Reincarnated as Nikolai II

The Russian army lost about one-third of the Siberian 4th Corps. Many Far Eastern Army casualties.

Yasugata's 2nd Army couldn't advance due to combat power deterioration and supply shortages, with reserve troops dying before they could even adapt.

General Keller and General Yasugata, who met to fight weekly then parted ways only to fight again, had now reached a point of somewhat understanding each other.

Regardless.

"They're launching another general offensive at Port Arthur!"

"Our 2nd Army must protect the flank or the 1st Army will be in danger!"

"If we stay holed up in defensive positions, General Roman will be in danger!"

Whenever news came of fighting at Port Arthur, the two commanders had to reluctantly move.

On to the next battle.

"The enemy numbers don't seem that large? General Keller said there would be at least 100,000."

"General Zasulich! The enemy force is three divisions! According to intelligence, they're independent divisions under the 2nd Army!"

"Damn... The 2nd Army didn't all come. Where are they- no, of course, Port Arthur. There's no time! Siberian Corps! All units prepare for attack!"

The assault of Nozu Michitsura's independent corps from under General Yasugata, Zasulich's Siberian 2nd Corps, and the Far Eastern 5th Division.

The rest of the 2nd Army was immediately deployed to the Port Arthur fortress siege.

The Battle of Simucheng.

Zasulich's victory with overwhelming numerical superiority. However, from a macro perspective, it was a tactical defeat.

Manchuria, with major clashes occurring daily, was truly chaos incarnate. Read exclusive content at empire

News like "a division disappeared somewhere, but came back the next day filled up as a corps" was now so common it wasn't even surprising.

"The good days at the Yalu River are gone. Now there are hardly any engagements with that level of casualties except Port Arthur fortress."

"Enemy reserves are being endlessly replenished. Commander-in-Chief, if you would order Vladivostok to secure the Yellow Sea-"

"Enough. It's sufficient that the enemy isn't coming through the East Sea. The navy still won't move."

Compared to the beginning of this year, the casualties had increased incomparably, but Dukhovskoy didn't lose his composure as Commander-in-Chief.

'They'll be satisfied with no naval battles happening like this. While their war-making capacity is declining, they must be anxious not knowing when our Far Eastern Fleet will move.'

That's why we must endure more. Right now when everyone, friend and foe alike, is obsessed with Port Arthur fortress. Until the moment when everyone clamors that place is the key to this war.

We must endure.

Because in fact, Port Arthur isn't the key.

Because we need to make the rushed enemy finally send part of their combined fleet there.

Late April, the first general offensive against Port Arthur fortress.

The second general offensive following in less than two weeks.

A month later, the third general offensive, strengthened by General Yasugata's 2nd Army joining.

But General Roman is still holding on.

Though we're secretly supplying by boats along the coast, without control of the Yellow Sea, even this has clear limitations.

In the end, a powerful naval strike must break their back to drive the enemy out of Manchuria with a single rotation.

Dukhovskoy recalled his conversation with the Tsar whom he met after five years upon returning from the Far East long ago.

'Governor, I am greedy. So greedy that when war breaks out, I want it to cost less, have fewer casualties, and leave the enemy half-dead.'

'Your Majesty, no matter how poor the Japanese army's circumstances, we cannot ignore the power that comes from numbers.'n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

'I'm not saying we'll get it for free. I gave up the Mediterranean and Black Seas. The Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits? I'll feed them to Britain or the Ottomans, whichever wants them. Is that still not enough?'

'...It's more than enough.'

That's how the Baltic Fleet could come to Vladivostok without any suspicion or restrictions as the stake for this war.

Even Dukhovskoy himself, who prided himself as one of the closest confidants, didn't know how long ago the Tsar had foreseen this war and drawn up plans to respond.

Unlike himself who vaguely felt in his bones during his time as governor that 'we'll fight them someday,' the Tsar had been certain from very long ago. That is, even before his ascension to the throne. Perhaps he had that certainty from when he traveled east at that young age.

Yes, Sergei Dukhovskoy came to this position believing not in certainty about this war, but in the certainty the Tsar possessed.

Port Arthur fortress is the same.

Roman Isidorovich Kondratenko, the product of an engineer who reached the pinnacle of military spending frenzy.

Breaking through there requires simultaneous offensives by both army and navy.

That fortress can only be captured when massive naval guns pound its back and a combined assault comes from both sea and land.

So we wait.

"The enemy is concentrating at Port Arthur fortress! General Keller reports southward movement is difficult!"

Until the moment their navy forgets its proper role and shows its face in the Yellow Sea.

"The fourth general offensive is certain! Enemy scale minimum 300,000! Even General Roman is requesting help this time!"

And thus, the day we can thrust and twist a sharp dagger in the neck of those islanders who dared to wage a land war.

"Commander-in-Chief!"

"Please, the navy!"

"Or at least send troops south now to help Port Arthur fortress!"

We wait.

==

June 3rd, the 2nd Army finally settled in Port Arthur, with General Yasugata absorbing even the 1st Army's command authority and launching a general offensive.

General Yasugata did not underestimate Port Arthur fortress, which had repelled three major offensives.

"Enemy ships have appeared!"

"Commander-in-Chief! Enemy ships have appeared in the Yellow Sea! It's the Combined Fleet!"

He willingly invested even the navy to break through that impregnable fortress.

They've come. The moment we've waited for so long has finally come.

Upon hearing news of the enemy navy's appearance, Dukhovskoy wanted to embrace the staff officers running around their posts and make a spectacle, but he deliberately reminded himself of the weight of his epaulettes once more and gave orders.

"Contact Vladivostok. Tell them to prepare for a decisive fleet battle."

The time has come to remind those monkeys that their country is an island nation.