Chapter 5:

Knights and Soldiers

"Listen up, men! As we speak, there are currently 300 marines holding off an army twice their size. Our air force and artillery are doing a good job at taking out a huge chunk of them but the americans need more manpower. This is where you all come in, Bravo and Delta company, can I expect you to aid them and successfully defend the town of Iarica?" Asked Lieutenant General Kouichirou Hazama as he gazes at the officers standing at his attention.

"SIR, YES SIR!" They all replied in unison.

With their combat gear on and their weapons at the ready, the JSDF soldiers of Br avo and Delta company got out of the F.O.B.'s hangar and went in their designated transport helicopters, the famous Boeing CH-47 Chinook.

1st Lieutenant Yoji Itami took the seat next the rear ramp of the vehicle, sitting next to him was his fellow soldier and otaku friend, sergeant Takeo Kurata. Facing him was none other than Sergeant-Major Souichirou Kuwahara, the oldest and most experienced member of the third Recon team.

As the helicopters started to fly off the airfield of the Forward Operating Base, Itami looked out of the transport's ramp to see the sun slowly rising up behind their hill base. For once, Itami felt relaxed eventhough he's going to enter in a combat zone in a few minutes, he just wanted to forget for a moment all the stressful days that happened these past few months. He took a glance at his friend and noticed that the young sergeant was shaking nervously and breathing in and out deeply, trying to calm himself down. Wanting comfort his friend, he placed a hand on his shoulder and told him loudly:

"Don't worry Kurata! Just follow what Pops says and you'll be fine!"

Kurata snapped back to reality and looked at Itami and nodded.

"I will, thank you sir."

Although the lieutenant seemed calm, it was true that he felt terrified in the inside, not wanting to die like any other soldier but he is an officer and he must show confidence to his fellow soldiers or else morale will break easily for them. However only one member of third recon team seems too excited to go in combat and that's Sergeant 1st class Shino Kuribayashi, the shortest but the most ferocious member of the team. Just as the helicopter lifted off, she already mounted her bayonet to her rifle's barrel while having a sadistic smile on her face. To be honest, Itami doesn't know who he is afraid of the most: a digimon or her. His trace of thoughts was soon interrupted once his radio came to life.

"All units prepare for combat, ETA 5 minutes. How copy? Over."

"This is Combat Team 1, solid copy, over."

"Combat Team 2, heard it loud and clear."

"Solid copy on Recon team 3, over." Responded Itami as the other units started to reply. "Listen up! We'll be in combat zone in less than 5 minutes, once we're deployed, regroup on me and stay close to eachother. Keep your distance from the enemy and stay out of CQC with them, unless you want a quick and painful death sentence. Am I clear?"

"SIR, YES SIR!" They all replied. And as if on cue, their helicopter shook violently as enemy fire erupted near them.

"Alright ladies, hold on tight because it's going to be a bumpy ride." The pilot warned them.

Through his radio, Itami could hear multiple military jargon from the air support, the marines and other JSDF combat units. The metal bird shook again, prompting the soldiers to hold on to their seats as tight as they can. Throughout the rear exit of the chopper, they could see a quarter of the town engulfed in thick black smokes and in ruins. The streets were filled with fierce urban firefights as the U.S. Marines held off what seems to be an endless wave of digimon. To the outskirts of the town, their jets and marine attack helicopters showered the enemy with heavy rounds, rockets, missiles and H.E. Bombs.

"It's going to be one hell of a morning..." Thought Itami as the chinook shook for the fifth time.

"GET THOSE .50 CALS UP AND RUNNING! I WANT THOSE TANKS TO SMOKE THOSE FUCKERS TO HELL!" Yelled Captain Richards as he ducked down on the ground to cover himself from an explosion only a few blocks away.

"Captain! Bravo Company is pulling back!" Reported loudly Cpl. Allen.

"What? Who the hell gave them the damn order?!" The corporal simply shrugged. "Get me Captain Winters now." Richards ordered.

"I can't, there's no signal from him..." Replied Allen hurriedly.

"For fuck's sake... Try again, corporal."

While the captain tries to regroup the marines, Raymond emptied his mag before looking back at where the previous explosion erupted. He swore under his breath before he called his superior officer.

"He's dead." He told him loudly while pointing at the direction of the black smoke where the explosion has previously erupted. Richards put two and two together.

"Goddamnit! Allen, tell Lieutenant Douglas and Chandler to regather their men and hold the left flank! Raymond, I want your platoon to reinforce that flank."

"Roger that, my guys on me!" Ordered Raymond at his platoon as they to move out of their positions.

Once they arrived at their designated area, they could hear rotors of friendly helicopters pass overhead as they set up a defensive position for the newly arrived japanese forces.

"Give those japs some cover fire! Don't let the imperials get near the birds!" Raymond told them as one chinook flew down and landed behind them.

Once the helicopter touched the ground, japanese soldiers started to pour out, their officer directing them where to go. The officer then gave a thumbs up to the pilot before the chinook flew out of the combat zone. The young officer ran towards Raymond and saluted him.

"1st Lieutenant Yoji Itami, commanding officer of recon team 3, ready to give a hand." He said in english with a slight japanese accent.

"Glad to have you on the field, sir." Said Raymond while saluting back at the officer.

"Ah shit! We've got incoming Tankmon to our twelve, 200 meters!" Yelled Dukeman as the marines concentrated their fire towards the living tank.

"Sergeant Tomita, get the Panzerfaust and take out that tank!" Ordered Itami at Sergeant 1st class Akira Tomita.

"Yes sir!" He replied loudly before taking the Nissan 110mm LAM on his back and placed it on his shoulder. He pulled out the rod at the tip of the launcher and aimed at the tankmon through the scope.

"Checking backblast!"

"CLEAR!" Everyone, including the marines, replied.

"Fire in the hole!" He shouted as he pulled the trigger.

The warhead shot out of the launcher and went straight through the heavily armored tankmon, detonating inside the digimon. The Tankmon erupted in a fiery explosion as it bursts into data particles and the explosion killing a few more imperial soldiers.

"Nishina, take Furata and Katsumoto and get in that building. I want a machine gun nest covering our right flank." Ordered Itami. "Kuribayashi and Sasagawa, join with the marines and help them set up a machine gun nest. Don't let them get close to you, fire in short bursts for one digimon at a time, these guys aren't humans so they'll need some extra punch."

Both officers started to give orders to their respective soldiers, creating with their mixed units an effective firing line while the soldiers are in deep cover. Their small position soon turned into an impenetrable chokepoint for the enemy as more waves of imperials try to breach through the humans' defenses. Thanks to the aid of the JSDF elements, the marines managed to recover their lost flank and are now attempting to push back the offensive force out of Iarica.

"Let's go, marines! Show them who they're fucking with!" Shouted Dukeman as the U.S. Marines and the JGSDF pushed through the heavily combat filled street. Tanks and APCs were leading the charge on the main road while the infantry maneuvered on the side street or took cover behind them.

The attack helicopters hovered above them and peppered the enemy with rocket fire and heavy rounds, clearing the entire street and gave the infantry enough momentum to make a big push.

Stephen charged forward as he yells at marines and japanese soldiers to move up and soon after, most of the infantry followed him. Eventhough projectiles and energy attacks whizzed pass him, Raymond kept running straight at the enemy. He took a fragmentation grenade and threw it at a nearby window of a building, taking out the three Commandramon in that building. He then spotted a Sealsdramon, who seems dazed, and charged at it with his bayonet. The cyborg digimon didn't have enough time to react as Raymond thrusted his melee weapon through the digimon's ribcage before shooting a couple of rounds at it.

"Heart Breaker!"

The marine lieutenant looked ahead of him to where he heard the voice and watched in shock as five marines had been impaled by a tall, black and pink armoured, stick wielding digimon. The digimon then spun around as its blades stocked on its armour slashes two other marines and a japanese soldier.

"Grand Cricket!" It shouted before smashing its stick at the wounded japanese soldier's abdomen.

Raymond quickly took another magazine for his rifle and opened fire at the digimon, grabbing its attention. The rounds harmlessly bounced off of its armour as it turned around to face Raymond with a sadistic smile. The digimon jumped towards the marine and swung its stick at him. Barely dodging the attack, the stick only knocked the rifle out of his hands. The digimon sneered and saw that the human took a few steps back and whipped out his pistol.

"I must say, human, you're quite a skilled combattant but you won't survive long enough." It said in an amused voice.

"I'll take that as a compliment, ma'am." Replied Raymond in a sarcastic tone.

"My, my... a skilled combattant and a gentleman, you're full of suprises."

"I have my moments..." The digimon smirked at the soldier's sarcasm.

"Well be ready for your last one..." It was about to launched an attack when it got interrupted mid-attack.

"Pyro sphere!"

"Diamond storm!"

She was knocked back by a big fireball and a shower of diamond-like projectiles. Though not deleted, it was enough to hurt her as she glares at her two attackers: a Renamon and, to her surprise, a Guilmon. The two digimon stood next the lieutenant, with Cyberdramon joining soon after, his LMG pointed at her.

"Fools! You think a bunch of rookies and an ultimate can defeat me?!" She snarled at them as she recovers from the attack.

"Us alone, no. But a few more marines and a tank, probably yes." Spoke Guilmon and on cue, several marines showed up and an M1 Abrams tank came along, all their weapons aimed at the QueenChessmon.

"You're all going to regret this. In a few moment, I'll be standing on you're bloodied corpses, you'll be impaled, slashed, stabbed and cut to pieces. I'll rejoice when-"

"Pendragon's glory!"

A high-powered laser beam struck QueenChessmon as she screams in agony before bursting into particles of data. Raymond looked up only to be met with a familiar face.

"I hope you don't mind us joining the party, lieutenant." Said Examon with a smug smile.

"I don't mind but what do you mean by 'us'"Asked Raymond.

"You must be 2nd Lieutenant Raymond..." Said a black armoured knight digimon that hovered next to Examon."I'm Alphamon, current leader of the Royal Knights and ready to assist you."

"Uh... Honored to meet you, sir, and glad that you came to assist us."

Alphamon simply nodded before he spoke up:

"Tell the others to not shoot at us while we'll take care of the rest." He then flew off towards the battlefield with Examon.

The marines looked at the lieutenant, dumbfounded by his calm attitude.

"What are you all staring at me for? Get your shit together and prepare to make one final push against the imperials. Oorah?"

"OORAH!"

Five hours has passed ever since the battle began. Both the Imperials and the IDDF had suffered heavy casualties. But thanks to their air superiorty and the sudden appearance of the Royal Knights, the Digital marines and the JGSDF had successfully defended the town and defeated the combined legions.

IDDF Casualty report:

129 U.S. Marines KIA, 98 wounded.

46 JGSDF KIA, 27 wounded.

Enemy KIA:

Approx. 600, 33rd Legion completely eradicated.

While the marines and the JGSDF evacuated their wounded and installing outposts around the town, 2nd lieutenant Raymond, Captain Richards, Colonel Eversman and Lieutenant General Hazama were in the main office of the townhall to negociate an alliance with the Royal Knights. In the office, a big wooden desk in the middle of the room where Hazama and Eversman took a seat at one side and Alphamon took one on the other side. Everyone else stood behind their respective leaders. In front of the humans were all the 11 Royal Knights: first there was obviously Alphamon, then there was Omegamon, Dukemon, Dynasmon, Magnamon, UlforceVeedramon, Duftmon, Sleipmon, Craniamon, RhodoKnightmon and Examon.

After a short moment of silence, Hazama coughed before he spoke to the Aloof Hermit:

"So let me get this straight: you need our help to liberate the Digital World and defeat the Imperium and in exchange you would let us conduct any military and diplomatic missions freely?"

"That is correct Lieutenant General. Our own force is outnumbered for this kind of conflict and we're cut off from our own allies by the imperials. I also want you to know that we want to welcome the Earth's nations in peace and that one day, once this war is over, we could trade with both of our worlds." Added Alphamon while smiling warmly at the humans.

"And how do we know that the Digital world shares the same opinion?" Asked Eversman.

"We're the Royal Knights, Colonel. Every digimon in this world recognize us as the guardians of the World. They know that we fight for them, for their freedom and that we bring justice to those who disrupt this world."

"What do you say about that?" Asked Hazama to Eversman.

"I'm okay with them. The more allies we've got, the sooner the war ends." He replied while resting his arms behind his head. "What about you boys?" He turned to Richards and Raymond.

"I'm perfectly fine with it." Responded Richards.

"I've seen plenty of crazy shit about this world, so why the hell not." Answered Raymond jokingly.

"That's the spirit Lieutenant." Said UlforceVeedramon with the same tone.

"Looks like the boys are getting along, I guess it's official." Declared Eversman as he stood up from his seat.

"Indeed, sir Alphamon, we will be looking forward to work with you once again." Stated Hazama as he stood up from his seat and lend his hand at Alphamon.

"It will be our pleasure Lieutenant General. Thank you so much." Said Alphamon as the three leaders shook hands.

And so, marked the alliance of the IDDF and the Royal Knights as these two forces will work with eachother in further engagements. The Knights of the Digital World and the Warriors of the Real World will soon become battle brothers for many battles to come in the near future.