REIWA JIGOKUHEN - Chaotic Disturbance of Reiwa Era

Chapter 87 - Critical Zone

Pacific Ocean: 50 kilometers west of Los Angeles

Of the simultaneous landing operations on the West Coast, the one that was of the most critical importance was that aimed at conquering the southern part of California. The most important resource areas of Kern County, Long Beach, and Santa Barbara, which were crude oil loading ports, were to be occupied in a blitzkrieg fashion, followed by a series of strikes between the two. Needless to say, the 1st Airborne Brigade and the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade will take the lead. They had to seize oil wells and harbors as intact as possible, an operation with a degree of difficulty befitting the JGSDF's most elite.

Because of this difficulty, the main landing force was cruising off the Channel Islands. In other words, they intended to surprise the enemy with an over-the-horizon landing and a heliborne attack, and to suppress the enemy before they issue orders to destroy their equipment, etc. If the landing ships had not yet appeared offshore, even under artillery bombardment, the Americans would judge that the landing had not yet taken place. They were preparing to take advantage of this situation and to further increase the success rate of the operation.

"103rd Flight Squadron is ready to launch."

"MacArthur confirms complete silence at White Point."

"129th Artillery Battalion, open fire."

Reports flew back and forth incessantly to the operation room of the command center of the fleet's flagship Izumo. In the skies directly above, a formation of CH-47JA Chinooks was the first to depart, followed by V-22B Ospreys getting ready to launch. The area on its course was heavily monitored by various unmanned reconnaissance equipment, and as soon as anything was detected, suicide drones in the air would move in. Everything was proceeding without delay, except for a 24-hour delay in the launch due to the release of a larger-than-expected amount of nerve gas by the US military.

"This is where the heart of the matter is," Lieutenant General Narimasa Hie, commander of the first group of the huge "Jimmu" Joint Task Force, said in a stern tone. "But we will do well. Let's keep an even bearing."

"Yes, sir, we will be level-headed."

The air seemed to have eased a little as his subordinates responded in a hushed tone. When he thought that the lives of the people were at stake, he felt like his spirit would collapse under the weight of the responsibility. However, everyone had worked together to prepare for this operation. They had no choice but to move forward with their hard work in their hearts.

"The 1st and 2nd Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigades have reached the planned area."

"Good."

Hie glanced at his watch and took a deep breath. The emotions and theories that had been in a natural state until early March, but which had now faded away in a corner of his mind, he kicked them further away and took a deep breath. Then, he gave an order, recalling the scorched downtown Tokyo.

"I authorize the full use of Chemical Suppressant No. 1. Smoke them out."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Los Angeles, California: Port of Los Angeles

"Those bastards!"

Gino, a former dock worker and now a private, spat at the artificial meteor shower that had formed in the sky. But he paid no further attention. He thought they were not aimed at the port, even though their true nature was obvious. Thousands of bombs and rocket shells had come in the past few days, blowing up the ruined city as if they were kicking corpses, but the port area had been suffering only several damaged buildings.