On the heavy cruiser Tone, Rear Admiral Ryūzaki Ryūkichi wore a grave expression. As the former captain of this heavy cruiser and the Commander of this naval warship formation, the responsibility on his shoulders was undoubtedly immense. Not only did he have to protect these utterly defenseless transport ships, but he also had to provide fire support for the landing forces at daybreak tomorrow.
To Rear Admiral Ryūzaki Ryūkichi, this was practically an impossible task. After all, the fleet under his command was simply too weak. Tasks that should have been carried out by Capital Ships had now been handed to heavy cruisers like theirs. It was truly asking a man to carry a burden beyond his strength.
Of course, the Island Nation Navy had suffered grievous losses in the previous naval battles, and there were not many Capital Ships left. This made them reluctant to risk the remaining Capital Ships any further.
"General, there are too many transport ships to protect. If the German Navy truly enters the Sulu Sea, I'm afraid we'll find it difficult to hold them off!" said Colonel Ōnishi Shinzō, captain of the heavy cruiser Tone.
"I know! But what can we do? Didn't the Air Corps' earlier reconnaissance report that there was no German fleet in the Sulu Sea? All we can do now is pray to Amaterasu Omikami—pray that this operation does not run into German warships," Rear Admiral Ryūzaki Ryūkichi said helplessly.
Colonel Ōnishi Shinzō was equally helpless. Their fleet was far too weak. The Germans only needed to send a few Capital Ships or heavy cruisers to wipe them out in one sweep.
However, what Rear Admiral Ryūzaki Ryūkichi and the others did not know was that the German Navy had indeed deployed no warships in the Sulu Sea. These waters