Another World: Naval Storm

"Oh, look! The battle report from Dongping shows that the Combined Fleet won a great victory! Our army suffered light losses. After this battle, Japan will dominate the Far East!" The emperor danced with joy, expressing his excitement.

Ministers lined up and bowed to the emperor. "Your Majesty, this victory is only possible because of the will of heaven and the sacrifice of our soldiers!" Flattery was freely given to Emperor Kikuchi.

"All meritorious officers and soldiers of the Combined Fleet will be rewarded! Tohei Shimosaburo was promoted to the rank of marshal for his great contribution, and was awarded the first-class Golden Kite Medal as a reward! The rewards for the meritorious services of the remaining officers and soldiers will be discussed by the cabinet. The Empress and I used the money from the inner treasury to buy some bandages and snacks for the soldiers injured in the war as a token of comfort," Emperor Kikuchi said solemnly.

The Order of the Golden Kite is the highest honor of the Japanese military, and the treatment and honor are needless to say. During the entire reign of Emperor Kikuchi, there were millions of Japanese soldiers and countless generals, but only a handful of them were able to receive the first-class Order of the Golden Kite.

"Your Majesty, the Holy Saint, shines like the sun and the moon in the world, and is blessed by heaven and the people."

"Your Majesty's character is outstanding, like the stars in the sky, leading your subjects forward." The atmosphere between the monarch and his subjects in the room was harmonious and warm.

Suddenly, there were hurried footsteps outside, and a servant pushed open the door. The servant lowered his head and paced to deliver a document to Emperor Kikuchi's desk, and then left quickly, leaving everyone in the room confused.

"I'm so angry..." Emperor Kikuchi fainted after reading the document.

"Imperial Physician..."

"Quick! Put His Majesty on the tatami!"

Everyone was so frightened that their faces turned pale and they were in a panic. They only recovered after the arrival of the imperial physician, who pressed their Ren philtrum points and fed them hot tea.

"Your Majesty, please don't get excited anymore and stay calm!" The imperial physician gave a tactful instruction before leaving.

"Haha, it's hard not to be excited. Just take a look, everyone!" Emperor Kikuchi laughed at himself. Only then did everyone have time to pass the document around.

"Many coastal cities in Hokkaido were attacked by the Rakshasa fleet... Sapporo was attacked... Hundreds of casualties... More than a thousand houses were damaged... Property losses are still being counted..."

"We must fight back resolutely!"

"Yes, that's right!"

"The empire is now invincible in the Far East!" Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi spoke first, and the others echoed him. After all, the emperor was so angry that he almost fainted. Why didn't he speak harshly? Did he want to be bullied?

"The loser dared to challenge the emperor's power, he deserves to be cut into pieces!" Yuyuan Ertaro said fiercely.

"Do we need to notify Marshal Oyama Iwao and prepare to attack Vladivostok?" Foreign Minister Aoki Shuzo pondered.

This is a critical issue. The most important Ma Shijin has been taken. Vladivostok actually has little significance to the Japanese. Moreover, during the Rakshasa War, a new coastal defense system was established in and around Vladivostok, and Vladivostok was regarded as a key project of military defense. The Japanese could not capture it without paying some price. Vladivostok is likely to be the next Ma Shijin.

"When the troops arrive in Vladivostok, the Russians will be more fully prepared, and the Combined Fleet will not be able to exert its maximum combat power in Vladivostok!" Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito implicitly stated the current situation.

"The empire's finances are already stretched to the limit..." Finance Minister Suzuki Shunichi did not continue. The war plan formulated by the empire's top leaders was to win a quick victory. If Japan did not have the funds provided by Tarun and Yemelica, the Romanian-Japanese War might have started for three months and Japan's finances would have gone bankrupt.

"The Imperial Army is willing to share your Majesty's worries!" Yugen Jitaro was very tough.

"From the beginning of the war to now, the number of deaths is about 8.2; the total number of casualties is about 17.2. How many more people will die if the Empire attacks Vladivostok?" asked Emperor Kikuchi.

Yugen Jitaro hesitated for a long time before replying, "It will probably take 3 casualties to take Vladivostok."

"Haha, another 3 people, you said that's too few, Tamanei Jitaro! I think it will take at least 5 casualties to take Vladivostok! How many elite troops does the empire have left to consume?" Emperor Kikuchi laughed angrily and threw a water cup away.

The total population of Japan is about 4400 million, and it can mobilize more than 200 million reserve troops in wartime. In the Romanian-Japanese War, 118.5 million troops were actually mobilized. At the beginning of the war, the total strength of the Japanese army was about 37.5, of which 25 could be used for operations outside the Japanese archipelago.

"Your Majesty, we don't need to worry about Vladivostok for the time being. I believe that Dongping Jun will bring good news from the Russian fleet!" Ito Hirobumi gave Emperor Kikuchi a way out.

"Tell Dongping the news of the commendation and the attack on Hokkaido, and let the combined fleet destroy the Rakshasa fleet in Vladivostok!" After Emperor Kikuchi said this, he was helped back to his bedroom by his attendants to rest, leaving a room full of ministers behind.

"Will the war expand?" Aoki Shuzo was a little worried. He was one of the few rational people in Japan. Years of diplomatic activities made him deeply aware of the strength of the Rakshasa Empire and how disadvantageous a protracted war would be for Japan.

On the eve of the Romanian-Japanese War, the total population of the Russian Empire was 1.41 million, the total strength of the army was 105 million, and the number of trained reserve soldiers reached 375 million. If the army was organized according to the wartime system, the total strength of the army would be 207.6 million, in addition to 500 million border guards and militias, which would be a steamroller on the Onebaroa continent. However, the main force of the Russian army was stationed in its Onebaroa continent, and the army in the Far East was only about 17 to 19.

"Don't worry, they won't! It's just three armored cruisers. The Empire will not attack Vladivostok. If the Russians' last Far East stronghold is taken away, the Russians will really go crazy!" Ito Hirobumi continued, "Ambassador Tarun has brought good news. They will put pressure on the Franks to force the Russians to negotiate as soon as possible!"

"In fact, we can try to attack Vladivostok! The Russians might collapse without a fight!" Yuyuan Jitaro said confidently.

"Hmph, put away your ambition! The fate of the empire should not be gambled by you!" Ito Hirobumi scolded, then turned away. A group of people followed Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi out, leaving only Tamagegen Jitaro standing in the room.

"A bunch of cowards!"

Brainwashed by the spirit of Bushido, Tamagegen Jitaro did not listen and secretly discussed with Marshal Oyama Iwao to try to attack Vladivostok. Unfortunately, the Japanese army, frightened by the tragic scene of Ma Ishizu, did not attack Vladivostok again without regard for the consequences. Human bomb charge was strictly prohibited, and after several attempts, Oyama Iwao's troops lifted the attack on Vladivostok.

The Japanese tradition of rebellion has been going on since the Warring States Period. When the control faction was in power, the military would occasionally disobey orders, which caused great headaches for the cabinet.