Mu

Mu
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**Mu** (ムー, *Mū*) is the strongest country of the Second Civilization Area. It is one of the five Superpowers in the three civilized world and second most powerful nation in the New World.

## History

Twelve thousand years ago, the Mu continent was an ancient ally of ancient Japan and eventually transferred to another world. All record of the existence of Mu country on Earth disappeared after that.

It is said that the Mu originally consisted of the entire Second Civilization, but its territory was significantly narrowed by the indigenous invaders. As a resident of Earth who cannot use magic, Mu shows a clear loss to the indigenous people who are able to use magic. To make up for this weakness, Mu decided to pursue science.

In the 1582, Mu experienced a civil war.

## Chronology

### Japanese-Parpaldian War Arc

After the conclusion of the Rodenius War, Mu was studying the emergent power of Japan through photographs they'd acquired of its warships taken in Rodenius. As it so happened, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan) dispatched diplomats to Mu's shores onboard the Japan Coast Guard ship *Akitsushima*. Mu saw this as an opportunity to not only establish diplomatic relations with Japan, but to gauge its technology level. Mu Technical Officer Myrus Leclerc was dispatched to meet with the diplomats.

## Technology

Mu's technology level is similar to that of the United Kingdom during early World War 1, with important inventions like internal combustion engines, propeller-driven airplanes, etc., but the country is not able to create tanks with even the earliest models such as the Mark 1 tanks not having been invented yet. One of their most popular exports, before Japan arrived, was their mechanical wristwatches. Due to the fact that they were transferred to the New World 12,000 years ago, they did not experience the Industrial Revolutions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries of Earth. Therefore their advancements in technology occurred much later than Japan's.

Although it seems that electricity is used here, more advanced electronics-related technologies seem strange, as evidenced by the fact that Mu's investigators don't understand how Japanese computers or mobile devices work. This is because Mu only sees electricity as a power source, and not as a means to transmit data. As a result, things such as an VLSI circuit is seen as something more magical, than a collection of information pathways. Therefore, electronic technology is possibly the hardest for Mu engineers to understand, especially since much of Japanese technology is either controlled, made or functions electronically. Currently, they are using outdated and obsolete computers as the central cores to their radar systems. Even though they know those computers are handling the vast amounts of computations, they still don't understand how those machines operate, nor how to build computers by themselves.

Many other technologies, such as helicopters or jet engines, are too advanced and complex for Mu in research and manufacturing, although they seem to understand the underlying physical concepts. Unlike Japan, Mu's technology is influenced by magic and in many cases, does not have the same capabilities as its completely technological counterpart. Currently, Mu is trying to move away from the usage of magic and more toward the scientific aspects of Japan's technology.

At present, Mu is trying to find ways around Japan's New World Technology Outflow Prevention Act. They are also using exported Japanese devices such as automobile turbochargers in order to upgrade their own technology. As of now, Japan is not exporting any jet engines or the methods to construct the materials needed to withstand extreme temperatures and stress. Though the concepts of computers and integrated circuits are still not understood, the engineers of Mu are confident of creating primitive versions of Japan's guided missiles and torpedoes. They would be extremely slow in comparison to Japan's, but they would serve as a rough map for Mu's future technological development.

Due to cooperation with Japan, Mu was able to receive blueprints to create its own first generation jet fighter from Japan, starting from allowing Japan to use and modify Mu's Airfield in the Altaras Kingdom. Though Mu engineers are excited, Japan will not tell them how the engine works, nor how to make the materials needed to withstand the pressures and temperatures of this engine. Mu's engineers must figure all of that on their own. In response to that, Mu sends as many engineers as possible to study in Japan in order to learn basic principles and how things are made.

Though they realize that it could take several decades or even a century for them to master the basics of late 20th to early 21st century technology, the engineers of Mu and the general population are eager to follow in Japan's footsteps.

If it can be said about a technology that Mu excels at, it is their magic detector. This device allows them to detect magical energy on objects, living creatures, and their surroundings. Mu is planning to exchange this technology to Japan as exchange for others advanced technologies.

## Military

Mu's army, based on their weapons and tactical characteristics, was considered to be at the same level as the WW1 era, although there were some areas where they seemed more advanced, especially recently with the help of Japan.

The Mu Army was organized and equipped similarly to the WW era, with infantry armed with bolt-action rifles as personal weapons and heavy machine guns as point defense weapons, supported by artillery. To establish the line of defense, Mu applied the doctrine of trench warfare , which proved to be effective against New World opponents of infantry and cavalry only. However, Mu did not seem to have any concept of mechanized warfare, when they were shocked by the appearance of the Gra-Valkas large tank formations, which had superior mobility and firepower to infantry. It also means that they do not possess any proper anti-tank weapons, making them virtually helpless when faced with tanks or any kind of armored vehicles. Through exchanges with Japan, Mu began to design their first tanks, and started to build the mechanized warfare doctrine, however by the time Gra-Valkas began their invasion, these efforts were not yet complete. However, surprisingly, these attempts seem to have had some initial results, as it is mentioned in Volume 6 of the light novel that at least one prototype tank was sent to Kielseki to support the defense here. That tank is known to have been inspired by the Gra Valkas' Hound Medium Tank.

The Mu Air Force was built with the Marin as it main fighter along with many older fighters. Their mission is quite simple, mainly for artillery observation and air superiority: due to the limited engine power, the weapon's load is quite poor for other tasks. Their La Chaos Passenger Aircraft was comparatively advanced, and allowed Mu to establish diplomatic presences all around the globe and even field a paratrooper force. Recently, Mu was able to assemble its first prototype jet fighter, the X Shinden Kai fighter, allowing them to fight more effectively with the Gra Valkas air force.

Their naval forces took on the appearance of pre-World War I, with pre-dreadnoughts like La Kasami and armored cruisers playing a key role for the fleet. Although theoretically they have enough firepower to cause damage to Gra Valkas' warships but, due to weak armor, speed, fire control systems and tactics leaving them always inferior in battles with the Gra Valkas navy. However, with the help of Japan in renovating the La Kasami (into the La Kasami Kai), Mu was able to fight with a better position before Gra Valkas, and Mu engineers are expecting these upgrades to extend to other classes of ship.

Recently, Mu has succeed in creating 2D radar, prototype ECM system worked with bygone era computer imported from Japan and their very first experimental jet fighter X Shinden Kai based on the design of the former IJNAF Kyūshū J7W1 Shinden. However, these upgrades are from imported Japanese technology and not created by Mu engineers, who still do not understand their basic principles or how to manufacture these products on their own.

## Economy

Mu's economy was slow due to the average global growth that often relies on magic at all times and the difference between its mechanical civilization and the world makes its economy development considerably slow.

Because Mu is a mechanical civilization, it depends very little on magic or any magic tools and minerals, like Magic Gems. However, Mu is known to have exported Magic Gems to the world, due to their abundance in Mu while their demand in the world is huge.

After establishing diplomatic relations with Japan, the economy on Mu increased considerably. Investors start to expand their business all the way to the port town such as Mykal and the town also start to flourish thanks to Japan's effort in helping on growing Mu's technology.

Intending to catch up on Japan's way of business, Mu is willing to learn every technology they can get from Japan to expand its economic growth. Effectively, Mu saw Japan as a pioneer in every aspect that Mu wanted.

## Politics

Mu was a constitutional monarchy, with the King and the royal family playing a symbolic role, while Parliament played a legislative and executive role. However, in emergencies, power can be concentrated on the King with the approval of Parliament.

### Racial equality

While other superpowers in the New World, such as the Parpaldia Empire or the Emor Kingdom, have great racial and ethnic discrimination, Mu had a more moderate view on this issue due to the mix of races in their society (The outcome of the process of aggression and assimilation in the past).

## Foreign Relations

### Atlantis

Twelve thousand years ago, Mu and Atlantis were rivals on Earth competing for dominion over the ancient world.

### Japan

Like Japan, they are also a transferred country. In the past, Mu warred against Atlantis until it was mysteriously transferred to the new world. On Earth, their greatest ally was an island nation called Yamuto, in which the Mu historians believe were the distant ancestors of the Japanese people.

They are the first superpower to acknowledge Japan's superior military power and technology over all nations in the New World. As a result, Mu is the first civilized country to treat Japan seriously in the very beginning. Much as it pained diplomats to admit, Mu showed interest in importing technology from Japan. In short, Mu had nothing Japan wanted, while Japan had everything Mu wanted.

Mu chooses Japan as its pioneer in pursuit of technology growth following Japan's technology that was known to be Mu's future plans to establish be it military or daily life. Mu is one of Japan's highest export rates due to a lot of demands such as cars that are selling like hotcakes.

During the New World War, Mu is the only country that puts a lot of faith in Japan in defeating Gra Valkas. Furthermore, they understand that Japan has no experience with the detection of magic and has sent envoys to Japan to explain the research on magic that Mu has accumulated.

Additionally, thanks to the heavy cooperation with Japan, Mu was able to earn more restricted technology than other nations in the New World.

### Holy Milishial Empire

Mu currently has an amicable relationship with Milishial and even refines magical gems for them to power their Light Discharge, Air-Compression Engines.

### Gra Valkas Empire

Since the Gra Valkas Empire has declared war on the world, this naturally makes Mu their enemy. Mu has recently battled the Gra Valkas Navy to what is essentially a draw, and was able to repel an invasion with Japan's assistance.

### Riem Kingdom

Due to the fact that Riem has frozen all Mu assets within its nation, Mu's relationship with kingdom is strained.

## Notes

* Mu in Japan Summons is likely inspired from the country with the same name introduced by Augustus Le Plongeon, who is renowned for his legendary lost continent literature.
* Mu government spends 6 million Yen per year in renting the former Canadian Embassy in Japan.
* Despite being a superpower in the world, Mu did not carry imperialist or expansionist ideology, unlike other superpowers such as Holy Milishial Empire or Parpaldia Empire.