ASAHI NO NISHISEI - Rising Sun Goes West (2)

Apostle, Advent

June 23, 2039

Off the coast of Rumoi City, Hokkaido, Japan

The patrol vessel CL-172 Asakaze belonging to the Rumoi Coast Guard patrolled the sea. The Sea of Japan, which was once roamed by suspicious ships from Russia, North Korea, and China, is now a sea filled with trading vessels coming from Northaroia Island and other parts of the world. Today, the Japan Coast Guard's main mission is to crack down on pirates from the Far East who target trading vessels from these friendly countries.

'What is it suddenly...? I can't see anything around us because it's so foggy it looks like I spilled milk on it.'

Sailors visually monitoring the surrounding waters from the bridge were annoyed by the thick fog surrounding the Asakaze. No matter how many times they looked through binoculars, the dense fog blocked their vision, making it impossible to see anything in the surrounding waters. To compensate for the lack of visibility, the radar crew was watching the situation at sea, which was being displayed by the surface search radar. At that moment, a mysterious signal appeared on the radar.

"An object approaching at high speed from the northeast! The relative speed is approximately 50 knots! It is approaching us!"

"...What!?"

The captain, Mitsuru Otegawa, exclaimed in shock. Azakaze's current speed was 25 knots, and a relative speed of 50 knots meant that the other vessel was sailing at 25 knots. Only a Japanese vessel could reach that speed, but there was no Japanese vessel scheduled to pass at this location at this time.

"12 o'clock, vessel in sight!"

Not long after the discovery, the ship was sighted. It appeared as a large silhouette in the milky fog.

"That ship over there, halt!!"

Captain Otegawa used a loudspeaker to call for the suspicious vessel to stop. However, the silhouette did not stop, but continued to grow larger and larger as it approached.

"This is Asakaze! We have spotted a suspicious vessel at sea, 11 kilometers northwest of Rumoi!"

Bzzzt... "Understood, can you confirm the vessel's nationality?"

"No... I can't see the flag because of the fog!"

Otegawa reported the discovery of the suspicious vessel to the Rumoi Coast Guard via radio. The Asakaze continued to approach the silhouette of the suspicious vessel at a reduced relative speed to determine its nationality and affiliation. Finally, the suspicious vessel emerged from the dense fog.

"This is Asakaze! We have encountered a suspicious ship! Nationality is..."

Captain Otogawa and the Coast Guard officers of the Asakaze gaped at the sight of the ship. At the same time, frost fell on the Asakaze's windows and the temperature inside the ship dropped to midwinter.

"What's wrong? What do you see?"

"G-G-Gho...!"

"Gho?"

"Ghost Ship!!"

What appeared in front of the patrol boat Asakaze was a "ghost ship" several times bigger. The eerie ship, with its torn sails and hole-riddled hull, tore through the sea, quickly disappearing from the Asakaze's view.

Seaport Joint Government Office Bldg., Rumoi Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service, Rumoi City, Hokkaido

The Rumoi Coast Guard received an urgent call from the Asakaze and was disturbed by the report of a suspicious vessel approaching the area. The patrol vessel Akitsushima, which was anchored in the harbor, was preparing to launch a sortie.