<h4>Chapter 278</h4>


    February 22nd, 2021, 09:00


    Mount Hoyoshi, 18km southeast of Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan


    On the 11th, Corea’s 2nd marine division and 6th marine brigade hadnded on Hira Ind’s Neshichoko shores. They had broken through the enemy’s defenses that connected Kurume and Fukuoka and marched into southeastern Kyushu within 10 days. Now they had upied the entire Kyushu area except for the southern part of Kanoya.


    Japan’s surviving special forces were hiding in the area along Hoyoshi mountain southeast of Kanoya and fighting against Corea’s forces. The Hoyoshi mountain was 925m high. The mountain regions were not rough, but it was densely covered by a forest.


    The 2nd marine division’s HQ sent out the Magpie Viper brigade to search and destroy the Japanese special forces.


    The 7th mobile chopper battalion’s KUM-M50 Super Surion choppers were circling the areas along the Hoyoshi mountain while the 5th and 6th mobile battalions had the exits blocked off. Once the choppers got to their designated locations, they hovered over them so the marines aboard could rappel down.


    Thirty-two marines from each chopper rappelled down. The men started to move out on both sides of the mountain ridge and started to search for the enemy as they climbed down. The Super Surion choppers started to move out from the center of the mountain ridge and searched the areas in infrared vision. If they detected any suspicious life signs, theyunched their 50mm sma cluster rounds without any hesitation.


    Many sma cluster rounds exploded along the mountain ridge. After firing all 40 of their sma cluster rounds, the Super Surion choppers turned back and returned to base.


    ck smoke and the smell of gunpowder covered the Hoyoshi mountain after the sma rounds finished their fireworks.


    – We will start the search and destroy mission in 5 minutes. Each toonmander is to make a final check on their equipment and operations before conducting the missions by squadrons. Make sure to maintain a distance between each squad, over.


    The 38thpany’smander gave the order through themunication line. Lieutenant Yoo Hyung-min, the 3rd toon’smander called over his men to go over the operation for the final time.


    “Make sure each squadron is within 30m of each other, and activate the X-C01 console’s friend or foe system so we don’t fire at each other. Tell every member of your squadron before we search, understood?”


    “Yes, sir.”


    “We have 3 minutes left. Get ready.”


    Sergeant Kim Il-ho from the 2nd squad called for his men and made them gather around him.


    “Hey, everyone! Check the consoles on your arms!”


    The seven men under Sergeant Kim Il-ho all put out their left arm. Sergeant Kim checked the settings of each man himself. Then, he tapped on Private Hong Jyeong-pyo’s helmet.


    “Hey, I think yours is not set for the friend or foe identification.”


    “I’m sorry, sir. I forgot to reset it after changing the batteries.”


    “Hey Gil-sung, keep an eye out for our private, would you?”


    “Yes, sir. Apologies,” Lance Corporal Oh Gil-sung answered as if he did something wrong and apologized.


    “Sorry, my ass! In a dense forest like this, we could identally fire at our own men! Understand?”


    “Yes, sir. I’ll keep that in mind.”


    “We will move down the mountain from the west side. Maintain our proximity while moving. Let’s go.”


    The eight men in the squad started to distance themselves from each other and moved down the mountain under the sergeant’s orders.


    There were over 500 special forces men hiding in Hoyoshi mountain. No matter how unskilled the Japanese army was, these men were special forces, and they were well trained.


    Japan’s most famous special forces were those under the central response forces. They were not too different from the special ranger forces and were on par with them in power. This search and destroy mission will not be an easy one. However, if they were able to take them down, then Kyushu will fall into Corea’s hands.


    * * *


    February 22nd, 2021, 09:00


    The Hokuriku Road at Jotetsu Niigata Prefecture, Honshu, Japan


    The 20th armored division had started marching to Tokyo at 02:00. Over 1,000 armored vehicles and tanks were moving along the Hokuriku Road while being escorted by the FAH-91SP Peregrine Falcon choppers under the 171st aerial battalion of the 7th mobile corps. The armored tanks and vehicles formed an unending convoy and continued to move forward.


    It was no easy feat to have the entire division move out at once. Especially since they were in enemy territory. There were two reasons the 20th armored division could move along enemy territory so boldly.


    First was Corea’s control over Japan’s skies. When the war between Corea and Japan broke out, there were multiple aerial battles, and Japan lost 50% of its air force. After more small-scale battles, its forces dwindled and the only forces that retained 100% of its jets were the 2nd and 3rd fighter wings under the northern air force.


    The remainder of Japan’s air force were the 7th, 9th, and 12th fighter wings under the central air force. The 7th and 9th only had 50% of its jets remaining while the 12th had only 30% left. Only Okinawa’s 83rd fighter wing outside Japan’s maind retained 100% of its jets.


    However, the 83rd fighter wing’s base was mostly destroyed by the continued missile attacks from the Corean military. Its runway and hangars were mostly destroyed and the 83rd fighter wing was forced to move their jets to other bases.


    Due to the grim outlook of its air force, Japan did not deploy any more of its jets unless it was necessary and waited until the U.S. Pacific fleet’s air forces would take to the skies.


    But the U.S. Pacific fleet’s aerial forces were nearly annihted, and now that no formidable air force was present to face off against Corea, Japan was in a pickle. Yesterday the jets flew out to attack the 3rd mobile marine division’s headquarters, but 16 FA-35A Lighting II jets and 12 JX-1 Kamiwon jets were taken down by the Corean jets before they could attack.


    Second was Japan’sck of a surveince system for the skies. Every system that could be used to watch the Corean military, including their military satellites and radar bases were gone. The Japanese military resorted to using CCTVs installed across the country to watch the enemy’s movements.


    After losing control of the air, Japan’s early warning nes and other reconnaissance aircraft could no longer conduct their operations safely. The Corean jets would be deployed within 10 minutes of Japan’s nes taking off and attack them. In short, Japan’s nes were useless to their military.


    Thanks to the Corean air force holding sole control over Japan’s airspace, the 20th armored division was able to move across Japan for 6 hours and arrive at the midpoint, Jotetsu. The tanks started to line up at the farming fields in the southeast.


    Eight FAH-91SP Peregrine Falcon choppers that had already arrived in the area were hovering around and watching the skies for enemies.


    The vehicles in the rear finally started lining up an hour after the leading vehicles were in position.


    During the war against China, the 20th armored division had performed excellently as the leading force marching into Beijing. It once again held the vital task of leading the charge into Tokyo in the war against Japan.


    * * *


    February 22nd, 2021, 13:30


    Eight kilometers southwest of Okaki, Aichi Prefecture, Honshu, Japan


    Nagoya was Japan’s 4th most popted city and also hosted one of thergest automobile manufacturing facilities in the world like the neighboring city of Toyota. However, that was in the past.


    The Corean military’s continued cruise missile and ballistic missile attacks, bombing from bombers, and 50,000 special forces deployed across Japan had turned every industrial facility in the nation into ruins. They were attacked so severely no building stood taller than two stories. Due to the war, the world-famous Toyota automotivepany closed down.


    Cannon fire rang across the ruined industrialplex in Chukyo once again. Japan’s 1st armored division started from Tsuruga at 8:00 and moved south along the road. They moved through Yoro and finally arrived at the Chukyo area. Once they arrived at the area, they were greeted by Corea’s 1st and 26th armored brigade’s White Tiger tanks. Japan’s tanks started to get into formation while attacking the enemy.


    Suddenly, Corea’s 1st mechanized infantry brigade’s Hyun-mu armored vehicles showed up to aid their allies.


    Corea’s 1st armored brigade had met with the Chukyo forces while they were preparing to attack Nagoya. The forces defending Chukyo consisted of Japan’s 10th armored division, 2 infantry divisions, and 1 mechanized infantry division which were formed via the emergency draft.


    The capital armored division had finished lining up their offensive formation and was about to start its assault after having lunch. However, the unexpected attack of the Chukyo forces gave them no choice but to defend themselves.


    The cannons of the capital artillery brigade that were standing by started to fire up. The area was a wide-open field, but there were a few small viges, and some cannon rounds fell on them. Pirs of dirt started to rise everywhere. The tanks from both sides started to charge towards each other.


    Anotherrge-scaled armored battle like the one in China was about to begin. A total of 500 tanks and 400 armored vehicles were about to sh at the open field.


    Japan’s 10th armored division must have had something up their sleeve, for its Type 10 tanks moved through the cannon rounds and continued to march forward.


    The Type 10 tanks at the lead were struck by the capital artillery bridge’s cannon rounds and their pieces started to fly around everywhere. However, the surviving Type 10 tanks paid them no mind and continued to move forward at high speeds. Soon, the capital armored division’s White Tiger tanks started to open fire.


    The White Tiger tanks were able to hit a target 10km away as long as they had visual confirmation of the target. The viges on the battlefield did limit their vision a bit, but once the Type 10 tanks moving from the right nk came into view, they started to fire.


    The 18 Type 10 tanks that were targeted all turned into scrap at once, and copsed on the frozen ground. Japan’s 10th armored division had lost 50 of its tanks after only 10 minutes of engaging with the enemy.


    Morale for the Corean military was high. The 1st armored brigade’s 18th battalion tanks all sped up and continued the assault. From their 3 o’clock, ck tanks showed up. Lieutenant Colonel Lee Yeon-il, themander of the 18th armored battalion, saw them emerge and alerted his men.


    -New enemy tanks approaching at our 3 o’clock! Everyone, watch out! 5thpany will block them off. Over!


    -5thpany, understood sir.


    The 5thpany’s 14 White Tiger tanks kicked up dust clouds and turned right to face off against the ck tanks that had emerged in the battle.