The matter of Nya Aland had, admittedly, taken a backstage for Eijiro, given that it had fallen within the same timeframe as the war in Kalasin, and so, any briefings therein were often packed into an already dense schedule. Yet between news of the war and domestic matters, he had been made aware that there had been a few hundred persons—embassy staff excluded—from Fusan who had elected to remain in Nya Aland at the time that the crisis had begun and had elected to remain in the country. While the vast majority were accounted for, there were a handful, five specifically, whose location was unknown. Chitose Shimada, Akoya Masaki, Noriko Watanabe, and Ikuyo and Hideo Miyake. The thought that something had happened to them... Well, he'd rather not think about it, to tell the truth. But that was why, despite this really being a matter for the Fusanese ambassador to East Moreland, one Masaki Kato, to attend to, he had elected to handle in person, to make sure that whatever may come, finding those five souls, if they were still alive and perhaps in captivity, would be the priority.

   "It's nice to meet you again, Princess Freya," Eijiro said shortly after his arrival before continuing "and to finally meet you too, Princess Kivuli. Were it that it could've been under far better circumstances... Well, you know."

   "Sorry, but no." Eijiro said, having read through the sections being proposed. To the best of his memory, there had been no discussion of where the various organs of the Aegis would be headquartered, and yet, before his very eyes, there was mention that it would be based out of Ashinxao. "Don't get me wrong, I support the articles being proposed, however, at the same time, I cannot agree to headquartering this organization in any specific country without us actually discussing the matter beyond a mere implication regarding preexisting infrastructure from the CSU." He clarified before adding "Given recent history, and given that at the end of the day, the Diet will still have to ratify this treaty, I must urge that we consider a different location, not on ground belonging to either Fusan or Rokkenjima. Gowu would, perhaps, suffice."

Fusanese prosecutors on Monday indicted several individuals from three factions within the ruling Yamato Fukkatsu Domei party, including one formerly led by Prime Minister Suketoshi Heike, over a political fundraising scandal that has sent shockwaves throughout the party and the nation. But the prosecutors say that they did not executives of the three factions due to a lack of evidence despite mounting criticism over the scandal, prompting opposition parties to lambaste YFD lawmakers for failing to take full responsibility for the actions of these factions. The prosecutors indicted without arrest a lawmaker and an accountant from the largest faction, currently headed by Sadazane Konishi, while a former accountant of Heike's group and another politician of the Konishi faction were issued summary indictments. A former accountant of a faction led by former YFD Secretary General Ichiro Kishida was also indicted without arrest and a secretary of Kishida, an influential figure in the ruling party, was issued a summary indictment.

This series of indictments comes hot on the heels of what many are seeing as a "week from hell" for the Konishi government, which has been rocked by Wednesday's resignation of War Minister Okimoto Esashi, a man whom many within the party and without have called the brains of the war in Kalasin, over the recent corruption scandal. The retired Marshal was reportedly "deeply disappointed" in the government's failure to address the matter, further adding that this scandal compounded on their differing opinions regarding the future of Fusan's presence in Kalasin, though he did not offer any specifics regarding what that may have entailed. He was joined by Tadakatsu Haruno, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who cited irreconcilable differences with the trajectory of the Konishi government, bringing the total number of resignations to five, as Oki Nagase, the Minister of Culture, resigned earlier this month due to poor health. And between a continuing corruption scandal which seems to envelop the upper echelons of party leadership, a string of resignations over the last two months, and now rumors of a possible vote of no confidence which would almost certainly pass in the House of Representatives, it seems as though the YFD may be heading towards its worst defeat in decades.

   "Naturally." Sadazane said with a nod before handing over a few folders which contained information on Fusan's present trade deals. "As it stands, the most significant to keep in mind is the ASDN—the Association of Shaw and Dauntel Nations—which does affect trade to some degree, mostly by requiring lower tariffs on imported goods between member-states as compared to countries not party to the Dunwich Declaration. I can't imagine that impacting Dunhart so greatly as to preclude a deal." He added before saying "Beyond that, there really isn't much of note beyond the standard dealings one might expect from a country like Fusan, none of which would impact Dunhart in any way."

Requiem

---

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Tenkyo
May 7th, 2020
7:53 PM

   Under the cavernous roof of the Cathedral of Tenkyo, Eijiro stood, looking down at what had, until a few hours ago, been an open hole into the ancient structure’s crypt. It had been a peculiar sight, watching his father’s casket descend into what would be his final resting place, where he would await the return of his savior. Beyond merely a farewell to his father, who now joined his ancestors beneath the church, it had been a sobering reminder of his own inevitable mortality, which was something he had long accepted but which had really struck home today. And what a day it had been, he might’ve thought before now, for the sky had been clear and the wind calm, as though mother nature herself was taking a moment of silence for the fallen Emperor of Fusan. Yet now, under the dim glow of candlelight, he had to bid his final farewell to a man who had so drastically shaped his life forever and to a father whom he wouldn’t see again.

   He was joined this evening by close members of his family, namely his wife, his grandfather and his mother, the Empress-Dowager, his siblings, and his aunt and uncle, but also by the heads of the four hereditary cadet branches of the House of Akitsukuni; all of them were there, taking a minute of silence before they would part. The first to leave was Prince Satonari Ukita, the head of the junior-most yet wealthiest branch of the Imperial House, followed closely by the heads of the Asukai, Tokudaiji, and finally Arisugawa families. They were, in turn, followed by his aunt and uncle, Countess Kotomi Yanagihara and Prince Etsuji, the siblings of the recently-departed, then his own siblings. His mother was next, being the fourth-most senior member of the family and the only person neither related by blood to the fallen Emperor nor married to his successor. He couldn’t help but feel horrible for her; while he had lost a father, she had lost the man she had loved, and due to protocol, she wouldn’t even be the last to stand by his grave.

   After his mother had left him, it had finally come for his grandfather, the Emperor-Emeritus—Nobukatsu’s father—to leave the site of his son’s tomb. At ninety-four years old, he was the longest-living Emperor in the nation’s history, though far from its longest reigning monarch, having been on the throne merely from 1982 until 2001 before he had abdicated. Just a month ago, he had seemed so full of life, eager to spend his twilight years in peace out in the countryside, doing those things which he loved most. Now, he seemed so… frail. It honestly reminded him of when his grandmother had died, just under a decade ago. Even at such an age, it was wrong for a parent to bury their child, and he knew it. But soon enough, in keeping with the tradition, he too would leave, though not before exchanging a knowing look with his grandson. He, too, had once been in this exact position, nearly forty years ago. Finally, his wife would also leave, and before he knew it, he was alone.

   There was so much that Eijiro had wished to say in that moment, so many words for his dearly departed father, and yet, at that moment, they eluded him. He wanted to say it was unfair that he should be taken so soon, that he wasn’t ready for the throne—a fact which he had known for some time, now—and that his father didn’t deserve this fate, but most of all, he just wanted his father back. It really was as simple as that, a son mourning a father he wouldn’t see again, at least in this life. After a moment, he would compose himself before offering three prayers, one for his father, another for his family, and a third for his nation, after which he, too, would depart from the graveside.

The New Year has dawned in Fusan, bringing with it a flurry of activity ranging from the traditional to the modern and from the quiet to the exhilarating. Reportedly, many across the nation attended watchnight services, with the Fusō Seikōkai—the Fusanese Holy Catholic Church—reporting a high rate of attendance across its five provinces, setting what the church deemed a "record" given its apparent decline in the last decade. However, far more took to the streets of Shinkyo and other major cities to celebrate the New Year in the company of their friends and loved-ones, enjoying parties and copious amounts of alcohol as the clocks counted down to midnight. At midnight, the skies of Fusan, like those of many other nations across the globe, lit up with an awe-inspiring fireworks display, but also, for the first time, Shinkyo also offered a drone show as part of the city's own celebrations. All in all, as evidenced by these scenes from across the nation, from Tsukishima to the far west of the mainland, it is clear that the people of Fusan are ready to put 2024, with all of its strife caused by the war in Kalasin, behind it.

Even today, many long-running traditions, both national and private, continue. Known as "Omisoka", Fusan's New Year's Eve is a time for families to enjoy a special meal, often consisting of "toshikoshi" noodles, which are said to symbolize a long and healthy life. This meal is typically accompanied with a broadcast of YHK's premier musical event, "Kohaku uta Gassen", or in English, "the red and white singing battle." First broadcast in 1950, this four-hour program pits a red team of female singers against the men of the white team. And though the show's appeal has declined, thanks in no small part to technological advances allowing for the streaming of music, it remains a staple of New Year's Eve in Fusan. It was announced at 15 minutes before midnight this year that the White team had won with two points out of three. Many Fusanese braved the cold again to greet the first dawn of the New Year, an appropriate way to welcome the passing of time in a country which has held the sun in high regard since its ancient days.

   "My family has always gone to Sekinoe for the first sunrise," said Yuriko Kono, a native of Iwatsuki, Shinkyo. "My parents did it when they were alive, and so too did their parents, and now it's something I like to do with my own children. Of course, we all live very busy lives now, with work and college and everything else, so I make sure we spend the New Year together," she added. "To me, it's very important."

Meanwhile, the emperor and empress received formal New Year greetings from other members of the imperial family on New Years Day before making a public appearance and taking part in a number of ceremonies. In a statement, the emperor expressed "hope" for people around the world in the New Year, conveyed his "deep sadness for the many lives lost" during the war in Kalasin and other conflicts across the world, and urged for "an increased push for charitable efforts around the world for those most in need." Emphasizing the "importance of peace," the emperor added, "I strongly feel the importance of repeatedly holding dialogue to overcome differences in stances and working together with others in the international community."

From the staff at YHK World News, Happy New Year.

---

Fusanese economic growth continued after a strong performance in 2023, seeing a quarterly rate of 4.3% in Q4 2024. This came following a slowing of the economy in the third quarter, which saw only a 1.7% rate, while the first two were seen by many as stable for the country, no doubt a relief for many who feared that the War in Kalasin would prove to be drag on the economy. Overall, the annualized rate of growth was determined to be 3.15%, bringing Fusan's nominal gdp past the $12 trillion mark, while the GDP per capita rose to $41,600.87. The Mon's value increased over the course of the year as well, raising to ¥1.02 per dollar, though inflation continued at a rate of 3.27% and the national deficit grew to 104.6%. Going into 2025, we can expect these trends to hold, however, in truth, we can only wait and see.

Shinkyo prosecutors have elected to launch a criminal inquiry into the ruling YFD's largest faction over allegations that it failed to report the equivalent of millions of dollars in income from fundraising parties. Formally known as the Antei Research Council, the faction led by former Prime Minister Suketoshi Heike requires its members to sell a certain number of tickets to fundraising parties. The members, it is alleged, received kickbacks when their sales exceeded quotas. The Shinkyo District Public Prosecutors Office will soon begin searching the offices of Diet members and the faction's headquarters after obtaining court warrants. Prosecutors will also begin questioning dozens of lawmakers on a voluntary basis, per a source in the Prosecutor's Office. The Prosecutors Office's special investigation unit took issue with the fact that neither the faction nor its members had properly disclosed the kickbacks in political funding statements. To ensure fairness and transparency, Fusanese law requires that political funding be constantly monitored. Overall, around ¥4.2 million ($3.9 million) is believed to have ended up in unmonitored slush funds this way over a three-year period through 2023. Dozens of lawmakers, including senior faction officials, are accused of failing to properly report the kickbacks. Toshikatsu Yoshida, the former Minister of Transportation under Fmr. Prime Minister Heike, had amended his political funding statement by Tuesday to include around ¥247,000 ($230,000) over a three year period. Prosecutors have reportedly already begun questioning aides and accountants to suspected lawmakers on a voluntary basis.

The scandal appears to extend beyond the Suketoshi Heike-led faction, as members of the faction led by Prime Minister Sadazane Konishi as well as by political heavyweight Ichiro Kishida appear to have underreported income as well, while the government was recently rocked by the announcement that Hakaru Asakawa, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, as well as Hideki Yamaoka, the Minister of Labor, were resigning from their posts in the cabinet. Prosecutors are reportedly also questioning staffers from the two other factions. Under Fusanese law, false or incomplete political funds is punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of up to ¥7,000.

---

Despite Fusan's well-earned reputation as a country that places a great deal of emphasis on academics, there has long been a fairly universal attitude among parents and educators alike that extracurricular activities are very valuable as well. Some schools have gone as far as to make participation in some sort of school-administrated club or sports team a mandatory part of the curriculum, and even if kids don't have such a requirement placed on them, those who don’t sign up for any after-school activities are often referred to as being in the kitaku-bu, or "going-home club," a designation that carries something of a social stigma that the child is a loner or some sort of a troublemaker. But against this understanding that "Extracurricular activities are good," once city has pushed back against this tide, as the city of Izumozaki has announced that it is going to be completely eliminating all of its extracurricular activities at public middle schools within the city, with teams and clubs scheduled to start disappearing at the beginning of the upcoming school year, which starts in the spring.

The municipal board of education has cited two factors for its decision. With the city seeing a declining population (the sharpest of the top-10 major cities in the country), the board says that it has become increasingly difficult for schools to manage athletic programs and other clubs for small enrollments, ostensibly creating issues such as not having enough members to fill a properly sized roster or making the use of full-scale facilities for small groups impractical. In addition, the board noted, it has concerns about the time demands for school club coaches and advisors. Even by Fusanese standards, teachers have incredibly long working hours, and with extracurricular activities often requiring supervision on weekends as well as on weekdays (Fusan generally doesn't do after-school weeknight games for sports, as an example) the board of education is worried about teachers being overworked.

However, Ishinomaki doesn't want its public-school middle schoolers to be completely without extracurricular options, so as it phases out school-run clubs, the board of education is also planning to establish a system called Ishinomaki Katsu (katsu here meaning "extracurricular activities"), in which non-school affiliated local sports and cultural organizations for youth participants can use school facilities such as sports fields and auditoriums. The hope is that middle school students will then join these, or other, non-school-run programs, as replacements for the extracurricular activities the schools themselves used to offer. In other words, at the same time that Ishinomaki's public middle schools shut down their own extracurricular activities, they’ll also start pseudo-outsourcing their operations, which could have some benefits. The most obvious is greater freedom for students to choose programs that are a good fit for their needs, goals, and interests. For instance, instead of having to put up with a verbally or physically abusive coach because that’s who’s in charge of the team at their school, kids would be free to go play that sport somewhere else. Likewise, a student who’s passionate about a niche sport, style of music, or form of art may not have had enough similarly minded classmates to warrant a club at their home campus, but would have the option of joining a club that draws enough members from different schools. As an added side benefit, the dispersal of club venues would mean a larger number of students leaving campus after classes for the day end, making those who don’t participate in organized extracurricular activities stand out less and perhaps less likely to be stigmatized. The current timetable is for school-administered extracurricular activities to be entirely gone from public schools across Ishinomaki by August of 2026.

	Satonari Ukita
Roles	Imperial Prince Head of the House of Ukita-no-Miya CEO of Asahi Holdings, Ltd.
Date of Birth Location	12 November, 1952 Sumida, Shinkyo, Shinkyo Metropolis
Positions Held	VP of Sales, Asahi Holdings, Ltd. (1988 - 1999) CEO of Asahi Holdings, Ltd. (1999 - Present)
Education	BSci. in Business from Gakushūin University
Family	Prince Satoru Ukita (Father, 1929 - 2007)    Emiri Ukita (née Azegami; Mother, 1932 - 2012)       Yuko Ukita (née Iroha; Wife, 1952 - Present)          Itsumi Arase (née Ukita; Daughter, 1979 - Present)          Haruto Arase (Son-in-Law, 1979 - Present)             Hinata Arase (Granddaughter, 2006 - Present)             Sachio Arase (Grandson, 2009 - Present)          Ichiro Ukita (Son, 1980 - Present)          Yumi Ukita (née Doigawa; 1979 - Present)             Jiro Ukita (Grandson, 2010 - Present)       Giichi Ukita (Brother, 1956 - Present)       Yuriko Ukita (née Gōda; Sister-in-Law, 1956 - Present)          Hideshi Ukita (Nephew, 1982 - Present)          Sachi Konishi (née Ukita; Niece, 1982 - Present)       Hideki Ukita (Brother, 1958 - Present)       Kyoko Ukita (née Fujiwara; Sister-in-Law, 1960 - Present)          Gen Ukita (Nephew, 1985 - Present)          Shinzo Ukita (Nephew, 1988 - Present)          Yoko Shimada (née Ukita; Niece, 1989 - Present)    Sachio Ukita (Uncle, 1930 - 1945)    Tokiko Arisugawa (née Ukita; Aunt, 1931 - 2017)    Prince Yoshiharu Arisugawa (Father, 1925 - 2013)       Yoshifune Arisugawa (Cousin, 1958 - Present)       Sadazane Arisugawa (Cousin, 1959 - Present)    Mieko Egashira (née Ukita; Aunt, 1932 - 2011)    Haruo Egashira (Uncle, 1931 - 2009)       Jiro Egashira (Cousin, 1955 - Present)       Yuna Aso (née Egashira; Cousin, 1957 - Present) Prince Hidemaru Ukita (Pat. Grandfather, 1905 - 1991) Minako Ukita (née Sato; Pat. Grandmother, 1906 - 1998) Jiro Azegami (Mat. Grandfather, 1905 - 1996) Yukari Azegami (née Sawamura; Mat. Grandmother, 1909 - 2011)
Links to Important events?	TBA
Biography	One of the wealthiest members of the extended Imperial Family, Satonari Ukita is the Head of the House of Ukita and the longtime CEO of Asahi Holdings, a Fusanese multinational brewing and distilling company. First joining the company in 1978 at the age of 25, he rose through the ranks over the years, becoming Vice President in charge of sales in 1988 before being appointed as its CEO in 1999. He has, since then, continued to serve in that role, expanding the company's operations beyond East Ardia to far distant shores, though due to his declining health, brought on by decades of heavy smoking, it is uncertain as to whether or not he will remain in his position for much longer.

We now go live to the Imperial Palace, where His Majesty, Emperor Eijiro is expected to make an address to the nation regarding an apparent significant development in the ongoing war in Kalasin.

“Good morning. Today, I can report to the Fusanese people and to the world that the Empire of Fusan has conducted an operation that killed Thaksin Prateung, the leader of the People's Armed Forces of Kalasin, a terrorist who bears direct responsibility for the murders of thousands of innocent men, women and children.

“It has now been nearly a year and a half since that bright day in July was darkened by the worst attack on the Fusanese people since the closing days of the Great War. The images of 7/25 have been seared into our nation's memory—a trail of smoke leading into the heart of one of our largest cities; black smoke rising from Awara; pain and suffering on a scale we have been fortunate enough have not grown accustomed to. And yet, we know that the worst images are those which have gone unseen. The empty seat at the table; children who have been forced to grow up without their mother or their father; parents who would never see their children grow old; nearly five-thousand citizens, our brothers and sisters, taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

“On July 25th, in our time of grief, the Fusanese people came together. We came together, offering our neighbors a helping hand, offering the wounded our very blood. We reaffirmed those ties which bind us together and our love of community and country. On that day, regardless of race, culture, or creed, we were all united as one Fusanese nation and family. We were also united in our resolve to protect this great nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice, as our allies abroad did when faced with similar tragedy. We learned quickly that the attacks that July were carried out by the PAFK—an organization headed by Thaksin Prateung which had openly declared war on Fusan and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so, we went to war against the PAFK and those who would give them shelter, so as to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.

“Over the course of the last year, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we have made great strides in that effort. We have disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Kalasin, we have cast down the government of Kasidej Rangsitpol, the great butcher of Kalasin, which had given Prateung and the PAFK safe haven and support. We have made great progress in disrupting a network of adversaries which stretches across the globe and which seeks nothing less than the destruction of our way of life. Yet for many painful months, Thaksin Prateung evaded capture, escaping for a time into Kusan before finding refuge in the heart of Kalasin. Meanwhile, the PAFK, aided in part by elements in Kusan, continued to operate in Kalasin. And so, shortly after learning of the culprit of this attack on our homeland, I directed Kinya Ueno, the Director of CIRA, to make the killing or capture of Prateung the top priority for our war in Kalasin,  even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network. Then, a few months ago, I was briefed on a possible lead to Prateung. It was hardly a certainty, and it took many months to confirm beyond a shadow of a doubt that we had found him, and in those months, I met repeatedly with the National Security Council as we developed more concrete information about the possibility that we had located Prateung hiding in a compound in Kalasin. And finally, earlier this week, thanks to intel discovered by Fusanese troops operating in Falam, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Thaksin Prateung and bring him to justice.

“Last night, at my direction, the Empire of Fusan launched a targeted operation against that compound in Tamu, Kalasin. A small team of Fusanese carried out the operation, going above and beyond the call of duty to achieve their mission. No Fusanese were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. And after a firefight, they killed Thaksin Prateung and took custody of his body. For seven years, Prateung has been the PAFK's leader, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of Prateung marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to contain and defeat the PAFK. Yet his death does not mark an end to our effort. Though disrupted, there is no doubt that the PAFK will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must—and will—remain vigilant at home and abroad.

“Today, we have sent a powerful message to those who would do us harm. I am certain that they feel, now more than ever, trepidation at the thought of going against the Empire of Fusan and her allies. And to them, I will offer this stern warning: If you choose to attack us, then our military, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies will not rest until justice is served. We will pursue you relentlessly and without mercy to the ends of the earth. There is no base remote enough, no bunker deep enough, to save you. When we find you—and we will—you will face the full force of Fusanese justice. Your destruction will serve as a symbol of how brightly the torch of liberty can burn, and your funeral pyre shall serve to provide the flame. But if you want war with Fusan, then there is only one thing I can say, so help me God: someone else will raise your sons and daughters.

“Thank you. May God bless our Army, our Navy, our Marine Corps, our Air Force and Space Force, and our Coast Guard. May God bless you and our allies. And we all know that God has blessed Fusan, because He has given us the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen.”

Tamu, Kalasin
December 9, 2024
2:27 AM

   The buzz of the main rotors cleaving the air seemed to mix with the radio chatter so as to overpower any other noise, both outside and inside the cabin of the vehicle, one of two MH-31M Gray Wolf helicopters which was darting north into Kalasin from Paechon. Not that it would make any difference if they were silent; their occupants didn’t speak a word. Below, the jungle canopy was close enough that if you wanted, you could reach out and grab a branch from the ledge, though it was almost pitch-black outside, thanks in no small part to the cloud cover, not to mention it being just two hours past midnight. Every so often, those aboard would hear a callout over the radio; ”Passing Ikokujin” when crossing the channels and  ”Uwasa” when entering Bokeo Province, for example. But for everyone else, this was a silent trip. They knew what they were doing, knew the odds of their success, the odds that their quarry would be leaving in chains or in a bag, everything. They had spent every waking moment of the last month preparing for these next few hours; they would not fail.

   ”Approaching phase Ehime, two minutes to Otawara, repeat, two minutes.” the pilot called out over the radio. They were on their final approach to Tamu, to the compound where the future of two nations would be decided. If anyone aboard had any reservations about the mission ahead, they did not voice them, though from their enthusiastic response to being given preliminary authorization to conduct the mission three days earlier, it was quite unlikely they did. It was just a job to them. One that would involve killing or capturing one of the deadliest men alive, one who had been responsible for the deaths of thousands of their countrymen, but a job nonetheless. Below, the town of Tamu is dark, a result of a blackout in the region which nobody would say was a coincidence or not. What was said, however, was the word they were waiting for. Through their NVGs, the two troops could see their target. The compound where Thaksin Prateung was hiding. ”Otawara.”

   If it were any better lit, what ensued was the sort of thing many would think came straight out of the great action films of the day, as Troop A, belonging to SFOD-Iroha’s Red Squadron, rappelled down from their helicopter and into the courtyard of the compound as two teams belonging to Troop B did the same on the outside of the compound. Far above, the mission was further being monitored by an RI-12 “Spyglass” UAV, a reconnaissance variant of the GI-12 “Sabre” which had been used to great effect during the opening phase of the war. No doubt about it, this mission was being watched by the Emperor, the Prime Minister, and other members of the NSC. Just a bit of extra pressure, it would seem. Once everyone was on the ground, Sergeant First Class Ichiro Akae, Troop A’s leader, made a callout over the radio.

   “Alpha is at Phase Kamiyo, over.” He reported as two teams secured the courtyard while the third—his—approached the door and waited for the order to breach the building. A few moments later, Troop B’s helicopter had moved and dropped off its third team, led by SFC Kuniake Iwase, on the rooftop balcony of the compound’s central building.

   ”Bravo is at Phase Kudara, over.” Kuniake reported over the radio.

   “Copy Kudara. Ready to breach, over.” Ichiro responded as he waited.

   ”Alpha, Bravo, you are clear to proceed with Phase Keizai. Cleared to breach, over.” Col. Daisuke Arimura, Red Squadron’s commander, reported over the radio. He was, of course, not on site, instead having stayed behind at Camp Mangjeol back in Paechon so as to coordinate the mission. And so, both teams began placing charges on the doors, a process that normally wouldn’t take very long. Or at least, it wouldn’t if Ichiro’s team didn’t come under gunfire from inside the house, as a firefight erupted which lasted for no more than ten, maybe fifteen seconds before it finally ceased. And with the charges set, it was only a matter of waiting until they went off. 3… 2… 1…

   With a crack and a bang, the doors were thrown off their hinges and into the building, and soon enough, both teams rushed into the building. Inside, SFC Akae’s team found the bodies of two PAFK militants, ID’ed as high-ranking members of Col. Prateung’s senior staff. Evidently, they had been the ones who had opened fire on them, though mercifully, there had been no casualties. At least, nobody was hurt badly enough to be taken out of the fight, as one of Ichiro’s men had been hit with some shrapnel, later revealed to have been a bullet that had struck his bolt cutters during the brief confrontation. Were it not for their NVGs, due to the darkness, they would’ve been lucky to see more than a few feet ahead of themselves. And so, the two teams slowly but surely advanced through the building, clearing every room as they searched for their prey. Every so often, a brief exchange of gunfire would light up a room and fill the building with noise, punctuated almost invariably by silence at a minimum and at most a short, sharp cry. As Prateung had said to his men the day before, this was not a battle which they could win.

   They weren’t silent or stealthy as their reputation had suggested on this day, but at the same time, they weren’t shouting to each other like in the movies; rather, they were all talking to each other as though it was just another day at the office, even using their first names and relaying necessary information in a methodical manner. Almost as a single entity, even, going room to room and floor to floor. Their foes didn’t even have a chance; they were armed with AK-47s and facing operators with night vision and top of the line equipment. If there were any analogy that could fit the situation, it would be like a rat picking a fight with a lion. Perhaps that was the point.

   By 2:40 AM, the first, second, and fourth floors had been cleared, with Bravo holding its position upstairs to catch anyone who might try to make a last stand there. Meanwhile, Ichiro and the other members of his team were slowly creeping their way upstairs to the third floor, the last to be cleared. By this point, there can’t be many people left alive, and yet still, they hadn’t found Prateung, and if they had already killed him, they hadn’t been able to ID him. And yet, it is as the team came up the stairs that the team’s pointman, Corporal Katsu Kanehara, spotted a man peering through a doorway before leveling his rifle at him. Almost out of instinct, he let out a burst from his T6 Carbine, striking the man in his abdomen and sending him stumbling back into the room, clutching at his gut. The team advanced, careful in case the enemy was holding a grenade; even with their NVGs, it was hard to make out for sure, and so, seeing him still moving, Ichiro fires off two rounds, one into his chest and one into his head, after which, he doesn’t move anymore. A few moments passed as the rest of the floor was cleared before Ichiro returned to the scene of the killing and rolled the man over before inspecting him for any recognizable features. It takes a few moments, but he soon realized what he had done.

   “Eyes on Saijo, over.” He radios in, checking for a pulse. When he finds none, he follows the message up with “Recognizing all of the hard work we have done to reach this point, I pass: Saijo. Saijo. Saijo EKIA, over.” before turning to the rest of his men. “Well, now the real work can begin.” He said before adding “Katsu, help me get him downstairs. The rest of you… Search the building, see what intel we can find.”

   And with the order given, Ichiro and Katsu began to take the now-lifeless body of Fusan’s great enemy downstairs, placing him in a body bag while everyone else began scouring the building for intel and destroying a weapons cache possessed by the PAFK in the courtyard. In one fell swoop, the PAFK had been decapitated, and the war, it seemed, had largely been won. Now, all that was left was to put the last holdouts of the People’s Armed Forces of Kalasin to the sword. Falam had to be liberated.

Tamu, Kalasin
December 8, 2024
11:19 AM

   It was a warm and sunny morning in the small town of Tamu, off in the countryside of Kalasin. A beautiful land, one of rolling green hills and tall grass, far from the stereotypical image foreigners had of Kalasin, that of dense jungles that stretched far beyond the eye could see. There were many things foreigners didn’t realize about Kalasin, about its land and its people, or so Thaksin Prateung had thought, in days gone by. He had hoped, back in 2017 when the war began, that his people would be compelled to resist, and yet here he was, locked behind a concrete wall in a compound belonging to one of his closest allies, ostensibly for his own safety, but he knew that it wouldn’t help. He was already dead, after all.

   He wasn’t literally dead, of course; being able to walk and breathe made that plenty obvious. No, it was more of a figure of speech, knowing that no matter where he would go, no matter what he would do, he would have a bright red target upon his back, that he would never truly know peace again. And if it wasn’t action by a hostile force that claimed him, then his own health would do him in. It had all started with a cough he had developed a few years ago, though he hadn’t thought much of it back then. He knew he should’ve, and if so, then maybe he wouldn’t be in this position. Just looking at himself in the mirror now, aged beyond his years and now beginning to look emaciated, reminded him of that. To put it simply, he was dying either way, whether by the gun or by cancer, and between the two options, he felt more comfortable with the former. A better death. More dignified, in some way. But that didn’t mean he was pleased with where he was now.

   “Maybe you were right…” He muttered to himself, imagining that he was talking to his ex-wife, Yihwa, whom he had pushed away after the fall of the government. The true government, not the one imposed upon Kalasin by foreign powers nor the one which had become an ally of circumstance the year prior. “Maybe I was wrong to keep fighting when… No. We were told to ignore any orders to surrender.” He continued. It was a strange thought, knowing he had only a few months left to live at most; in this life, he hadn’t much in the way of access to proper care. Soon enough, he’d have to face judgement for his sins, both against his own people and those abroad. Yet these were thoughts that he seldom ever expressed, especially around anyone other than his closest advisors. Better for them to fight and die not knowing that even their leader was having second thoughts. With a sigh, he said “Fight to the last man if we have to… That’s what they told us. Some of us took that to mean punishing anyone who didn’t keep up the fight, too.”

   “Sir, a moment?” Prawat Solikham, one of Prateung’s top advisors, asked as he walked up to him.

   “Yes, Prawat?” Thaksin asked him.

   “It’s just… We can have you out of here by tomorrow evening, that’s all, sir.”

   Bemused by the suggestion, Thaksin answered “That won’t be necessary.”

   “Sir?” Prawat asked, confused by the answer.

   With another sigh, the old commander said “Look around you, Prawat. We’ve been beaten back time and time again, even collaborated with those traitorous dogs in Pattani, but for what? Falam will fall, just as city after city before it has fallen. Tell me this is a war we can win.”

   “But what about Leclair? Manaudou? Did they not-”

   Thaksin practically slammed his fist against the wall of the shed containing their radio equipment, grasping hand in pain after doing so before practically yelling “They brought suffering and death to our people on a scale we haven’t seen for decades! It was their idea to strike at Fusan in such a way, their idea to hit Pyrettania, their plan to kill thousands and throw away what little good will we still had!” He of course neglected to mention that he had ultimately signed off on it. Even if they were still somewhere in Falam, it was his war, not theirs, so why would he blame them? Nobody, not even himself, truly knew. He was just… angry. Angry at the situation they were in, angry at those two who had deceived him with their venal lies, and most of all, angry with himself. “If it had been my choice, we would’ve kept fighting here, but instead, we have had painted targets on our backs since last year!

   “No.” He continued, his tone dropping several octaves as he looked at his old friend. “The battle is lost. The war… is lost. Even if we tried to run, we’d be hunted for the rest of our lives, however short they may be. At least this way, if we hold this position, one day we’ll be remembered as heroes who inspired the revolution we have dedicated our lives to, rather than dying as cowards like rats in caves. Would you be willing to do that, old friend? One last fight?”

   “To the ends of the earth, Thaksin. You know that.”

   With a faint smile on his tired old face, Thaksin grasped Prawat’s hand in his for a moment before calling out to the few other members of his inner circle who had gathered with him in Tamu. Sixteen men and women, the absolute finest that the PAFK had to offer. Patriots, he called them. The sons and daughters of a Free Kalasin, striving ever for the liberation of their home. They wouldn’t be enough to stop what was coming, but that mattered little now. They would become sacrificial lambs on the altar of the revolution. After a moment, he would finally speak up.

   “This is a speech I hoped I would never need to give, but one which has, in the last month, proven to be necessary.” He began. “When we began this journey, nearly seven years ago to the day, we did so with the hope of not merely liberating our homeland from the capitalist, imperialist mongrels who had enslaved this land, but spreading our revolution to far-distant shores. The liberation of the working class, that was our ultimate goal. Since then, each and every one of you has served with distinction, and indeed, your names will echo throughout history as the forebears of a better tomorrow.” He paused, his gaze wavering for a moment.

   “But it is not a future that will come to pass within our lifetimes. Through no fault of our own, we have, time and again, been bested at every turn, and now, we are faced with a decision which I sincerely wish we would never be forced to make. Either we can lay down our arms, much as the NPRA did seven years ago, and accept that this fight of ours is over, living out a meager existence for however long we have left, or we can face this challenge set before us head on, greeting death not as a foe but rather as a friend, and be as martyrs for our cause. In death, we can do more to rally our brethren, those who are now in bondage to a system which has spiraled out of control and which will continue to consume us all until there is nothing left, and ensure that our fight will go on.

   “But this is not a sacrifice which I will force upon any of you. If you wish to go home, to return to your families, then I have no right to stop you. So go, be at peace. None will think any less of you for it. As for the rest of you, let us face what is to come together, as brothers and sisters in arms one last time.” And nobody left. The stage was set for one last fight.

“The Intelligence Coup of the Decade”

---

Situation Room, Imperial Palace, Shinkyo
December 7, 2024
5:28 AM

   Early morning briefings were, in Eijiro’s opinion, the worst of all, especially if, like recently, he had been getting very little sleep as a result. It couldn’t be helped; in the days leading up to the war back in 2017, he hardly slept a wink, other than mayhaps that one time he fell asleep in the briefing room aboard Jun’yo, and likewise, after the shootdown of Akawashi 304 back in early 2023, he didn’t sleep much either, to say the least of last year’s attack in Awara. These last few days were no different, and for not too dissimilar a reason, either. He was worried, worried for the people he had served with, for those who were certainly caught in the crossfire, and most of all, for those back home who might lose someone they cared so deeply for. But in a way, he was also just fixated on the battle, so much so that he had, at least from his vague recollection of a few hours before, fallen asleep watching coverage of the fighting on TV Shinkyo and TBS—the Fusanese broadcaster, as opposed to the arguably more well known Tytorian Broadcasting Service—though he wasn’t too sure. What he was sure about, however, was his annoyance at Natsuki Uematsu, who had come to fetch him for this meeting.

   “Was it really necessary to drag me out of bed this early, Natsuki?” Eijiro complained as they walked along the subterranean corridor towards the situation room. “You know I haven’t been sleeping well these past few days.”

   Natsuki, for his part, was patient with the Emperor, having likewise been woken up for this, though in his case, he didn’t have the luxury of living on site for it. “Sorry, but you know how it is.” He said. “If the NSC wants to convene a meeting, they’re gonna do it, even if it means calling us in at two in the morning like you-know-when.” He continued, referencing the war with Rokkenjima over some islands in the Azukishima sea.

   “The less I have to think about that, the better.” Eijiro said as they reached the doorway, which was soon opened by two members of the Imperial Guard before he and Natsuki entered. Once they entered, everyone present who was sitting, including both Prime Minister Konishi and Okimoto Esashi, the Minister of War, stood up. “Keep your seats.”

   “Good morning, Your Majesty.” Sadazane spoke up as Eijiro and Natsuki took their seats at the table.

   “I certainly hope it is if you’ve got us coming down here so early.” Eijiro replied with a smile before turning to the war minister. “So, what do you have for us?”

   “Quite possibly something that will win us this war, Your Majesty.” Esashi replied as an aide passed out a handful of files to everyone sitting at the table. Each folder was marked with the emblem of the War Ministry and the word ”KIMITSU”—classified, in Fusanese—and appeared to be rather thick, as per usual. “Yesterday, at approximately 11:56 AM local time—12:56 PM here—a squad belonging to RCT-1 operating in Falam took control of an apartment complex in the city’s Bang Sue district. What they did not know, as we discovered shortly thereafter, was that the building was being used as a headquarters for the PAFK.” He said, looking around the table as he spoke. “Inside, they found that while some effort had been made to tear down this district HQ, they had been unsuccessful in destroying everything, including what I must say is some rather vital intel for our war effort.”

   “Oh? How so?” Sadazane asked, bemused. If it was what everyone hoped it was, then, he figured, it would certainly propel him forwards, politically speaking.

   “I’m getting to that, sir.” Okimoto said. “Now, as I was saying, vital intel for the war effort. While a full translation is still in progress, what we have now—including what is in those folders of yours—has all but confirmed something that we in the War Ministry had long hoped. A firm location for Thaksin Prateung within the last three days.”

   The room suddenly seemed very quiet, as though one could hear a pin hit the floor if dropped. If that were true, then… Well, it would be everything those assembled here had wanted and more. It would be the intelligence coup of the decade if so. Take out the linchpin and the whole rotten organization would come crumbling down, torn apart by internal conflicts that would enable coalition forces to defeat in detail the organization at large. At least, that was the idea. As General Haruyoshi Nishiōji wrote in his account of the Fusanese Civil War, no plan survives contact with the enemy intact, which is to say, once faced with a real-world issue, any plans that there may be would need to be adjusted to account for factors outside of one’s control. For all they knew, the power struggle they hoped for might not emerge, and suddenly, they’d be fighting for another decade. Regardless, though, eventually Eijiro would speak up, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room.

   “And where is he, exactly? I’m assuming he isn’t in Falam?”

   “Correct, sir.” Esashi answered. “Ever heard of a town called Tamu?”

   That name was one which Eijiro didn’t like to think about, but he knew about it. The grimace he wore upon his face upon hearing told as much to everyone else in the room. After all, it was near Tamu that, back in 2017, he had been shot down. It was a standard Iron Hand flight to take out a hostile air defense site, one which they were successful in completing, but they came under attack by enemy aircraft on the way home. He didn’t make it home that day, but he was the lucky one in his aircraft, given his RIO died of his injuries on the ground. To say the very least, he didn’t like thinking about it, though he had to admit, there was some poetry in it given that the war might end where he nearly died seven years ago.

   With a nod, Okimoto said “Small town just a couple dozen kilometers northeast of Falam, up in the hills. Very hard to get to on the ground—” as Eijiro nodded along; he could personally attest to that fact—”which makes an assault into it a challenge as we learned back in the early 70s. It’s part of why the region was a trouble-spot for us, even back then. At the same time, however, it’s equally difficult to get out of, especially for the leader of a militant group like the PAFK.”

   “That’s all well and good, Marshal Esashi, but how do we even know which building, if any, he’s holed up in?” Natsuki asked, tapping his finger on the table as he spoke.

   “That’s where I can be of assistance.” Katsutaro Abe, the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Council, interjected. “As you’re no doubt aware, we’ve been monitoring communications between Prateung and his subordinates since well before the war as part of our assistance to the Union State in dealing with these insurgents.” He clarified; he did not, however, mention the failure of the JIC in learning about the attack, other than a vague idea that something was coming, until it actually happened under his predecessor’s watch. “While naturally, anything direct is hard to come by, given that he relies on a vast network of runners and other intermediaries to pass on his orders, CIRA has had its own ‘lucky break’ recently.”
   As Katsutaro spoke, an officer handed out copies of a photograph to everyone seated around the table. The photograph showed a Kalasinese male, middle-aged and with a full head of dark brown hair, and with a scar on his lower lip. He seemed rather ordinary to Eijiro, though given what the PAFK was, that was likely to their advantage.

   “Meet Prawat Solikham, aged 37. A native of Bok Ten, his family moved to Tamu when he was eight.” Katsutaro explained. “Enlisted in the NPRA in 2006 before retiring following its initial dissolution in 2017 with the fall of the People’s Republic. Notably, he served under Colonel Thaksin Prateung in the last few years of the state’s existence and now, he’s one of the PAFK’s top commanders.” He continued before pausing for a moment. “It may interest you to know that we have been closely monitoring him for some time now, both through indirect and more direct means, and he appears to frequent a compound on the outskirts of the town, one which is detailed in the file Marshal Esashi has provided you all.” Katsutaro noted. “That, with the addition of the intel found yesterday in Falam has, short of directly seeing him there, confirmed for us that Prateung is in that compound in Tamu.”

   “How soon?” Eijiro asked. “How soon can we hit them?”

   “Once you approve the strike?” Marshal Esashi asked. “Three days, tops.”

   That news surprised Eijiro for a moment, given what he understood of the kind of training that would be necessary for such a raid. “That’s… quick.” He said. “Are you sure whoever’s going to… neutralize him won’t need more training?”

   “Yes. SFOD-Iroha has been training for this mission since the compound came up on our radar, so for about twelve days now.”

   “And what of our allies?” Eijiro inquired. “What do they know about this?”

   With a sigh, Okimoto said “Exactly what they need to know.” before clarifying “That we are investigating a lead into a national security threat and that we are taking the appropriate measures to mitigate-”

   “I’m sorry, Marshal Esashi, but that’s not good enough.” Eijiro said, annoyed. “Much as I understand the need for secrecy regarding matters such as this, especially if we’re gonna try and get him alive, I can’t just call after the raid and say ‘Surprise, we got Prateung. Oh, by the way, we completely violated the Dunwich charter and a couple intelligence-sharing agreements because Marshal Esashi decided to keep you all in the dark.’”

   “You’re wrong, sir.” Esashi said.

   “Pardon?”

   “I said you are wrong, sir.” Esashi repeated himself. “Sure, we’ll say that our goal was to bring him in alive for appearance’s sake, but you and I both know this is a kill-or-capture mission.” He explained. “If he throws up his hands and surrenders, then of course we'll capture him, but…”

   “But Iroha will have full authority to kill him otherwise.” Katsutaro interjected.

   “The Achkaerinese aren’t gonna be pleased about that.” Sadazane sighed.

   “Better than having attacks every month in an attempt to force us to release him, I say.” Natsuki opined. “Don’t want the PAFK to be able to say ’release him or we keep killing Fusanese.’” He added; of course, they’d still do that either way, but taking him alive would likely just pour fuel on the fire, so to speak.

   “And that’s before considering him making a spectacle of his trial.” Tadakatsu Haruno, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, pointed out. “It’s already gonna be a nightmare, putting the others on trial starting next year. Just imagine what he’d try.”

   “That may be so,” Yudai Sasabe, the Minister of Justice, said. “But what right do we have to deny the families of his victims their day in court? To deny the world the opportunity to rebuke Prateung’s ideology of total subservience to the state, of a ‘permanent revolution’? If the opportunity had arisen to put Stalin on trial, would we have killed him instead because it might be inconvenient to us?”

   With a sigh, Eijiro spoke up, saying “In an ideal world, Yudai, I would like to see him put on trial for his crimes, but Natsuki is right on this one, as is Mr. Haruno.” as he looked at Yudai. “Ignoring the possibility of an international tribunal in, say, Valtheim or Northfort, something which I suspect our friends over in Pyrettania would reject just as quickly as many in this room would, we’ll have to bend over backwards to even give the illusion of a fair trial for him, let alone one that is genuinely fair. Obviously, it can’t be in Awara or Pyrettania, since any jury would be prejudiced against him by default, and we’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else that wouldn’t face the same issue. It’s not like we can put him on trial in the middle of nowhere up in Hokuriku. And what about the kind of defense he will offer?” He paused. “He might decide to serve as a sacrificial lamb, seeking to justify his crimes, or he might simply refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of the trial, making it a sham in the process. For all we know, he might even try to deny everything, delve into every conspiracy under the sun as part of an effort to provide any sort of doubt as to his guilt.

   “And like Natsuki said, we’ll certainly see attacks and kidnappings every week demanding his release. Hope is a dangerous tool when given to our enemy. If they think, even though we all know that it won’t work, that by escalating kidnappings and the sort, they can get what they want, then what reason will they have to do anything but try harder? And what are we to say if they take over a school here? What will we say to the parents whose children would be butchered on Fusanese soil? Is there anything we could say? And just for the sake of argument, let’s look forwards a bit. Prateung will be found guilty, almost certainly sentenced to death if we’re lucky, which means we will essentially be stuck with THE living martyr for months if not years. I’m sorry, Yudai” he said before pulling out a cigarette and lighting it before taking a drag off it “but there is absolutely zero chance we can let him leave that compound alive. Too many people would die as a result of it.”

   “So do we have permission to take him out, sir?” Esashi asked.

   “Yes.” Eijiro answered. “I’ll make the calls to our allies, only tell them what is absolutely necessary to fulfill our treaty obligations, but not enough to make… those scenarios we discussed happen.” He continued before standing up, which was followed by everyone else who was sitting doing the same. “Gentlemen,” he said as he extinguished his cigarette. “Start your clocks. In three days’ time, we will either make history by putting down a rabid dog who has run amok in Kalasin for seven years too many, or for authorizing what the the history books will deem one of the worst planned raids in modern military history, despite all of the hard work that has gone into it. Let’s make our country proud and do the former, alright? Dismissed.”

Bang Sue, Falam, Kalasin
December 6, 2024
11:26 AM

   It had been about three days since Fusanese and Kalasinese forces had pushed into the city of Falam, and already, the fighting had gotten tough. While insurgent forces—those of the PAFK as well as the far smaller NPRA, CPK-RG, and ARA—had sustained far higher casualties, thanks in no small part to a lack of adequate training and a greater degree of technological inferiority even compared to the ARK, it couldn’t be said that the Fusanese had been spared any of the bloodshed. Within just ten minutes of the battle beginning, they had already seen their first KIA soldier, a marine attached to the 4th Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment which had been part of the push into Pak Chom, a district in the city’s northwest. Within these last three days, that tally had steadily risen to eleven killed and 37 wounded, some of whom would be drummed out of the service due to their wounds. Such were the times like these that an almost fatalistic attitude had developed among those fighting in the city, an idea that whatever happened was fated to happen, and thus that there was no point in trying to change that fate.

   And yet, here Sergeant Irokwa and his men were, trying to do just that. They had received reports about a firefight that had broken out in a nearby building, that injured marines were stuck inside, and that they were in desperate need of assistance from whoever was available. That was them. As bullets tore through the air, the sound of gunfire turning deafening inside the cramped conditions of the inner-city apartment block, the twenty-six year old Fusanese sergeant did everything in his power to render first aid to those in need, all while his subordinates focused on clearing the building of the remaining enemy fighters. Everything seemed to be going well, or at least it seemed that they had taken a turn for the better when Haruo heard something he had been dreading, something nobody in any position of command would want to hear.

   “Jira’s been hit!”

   Some say that there’s a way to prepare yourself for a situation like that, mentally. That you can just accept the idea that someone you know, someone you care for would get hurt, maybe even get killed on your watch. At that moment, Haruo knew that there was nothing of the sort. In an instant, the sense of invulnerability that he, like so many others fighting in Falam, had felt was shattered like a mirror. And that made him angry. As soon as he finished with the man he was treating, he practically leaped onto his fallen brother and quite literally began tearing off Jira’s equipment, checking for wounds before placing a tourniquet around his left leg, all while his position was being peppered with gunfire as well, gunfire which ultimately wound up damaging his rifle, which was, in and of itself, a rather inopportune thing as he saw an insurgent, one whom had been presumed dead, reach for his own weapon. Without missing a beat, he rather calmly pulled out his bayonet and, as the records would say—if there were any to be made, anyways—”quickly and cleanly dispatched” him. He would later say that while it was quick, it was anything but clean. Soon enough, the small apartment block would largely be cleared, and with more assistance coming in by the minute, the main body of their work was complete. Or at least, that’s what Sergeant Irokawa thought at that time.

   “Hey sarge, you gotta come and see this!” Private Nakamura called out from the basement, catching Haruo’s attention just as he was about to exit alongside the last stretcher carrying Jira.

   “Just a moment.” Haruo said to PFC Kasem before heading downstairs to find Joji and Private Ichiro Abe, the fourth and final member of their squad. Before him, behind what had been, until now, a hidden entrance of some sort, was a series of maps, flags, radios, and… It looked like they had stumbled across a-

   “PAFK command post, looks like it was abandoned in a hurry, too.” Private Abe said, smoking a cigarette he’d found in one of the many, many buildings they’d cleared earlier in the day. “What do you think?”

   “I think…” Haruo answered. “I think there’s some folks who will be quite pleased to see this. Very pleased.” He added before patting Joji on the back. “Well done.” He said before calling it in. Though none of them knew it, this chance discovery would have profound effects on the course of the war against the PAFK, the kind that could, perhaps, even put it to an end.

   The Church of Fusan, officially referred to as the Fusanese Holy Catholic Church (扶桑聖公会, Fusō Seikōkai) (FSKK) and occasionally referred to as the Episcopal Church of Fusan (ECF), is the established Christian church in Fusan and Tsukishima. Though as a tradition, it evolved separately from similar movements across the globe, most notably in what is now modern Tytor, it nonetheless resembles the practices and liturgy of similar movements during the larger Protestant Reformation of the 16th and early 17th centuries. Fusanese Christianity traces its history to the Christian hierarchy recorded as existing in Fusan in the late 8th century during the reign of Taisō. Large parts of the Church in Fusan renounced papal authority in 1549 due to unwanted influence from the Ardian Empire, which was, at the time, backed by the Papacy in Celestis, though it would only be with the official conversion of Emperor Keichō and Shogun Hachisuka Shigenori in 1628 that the modern Church of Fusan would begin to come into existence. It would continue to evolve into the form seen today over the course of the 17th and early 18th centuries due to Fusan's policy of isolation from the outside world.

Structure
   The Emperor of Fusan is legally the head of the Church of Fusan, although in practice, this power is exercised through the Diet and on the advice of the Prime Minister. That being said, the ceremonial head of the Church of Fusan has historically been the Archbishop of Tenkyo, who is also the metropolitan of the Province of Tenkyo. He has the status of Primate of Fusan and is the focus of unity for the worldwide Fusanese Communion of independent national or regional churches. Since the confirmation of his electon on the 18th of August, 2019, Daisuke Hanazumi has served as the Archbishop of Tenkyo. For historical reasons, within the Empire of Fusan, there exist four other provinces, each led by an Archbishop, who are also deemed to have important roles within the Church of Fusan.

   The church is structured as follows (in ascending order):
   Parish - Parishes are the most local level, often consisting of a single church building and community, although some parishes have joined one another for financial reasons. Parishes are looked after by a parish priest who, for historical or legal reasons, may be called by one of the following offices: vicar, rector, or priest in charge. The first and second of these may also be known as the 'incumbent'. The running of the parish is the joint responsibility of the incumbent and the parochial church council, which consists of parish clergy and elected representatives from within the congregation.
   Deanery, e.g. Kora or Toban. - Deaneries are the area for which a rural dean (or area dean) is responsible. It consists of a number of parishes in a particular district. The rural dean is usually the incumbent of one of the constituent parishes. The parishes each elect lay (non-ordained) representatives to the deanery synod. Deanery synod members each have a vote in the election of representatives to the diocesan synod.
   Archdeaconry, e.g., Hokusei, Nayoro, Kamisu - This is the area under the jurisdiction of an archdeacon. It consists of a number of deaneries.
   Diocese, e.g., Diocese of Hatsukaichi, Diocese of Katapka, Diocese of Hayang - This is the area under the jurisdiction of a diocesan bishop, e.g., the bishops of Hatsukaichi, Katapka and Hayang, and will have a cathedral. There may be one or more suffragan bishops within the diocese who assist the diocesan bishop in his ministry, e.g., in Katapka diocese, the Bishop of Atoiya.
   Province, i.e., Tenkyo, Taikyu - This is the area under the jurisdiction of an archbishop, i.e., the Archbishops of Tenkyo and Taikyu. Decision-making within the province is the responsibility of the General Synod. A province is subdivided into dioceses.
   Primacy, i.e., the Church of Fusan. - The title of Primate is held by the Archbishop of Tenkyo, designating him as the ceremonial head of the Church of Fusan and a focus of unity for the larger Fusanese Communion.

TBA

Kalasinese and Fusanese forces moved into the city of Falam today, pushing south into the city’s Pak Chom, Nong Hi, Phachi, and Mayo districts early this morning following an apparent diversionary attack into the city’s Kao Liao district, located in the southeast. This comes following a large-scale evacuation of the city’s civilian populace at the urging of the Union government following the killing of four Fusanese contractors hired by Inazuma International Security and a string of attacks against Kalasinese positions throughout Bokeo province. In a statement issued yesterday, President Kaikaew said, quote, “We can be certain that Kalasinese forces, working in close concert with our allies from the Empire of Fusan, are determined to clear Falam of all militant groups, whether PAFK or not, and are likewise ready to ensure that the region will not again know the pain of war."

As it stands, there have been reports of heavy fighting in the city, with reports of casualties coming in frequently, especially among our own men. For the sake of operational security, we will be refraining from any specifics at this time as to what progress has been made by coalition forces operating in the city, however, we understand that they are taking a methodical approach to clearing out the city’s nearly fifty-thousand buildings, going door-to-door and room-to-room as they strive to liquidate any and all opposition to their peacekeeping operation. It is our sincerest hope that whatever fighting remains will come to an end in the coming days, but until such a time, we will continue to report on the ongoing operation in the city.