Are these your children?
April 9, 2049
7:20 A.M
Yokoate-jima
With a slender hand that was covered with a black glove, she raised it into the sky to cover the blinding rays of the sun. Slowly she closed her left eye as the gaps between her fingers closed.
Then a shriek of terror came to her ears from above.
She lowered her body that was facing the large water pillar that suddenly sprouted in front of her. The water that was raised into the air then slowly descended towards her.
She took a single step back, managing to avoid a large puddle of water from drenching her.
She then let out a sigh and slowly placed her right hand on her temple.
"Section B. How's the attack going?" She asked into the air.
She let out a couple of nods before lowering her hand once more and started walking towards the cliff near the small pond.
From there she overlooked the situation of the beach with her keen vision.
From her current position she can see her underlings charging towards the soldiers that were bogged down on the white beach.
Blood and muscle were ushered into the white beach as the battle raged on. She watched how little to nothing the soldiers could do to her underlings that were seven feet tall and were as big as a fully grown gorilla.
Sharp claws could be seen on each hand, each claw were around twelve inches long and were sharp enough to penetrate depleted uranium armor plates of a tank. These monsters are called Chu-type by her food. But she has a proper name for these hulking abyssals.
"Roamers" She uttered, "What a beautiful sight…"
By what a beautiful sight, she meant how her minions maw down the humans on the beach like they were made of paper. How easily they split into two pieces when the claws burrowed into their flesh. How the blood were sprayed all over the place…
How they were grotesquely eaten like livestock.
"You seem to be having a great time."
The woman immediately rotated clockwise and saw another woman leaning her back against a tree.
She wore a white blouse and a thigh high skirt. She also sported a latex black thigh socks on her legs and a pair of metallic gauntlets on her arms.
"Empress-sama! What are you doing here?!" The woman standing near the cliff yelled in disbelief.
"I was told by my minions that my hive near the mainland has been attacked by these creatures. So I hurriedly dropped what I was doing and came here. Still I can't believe they actually did attack my hive in the morning." The woman dubbed as Empress spoke with a rather tired tone.
"Y-yes. I am sorry for not informing you. B-but it appears that we have repulsed their amphibious assault, empress-sama! It's only a matter of time now for them to retreat back to their boats…"
"It is also a matter of time now for those shipgirls to arrive and support the ground troops. I suggest you to pack up everything as well as the eggs to the newly designated location while they still haven't blockaded the whole island." The empress says as she pushes herself forward and walked towards the woman standing on the cliff.
She then stopped in front of the woman standing near the cliff and grabbed a cord from the back of her body. It was a small cord around two inches in diameter and was around three feet long.
"Also I want you to tell me what this feeling is…" The empress says as she injected the sharp edge of the cord into the navel of the woman standing on the cliff.
The woman instantly kneeled into the ground, gasping for air to come into her lungs. Large sweat buds were forming on her forehead and temple. Her hands were shaking and she could feel her chest tightening as every second goes by.
What is this feeling?! W-What is this, my empress!?
The woman screamed into her mind as she sorted out her thoughts.
Knowing that the woman that kneeled in front of her was having trouble breathing the empress removed the cord from the woman's navel and hid it from view.
"It seems you also don't know what that feeling is." The empress says in disappointment.
What was that? What in a world was that? It wasn't anger or hatred. No, it was something else. Something the queen hasn't taught us!
The empress walked on the cliff and sat down. She let her legs hang on the edge as she watches the battle ongoing on the beach.
"I—I cannot bare it any longer…." The empress says…
"E-Empress Marianna!" The woman yelled in concern as she watches her Empress jump into the fray.
Slowly the woman raised her body upward. She held her belly with her dominant hand, checking that the cord was detached properly—It wasn't.
She was bleeding heavily but not to the point that her healing factor couldn't patch up.
The woman watched from the cliff how her Empress furiously killed the retreating humans. How she destroyed six LHA's in a single pass, stranding those soldiers who are still stuck on the beach.
The abyssal princess watched how the slow battle that she intended ended in just ten minutes when her Empress arrived to sort it out.
She could only awe—
~o~
April 6, 2049
Hiroshima, Japan
I had six shipgirls with me—all of them are part of Fleet 15. Nowadays, the usual six shipgirl per fleet doctrine was abolished and a more balanced fleet composition is now used.
However, Fleets 15 and 18 are different from the other twenty Main Battle Fleets in the Combined Fleet.
Fleet 15 also known as Scouting Force 15 is a fleet composed of: Three destroyers, two battlecruisers, one heavy cruiser, one aviation cruiser, and two light cruisers.
I am somehow the assigned flagship of the 15th Fleet, a mere destroyer of the Fubuki-class of destroyers.
"Shinonome, the target has exited his apartment room." Said a fellow destroyer beside me holding a binocular with both of her hands.
"I can see that, Kaki." I replied.
Wearing a simple white blouse and a black skirt is an anti-submarine destroyer from the Tachibana-class, Kaki. She had a long brown hair tied into a ponytail that reaches her lower back. She had an azure colored eyes and a fair skin.
"Curses…."
On the other hand, her sister that goes with a name of Kuzu, swore as she hastily wore her clothes after taking a quick shower in the bathroom. She had a crimson hair that stretches on her back, bangs that covered her eyebrows and red eyes. She also had a fair skin and is also wearing the same attire as her sister, Kaki.
"Hurry up! We are leaving our room soon!" Kaki urged her sister who was about to wear her black skirt.
"Keep it down or else the abyssal on the opposite building might notice." I said to them.
With my radio placed on the table, I hurried ran, grabbed it, and pressed the transmission button.
"Jitsuu-san! Jitsuu-san!" I hurried called the flagship of the 18th Fleet.
There was no response. Did something bad happen while they were sleeping? Are their radios not working properly because they are living next door to the Abyssal Empress?
I gritted my teeth knowing that our target that was assigned to us by Admiral Goto is moving away from our view.
"Where in a world is Amagi-san and the other shipgirls?!" I yelled to the other destroyers inside the room.
"They are dead drunk, Shinonome-chan!" Choukai of the Takao-class heavy cruiser sisters replied with staggering movements.
Jesus what in a world happen last night in your room?! I hurried placed the radio on the table and ran towards Choukai-san who was being assisted by both Kaki and Kuzu.
"What did the bigger girls do last night?!" I yelled begging for some answers.
"Well you see. Amagi-san was suddenly rejected by a random guy on a nearby bar that Akagi-san 'the battlecruiser' found while she was shopping for groceries. We went there to waste time while you girls were so intent of keepin' watch. Amidst of the sober atmosphere, Amagi approached a random guy and courted him but she was turned down saying he already has a girlfriend." Choukai-san explained.
I could hear my sanity snapping inside my head. Why did you guys go to a bar when we were so intent on keeping watch last night?! I was so intent on keeping watch last night because we don't know what will happen if an Abyssal Empress gets drunk so I wanted you bigger girls to have sufficient rest!
"She pleaded the guy to reconsider but the guy was really opposed. Unable to keep her composure she ran out of the bar and headed back to our room. We chase after her too—"
Amagi-san why were so desperate?! What's so great about that guy anyway?! And why the hell did you run away after being turned down by a guy?!
"Oi, Shinonome. The guy already boarded a bus!" Kaki yelled from the window.
"Shit!" I cursed.
I then glanced down on my feet and gritted my teeth. With Choukai-san being the only big shipgirl to be barely conscious we had no choice but to disembark now.
"Choukai-san. I need you to drive the van!" I ordered her.
"Eh? But I don't know how to drive a car!" She argued.
I know how to drive a car! But we only had a van with us and not the usual military jeep. I couldn't reach the gas and breaks because of my short legs so I had to force Akagi to drive for us but since Akagi is out of action….
"I will need your long legs! I will do the steering!" I explained as I reached for her hand and yanked her upward.
"Get up you good for nothing cow tit heavy cruiser!" I yelled as I struggled to get her up.
"H-how rude of you, Shinonome-chan! I-I'm not a cow tit heavy cruiser~!"
"How childish can you get dammit?!" I yelled back and wrapped the cow tit heavy cruiser's arm over my neck.
I then glanced towards Kaki and Kuzu who were awaiting my orders.
"We are tailing him! Help me drag this girl to the van!" I barked my orders.
To be honest we were really having a bad time dragging her large body to the van. I was so fed up about it to the point that I had Kuzu, ran as fast as she could since she is faster than me, to a nearby drug store to help Choukai-san recover from her hangover.
We then place her on the driver's seat while Kaki and Kuzu sat at the back the van. I on the other hand sat on Choukai-san's lap acting as the navigator while Choukai-san only needs to control the gas and break.
"Okay are we good to go?!" I yelled to the back.
"Let's go!" The two of them simultaneously answered.
"Okay, Choukai-san. Please put pressure on the gas pedal as slowly as you could. Also be reminded to slowly put pressure on the break. Don't suddenly slam on it." I slowly explained to her.
"I-I understand. I will be in your care." She softly said.
"Same here! Now increase the speed to 40 mph!"
~o~
To summarize, during the trip we experienced two near death experiences and three crashes just to reach a place that's called Hiroshima University.
Logically it would only invite trouble if we enter the main entrance with a battered vehicle so we decided to stowaway the van and tailed the target on foot.
"Choukai-san! Look-look!" Kuzu pointed her fingers at the guy who arrived in front of the university gate only to be greeted with a strong punch on the cheek.
Naturally the guy stumbled into the ground. We didn't knew at that time who the attacker was but as it turns out it was a woman wearing a red checkered long sleeve top and blue jeans.
The woman was shouting heavily at the guy like there was no tomorrow. The guy then slowly stood up from the ground and walked pass the woman. He was saying something but we couldn't hear what he is saying.
With that said the woman followed behind him still shouting curses and complaints.
"Shinonome-san they have entered the university gate! What should we do?!" Kuzu asked me worriedly.
"Ain't it obvious?! Let's follow them!" I declared, running towards the university gate at full speed.
Only to be yacked back by a scary looking security guard. He was really pissed; he was glaring to the point that he was already imitating Admiral Goto's pissed expression.
"What do you think you are doing little girl?! Where is your guardian? This is university ground and children are not allowed to roam freely here unless you have a guardian!" He yelled in full volume.
To be honest I could feel my legs shaking hysterically in fear. I tried uttering some words to him but they refuse to exit my mouth. It was as if they were clogged on my throat.
"Say something!" The guard urged.
"Wait!"
I heard a voice behind me. I immediately turn around and saw Choukai-san and the other destroyers running towards me. Out of instinct, I ran towards Choukai-san and embraced her.
"Choukai-san! The guard is scary!" I say to her with a weeping tone.
"Are you her guardian? Please be careful with your kid. We won't be held responsible if something happens to her!" The security guard yelled.
"I am terribly sorry. I will do my best to keep an eye to her!" Choukai-san answered with a very embarrassed tone, "Come Shinonome, apologize to the security guard."
I slowly turned my eyes towards the security guard and said, "I'm sowwy" as softly as I could.
The security guard only let out a scoff as he returned to his post. With that said, Choukai-san and the others pulled me back into the trees near the university entrance.
"Are you an idiot?! Why did you suddenly rush towards the university entrance! You almost jeopardize our mission!" Kaki crossed her arms in front of her chest and yelled those words towards me.
I could only lower my head and assess the situation carefully.
"Alright, I am sorry okay? Geez! Okay, since we cannot go head-on with this one, why don't we go around and go in from there?" I proposed.
"Nah, both university entrances would have the same layout as the front. After all this is a private university not a public one. You wouldn't want brats and poor men walking around your campus right?" Choukai-san interjected.
The four of us nodded in unison. Since barging in at the back won't work….
"Then…How about we climb the outer walls?" Kuzu proposed.
I glanced at Kaki and she only let out a sigh. She then walked towards the tall university fence. I could hear her gulping, wondering as well how to bloody jump over that high.
"We can't jump over this fence." She announced.
"Hmm? Then let me try it." Choukai-san walked alongside Kaki and grabbed her by the waist before placing her on her shoulder. She raised her head into the sky and lowered her legs into a 90 degree angle.
She then pushes herself downward, propelling up into the air. I could hear the ground beneath her crack as the force pushed the heavy cruiser into the air.
And just like that she was able to reach the opposite side without any prproblem
"Alright, I'm jumping back!" Choukai-san announced as she dropped Kaki into the grass and jumped into the air once more. This time she grabbed both Kuzu and I and placed us on each of her strong shoulders.
However this only made a strong quake as she landed on the ground, to the point that a small crater was formed. We hurriedly scrambled into a nearby bush and hid ourselves.
By the time the security guards arrived to check what the origin of the strong quake was we were already running off towards the main building.
However—
When we arrived at the main building two security guards are standing in front of a metal detector thingy that I frequently see on the base.
"Goddamit, why are there so many security guards in this place?! Are they hiding a national secret here?!" Kuzu whispered angrily behind me.
"Cut it out or the others will hear you. Anyway, Choukai-san act like you're our guardian and tell them that you are here to ask instructions on how to enroll here."
"Why didn't we do that in the first place?" Kaki asked behind me.
"Hey I just recently thought of this idea so cut me some slack!" I yelled back.
Anyhow with the plan set in motion, I grabbed Choukai-san's hand and followed her towards the entrance where two security guards are looking at us with wary looks.
The female security guard gestured Choukai-san to walk towards her. She followed and halted in front of the female security guard.
"Are—are these three your children?" The female security guard asked.
Choukai-san turned her head towards us, she had a flushed look on her face and by the looks of it, any moment now she might actually collapse due to embarrassment.
"EH?!" She turns hear head towards me and then pointed her index finger towards her. I only nodded at her once and she immediately made a follow up, "Yes! These three are my children. I can't just leave them on their own in my apartment. I don't have a husband after all so I decided to bring them along while I inquire an office here on how to enroll."
The two security guards were shocked by Choukai-san's statement. I mean, you can't blame them. A young female that's around eighteen years old already having three children and she has to raise them on her own. A perfect scenario!
"Y-you must've been through a lot!" The younger looking security guard says as she wipes away the tear on her eyes.
"Yes-yes! Here, let us watch over them while you ask the SAO located on the second floor on how to enroll!" The older looking security officer says as she immediately walked towards me and crouched down.
Oh this is bad. I sense ulterior motives with this one!
"EH?! Is it really okay~?! I mean, these three are very mischievous. I wouldn't want them to bother you." Choukai-san another nice follow up!
"Nah, it's alright! We are security guards after all!" The younger security guard announced.
This is bad! This is really bad! If this goes on, Choukai-san will be separated from us! We didn't even bring our radios with us! And I wouldn't be able to send orders to her unless I go to the bathroom and summon my riggings and send it by Morse Code.
"Come little one. Follow us to the waiting area!" The young security officer fleetingly says as she tugs me along.
Choukai-san was really confused! Will she be alright? Will she be able to find the target and continue tailing him?! Choukai-san!
~o~
I am tired. Really tired, I say.
I mean I've been looking for that guy for almost an hour now but I couldn't find him at all! Furthermore I managed to get myself lost in these ever repeating white hallways!
"Don't do this!"
Suddenly near the staircase that I am walking on, I heard a female scream whose words in full volume.
Out of curiosity I slowly approached the handrail and leaned my head over a bit to check who it was.
It as female student, she had a long black hair and was wearing a red checkered long sleeve top. She was hugging a male student—ah it's the target!
Out of instinct I immediately leaned away. The two of them continued talking to the point that they were already shouting. The female student in particular was begging the male student—I do not know why she is so desperate, it must've been about their relationship.
"—the two of them already died on Iwo Jima." The target yelled.
Iwo Jima? Died? Who di—oh…
Is he is referring to the Second Battle of Iwo Jima perhaps?
Yeah, I remember that battle. After all I was also involved in that battle as well. Not only me but Shinonome-chan, Kaki-chan, Kuzu-chan, and Amagi-san—basically the whole 15th Fleet was there to support the landing troops that were naval invading Iwo Jima.
There were around five fleets deployed on that battle, one of which was the famed 2nd Fleet, then the 11th, 10th, 15th, and lastly the 8th fleet.
All in all a grand total of 30 shipgirls were deployed on that battle alone. I mean it was to be expected, this would be the first time we have naval invaded an island that is over hundred kilometers away from home. We even bypassed Okinawa which was closer from the mainland because of the dangerous presence of an Abyssal Empress there.
The 2nd Fleet was responsible for taking Air Superiority above the island. We didn't have normal aircraft carriers just LHA's to support the landing troops so Admiral Goto's plan was to put the shipgirls as escorts while the destroyers act as the screen. It was an experiment by him to test out whether it is viable for shipgirls to escort bigger vessels on a large scale naval invasion.
The 11th, 10th and 8th Fleets were responsible for making a blockade around the island preventing the abyssals from reinforcing the isolated abyssals left on the volcanic island.
The 15th Fleet on the other hand was responsible for repulsing any abyssal counterattack attempts to break the blockade so that they can aid the abyssals that are isolated on the island. We receive heavy casualties due to the fact that the abyssal counterattacks were fierce and we were outnumbered 10 to 1.
But we persevered, managing to repulse 20 counterattack attempts before Amagi-san received a direct hit on her magazines, detonating one of her main turrets. We were forced to pull back for repairs and ammo replenishment.
We pulled back around five in the afternoon. Docking near Asahi's makeshift dock located on Landing Area Bravo. A small tent was erected and six bathtubs were placed inside.
It was at that moment a large concentration of abyssals penetrated the blockade forcing nine shipgirls from the 11th, 10th, and 8th fleets to retreat.
We hastily disembarked and headed to the area where the abyssals penetrated. Only to be pushed back by ten abyssal princesses who have made a staging post on the former airfield in Iwo Jima.
Their minions swarmed the beachhead. If it weren't for Unryuu-san's air cover those minions would've pushed the marines back to the LHA's.
By the time the abyssal counterattack force was pushed back, around eight abyssal princesses were killed and a total of 10,000 minions were eliminated. A total of 9,012 abyssal aircraft were shot down, sixty destroyers, twenty-five light cruisers, sixteen heavy cruisers, twelve battleships and two aircraft carriers.
However we also lost: 9220 LHA's mini drones, twelve IJNAF multi-role fighter jets, two jet bombers, four LHA's, fifty-six amphibious vehicles, 120 tanks, 10,240 marines killed, and four shipgirls sunk but were recovered.
The Second Battle of Iwo Jima ended in just seven weeks. In those seven weeks of combat a lot of soldiers and airmen were lost. That was the first of Naval Invasion that Admiral Arimato Goto ever conducted, the first operation where shipgirls were incorporated in naval operations as well as the first battle that the IJN won on land.
As I remembered what happened on that bloody day, I somehow forgot that I am eavesdropping. The two students were already silent. The two of them were embracing each other in fact. Have the two of them finally settled down their differences?
With a sigh the target gently pushed away the female student and says, "Tae, I have to go…I still have things to finish back at my apartment."
The female student shook her head as she separates her hands from the target's chest. She then hid her hands on her back and lowered her head.
"I am really sorry for suddenly doing that—"
Then it came to me.
This feeling, this familiar feeling…It's the same feeling that I always notice whenever I am on sortie.
I turned my head to the opposite corner where I saw something move. I then summoned a small scouting fairy on my hand and ordered her to use her binoculars before putting her on the small edge were she could safely stand whilst at the same time able to see on the opposite corridor because I cannot lean my head over or else the target might notice me.
"Oi!Oi!OI!" My scouting fairy yelled faintly.
Goddamit, I knew it! An abyssal has infiltrated the university grounds. I cursed as I recovered my scouting fairy and unsummon her.
Hastily I ran up to the second floor and headed into the female's comfort room. From there I picked a stall, opened it and locked it properly. I then partially summoned my battle rigging, small white particles surrounded my body changing my attire from my casual clothes into my sortie attire.
With my right hand I pressed it on my right temple and started coding a message in Morse Code, I just hope Shinonome-chan also has her battle riggings partially summoned.
The message was sent and I was waiting for her answer. It didn't take long for her to send a message.
What? An abyssal on the mainland?! Where? Where are you?!
Currently on the second floor – Wing A where the Literature Department is located. I am currently inside one of the bathroom stalls in the female's comfort room.
Good, we are coming there wait a bit.
With that said I unsummon my battle riggings and stepped out of the stall. I then lowered my head into the floor and noticed a crack forming visibly. Damn, it's only a matter of time before that floor breaks.
I displaced myself to the other stall and sat on the toilet with the cover placed downward.
Now, how the hell did that abyssal get here?! I can't just sit here while the others are coming. I need to find that abyssal and take her out before the civilians finds out.
I can't risk ruining the reputation of the IJN because I let a single abyssal roam around…
Then I heard two knocks on the door. I stood up and unlocked it. Shinonome-chan and the others were there, panting heavily.
"That was quick…" I said.
"What did you expect? We are destroyers. We are fast." Shinonome-chan answered as she let out her last gasp, "Alright we have to go. We can't let that abyssal roam for much longer. This abyssal better not be the Abyssal Empress back on Toshiki-san's apartment." She says.
~o~
I found myself sitting on a small cemented tree bench just outside the main building that I just entered. I couldn't stop my urges, I had to get outside and feel the fresh air.
If I had stayed longer, this place wouldn't have stayed this peaceful. They were just lucky that Gintoki was there together with that—
There it goes again…This unknown feeling….What in a world is it?
It's like hate but not really hate…Is it resentment perhaps? No….that is not it. What is it?
As I questioned myself, I lowered my vision from the sky and into the empty field where a group of humans are playing around a white ball. According to Gintoki's words, what they are playing is called Football.
I kinda don't see the reason why they are doing that but according to what Gintoki said, "They are playing it for sports…A competition so to say".
"But why?" I asked myself.
If they want to compete why don't they use their fist to settle their differences? Humans are such peculiar creatures….why must they complicate things?
I let out a sigh as I stared at my thighs. You know what…? Why don't I loosen up a little?
Two minions won't pose a problem right?
~o~
We managed to locate the abyssal and….fuck, it's the Abyssal Empress.
She hand her finger pressed on the ground, a few seconds later two unidentified quadrupedal abyssals that was around five feet high and a had large upper body came out of the ground. They were tainted in black and spikes that were one foot long could be seen twitching at their backs.
She then pointed her finger at the group of students playing soccer on the field. Out of instinct, I immediately partially summoned my battle riggings and fired a single round at the right quadrupedal abyssal, instantly disintegrating it.
I did not care whether the civi's see me or not…I'd rather take priority on taking out those abyssals than keeping my identity secret.
"Choukai, Kuzu, focus on the Abyssal Empress. Kaki and I will take care of the last unknown abyssal." I softly uttered my orders.
Choukai-san immediately rushed forward, partially summoning her rigging that includes the three turret setup of her armaments.
She headed straight into the Abyssal Empress, throwing a right hook. Her attack landed on the Abyssal Empress' left cheek staggering her to the right. The Empress retaliated by kicking Choukai-san on the gut throwing her a few feet away.
I turned my attention away from them and focused on the escaping unknown type. Kaki was already chasing after the abyssal, throwing quick shots at the Abyssal's back.
Craters were formed as the shells landed short on the running abyssal. Kaki was having trouble breathing, dammit she's running out of stamina from running in partial summoning. I increased my speed, bypassing Kaki and prepared a single depth charge with my right hand.
I was chasing behind it when suddenly three of the spikes from its back suddenly stopped twitching, a few moments later three spikes were fired. I barely managed to evade two of them and the last one flew over my shoulder and hit Kaki's forehead, dropping her dead into the ground.
"Kaki!" I yelled, as I ran towards her and pulled the spike out of her forehead.
Dammit she's already….She's gone….
Fucking hell! I'm going to skin you alive you fucking Abyssal!
As soon as I gritted my teeth and yelled those words in my head, I saw four claws slanted diagonally. It was pointing towards me, this is not good.
In quick succession, I leaned my body to the right just in time for the first claw to miss my left ear. I then burrowed the spike into the abyssal's arm giving it the a taste of its own medicine.
The abyssal shriek in pain as it leaned forwards with its jaws wide open. It tried snatching my head while I had my guard lowered. Unlucky for him, I had my 120mm cannon pointed towards its mouth.
The firing pin pulled, a strong kinetic energy pushed my hand backward and a shell landed on the abyssal's mouth followed by the fireball that engulfed its face.
I was caught by it as well but it's better to eat a fireball than a 120mm shell.
As the smoke dissipates, I saw the unknown type frozen in position. Its mouth missing from view and its neck and torso burnt to some extent.
My casual clothes were also in tatters. Well not to the extent that my bare skin was fried like mister abyssal over here.
With the unknown abyssal out of the action, I hastily ran towards Kaki's body and carried her towards the main building and at least hide her body. I knew Kaki is gone but that doesn't mean that she is perma-dead. No, I've seen dead shipgirls resurrected back alive by using Akashi and Asahi-san's experimental repair formula. If I can bring her body back home, there is still a possibility that we can revive Kaki back.
As I grunted my way towards the main building entrance, Kuzu's body suddenly flew pass my vision stopping me dead on my tracks.
Kuzu was in a hellish state. Her two limbs were broken, blood was seeping out of her eyes sockets to the point that I couldn't see her eyes anymore due to the amount of blood that was covering it.
I worriedly turned my head to the side where Choukai-san and the Abyssal Empress are still fighting. Choukai-san was also in a bitter state, two out of her three main turrets have been destroyed completely. A single one remained but Choukai-san couldn't utilize it since it was placed at the side of her rigging unlike the other two turrets that that were placed on the top.
Choukai-san was pushed back, the Abyssal Empress moved closer and grabbed Choukai-san by the neck. Slowly she raised her into the air. I couldn't bear watching how the Abyssal Empress slowly closed Choukai-san's windpipe.
In retaliation I fired a single round at her scoring a direct hit on the head. Choukai-san's body fell into the ground as the Abyssal Empress released her neck. As the smoke slowly fades I froze in position wondering if I got her….
It was a mistake.
As soon Choukai-san raised a yell the Abyssal Empress disappeared from my view. I felt a strong aura from my left. I instantly turned my eyes on that direction and saw the Abyssal Empress with a saber on her hand. The distance between my neck and the sharp edge of the saber was paper thin…
I knew at that moment, my end has been set on stone.
~o~
A rude awakening. Yes, that is what the Queen of Abyssals despised the most.
And being awaken by her own creation was the worst of it all.
She opened her eyes and stared at the creature that dared to awaken her from her deep slumber. The small creature cowered in fear as she felt the overwhelming aura of murderous intent from her queen.
"This better be important!" The queen yelled at full volume, shattering the ears of those who had weak ears.
"Ye-Yes my queen! This is a rather important matter my queen!" The Abyssal announced with a rather stuttering tone.
The Abyssal almost choke from her own saliva. Unable to keep her composure the queen was further agitated to the point that her face was already too close to her.
The queen's aura was too much for her.
"My queen. Forgive the new Empress. She has just received her own baptism of fire recently." A new voice has emerged from the back of the Abyssal Empress.
The queen leaned back and faced the newcomer.
She had a short black hair that was neatly breaded around her back. She had this long black cape on her back and an all out jet black uniform. She had this aloof look her face which clearly does not suit with her serious demeanor. Her orange eyes glowed brightly as she faced the queen from behind the Abyssal Empress that the queen was not fond of.
"Abyssal Empress Atlantic. What are you doing here in my domain? Aren't you supposed to be patrolling the Atlantic Ocean like I ordered you to do?" The queen spoke with a rather unease tone.
"The Atlantic ocean is under complete control my queen so there is nothing to worry about. Those pesky shipgirls won't put a dent on my Sea Wolves that I have meticulously placed all over the Atlantic Ocean." Abyssal Empress Atlantic answered with a rather confident tone.
The Abyssal Queen fell silent as she returned to her original position before she was suddenly awaken abruptly by the petite Abyssal Empress in front of her.
"So, who is this Abyssal Empress that rudely awaken me from my rest?" The queen asked.
A hand gently rested at the shoulder of the petite Abyssal Empress. With a jolt the Abyssal Empress bowed and answered with a loud but clear voice.
"My name is Abyssal Pr—Empress Bermuda. I am currently under Abyssal Empress Atlantic's command and has overseer control on the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast of America."
"Hooo. I don't remember giving birth to a petite Empress like you..." The queen peered closely to Bermuda.
Abyssal Empress Atlantic let out a cough as she walked beside Bermuda and continued the flow of the conversation.
"Bermuda was born as an abyssal princess, my queen. I personally granted her the title of empress because she deserve such title." Atlantic explained.
"And why did you promote her to Empress? Care to explain Atlantic?" The queen further questioned.
"Bermuda here successfully repulsed four fleets of shipgirls that were raiding my hive on Iceland. She defeated the shipgirls alone and managed to protect my eggs from destruction. For her valor and noble actions, I gave her the title of Empress and have her serve as my second in command." Atlantic proudly explained as she pats the cowering Bermuda from the back.
The queen fell silent and observed the abyssal in front of her. She was really small that one would mistake her as a weakling. And she does not possess the authoritative aura that each Abyssal Empress must have to properly command its subordinates. The queen wondered if what Atlantic did was a good thing or not.
Atlantic or Abyssal Empress Atlantic has been posted on the Atlantic Ocean on her own for a while now. She's a great strategist amongst the eight Abyssal Empresses that she had birth into this world. Minus the one that Atlantic promoted into Empress by herself.
She's cunning, sly, and dangerous if fought together with her minions but suffers a great amount of stress from controlling her overwhelming number of minions that she has placed all over the Atlantic Ocean.
The Atlantic Ocean is large, probably the same size as the Pacific Ocean which is located at the east.
She and her sister Pacific currently have the largest number of minions under their command. In terms of command, Atlantic controlled her minions directly. Atlantic likes to micromanage her minions down to the tiniest abyssal in her disposal whilst her sister Pacific however is a meticulous organizer. Pacific wanted her minions to be flexible and independent from one another while at the same time able to cooperate with other independent fleets if the need arises.
This is a stark contrast to Atlantic's style of a One Man Army command.
Despite being different from one another one fact still remains, they are capable commanders.
This abyssal in front of her on the other hand...
"My queen?" Atlantic called upon her queen once more.
"Do as you wish. However..." The queen paused and turned her attention to Bermuda, "I expect you to follow every order Atlantic has given to you—be it reasonable or not. Also..." The queen's voice trailed and then she spoke with a tone of a loving mother, "I expect great things from you, Abyssal Empress Bermuda."
Abyssal Empress Bermuda gave the queen a determined look as she straighten her body and saluted at the queen.
"I—Abyssal Empress Bermuda of the Atlantic Theater will never let you down my queen!" She declared.
A proud smile emerged from the queen's lips as she watched the orange eyes of the newly appointed Abyssal Empress. With a wave of her hand the guard that were stationed near her came to her.
"Escort them to the void gate. They need to reach the Atlantic Ocean as soon as possible."
"Understood your holiness." The female guard answered instantly after receiving her orders.
"Well then. Martha here will escort you to the Void Gate so that you'll arrive at your posts with haste." The queen announced.
"Well then. If you excuse us." Atlantic bows at the queen. She then grabbed Bermuda by the neck and yanked her close to her chest straggling the small newly appointed Abyssal Empress with her strong arm.
As the figures of both Atlantic and Bermuda disappear from her view. The queen's expression changed. With her left hand the guard that was standing on her left came and kneeled beside her.
"Mertha, kindly call Pacific and her underling from the frontlines. I have an important issue for them to address." The queen whispered her orders.
The abyssal named Mertha only nodded as she received her orders from the queen. With haste the abyssal walked towards the opened double doors and headed towards the void gate.
A disturbed look emerged from the queen's expression. She felt it again, this time its stronger than before. And she knew where this feeling is originating from...
"If that brat does not contain herself..." The queen muttered as she slowly closed her eyes, "I will have to take care of it myself."
Chapter End