Rising Rays of the New Century: Tale of the Japanese Empire

The Devil's Identity

August 17, 2105

Harbor, Malakal Island, Republic of Palau, Pacific Ocean

Following the news of the discovery of the Pleasure Fire in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Imperial Japanese Navy Micronesia Dispatch Force Headquarters began to launch a full investigation. Just around the same time, the news was also delivered from the home country that police were being dispatched to the Philippines, indicating that the Japanese government was serious about containing this incident.

"........."

Lieutenant Sudo, having finished his report to the headquarters, left the headquarters building. Looking at the sky, he saw an F-5N Ryusei conducting flight training. The overseas skies are an excellent training ground for pilots of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Ryusei is a double-delta wing aircraft with no tail fins, giving it a flat, all-wing appearance.

In this era, military forces are becoming increasingly small and unmanned, and the combination of manned and unmanned weapons such as combat robots, drones, and unmanned vessels in military operations has become the mainstream, not only in Japan, but worldwide. Therefore, the F-5N in flight training was accompanied by two UAVs.

The Imperial Japanese Armed Forces is a military organization consisting of land, sea, and air/space forces, and is the only military force in the world that bears the name "Imperial" and is recognized worldwide. Its bases are not limited to Japan, but some of its units are deployed to conflict zones as part of the IF Security Forces, such as the Republic of Catalonia, while others are stationed in Micronesia based on security agreements, such as this one. In each case, the Japanese government's main objective was to "secure the sea lanes."

In particular, East and Southeast Asia were rife with pirates and warlords who had broken with the People's Liberation Army, and the Japanese government was absolutely determined to maintain maritime security in the region.

"We will return to the Marshall Islands tomorrow morning as soon as US-2 is ready."

"Sir!"

Sudo's words were met with a salute from his men. On the same day, a separate task force heading for Namorik Atoll, the pirates' stronghold, also seized a large quantity of Pleasure Fire from the pirates' hideout.

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

August 19, Morning

Manila, Republic of the Philippines

After contacting the dealer, Rakunami, Kazu, and Mimika parted ways with them after receiving the drugs. Outside the bar, Inspector Shibasaki and others were lurking, called by Rakunami, who fired a small transmitter-launching gun at the car the dealers got into, and successfully attached the transmitter. Later, Shijima and Kanzaki, who had infiltrated another club, also made contact with another dealer. They also succeeded in attaching a transmitter to their car, and by integrating this information, they were able to finally locate the hangout of the dealers.

Now, the seven members of the National Police Agency's International Crime Prevention and Control Division 4 Section 3, the Shibasaki Squad, were in a meeting room at the police headquarters in Manila. They explained the information they had obtained in their undercover operation to the Manila police officers in charge of drug investigations.

"...That concludes the information we have obtained. We believe that the dealers of the Pleasure Fire are based in a certain place in the Malate District."

Shibasaki's statement was simultaneously interpreted by a translator. The Filipino officers understood what they were saying and nodded. The spread of illegal drugs has become a social problem in the Philippines, and the local police were serious about catching this one.