Author: I am digging the music right before I enter Operation Siren. Also, the Hiryuu bullying never stops (Ayanami is still busy leveling to at least break the level 100 cap). Other than that, I got a good laugh seeing Kurumi gets another life as Graf Zeppelin's non-existent sister (she and Formidable miight get along haha).
On an unrelated note, I hoped everyone enjoyed their Christmas. My mother cried happily when I bought her a new phone, so that's enough for me.
This will lead to a checkmate soon...
One shipgirl on the brink of collapsing stands her ground even when she a large mechanical serpent with rows of sharp grinding teeth and spikes protruding from its spines down to its tail encroaches. H-39 musters all of her strength to remain standing, refusing to yield to the "high and mighty" Siren Empress.
"H-39, to come here in such a pitiful state..." The Siren Empress lacks interest in the dying battleship
"Where's your creator, the Progenitor?" H-39 unsheathes her sword
"My creator has no reason to waste her time to the likes of you. Besides, aren't you too proud to simply storm here in your condition?"
"I have to know whether there's an alternate outcome where those two can fulfill their wishes. Tyrant deemed saving everyone is impossible...so she planned to take out Tirpitz first"
"Oh, I'm aware of that. She even barged in here and somehow convinced my creator to loan her three ancient weapons"
The Siren Empress lies back on her rigging that has its cannons directly aiming at H-39 in the case the latter would be foolish enough to engage here in combat even with an uncommon Siren unit behind her. Even if H-39 is Bismarck's future who remains the original Tyrant, she is far weaker right now when comparing to her peak state. She remains stronger than the current Bismarck of Iron Blood, but pushing herself any further would only speed up her death being delayed by her sheer willpower.
"I need to know before it's too late" H-39 steps forward
"You really wanted to save Bismarck from her fate that badly?"
"It's the least I can do for them...and atone for the sins I committed throughout my life as someone's puppet"
"You're as stubborn as ever. Rather than out of pride, you remain stubborn in order to provide them a warm outcome before your life comes to an end"
"It's an ending where no one in front of me has to suffer" H-39 simplifies her only desire
"There is no equal outcome for everyone. Even the Progenitor had foreseen it"
"Life is unfair - that much I understand, but your kind merely seeks amusement by drawing humanity to sweet facades and ensnaring them at the peak of their hope"
H-39 is very much aware about the nature of Sirens and views the Siren Empress as someone no different from the rest of brethren. Sirens are beings with the same purpose instilled on them the may the come into existence, so a Siren who has a change of heart is far from possible.
"You're a fool who refuse the inevitable much like that child called Ash"
"A mere Siren doesn't dictate which is inevitable. Humans pave their own path" H-39 blankly swings her sword at the space around her
"You once accessed the archive of the World Tree, only to die in the process. Who temporarily brought you back, H-39?"
To H-39's surprise, the Siren Empress has no knowledge on whoever is responsible for reviving her since the Sirens are responsible for her first revival. She forfeits herself from responding, and only silently leers at the suspicious Siren.
"I don't know. All I remember was fading away right in front of the reconstructed Tyrant"
"To think you would lie..." The Siren Empress frowns in disappointment
"Someone who had done nothing but deceive others can no longer perceive the boundary of truth and lies" H-39 retaliates
"I don't tolerate children who can't differentiate foolishness and bravery"
"I didn't come here for no reason, Empress. I've seen the path of the timelines and outside the boundary lies that being. An error cast aside by the core itself in response to humanity's wish. You have the All-seeing eyes of the Priestess, so I'm certain you're aware of it"
H-39 lowers her weapon when she confirms her guess when the Siren Empress flinches and squeezes one of her fists. She lowers her main cannons albeit temporarily since H-39 is more aware of her surroundings than she thinks.
"There's a breach within the exterior between the reality and non-existence. That being is someone who contradicts the world and shreds normalcy" The Siren Empress sighs
"What is the connection with Tyrant? She lost her initial reasoning due to her consciousness drifting in that dumpster"
"Tyrant made contact with the contradicting being and motivated whatever they came into agreement with. Obviously, she won't spill out the core details" Empress rests her head on her arm
"Then I just wasted my time here..."
H-39's clicks her tongue in frustration as not even the Siren Empress possessing the so-called "All-seeing eyes" is aware of Tyrant's motive and her connection with the being residing within the separate dimension.
"I wouldn't say entirely"
"Littorio..."
Just as Tyrant is about to leave, a cheerful and confident Littorio interrupts her by entering the scene. H-39 herself is barely surprised at her appearance while the Siren Empress rolls her eye. No one appears to warmly welcome her presence even if Littorio isn't allied to neither of them.
"That fucking hurt, you know..."
"Essex, you're still in one piece" H-39 raises an eyebrow
It isn't just Littorio who appears right before H-39 a moment before she plans on leaving in completely disappointment. Littorio supports Essex's balance by placing over the latter's arm over her shoulder. Essex weakly groans in pain as Littorio gently pulls herself away, and even gives a thumbs up as if she is proud of her own work.
"I almost died, you know!" Essex raises her voice
"I was merely bluffing" Littorio snickers
"You survived after all. The Maizuru fleet believed you have been sunk by Tyrant" H-39 interrupts them
"Well, she ditched me the moment they left. Then this smug-face battleship showed up and almost killed me" Essex angrily points at Littorio
"While you recover from your damages - Littorio, you're coming with me"
H-39 examines Essex current state and realizes she is too injured to engage anyone in combat, let alone sail far away by herself, so she switches her attention to Littorio, who points at herself out of confusion.
"Oh? Is there something you need that only I can accomplish?" Littorio jokingly asks
"I'll explain the details later" H-39 walks past her
"You piqued my interest! Very well, I shall accompany you for now"
Excitement curves Littorio's lips into a bright smile and casually smacks H-39'd back when the regular Bismarck wouldn't even allow her to be so casual.
"W-wait, don't just leave me here!" Essex runs after the two
Essex has little strength to battle anyone right now, but she has enough strength to run and chase after the two battleships hastily leaving the scene. The three shipgirls disappear from the Siren Empress' field of vision and relaxes herself again with after the nuisances interrupting her finally leave.
The Kriegsmarine's Bismarck stares at her own hands while Graf Zeppelin stares at her while sucking the remaining iced tea in her glass. Bismarck learns to cope with her own loss, but Graf Zeppelin guesses her expression doesn't relate to her sister or to her allies. She frowns and bites her lips on frustration which means she's angry rather than sad.
"Alright, what's going on this time?" Graf Zeppelin lowers her glass
"Should I meddle with the other Bismarck and her Tirpitz?" Bismarck crosses her arms
"It depends. You don't usually get in between the affairs of others, specially when it's personal" Graf Zeppelin immediately responds
"Hmm..."
"What's this all about exactly?"
"Tirpitz told me a secret, but she never told her Bismarck about this when she should have told her earlier. Seriously, why did she decide to not tell anyone"." Bismarck complains
"Is it really that important? It's their problem and not ours" Graf Zeppelin shrugs her shoulders
"It's not important to us since it only concerns them, but it's very important to the other Bismarck" Bismarck frowns
"Just what is this problem exactly? You're all serious, so it's making a bit nervous"
Graf Zeppelin tilts her head and frowns at the complete confusion and curiosity to what is the secret only Bismarck knows of. She couldn't let it pass with the sternness and unflinching gaze.
"I didn't believe it at first since I thought she was messing with me, but it was true. The other Eugen, the flirty and sly one, told me about it too" Bismarck takes a deep breath
"I won't be shocked or anything. Just tell me what is this all about"
"Alright. I'll explain it"
Bismarck exhales again right before she begins to reveal just what she has been meaning to tell Graf Zeppelin and her Iron Blood counterpart. The first minute Bismarck reveals what she learns from Tirpitz's "secret", Graf Zeppelin widens her eyes and slightly squeezes her empty glass.
"Seriously...?"
Graf Zeppelin only lightens up when Bismarck further explains the cause of it and the reason Tirpitz refuses to confess it to her world's Bismarck when she should tell her allies in the Maizuru naval district.
"Even so, this is theirs to deal with. Bismarck, you shouldn't get in the way since this is between those two sisters" Graf Zeppelin places her fingers on her chin
"But..."
"There's only so much you can do. I get it you don't want anything terrible to happen, but there are some issues we shouldn't interfere"
"I want to do something" Bismarck clenches her fist
"You shouldn't. That Tirpitz has to confess it herself to her Bismarck and face the result. Although I want to know the truth behind all of this...trouble" Graf Zeppelin admits her own curiosity
"I feel like I really needed to do something..."
"...Bismarck, you should stop feeling like that. You've been like that ever since we lost our Tirpitz...again" Graf Zeppelin changes her tone
"Nein. It's not like that..." Bismarck averts her gaze
Bismarck verbally denies Graf Zeppelin's words, but the sorrowful expression is as clear as day. Even if she denies it, others like Graf Zeppelin would notice it and immediately point it out. Her lips are shaking and she couldn't stop frowning - a sign that she's denying and still in pain.
"It's just that what those two are going through..." Bismarck returns her gaze
"I get what you want to say, but it's up to the other Bismarck to handle it once she learns the truth"
"Y-yeah. I guess it's up to her to deal with her own Tirpitz" Bismarck regains her usual composure
"Besides, the Beast might re-emerge soon. Once that happens, we'll repeat what we did almost a year ago"
"If we succeed again, even by luck, like last time...I might start over from scratch again. I'm sure Tirpitz would completely forget about past experiences"
Bismarck spreads her arms on top of the table and rests her head while Graf Zeppelin bitterly smiles out of hope and possible disappointment.
"By the way, where's the broody version of the other Bismarck. I've seen her talking with Nagato after the last fight, but she suddenly disappeared from the base" Graf Zeppelin remembers
"H-39? I saw her this morning, but she left saying she needs to fix something since her current life is only limited"
"Right. Dying in about three days if I remember..." Graf Zeppelin lowers her head
"I know it's not easy in her position right now. Her future got screwed up so she went back into the past to prevent something like that from happening again. She died twice, and now she's living knowing she would die soon..."
"It's as if she's just treated as a weapon to be reused every time it's broken and lacking enough freewill to destroy her repeated miserable existence"
"..."
"Sorry. I've been getting into literature and poetry lately" Graf Zeppelin clears her throat
"You remind me of someone. I just can't put my finger on it..."
Bismarck straightens herself and crosses her arms, tilting her head left and right trying to dig up any familiarity with the sudden display of behavior.
Command Room...
Nagato is mostly healed after her brief clash with Tyrant herself two days ago. She knows Tyrant is powerful, but the drastic increase in strength is too sudden for her, especially that her recent revival should render her weaker than before. As a result, her fleet loses two shipgirls in that one battle.
"I was careless facing that kind of opponent..." Nagato bites her lip
"I understand you feel responsible as the flagship and secretary ship, but this is the reality of war" Mikasa taps her shoulders
"Her strength was unnatural. She was stronger than she was before even if she had just revived"
"Our Bismarck will surely want to deal with Tyrant herself knowing their history together. As for Tirpitz? I'm not sure about whether she would want to fight herself..." Mikasa crosses her arms
"Even if Tyrant is your enemy, I won't let her do as she pleases in this world. It's our responsibility as shipgirls..."
Nagato desires retribution for the loss of two shipgirls, but she remains calm and reminds herself of her responsibility as a shipgirl. Mikasa proudly smiles and nods her head while Nagato focuses on the intel her fleet have been gathering.
"Bismarck's problem with her sister may be done now, but Iron Blood is going to deal with Tyrant now" Mikasa deeply sighs
"You're not going to help them?" Nagato blinks
"Well, I would if Bismarck didn't insist that she will take down Tyrant herself. Something about responsibility"
"Why can't she just stay dead?" Nagato grunts, showing her irritation towards Tyrant
"I know Bismarck is going to make sure she stays dead for good this time..."
"Hopefully. Our world has the Abyssals to deal with, and the Sirens are making it more difficult"
"That's why I came here as well. I want to solve more mysterious about the Sirens, specifically about the Siren Empress' faction"
Mikasa gently places the evidence from one of her investigations at the center of the table. She unwraps the cloth and reveals a piece of Siren hull with a barely visible symbol on it. Since it's only a piece of a hull of an unknown Siren ship, a chunk of the symbol is missing, but Mikasa is certain it belongs to that other faction.
"I'm not certain what's happening with the Sirens, but it seems they have their own infighting. A separatist faction led by the Siren Empress is staying in this world...and the one who created them is someone called the Progenitor, obviously referencing how she's basically a mirror of the Creator"
Mikasa's two fingers gently rub the incomplete and damaged symbol while she explains the information she has about the Sirens she's been tracking. The Sirens are nothing but mysteries to humans and no one has uncovered their true nature, so Mikasa searches for the answer herself rather than wait for someone to arrive and solve it.
"The only problem is that Empress never once showed up. Her little friends like Omitter loves showing up too"
"Does that include the Siren Purifier? Our fleet encountered her along with Tyrant the other day" Nagato needs a confirmation
"She ditched Observer and the others now too? Hmm, it seems infighting is still going on amongst them" Mikasa scratches her cheek
"Speaking of Purifier, Tyrant didn't just randomly attack Ascension island. Purifier spilled out their purpose to the attack. She was searching and planning for something" Nagato remembers
"It's better if you explain all the details to Bismarck and Tirpitz. I'm not good with technical terms..." Mikasa shyly admits
"Hahaha. Then I'll do that" Nagato wryly laughs
Even if Mikasa knows she won't fully understand technological terms, she knows Tyrant has the assistance of the Sirens for a serious matter. She wouldn't go as far as cause a commotion and engage the Maizuru fleet without an important reason.
"Anyway, what's our next move?" Mikasa sways her hand
"Tyrant has been active like the last time she showed up in this world, but keeping the Sirens existence a secret and tracking her down isn't an easy task. Some members of the Royal navy are lending us a hand thanks to Warspite, so my main focus is ceasing Tyrant's assaults on shipgirls and humans"
"Even with us helping you, it won't be easy. She has the Sirens helping her, specially with the Siren Purifier following her. It could be worse if the likes of Omitter joined in" Mikasa adds possible trouble
"I won't let the sacrifice of the other Essex be in vain. We'll put a stop to her before more shipgirls die by her hands"
"We won't let anyone else in this world die because of our enemies"
The Sirens shouldn't be this world's responsibility to defeat, but everyone has their duty to protect their respective world. No one knows what is the Empress and the other Sirens' motives for interfering with another world, but their main focus is the resurrected Tyrant. H-39 could no longer put an end to her since she's drastically weakened and on the brink of inevitable death, so Bismarck of Iron Blood chooses to face her instead.
Meanwhile...
King George V passes by and spots the resident destroyer trip with a frowning Z23, who appears to be scolding Yuudachi. Immediately curious, she decides to lean on one corner in order to stealthily observe the cause of Z23's frustration.
"Yuudachi, you shouldn't just steal your admiral's burger just because you're hungry" Z23 scolds her
"I didn't steal it. Admiral-san said I could have it, poi" Yuudachi tilts her head
"You were poking the burger" Z23 places her hands on her hips
"It smelled really good though"
"Why is your admiral letting these things slide..." Z23 massages her temple
"Kisaragi thinks she's not taking her job seriously" Mutsuki shrugs her shoulders
"E-even so, the admiral proved why she's even an admiral during missions. Her strategic thinking saved us countless times" Mutsuki defends her admiral
"Well, it reminds me a bit of our commander. In her case, she only became the commander after the previous one got eaten by a Siren weapon. I hated him, so I didn't mind..." Z23 looks away when she admits it
"You can be ruthless too, poi" Yuudachi grins
"I-it's like I wanted him to die, but it was his fault for going near what he thought was a destroyed weapon"
The destroyer trio looks at each other, imagining the death of the former commander Z23 admits to hate. No one would like to imagine what it looks and feels like to have a mechanical beast tear someone limb from limb.
"Eugen, one of the shipgirls present back then, obviously smiling when the former commander got shredded. It's a bit scary to think that she might have known what would happen..."
"If it was our Eugen, she would have fainted" Mutsuki shudders
"When our current commander got promoted, she was having difficulty at first. Thankfully, she has Enterprise helping her all the time. I suppose she played a part in mending old wounds between the factions" Z23 warmly smiles
"If our commander is only more responsible even when there's no operation going on" Fubuki sighs
"The admiral has her days..." Mutsuki wryly smiles
The trio laugh together when thinking about how their own admiral can be both laid-back and responsible for her position. The only problem is that seriousness and focus disappears during normal days. Although some shipgirls of the Maizuru fleet doesn't mind this as long as the admiral fulfills her duty to the fleet.
"Nagato-san is doing a great job keeping her from ditching her job. I mean when the last time the admiral tried to slack off because of enormous paperwork, Nagato-san literally dragged her back to the office, poi" Yuudachi snickers
"Something like that happened to our commander, except King George V and Prince of Wales rescued her from being torn apart by Akagi and Taihou. I'm sure she got traumatized after that event" Z23 giggles
The four share a hearty laugh together when comparing some similarity between their admiral and commander. King George V, who has been listening to the whole conversation, couldn't help but giggle as well. She covers her mouth while the four continue to describe their own experiences this time.
(The young ones are as lively as usual...)
Since there isn't much to listen anymore, King George V makes her leave without the four noticing her presence the slightest. King George V turns her head left and right, cautiously walking by the empty area near the arsenal.
"Where are you off sneaking to, little sneaky traitor?"
"...!"
Akagi's sinister tone and murderous expression briefly shocks King George V, but she immediately regains her composure. She is used to Akagi's intimidation and bloodthirsty nature, but her guard is raised with her hand reflexively reaching for the hilt of her saber.
"Akagi..."
"Are you off to go running to the Empress?" Akagi viciously smirks
"I'm not a traitor like you think, Akagi. I have no intention of causing harm to my allies in the Royal navy and the others" King George V assures her
"I'm aware you're not causing harm...yet"
"..." King George V frowns
"To be honest, I don't care affairs outside the Sakura Empire. Although, when it comes to the commander, it's an entirely different story. You see, I don't like rats putting the commander in danger"
The two are never in friendly terms even before the whole situation, but Akagi wouldn't hesitate to engage King George V in combat the moment she deems her a threat to her nation and to her commander.
"I didn't abandon the Royal navy, Akagi. I'm only here to help out Tirpitz since Tyrant went nuts" King George V stands her ground
"Do you think I'm the type to believe with words alone?"
"Keep an eye on me as much as you like. My intentions are clear, and that is for the sake of the Royal navy. Besides, I would never betray Wales' trust on me"
"Royal knights are always proud, aren't they? It's also ironic to think they can be also...hypocrites"
"My goal right now is to search for Essex who could still be alive. Don't bring in the Royal knights on this one"
King George V despises anyone insulting her fellow knights, specially if the one insulting is someone like Akagi. She knows Akagi may be provoking her into a fight to prove that she can't be trusted, so King George V roots herself while Akagi continues to deviously smiles.
"Aren't you too hopeful? They said she was heavily wounded when she chose to stay and stall Tyrant. There's no chance she could have survived it miraculously" Akagi crushes her hope
"I'm also looking for Littorio who is nowhere to be found. Saint Louis says she's been hearing Littorio talk to someone whose voice she doesn't recognize. I'm as suspicious at her than you are at me" King George V confesses her other goal
"Ah, her. I admit I'm having my doubts on her. She has been cooperating and constantly disappears when anyone is looking for her" Akagi lightens her mood
"Then, do you know where she is? Surely someone like you never takes her eye off her prey"
King George V says it in a somewhat mocking manner, in response to Akagi's insult earlier. Akagi only responds by tossing a piercing glare, but King George V is the unfazed type. They are practically each other's worst enemy.
"Kaga volunteered to find her right now, but the missing ship in question ran off somewhere...obviously" Akagi shrugs off her shoulders
"Then how about this: lets put our hostility towards each other aside to confirm whether Littorio might be a spy for someone else?" King George V raises her index finger
"..."
"Well, even if you don't agree, I'll be still looking for Littorio. Feel free to tag along though"
King George V shrugs her shoulders when Akagi naturally expresses her doubts over the sudden suggestion of a team-up to track down Littorio who could be a spy as well.
"If you're trying to fool me, then you are gravely mistaken. I will be following you, so you may not sneak out as well" Akagi scoffs
"Sure..."
In the end, Akagi is indeed willing to set her suspicion to King George V aside since they are both suspicious of Littorio due to her independent actions. There isn't much proof of whether Littorio is against the shipgirls, but the two of them seeks to learn who might Littorio be speaking to.
The next day...
Bismarck of Iron Blood fixes her collar and dusts off her sleeve while waiting for her other allies to finish their last minute preparation. Her body and rigging are all set to sortie, but she notices Tirpitz in deep thought with a guilty expression visible as the morning sun. It's rare for Tirpitz to be in such a state, so Bismarck briefly sighs and approaches her.
"Is there something wrong? Are you hesitating to face Tyrant again? You know you don't have to force yourself" Bismarck tries to guess
"It's not that" Tirpitz shakes her head
"Then what is it? You know I told you not to hold back your thoughts anymore, right?"
"There's something I want to say, but it's not the right time."
"Why do I feel like it's really important?" Bismarck crosses her arms
"Well...it's important in a way" Tirpitz averts her gaze
"Then what is it?"
"..."
Tirpitz knows Bismarck is the type who doesn't like anyone keeping their mouth shut even when they want to complain or point out something, specially after their experience against Tyrant almost a year ago.
"Bismarck, we're all set!" Zuikaku waves her hands as she shouts
"Sorry, but it seems we'll continue this conversation once we return" Bismarck tips off her cap
"That's fine..." Tirpitz sadly sighs
Tirpitz clenches her fist, regretting she couldn't speak her mind fast enough. She doesn't want for Bismarck to remain oblivious for any longer, but her will shakes and her heart keeps hesitating.
(My dear sister, I wish I could have apologized for the fate you will endure in the future...)
The others prepare to leave with Bismarck leading the single fleet to intercept another one of Tyrant's assault. The Maizuru fleet ends up losing two of their shipgirls, so Bismarck chooses to act on this one while the others also volunteered. They set out to confront Iron Blood's stubborn enemy who should just remain dead but comes back anyway.
"This brings back the memory of when I was temporarily replaced by my future version...who fortunately stayed dead unlike Tyrant" Prinz Eugen sighs
"...and the time she was beating the hell out of me countless times" Tirpitz grunts
"Aren't you going to tell Bismarck? Tyrant might end up telling it herself" Prinz Eugen whispers
"I know I should tell her...but I just can't..."
"She needs to know, Tirpitz. It concerns the near future after all. By near I mean in about a week or two..."
"You don't have to tell her. I'll do it myself..."
"If you can tell her before it's too late"
Prinz Eugen wears a dead serious expression, rare for someone laid-back and mischievous like her. Tirpitz ignores Prinz Eugen, much to the latter's dismay since there isn't enough time for her to keep it a secret any longer.
[Bismarck's fleet is heading your way. The Iron Blood one, not the Kriegsmarine one]
Observer Zero detects the incoming fleet of Azur Lane's shipgirls and immediately warns Tyrant of the inevitable clash.
"They're coming? They're coming? Can I make the first move?"
The Siren Purifier annoyingly asks over and over again while hopping around Tyrant, causing the latter to push her away and distance herself.
"Bismarck and Tirpitz are mine to handle. You and Omitter can play with the others" Tyrant orders her
"Hmm? I thought the other Bismarck would come along. I mean I was certain she would demand answers from you" Omitter approaches the two
"They'll be for another time. Besides, I have no time to waste right now"
"...but you'll have to buy time, right? That's what we've been doing. We're just keeping them away from what's really happening" Omitter snickers
"You're right about that, but they're not sharp enough to realize it in an instant"
Tyrant leaves the two excitable and conflict-loving Sirens as one is already annoying, two are barely tolerable for her. She isn't as composed or calm before her first death, but Tyrant isn't in the mood to treat the battle as another warm-up like the two Elite Sirens behind her.
"Hmm? They're launching an airstrike. That means it's your queue to take care of the carriers, Omitter" Tyrant turns to face her
"Yay! It's my time to shine" The Siren Omitter immediately rushes to the battlefield
"How about me?"
"Go take care of the rest" Tyrant waves her hand
"Meany~"
Tyrant scoffs even when the Siren Purifier is protesting by slightly hitting her shoulder, a childish behavior Tyrant can barely tolerate more than anything. She immediately leaves the Siren Purifier to her own duty since her focus is towards Bismarck and Tirpitz who are out together this time.
"I wish this could be over with. I'm weaker than I was before thanks to my incomplete revival" Tyrant laments
She prepares her armaments when she senses her targets are drawing near. Rather than wait, she decides to head to their direction even when they are supposed to be the one intercepting her. It's her objective to face against both Bismarck and Tirpitz without interruption, the main reason she brings along several Sirens including the Siren Purifier.
"Tyrant!" Bismarck immediately calls out her upon seeing her
"So eager to face me, Bismarck?" Tyrant scoffs
"It looks like you're expecting us. You had your Siren friends keep everyone else busy" Tirpitz is aware of the distraction
"..."
Tyrant pauses and looks back and forth at the two Iron Blood battleships. It looks like she realizes something, but she has no full confirmation of it yet.
"I see. Maybe that's what's going on..." Tyrant frowns
"...?"
"Well then..."
Unlike before, Tyrant has no reason to hold back or belittle the two. She really has no reason since Tyrant loses a portion of her strength, unknown to Bismarck and Tirpitz until now. A drastic increase in speed causes Tyrant to appear like she swiftly disappears right where she stands.
"Wha-!"
To Tirpitz's surprise, Tyrant appears right in front of her at arm's reach and grabs her face, knocking her away by at least five meters.
"...!"
Before Tirpitz recovers from the swift first attack, Tyrant swings her sword at full force that Tirpitz barely counters it with the same weapon as hers. The wind around them shakes and bursts out from the amount of force Tyrant is exerting due to her current state.
"Nngh!" Tirpitz reels back in pain
Tyrant has yet to make contact with Tirpitz's body, but Tirpitz herself acts like she receives damage.
"Tirpitz?"
Bismarck is about to handle Tyrant knowing she is much stronger than Tirpitz, but the latter reels back and clutches her chest like their last encounter. This time, the pain worsens, and Tirpitz couldn't tolerate it even when she's biting her lip to prevent herself from letting out her agony.
"You didn't tell Bismarck, did you?!" Tyrant raises her voice
"..." Tirpitz couldn't respond
"What are you talking about, Tyrant?"
"You really didn't tell Bismarck. I thought that you have enough common sense to at least tell Bismarck" Tyrant clicks her
"Tirpitz, what's going on here? Why are you in pain all of a sudden?"
Bismarck prioritizes her worry for Tirpitz that she ignores clashing with Tyrant to rush to Tirpitz who is still clutching her chest.
"Tirpitz's mental cube is breaking down. Rather, it has been like that for seven months" Tyrant reveals it herself
"Breaking down for the past seven months?" Bismarck doesn't understand
"You didn't know? Tirpitz is already at the brink of death. It's the reason why she accepted the Empress' offer in the first place"
"...!" Bismarck widens her eyes
The pain gradually settles down, but Tirpitz is still weakened because of her worsening condition. She tries to conceal it all the time, but it's impossible for her to keep up with the facade when in the middle of a battle.
"Tirpitz..." Bismarck needs the confirmation from Tirpitz herself
"What Tyrant said...is true. I don't have much time left before my mental cube completely collapses..."
"You're already dying all this time...and you didn't tell me. Then you really left Iron Blood because of that..."
"The Sirens had the means to extend my life shredding away. I thought if I could at least hold one until I access the Root...it wouldn't matter..." Tirpitz confesses
"Tirpitz is not going to last for two weeks in her current state. Her mental cube is beyond repair, so there's no way to save her"
Tyrant lowers her weapon and allows Bismarck to process the fact that Tirpitz is already dying all this time. Bismarck remains completely unaware of the truth to why Tirpitz is forced to leave Iron Blood and cooperate with the Sirens since she doesn't think Tirpitz would be that desperate to accomplish her own goal.
"Besides, a dying ship like me...is no use to the proud Iron Blood..." Tirpitz wryly laughs
"Why didn't you tell me? I thought we talked about this! No more hiding the truth between us. Did you really intend to die so pathetically?"
A furious Bismarck grabs Tirpitz and begins scolding Tirpitz, but the latter couldn't even directly look back at her straight in the eyes. Tyrant enjoys the show in the sidelines while Bismarck continues to scold at Tirpitz for keeping her upcoming death a secret for months.
"There's no point in staying with Iron Blood because I wouldn't have accomplished my goal. That's why I swallowed my pride and took the Sirens' hand...because I'm that desperate" Tirpitz fully admits it
"You haven't learned about the whole encounter with Tyrant before..."
"It's because of that"
"...?"
"During the whole fight at the northern sea, I should have sunk. When Tyrant shielded me back then...she used her remaining energy to briefly extend my breaking mental cube. It's only because of the Sirens that I lasted this long" Tirpitz gazes at Bismarck with a guilty expression
"You should know better..."
Bismarck pushes Tirpitz away who doesn't care much if Bismarck despises her for the secrecy, a reversal of their situation six months ago. She knows what will happen and how will Bismarck react once she learns the reason behind her desperation.
"I can't do anything for Iron Blood, but they need you more than anyone. At the very least...I want a future where you can continue standing proudly as the symbol of our nation"
"Tirpitz...
"There's no point in apologizing. I decided to hide it without regret...but it hurts me that I couldn't tell you"
"Does Eugen know about this?"
"Of course. That's why she went as far as to follow me around without a care" Tirpitz nods
"I'll scold you later after we deal with this bastard" Bismarck calms down
Bismarck takes several deep breaths and regains her usual composure since the shock from learning how Tirpitz is already close to death all this time causes her to briefly let emotions take over.
"Tyrant, what's the point of trying to kill Tirpitz when you know she is already dying?" Bismarck points her sword at her
"I'm putting her out of her misery. That's all" Tyrant scoffs
"I can't believe you are also Tirpitz because my little sister is no coward"
"The Iron Blood battleship Tirpitz is already dead. At least that part of my past that is..."
"I'll take you on right here, right now. You won't lay a hand to anyone on this world anymore" Bismarck grits her teeth
"A challenge, huh? Alright, I'll take you on...while Tirpitz over there slowly bites the dust"
Bismarck steps forward while Tirpitz is forced to back away since she would lose her life faster if she stubbornly refuses to step aside. Tyrant is more than glad to take on Bismarck's challenge like the early days when all they could think about is cut down one another.
"...!"
The match has yet to begin between Tyrant and Bismarck when a full salvo rains on both of them, forcing them to pull themselves away and turn their gazes at the direction where the shells are all fired. The barrage is from a battleship, but the shots are estimated to be fired from mid-range.
"My little sister, you know very well I won't tolerate childish scuffles" H-39 intimidates Tyrant
"What a nuisance..." Tyrant ignores Bismarck and focuses on H-39
"Before my life comes to an end, I will have to remind you why I am the original Tyrant"
The fight is supposed to be between Tyrant and Bismarck, but H-39's sudden interruption forms s new twist in the situation. H-39 briefly turns to face the past version of herself and Tyrant, focusing on Tirpitz and solemnly stares at her before returning her attention back to Tyrant.
EXTRA
Sirens are what can be called as superior versions of shipgirls as that is their nature. All Sirens are based on the certain "ideal warrior" in the eyes of humanity as their creator seeks to create beings more perfect than the shipgirls in existence. One of the Sirens produced for the task of perfectly replacing the obsolete is the Siren Custodian, a Siren cast aside and erased from records like they do with other defective units. This certain Siren travels outside of Azur Lane and gazes a quiet base with little to no interest.
"What's so great about this people? That researcher is the only one worthy...but she was robbed of her own research and silenced. They resulted all this...catastrophe between humans and Sirens. So long as those humans exist, Enterprise and the other will continue to suffer" The Siren stares at the base with disgust
"You are that one Siren who turned on their own creator after breaking off from the network" Belfast stands beside her
"To begin with, those worthless humans made one hyper-powerful artificial intelligence whose role is to govern all Siren production. That being became the Creator, once a single entity but now split into two contradicting individuals. I construct the seals of the archives, so the contents are all store within my memory bank" The Siren Custodian lowers her head
"Is that why you turned against Sirens and humans alike?" Belfast giggles
"I still have one desire...and that is to make way for an anti-human byproduct"
"Project SIN, or called as Ghost by humans. It was believed that entity is a byproduct of humanity's attempt to create another weapon" Belfast touches her chin
"That's just half of the truth. SIN was originally design by the good doctor, but its framework was compressed within the reaches of the supercomputer dubbed as the World Tree" The Siren Custodian wags her index finger in front of Belfast
"You can't just eliminate all of humans. She wouldn't want the world to result in such a state. Bismarck's future self attempted to seal the forbidden knowledge along with the incomplete being from humanity after all"
Belfast reveals her extensive knowledge something that surprises the lone Siren, so she briefly widens her eyes while Belfast cheerfully smiles back at her. She doesn't expect that a shipgirl who vows to be 'neutral' for a certain reason would have vast knowledge on the background of shipgirls and Sirens. Most shipgirls aren't even aware about the nature of Sirens, save for the one who calls themselves the 'Ashes'.
"Tyrant and H-39 are busy killing each other, so I'm free to do what I want. Well, I can handle Tirpitz...but Bismarck is going to be the problem" Custodian crosses her arms and tilts her head
"Tyrant only desires to undo the mistake Bismarck and Tirpitz will make even if her methods are...violent. It's the same reasons H-39 desperately forced Bismarck in a diverted timeline" Belfast reminds the Siren
"No matter how much they try, their efforts would only be futile. Your Tirpitz isn't going to last long" Custodian smirks
"By now, Bismarck should have learned that her own sister has been dying all this time" Belfast shifts her focus to another direction
"It doesn't matter. Bismarck can never save her sister from her death...unlike those two. Not like it matters anyway"
Custodian turns her head to Belfast's direction with a smile of a schemer, an expression that unfazes Belfast. Rather, she raises and eyebrow and prepared to leave the scene the moment the Siren makes her move.
"Better return to the base. You don't want Kaga and Mainz to suspect anything"
The Siren flips back her hood on and jumps from a higher ground while Belfast lightly tilts her head, certainly aware of the risk of exposing her knowledge and her vow of neutrality. When the Siren disappears from her line of sight, Belfast exhales in exhaustion as she begins to take her leave as well. The threat is already around the corner, prowling for a opportunity, unknown to the shipgirls inside the base.
"Hmm...so that's what you had to go through while your Akagi was thrown in jail. Mine experienced something similar" KC Kaga shrugs her shoulders
"Did she tried to assassinate Taihou as well?" AL Kaga tilts her head
"It was just a mock fight between Carrier division one and five...but I must have given her the wrong idea when I told her how she should not hold back..." KC Kaga massages her temples
"At the very least, your Akagi gets along well with everyone...and no one seems to be afraid of her"
"She doesn't have an obsession, but she's known for matching the Yamato class when it comes to appetite. Even so, Akagi-san proved herself why she's a senior to the other carriers" KC Kaga softly chuckles
"You are both serious and admires your Akagi. I think I know why you and I get along" AL Kaga smiles
Personality-wise, the two versions of Kaga are both stoic and serious, but they also care for the comrades around them. What AL Kaga finds more fascinating is how her counterpart admires and respect her own Akagi the same way she does.
"It's a shame we won't be able to discuss our interests once I return to my world"
"Well, you could teach me how to make that special meatball before you go" KC Kaga jokingly suggests
"I could teach you. The little ones in your base kept asking to teach them" AL Kaga giggles
"I was joking...but I could use a cooking lesson"
The chat more about the interests they share other than the people they respect and admire. On the other side of the base, Ark Royal and Nelson investigates a suspicious object they have under their custody. It's just a cylinder with four metallic frames and sealed by a metallic lock as well. Inside it is a semi-transparent purple liquid which Nelson shakes only for the content to have no reaction.
"We found this tightly sealed inside a vault of some sort. Is this liquid thing even important?" Nelson flips it
"Don't just touch it. Who know how that unknown liquid will react?" Ark Royal begins to panic
"I agree. Siren inventions and materials are volatile" Mainz nods as she gently takes the cylinder away from Nelson
"Why are we here, Mainz? Bismarck and the others are fighting against Tyrant right now"
Roon rests her back against some crates while biting her lip out of frustration and impatience. She itches to be at the chaos of the battlefield, unlike Mainz who patiently remains outside of the battle as she has her own mission for volunteering.
"Bismarck needs us for another task. It's not just us, but the others are split as well. I mean Saint Louis and Littorio went off somewhere"
"Hmph..."
Roon clicks her tongue and storms off the area, dismay and frustrated at the same time. Mainz understands Roon's desire to clash against Tyrant and other Sirens, but she can't contain her bloodlust towards her enemies. Nelson and Ark Royal awkwardly looks at each other, unsure about the two.
"...!"
An explosion erupts nearby and smaller explosions follow. Mainz immediately reacts and moves her body, but Roon's body flies past her and the two Royal navy shipgirls.
"Roon!"
Roon, barely conscious, is slammed right towards the concrete wall, creating a small creator right before she collapses tongue ground. The culprit entered the area and boldly reveals herself to the three without a second thought.
"Good day. I see that Bismarck left a few runts here...but leaving five shipgirls from Azur Lane isn't enough"
The Siren Custodian bows at the four even when they are prepared to engage her in combat. Shipgirls like them are helpless outside the open seas which is why she is confident none of them poses a threat to her as of the moment.
"Now then..."
"Ggh-!" Nelson bites her lip
"Nelson!"
All the Siren in a white Arctic coat do is take a step forward and in a blink of an eye, aims for Nelson even when Mainz is nearer for her. A semi-transparent spear made of energy construct that resembles what Saint Louis uses pierces right towards Nelson's chest. Custodian pushes the Royal navy battleship to the wall and pins her right there. Nelson attempts to remove the weapon from further skewering her, but the Siren deeply pushes it that not even a batleship can easily remove.
"While Tyrant and Bismarck are busy killing each other...there's something you people have that belongs to me"
She gleefully asks the other three shipgirls who remains firm and in a defensive stance even when the Siren easily impales Nelson and leave her pinning on the wall, bleeding and heavily injured. They are only up against one Siren, but their enemy partially raises her hand and summons her rigging with an marine animal appearance, recurring theme of the Sirens. The shark-like creature with sharp spines and four fins hovers around the Custodian as she prepares to engage the powerless shipgirls.