Azur Heroes

Chapter 10

I know plenty of you want to get straight into a confrontation with the Yakuza, but I wasn't too keen on jumping straight to that. It took a while in the main story anyway. This time we'll be back in the US for the set up to a set to pair some of the lead heroes together. So on with the show.

(No POV)

In the three years since John Kotov had become a commander, many things had changed. First and foremost, he was now a registered hero with the United States. He rarely got involved in the day-to-day protection though, given his distaste for the profession. But he was quickly bulked up thanks to Star and her boys putting him through rigorous training.

Despite that, he had rapidly moved up the ranks to be in the top 10. Primarily due to another defense of San Diego. This time while he had originally directed his ships to engage at sea, a group of Siren submarines had invaded and were attacking the civilians.

Star and Stripe was of course the first to jump in to save everyone. But as she was leaping off, she grabbed John and dragged him to fight the Sirens head on. Despite his protests. But when they arrived and saw the destruction, John could only think back to the day he lost his leg and family.

Thus, he went for full Maximize and fought alongside Star and Stripe. The man taking off his officer's jacket and wearing it akin to a cape around his shoulders. And the pair demolished as many Sirens as they could.

Aided by the fact that they both knew the Siren's tricks at this point and could properly counter whatever traps the cloned subs could set. Let alone a few tricks of their own that the Sirens would underestimate.

This event, plus a handful of others he was dragged into, along with his actions as a commander directing the shipgirl forces pulled him up to the number 2 point in one year. Much to his annoyance.

Especially when toy companies started selling action figures of him with his jacket on shoulders and no shirt. With exchangeable legs, given he had a special one from Darpa and I Island that had weapons in it.

Or figurines, posters and trading cards where he had his arms crossed looking down. Calling him the Naval Hero: Captain or Commander Brawl.

"You still mad I dragged you into that last fight?" Star asked while checking in on the man in the command room. John rolled his eyes before saying, "no….. at least not this time. Something else has been bugging me." As he was saying this, he was rubbing the ring on his left hand.

Over the three years working with his girls he'd become much closer to all of them. Especially Yorktown. To the point they were married. With a later summon of USS Spence becoming akin to a daughter for the two of them.

Among the other summons were San Francisco, Sims, Fletcher, Cooper, Omaha, Benson, Quincy, Marblehead, Bataan, Boise, and Ticonderoga. Greatly enhancing the strike and defense capabilities of his fleet. Making them confident about being able to handle anything.

Especially since they found a way to unlock greater combat potential in Laffey. Giving her a retrofit to amplify all of her combat potential. To the point she soloed a group of 20 Siren clones and crippled a high rank Siren alone.

But much of this happiness was not to last. Thanks to a dangerous group of Sirens and some others that couldn't be identified. Due to the convoy that Yorktown had been escorting being utterly decimated. With the woman herself barely clinging to life when the rescue team found her and now trapped in a coma.

This had happened six months prior, and it pushed John into a spiral of anger. Even pushing Spence away, as well as the other girls. With Star barely able to get a response with from him.

It took one of his first summons to snap him out of it. Cleveland finding John after he'd been pushing his quirk and his own physical strength to a near breaking point. And when she first tried to talk to him, all her commander did was roughly push her aside.

So, Cleveland grit her teeth before tackling him to the ground. "You think you're the only one who lost someone! Everyone of us shipgirls knows that better than you! We've all lost family in one way or another! But you have a bigger family than you realize! We're all here for you and we need you with us!" Cleveland shouted at him between punches to his face.

This helped to snap John out of his spiral and anger. He still needed help, including apologizing to Spence. But she teared up and wrapped him in a tight hug when he did apologize and say he didn't blame her if she couldn't see him as a father anymore.

"Welcome back, daddy." Was all she had to say to make both tear up and John to keep apologizing to her. Star chuckled thinking back on that before saying, "I'm glad you eventually snapped out of it. Btw, you ever gonna follow up on what else Cleveland said to you?"

John just gives Star a sideways look to as if to say to stop asking that. She laughed again before mentioning that she was glad he'd summoned more reinforcements. "Even if one is a bit comically clingy with you~." Star says while noticing said clingy member was sneaking up on John.

"Don't remind me. When Yorktown wakes up, I'm not sure I want to explain that to her." Suddenly a large pair of breasts are sitting atop his head and a sing song tone is heard above him. "Oh, come now honey! Don'tcha just love it when I'm close! And I'm sure I'll get along with her just fine~. And it could be quite fun for all of us later~."

The one saying this was one summoned a few weeks ago, one of the last battleships built by the United States: USS New Jersey. It was not long after John had snapped out of his funk that he tried for a new summon. And he somehow gained the power of the strongest battleship in the Eagle Union.

She meanwhile seemed extra smitten with the commander and had quickly glomped onto him. Even after telling her that he was married, she was still clingy and affectionate with him. Especially given she was currently feeling up the muscles he built up over his aggressive stage with her hands, while rubbing her boobs atop his head.

"Please stop. Especially if someone calls. This a very compromising and unprofessional position to be in." John said with a blush while grabbing Jersey's wrists. Who just giggles before saying, "oh fine~. Hey, are you going to see her again?"

Jersey had a less flirty look and now was looking at him with concern. He looked up at the rabbit like battleship with a bit of shock but then acceptance. "Yeah. I avoid it for a long time. But it does feel better to see her with Spence."

An alert came in from the returning fleet, namely the fact they had gathered new materials and took out another small fleet. But the two leads of the fleet said they had some unsettling details to report.

"I'd prefer we tell you when we get back John. It's a bit sensitive." Cleveland said first. Behind her, Hornet agreed. Saying, "yeah bro. This….. could complicate a few things. We may want to bring in the Admiral as well."

John hums before agreeing. Telling Hornet he's going to the hospital for the time being. Along the way he goes to pick up Spence from the makeshift study rooms that were added for the younger ships. Only to find a few younger soldiers and the kids of a few on the base surrounding her. And he can see her tears from his position.

He sees red and is about to give them a bit of hurt. Only for a few of Star's crew to show up and do it for him. The second of her squad sees John walking up as he's choking out one of the soldiers. "Hey Commander. Came to get Spence right? Don't worry about these punks. We know how to deal with them."

"Thank you for that. I'm not sure I could get away with either chucking these brats out to sea. Or asking Jersey to give them an up-close view of her 16 inch guns. For either their faces, or anywhere else." John said with a dark look directed to some of the teens.

Spence dries her eyes as John walks up. "I'd ask if you're okay, but…" Spence shakes her head before saying, "I'm okay now. Thanks Uncle Max! Guys." Each of the guys gives her a thumbs up, salute, or a nod while they're dealing with the unruly teens.

John smiles before holding his hand out to her. "How about we go check on Yorktown?" The destroyer girl nods before taking his hand. And ignoring the screams and strangled cries of some of punks.

When they arrive at hospital, a few mechanics and doctors were mulling around. As was a work force "created" by the genius of Akashi from Japan. She had found that she could fuse tools with wisdom cubes to make repair and upgrade groups. Who called themselves Bulins.

"Doctor. UB. How's she doing?" John asked with Spence looking up with slightly hopeful eyes. The doctor gave them a smile before saying there had been a minor change. "But nothing substantial. There was some brainwave activity and she started to move a bit. Just twitches but it's something."

Spence is extra excited at this, and John is happy to hear it as well. They go to Yorktown's room and see lying as still as when she was brought back. And still missing three of her limbs. Both legs were gone, and her left arm had appeared to have been burnt off.

John and Spence went over to her remaining hand and grabbed it. Before the former talked to her a bit about what had been happening. With Spence coming in after the reports to say she was enjoying the pseudo school that had been built for the shipgirls.

"I hope you wake up soon. We all miss you." The girl said with a sad look on her face. John patted her head and agreed that they all missed Yorktown. What happened next though surprised and excited both of them. It was subtle, but Yorktown's hand ever so slightly gripped theirs. As if to tell them that she could hear them.

This gets a fresh wave of tears from Spence and John is barely hanging on himself. "Come home soon Yorkie. It's not the same without you here." John said with a slight blush at using her nickname.

With their visit done, John had a different matter to deal with. While Spence joined her sister Fletcher and Sims to work on some schoolwork, Hornet and Cleveland had something different to report. They adjourned to the commander's office to discuss the matter. With New Jersey, Star, and Admiral Agpar in attendance as well.

"So what is it you all found? Did you come upon something strange while you were out there?" John asked while taking his seat. Cleveland and Hornet shared a look before the latter spoke up. "Something like that bro. We spotted something or someone who might…. Complicate matters with this war. Especially if history is anything to go by."

Cleveland noted that while they were engaged in battle she noticed something odd about the planes they had been shooting down. "They seemed to be made of fire or something. Not only that, but their tactics were odd. It seemed too similar to the old IJN combat patterns."

"Not only that….. but there was an odd couple of carriers at the back when I sent my Doolittle raid out. They didn't look like what we've been seeing from the Sirens. They almost looked….. like Sakura Empire ships." Hornet noted with a worried look.

This gets eyes wide with Jersey and Star being the first to question if there was a rogue commander from Japan. "We shouldn't assume that. Don't jump to far ahead Cathleen." Agpar said with a stern look to the hero.

"He's right. This could be something else. The question is what….though I have to ask; you said the planes looked like they were made of fire? Do you think that fire… had something to do with what happened to Yorktown?" John says while gripping his fist tight.

Hornet seems surprised but then says she wouldn't rule it out. "There have been some timelines where a few nations sided with the Sirens. And others who were completely neutral to a conflict between the factions and just fought the Sirens. But wouldn't help others."

John sits back in his command chair and lets out a frustrated 'great' while rubbing his face. He suggests to Agpar that they keep this quiet for now, and the Admiral agrees. "No reason to get some up in arms about there being rogue elements from the factions."

The two commanding officers adjourn the meeting before John asks Cleveland to stay back. The sporty strawberry blonde seems nervous about what the reason could be but complies. When the rest had left, John directed Cleveland to take a seat.

"So, what's up? Did you want some more intel on what me and Hornet saw?" Cleveland asked nervously. John grunted while sitting back in his chair. "No. I wanted to….. discus some other things that were said when you snaped me out of my funk."

Cleveland blushed while looking away from John. "I don't know what you mean… I just wanted you to…. You know stop hurting yourself and pushing us all away." Cleveland stammered out.

"I acted like I didn't hear it, but I did hear what you said while crying on my chest after knocking me flat. 'I don't want to see someone I love destroy themselves.' And that wasn't just hyperbole, right?" John said with a raised eyebrow.

Cleveland's face matched her eye color and her head was steaming. "I… I. I don't…. Okay damnit I can't play this off. Yeah. I meant it… that I do love you. You were strong, supportive, a friend when we needed it. And you…. You didn't just treat me like I was a kid, a guy, or anything like that. You even went along when I wanted to try some….. frillier things. Though at the time I wasn't sure if you were just acting like I was your sister or ramble mumble."

Before the cruiser girl could go on an even more dizzying spiral, John clapped his hands on her shoulders to snap her back to reality. Cleveland was still surprised to see her commander's face as close as it was, but John's next words helped to put her at ease.

"It wasn't to treat you like you were a little sister or anything. That's closer to what the destroyer girls are. But you….. you were a constant friend and person I could trust. The person I could always count on and be there for me. I think that was why it worked for you to knock some sense into me. And I can't thank you enough for that." John said with a smile that made Cleveland a little weak kneed.

John did have a chuckle at one point. "Though I was surprised. After all, you were the one who suggested that I propose to Yorkie. But after listening to what you said, I guess you thought it would look better if I was with someone who looked more mature?"

"Yeah. I guess it was just a bit of self-consciousness. I look like a teenager and well I'm kinda flat. So to be with a guy who looks like you…. I felt like I stood no chance in comparison." Cleveland said while looking down at herself.

John hummed for a moment before asking her to stand up. She was a bit shorter than her commander only coming to his chest. But he looked her over with a slight appraising eye. Making the shipgirl feel slightly embarrassed.

"I said this when we went shopping, but you have a beauty all your own. Long legs, a cute face and reactions (this of course make Cleveland blush again), and the sporty look works for you. Besides. You are the kind of person anyone would love. Including me. It's just…. Well this is odd territory." John says confidently at first before looking slightly bashful.

He may be a somewhat confident 25-year-old man, but he'd felt the mutual attraction between him and Yorktown. Not to mention he'd been pursuing more of a relationship with Yorktown from the start. And he was generally of the mind of monogamy.

But after hearing what Cleveland had said to snap him out of his depression; he could finally see that she had been doing the same things with him that he had tried when getting closer to Yorktown.

"I don't know what to think about this, and I'm not sure what the Almighty might think on it. But…. maybe we could try to see about this. But not now. Maybe when Yorktown wakes up. And she might soon. She's finally moving with her one arm." John says while blushing and rubbing the back of his head.

Cleveland blushes as well and agrees. "But you might want to be careful with that new battleship of yours~. She seems to be extra interested in you. And she probably wouldn't be opposed to joining this if you really do decide to get involved with me…. Or others." Cleveland says with a wag of her eyebrows.

John nods before saying they should get something to eat. Cleveland agrees and thanks her Commander for talking to her about this. And not pretending it didn't happen.

When they get to the mess, most of the shipgirls and other soldiers are eating and relaxing. With all the destroyer girls talking and sounding excited for their next sortie. All of the cruisers stretching out after a long sail.

The carriers were calmly eating, while checking over some of their planes (with one exception). And the battleship pair were arm wrestling with the other soldiers. And they win until it's down to the two of them. Struggling and wrestling until the table breaks under them.

While walking up to the food line, John noticed that Hornet was sitting and talking quite animatedly with Star. The hero herself seeming to enjoy the youngest Yorktown sister's presence. Trading jokes back and forth for a time.

He nods before sitting with some of the other officers on the base. "Hey Brawl. Any idea on the next fight you'll get involved in?" a lieutenant asks with a smirk towards John. Who just rolls his eyes before saying, "I don't know and I'd prefer not to get involved in those fights again. But there may be something else I'll be fighting soon."

The officers seem confused but just shrug at that and just continue with their meals and small talk. John joins in of course and asks to train with a few of the reflex enhanced soldiers. To better be ready in case he had to fight Sirens again.

When the meals end, he catches Cleveland and tells her they'll talk more about whatever is between them soon. The cruiser thanks him before getting close and climbing up on him slightly to kiss his cheek. Making both of them blush, before Cleveland ran off.

John shook out of his shock and went to his house. And found Spence sleeping on his couch. He smiles before picking the girl up and taking her to her room in his house. After settling her in bed, she said good night to him as he was walking out.

A few days after discussing matters with Cleveland, Yorktown was coming out of her coma. To the happiness of both John and Spence. But the nerves of the cruiser girl. She was surprised by Yorktown asking her to come in to talk with her.

"You saved John while I was gone right? Not to mention admitting your own feelings?" Yorktown said with a gentle smile to her old friend. Cleveland blushed a bit but did admit that. "I just…. I couldn't let him go on like that. I didn't want to…. To lose someone I loved again."

Yorktown nodded before taking Cleveland's hand in her remaining one. She smiled at the girl and tried to pull herself up to hug the girl. Cleveland just stood and hugged the carrier herself. "Hopefully they can fix you up soon. It'll be good to have you out there again."

"And perhaps somewhere quieter and in private too?" Yorktown said with a coy smile directed the tomboyish girl's way. Who looked down with a smile and a slight blush before agreeing.

When Yorktown was stable and more ready for questions, John and Abgar asked who it was that had attacked her and the convoy she was escorting. "I didn't get a good look, but I do know they were not your standard Sirens. I'm not even sure they were Sirens at all. The flames the four unleashed were so intense that they burned through all of my planes. And then my limbs. Mocking my weakness as they saw it."

John broke the rest of the chair he was sitting on at hearing that. And then told her that they were the weak ones. "A sneak attack and overwhelming numbers may be sensible strategies. But they didn't do this for that reason. They were just looking to attack to feel superior. When they're not."

Yorktown thanks her husband for saying that but couldn't tell anymore about her assailants. Given they had ran when one of them detected the rescue fleet that was headed for her. Abgar thanks her for the information and apologizes for not being able to get her help sooner.

In the private command room though it confirms some of what they and some of the other ships suspected. "There are ships from the Sakura Empire with the Sirens." Was what John said with a stern look over his steepled hands. And while he'd like to rip all of those ships a new set of holes, they had no idea where they were.

A week after Yorktown had reawakened, a strange new report and signal came in at the command center. "Please! Need help! Trying to evade! Traitors to our home! Lost our carriers!"

Botwa base was the closest to where the signal was coming from so John ordered a fleet to be sent out. "One more thing. I'm coming with you." John said before switching to a more combat armed leg the boys at Darpa had cooked up. As well as a rebreather and hydro pack to fight in the water if need be.

"John. Are you sure about this?" Cleveland asked as she was the head of the vanguard crew of herself, Laffey, and San Francisco. But the lead ship of the main fleet agreed to with him. "Don'tcha just love it when he gets fired up and fights those Sirens and villains with his power maxed out. That savage look on his face is…. Uummph! So wild!"

New Jersey was the flagship for the main fleet with Bataan and Ticonderoga as the air and extra anti sub power. Both Cleveland and John had flat looks at the blushing, slightly horny, face of Jersey. But the cruiser girl couldn't deny in her mind that he did look hot while fighting villains.

So, she agrees to have him ride on her ship. "What!? Why yours?! Why not mine!?" Jersey exclaimed with a pout. "Because I'll be closer to the ships, he'd probably be better at taking down. You'll be in the back, and I know he prefers to be at the front." Cleveland says in a matter-of-fact tone.

Jersey still pouts but she agrees and says she'll just have to show what she's capable of from the back. And with that they sortie out to the ships sending out the distress call. It takes them about two days to rendezvous with the ships in question.

Or just one ship. An older looking battleship, with two sets of cannons on either side of the ship and cannons at the bow and stern of the ship. What was chasing it though was fleet of Siren ships and a handful of ship of a different type.

"There're at least two Sakura Empire carriers at the back, and one battleship. And I see a half dozen smaller classes of ships from the Sakura as well." Ticonderoga reports with a disgruntled look on her face.

John hums before telling Laffey to go full speed to get past the fleeing battleship. "And keep your sonar up! I think we could have other trouble!" John shouts as he maximizes and leaps from Cleveland's deck to Laffey's.

"Is commander going to fight the other ships? Or is he going to meet with the battleship girl?" Laffey asked while putting full speed in her boilers. John looks to the sea before saying he'd engage the Sirens with his girls.

Laffey gives him a small smile before warning him to hang on. John does just that while taking off his commander's coat and cap. After they had surged past the battleship, Laffey detected a few subs with her sonar.

John nods before ordering her to engage any hostiles as she saw fit. With the little faux rabbit's eyes flashing at that thought. John then dove into the water with his body maximized to a respectable combat level.

He turned on his hydro pack and moved in the direction of where Laffey had detected the submarines. Until he saw the torpedoes the ships had no doubt launched. He grumbled a bit before surging towards each and destroying the weapons before they could hit Laffey or the beleaguered battleship.

Speaking of Laffey, she had turned her ship into her rigging and was rushing across the sea as fast as possible. Blasting away with her twin pistol set up for her cannons and launching torpedoes quickly.

When a couple of Siren clones surged out of the sea to attack her, Laffey was barely phased. And used a quick mixing of gun kata to knock the monsters around and shoot out some of their limbs and armaments. And with the last one alive after her assault getting a double tap to the back while she was face first in the water.

While surging through the Siren ship though, Laffey did pick up on a few more subs amongst the fleet. So she quickly deployed the depth charges she had to make them surface. Some of which were actual Siren sub girls.

To which Laffey surged right at them to blast them point blank. Sliding on her knees under a few beams fired at her from the larger ships. She then spun slid around to smack both Sirens before having her cannons at both of their head. And blasting through them.

Laffey was not alone in the combat though. While Cleveland stayed back to cover the battleship, San Francisco had no problem getting up close and personal with a few clones. Using her baseball bat as a half staff to take some off guard and then blast a few others.

Even joint locking one with it before moving it into place to take shots from their own allies. But with the last two she really wanted to get in their faces. She easily evaded around their shots and torpedoes, only taking one hit to the shoulder.

"Have a taste of this!" she shouted before chucking her bat right at one of the clone's faces. Making it flinch and surprising the other. She then rushed in and kidney punched the other before pulling it into a knee strike and a few blows to the head from her fists and elbows.

Right as the first was regaining her senses, she took aim at San Francisco who had her back turned. And fired a beam barrage at her. But San Francisco quickly leapt up as the beams were fired and caught her bat in midair.

She then uses a special piece she had requested to be modified on her gear. One of her turrets retracts the barrels and it becomes solid. She then sticks her bat into a hole that had opened in the side. And detaches it from her rigging, turning her bat into a hammer.

She then spins and flips around before bringing the hammer down atop the Siren's head. Crushing it. And she finished the impact with a short range directed shot down into it to blow apart the body.

"Too bad I can only do that one time before the barrels overheat. But I can take care of you just fine~." The heavy cruiser girl says while reattaching her turret, and then flourishes a bit with her bat.

The other clone snarls before rushing at the Eagle Union girl. Firing beams and other shots with reckless abandon. But San Francisco is confident and evades each shot before getting in closer and giving her a powerful thrust of her bat to the Siren's stomach.

She then combos a few more strikes with her guns and bat before shooting out the Siren's knees. And while it is down, she takes her stance and winds up. "Batter up!" she shouts before swinging with all her might to the Siren's face. Decapitating the invader.

Under the water, John was currently engaged with a group of Siren subs, sub girls and some rogue Sakura empire sub girls. He punched in the side for a few of the normal subs as well as repurposing the explosives ripped from a few torpedoes to blow them up.

As for the Siren sub girls, John engages them with fist and firing micro torpedoes from his leg. Even taking one out to arm it before punching his fist into the mouth of one of the ships and forcing the explosive down her throat. Before kicking her to some of her compatriots.

The two Sakura ships though seem less inclined to take him on. "I don't think we should fight him, Iroha. You saw how he ripped through the submarines and Sirens. I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to stay alive!" the dark haired I-58 said while turning her rig toward the rear.

Iroha, or I-168 grumbled before she follow suit. Firing some torpedoes from her rear to distract the hero and commander. "Damn. I was hoping to get a shot at another Eagle Carrier. The last time she had help before I or the rest could finish her off."

John noticed that the other two and a few Siren sub girls were getting away, but he wasn't pushing it further. He was already tired from holding maximize for a period of time and his hydro pack was running out of charge. So he swam back to his main fleet.

They themselves were engaged with both air power and long range shots. And when John arrived, New Jersey happily reported that. "I've taken out about fifteen ships of various types. And I personally put a hole into the deck of one of those carrier bitches!"

John nodded and told her to keep up the barrage. "And all of you get around that battleship! We're not letting them have it!" John says before attaching his hydro pack to recharge. And asking if Jersey had some food on the ship so he could recharge his own power.

With the enemy ships, the thoughts are much less jovial. "Damn that relic! Ahhh that hurt! I can't launch anymore of my plane nee-sama. I have to withdraw!" the one saying this was the white haired blue eyed kitsune of the Sakura Empire, Kaga.

Opposite her, in both appearance and somewhat temperament, was her adopted sister, Akagi. Her red eyes were furious as she transformed her ship to her rigging and vowed to take out the person who would harm her precious sister.

Though the battleship among them wonders if that was a wise course of action. "I know you are my elders but-" the battleship Suruga starts, but she is quickly cut off. "Quiet you! I will deal with that one myself. Just as we did with that fool of a carrier months ago." Akagi screeches while flying toward New Jersey.

Once there, she summons as much fire as she can to assault the fleet. Not caring about the ship she was originally pursuing. John was already eating when he felt the shockwaves from Akagi's attack and questioned what was wrong.

And while New Jersey herself wanted to show that the battleships weren't done as a ship type she couldn't do that right now. 'Not while Honey is below deck!' she thought while putting up shields to defend against the fiery assault. While Ticonderoga intercepts all the planes she can. Bataan meanwhile was occupied with intercepting anymore subs that could show up.

Only for Jersey's defenses to be overwhelmed when Akagi forms a massive dragon of flame behind herself. It breaks through her shields and starts her deck aflame. This is when John finally returns and sees Jersey burned. Splayed across her deck. Burns that look suspiciously familiar.

John runs to her and checks her over. "So that is why you didn't engage me directly. You led yourself to your doom because of your compassion for those idiotic animals. Even more so if this one has those silly quirk mutations. You should have left him to die." Akagi says with a sneer.

John has a furious look though as he glares up at Akagi. "We're you the one who attacked Yorktown a few months back?" he says while tightening his fist. And when Akagi starts to mock Yorktown for her perceived weakness, John snaps.

In a second, he is on top of Akagi. Breaking her nose with a powerful punch to her face. Before she can be sent flying though, he catches her arm and yanks her back. Pulling the arm out of the socket before punching her again and again. Breaking more of her body.

Even ripping out some of her tails when she manages to regain herself to try and flee. He breaks a few more bones before pulling her in again and giving her a few solid kicks with his metal leg. And then kick stomping her in the face to impact with the water. Holding it there and grinding down on her. Before micro torpedo blasting her in the face as they hit the water.

Akagi is barely clinging to consciousness as she floats up. He face bloody and burned, missing a few teeth, and half of her bones were broken thanks to her underestimating John. Though the man himself is exhausted due to using his quirk again and barely having time to recharge.

The Sakura battleship seems to take aim at the injured Akagi, but before they could fire Suruga appears and distracts the rest. Before recovering Akagi and ordering the rest of their forces to retreat.

John himself needs to be recovered by Cleveland. Who scolds him for rushing Akagi. "Couldn't help it. She hurt not just Jersey, but she was one of the ones who put Yorktown in a coma." John says as Cleveland leaps up to the deck of the Sakura refugee ship.

"Is that true young man?" a woman with black hair and uniform said. She had white horns on her head and an officer's sword at her side. Her yellow eyes had a pained look in them.

Behind her were a set of very small girls. Barely appearing to be elementary school age. As well as few other ships that seemed to be injured or exhausted. With two each holding a pari of wisdom cubes.

John nodded before saying, "yes. She and a few others attacked USS Yorktown. My wife a few months back. She was in a coma until recently." Hearing this makes the horned woman drop to her knees, with what appears to be shame written across her face.

She then bows her head in a full dogeza bow. "I can never apologize for what happened. But we will help to make sure Akagi pays for what she did. And not just to her. But to any others she has hurt. I swear on my name. Mikasa of the Sakura Empire."

Yes, I made my semi stand in as a Captain Strong or Popeye kind of character. It just fit too well, and the Navy kinda gets underrepresented in comics when you think about it. Also if it seems like he's kind of overpowered, that's mostly the point. And the main reason he's winning is because the Sirens have less of an element of surprise compared to the first few chapters.

Also I know I'm skipping a lot of what could be really good story beats, but I wanted to get to a bigger mixed story with this and how it could relate to the wider scheme of affecting the world of heroes. Especially with rescues and countering crazy people who decide to work with the Sirens.

This time I focused on a new complication from the lore of the games. The idea that some of the shipgirls in the Crimson Axis are just duplicates or are ones who surrendered to the Sirens for power. I'm mainly focusing on the Pacific side for my main two characters. And for an eventual team up between John and Izuku. Please review!