REIWA JIGOKUHEN - Chaotic Disturbance of Reiwa Era

Chapter 30 - Gathering Storm

Pacific Ocean: 150 km south of Iwo Jima

"Prepare to launch torpedoes number 1 and 2. Target, enemy ship number 1."

Jiro Umemoto, the captain of the submarine Unryū, ordered the submarine to prepare for an attack. Overhead, a fleet of six large vessels was dashing at a speed of 28 knots. The first three ships, for example, were emitting a sound almost identical to the cassette tapes in the archives of the training corps. Needless to say, it was the Iowa-class, with the South Dakota-class following close behind.

If they could use all their torpedoes, they would have enough change to sink all these battleships. Still, under the current circumstances, the order was to sink the ship in the lead and see what happens. Out of respect for human life, or out of consideration for the United States Forces Japan, an all-out attack was to be launched only if the warships got any closer to Iwo Jima. This was a very long-winded move, but the difference in technology was too great to allow such a thing to happen.

"Alright... fire!"

At the order, the Unryū released two Type 89 torpedoes. Pushed into the sea from a depth where sonar was ineffective and the depth charges could not reach, they accelerated to a speed of 55 knots, yet swam toward their targets surprisingly quietly. A few minutes later, they were beneath the bottom of the target ship and exploded.

"Both torpedoes hit the target," the sonarman reported.

It was a foregone conclusion.

The battleship, USS Missouri, which was leading the fleet, suffered fatal damage to her most vulnerable part, the bottom, from the underwater shockwave, the bubbles that repeatedly expanded and contracted, and finally the powerful jet stream. The flagship was gutted, and the fleet crawled away with the floating scrap of Missouri at their backs. In the process, the destroyers threw as many depth charges as they could, but of course, nothing was achieved.

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Ulithi Atoll: Repair Ship USS Ajax

The military is better off without work. Such an adage may be true, but it must be especially true for a repair ship. But the ships of the Service Squadron 10 were hurriedly getting ready for work. The fleet that had left the atoll just a few days earlier would be returning tomorrow with more damage than anyone could have imagined.

"Five of the carriers have gone down."

"The rest are badly damaged."

The workers, roused by such rumors, were rather accurate.

"You lot, when you have time to yap, get ready. The next mission is up to us."

The repair team leader, with his mind set on his work, rebuked his subordinates in an upbeat tone. The chief of staff said that all of the aircraft carriers had been damaged in some very troublesome areas. If so, the repairs at Ulithi alone would not be able to be done in time, and some of them might have to be sent around to the dockyards at Pearl Harbor or San Diego.

'But how could they have suffered that much damage?'

The team leader scratched his head and tried to think for a moment. A few seconds later, his thoughts were jolted out of his reverie by a sudden siren.

"What's going on!?"

"Air raid, air raid!"

Someone loudly shouted, making everyone who was listening turn pale. Hadn't the air attack on Ulithi been stopped? The team leader, greatly distraught, wandered from one place to another with his gaze.