I woke up next day only to find that work finally started. To be exact, it's not a bad thing since work is something we all do in our lifetime and by having work, it means that things are progressing as expected.
Anyways, I woke up to the best feeling ever, though I might say that we did oversleep due to the fact that Sazanami and I, were awake last night and now, It's already 10 in the morning.
Sazanami was still sleeping beside me since she did invite me to sleep next to her and yes, nothing naughty happened between us since we are separated by a divider. I guess we need to assign rooms later, just in obvious case that the new girls arrive later.
As I rise up from my bed, Sazanami wakes up too. She greeted me good morning and she made a courteous bow. Looks like she is in a nice demeanor at this moment.
"Master, Good Morning. It's such a nice night last night "
I felt that Sazanami is asking for an early rebuttal. I guess, this would do to make me wake up to this drowsy feeling.
"What do you mean? I mean, we just slept together in the same room, but apart."
Sazanami smiled and she stood up and started to change her clothes.
"Oh, right Master; I ask you to take your leave, I have to change my clothes."
Soon, Sazanami carried me and she threw me out of the room. Honestly, Sazanami looks embarrassed when she carried me outside.
Soon, I stood up and dust off my clothes. The door opens up and Sazanami greeted me with a smile on her face and tells me to get ready. She went out and I step inside the room, but before I can even remove my clothes, I felt that Sazanami is staring at me at the hole in the wall.
"Sazanami, no peeking."
Soon, I heard a 'tch' sound coming from the other side of the wall. It seems that she is indeed taking a peek at me. Anyways, I moved on and changed my clothes.
~o~
The office is as always, empty. Sazanami and I grew bored.
"Master, what should we do?" Sazanami looks at me with deadpan eyes.
I look at the resources monitor and I noticed that the resources have increased.
"Sazanami, when did our resources increase?"
Sazanami looked blankly at me and she lifts up her shoulder and doing the 'I don't know' pose as she looked surprised at that question.
Sazanami, let's make some people.
With that suggestion, Sazanami's face brightens.
~o~
We went to the factory to where there are a lot of faeries have greeted us.
There was a big assembly line that delivers the resources needed for construction.
"It seems this looked a bit complicated than we have thought," I muttered as I looked around for some kind of a manual.
Sazanami pointed me out to the faeries that were responsible for constructions.
Sazanami talked to them in a language that I somehow managed to understand and after their discussion, Sazanami turns to me and she said what she had learned.
"Master, it seems that they need us to give the numbers needed for ship construction. The minimum and the default recipe is 30 of all resources, it is guaranteed that it will give you a destroyer with a small chance of a light cruiser. Sadly, Shimakaze and Yukikaze cannot be acquired in this manner."
"I see" I muttered as I started to think about what I should do with my minimal resources.
"Master, I advise you to use the default recipe. You would need destroyers early game."
Without a moment's pause, I decided to let the faeries put 30 units of the resources we have.
Soon, a notification arrived.
Would you like to use the instant construction tool?
"Nope."
I pressed no and I looked at the timer.
The timer had 18 minutes indicated in the display.
"Hmm, quite fast, let's build one more. Sazanami, is that alright?"
Sazanami nodded in agreement and she gave me the go signal to build one more ship.
And with that, a 20-minute timer appeared.
With that, we decided to go to the equipment creation room, just to kill time and see if I am lucky enough.
~o~
"Master, whatever you do, there is no way you can craft equipment this early."
Sazanami scolds me as I try to make a gun armament for Sazanami.
"In my 10 attempts, it seems that the chances of making one are almost close to zero."
"Because we haven't done anything yet. Just let us do the job then."
"I wonder what your job is again," I replied while trying to make one gun armament.
A few times after, I decided to go YOLO and look at the required recipe for a sonar. After the first try, I made one in an instant.
Soon, the faeries notified me of my construction. It seems they have already finished building a new ship.
~o~
"I am Mutsuki, nice to meet you, Commander." A cheerful girl named Mutsuki greeted me with a big smile on her face.
"I am Admiral Raven, and this is Sazanami; my secretary." I greeted back and introduced Sazanami who looked like a puppy.
"Anyways, Could it be that it's your first time meeting ship girls?" Mutsuki asked while looking at me intently.
"Sadly, it's been a long time since I met a new one. I guess the formula works." I answered at Mutsuki who looked curious.
"Master, the other one will be finished soon," Sazanami informed me of the situation.
The second door opens and a new girl steps out of the said doors. Well, technically, she looked like a kid. More so, she is like a kid and it seems that she also acts like a kid.
"I am Akatsuki, Please to meet you, commander."
Akatsuki offered her hand to me and I immediately grabbed it and made a handshake with her.
I can see Akatsuki immediately blush from this exchange.
Sazanami who have noticed Akatsuki's change started to change her persona. I guess that has triggered her jealousy mode.
"Master, you can let go of Akatsuki's hand."
I let go of Akatsuki and she immediately hides behind Mutsuki. I can see that Akatsuki is a bit shy.
"Sazanami, I let go of Akatsuki's hand; care to switch back?"
Sazanami looked satisfied and she switched off her jealous mode.
"Anyways, I heard that you have to go to sorties too. Sazanami, join them too."
Sazanami looked surprised when she heard me say something serious.
"Master, could it be that you are actually knowledgeable about this?" Sazanami asked me while maintaining her owl eyes.
"Nope. I do have a manual here." I answered as I pulled out a manual from my pocket.
The three breathe a sigh of relief and they said that it's fine if I take things easy. Seriously, do they even see me as a serious person?
Anyways, the three went on their ways and they started their very first mission.
~o~
The three went to the area the Admiral has asked them to see. The three were still relaxed at that time. Sazanami is assigned as the flagship of the team.
"Anyways, Master is quite surprising to say that to us," Sazanami speaks as she looks at the horizon.
"Umm Sazanami-san, what is your relationship with the Commander?" Akatsuki asks Sazanami as she glides over water.
"Indeed. We are curious since your reaction you gave off a while ago is interesting." Mutsuki added as she probes Sazanami.
"Hmm, master and I met 4 months ago; he saved me back then from being killed by the people who were ordered to exterminate us. I lost hope back then, but before I was destroyed, Master arrives and saved me from them."
Suddenly, the two looked like they were seen such a pure emotion overflowing from Sazanami. They never thought that she is actually feeling that way due to the Prince saving the damsel in distress situation worked well on Sazanami.
"I see. So how far did you two go? Is he courting you?" Mutsuki asks Sazanami as she gets closer.
But before Sazanami tries to answer, she felt a presence that is sinister that she haven't met for a long time. The other two have felt it too.
An I-class Destroyer appeared in their sights as they arrived at the area indicated by the Admiral. It was alone, but even with three inexperienced ships fighting against one abyssal, a lot of things might happen in-between.
Akatsuki shivers at the very existence of the said Destroyer. Mutsuki has formed cold sweat as she acknowledges the existence of the said enemy destroyer.
However, Sazanami had a different expression. It's an expression she never wears even when she is with the Admiral. It's an expression that makes her a maniac in battle, someone who has seen hell a lot of times and that expression fits her since she did see hell at least once and she knew that this time, she is fighting an enemy that they can defeat.
Sazanami wasted no time and she aimed at the enemy destroyer. She loaded her shells and took aim at it, she asked the two to ready their torpedo tubes just in case she misses.
"Listen, this is a preview of the hell we are going to fight. Can you keep up with me? Or withdraw to the warmth of Maser?" Sazanami made her last deal with the two destroyers.
The two who were still shaking from fear didn't back down on Sazanami's offer. And instead, they gather themselves together and readied their torpedo tubes.
"I am ready. Please do the firing." Mutsuki answers back as she readies her torpedoes.
"A lady like me will not back down!" Akatsuki answers as she awkwardly prepares her torpedo tubes.
Sazanami smiles and she acknowledged their indomitable spirit. Soon, she faced forward at the enemy who is already within their firing range.
"In the count of 3. 3, 2, 1... FIRE!" Sazanami shouts as she finished counting the timer.
Ammunition was fired from Sazanami's gun armament. To Sazanami, those shots were the hope that the Admiral has given to her, a job assigned to her, and a responsibility she was tasked with. It is something she has bartered with her life. And at the same time, it is the life that she is thankful to keep.
Sazanami's mind is filled with hope as she saw the shells hit the enemy destroyer. It didn't kill the said destroyer, but she managed to cripple it and thus making way for their torpedo salvos to hit the said enemy.
All in all, there was nothing of beauty, only the sight of destruction and the sound of a happy cheer of victory for taking a step against the abyssal.
But before they can celebrate their victory, Sazanami detected another enemy presence.
"Guy, it's not yet time! The real trouble starts now."
Sazanami pointed out a fleet approaching their direction.
~o~
"Okay girls, on our formations once more," Sazanami instructed as she gets her guns ready.
Mutsuki prepares her guns too in advance and Akatsuki followed suit.
Sazanami slowly glides towards the approaching enemy fleet. But before they can fire, the enemy fleet opened their bullet salvos.
The bullets mostly missed their targets, but one shot managed to hit Mutsuki who was caught unaware.
"Nya, If, if it's still at this stage, I can still fight...!"
Mutsuki who was moderately damaged had her clothes got torn by the explosion that happened to her and Mutsuki managed to regain composure despite enemy fire.
Soon, Sazanami and the company started to fight back and they managed to cripple 2 Destroyer escorts. There are 2 enemies left to defeat for them to defeat.
"Mutsuki, can you still fight?" Sazanami asked to the wounded Mutsuki.
Akatsuki wanted to say something to Mutsuki, but due to what happened to Mutsuki, her fear took out her capability to speak. Sazanami sees Akatsuki's concern so she comforts Akatsuki so that she can fight properly.
"I am fine Sazanami-chan, Akatsuki-chan. Let me join your battles... Let's pursue them!"
Mutsuki bit her lips and she gritted her teeth as she shut off her pain receptors. Inside of Mutsuki's mind, she needs to take revenge on the enemy who has wounded her.
"If you say so. Let's go!" Sazanami shouts as she sees the enemy fleet making an escape.
~o~
Night battles are always within the strongest territory of Destroyers. It magically made their attack stronger and powerful and sometimes, they can perform rather extraordinary feats due to their strength alone. But it also applies to enemy abyssal, after all; they also have Destroyers and Light Cruisers of their own.
Sazanami and the company pursue the enemy fleet trying to escape. Currently, it was night time and Sazanami has already been given clearance to pursue the enemy.
Sazanami took aim and she started firing at the enemy light cruiser.
"You won't escape, Sazanami's persistent!" Sazanami shouted as she pounded at the enemy light cruiser.
The enemy light cruiser is immediately decimated by Sazanami's actions. Mutsuki saw that Sazanami did justice and she decided to end the fight by defeating the weakened enemy destroyer.
The enemy destroyer got tagged by Mutsuki's shells and she landed a clean hit at the enemy making it sink to the abyss, and that marked the end of their pursuit.
Mutsuki breathe a sigh of relief when she had sunk the enemy destroyer. Sazanami and Akatsuki joined her at breathing out their sigh of relief. Soon, Mutsuki saw a figure that emerged in the darkness.
Sazanami glided her way towards her. Then, the figure greeted her.
"My name is Kisaragi. Please keep me by your side."
Sazanami smiled and she guided the said girl to the team.
~o~
I saw my team arrived from the sea, they looked tired and I also saw a damaged Mutsuki arriving at the base. As usual, Sazanami poked my eyes in order for me not to see Mutsuki's undergarments.
Sazanami and Akatsuki guided Mutsuki towards the docks to have her repaired. Anyways, there is one ship girl that was left behind.
"Umm, are you the commander?" the girl asked me while looking at my sorry state.
Somehow, my vision has slowly healed and I looked at her and saw that she seems to be worried about me.
"I do. Anyways, my secretary seems to be a bit... jealous."
The girl smiled and she offered her handkerchief to me.
"Anyways, what is your name?" I asked her as I get her handkerchief.
"I am Kisaragi. Nice to meet you, Commander."
The girl named Kisaragi gave her name to me and she started to hold my hand, if this was a scene from the movies, I might say that my heart would have skipped by her act of kindness. But, such things don't last forever.
A white towel comes to my face as I try to hold Kisaragi's hand. Then, as I removed the said towel, a kick arrived at my face.
I flew a bit after that exchange, but somehow, a pink-like color retained in my memories.
"Master, I advise you to avoid making contact with other girls." Sazanami voiced of her complaints as she retrieves her white towel. Soon after, she offered her hand to me.
"In return, you can only touch my hand." Sazanami, said while showing off her best smile.
"I thought I was gone forever. Anyways, won't that make you a greedy woman?"
Sazanami pulls me up and she looks at the curious Kisaragi and she instinctively shows her territorial nature to Kisaragi who somehow shows off her true colors.
"Such a shame, Commander; It's a pleasure meeting you. I hope we can get to know each other for better. Ufufufu~"
Kisaragi soon enters the naval base.
Sazanami calms herself down and she looks at my face. She wipes off the sweat that was coming out of my face... and so is the blood that came out of my nose.
"I am sorry for doing this to you. But please stay away from Kisaragi-san, she is dangerous." Sazanami reprimands me as she takes care of me.
Sazanami showed her worried self to me while wiping off the blood from my nose.
"I can see that she really works hard for me. Oh well, I better pay her off when that time comes." I mutter this to myself as I look at Sazanami's face.
As soon as the blood stopped dripping from my nose, we decided to go inside the base to have our dinner. It seems that Mamiya has prepared some food for us and yeah, the teasing continues when we all met at the mess hall.
~o~
Night came and we all went to our own rooms. So far, we have 4 destroyers in total. Kisaragi asides, the team is quite good. I do hope that things will be alright tomorrow. And so, I started to close my eyes and relax myself to the cold February air that enters the room.
Soon, I felt a heavy sensation that is assaulting me. I heard a voice that calls out my name.
"Commander. Ufufufu~"
I felt a cold chill running on my spine.
Soon, I open my eyes and I saw Kisaragi sitting on top of me.
"Oh, did I wake you up?" Kisaragi innocently asked me while loosening the buttons of her sleepwear. "Anyways, with this; I can claim you to be mine!"
Kisaragi reaches out for my lips, of course; I tried to push her away, but it seems that I was tied down to my bed and making evasion or escape impossible.
But, even with detailed preparations; evil doesn't win at all. Someone come to my aid in times of danger.
"What are you trying to do with Master?" Sazanami who arrived carrying a wooden sword and she asked the indecent Kisaragi.
"I am here to settle the score with the commander. But it seems that you're now here to stop me." Kisaragi answers as she draws herself closer.
But before Kisaragi lands a kiss to me, the wooden sword flew towards Kisaragi and she immediately removed herself from me in order for her to avoid getting damage from the wooden sword.
Kisaragi loses her will to fight back and decided to exit the room. But she didn't go without leaving a warning on us.
"This month happens to be my month. Commander, please be assured that I can steal your kiss away and fall for me." Kisaragi makes a flying kiss towards the admiral just to taunt Sazanami more.
Kisaragi vanished into the darkness of the night. Sazanami didn't bother catching her since it's pointless and decided to help me, but I managed to untangle myself before she can do that.
Sazanami had a disappointed look on her face.
"Just so you know, I tried my best not to show what kind of an admiral I am," I said while taking off the last rope which is tied to my foot.
"Master, why didn't you fight back?" Sazanami asked me while pounding my ribs with the gentle hands.
"I can't hurt girls. That is my general rule. I only hurt girls when they posed a threat to me, but as far as possible, I do not do that and convince them to stop doing it." I answered as I grab Sazanami's wrist.
Sazanami drew herself closer to me. Her eyes show too much concern for me. But I shall ignore that for now.
"Master, from now on; I shall sleep to your side in order for me to drive Kisaragi-san away."
Without hearing my objection, she pushed me down to the bed and she immediately sat beside me and she made a big stretch.
She looks at me and she made a big smile signaling that she is doing something out of mischief.
Anyways, I decided to sleep since work will start early. But before I did my sleep, I made sure that I can greet 2 more people the next day.
Sazanami also started to get her sleep too. Honestly, Sazanami's defenses grew weaker day by day, in no time; I might do something bad to her if I lose myself to the lust I feel. And so, a night passes by quietly with no incidents happened.
~o~
The morning came and there are 2 more destroyers who greeted us.
"I'm Shigure, of the Shiratsuyu-class destroyers. Nice to meet you."
"Hi, I'm Yuudachi, a Shiratsuyu-class destroyer. Nice to meet you!"
The two destroyers are somewhat different and it somehow triggered Sazanami's jealous switch, but I'll manage since I still haven't met that girl. Somehow, I wonder what she is doing right now.
Sazanami calmed down after I greeted the two destroyers and I ordered the whole fleet to sortie to the next area. Somehow, I got a gist of how things work and later that day, they have arrived and just as the same, my eyes got poked by Sazanami and was greeted once more by girls who were worried about my wellbeing.
In a week, the fleet grew and I am now having a good time doing a lot of tasks to the said ship-girls.
One day, Sazanami went to my side and she gave me a letter which came from Unified HQ.
Prepare yourself and your fleet, the quarterly Operations has commenced.
And soon, my mouth fell agape to this rather sudden news.
~o~
Samidare extra:
Samidare arrived at the naval base... But this Samidare is not the Samidare that was built or registered in this base. As a matter of fact, she belongs to a different base.
She is currently waltzing through the flock of ship girls who don't seem to notice the presence of an additional girl in the base.
Samidare looked back and she saw the man she was looking for. She was indeed looking for Admiral Raven, and Admiral Raven seems to be busy talking with Sazanami who was taking notes.
Samidare felt that something has changed inside of Sazanami after a week that she spent with the Admiral in his own bedroom. Her information gathering agents told her that Sazanami constantly slept with the Admiral night by night in order for the Admiral to sleep peacefully.
Samidare slowly opens her mouth and she calls a name that was unheard of inside the naval base.
"Hiro... Hiro..."
The Admiral somehow heard a voice that calls out to his name which is still not disclosed inside the base.
Soon, the Admiral looked around and searches for the source of the sound.
"What are you looking for?" Sazanami who was with him asks due to his sudden change.
The Admiral looks back at her and he smiled at her.
"Nothing. But it seems that someone calls out my given name."
Sazanami's eyes drew stars as she heard the term name from the Admiral. After all, even Sazanami didn't know her Admiral's name.
Samidare on the other hand, she hides on the drums which were lying in the area.
Samidare missed her chance to be seen by the Admiral. But she didn't mind it at all.
Soon, her phone starts to ring.
"Hello?"
Samidare grew white as she heard the voice from the other side.
Samidare grew sad and she looks at the man who was about to leave.
Deep inside of Samidare's mind, she wanted to meet him now and embrace him. But due to her indecisiveness, she can't do anything at all. All in all, Samidare understood that meeting him is still far away.
And after a wink of indecisiveness, Samidare answers to the phone.
"Yes, I am going back."
Samidare closes the phone and she stood up and dusts off her skirt. But as she stood up, a girl was looking at her.
"I see that you really hold to our promise. Samidare-san, I won't lose."
Samidare who looked surprised can only reply.
"Yeah. I won't lose. Especially to you, Sazanami-chan."
Sazanami who had a wide grin on her face shakes hand with Samidare who was a bit startled.
"Anyways, I got to go now." Samidare regains her composure and she bids farewell to her rival and friend.
Sazanami who is happy to see her waves back at her.
Sazanami started to speak towards the leaving Samidare.
"Master is mine, He will be mine and He will love me. I will make sure he won't look at you!"
Samidare didn't pay any heed to that. And soon, their battle has turned a new leaf.
~o~
The Admiral looks at the figures of Samidare and Sazanami as he waits for Sazanami underneath the unbloomed Sakura tree.
He knows that destiny will soon change for the two as he patiently waits for his partner to come and take him to the office. His heart has already trusted Sazanami, but his love still remains the same. It was directed towards Samidare who slowly walks back to her naval base.
The Admiral can only sigh for the upcoming storm ahead of him.
"Limited Operations... I wonder how I will fare this time." I muttered to myself as I wait for Sazanami.
And so, the next game plan has started.
- End.