(Early Authors Note: Greetings everyone! I have come back and with the ending of what is the main Azur Lane anime.

Of course, this chapter is only the beginning of something much greater soon to come...

Anyways, I'm truly glad that you all are loving this Tale, and I hope you continue to stick around.

To 54Godamora: And so now it ends... at least, in the minds of our heroes.

Now, without furhter ado, enjoy)

When Olaf saw the massive weapon that emerged from within Orochi, he couldn't think it was really what he thought it was.

"This…" Tester elated to Eugen and the others "is the concept of a weapon that is just a bit beyond your reach. And with it, you, the traitors, the UNSC, and all others will die."

Olaf then said over the comms (which all the ships could hear) "Dear God in his Heaven… that's a nuke! That's what obliterated that island earlier! We need to stop it NOW!"

Enterprise was already on it, but a flash of the terrible vision she had before stopped her. Olaf thought for a moment.

What can he do?

No one else can reach it in time, should he go?

Can he even accomplish what he hopes to do?

He still contemplates even as he gets into a Hawk and beelines his way straight to Orochi. Kaga spots him and quickly makes her way there as well.

But just as he lands, the massive weapon lifts off into the sky. Enterprise, having recovered from the flash, sends a squadron of planes after it (she hops on one and fires her arrows at the weapon). Olaf meanwhile, orders all Vultures to give chase and fire every single missile they have at it, in the hopes that'll stop it.

At first, many (specifically the Spartans and their crew) thought it was heading for The Bulwark, but flew right past it.

Heading straight for the Azur Lane base.

Already it was moving faster than even Enterprises' planes at full-speed, but still she and the Vultures were determined to shoot it down. Unfortunately, Purifier decided now was the perfect time to meddle in it all.

Two of Enterprises' planes were shot down, while a Vulture diverged to deal with the Siren, urging the others to go one without them. They fired their entire salvo of missiles at Purifier, and while many found their mark, the Siren was still alive (yet bruised fairly well) and said "Aww, too bad. I hoped the mini-boss would prove more of a challenge! Oh well, goodbye!"

She then completely destroyed the Vulture. Only a large, twisted (and partially melted) metal husk remained and fell into the ocean.

Meanwhile, Enterprise and the rest of the Vultures had almost reached the nuke, but two more of Enterprises' planes were shot down signaling Purifier's return. "You Marines will have to give me a tougher challenge next time! As for you, Enterprise, this time I'll destroy you!"

The last three planes were shot down even as Enterprise destroyed Purifiers machinery, keeping her in the air.

As the two plummeted towards the ocean, (with Purifier saying "Looks like I win, Enterprise!") the Vultures made it in range to fire their missiles and even Enterprise still fired her own powerful arrow.

Both attacks collided with the nuke, and it exploded completely.

The Azur Lane base was saved.

And Purifier's head flew off and smacked Edinburgh's (giving her a big fright).

As the explosion was still going on (and seen for miles around), Olaf was having a battle of consciences (or wills, rather) with Kaga and Akagi.

"Listen to yourselves! Don't you know who you're acting like? The Sirens! They're just using you, controlling you! Snap out of it! I'm trying to help you! Both Red Axis and Azur Lane aren't just here to stop the Sirens (along with your string of poor choices), but also to save you. Please, just-" but he never finished as Kaga sent a stream of blue flame at him. He quickly dodged and pulled out his battle rifle. He made sure to load it with rubber bullets only.

But even as he prepared to fire, Orochi rumbled and another nuke was lifted up, but did not yet fire.

"Yes, my love." Akagi spoke as if addressing the nuke.

"My love will burn the world and keep burning. Nothing can stop my love from engulfing this world in an inferno. Nothing."

The shield that surrounded Orochi kept the shipgirls from being able to put even a dent in it, let alone a scratch. Every single ship concentrated their fire on Orochi (the Siren fleet was all but destroyed) but still they couldn't break through the shield. But Olaf, ever the resourceful one, sighed and put his original plan into motion.

He threw down his rifle, pulled out two plasma grenades, and just before lighting them said "If I can't talk some sense into you two, then Orochi's destruction will have to do it!"

He threw one at each of the two pillars, and there they stuck. The illusion of Amagi, though frightened at first, smirked and said "You missed." but once the two big explosions were heard and rocks started falling, eventually shattering the already strained shield, Olaf just asked "Did I really?"

He then ran straight for Kaga and Akagi, hoping to pull them both out of danger. But Kaga wasn't so lucky and got hit by a falling stone.

The last thing she saw before blacking out was Olaf, helmet ruined and gone, reaching for her.

Meanwhile, Enterprise and the Vultures had returned alive and through their combined attacks, rendered Orochi completely out of power. It wouldn't be launching any more nukes.

As both Red Axis, Azur Lane, and The Bulwarks forces continued to defeat the Sirens, Eugen then looked around her and said "Yes, I see. We have at last come to an agreement. An alliance."

Siren ships sank left and right while most of the Sirens themselves saw which way the wind was blowing and started to get to stepping. As Amagi saw how everything was falling apart, she nearly did too.

Red Axis and Azur Lane allying themselves again.

The UNSC destroyed both the nuke and much of the Siren forces.

That accursed Spartan Olaf…

And last but not the least, (not in the slightest,) The Covenant's betrayal.

"No. These variables are unaccounted for. I will not accept this calculation. This defeat. This… this loss."

Even as she spoke those words, portals opened up, unleashing more and more Siren reinforcements. But they were soon obliterated by the shipgirls' own reinforcements. Nagato, Elizabeth, and many many more came and the alliance between the two factions was assured then and there.

As all this was going down, Akagi had broken away from Olaf and was about to attack him yet again, but Enterprise leaped into the fray and tried to talk her out of it.

"My love surpasses time, overcomes the gods, and… the Sakura Empire, my Dear Sister Kaga… I will save them all!" Akagi yells, angry that Enterprise would think Orochi is doing the opposite of what she both hoped and wanted. Even then, Enterprise slowly walks toward Akagi, unfazed by the attacks she throws at her.

"Stay away!" Akagi yells again. But still Enterprise walks toward her.

Before she can attack again, she trips and nearly falls, but Enterprise reaches over and grabs her just in time. "Finally, I got you." Enterprise smiles.

Already her memories return to her, and Akagi is freed from Orochi's control. As Olaf reaches them and they all look at Amagi's form, turning into petals and floating away, Observer and the other Sirens look on and wonder.

"Impressive Azur Lane, Red Axis. Very 've won this time, and with no small help from those Spartans."

Purifier's head (which Observer picked up) then laughed and said "Oh, you're such a sore loser Observer!"

The said Siren then twirled Purifier's head around to shut her up. Tester then floated up and said "But honestly, losing the Orochi, let alone The Covenant betraying us, was not part of your plan, was it?"

To this, Observer calmly replied "Surpassing our expectations, along with completely disproving them (in the case of being assured The Covenant wouldn't betray us), are things we must welcome. Humanity still has a future. But for how long with this Covenant here? Even I do not know."

So the Sirens looked on, and eventually turned away and left.

Meanwhile, as Olaf, Enterprise, Akagi and Kaga were still on the burning Orochi, massive bombardments came from an unknown area.

Cholok'Atz and his fleet then appeared. They had been cloaked and hidden a ways away from the battle, watching the whole time. Already they had scattered the good guy forces from their surprise bombardment.

Olaf then saw the one being that, if killed, might finally end this battle.

Cholok himself descended from his flagship upon Orochi and ignited his energy sword in one hand while gripping his plasma rifle with the other, while protected by 8 Elite Guards. They all looked on at Olaf and the others with him with loathing and a readiness to kill. But Cholok moved them aside and stood in the lead, staring Olaf down.

"What is it that you say in situations like these, Olaf? 'Out of the frying pan, and into the fire', yes? Then let us end this, here and now, in the burning ruins of our common enemy." He said with a cold demeanor.

As Enterprise and the other shipgirls readyed their weapons and Finn came in with some marines, Olaf stopped them and said "No. Deal with his forces. I'll deal with him myself."

Olaf then pulled out his own energy sword and slowly walked towards the waiting Elite.

"Must we really fight, Cholok? Now, of all times no less? I spared you for a reason, you know. I nearly lost myself in my hatred for The Covenant, but when I subconsciously spared you that day, I pulled myself out of my rage and bettered myself. I hoped you had bettered yourself as well. Guess I was wrong."

Cholok however, was not in the mood for an emotional talk.

"Save your pity and your mercy! I have no desire for it!"

He then rapid-fired his plasma rifle at Olaf, who dodged easily enough and returned fire. The battle between old foes has begun all over again. As the two continuously fired back and forth, both their rifles soon burned-out and wouldn't be operational for a few minutes. Cholok, in his anger, threw his rifle at Olaf. The Spartan didn't dodge quickly enough and so was stunned by the force of the rifle. Cholok took that time to lunge and stab Olaf with his energy sword.

Only barely was the young Spartan able to avoid the attack. He could feel the heat from the sword as it nearly grazed his side.

Olaf then returned his own attacks and with doubled force.

He had held on to his rifle and once it recharged he fired once again, hitting the Elite in the foot. But Cholok then swiped up with his sword and cut the rifle in half, ending the gunfight. Then the deadly sword fight started. Both had cut and slashed and sliced at each other, but never penetrated the other's armor.

Amid the battle raging...

As their great duel continued, Cholok's forces were soundly beating the shipgirls. They were already tired from the fight against the Sirens and never expected The Covenant to come into the battle like this. Many Covenant forces had touched ground and were already in a brutal battle with both the marines and shipgirls. It was The Bulwarks' might and skill (not to mention veterancy) of the crew that kept the good guys in the battle for as long as they did. Already multiple shipgirls were down and couldn't continue fighting. And a few marines were shot down and dead.

Only the most skilled and powerful of the shipgirls were able to stand fast against the new fleet of foes.

Belfast, Elizabeth, Eugen and the others banded together and tried to break through the ring of aliens, for The Covenant had surrounded them to keep them away from joining up with the UNSC.

Luckily they broke through and joined up with Finn and Kyle. "Well, I didn't think I'd be facing the Covvies here of all places." Kyle laughed as he booted a Grunt into a squad of other Grunts, causing a tumble and a "Stee-rike!" from another marine. A cheering laughter arose from the marines and shipgirls, raising spirits and giving them more courage to fight on.

Finn, in his hurry to get to Olaf's aid, pulled out a Brute grenade launcher and said "Eat death, you damn bastards!" and fired grenade after grenade.

Fire, smoke, and explosions were all across the battlefield as Finn fired salvo after salvo, all while making his way to Olaf. The others, following his lead, also attacked more fiercely than before. Already multiple Covenant ships were recalling their troops and pulling back, if only to regroup and charge again. But nevertheless, hope still remains.

Back at the burning Orochi, Akagi, Kaga and Enterprise had tried to reach Olaf but were blocked by a group of Elites, ready for battle-slaughter. Cholok and the Spartan were still locked in combat, until Cholok got impatient and charged right for Olaf as he stumbled over some debris.

But in his haste, he didn't see Olaf's knowing smirk, or feel the intense pain in his left arm before looking over.

Olaf had cut off his left arm right to the elbow.

A bleeding (and sizzling) stump was all that remained. Olaf had deliberately stumbled back to tempt Cholok into charging, which he did. As he charged, Olaf quickly did a turning strike, and chopped off the Elites left arm.

It was then that the bodyguards of Cholok (after providing covering-fire and continuously throwing grenades), charged. Olaf was tired, but not drained yet, so into the fray he charged again and cut down two of the ELite soldiers with a sweep of his energy sword. Four more had surrounded Olaf and then all charged him at once, hoping to overwhelm him, but he managed to 'duck-and-dodge' (as he called it from then on) and three of them ended up stabbing each other.

The fourth had survived (barely) and tried to throw a plasma grenade, but (in a terrible stroke of luck) it stuck to him, and he then blew up entirely.

The final three Elite guards banded together and as they charged, threw grenades, fired their rifles, all of it. They knew they couldn't touch him in melee (at least not critically, so they thought) and decided to end him from range. Olaf kept on his way, and straight-up headbutted the lead one, turned around, shot the Elite of the left in the face, then impaled the third on his own sword.

Cholok was enraged, but still too hurt to pull any fast moves. All he could do was curse Olaf as he walked forward, energy sword in hand.

As Olaf steeled himself for the finishing blow, the pained and hurt Elite, in a last-ditch effort, had turned off his sword, confusing Olaf.

Then, as quick as a snake, Cholok'Atz lunged forward, putting all his weight onto Olaf so as to make him stubble backward. Then, finally having one over Olaf (as some might say), he knocked Olaf's sword out of his hand, then said "And now, you finally perish."

And stabbed Olaf right in the chest with his quickly reignited energy sword.

Everyone who saw it gasped at the sight. "OLAF!" Finn yelled as he desperately climbed up the side of the Orochi. "NO!" Kaga yelled as she unleashed a massive torrent of blue flames at the smiling Elite. Cholok easily dodged, for the attack was wild and uncoordinated. But even as Finn pulled himself up onto the Orochi and Kyle came speeding in on a Hawk, and the shipgirls were all but in a minor rout, the unthinkable happened.

Olaf got up, pulled out the energy sword with a grunt of pain, looked Cholok'Atz, his old foe and rival, dead in the eyes, and charged once more.

The stunned Elite never thought the young Spartan would survive the blow, let alone get up. He was still gravely injured from the loss of his arm, so he had no stomach to continue the fight.

All the while Olaf yelled insult after insult and attack after attack.

"What's wrong Cholok?!" A slash across the Elite's chest, "Scared for your rotten life yet again!?"

Another strike, this time on the legs (and very nearly hamstringing him) "Fight back, you damn monster! Fight back!"

"You think that even if I die, you've won?!" A cut across the back, "NO! The UNSC will still live on in The Bulwark!"

Then, another cut to the legs, causing the Elite to trip. "You… I spared you once. I won't make the same mistake twice!"

But just before the final killing blow could come, Choloks remaining bodyguard (who had been kept in reserve) came and carried him off. The Fleet of World Cleansing was defeated.

The Covenant's first loss in the new world.

As Finn and Kyle came to his side (but were quickly pushed out of the way by Kaga), Olaf smiled and said "Hmph. Guess me and him really are destined to always fight, but never win. That's alright, I suppose. After all, we won. The Sirens are beaten, Orochi is destroyed, and Cholok is gone. That's a good enough note for me to end on."

He then blacked out and knew no more.

Much later...

It was a new day in the world the crew of The Bulwark entered in all those weeks ago.

After the Battle at The Twin Pillars (as some of the marines call it), things were very different. Yorktown was fully fixed and in perfect health (aided in no small part by plans Olaf had drawn before the battle), and Azur Lane and Red Axis rejoined and formed a better and stronger friendship.

And good Spartan Olaf-013…

…

…

…

…

Was alive and well.

The medics the marines had were hard put to keeping Olaf alive. The sword had struck deep, but luckily not hitting any major arteries or intestines and such. It was two full weeks before Olaf woke up and was his usual self. Kaga had stayed by his side the whole time.

"Oh, Olaf. I didn't know if you would ever wake up again! I feared that… that you w-wouldn't make it." Kaga said with tears in her eyes when Olaf first awoke.

He wiped away her tears, held her face facing his, and said "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Besides, we Spartans don't die, just go dark for a while. So next time I go out like this, know that I'll be back."

Then one day, Olaf gathered all the shipgirls, and even Apprehensive Seer came down to see what was happening, and Olaf spoke and said "Friends, old foes, and Seer. You are all here today… because me and my crew are returning home."

At this, many gasps were heard, and a protest or two rang out, but Olaf silenced them with a wave of his hand and continued, saying "I know you don't wish for us to go, what with Cholok still at large somewhere out there. But I don't doubt you can defeat him. He is already weak after his defeat, so I know he can be finished off, should he return down here. Besides, my own world is still plagued by the rest of The Covenant. So, we must leave you, and return to our own Earth and save it."

But just before he turned his back, he looked to his side at the large twisted hulk of metal and said "But first let us remember those who gave their blood to defend this world, not their own."

A line of marines then fired the 21-gun salute, honoring the death of the crew of that one Vulture, along with the marines who died battling the attacking Covenant forces. The pictures of those fallen people were placed upon that which was once the aforementioned Vulture, and there they remained still, even when The Bulwark left, and possibly until all the many, many worlds out there end.

He then turned his back, and with tears rolling down his cheeks, he returned to the control room of The Bulwark and said "Alright Luna. Take us home."

The AI nodded and activated the slipspace drive, but something unexpected happened.

…

…

That being, nothing.

Kyle then walked in and said "Uhhhhh… Olaf? The slipspace drive is… completely gone. As in, it's not there. It's like it was never even installed."

Olaf just sighed and looked down at the assembled crowd of shipgirls (who heard everything since the speakers on the spaceship were on). He then spotted a certain white-haired kitsune along with a formerly-disabled aircraft carrier slowly making their way away from the area.

"Yorktown… Kaga…" Olaf said over the speakers, "WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

The two aircraft carriers, giggling as they ran, knew the jig was up and ran for their lives, though unafraid of the consequences. Olaf had quickly exited his ship and chased after them, but never expected Kaga to suddenly stop.

And turn around, (and after pulling off his helmet,) kiss him with a passion he's never witnessed before in her.

A few 'oohs' and other such things were heard, but Kaga didn't pay them any mind. After holding Olaf in place with such a kiss (for what felt like almost ten minutes), Kaga released him and said "You can't ever leave. We need you. Our world needs you."

She then leaned in close to his ear and whispered "And I want you."

Olaf just blushed like there was no tomorrow.

"Oh, my. I had a feeling something like this would happen." Seer said, worriedness and amusement both evident in his voice.

It appears The Tale of The Spacefarers has not yet finished in the world of shipgirls and Sirens.

A little while later

Far out in space, Cholok'Atz was sitting in his seat at the command center of his flagship, angrily remembering the battle from before.

"I spared you once. I won't make the same mistake twice."

That line always went to the forefront of his thoughts.

Why did the Demon spare him at their first meeting?

What did he have to gain from it?

Was it in the hopes of changing Cholok's views on The Covenant?

No.

Cholok's beliefs and faith are firm. Nothing will dissuade him from aiding in the furtherance of The Great Journey.

Nothing.

The slipspace portal is almost ready. Soon… very soon… The Covenant will cleanse this world. And all will bow.

Or die in their heretical and rebellious ways.

Meanwhile...

Somewhere out in the wide wastes that is the oceans, the Sirens still plot to take the seas.

"What should our plan be next time? Since Orochi failed so spectacularly." Tester said.

Observer with a hint of annoyance at Tester's wording (and Purifier's laughter) simply said "We never fully took into account the UNSC, let alone Cholok's betrayal. Next time however, we will be prepared. The Sirens won't make the same miscalculation twice."

Purifier though, was rather unsure.

"I don't know. I mean, they put up a fun game, but they beat us pretty good. Maybe joining that Covenant isn't such a bad idea as it sounds? After all, we could really use the help, what with the starting position we're in."

Observer just sighed and swung Purifier's head around yet again.

Somewhere in far out and away...

Far out in the deep space of a familiar world, a voice (through comms) said "As of yet, nothing on the whereabouts of The Fleet of World Cleansing is known. But rest assured mighty Hierarchs, I will find them, and make them explain their absence."

The bearer of that voice then turned and said "Hmph. If the Hierarchs want me to go forth and bring Cholok back, then something much graver than I thought is afoot."

Perhaps these two worlds will merge sooner than expected…

(Ending Authors Note: And here it is. Part 2 of the chapter marking both the end of the main Azur Lane anime, along with such a great battle. I truly hope you all enjoyed reading this just as much as I enjoyed writing it. More chapters will come soon, so in the meantime, please review, follow, favorite, and share with others and I'll see you all next time in The Tale of The Spacefarers: Under Azur Skies.)