Evening fell, and the rays of the setting sun bathed the Japanese Army airfield in a golden light. The base was a hive of activity. Suddenly, the sharp, urgent sound of a muster whistle cut through the air. The Japanese Army pilots, having just returned from an air battle in their Zero Fighter planes—now riddled with bullet holes—wore expressions of utter exhaustion. Yet, at the sound of the whistle, they had no choice but to scramble toward the briefing room.
The atmosphere in the room was stifling. Colonel Yamamoto Ichiro, the wing commander, stood at the front with a dark, grim expression, his eyes sweeping coldly over each pilot. "Listen up!" he said, his voice low and laced with menace. "Our bombers were shot down today, and someone reported seeing a highly advanced, mysterious fighter aircraft capable of firing shells that can turn and track targets. What on earth is going on?" As he spoke, he slammed his hand heavily onto the table, making the files on it jump.
Suzuki, one of the pilots, swallowed nervously. He stood up, his voice trembling slightly. "Commander, that mysterious fighter is simply too fast. Our Zero Fighter planes couldn't catch it at all. Its shells were like they had eyes; no matter how we tried to evade them, they stayed right on our tails."
Chapter 319