Kantai Collection – Kankore – Kakuyoku no Kizuna

The seas around Okinoshima [1] lay beneath a cloudless, clear sky. Towering rain clouds loomed on the horizon against the background of the azure sky. A cool seabreeze blew, ruffling the clear, endless sea with waves. Just a moment later, an immense explosion and plumes of sea foam put an end to this scenic view.

“s.h.i.t！Five enemy abyssals, still alive! Did those 1stCarDiv sisters [2] get carried away by their pride and focused their attacks on a single ship again?!"

"Remaining Abyssals, two BBs, 1 CA, 2DD--! We"ll keep their main force pinned down; Akagi, Kaga, launch another air strike!"

"We don"t need you to tell me! I"m the flagship this time around, save your breath--Kaga?!"

"Understood. Preparing a second wave at once."

Akagi and Kaga halted behind Kongou, launching their aircraft. Countless arrows shot into the sky--a moment later, the arrows split even further into the fairy-piloted carrier planes. In order to launch a successful attack, the carrier planes needed to congregate above the carriers before launching as a single group.

It was at this time that an enemy vessel loomed in front of Kongou and company. As large as a whale, it charged across the surface of the water with reckless abandon."

"...two destroyers in front of us--Ha-cla.s.s, I believe!"

"This is Akagi. Hibiki, Yukikaze, it"s up to you! [3]"

"Understood. Hibiki, breaking off to engage the enemy destroyers."

"Yukikaze understands. Just leave it to me!"

As if responding to Akagi"s voice [4], the two destroyer-cla.s.sed shipgirls in front of Kongou raised their speed. Hibiki"s face remained expressionless. Yukikaze, on the other hand, broke into an almost c.o.c.ksure grin, as if she were already confident of something."

"Hibiki onee-san! I"ll be the the bait, Hibiki onee-san, hit "em from the back! If it"s me I won"t get hit so easily!"

"Acknowledged--also, don"t call me onee-san, we"re both destroyers."

"That won"t do. Hibiki-onee-san is the senpai. Anyhow, I"ll be relying on you!"

"Understood...spasibo. [5]"

"Iyaaaahhhhh--!"

Gripping tightly to the turret slung on her shoulder, Yukikaze charged towards the enemy--and, a moment later, let fly with several volleys

In a blink of an eye, the sh.e.l.ls reached the two enemy destroyers, raising pillars of water around them [6]--undeterred, the enemy destroyers opened their gaping mouths, returning fire with belches of flame.

"Yukikaze will never sink!"

Hopping and skipping, Yukikaze dodged as she returned fire, at times deliberately leaping into the waterspouts--it was said, after all, that places where sh.e.l.ls had hit would not be hit again.

On the other hand, Hibiki had already maneuvered to the enemy vessels" side. As Yukikaze ducked and weaved, Hibiki stopped, eyeing the enemy destroyers with a sniper"s gaze, and then--"

"Well then, let"s begin...open fire!"

With the explosion, a sh.e.l.l shot out of the barrel--the foremost enemy destroyer shuddered with an explosion to its side, its hull pierced. Belching black smoke, the enemy ship slowed to a stop.

Judging Hibiki to be a greater threat than Yukikaze, the remaining enemy destroyer came about, rushing in Hibiki"s direction.

"Hibiki onee-san!?"

"Yukikaze, finish that damaged destroyer!"

"....Aye, understood!"

Yukikaze put the struggling, still-fighting enemy destroyer out of its misery with a short volley. Hibiki, too, distanced herself from the enemy destroyer, evading and looking for a chance to resume fire.

"I can"t lose either!"

Glancing at Yukikaze and Hibiki"s fierce battle, Kongou"s mouth twisted into a scary smile.

"Kirishima, let"s also get in there!"

"Understood, Onee-sama!"

Cruising at Kongou"s side, Kirishima replied, her gaze behind her gla.s.ses that of an intellectual.

In front of Kirishima and kongou, the silhouettes of two human-sized figures stood before them. Tall and full of grace, their dark, flowing hair would have lent them a certain allure--were it not for the grotesque turrets on their arms.

"Onee-sama, distance and angle are now sufficient--if we fire now we should have a good chance of hitting then."

"Understood, うて[7]!"

"Hit--!"

The two battleships slowed to a halt as the guns on their back-mounted outfits opened up with a cacophony and blast of smoke that no destroyer could hope to attain. It would be impractical to maintain a high speed while aiming with any measure of reliability; as such, Kongou and Kirishima resumed their movement thereafter, stopping only to fire another volley.

On the other side, the two enemy battleships had also started firing. Facing a barrage that came down like the rain, they put up hexagonal barriers--magical "armor"--in an attempt to repel enemy fire. Likewise, Kongou and Kirishima also put up their defenses.

Both side"s barriers shuddered under repeated AP sh.e.l.l impacts and the constant explosions that followed. Kongou and Kirishima"s barriers were gradually falling apart--meanwhile, the enemy barriers seemed virtually untouched.

"Tch, they sure are tough," Kongou muttered under her breath as she felt the strain on her spiritual power--and then her barrier collapsed as an explosion racked her body.

"Onee-sama....?!"

The sea was shrouded in black smoke--inside it, Kongou fell to her knees, gritting her teeth against the pain. The outfit on her was virtually inoperable due to severe damage.

At the same time, the enemy vessels bellowed once more. Two enemy ships were still up and fighting. Moreover, a heavy cruiser had charged in from the side in an attempt to reach Kaga and Akagi in the rearguard.

"...mmn. Kaga, Akagi! Quickly!"

"Don"t rush me! Second attack team, launch!"

Having a.s.sembled into a group, the carrier planes charged once more towards the enemy vessels. The sea was punctuated by geysers--and yet, seconds later, the two enemy vessels came back into view, damaged but alive.

"The enemy"s defenses have gotten stronger...!"

Akagi and Kaga weren"t the smartest [8]--nevertheless, Akagi quickly collected herself and made her decision.

"Kirishima, please! At this rate you guys will also be finished! At this rate we and the destroyers...--before that happens, bring down one of those battleships! Leave the other one to us! Let the Heavy Cruiser do its worst!"

"Understood! Really, I"m not suited for this kind of role.....!"

Accelerating to full speed, Kirishima suddenly charged towards one of the enemy battleships.

"WoooaoaAAAAAAHHHHH--!!"

Closing to point blank range, Kirishima blazed away once again. At this range, there was no dodging--her barrier wilted under the sustained fire. And yet, the enemy ship was in the same position. Both vessels attacked wildly, prepared for mutual destruction. Kirishima was the first to pierce the barrier. Barrier completely destroyed, the enemy vessel"s silhouette loomed through the explosion.

And yet, the other enemy battleship had locked onto Kirishima. With a roar, her main gun"s sh.e.l.ls zoned in on Kirishima. This one would certainly penetrate if it hit--.

"....Tch! So you"re going to shoot me, so what?!!!!"

a.s.sured that Akagi and Kaga and launched a new attack unit, Kirishima opened fire with all guns.

—————————————————————————————————————

Several hours later, surrounded by the ships that had fled the battle, the office was inundated in a pervading gloom.

"I"m really sorry, "Admiral"..."

Akagi, the shipgirl delegated with the important role of flagship, hung her head among the six shipgirls, covered in wounds."

"It"s because we weren"t strong enough that this campaign...had to be abandoned."

"Don"t be so crestfallen, there"ll be other chances."

The young man called "Admiral", clad in the white Type 1 Uniform of the Navy, replied as he glanced through the report.

"It seems like the abyssals in this area are much stronger than the other abyssals in the area. That itself was valuable information. I"m sure the bra.s.s will agree."

"But, if this continues"

The "Admiral" raised his hand to stop Akagi.

"There"s still time. For now, we should re-consolidate our forces and prepare for the decisive battle. Although I understand your feelings...let"s go back. As long as we can retreat, we can always return [9].

Akagi nodded with difficulty. In order to dispel the somber mood, the "Admiral" coughed emphatically.

"Kongou, this time around, was the enemy"s increased strength that much more noticeable?"

"Yeah! They were pretty strong!"

In spite of her wounds, Kongou responded breezily.

My guns weren"t much use. It was like facing those new enemy warships in "that war" [10]!"

"We also felt that the enemy ships have gotten stronger."

Akagi and Kaga joined, nodding.

I feel as if the ineffectiveness of our aerial attacks is due to this. ....of course, I don"t deny that I was a little overconfident."

"Is that so. In that case, this is a good time to strengthen our own fleet."

"Strengthen our fleet? Good time?"

Kirishima looked a little incredulous. With a bit of a smile, the "Admiral" responded--

A new standard carrier has joined our naval district.

The first thing that came into view were the old-looking boards that formed the wooden ceiling.

"Hm.....?"

The newly awakened maiden blinked a few times, stunned by her surroundings.

"This is...."

Murmuring as she examined her surroundings, the young girl slowly pieced together her situation.

She had been sleeping (quite comfortably on a bed, in a tight little six-tatami room [11]. In contrast, the furnishings were quite replete--a set of clothes lay by the pillow, cleaned and folded.

No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like a j.a.panese hotel room--a bit of an old fashioned-one at that.

And yet to this young woman, both the fact that she had been sleeping quite soundly in this room and the fact that she could deduce her location left her even more incredulous.

"Because I....am not a human, but a warship, born as the Aircraft Carrier Zuikaku; I"ve never seen or been to any place like this."

The maide--aircraft carrier Zuikaku sat up, examining her two hands.

"Why have i become...a human girl? Not to mention I had already sunk at Cape Engano to begin with..."

n.o.body spoke to answer Zuikaku"s questions--the surroundings remained eerily quiet.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Zuikaku looked around once more at her room.

As expected, it was simply a room in a relatively normal hotel, though she felt herself cool a little as she calmed down. A weak sunbeam crept lazily through the window--it seemed like it was winter.

"What on earth...what is going on around here?"

At that moment, something went "bang" behind her. Zuikaku turned on reflex.

"Eh! ...A cat?"

And indeed it was simply a cat, a black and white-spotted fellow that must have slunk in from G.o.d knows where. It closed in without changing expression, seemingly unafraid of ZUikaku.

"I saw cats a few times at the factory and on board...but to think that one day I"d have the chance to pet one..."

As soon as she reached out fondly to pet the cat"s head, the kitten leapt past, dashing to the folded clothes and picking up a piece.

"Oh, that"s..."

No matter how you look at it, that was a bra.

And with that, the kitten fled, hightailing to freedom through a gap in the door, bra in mouth.

"Ah, that, eh?"

Zuikaku looked down at her own chest--she was wearing a bathrobe--no underwear, at any rate. Zuikaku the blood rush to her face--without that bra, she would have nothing to wear at all.

"Oi ye thievin" lil" c.u.n.t! I"ll f.o.o.kin" gla.s.s ye when I catch ye--!"

Reflexively tightening her sash, Zuikaku shot off in pursuit of the cat.

Flinging the door open, Zuikaku raced into a long corridor, flanked on each side by numerous sliding doors.

(As expected, a hotel.....but there are more pressing matters right now....!)

The cat dashed down the corridor. Zuikaku pursued with equal desperation, rubbing shoulders with a girl as she pa.s.sed by. "Zuikaku onee-san! You"re awake, then--!" The girl spoke to Zuikaku with a voice full of vitality, cutting quite the figure in her elegant uniform. Zuikaku responded involuntarily--

"Y,you are?!"

"Destroyer Maikaze! From the 4th Destroyer Division!"

Zuikaku swallowed her surprise. In the Indian Ocean Raid and the Battle of the South Pacific, the 4th Destroyer Division had been known for its steadfast protection of Zuikaku"s own 1st Carrier Division on countless battlefield.

"Hopefully next time I can dance a real Odori-Bon with Zuikaku oneesan, and not this kind of dodgy maneuver!"

In the many battles Zuikaku and Maikaze had experienced, there was an anti-air maneuver that came to be called the Odori-bon.

"Ah, I"m looking forwards to i--! Wait that"s not right. If you"re here, does that mean that there are other warships that became humans?!"

"They call us shipgirls here, y"know--!"

(Shipgirls?! So we"ve become a humanoid existence...?!)

The kitten had by now pa.s.sed through the hallway, and was now dashing for the main hall, weaving through the legs of several young women (dressed in beautiful dresses, just like Maikaze) with arms full of laundry.

"Ara ara, to run between my legs...how brazen~"

"G-gwailo?! And stonking great t.i.ts too!"

This newly met maiden had airy golden hair and, seemingly, a lot of stuffing underneath her dress. [12]

"I"m the heavy cruiser Atago, pleased to meet you. Well, more like pleased to meet you again. Shipgirls aren"t only Yamato Nadeshiko, you know."

"I-is that so?"

Though the memory was a little fuzzy, Atago should have taken part in the third battle of the Solomons and the Marianas [13]. A veteran cruiser of a hundred battles, she was known for her ability to keep her balance in spite of her heavy armament--perhaps a legacy reflected in her current body."

"Oh by the way, that cat"s name is called w.a.n.ker [14]. He"s the naval district"s second-in-command. Please take care of him."

"w.a.n.ker? Not Weigh Anchor? Also, calling a hotel a naval district, what"s gonig on....?!"

"This is the Hotel called the Naval District, just remember that, huehuehue~"

"I,I"m deeply grateful!"

Still chasing the cat, Zuikaku charged around Atago--but even so, the distance from the cat did not appear to have diminished much.

w.a.n.ker pa.s.sed through the great hall, straight into the kitchen. As expected, several girls that appeared to be shipgirls, clad in ap.r.o.ns, were preparing food on the stove.

(There are shipgirls in the kitchen too?! What the h.e.l.l is going on?!)

"Hey~ Tenryuu-chan, the first serving of breakfast"s done~ come over and have a taste~"

"Oh! ....hmhm, as expected of Tatsuta"s Tatsutir-fry [15], it"s delicious!

"Oh no~ though I came up with the recipe, I feel like I haven"t had much practice~"

"For me [16] to learn Tatusta-chan"s cooking is already satisfying enough......uwah....cat?!"

"Arara~if it isn"t w.a.n.ker-chan~"

w.a.n.ker wasted no time dashing away from the two--not, however, in the direction of the Tatsutir-fry.

"Arara~w.a.n.ker-chan likes bras more than Tatsutir-fry, huh? It turned out so tasty too~"

"Ah--~ Sorry, pardon--!"

Red-faced as she rushed through the kitchen and past the two, Zuikaku said.

"Ah! A new face! My name"s Tenryuu, and this is Tatsuta. From here on out, pleased to meet you!"

If memory hadn"t failed, those two should be the first and second ships Tenryuu-cla.s.s light cruisers , frequent partners in transport missions.

"I"ll be in your care! Just asking, but why did I find you two in the kitchen...?"

"This hotel is maintained by us shipgirls, and it"s up to us to prepare the food. There"s quite a lot of us, so it"s quite a job~"

"I,is that so..."

"ALso, if you keep going that way, you"ll get to the Admiral"s command room..."

"I...if there"s anything else, we can talk about it later!"

Zuikaku and w.a.n.ker barreled straight out of the kitchen, back into a hallway. Right in front of Zuikaku loomed a heavy, western-style door.

(This...where is this)

"Zui, kaku...."

It was a voice Zuikaku had never heard before, and yet it was a voice whose intimacy instantly brought back old memories. Shocked, Zuikaku ran forwards to where w.a.n.ker was dashing with all its might, scanning the room.

A shipgirl, dressed in seemingly the same attire as Zuikaku, clung to a young man in a white military uniform and gazed at the newcomer with an expression of shock. Wearing a red headband over fine silver hair, white robe and red pants with brown eyes and a breastplate emblazoned with a "シ,”--a second later, her name left Zuikaku"s lips.

"It can"t be, Shoukaku-nee"

"Oy, oy.....!"

The young fellows voice seemed a little frantic. Zuikaku and the young man were about to collide--and w.a.n.ker, of course, had already positioned itself between them.

"O-outta my way--!"

With panicky steps, Zuikaku tried to slow down--instead, she tripped, tumlbing forwards--

A moment later, Zuikaku collapsed onto the young man, sending them both onto the ground.

"Ah Owowowow....ah, are you alright?!"

“Uh. uhuh"

The teenager responded with a gasp of pain. Zuikaku hurried to get up--and then froze in place

The impact of the crash had flung open the collar of her bathrobe, and (For reasons unknown) the young man"s right hand now grasped firmly on Zuikaku"s left b.o.o.b.

As Zuikaku remained frozen, the young man confirmed his situation in relation to Zuikaku as a twisted smile crawled across his face (keikaku doori)

"They don"t seem that big if you look at them, but honestly, they"re not as bad as you"d think......."

"--Tch!"

Blushing furiously, Zuikaku forced out such a soundless sound--near-instantaneously, Zuikaku"s uniform changed to one similar to shoukaku"s as a bundle of carrier planes appeared above her head--

"You can"t, Zuikaku! Calm down....."

"You b.a.s.t.a.r.d--!"

"Oy, wait, don"t...."

Following closely behind Zuikaku"s shriek, the carrier planes flew at the young man--

In the end, w.a.n.ker was caught by a group of destroyers with MAX capture abilities.

"Owowowowowow....."

"Are you alright, admiral?"

It was a scene that escaped words.

A previously impeccably arranged command room; the "admiral," rashly wounded by her hand; and Shoukaku-nee, who watched in concern while rubbing ointment on the "admiral."

As the elder sister, Shoukaku was a shipgirl of the same cla.s.s--of this Zuikaku was overjoyed. But, exactly because of that, she was thrown into confusion..

What exactly are the so-called shipgirls? How many shipgirls are in the Naval District Hotel? What is the current time period, and where is this? Why is the young man in front of her called "Admiral?" He was far too young for that rank.

When did the weapons she had attacked the "Admiral" with disappear? For that matter, how did they appear? This seemed like the ability of the shipgirls.

(No matter how you look at it, I didn"t do anything wrong, right.....)

As she remembered that moment of hostility, Zuikaku pursed her lips.

(Well, everyone makes mistakes like these sometimes.......it was just an accident, just an accident!)

Sitting on a chair in front of the desk with all his boo-boos dabbed with neosporin, the "Admiral" and Shoukaku eyed each other.

"Thanks a lot, Shoukaku, it"s fine now."

"Really? Does it really not hurt anywhere?"

Shoukaku pushed on with a worried look. Though Shoukaku was her sister, she seemed like a gentle, caring person--quite a different first impression compared to Zuikaku.

"Ahah, compared to that, I"d much rather snuggle up with you. Just like this--"

No sooner had he finished that the "Admiral" reached for Shoukaku"s skirt--he was hurriedly stopped by Shoukaku before Zuikaku could angrily get up.

"N-no, you can"t......! Right now I"m doing secretary work. Plus, my sister"s right there....."

"Then are you saying it"s okay as soon as we"re done?! Alone time for two?! Is that it?!"

"T-that"s not okay either!"

"Ahem."

Zuikaku coughed emphatically. From appearance, her first impression of the "Admiral" had been completely correct--a degenerate who touches his secretary.

Shoukaku-nee and "Admiral" both looked fl.u.s.tered as Zuikaku turned around. Finally, the two eked out two quiet coughs.

"Well, that was just our little joke,"

the "Admiral" explained with a weak chuckle as he pa.s.sed the problem [17] to Shoukaku

"Don"t you want to talk with your sister? I"m sure she"s worried about the current situation."

Zuikaku responded with a small voice.

"Well, uh, it is actually pretty confusing..."

"Well then, I"ll start by introducing myself."

The "Admiral" extended his right hand, speaking with a sincerity that had not been there before--as if his temperament had completely changed.

"I am "Admiral." Although that"s not my given name, it"s what everyone calls me. I"m the caretaker of this Naval District Hotel, and also serve as its manager--that is, the commanding officer."

"I"m Zuikaku. I"m, uh...a fleet aircraft carrier?"

Zuikaku replied with a touch of ambiguity as she shook with her own hand. Her own memory seemed correct, though a little incompatible with her current situation. Better to end it with a question mark.

The "Admiral" nodded, as if he understood completely.

"Don"t worry. You are, indeed, the fleet carrier Zuikaku. Judging by your response, you still have some memories from "That War"?"

"Mm, that"s the gist of it....."

"That War." Zuikaku felt an angry twinge at the phrase. If this was the world after "That War," it should not have such a vague name.

Shoukaku appeared to have noticed Zuikaku"s sense of violation. As if to rea.s.sure herself, she lowered her head slightly. The "Admiral," too, responded with a nod.

"Then I"ll cut straight to the point." The "Admiral" looked directly at Zuikaku. "Apparently you shipgirls are another form of those ill.u.s.trious warships from "That War.""

A new form--as she realized what the "Admiral" meant, Zuikaku felt a chill run down her spine. She was going to be a shipgirl, walking down the next step of her life.

But Zuikaku"s questions had not been completely resolved."

""Apparently"...what a flippant way of saying things."

""It can"t be helped. We and you, your pasts and our pasts, it is all a mystery. --Shoukaku?"

"Yessir. Zuikaku, could you look at this for a moment?"

With that, Shoukaku handed the globe on the table to Shoukaku.

"This is...!"

Zuikaku gasped.

("Bataan Island [18]," "the Curry Sea," and "Okinoshima"...they"re not the same as the world before.....!")

Once Zuikaku understood, the "Admiral" resumed his explanation: "It is as you see it. That is to say, those battles in which you all fought and, unfortunately, sunk, we can only call them parts of "that war," because that is all we know of it. All our knowledge, everything we know, comes from the sc.r.a.ps that you tell us."

"Then...."that war" in this world....."

"You can say it never happened. But, from what you"ve told us, we"re quite a bit more advanced compared to the time when you all lived,"

"......"

"Don"t worry. There are virtually no cultural differences between your homeland and this country. Although some things will seem a little different or a little foreign at first, they"ll become everyday pretty quickly."

"Is that so....."

Without noticing it, Zuikaku"s hands balled into fists. This is not the country she and her comrades bet their lives on. Nothing else hit harder than this fact.

But there were still other questions about their nature.

"Well then, why are we here....?" Zuikaku asked, hesitantly.

The "admiral" stood up from his seat quietly as he walked over to the window.

"This world, it faces an existential threat."

"An existential threat?"

"Shoukaku."

"mm."

Thumbing the TV remote by her hand, Shoukaku turned on the television hanging on the wall. From the screen came an image simultaneously jarring and intimately familiar to Zuikaku: several submarines, belching fire and pitch-black smoke; people were floating on the water"s surface, their bodies dyed black from the fuel as they struggled to stay above the water. Most of the ships there were cargo ships and tankers, but among them were intermingled destroyers, cruisers, and even huge aircraft carriers. And yet, the thing that caught Zuikaku"s eye was not this h.e.l.lish scene. Around each stricken ships, the size of a whale, some...thing swam to and fro, feasting on the unfortunate survivors. The remaining destroyers and cruisers desperately fired at the monsters, who completely ignored them [19].

But that was not all. Behind them, floating on the water, appeared to be some things humanoid. As if the vengeful souls of warships and those who died upon them had attained a corporeal, human form--[20]

"This, this is...."

"The Abyssals. The enemies of humankind."

The "Admiral" calmly explained to the speechless Zuikaku.

"Regarding the ident.i.ty of the Abyssals, there"s still a lot we don"t know. But one thing is absolutely clear--they mean harm to us, and they wish to conquer the oceans. And we, humans, are powerless to stop them"

"Powerless...how could it be...."

The "Admiral" nodded to Zuikaku as she struggled to find her words.

"Currently, on this planet virtually every sea and ocean is a lake to them. Maritime trade--all the trade routes, connections, convoys, have been completely destroyed. Every country may as well have been blockaded or landlocked. Of course, for us as a mercantile nation, this is an existential threat."

ZUikaku could not even nod. Her own home country had been a mercantile nation as well--with few domestic resources, it could not live without importing and exporting to the outside world. [21] "That War" and this reality were hardly unrelated [22].

"But, if you use air transport, you could theoretically...."

"Air transport can"t compare in cargo capacity. Plus there are Aircraft Carrier-type abyssals, like you. At the start we tried transitioning to air transport, but their carrier planes shot down our cargo planes, and so we"ve largely given up."

"........."

"The international community is continuing to wage war against the abyssals. But the power gap is too large. The World"s navies are already struggling trying to secure the seaboard. Even the seaboard has not been completely secured from amphibious and ground invasion."

The scene Zuikaku watched transitioned to what looked like a coastal area. Against the background of ruined buildings lay the corpses of what seemed like enemy transports.

Zuikaku could not resist another sharp intake of breath. The onslaught of the abyssals had already reached populated areas.

"I heard that you all were born to fight the abyssals. You all possess combat strength, as you just personally proved a moment ago."

Zuikaku absently regarded her own fist. The equipment, weapons and carrier planes that emerged in moments of strong emotion....this was probably the ability of the aircraft carriers. The other shipgirls must have other unique abilities.

"Additionally, as your commanding officer, I must annhilate the abyssals with you all in order to return peace to the oceans."

"Then, the other shipgirls are already...."

"That"s right, they"ve already joined the battle. There have been more than a few casualties as well..."

An indescribable feeling welled up in Zuikaku"s chest. While "That War" had spiraled towards a tragic end, this war was still continuing, and the shipgirls were the trump card.

(During "That War", there were many things we couldn"t protect.....)

Memories, tragedies from the war floated unbidden to the surface. She had not been able to do anything--she had not even been able to bear her share of her comrade"s sorrow before....

(But if I"m here, I can....do it all over, right?)

"This Naval District Hotel was rented for your everyday life, so that you all would form a proper "naval district." As such, I and the other shipgirls simple refer it to the "naval district"."

With a touch of pride, the "Admiral" [23] continued.

"In spite of that, however, this is also a normal hotel, and as such you all are helping with cooking and running the day to day affairs in the hotel. Of course, the real preparations are in the nearby factory.

"In that case, why not just live in the factory to begin with--"

As warships and weapons, living in a factory is normal; the "Admiral", however, replied with a bitter chuckle: "Currently at the naval district hotel there are over a hundred and ten shipgirls. No matter how you spin it, trying to fit you all into a military dock would make things a little tight. As in Tenement Tight."

"Ah, over a hundred and ten....?!"

Quite a few ships had taken part in "That War", but even so Zuikaku felt shock.

"Besides, I don"t want to just treat you as warship, or as tools only used when there are things to kill."

The "Admiral""s steely response made clear his resolve.

"You are not warships and you are not humans. You are "shipgirls." I cannot help but send you all to risk your lives in war. But in spite of--no, because of that, I wish that you all can live peaceful and gentle lives until you go out to fight."

After that speech, Zuikaku felt a hint of awe. Compared to the "Admiral" from earlier, this "Admiral" seemed like a completely different person.

"Well then, I hope you can be our vanguard."

"Vanguard?"

"I do not wish for weaker shipgirls to bear the burden of this planet"s fate. It was never their, or your fight, after all."

There was a hint of loneliness there, but the Admiral continued: "However, we cannot help but rely on you all. As such, I wish for you all to decide whether we are worth fighting for."

"....."

"Among the shipgirls, there are girls who do not fight on the front lines, but support those who do from behind. For us, they are equally indispensable. The battle is not only decided by those who stand in the van."

The "Admiral""s explanation made sense--the front line could not carry a nation. Zuikaku herself remembered that training new aircrews consumed the bulk of her time in "That War."

(But the other shipgirls have all chosen to step once more onto the battlefield)

Every shipgirls she had met this morning had without exception volunteered to join this battle. Moreover, Shoukaku-nee, by her side, had done the same.

(In this situation, how could I possibly not fight?)

"No, "Admiral,"" Zuikaku p.r.o.nounced with the utmost solemnity, "I, too, will fight the abyssals. After all, I served in "That War" as the Ill.u.s.trious Aircraft Carrier of the Main Force....!"

"Zuikaku...."

As if fighting to suppress complicated emotions, Shoukaku called softly. The "Admiral", too, nodded firmly.

"Understood. But, for now, please treat this simply as your current decision."

"Current....?"

"In the next two weeks, starting tomorrow, I will treat you as a regular shipgirl." The Admiral raised his index and middle finger. "When that is over, I wish to hear your conclusion."

It was only after the conversation in the office that Zuikaku realized that the Admiral and Shoukaku-nee"s Naval District Hotel was surprisingly luxurious.

Although it seemed quite normal from the outside, it proved incredibly s.p.a.cious. The decor gave off an impression of age and tradition, both inside and out. Moreover, hot springs abounded on the hotel"s grounds, including an outdoor spa. It was said that it was the mostp popular venue for shipgirls hoping to shed the fatigue of their last campaign.

"We all live here, tending the hotel, learning, training every day."

After saying goodbye to the "Admiral,", the two walked down the hallway, Shoukaku explaining to Zuikaku as they went.

That"s why this isn"t just our Naval district, but our refuge, our shelter. No matter how hard the battles, no matter how tough the obstacles, we fight because we know that, when we come back, all our comrades are waiting for us. It is our blessing."

"We didn"t get to see the other girls much during "That War.""

Shoukaku nodded regretfully.

The two girl"s footstops came naturally to a halt in the lobby, having toured through the entirety of the naval district.

"Right, the Hotel Orientation is now complete. Zuikaku, although it"s a little belated: Welcome to our Naval District, and let us be in each other"s care."

"mm, at that time, without know how, I had already recognized Shoukaku-nee. From here on out, let"s take care of each other."

Zuikaku grabbed Shoukaku"s hands. For a moment, their gazes crossed--and a moment later burst into inexplicable laughter.

"Ahahaha, I never thought I"d be able to talk to Shoukaku-nee like this. When"d you come here, Shoukaku-nee?"

"About half a year ago. Since then, I"ve been on the front lines with the main force."

"As expected of Shoukaku-nee! Upholding the name of us Standard Carriers."

"Hmhm, but from here on out it"ll be the same for Zuikaku. As long as you put your heart on it, we"ll be able to fight shoulder to shoulder again, just like how things were when "That War" began."

Originally when a warship was complete it went through several months of training, not deploying to the front lines until crew and warship had synchronized. However, Shoukaku and Zuikaku had only just been completed when "That War" loomed, and they received only a short period of intense training before completing That Fateful First Battle. [24]

However, Zuikaku noticed an issue with Shoukaku"s words.

"Well, um....Shoukaku-nee.....I have a bit of a....sensitive question...is it okay if I ask you?"

It seemed as if Shoukaku had notied too, for, with sincere eyes, she nodded to Zuikaku.

"Mmm. When I first came, I, too, spent several days worrying about who I could talk to."

"Well in that case, I"m going to fire away."

This must be my personality as a shipgirl, Zuikaku thought as she voiced her concern.

"Well, about "That War"....how"d it end?"

“……”

"I figured Shoukaku-nee already knew--about four months after Shoukaku-nee sank, I fought in the Philippine sea at Cape Engano as bait for their carrier planes. I sank there."

Zuikaku saw those last moments:the pillars of smoke grabbing at the sky; her hull, slowly tilting on the infinite and unforgiving sea; the crew on the decks; and, lastly, the commander, avowed to live and die with his ship.

But her memories of "That War" ended there. What happened at the end was a mystery.

Was it fortune"s plan or misfortune"s conspiracy that she was born to fight again on this world? This was why she had to know--even if it was just to straighten her thoughts out, she had to know the ending.

And what of the crewmen who had lived, loved and fought for all they loved on her? What finale awaited at the end of "That War," and for what end did we all play our roles with such resolve?

"I won"t say anything about being bait, that was a role I had accepted from the start. But, afterwards, in the end...."

"It is as you thought."

Shoukaku"s soft words froze Zuikaku"s breath in her throat.

"Ah, that"s what happened. As I thought, that"s what happened..."

First, she felt emptiness--and then an intense sadness that flooded in to fill the gap, seeping through every crevice of her being; and yet, through her tears, Zuikaku saw clearly.

By the time she had sunk, the war had long since become untenable. What would come afterwards had been an open secret long since shared by every man who still fought. But that was why they--we--had to still fight on. At the very least, that had been the conclusion of most of the seamen....

"Everyone, we worked so hard...what...did we do something wrong....?"

"Zuikaku."

A sudden warmth, as Shoukaku tightly held Zuikaku to her chest.

"It"s okay. After "That War", our nation returned, almost instantly, into a peaceful, wealthy nation once more."

"....."

"I have not completely come to terms with it either. I don"t know whether we were in the right or in the wrong during "That War". But what I do know is that we have been given a second chance. Another chance to save the helpless.....and, maybe, in the process, save ourselves."

To redeem oneself--for Zuikaku, this would be the new heading.

Even if a warship had been given emotions, she would not have come to this conclusion. It is because we are shipgirls that we think, and therefore we are.

"That"s why I won"t sink and I d.a.m.n well won"t lose. Zuikaku, you.....you think that as well, right?"

"mmmm...."

Faced with Shoukaku"s soft smile, Zuikaku forced a grin.

"Gotta work hard, right...!"

In one of the Naval District"s annexes/adjoining buildings, there are many rooms that can serve as banquet halls.

Usually, the shipgirls will eat breakfast here or receive training from their senpais.

But today was special.

Within the large "Tidal Room" were a.s.sembled over a hundred and ten shipgirls. The scene was impressive, and the equally numerous dishes even more so.

On top of the dias, Zuikaku twitched, immobile.

"Alright! Well then, I"m today"s "Cheers! Zuikaku Naval District Enlistment Banquet" MC, Idol of the Fleet, Naka-chan da yo~! Pleased to meet everyone~!"

With an Idol"s appearance and a voice that oozed merriment, the light cruiser Naka pointed the mic at Zuikaku with a practiced hand.

"Well then, although it"s a little sudden, could you tell everyone your thoughts and feelings, Zuikaku?"

"M-my...f-feelings?"

Zuikaku responded hesitantly. he had just been led by Shoukaku to her room and was just about to research "this world" when the other shipgirls had barged in, bringing her here.

The other shipgirls had personally made the preparations, all hidden from Zuikaku; in this Naval District it appeared that shipgirls wished to involve and disturb the normal staff in their daily lives as much as possible.

(Pulling this out of the blue, I....!)

The young girl looked at Shoukaku with a pleading gaze--but Shoukaku merely waved cheerily. It seemed as if she had always known and had concealed it from her dear sister.

(Shoukaku-nee~!)

"Heyheyhey, tell us with a S~mile! If you got nothing, then let Naka-chan sing you a song or two~!"

"Girl you"ve dropped your mixtape more times than we ever cared to hear it, k.u.ma--"

Groans and grumbles flew towards the stage, led by a shipgirl with a strand of hair that might pick up raidowaves--apparently the light cruiser k.u.ma.

"Rude~!" Naka retorted angrily.

"W,well then.....I"m the second Aircraft Carrier of the Shoukaku-cla.s.s, Zuikaku!"

Zuikaku hastily pointed the mic to her mouth, blurting out the first thing that came to mind.

"During "That War", I had only just been finished when I joined several important battles. Because I was virtually unscathed until the battle of the Marianas, I was called the "Lucky Carrier"....although I only did my best."

That is to say, people once called me this--it was only once "the Lucky Carrier" left her mouth that she realized.

"To be honest, I"ve barely been a carrier for a day. Everything I"ve seen and met has been fresh....so, I"m really happy, really excited!"

As over a hundred and ten pairs of eyes centered on Zuikaku, she spotted the Admiral"s silhouette from the corner of her eye.

"That"s why I, too, want to fight as a shipgirl and protected the world with everybody. From here on out, please take care of me!"

As the rang out, Naka returned to the stage.

"Thank you Naka for your exciting greeting. "The Lucky Carrier" sure makes me envious! Naka hopes to share a bit of your luck, so she can continue to stand on the center stage! Well then, without further ado, let us raise a gla.s.s!"

Ships of the same cla.s.s--that is, siblings--sat together pouring drinks into neighbouring shipgirl"s cups.

"Are you ready? Well then, congratulations, Zuikaku! Cheers~!"

With a chorus of "kanpai" and the endless clink of gla.s.ses, the banquet began.

In no time at all, the banquet had already gotten under way. Apparently, this welcome banquet was hosted every time a new shipgirl joined the district.

Zuikaku hurriedly greeted the line of shipgirls that came to meet her. Most of them appeared to be cruisers and destroyers, girls her age or younger.

At her side, Shoukaku helped with introductions.

"I-I-I-It"s b-been a long time, Zuikaku-onee....!"

Zuikaku had lost count of how many had come--Destroyer Ushio seemed nervous enough for the two of them.

"U,um, thanks for t-taking care of us at the Coral Sea....!"

"Ushio? Uwaahhh~you"ve become so cute,"

Zuikaku exclaimed.

She had once fought alongside Ushio in the coral sea, the battle that came to be a"the first carrier battle"

"I remember the Coral Sea perfectly. Mm. Ushio fought really hard to protect Shoukaku-nee, right? Thanks for that!"

"I-it"s nothing! I know that the work for the Carrier onee-sans is much harder....but to hear Zuikaku-onee"s praise makes me really happy....."

Ushio flushed red--it seemed she was a shy girl.

Well then, I"m leaving now....Akebono, who also took part in the coral sea, is also here, please take care of us sisters!"

"mmm, pleased to meet you!"

A short little shipgirl dressed in a Kyudo uniform like Zuikaku followed Ushio. Bowing, she knelt politely.

"I"m the light carrier Zuihou, honored to meet you once again."

"Zuihou! You"re at this naval district too?"

Zuikaku could not stop herself from seizing Zuihou"s hand. From Midway to the Marianas, Zuihou had served with Zuikaku and Shoukaku as a comrade to the new 1stCarDiv. Even if their shared experiences were limited to the South Pacific, they shared a long history of training together back at home.

Zuihou cracked into an earnest smile.

"Yes! Talking about light carriers, there are a few others, including Sho"ho"-nee."

"Ah, is that so. To be able to fight together again makes me happy! Let"s take care of each other!"

"Of course. Also, Zuikaku-nee, there"s something I need to tell you in private...."

Zuihou leaned over as she whispered into Zuikaku"s ear.

"Be careful of the Admiral. He is not as he seems, he"s a depraved, perverse demon!"

"Ah~I"ve already had a bit of personal experience on that subject..."

Zuikaku eyed the Admiral"s seat, nestled in the corner--he seemed to be raising a ruckus with the destroyers Inazuma and Ikazuchi that she had met earlier. His frolics with the childlike shipgirls left a rather dangerous impression.

Zuihou nodded with understanding.

"The point is to be careful. And please warn Shoukaku-nee--the Admiral likes bullying the demure ones the most. If you let him go about his business he gets carried away!"

"I understand, and I"ll convey the warning to Shoukaku-nee."

Backing away from Zuikaku, Zuihou saluted.

"Well then, let"s get along! Let"s go out somewhere to play another day!"

"Thank you, Zuihou!"

Once she had seen Zuihou off, Zuikaku leaned towards Shoukaku.

"Shoukaku-nee, what kind of person is the Admiral?" she murmured.

"Eh? Well...."

After considering it a while, Shoukaku responded with some embarra.s.sment.

"He"s a good person. He"s capable on the battlefield and cares a lot for our well-being and daily lives. If he weren"t so...physically friendly, he"s a very normal man."

"W,wait a minute! What are you thinking about, Shoukaku-nee!"

"Ah, I guess I"ll elaborate a little more. Are all men like that? He frequently waits on the sh.o.r.e with his arm crossed, saying "flicking a girl"s skirt is a real man"s duty and romance"...or something like that."

(Shoukaku-nee"s been deceived! She"s definitely been deceived!)

Zuikaku rubbed her forehead with exasperation. If Shoukaku acted like this, it was likely that countless other shipgirls had also been fooled.

Shoukaku, who did not appear to have noticed her sister"s trepidation, straightened up.

"Well then, Zuikaku, there"s not much time, let us go and greet our seniors."

""Seniors"...do you mean the ones sitting over there....?"

Looking to the edge of the hall, Zuikaku noted the Battleships and Standard Carriers sitting there. Perhaps it was their status as the main force that gave them their formidable aura.

"Got it. Will you come with me, Shoukaku-nee?"

"Of course."

Zuikaku and Shoukaku started their greetings from the Battleships. Battleships Nagato, Mutsu, Ise, Hyuuga, Fusou, Yamashiro, Battlecruisers Kongou, Hiei, Haruna, Kirishima--in "That World," they were the main force, veterans of a hundred battles.

"WOW! Zuikaku, it"s been a long time dess--!"

The eldest of the Kongou Sisters boomed happily.

"I was under your care as part of the mobile force! From here on out, I"ll be in your care as well!"

"Mm, alright...."

Though Kongou"s unexpectedly boisterous response seemed a little suspicious, Zuikaku responded as always. She remembered the Kongou had originally been a British-born Battlecruiser--

And with that, Zuikaku greeted the rest of the battleships one after the other. Each Battleship"s appearance and temperament seemed different, just like the other cla.s.ses

The last were the unfortunate-seeming sisters Fusou and Yamashiro. As she finished her greetings, Zuikaku thought to herself

(As expected, "those two" haven"t come......)

Those two warships, built at the same time as she was and said to be the world"s largest and strongest Battleships.

And yet they were not like her--until there remained nothing to win, they saw little action.

(Will we have a chance to meet in the future....?)

"Akagi-senpai, Kaga-senpai, this is my sister Zuikaku, enlisting today."

As she said this, Shoukaku motioned for Zuikaku to kneel in front of the two warships.

Standard Aircraft Carriers Akagi and Kaga formed the two shipgirls of the 1st Carrier Division. The opening strikes of Pearl Harbor; the battles in the South; the Indian Ocean Raid, all the way up to the battle of midway, they had distinguished themselves together.

Akagi and Kaga had both been converted from Battleships [25] into large carriers. As the main force of the mobile divisions, their carrier load not only matched, but exceeded that of the Shoukaku cla.s.s.

To Shoukaku and Zuikaku, these two members of the 1stCarDiv were senpai. In the early battles, the skill and training of the 1stCarDiv far exceeded that of Shoukaku and Zuikaku"s 5thCarDiv--you could say they were the two sisters" idol.

"I"m Zuikaku, I"m in your care. It"s been a long time, senpai!"

"It has been a long time, Akagi."

Holding a fearsome bowl of rice, Akagi smiled lightly.

"Although it"s a rather disconcerting situation, I hope you do your best. I look forwards to you becoming this naval district"s main force."

"Thank you, Senpai! I will also work hard to become just like you senpai! Kaga-senpai, I"m in your care!"

"…………"[26]

Having listened to Zuikaku, Kaga silently finished her wine. Zuikaku blinked in expectation of Kaga"s response.

--After some ten seconds, Kaga sighed.

"Zuikaku, I have a question to ask you, is that alright?"

"Y-yes?"

"What exactly do you mean by "just like us"?"

Kaga had not yet even looked at Zuikaku--but, oblivious, Zuikaku answered frankly.

"Yes. I hope to learn to be like Akagi-senpai and Kaga-senpai and become an experienced main force for the fleet!"

"So you"re saying that you can catch up to us with a bit of experience?"

"Yes! And we have memories of "That War," up until near the end. As long as we learn from our mistakes, we"ll be able to......!"

"Is that so? Don"t compare us with you lot."

Kaga"s ice-cold response seemed to have turned the thermostat down a few degrees or ten.

Zuikaku, too, froze on the spot. After a brief silence, she spoke up timidly.

"...What are you saying?"

"I am saying, do not speak of the 5thCarDiv and us as if we are the same."

If it was chilly before it was arctic now--thankfully, only a few had heard Kaga"s words, and the banquet continued unabated.

"Akagi and I, and our 1stCarDiv, are not like your 5thCarDiv. You can work as hard as you"d like and you"d never catch up to us, so don"t lump us together with you."

"Kaga....!"

Akagi hurriedly [27] moved to stop Kaga, but Zuikaku was already shaking, her face red.

(This is just her s.h.i.tting on me.....!)

"Although you say that, senpai...."

Zuikaku eyed Kaga squarely, her voice soft but furious.

"Compared to you Dear Senpai, we don"t stand a chance....but, after "that tragedy", we stopped being the 5thCarDiv. We became a new 1stCarDiv, and we fought as hard as anyone!"

That tragedy, of course, was the Battle of Midway. The Navy"s four jewels--Kaga, Akagi, Souryuu and Hiryuu, were all sunk--a battle which could not be called anything but tragedy.

Shoukaku and Zuikaku were among the few carriers not involved. After that, they had taken on the mantle of the 1stCarDiv and experienced days of both glory and suffering.

Zuikaku did not revel in their tragedy--but to her, memories of taking on the mantle of the new 1stCarDiv were her pride. The name of the 1stCarDiv didn"t simply belong to Akagi and Kaga. The name of the 5thCarDiv, for her, was simply a single part of her life--

However, Kaga shook her head.

"You, in your current form, do not even deserve to speak of that name--you can be the 5thCarDiv forever. The Glory of the 1stCarDiv belongs to me and Akagi."

".....! You take things too far. Please control your words!"

"I have no plans to control them for someone so far away from us. Of course, the sisters in the 2ndCarDiv over there are also nothing like you."

Sitting at Kaga"s side, sisters Souryuu and Hiryuu watched the two indecisively.

"But....!"

"Well then, do you want to try it out?"

Kaga changed the topic.

"Tomorrow, in the practice waters, you and me. Stand in front of me until the end, and I will recognize your resolve. Of course, we"ll use the same planes. It"s a little unfair given the skill difference, but I can"t promise you a handicap...."

Kaga spoke as if victory was already a.s.sured--Zuikaku felt her blood boil.

Shoukaku hurried stepped between the two.

"Senpai, Zuikaku just joined this naval district....she doesn"t even know how to fight as a shipgirl!"

"This is not your business. I was talking to Zuikaku."

Senpai....!"

"I get it."

Zuikaku spoke bluntly.

"Zuikaku accepts this contest."

The sun had yet to rise, and the practice waters remained in a mist of murky blue.

It was on this scene that Zuikaku and Kaga faced each other silently. Separated by several hundred meters, they were watched from a distance by several shipgirls, serving as witnesses.

"A battle between the new and old 1stCarDiv, huh--"

Kongou stood, arms crossed in front of her as she remarked with a leisurely voice.

"But for a seasoned veteran like Kaga to take on a rookie like Zuikaku...isn"t this a bit of a foregone conclusion, Kirishima?"

"As Onee-sama said, Zuikaku stands no chance."

Standing next to Kongou, Kirishima nodded.

"Kaga and Akagi are among the Naval District"s strongest Standard Carriers. If it"s just Zuikaku, she can"t possibly won...once this is over, Zuikaku"s probably going to be a step away from sinking on the ground."

"And yet in spite of this, Zuikaku wants to fight. Why is that--?"

"My guess is that she wants to show her senpai her resolve,"

Shoukaku replied, her voice laden with unease.

"Even if she doesn"t win, she wants to get a good hit in. Zuikaku can accept being weaker, but she can"t accept being belittled. After all, "I, too, am the 1stCarDiv" was what she said. She probably can"t accept the situation."

"She"s quite the opposite of Shoukaku!"

"Did you teach her Carrier Combat?"

Kirishima looked to Shoukaku for confirmation.

"Yes. Surface movement, carrier launch and recovery, the limited period available for a carrier"s attack group to form up and for the carrier to launch, I"ve taught her that and most of the basics."

"Drills use simulated ammunition, so they won"t be hurt. Don"t worry--!"

As Kongou spoke, Shoukaku"s gaze turned to the distance.

Akagi and several other shipgirls watched Zuikaku and Kaga, just as she did.

Shoukaku spotted the outlines of destroyers Yukikaze and Hibiki. Normally, these two had little to do with the Shoukaku sisters.

(.....as expected, that"s how it is.)

Shoukaku sighed as she realized her counterpart"s intentions. Changing tack, she looked once more towards Zuikaku and Kaga.

With an imposing voice, Akagi spoke, her words a decree.

"The practice match between Zuikaku and Kaga hereby--begins! "

As Akagi"s voice rang out, Kaga raised her longbow and Zuikaku her shortbow, both letting loose into the sky.

"First Wave, launch!"

"I will not give up here."

The first wave of attack planes, having a.s.sembled in the sky, launched towards their targets.

(Anyhow, I, too, am a carrier of the main force....f.u.c.k survival, son, we in it to win it!)

The attack planes pa.s.sed over her. The unit consisted of Type 21 Carrier Fighters, Type 99 Carrier Dive-Bombers, and Type 97 Torpedo Bombers, roughly 20 of each.

Watching them, Zuikaku raised her first in a silent vow.

(There"s a huge gap in skill between Kaga-senpai and I.....but I have the experience of "That War"!"

"Carrier Planes, transition into the Crane Wing formation!"

Acknowledging Zuikaku"s order, her attack team formed into a triangle, Zeroes in the center and the Type 99s and Type 97s at the flanks.

After the Battle of Midway, the Crane Wing formation had been developed and practiced by the New 1stCarDiv in order to defeat enemy carriers. With this formation, the fleet"s bombers could envelope the enemy carrier between the three corners without complex maneuvers and rapidly transition into an attack from both sides. This was the trump card of the 1stCarDiv, developed after they no longer overestimated the enemy.

And Zuikaku"s belief in her chances came from this tactic.

(If I use this formation, even Kaga-senpai....!)

On the other hand, Kaga"s attack force maintained a standard formation, with air superiority fighters leading the van.

The two forces of Zeroes clashed--

"......! How?!"

"They"re all good kids."

Zuikaku"s distressed shout was met by Kaga"s pleased mutter--Zuikaku"s attack force was devastated by Kaga"s zeroes, the individual planes plummeting as their formation crumpled. Zuikaku"s Zeroes fought courageously, but with little effect.

"Why.....?"

"Unlike you, I mounted about 40 Zeroes."

Zuikaku"s eyes widened at Kaga"s calm response.

"40......! Isn"t that half the carrier complement?"

"One of our mistakes in that battle was that we emphasized attack power. I will not repeat that mistake."

Zuikaku had no retort. In a way, this battle proved that it was Kaga who had learned more from past mistakes. Kaga"s confidence and arrogance were not mere words--

Zuikaku"s attack planes broke through Zuikaku"s formation and zeroed [28] in on Zuikaku. Though some of Zuikaku"s bombers also broke through towards Kaga, their number was far smaller. Kaga casually evaded them.

(What am I going to do....? Well, there"s only one thing....!)

"d.a.m.n---!"

Kaga"s bombers attacked in series. With a shout, Zuikaku launched into evasive maneuvers. The Shipgirls" outfits allowed the wearer to move unaffected by the weight of the equipment, and Zuikaku"s equipment was no exception.

As the plumes and pillars of water vanished, a lightly damaged Zuikaku emerged in front of everyone.

".....!"

Zuikaku"s face was distorted in pain. Though she was aware that this was simply the effect of the simulated sh.e.l.ls and bore no pernanet damage, she also realized she had been plunged into an incredibly disadvantageous position.

The remnants of the 1st Attack Group limped back belatedly, less than half of those that had left. And yet, she would have to reform these survivors and quickly launch a second wave.

(But Kaga-senpai"s AA is superior to mine....Can I even hit her.....?)

"Even so.....!"

Zuikaku raised her s...o...b..w once more, launching her remaining attack planes. Kaga, too, launched her attack planes with factory precision. If she could not at least do some damage to Kaga and weaken her launch capacity, she"d just be a sitting duck.

But the first carrier whose planes formed up was Kaga. The attack teams came relentlessly, charging at Zuikaku"s only just-consolidated air complement.

"......ugh, fast!"

Out of formation, her own attack team was devastated.

Next, Kaga"s bombers once more flew at Zuikaku, hurling their bombs and torpedos--though Zuikaku did her best to evade, she was not wholly successful, and the damage began to mount.

"Ahhh....!"

Aching all over, Zuikaku could not help falling ot her knees.

She had probably reached medium damage--fairly severe. Just one more attack, and she"d definitely keel over with major damage.

(How..