At the end of September 1915, there were rumbling gunfires on the South Japan Sea, and the smoke of gunpowder was blew. Even the sky was stained with a light gray by a large amount of coal smoke.

On the undulating sea, nearly 70 large and small battleships were sent into four columns, the southernmost one almost concentrated the essence of the Japanese Navy - Shezin, Hanoi, Satsuma, Anyun, Kato, Kashima, Asahi, Mikasa and Shikishima. The first four of these nine battleships were new ships that were put into service after 1912. Although Asahi, Mikasa and Shikishima were old warships launched around 1900, they were still the quasi-main battleships of the Japanese Navy before the Fuso-class battleships were put into service.

"Target, 12,000 yards in the left front of the fleet! Three shots were ready for volleys!"

The signal rose from the flagship Mikasa, the first team. After a while, the entire sea surface vibrated in the huge fleet's volley. White smoke was floating, and even more deafening explosions came from afar. After the first shooting, the main turrets of each ship were busy. The gunners shouted horns, and packs of fired medicine and heavy shells were transported to the deck of the artillery through the bomb lifter, and then transported to the cannon by carts, and finally loaded by manpower. Therefore, the main guns of these battleships did not fire more than 10 rounds per minute.

As time went by, warships began to raise signal flags to complete loading. The first to complete this round of ammunition was the Satsuma and Anyi. These two ships were once the pride of Japanese citizens. First, they were built in Japan. Secondly, when they started construction, they were known as the largest battleship in the world, with a standard displacement of 19,800 tons. They were originally designed as warships using unified caliber main guns, but unfortunately, Japan's naval gun manufacturing technology was limited, and the large-caliber naval guns needed were imported from the UK. Later, due to insufficient financial resources, the two battleships did not get enough 12-inch (305 mm) naval guns when they were built, and they had to mix 12-inch first-class main guns and 10-inch (254 mm) second-class main guns, so the Satsuma class was also a semi-dreadnought or quasi-dreadnought.

Immediately afterwards, the three ships "Asakura", "Mikasa" and "Qijima" were also loaded. These three old battleships that had made great achievements were also equipped with four 305mm naval guns, but as time goes by, their firepower, armor and speed are lagging behind the times. What is about to replace them is the latest Fuso-class battleship, and the first ship "Fusang" will also become the largest and strongest battleship in the world today.

Subsequently, the "Kataka" and "Katami" completed the loading. The two warships ordered from Britain followed the consistent design ideas and techniques of British battleships, with a displacement of 16,000 tons. The first-class main gun was two twin-mounted 305mm naval guns. The second-class main gun was four twin-mounted 254mm main guns, which were put into service in 1906, and therefore failed to catch up with the Russo-Japanese War.

Finally, the signal flags for loading were also raised on the "Shejin" and "Hanoi". These two ships are the two newest ships among the current battleships of the Japanese Navy, and are also considered by many to be the first-class dreadnought in the Japanese Navy. However, according to the standard definition of the dreadnought, the Hanoi class, which has a 50-diameter 12-inch Max X1 main gun and a 45-diameter 12-inch Max X-type main gun, is still not a real daringo class battleship, which is naturally the reason why the Japanese government has limited financial resources. In terms of the arrangement of the main turrets, the Inner River class, like the "Nassau" class and the "Helgolan" class in Germany, uses a double-equipped turret on the front and rear center lines, and two double-equipped turrets on the left and right sides to ensure that 8 main guns on each side open fire at the same time.

One minute later, the Mikasa issued a shooting signal again. In just a few seconds, 44 305mm and 16 254mm main guns rushed to shoot at its starboard side. More than 10,000 yards from other places quickly rose a long line of water columns. The target ships were immediately hidden in the smoke and water splashes.

After repeating this again, another signal flag was raised on the mast of the Mikasa:

"All the targets were sunk! Victory!"

The entire fleet was almost cheering, carrying many VIP guests "King Kong" who came to watch the exercises. The number was no exception. The applause was warm in the command room, and even the deputy commander of the Russian Pacific Fleet, Igakinf, reluctantly applauded. Ten years ago, the Russian fleet was almost wiped out. It is undeniable that in addition to being caught off guard by the Japanese, the huge gap in artillery between the two sides was a very critical factor.

Amid the congratulations, Marshal Hirahachiro, the commander of the joint fleet, kept waved to everyone. Another veteran of the Japanese Navy, the navy general, the former Prime Minister of the Cabinet, Yamamoto Takuoe, who participated in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and Russo-Japanese War, was also blushed. He asked his allies from Germany with pride:

"General, how do our shooting skills compare to your navy?"

“All first class!”

General Spee answered this question very cleverly, but Akinf looked embarrassed not far away. According to the latest naval rankings of various countries, Germany, Austro-Hungary and Japan ranked in the top three in terms of total tonnage and quantity of ships, followed by the United States and Russia. Although they can rank fifth in the world, this fifth in the Russian Navy was only ranked after Britain, France and Italy were defeated. In fact, the current strength of the Russian Navy is only compared with Germany, Austria, Japan and the United States.

It can be described as cold. The naval revival plan is still far away, and the once extremely powerful Pacific Fleet is only four cruisers and some auxiliary ships that survived the Russo-Japanese War. Fortunately, after the Japanese government "joined the alliance", it will return the old battleship "Laporta", "Peresvet" and the light cruiser "Varyag" seized in the Russo-Japanese War, which prevents the Russians from completely neglecting it.

"Oh! First-class plus first-class, our joint fleet will be invincible!"

Yamamoto said this and glanced at the sea not far away. It was the backbone of the combined fleet - the armored cruiser column, including the famous "Santhoma", "Ibuki", "Tsukuba", "Izuma", "Izuma", "Izuma", "Hikazu", "Hikazu", "Yaomo", "My Wife", "Asama", "Takaba", "Izuma", and "Izuma" twelve ships, plus the three ships "Scharnhorst", "Gneisenau" and "Leipzig" of the German Pacific Fleet, as well as the three ships "Ascott", "Boylin" and "Degigot" of the Russian Pacific Fleet, a total of eighteen ships.

Among these ships, the strongest combat power is the Tsukuba-class cruisers Tsukuba and Ikoma equipped with four 305mm main guns, as well as 14,600 tons of water displacement, and also equipped with four 305mm main guns but faster speeds. These four ships were listed as armored cruisers when they were built, but were listed as first-class battle cruisers by the Japanese Navy because they were equipped with the double-equipped 305mm naval guns used by the battleships. However, compared with the British and German battlecruisers, these four battleships are far from the speed and firepower.

Except for the four Tsukuba-class and the Osmanthus-class, the combat power of the other 14 warships is almost the same. They are equipped with 254mm or 203mm naval guns, and their speed is roughly around 20 knots. In terms of tonnage, only the German "Schernhorst" and "Gneisenau" are slightly heavier. Both ships are 11,600 tons, Yakumo, Asama, Tobaba, Izumo, and Iron Hand are both 9,700 tons, and the "My Wife" is 9,300 tons. Only three Russian ships are slightly inferior in size and tonnage.

"The maneuver and combat power of such an armored cruiser fleet cannot be underestimated in the world, let alone the Pacific region!"

On the other side of the armored cruiser fleet is the fast reconnaissance force in the joint fleet - the Light Cruise Fleet, together with the German light cruisers "Emden", "Nuremberg" and "Dressden", as well as the Russian protective cruiser "Diamond".

The 4th column in the joint fleet is a variety of auxiliary ships in the fleet, including the newly commissioned seaplane mothership of the Japanese Navy, the second seaplane mothership built by the Japanese Navy after the "Watumi Maru" was sunk by a German plane outside Jiaozhou Bay a year ago. It has a displacement of 2,400 tons and can carry 7 "rain" seaplanes. Since the start of the exercise, the seaplanes of the "Hati" have not stopped. They circled one after another over the fleet and assisted observation and calibration of the fleet's shelling.

"Gentlemen. The next shooting exercise is the Second Team!"

The Japanese officers responsible for explaining the situation said it in Japanese, German and Russian. The command room that was noisy just now was quiet and people observed the sea to the south through telescopes. Small gray dots could be seen at the end of the sea and sky. That was the target ship of the second team, namely the armored cruiser column, and seven or eight wooden fishing boats from North Korea or China.

Spee and Akinfu were not making a sound, and their expressions were far less expected than the Japanese generals and politicians present. The exercise effect was more of an ornamental nature and could not truly reflect the combat effectiveness of the fleet. Of course, the layman's viewing was just lively, and the ambassadors of various countries were trying hard to stare at the sea, fearing that they would miss a little exciting scene. The ambassador Betha Gino was no exception. However, since boarding the ship, the ambassador never gave a good face. The military officers and servants who accompanied him were all stern, as if the Japanese owed them money. The reason why the Japanese Navy invited Americans to watch the exercise this time was that the two countries had not yet broken up clearly at this time, and the Japanese government seemed to want to show its strength by the way, and at least regained some of the faces that they lost when they encountered the fleets on both sides outside Cliberton Island.

Boom...boom...

After a while, bursts of cannons resounded across the sea. This time the cannons were not as loud as the previous one but more densely. Every twenty seconds it was a sensation. It sounded quite rhythmic, and the explosions from the sea in the distance were like a wonderful symphony. When the cannons stopped and landed, the fate of those poor target ships naturally sank to the bottom of the sea. However, the warship was the most accurate, and the warship was off topic. The Japanese did not count, and the Germans and the Russians did not care about it. The three parties seemed very satisfied with this result!

After that, the light cruiser of the third team also conducted a shooting exercise, and the result was unsurprisingly "great victory", and the exercise was carried out in such a relaxed atmosphere.

That night, a celebration dinner was held on the Battlecruiser of the "King Kong", the Japanese. According to the Japanese, this warship with a displacement of 27,000 tons is currently the largest, strongest and fastest warship of the Japanese Navy. It is perfect to use such a warship to entertain VIPs.

Along with the Americans with a "stinky face", all the politicians and military officers from all over the country who came to watch the fleet exercises attended this completely luxurious dinner.

"First of all, on behalf of the Japanese government, I welcome you all, especially our noble German and Russian allies!"

The Japanese Navy Minister Saito Mitsu, wearing a white naval dress and holding a wine glass, began his uninnovative greetings, and the entire venue suddenly became quiet. At this time, the Germans, Russians, and Austro-Hungarian ambassadors occupied a corner, while the declining French and Italians stood a little by a little, and the middle was almost occupied by Japanese army, naval officers and politicians. In another corner, the Americans seemed a little lonely, and the whole world seemed to be enemies of them.

"The war has left us, and this is the most fortunate thing! Today, the three countries have united and gathered the most elite warships and naval officers and soldiers in the Far East here, to use our strength to maintain this peace for a long time! Anyone, anyone who dares to offend peace, will be punished the most severely! So, please enjoy this pleasant night with us!"

The applause was warm in the venue, but the short Japanese were all malfunctioning, and the big Europeans only received sparse applause.

"hypocritical!"

General Spee cursed softly, saying that such a union can ensure that the Three Kingdoms will not fight in the Far East, but it poses a great threat to the stability of the Pacific. At this time, I am afraid that the face of the US president will not be better than that of Berza Gino.

"Here, I want to tell you a good news. All 50 target ships in the exercise today were sunk! This is such a great result. Even our Emperor sent a congratulatory message!"

The applause at the venue became even more intense with the word "Emperor". Saito Mi also took out a telegram and read one of the passages seriously. Some Japanese intermediate naval officers present couldn't help but cry.

After the applause was slightly reduced, Saito Mi signaled everyone to calm down.

"In the next two weeks, the Joint Fleet will also conduct a series of drills, including fleet long-distance formation navigation and cross-strait shooting exercises, but because these drills are long and the process is monotonous, it will not waste everyone's precious time! The fleet will return to Yokohama Port to replenish fuel and food tomorrow. Now, I announce that our celebration dinner has officially begun!"

After a burst of "Long Live" cheers, most of the officers began to guide the food on the table, while the politicians walked around with their glasses, which seemed much busier than during the day.

"General, I wish you a smooth voyage!" German Ambassador to Japan Robert Ziller raised his glass.
Chapter completed!