Eva-Beatrice

@Harold_Duighan You're still able to participate, just so you know. Just know that you need to link your expansion post in this thread with your claim.

Current map as of 6/20/2020

This post contains information on the nations of East Asia that previously made up Rokkenjima. It will continue to be updated as more information becomes known. -------------------------------------------------- Mariage Sorciere Ruled by: The Witch Council Capital City: Tokyo Population: 177,379,912 Currency: Yen Land Area: 172,839.2 mi² The nation known as Mariage Sorciere (meaning "Married Witches" in French) is home to the witch species following the breakup of Rokkenjima. Its territory spans from the Kuril Islands in the northeast to Taiwan in the southwest, including the entirety of Japan as well as the city of Shanghai and its surrounding area. The country shares a land border with the Human Alliance in eastern China, a naval border with the Human Alliance in the East China Sea and Sea of Japan, a naval border with the Demon Army in the Sea of Japan, and a naval border with the Shiki Tribes in the Sea of Okhotsk. Following the breakup of Rokkenjima, the Witch Council would remain the country's governing body. At the beginning of the conflict, the military of Mariage Sorciere was only a quarter of what Rokkenjima's had been, but quickly grew to its previous size. Armed Forces of Mariage Sorciere Army: 100,000 soldiers - $34.8 billion 5,000 anti-tank soldiers - $2 billion 2,520 ZTS tanks - $25.2 billion 500 support artillery - $2.5 billion 550 anti-air - $2.75 billion Army Total: $67.25 billion ------------------------------- Air Force: 400 Dream End Jets - $20 billion 35 Dream End Airships (5 fleets) - $5.25 billion 1 Dream End Carrier (airborne aircraft carriers) - $25 billion Air Force Total: $50.25 billion ------------------------------- Navy: 4 Aura-Class Cruisers - $50 billion 3 Aura-Class Frigate - $22.5 billion 2 Aura-Class Corvettes - $8 billion 3 Aura-Class Transport Ship - $12 billion 4 Aura-Class Submarines - $40 billion Navy Total: $132.5 billion ------------------------------- Total Military Budget: $250 billion Human Alliance Ruled by: Human Alliance Armed Forces Capital City: Seoul Population: 51,268,056 Currency: Yen Land Area: 38,691 mi² The Human Alliance is home to the human species following the breakup of Rokkenjima. Its territory consists of the entirety of South Korea, as well as southern Shandong province and northern Jiangsu province in eastern China. The country shares a land border with Mariage Sorciere in eastern China, a naval border with Mariage Sorciere in the East China Sea and Sea of Japan, and a land border with the Demon Army in Korea and Shandong province in eastern China. The Human Alliance is under military rule with General Esdeath, the Jaegers, and Night Raid at the forefront. Following the breakup of Rokkenjima, the country's military was a quarter of what Rokkenjima's had been, with the former nation's navy being split between the newly formed Human Alliance and Mariage Sorciere. Soon enough, however, its military would be built up to pre-breakup numbers. Human Alliance Armed Forces Army: 100,000 soldiers - $34.8 billion 5,000 anti-tank soldiers - $2 billion 2,520 ZTS tanks - $25.2 billion 500 support artillery - $2.5 billion 550 anti-air - $2.75 billion Army Total: $67.25 billion ------------------------------- Air Force: 400 Dream End Jets - $20 billion 35 Dream End Airships (5 fleets) - $5.25 billion Air Force Total: $25.25 billion ------------------------------- Navy: 4 Aura-Class Cruisers - $50 billion 3 Aura-Class Frigate - $22.5 billion 2 Aura-Class Corvettes - $8 billion 3 Aura-Class Transport Ship - $12 billion 4 Aura-Class Submarines - $40 billion Navy Total: $132.5 billion ------------------------------- Total Military Budget: $225 billion Vampiria Ruled by: Unknown Capital City: Beijing Population: 246,588,221 Currency: Yen Land Area: 846,412.71 mi² The nation of Vampiria is home to the vampire species following the breakup of Rokkenjima. Its territory consists of the Chinese provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Beijing, and Tianjin, as well as the outskirts of Gansu and Xinjiang. The country shares a land border with the Shiki Tribes in eastern Manchuria/Russia, a land border with the Demon Army in eastern China and Manchuria/North Korea, and a naval border with the Demon Army in the Yellow Sea. The leader of Vampiria is not yet known, being founded by the general vampire population in the area. At the beginning of the conflict, Vampiria's military was a quarter of what Rokkenjima's had been, but due to its overwhelming manpower and production capabilities, quickly grew back to full strength. Vampiria Armed Forces Army: 100,000 soldiers - $34.8 billion 5,000 anti-tank soldiers - $2 billion 2,520 ZTS tanks - $25.2 billion 500 support artillery - $2.5 billion 550 anti-air - $2.75 billion Army Total: $67.25 billion ------------------------------- Air Force: 400 Dream End Jets - $20 billion 35 Dream End Airships (5 fleets) - $5.25 billion Air Force Total: $25.25 billion ------------------------------- Navy: 4 Aura-Class Cruisers - $50 billion 3 Aura-Class Frigate - $22.5 billion 2 Aura-Class Corvettes - $8 billion 3 Aura-Class Transport Ship - $12 billion 4 Aura-Class Submarines - $40 billion Navy Total: $132.5 billion ------------------------------- Total Military Budget: $225 billion Demon Army Ruled by: King Satan Capital City: Pyongyang Population: 25,775,920 Currency: Yen Land Area: 46,540 mi² The territory of the Demon Army is home to the demon species following the breakup of Rokkenjima. Its territory consists of the entirety of North Korea, as well as most of the Chinese province of Shandong. The country shares a land border with Vampiria in eastern China and North Korea/Manchuria, a naval border with Vampiria in the Yellow Sea, a land border with the Shiki Tribes in North Korea/Russia, a naval border with the Shiki Tribes in the Sea of Japan, a land border with the Human Alliance in Korea and eastern China, a naval border with the Human Alliance in the Yellow Sea and Sea of Japan, and a naval border with Mariage Sorciere in the Sea of Japan. The leader of the Demon Army is King Satan. Along with his demon generals, Alciel and Lucifer, they previously commanded most of the defunct Rokkenjima Armed Forces. At the beginning of the conflict, the Demon Army's military was a quarter of what Rokkenjima's had been, but soon grew back to full strength. The Demon Army Army: 100,000 soldiers - $34.8 billion 5,000 anti-tank soldiers - $2 billion 2,520 ZTS tanks - $25.2 billion 500 support artillery - $2.5 billion 550 anti-air - $2.75 billion Army Total: $67.25 billion ------------------------------- Air Force: 400 Dream End Jets - $20 billion 35 Dream End Airships (5 fleets) - $5.25 billion Air Force Total: $25.25 billion ------------------------------- Navy: 4 Aura-Class Cruisers - $50 billion 3 Aura-Class Frigate - $22.5 billion 2 Aura-Class Corvettes - $8 billion 3 Aura-Class Transport Ship - $12 billion 4 Aura-Class Submarines - $40 billion Navy Total: $132.5 billion ------------------------------- Total Military Budget: $225 billion Republic of Hong Kong and Macau Ruled by: Willard H. Wright Capital City: Hong Kong and Macau Population: 8,144,530 Currency: Yen Land Area: 471.52 mi² The Republic of Hong Kong and Macau is a neutral city-state located in southeastern China. It doesn't share a border with the other nations included in this post, only bordering the People's Republic of China. The governor of the Republic is Willard H. Wright, sent by the Great Court of Heaven to protect Rokkenjima's refugees who wished to remain neutral in the ensuing conflict. The city-state doesn't have an active military, only possessing a few Rokkenjiman cruisers to be used for self defense purposes. It is also protected by a couple Britannian cruisers, which decided to stay after fleeing from the former Japanese-Britannian territory known as the Mt. Fuji district. Armed Forces of the Republic of Hong Kong and Macau Navy: 3 Aura-Class Cruisers - $37.5 billion Navy Total: $37.5 billion Shiki Tribes Ruled by: The Kirishiki family Capital city: Vladivostok Population: 3,731,520 Currency: Yen Land Area: ~97,700 mi² The Shiki Tribes is home to the Shiki species following the breakup of Rokkenjima. Its territory consists of the island of Sakhalin, Primorsky Krai, and Khabarovsk Krai south of the Amur River. The country shares a land border with Vampiria in Manchuria/Russia, a land border with the Demon Army in Russia/North Korea, a naval border with the Demon Army in the Sea of Japan, and a naval border with Mariage Sorciere in the Sea of Okhotsk. The rulers of the Shiki Tribes are the Kirishiki family, with Sunako Kirishiki being the family head. The territory doesn't posses a formal military. Due to the biological nature of the Shiki, they are unable to maintain consciousness during the day, which is why their existence is kept secret. They are currently seeking out allies for their own protection, with their neighbors in Vampiria being the most likely candidates.

Current map as of 6/19/2020

With the formation of Mariage Sorciere, the Human Alliance, the Shiki Tribes, Vampiria, and the neutral Republic of Hong Kong and Macau, only one remained. In the territory of North Korea, as well as areas of the Chinese provinces of Heibei and Shandong, the demons gathered. Previously, the Devil's Castle, which towered over the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, served as the central base of operations of the Rokkenjima Armed Forces. Commander Satan Jacob, along with his demon generals Alciel and Lucifer, led almost the entirety of Rokkenjima's former military. Satan oversaw each military branch, while Alciel and Lucifer led the Army and Air Force respectively. Despite being the last to declare independence, the demons were no pushovers, and possessed the military prowess to stand toe-to-toe with the other nations. Once word had reached the demon territories of the formation of the other nations, large crowds gathered in Pyongyang with the expectation that Satan would soon make a similar announcement. Two days after the formation of Vampiria, Satan would address his people. With Alciel and Lucifer by his side, he stepped out onto the balcony of the Devil's Castle. He stomped his foot, commanding the attention of the crowd present. "Let us cut to the chase. I am quite positive you are all aware of the countries popping up around us. The situation we find ourselves in is not too dissimilar to our days in Ente Isla. One of the differences this time is the addition of other species. To the south, we share our border with the humans! To the north, we share our border with the vampires! To the east, the witches reign over Japan! To the west, what remains of the Communists! Once again, we find ourselves surrounded by enemies on all sides. So once again, we must take the initiative! We are the mighty Demon Army, and the time has come to spread our influence across the Earth! As for the second and final difference, this time, we will reign supreme!" A thunderous roar erupted across the capital as the demons let their battle cries be heard. The large flag of the newly formed Demon Army was hung from the balcony, easy to see from across the capital.

As the Israeli fleet sailed through the South China Sea, they would soon take notice of a blockade put in place by the newly formed Mariage Sorciere navy. The southern coast of China, from Vietnam to the Taiwan Strait, was now closed off. Any ships attempting to pass would be fired upon.

The morning following the annexation of the Mt. Fuji District... After many hours of aircraft pouring water over the district's burning cities, the fires had finally been extinguished. The vampires had vanished, although they had made sure their presence was known. The witches who had invaded the district were gathered at the base of Mt. Fuji. The members of the Witch Council were also present, with Eva-Beatrice preparing to address the witches across Japan. RNN camera crews were on the scene, taking pictures and ready to broadcast her message. "To the witches of Rokkenjima, I address this message! The last couple of days have been trying for all of us, but today, our species has taken a major step forward. I speak for the Witch Council, and assuredly the rest of the country, when I extend our greatest thanks to the brave ladies who fought to successfully take back the area previously known as the Mt. Fuji District. As you know, this territory had been under the occupation of the Holy Britannian Empire for months. That has all changed today, as we integrate this land back into Shizuoka Prefecture. As the dust has settled, we have confirmed that 34 of our own were lost during the attacks, fifteen of which falling to the Britannians. These heroes will be laid to rest at the base of the great Mt. Fuji later today. As for Britannian casualties, we have confirmed 200. What does this mean for us moving forward? Up until now, we have experienced great unity as a nation, but the other species have shown their true colors today. With their souls poisoned by greed, blinded by the possibility of seizing power for themselves, they turned on each other. They attacked anyone who wasn't a member of their species, including us. These traitors have chosen their own fates. As they move to form their own countries, we too form our own. As of today, we are once again Mariage Sorciere." "The territories of Shanghai, Taiwan, and the islands of Japan join together to fly our banner. We will not take the actions of the last couple days lying down. Mariage Sorciere officially declares war on any newly formed country that's played a role in the breakup of Rokkenjima! Our very own Medusa has informed us of last night's vampire attack during the invasion of Fuji." Medusa was sitting off to the side. She grunted, holding her shoulder as she rotated and stretched her reattached arm which had been severed by Krul earlier. Eva continued. "These vampires, predicted to be under the command of Krul Tepes, are hiding out right here in Japan. We will not rest until each and every one of them have been exterminated! And to the rest of the world, we issue a warning. Do not attempt to interfere in our conflict. If you do, you will only be met with serious consequences." With that, Eva and the Council turned to make their leave. The broadcast ended with the cheering of the group of witches present. After scouting out the damage to the surrounding area, and ordering the witches present to begin rebuilding with magic, the Witch Council returned to Tokyo. They glanced out at Tokyo Bay, noticing a single foreign container ship sailing into their waters.

Upon arriving in Hong Kong, they took notice of an additional flag waving in the wind beside the city's usual flag. It appeared as if the emblems of Hong Kong and Macau had been combined, with a white background to represent the cities' neutrality in the conflict. The stars that were normally present in each emblem were notably absent, as they were displayed to represent mainland China. The ships had docked and begun unloading the weary refugees, who were relieved to have finally arrived in one piece. Some members of the city's council had arrived at the docks to meet with Will and Kei. They proceeded to explain that once news of the violent protests had reached the city, the councils of Hong Kong and Macau held an emergency meeting to ensure that order in the territory would be maintained. They came to the decision to secede from the collapsing Rokkenjima and form the neutral Republic of Hong Kong and Macau, despite the fear of forceful annexation from mainland China. The newly formed Republic had no military, with the exception of a few Rokkenjiman naval vessels, which would be used for self defense. They also explained how they were informed of Willard's arrival, and asked him if he would accept the position of Governor of the Republic. Will closed his eyes and exhaled, thinking it over for a moment. He opened his eyes upon coming to a decision. "I suppose I'll accept, however, it is currently uncertain how long I will remain here. Once this conflict has blown over, I will be taking my leave." Will looked over at Kei, who seemed to have something to say.

Making a dash to the docks, the two had finally boarded the final ship. With everyone aboard, they could finally depart. The last they saw of the Mt. Fuji district, and Japan as a whole, was the burning city of Fuji behind them as they set sail. It would take a few days to arrive in Hong Kong. During that time, the news would spread of the formation of the Human Alliance and Vampiria, soon to be joined by two more.

Willard and the governor began their dash toward the docks. Any vampires encountered along the way were cut down with a strike from Will's sword. After several minutes, they had finally arrived at the docks. Explosions could be heard all around them, coming from the remaining Britannian howitzers. In the same direction they fired, however, came counterstrikes from the witches' howitzers. They struck several points around the city of Fuji, some even close to the docks. One explosion went off in the water, dangerously close to the Britannian ships, causing the ships to slam into the side of the docks. Additionally, a sizeable wave crashed on shore, easily picking up those who were standing there and slamming some into small buildings. Among those swept off their feet were the governor, Willard, Krul, and Medusa. The wave was enough to interrupt their fight for the time being. As the governor and Will rose to their feet, Medusa did as well. She shifted her focus to the pair, dashing at them with murderous intent. "I won't let you escape!" Will took a stance, his sword at the ready. Suddenly, however, Medusa let out a scream and fell to her knees. She was clutching her right arm, which had just been severed by a surprise strike from Krul. Krul was prepared to finish off Medusa right there until her heightened sense of hearing noticed a loud rumble. It took a few extra moments for the others to hear it, finally noticing when the ground began to shake slightly. Medusa simply grinned, knowing exactly what was coming. Krul knew she should take the extra few moments she had to gather her forces and withdraw. After glancing over at the governor and Will, she turned her back and dashed away. At some point, Medusa's body had transformed into snakes and slithered away. Will pulled the governor by the arm. "We're out of time. We have to leave right now. Tell everyone to get aboard the ships. I believe the witches are finally sending in their aircraft..."

Current map as of 6/14/2020

It was now around 3 in the morning. The witches were now engaging groups of vampires all over the district. In Fuji, the fighting never let up between the vampires' leader and Medusa. They traded blows, each of them seemingly evenly matched. The vampire's name was Krul Tepes, and she was recognized as one of the possible candidates for leader of the vampires by the Witch Council. At some point during the fight, however, Medusa realized something. "The fact that this girl is here as opposed to China must mean she's not affiliated with them." She thought to herself. As Medusa jumped back to avoid an attack, Krul swung her arm upward, creating a large fissure in the ground that shook the surrounding area. Medusa narrowly avoided the attack, taking a breather as she glared in Krul's direction. Their continued fighting only contributed to the rising tension and fear of the civilians on the ships. Meanwhile, the remaining Britannian forces began to converge in the city of Fuji. Although the witches had yet to reach the city, the Britannians weren't safe from vampire attacks. Almost as soon as they arrived, they immediately came under attack from the creatures. The vampires rushed the Britannians. Their lack of fear was backed up by their immortality, although still vulnerable to a vampire's usual weaknesses. As the sounds of war filled the city, Willard had finally located the district's governor. "Hey! We have to get moving now! The ships are ready to leave and enemy forces are at the docks."

With the artillery located in Fujiyoshida likely destroyed or almost destroyed, the next to target would be the artillery that was located in Susono. The witches who had arrived in Gotemba and Susono took notice of the unusually low number of soldiers present. With the projections locating these soldiers, and the subsequent firing of flares and artillery strikes, it was decided to continue using the expendable projections until the remaining Britannian forces were wiped out. Once Gotemba and Susono were secured, the next objectives would be to locate and destroy the remaining Britannian artillery, and make a push south to surround Numazu. To the southwest of Susono, a group of snakes was quickly slithering their way through the wilderness. At some point, they came across the Britannian artillery that had previously been located in Susono. The snakes then began to multiply, into what must have been at least 100. Collectively, they struck the Britannian soldiers in the area, injecting a powerful venom through bites on their legs. Some of the snakes were shot, but it didn't stop more from appearing. They slithered through the tiniest openings in the artillery, attacking the soldiers inside the vehicles as well. After several minutes, the area went quiet. The snakes gathered once more and continued their way south. Although located along the western border of the district, the cities of Fujinomiya and Fuji weren't spared from the earlier artillery strikes. Many of the buildings had been destroyed, and multiple areas of the cities were burning. It was here, as well as many other areas along the district's western border, that a large force separate from the witches crossed the border. While the Britannians were most focused on defending the eastern border, they made their move. They infiltrated the district, attacking anyone they encountered and quickly moved on. They were vampires, and it didn't take long before they secured the western side of the district. Not too much later, as the witches in Gotemba and Susono began to move south to Numazu, the group of snakes had arrived in Fuji. They approached the area of the docks, and began to transform. It was the witch known as Medusa Gorgon who had just taken her humanoid form. Willard noticed the presence of the witch right away, drawing his sword and preparing to fight. The governor of the Mt. Fuji district wasn't far, and the last of the ships were ready to leave. Medusa chuckled, slowly approaching the docks. As she was, a group of vampires appeared from the west, led by their leader - a short girl with long pink hair and red eyes. Will glared between each of them as the witch and the vampire turned their attention to each other. Not a single word was spoken between the two as they each began to attack the other. The fighting was intense right from the start, indicating that the two of them were among the most powerful of their respective species. As they continued fighting near the docks, another clash would soon begin in Numazu. The Britannians were sandwiched between witches on both sides, as well as a group of vampires approaching from the west. Any question of allegiance in the Britannians' minds was soon answered as the witches and vampires started fighting with each other, while they were caught right in the middle. Back in Fuji, while each side was distracted with each other, Will had slipped past them to find the governor as fast as possible.

With the Britannian forces in the north falling back into the city of Fujiyoshida, the group of 300 witches sent to capture the city quietly secured the neighboring, unguarded village of Oshino. They proceeded on, before arriving at a point overlooking the city. It was here where they would set up their main base. Should they be discovered, they could easily flee back into the mountain and possibly lure the Britannians into a vulnerable position. Similar to the previous groups, none of the witches here possessed the ability to create bulletproof shields. However, instead of rushing in, a couple hundred would take shelter in the road tunnel and create projections of themselves to explore the city on foot. These projections would simply be tasked with locating the Britannian forces within the city, at which point a signal would be fired to let the remaining 100 witches know where to target with long-distance magical attacks. The projections could not be used to kill, and would be destroyed if struck or if their host was attacked. Despite being projections, however, they would still appear and sound as if they're the real thing. With the plan in place, the attack began. Meanwhile, in the city of Gotemba, the group of 300 sent south would execute a similar attack. This time, however, the group would split up. 150 witches were tasked with distracting the Britannian force in Gotemba while the other 150 continued even further south to Susono. Upon arrival, the real attacks on these cities would begin, using the same tactics as the group in Fujiyoshida. Finally, even further south along the Numazu-Mishima border, the witches suddenly stormed the border with overwhelming numbers. The first wave, of course, were also projections. They were sent in to take hits while making the Britannians waste large amounts of ammunition in the process. Once the Britannians would start to realize they weren't real, real ones would be sent forward, mixed in with the projections. With the real witches able to attack and inflict damage, it was the hope of the forces in Mishima that the Britannians would be pushed back enough for them to safely repair any destroyed bridges with magic, allowing their armor to cross the border. Doing so would pose much risk to witches tasked with repairs, as they would be vulnerable while using their magic for this purpose. They would, however, still be backed up by witches and tanks located on the Mishima side of the border. While the forces sent across the border from the north were much smaller in number, those stationed in Mishima were estimated to be around 3,000. It would only be a matter of time before the numbers finally won out.

Yes

Let it be known that map claims require an accompanying post of at least a paragraph outside of the map thread. You could make a new topic or expand upon one of your older ones. Also, landlocked provinces are unable to be claimed unless you claim an adjacent province that borders a major, non-landlocked, body of water. (This would exclude the Caspian Sea, for example.) Additionally, keep in mind any obstacles that may prevent you from expanding to certain areas. Access to the Mediterranean Sea is basically controlled by two different nations, who may or may not deny access to your navy. There should be some interaction with other players as opposed to showing up once a month to claim. I recommend adjusting your numbers to be more reasonable. I doubt a country the size of Iceland could support two billion people. Other than that, be sure to create a post to get started.

Keep in mind, you need to make a post each month of at least a paragraph detailing expansion. This will count towards your June claim.

June claims:

With the capture of Inner Mongolia and Chinese military outposts in the region going dark, the People's Liberation Army started to take notice. The invading vampire army took a short break over the next day to allow for military assistance in the form of weapons, tanks, and aircraft to cross the border into occupied territory. With this, the vampires continued their blitz further into China, quickly securing the remainder of the country's northern border. They took full advantage of China's military unpreparedness to capture large amounts of land, as well as inflict as much damage as possible to key military bases. As a result of the division of Rokkenjima, the new nation of Vampiria has control over roughly a quarter of Rokkenjima's former military. This equates to about 25,000 soldiers (with an additional 1,250 possessing anti-tank weaponry), 630 ZTS tanks, 125 support artillery vehicles, 136 anti-air weapons, 8 Dream End Airships, and 100 Dream End Jets. The division of the former Rokkenjiman navy wasn't yet known. On top of this, the vampires had both the overwhelming manpower and manufacturing capabilities to quickly bolster their military forces. Before the Chinese had the opportunity to launch a large-scale counterattack, the Vampirian Air Force crossed the border from Inner Mongolia. They targeted the country's northernmost air force bases and barracks, with the goal of crippling Chinese airstrike capabilities, at least for the time being. Following the return of the striking aircraft, 3 Dream End Airships would be sent to guard Vampiria's new border with China, acting as an iron dome of sorts to thwart any possible Chinese missile or rocket launches. As the day came to an end, the vampires had expanded their control well beyond Inner Mongolia, now reaching the provinces of Gansu and Xinjiang. They had completely cut off China's northern and western borders, so much so that Vampiria now shared a land border with the recently seceded Tibet.

Current map as of 5/31/2020

May claims:

Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus in Asia, a ceasefire had been maintained between the People's Republic of China and Rokkenjima. Despite attempts from the Chinese to infect the people of Rokkenjima with the virus, there hasn't been any conflict between the two sides. For the first time in over a month, that would finally change. As night fell, tens of thousands of vampires quietly crossed the border from inner Mongolia into China. Most continued along the Chinese-Mongolian border, eliminating any Chinese troops they encountered. Some were killed. Others were kept alive for a little while for the vampires to feed on. The invading force lacked a leader. They were acting all on their own. They saw China as the perfect place to subjugate. Not only was it home to over a billion people to feed on, but it had already been weakened by the Rokkenjiman invasion and outbreak of COVID-19. On top of that, vampires were immune to human diseases. They had the luxury of targeting absolutely anyone they wanted to without wasting time on taking precautions they didn't need. They encountered little resistance as they made their way further into the country, figuring that the majority of Chinese troops were serving in police roles rather than defending the border. Town after town located in Inner Mongolia was surrounded and captured by the vampires. The amount of time in which the mission needed to be completed was critical. The Gobi Desert spanned a large area of Inner Mongolia. Not only was the desert difficult to cross, but it could be lethal if the vampires were caught in the middle of it as the sun rose. The invading force was taking a huge gamble by crossing the border. They weren't accompanied by any armored vehicles or aircraft as to not draw the attention of the People's Liberation Army. They would continue stealthily on foot, hoping to find any off-road vehicles they could use to quickly cross the desert. Thankfully, with the capture of each town, they were able to. The vampires continued their journey to secure the remainder of Inner Mongolia, avoiding both the sun and any possible Chinese interference. As they drove through the desert, they collectively exclaimed "Hail Vampiria!"

Current map as of 5/30/2020

It had only been a couple days since the violent protests had torn the nation apart. The existence of the Human Alliance had just been declared, making it the first country to rise from the ashes of what was once Rokkenjima. Although skirmishes between species were still occurring throughout the land, it wouldn't take long before the majority of each species settled in a specific area, whether it be the result of them escaping or simply being killed by an area's dominate species. Although it hadn't yet been declared, the Japanese islands and Taiwan were certain to be witch territory. Those looking to flee the conflict would find themselves evacuating to the neutral cities of Hong Kong and Macau, which were largely spared from the protests. Between the breakout of violent protests and the Human Alliance's declaration of existence, it would set in motion the formation of other nations from Rokkenjima's former territory. The territory of Manchuria was known to contain a large number of vampires, estimated to be in the tens of millions. East of Manchuria, however, was home to a similar, yet different species. They were known as Shiki, or corpse demons. They were similar enough to vampires to be considered as such by the general public. They fed on human blood, feared sacred objects, slept during the day, and would burn to death from exposure to sunlight. Shiki were vampires in the truest sense. The only thing differentiating them from normal vampires was their origin. Shiki were reanimated corpses inhabited by deceased spirits, while the majority of normal vampires were turned directly from a human into a vampire via the bite of another vampire. The population of Shiki is much smaller than that of normal vampires, estimated to be a few hundred thousand at most. Jinrou are a subspecies of Shiki. They are much rarer, with an estimated population of less than five hundred. Jinrou are the most similar to the normal vampire population, transforming at the brink of death rather than reanimation postmortem. They are superior to Shiki, as they lack most of their weaknesses, including: vulnerability to sunlight, a diet strictly limited to human blood, and involuntary loss of consciousness at daybreak. The creation of Jinrou can only be achieved as a result of death by blood drainage from a Shiki, which is why they are considered a subspecies of Shiki rather than normal vampires. Although the Shiki lacked any formal leader, most were loyal to the Kirishiki family, of which Sunako Kirishiki was the head. Despite having the youngest appearance in the family, she was its oldest member with a chronological age of over 100. The Kirishiki family mansion was located somewhere in the mountains of Sakhalin. Sunako sat in a windowless room, taking a sip from a glass of fresh blood which had just been poured by her Jinrou servant, Tatsumi. "Here you are, Lady Sunako." Sunako replied after taking her first sip. "Thank you, Tatsumi." She leaned her head back, staring up at the ceiling as she gathered her thoughts. "It has been many years, but we are finally in a position in which Shiki could live freely in their own independent society." Tatsumi responded. "Such a thing would indeed be wonderful. However, I am sure you are aware of the accompanying issues." Sunako nodded. "Of course. We mustn't risk declaring the existence of our society in the manner of the humans. Our kind is strong, yet extremely fragile." She took another sip from the glass, finishing it. "It is due to our nature that we cannot fight or defend ourselves like other species. If anyone were to discover the location of a nation of Shiki, our kind could be eliminated over the course of a single day." She frowned at the observation. "It is cruel. Although we may finally live freely, our existence, like us, must remain in the shadows... I have come to the decision that we will declare our existence quietly, only to be known by our kind. We will be known as the Shiki Tribes. I trust I can count on your assistance to deliver the message to our people." Tatsumi bowed. "Of course, Lady Sunako." Sunako smiled, glancing down at a small map on the table, her finger resting on Manchuria. "I believe we will find our allies soon. Until then, let us continue to watch from the shadows."

It was finally dark. The strikes along the eastern border had ceased temporarily for the artillery to be repositioned once the Britannian counterstrikes began. While the artillery positioned in the mountains had to be smaller and more mobile for obvious reasons, larger artillery could be used in the streets of Mishima. Here, the witches had deployed around fifty Type 99 155 mm self-propelled howitzers. With a operational range of 155 miles, it was more than enough to strike the cities along the district's eastern border, although it had to be careful to avoid the city's buildings. Only minutes after the first strikes had stopped, more had began from Mishima, targeting Britannian artillery in Susono, Fujiyoshida, and Fujinomiya with the assistance of spotters in the mountains. The howitzers would cease firing every so often and change positions, using the buildings as cover, somewhat, to avoid Britannian counterstrikes. Red = Smaller groups Black = Main forces While this was occurring, several hundred witches silently crossed an unguarded area of the district's northeastern border, through the town of Nakajima. Gliding swiftly through the streets, around 300 continued southwest into Gotemba. Simultaneously, another group of 300 would bypass the small defensive line along the Fuji International Speedway to continue northwest into Fujiyoshida. The goal of these two main groups was to cut off the Britannians' escape routes and engage. Two smaller groups of 50 would target the Fuji International Speedway defensive line and Ayuzawa River checkpoint. The witches targeting the checkpoint along the Ayuzawa River made their way east. They split up, half crossing the bridge marked 146 to continue along the south side of the river to the checkpoint. The other half continued along the north side of the river to target the northern end of the checkpoint. Once each side was in position, the attack began. The witches were unarmed, but made up for this fact with their magical ability, creating bullets of magical energy to fire at the Britannian soldiers. None of the attacking witches were advanced enough to create bulletproof shields, so they stayed mobile, gliding around swiftly and teleporting when needed to avoid the Britannian bullets. It would only take a single well-placed shot or explosion to kill them, if they could be caught. The group targeting the Fuji International Speedway defensive line quickly made their way through the streets of Suganuma. Half of them continued west along the Su River, while the other half continued through to the streets of Tanagashira. Their method of attack was identical to the other group. Split up and attack Britannian defenses from both sides. Once these first two attacks were successful, tanks could begin to move into the area and assist the two main groups in the northwest and south. While none of the members of the Witch Council were present in these attacks, a recent yet powerful addition to their forces would soon join the fun.