Capítulo 4: Thoughts...

Waking up in the morning I carefully wear my dress uniform, I check in the mirror to make sure my appearance is as best as possible. Of course I had to buy a new uniform, since the damn IJA doesn't issue officer uniforms. My paycheck...

I inspect my saber, then check if I loaded my pistol, finally make sure that I'm carrying spare magazines. My luggage was done the fortnight so everything seems good.

Not having to worry about partisan attacks made me think for the past few days. My current self is incomparable to the history/anime otaku civilian of the past, is it the influence of Renya's memories since he's older? Or is this just my original self, being unleashed from the confines of modern society? I don't know... haaa...

Whatever it is, its meaningless now. As an ordinary officer in the Army, even if I follow the course of history, is my life guaranteed, nope. But does that mean I can't do anything with such a meager self, again no, haven't I already become a national hero back in Japan, contrary to original history.

'Surely the expedition will fail as long as we fail to secure our rear. I'm already being shown 'special' grace thanks to the expedition, so if it fails I'll lose everything I've accomplished thus far.'

'Worst case scenario is getting sent to a reconnaissance mission in Kamchatka without support, just like in original history. Fuck that, I don't want to get eaten by a bear right after resisting the partisans.'

Suppressing my dark thoughts I go out of my room and look at the view of the base. I don't know what my next assignment may be but I don't think I'll see this place for a while.

"Okay! Let's do it. Reds or bears I'll tear them apart, after all aren't I the main character. Hehehe..."

Pumping myself up some more I scream lungs out.

"Gazuaaaaaaaa!!!!! Hahahaha!!!"

The people around me look at me awkwardly, but having gotten used to my eccentricities the past few months they quickly went on their own way.

Before leaving I say my goodbyes to my platoon members. In the past 6 months we've basically become blood brothers, so I should show my thanks to those who got me past this far.

I then met with the new platoon commander, Lieutenant Sawamura, we gave each other a proper salute and asked him to take care of my men. From first impressions he doesn't seem to be one of the Banzai idiots so I was able to rest in peace knowing my men are in good hands.

***

Entering the train I was guided into first class by the stewardess when she saw my rank of Captain. But since the garrison I came from is a no-name village in Siberia, the train's interior is simple, it'd be rather strange if a flashy carriage showed up in a single track station in the first place.

As the train starts it journey to Irkutsk, I begin to sort out the thoughts I haven't been able to manage the previous days.

'History's already changed.'

First of all I became a hero in Japan. But this has more consequential effects than one might think. Originally by this time the home country would have been facing the looming threat of the failure of the expedition.

Kolchak's White Army is being beaten in real time as I'm conducting my inner monologue. And since Japan invested the most out of all the Allied Intervention Forces, sending 70,000 of its best men, the war cost and casualties that exceeded expectations would have originally set the feet of the politicians on fire.

But now I gave them 'hope,' and the military already showing slight symptoms of its rampant militarism started going all-in on Siberia.

The heightened war-fever will most likely end up with an increase in defense spending, meaning more troops and resources invested. Of course the result of failure also increases proportionately, and since the military pushed strongly for this increase in investment, they'll bear the brunt of the damage.

Right now the Japanese Military heads are still sane, after all they're the veterans who experienced the Russo-Japanese War just 14 years ago, as well the recent Great War. If the expedition fails, the normal seniors in the military will be ousted and replaced by junior officers who'll more likely lean towards the radical side in the future.

Thankfully I have time. Radical militarist ideas are still just forming, they really kick off in the 1920s and 30s. Of course by modern standards the current IJA is already radical, but who wasn't a radical imperialist in 1919.

If the expedition succeeds, I can ride the express train to power, especially since the military = power in the future. I'm already a hero aren't I?

And if it fails, its not yet over, as I said I still have time. I can join the moderate Tōseiha (Control Faction) that fights against the radical Kōdōha (Imperial Way Faction), or I can form my own group. Of course this will be a much more arduous process compared to the express train, especially since these guys assassinate each other in broad daylight.

'All in all I know what I have to do. Find a way to kill 3,000,000 reds with 70,000. Simple...'