Chapter 1057 Mass Desertion

On the island of Borneo. Thunder echoed in the air as the flak guns pounded the skies and the Japanese planes who flew above. With each passing second, these magnificent weapons shot an enemy aircraft out of the air. 

Despite their losses, the Japanese bombers continued to move forward. Their goal was simple: drop their payload onto the enemy forces who were currently blocking the Imperial Japanese Army's path into the southern half of the island. As explosions rocked the aircraft, one of the airmen on board called out to the pilot, who had a determined expression on his face. 

"The enemy is too strong!"

At this point, the bombers had already dropped their bombs on three separate locations. The flames from the explosions spread across the area, causing massive damage to everything around it. However, despite the losses they sustained, the Japanese pilots still had enough fuel in the tanks to make another round. Despite this, it would appear to the crew onboard the plane were convinced that they would not survive their next attempt. 

"Our losses are far too high! We're going down for sure!"

Irritated by the negative comments made by his crew, the pilot cursed back to them in an attempt to gain some much needed silence.

"Will you shut up already!?!"

After saying this, he steered the aircraft further towards the next target, which was a rather large bunker complex. Inside this fortification were several flak guns, artillery pieces, and anti-tank guns. If they managed to succeed in this next attempt, then the battle was sure to shift into Japan's favor. With an eager expression on his face, the pilot yelled out to his crew the command which would earn them great prestige. 

"Bombs away!"

With this said, and the pull of a lever, several large bombs fell out of the hatch, dropping down onto the unsuspecting targets below. The explosions echoed in the air, and the flames engulfed the fort's defenders. Nothing could have possibly survived such destruction. Upon realizing this, the flight crew broke out into cheers as they turned their plane around and headed back to the Japanese Airbase located in the southern Philippines. 

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While the Japanese Air Force continued to bomb the Majapahit Empire's fortifications into ruin, the Imperial Japanese Army was on full march. Two armored divisions had been deployed to Borneo in the wake of the cholera outbreak. 

The disease continued to spread and ravage the ranks of the Japanese Army and in doing so morale continued to suffer. Although Itami had reached an agreement with the Kaiser for his planes to remain outside of Borneo's skies. He had already conducted an operation which had caused significant effect on Japan's forces.

Tens of thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands of propaganda fliers had been dropped into northern Borneo, written in the japanese language, as well as Korean, and several fillipinno languages. These leaflets warned the Japanese conscripts to surrender willingly, for the real enemy was stationed behind them.

This had caused a growing sense of unrest among the Imperial Japanese Army, many of which were from recently conquered lands, and who had been forced into service at the barrel of a gun. There was no love or loyalty for the Japanese Mainland for these men, nor did they care much for their new empress. 

However, despite the effects that these propaganda posters had on the Imperial Japanese Army's morale, they had continued to march forward and into machine gun fire. In the ongoing battle, these cultists sat back and only acted when their own men had begun to flee. 

However, as they sprayed their submachine guns onto the fleeing conscripts, and riddled their bodies with bloody holes, something interesting happened. Mortar shells fired upon the cultists, from where they did not know. However, the explosions had begun to blast these barrier troops into mincemeat.  Those who were not killed by mortars were quickly taken out by sniper fire. 

Eventually, the Japanese Conscripts realized what was happening behind them. If they moved forward, they would be walking into a minefield, and perhaps if they were lucky gunned down by a machine gun. However, now an opportunity had emerged for them to escape from their predicament. 

The cultists of the war goddess were being assassinated left and right, and this might be their only chance to escape with their lives intact. Yet nobody dared move, as they hid behind their cover, trying not to get killed by the island's defenders.

In the end, one man dropped his rifle, and ran off into the distance, fleeing the scene while laughing like a madman. Once he had done so, another man followed in his steps, and then another, and finally entire units were abandoning their military equipment in the mud before running off into the jungle away from friend and foe alike. 

The Majapahit troops gazed in awe as thousands of men abandoned their duties and fled the battlefield. Some of them even forgot to fire upon the enemies, who still remained. In the end, over ten thousand men deserted the battlefield, leaving only those from the Japanese mainland behind to fight. 

However, these men had much more resolve to fight than the conscripts, and thus during the bewildering scene they had boldly advanced forward into the enemy's defenses without fear for their lives. 

Many of them stumbled upon land mines and were torn apart by the vicious weapons. While other were hit by machine gun, or rifle fire. Still, this did not deter the Japanese advance. With the banner of the rising sun in hand, a Japanese soldier stormed through the minefield and somehow miraculously made his way into the Majapahit trench line, where he was quickly gunned down by the defenders.

However, as he kneel on the ground, the life fading from his eyes, he used the last bit of his strength to stake the banner into the ground, as a guide for his comrades to follow. Soon thereafter, thousands of Japanese soldiers poured through the minefields, and into the enemy trenches with rifles and bayonets at hand. 

They fired their shots into the bodies of the Majapahit Defenders, and with a zealous warcry slayed any man who was not Japanese. 

"Tennoheika Banzai!"

The battle raged, and the Majapahit defenders stood their ground, knowing that if they lost this battle, then the gateway to the south would be breached, and it would not be long before the Japanese took the island of Borneo as their own.

With every ounce of their strength, and pride, the Majapahit defenders continued to fire their rifles and machine guns into the advancing ranks of the Japanese. When the enemy came at them with their bayonets, they met them in kind. 

The echo of machine guns resounded in the air, as the Majapahit defenders struggled not to drown in the mud of their trenches. Meanwhile the Japanese continued to pour through the minefield, explsions occurring with every few steps. As if completly unphased by the prospect of death. 

Though the bulk of their army had deserted, these men were true believers in the Empire, and they would gladly give their life for their homeland. After all, when compared with the rest of Asia, Japan was the most advanced state in the east. That was something which these men took great pride in. 

With the trenchline invaded by the enemy, the Majapahit defenders tried their best to drive out the Japanese, but to no avail. Before long, the last Majapahit soldier fell to the blade of a Japanese officer. Where the banners of the rising sun were raised over the trench line, symbolizing the Japanese victory.

On this day, the Imperial Japanese Army had broken through their greatest barrier on the way to the south. However, they had also faced mass desertions, something which would force Empress Itami Riyo to reevaluate her position when it came to making use of foreign conscripts. 

In the coming days, the Majapahit guerillas would begin attacking the cultists in the rear lines. In doing so, they would cause chaos and panic on the battlefield as the Japanese struggled to maintain their ranks. However, this would do little to stem the tide of the Japanese invasion. 

As a result of losing half of Borneo, the Majapahit King would send another 100,000 men to reinforce their position in the south. Forcing Empress Itami Riyo to respond in kind. Though the Japanese had succeeded in breaking through the southern half of the island, they would soon find that the war for Borneo was far from over. 

Naturally, Germany would do everything in their power to make the lives of the Japanese soldiers as miserable as possible. However, ultimately their goal was not to retake Borneo for the Majapahit Empire, but rather force Empress Itami to bleed as much manpower and resources into the conflict. For the Kaiser knew that the true war was just on the horizon. 

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