The location of the final battle may not have meant much to him, but to the members of his fleet, it held a great meaning. This area, dotted with small islands, with some forests here and there was called 'Red Zone.' As the name implies, it was a dangerous location because it was here where the Sirens arrived and started the second war. Perhaps the Siren leader felt that this location was most fitting to end her opposition as it was here where the war began.
As Enterprise fired arrow after arrow, flanked by Akagi to her right and Kaga to her left, the entire weight of the worlds forces right behind her, they charged the Siren fleet with everything they had.
Thanks to their speed, Z23, Cleveland and Belfast had gone ahead of the pack, the trio meaning to land the first strike. Cleveland fired in an arc, her cannons landing multiple blows on the cruisers and destroyers that were closest to her. Then, Belfast and Z23 capitalized on this moment by firing into the holes on the ships, dealing more damage than their regular attacks.
Z23 pointed her newly created weapon at a Siren cruiser and fired a single, might energy beam that tore through the ship's armor in a single strike.
"The retrofits and weapon improvements are really proving their worth," she said and saw Hiryuu and Soryuu unleash a barrage of airplanes onto a group of Siren ships. It allowed Takao and the other long-range shooters to down the ships from a safe distance.
On their journey to the location, the Commander laid out his plan to the fleet. The aircraft carriers were the central force, leading the attack. They were backed by the cruisers and heavy cruisers to their left and right flanks. Immediately behind the aircraft carriers were the destroyers and last were the Battleships.
Convention strategy dictated that the aircraft carriers should be placed in the back line, providing long-range support. At the start of the attack, the cruisers and heavy cruisers would attack the flanks of the Siren fleet, purposely pushing them closer together and forcing their enemy into a 'V' formation. It was strange to put some of his best fighters in the firing line like that, but as he continued to explain his plan, the fleet saw the method in his madness.
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The Commander slid back from the force of the last attack. Wasting no time, he quickly ran back to Omega and attack her. The two met in the middle, their swords clashing together. Since their last encounter, Omega spent a considerable period of time developing herself and adapting her body with new techniques in combat. These changes allowed her to slowly push him back, despite the latter continually trying to stand his ground.
Then, suddenly he stopped holding her back and immediately moved to the right. This caused Omega to falter, allowing him to strike her back and ram her into the ground. She rolled away, narrowly avoiding his foot then rose to her feet and fired an energy barrage at him, only to see him deflect the volley with little effort.
As the two attacked each other with a barrage of sword swings, landing superficial cuts on each other's sides, Omega asked the question…
'How?'
Omega had the technology and superior fighting styles programmed into her. She had every advantage she needed to overwhelm him, yet that was not the case. Throughout their fight, the two were on equal footings, with one gaining an advantage over the other through the smallest of openings.
Again, the question remained, how did the Commander, who was a human manage to hold his own against a physically and technologically superior enemy like Omega? The answer: experience.
Both he and Omega had had a tumultuous life. Omega lived in a war zone for much of her life. She knew conflict for much of her life and time after time, her world was continually ravaged by war. It was only after her and her people evolved into newer beings, did she come to know peace.
The same could be said for the Commander. A rough childhood and a long, difficult training period in the Army, followed by years of being deployed into war zones helped mold him into what he was now.
However, there was a disconnect between the way the two learned to fight. In Omega's instance, she had information on all forms of combat downloaded and placed into her mind. Compared to that, the Commander's training was him being constantly knocked into the ground with just a few instances of him landing a hit on his enemy.
Every block, counter and strike had practically been beaten into his body from a young age. Every time he struck, he remembered the hundred other times his opponent countered and attacked with a terrifying ferocity. Every time he blocked, he remembered the times when an enemy soldier shot him because his guard was lowered.
To put it simply, Omega's knowledge was downloaded into her. The Commander's knowledge was beaten into him.
This difference in combat training allowed him to overcome the obvious gap between the two species, leveling the playing field as a result.
Omega kept leaping back and firing at him, while he deflected her shots, all the while running to her and closing the distance.
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Enterprise, Akagi, Illustrious, Kaga and Hornet had become a team of their own, practically filling the sky with their airplanes and raining destruction on the enemy forces. Thanks to the five of them going on ahead and taking the brunt of the enemy's vanguard, the others were able to hold the line. Considering how the Siren fleet's frequency of attack was only growing worse, it meant the plan to constrain their movement was working.
A Siren Battleship fired at the group and Enterprise fired at the projectile, detonating it in mid-air. Then, she fired multiple arrows back at the Battleship. Akagi and Kaga then fired more airplanes at the nearby cruisers, preventing them from attacking Enterprise.
"You're slipping," commented Akagi.
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Phoenix, Helena, Brooklyn, San Diego, Cleveland and the rest of the Light Cruiser division spread themselves along the left flank assaulting the Siren fleets and forcing them closer together, while picking off any stragglers that tried to escape. One such ship turned its cannons to fire at Noshiro, Curlew and Monteplier. Monteplier and Noshiro dodged but Curlew reacted too late and was slightly injured by some of the shrapnel.
"Curlew move to the back of the line," called out Cleveland.
"But what about the second part of the plan?" she asked, while Black Prince and Sheffield helped her back.
"When the time comes, we'll get to it," she replied.
The Siren ships took advantage of the small opening caused by Noshiro and a group of them charged the Light Cruiser Division. Yat Sen, Ning Hai and St. Louis attacked those ships along with Koln, Leipzig and Konigsberg.
"Cleveland," shouted Gloucester "we've passed the ten-minute mark."
"Alright then," said Cleveland "move to phase two of the plan."
In a surprising move, the aircraft carriers that faced the enemy forces head on suddenly split themselves down the middle, effectively opening a clear path past the battlefield.
Of course, it only looked like a clear path. Utilizing the same strategy the Sirens used when they attacked the main base at night, the Armada attacked the Sirens from left and right, limiting their movement and forcing them into the opening they created.
But as the Sirens neared the opening, the alien race was greeted by the spear and trident of two Saint Louis and Neptune.
"Come at me with everything you've got," shouted Satin Louis as loud as she could "None shall get past me and my spear."
As if to demonstrate her resolve, she leapt high into the air and cut through a Siren destroyer with ease. While still in the air, she turned to her right and fired a concentrated barrage against a Siren cruiser.
"Hey," shouted Neptune as Saint Louis landed next to her "don't forget about us."
"This is what we were born for ladies," declared Monarch, standing her ground and firing volley after volley "stand firm and together, we will defeat the Sirens."
With the six PR class ships attacking the Siren fleet head on, the battle moved into the second stage. As this happened, the main ship divisions moved in closer, further limiting enemy movement, all the while not letting up on the assault.
While this happened, Yat Sen and members of her group met up with Belfast and the Royal Maid Squad in the middle of the battlefield. When they did, the two teams went past the ships, their destination was the device the Sirens were trying to protect.
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Her opening came when a stray beam grazed his right eye hampering his vision. Seeing this opportunity, Omega attacked from the right side. Though he was able to respond and defend her attack, she noticed the slight delay in his reaction speed.
Now that his field of vision was now cut in half, Omega capitalized by moving to his blind spot and stabbing him in the arm. The Commander yelled out in pain, dropping his sword but Omega did not let up. She spun around on one foot, her other foot crashed into his head and knocked him to the ground.
She then stepped back, avoiding his leg sweep and fired at him multiple times, forcing him to roll away. The Commander rose to his feet and ran towards Omega, ready to strike. When he was near, he raised his sword up and Omega raised both her swords up. At the last second though, he let go of the sword and hit her with a punch to her chest. Omega staggered back a little but he was on her before she could take another breath. His right arm reached back, grabbing the sword before it could hit the ground and attacking with a vertical swing that landed a deep blow on Omega.
Omega tried moving to his blind side but he quickly moved in the same direction, preventing her from taking advantage of this opportunity. He then spun around and attacked her with a kick to the side of the head but Omega ducked down, narrowly avoiding the attack. While still turning, he lowered his leg and came at Omega once again, but this time, with a leg sweep. However, Omega reacted quicker and leapt up.
In the air, she grabbed him by the head and quickly tilted her body forward so she could ram him into the ground. The Commander retaliated to this by wrapping his legs around her arm and tossing her onto the ground as well. Then he grabbed his sword and stabbed her in the chest. Omega yelled in pain, raising herself and him up, then ramming him into the ground. She did this three times before getting onto him and letting loose a barrage of fists aimed at his face and chest.
Omega stopped when she found he could no longer defend himself. Satisfied, she took a few steps back and let out a tired sigh.
Imagine her surprise when she saw a bloodied Commander rise to his feet, holding his sword and still ready to fight.
Omega dismissed her swords, resorting to using her fists. She held up both her fists and said warily "final warning Commander, stay down."
He scoffed at the threat and with an arrogant smile he said "funny, I was about to tell you the same thing."
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One of the many barrages fired from the Siren fleet managed to hit home, knocking back Ark Royal and a few other girls that were near her.
"Ark Royal," shouted Queen Elizabeth, coming to her "are you okay?"
"I can see them," she said, smiling "little angelic destroyers come to take me home."
"She's fine," said Queen Elizabeth, dropping her down and chiding herself for being worried in the first place.
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Roon ran from ship to ship, either punching holes in them with her fists or punching holes in them with her weapons. On the ground, Monarch bombarded the Sirens in front of her. Izumo, Saint Louis and Neptune were standing on top of a mountain of downed ships, firing or striking down anything in their path.
Further ahead of them were Belfast, Yat Sen and their respective groups. The two teams had made significant progress in getting to the device, but that came to a halt when a large squad of battleships blocked their path. This situation was made worse when they were joined by two dozen destroyers, who were now pushing them back.
Sirius and Dido both leapt ahead of the groups, Dido cutting down a Siren destroyer ahead of her and Sirius doing the same. A Battleship capitalized on this, shooting them in the back and sending them crashing down to the ground.
"Damn it," cursed Belfast quickly coming over and picking the two of them up.
"Sheffield, take them to Vestal."
"But what about the rest of you?" asked Sheffield.
"We'll figure something out. Now go."
She nodded, taking the two maids from Belfast and retreating back to the medical tent.
"Do you have any plans?" called out Yat Sen, all the while firing a barrage of shots at the Sirens, alongside Ning Hai and Ping Hai.
"I was hoping you did," replied Belfast.
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"Now's the time everyone," called out Warspite to the rest of her division "move forward."
The rest of the Battleships started advancing towards Monarch, all the while continuing their barrage.
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Two fists crashed into each other's faces and both of them were sent flying back. The Commander was quicker to get up and ran towards Omega, who kept firing at him. There was one shot that hit him in the foot, but instead of falling forward, he placed his hand on the ground and used his momentum to push himself forward, landing a double kick on Omega's chest.
This time, Omega was the one to quickly recover as she grabbed both of his legs and flung him right into a tree, knocking the wind out of him. Omega then came at him with a punch aimed at his face, but the Commander rolled away. He got to his feet and deflected a jab from Omega, quickly came in close and rammed his elbow into her face. She staggered back, wiped the blood from her nose and ran towards him, grabbed his head with both hands and forced him down, where she introduced him to her knee. The Commander's head arched back as a result and she pressed her advantage by punching him in the chest.
Omega ran to lift him up, but he reacted quicker and hit her with a leg sweep, knocking her off balance. He rose to his feet, kneeing her in the chest then moving behind her and ramming an elbow into her back. Omega quickly got up and formed her swords. She swung out wildly, landing multiple deep wounds into the Commander's chest, forcing him to move back. She charged him, intending to press the advantage, but he ran towards his sword and picked it up just in time to block a killing blow.
The two stood in a deadlock for a moment but the Commander was able to move to her side. In that instant, the two of them landed deep wounds on each other's backs, causing the pair to take a few steps back.
Omega was faster to recover and attacked with a double swing. Though the Commander blocked her attack, she countered by kicking him in the chest. Then she came forward and flung him into a tree. Before the Commander could recover, Omega appeared before him and thrust both her swords into his chest, pinning him to the tree. He swung out wildly at her in a vain attempt to land a strike, but it was a foregone conclusion.
Seeing that she had won, Omega turned around and raised her left arm. A holographic image of a progress bar appeared on top of which was a number showing how much progress was made. She smiled upon seeing the hundred percent being displayed then turned to the sky.
Omega, the Azur sky and the Siren fleet all saw a giant portal opening up in the sky. Through it came a monstrously sized ship, the size of three football stadiums. On its side were rows and rows of battleship cannons and in the center were two gigantic sized cannons, each one more than a hundred meters long and a hundred meters tall.
"At last," she said, smiling and raising her hands up to welcome the behemoth sized ship "the greatest weapon in my fleet is finally here."
"Now tremble before my might," she yelled and watched as the monstrously sized ship started attacking the army opposing it. The arrival of this ship meant that the momentum of the battle greatly shifted in her favor.
It was a shame though that she would not live to see the end.
As Omega turned around, hoping the Commander was alive long enough to see this ship, she saw that he was indeed alive, but no longer embedded into the tree she left him at.
With a single swing of her sword, the Commander cut her head clean off her shoulders, marking the single major difference between her and him. She may be a battle-hardened survivor, but she was a civilian, while he was a soldier. And soldiers, always go for the head.
Taking the other sword out of his body and ramming it into her chest, aiming for the heart, just to be a hundred percent sure, the Commander then turned his attention to the large ship flying ominously in the air and recognized it immediately.
It may have had all the trappings of a Siren ship, but the design, placement of weapons and the chill he felt down his spine upon seeing it, told him what ship it was.
"Commander," shouted Enterprise, sounding desperate, "what the hell is that ship?"
"A dreadnought," he said, giving name to the terror in the skies and the Sirens ultimate weapon.
Then, to his bad luck, he saw one of the cannons on the side, turning to him. The last thing he heard was Enterprise shouting at him to run before it all went black.
(AN: sorry for taking so long to get this one done. It was partly because work started picking up a little and equally because I wanted the fight between the Commander and Omega to be brutal and intense.)