Author: I'm currently hung up on the current Fate anime and I grew curious about the franchise because of it. I might check it out but I don't know where to start.
Chapters will be usually uploaded within a week at best. If it's a little late then that just means I'm busy.
What will you do next?
As Bismarck attempts to come up with her next action, Prinz Eugen impatiently stirs her coffee cup. She wanted to complain but Bismarck would scold and lecture her, and there will be no end to it.
"What made you trust her all of a sudden? Just a week ago, you wanted her dead"
"I can't afford to waste more time idling around"
"My, worried about your little sister? How sweet for big sister to show some concern"
Prinz Eugen laughed and teased Bismarck but quickly fell silent with one sharp glare from a no-nonsense Bismarck. She's already used to Prinz Eugen's sarcastic and teasing habit she doesn't tolerate it on some occasions, especially when it's personally directed to her.
"Tirpitz learned who Tyrant is. It's only a matter of time before that monster gets to her"
"If I recall, didn't you say Tyrant is also Tirpitz? If that's the case, why is she after her? I mean to go as far as to drag her to another world"
Curious, Prinz Eugen raised the question as she placed her finger on her chin. She hoped Bismarck possessed the answer as she knew Tyrant more than anyone in Iron Blood.
"I don't know. She went as far as to get us both in one place at the same time only to tell Tirpitz who she is...then escape again" Bismarck is still angry her opponent escaped
"That doesn't add up"
"Exactly. It doesn't make any sense"
This is the first Prinz Eugen saw Bismarck frustrated over the lack of answer and she felt amused at this but right now, she asked her own entertainment to fill and answer her curiosity for Tyrant's motives.
"This wasn't just on the whim. She planned this all along. Basically, she dragged both of you in the same place at the same time on purpose to let Tirpitz know" Prinz Eugen deduced
"I knew that, but why?"
"Because she already knew...that you knew who she is too. You didn't tell Tirpitz and lied to her"
When Prinz Eugen pointed it out, Bismarck felt a slight pain in her chest remembering Tirpitz's reaction when she felt betrayed by her keeping the truth all this time.
"She did that knowing how Tirpitz would react to her big sister keeping a crucial truth"
"Why would she do that?"
"That I don't know. The only one who knows a Siren version of Tirpitz is our version of Tirpitz. Unfortunately, she's stuck in some world out there with no way to get to her"
"Only Tyrant knows how to open the rift to another world" Bismarck clenched her fist
"Then our best chance is hoping the black mental cube could help us. That or screw us all"
Prinz Eugen joked again but silenced with a single look of Bismarck intimidating expression.
"We'll continue our discussion later. You're dismissed"
"Okay~"
Sighing in relief that their one-on-one meeting is over, Prinz Eugen stands up and stretched her back after having to sit for more than an hour without standing up even once.
"By the way, why did you want to talk this to me? You usually talk this kind of thing with Graf Zeppelin or Friedrich der Grosse"
"Because even with you're personality, you're a keen observant and your intuition is sharper than anyone"
"Oh my, I'm flattered" Prinz Eugen placed her hand on her hip
"Eugen, you don't take things seriously most of the time but you're a smart one. You can piece things together quickly than anyone and that's the type of trait I needed"
"I see, but don't rely on me too much. Tyrant may be Tirpitz but her personality and behavior have drastically changed. I just stated the obvious, you know"
"..."
"Besides, Tyrant turned against her own nation and against her sister so she's not the same little sister you once knew. She'll sink you if she finds it necessary
After reminding Bismarck how Tyrant isn't the same Tirpitz anymore sensing she will hesitate, Prinz Eugen shrugs her shoulders and leaves the office.
A certain Royal Navy base...
To learn more about the black mental cube, Tirpitz sought the help of a shipgirl who has cast knowledge about the cubes and studied something similar before - Akashi. Even though the green cat became is still afraid to encounter anyone from Iron Blood, Tirpitz managed to convince her to help.
"I can't believe you had this all along, nya. You know how dangerous this thing is"
Akashi inspected every side of the black mental cube, focusing her eyes on every angle.
"Why didn't you call me earlier, nya?"
"I did...last week. You were to scared Bismarck is going to skin you alive"
"T-that's true nya. I was going to be dead meat so I hid in the Sakura Empire nya"
Akashi's hairs stood up, imagining all the horrible things that could be done to her after Bismarck found out she lied. Now that issue is over, Akashi felt a deep relief as she no longer had to hide.
"Black mental cubes can't be used to create shipgirls nya. This one is just used to store energy. From the looks of it, there's another type of energy stored here"
"What type?"
"Judging from the wavelength, it's from another shipgirl but it's a tremendous one nya. It looks like the 'Code' who had had a bit of her power absorbed here. That means she's slightly weaker as long as the piece of her power is here"
"Tyrant had this"
"Tyrant nya? I think I heard her from that mischievous heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen nya"
Akashi waves her wrench in the air, lacking the information about the battleship clad in black.
"I don't really get much details when it doesn't concern me, nya. Unless I can profit from it, nya"
"I can see now why others want to hang you upside-down..."
"Jokes aside, this cube is unstable, nya. One wrong trigger and it could blow up a whole base, nya"
"So that's thing like a pocket bomb?"
"It was cultivated for some time and collected a large amount of energy, nya. That's why one wrong press and everything goes boom, nya"
Akashi further explained by raising her hands holding a wrench and screwdriver on each hand.
"H-how do we use it without blowing ourselves?"
"I'm not sure, nya. The one who can use this is the one who owned this before...which happens to be our enemy, nya"
"Isn't there a way to use this ourselves?"
"How about trying asking Akagi?" Prinz Eugen raised an eyebrow
Both Tirpitz and Akashi where initially startled with Prinz Eugen responding from behind, sneaking without detection.
"Akagi?"
"That's impossible, nya. She's serving a sentence for the fuss she made a few days ago, nya". Akashi raised her hand
"Akagi might have something useful to say. She knows a lot about the Sirens so she'll know what is thing for"
"If the Akagi is this world has wide knowledge about the Sirens, then I should ask her" Tirpitz took Prinz Eugen's advice
"Akagi isn't the type you could easily reason with, nya. She's dangerous and vicious like that research heavy cruiser nya"
Akashi shivered as she compared similarity between Roon and Akagi who are both dangerous if ticked off.
"It's hard too believe that the Akagi here is seen as someone dangerous when the Akagi in my world...is a glutton"
While Tirpitz haven't met the Akagi from the Sakura Empire, she already thought of her as someone like Room judging from how wary Akashi is. Still, the Akagi she knew is someone who ate more than a Yamato class and occasionally forget things.
"It's alright, nya. Other than Akagi being what we like to call a 'yandere' the others are pretty much okay, nya. Well except for Taihou, Jun'you, and Atago. Those three are a bunch of nutjobs too, nya"
Tirpitz couldn't help but twitch the side of her lips, hearing how certain Sakura Empire shipgirls are...beyond normal. While Akashi complains how those shipgirls scare her, Tirpitz wanted to ask Prinz Eugen.
"Why did Bismarck wanted my help all of a sudden? She wanted me dead now she wanted my cooperation"
"Did you ask her?" Prinz Eugen raised an eyebrow
"I did. All she said was gambling her chance because she wanted to bring back her sister sooner"
"Hmm. That's also a reason but she didn't tell you what happened, did she?"
"What happened?"
"When Bismarck faced Tyrant a few days ago, she vanished. That's because Tyrant trapped her and our Tirpitz in an unknown dimension. That's where she met your big sister too"
Bismarck mentioned about meeting her other self but Bismarck didn't inform Tirpitz on what truly happened.
"Long story short, Bismarck confirmed our Tirpitz is doing fine and she met your Bismarck so she has no reason to see as an enemy. Tyrant is after our Tirpitz so she needed your help in bringing her back"
Prinz Eugen doesn't like telling long stories so she summarized it in one go to avoid tedious effort.
"If we could learn about the cube then we could find out a way to open a rift to your world just like Tyrant does. After all, she's still after the cube, right?"
"That's true..."
"Akagi might help us make progress but she isn't the type to answer you directly, nya" Akashi's ears drooped
"That's why I'm taking you there too. She won't give you direct answers unless you know her game" Prinz Eugen is seemingly eager to come along
"Then that settles it, nya. I'm going to help you enter my nation and Eugen is going help make Akagi talk"
Akashi became lively again, her ears raised back up and her tail wagging. Tirpitz smiled as she believed her situation is going smoothly but the cube reacted all of a sudden. It closed brighter for a moment before settling down.
"W-w-what just happened, nya!" Akashi panicked
"You shouldn't be really touching that"
Prinz Eugen snatched the black mental cube away from Tirpitz who is dumbfounded to why she grabbed the cube in a panic.
"...?!"
Prinz Eugen caught a vision before the black mental cube sparked and electrocuted her hand, forcing her to let go in an instant.
"Are you okay, nya?"
"It just doesn't like getting touched" Prinz Eugen smirked
"Are you sure? The cube is really dangerous"
Tirpitz worried that the cube might have injured or affected Prinz Eugen in any way but before she could check on her, Prinz Eugen gestured there's no need to do so and tossed the black mental cube to Akashi who juggled it in a panic before placing it on the table.
"Don't touch the cube as much as possible, got it?"
"Huh? Why?"
"Just do as I say"
Without even a clear explanation, Prinz Eugen left the room massaging her hand.
"That cube showed me a pale white beast with glowing eyes. That beast looked so much like that Tirpitz. It's...alarming..."
The being she saw in the vision saw was no Siren but it isn't human or shipgirl either.
Meanwhile...
Even as shells rain down, none of them land a direct hit with how her katana slices through them.
"Your attacks won't even scratch me. Let alone pass through my blade"
Code-T or Ember swings her sword in a speed that she could slice their shells in half while effortlessly dodging.
"W-what swordmanship...!"
King George V couldn't help but be impressed at how skilled with the sword Code-T is that she could fight several shipgirls without using her main guns.
"I've been informed an outsider is being kept in your base. I came to retrieve the black mental cube she has in possession"
"So you know about the other Tirpitz and the black mental cube she has?"
"Of course. Tyrant wanted that cube to be retrieved as part of the deal we made" Code-T swung her sword in the air
"Deal? What deal?"
"That is none of your business. Now hand over the black mental cube or your head will have a sorrowful parting with your body"
King George V noticed how Code-T prefer to intimidate her into complying before using rough force. Even if her opponent is going easy on her, King George V wouldn't just hand over the outsider battleship even if she's just another version of an existing Iron Blood shipgirl.
"Sorry but it against my code to endanger a life that committed no crime"
Prepared to fight an opponent and knows is stronger than her, King George V drew her saber and prepared a stance.
"Despite the clear difference in our strength, you refuse to back down. Well, I will commend your courage and honor, captain of the Royal guard"
To a degree, Code-T respected King George V choosing to take her head on even if the victor would be clear.
"I will make your death swift and painless as sign of respect"
"Your honor and way against your enemies reminded me of someone I dueled a long time ago. You two are both what the Sakura called a samurai"
"...You're...memory had you confused. There is no one else like me"
Pushing her foot forward, Code-T charged in an insane speed that King George V barely blocked Code-T's katana swinging downwards.
(She swings her sword so fast that she could cut her opponent a hundred times in a single minute!)
"Surprised at my speed? Well, the Sirens drastically enhanced my physically capabilities to the point I broke my own limit"
"You're very skilled with the sword. In fact, your fighting style reminded me of a certain someone from the Sakura"
King George V couldn't catch her breath as she drains all of her stamina blocking and dodging the sharp edge of the katana wielded by Code To also known as Ember.
"If your plan is to stall me then it's futile. You will fall here here before your comrades can arrive"
"Hmph. I will not fall as easily as your other opponents, Ember"
"Quite confident now, are we?"
"I won't simply let you pass that easily. If I were to fall here without using all of my strength, then I will fall in shame unable to protect my comrades with my outmost strength"
Controlling her breathing, King George V raised her saber with a proud smile on her face.
"Your heart as a warrior is commendable indeed...but I have a task I wish to accomplish"
With no time to idle around even against an enemy she respects, Code-T released more of her strength and managed to deeply cut King George V's hull when she tried to dodge another swing at the last second.
(I'm not suited against an opponent like this)
King George V shrugged off her frustration at how she is at a disadvantage since the start knowing there's no time to regret any decisions. Their blades clashed again and again, creating sparks with each strike.
"...!"
Her hands shook as she tried pushing her saber while clashed with Code-T's katana but the latter doesn't budge the least.
"Unfortunately this is farewell, captain-"
Upon turning the deciding the battle in an instant when Codd-T broke away King George V's defense and before she could swing her katana to the neck, Code-T is forced to push away her opponent and dodge upon sensing someone's interference.
"Hmm...shells from small caliber guns. A destroyer?"
The white wolf guardian leaped into the air and dove down swinging her own katana who missed her target's torso.
"You're from the Sakura...!"
King George V recognized seeing the animal characteristics and her modified traditional attire.
"I am Kawakaze of the Shiratsuyu class destroyers from the Sakura Empire. I've come for the greedy repair ship Akashi a certain issue but it seems I must postpone it for a moment"
"I suppose I should thank you for the save earlier"
"This is a mere coincidence. There is nothing to be grateful about" Kawakaze turned to face Code-T
"Kawakaze? You're also skilled with the sword but not enough against me"
"She wouldn't know unless she tries"
King George V regained a bit of her stamina and prepared to battle Code-T along with Kawakaze. Code-T swung her sword once again in the air, unhappy with Kawakaze unexpectedly interfering with her current task.
"You're facing her alone? Where's the rest of your friends?" Kawakaze asked King George V
"I had them retreat and contact for reinforcements"
"You believed you can stand to her long enough for back-up to arrive. That's a terrible plan"
"It's better than no plan at all" King George V smirked
Interrupting their small conversation, Code-T charged at full speed and clashed with Kawakaze, katana to katana.
"You are all in the way...!"
Even against two opponents, Code-T handled two swords with no much difficulty. Her stamina hasn't waned down even with switching between two opponents.
"You're helping Tyrant for what reason, Ember?" King George V asked even while fighting
"I'm going to keep the end of my bargain just as she does. Other than that, I wish to see through the result of her goal"
"And what would that be?"
"..."
Of course Ember didn't respond as if she were to reveal Tyrant's end goal, they would further get in the way.
"It's none of your business and it's not mine either. I'm just curious to how it will turn out"
"Not the talkative type, huh"
"Your hull has been damaged. Are you sure you can keep on fighting?"
Kawakaze noticed King George V's hull has been sliced through and one of the turret's barrel had been cleanly cut.
"It's not that damaged much. Besides, we stalled long enough"
"...?"
Code-T looked up in the sky and clicked her tongue upon spotting incoming aircrafts from one of the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers.
"The Royal navy, huh"
Belfast and Dorsetshire along with a few destroyers comes to King George V's aid.
"Apologies for the delay, captain" Belfast bowed
"There's no need for an apology. The enemy isn't in the mood for sinking me anyway. Besides, this little one arrived just in time"
King George V is still grateful at Kawakaze's unexpected appearance, but the latter looked away.
"Hmm? I sense the black mental cube. The outsider...is nearby. That means I have no need to waste my time with you people"
Code-T unleashed more of her strength, kicking Kawakaze to the side and cutting another of King George V's barrels.
"She got stronger all of a sudden?!" King George V is taken by surprise
With her speed and agility drastically increase, the fleet could barely keep up with each of Code T's swings. In the backline, Prinz Eugen yawned in boredom while she watched the aircrafts fly over her.
"They don't stand a chance against someone like her once she gets serious"
Prinz Eugen knew Code-T could win the battle if she wants to but doesn't understand why she restrains her full strength against them.
"What is Code-T doing here of all places? Maybe she wanted the cube back too, but for what reason"
She stretched her back, growing bored of waiting for the result of the battle. With faint smoke rising in the distance, Prinz Eugen readied herself as her radars detected an incoming enemy heading towards her at full speed.
"You did them in quickly. Not surprising knowing you defeated a fleet singlehandedly before"
Prinz Eugen sarcastically praised while dodging Code-T who fired all of her main guns directly at her.
"I left them incapacitated so they wouldn't interfere again, but you...I don't mind sinking as you had given me so much trouble"
"I gave you so much trouble? Funny, this is the second time we met"
"I was referring to the other you. The one always following Tyrant" Code-T fired another salvo
While dodging the shells raining on her, Code-T closed in on Prinz Eugen and swung her sword upwards, slicing the starboard side of the hull.
"That sword of yours can cut through my hull easily. Siren weaponry is very impressive. I wonder if they could get me an upgrade too"
"Trust me, you will once you lost everything...just like your comrade"
Prinz Eugen continued to evade Code-T's swing with every fiber of her strength but it's draining her stamina very quickly.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"..."
"Keeping me in suspense, huh. Interesting"
"My only business is the outsider with the black mental cube. Hand it over and you might live to see the next sunrise"
"Who and what you're looking for isn't here. You're wasting your time"
Code-T quickly changed the direction of her swing and sliced both barrels on one of her turrets.
"...!"
With one of her main guns damaged, Prinz Eugen quickly jumped back before her other turret is sliced clean.
"I'll finish you off but it seems I can't do that now. It will affect that nuisance after all"
Switching to her main guns, Code-T fired salvo after salvo, preventing Prinz Eugen to counterattack as she focused on evading the barrage of shells.
"Where's the black mental cube. It's emitting energy that even I could sense it"
"Oh? You could tell"
"This device is a pair to the cube. It needs the cube to function and it helps me sense its wavelength if its within range"
Code-T showed a small metallic object between her fingers that expanded until she held it in her palm. It's a machine that requires a black mental cube that accumulated energy to function and it came be used to sense the energy it emits but not pinpoint its location.
"So where is it?"
"Not telling"
"Then I have no reason to keep you alive-"
Large caliber shells rained around them, forcing Code-T to distance herself and when she did, another round of salvo rained on her. She cut a shell directly coming at her in half even with the other shells making large splashes.
"What a fool. To come here...with the cube when you shouldn't have brought it"
Code-T frowned at Tirpitz who arrived the scene but she noticed Tirpitz is not in the best condition, seeing her panting and unable to focus in what's in front of her. Prinz Eugen noticed this as well but she's more concerned to why her blue eyes had turned bright red.
"If you're going to come here like a knight in shining armor, you could have at least not bring the cube"
"It can't be helped. It's the one...that guided me here"
"More importantly, you're in terrible shape"
"This is nothing to worry about. I can fight her just fine"
Tirpitz insist she's still in the condition to fight someone like Code-T even when she's shaking and coldly sweating.
"You're not in the condition to fight so leave this one to me"
"That's a Code you're going to fight. She's the same kind of Tyrant" Prinz Eugen warned
"Yeah. Just from a single look, I feel like she could cut me in half within a second"
Code-T raised her katana, not minding having a different opponent after she disabled one of Prinz Eugen's main guns.
"Are you done talking?" Code-T was patient enough to let the two talk
"Yeah"
"Then let's begin"
Within seconds, Code-T is already right in front of a shocked Tirpitz. With an upward slash, Tirpitz's right forearm had been deeply cut. She staggered back when blood started spilling out of the torn skin.
"Hmm?"
To Code-T's surprise, the wound disappeared when the left hand stopped covering it but her sleeve had been cut so the attack connected yet the wound vanished.
"Your wound healed?"
"Yeah, it did"
"The cube's energy draw out a power of an Abyssal dormant within. I heard it only emerges when the shipgirls"
"That cube of yours drew out a bit of my bad side. Negative energy feeds this damn monster"
"But you have to restrain the usage of the influence will start spread and... it'll be too late for you"
"Before that happens, I'm going to undo what you people did-"
Again with the speed, Code-T closed in enough that Tirpitz couldn't open fire at point blank range.
"This has nothing to do with you yet you interfere. You're a fool to do so"
"This has something to do with me. I've been dragged here against my will and now I have to help them bring the Tirpitz here back so I can go home too"
No matter how many times Code-T slashes and stabs her, Tirpitz regenerates that her opponent is annoyed that she won't die.
"...?!"
Code-T delivered a swift stab to the neck and retrieves the cube while Tirpitz struggled to breath and remove the blade pierced right through her.
"I...won't let you..."
Tirpitz grabbed the cube and refused to let even when the sword is driven deeper that it pierced to her nape.
"Let go or your head will be unfortunately spearated from your body"
"Not...a chance...!"
As the two struggled over the cube, it glowed brighter. The two both switched their attention at the glowing cube with the light glowing brighter.
"...!"
Tirpitz grabbed Code-T's hand, not allowing her to pull the katana and herself away.
"I have no idea what's going to happen, but I'm taking you with me!"
"You-!"
Dark light engulfed the two while Prinz Eugen covered her eyes. Seconds after the light faded away, both Code-T and Tirpitz had vanished.
"This is not good..."
Prinz Eugen swallowed her breath, slightly fearing that Tirpitz might have endangered herself and dragged Code-T along with her wherever they are right now.
"It looks like we're transported here as no coordinates were set"
Code-T managed to pull her katana out of Tirpitz's throat and looked at her surroundings, realizing they are inside a closed space.
"Well, this is fine. This space is in neither worlds anyway"
As Tirpitz heals her bleeding neck, Code-T took advantage of the vulnerability but Tirpitz moved quickly to open fire.
(She's damn strong and very skilled with the katana! I can't risk of turning to an Abyssal...even if I'm getting overpowered. I don't want...to be that monster again)
Tirpitz chose to fight with her limited power rather than let the cube further draw out her Abyssal side to the point of no return.
"You will sink here without returning home!"
Code-T raised her sword and as she swung it down, Tirpitz moved her arm and used her secondary guns to aim at the device Code-T has in possession. While she only damaged it, the device beging to malfunction and caused an explosion of light from the energy it absorbed from the cube.
"Hmm? Where did she go?"
Finding herself alone in a different and brighter location, Tirpitz looked and left right after Code-T mysteriously vanished. Tirpitz sighed in relief as she doesn't have to deal with the swordmaster heavy cruiser and slashed her countless times...for the time being. Though she doesn't know where she is now but the scent of the sea breeze and the surroundings is familiar.
"...?!"
Tirpitz felt dizzy for a moment but when an Abyssal destroyer fired at her, an unknown person in white deflected the shell and sunk the Abyssal in instant.
"Are you alright?"
The one who saved her bear a flag similar to Bismarck and her outfit resembled Bismarck as well.
"Who are you...?"
"I am Tirpitz. What's yours?"
"I'm...also Tirpitz..."
Both are in shock that they possess the same name but they are nothing like each other. Their eyes focused on each other, bewildered to find another that shared the same identity.
"So this is what Bismarck felt, huh..."
Tirpitz from Iron Blood scratched her head realizing the same type of scenario happened not too long ago while the other one is still confused at what's going on.