Author: I apologize that it took a while since I was away for a week. Not only that, I got hung up on FGO which has an abysmal summoning rate that apparently makes you contemplate jumping off a cliff (I got best girl Jeanne Alter so it's good for now).

This is... unbelievable...

Tirpitz who hailed from the Kriegsmarine pointed her shaking index finger towards the young woman clad in white who introduced herself as another Tirpitz.

"This must be that evil looking heavy cruiser's doing. Maybe I already died..."

As Tirpitz murmured to herself, her counterpart from Iron Blood tilted her head and suddenly recognized the other 'her' from her appearance.

"You're the Tirpitz from this world. I remember your face since Bismarck showed me a few pictures"

"Bismarck? My sister?" Tirpitz widened her eyes when her counterpart from Iron Blood mentioned Bismarck

"Blue eyes, long blonde hair, and wears a uniform similar to yours. She also likes talking about herself. That kind of Bismarck"

"That's my Bismarck! You met her?"

"I did, along with your other comrades in the Maizuru base"

"Mai...zuru...?"

Her counterpart mentioned "Maizuru" which made her pause for a while and looked at her surroundings at all directions.

"Maizuru. That means I'm back in my world"

"I'll explain everything later. There are still enemies"

"Enemies-?"

Abyssals from behind almost struck Tirpitz from the Kriegsmarine who could barely focus with how confused she is right now.

"I'm sorry to ask, but what the heck is happening?"

Just a while ago, the Tirpitz from Kriegsmarine was in another world. After a scuffle with an unknown heavy cruiser, she found herself back in her homeworld.

"Like you can see, I was in a middle of a battle a moment before you popped out of nowhere. The Abyssals in your world is as annoying as the Sirens in my world. How do you deal with these monsters everyday?" Tirpitz of Iron Blood opened fire while speaking with her counterpart

"I asked Warspite the same thing after my first battle. Well, my first battle was later than my famous and active sister"

"Your Bismarck will surely be happy once she sees you again. How did you manage to return?"

"There's this black mental cube, then there's this evil battleship who could do all sorts of sci-fi level kind of things. It's a long story but a scary heavy cruiser tried to take the cube from me but it got triggered and sent me here"

"The black mental cube. So they were using it to open the rift somehow"

Tirpitz of Iron Blood curved a faint smile after learning that the black mental cube could be the key for her to return since it helped her counterpart return.

"That battleship called Tyrant had this before she pulled me to your world. She wanted it back so it must be important"

Tirpitz of the Kriegsmarine tossed the cube to her counterpart from Iron Blood who carefully caught it.

"The black mental cube. What could you be using this thing for?" Tirpitz of Iron Blood whispered

[Do you want me to answer that?]

When the cube emitted dark light, a familiar voice responded. Before Tirpitz could react, she and her counterpart were swallowed by a pillar of light.

"Tirpitz!"

The one from the Kriegsmarine rushed to her Iron Blood counterpart and reached for the cube, fearing it would harm her. The surroundings vanished and Tirpitz found herself alone, her Kriegsmarine counterpart nowhere to be found.

"It didn't go exactly as planned but the alternate 'you' did me a favor by giving you the cube"

Tirpitz quickly turned her back towards Tyrant who stood behind her, currently not in the mood for fighting.

"I was planning to observe for a while but the little mishap between Ember and the alternate 'you' made me change my plans" Tyrant is slightly unhappy

"Did the other 'me' mess up your plans. If so, that's good then" Tirpitz smirked

"Even if did mess up, I always find a way to put it back on track"

Tirpitz aimed her four turrets at Tyrant, prepared to open fire as soon as she makes the slightest move. Even if Tyrant is her alternate future self, she won't hesitate to attack her. She doesn't accept Tyrant as the same being as her after all.

"Moments before I brought you here, your mental cube reacted to the black mental cube. I'm certain you saw something. A vision perhaps"

"..." Tirpitz refused to reply

"Was it a sea engulfed in flames and the sky darkened by smoke? Did you see your pitiful self crying?"

"..." Tirpitz reacted

"What you saw is what you'll experience soon. The war could never be won the moment the Sirens tangled humanity in its invisible strings. Iron Blood was brought to its knees, being driven to its extinction"

Tyrant opened her hand and manifested a tattered and partially burned red flag, the same one Tirpitz is currently holding.

"Bismarck's death was in vain. She wanted to save Iron Blood but I wiped out everyone...except for certain individuals. Like Eugen who didn't hesitate to turn against the others"

"What the hell are you babbling about, Tyrant. Get to the point already"

Tirpitz grew impatient and clenched her fist when she didn't understood what Tyrant is trying to say.

"Okay then"

Reducing her firepower and prioritizing her energy to her engines and boilers, Tyrant surprised Tirpitz when she charged at a speed she couldn't react. Her flag changed form and became a saber with the sharp edge filled with energy.

(The hell?!)

Tirpitz did the same and blocked Tyrant's weapon with a similar weapon. Not only she has to block Tyrant, she has to prevent her from taking the cube as well.

"Nothing you do will change anything. You can't change what's going to happen to you"

"But that doesn't mean I shouldn't try! If I accept my fate then I'd be falling like a puppet in this stupid game"

"Why can't you understand?! Your struggle will only result to frustration and realization that it's hopeless from the beginning"

"You're pushing me this far to make me realize that. To make me go the same path as you. Not going to happen. Not as long as I can still yell at your damn face!" Tirpitz remained defiant

"You refuse to see the inevitable. Just like our sister!"

Tyrant squeei the cube tighter and caused it the energy from it to surge into Tirpitz and herself, causing the two to stagger back. Tirpitz surrendered to her knees, restraining herself from screaming the pain.

"Inevitable...my ass. If you're really 'me', then you shouldn't be whining about how hopeless the struggle is. Maybe you're not who you think you are, Tyrant!"

Tirpitz could barely stand with her mental cube weakened from the black cube's energy but she has enough strength to yell at Tyrant.

"...!"

The last statement made Tyrant react, as if Tirpitz had struck a nerve. She gritted her teeth upon seeing Bismarck in her thoughts, the one she had killed standing right before her with a blank expression.

My sister, is this what you truly wish? Or is this what you believe you wished?

"Get out...of my head. You're just a leftover...a remnant that should have been eliminated a long time ago"

You didn't eliminate me. During my last moments...you integrated what remains of my fading mental cube to yours.

"...?!"

In Tyrant's memory, she remembered how she "saved" what remains of Bismarck's mental cube by making it a part of her.

Tirpitz, you have lost yourself. I...couldn't recognize you anymore...

Distracted by the remnant of Bismarck's consciousness, Tyrant argued with herself while Tirpitz managed to stand back up.

"The damn past keeps haunting me...!"

Shaking off the "ghost" of Bismarck in her mind, Tyrant returned her attention to Tirpitz whom she sensed regained her strength.

"Then I must be a pain in the ass to you!"

Tirpitz opened fire but an annoyed Tyrant deflected one of them with a back of her hand.

"The difference in our strength is like night at day, Tirpitz"

"I know that. You accepted the power of the Sirens, to the point you're almost like them" Tirpitz looked at her straight in the eyes

"I sought power and they gave me to it...but I had to become their puppet"

"I may not be like my sister, but I wished to protect both of my nation and allies. For you to destroy them just like that..."

Tirpitz is visibly angry at how Tyrant turned against Iron Blood and eliminate her remaining comrades.

"Tell me...did you eliminate Victorious by your own hand as well?"

"What if I did? I discarded who I used to be by severing my connection to my past"

Tirpitz's expression darkened when Tyrant instantly and clearly admitted that she had sunk everyone who was connected to her without hesitation.

"I don't care if you're my future self. I'll fucking send you straight to hell!"

For the longest time, Tirpitz fired her main guns in anger, fighting with no restraint much like her first battle. This time, she has no intention of holding back against her opponent and she solidified her decision to sink her at all cost.

"You couldn't possibly send me there when there isn't one!" Tyrant returned fire while dodging Tirpitz's shells

"Then I'll make one just for you!"

Tirpitz rushed towards at the barraged of shells, just to connect her furious punch to Tyrant's face. The foolish attack only made Tyrant step back, surprised Tirpitz would do something as impulsive as that.

"What-?!"

At close range, Tirpitz opened fire that Tyrant couldn't block all the shells that struck her. While this only damaged her hull, it managed to damage one of her turrets and secondary guns.

"All the lives you took, all the sins you committed - did none of them bothered you!" Tirpitz is burning with anger towards her future self

"You would never understand until you experience the same despair as I did. You'll never understand until you realize what you're doing will result to nothing"

"I already understand that even my existence won't impact anything. That I'm not capable of changing anything..." Tirpitz held her left arm almost blasted by one of her enemy's shells

"But you still continue to fight" Tyrant raised her head

"It doesn't matter if I make little difference, but these little efforts of mine at least makes a difference to someone else"

"It seems the world I sent you dulled your thoughts"

"No. It's just that...your mind had been twisted by the Sirens that there isn't a speck of myself left in you. This is why I can't accept you as my future self"

Seeing Tirpitz having the same defiant and serious eyes like Bismarck ignited an unhappy emotion within Tyrant. An emotion going to the point of anger slowly crosses her but her outward expression remained slightly unhappy.

"I had enough of your naive views, Tirpitz"

In mere seconds, Tyrant catches Tirpitz in her blind side and grips both of her wrist.

"Commencing setup"

With those two words, rings of technological light with intricate patterns surrounded both of them. Tirpitz sensed a force is trying to breach her mental cube, her very core.

"You're trying to get to me within my cube? Not going to happen!"

Tirpitz struggled to break free but Tyrant's iron grip clamped down on both of wrists. Mustering every ounce of her willpower, Tirpitz resisted Tyrant trying to break through her mental cube's defenses.

"Stop struggling. You won't escape this"

Tyrant is making progress but her setup is greatly slowed down with Tirpitz resisting using every ounce of her strength.

We finally met each other, my sister

"...?!"

What the history of the old war denied from us had been granted

"Bismarck?"

You're fragile yet resilient. Much like me when I first came to existence

"What is this memory?"

While Tirpitz is slowly losing consciousness, Tyrant catches moments of Tirpitz's old memories. Those were her memories too but she had long forgotten them, viewing them as insignificant reminders.

My sister, you may not understand now...but you are dear to me. I wish to protect you much like I wish to protect our nation.

"These...memories. These...worthless past...keeps coming back..."

Even if you resent me, I will accept it...as long as I could put you out of harm's way

"Bis...marck...my sister..."

Tirpitz, even if I were to no longer stand in front of you, keep going. You must keep going for I will push you

Tyrant, unable to stop the long abandoned memories from surfacing, weakened her hold on Tirpitz. With her concentration waning, Tirpitz managed to free and pull herself away. She lost consciousness then and collapsed on the surface.

"...?!"

Just as Tyrant regained her composure after being disabled by surging memories, she couldn't detect and react in time the incoming interference at high speed. When she turned her head, she met a fist instead that sent a flying a few meters.

"You're still alive? No...you're already dead"

Tyrant wiped the side of her lip and saw who delivered a surprised punch to her. It was the other Tirpitz who had become one of the monsters that disgust Tyrant.

"You don't have much time, do you? The black mental cube is harming your shipgirl side, killing you slowly. So you're slowly becoming one of those...monstrosities"

Tyrant scoffed, seeing not the other Tirpitz but a "Beast" whose eyes are seething with the intent to kill her enemy without hesitation.

"Grr...!" The Beast growled

"What's the matter? Can't talk?"

"Ty...rant...I remember...you"

"Oh? So you can talk after all"

The Beast pointed, gritting her teeth as she remembered the person who dragged her to another world.

"You...pulled me...out of my world...and the other Tirpitz"

"So you remembered, huh"

"You...reek of bloodshed. How...many lives...have you taken...?"

"A lot of innocent civilians and many shipgirls. Including the ones from your world"

Hearing that Tyrant had sunk shipgirls from the Beast's world, the latter let out a deep and rage-filled roar, lashing out at Tyrant at an incredible speed. The furious Abyssal grabbed Tyrant's shoulder and arm, tearing her left arm from the rest of her body.

"This is the power of an Abyssal, huh. Observer will find this data extremely useful"

Tyrant looked down at her left arm, or at least where her left arm was supposed to be. The Beast lunged past Tyrant, ripping off her arm in a split second. Even with her arm missing, Tyrant felt no pain, there isn't even bleeding.

"Hmm? I see, you took both the cube and the coordinator, huh. You're smart for a beast"

It's not just the left arm The Beast had snatched, but the black mental cube as well. The reason The Beast ripped off Tyrant's arm is to get the device attached to it.

"Should you really be touching that? You know that it's because of the energy in that cube that you've become like that"

"Between us...who is the actual...monster?"

"Not only you're an eyesore but you talk too much. Time to put an animal like you down"

Even with a missing left arm, Tyrant summoned a saber, one of the few weapons she collects and stores from her past battles. Deciding to take on an Abyssal by close combat, the one-armed Tyrant raised her sword and a swing of her severed the Beast's arm. The arm she thought she has severed grew back under a minute.

"Hmm? High speed regeneration, huh. An ability 'evolved' Abyssals possess. This is an interesting...experience"

Intrigued at the nature of a Princess class, Tyrant records and love every second of the battle with the Beast.

"Grrr..."

"...My head. What the-?" A confused Tirpitz slowly regained consciousness

"Go back...to your world. Return...to your comrades..."

The Beast looked at the still confused Tirpitz who recognized her face after seeing the strong resemblance with her counterpart she just met a few minutes ago.

"You're...the other Tirpitz, aren't you? Why do you start looking like those monstrous Abyssals"

"Yes. I've started to become one of them...again"

Interrupting the two, Tyrant swung her blade but the Beast caught it before it could slash her again.

"Don't interfere, you animal. My target is that one"

"I won't let you...do as you please in my world...and hers"

The Beast raised her hand with the black mental cube even though she's not entirely certain of its function.

"Your heavy cruiser friend wanted this. It's because of that...I ended back...in my world..."

"What are you planning to do with that? I'm certain you don't know how it functions"

Tyrant continued to push her saber, making the Beast's hand squeezing it bleed.

"I can't let you interfere whatever you planning, you annoying beast"

An annoyed Tyrant shoved her blade right through Tirpitz's chest and tried to take the cube from her. Even with a sword stabbing her chest, Tirpitz struggled over the possession of the black mental.

"Why can't you just die like the animal you are"

During their struggle, the cube brightens and patterns appear, indicating it suddenly activated during their scuffle and before light could engulf them, the Beast quickly threw the cube towards Tirpitz.

"I hope...you can return...to your world..."

"Wait-!"

Tirpitz tried to reach out, but the black mental cube activated it response to the device that begins to crack and break as it's output is pushed to the limit. When Tirpitz opened her eyes, she found herself in a bright open sea.

"Why would she...leave herself with Tyrant and let me escape. She prioritized me over herself"

As Tirpitz wonders, she then remembered how the other Tirpitz started to look like an Abyssal and what the other Bismarck taught her about Abyssals.

"There was no other choice, isn't it? You don't want to return to your comrades like that"

Tirpitz clutched the black mental cube that laid dormant again, but then...

"ItI can't be. You're...Tirpitz..."

Behind her is King George V who blinked her eyes in confusion as Tirpitz stood before her and the others like she appeared out of nowhere.

"I know you. You're from the Royal navy? That means...I'm back to my world..."

Right now, Tirpitz isn't certain whether she should be glad since the other Tirpitz is still left with Tyrant in a closed space. The Beast let her escape but trapping herself and Tyrant in a closed space as a result.