Chapter 344 Shock and Awe

Chapter 344 Shock and Awe

July 10th, 1821, seven o'clock in the morning.

Without warning, the placid morning was shattered by the thunderous roar of cannons. The sleek destroyers of the French Pacific Fleet commenced their assault. Their precise volleys targeted the Japanese junk ships which encircled their formation. Every cannonball that found its mark sent splinters flying, tearing through the age-old wood of the junks with devastating force.

From the coast, the unsuspecting civilians were jolted awake, their homes shaking with the reverberation of the cannon fire. Panic spread like wildfire.

"The French are attacking! To arms!" cried out a military officer, his samurai uniform billowing as he raced toward the coastal defenses.

Samurais, now found themselves thrust into a new age of warfare. They scrambled, manning their dated cannons and clutching their old muskets.

The French, not waiting for a response, unleashed their next weapon. The rapid staccato of machine gun fire echoed across the bay. The Japanese junks, unable to withstand such firepower, were systematically torn apart, their wooden structures offering no resistance.

On the shores, the Japanese defenses mounted a valiant effort. Cannonballs were fired on the French Fleet, but their cannons simply bounced away from the steel structure of the French ships.

The IFNS Napoleon's main turret, the 406 millimeter 50 caliber guns swiveled slowly, aiming at the defensive forts on the shores of Edo Bay. It zeroed in on their target and unleashed a single volley.

The moment the massive guns fired, the atmosphere was pierced by a sound so deafening that it seemed as if the very heavens were torn asunder. The shockwave from the blast rippled outwards, causing the water around the battleship to churn violently.

On the Japanese shore, soldiers and samurai alike instinctively clasped their hands over their ears, trying to shield themselves from the overwhelming sonic assault. Even those who had been in the thick of battle for years had never experienced such a thunderous roar.

Seconds felt like an eternity as they waited for the shells to find their mark. And then, with a blinding flash, the defensive forts that had stood as guardians of Edo Bay for generations were engulfed in explosions. The ground trembled, and a shockwave raced across the land. Buildings shook, and the very earth beneath the feet of the Japanese defenders seemed to shift as if they were caught in the grip of an earthquake.

Dust and smoke rose high into the sky, obscuring the aftermath of the devastation.

It was not done yet, the French Pacific Fleet Battlecruisers fired their secondaries while the destroyers fired their mains. Their objective was to neutralize the coastal defense of Edo Bay, ensuring that their landing forces would face minimal resistance.

In the streets, Japanese forces formed a line of defense. Should there be a single foreigner crossing the street, they'll be fired upon.

And that moment happened when four French troops entered the street. The Japanese line, consisting of 30 musketeers aimed their muskets at them. They waited for them to come closer, into the effective firing range of the muskets.

But—

Blood splattered across one of the Japanese musketeers in a line had his head exploded when a bullet struck it.

"Yamada?!"

They were in shock, the French were still far yet they were able to reach them with their shots.

Systematically, the four French infantry fired their repeating bolt-action rifles, and the thirty Japanese musketeers fell one by one.

Hearing the gunshots, nearby Japanese forces attempted to flank the French infantry. Samurais, wielding katanas charged in, hoping that close combat would level the playing field.

However, the French troops were not caught off guard. They quickly formed a defensive circle, rifles pointed outward. When the samurai came within striking distance, the French simply pulled the trigger of their rifles and the Japanese fell.

On the other side of the city, one hundred Japanese cavalry samurais charged at the French position. The French responded with one infantry setting up their machine gun that had a similar design to MG42.

With a pull of a trigger, the deafening roar of the machine gun filled the air, spitting out bullets at an astonishing rate. The Japanese cavalry, despite their speed and agility, were mowed down before they could reach the French line. Horses and riders alike tumbled to the ground, a few managing to break through but most were cut down by the relentless barrage of bullets.

The landing of the troops continued with the landing craft returning to its mother ship to pick up more troops and have them land on different parts of Edo. The coast was secured.

For the first time in history, Edo has now been militarily invaded by a foreign power.