Northeast of the Okinawa Islands, a massive fleet was steaming south. It was the main force of the Island Nation Navy's Combined Fleet. At its center stood one aircraft carrier after another. This time, all eight of the Island Nation Navy's aircraft carriers had gathered here. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander of the Combined Fleet, regarded these carriers as the most important main force.
Beyond the eight aircraft carriers were the enormous Capital Ships. Twelve Battleships and four Battlecruisers—these were the fruits of more than twenty years of accumulation by the Island Nation Navy. Even during the economic crisis, they had tightened their belts to build these Capital Ships, allowing them to possess such a powerful fleet once more.
The Combined Fleet's flagship was the Battleship Kii, an enormous vessel with a full-load displacement exceeding 45,000 tons. It was equipped with five twin-mounted 45-caliber 410mm Main Guns and could reach a maximum speed of 29.75 knots. Before the Yamato-class Battleships entered service, it could be called the Island Nation Navy's most powerful Capital Ship, and one of the world's first-rate Capital Ships.
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto stood on the deck of the Battleship Kii. Though the sea wind blowing head-on was bitterly cold, it kept him clear-headed. He had to admit that commanding such a powerful fleet gave him a feeling of floating on air. After all, the fleet under his command was unquestionably the strongest fleet in Island Nation's history. It could even be said to be the strongest fleet in the entire Pacific Ocean region. If they could defeat the German Navy Pacific Fleet and Indian Ocean Fleet in this battle, the Island Nation Navy would be able to dominate the Pacific Ocean and even extend its sphere of influence into the Indian Ocean.
It was precisely because of this