Author: My favorite part at Rondo and Rainbow's End would be how Lutzow commented that all Queen Elizabeth class are "flat as boards" and being short like "dwarves". I actually had a genuine good laugh.
The wise king Solomon...
In common human history, he's a man who's reliable giving advices and all sorts of guidance to humans. In a certain world, he's a reclusive and innovative man who created a living weapon. Unfortunately, the Solomon here isn't like him. The Sirens and Ashes seek his wisdom of the timelines, but he rejected everyone out of disgust and locked his timeline from them. When they trespassed his timeline, they realized he has long passed and his creation disappeared to other timelines.
"The Solomon here was granted wisdom by God. At least, that's how the stories tell it"
I mutter to myself while I occupy myself in the base's briefing which I use as a makeshift study room. There are no bookshelves around me, just piles of books blocking my front view.
"You're invested in world history and legends, huh" H-39 grabs one of the books
"I have little knowledge of this world's past, so it's best to know what kind of world I'm living"
"Well, it's a good way to kill time while you're stuck here"
" . Every time I hear that name, all I can think of is a deer"
Said deer can be quite sarcastic and a sweet tooth. Well, she's no problem as of the moment, and it would be suicide to provoke her. My main focus is to learn more about this world and the reason why I got exiled here. I'm using my current time to investigate the Sirens here, but I still feel uneasy.
"By the way, I found more information that could be related to the Sirens you're looking for" H-39 clears her throat
"Really?"
"Apparently humans in Scapa Flow has been salvaging unusual scraps. They didn't specify their reports on what they found, but they described it as not man-made"
"Siren-made perhaps" I slowly stand up
"Scapa Flow is Royal navy turf, so the Kriegsmarine can't get more information if they want to. Despite being allies in this era, everyone still has their doubts" H-39 shrugs her shoulders in dismay
That's unsurprising. Despite not being enemies anymore, the scar of the past remains and this leaves long lasting doubts in their heart. Second chances exist, but humans are stubborn and prideful creatures. They're more focused on themselves than their surroundings. I suppose...that's why I couldn't see Tirpitz's betrayal in the first place.
"The base was closed some time after the second world war, but they constructed a naval facility there a couple of years ago. Shipgirls tend to anchor and stay there for a while since it's a crucial point of the Royal navy territory"
H-39 digs into her coat's left pocket and gently brings out a large piece of paper cleanly folded into fours. When she carefully unfolded the fragile-looking paper and flattens it on top of the table, it's revealed to be a map of the Scapa Flow itself.
"Rumors say a sea dragon appeared in front of Royal navy shipgirls a few years ago and they made a base there to investigate any other phenomenons like that. I mean even I want to know about the monster that eats Abyssals"
Eats Abyssals? It's strange to think Abyssals have a predator that's helpful to shipgirls. Rather than be amazed, I'm more curious whether the emergence of this beast is natural or part of an experiment. As far as I'm concerned, there are no sea dragons in this world. Those are but myths in this universe.
"I must investigate Scapa Flow in case of the Sirens lingering their"
"That's dangerous. You're a nonexistent person here and you're going to barge in Royal navy territory!" H-39 raises her voice
"I won't use normal means to travel. That would immediately alert them of my presence"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I'm going to have myself teleported there. Of course. I have to ask on how to compress my ship rather than anchor it as a big obvious battleship"
"Teleport?"
The thought of it makes H-39 almost faint, but fortunately she just stumbles back. In this world, teleportation is still but a myth due to the lack of Siren presence here. That's why their shipgirls are human and not created from wisdom cubes.
"How should I describe this in a simple way? There's someone who can defy the laws of time and space without damaging it. That child can create gateways from one side of the world to another"
"That sounds something out of a sci-fi movie" H-39 nervously laughs
"It's not unusual in Azur Lane. Sirens pop out whenever they please to meddle with Iron Blood's affairs"
I would be surprised if there's a timeline there without Siren interference. The Sirens made me lose my way and my desire for unmatched might caused Iron Blood's destruction due to my neglect. That man who could see everything warned me about it, but I just didn't listen.
"You're not planning on stealing the black cube, are you?" H-39 swallows her breath
"I'm taking it from the humans. If Ghost manifests, not even I could stand against it"
"You fear this Ghost that badly..."
"This is a mistake I cannot allow to repeat. At least not in this world..."
"I'd say why not let it sic on the Sirens, but that would be a bad idea too" H-39 scratches her cheeks
"It would kill the Arbiters without a doubt, but it would kill all of us too"
Ghost successfully eliminated the Sirens, but it turned its sights on us after the last Arbiter was cut off from its next vessel. The METAs, including me, tried as much as they could to at least incapacitate it...but no amount of attacks could scratch it. Ghost...is an actual ghost, so it needed to inhabit a physical body to hurt it.
"Who knew there's an evil Enterprise out there. I mean Hornet speaks of her in high regard and a bit competitive to" H-39 crosses her arms
"It's a failed attempt to create a fully weaponized Enterprise. They tried to create another Enterprise and it backfired horribly"
When that monstrosity first appeared in the world, it massacred hundreds of humans in a matter of minutes. It's dangerous for kansens like me as it could consume wisdom cubes or disintegrate it.
"I've been meaning to ask. You don't have a home anymore, so where would you stay after you're done with your job here?" H-39 worryingly asks me
"I would just return to Azur Lane. It doesn't matter if I have anymore or not, since it's my fault I lost Iron Blood"
"You're just going to wander then..."
"I don't have long to live anyway. My last battle damaged my wisdom cube to a state that it's starting to break. That's why I couldn't be as strong as I was before..."
I know I have to make it clear to her sooner or later. It's the least I could do for letting me take refuge and trusting a complete stranger like me. We would never see each other again depending if I die first or return to Azur Lane then die there.
"If the worst situation comes, then I'll seal Ghost inside me. So long as she's physically anchored, she could be killed by the Ashes"
"You're willing to take her out along with you?"
"There's another me in Azur Lane. She's living in relative peace with in her nation and possibly guiding her sister. As long as it remains, I have no more regrets..."
I turn away from H-39 since I couldn't bear to see her worried expression. My intentions have been suicidal because I wish to atone for my sins even if it costs me my life. Although, I wish I could at least get a glimpse of a secured future for Iron Blood.
"...I have no right to stop you with whatever you wish to do, but I hope your struggles wouldn't be in vain. You've worked hard, haven't you?" H-39 gives me a surprising answer
"...Perhaps. I have yet to give it all I've got"
"The fact that you got kicked out of your home and exiled here - yet you didn't stop stop. You kept moving forward, so that alone proved that you're giving it all you've got"
H-39 gently places her hand on my shoulder. This battleship is a good natured shipgirl, but she still lacks the understanding on why I live with so much regret. I couldn't blame her for not knowing the entirety since I only tell her the surface of my experience. Still, why do I feel as if she has secrets of her own.
The next day...
To prevent suspicion since the beginning, I had someone compress my ship and contain it within a grayish wisdom cube slightly smaller than my palm. I thought I left this behind when that demonic deer delivered it to me. Even if I could manifest my whole ship right now, I would look away from the cracks and taints on the hull I was once proud off.
"..."
I used to think only fragile and dependent people don any form of armor or protection to their body, but I now fond myself equipping special gauntlets. There's no room for complaint as I need all the equipment I have to prevent straining my slowly breaking wisdom cube. I slide the equipment to my fingers until the steel protection reach near my elbow. It's a perfectly fit one and flexible, so there's only comfort when I twist my wrists and squeeze my hands to test out the basics.
"Going out so early, huh"
H-39 interrupts me from blankly staring at my contained ship. From the clear sign of her yawning and swaying her head back and forth, she just forced herself to wake up. I made sure to make no sound to not alert her of my departure, but I underestimated her instincts.
"I'm going to march into Royal navy waters, so if I end up fighting the shipgirls, I might not return here"
"Oh..." H-39 dropped her shoulders
"I simply don't want to involve you in my battles. You've done a lot by letting me stay here and providing me information" I lightly nod my head
"Well, I understand you don't want me getting arrested or executed" H-39 rubs the backs of her head
"That's why I hope the Royal navy doesn't either spot me or engage in combat. It's their domain, so it's going to be difficult evading them"
"If it goes smoothly, you can return here as usual"
The way she cheerfully smiles at me with an innocent gaze has me worried sometimes. She's the type to go down first or be targeted by fate. It's as if the world senses other's hope and halts them before they're filled with it.
"Thank you. I will repay your kindness if I ever get the chance" I lightly nod
"Hahaha. Well, I do hope we could still see each other in the future once your job is over"
"That is but wishful thinking..."
"...I know, but you've been working hard to regain what you lost"
"I cannot regain them, but I could still protect them before I lose them"
My wish is to keep my past self from making the same mistake as I and to secure a future for Iron Blood. Even if no one can know my existence, I would die without regret. It's all the actually matters to me...
"Charles William Ferdinand, there's something I wish to say" I look at her straight in the eyes
"Yes?" She tilts her head
"In the near future, you-"
Just as I'm about to continue my words, the view of the warehouse and H-39 standing in front of me immediately shuts to a black space. It's only for a split second, but I did feel my body being forced out of one space to another.
"..."
At around three o clock, a good amount of time before sunrise, I stand in the soil of the Royal navy once more. As the chill wind breezes through me, I stare in awe and sadness in the horizon. The shore is a beautiful and peaceful sight, but I would remember how countless ships have been entombed here. The German navy took down their own ships rather then surrender it to the Royal navy out of pride and defiance.
"..." I tried to process how I've been teleported without notice
"I never thought my beloved boss is still alive and kicking"
Just as I take a step forward, Prinz Eugen's ever sarcastic greeting interrupts my peace. I have no resentment for hearing her voice once more but somewhat nostalgic and dismay. I'm past anger and hatred after the destruction of my Iron Blood. Since I have nothing personal issues left with her anymore, I slowly turn around and face my original right hand.
"META..."
I quickly notice it's the META version not because of her greeting, but with Prince of Wales tattered and burned cape remnant wrapped around her left arm. This Prinz Eugen blamed me for the death of Admiral Hipper and indirectly causing Prince of Wales' death. She has the right to do so because in both instances, I'm at fault.
"You're not with Tirpitz?" I narrow my eyes in suspicion
"Ah, her. She's still burning with sheer hatred, but she's too occupied with your past self" Prinz Eugen just giggles
"Let's get to the point. Why are you here?"
"I've been called here to help. Honestly, I don't want to come but I've been dragged here right before I know it"
Prinz Eugen's gaze shifts at her right side and in a distance is Belfast, the current head maid of the Royal navy. I know Belfast is obedient to her queen as a maid should, but it seems her true allegiance lies somewhere else.
"Aaah, sorry for being late!"
To my bigger surprise, Zuikaku comes running either lazily or just exhausted. The plastic full of snacks wildly swings as she waves her other hand at us. Belfast has questionable loyalty, but her frown and glare clearly expresses disdain for lack of punctuality.
"Zuikaku? Now that's surprising. Really, I don't even know why she's here" Prinz Eugen is unaware of her appearance
She looks at me with an innocent gaze as if I don't believe her. I still have my doubts on her considering she played a role on why Tirpitz became an incomplete META. While she doesn't fully resent me, there's a bit of distrust between the two of us.
"Sey - I mean that sea dragon asked me to come in case something happens. She...they, I don't really know her real gender, but she said you'd need me against the Royal navy here" Zuikaku comes to a stop
"I see. So we'd get into a fight with them, huh. That sneaky little lizard"
It's true Zuikaku is a skilled combatant outside fighting Sirens, but I'd say Takao is more skilled with the sword. Zuikaku is still a bit immature and lacks experience to be the ace of the Sakura Empire. The one I know lost her life in battle in order to prevent herself from becoming sustenance or corrupted by Ghost.
(There's something off with Zuikaku. She's still a regular kansen, but she has an intense pressure as if she's prepared to draw her sword and end us at the slightest wrong move)
She said the matured lizard asked her to accompany us, but I'm certain there's another order she's omitting from us. It's not agreeing to a favor but following her orders. Perhaps Belfast is in the same state and obeying the lizard, but for what reason? My only guess is some sort of trade or deal. Like in exchange of being a deterrent to the Arbiters, they'd cooperate with her.
"Anyhow, we mustn't wait any more time. Come with me"
As we have to walk by ourselves to the base itself, I keep my guard and focus on Zuikaku while Prinz Eugen freely walks beside me. I know the one beside me lost faith in me and just tolerating our cooperation out of necessity, but Zuikaku or Belfast is the problem.
"You've been observing me keenly, Bismarck. Not to mention, you're a bit nervous about it" Zuikaku briefly looks behind
Her instincts are sharper and more accurate than her regular self. Not just that, her expression is both less friendly and more serious. It's a honed warrior prepared to cut down even her own ally. That is if she still sees Azur Lane as her ally. No, my thoughts are exaggerating again.
"I'm just wondering why are the two of you here" I respond calmly
"It's mutual agreement between that person and me. As for Belfast, it looked like she got a look at Ars Notoria"
"Ars Notoria? Isn't that used for wiping and altering memories. I didn't know it could be used to provide information" Prinz Eugen displays obviousness
"Belfast just saw the memory of her other versions. I don't know what she saw, but she bowed without hesitation"
Belfast isn't saying a word and just letting Zuikaku explain everything to her. It's her way of saying to interpret it as we wish and it depends on us whether we believe it or not. She's not even looking at us or even making effort in observing our reactions, so it must be for that reason.
"To use the Lesser Keys at full capacity. Hahaha! That sly bastard did reach her matured form. In order for her to reach that, wouldn't that mean..." Prinz Eugen smiles but she's not amused
"Correct. It seems a lot happened in another timeline so they...she changed her perspective on humanity. I'm amazed at how Enterprise managed to sway her to humanity's side...sort of"
Humanity's side? The way she manipulates the scenes using Ars Almadel is rather questionable. To her, we're just pieces in a chess board and even a pawn could hold value depending on the situation. It's always a one-sided game when it comes to her and no one realizes it until it's too late.
"That said, the one ticking off the Sirens...is actually a dead man. A human who died am absurdly long time ago but still haunts the Arbiters in their dreams" Zuikaku snickers
"The wise king, huh. We don't even know who's playing who" Prinz Eugen just laughs about it
Leviathans, Sirens, kansens, and even King Solomon is in this game. The latter is the problem with how he's confident in the turn of events. It's frustrating to know I can't guess the future in his eyes. He knows the answer and the path which I can take for Iron Blood's secured future, but the demon is the main problem.
"We're here"
Just as I form an image of a middle-aged man with clear sunglasses and his ever calm smile, Belfast stops in her tracks. We actually arrive at the rear side of the facility, but a portion of the fence has been forcefully pushed through. Someone used pure force to force their way open, but I'm not certain if it's a human or not. Sirens tend to be discreet and no kansen would dare step foot here. Even someone like me feel a chill down my spine just sending Ghost's lingering presence here.
"Unfortunately, I cannot accompany you inside. However, I will be waiting here in the case of...an unfortunate accident" Belfast steps aside
"That's fine. As long as I'm here, you can count on me!" Zuikaku hands over her plastic full of snacks to Belfast
"Just for the record, I'd run at the first sign of death. No way I'm risking my life here" Prinz Eugen frankly tells us
It's a bit complicated for me. I can't abandon Zuikaku, but I can't afford to die here. A confrontation with the shipgirls here would be the worst case scenario. If I try to defend myself, they would be killed and we would be hunted.
"If you were to encounter the Arkhangelsk of this world, do not hold back. That battleship is but a traitor to the throne and an accomplice of the Sirens"
Just as Prinz Eugen and Zuikaku enter first, Belfast informs me at the last second. One of my foot is at the other side already.
"Also, be careful of an apparition inside. There's a reason the Queen Elizabeth here forbids shipgirls from entering"
I just silently nod and quickly follow after Zuikaku's lead while Belfast just waves goodbye before leaving the scenes. She can't stay right outside as it would draw suspicion the longer she remains.
"Damn! There's such a creepy vibe here" Zuikaku swallows her breath
"There's no doubt about it. Ghost is indeed here, but I don't think she's in physical form. Like a lingering grudge" Prinz Eugen carefully observes her left and right
"There had been a struggle here. More like their experiment backfired on them"
Most likely, they tried to harness Ghost's energy or extract her combat data. Ghost is extremely volatile and would react at the slightest movement. Windows have shattered everywhere and craters from blasts scattered everywhere. Ghost is primarily am aircraft carrier, so the bullet holes are from her fighter aircraft and the craters are from dive bombers.
"We go there. That's where the Royal navy contained Ghost" Zuikaku pointed at the building in the middle
"Someone is following us" Prinz Eugen whispers to me
"Not a regular human and trained at stealthy missions"
I can't look behind me, but I could sense there's someone leaning against a wall and has their sights on us. She's probably armed since no one would follow three strangers without preparing for an eventual confrontation. Not to mention, Zuikaku isn't even concealing her weapon.
"Let's keep going. We don't know who else are we going to fight" Zuikaku doesn't particularly care
We just proceed and ignore the stalker. I'm personally hoping they're only following us and not foolish enough to engage us in a fight. Zuikaku is a bit a different than usual as I can sense killing intent at anyone she perceives as her enemy. Is this her true colors or an epiphany at the face of death?
"Ugh. These doors are so dusty" Prinz Eugen complains
Zuikaku cuts down the chains without damaging the door with a single downwards swing from her sword. It's to be expected from someone who trains day and night to triumph her self-proclaimed rival Enterprise. Prinz Eugen and I take care of forcing the door open. It's hinges are a bit jammed and stiffed, so two METAs have to pry it open.
"The air smells terrible and the scent of blood lingers. Several people got killed here but there are no corpses" Zuikaku covers her nose with her sleeves
"You're right. There are only signs of deep cuts and holes in the walls"
The cut is clean but not to thin for any blade to cause and the holes are bigger than a damage by a regular-sized fist. Equipment and furniture toppled everywhere, so it's still too messy for a Siren to cause.
"From my impression, Ghost briefly manifested and rampaged at the sight of humans. They tried to run away and seal it here, but it still managed to break out. Fortunately for them, Ghost didn't last long in the physical world"
I think the same as Zuikaku. Ghost slaughtered a lot of humans here but she vanished from the physical world before she could escape the base. From the signs of violence and massacre, the rampage lasted no more than thirty minutes. It doesn't explain the inward damage in the fence.
"Should we split up?" Zuikaku asks Eugen and I
"Don't be a muscle head. We'd get pick off one by one by Ghost, and there's still the issue of a nuisance in the shadows" Prinz Eugen clicks her tongue as she whispers to us
"It's presence is still strong here, so Ghost didn't fully leave. I'm guessing since there are no living beings here left, it entered a docile state" Zuikaku tries to guess
Ghost wild seek out humans and kansens alike to slaughter, but a glitch is far different than an actual one. It's like a wind passing by. You can feel it, but it would have little physical effect on you.
"..."
I just continue to observe our surroundings as we continue to explore the abandoned facility. The Royal navy study whatever peculiarities they find here, but they're forced to abandon this after what happened. No wondered they have their guard dogs on the other one to prevent this scenario again.
"There are blood splatters but no pools of blood. I understand corpses disappearing, but it's not like Ghost wild actually think of mopping the floor first" Prinz Eugen enters an officr with a destroyed door
"Ghost can simply absorb those who it eats, but a mere glitch couldn't possibly do it" Zuikaku scratches her head
She picks up a flask with a hole on the bottom while Prinz Eugen digs through folders organized inside a desk drawer.
"Hmm. It seems these tea drinkers have Siren technically in possession, and the credit of bringing them...is Arkhangelsk. Then there's fact...there's a shard of Ghost's wisdom cube"
Prinz Eugen blows at the dusty set of images before placing it on the table dirtied by dried chemicals. She spreads did photographs for all three of us to see. It's difficult to see with our source of light being the flashlight we individually carry. In one of the photos is the Royal navy looking towards a black crystal fragment floating inside a transparent cylinder. The other is an image of a shipgirl holding the cylinder and handing it to another shipgirl.
"No wonder Ghost manifested here! They have a piece of her actual wisdom cube" Zuikaku hits the table
"The combat data never left the actual base. They separated it knowing it was dangerous but felt confident enough to not think through" Prinz Eugen chuckles
"For now, we should-"
In the last second, I feel the ever familiar malice standing behind. Before I could even twist my foot to turn around, it grabs my cape and tosses me out of the window. It's only a couple of seconds before I meet the ground since we're only at the second floor. The damaged window shattered completely.
"...!"
An invisible figure tightly grips my neck and manages to lift me off the ground by a few inches. I only realized it's Ghost herself when she physically revealed her. Unlike the black apparition, this one bears an appearance similar to Enterprise but as a teenager. There are large black patches all over her body, symbolizing her incomplete manifestation.
"Bismarck!" Zuikaku jumps down from the window
"..."
Ghost's body blurs and creates a static sound, accidentally letting go of me. As I fall back to the ground, I forced my legs to lift a bit of my body and jump back as far as I can. She's not in actual physical form, but a glitch barely able to make s physical body.
"...!"
The lights on the facility all turn on, illuminating our surroundings and allowing us to get a clearer view of this glitch. This isn't good for us. Anyone would notice why electricity is restored in an abandoned base which would prompt the Royal navy to dispatch armed responders.
"Aaaaaah!" It screams in a deep and mechanical voice
"Just leave this world already!"
Zuikaku draws her sword and leaps at her target without a second thought. Unfortunately for her intent, her blade just passed through Ghost's neck. There isn't even any sensation, just her blade swinging at a glitch. Ghost's body slowly destabilizes as her clear form begins to be in a rather static and shaking state like a poor signal when watching a video.
"Heh?"
Zuikaku's chin meets a powerful uppercut and sending her flying a few meters in the air before landing right beside Prinz Eugen.
"That hatred doesn't belong to you but you act on it!" I scold a glitch for some reason
"..." It looks back at me
"You're just a copy after all. A failure to recreate Enterprise"
"..."It growls at me
"Ghost...you do not belong in this world or in any world. There is no reason for you to remain here"
It's as if it's capable of comprehending words which shouldn't be possible. It's lifeless eyes stare at me as if it's aware of my existence. A lingering power shouldn't even have the slightest cognition...yet it's displaying facial expressions.
"Damn you!" Zuikaku tries again
She trusts her sword from Ghost's back and this time, the blade pierces right through it's abdomen. Zuikaku herself shake her head in shock, likely not expecting her attack would connect.
"Ggrrraaaagh!"
Its furious screaming creates a powerful shockwave capable of sending both Zuikaku and I flying by at ten meters. The roar briefly trembles us and the ground below. I'm surprised at how Zuikaku never removes her grip on her blade, so it's pulled out and flies with her.
"So...so...lo...mmmm..." It struggles to speak
"Huh?"
"En...te...priiii..."
"What are you trying to say?"
Impossible! This glitch possess intelligence enough to try and speak. Ghost could only achieve that once she fully manifests using a living body. It would need to possess someone to be mentally and physically whole.
"Aaaaagggh!" It falls on her knees and violently smashed the ground with both fists
"And its self-destructing..." Prinz Eugen jumps down out of the second floor
"Rrraaaagghhhh!"
Ghost roars not at us but at the sky. The noise is too much that we all cover our ears and I fear this would alert anyone who could see the powered on facility from a distance.
"...!"
Its body becomes more disrupted like its projection would vanish in a minute now. Before it comes to that, it erupts flashing lights. I could have a seizure if I haven't closed my eyes.
"What is this?" Zuikaku rubs her eyes in surprise
"It's replaying a memory?"
A wide scale projection overlays the current location. It shows the base and an image of Ghost standing out in the open. It occured some time after it rampaged and before our arrival at the sight of the same damages on the surrounding.
"You're such a mess to look at. The old man sure betted on the future humans by leaving bread crumbs for hungry rats to feast on"
Enterprise? Not, this one is neither Ash or the regular Enterprise. The only logic is that it's an Enterprise from an alternate timeline. Her hair is slightly shorter, and her expression is more serious. It's strange how both of her arms are blackened, and her eye color is scarlet red rather than a violet shade.
"What's the matter? You're surprised at another Enterprise in front of you?" Enterprise tilts her head
"..." Ghost doesn't even attack
"Fufufu~ My, what intense pressure from one mindless child. This kind of power surpasses even the Ashes"
Friedrich der Grosse approaches Ghost who is completely stiff and silent. My trusted subordinate can actually travel to another world and be on casual terms with this other Enterprise? Just how many are backstabbing me in this world?!
"Once you regain your senses, you'd definitely kill me. Well, not like I'm killable" Enterprise muses to herself
"Hmm?" Friedrich der Grosse shifts her attention
"Don't mind me. I'm just commenting about this necessary...desperation" Enterprise waves her hand
"Are you sure you would walk out in that form?"
"This is my human form. My less human form is another story"
Her mannerisms and behavior are less dignified and reserved than Enterprise. This one acts laid-back and confident while Friedrich der Grosse remains the same.
"Bismarck just exiled one of my dear children? Was it your doing?" Friedrich der Grosse changes the topic
"No. While I would mess with Iron Blood, I would only do so if I find it necessary for my upcoming challenge with Bismarck"
"My normal self would tear you apart by now, but I can't find the strength to do so" Friedrich der Grosse crosses her arms
"Anyhow, we can leave Ghost as it is. Mikasa and the others would chase her in the near future. It's the perfect bait to draw them here" Enterprise turns away
"Fufufu~ How exciting. If only I'm there to take part"
"Right now, I would start-"
As Enterprise walks away, Friedrich der Grosse follows after her shortly. Right before the memory could continue, the Ghost that's not part of the memory...has her imperfect glitching physical form fully destroyed. She's forced to be ripped apart from existence, so the memory disappears with her.
"Now that's interesting..."
A shipgirl appears from the shadows. It's the shipgirl from the photographs we discovered earlier. What she's holding is a small yet long rectangular object with a portion of its top slowly spinning. It emits a faint red glow while the shipgirl approaches is. We're cautious of her appearance, but she doesn't have any hostility towards us.
"HMS Royal Sovereign. No, Arkhangelsk" Prinz Eugen frowns at me
"Bismarck, Zuikaku, and Prinz Eugen. Now thats the an unexpected combination. Azur Lane, is it? Now that's peculiar world I would like to explore more"
"I find it hard to believe the Sirens would actually cooperate with a coffin ship" Prinz Eugen mocks her
"Coffin ship? I don't really understand, but I'm here per Enterprise's orders. I'm just an extension, so it's not like I'm stalking on purpose" She giggles
"Good grief. To think she would go far as stealing someone's body"
"Not the first time she did so" Arkhangelsk giggles
The one in the Northern Parliament acts like a comrade of the Polar fleet, but this one doesn't have any human aura in her. I'm staring at a monster walking in the shape of a shipgirl.
"My apologies. I've been designated as [Marchosias], so you can either call me Arkhangelsk or that"
This empty shipgirl who has the name of a demon casually walks towards where Ghost stands a minute ago. In the floor is the shard sharing the same shape from one of the photographs. So that's how it could hit us and how we could hit it back. Arkhangelsk just picks it up without care and even inserts it back to her pocket.
"I'd rather not fight all of you, so could you lower your sword" Arkhangelsk nervously chuckles at Zuikaku
"Come on now. I've dealt with the responders, so at least listen to me" Arkhangelsk briefly smiles
"Dealt with?" I frown at how she says it
"I killed them. They spotted your Belfast about to go help you so I burned them alive. Oh, speaking of your Belfast, I asked to wait for us at a more suited place to have tea" Arkhangelsk snaps her fingers while she deactivates the device in her other hand
"..."
"I'm trying to be nice here. You're lucky [Asmodeus] isn't used here"
When Arkhangelsk closes her eyes, it completely changes hook reopening them. Her eyes boasts a bright golden color similar to the Sirens and her eyes resemble more of a canine rather than a human.
"Let's talk over a cup of tea somewhere. If we idle here, the Royal guards will find all of us here. Also, that maid warned me to be on time and bring all of you there to prove I'm friendly" Arkhangelsk nervously laughs again
The three of us look at each other, unsure where to trust a possessed shipgirl or not. [Marchosias] is loyal like a real dog, but it's a wolf no matter how you look at it. That demon would maul anyone who expresses any vulnerability even just once. Still...it would follow its orders and would never break away from them.
"Please let's not waste any more time. I have to be transferred to another poor soul to observe the grand old lady"
The world grows impatient, and I'm guessing the "main server" is getting impatient herself. She's aware of her extension's actions even if they're on autopilot or simulation mode right now. What should we choose? If we keep wasting time staring at her or trying to fight her, the Royal navy of this world would only reach us and it would turn into a difficult defensive battle.
Demons cannot be trusted, but the main one...speaks of truth if one speaks without malice...
EXTRA
According to the Wolfpack's report from the past week, it seems the Sirens are evading an enormous creature from the depths. I only witness it once, spotting an enormous silhouette below the ocean's surface. It's the shape of a beast with four limbs and a long spear-tip tail. Back then, I believe it's staring back at me as it continues to swim past us. The size of such beast trembles the surface and nearly shakes off the balance of nearby kansens.
"To think it could cause this much damage..."
A Siren's base have bee decimated right before my fleet arrived. That base emitted an unknown signal before our arrival and a roar erupted in response. It shook the very surface and nearly parted the rainy clouds. In a distance, I witnessed the silhouette of the same beast from before. Unfortunately for me, it disappeared in a blink of an eye and without a single trace.
"Not a single Siren remained here. Except for the ones floating around us" Scharnhorst salutes as she reports to me
Not even the U-boats could spot any stragglers or survivors in the area. All the remains are Siren wreckage, both humanoid and ship ones. In front of me is a battleship one tilting to the right side, and most of them are humanoid ones with mutilated body parts.
"The rumored demon, huh. Iris Libre isn't disclosing any information, but they implied while it takes many forms, its main one is the sea dragon one. I can't help but wonder why the Sirens avoid it" Prinz Eugen rubs her cheek in intrigue
"A beast belonging to neither humanity nor Sirens. I wonder if this one is an abomination of nature created because of this restless conflict" I narrow my eyes
I just stare at the ravaged base destroyed by bombardment and reduced to charred ruins by intense flames. This creature indiscriminately targeted everyone and always left as sudden as it appeared. I wouldn't be surprised if this beast was born from the world itself.
"No, that's impossible. This unfair world has a much ruthless enforcer" Prinz Eugen clenches her fists
"Eugen?"
"Don't mind me. Comparing that mere beast to the enforcer of the world is as drastic as night and day" Prinz Eugen resumes her cheerful attitude
For a moment, I see a serious and grim side of her. Her eyes dilate as if she speaks from experience itself. She's not the type to voluntarily speak about defeats and mishaps. Forcing her to elaborate more would only create a strain to our superior-subordinate relationship. If Friedrich der Grosse is my second in command, then Prinz Eugen is my trusted right-hand.
"Say, Bismarck. You've spoken about an encounter with a strange man, right?" Prinz Eugen clears her throat
As Eugen and I investigate more of the area for any clues about the several Siren wreckage still floating around, Prinz Eugen suddenly brings up an old topic.
"He called himself a dead man and a supposed wise king. I don't know who he really is, but he resembles a scientist. Well, he's intelligent and speaks philosophically" I just sigh and reply
"You mentioned about playing chess with him and losing"
"Yes. He asked for a few rounds in chess and agreed since it's just an illusion. The more I spoke with him, the more I realized he could see the end of the game way before it even started"
That man saw the future with such accuracy and precision that I briefly thought it was the most useful power one could have. We panicked and despaired because the future was full of uncertainties, but what if we could hold the end at our hands? If the future was like a written book in his eyes, then I sought that ability as well.
"How useful could that be? If we can look ahead, then the future can bring no more despair. In fact, we could shape it as we see fit" Prinz Eugen mischievously smiles
No, that's not the right word. We stop for a moment and I fall silent because I briefly see malice in her sharp glare. She genuinely seeks that power despite the uncertainty it even exists in reality. I now remind myself why such power doesn't exist in humans.
"It's just an illusion the Sirens have trapped me in" I remind Prinz Eugen
"Perhaps you're right. If it really exists, the Sirens would have wanted it for themselves" Prinz Eugen shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders
"Other than that, there's a rumor of a cold-blooded battleship targeting our ships. She even destroyed one of our supply convoys to Sardegna"
"That's why I prioritized the investigation. I need to know who's faction this battleship belongs to and why she's hostile against fellow kansens"
"Fufufu~ You'd know once you meet her..." Prinz Eugen whispers under her breath
"What was that?"
"Nothing, my dear boss~"
Her usual sarcasm and fake smile doesn't convince me of her playful nature slipping out for a brief moment. Sometimes, I worry that her playful and mischievous nature benefits Iron Blood the least. It tends to get others into trouble and dangers on rare occasions. However, her unpredictable and unnerving nature have been helpful in her missions.
"Anyway, we should-"
When Prinz Eugen moves ahead of me by a few meters, shells pierces through the dark and thick rain targeting Prinz Eugen. Fortunately, each one of the shells are just near misses and only cause annoying splashes around her. Prinz Eugen covers her eyes by crossing her arms and immediately moves back.
"Eugen!" I immediately check up on her
"I'm fine. Just got some saltwater in my mouth..." Prinz Eugen groans
"..." I narrow my eyes to focus on the horizon
I look at the direction of the salvo, but it's far away for me to fully recognize the culprit. All I could see is a humanoid figure of a kansen with an equipped rigging. She carries some sort of sword on her hand, and her cape flutters in this windy rain. This storm hinders my vision, and the rain primarily blurring the figure quietly standing in a distance.
"You stand proud even with hands drenched in sins"
Impossible! The shipgirl is far away, but her voice echoes in my ears. It's as if there are speakers around me or some sort of intercom near my ear. Whatever it is, it must be some sort of Siren technology that I could not see.
"The very sight of you angers me, but this is not the right time to deal with you" The unknown shipgirl speaks of pure resentment
"Show yourself, coward!" I shake my fist in the air
"We cannot face each other you, and more importantly...you are far weaker than me to make demands"
"How dare-"
"Right now, I must deal with the beast's extensions. You possess no threat to me, sinner"
I wipe my eyes while raindrops fall to my eyes, but I could only see the unknown battleship turning her back on me. Not only end possess hatred but belittles me to the point it irritates me. No one has the right to insult another when they're in a safe distance without even revealing themselves.
"I thought you would at least worth the match today, but it seems I've become impatient"
"..."
"This is indeed not the time for us to clash"
The battleship only leaves us with those parting words, and she's not making any sense the least. Even if I open fire, it would reach her the same her shells reach Prinz Eugen earlier.
"And she's gone..." Prinz Eugen shakes her head
"That coward..." I just click my tongue
"Good grief. Just when I'm about to leave for a sudden job"
"..."
"Sideline task. You know, menial duties by the higher ups" Prinz Eugen takes her words lightly
"Right..."
"It's her fault for being impatient anyway"
"What?"
"I said we shouldn't be impatient. That may have been one creepy stalker or just doing out of a whim"
Sometimes I do question Prinz Eugen's mysterious behaviors and words. I know she's difficult to understand, but something feels amiss with her. No one else but me notices this but she's been observant of my actions lately and taking interest in the affairs of Iron Blood. It's not her to be thinking about her duty, so it does worry me.
