Lucifer the Arrogant.
Due to Lucifer's personality, they place themselves as the authority among their brethren. Fortunately for them, the other six don't usually mind following Lucifer, but they will protest if it hinders their desires. They pride themselves with a glinting silver armor, a gold crown of thorns floating above their horns. They possess three long tails, resembling a combination of a peacock and dragon's tail. Among the others, Lucifer is the least monstrous and resembles a vain metallic dragon.
"Too easy that it's not even worth my time. How many times have you all come at me and utterly failed ?"
Lucifer shakes the broken half of a Siren destroyer and tosses it at the back. They rub their claws at the metallic plate on their chest and yawns in complete boredom. The once pristine sea is littered with wrecked Siren ships and mutilated Sirens.
"How many timelines have you all tried to eliminate us? We destroyed humanity over and over yet you persisted" Lucifer bares their sharp teeth
The black tattoos on Lucifer's metallic hide glow a bright golden color and so does their pair of eyes. The pattern of peacock feathers on their arm change from barely resembling eyes to actually forming the shape of an actual eye.
"You're extra irritated. Is it because Beelzebub is stuck with someone insignificant and boring?" The Empress chuckles
"Ha! That hurts your ego because you can be stopped!" The Hermit grins
"..."
Rather than harshly defend themselves or violently lash out, Lucifer raises their head and keeps their mouth shut. They squint their eyes, already accustomed to the taunting of both kansens and Sirens.
"Gluttony has a flaw. They hunger and will consume anything. Do you think you can use my pride against me? How many timelines have you failed?" Lucifer scoffs
"Of all your kind, you're the one who despises humanity the most. Your brethren wouldn't benefit from destroying humanity" The Empress approaches them
"What about it?"
"You should be able to guess that they would turn against you. Beelzebub was beginning to realize that they'd be left with no food if humanity goes extinct. That's why you didn't warn them of the Northern Parliament"
The Empress gazes up at the strongest Leviathan who didn't even move from their spot when they wiped out the large Siren force thrown at them. She proudly points out their misdeed with a confident smile and keen glare.
"You helped them. The Arbiters was forced to a truce with the Northern Parliament because we're the bigger threat" Lucifer scoffs again
"Correct. You also urged Beelzebub that parasitism is the only way. They're not as smart as you, so someone had to point out that they'd run out of people to eat" The Empress snaps her fingers
"The others know the merit of cooperation and coordination to satisfy their nature, but you couldn't care less. You only care about how you're always right. Ha! Fitting for Lucifer the Arrogant"
Selfish and egotistic - the defining trait of Lucifer, the primary threat to the Sirens. It's ironic how Lucifer values their own perfection yet the Sirens they look down upon remind them of their flaws.
"It is 'me'. To look down on others and place myself at the very top, such is the nature of humanity's pride. I only reflect the vanity of mankind. Obsession, Appetite, Revenge, Neglect, Distrust, and Thirst. Those are what my kind represents"
It surprises the Sirens for a brief moment since pride is usually reflected with humans acting rashly and defensively. Lucifer is clear of their own nature that they neither question nor reject it.
"Humans always desire - always wanting more what they have and what they don't have. Their lives and fragile are short-lived, so it's wasted on cowardice and paranoia. Does your calculations foresee the possibility of Beelzebub their excessive nature?"
Lucifer raises their index finger and calmly asks the Sirens. To be specific, they slightly turn their head to the right as the more important guest appeared without notice or invitation.
"No miracle can make it possible. Beelzebub is the embodiment of excessive appetite. Even if they were to mingle with humans and absorb their memories, their nature is certain"
Observer Zero has little interest with debating or entertaining Lucifer's whims, but the latter finds no worth on the Sirens other than keeping them from being bored.
"Perhaps Asmodeus will lean more on the neutral side if they were to find efficiency in humans. Your kind understands human emotions, but your nature doesn't allow you to find meaning and value in it" Observer Zero stares at Lucifer's golden eyes
"Correct. We are emotional and thinking beings, but not in the same level as humans. My kind can feel joy, sorrow, and hatred. It was Beelzebub's confidence and excitement that lead to them being tricked"
"You know about humanity, yet you're not concerned about how you reflect the greatest cause of humanity's downfall" Observer Zero gazes up the towering beast
"So long as I accomplish my goal, my death will be a small price to pay. Kill me as you wish, I would still achieve my desire" Lucifer dims their glowing body
"And that would be"
"I function solely on my desire and so does my kin. The rest should be obvious"
Lucifer scoffs and nearly rolls their eyes, having lost their interest with entertaining the Sirens' curiosity. They view themselves to be above fear and hatred which leaves them constantly bored and empty.
Northern Parliament headquarters...
Sovetsky Soyuz reviews the latest sightings of Mammon. The reports state their sudden emergence at the Arctic Ocean where they attacked an exploration team. All equipment is missing, expected to be stolen by Mammon due to their kleptomania and hoarding habits.
"Mammon showed up here? They usually pester the Sakura Empire. What changed?" Sovetskaya Belorussiya studies the reports as well
"They're active around the Arctic Ocean. The latest attack was at the Bering Sea where they attacked convoy ships"
Sovetsky Soyuz flips through the files and stares at a somewhat blurry image of the four-armed beast clad in melted steel and jewels. They're one of the active Leviathans due to their eagerness to collect anything it can use like equipment and weapons.
"Satan was last spotted absorbing energy from one of Eagle Union's powerplants, Lucifer tangled with the Towers and left as usual. Asmodeus and Abaddon are nowhere to be found" Sovetskaya Belorussiya reaches to one of the folders on her desk
"Belphegor is reclusive. Even when we manage to find them, it's nearly impossible to get near due to the increased gravity around them"
As lazy as Belphegor can get, their ability is passive yet dangerous if they're serious. They're a mystery as Azur Lane rarely encounters the only Leviathan who doesn't make an effort to contribute and lets the others wreak havoc. However, their presence is dangerous due to passively draining vitality in mere seconds and crushing everything around them due to their passive ability.
"That leaves Beelzebub..."
Chkalov is also in the office, but she speaks a quiet corner to focus on her past and current research regarding the Leviathans. She repeatedly clicks her pen, gradually growing frustrated at the lack of evidence during the last visit at Iron Blood.
"Was your initial hypothesis accurate?" Sovetsky Soyuz sets aside the files for now
"Yes" Chkalov calmly confirms
"..."
"Beelzebub has assimilated their host and possibly reconstructed the physical form with their own power. They wouldn't risk merging as they should be smart enough to know how parasitism works" Chkalov taps her pen at the five pages of her latest findings
"That means..."
"That's not Tirpitz anymore. Beelzebub absorbed her as intended, but that's where it didn't go as planned as well. They left the wisdom cube intact, most likely to allow them to pass as a normal kansen"
"I see..." Sovetsky Soyuz mildly sighs
"They spared Tirpitz's consciousness. Beelzebub made that mistake as it allowed struggle within the body. Tirpitz herself isn't aware of the parasite wriggling in her wisdom cube"
Chkalov shrugs in her shoulders and lightly shakes her head, slightly dismayed at their initial plan with an unpredictable outcome.
"Bismarck confirmed there's a trace of Beelzebub within Tirpitz. If our theory is correct, Beelzebub had been weakened and forced to share a body instead of fully controlling it" Sovetskaya Belorussiya joins in the discussion
"We ought to be careful with our next steps. Beelzebub is eager to know about our involvement. This will might lure not only our hungry parasite but their brethren" Chkalov waves her pen
"Then are you speculating that Mammon is lurking in our sea because of Beelzebub? If they're still linked with their kind, then wouldn't they use their host to gain information about us?" Sovetskaya Belorussiya clenches her fists
"We don't know how much influence they have on their host"
"This is an opportunity for us. With Beelzebub weakened, we can discover about their kind's vulnerability. If we can bypass Beelzebub's regeneration and adaptability, then we can take down the others"
"..." Sovetsky Soyuz quietly stares at the documents
She heard Chkalov's suggestion, but her stoic expression neither approves nor rejects the idea. Chkalov raises an eyebrow in confusion while Sovetskaya Belorussiya sighs when she recognized the mild sorrow in her older sister's eyes.
"...The dead should be left to rest, but this battle is far from over. Even if that body is no longer hers, we have to finish what we started"
"Soyuz, are you worried about Bismarck? While we're taking advantage of Beelzebub stuck with their host, Bismarck doesn't know the truth"
"If I was in place, it would pain me to discover my own sister being a puppet host of a parasite. I will put you down myself before more lives are lost, but Bismarck and I different" Sovetsky Soyuz stares at her Sovetskaya Belorussiya right in the eyes
"Bismarck showed more of her gentle and honest side. She cared about Tirpitz's well-being that she gambled sharing her knowledge to me. Do you think Bismarck will be able to put down her own sister"
"She will be able to do it, but her hesitation will cost lives. That's why I will be the one to do it once we discover how to permanently kill Beelzebub"
A different memory flashes by Sovetsky Soyuz's thoughts. By the time she arrived, the flames are past its peak. What she stumbled upon was Gangut on her knees, her once stainless white uniform now a canvas of drops and splatters of fresh blood. Gangut had always wore an enthusiastic and proud expression, but the Gangut she saw gently closes someone's eyes and stares at the lifeless body, unsure if it's right to shed a tear or remain silent.
"We need to speed up our research. Like any viruses, Beelzebub will build immunity after exposure to treatment" Chkalov clears her throat
"Beelzebub is wary of us now. If they feel threatened, they will attack. Kursk already noted Beelzebub's killing intent the second Tirpitz saw us" Sovetskaya Belorussiya reminds her
"We only need to draw out Beelzebub"
"They manifested in front of Bismarck and Richelieu when Iris Libre was attacked. As Gluttony, they likely tried to eat kansens to regain strength. Bismarck managed to seriously injure them" Sovetskaya Belorussiya sighs
"They managed to escape thanks to Asmodeus. First, we need to draw them out somewhere where their brethren cannot aid them. Second, we have to ensure Iron Blood doesn't get involved. Last, we need a meal they cannot ignore" Sovetsky Soyuz raises three fingers
"A feast" Chkalov taps her pen on her forehead
"Which one do we know is good with preparing a feast?"
Sovetskaya Belorussiya furrows her eyebrows and rubs her chin. She mutters a few names under her breath while Sovetsky Soyuz lightly sighs with a name already in her mind.
Iris Libre headquarters...
Richelieu and the others have recovered from Asmodeus and Abaddon's surprise attack from within. It doesn't change the fact they've lost two while they remained unaware the whole time. Abaddon has abandoned their plans for the time being which lessens the conflicts among fellow kansens.
"Northern Parliament has taken interest with Gluttony's appearance and proposed sharing their research with Iron Blood" Jean Bart crosses her arms
"The Northern fleet are tight with their Intel ever since their own encounter with Abaddon, but why take interest with Baal Zebul" Richelieu is also puzzled
"Gluttony aside, Wrath and Greed moved to the far north. Something must have caught their attention"
At the far side of the meeting room's table, King George V expresses her concern. Wrath is known to be active while Greed tends to move one place to another.
"Mammon loves to steal and hoard. They must have found something valuable at the Northern Parliament. Satan, well...they randomly rampage from time to time" King George V shakes her head
"Will they be able to handle two Leviathans? Asmodeus and Abaddon nearly had us. Baal almost ate Richelieu"
"So far, our weapons are ineffective towards them, but Baal was weak"
Richelieu, being the only witness, recalls how Baal Zebul was seriously wounded by armor piercing shells when the previous Gluttony shrugs off bombs and even absorbs every kind of attack.
"Asmodeus and Abaddon pinned both leaders of Iron Blood and Iris Libre. It was that you two were left alive. They only caused a ruckus and left. There must be another motive" King George V looks at the two back and forth
"Now that I think about it, we didn't know Brest was replaced by Abaddon until they slipped. The way they spoke, they were thinking creatures who lacked empathy"
Abaddon entertained their questions, and the highlight was how they admit how they're aware of human emotions yet find them unnecessary and viewed humans as cockroaches.
"If Abaddon didn't slip, we might have found Tirpitz dead. The blame might fall to us and strain our relationship with Iron Blood" Jean Bart clicks her tongue
"They thrive in conflict. If we took longer to discover their identity, they might have achieved their goal"
"Was it really? There was no need to reveal themselves. They slipped in unnoticed and poisoned all of you. They could have just poisoned either Bismarck or her sister and it would have caused Iron Blood to react negatively"
"..." Richelieu and Jean Bart look at each other
King George V snaps her fingers and wags her index finger, visibly puzzled at the plan of a creature who's supposed to think differently than humans.
"It was easy to put the blame on your side because you allowed them here and you prepared the meal. If Brest or Guichen disappeared shortly after that, it would only lead Azur Lane to believe kansens from Iris Libre are the culprit. This will lead to distrust and thus...conflict"
"It would have been that easy for them, so what was their real goal? Why wait for Bismarck to visit? Could it be she's the target?"
Jean Bart mutters, recalling how Asmodeus and Abaddon taunted Bismarck by stabbing and nearly killing Tirpitz respectively.
"Bismarck is likely the target. Gluttony nearly killed Bismarck in the past and they reappeared when Bismarck was away from her fatherland. It could be revenge for their defeat or they must have found Bismarck a tasty meal" King George V chuckles at her second guess
"The motivation is there, but we don't know where Beelzebub is and Bismarck is currently occupied" Richelieu massages her temples
"The Northern Parliament researched about Beelzebub. If they're in a good mood, they might be willing to share their Intel"
"They've taken an interest in Beelzebub again. Perhaps I'd discover a secret or two"
King George V amuses herself with the possibility of more mysteries when her mission is simple.
"Beelzebub aside, her majesty is alarmed with Greed and Wrath seemingly working together. Satan is...difficult if we're going with past encounters. Their desires don't go well with each other"
"They have the same goal in mind other than screwing with humanity. So, what do you plan to do? Go to the Northern Parliament and wait until they attack?" Jean Bart leans her head closer
"I have no plan on using others as bait, but I have to discover what drew their interest there. Asmodeus and Abaddon attacked as a pair now it's Satan and Mammon"
King George V goes into a thinking position with her arm on the table and her chin resting on her fist. She's as alarmed as she is intrigued.
Iron Blood headquarters...
Bismarck impatiently taps her fingers while staring at the initial batch of research files Sovetskaya Belorussiya shared during her last visit. The Northern Parliament lacks samples much like Iron Blood since no one retrieved Beelzebub's biomass.
"Beelzebub started as a typical animal killing and eating on instinct, but they got smarter when they started eating more humans..."
Prinz Eugen flips to the second page and narrows her eyes with the amount of words Chkalov fit in one paper.
"Beelzebub has a lot of organic matter behind that steel armor, but it just vanished when I last fought them" Bismarck crosses her arms
"You passed out from your injuries. That's when we found you and Tirpitz at death's door"
"..."
"What's wrong?" Prinz Eugen sighs
Bismarck leans her chest towards her desk and rests her forearms on her desk.
"Belorussiya knew that Beelzebub might have infected Tirpitz, but she isn't telling everything. Chkalov wanted to examine Tirpitz's wisdom cube" Bismarck frowns
"There might be something going on with Tirpitz that we're not seeing"
"What do you mean?"
"When I was attacked, I only vaguely saw the culprit. When those northern girls visited, Tirpitz looked at me the same way my attacker did" Prinz Eugen lowers the files and stares at Bismarck
"Are you saying Tirpitz attacked you? Why would she even do that?"
Although Bismarck dislikes baseless accusations, she's intrigued if Prinz Eugen can provide more hints or evidence to support it. A part of her worries that Tirpitz is changing to be similar to Beelzebub.
"I was drunk as hell, so I can barely remember anything. I walked out of the bar then I followed someone who looked sick. The next thing I remember is a monster in front of me and sucked me like a leech"
"..." Bismarck raises an eyebrow
"I'm serious. Even back at the incident at Iris Libre, she was nervously looking at Brest and Guichen who were both Leviathans. You saw it too, didn't you?"
"...I did"
Bismarck couldn't deny it as the memory of Tirpitz slightly trembling while the meal is served still remains clear.
"Bismarck, I think it's best to keep an eye on her for a while"
"Do you think Tirpitz is becoming a monster?"
"What if she is? Will you be able to put her down if she starts looking at us as food?"
"..." Bismarck briefly lowers her gaze
"I hope I'm wrong, Bismarck - I really do. That's why I also hope what those vodka drinkers know about Beelzebub will shed some truth"
Prinz Eugen softens her words when Bismarck's mood shifts into ominous silence. She couldn't guess whether Bismarck dislikes her response or worrying about her sister. No matter the correct answer, Prinz Eugen would rather not directly ask her.
Meanwhile...
To seek food and water is common instinct of living beings as it's crucial to anyone's survival. Tirpitz's hunger, drastically twisted by a ravenous parasite, locks herself on her room when both her mental and emotional state becomes affected.
"Nngh...!"
The hunger is unbearable. At first, Tirpitz can briefly sate with increased consumption of normal food, but she remains unaware of Beelzebub's parasitism. As the parasite's influence digs dipper in her wisdom cube and damaging her from the inside, more harms come to the host.
"I...can't..." Tirpitz sits in one corner and mutters to herself
Tirpitz can't speak straight while she breathes unsteadily and resisting the burning and prickling in her stomach. Crimson stains stick to her gloves, chest, and mouth. A rat's severed head spilling blood lies right in front of her.
"I want to...taste...more blood...their insides..."
Her hunger desperately craves for warm flesh and the metallic taste of blood, but her sane mind repeatedly pushes the thoughts of possibly targeting her fellow kansens.
"All life feeds on something. Plants feeds on water and sunlight, maggots feed on carcasses and stale food...and humans - they feed on anything they find edible. To you, everyone is a meal"
"...!" Tirpitz jolts
The severed rat's head suddenly blinks and starts moving their mouth which causes Tirpitz to slam herself against the wall. It speaks in a soft and gentle voice hoping it would startle her less.
"Am I going crazy?" Tirpitz shakes her head
"You are hungry, so your senses are distorted. Don't worry, I'm sure a whole meal will make it all better" The rat's head chuckles
"So I am going crazy..."
"Right now, you struggle to accept that your fellow kansens might taste good. You're curious - that's good!"
"Like hell it is! I may have eaten rats and birds, but I'm not resorting to cannibalism"
Tirpitz slams her fist at the wall, wanting to completely set aside the slightest thought of directing her hunger to other kansens.
"Then what will you do with your hunger? You can't think straight right now. Depriving yourself of your desires isn't moderation but rejection. You lack indulgence - always believing there's always a limit you must follow"
The rat speaks hollowly, the voice clearly not coming from its own tongue. It echoes a bit as if the source is around Tirpitz.
"What will you do once you regress to a rabid animal? Will you wait till you're robbed of your senses?"
"What are you supposed to be?" Tirpitz can't find the strength to flee
"I am but a voice. I am...also very, very hungry. To eat is my sole desire and my very nature. It is who I am...what I am. I am always starved...and I could not hear to starve any longer"
"Beel...zebub..."
Tirpitz stares at the black hollow eyes of a supposedly dead rat and only sees a swirling void much like a blackhole endlessly pulling everything in its reach.
"...!"
The moment she recognizes the voice, her heart stops for a moment and her air disappears from her lungs. Tirpitz clutches her chest since it feels as if something is squeezing her heart and throat at the same time.
This is a risk - no, it's certain death. Honestly, this is a horrible way to die
Chkalov's voice echoes to both Tirpitz and Bleezebub, prompting the latter to slightly loosen her grip on Tirpitz's wisdom cube. Red mass with multiple eyes and mouth begrudgingly retreats from covering the wisdom cube.
I'm already desperate to resort with a painful suicide. I want to live, but I can't live if all my loved ones are dead. I'd rather...die before them
Beelzebub then hears Tirpitz responding. The vision becomes a bit clearer showing Chkalov in her laboratory arranging some test tubes and organizing scattered files. Tirpitz is nearby, leaning at the edge of a metallic table with her arms crossed.
"Ha! Always driven by emotions. You always think you're doing the right thing but then proceed to regret it at the moment of your death"
Unexpectedly, two Arbiters are also present in the scene. One of them is Hermit, who scoffs and mocks Tirpitz's callous and firm view towards her certain death.
"We're all desperate here, Siren - even you. If you aren't on your wit's end, you wouldn't be forced to cooperate" Tirpitz furrows her eyebrows
"It's true we have to consider the lesser nuisance. The Sirens have lost three Arbiters, and we couldn't recreate their data due to Lucifer severing our anchor of existence. If we get killed by any of the Leviathans, it's permanent death"
Lovers sighs and mildly shakes her head, expressing her reluctance to be with the kansens. Both sides dislike their each other, but they're both prey to the Leviathans who only composed of seven deep sea beasts but are alien in nature.
"Beelzebub is the easiest to bait and trick. They're simple that they eat everything in sight. Unlike humans who are cautious to possibility of poison, they only care about their sole desires. Beelzebub wouldn't stop to think twice about what's edible or not" Hermit scoffs again
"If this works, we'd take down one Leviathan. We can study Beelzebub and use them as a protype to discover their kind's vulnerabilities. Humans like us have always been daring, so even if they're devils from hell or Gods...we'd certainly try to usurp them"
Chkalov waves around a small cylinder sealed by steel caps on both side. Viscous purple fluid with red strands rests inside, clearly not an ordinary chemical or safe for consumption.
"Human arrogance is what caused them to manifest in the first place. We warned you, but you intervened and now they're both our problems " Hermit clicks her tongue
"Making mess beyond our control have always been a habit of humanity. That's why we learned to clean up our messes"
Chkalov doesn't particularly care about the two Arbiters and devotes her attention to focusing on the sample under the microscope.
"By the way, your Iron Blood companion should set aside their intense contempt. I know the Sirens are the enemies, but we have no choice right now" Chkalov lifts her head for a moment
[There's another Iron Blood involved-]
The memory is immediately cut off with a force flicking Beelzebub's forehead and stumbling them down on their back.
"Of course. This brat couldn't go Bismarck's back unnoticed. Someone helped her"
Beelzebub regains control of their host again, but they're more annoyed than relieved when a piece of the suppressed memory briefly opens. It's not enough lead to what they used to trick them.
"If I can't make them come out, then I'll have to flush them out like vermin!"
Beelzebub grabs the rat's severed head on the ground. Its eyes, skull, and even the teeth are still intact. However, much of its blood have been drained and the juiciest parts have been eaten. Everything is food to them, so Beelzebub lifts the rat's head above their head and let it fall in their mouth. They crunch through the skull with ease but twitches their mouth due to the fur sticking in their mouth.
"This isn't enough. As much as I want to taste kansens, I can't cause a ruckus while another vermin have the answer I need" Beelzebub stops in front of the door
When Beelzebub lifts their hand, they see the blood on their gloves and other parts of the body, realizing they couldn't walk out as it will direct unwanted attention to them.
"I smell someone else here. No, maybe it's the rats I ate"
Beelzebub takes a whiff and catches the faint scent of prey, but they also sniff at their bloodstained uniform and blood smeared on the walls and the small pool of blood on the floor. They immediately grab towel, marching to the bathroom and slamming the door shut in annoyance.
"It w-was...just a prank. A-a...prank..."
U-1206 slowly pushes the cabinet door and crawls on the stained floor since her trembling legs couldn't stand up straight and quietly sliding herself to the door.
"I wasn't supposed to see that. I wasn't supposed to see that"
Even when U-1206 gathers enough strength to lift her legs up, she profusely sweats as she slowly twists the doorknob, fearing the slightest sound will alarm "Tirpitz" who's still washing off the blood at the sink.
"Tirpitz just ate rats like free lunch and not talking sense. I-I-I have to tell someone"
U-1206 successfully exited the room without alerting Beelzebub, only for her burst into tears and lean on the wall while walking away, fearing for herself now. Of all the eccentric personalities in Iron Blood, Tirpitz is one of the few disciplined and normal in a sense that U-1206 almost wet herself upon hearing the pained squeaks of a rat and the sound of bones grinding in her mouth.