The Shores of Land: The Diplomacy of Japan, an Alien Nation

Chapter 54 - Battle of Altaran (1): Landing

Altaran Sky Base takes advantage of the characteristic of being movable, which is the opposite of real estate, and is constantly on the move.

To prevent any collusion with specific countries, it was constantly moving eastward at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour along the equator while publicly disclosing its current position. By the way, the operation of this sky island is not considered exceptional in the Philian civilization.

The Japanese, subject to gravity, move along with buildings due to the laws of gravity and inertia, so moving within the sky island is not a problem. On the other hand, Lians who use the penetration and immutability of phorons to move through the sky had a different experience.

This is because phorons within the buildings penetrate through matter, so phorons do not move along with the buildings. In other words, unless Lians themselves are fixed to chairs or something within the buildings, they would be pressed against the walls if they don't move with the buildings. When they first heard the fact that Lians belonging to Altaran were constantly moving at 40 kilometers per hour, it astonished the Japanese.

For the Japanese, it's like running at the speed of a professional marathon runner every day. Of course, this was considered, and all Lians belonging to Altaran wear external heat-supply suits equipped with Leviron mechanisms.

These suits are synchronized with the movement of the Altaran Sky Island, moving at the same speed and direction. If the island decelerates, they also decelerate, and if it changes direction or accelerates, they move accordingly. This apparently allows them to move effectively as if they were stationary. From the Japanese perspective, it may seem troublesome, but constantly circling the world is a symbol of equality, making it more democratic than Earth.

Four hours after leaving the Rassalon Floating Base, they crossed mountain ranges with an average elevation exceeding 5.000 meters, marking the first time Japan had exited an isolated circular mountain range. However, even after crossing the mountains, all that could be seen was greenery.

Occasionally, massive trees that could stand on their own at a height of two hundred meters, which would never stand independently under Earth's gravity, were visible. It seems they can stand independently thanks to the living Leviron organs they possess. Perhaps that's why. These massive trees have evolved uniquely, allowing them to maintain body temperature, unlike Earth's trees.

Haguma doesn't know the specifics of the mechanism, as it's outside his expertise, but it seems they evolved due to the unique environment. Even after crossing the mountains, all that could be seen was greenery. There are no towns, not even a single one. Only a point in the sky indicating the sky island is visible. There are no artificial structures on the ground, to say the least. There aren't even any signs of intelligent lifeform activity.

That's how much Lians avoid the surface. At first glance, it could be described as a planet with nothing but virgin nature. Even though he saw this scenery endlessly in Eustre, he kept mistaking it for the same outside. Because it's all green up to the horizon, the Japanese spent two full days adjusting for the decisive battle at Altaran rather than looking outside Eustre.

In addition, Erma, who had been their staunch ally, did not come. Officially, Japan requested an apology from Regen, and Regen simply responded. As a party involved, the Illyharan government was not concerned, but Rassalon couldn't interfere as a military base. And since the public is unaware of its independence, and since Erma is an ambassador, he is even more in a difficult position to move.

Therefore, Erma stayed behind, and instead, several military personnel, including the familiar Ruyle and Rhea who can also act as interpreters, accompanied them. Two days later, a huge island that surpassed Rassalon came into view before the fleet. It's a special-class sky island that can accommodate hundreds of thousands of people, with a diagonal distance of ten kilometers.