Author: The plan is to end the story in Chapter 20 with Chapter 21 being the Epilogue for a possible short story for Enterprise and a "failed Enterprise clone".
Just a few more steps closer to the game...
Not only the dormant black mental cube hovers on top of Bismarck META's hand, it slowly rotates and even let out a faint hum. The core of a failed copy faintly pulses on different interval as if it's a living heart and the creature is finally responding. Bismarck META isn't barely alarmed at the changes and continues to isolate herself in an abandoned warehouse.
"I can hear the ocean waves even from here. If you could only stop burning everything, I would have showed you the world"
Bismarck META carefully lifts the object to her chest level without lowering her guard the slightest. She could never ignore the fact that the shipgirl is still alive with her consciousness sealed. What she feels for the dormant shipgirl is something similar to pity and sorrow even if she can't comprehend a spiteful person.
"I can't blame you for hating the world. It's not perfect, but I still wished to preserve Iron Blood" Bismarck whispers to the mental cube
"..." The cube is completely unresponsive
"If I hadn't downplay the beginning when Roon went completely berserk, I might have been able to do something. It was already too late the moment I discovered the forced awakening on Tirpitz. Killing Victorious was what killed the younger sister I loved..."
"..."
"Iron Blood begun to fall apart because I desperately wanted answers. In the end, I couldn't put Tirpitz out of her misery or even punish Prinz Eugen"
The mental cube pulses faint yet warm light after solemnly narrating her own regret. She's completely exhausted and still carrying a neverending burden, something that the lightly conscious mental cube understands to a degree.
"You should see the world once you completely wake up. It isn't so bad after all, you know" Bismarck META lowers the mental cube
"..."
"The sea is fresh, the breeze is comfortable, and the sky is warm. I experienced all those things because I stopped for a moment and opened my eyes"
"..."
"Going against even a limited Leviathan is complete suicide, so I might not be able to guide you. If possible, you could visit my past self and discover why I still wished to protect my beloved Iron Blood"
"..."
"If-"
Just as Bismarck META is warmly speaking to the cube about the world, the sound of approaching footsteps reflexively causes her to stand up and place the cube on one side. The eerie echo of slow rhythmic footsteps from the other side of the warehouse surrounds Bismarck META with a sense of dread.
"There you are. It only took me a while to track you down, Bismarck" A stern yet uncaring voice breaks the echo of the footsteps
"Nameless. You didn't come out yourself, so you used Tirpitz" Bismarck META clenches her fists
"I was hoping I'd come across the past you, but she's nowhere to be found in the open. They're probably busy sniffing you out"
The monstrosity from the depths, speaking and moving through Tirpitz, mockingly responds. Bismarck META couldn't even draw strength even if she can engage her in combat. The one in front of her is still physically Tirpitz, truly making the nameless monster a puppeteer
"Your grudge resurfaced, Nameless. I thought you became passive and quiet" Bismarck META maintains her guard
"The world is toxic and it's making me nauseas. It only reminded me how Amagi strived for the Sakura Empire only for her efforts to be cast aside. Then there's the present Bismarck stabbing me in the back" Tirpitz darkens her expression
"She didn't know..."
"Ignorance isn't an excuse, but I'm not here for that. I'm here because I couldn't stand that...Enterprise"
Rather than the actual Enterprise, Tirpitz moves her attentions to the faintly glowing black mental cube. The void-like appearance is visible on all the cube's side as some form of dark light is faintly trying to escape.
"It's unsightly..."
"Ghost is a living being even if she's deemed defective"
"Nameless aside, I want to know why you crawled back here of all timeline. Your goal is to undo your failure, but your actions will certainly repeat it" Tirpitz herself speaks this time
"Using META meant living with tragedy and being burdened by it. What the Tirpitz I knew did was corrupt herself to prevent the power of META from making me go berserk. I was desperate to protect Iron Blood, ignoring the fact I must never bear all these burdens" Bismarck META narrates without hesitation
"Tyrant, the false holder of your META was born" Tirpitz immediately guesses
"Victorious saw how Tirpitz was suffering from enduring the incompatibility, so she decided to put her out her misery. I acted on my instincts as an older sister and raised my blade against Victorious. At the same time, Tirpitz came to her senses and was in complete shock at what I did in front of her eyes"
"Victorious was killed in front of Tyrant's eyes and that only sent her spiraling into madness. Although the Tyrant I faced was completely rational and suicidal"
"That's..."
The air remains tense between them, but Tirpitz has little to no reaction even after hearing the side of the story from Bismarck's side. Both sides expresses much emotion, only completely on guard against each other. They may not be fighting right now, but Tirpitz deems the future version of her sister as an enemy.
"So I'm guessing after that, Tyrant lashed out at Iron Blood as payback?" Tirpitz crosses her arms
"...No" Bismarck answers unexpectedly
"What?"
"Iron Blood deemed I wasn't a capable leader and saw Tirpitz as a pitiful existence, so they planned to put her down without hesitation. Tirpitz felt betrayed when the order was given because they no longer saw her as useful. She didn't want to hurt her allies, but her incompatibility with the META forced her to rampage. By the time I rushed back, Iron Blood was in flames and Victorious died in her arms trying to stop her"
"Didn't you say she died earlier than that?"
"..."
Bismarck META doesn't instantly respond and sighs in complete exhaustion. To retell the moment of her mistake drains the already emotionally withered Bismarck.
"I clashed against Tirpitz, but I couldn't bring myself to strike her down. As a result, I ended up exposing myself and nearly let her kill me...if it wasn't for a wounded Victorious showing up. I merely incapacitated her earlier, but Tirpitz believed she died"
"Instead, Tyrant ended up unintentionally killing her..." Tirpitz clicks her tongue
"To prevent her from completely breaking down, I used the stable half META to alter her unstable half. I had to make her believe I killed Victorious or else she would have lost herself forever. Everyone else accepted that I killed Victorious. Even so, Tirpitz blamed humanity for discarding her again and disposing of Iron Blood"
"You did everything and worked hard to live up to your position more than anyone to maintain Iron Blood yet your own ambition became your downfall. Everything came tumbling down because you didn't understand anyone. That's why the original H-class got killed"
"I believed that so long as I protect Iron Blood, the people within will be protected as well. In the end, I became someone no one can comprehend because I always bear the thought I alone can protect Iron Blood. That if I strived for power and perfection, I would be able to cherish everything"
"..." Tirpitz averts her gaze
"I want the Bismarck in this timeline to learn how only through protecting the ambition of everyone in Iron Blood that she can sway even fate itself. Everyone's ambitions is in their heart and if she could understand that, she would be able to save herself"
"Tell that to her yourself"
"How about you, Tirpitz? What are you planning?"
"..."
Tirpitz closes her mouth shut and ponders about what to respond. She already has her own goal, but the conversation disorganizes her thoughts and results in her hesitating at the present.
"Although I have no love for the cowardly higher ups, I'm naturally loyal to Iron Blood" Tirpitz responds
"Ironic for someone who betrayed it..." Bismarck META retaliates
"The Iron Blood I'm loyal to is the one that my older sister leads. I don't have the slightest love for those officials refusing to acknowledge their mistakes. Your experience made me realize I would only meet my downfall at the hands of humans"
"Killing those humans won't solve anything. This will only make the rest of the higher ups deem Iron Blood as dangerous and Bismarck as incompetent" Bismarck META informs her of the consequence
"At one point, I thought why just stop at the ones in Iron Blood? Perhaps the rest of the world needs to be purged too"
"..."
"On the day Tyrant died, the unstable half of the META that belonged to you wasn't in her possession anymore. Where is it?"
"I don't have it. If you were to use it, I will put you down myself for my past self's sake. That way she won't feel guilt for killing you, just hatred against me"
"...That kind of attitude is why I left Iron Blood in the first place. You always take everyone's burden and shut your true feelings until everything around you collapses. When it does, you allow yourself to be shackled by your mistakes and not look back on how no one regretted following you. Empires and kingdoms comes and go, Bismarck. Sooner or later, even the proud Iron Blood will be replaced by another. It's only the matter of the legacy we will leave in this world"
The Tirpitz present right now isn't from the same timeline as Bismarck META, but her realization is what drastically changed her. No matter how one strives to preserve what they cherish, gust of wind called time will carry its legacy for future generations while the rest fall into ruins. Even so, the foundation that already existed from that generation will be rebuilt by the next one and improve through its legacy. It's how humans progress and improve themselves - by learning from the past that either made a revolution or fatal mistake.
"...I wanted Iron Blood to last forever, but I failed to look back at history. Our nation changed and progress over time. Iron Blood cannot remain stagnant even if another kind of Iron Blood replaced it. It was too late for me to accept how being able to accept and learn to change is what humans made the way they are" Bismarck META also has that realization
"No matter how many generations will pass to replace Iron Blood, it will always be Iron Blood. That's why we can all look back and be proud that it's because we built it in the first place that it became this incredible now" Tirpitz faintly smiles now
"It may not be like me, but I wished I weeded off those intoxicated conservatives earlier. Humans who clung to glorified mistakes are what I despised the most. They...pushed me away and blamed me for Iron Blood's downfall"
Tirpitz lowers her head and silently pities her older sister who is still scarred from the hell she is forced to witness in her timeline.
"Amagi died a long time ago. Humans didn't kill her in this timeline, Nameless. Besides, I see no reason for you to lure my past self when you bear no grudge against her" Bismarck mildly becomes hostile
"I simply need to trigger the events on how it was foreseen" Nameless overtakes Tirpitz
"Foreseen?"
"There's no easy way to explain it to you. It's a white dead tree rooted neither at the beginning nor the end. Between its gaps is like staring at the night sky"
"...?"
"That's all I can say. My actions aren't random if that's what you're thinking. Even a beast like me have motivations"
Nameless touches her left cheek where a crack appears and briefly reveals some sort of void beneath it. Despite formerly having a towering monstrous form clad in steel, it's merely an armor for whatever horror lies beneath.
Maizuru Naval district...
AL Akagi snaps her chopsticks and her expression grows menacingly dark while AL Shoukaku and Zuikaku stands across the table. Zuikaku nervously hides behind Shoukaku when the murderous aura around Akagi becomes too intense. She may be a mighty warrior of the Sakura Empire, but she knows how dangerous Akagi can get once she's blinded by emotions.
"Prinz...Eugen is spared and allowed to rejoin...?" AL Akagi's eyes dilates
"Now I know you're angry, but Mikasa and Bismarck agreed to let her back since she knows about the fake Bismarck and Orochi" Shoukaku calmly explains
"T-that's right. Prinz Eugen offered them help in exchange of not being punished. Iron Blood will deal with her once we return to Azur Lane though"
Zuikaku drops hiding and stands behind her sister, explaining about the sudden change in the situation.
"They know cooperating with the Sirens is a serious offense and they're not ignoring that" Shoukaku tries to calm her down
"Although she might slip away the moment we turn around" Zuikaku mutters to herself
"I cannot accept this!"
The furious Akagi is unable to contain her emotions and angrily slams table. This catches the attention of nearby shipgirls from the boom of her voice and impact on the table. Of course, the reaction should be expected considering the past confrontation ending in Akagi frustrated at Prinz Eugen escaping even if the latter is damaged.
"Akagi-senpai, please understand the situation. If you and Prinz Eugen try to kill each other, she may not tell us why the Sirens are rebuilding Orochi and how to foil their plans" Zuikaku walked towards the table and slams both of her hands
"Senpai, it's only for a short while. We know it's now easy to trust someone who is cooperating with the Sirens on their own will, but we came here for a reason" Shoukaku pleads as well
"That fake Bismarck used you and you're angry about that, remember? With her knowledge, you may be able to discover who she truly is and where you can find her" Zuikaku points out
"Besides, the situation would turn against you if you bare your fangs in front of everyone right now. Until we return to Azur Lane, hold your grudge for a while"
"Tch. Of all the times..." Akagi sits back down
Akagi isn't somehow to easily let go of a personal grudge, but she can be reasonable enough to listen to reason. If she's aware how it would be beneficial for her, she may just agree with it and temporarily bear with it. She may be completely displeased with the turn of events, but she convinces herself to calm down and take a deep breath. Her ears and tensed muscles slowly relaxes. Seeing this, the two crane sisters gazes at each other and sighs in complete relief.
"So, what did she confess when she was captured?"
"Rather than captured, she was found badly wounded with Saint Louis. She could have escaped before Bismarck and Mikasa arrived, but she behaved when she was taken to a human base" Shoukaku reluctantly explains
"She surrendered? Just like that? For someone who committed suicide to avoid capture, she's awfully playing nice" Akagi is immediately suspicious
"Littorio was there too, so Prinz Eugen wouldn't have easily escaped anyway. While we're all desperately trying to regroup, that proud Sardegna woman is drinking wine and touring the whole country" Shoukaku shakes her head in disappointment
While Shoukaku continues to complain, Akagi rolls her eyes in complete disinterest. Her current focus is to Prinz Eugen suddenly choosing to back down and give up any form of retaliation. Littorio may be there to guard her, but she could easily escape her watch as long as she can move her entire body.
Later...
The Azur Lane shipgirls, save for Sovetskaya Rossiya and Saint Louis, gather in one spacious briefing room. Akagi stands in one corner with her hands crossed, clearly glaring in pure hostility at Prinz Eugen, who left eye is concealing the burn from their previous unfinished match. The former member of Iron Blood stand at the very front for everyone to see, deliberately ignoring the doubt and awkwardness in the air. They're also slightly nervous with how Akagi's bloodlust is way too obvious that even Mikasa and Bismarck are worried about a possible confrontation again.
"Is this really okay though?" Shoukaku whispers to Zuikaku
"I feel we have little choices. The more we idle, the more Orochi is being completed" Zuikaku whispers back
The two are the ones to try and convince Akagi to restrain her bloodlust since they need Prinz Eugen's knowledge even if she's questionable, but they have their doubts on the credibility of someone who willingly sided with the Sirens.
"Prinz Eugen is not to be trusted. How are we okay with this?" King George V whispers to Littorio
"I have trust issues as well, but Saint Louis isn't overlooking the fact Prinz Eugen saved her and almost got killed in the process" Littorio frowns
"Although trusting her is not a wise decision, she's cornered to the point she can't lie her way out"
"That much is true. She may deceive Bismarck and Mikasa, but her lies won't work on us"
Littorio and King George V are on guard at the possibility that Prinz Eugen may still have a plan of her own even after willingly surrendering. She claims to seek revenge on a certain someone and it's the main reason she agrees to share what she knows to the others.
"I should be the one angry right now after the scarring damage to me" Prinz Eugen gently touches her eyepatch
"It's not advisable to provoke anyone, Eugen. You haven't fully recovered and Akagi has full intention of burning you again" Bismarck berates her
"You dragged me back here saying you need it knowledge, but not a single one looks like wants to hear me out" Prinz Eugen scoffs
"This is like the safest place for us. We barely convinced some of their allies to let you recover there" Mikasa responds
"You blew yourself up like an idiot!" Admiral Hipper raises both of her fists
"How many times do I tell you - forget it. You're more thickheaded than you are top heavy"
"...!" Admiral Hipper grits her teeth
In the first five minutes and the discussion is either swaying away or the tension is only growing. Prinz Eugen is making it worse by not restraining her sarcastic and practical tone. In fact, she isn't pleased to reunite with her allies as much as they distrust her.
"Eugen, we allowed you back here in the condition you will cooperate with us" Bismarck sternly reminds her
"Fine, fine. You're always the direct-to-the-point kind of person after all. Tirpitz always kept saying you can be rather impatient after all" Prinz Eugen reluctantly complies
"..."
As if mentioning Tirpitz on purpose, Prinz Eugen averts her gaze when she senses Bismarck's slowly thinning tolerance of hers. She knows how Prinz Eugen behaves, but she is deliberately not taking the situation seriously despite knowing her restricted position.
"Like what I told Bismarck and Mikasa, the black mental cube I'm supposed to steal is Orochi's power source. Unlike the previous one Akagi herself nourished..." Prinz Eugen smirks
"..." Akagi's expression darkens
"...this one is from an incomplete shipgirl. It may be a little similar with the PR ships. The fake Bismarck stole it knowing what's is going to be use for"
"Who's this fake Bismarck?" Akagi take a few steps forward
"An autonomous puppet. It may look like Bismarck, but it's nothing more than a mere tweaked Pawn" Prinz shakes her head
"...?"
The response may be believable for the rest, but both Mikasa and Bismarck widens their eyes. They reflexively stare at each other and couldn't let out their bewilderment through words. Instead, they both share a wide-eyed shock before returning their gazes at the rest.
"When you have your entire focus on the strings above, it's not that hard to let the Pawn perfectly mimic the real being. It's actions are limited, so it had to rush stealing that cube" Prinz Eugen scoffs
"A Pawn? Although I've encountered Pawns before, I never heard of someone having a basic form of intelligence" Akagi is somewhat skeptical
"Remember the shipgirl that stopped you from killing me before? She had a hand in creating that Bismarck Pawn. I didn't know the cube was stolen until she told me"
"..."
Akagi is conscious throughout the encounter even if her strength is mostly drained form a single touch from that unknown shipgirl with no rigging. Just like Prinz said, it's that unknown shipgirl that informed her of the missing cube. In fact, that pale girl is rather amused than upset about the Sirens' plan getting foiled.
"Why are you working with them knowing you'd get betrayed?" Littorio steps forward
"I can't go back to Iron Blood after I was put out of commission, can I? When I learned what the other me did while I was out, it was obvious I had to stay" Prinz Eugen frowns
"It looked like you're genuinely having fun though"
"Says the woman who spent all the time she was missing touring Italy and not bother trying to find a way to Japan. Someone had to find you and drag you to the shipgirls" Prinz Eugen's retaliates
"Well-"
"Now, now. We shouldn't really be arguing with each other"
King George V immediately steps in front of Littorio the moment she realizes it's beginning to escalate. Neither of them are innocent and both are questionable on their own terms. Their goal is to discover how could the Sirens rebuild Orochi if the most important piece is in someone's hands. Fortunately enough, Littorio easily backs down albeit slightly upset that she couldn't speak any further.
"Prinz Eugen, we need to know where the black mental cube is. As long we can bet our hands on it, the Sirens would have a major setback long enough to destroy their reconstruction project" King George V resumes to the main topic
"I don't know. The Pawn acts and speaks like Bismarck, so only Bismarck would know where she could go in that situation" Prinz Eugen redirects the questions
"I would never use dirty tactics or flee from a battle. That Pawn is nothing like me"
"..."
Bismarck is aware of the Pawn's real identity being an alternate future of her and says nothing after Prinz Eugen conceals the truth. She believes there's a logical reason behind it since Prinz Eugen is as cunning as she is teasing. Of course, she refuses to completely play along with Prinz Eugen and knocks back the question to her.
"We have no means to detect the black mental cube, so we're not going anywhere" Prinz Eugen gives up
"Eugen" Bismarck frowns at her
"Fine. I might have a method to at least narrow down the possible location, but it will take a day or two at best. Bismarck is going to be the key for it though"
"Key?" Mikasa scratches her head
"To find Bismarck is to use Bismarck. Besides, Tirpitz and that Nameless is going after the same thing"
"Me?" Bismarck tilts her head
"There's also the fact that the black mental cube in her possession is constantly active. It releases an indenib energy that would attract the Iron Blood prototype" Prinz Eugen raises her index finger
"..." Bismarck is somewhat skeptical
Normally, Bismarck would be glad someone already have a method to ease their problems, but Prinz Eugen is present with her sly smile and her eyes are looking forward to something else. Bismarck sees this as a sign that the Iron Blood heavy cruiser is focused on another plan than their current concern.
"For the record, I don't have the slightest trust in a traitor even if Bismarck and Mikasa-senpai are with her" Akagi voices out her complaint
"Then feel free to volunteer keeping a close eye on me. I have nothing to hide, so I'm not afraid of you" Prinz Eugen boldly responds
"..." Akagi is about to uses flaming talismans again
"If it eases everyone's distrust, I would allow it" Bismarck shrugs her shoulders
"The same thing goes for me" Mikasa immediately agrees
"..."
The rest worryingly looks at each other, still having doubts over the decision to allow Prinz Eugen be a part of them again. She's not forced to work with the Sirens, but it's her complete freewill. It's her words that confirm she willingly stayed with the Sirens knowing she would be punished if she reappears. In fact, there isn't the slightest regret when she admits her own crimes, so mistrust continues to linger in the room and keeps the situation tensed.
"I'm also keeping an eye on her! I'll be chasing her if she tries to run away!" Admiral Hipper declares
"I'll volunteer for that, Admiral Hipper. We need someone who cannot be swayed with mere flattery like Akagi" King George V taps her shoulder
"That I don't mind" Akagi allows someone else
"..." The others either shrugs their shoulders in acceptance or nods lightly
"It's decided then. While you work on a method, these two will keep an eye on you" Mikasa clasps her hands together
"..." King George V sighs in relief
Akagi may be willing to tolerate the presence of an unforgivable traitor, but she could barely contain her killing intent. Too clear that King George V is concerned on what might happen if she takes her eyes off on not only Prinz Eugen but on Akagi's impulsiveness as well. Akagi has a protective side to both her allies and her beloved commander, so she is willing to remove the slightest threat in front of her.
The next day...
KC and AL Bismarck travels far north in one of the Kriegsmarine's bases. The pair arrive quietly and without issue, but their expression is far from being happy. Their main reason isn't to merely pay a visit but to learn something.
"Charles William Ferdinand, one of the H-class project has been dead for a long time. I didn't think I was talking to another version of you all this time..." KC Bismarck solemnly accepts it
"Neither did I expect it myself. An alternate version of me living in this world for who knows how long. I don't even know why she stayed here like she gave up" AL Bismarck wants is upset
Their concerns are different but it only stems from the same root. KC Bismarck wishes to know about her dead Kriegsmarine ally while AL Bismarck seeks to discover Bismarck META's motive for remaining quiet and stealing the black mental cube.
"..."
The two quietly gazes over the horizon and don't let themselves be distracted by the sound of supplies being transported by the fairies and equipment being repaired. At the very least, they need to enjoy the faintest solace in the ongoing war of their respective worlds.
"Your comrade, since when did she die?" AL Bismarck reluctantly asks
"Her presence was detected more than a year ago. A mysterious battleship appeared in one stormy night only to disappear after wiping out the early Sirens" KC Bismarck responds
"A year ago. She wandered in this world that long..."
"About a few months before the whole ordeal with a certain Abyssal, H-39 has been replaced already"
"I'm surprised no one seemed to notice"
"H-39 was believed to be sunk almost a year ago. She was lost in the radar after coming contact with an enemy fleet. They just deemed her KIA...only to show up hours later as if nothing happened"
"That was when she was replaced, correct?"
"..."
KC Bismarck doesn't need to respond to confirm her counterpart's guess. It should be clear how the real H-class indeed died in a battle and the one who returned is an impostor. Bismarck META completely conceals her identity for so long that not even AL Bismarck immediately realizes even on the day the black mental cube is stolen.
"The impostor perfectly mimicked the shipgirls of this world and even acted like H-39 herself. Scharnhorst didn't even notice a thing and she's not easily fooled" KC Bismarck clenches her left fist
"Is there any reason to why she decided to copy that friend of yours?"
"I don't know. H-39 often works in secret and I don't always get to talk to her, but we fought together before and won battles together..."
"..." AL Bismarck lowers her head
"The fake Bismarck didn't do anything while she was in our world. In fact, she helped resolve an issue before. I should have suspected how she managed to limp back alive after bleeding so much and having an Abyssal smash her to the ground"
"It seems she's not completely evil for behaving for an entire year, but I don't think O can remain calm if I face her...as a META version of me"
Unlike AL Akagi, AL Bismarck has no killing intent towards her future version, but she isn't fully willing to accept her existence just yet. She doesn't even know whether she's been preparing for her own plan and the connection to why she has to steal the mental cube by removing her disguise.
"By the way, your Prinz Eugen didn't tell the truth to everyone. Why didn't she tell that the impostor is really another version of you and not a puppet" KC Bismarck almost forgets to ask
"Although she is avoiding the subject, I can guess that it would only cause the others to doubt me. It may affect Iron Blood as well if they discover that their leader is an enemy who abandoned everything she fought for..." AL Bismarck is upset about the secrecy
"Then what will you do once you meet her? I'm sure your Tirpitz would be going after her too"
"If she still retains a bit of her past self, then I would try to reason with her. She hasn't harmed any of the shipgirls from Azur Lane and your world"
"There's more to it, right?"
Judging from AL Bismarck's reluctance and other mixed feelings, KC Bismarck doesn't have to guess she has yet to tell the main reason. Even if Bismarck META hasn't killed anyone, it's not easy to trust someone who works on her own and doesn't reveal the slightest motive to anyone.
"I heard her voice before. It was her who dragged me out of a nightmare caused by a shadowy monstrosity. To be exact, she prevented several Iron Blood shipgirls from having a mental collapse" AL Bismarck confesses
"She saved you, huh. Well, I guess that's natural since if you die then she dies too"
"I already thought of that, but she saved the others more than once even if I wasn't present. Every time she appeared, she refused to sink any shipgirls and even try to protect them" AL Bismarck has little reason to resent her
"I suppose I won't be inclined to hate someone who would also prioritize someone even if there's no benefit. Perhaps she's still you but went through someone horrible"
"That's the case with her fellow META. Each one gone through a drastic change after being forced to face their ultimate despair. If they live through it, they break their past limits and be burdened by the power they couldn't use to save anyone earlier..."
Everything comes with a price, including any form of power. The world always require an exchange and having everything stripped of you is the consequence of the desperate wish for abnormal power. AL Bismarck seeks the strength to preserve her beloved Iron Blood, but she's beginning to question whether suffering is a fair price to pay when there's no certain her only wish could be granted.
"Bismarck!" Graf Zeppelin rushes to the two
"Graf, what's the matter?" KC Bismarck widens her eyes
"Problem. There's a problem" Graf Zeppelin pants
"Take several deep breaths" AL Bismarck suggests
"Our fleet from Maizuru are continuing with the search, but they come across something terrible. It's not the Abyssals"
"Then what is it?" KC Bismarck grabs her shoulders
The panic in Graf Zeppelin's eyes immediately worries Bismarck and she is beginning to panic as well.
"The other Tirpitz has been found and..." Graf Zeppelin looks at the AL Bismarck
"Me?" AL Bismarck furrows her eyebrows
"Well...your Tirpitz has been spotted fighting...you?" Graf Zeppelin herself is confused
"It's the other you who stole the black mental cube" KC Bismarck immediately realizes
"Where is this battle? We need to hurry before both of them disappear who knows where again" AL Bismarck clenches her fists
The unexpected opportunity comes. Two of their main targets are in the same place and at the same time. AL Bismarck can corner the two and confront them about her unanswered questions. Not to mention, she's worried that the two are clashing already.