.

Kaito was fighting with several soldiers, cutting arms, legs, faces, stomachs and necks. He pushed one soldier against the wall, hitting his head against a painting. He staggered back up and charged towards Kaito, who took a step back and swung his guntō. The blade sliced through the soldier's body, and blood spattered across the painting. Other Japanese troops were fighting the North Koreans in close combat. Bayonets jutted out, finding their mark in bodies. Rifles were completely covered in blood.

"God, how many are there?" Kaito shouted, as he stabbed another soldier. He looked around. Many Japanese soldiers have fallen, and the rest were slowly falling back.

Kaito was almost surrounded, with his last opening covered by a North Korean officer. Oh, shit, he thought to himself. He took a few steps back, before turning around and dashing under the legs of a North Korean soldier. He cut down another soldier as he ran out of the room.

He hid behind the wall, looking back into the room. "God...that did not go well," He muttered. Many Japanese troops were now grouped up, firing into the room. Kaito wiped the sweat that formed over his forehead. He panted as he glued himself to the wall.

There was a loud sound coming from outside; it was the sound of a helicopter rotor just outside the walls of the room with the North Koreans. The next moment there was a loud chain-like noise, and the North Koreans began falling like flies. Hundreds of tiny holes punctured the thin wall, light shining through. Eventually a huge chunk falls down, and reveals a helicopter hovering outside.

Kaito looked on with delight as the gatling guns continued to clear the entire room of North Korean troops. He smiled when he scanned the room, after the helicopter killed all the soldiers. "Damn..." He mumbled. He ran out of the room and into another corridor.

Gunfire rang out as bullets threw themselves at Kaito. He jumped behind a fallen table as orange tracers bounced off the walls. He got out a grenade and pulled the pin. He threw it over his shoulder, and it sailed across the hallway and landed in the machine gun nest. An explosion of dust and fire erupted, and the machine gun fell silent.

A group of soldiers gathered around Kaito.

"The enemy has gathered themselves at the rear hall," One of them told Kaito.

Kaito nodded. "Alright, off we go then,"

They stormed through the building, passing wounded soldiers and North Koreans that had surrendered. They passed the gift shop, which was completely ransacked. They ran through the cafeteria, the trays strewn around the ground, and food was tossed around carelessly.

They passed the huge door, and saw the remaining North Koreans had set up a small sandbag position. One Japanese soldier tossed a grenade, and it landed behind the sandbags. It blew up, the sandbags jerking around as it was hit by shrapnel. The soldiers behind it screamed as they were showered with hot metal. The Japanese troops ran in, rifles at the ready. The last North Koreans stood up, hands in the air. They filed out of the room, towards Japanese lines.

Kaito sighed as he saw down. That was tiring, he thought. But we have to continue pushing on.

….

"Destroy those APCs!" Erika shouted. Across the street several M-2010 APCs stopped next to the Omoromachi Medical Center, dropping off several North Korean troops.

Erika fired her machine gun, killing the disembarking soldiers. The Panzer XII fired several times, disabling and destroying the APCs. Four Panzers rolled down the streets, destroying several North Korean guns and tanks. The North Koreans scattered as the Panzer column overran their positions. A Type 59 MBT came out to meet them, but its shells simply bounced off the Panzer's armor. Three shots from the Panzers destroyed the armor, smoke billowing out of the turret and compartment. Three Type 10 MBTs came from the right, charging through the breach they created. They stopped by the edge of the street, being engaged by Chonma-Ho and Pokpung-Ho tanks. The barrels made popping noises, launching shells through buildings and cutting down street signs. The Chonma-Ho and Pokpung-Hos were hopelessly outmatched, and within minutes were a smoking mess.

Erika raced down the street, supporting the advancing infantry. She saw a squad of North Koreans running across the street, with machine guns in their arms. She peppered them down with the machine gun, killing four and forcing the rest to disperse. "Shit," She cursed. The Panzer XII rocked back as it fired again, tearing through a house and hitting the rear of a Type 59 MBT. Flames licked its engines and it exploded, throwing burning chunks of metal into the air.

The Panzer XII shook violently as a Chonma-Ho tank fired from the side. Erika twisted her neck and met eye to eye with the young North Korean commander. He was youthful, flowing black hair and a fair complexion. They both stared at each other, unmoving. She could see the uneasiness and fear in his eyes, and he could see it in her. He had a look of sadness on him. He looked like he didn't want to, he was afraid to do what he was about to do. He slowly raised his hand, ready to fire.

Erika jolted to action. "Fire!" She ordered. He also shouted to his crew.

Both tanks fired at the same time; Erika's vision was covered with smoke. She heard the loud roar of two barrels belching out a shell. The screech of metal force her to cover her ears. The smoke cleared, and Erika saw the hull of the Chonma-Ho bright red, long fiery tendrils reaching out to the heavens. Erika felt a twinge of sadness in her, but she had to move on. She drove past the burning wreckage, not looking back.

…...

"Mierda!" Francisca slammed her fist against the turret of the AMX 31-E. "Why is their resistance getting even more stubborn?" All around her were empty tanks, holes punctured into their turrets and hulls. "I just keep on killing more!" She shouted. Infantry rifles popped and banged across the street, with orange and red tracers flying in all directions. Bullets pinged off the sloped armor of the AMX-31 E. Four AMX-31 Es came up from behind, with six Type 10s forming the rear. They formed a line across the street, covering the entire block. Machine guns rattled out, raining bullets down on North Koreans. The street was covered with rubble and burning pieces of wood. As the tanks advanced, they crushed flesh and bones of dead soldiers. A iron pipe fell from the sky, clanging against the turret of Francisca, almost hitting her in the head. "Gah!" She shouted.

"Four Chonma-Hos incoming!" Francisca's radio buzzed. She swore, and turning her AMX-31 E towards a street corner. "We'll deal with them." She told the panicked soldier across the radio. "Units 1, 6, 12, and 15, come with me!" She ordered. Four AMX-31 Es turned and followed Francisca down the city streets. "Let's see…" She muttered. She grinned as her AMX-31 E turned the street corner, nearly pushing down a telephone pole. The four Chonma-Hos sat there, not doing anything.

"Fire!" Francisca shouted, and crescendo of loud pops and explosive roars rang out, the Chonma-Hos bursting alight. Four smoke pillars pour out, with red flaming tentacles swirling around them. Crew members that were still alive tried to escape but short bursts of coaxial machine gunfire ended their struggle.

Shuri Castle

"Take cover!" Soldiers screamed in agony as bullets shredded their limbs and torsos. Men pleaded for medics, who were too suppressed to move forwards. Clumps of dirt flew in the air, being thrown up by mortar rounds and bullet impacts. North Koreans poured gunfire from the top of the outer walls on the crawling Japanese troops below. Artillery guns spat out shells at the advancing Japanese, raining hot metal and fire from the skies. Trees shuddered as bullets bit them, throwing leaves and branches outside.

Tanya gritted her teeth as she wriggled across the sloping ground. She aimed her Howa Type 20 Assault rifle into the air, trying to shoot down a North Korean sniper. He fired first, and the bullet whizzed past Tanya's head. She fired back, shooting three shots at the tree above her. The sniper fell down back to the Earth, three holes in his forehead.

Tanya got up and dashed forward a few yard, before diving back down to the ground as a North Korean machine gunner turned towards her. She unpinned a grenade and tossed it over the outer wall. There was a small explosion and a shriek, a body being tossed over the wall. She cursed when she saw the barbed wire strewn across the ground in front of the castle entrance.

She heard the roar of engines, and saw a Type 10 MBT when she turned around. She sighed with relief when the MBT plowed down the barbed wire and charged through the gates. More Type 10 MBTs rolled up, and the infantry got out of their cover and followed the armor. Tanya quickly reloaded her Type 20 Assault rifle before running after the Type 10 MBT column.

The North Korean soldiers on the outer walls were trapped as the Browning M2HB 50. Cal machine guns from the rear and the 5.56 NATO rounds of the Type 20 Assault rifles from the front shot them down like fish in a barrel. Bodies fell down, slamming to the ground.

"Tanya-san, we're really kicking their asses!" Lasagna shouted. Tanya turned around and scowled at him.

They advanced through the outer area, knocking down several field guns and tanks out as they went. Above them Mitsubishi F-2 jets screamed, firing their JM61A1 rotary cannons and dropping their JDAMs. The North Koreans scrambled backwards, crumbling in the face of the Japanese push.

The Japanese reached the secondary walls, armed with mortars, rockets, machine guns and anti-tank missiles.

The first missile snaked towards the foremost Type 10 MBT, slamming into its turret ring. The turret imploded, throwing bits and pieces of ceramic composite and steel armor into the air. A North Korean soldier had used a Chinese HJ-10 anti-tank/helicopter missile launcher.

"Take that thing out!" A soldier shouted. Somebody gunned the soldier down with a Type 23 carbine. North Koreans began raking the ground with machine gun fire, forcing the Japanese soldiers to get down on their stomachs. Blood spattered across the dirt, with bodies piling on top of each other.

…...

"They won't fucking give up, those bastards," Tanya gritted. Her Type 20 Assault rifle cracked as she fired up at the walls, taking down a North Korean soldier.

Nishi slid down next to her. "Gosh, this keeps on getting crazier," She muttered. She chucked a grenade over the wall, and dust and smoke puffed up as it exploded.

"How the hell are we supposed to advance?" Naoki moaned in annoyance.

Hiroi grinned next to her. "Aw, don't worry kid. This isn't so bad, is it?" He shoved a magazine into his Type 20 Assault rifle. He fired up the wall, killing a North Korean soldier. He jerked his head downwards as bullets landed right next to him. "What is the air force dawdling for?" He chuckled.

Naoki gave him a worried stare. "Sir, are you alright?" He asked.

Hiroi shrugged. "Who knows," He answered.

A Type 10 MBT rolled up to the little ditch Hiroi and Naoki were laying. The hatch opened and a younger man came out.

"Hey, kid!" Hiroi shouted.

The man turned towards Hiroi. "Yes, sir?" He replied.

Hiroi pointed above, where there were several HMGs and missile launchers. "Take them out will you. They are really bothering me," He ordered.

The man saluted. "Right on it, sir," He dropped back down into the turret, and it turned several degrees up. It fired once, dust flying as the kickback pushed the barrel back.

The wall exploded, throwing machine guns and personnel over the wall. Hiroi aimed through his sights and placed the red dot over the forehead of a North Korean soldier. His rifle jerked slightly up, and the man dropped like a flea. Hiroi smiled. He turned his sights to other defenders. He fired again, this time taking down three more North Koreans.

He tensed as an explosion showered dirt over him. "Damn, I guess their mortars are really stepping it up," He mumbled. "Come on, you damn air force." He grinned as several helicopters descended from the heavens. Zigzagging across the sky to avoid anti-air missiles, they fired their rotary cannons and missiles at the North Koreans. A storm of death and destruction blanketed over the North Koreans. A symphony of screams and explosions drowned out all other noises, and clouds of dust and dirt blotted out Hiroi's vision.

The bombardment lasted for around fifteen minutes. The ground cleared up, and around forty North Koreans lay dead. Many died at their posts, bullets turning their bodies into bee hives. More soldiers lay on their backs, attempting to run. Blood was pouring out from them, and their stomachs were ripped open, their intestines spilling over.

"Holy shit," Hiroi said with a dropped jaw. He quickly composed himself. "Alright men, advance!" He shouted. The Japanese stood up and launched another assault. The North Koreans, stunned by the bombardment were unable to hold back the tide. They were cut down by the dozens as the Japanese surged forward. Blazing with assault and machine guns, the Japanese were like a tsunami; they were unstoppable. Even the inner ramparts that the North Koreans manned were useless against the breakthrough. Type 10 MBTs broke the ramparts, forcing the walls to crash down while the North Koreans were still on them.

They entered the field just in front of the castle itself. Machine guns popped and Rockets shoomed out from the castle.

"Holy shit, this is just like COD: WAW!" Hiroi exclaimed. He raised his Type 20 and fired off a burst of rifle fire against the entrenched enemies. He covered his face when a Type 10 MBT exploded, a rocket impacting with the turret. He jumped into a North Korean trench, with a few bewildered North Koreans still at their posts.

"Sir, their left flank is crumbling," A soldier shouted.

Hiroi nodded. "Great. We'll push there," He said.

…..

Three red flares shot up in the sky, the red smoke trailing behind the shining bright light. Tanya raised her head as the flares fell back to the Earth. She unloaded her magazine, and threw the empty box away as she inserted a new one. She got up from the trench and ran across the body strewn, barbed wire laden, crater filled front lawn. North Koreans popped out from little spider holes before jumping back into their little hiding spots. Tanya and the others dropped grenades in them, and kept the hatches closed to keep the North Koreans from escaping. Each time, they would pull the pin, slightly open the hatch, drop the grenade, slam it shut, and after a little Bumpf and a little shaking, there was complete silence.

They charged up the stairs of the castle itself, killing North Koreans as they ascended. Blood ran down the stairwell and bodies tumbled down to the ground. Tanya bashed her rifle against the face of a North Korean soldier. He staggered back, his hands over his face and screaming in pain. She hits him again, and he falls down to the floor.

Lasagna, Nishi, Earl Grey, Naoki and the others stormed up the stairs as well.

"The door is blocked," Naoki shouted.

"God damn it," Tanya muttered.

"Blow the damn door off!" Hiroi ordered. Earl Grey aimed her grenade launcher at it. She fired, and the door blew off the hinges. They ran into the empty room, guns pointed at every corner.

"Room clear!" Naoki shouted, and the soldiers fanned out throughout the castle.

Earl Grey and Naoki ran up the narrow stairway, flanked by a squad of soldiers. Tracers erupted from top of the stairwell, showering the Japanese with a hail of bullets. Earl Grey and Naoki dove down on the stairs.

"Shit! The hell are we supposed to do?" Naoki shouted.

Earl Grey winked at him. "Don't worry about it," She raised her grenade launchers a few inches up, and fired. The grenade screamed as it arched across the stairs. It landed behind the overturned tables and the riflemen behind them. The grenade exploded, throwing the defenders down the stairs. Naoki and Earl Grey had to move out of the way as the bodies tumbled down. Earl Grey patted Naoki on the back. Naoki smiled faintly as they got back up.

"Fuck!" Azumi cursed as they ran through the maze of corridors. "Where the hell are we?"

"Shut up!" Rumi shouted. "Just keep shooting."

"Are we lost?" Megumi cried. "What do we do?"

Rumi reloaded her Type 20. "We keep on moving. Azumi, hand me a grenade." She ordered. Azumi handed her one. Rumi pulled the pin and rolled it across the hallway. It stopped by the corner, where it detonated. There were several screams, before silence.

…..

Rifles cracked with life as both sides tried to keep the other from advancing. Pieces of wood were chipped away as bullets ripped through posts and walls. Azumi gripped her rifle tightly. She peered over the wall. She jerked her head back to safety as a flurry of bullets flew her way. She aimed her gun over the wall and fired towards the gunfire. Clouds of dust swirled as the bullets discharged. The body of a North Korean fell down as he was hit right in the heart, blood splattering like paint against the wall behind him.

"Let's go!" Rumi shouted, and dashed out of cover. Azumi shrugged and followed, with Megumi whimpering from behind. They ran through the bullet riddled the passageway. They jumped over bodies that blocked the corridor. Rumi fired off her Type 20 Assault rifle as the ran forwards, the barrel turning burning hot.

They ducked behind the corner of another hallway. The dark hall was illuminated by red and orange gunfire. As the lights flashed about, one could see the murals of blood that was painted on the walls and the silhouettes of soldiers killing each other. Gruesome images of soldiers being shot to ribbons flashed across the corridor. Bullets ricocheted around, hitting nearly every inch of wall, floor and ceiling. Then there was a great flash, and a loud bang echoed across the entire hall. Everybody stopped firing momentarily, covering their eyes.

Hiroi was among them. When the flashbang exploded he had also covered his eyes. Damn, where did that come from? He thought. His vision went back to normal, and was engulfed with darkness. "Damn it, how many are there," He muttered. He unpinned a grenade and flung it across the dark hallway. There was a loud Boom, and he imagined a few North Koreans had their bodies torn into pieces.

"I'm going out!" Hiroi began crawling out into the hallway.

"Sir?" Another soldier said in confusion, but Hiroi had already began advancing through the darkness. The soldiers shrugged and followed their commander.

They creeped on their bellies across the floor, under the whizzing lines of lights. Hiroi grinned as he closed in on the North Koreans, who had failed to notice them slipping ever so closer.

Hiroi was right at the feet of a North Korean soldier. He slowly raised his rifle up at the chest of the soldier, and fired. For a second he saw the chest of the soldier being lit up by the bright discharge; the entire chest turned red and the entire soldier was thrown back. Hiroi got up and turned to his right and gunned the rest of the North Koreans down, each shot being a yellow tracer hitting its target.

…...

Lasagna and Nishi was kneeling behind a stack of iron blocks. Their enemies were stationed just a few meters away, taking cover behind some old steel crates.

Nishi aimed her Type 23 Carbine forwards and squeezed the trigger. The head of one North Koreans exploded in a mist of blood, skull and brain matter. "Got'em!" she exclaimed.

Lasagna groaned. He leaned against the pipes. "Take it down a notch, will you," He said.

Nishi yelped and ducked her head down when the North Koreans fired back. More soldiers ran into the room, and took cover behind various objects. A North Korean soldier shot down a Japanese soldier, shooting him in the chest. Nishi got back up to fire, but when she pressed the trigger, no bullet came out. "Gah, out of ammo!" She cursed. She immediately reloaded and got back up again.

Lasagna leaned out from behind the pipes and fired off a couple of shots. Two North Koreans fell down, torsos riddled with bloody holes. His eyes widened as a huge iron pipe began falling down towards him. Time seemed to slow as the plank aimed for his head; he jumped out of the way as the it clattered right where he had sat. However, now he was right out in the open. Half a dozen North Korean guns pointed at him. Lasagna scrambled back to his cover as they opened up.

Several grenades flew over the room, landing near the North Korean troops. The entire room was blanketed with dust as the several explosions ripped the entire room apart. Groans and screams of pain reverberated throughout the room. Nishi and Lasagna ducked down as the only thing they heard was a loud roar.

The dust settled, and the two looked over. The entire room was cleared, with ripped up bodies bent over cover and lying across the floor.

"Holy shit," Lasagna muttered.

Nishi laughed. "Oh my god! Why didn't we do that in the first place?"

Lasagna reloaded his rifle. "Ugh, time to move on," He said.

….

Tanya fired her Type 20 in the courtyard, where the North Koreans set up several defensive positions, with several machine guns and even a mortar. Mortar rounds plunged into the ground, throwing dirt and soldiers into the air. Tanya pulled her helmet down as bullets zipped past her. With a grunt, she knelt down and honed on to a machine gun position. With a few squeezes of the trigger, the machine gunner dropped to the ground. She jumped over the railings and landed on the ground with a thud. She did a combat roll, and when she was upright she shot a North Korean soldier aiming at her. She stood up and ran to a piece of cover, a fallen piece of the castle roof. Tiles clatter off when bullets hit them. She adjusted her glasses. Damn, I really need to get new glasses, She thought to herself.

A grenade presented itself as it rolled next to Tanya. In a flash she grabbed the explosive and lobbed it across the courtyard. Miraculously it landed by the mortar position. The Mortar rounds stopped after the grenade exploded, killing the men crewing it.

Japanese troops poured into the courtyard, pushing the North Koreans deeper into a corner. The North Koreans didn't surrender, however, and continued their resistance. More and more Japanese troops fell as they tried to put the North Koreans down.

Tanya rested her head against the sight of the rifle, taking aim against a burly North Korean soldier. The man turned towards Tanya, attempting to shoot her before she does. He failed, and a bullet cut through his skull.

A huge shadow covered the entire courtyard. Tanya glanced up, and saw a helicopter descend upon the North Koreans. The gatling gun whirred as it spat thousands of bullets at the frightened enemies. They were shredded into pieces, with bone and flesh being torn away from the body. The amount of blood that came gushing out was like an ocean of paint, seeping to every corner of the entire courtyard. Bodies piled on top of each other, eventually creating a wall of corpses by the edge of the courtyard. Rockets also launched themselves at the enemy, turning human beings into clumps of skin and muscle.

Tanya watched as the helicopter cleaned up the courtyard. In fifteen minutes, not a single soul was alive down there. The helicopter, churning up dust clouds up into the sky. Tanya coughed and wheezed as dust entered her nose. "Shit," She said to herself.

"Are you alright?" Tanya turned and saw Lasagna and Nishi standing there, looking at her.

"She was never alright," Earl Grey's voice made her turn to her left, with Earl Grey herself grinning and Naoki smiling behind her.

"Aw, don't say that to the commander! She shouldn't know the truth!" Rumi, Azumi and Megumi jumped in from behind, pushing Tanya forwards.

"What the hell?" Tanya exclaimed.

"Shut it, you're all part of the loony squad," Hiroi's authoritative voice boomed out. "You guys get to rest a while, while the cleanup crew is sweeping the outer walls and gift shops. So sit down a bit." He informed them. The popping of rifles and booms of explosions still echoed through the afternoon air.

One and a half hours later

The Emperor's regiment and Hiroi met up with the Kuromorimine and Blue Division Senshadou teams at the Naha Shiritsu Yasuoka Junior High School. Erika climbed out of their Panzers and ran over to Hiroi, while Francesca struggled to get out of her AMX-31 E. Kaito hid behind a Type 10 MBT.

"Good afternoon, girls! I hope you have been enjoying your final day in Okinawa!" Hiroi heartily shouted.

Erika smiled. "I have, but last minute tourist attractions can be bit of a nuisance," She added.

Hiroi grinned. "Good, your spirits are up,"

"Listen up all of you. The enemy has set up their final, I repeat, Final defensive line by the port. We took the airfield around forty minutes ago, so no more flying out wounded and supplies for them. They're holding route 58, which runs right in front of the port. I don't doubt they are evacuating their wounded and armor, so we'll most likely see only infantry. We heavily outnumber them, and both sides know it. This is it-" He inhaled deeply, "-the battle will be over when we retake the port." He said. "Good luck. Do not die on me last minute." He finished. Everyone raised their fists and cheered.

As Erika was walking back to her Panzer XII Tanya's voice called out to her. Erika turned around and saw Tanya walking towards her.

"Hey, you excited?" Tanya asked with a curved smile.

Erika nodded. "We'll be going home after this," She replied.

"I wonder if the military will give us medals," Tanya wondered.

Erika shrugged. "Who knows. I don't care, to be honest," She replied truthfully.

Tanya lightly turned her head. "I do want to have our actions recognized. I want our dead friends, our dead comrades to be acknowledged," She said softly.

Erika's eyes widened as she remembered Koume. "Yeah, you're right," She murmured.

"Come on ladies, stop chatting and get your damn panzers ready," Hiroi came up from behind, grabbing both of their waists. Erika yelped and jumped forwards, her hands automatically shifting to her butt. Tanya turned backwards and glared at Hiroi with a growl, who backed off with a toothy grin.

Erika climbed up into her Panzer XII, glancing occasionally at Hiroi, face still burning red. "Ladies, Panzer vor!" She ordered with a quivering voice.

"Okay, commander," Kanagawa cheerfully replied.

The Panzers began to advance, towards route 58. As they got closer, they heard the gunfire and occasional explosions grow louder. Erika noticed that the noises of combat had decreased significantly than before. Maybe the North Koreans are finally realizing their hopeless position, she thought.

They entered route 58, the North Koreans on the other side of the road. They fired at the caravan of Panzers, most of the bullets not even hitting the armor. They fell wide, flying into the air or hit the ground behind them.

Erika thought for a minute. They're not even attacking for the most part, She looked down into the tank, and saw Kanagawa take out a microphone. Why she had one, Erika had no clue. Kanagawa smiled up and winked at her. Erika smiled back and nodded. She took the microphone and stood straight up and placed the microphone up to her lips.

"Listen up!" She shouted, the voice echoing throughout the entire route; both sides stopped fighting in bewilderment. "This is to all members of the Korean People's Army Ground Forces! Surrender yourselves. You are hopelessly outnumbered and outmatched. To prolong the fight will only result in your deaths!" She shouted, "Please! You have no reason to continue to resist. How many friends did you lose in the last month? And for what? A failed attempt to take a small island?" Her voice was now filled with emotions by this point. "Nobody wants to kill each other anymore. We have no reason to continue fighting! If you want to see your families, please don't throw away your lives in a useless struggle!"

There was silence, as if the North Koreans were considering her words; even if they did not know a word of Japanese, they understood clearly what her message was.

At first, single soldiers trickled over to the Japanese lines with their hands up, but eventually entire companies were pouring over the road. Erika slumped down on the turret, exhausted.

"Good job, vice-commander," Kanagawa told her.

"It's nothing," Erika waved her hand.

"You just convinced a god knows how many North Koreans to surrender," Kanagawa explained. "Do you know how hard that is? They're goddamn fanatics!"

….

Fighting still continued beyond Route 58, right in the port. Hiroi carried a Type 22 SAW over his back, setting it up a position right behind a street corner. He began suppressing North Koreans across the block for the squad of Japanese infantry that ran across the debris-filled street. The North Koreans ducked down behind chunks of concrete as bullets chipped their cover away.

…...

Tanya took cover behind a large container in the port. She frowned as she leaned out in the open and fired at the North Koreans a few meters away. She flinched as bullets ricocheted off the metal container. She took a couple of steps back, into the safety of cover. The North Korean soldier scurried to a closer piece of cover, still keeping his eye on Tanya. Tanya grumbled as she took out a grenade and threw it to the container just across from her.

She saw the grenade explode, with a cloud of smoke rising over the container. Tanya looked over again, relieved.

Then she heard the clanging of bullets against metal. She quickly turns around, and was horrified to see the North Korean aiming his rifle right at her. She quickly jumped out of the way as he fired again, a flurry of bullets flying towards Tanya. She ran behind the side of the container. She glanced over her shoulder and aimed at the North Korean. However, when she pulled the trigger, no bullet came out and no kickback occured. She realized that she was out of ammo. She shoved her hand into her ammo pouch and froze when her fingers found nothing but empty air. She leaned against the container with sweat pouring down her face. She took out her sidearm, a Minebea 2019 9mm pistol. She twirled out of her cover and with two shots, shot the North Korean right in the head. He fell down to the ground, blood spurting behind him. Tanya sighed as she ran past the corpse.

She nearly lost her head when the stock of a rifle came flying towards her. She ducked and the rifle bounced harmlessly against the metal container. A North Korean soldier reared his rifle again for another strike. Tanya slammed the grip of her pistol against his jaw. The man stumbled back, hand on his jaw. He steadied himself and charged Tanya. He swung his rifle, and it made contact with Tanya's helmet. The helmet vibrated violently and jarred her so much she couldn't see where the man was.

The man lunged again, this time aiming for Tanya's face. Tanya's eyes grew wide as the rifle grew closer. She tried to move, but found her body frozen in place.

The rifle didn't meet its target. The arm that held the rifle was sliced clean off, a single bloody line cut through the elbow. Both Tanya and the man looked down in surprise as a young soldier jumps down next to the North Korean soldier, guntō in his right hand. He swung up, slicing into the man's throat. The man buckled down to the floor.

Kaito flicked his guntō, splattering the blood on his sword onto the ground. He looked at Tanya with a wide grin. "Hey," He said.

Tanya got up, glaring at him intensely. "When this is over, you are going to get it," She growled, before running off. Kaito shrugged it off before running off himself.

…..

Nishi and Lasagna ran through the port, shooting North Korean troops down. They reached the harbor, where the bright, blue water crashed against the concrete walls.

"Shit, look at that!" Nishi pointed off in the distance.

Lasagna looked up and saw a large warship just off the coast. "Is it the navy? They finally arrived to pick up the trash," He muttered. He noticed another ship, steaming away from Okinawa. "Are those the damn North Koreans trying to escape? Damn it navy, blow them up!" He shouted.

…..

The ship was bustling with activity; the decks were filled with wounded, begging for aid. Doctors and medics ran through the ship with what little supplies they had. Cries of pain resonated throughout the entire ship. One could not walk in a corridor without tripping over a leg, or slip on a bloody bandage. Red blood decorated the floors as if it was painted at the factories.

One girl, her forehead wrapped in bandages and on crutches, stared at the slowly shrinking harbor, the din of combat diminishing.

"Ugh." Mi-jing groaned, "That didn't end so well, did it?" She looked back at the mummy sitting in a wheelchair behind her, only her eyes visible. Maeng grunted in response, unable to talk.

Mi-jing signed. "God, that was horrible," She said. "I can't believe I let her escape." Maeng emitted a small noise of confusion.

"That Nishizumi girl," Mi-jing muttered under gritted teeth. "I let her go. If I had one more chance…" Maeng let out a croak of protest.

Mi-jing waved her hand. "I know, I know. You almost died. I almost died too, you know," She could hear Maeng grumble behind her. She turned around, and saw Maeng glaring at her. "Wow, sorry." She quickly apologized. Maeng just rolled her eyes.

Mi-jing rummaged through her pocket, and took out a Boko doll dressed in a beige IJA uniform and had bandages wrapped around its head and arm, with a bullet hole in its temple. She began tossing the doll up in the air. Maeng pushed herself right up next to Mi-jing and looked at the Boko doll.

"This?" Mi-jing waved her doll around. "I found this in some rubble." Maeng looked at her quizzically.

Mi-jing nodded. "I don't know why I took this. I just get a nostalgic feeling from this," She said, a small smile forming on her.

They heard several cries from the crew and evacuees, and they craned their necks out to sea. Mi-jing gasped and Maeng's eyes bulged out. In the distance there was a single warship, slowly inching towards them.

"Shit, it's an enemy destroyer!" Mi-jing shouted. A feeble smile formed on her lips as she stared at Boko. "I guess we're not going to live after all." She said somberly.

…..

Hiroi walked onto the pier, looking at the white ship sailing away. The fighting in the port had stopped; the last remaining soldier had been killed or surrendered. He glanced at the destroyer bobbing in the water. He got out his radio, which had begun buzzing with activity.

"This is Captain Misaki Akeno of the Harekaze. We are here to assist you in your cleanup operation." A young, cheerful female voice said through the radio.

Hiroi grinned. "Hello, little one. This is Lieutenant Colonel Hiroi. Sorry to say, but you're late to the party," He replied.

"Well, we had a few accidents on the way," Akeno laughed.

Hiroi chuckled as well. "Accidents happen. Anyways, it's strange that a young girl like you is commanding an entire destroyer-" He stopped as he thought it over. "-Okay, I can't say anything. We have highschool girls operating tanks over here."

"I am a highschooler too!" Akeno pouted.

Hiroi shrugged. "Doesn't sound like it," He retorted. "Anyways, if you want to contribute, blow that North Korean ship out of the water." He ordered.

There was a brief silence.

"That isn't a warship," Akeno said softly.

Hiroi signed. "It's an vessel carrying enemy soldiers. They will be used to combat our soldiers, or our allies later," He told her.

"But I can see wounded on the decks," Akeno protested.

Hiroi touched his temple in annoyance. "Look, I know. But this is war. They would not hesitate in sinking one of our hospital ships. They are valuable to the enemy war effort. We must destroy them at every opportunity," He said mercilessly. He could imagine little Akeno panicking, and almost felt bad for her.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't attack a defenseless vessel. And we all are a family on the sea, whether they are our friends or enemies. Sinking a helpless ship will make the oceans sad," Akeno said in a sad, yet defiant voice.

Hiroi was speechless. Then a small chuckle escaped from him. This turned into a hearty laugh.

"Sir?" Akeno asked in confusion.

Hiroi wiped the tears away from his eyes. "I'm sorry, I did not expect that. You seafarers do have a strict code of conduct that we landlubbers lack. I respect you, Captain Akeno, for sticking to what you believe in," He said, but turned serious. "But remember, this will only result in more of our men dying." He said in a grim tone.

….

Mi-jing gaped as the destroyer turned around. "Are, are they stupid or something?" She shouted. Maeng punched her in the side as hard as she could.

Mi-jing stared at her. "I mean, really. Who would let a defenseless ship go? I mean, seriously." She said. Maeng growled at her. "Okay jeez, I get it." She mumbled.

…..

Erika and the other girls stood at the harbor, milling around.

"Wait, so the battle's over?" One girl asked.

"We're done?" Another girl questioned. More girls and soldiers began to chatter, questioning themselves of what had happened.

"Is, is it over?"

"We won?"

"No more fighting?"

The questioning quickly turned to realization that they had indeed achieved success. Girls began crying from happiness, unable to contain their emotions.

"We did it, we won!" One girl shouted.

"The fighting is over!" Another wailed.

Two girls collapsed to the ground, hugging each other. "We're going home! We're going home!" They bawled. Tears streamed down their cheeks. "No more fighting! We don't have to kill anymore people!"

Erika wiped a tear from her eye as she watched everybody letting their emotions out. A heavy weight fell on her back, and heard Kanagawa's joyful voice entering her ear.

"We did it, vice-commander!" She shouted.

Erika turned around and hugged her. "Yeah, we did," She replied.

"Señora!" Erika turned to see Francisca run at full speed towards her. She jumped into the air and landed on Erika, who fell down flat on her back. "Señora, we did it! We beat them!" She laughed, and Erika began to laugh as well. "We'll be going home!"

…..

The Emperor's regiment was also celebrating their victory. "Hooray! We won!" Nishi shouted, jumping onto Lasagna's back.

"What the hell?" He screamed, before falling on his face. He got back up, hand on face. "You are-" He mumbled but was interrupted when Nishi hugged him. Initially surprised, Lasagna rolled his eyes and embraced her back.

….

The Bermuda trio was entangling themselves in a group hug.

"We did it! We won!" Azumi exclaimed happily.

Rumi smiled. "Good job, girls. We fought long and hard, and we did it." She said.

"We're going home! We're going to see Alice again!" Megumi sobbed loudly.

Azumi grinned. "When we get home we'll definitely get commander Alice and commander Kaito together," She whispered.

Rumi chuckled. "Yes, that is something we have to do,"

…..

Earl Grey was drinking tea as she sat on a wooden crate, watching everybody celebrate. She noticed Naoki standing silently by himself. She stood up and walked over to him. "Are you thinking of Koume?" She asked. Naoki turned his head. There was a twinge of sadness in his eyes.

Earl Grey took a step back. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" She tried to backtrack but was interrupted by a wave of a hand.

"It's alright." Naoki said, turning away. "I was just thinking if she was here with us…" He said softly. "I think she would be happy knowing we're all safe." He uttered. He didn't protest when Earl Grey embraced him.

….

Kaito sat alone, cleaning and sharpening his guntō. He heard the swift footsteps nearing towards him, and looked up to see Tanya towering over him. "Oh hey-" Kaito stood up, but fell backwards when he felt the hand strike his left cheek. "What the hell?" He demanded.

Tanya reared her back again and slapped him in the right cheek. "Don't you dare disobey me again!" She shouted, tears brimming at the edge of her eyes. "How could you?"

"I'm sorry." Kaito stammered, "I won't do it again."

Tanya bent down and squeezed him tightly. "Please don't do it again," She whispered. "Promise?"

Kaito nodded furiously. "Yeah, I'm sorry." He pulled her in tighter as he wrapped his arm around her back.

…...

A soldier walked up to the Erika, Francisca and Kanagawa. He cleared his throat, and the three girls looked up. The soldier was clearly uncomfortable. "Is the younger sister of Kanagawa Taizou here?" He asked.

Kanagawa stood up. "Kanagawa Eri, reporting for duty. Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Well, um…" The soldier began to look for the right words. At last he sighed loudly. "Your brother has been MIA since June 6th, and after searching for over a month we believe he has been killed on the first day of combat." He reported.

Kanagawa crumpled to the floor, her face completely white. "I..I…" She tried to formulate words, but tears began streaming down her face. "No, no, no, no!" She sobbed. The soldier and Erika knelt down next to her. Kanagawa dug her face into Erika, as she sat there with a crestfallen look on her.

The battle of Okinawa lasted from June 6th to July 18th, 2024. It was the debut action of the JSDF and was a resounding success. The Japanese deployed more than 200,000 troops, and suffered around 30,000 KIA, 70,000 WIA and 4,200 MIA. The North Koreans deployed around 150,000 Troops, and lost 136,000 men, with upto 50-130,000 soldiers dead and wounded, with 6,000 troops also falling prisoner. The North Korean army was severely drained, with the elite 8th Division completely destroyed.

80,000 Civilians were also killed in the course of the battle, with more than 100,000 wounded, 4,000 captured and 300,000 displaced. The battle in total cost around 450,000 casualties, with at least 160-230,000 killed. Kuromorimine suffered 69 killed and 421 wounded. Blue Division suffered 25 killed and 117 wounded. The Emperor's Regiment lost 274 Killed and 900 wounded, around 40% of their strength.

6,000 tanks also took part in the battle, with 40,000 other vehicles, 11,000 helis and 1,500 planes. Kuromorimine and Blue Division fielded 10% of the tanks during the course of battle. Kuromorimine had lost 72 Panzers, while Blue Division lost 17 tanks. The entire JSDF lost 600 tanks, 5,000 vehicles, 1,900 helis and 100 planes. The North Koreans lost 1,800 tanks, 9,000 vehicles, 430 planes and 3,100 helis.

The battle affected the entire island as a whole; almost 90% of the country was occupied by the North Koreans. An upward of 45% of the urban and city areas were destroyed. 64 temples and shrines were looted by the North Koreans or destroyed in the battle.

---

Hello, it has been a while. I am alive and well, and will resume writing this story(and hopefully the chapters will be much shorter).

Remember Kanagawa Taizou(If you didn't, it's alright. I forgot he existed too)? He was a throwaway character I made for the initial North Korean landings in Okinawa in chapter three. He was killed when he was crushed by Mi-jing's Pokpung-Ho V tank(Ouch!) and was supposed to be never mentioned again. But I accidentally recycled his last name for one of the crewmembers of Erika's Panzer XII(This being Kanagawa the gunner). So I decided they were going to be siblings and now hopefully Kanagawa will actually become an actual part of the story.

I have a second story(hooray!) It is called Blood vs Iron, and it is about the various schools(along with several ones I made up) fighting in a war across Japan. Check it out, cause if you like this you will probably enjoy that story too. Well then, adios amigos!