"Boom!"
The deafening explosion simultaneously roused the coastal defense forces of the island nation.
Alarms blared throughout the military camp, and countless soldiers, clad only in loincloths, rushed out of their barracks and swarmed into their positions, ready to engage the enemy.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The German expeditionary fleet's battleships, slowly advancing through the Uraga Channel, began their relentless bombardment. Shells screamed through the air, slamming into the defensive positions of the island nation's forces.
"Boom!"
One shell landed in the midst of the coastal defense troops who had yet to reach the fortifications. A violent explosion tore through them, shredding numerous soldiers to pieces.
"Order all coastal artillery units to fire immediately!" the commander of the coastal defense forces bellowed, his eyes bloodshot.
Though the German fleet was overwhelmingly powerful, with massive battleships that could easily overwhelm the defenses, he knew he had no choice but to do everything in his power to prevent the fleet from entering Tokyo Bay. Failure to do so would result in dire consequences. If the Germans were allowed to carry out the same devastation in Tokyo as they had in other major cities, the island nation would be finished. As the commander, he knew that his only fate would be seppuku.
"Report immediately to Tokyo. The German fleet is forcing its way through the Uraga Channel. Our strength is limited, and it is difficult to stop them. We request naval support and urge Tokyo to prepare immediately!" the commander continued.
It was clear that once the German fleet passed through the Uraga Channel, Tokyo was within striking distance. With the fleet's speed, it would reach the city in under an hour, at which point they could reduce all of Tokyo to rubble with their overwhelming firepower.
"Boom! Boom!"
The island nation's coastal artillery began firing. Shells of all calibers rained down upon the German warships in the Uraga Channel.
Due to the close range, the hit rate was high. However, the firepower of the coastal guns was far too weak to penetrate the formidable armor of the German battleships.
"Boom!"
A 280mm shell struck the battleship Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm. However, it exploded before reaching the waterline armor, causing no damage to the ship.
Then, a 305mm shell hit the Friedrich Carl battleship, tearing a large hole in the deck and starting a fire. Yet, for such a massive ship, the damage was insignificant.
The German warships, with their massive 380mm shells, retaliated fiercely, suppressing the island nation's coastal defenses with their devastating firepower. The German shells had terrifying armor-piercing capabilities.
"Boom!"
A 380mm armor-piercing shell struck a coastal artillery position, where a two-meter-thick reinforced concrete layer withstood the impact. However, it was blasted away, leaving only a fraction of its former integrity. The shockwave from the explosion killed several coastal gunners inside.
Another shell soon followed, striking the already-damaged position. The artillery emplacement was completely obliterated in a violent explosion, reduced to nothing but rubble.
The battle was intense. The coastal gunners fired at full strength, unleashing a torrent of shells—305mm, 280mm, 203mm, 155mm, 105mm, and more. Over two hundred guns of various calibers fired in a frenzy, turning the Uraga Channel into a hell of flying shells and exploding water columns. It seemed as if the sea itself was boiling from the constant explosions.
In the midst of the chaos, several mines deployed by the island nation's navy were triggered, reducing the difficulty for the German fleet to pass through the channel.
Despite the constant barrage of fire from the coastal guns, the German ships remained largely unscathed. In contrast, the counterattacks from the German fleet were destroying the island's defenses. Larger caliber guns were protected within thick emplacements, suffering fewer losses. However, the smaller guns, often exposed, were quickly wiped out, diminishing the strength of the coastal forces.
Fifteen minutes later, the Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm, leading the fleet, had cleared the Uraga Channel and entered the open waters of Tokyo Bay. Upon entering the bay, the battleship immediately entered a state of heightened alert. The primary threat now was from the island nation's destroyers. While the Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm boasted formidable firepower and defense, it would be vulnerable to a concentrated torpedo attack from the destroyers.
Fortunately, the island's navy seemed slow to respond, and no enemy ships were detected when the Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm emerged from the channel.
The Friedrich Carl soon followed, entering Tokyo Bay to assist in defensive operations.
The Derfflinger, Lützow, and Hindenburg battleships also passed through the channel without sustaining significant damage, despite some blackened marks from shell explosions.
"General, the five battleships have successfully passed through the channel!" Rear Admiral Mauve reported excitedly.
"Excellent. Order the light cruisers and destroyers to proceed through the channel immediately. They must do so at full speed to avoid heavy losses from the coastal artillery!" Admiral Spee commanded.
Unlike the battleships, the light cruisers and destroyers did not possess such overwhelming defense. The island's coastal guns could easily sink them. The only way to minimize risk was to increase their speed. Fortunately, the German cruisers and destroyers could reach speeds over 30 knots, meaning they could clear the channel in just a few minutes.
Eight German light cruisers and destroyers surged into the channel, while the island nation's coastal artillery resumed its barrage. Though the larger caliber guns still posed a threat, many of the smaller guns had been destroyed, significantly reducing the threat to the German ships.