It doesn't matter how she is pushed down, her anger and grief cannot be sated...even by the flames of conflict and ashes of the aftermath. "It" is a beast who chooses to be severed from its kind and protect the remaining essence of the one shipgirl whose gentle and compassionate voice is enough to lull her to sleep.
"Even with an incomplete power and a body like that, how are you fighting in your prime?"
Tirpitz staggers back after sustaining three consecutive hits from Bismarck META's shell. That may be her older sister from a different timeline, but this is the Bismarck that couldn't even bring herself to mercifully kill her own sister. It's as if the grief and loss stuck to her heart is the only thing keeping her surfaced with the little willpower to live left.
"It's as you said, META is a power drawn from tragedy and ultimate sacrifice" Bismarck META scoffs
"But you're - ah, forget it. You're difficult to deal with" Tirpitz ultimately gave up
"I'm sorry, Tirpitz. I cannot allow Orochi to be rebuilt. It will only set off the events which lead to Iron Blood's downfall"
"Even after you died, you just won't stop. I have to apologize as well since I don't plan on backing down until I reach my answer"
"You were willing to surrender your own pride and honor as an Iron Blood for the very monster that killed you in another timeline"
Bismarck META couldn't be silent at her disappointment she is towards Tirpitz. Even if Tirpitz is someone difficult to talk with and minimizes socializing with other, Bismarck META is aware that Tirpitz isn't someone who would be desperate enough to go such lengths.
"Forgive me, Tirpitz. I cannot allow you to destroy your body any further"
When Bismarck META lightly curls up her right hand, pixels of light form in the gap. To Tirpitz's surprise, it begins to form and solidify a familiar shape. Bismarck META tightly grips her hand on the handle of a complete steel sword, much to Tirpitz's chagrin.
"...!"
It's as clear as day that Bismarck META isn't going to allow Tirpitz to escape. When Tirpitz plans to retaliate even if she's against a stronger version of her sister, she nearly collapses to the surface. Her body sways and she suddenly feels a split second of body pain.
"Your body is not strong enough to anchor that monstrosity" Bismarck META reminds her
"Everyone called it a monster when we're weapons. Bismarck, even monsters have the same emotions any living beings. They feel joy, anger, and sadness too. I understood that this world will never be ideal...and there will be someone who would be stepped on"
"Tirpitz..."
"Just like I was condemned into a fate worse than death - a fleet in being. While your life was short but went out in a blaze of glory, I was imprisoned for so long without accomplishing anything. It deeply hurt my pride, but I kept quiet about it"
Tirpitz couldn't bear to contain her inner thoughts anymore and decides to release her frustrations towards Iron Blood. The north isn't able to completely numbed her emotions. Rather, it amplifies her existing emotions and twists it into a twisted understanding. Six months is enough for her to presumedly understand what she currently believes.
"I want to believe in the world but humanity kept indulging themselves in their self-satisfaction. When they no longer need anything, they discard it as if it was nothing. I was left to rot while you were glorified out there"
"..."
"There was no need for me to exist, but they forced me back into this world because of you. I have no wish for this world after seeing how self-serving humans are. That's why I felt like dying was a better fate than remaining bound to humanity's will"
"Whatever you saw, it twisted you. Something corrupted you" Bismarck META softly speaks
"...?!"
"That's why I have to stop you before I witness my same mistake"
Bismarck META is no longer in her prime yet she moves in an inhumane speed. A blink of an eye and she completely disappears from her initial spot and reappears in front of Tirpitz.
"...!"
As soon as Bismarck META swings her sword at Tirpitz, the latter lifts her arm and uses her forearm to stop the blade. If she hasn't acted a split second earlier, Bismarck META might have finished her off with little effort. Although, it surprises Bismarck META that her blade is easily stopped and couldn't cut through Tirpitz's arm.
"You're letting yourself get used by a Leviathan. It's killing you" Upset, Bismarck META uses her free hand to grab Tirpitz's shoulder
"You-!"
"Sleep for a while, Tirpitz"
In reckless move, Bismarck META aims all of her main turrets towards Tirpitz. Rather than shells, she accumulates energy in her rigging and it lets out a gentle hum.
"I don't want to hurt you, but I have no choice. You aren't going to come with me peacefully"
Despite the hell is forced to walk and witness, Bismarck META still retains her love for Iron Blood and her younger sister. Although she's aware that excessive force is necessary to incapacitate a stubborn Tirpitz. Her engines begin to heat up behind tolerance and the animated rigging unhinged its jaws.
"Bismarck!"
The second Tirpitz realizes the reckless attack from Bismarck META, a powerful energy engulfs both of them and the surrounding area. It's enough to erase seawater but not enough against modified shipgirls. The pure black energy expands from a sphere to a dome but its pure properties could crush even steel in its range.
"Ggh...!"
Tirpitz survives the burst of pure energy from Bismarck META, but she isn't unscathed. Her rigging is heavily damaged and her body is weakened to the point her legs surrendered to the ground. Right now, Tirpitz has little strength to spare to even stand up while faint smoke escapes from her body. On the other hand, Bismarck META is completely unharmed from her own reckless attack.
"I'm removing that parasite from your body, Tirpitz" Bismarck META grabs Tirpitz's left arm
"We couldn't fight each other seriously. I knew I stood no chance against you, specially a META version. If you succumbed to negative emotions like the others, I would have been dead..."
As Tirpitz lift her head and weakly stare at her older sister, she completely admits her defeat. She could move her body, but she has no need to waste effort of struggling against an unscratched opponent.
"Although I'm no matches for you, I haven't given up. Even if it's just one thing, I want to change it. I don't care how much I have to sacrifice myself for it. So long as I could reach it, I'm willing to let go of everything" Tirpitz clutches her chest
"That's the reason why Tyrant was born..." Bismarck META gently unhand her
"So that's how you always felt, Tirpitz"
To Tirpitz's surprise, the Bismarck she calls her older sister is present in the scene. Accompanying her is the Kriegsmarine counterpart. The two opposite Bismarck quietly stand after overhearing Tirpitz's frustration as if they know she's been frustrated for so long.
"Everyone was thankful for being alive, but your experience in the Northern fjords twisted your perspective. If I had known..." Bismarck slowly approaches Tirpitz
"You're powerless to change anything. Bismarck, you couldn't even change Iron Blood from within" Tirpitz frowns
"..." Bismarck sorrowfully gazes at Tirpitz
"You shouldn't be here, Bismarck"
Tirpitz remains on the surface, quiet and slouching since she's far too injured to even stand up and directly face her older sister. Bismarck META steps forward and faces against two different Bismarcks while Tirpitz remains conscious and observes the situation.
"So you must be the pretender. I was wondering why your voice seemed familiar, H-class" AL Bismarck becomes hostile
"You're the reason why the real H-39 died" KC Bismarck
"I killed nobody, but I admit what I did was a form of deception. It's not something I would normally do, but I don't have the leisure to be picky with my methods"
Bismarck META raises her sword against two, knowing very well she has to go against two more battleships. She would still hesitate to harm the two, but she has no choice but to incapacitate them to move them out of her way.
"You killed one of my comrades and use her identity" KC Bismarck is clearly upset
"Although I didn't kill her, I was the reason she died. I was still stripped most of my strength, so I was powerless when Fool and Temperance finished her off" Bismarck META grabs the tip of her cap
"Then how about my Tirpitz? There was a piece of a mental cube inside her which kept her alive. When her heart was destroyed, she couldn't revive as an Abyssal"
"..." Bismarck META refuses to respond
"Was it you?" KC Bismarck clenches her fist
"All I can say is that she was bound to die because the fragment inside her was a part of a living being. It would be extracted by someone to reunite it with the black mental cube"
"Just answer me. Were you the one who killed her a few months ago?" KC Bismarck can barely restrain her anger
"We may not be from the same universe, but I never took the life of a shipgirl or any humans. I lost my allies because of my mistake, so I wouldn't allow myself to cause the same grief to others"
Bismarck META sincerely responds to KC Bismarck. She may be an enemy, but she isn't someone who would take the life of another for their own goals. If anything, the sorrow haunting her is because of how everyone else got killed except her and she's helpless to prevent it. She's forced to bear the survivor's guilt, something she finally understands after experiencing it herself. It must be what the other one felt but worse than her.
"I was there on your sister was mortally wounded. Right before she died, she asked me to extract the fragment and keep it safe. She knew what it is, and she knew she would die without it" Bismarck META confesses
"..." KC Bismarck falls silent
"If Ghost's fragment remained with her, she would have remained alive. I only extracted it because it was her. Bismarck, your sister willingly allowed me to put her down"
"No! There's now way...she would...but she said..."
The truth isn't something KC Bismarck would immediately accept. Her Tirpitz isn't someone who would suddenly give up on living and plan on dying without leaving an explanation of any kind.
"If that piece was keeping her alive, why take it? You said she would still be alive even if she suffered that kind of injury" KC Bismarck raises her voice
"It was her choice to die. I was reluctant to put her down, but she was in pain. Ghost's piece secured her survival, but it was torment to her. Your sister was neither alive nor dead for a long time and it was the only thing that kept her from being an Abyssal again"
"...!"
"Forgive me, Bismarck. I promised not to inform you on what she went through, but your grief will only consume you"
"That's - there's no way that's true" KC Bismarck refuses to believe
"She was suffering the entire time to the point a permanent death was the only peace she would attain. I truly refused to put her out of her misery, but I couldn't ignore her suffering"
"..."
Both sides remain quiet, specially KC Bismarck who has yet to process and come to terms with the truth from Bismarck META. A dead shipgirl would revive as an Abyssal, but Beast hasn't returned after a few months has passed which further proves she died a permanent death.
"Stand back, I'll take care of the rest" AL Bismarck speaks again
"But-" KC Bismarck bites her lip
"This is between her and I to begin with"
"...Fine. I understand"
AL Bismarck gently pushes back KC Bismarck and steps forward to finally confront her META version. Bismarck META has little to no hostility towards her past self knowing how naive and stubborn she used to be.
"The power of META. Something similar was used on me and it nearly killed me. I never thought I would be desperate enough to use it again" AL Bismarck frowns at her alter ego
"Iron Blood was pushed into a desperate situation. Unfortunately, I was foolish to believe that such power would make a change. You met Tyrant, right?"
"..."
"I was the reason she existed in the first place. If I had put her down, none of this would have happened. I wasn't able to stop her from going mad..." Bismarck META still bears guilt
"Tyrant said her Bismarck died, so how could you still be standing?" AL Bismarck immediately realizes
When the flaw is pointed out, KC Bismarck widens her eyes at the realization while Tirpitz lowers her head as if she's aware of the reason. Both sides fall quiet for a whole minute again, but AL Bismarck never takes her gaze off her META version.
"Eugen did say you're my META version, but I confirmed my version in Tyrant's timeline died when I saw the world for myself" AL Bismarck continues
"Well, I didn't lie, did I?" Prinz Eugen interrupts them
"...?"
AL Bismarck and Bismarck META turns their heads to the same direction only to actually see Prinz Eugen carefully exiting the same ripple Sirens uses to transport and teleport. KC Bismarck drops her jaw at the unannounced appearance of a shipgirl still under suspicion while Tirpitz is simply unhappy at her appearance.
"Eugen?" AL Bismarck raises her guard
"I didn't lie, Bismarck. Both at the time when you interrogated me and when I told everyone. Despite how I am, I was actually being honest" Prinz Eugen winks at both parties
"What do you mean?" AL Bismarck furrows her eyebrows
"While it's true this Bismarck is also you, it's not the same one. Tyrant was correct when she said her Bismarck died"
Tirpitz groans when she forces her heavily injured body to stand up and finally joins in the conversation while gripping her left arm. She could barely move that arm, but her hand remains functional.
"That's just a backup of the actual Bismarck from that timeline since she's been dead for a long time. Eugen said that body is a Pawn made by Sirens, but it's just a puppet body made by your other self. It wasn't different from the actual one and maintained the ego because of the power of META inside her" Tirpitz explains it
"A copy of the real one?" AL Bismarck shakes her head in disbelief
"Hmph" Prinz Eugen smiles proudly
When Prinz Eugen's statements to AL Bismarck and the rest of the Azur Lane shipgirls contradicted, all of it are truth on their own. She isn't wrong when she explains Bismarck META is a puppet, but she conceals it in a form of a modified Pawn used by an enemy.
"It's as Tirpitz said. I'm just the consciousness of the actual Bismarck in a backup body. This body isn't as meant to last long but it did thanks to the power of META. Bismarck, I am both a puppet and your alter ego" Bismarck META confirms it
"I didn't think you'd act so soon. You even decided to beat Tirpitz to force her to come" Prinz Eugen cheerfully comments
"So you did survive after all, Eugen. I thought you and Saint Louis succumbed to your injuries" Tirpitz dusts off her cape
"I have to thank you for trying to kill me because she got in the way"
The "she" Prinz Eugen refers is Bismarck META, but the latter doesn't bare the same amount of hostility towards her. To be specific, Bismarck META doesn't have the slightest killing intent to everyone present.
"I have no intention in harming all of you. The trouble today was between Tirpitz and I" Bismarck META informs everyone
"I don't know what's your true goal, but I came here to bring Tirpitz back and whatever she did to herself" AL Bismarck immediately responds
"You can't solve her problem. She did something desperate to herself"
"What do you mean?" AL Bismarck frowns
"Silver or the Prinz Eugen from my timeline found the escaped weapon in Iron Blood's possession, so she infiltrated it to pass information to Tyrant and wake it up. Well, you can guess how it disappeared"
"You can't save your dead timeline. A factor won't allow it to be saved" AL Prinz Eugen interrupts
"We are made to be like humans, so we can only do so much..."
"Then-" AL Prinz Eugen is cut off
"I have no time to waste with all of you right now. My goal is to handle Tirpitz and whatever she did to herself" AL Bismarck points her blade at them
"Then we'll have to stop you" KC Bismarck loads all of her main guns
(It can't be helped...)
Tirpitz in the background clutches her chest while the three different Bismarck are on a stand-off on who fires first. The energy damaged her rigging terribly, but she hasn't lost the will to fight just yet.
"Unfortunately, I'm not getting myself captured today" Tirpitz exhales
"...?" AL and KC Bismarck senses a bad omen
"Tirpitz, don't-"
Bismarck META immediately realizes what Tirpitz is planning and tries to rush to her. Both AL and KC Bismarck also try to hurry as well.
"...!"
A black dome with a dark red hexagonal pattern engulfs both Bismarck META and Tirpitz. The other two and Prinz Eugen are both pushed away by the solid forcefield, forcing them to be excluded.
"Ah, she done it" Prinz Eugen clicks her tongue
"Eugen, what did she do?" AL Bismarck quickly asks
"Well, she has a bit of Tyrant's power which is META originally belonging to your future self. Since Tirpitz is incompatible with that power, so history might repeat itself" Prinz Eugen scoffs
"We have to get in there" KC Bismarck points at the dome
"That's impossible. Although it looks like Siren technology, it isn't"
Prinz Eugen shrugs her shoulders without the slightest intent of trying to bypass the dome completely locking them out.
"You noticed I'm just a copy of the Bismarck from another timeline, so don't think I won't notice as well" Bismarck META frowns
"Then why haven't you told them?" Tirpitz is displeased as well
"Were you really frustrated with Iron Blood or..."
"Who knows?" Tirpitz refuses to confirm or deny
"You're making the same mistake as I did"
"Those words are already pointless. You said it yourself"
"..."
"My body alone has its limits. Humanity can only go so far"
Not only Tirpitz laments her own powerlessness, she couldn't accept how even humanity has a limit. Other are satisfied with their "strongest", but Tirpitz grows to crave more. Her expression becomes evident to Bismarck META on how she is straying from her path and gradually obsessed with might.
"You want to rid of your humanity. When that happens, you'll lose sight of the weight and responsibility of human life. You'll become just another monster" Bismarck META naturally won't accept it
"I'll sacrifice what's left of me to prevent anyone from Iron Blood obtaining the power of META, so they won't become an utter failure...like you"
"What if you can't stop them?"
"I'll just have to kill every single one of them. That way they could be saved form tragedy and burden of what's to come" Tirpitz bluntly replies
"...?!"
"Death is a mercy in this war, Bismarck. You're going wish you would just permanently die rather than come back to clean up this mess"
"You want to spare the many by killing the few. That thinking is flawed and would only betray you"
Of course Bismarck META would reject the idea of killing everyone else just to spare them of a terrible future. Tirpitz, who lived longer only to suffer the consequences of being in a war, comes into a conclusion for that reason. Her history makes her expect less of the future and the ruined timeline gives the realization that living may not the the best all of the time.
Somewhere near the battlefield...
Graf Zeppelin, Musashi, and several other shipgirls sorties to intercept the battle, but they are intercepted themselves. Multiple enemies appear around their location, popping out with little notice. It's recognizable to be Abyssals, but the moment the enemy appears within their sight, they are in for a great surprise.
"What's wrong with them? There's machine sticking out of them?" Musashi rubs her eyes
"You're not wrong. It's like they're modified or upgraded" Graf Zeppelin inserts a card in a specific port
Before the enemy could approach, the aircraft carrier performs a pre-emptive strike. Unlike the Abyssals they have been fighting, the ones charging at them lacks the little intelligence they normally have. The Siren technology integrated in their body pieces both their steel hide and their flesh. Since the common ones aren't sentient, they couldn't understand pain and go mad from it.
"...!"
The monstrous rigging Ne-class heavy cruisers attached to their back have been converted to mechanical spines with sharp edges and rows of jagged teeth bearing resemblance to the ones Iron Blood uses. The only difference is the present of mutated flesh bulging from the Siren steel and the disproportional appearance and alignment.
"Wha-! They're freakier than before" Kagerou's lips twitches
"Did they have a trip to the junkyard before this?" Kasumi is shocked with the changes as well
"Those machines are fused to their body rather than installed. I can't imagine how painful it was" Choukai narrows her eyes
"Who cares where did they have a wardrobe change? We blow them up!" Maya excitedly yells
They've been fighting Abyssals everyday and this is the first appearance of the ones with advanced technology forcibly merged with their body. It doesn't appear the process is a complete success due to the alignment of the parts and the flesh either getting swollen or mutating a new body part.
"Curse...curse all of you! Haha...hahaha!"
Heavy cruiser Princess, the flagship of the attacking fleet, completely succumbs to an unknown form of madness. She doesn't care who are her enemies in front of her so long as she get to unleash her might and satisfy her bloodlust eating her away right now.
"You won't humiliate me this time! Kahahaha! Just you wa-"
Unfortunately for Heavy cruiser Princess, Musashi isn't going to waste time letting her spit out her curses and grudges against the shipgirls, so she immediately charges ahead of everyone. She curls up her right fist and springs her arm back before unleashing a powerful jab right to the Abyssal's cheek.
"Guaah!"
In fact, Musashi knocks several of the Abyssal's teeth out before sending her spinning into the air and flying about fifteen meters back. Her remodelled improves her battle performance greatly and possibly boosts her already impressive physical strength.
"Did you just taped those metal to your body? You're weak as ever!" Musashi proudly laughs
"Musashi-san loves battles as ever..." Chikuma nervously laughs
"No time to space out! Let's do this, Chikuma!"
The two aviation heavy cruisers Tone and Chikuma provides support to Musashi who continues to advance the enemies. Their seaplane bombers provide decent support while the only aircraft carrier present, Graf Zeppelin, has half of attention maintaining aerial supremacy.
"Still, where did these freaky things come from? I'm American, and I haven't seen this strange. Not even in Florida!" Johnston is both terrified and curious
"Hahaha. A-Abyssals are full of surprises! They're definitely not done by another enemy from another world!" Prinz Eugen anxiously insists
"I-Is that so?" Fletcher is somewhat confused
"L-let's just shoot these Abyssals!"
Prinz Eugen immediately rushes off before the two destroyers could notice something is off with how she's coldly sweating and mildly stuttering.
"It's like those horror movies we watch. Kind of like Frankenstein in a way" Johnston sighs
"While it's unusual, it's making me nervous a bit. It's also like a cyborg and mutant combined"
The two continues to guess on what the current Abyssals resemble the most. Some of them look like the technology is installed to them while the rest are failed attempts to combine flesh and futuristic machine. The Abyssals are already horrifying creatures of the deep, but they become more malformed and swollen from the incompatibility.
"Gaaah! You damn gorilla! Damn you, damn you, damn you!"
Heavy cruiser Princess constantly backs away and opens fire while Musashi retaliates from her fifty-one centimeters dual gun mount. Most battleships would fire from a long distance, but her fighting style involves getting as close to the enemy if she gets the chance.
"What's the matter? You've become weaker than before!" Musashi mocks her
"Ggggrrrr! Wretched battle maniac! All of you...making fun of me...and never letting me rest! Why won't you die already?!"
Her rigging that resembles centipedes now with smaller and lesser legs screech loudly. The pair of worm-like creatures serving as rigging and sprouting from her abdomen during combat is less flesh and more machine now. Although there are still visible white flesh beneath the gaps of the carapace. Rather than pincers, it's then replaced by the dual mount cannons she always wields.
(She's more sluggish than before. That upgrade did more harm then good, huh)
Musashi realizes after observing Heavy cruiser Princess for a whole minute without taking her eyes off her. The Abyssal is less rational and more furious which are both constraints of her combat capabilities. Tje technology is far early and rushed for her too wield, cussing incompatibility as a side-effect.
"How about you die first? And make it permanent this time!"
The Abyssal smiles in victory thinking her latest salvo finally deals significant damage to Musashi, only for the battleship to rush out of the smoke barely harmed. Musashi smacks an incoming shell and sends her flying again with a left hook this time the moment their eyes meet up close.
Meanwhile...
Neither salvos from both Bismarcks actually dent the dome sealing both Tirpitz and Bismarck META inside. They would run out of shells before they could even punch a hole, let alone crack a portion of the field. The two battleships are trying different methods to interfere with the two while Prinz Eugen isn't making any effort to help them.
"I told you it's pointless..." Prinz Eugen sighs
"We have to at least try. Those two are certainly still fighting" KC Bismarck is persistent
"I don't there's even a fight there. Its way too quiet" Prinz Eugen is suspicious
"This isn't the first barrier I encountered that can seal off sounds from the inside" AL Bismarck responds
The two are from different universes, but they're both stubborn once they decide to follow a path. They're somewhat similar even if their origins and nature are different, much to Prinz Eugen's chagrin. One Bismarck is already difficult, two are more than she can handle. It was worse with the appearance of a third Bismarck, albeit another version of AL Bismarck.
"Eugen, you never told me why you're here? You escaped without permission again" AL Bismarck remembers to ask
"I'm keeping an eye on everyone since I'm also after that other Bismarck. Oh, remember about the method I told you that could help track Bismarck META?" Prinz Eugen snaps her fingers
"You mean using the signature of my mental cube as a basis?"
"When I had Akashi help me scan you, I had my own way of pinpointing her location. I never told anyone the truth since I have to catch her off-guard"
"You - ah, what will I ever do with you?" AL Bismarck massages her temples
"She's still you even if she's just a copy in a puppet body, so she will predict your movements but not mine"
Prinz Eugen already anticipates Bismarck META primarily observing AL Bismarck which gives her the opportunity to slip by unnoticed. Although this is another sneaky method of hers, she needs to use underhanded tactics in order to assure her success. That means making even her wary allies be more wary of her.
"...?!"
Their conversation is immediately cut off with the loud cracking of the black dome. It starts in front of them, then other areas begin to crack as well. Bits of the glass-like field separates from the rest and fall down the water surface. The cracks then gradually spread until light peaks through the holes and growing larger with each second.
"What's going on?" KC Bismarck doesn't expect the barrier to shatter on its own
Prinz Eugen falls back by a couple of meters, cautious to the battle between the two suddenly ending. She didn't expect that it would even end with the field shattering from the inside.
"...?!"
The three are in great shock when Bismarck META is victorious, holding a barely conscious Tirpitz by her sleeves. Thankfully enough, Tirpitz is still breathing and aware of her surroundings, but she is even more upset that she is kneeling on the surface again with her rigging even more damaged.
"If this is what you've chosen, then I have no choice but to kill you myself. Tirpitz, I won't allow you make another mistake" Bismarck META reminds her
"I still have to undo that...so all of this..."
"There will be consequences, Tirpitz"
"That is mine to bear alone. I want...to die my own terms..."
No matter how much she is beaten, Tirpitz remains persistent of her goal. Bismarck META is primarily worried for her sake, but Tirpitz is making it difficult for both of them. She has the strength to finish off the weakened Tirpitz, but she remains hesitant. The Tirpitz in front of her may lead to being the imperfect Tirpitz META commonly known as Tyrant or it may not.
"If you believe it's the best then take me out right now. In front of Bismarck" Tirpitz grits her teeth
"..." Bismarck META turns her head to her past self
AL Bismarckis hesitating to approach the two, specially that the one who managed to incapacitate Tirpitz first is Bismarck META. The latter has no intention of letting go of Tirpitz just yet and even aims all of her cannons at her which makes AL Bismarck anxious if her future self is planning to sink Tirpitz.
"Why is it you never killed Tyrant earlier. If you had put her down, then none of this would have happened. Iron Blood may have survived...because were both cursed to be its downfall" Tirpitz blames her
"..." Bismarck META doesn't deny it
"Tyrant abandoned her ideals and will to live the moment she killed her Victorious. She wanted to die by my hands, so I would learn to despise what I would become and change my path"
"Then why...?" AL Bismarck takes several steps forward
"So I won't have to experience killing Victorious with my own hands and be a puppet used against you. I don't want to be alone...knowing it was me who took down the ones I love" Tirpitz coughs then briefly chuckles
"You're a troublesome sister..." AL Bismarck pities her
"...Rather than talk, you should have sealed me instead"
"...?!"
The sea begins to shake and their footing becomes unsteady. Immediately, Bismarck META is forced to unhand Tirpitz and rushes to her past self. Tirpitz faintly smiles in victory and completely ignores her defeat earlier knowing very well she is completely unmatched against her own sister unless she borrows someone else's power.
"We'll see each other, dear sister"
"Tirpitz!" AL Bismarck tries to approach her, but her META version pulls her back
"Even if my goal seems pathetic to you, it won't stop me"
"You don't have to do this. This kind of desperation will only bring you ruin"
"I don't care if it brings me ruin. As long as it's mine to bear alone. You have too much burden at hand...Bismarck"
"...?!"
"I hate humans from the bottom my heart, but the shipgirls of Iron Blood are dear to me. Victorious died in the future trying to save me and you suffered trying to stop me. Although I would want the world of humans to burn, I can't bear to let this world fall into complete ruin. It's really hard to lie to myself, huh" Tirpitz admits both her hate and love
The tremor grows violently that it shakes the very sew itself and almost causes three battleships to lose their balance. On the other hand, Tirpitz is completely unaffected as she musters her remaining strength to stand.
"That's-!" AL Bismarck widens her eyes
A shadow looms over them. It comes from a creature that bursts out to surface, and it's enormous body causes the splash from its surfacing to drench the three battleships with seawater. The body is no machine or flesh, but something similar to a aether or perhaps a mystery from the depths of ocean buried for millennia.
"Hmph" It's rather disappointed at Tirpitz's defeat
Rather than a dinosaur or fox, its form is similar to an ancient beast of the ocean twisted from the time it's been living in the abyss with no light and completely exposed to the horrors beneath. As a result, it's body is similar to a dark ocean and the patterns on its body is luminescent. People may mistake it for a shadowy sea dragon, but it also mixes characteristics of monstrosities living in the twilight zone such as their luminescent markings and their sharp spines.
"...!"
The moment the monstrous being from the depths unhinges its jaws to reveal rows of jagged teeth and cosmic patterns leading to its insides, Bismarck META pulls AL Bismarck back and makes sure she stands in front of the two Bismarcks and Prinz Eugen too. A moment it moves against, Tirpitz sorrowfully smiles and averts her gaze so none of them would pity the deep guilt in her face.