Author: I planned to upload this yesterday but my weekend got busy (by busy I meant I was drunk yesterday) so I had to delay it until Tuesday. I will make some changes in the chapter within this week.

Now then, shall we start?

Tirpitz sat by the port, using her cap as a substitute fan to cool herself down. Not only she's exhausted from Warspite's harsh training, she isn't used to hot climates. Her body isn't suited outside of the Atlantic.

"Is this your limit, Tirpitz?"

Warspite stood in front of her, both of her hands on her mast staff. She looked at the German battleship with disappointment, seeing little improvement on her.

"How can you face your worst enemy if you allow yourself to go as far as this?"

"..."

"Tirpitz, you lack the intent to kill Tyrant. You wished to defeat her...without sinking her"

No matter what Warspite tells her or does, Tirpitz couldn't push herself past her doubts and it infuriates Warspite.

"You could never emerge as the victor with a naive thinking like that"

"I know that..."

"You were made to fight in the war, born out of your people's collective thoughts. If they were to see you know, I'm certain they'd be disappointed"

No matter how harsh Warspite lectures her, Tirpitz barely reacts or even look at her in the eyes.

"A resolve to not to kill is admirable but can be taken advantage by your opponent"

"..."

"If a battleship like you who is born into this world for the sole purpose of fighting hesitates against a ruthless opponent...then you fail in your sole purpose"

Still, Tirpitz didn't react to her cruel words, something that Warspite wishes to change. She wanted Tirpitz to understand her lectures and scoldings but Tirpitz herself is swallowed by her own doubt.

"I'm a failure as a battleship of Iron Blood. I'm well aware of that" Tirpitz clenched her fists

"..."

"I couldn't do anything when Tyrant cut down of my comrades"

"You could have done something. You could have fought back or you could have interfered...her you didn't choose to do anything" Warspite returned her words

"...?!"

"You're willing to sacrifice the people around you just to spare your own emotions in your doubts"

"That's not-"

"Then what is, Tirpitz? What shrouded your mind with doubt?"

Warspite turned her back on Tirpitz, urging the latter to speak out the honest thoughts she shoved in the corner of her mind. As long as Tirpitz refused to speak out what's truly in her thoughts, she wouldn't reach far in her current state.

"My complicated relationship with my sister. We may not see each other eye to eye...but I just couldn't bring myself to sink her"

"Emotional attachment, huh. That is difficult..."

"You're right. I'm a failure for letting Tyrant keep beating me just because I believe she's my sister..."

While Warspite is harsh towards Tirpitz for her own sake, she couldn't help but be empathetic to her situation. Tyrant could be another version of Iron Blood's Bismarck, a pure shipgirl twisted by frustration and regret.

"Which do you value the most? Your sister or your comrades?"

"...?"

"You have to choose whom do you wish to protect. If not...then it just shows how you can never protect anyone dear to you"

"Warspite..."

"Never let yourself be held down by so called limitations. You have to go further or you will remain trapped in your doubts, Tirpitz. For the sake of those who you wish to protect..."

There's so much Warspite can do for Tirpitz. Finding the resolve to face Tyrant with the intent of sinking her is something Tirpitz can do for herself. It's a will she must muster for the people she value the most.

Later...

Nagato browse through the different post-sortie reports of the Maizuru fleet about recent activities of the Siren Purifier. While the smiling Siren hasn't gone on an offensive ever since the last encounter with Tyrant, she remained active in the open seas.

"Do you recognize what she's doing?"

Nagato gave more pictures to Tirpitz for her to analyze what Purifier had been doing for the past two days.

"Purifier is always sent out by Observer in battles. This is the first time she had gone passive. At least according to my experience in Iron Blood"

Though among the pictures, Tirpitz is interested in what seems to resemble a black cube in her hand.

"She's holding a mental cube...but it's dark. The ones used to create shipgirls like me are brimming with light energy"

Tirpitz slightly pressed her hand on her chest, the mental cube not only an essential material needed to create shipgirls from her world but serves as their "core".

"Can you think of any reason why?" Nagato is curious about the black cube

"No. I've never seen Purifier use one or even Tyrant. They're obviously not going to use it to create a shipgirl..."

"The Abyssals gathered to where this Purifier here. Maybe it's because of the cube?" Nagato speculated

"I can't say for certain. Both of our enemies works very differently. Still, the fact Purifier has a black mental cube and doing unknown tests is very alarming"

"Black mental cube, huh..." Nagato rubbed her chin

"All I know about it is that I think I saw Tyrant using one a long time ago"

Tirpitz worried what kind of experiment Purifer had been doing using the black mental cube. While Tirpitz has little to no knowledge about the black mental cube, she witnessed Tyrant used one once.

"Sirens are hard to deal with when my wolrd can't even understand their nature and origin"

"Same goes with the Abyssals here. They are still full of mysteries"

As the two cross their arms, having little clue to what a Siren and Abyssals doing together when they are two completely different beings.

"This one. She kind of looks like Friedrich der Grosse"

Tirpitz suddenly pointed a picture of Battleship Princess whom, to Tirpitz's perspective, has a slight resemblance to Friedrich der Grosse.

"Friedrich who?" Nagato raised an eyebrow

"She's a research shipgirl or a shipgirl who never historically existed outside of blueprints. She's based on the H-class battleships, the supposed successors of the Bismarck class"

"Our Tirpitz mentioned something about that a long time ago. Something about Germany wanting to complete a battleship they failed to build in the old war"

"Even if our wars are different, the history it stemmed is still the same..."

Tirpitz smiled, bitter at how the tragic history of the old war is the same in both worlds even if the new war that came from it is greatly different.

"Battleship Princess is one of the worst Princess we encountered. Not only she possessed high firepower but her armor is greater than any battleship"

"A thick wall, huh..."

"Since the Abyssals have been active and that Purifer conducting experiments, I arranged a fleet to put a stop whatever they are doing"

Nagato showed Tirpitz the details of the Maizuru fleet's next mission, intercepting Purifier. About ten shipgirls are part of the operation, Bismarck included.

"Secretary ship, may I request something?" Tirpitz stood up

"What is it?"

"I wish to be part of the next operation too"

"Tirpitz...?"

"I want to know about the black mental cube and what a Siren like Purifier doing. I want to confirm whether this is related to how I ended up here"

"I see. You want to know if facing that Siren will give you a clue on how to return"

"Nelson said Tyrant had to do something about how I got here and Tyrant brought Purifier with her. I want to learn how they pulled me in this world"

If Tirpitz let this chance slip by, it might take a long time before another one comes and she isn't going to slip the perfect chance right before her.

"If that's the case, then I'll allow you to take part in this operation along with the others"

"Really?"

"Yeah. This is a chance for us as well. A chance to return our Tirpitz here"

Other than this Tirpitz's sake, Nagato wanted to take this chance as well to find out how to return their Tirpitz.

"I'm sure you miss your own world now. Your friends and your sister. I'm sure they're worried about you"

"Friends and sister, huh? I don't know about that. To me they are allies and not friends. Don't even get me started with my sister"

Tirpitz turned her head away, stating she viewed her fellow Iron Blood ships as merely allies and nothing close like friends. It gets complicated when her sister is mentioned.

"You're afraid to get attached, don't you?"

"...?"

"Even I am afraid to get attached to other people. Because they might not be there the next day"

In a way, Nagato understood what Tirpitz felt but this made only Tirpitz frown as she dislikes other people trying to understand her or attempt to break through her cold exterior.

"You can't keep yourself in, Tirpitz. Sometimes you have to open your arms and accept the truth"

"The truth... is what I'm afraid of accepting"

Tirpitz loosened herself, speaking out her inner thought which she doesn't do to everyone around her.

Later that night...

Turning her head left and right, Tirpitz relives her past battles within her dream. Something she couldn't even escape in her sleep.

I'm sorry...

I'm sorry...

I'm sorry...

What lied before her is not a battle but someone who succumbed to despair while repeatedly apologizing.

"Who are you? Why do you keep apologizing?"

As she tried to approach whoever is repeatedly apologizing, the scenario changed when she is about to reach out her hand.

"Tirpitz..."

She turned her head and saw Bismarck, injured but wearing a saddened expression.

"Sister..."

Bismarck stood still while Tirpitz doesn't understand the reason behind her sadness.

"All I wanted was to protect Iron Blood...and you, but I couldn't do both"

"What are you talking about?"

"Tirpitz, you're the one person I would never raise my guns against...but sacrifices had to be made"

"So it resulted to my death..."

"To a degree...the Tirpitz I've known died during that day"

Bismarck lowered her head, expressing her grief to an event Tirpitz is unaware of.

"You wanted to protect Iron Blood yet you became their pawn, fighting and killing our fellow Iron Blood"

"..."

"Why would you turn against the nation you swore to protect?"

Tirpitz clenched her fists, demanding the truth from a projection of Bismarck that Tirpitz believes is from a near future.

"Sacrifices had to be made but it wasn't me who made the ultimate sacrifice"

"What do you mean?"

"Tirpitz, what stands before you right now is the remnant data of Bismarck inside Tyrant's mental cube"

"Then why can I see and talk to you?"

"You synchronized with her mental cube because you two possess the same wavelength"

With a straight face, Bismarck admits she isn't just an ordinary projection but the projection of what's left in the mental cube of Bismarck.

"Tirpitz, I'm sorry you had to face Tyrant as she is. I don't wish for you to realize who she is but it will be inevitable in what's to come"

"What's going to happen? Please tell me"

"Tirpitz, my sister, just know that you are dear to me and I will never harm you...even until to the very end"

"Big sister?"

With a sorrowful smile, Bismarck disappeared right before her without even telling more of the truth to Tirpitz, frustrating the latter who is forced to wake up again.

"Another dream where I'm pulled out..."

She woke up in the middle of night, thinking about what the Bismarck in her dream is trying to tell her. It puzzled her to why Bismarck looked at her with such sorrow and regret when the Bismarck she knows is always stoic and serious.

"Damn these thoughts..."

She stood up and left her room, heading to the beach to have some time to think alone...but she isn't alone.

"Bismarck?"

Bismarck is already there, gazing at the starry night until Tirpitz softly called he out.

"Can't sleep either, huh" Bismarck crossess her arms

"Why are you still up?"

"I'm just thinking about the past. How about you?"

"I had a bad dream where I saw my sister"

Tirpitz stood beside her, joining her in gazing at the starry night and the peaceful sea. Everyone is already in deep sleep but Bismarck often wakes up to enjoy the night here and complete serenity of her surroundings.

"I was just thinking on how I was once an ordinary person living an ordinary life and the next thing I know...I'm a shipgirl"

"At least you get to live an ordinary life. Our purpose had already been set to us the moment we came to existence. We don't get to make our choices for ourselves"

Tirpitz lamented unable to experience what it means to have a normal life without thinking about the war. It's the first time Bismarck saw Tirpitz express her inner sadness.

"Don't go crying or anything. I don't like it if my alternate sister is sad"

Bismarck pats Tirpitz's head, startling the latter but she isn't uncomfortable. Rather, she felt warmth and...happiness but she doesn't fully display it. Even if it's not the sister she knew, it's still "Bismarck" who's showing her affection.

"Alternate sister?"

"I mean you're not my actual sister but you're the counterpart of my sister so we're still related in a way"

It may sound confusing but Tirpitz is glad at the fact that to a certain degree, Bismarck views her as an "alternate sister".

"While I may not know all of you, I don't want anyone of you to lose your life. I don't want to lose someone who makes me feel...happy"

"Tirpitz..."

"This is my fight so I should be the one to deal with this"

Seeing how Tirpitz is serious to deal with Tyrant to end it before anyone from the Maizuru fleet loses their life, Bismarck smiled in content seeing how Tirpitz actually had a solid goal.

"Though if I drag Tyrant and myself back to our original battle in my world, we will never see each other again"

"Don't be sad that once you go home you won't poke fun at me anymore. I'm still alive and kicking so don't stress yourself about it" Bismarck proudly laughed

"That's right. As long as I know you're still being loud...then I have nothing to worry about"

Bismarck taps her shoulder, relieved seeing Tirpitz who couldn't fully express her happiness begins to smile with warmth. It took a lot of yelling and pestering but she's satisfied she managed to break through Tirpitz's cold exterior and make her smile.

"You know being with you made me realize that no matter how I want to hate my sister...I couldn't"

"Why is that?"

"I just don't want to admit that I love and respect my older sister even if we don't see eye to eye"

Tirpitz turned her head away, embarrassed to show Bismarck her expression whenever she becomes honest with her thoughts and feelings.

"I'm more sad than angry that we don't get to spend some time together outside of battle"

"Tirpitz..."

"I get it she has her duty as the leader of our fleet but she's ironically...cold towards me"

"..." Bismarck is surprised Tirpitz actually opened up

"Being a leader means sacrificing a lot of things. I guess I don't want to get in her way so I don't bother speaking to her that much"

"..."

"It's what I noticed as I spent my days interacting with you"

Tirpitz couldn't really admit that she's thankful that she came to a realization when she spent a lot of time with Bismarck. Bismarck, proud that Tirpitz opened up because her, brightly smiled while Tirpitz shakes her head.

The next day...

Bismarck, along with the others prepare to weigh anchor but she turned her head left and right, looking for Tirpitz who became part of the operation at the last minute.

"If you're looking for her, she's preparing to weigh anchor as well" Warspite guessed

"Then where she is? She's not joining us?"

"She will sortie with us...but her method is slightly different"

"Now that I think about it...her ship is anchored, isn't it?"

By ship, Bismarck meant the battleship form of Tirpitz's rigging which is anchored somewhere in the base.

"Don't worry. She said she won't go ahead since you'll be mad"

Nelson surprised Bismarck with a powerful tap on the back as she walks past the German battleship.

"Let's go or you'll be in the back of the formation"

Nelson jokingly laughed as Bismarck hurriedly run after Nelson who raced with her to the launching docks.

"Battleships they may be, but they still act like children..."

Warspite followed after the two, shaking her head and laughing at how they get along in their own ways. While the main fleet is about to sortie, Tirpitz takes last deep breath before she heads out to join with them.

"Are you nervous, Tirpitz-san?" Yamato checks on her

"A little..." Tirpitz admits

"I'm sure it will be fine. They all fought this kind of battle countless times"

"Seems like it. Even that old lady is surprisingly stronger than me"

Tirpitz remembered being repeatedly beaten by Warspite who is still holding back her strength despite the harshness of her training.

"Tirpitz-san, the more you cloud yourself in doubts the more you will never reach what you seek"

"...?"

"You only need to think of who and what keeps you going. To me, it's my comrades who rely on my strength"

Since Tirpitz is about to sortie with the others, Yamato cut to the point and gave her some last minute advice.

"Danke Sher, battleship Yamato"

Tirpitz made her decision but she appreciated Yamato's advice on her. Before she leaves, Yamato waves her goodbye and Tirpitz returned thr gesture by tipping off her cap.

"Battleship Tirpitz, weighing anchor"

With a command of her thought, Tirpitz reshaped her entire ship into her rigging as she jumped from the wharf. Holding her cap, Tirpitz trailer after the fleet who had just weighed anchored as well.

"This is the first time you're joining with us, huh" Bismarck grinned

"The last time doesn't count"

"It doesn't count because you joined at the last minute"

"It can't be helped. I don't have the speed of a destroyer" Tirpitz jokingly replied

It's only been two weeks yet the two already act like actually siblings to each other.

(I was right to observe and let Bismarck handle her)

Warspite is rather proud of her initial decision to observe Tirpitz and let Bismarck interact with her.

"So who are we dealing?" Bismarck asked

"She's a Siren called Purifier. No matter how many times she is killed, she returns with a new body"

"Is she another mortal enemy of yours too?" Bismarck raised an eyebrow

"No. She's just a pesky one who keeps coming back even after being killed"

"Talk about spare lives"

Bismarck chuckles, seeing the similarity in some Abyssals who is either too stubborn to die or comes back even stronger.

"You two shouldn't be idling around, we-"

Warspite stopped with her words when enemy aircrafts from Nu-clsss light carriers greeted them with a swarm of bombers.

"Does those aircrafts have teeth? Here I thought Observer's were bad enough"

Looking at the source of aircraft, Tirpitz couldn't help but feel a jolt seeing what seems to be teethed mouth with arms and legs.

"And you people fight these things everyday?"

"You'll get used to it after after a few battles. I had the same face when I first fought Abyssals" Nelson laughed

The Sirens Tirpitz fought is either in a form of a ship or humanoid humans both of which are mass produced types.

"I get it now why they're right to be called Abyssals. These things came from the darkest depths of the ocean"

A PT imp tried jumping on her but her reflexes quickly reacted by jabbing her fist to the abomination's face and sent it flying.

"Feuer!"

Firing her guns in anger, Tirpitz couldn't help but feel joy that she could let loose without restraint from her sister. Tirpitz doesn't get to always be part of battles and even when she does, Bismarck keeps an eye on her. She smiled after her salvo sunk three destroyers at once and traversed her turret to the broadside and opened fired once more, sending one of the Nu class to the bottom of the sea in pieces.

(Not only the shipgirls here were once ordinary humans, their enemies came from the same warship their souls originated)

Tirpitz felt somewhat pity towards the Abyssals after she was informed about their nature being twisted and corrupted part of the same warship the shipgirls of this world came from.

"Shadow, huh..."

The first thing that popped out in her mind when thinking about a "shadow" is Tyrant who would look down at her with an empty expression.

"Hey, Tirpitz don't lose focus-"

"I finally found you, German battleship who forced me to retreat last time"

Battleship Princess opened fire at Bismarck, deliberately missing her so she would get her attention.

"You again?! Can't you just bother someone else?"

"You humiliated me last time and for that...you will pay with your life, shipgirl!"

Bismarck took some distance when the furious Battleship Princess directed all of her attacks on her.

"Why are you working with Purifier? She's a Siren using you for her own plans"

"I don't care who she is, as long as I exact my revenge on you ...it doesn't matter!"

"Geez! Talk about undying grudge"

Bismarck never thought Battleship Princess is the type to hold a grudge for getting caught off-guard and land a critical blow by sheer luck.

"...?"

Just before she could return her focus in the battle, rained poured down from the darkened skies, quickly soaking the unfocused Tirpitz.

"What's-"

"Don't space out now!" Nelson yelled

"...?!"

From the direction where the fleet is supposed to head before being intercepted by Abyssals, Tirpitz saw an unknown dissembled cube floating in the middle of the heavy rain.

"That could be Purifier's doing!"

With no regards to safety, Tirpitz strayed away from the fleet and fired shells to shell with every Abyssal who tried to block her.

"Tirpitz!" Bismarck yelled

"Don't go looking anywhere now! Ahahaha!"

The revenge driven Battleship Princess relentlessly fired all of her shells towards Bismarck.

"This sensation. It's like that time...moments before I was transported to this world!"

Drawn by an unusual aura reaching her core, Ttiroitz found Purifier managing the large cube shaped device with a floating controller on her palm.

"You came by yourself, huh. I think the saying goes 'like a moth to a flame'. At least that's what I think it is"

"This energy. It's like when Tyrant pulled me to this world!" Tirpitz confronted her

"That's because it is. Though Tyrant used the black mental cube to open a rift"

"So she dragged me here and the other Tirpitz to another world? They swapped us out of our own worlds"

Tirpitz demanded the truth from Purifier who isn't concerned about letting Tirpitz know unlike Tyrant who is vague and cryptic when it comes to the truth.

"Bingo! That's correct~"

"For what purpose? I don't see any good reason Sirens would involve me in these kind of things. If anything, Bismarck is more likely..."

"That's because we're testing this and that, and Tyrant wanted to use you as a part of her own plan"

"What does she want from me? Even if she's another version of my sister-"

"Your sister? Is that what you really believe?"

Purifier laughed hard, puzzling the already furious Tirpitz. She continued laughing for another minute until it died down.

"It looks like...you're too indenial you lie to yourself"

"What are you talking about?"

"Bismarck already knew who Tyrant but big sister is too concern for her little sister's feelings~"

"Bismarck...already knew...?"

"It hurts that big sister is keeping secrets to you again, doesn't it?"

"..."

"It's just the right thing to do since you're-"

Purifier only stopped talking when a shell directly landed to her face but an Elite Siren like her only received little damage. Tirpitz, surprised at the interruption, looked back where the attack came from.

"Wow. You talk too much and that face is still creeping me out!"

Bismarck arrived at the scene and quickly pointed at how Purifer never removed her maniacal smile and wide expression.

"Bismarck?!"

"Battleship Princess is a pain to deal with so I tagged out with Nelson" Bismarck gave a thumbs up

"You left your own battle to someone else..."

"Don't look at me like that! You can't handle this creepy bitch yourself!"

Tirpitz felt it's a bit shameless to let someone else continue the battle she started to someone else while she runs off somewhere else.

"Can you go away? You're just an annoying fly"

"Shut up! Her concern is my concern, bitch!"

"No matter what universe, Bismarck is still Bismarck even if this one is a lot louder"

Purifier pouted, instantly hating the Bismarck standing right in front of her, yelling and calling her a bitch.

"I don't have time for you! Go away!"

Purifier positioned her guns, pointing all of them at Bismarck but Tirpitz prevented her from making the first move when she opened fire at the Siren's face.

"Aaaaah! If I don't do this quickly, Tyrant is going to blame me for messing this up"

"...?" Tirpitz is intrigued to what Purifier meant

"I don't have time for this!"

Even if Bismarck is present, Purifier activated the device using the floating controller in her palm. A pillar of light engulfed the two while Purifier escaped it before she could be dragged in as well.

"You want a reunion with your big sister? Wish granted!"

Purifier bid farewell to the two and before Tirpitz could reach Purifier, she and Bismarck are completely swallowed by the light.

"Purifier!"

Tirpitz opened her eyes and found herself transported somewhere again. She stood in an endless dimension where the skies is died red and around them is nothing but darkness.

"Bismarck? Where did she go?"

Bismarck was standing near her before she ending up where she is now but she mysteriously vanished. Even Purifier disappeared from her sights.

"Where the hell am I this time? Please tell me this is not another world"

Tirpitz wandered in the empty sea, somewhat recognizing the place to be similar to the location wherever there is large Siren activity.

"This is like an alternate dimension of sorts. It doesn't belong to any world, just a space possibly created by Siren technology"

She looked around her, searching for someone or anything that could lead her out of the dimension.

"This place is awfully familiar"

Tirpitz somewhat recognized her surroundings but couldn't match anything from her memory. She grunted at how she tends to forget even important details of her own past, both people and locations.

"Hmm?"

She saw a familiar figure in black uniform holding a flag similar to her. That figure looks as confused as her, looking left and right as if in search of someone. Upon closing distance, she recognized who it is even from behind.

"Bismarck?"

The figure recognized thr voice and turned around, genuinely shocked to see Tirpitz right before her.

"Tir...pitz...?"

The two sisters are finally reunited after Tirpitz suddenly vanished in the middle of a mission. Bismarck felt her heart jumped, seeing her sister still living and in good health.

"You're alive?"

"Of course I'm alive..." Tirpitz turned away, still having difficulty speaking to Bismarck

" Where have you been all this time? How did you get in here? Did Tyrant trapped you here?"

"Purifier activated something and then a flash of light made me end up here"

"What?"

While it wasn't Tyrant who caused Tirpitz to be teleported, how they arrived in the same location is similar with how a light engulfed them. Both Purifier and Tyrant are working together, seeing a connection to why they ended up in the same location.

"..." Tirpitz fell silent, her expression mixed with complicated emotions

"We need to find a way out first" Bismarck sighed knowing how awkward Tirpitz feels

"You won't get out of here since I control the entrance and exit"

The two sisters quickly raised their guard and readied to open fire and they turned to face the voice that belonged to Tyrant.

"The other two are dragged as well by accident but they won't pose a threat. It's you two what I'm after, specifically you...Tirpitz"

When Tyrant wanted to target Tirpitz, Bismarck moved forward as if she's ready to engage Tyrant in combat. Accepting Bismarck's stance of defiance, Tyrant positioned all of her main cannons, starting the battle between them.

"No matter what timeline...no matter what universe...you make these long forgotten emotions surface. Here I thought Observer purged my emotions"

After a rapid salvo, Tyrant charged with a saber in her right hand but Bismarck defended herself with her own as well. Blades and shells clashed while Tirpitz but notice how Bismarck is fighting with doubt.

"You can't protect her anymore, Bismarck"

"I won't let you lay a hand on her"

"Being protective now, huh"

"If you want to hurt her, then you have to defeat me first"

Those words alone showed Bismarck genuinely wanting to protect Tirpitz which slightly moved Tirpitz since Bismarck did the same before a long time ago.

"How long are you going to lie to her, Bismarck? You can't keep lying to her" Tyrant clenched her fists

"..." Bismarck couldn't respond

(Bismarck...)

"This is what I hate about you...big sister"

Tirpitz moved forward when Tyrant clearly referred to Bismarck as "big sister". It begun to be clear but Tirpitz still refused to accept the truth. She opened fire at the two sisters, her accuracy slightly dropped causing her shots to be dodgable by the two.

"Did you just call Bismarck...as big sister?" Tirpitz's hands shook

"Tirpitz..."

Bismarck tried to reach out her hand but Tirpitz backed away, remembering what Purifier said about Bismarck knowing the truth and Tyrant pointing out about a "lie".

"Aren't you supposed to be another Bismarck?" Tirpitz is confused

"You can't recognize yourself even when it's standing right in front of you"

Tyrant takes a deep sigh, facing the confused and lost Tirpitz with eyes devoid of hope.

"Don't you still see it, Tirpitz? I'm not Bismarck but I have a part of her in me. I'm who you will become"

"...?!"

"The one in front of you is...your future self! I'm the other Tirpitz...the one who killed Bismarck"

"You're also...Tirpitz. You're me..."

Tyrant made her face clearer for Tirpitz to realize that all this time she wasn't fighting Bismarck...but another version of herself. A version of herself who lost traces of who she used to be, transformed by what the Sirens did to her.

"There's someone else who knew but she was too afraid to let you know that you've been fighting your own future. Isn't that right, Bismarck?"

"You knew...all this time..." Tirpitz looked to her sister

Tirpitz felt betrayed and clearly hurt at how Bismarck kept the secret to herself since the beginning. Bismarck knew lying to her sister was selfish so she remained silent, unable to look at her sister in the eyes.

"You knew that Tyrant is another 'me' and you didn't tell me the truth! This is what I hate about you...big sister"

"You have every right to feel anger and hatred towards me" Bismarck clenched her fists

"Just when I thought I wanted to fix my relationship with you..."

Tyrant sighs, expecting Tirpitz's reaction to feel anger towards Bismarck for keeping the secret since she's dealing with her past self after all.

"You kept me in the dark and lied to me. The enemy I wanted to sink...is myself..."

Tirpitz clenched her fists, her anger building up to its peak with how Bismarck couldn't even look at her, let alone say anything.

"I wasn't fighting another Bismarck. All this time I was fighting myself"

She wanted a response from Bismarck, but her older sister couldn't utter a word, knowing revealing the secret would cause this reaction.

"It hurts, doesn't it? The sister you actually loved ended up lying to you. I felt the same anger a long time ago" Tyrant takes a deep breath

"Tyrant, there's one thing I want to know"

Tirpitz straightened herself and faced the calluous Tyrant with a dead serious face.

"You said you were her killer and you have her coat of arms"

"That's right. I killed my own older sister with my bare hands and took her coat of her arms from her"

"Why...why would you kill Bismarck? She's our sister!"

"Because I have no need for a sister whose will is shallow inside. She couldn't protect Iron Blood from the Sirens and she couldn't protect them from me"

Tirpitz right now would never kill her own sister even if she's angry for lying but Tyrant coldly states it's because she is disappointed at Bismarck's lack of will.

"I can't stand that weakness of Bismarck so I got rid of her without a second thought"

"You sunk her...without even feeling the slightest guilt!"

"Don't be surprised. We are both Tirpitz, aren't we?"

"...but no matter how angry I am at her...deep inside I know I would never take her life!"

Tirpitz turned her head towards Bismarck and genuinely revealed how she could never fully hate her own sister. Bismarck responded with a guilty expression knowing that even if she kept the truth, Tirpitz still managed to find forgiveness.

"I would never kill her even if we don't get along most of the time!"

"Tch..."

An annoyed Tyrant charged towards Tirpitz and pinned her down on the surface water, turning her flag into a saber which she quickly pointed at Tirpitz.

"Enough with the bluffing. Killing me means it would affect your future"

"In a way you are correct but technically I am your alter ego from an alternate future. We're both Tirpitz but our timeline is different"

Even so, Tirpitz remained fearless of her, showing her she's not afraid to be killed by her alter ego from a different future.

"Just like Bismarck, your Iron Blood comrades fell before my hands. None of them understood...so I had to end them too" Tyrant tightened her grip on her weapon

"Tirpitz...what has become of you? Is this because you felt abandoned and alone?"

"..." Tyrant drew her saber away

She focused on Bismarck who wanted to know what happened to her sister that caused her to become Tyrant in thr future.

"It's a factor as well...but I was left with no other choice before I became...this"

"What happened to you?"

"I don't have to tell you that...but 'Tirpitz' died the moment I killed you. Both sisters died that day"

"If you're no longer Tirpitz then why do you still have that?"

Bismarck looked at the coat of arms that once belonged from Bismarck in an alternate future who was killed at the hands of her own sister.

"To keep reminding myself that I killed my own older sister. That 'Tirpitz' died the moment you fell right before my eyes"

"You murdered me and bowed to the Sirens. Tirpitz would never betray her own nation without a reason"

"What do you know about me? You know nothing! So don't talk like you do"

With Tyrant distracted, Tirpitz used thr opportunity to break free, almost making Tyrant lose her balance. Bismarck used the lowered guard to land a direct hit, making her stagger back and momentarily stunning her.

"Why did you lie to me, Bismarck? You knew from the beginning who Tyrant is...so why?"

"How could I possibly tell you that abomination is also you? I know you could never accept it..." Bismarck decided to respond

"Still, I have the right to know! Our enemy is another version of myself" Tirpitz swung her arm

"You do have the right to know...but I just want to protect you from yourself"

"...?"

"As long as you're alive and safe, it doesn't matter to me whether it is selfish or you resent me for it"

Bismarck revealed how she does care for her younger sister even if she doesn't interact with her much outside of combat.

"Tirpitz, you have no idea the choices I had to make just to put you out of harm's way"

"Bismarck..."

"I had to make difficult decisions to protect both Iron Blood and you"

Her anger towards Bismarck slightly softener upon hearing her honesty who being concerned for her younger sister's safety even if it means being selfish and harsh.

"Seeing you all soft like that...gets on my nerves. You could never bring yourself to truly hate her no matter what she does"

After the smoke cleared out, not only Bismarck's attack caused little damage but her opponent grew frustrated.

"And seeing you falling for such words...disgusts me. To think you and I are the same person"

"I don't accept you as my future self because I will never become you!"

Tirpitz angrily pointed at Tyrant, refusing to accept the black battleship as her future self. This is expected, knowing her past self is stubborn much like Bismarck.

"I will never become someone who would murder Bismarck in cold blood and betray her own nation"

"No matter how much you refuse or deny the truth, I am you and you are me. It won't change the fact I'm who you will become, Tirpitz"

It also frustrated Tyrant that Tirpitz, her past self, refuses to accept her future self standing right in front of her.

"You never told the truth to why you truly killed me" Bismarck stepped in

"What are you talking about?"

"I never taught Tirpitz to lie but what you said before...was no doubt a lie. There's something you simply can't reveal to me and Tirpitz"

Tirpitz looked at the two sides, silently watching Bismarck confront Tyrant on the truth to why Tirpitz's future killed Bismarck's future.

"Could it be you're too afraid to reveal it to us?"

"...?!"

Tyrant clenched her fists, aware that Bismarck is provoking her to speak and act without thinking.

"You-"

Before she could respond to Bismarck about her obvious taunting, shells rained on her. All three looked towards where the salvo came from. Tirpitz smiled in relieve upon seeing it was Bismarck who opened fire.

"Ha! I finally found you - Tirpitz?!" Bismarck turned her head towards the relieved Tirpitz

"Bismarck!"

"What? Who is that? Another enemy?!" Iron Blood's Bismarck is confused

"She's not an enemy. That battleship is the Bismarck of the world Tyrant pulled me into. It's a long story but her Tirpitz might have been pulled into our world while I was pulled into hers"

"Another me...and another you?" Bismarck is confused

"Hey, Tirpitz, who the hell is that? She kind of looks like you and you two are even dressed the same" The Bismarck from Kriegsmarine pointed at the serious looking woman beside Tirpitz

"Bismarck, meet Bismarck"

The two Bismarck stared at each other, only one Bismarck clearly confused at what's happening.

"What?! She's who you're talking about?!"

Bismarck compared the two Iron Blood battleships, seeing similarity between them but she focused more on her counterpart.

"That's your big sister, huh? Nice to meet you, I'm the Bismarck that's been taking care of your sister. I hope you're doing the same to my Tirpitz"

"Your Tirpitz?"

"Yeah. She has white hair like your Tirpitz and she wears the same uniform as me...just with a skirt"

"What...?"

"Woah. We kind of looked like each other, huh. It just natural since we're both Bismarck"

(This 'Bismarck' is... energetic)

Azur Lane's Bismarck suddenly saw similarity in her parallel version's attire and rigging to the shipgirl she's been chasing for two weeks. A white haired battleship with almost the same attire as the other Bismarck before her.

(Could it be-)

"What's more annoying than one Bismarck is two of them!" Tyrant gritted her teeth

She never expected for the other Bismarck to interfere but it's unavoidable with how Purifier dragged her in as well.

"I have no need for you so I'll sink you first" Tyrant threatened the Bismarck who interfered

"Bring it on, bitch!"

Bismarck pointed all her main guns, fearless at the enemy clearly stronger than her.

"Stand, you don't stand a chance against her" Iron Blood's Bismarck told he counterpart

"I can take her on just fine. Don't forget I'm also Bismarck...and Bismarck never backs down from a fight"

"You're being too confident"

While the two different versions of Bismarck argue over which of them should face Bismarck, Tyrant prepared to shoot them but had to cancel when she sensed a chance in surroundings.

"What a nuisance - Tch, the other one must have unknowingly used the cube..."

While time had been stalling, Tyrant had forgotten an important object she should have retrieved it.

"I was close...but the other one with you had to cut in" Tyrant angrily looked at Kriegsmarine's Bismarck

(It's my fault now?)

"Next time...I'll accomplish why I dragged you two here in the first place. My identity became clear to you and that is enough"

Tirpitz braced herself when Tyrant is clearly referring to be while her sister prepared to fight her again.

"We'll continue our showdown some other time, my past self"

Tyrant vowed, as a pillar of light as it grew brighter, forcing the three to cover their eyes. After being engulfed by the light, Bismarck opens her eyes again and found herself back in the spot where she faced the Siren Purifier who is nowhere to be found along with the device.

"That was...really strange..." Bismarck trembled

Bismarck wanted to check on Tirpitz but she saw her with her head lowered, looking depressed and conflicted.

"Tirpitz..."

"Ah...Bismarck? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. How about you?"

"I'm not fine..."

"Hey, did something happened before I arrived?" Bismarck approached her

"...Yes"

Tirpitz gazed up the raining sky, the fact that Tyrant is herself rather than Bismarck etched both in her mind and heart.

"We should...return with the others..."

Tirpitz, clearly not in the mood for discussion and head towards where the fleet was battling the Abyssals, speaking in a sorrowful manner.

"Tirpitz..."

Bismarck worried for Tirpitz like she's her own sister. She can't bear seeing her in that level of sadness but Tirpitz won't budge even if she is pestered.

On the other side...

Bismarck turned her head left and right, realizing she's back at the waters of Shetland Islands.

"Damn it. She fled again!"

Her main target Tyrant disappeared which greatly frustrated Bismarck especially after she revealed who she is to Tirpitz which Bismarck feared the most.

"Tirpitz..."

As clenches her fist, she remembered Tyrant wasn't the only one she encountered. To her right the confused Tirpitz from another world mumbled to herself.

"What the hell just happened?" Tirpitz looked at the cube

Tirpitz shakes her head, confused at what transpired a moment ago. Forgetting there's another "danger", Tirpitz is reminded when she turned her head and trembled just seeing the menacing Bismarck.

"Can we talk first before we result into a blood fight. I like to avoid unnecessary fights with other shipgirls"

Tirpitz raised her hands, showing Bismarck she has no intention of fighting and just wanted to talk to her. Tirpitz is somewhat pacifistic when dealing with other shipgirls who would threaten her.

"You!"

"Yes?!"

Bismarck slowly approached her and grabbed Tirpitz by then collar, inspecting her from head to toe.

"You resembled someone I briefly met earlier. She's rather loud unlike you"

"Someone that looked like me? Did you happen to meet...someone who calls herself Bismarck too...?"

"...?!"

The one Bismarck is referring matched with what Tirpitz is asking. There's only one person Tirpitz knows who resembles her and described as loud. On the other hand, Bismarck recalled the "other her" describing her Tirpitz whose appearance is exactly like the one she's intimidating right now.

"State your name" Bismarck coldly ordered

"I am Tirpitz, second ship of the Bismarck class battleships. I came from another world where there's another version of other shipgirls here"

Tirpitz quickly explained why she has the same name as the younger sister of the Bismarck right in front of her and belonged to the Bismarck class.

"Please listen to what I have to say first. If you want a fight to prove my words, then I will accept it"

Tirpitz readied herself in the case Bismarck would challenge her to judge whether she should listen to the outsider or not.

"..."

Bismarck loosened her tight grasp and lightly pushed her away, turning her back on the puzzled Tirpitz.

"You're not going to shoot me? I thought you suspected I was involved with that Tyrant person whoever she is..."

"..."

Bismarck didn't respond, rather she briefly turned her head towards Tirpitz before leaving the area without a single response. A dumbfounded Tirpitz removed her cap and scratched her head.

"She's...an odd one..."

Even though Tirpitz is still afraid of Bismarck she saw how Bismarck looked at her without violent intent which she had a while ago, the moment they finally met again ever since the stormy operation.

"I wonder what happened when she disappeared?"

She turned her head, hearing both Victorious and Prince of Wales faintly calling her out, Tirpitz responding by waving her hand and faintly smiling. Her smile faded, worried at what's to come upon witnessing the events earlier