William entered his bedroom, took off his white jacket, hung it on his wardrobe, and took off his hat and pants before storing it in a neat fold under the hanged jacket. He sat on the small study desk, reached for something in his drawer before pulling out a black covered journal book. He took a pen and proceeded to open the book, he skimmed the page until he reached the last written page. That page was still empty, William pondered for a bit before he started writing on it…He was interrupted when he heard someone knock on his door, he briefly wondered who was knocking when he finally decided to ask.
"Yes?" William asked out loud.
"Master, it's Belfast. I'm here with your coffee and light snack." Belfast said to William.
"…Right, come in." William said to Belfast.
Hiding the P228 Handgun he gripped underneath his table, William watched as the door opened, and Belfast came in with a tray. She set the tray down on William's study, there's a cup of coffee and some biscuits on top of it, and Belfast arranged them on William's table. Belfast set everything on the table before she took the tray with her and stood beside William, it was still nine at night and her duty wasn't exactly done yet. William took the coffee cup and sipped the content, he hummed a bit as he tasted the liquid.
"You put in some sugar." William said to Belfast.
"I noticed that master didn't really like pure black coffee, so I figured some change might be in order." Belfast said while smiling a bit.
"Hmm, you're a sharp one Belfast I'd give you that…Next thing I know, you'll know the content of this room inside and out." William mused while smiling.
"But of course I do master, it's a maid's duty after all. I know for a fact you kept an adult manga on your left drawer, hidden underneath your weapons catalog." Belfast said while smirking.
…William's eyes went wide as he searched his study's left drawer, rummaging it for a bit, closed it and looked at Belfast with a mix of astonishment and embarrassment. Oh shit, the contraband he picked up during his mission in Sakura Empire's territory was discovered by Belfast…Not good, if this gets out then his reputation would be permanently damaged.
"…Nothing gets past your eyes huh? I'm surprised you didn't throw it out." William said while smiling bitterly.
"I have no objection with master keeping the manga, it does have a nice story after all. But please read it in private, there are children around the base." Belfast said to William.
"You READ it!?" William asked with wide eyes.
"Why yes, a maid must know what her master likes and prefers." Belfast said while smirking.
William could swore Belfast was smirking all this time they've been talking, it looks like Belfast enjoyed his exasperated or troubled look, and he shuddered when he thought that she could be a sadist…But really, he couldn't imagine a girl like Belfast spending her time reading a manga about angels, demons, other mythological creatures, and all of those involved boobs in some way.
"Alright, I get it…Anyway, how is it?" William asked Belfast.
"Whatever do you mean, master?" Belfast asked while tilting her head.
"The one I told you to get done after we saw Lena off." William asked again.
"Oh, that one. Shall I brief you on the situation, master?" Belfast asked William.
"That would be great." William nodded his head.
"Understood…Right now, everyone is on high alert but are still maintaining their casual attitude. Each dorm has prepared barricades and is ready for any attack, everyone is ready for combat and every ship girl is already stationed in their respective dorms with me being the exception. I've relayed your orders for Madam Shoukaku to scout the area around the base with her planes, she will report back in five minutes." Belfast explained the situation.
Deep inside William's mind, he mocked those assassins that's hiding on the forested hill. Did those cunts fail to realize that a vantage point such as that place would be booby trapped? William spent an entire day surveying the base, and he knew if someone were to infiltrate then the hill would be their entry and vantage point. He spent the next day placing dozens of motion sensors around the area and linked it to his phone, just after he saw Lena off in the afternoon his alarm was triggered. Shit just got real, so he immediately told Belfast, Prinz and Hood to prepare the defenses. Since the target would most likely be him, they need to lure those assassins into a false sense of security. The girls would stay in their dorms while William would be the bait, as soon as the orders by an overwatch was given then they'll strike those assassins from the back at the same time. Shoukaku was selected as the overwatch, she had been on constant alert since dusk surveying the whole base under the cover of the storm.
"Bloody well done Belfast. Thank you, you may return to the Royal Navy's dorm." William said to Belfast.
"Master, there's something else I must tell you…Her majesty, Queen Elizabeth, herself has ordered me to remain by your side." Belfast said to William.
"…Her majesty said that?" William asked Belfast.
"Yes. She said that 'No harm shall befall the commander as long as I'm around!' and thus, she sent me here." Belfast said while smiling.
"Well I'm glad for the help her majesty sent out. But waiting for them will take a while, Belfast." William said while leaning on his chair.
"My dear master, I'm sure we can find something to keep ourselves 'entertained' while we wait." Belfast said while smirking.
Smiling wryly, William could only did that at Belfast's suggestive words and coy smile she wore on her face…Man, this head maid now possessed information that could either make his life more comfortable or more hectic since a few of his habits were now known to her…Thanks a lot Lena, William thought. Belfast was still standing there while smiling, William pondered on what should he talk with her? That is until he got an idea…
"You said Sheffield always carried guns around, have you ever used it?" William asked Belfast curiously.
"No master, I found my cannons are quite effective already…Though I must say, it could destroy more than I intend to in some cases." Belfast said with a hand on her chin.
"…You want something less destructive?" William asked Belfast.
"Yes, if it's possible." Belfast said to William.
"Come here then." William said to Belfast.
Belfast tilted her head a bit in confusion but she approached William nevertheless, William took her right hand and put the P228 underneath his desk and placed it on her hand…Belfast eyes widened a bit at the pistol in her hand, she didn't expect William to actually hand her a weapon normally used by soldiers. She inspected the gun more closely, she did know how a gun works but it's the first time she actually held one like now.
"P228, quite compact, easy to conceal and quite handy in most situations. It's loaded with thirteen 9mm rounds, doesn't pack a mean punch but one shot to the unprotected head is all you need. Pistols like these only work in close range, so don't try to shoot down a Siren jet with it." William said while joking lightly in the end.
"I see…But this pistol is not something I see being carried by soldiers and officers of Azur Lane, master. Where did you get this?" Belfast asked curiously.
"Iron Blood soldiers are the ones who often used it. This one I snatched from someone I killed during my early days on the battlefield, the first one I killed…I took his handgun as a reminder of that day, the day where I stopped being a fresh graduate and into being a soldier. I want you to keep it." William said to Belfast.
Looking at the handgun in her hand, Belfast never thought that this thing had such history with her master. The gun was the gun she held back when she caught William just returning to his room after his not-so-secret-anymore late night mission, it looked as worn out as his M16A4 Assault Rifle. Despite that, it seems the gun's internal mechanism was well maintained. There might be other reasons why William didn't repaint the outer parts of his weapons.
"What about your 'handgun', master? Won't you need this if you're going to fight the terrorists?" Belfast asked William.
"Don't worry, I have another one. I've requested some to be delivered here through Akashi, though she charged me like a loan shark just for the administrative nonsense alone." William said while frowning.
"Ufufufufu, that sounds just like Madam Akashi…I thank you for this gift master, I will treasure it and will surely use it to protect you and everyone on this base." Belfast said to William.
"Glad to hear it…Anyway, do you know how to use it?" William asked Belfast.
"I know the basics at least. This one is a semi-automatic pistol with magazines, you need to insert the magazine, pull the slide backwards, release it to load the first bullet into the chamber which also to pull the hammer backwards, set the safety off, and you're ready to fire." Belfast said as she performed the said action directly.
"…Sometimes I wonder if there's something you don't know, Belfast. You know basically everything." William said to Belfast while smiling a bit.
"Oh my, thank you for the compliment master." Belfast said while smiling back.
William looked outside and despite the pitch black scenery outside his window, the sound of rain and the strong winds rattling his window were the indication that the storm was getting worse. Narrowing his eyes, he hoped that everyone was inside a building in this weather. He knew the girls were strong, but even so it'll be best for them not to catch cold by staying indoors.
"...The storm is getting worse, none of the ladies were outside right?" William asked Belfast.
"No, since master issued the order everyone immediately head indoors-" Belfast said to William.
"They're here. Belfast, hide in the bathroom." William suddenly said.
"But master-" Belfast was about to retort.
"Do as I say." William said in a firm tone.
Belfast didn't understand why William told her to hide in the bathroom but something in William's tone told her that it would be best if she comply with his order, he had something planned out and Belfast trusted her master to make the decision. She nodded as she immediately headed for the bathroom, turned off the light and shut the door. Few seconds later, there's some footsteps in front of the door before it was kicked down.
William feigned shock as he quickly put his hands up as several men dressed in black and armed with suppressed SMGs pointing guns at him, all of them wore black balaclavas and combat goggles so William couldn't identify any of them. He briefly glanced at everyone and spotted no sign of insignia, rank badge or any notable thing beside their ammo pouches and knife sheaths…Oh hell these guys weren't military forces…But until they could be thoroughly examined, William can't be sure.
"Lovely evening with thunderstorm gents, so what can I do for you? You know I could help, if you ask nicely?" William said while smiling.
"…You're awfully calm for someone on the edge of death, Nimbus Knight." One of them said.
William narrowed his eyes when he heard that name, if these guys know that…then safe to say, he won't be getting out of this one alive after his usefulness is up. One of them walked forward and stared at William through his combat goggles, he looked around the office and William struggled to deduce what the hell were these guys want other than trying to murder him?
"…Nice room." The guy said to William.
"Why thank you mate, it's a comfortable one." William said while still smiling.
"Yeah of course with that hot maid this room would be spotless eh? Now, where is she? She's not hiding in that room right?" One of them said.
"Please. Do you think such classical thing like that will happen in real life? I take it that you watch too much TV." William said while smirking.
Oh dear god, William only smirked and said that to irked the guy, so he won't touch the door handle. It worked though as he walked closer to William and stood on the side of the previous guy. William managed to get their identification, Recon 1 and 2…But William came to a grave conclusion, he saw Belfast and judging by his tone he's up to no good with her…No, not to his favorite maid, not to any girls on this base, he won't let that happen. But first, he had to gamble his life in this game of death…
"Let's get straight to business shall we?" William asked while smirking.
"You're eager to die." Recon 2 said as he pointed his gun at William.
"Now now! I think you're being too hasty man, remember that the boss wants to talk to him?" Recon 1 said to Recon 2.
"…Fine. Let's get to your office, move it. Don't try anything funny." Recon 2 said to William.
"Oh fine. Just one thing, I need to finish that coffee." William said to them.
William carefully moved to the table, took the cup of lukewarm coffee, downed it then compiled as he moved out and was escorted by a dozen armed men toward his office. Along the way, he saw that these men already secured the hallway…Belfast would have a hard time getting out of the bathroom but she got her phone with her right? God he does hope so…He entered the office, walked toward the center while being at gunpoint before he stopped and turned around.
"Okay mate…so, what do you need?" William asked them.
"…Our boss wants to talk to you." Recon 1 said to William.
Recon 1 took out a hologram projector and a figure appeared in front of William. He's a tall man but quite skinny, pale white skin, blue eyes, short dark brown hair, and he smirked triumphantly at William's shocked face. William knew the man on the holographic projection, but William refused to believe that he's alive. No, he shouldn't be because William himself was the one who killed that man!
"Nimbus Knight, at gunpoint. Never thought I'd see the day." The guy said to William.
"…Ronald Mitchell, you're alive…" William's eyes immediately narrowed.
"I'm disappointed to hear that you think a shot to the head would kill me. No no no that would be too easy wouldn't it?" Ronald asked William.
"I'm surprised you didn't get here to kill me yourself." William casually remarked.
"Haha! I wish I could, mate! But nah, I don't want to get my hands dirty for a little traitor like you." Ronald said with a bitter smile on his face.
"Who's the real traitor here, Ronald? You turned your back against everything you stood for! Why!?" William said while scowling.
"Oh now you asked me that?" Ronald asked while also scowling.
"I was too busy to care because all I wanted that day was to shoot you on sight…" William said while growling.
"Ohohoho, mate you're scaring me! But for real, let's talk about this like a grown adult shall we? Assuming you're an adult now? Unlike Ben, Helena's little brother. He never got the chance." Ronald said while smirking.
Something snapped inside William, his face contorted in pure anger and his fist were clenched tightly. He was about to shout at Ronald before the assassins around him pointed their guns toward him, taking deep breath William tried to down his anger a bit…Ronald played him like a fiddle, he knew where to push his buttons and mentioning Lena's deceased brother would always get him…
"Ah ah ah, Will. You still have a temper problem huh?" Ronald asked while grinning maliciously.
"You shut your mouth motherfucker…He died because of you!" William shouted at Ronald.
William would never forgive Ronald for what he did, not until the end of time. Lena's little brother was part of Task Force Nimbus and credited the title Nimbus Knight alongside William and three others, he graduated from the academy at eighteen with flying colors. Benjamin McAllen, one of the most talented graduates under William's direct command and the little brother of the task force. Everyone likes him, honestly if he's on the regular division he would become a war hero in the eyes of the troops.
"…Mate, you're known as the Nimbus Knight. Well, the five of you…The five of you were the legendary bastards that were capable of taking on an entire Sakura Empire infantry battalion armed with those deadly katanas and emerged victorious! Bloody fucking hell mate, I worshipped you guys! They're the enemy, them and those Iron Bloods! Those wankstains don't deserve to live after what they've done and the five of you were their cleansers! You five were heroes in our eyes! That's why…I felt betrayed…we felt betrayed by you five on that day." Ronald said to William.
It was supposed to be a simple search and capture mission, they got Intel about Iron Bloods massacring a village of Iris Libre during their occupation of the area. Task Force Nimbus got an order to find the truth and bring the perpetrator alive, so they immediately started hunting. But the more they stayed in the area, the more evidence they found that it wasn't Iron Blood that did the massacre…It was Azur Lane military forces, a regular division that's advancing toward Iron Blood's territory.
"That day, what went through your mind? You five escorted twenty Iron Blood civilians that were supposed to be our target…They're the target Will! You were supposed to shoot them not to escort them to safety! My god you are one dim motherfucker! So, I took charge, we killed those guys but one escaped. And you, the five of you, murdered my friends, my best friends just to save one little Iron Blood whore!" Ronald shouted at William.
Those twenty Iron Blood civilians were deemed by local command as the soldiers responsible for the massacre dressing up as civilians, they went so far as to provide the proof. But William knew better than to trust them without inquiry, so the Nimbus Knights who founded them started asking questions. It turned out that the local command planned to silence those twenty civilians as they're the only living witness of the war crime committed by Azur Lane Military Forces in the area.
But they knew the Nimbus Knight already suspected them so they turned to the rest of the forces to do the job, the others complied without question and a firefight between the Nimbus Knights and the other members erupted. William even tried to reason with them but local command was one step ahead of them, there's fabricated evidence that the Nimbus Knights were defecting to the Iron Bloods and thus Task Force Nimbus were ordered to eliminate them.
It was a clusterfuck of a mess, in the ensuing firefight nineteen of the civilians were killed. In the act of desperation, Benjamin protected the last witness who's a sixteen years old teenage high school girl. That cost him his life and in blind rage due to his death, William and the others did the impossible. Four men took down an entire task force overnight, infiltrated the local base to get the evidence by faking their deaths, stole a plane and made a dash to Azur Lane Central Headquarters.
Handing the report, a court trial was held and in the ensuing process the Nimbus Knights succeeded with the testimony of the girl they saved. The garrison responsible for the war crime was punished according to international law, their leaders imprisoned and some were executed. But, the crimes committed by the Nimbus Knights couldn't be overlooked…They basically murdered an entire elite task force, one which Azur Lane High Command considered their best asset!
"You five were traitors! To Azur Lane and those that you stood for! You have no right to call me one! I'm doing this for the betterment of Azur Lane! Ben, he tried to protect that little whore and he paid the price…I always like the kid you know, young but skilled, and he's a damn fine soldier to earn the title of Nimbus Knight at eighteen!" Ronald said to William.
"…No words would be enough to condemn you to hell for what you did to Ben, Ronald!" William said to Ronald.
"Your own men, your own brothers, you murdered all of them…We were there to finish the job but you four, were blinded by that lie of hers!" Ronald said to William.
"It was never a lie Ronald, you and the others chose to ignore the truth! You're the one blinded by hatred! You couldn't see that they lied straight to your face!" William shouted at Ronald.
"No…you were wrong! But as the saying goes, history is written by the victor. And there you stand, thinking that you've won. That story you told to central command still sent you to jail wasn't it? Now why was it only you that was sent to the Black Hole? But that certainly made my job easier." Ronald said to William.
What the fuck is he talking about? That's what William thought, he watched as Ronald snapped his finger and a picture appeared beside him. In the picture, there's a big Caucasian man with black short hair and green eyes leaned on the walls in an unknown alley. His torso was filled with bullet holes yet he died with a smile on his face, William widened his eyes as he saw the picture…he knew who he was.
"Yuri Asimov, a gentle giant with that minigun of his. He is still smiling even in death." Ronald said to William.
Another picture appeared and this time it was a dark skinned man who died with the back of his head had a large gaping hole inside a dining room, blood was pouring out to his back and the scene was a mess. William shook his head sideways in complete disbelief, he stared at Ronald who smirked in complete confidence.
"Michael Tyrone, stoic but caring to a fault. He's a tough one so we had to be creative." Ronald said to William.
"...They're…" William was unable to speak.
Another picture appeared and there's another Caucasian man lying on top of his own blood with a disemboweled stomach, a slit throat and a knife on his heart. His face contorted in pain and fear, as if his soul slipped away while he saw something so horrifying…William stepped back until he hit his desk in disbelief, he knew everyone that Ronald showed him.
"Charles Dubois, the comedian who never fails to laugh even during artillery shelling. He didn't laugh so much in this picture." Ronald said to William.
"…No." William muttered.
"And lastly…William Blaze, the greatest soldier ever lived and I used to respect so much. You will be missed mate, not by me though." Ronald said to William.
…Those three were his best friends, the few friends he had left beside Lena. Three of them were the other Nimbus Knights beside him and every one of them died? Murdered by Ronald? No words could describe the mixture of sadness, grief, and anger that swirled inside him and turned into concoction of pure contempt for the man in front of him. William saw a paper plane hovering in front of a window behind the assassins, he knew it was Shoukaku's paper plane…
"…Ronald, allow me to say this before your goons shoot me. I'm prepared for this, just give me the chance to help myself with this little speech." William said to Ronald.
"…Alright boys, let's give him time to say a proper goodbye to us. Go on mate, you got a minute." Ronald said while smirking in confidence.
"…I swear to any god or deity out there who can hear my words, when I find you I will personally murder you with my own bare hands! I'll tear open your chest, pull out your heart and squash it with my own two hands, and I will greatly relish the look on your face as your soul slips away from your body! I've made a pact with death numerous times and today he still says, not today! See you soon, Ronald!" William said while growling.
Just as William said that Shoukaku's paper plane turned into real air plane and rammed William's office, this greatly shocked everyone but William was prepared and jumped as high as he could to avoid the crashing plane, dived into one of the assassins, used his knife and jammed it to his throat, took his MP5 SMG then lay waste any assassin that still somehow survived. He heard cannon fire and commotion outside the building, looks like the ship girls were on their way here.
William heard footsteps and gunshots coming from the hallway as Shoukaku's plane disappeared, William took another downed MP5 and looked outside only to find the other assassins were getting overwhelmed by Takao, Enterprise, Ayanami, Belfast, and Sheffield as they were killing anyone that didn't resemble William. Takao's swinging her katana, Enterprise firing her bow, Belfast using the gun he just gave, and Sheffield with her own twin handguns. William narrowed his eyes, he's moving to-
PSIU!
William felt a sharp pain on his right hand, he switched the MP5 to his left hand, turned around, fired one handed and wasted an entire magazine filled with thirty 9mm bullets on one of them who was still alive after being hit by a fighter jet…That's it, every attacker surely died ,and their assassination attempt had failed. William threw the MP5 to the wall, he walked out from his office. The girls were about to ask if he's alright when William just ignored them in favor of going to the part of the hallway that was exposed to the raging storm due to the wall and roof being destroyed by the previous fighter.
William felt strength left his body as he fell forward to his knees…He stared toward the horizon of pitch black sky which occasionally was lit up by thunder, as he looked up he also wondered why did this have to happen? Why to them? More ship girls came toward the floor but all of them didn't approach William. They were stunned…William had this disbelieved look on his face before he hunched down…There, a fully mature grown twenty six years old man started sobbing, that sobbing turned into a cry of anguish, and William for the first time in ten years bawled his eyes out.
He cried so hard as if he challenged the sound of falling rain and strong winds directly, he didn't care about the cold that were biting him to his bones, he didn't care about his bloodied arm, he didn't care about the girls watching him at his weakest point in life, all he care about was the fact that three of his remaining few friends he had were murdered. They're the ones who had fought beside him since their assignment to Task Force Nimbus, they went around the world, fighting, exploring and making sure the other soldiers could come home to see their family again…But no more, their fight was finished. He's the only one now, the last of Nimbus Knight.
He felt a gentle caress on his shoulder, despite feeling that he didn't stop as he hadn't had enough. He need to let it out, his grief needed to be expressed lest he lose himself…Illustrious caressed his shoulder, Hood hugged him from the side, Enterprise took off her coat, and shielded William from the harsh rain, no one except William knew what made him cried so hard…But all of them understand, they definitely understand what he need.
.
"Your main artery was not pierced but it grazed your bones, Commander. This should be enough, but I would advise you not to use your right hand for today." Vestal said to William.
"…Thank you Vestal. I'll be fine, I know how to treat wounds myself." William said to Vestal while smiling.
"I know, because you didn't even visit me and try to mend the wound by yourself. As this base doctor, anyone who was injured is my responsibility, and you're no exception! Come over regularly for the check-up will you?" Vestal asked William.
"Alright, thank you…I appreciate the sentiment." William nodded his head.
Vestal only smiled as she patted William's shoulder twice, William wore a medical sling on his bandaged right hand as he walked out of the infirmary. He saw Belfast and Hood standing in front of the infirmary door, both of them nodded to William as a sign to follow them…The walk to Royal Navy Dormitory was filled with silence, William didn't even bother to join the conversation between Hood and Belfast. They stepped out into the glaring afternoon, it's as if there's no storm raging on the island last night.
After following them for quite some time, William stumbled upon a Victorian era design building with gardens around it…This was unmistakably Royal Navy's dorm, he followed both Hood and Belfast to the rear garden where there's a lot of people gathered in what appeared to be the standard afternoon tea time. There's Elizabeth herself, sipping tea while Edinburgh stood behind her. Warspite sat to her left, enjoying the pastries, and there's Illustrious in front of her sitting while smiling.
"Your highness, Master William is here." Belfast announced that they had arrived.
"Ah splendid Bel…Well don't just stand there, go ahead and sit down." Elizabeth said to William.
"Yes, your highness." Belfast said while bowing a bit.
"Sure" William said to Elizabeth.
William sat beside Illustrious, she smiled faintly at William when she noticed the medical sling alongside bandaged right arm. William assured her that he's fine just by smiling at her, Illustrious seemed satisfied as she nodded her head and sipped her tea. William watched as Sheffield put a cup in front of him and poured warm black tea to his cup, William took a sip then put the cup down.
"Now Commander Blaze, what do you wish to speak to me about today?" Elizabeth asked William.
"I wish to speak about the budget allocation for the Royal Navy's dormitory." Williams said to Elizabeth.
"I see. If I recall Bel already had our report for the expense this month." Elizabeth said to William.
"How much?" William asked curiously.
"No more than our usual spending. But we do plan to incorporate a greenhouse on the spare land near the dorm, can you allocate some budget for that?" Elizabeth said then sipped on her tea.
"…Hmm, what would you use the greenhouse for?" William asked Elizabeth.
"Herbs and spices, the maids would like a steady supply for their dishes. Seeing our convoys often late because they got raided, I think it's best to have one in here." Elizabeth said while grinning.
"Good point…Alright. Let me consider it after talking with the other dorms, Ms. Elizabeth." William said to Elizabeth.
William got his answer and he nodded in understanding…William took a package of cigar from his pocket, put one in his mouth and lit it up. After taking a deep breath, he puffed out the smoke to calm his nerves…After what he heard last night, he still thought about it once an hour at least. William purposely exhaled to the opposite direction of the ladies, he didn't want them to be uncomfortable but some did frown a bit when they found out he did smoke.
"Commander, I could tell you're not in your best shape right now. I would suggest a rest for today." Warspite said to William.
"That's a good idea but maybe not now, Lady Warspite." William said to Warspite.
"…If you say so. Just make sure you don't push yourself too much Commander, I don't know what the cause was for last night but it would be best if you find the solution quickly." Warspite said while smiling a bit.
He knows the solution, he knows how to deal with them, but when you lose three of your brothers in arms due to some traitor he thought he killed already then it would surely take some time. All he could do now was to wait for his grief to go away…No, Will already had enough crying last night that his grief was being washed off by the harsh rain of the storm. This feeling that was left inside him, it's anger and vengeance mixed into one…Despite that, he smiled at Warspite gratefully for the advice.
"Commander, we've arrived." Enterprise said to William.
William looked to the left and saw Enterprise, Nagato and Bismarck walking toward them. There's a reason why William gathered the representatives of each faction today. After the representatives had seated, enjoying some black tea and pastries William decided to talk about why they were gathered here…These ladies would need to be briefed.
"Ladies, I'll be away tomorrow due to important matters overseas. I'll leave early in the morning and return here by night…Three of my friends, brothers in arms were murdered last night by the same group that attacked this base. The three of them were the only survivors of Task Force Nimbus besides me." William said to them.
Collective gasps and murmurs were the immediate response from the ship girls, William was the luckier one with the ship girls protecting him because his three other friends were caught dead in their homes and a back alley…The three of them were among the greatest soldiers Azur Lane had, and they died like they weren't worth anything, murdered in cold blood in their peaceful days.
"Kommandant, I'm sorry to hear that." Bismarck said to William.
"My deepest condolences, shikikan." Nagato said while bowing a bit.
"I'm so sorry, commander." Enterprise said to William.
"Oh…What a tragedy, my sincerest condolences to you Commander." Elizabeth said to William.
"Thank you, ladies…Because of that, I will attend their funerals tomorrow. I ask of you four to please keep watch on the girls, operational command will fall to Bismarck in case of an attack." William said to them.
"Danke Kommandant, I won't let you down." Bismarck said while smiling.
"Good. Furthermore, I want everyone to remain on alert for the next three days. This attack was caused by that same terrorist group that I've been tracking…Now that they dare to attack this base, I think it's only fair that I'll give you a brief explanation of them." William said as he took out his phone.
He showed them a picture of a logo, the logo was of Crimson Axis but with crosshair painted above them. He showed a group of armed men wearing the same logo on their arms, armed with various rifles, balaclavas, and combat goggles covering their faces. William showed them another picture of a warehouse filled with captured weaponries and several ransacked houses filled with dead bodies. The girls looked at each picture, and now they got the gist of the situation.
"They called themselves Crimson Cleanser, obviously named with the fact that their hatred toward Crimson Axis as their primary drive for their actions. Currently, we don't know where their headquarters are located, all we found so far was their safe house and base of operation alongside their weapons cache…This will be a long hunting season, but safe to say most of their members came from Azur Lane nations. They aren't afraid to frame, terrorize, and kill the innocent. This group needs to be stopped, before they can undermine the shaky alliance between us." William said to all of them.
"…I understand the situation. Shikikan, have Azur Lane asked the Sakura Empire and the Iron Bloods to help quelling these terrorists?" Nagato asked William.
"Yes, according to Admiral McAllen, my superior, each nation's intelligence agency in the world are currently cooperating and coordinating together to find these terrorists. None of us want the war to be restarted, everyone knows the stakes, and we'll work day and night to stop these fools." William said to Nagato.
Their actions are a clear declaration of war against Azur Lane and Crimson Axis, both factions only wanted peace between them, even willing to bury years of grudges between each other for a common goal and that's the future of humanity which is free from this alien threat. And someone dares to try and mess up that effort? Hoo boy, they better be ready making the entirety of earth their enemy because ninety percent of the people on this planet will be guaranteed to fight against them if they try to undermine the alliance between the two coalitions.
"That's all I could say about them for now…So, I want everyone to be careful." William said to them.
"Commander, are you going there alone?" Enterprise asked William.
"...Yeah?" William answered unsurely.
"I suggest you bring one of us to accompany you there, sir." Enterprise said to William.
Well…he knew he would need company, spending time by himself wouldn't be good right now. He'll need a distraction, someone to keep his mind off these things for a while. Usually, he would be fine because Lena would be there but…She would surely bring her husband with her, and he wouldn't want to get too friendly with Lena in front of him. What Enterprise said made sense…
"…Right, that's a good suggestion…So, who would like to go?" William asked while smiling.
Almost everyone raised their hand, William stared at the scene before him with a deadpan stare…Are these girls eager to slack off, or do they really want to see new places? William couldn't tell which one was their reasons but he does know who to bring…Someone calm, polite, could talk smoothly and wouldn't cause ruckus…Hey, that sound like-
"Jeez, you girls…Fine, I'll choose-"
.
Walking at a slow pace, William headed for the academy building alone. He had told that the girls deserved to rest after what happened last night so no one should be working now, well, except for Akashi and Shiranui for they have to tend to their shop. And because of that, everyone's currently enjoying their one day vacation including the secretaries…But some like Belfast preferred to keep working, she's also a maid for Elizabeth so that's fine…But Enterprise insisted that she would lead a patrol for base security, reasoning that they can't let their guard down…Her habits still haven't gone away huh?
He entered the academy building, passing by Fletcher and her little sisters so they chatted for a bit. After the brief chat, William continued walking to a specific room on the top floor. He found someone standing beside the door of the destined room, she's named Ranger. She often teaches the other ship girls and considered a teacher in this pseudo academy, she noticed William approaching her and she set her posture straight as well and immediately saluted him.
"Sir!" Ranger said to William.
"Afternoon Ms. Ranger, are they inside?" William asked Ranger.
"Yes sir, they're currently being given standard orientation by Ms. Langley…Ms. Wales and Ms. George are familiar with our base, but they still haven't known about the few changes you've made when you took over the base." Ranger said to William.
"I see, thanks Ms. Ranger. I'll take it from here, go rest up." William said to Ranger.
"…Yeah, I think I'll need that after class today Commander." Ranger said then sighing.
"What happened?" William asked curiously.
"…Class was in chaos today, just because of a single bee flying through the window." Ranger said while smiling wryly.
"Oh. All the more reason then, go on." Williams said while smiling.
"Yeah…With that, excuse me sir." Ranger said to William.
Ranger saluted at William while smiling before walking past him, William steeled his nerve then twisted the door handle. The sound of the door being opened immediately eliminated all sound in the room, William stepped inside the room and looked at what he saw. It's an ordinary classroom, Langley was currently at the podium, and it looked like she was done with their explanation.
William took a glance at the new ship girls who arrived today…Prince of Wales and King George V were looking at him and judging him, their stares were clearly evaluating him based on the things they had heard from the other ship girls. William had heard that these two ladies were someone you don't want to mess around on the battlefield and among the few of Queen Elizabeth's trusted aides…
The Sardegna Empire arrivals, one of them was a girl known as Carabiniere. Honestly, she looked quite familiar…Well, she looked dangerous with her serious stare while holding a musket? Wait, who the fuck still uses a musket on this day and age? Where automatic guns dominated the battlefield? Then William remembered that she's a ship girl, that thing could take out a main freaking battle tank in a single hit for all he cared.
The second girl was Zara, and William's eyes were caught in a massive gravity well that's pulsating around her chest region because my god those tits were massive! William immediately darted his eyes toward Zara's face, she's smirking while staring at him with unknown glint in her eyes…Man, his dong down there reacted a bit…He hoped that's not his M side awakening…
The Sakura Empire ship girls that were sent here also looked at him, they're Kongou's sisters Haruna, Hiei, and Shouhou sat on their respective seats, like the others they also silently judged William. The man who was being stared at nodded his head and walked toward Langley, she checked on the files she held and handed one to William. It's a letter, sealed with the official stamp of Azur Lane on its back…Using letters in this day and age? This one must be sensitive information.
"Thank you Ms. Langley, I'll take it from here." William said to Langley.
"They're all yours Commande.r" Langley said as she gave the podium to William.
"Greetings and well met ladies, my name is William Blaze. I'm the current commander of this base, let's work together from now on…Now, I already read your profiles so there's no need for you to formally introduce yourselves. Is there anything you want to ask? You can ask anything." William said to them all.
A hand rose from the seated girls and its Prince of Wales, she'd like to ask him regarding what she heard happened a few days ago. Her reason was the same as many other girls on why they would ask this question, but Wales would like to hear the answer from the man himself.
"Commander. I have heard about your feats a few days ago, may I ask why would you go to such lengths? A commander like you doesn't have to do that." Wales asked William.
"…Think of me like a commander who's fighting style resembles a military commander from medieval times. I lead from the front, always have been, and I don't see a reason to stop now. A single man could make all the difference in the world, both good and bad." William said to Wales.
"Wise one, but that means you'll be gambling your life…Nevertheless, we're ready to fight the Sirens anytime commander. You can count on us." Wales said to William.
"Then that makes the two of us." William replied while smirking.
"…I like you already." Wales said while smiling.
"Commander, may I ask something?" It was Zara this time.
"Yes Ms. Zara, what would you like to ask?" William asked Zara.
"I heard our dorms are still under construction, where would we sleep?" Zara asked William.
"You and Carabiniere will stay in the command building in the meantime, the second floor still has several empty guest rooms. Just, don't venture to the third floor, it was a complete mess after last night." William said to Zara.
"Got it~" Zara said while smiling.
"…Any other questions? If not then you're free to go, get some rest. Don't hesitate to come and talk to me, I don't mind some chit chat once in a while…Welcome and welcome back to this base, ladies." William said while smiling.
The girls stood up, some saluted and some bowed a bit before leaving while smiling…A minute passed before William returned to his usual composed face, he briefly looked at Langley who was still standing beside him. William took out the letter which was given to him, he opened it and found a single piece of paper inside it. Narrowing his eyes, he read the letter.
…It's a letter of summon to Azur Lane Central Headquarters tomorrow in the afternoon, the high commander himself was the one who asked for him. Now, when someone like the High Commander of Azur Lane wants to meet you directly then there's only three possible reasons. One, you're High Value Target, enemy of Azur Lane or mankind's most hated man on the planet that's captured. Two, you fucked up your job so badly that the man himself would like to see your face before you get whooped and sent straight to prison or death row. Three, you did too well on your job that the man wanted to see your face and give you a Medal of Honor for your outstanding work…
…Reason number one, well in some aspects he might be the most hated man among the majority of the officers in Azur Lane as well being a high value target. Reason number two, he did that already two years ago and voila he at least had some dark story to tell to his unborn kids about 'Doing what was right'. Reason number three? Pffttt, Medal of Honor? With all the job he had done, all High Command's mess that he cleaned and their completely unreasonable orders? He should already have as much as Enterprise…But nah, his good deeds and actions were disavowed the moment that trial hammer struck down…ungrateful assholes…
"Ms. Langley, who sent this letter to you?" William asked her.
"A Manjuu suddenly appeared with the letter sir, not sure how they got them but it's addressed to you." Langley said to William.
"…Okay, thank you" William said in a deadpan stare.
Well, it's best not to ask as William had decided to accept the Manjuus for whatever they are…He felt he could go mad at the thought of discovering whatever truth concerning them, best to just roll with it. Stuffing the letter back to his inner jacket pocket, William chatted a bit with Langley before he excused himself out of the academy building. He walked a bit before turning his head toward the partially damaged Command building which was rammed by Shoukaku's airplane…Come to think of it, he didn't thank Shoukaku for her help yet…Guess he knew where to go next.
.
BEEP BEEP BEEP!
"…Goddammit!"
Meanwhile, at an undisclosed location which Azur Lane Central Headquarters was located, Lena cussed as she took the office phone in force and put it on her left ear. Her usually combed straight shoulder length brown hair was messy, she had red eyes and black eye bags, her eyes half opened and she's frowning.
"WHAT?!" Lena shouted at the phone.
"Jesus McAllen!" She immediately recognized the voice on the phone.
"…Sir, I think I'm being clear with the fact that I don't want to be bothered for a while?" Lena asked the person on the phone.
"Alright, I'm playing my ace card. That's not how you talk to your superior, Lena." The person on the other side of the phone said.
…Yup, not even Lena who held the rank of Admiral could retort to that because he's Azur Lane's High Commander and she'll be in deep shit if she lashed out now. Lena sighed while staring at her laptop screen, the report she received from the intelligence division regarding last night's attack indicated that the three of them were murdered almost at the same time…
"…Hrgh! Can't you leave me be for a bit? I lost three of my former soldiers! Three, loyal and totally the best of the best among Azur Lane soldiers! They're my friends! The three of them died despite the fact they chose to withdraw from everything! The fact I didn't lose Will alone is a miracle!" Lena said to the High Commander.
"McAllen, I know it's hard for you but right now I need you to suck it up! We have a problem, pull yourself together!" The High Commander said to Lena.
"…Fine, what do you need me for sir?" Lena asked him.
"Strategic Control Center, ASAP." The High Commander simply said.
Lena put the phone down, took a small makeup mirror, made herself look presentable and dashed out of her office. She passed rows of busy people, everyone either had stacks of paper, on their phone talking about something or with a data pad analyzing something. Lena had to avoid lots of people along her way to the SCC, she finally arrived in front of a large door with two guards in front of it.
"Meeting on the way?" Lena casually asked the guard.
"Yes Madam McAllen, they're expecting you." One of the guards replied.
The two soldiers opened the door and Lena immediately headed inside, the door closed behind her seconds after she entered the room. Lena was greeted with the higher ups of the Azur Lane, generals, admirals, air marshals, several experts and analysts. Lena walked further into the room where she caught the sight of a middle aged woman with long jet black hair, wearing a lab coat and a cream turtleneck sweater. Lena smiled at her when the woman returned, that's before Lena put on her war face.
"Admiral." The High Commander said from his seat.
"This better be bad." Lena said while scowling.
"Oh believe me, we just opened a can full of Grade A worms. Can't wait to taste it." One general said from her left.
Lena snorted a little as she sat next to the woman she smiled at before, the woman smiled as she silently asked her if she's alright. Lena only nodded her head with a small smile, she then focused herself in facing the other higher ups…She's done crying, Crimson Cleanser is officially on her shit list, and she'll make sure they will regret that.
"Based on the brief report provided by Commander Blaze, the suspect for this assassination is Ronald Mitchel…If the fact that this supposed-to-be dead bastard who committed war crimes during his time as a Task Force Nimbus soldier came back to life isn't bad enough, we got unconfirmed reports that Crimson Cleanser is assembling an army." The High Commander said to Lena.
"What army? How can they manage to gather enough man power to form one? More than ninety percent of the world's population is hunting them." Lena said to The High Commander.
"Well, that last ten percent is the answer. They're operating in neutral countries, we just got word from several countries that their local police busted several recruitment attempts on their territory, it makes sense to think they're building an army." The High Commander said in an annoyed tone.
That means there's a huge possibility that Crimson Cleanser is planning a large-scale coordinated attack against them, what would be their target this time? No one liked the idea that these terrorists would go to Iron Blood or Sakura Empire capital cities and start a massive terror attack, it's just a theory right now but this situation proved that the probability of it happening is quite high.
"I see…So, you got our next move planned out sir?" Helena asked The High Commander.
"Yes. But I would like your opinion on this one." The High Commander said to Lena.
"I'm listening." Lena simply said to him.
"It's true that striking directly at the head wouldn't be effective with this kind of enemy. I'm planning to send infiltrators to their ranks, several of them." The High Commander said to Lena.
"Good plan…I don't see why you would need my opinion for this." Lena said with cocked eyebrows.
"This would take a while, gaining their trust won't be easy and during that time it's possible that Crimson Cleanser would cause more damage…I'm asking if you have other alternatives." The High Commander asked with an impassive face.
…Lena scowled at the idea that more people in her life could be targeted by those assholes, William was lucky that he was on a base full of superhuman girls when it happened but it's safe to think another attempt would be tried in the future. Lena thought, what if it's her family? What if the next victim would be Will's family? What if in a few days the regular coffee shop she often visited got bombed for stating their stance against Crimson Cleanser…She knew deep down what's her answer to this problem, the problem is that not everyone would agree to this…
"…You can't kill an idea, as long as one of them stands then that idea will prevail. At the same time, we can't just go around and massacre random people we suspect. There's only one way I could think of." Lena said with an impassive face, her deep purple eyes devoid of any kind of light.
"Oh, do explain?" The High Commander asked while smirking, he liked where this was going.
"Fight fire with fire. They bomb us? Bomb them back. They took hostages? Take a few of them with us. They slander us on the internet? Make sure to destroy their network. People…No, these things could only understand one language, and that is violence. Let's give them the taste of their own medicine, see if they like it compared to us." Lena said in a firm tone.
"About time, those bastards need to be stopped at all cost!" One general said to Lena.
"For the sake of our future, perhaps this would be needed" Another one said in his approval.
"…This is a war crime, Admiral!" A general said to Lena.
"Are you prepared to bear the burden to ensure the world stays safe, general? This is not the first time we got our hands dirty, you shouldn't be surprised so much. Besides, at this rate? This fragile alliance would break. Crimson Cleanser could turn public opinion easily, that's their advantage. We can't do anything if we lose our public support…We'll have to play this brutally yet at the same time cunning enough with our approach." Lena said in matter of fact tone.
The whole room was filled with murmurs, majority of them agreed with this approach in quelling the terrorist threat but some of them, and the general who spoke out before were still having doubts. If they resorted to this kind of tactics, doesn't that make them no better than those terrorists?
"You're not convinced?" Lena asked the general.
"I'll be honest…You're method is quite frightening, Admiral." The general said uneasily.
"Because they just made it personal last night, I experienced what they could do, and I don't want that to happen for the second time to me or anyone…Sir, your approval?" Lena swiftly asked The High Commander.
"…What do you think, chairman?" The High Commander said out loud.
A holographic scene appeared before everyone and there's five men seated facing them with black and red uniforms, without a doubt everyone in that room immediately recognized them. Crimson Axis leaders sat before them behind the holographic scene, every one of them currently whispering with one another except for the man who sat in the middle. Intimidating face, shoulder length, straight blonde hair and icy, cold blue eyes stared at Lena…But she wasn't fazed in the slightest, she'd seen worse.
"I like your plan, Admiral McAllen…To beat evil you have to be even greater evil huh? That's a plan we can agree on…High Commander, Crimson Axis offers you our full support to quell these terrorist scum!" The Chairman said to the High Commander.
"Excellent…Then let's commence this plan as well! I want full details of this new doctrine and strategy alongside an overview of the plan on my desk in a week. We will continue to discuss the details with our Crimson Axis allies in the meantime, is that clear?" The High Commander asked everyone.
""""""""""Yes sir!""""""""""
.
…The visit to the Sakura Empire dormitory was quite fun, it managed to take his mind off things when he was busy. The little destroyers played with him, the older girls talked with him about many things, he enjoyed some sake, cakes and overall dinner was satisfying. He spent the majority of the night on the balcony of the common room staring at a city's skyline on the island across from here with Shoukaku seated on a chair beside him. She played harmonious melody from her flute at his request, William felt content while enjoying the night scenery, night winds, and the gentle song.
He returned to his room after thanking Shoukaku, both for saving him and complying with his request. In his room, he sat on his bed after changing into a white t-shirt and his boxers…He took out his phone, he looked at the wallpaper. It's a picture of him alongside the others, Lena, Yuri, Charles, and Michael which was taken just after they returned from their last mission. William smiled bitterly, he made mental notes to frame this picture to the night stand later…With that, he laid on the bed and closed his eyes…
"Will"
"Father…Is there nothing we could do?"
"The doctors have tried everything, your mother worked herself to the bone to cure me…No, all of you had done more than enough. It's my time Will, you will be the man of our family…Don't cry now lad, you have to be strong for your mom and sister."
"What son wouldn't cry when his father laid weak on his deathbed!? Don't give me that nonsense!"
"Hehehehe…yeah, you're my son alright. I said the same thing to your uncle years ago."
"Runs in the family huh…"
"Listen well. I'm proud of you…No one in our family's history ever entered the academy and graduated with outstanding marks, you even drafted for duty immediately. But I'm sorry son…I don't have long, I couldn't attend your graduation ceremony in two months."
"…Father, what should I do?"
"For what?"
"How can I help you fight longer?"
"Now don't ask for the impossible son. If the most advanced medicine couldn't even make me survive tonight, then there's nothing else could…I'm glad you made it here, Will…It's been months since I saw you, I feel at ease knowing that you're doing well…"
"Yeah father. I'll be here, until the end…Father?"
"…Don't worry son…I'm just feeling sleepy"
"…I know where this is going."
"You're watching too much TV, your mother often warned you about that hehe…Right, anything you want to say to me, son?"
"…I'm not ready."
"What? Being a soldier or Helena's future husband?"
"Both"
"…Alright then, this old man will give you one last lesson. Anger shouldn't dictate your actions Will…It is humane to feel anger, but your primary drive should always be your beliefs…Do what you do think is right, your anger should only be the icing on the cake."
"And…the other one?"
"…Helena's a good girl, I'd like her to be my daughter in law so much…my only advice? Treat her well."
"But…I already did that."
"…I mean, in whatever circumstances…Even if both of you had to part…treat her well…"
"…Now you're scaring me father, don't say something like that."
"...Ever the…worrywart…eh William?"
"…You know me…I just like to be prepared…Father?"
"…"
"Father?"
"…"
"…Father?"
"…"
"…Oh…You're leaving already, father? God…at least you could tell the reapers to wait until I say my gratitude to him…I promise you, I will uphold your lesson. Rest well up there, father."
William opened his eyes and his pillow was wet…Damnit, a flashback regarding his father passing away? Why now? Is that memory of him trying to tell him something? A reminder of his father's last words before departing? It sure does, since that's the part he very specifically remembers…William was wiping his eyes from his tears when he heard the door open, then he heard a girl gasping.
"Master? What's wrong?" Belfast asked William as she hurried over to him.
"Ah, Belfast…Just a memory that tugged on my heartstrings, I'm fine." William said, trying to smile at her.
"If you say so master…You need to get ready, you're scheduled to leave at eight." Belfast said to William.
Nodding his head, William immediately hit the bathroom. Getting himself clean and fresh, he looked outside and saw that the sky was dark grey…Seriously, they just got hit by a storm two days ago and another one is about to hit them again? William shook his head as he equipped his uniform and put on black coat above it. He turned toward Belfast as if asking her to check his uniform, Belfast smiled as she approached him and tidied his uniform. She also took the tie on William's left hand and put it on for him, all the while William kept staring at her.
"Master, it is rude to stare so much at a lady without her consent. Please be mindful of that while you're out there." Belfast reminded William while smiling.
"Can't help it. Any man would do that if a gorgeous maid is the one who puts on their tie." William answered while smiling slightly.
"Oh dear master, think nothing of it. It's my duty after all." Belfast replied to William.
"Duty or not, I appreciate it." William said to Belfast.
Belfast took the officer cap from the desk and handed it towards him, William took the cap and put it on his head. He took out an eye patch from his jacket pocket and used it to cover his left eye. After making sure everything checks out and filling his pockets with items he might need during the journey he smiled in satisfaction.
"You look handsome, master." Belfast said to William.
"Thank you, Belfast." William replied while smiling.
"Do you mind if I take a picture?" Belfast asked William.
"Hmm? Sure. Go ahead." William said while shrugging.
William posed as Belfast took out her phone, she snapped a picture of William. Both of them left the room after they're done and headed straight for the courtyard, William subtly checked every single thing he carried with him. Phone, keys, wallet, wrist watch, napkin, snub nosed Colt Python Revolver, and several moon clips…Yeah, he got it all. He saw the car already parked in front of the building alongside two people beside it, they're Prinz and Hood.
Hood was selected to be the one accompanying him to the funeral, she dressed in her usual dress while carrying a purse. William smiled a bit when he saw Prinz gave something to Hood which she took and immediately put inside her purse, what's that? Deciding he shouldn't ask, William and Belfast approached the both of them.
"Hood, you didn't wait too long didn't you?" William asked Hood.
"Ah milord, Prinz and I just arrived here." Hood said to William.
"…Ready to depart?" William asked Hood again.
"Anytime milord, just say the word." Hood replied while smiling.
William motioned Hood to get in the vehicle first, she nodded and climbed aboard the 4x4 jeep and rode shotgun while William faced Belfast and Prinz. This would be the first time he'll leave the base for the entirety of the day since he took his job, a bit nervous since two days ago their base came under attack. But he had confidence that these girls could deter any invaders, human or not without him. What he worried the most is the fact that this base could crumble due to the girls fighting that could get out of control, that's not a far stretch…
"Alright. Prinz, make sure the base is still standing by the time we get back." William said to Prinz.
"You're expecting Siren's raid, kommandant?" Prinz asked while smiling.
"Nah, the girls…I got a feeling they will start dancing and causing a mess when I'm gone somehow…I've been watching too much Youtube." William said while looking to the side.
"Fufufu, don't worry about it. The base managed to stay up in one month without a kommandant, it could survive a day without you." Prinz said to William.
"Great then. See you later Prinz, Belfast" William said to them.
"We're off, see you at night." Hood said to Prinz and Belfast.
"Take care master, Madam Hood." "See you, kommandant, Hood."
William stepped on the pedal and the car quickly accelerated, they left the base and headed for the local civilian airport in the city. Hood was curious, why didn't Azur Lane send someone to pick them up directly from the base? Why did William opted to ride the conventional civilian airlines while he had access to the military's faster transport? But she didn't mind this at all, in fact she's quite fascinated at the prospect of trying new things…
…Meanwhile, Prinz approached Belfast after witnessing the car that William drove disappeared in the horizon. Both of them looked at each other before surveying the scenery around them, realizing that the two of them were the only people currently in the courtyard and they smiled at each other…
"I believe you have it?" Prinz asked Belfast.
"Why of course." Belfast said while smirking.
"Fufufu, well done Bel. I'll trade with that video of him dancing like a mad man alright?" Prinz said to Belfast while smirking back.
"Ufufufu, sure." Belfast said to Prinz.
Both of them then took out their phones, Belfast traded the photo she just took with a video from Prinz where William was immersing himself in metal music…William doesn't know this, but photo and video involving him had become a commodity among the ship girls on the base.
Updated: 25-07-2021 (Beta Readed by Culture-Hunt3r)
Cut! There's something I have to tell you readers, this story further chapters will go through fifteen thousand word counts! Yeah, it'll be quite long alright so better ready yourselves. Right, so, thank you for the follow, favorite and review everyone! And so, despite the fight with the Sirens it turns out humanity can't catch a break because someone just impaled them in the back. What a mess, looks like it just become personal.
See you next time!
- Dasmara