It was night, nevertheless, the arsenal was illuminated with bright lights.
The 14th Destroyer Division was in the remodeling area.
The documents Atago had given to them was a signed order for remodeling and the permit to participate in the operation. There wasn’t anything about rescuing Shiranui on it, however, the fact that the letter was intentionally addressed to the 14th Destroyer Division showed the Admiral's consideration.
“It was originally intended for Takao-san, but he gave it to us.”
“For all six of us?” Akebono asked.
“Yeah, and it seems that Atago-san also recommended us to the admiral,” Kagerou turned around and stared at everyone. “There's no turning back once you get remodeled, are you fine with that?”
There was no hesitation nor objection.
The process went smoothly, perhaps it worked effectively because of the signed order. The technicians who performed the remodeling were very courteous and kind. It was only natural, though, since they would be responsible for any failure.
They were taken to a place that looked a bit like a dentist's office with a weird ambience.
“Weeell, I'll go first,” Kagerou who took the initiative said. “If it fails, I’ll go outside,” she added, but strangely enough, she had no fear. She had a feeling that it would succeed.
She sat in a chair. A misshapen headgear was placed on her head. Her vision became pitch black.
“We’ll begin,” a voice of a female technician said.
Suddenly, vivid images were projected on her vision.
There was a sea with numerous ships. Men moving on the deck. In the distance, destroyers that looked like wooden planks and large aircraft carriers could be seen. There were gunfires, explosions, and air raids. Victory and defeat. Ship’s launching and its sinking. Her mind was being filled with rapidly changing images of them.
Were those events a ship had participated in? Was that the memory of the ship she was named after had experienced? A brilliant light spread out and covered her vision. It had become pure white.
Eventually.
The headgear was removed from her head.
‘It’s done,’ she was told, and Kagerou got out of the chair and went out to the hallway.
“How was it…?”
She replied to Ushio's question without a pause, “I feel lighter.”
“Eh?”
“The rigging feels lighter. And, I don't know, I think it’s like I’ve got invisible muscles? I feel like I've grown a size bigger. There’s no visible changes, though.”
In truth, her heart was filled with a greater sense of fulfillment and determination than before.
All that was needed for getting remodeled were the shipgirl’s experience and the materials to modify the rigging. But the most important thing was the will to become stronger.
Kagerou wanted to save Shiranui. She wanted to bring her home from the depth of her heart. That’s why it went well.
“I feel like I can do anything,” Kagerou told everyone. “But I haven't saved Shiranui yet. It's just the beginning. I think I can say that I’m glad to be remodeled properly.”
The other members of the 14th Destroyer Division also underwent remodeling in turn.
Since Kagerou took the initiative, no one hesitated.
“It's true, I feel lighter,” Satsuki spun her arms around in a circular motion.
Furthermore, they received some modernization and improvement on their riggings to an extent. This also went smoothly thanks to the signed orders. However, improving it to the utmost wasn't possible. There was a limit to some degree.
As far as the destroyers were concerned, it could be said that such modernization was within the acceptable levels, but Kagerou was willing to do whatever it took to save Shiranui.
Waiting for everyone to finish, Satsuki urged, “Let's get going. We can't just stay here like this.”
“Wait,” Kagerou stopped her when she was about to run. “Our sortie was delayed. It's written that we were ordered to be the last to depart.”
“But why? A harassment from the commander?”
“No, that’s not it. I grasped his intention. We are destroyers. It took so much effort to get remodeled, so we need to make the most of it.”
“Then what are we going to do?”
“Oh come on. What destroyers do the best?”
“Ah…”
“That’s right. Night battle. We’ll fight our part in the night.”
That day, everyone rested. Then, on the following day.
Several fleets departed one after another from Yokosuka Naval Base. Both the one sending the fleets off while waving their hats and the one being sent off were all looking nervous. They understood that today was the crucial moment of the operation.
A typhoon was approaching the target zone, Area E, so a storm was expected. It might not be a suitable condition for a naval battle, but they couldn’t afford to back down.
The resources and instant repair materials that were stockpiled beforehand were being consumed in the blink of an eye and on the verge of being exhausted. Even as the shipgirls in the main fleet were fighting, fleets of light cruiser girls and destroyer girls were working hard to secure resources, but there was a limit to what they could do.
If not defeated now, the Southern War Demon and the Abyssal Fleet swarms would surely regain their power and invade the surrounding areas. And the territory that had been liberated with so much hardship would once again be taken away, and even the land would be threatened.
They couldn’t let that happen. So, they had to sortie, no matter the what.
The admiral and Atago did everything they could to help. They even allowed the shipgirls to have a banquet at Mamiya’s. The shipgirls relieved their fatigue and secured ample supplies.
Then the shipgirls headed out to the sea.
The 14th Destroyer Division was not among them yet.
“Soon it will be our turn, huh.”
The 14th Destroyer Division was on the hill overlooking the sea, just beside the pier. They were bored in their dormitories, so they watched the shipgirl departures.
“... I'm impatient…,” Arare said in a whisper. It was unusual for her. “Is it not yet…?”
Kagerou checked the clock.
“We still have time, I think. But only for a while.”
“I'm nervous…”
“I had expected that, so I brought something nice," Satsuki said and took out a bottle from somewhere, “Ta-da!”
“Wait, isn’t it the beer you bought from Houshou-san?” Kagerou was astonished, while Satsuki laughed.
“Looks like you failed to take it away from me. In any case, let’s drink it together.”
She uncorked the bottle. There was a fizz.
“I've always wanted to try something like this.”
“Where’s the cup?”
“Nah, it’s fine to drink it as it is,” Satsuki said.
Kagerou had never drank alcohol, let alone beer. It was probably the same for everyone else. But on this occasion, she could understand why Satsuki wanted to drink.
“Okay I'll be the first,” Satsuki put her mouth on the beer bottle and tilted it. She passed it over to Nagatsuki who was making a sour face beside her.
Nagatsuki took a sip and silently passed it to Arare. Then Ushio, Akebono, and Kagerou.
All of them looked at each other with a similar complicated expression on their faces.
“First of all…,” Akebono sighed. “Is this what beer tastes like? You really have to gulp it down, huh?”
“Strange. The carrier girls, I think, drank it like water, though,” Satsuki tilted her neck, puzzled.
Nagatsuki silently spat it out, Arare looked like she shouldn't have drank it, and Ushio for some reason looked like she was in tears.
Kagerou forced herself to swallow the beer.
“... Well, I guess we're not ready for this yet.”
“What a bad omen. Our final cup will not be empty if it is like this," Akebono blurted out. “What are you going to do with it, throw it away?”
“I won't do such a thing,” Satsuki put the bottle cap over the bottle opening and tapped it with the bottle opener handle to put the lid on.
“We'll drink it later. Let’s have Shiranui drink it too,” Then she looked at the others’ faces. “We're going to bring Shiranui back, aren't we?”
There was a short pause, and then Kagerou broke into a broad smile.
“Yes, you’re right. Yep. Satsuki, what you said is a good idea,” She slapped Satsuki’s shoulder repeatedly. “Alright, let’s get going. Set sail!”
○
The inner region of Area E was quaking from the all-out attacks from the Yokosuka Naval Base and the Abyssal Fleet's counterattack.
Aircrafts from both sides were flying disorderly above the sky, while torpedoes were streaking across the surface of the sea. A storm of shells enveloped the entire vicinity.
Badly damaged shipgirls. Overturned, sinking Abyssal Fleets. These were only a fraction of the battle, swallowed by various tragic spectacles and being forgotten.
M̷y̷.̷.̸.̸b̴o̵m̴b̴a̸r̶d̵m̴e̸n̸t̵.̶.̵.̴i̸s̴ ̵t̷h̶e̸ ̵r̵e̶a̸l̸ ̸t̷h̷i̴n̶g̶.̶.̶.̵
A woman with a pure white body and dazzling turrets, the Southern War Demon, murmured. It was a faint voice, but it could be heard by all the shipgirls.
“Here it comes!” Maya shouted.
The shells sliced through the air. Explosion sounds reverberated in her body. The fleet she was leading was enveloped in massive columns of water splashes.
“Ouch… This is ridiculous!” She cursed as she spat out seawater. Her rigging had been damaged by the fragments. Part of her back was blowing with smoke.
A report was sent on the radio.
“This is Isuzu. Turret number one is out of action.”
“This is Myoko. The Fire Control System is damaged. Shifting to artillery spotting mode.”
There was a succession of damage reports. Continuing the battle was still possible, but their firepower was declining. She was also worried about the remaining ammunition.
Maya glared at the Abyssal Fleet. The Southern War Demon should’ve been inflicted with considerable damage, but it hadn’t sunk yet.
“What a tough woman…”
The shipgirls attacked repeatedly. And each time, the Abyssal Fleet also reorganized their fleet formation to defend themselves. The battleship girls and carrier girls attacked again and again, but they could not defeat it at the last minute. That’s why even a fleet of heavy cruisers like Maya was deployed.
Maya checked the damage on herself and her companion’s. In the meantime, enemy carrier-based torpedo bombers rushed in, so she drove it off with her machine gun.
“... Turn around!” She communicated through the radio. “We're screwed if we get hit. We'll resupply and return later!”
She was about to leave the battlefield and giving a signal of nine hou (turn ninety degrees to the left) while remaining in a single vertical formation.
At that moment, Isuzu told her, “There’s a transmission, ma'am.”
“What is it?”
“Uh… Whoa, what a noise.”
“Calm down and listen to it carefully. It doesn’t matter if it takes a while.”
“... ‘The fleet to remain at a reasonable distance after withdrawing from the battlefield’, ma’am.”
“Huh? We are not permitted to return to YokoBase?”
“That's not it, a destroyer division is on the way. We’re told to retrieve them after the battle, perhaps.”
“What did you say?”
Maya looked genuinely puzzled.
A group of destroyer girls dashed on the sea surface.
Leading the way was Kagerou, followed behind by the shipgirls of the 14th Destroyer Division. They fearlessly ran through the thickening fog, overturned sunken ships, and reefs.
"Third battle speed ahead!"
There was a faint sound from the engine order telegraph. The main engine accelerated with a flick.
“Maintain the course. Steady as you go!”
The white waves grew bigger, but the destroyers continued to sail in a neat line.
“Watch your surroundings!” Kagerou said. “It’s dangerous if a submarine spots us. Keep an eye out for torpedo wakes, periscopes, and enemy aircrafts!”
The girls weren’t equipped with passive sonar. Therefore, they had to rely on their own sight.
So far, no submarines had been sighted. No aircrafts either. But they couldn’t let their guard down. It was quite possible that the enemy fleet had deployed submarines and radar picket ships for early warning purposes.
“Aircrafts twenty degrees to the right!” Nagatsuki shouted.
Kagerou peered up. In the distance, she could see what looked like floating black dots amidst the clouds.
“Enemy aircrafts…!”
She bit her lip. It’s too early for them to be involved with engagement. Apart from the fact that it attract the enemy formation, it would also alert the enemy of their presence. If they got caught up in daylight combat, they would suffer unnecessary damage.
Suddenly, Arare looked up.
“… Wind…?”
A crosswind was blowing. It carried a different smell from that of sea water.
Kagerou was surprised. She squinted her eyes and saw black clouds ahead.
“It's a squall! Let's go inside that!”
The 14th Destroyer Division picked up their speed.
Not many aircraft could fly under that weather condition. The same was true for submarines, since the visibility range became extremely limited for navigating the surface, observation using periscope was nearly impossible. Normally, she would spit a curse when encountering one, but this time, the squall was advantageous for them.
They plunged into the black clouds.
Instead of a squall, what greeted them was a storm inside.
Intense winds and blowing rains struck the destroyer girls.
“Uhyaa! Ahahaha!” Satsuki sounded excited. She was being tossed around by the waves, but maintained her position properly. “With this, the enemy won't notice us!”
Just as she said, the probability of them being discovered there was close to zero. If possible, Kagerou wanted to wait inside the storm for the night to come then move to the center of the enemy's position.
(The issue is the ammunition, huh…)
Kagerou muttered in her mind. If this continued, their ammunition would be wrapped by waves and become unusable. It's a situation that was dubbed “Caught in the whirlpools.” It wouldn’t be funny if they ran out of ammunition at the crucial moment of the battle. The only way to prevent that from happening was to get out of the storm, though it was regrettable since they had to cast aside their efforts to conceal themselves.
She had to make a decision.
“Continue as we are!” Kagerou told everyone. “We'll move along the storm and make our way to the center of enemy's position. Please just bear with it!”
Understanding voices could be heard over the radio.
She had faith in everyone. She proceeded, believing that their training would pay off. The wind was getting increasingly stronger, and the rain kept hitting her cheeks.
“Second ammunition magazine has been lost," Ushio reported.
After that, report of losses continued from each girls.
Even so, all of them never lost their bearings. It was thanks to the results of the remodeling and the rigorous training they had undergone. Relying on the navigation lights from their comrades' backs, they continued onward.
Time passed. The rain's intensity lessened.
And eventually.
The rain completely stopped. It was night. The surrounding had become dark, and there was nothing to rely on but the stars and the moonlight.
Floating on the water surface, the Abyssal Fleet.
A humanoid battleship and a deep black heavy cruiser. Crazed-like light cruisers and a group of its destroyers underlings. The waves were eerily calm, peaceful even, like inside the eye of a cyclone.
The girls instinctively knew that this was the center of the enemy's position.
Kagerou gave the order, “Fifth battle speed ahead!”
The 14th Destroyer Division formed up and charged.
Main engines roared and turrets rotated. The target was the enemy's core.
There was no sign of the Southern War Demon. If that's the case, they would have to get through there and go further in.
“Kagerou, are you sure this is the right way?!”
She answered Akebono's question loudly, “It’s there, there's no mistaking it! We'll break through from those guys!”
The enemy had not yet noticed. The Abyssal Fleet figures grew larger.
Suddenly, one of the Abyssal Fleet turned toward them. It was the heavy cruiser Ri-class. It raised a voice, incomprehensible to the shipgirls' ears, and alarmed the others.
“Too late!” Without slowing down at all, they plunged into the middle of the enemy. “Do not open fire! Break through!”
She grazed right next to the Abyssal Fleet. There was a prickling sensation in her cheeks. A big splash of water. Suppressing the fear that they might collide, with only the sense of thrill dominating their brain. Although they were relying on the moonlight's illumination to maneuver, they were confident that they would not collide.
From Kagerou in the lead to Akebono in the tail, they passed through without a single one of them left behind.
It wasn't the time to rejoice yet. The goal was still further ahead.
Kagerou looked back just in case. The enemy fleet had crashed into each other as they tried to turn around, and there was confusion.
Suddenly, there were flickering lights around the enemy.
“… Enemy opened fire!” Ushio shouted.
Columns of water splashes rose in the direction in which Kagerou and the others were moving.
“What a fine aim! Don't you agree?” Kagerou wasn't in a hurry. Rather, it raised her will to fight. This was where she would show her fighting spirits. She would shake off her opponents. “No change to the course!”
“Please wait, there’s an enemy fleet a hundred degrees to our left!” It was Ushio's voice once again. She looked at it, and saw what seemed like a huge shadow of heavy cruisers approaching them. “It seems like the Abyssal Fleet aren't stupid. They have already reorganized their position.”
When Kagerou turned her gaze ahead, she saw that the enemy fleet was also there as well. Moreover, they had already noticed Kagerou and the others because of the warning from the Ri-class.
“Allow me,” Nagatsuki said. “I'll take care of the ones in the rear. Kagerou should just keep going, don’t worry about me!”
“… Got it. We'll split the fleet. Go with Satsuki.”
“Aye!”
“You two, drive them away!”
“Alright, we’re going!”
The two of them, with Nagatsuki in the lead, steered to port. They headed toward the group of Abyssal Fleet approaching from the rear.
“Then we will attack the one ahead of us! Don't be scared, okay?”
“Who do you think you are talking to!?”
“Leave it to me!”
“Roger.”
Those were reliable responses from Akebono, Ushio, and Arare. Then Kagerou declared, “The time is now 0300. The 14th Destroyer Division will begin the assault. May the Naval Base be glorious, may the fairies blessings be upon the shipgirls! Both sides, full speed ahead!”
The four remaining destroyers put their main engines to full throttle.
○
“Portside, prepare for artillery battle! Attempting head-on engagement!” Nagatsuki gave the order. She was now in the lead.
“Full starboard the moment we passed them! Then Satsuki, take the lead! Don't let any of them get closer to Kagerou!”
“All right!” Satsuki spoke happily. “Nagatsuki, you’ve got it right, eh.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. The pride of the Mutsuki-class.”
“Mutsuki-class is the best ship in the world after all!”
Nagatsuki laughed. What emerged from her attitude was neither nervousness nor weakness, but an genuine spirit. It was the spirit of loyalty to her comrades and to all shipgirls. There was not a trace of the pretentiousness she showed a few months ago.
The enemy's figures dimly became visible from being illuminated by the moonlight. In the lead was the heavy cruiser Ri-class. Following behind were most likely the light cruisers, and the rest were probably destroyers. Nagatsuki was convinced that both of them could succeed.
The heavy cruiser Ri-class opened fire. One, two, then three large columns of water splashes emerged. When the third column of water splash dissipated, Nagatsuki gestured the assault with the signal lamp.
“Follow after me!”
The two destroyer girls started shelling. The twin gun mounts’ shells rained down on the enemy fleet.
A shelling battle in the darkness. Moreover, it was being done at a relatively terrifying speed. Both the shells from the 12.7cm twin gun mounts and the 8-inch guns intersected mid-air, enveloping their opponents. It was as if they’re shooting blindly with their bombardment.
The Ri-class heavy cruiser figure suddenly flashed. A little after that, an explosion sounded.
“We scored a hit!” Satsuki exclaimed. The two of them rapidly fired a volley of shells while making use of the explosion light as a mark.
The bursts of shells continued to inflict damage. The shells were clearly more powerful than before. It was the result of the modernization. A heavy cruiser was nothing to be afraid of.
The enemy violently shook, and as if it had lost its footing, tilted to the left and slowly sank.
“Ready torpedo salvo as we pass them!”
The Mutsuki-class needed some ingenuity to launch torpedoes in a head-on engagement. They raised one leg to change the direction for aiming. It was also a posture that they had practiced thoroughly.
They were about to pass the enemy fleet that had lost its lead ship.
“… Hold the launch! What's that? That’s not a destroyer!”
Satsuki's voice caused Nagatsuki to look closely at the enemy as well.
The one behind the To-class light cruisers wasn’t the destroyers. No, there were the Ro-class destroyers, but they were being scattered around by an Abyssal Fleet that was advancing.
An Abyssal Fleet with huge shields attached to both arms. A blue-eyed slaughterer.
“A Ru-class…?!”
Nagatsuki groaned. The enemy fleet rarely has a large ship at the tail end, and she misread their formation. It was most likely roaming nearby and was lured by their fleet that was breaking through.
But she quickly switched gears.
“Leave the light cruisers alone. Aim for the battleship!”
Once more, she took aim with the torpedo. She pointed the launching port at the Ru-class.
“Launch the torpedo!”
But nothing happened.
“Fire!”
The torpedo couldn’t be launched either. Stunned, she looked at her feet and saw that the oxygen torpedo tube was stuck, just hanging there.
“Torpedo launch tube failed! Satsuki!”
“Not good, mine failed to launch too!”
Satsuki's cries were akin to a shriek. Though they had been remodeled, the torpedo tubes had been installed forcibly, not to mention they were also caught in the ‘whirlpool’ which had taken its toll.
The Ru-class main battery turned toward them.
“Damn… it…!”
The muzzle flash of the 16-inch gun illuminated the area.
○
There were sounds of bombardment behind them. Furthermore, there were also sounds of shells exploding. Kagerou and the others heard the sound behind them.
“It has started…”
Arare's mutterings reached their ears.
Nagatsuki and Satsuki had engaged the Abyssal Fleet. There was no way to know the outcome, but they had to trust in the two girls' victory.
“It’s okay, those girls can do it.”
As soon as Kagerou said that, a remarkably loud gunfire sound roared from behind.
“Isn't that a battleship main battery's sound…?” Ushio said.
Kagerou agreed. She had heard that sound many times a few months ago. It was the sound of Ru-class battleship firing its 16-inch guns.
“So they've got a battleship too in the mix…”
Then the conversation was interrupted.
“Kagerou, I have a favor to ask…” There was no need for question. It was Arare. “I want to help them…”
She had volunteered to go as the reinforcement. For both Nagatsuki and Satsuki.
Kagerou took upon herself to ask her coldly, “Can you really make it in time if you turn back right now?”
“I'll make it in time… Both Nagatsuki and Satsuki too, are my precious friends. I don't want them to die…”
“I knew you would say that,” She turned her tone back to normal. “I’ll allow it. In exchange, you absolutely have to help them.”
“Of course…,” Arare left the formation. “Thank you.”
She turned around and retraced the course she had come from.
“We’re now down to three, huh. I'm rather motivated, you know.”
Hearing Kagerou's line, Akebono sounded astonished, “You are strangely energetic, aren't you?”
“Maybe it's because of the remodeling. Is Akebono scared?”
“Quit joking around. I’m not even scared. Rather, Ushio probably is the one who’s scared.”
“That's not true. I’m also motivated, too.”
Her tone was clear. They could tell that she had struck a fist pump with both hands.
Kagerou's heart was overwhelmed with emotions. Even though she was in the middle of an enemy territory, despite them being just a mere three destroyer girls, yet she didn’t feel any fear. It was a feeling of fulfillment. A sense of solidarity with her friends. Rushing toward the enemy, with the pride and determination of a destroyer held high. All for the sake of grasping victory. For the sake of saving Shiranui.
Ahead. Silhouettes floated under the moonlight. It was the Abyssal Fleet.
The big-headed one was probably the Wo-class carrier. But they weren’t afraid of aircraft carriers at night, so they could ignore it. Next to the Wo-class was a tall woman. It has a physique that could make you feel its beauty, the Ta-class battleship. That one was a bit of a nuisance. In addition, there were also a group of destroyers swimming nearby.
And further in the back. A body so white that you could even tell from afar. The boss of Area E, a woman with two dangling hair on both sides of her head, the Southern War Demon. Even though the shipgirls from Yokosuka Naval Base had been putting all their effort, they had yet to defeat it.
She had the ability to self-repair. There was no way to know how far she could heal herself. Having faith that their allies were damaging her, Kagerou and the two others charged.
Some of the enemies noticed them.
A flickering flash.
“Enemy opened fire! Go straight ahead and avoid it!”
Shells were falling down in their wake. They kept going on a straight course.
The Ta-class battleship roared. The Abyssal Fleet clustered around the Southern War Demon. They tried intimidating the tiny destroyers.
Still, the destroyer girls didn’t flinch.
More enemy fire. The reverberating sound inside their body was from the 16-inch gun. It landed both in front of them and behind them.
“Bracketing salvo?! Isn’t that great?! Bring it on!” Kagerou shouted. “Commence firing!”
They returned fire at once. There was a difference in the shell's weight, but as long it hit the target, they could manage. A few struck the Ro-class destroyers, burying them to the bottom of the sea.
They didn’t slow down. They charged straight ahead.
“Target change! Five degrees to the right, the Ta-class battleship. Commence—Ah!”
The large body suddenly disappeared.
The moon was obscured. The night sky was shrouded by clouds, hiding both the moon and the stars. Therefore, the surroundings became pitch black.
Darkness was destroyers ally. Night favored the small body. The more maneuverable they were, the easier it was for them to escape and attack again. They couldn’t be caught since they couldn’t be seen.
But as for now.
Columns of water splashes emerged right beside them. It was the shells from the Ta-class. It was surprisingly close.
“Radar assisted fire?!”
The Ta-class was equipped with radar that overcame the disadvantage of being in the darkness. It would detect the destroyer girls with its radar and rain them down with bombardment.
And they didn’t have the same equipment.
Kagerou bit her lip.
“We have no choice. We'll just keep charging—”
“Wait, wait!” Ushio shouted. “I’m going to illuminate it! I'll use the searchlight! Aim at the searchlight direction!”
“Idiot, you're going to die if you do that you know?!” Akebono yelled back.
The powerful illumination of the searchlight could indeed detect the enemy's position. But it also meant exposing herself to the enemy. And the enemy would even get a clearer view than detecting with radar.
It was impossible for destroyers to use their searchlight without suffering damage. Still, Ushio raised her voice.
“It's okay, I'm a destroyer too! I'll show you that I can fight properly!”
“That’s reckless!”
“Don't worry about me, just attack!”
Kagerou made an immediate decision.
“Ushio, do it.”
“Kagerou?!”
Akebono was surprised. As if to tell her to put up with it, Kagerou continued, “During that time, Akebono and I will take out the Ta-class. It's eliminate or be eliminated!”[1]
“Argh, damn it!” Akebono almost scratched her head. “You guys are always like this! Ushio, I won't forgive you if you sink on your own!”
“Turn on the searchlight!”
In response to Kagerou's words, Ushio turned her searchlight at the enemy.
A circular light illuminated the Ta-class battleship from the darkness under the night sky.
“Fire!”
Bombardment enveloped the Ta-class. But the enemy did the same. The Abyssal Fleet gun ports were directed at Ushio.
Ushio ignored it and shouted, “Fire, fire!”
“Launch the torpedo!” Kagerou ordered. At the same time, countless shells were fired from the enemy.
○
When the smoke cleared, Nagatsuki was alive, although she was choking from the smoke.
“Cough, Satsuki!? Are you okay?!”
“… I'm still fine. I'm used to getting injuries.”
That said, Satsuki's clothes were in tatters and the 12.7cm twin gun mount she was supposed to be holding in her hand was gone. It was the same for Nagatsuki, and a part of her rigging had been gouged out.
However, the two were still alive.
The Ru-class battleship’s bombardment was fired at both Nagatsuki and Satsuki at the same time. Therefore, the firepower was dispersed and weakened, and thanks to the remodeling, they didn’t instantly sink.
“Counterattacking is… Damn it.”
Nagatsuki almost fell to her knees. There was something wrong with her main engine. The boiler output was also decreasing. Not only was she not moving forward, she seemed to be turning around in circles.
The Ru-class was roaring vigorously. Even the To-class light cruiser was roaring. It was a combination of both monster and ferocious beast. They were about to launch further attacks on the two who had become battered.
It was clear as day which side had the advantage.
Nagatsuki wiped the blood off her face.
“… Run away.”
Shocked, Satsuki responded, “Eh, Ehh?!”
“My main engine is at its limits. It's a miracle that I’m still afloat. Just leave me here.”
“Don't be ridiculous!”
“I'll at least take them down with me. Quickly, go!” Nagatsuki shouted, and Satsuki choked up.
Then she raised her voice.
“I can’t leave them to Nagatsuki!”
“Are you underestimating me here?!”
“I'll do it instead!”
She grabbed the torpedo tubes attached to Nagatsuki's legs. She picked up the oxygen torpedoes that failed to be launched.
She held four long lances, then took the torpedoes from her own torpedo tubes. In total, she had eight oxygen torpedoes in her hands.
“If they can't be launched, then I'll launch them on my own!”
“Oi, that’s—”
“I’ve been training. This kind of thing, is the thing I had trained for!” She yelled at her main engine, “Both sides advance!”
She advanced forward. That small body, carrying the oxygen torpedoes, rushed toward the Ru-class. She was so close that she seemed to dive into its chest.
Satsuki shouted, “Don't look down on Mutsuki-class!!”
She threw the oxygen torpedoes with all her might. Some of them sank as they were, some failed to detonate, and eventually sank as well. And lastly.
Some of them struck the Ru-class battleship, and the exploding tip activated.
The torpedo warheads exploded. A torrent of flame hurled at the Abyssal Fleet. An intense light shone in the dark of the night.
The Ru-class screamed. Its own shells had caught fire. The shells caused a detonation, and its entire bodies were engulfed in flames.
The successful destroyer girl collapsed on the spot.
“Satsuki!”
Nagatsuki, who had somehow managed to chase after her with a single propelling power, covered Satsuki. She took the Ru-class explosion with her back. There was a tremendous impact and searing heat.
“Jeez, Nagatsuki, you're the one who needs to get out of here…”
“Do you think I can leave my friend behind like that?!”
Nagatsuki firmly guarded Satsuki as flames fluttered around her. In return, the rigging on her back turned pitch black, and both her boiler and main engine stopped functioning.
She started to be submerged below sea level.
(Sorry everyone… Looks like this is as far as I can go… At the very least I was able to save Satsuki…)
Her body started sinking. But her eyes widened.
The To-class light cruiser was pointing its guns at her.
“This guy…!”
The To-class was slowly taking aim. Nagatsuki had no way to counterattack, and Satsuki was on the verge of losing consciousness.
At that time.
“Nagatsuki!”
The To-class exploded. A torpedo struck a direct hit on it. A small body came rushing from the other side. The one who had hit it using the oxygen torpedo was an Asashio-class destroyer girl.
“Nagatsuki, Satsuki, I'll help you now! Hang in there!”
Arare rushed forward and grabbed both Nagatsuki and Satsuki's bodies at the same time.
She pulled them up and towed them away as they were. All left from the place they had just been was the sunken Ru-class and the titled To-class wrecks.
Satsuki, who was being pulled, slightly opened one of her eyes.
“Arare… I don’t know that you were able to shout out loud… That's good.”
“It was a nice voice. I was fascinated listening to it.”
Arare’s cheek was slightly reddened from Nagatsuki’s words.
○
Countless columns of water splashes emerged on the Abyssal Fleet swarms. Oxygen torpedoes struck home. The Ta-class battleship and the entangled Ro-class destroyers were engulfed in raging flames.
And Ushio was also covered in fire as well.
“Ushio!?” Akebono turned pale and rushed over. “Ushio, are you okay? Hold on, stay with me!”
“I-I’m… fine…”
Ushio forced a smile.
Her body was in tatters. Even if her skin was covered with a protective film, she would still get hurt if get attacked like that. Her rigging was also in such a state that even the scrap dealers would refuse to receive them.
She was under such an attack. She paid the price for turning the searchlight on.
Akebono hugged Ushio.
“I'll tow you. You’ve saved us after all.”
“It's strange… Before, it was me who pulled you…”
“It's my turn now!” She turned around and said, “'She has to be docked! Kagerou, Kage—”
Kagerou didn’t listen to their exchanges.
All this time, she kept staring into the darkness of the night. Into the figure of the monster that was supposed to be there, but had somehow disappeared without anyone noticing.
“… Akebono, take Ushio and retreat.”
“What…?”
“I'll go ahead.”
“Huh, wait a minute!? We're out of ammo!”
“I have enough for one more round.”
Her torpedo reloading device was activated. Then a buzz noise signaling the completion of the oxygen torpedo reload sounded.
“I’m going, ‘kay.”
“Idiot, you’re going alone…”
“The opponent is also alone you know,” then she added, “Shiranui is alone too.”
Kagerou muttered, “Both sides advance, second battle speed.” She weaved her way through the burning Abyssal Fleet.
The Abyssal Fleet wreckages faded away behind her. As the flame intensity got weaker, the surroundings became dark once again.
It wasn’t dark enough to hinder navigation. The moon and stars emerged again.
Shiranui is around here. She propelled forward.
There were islands here and there, and there were many wrecks of abandoned ships. Some were old and some were new. Among them was also a cargo ship that seemed to have been sunk not too long ago.
(That’s awfully a lot of them…)
She looked around. There were also some of the ships that seemed like they were being piled up. It looked as if someone had brought them in.
“Hm…?”
She heard a sound.
Kagerou lowered her main engine speed to half ahead. She reduced the RPM as much as possible and listened carefully to the sound.
Ahead, on the other side of the island, perhaps. It was a crackling sound, like someone was trying to break a metal. She couldn’t imagine what it was, so for the time being, she was going to approach the island cautiously.
She approached the island. A shadow could be seen under the night sky.
“Ah, that guy…!”
Kagerou was speechless.
Covered with a thick armor plate was a woman with long hair hanging down from both sides of her head. Her white body, though damaged by bombardments and air attacks, was clearly visible even in the dark of the night.
The Southern War Demon.
There she was.
But that wasn’t what Kagerou was at a loss for.
There were piles of wrecks around it. Pieces of all kinds of ships. They surrounded the sea and the island as if they were tombstones, creating a chilling sight. It was a graveyard of ships, of everything that sailed the seas.
And on those wrecks.
They all had the same marks on them. Marks of as if they had been forcibly devoured.
Those wreckages and the self-repair ability. It all clicked together.
“Th-those ships…!”
What was there was the wrecks of naval vessels. So, what if it's shipgirls?
“Shiranui… Shiranui!”
The Southern War Demon noticed. It flung the wreckage in its hand and turned its body.
It cried a howling roar to the surrounding.
The roar was incomparable to that of a battleship. It was furious because its habitat had been invaded.
A deep red gaze pierced through Kagerou.
But Kagerou didn’t waver. She glared back.
“Give back Shiranui… to me!!”
She rushed straight. Her main engine was loaded with full power in a flash and she rapidly closed the distance.
The Southern War Demon faced forward. All of the 16-inch triple gun mounts focused at Kagerou.
A muzzle blast.
The shells exploded, creating pillars of death. The pillars were many times the height of the destroyer girl, a strike that seemed like it wanted to pulverize that tiny body.
But they all occurred behind Kagerou.
The Kagerou-class destroyer’s acceleration speed threw off the timing of its aimed strike.
Next was Kagerou's turn.
“AAAAAA!!”
The arm on her back moved. The few remaining shells were loaded into the chamber.
A breathtakingly close range. Deep red eyes filled her field of vision.
“Fire!!”
A consecutive shot. A deafening noise.
They hit the outer skin of the Southern War Demon, some bounced off, some struck and exploded.
They passed side by side. She turned around and approached again.
Shells were fired once more.
All those weren’t lethal damage. It was difficult to bring that huge woman to her knees with the bombardment of a destroyer girl.
Even so, she didn’t stop attacking. After turning away briefly, she adjusted her posture.
Her main engine was at full RPM. Even the boiler emitted fiery heat and released an output beyond its limit.
The enemy counterattacked. The Southern War Demon roared. Columns of water splashes emerged around Kagerou, and her body vibrated from the explosion. A direct hit would send her to the bottom of the sea, and even a near miss would send her to the realm of the dead.
However, it didn’t hit Kagerou.
In the midst of countless shells, she avoided every attack.
She was able to pull it off as of now.
Her field of vision changed. The surrounding wreckages blurred. In contrast, the Southern War Demon in front of her was clearly visible.
Her senses were sharpened, and she could perceive even the slightest movement of her opponent. She felt as if time was flowing slowly exclusively around her.
The 16-inch guns fired, and Kagerou avoided it with ease.
It felt strange. How did she manage to go this far?
How was it possible for her to fight one-on-one against an Abyssal Fleet that resembled a mass of terror and remain on an equal footing?
Why am I still alive? Why didn't I sink to the bottom of the ocean?
She understood the reason now.
Because she had decided to fight.
For everyone’s sake. For the 14th Destroyer Division. And above all, for her partner.
The moment she thought of protecting them, Kagerou's body became lighter. Surpassing her limit. Entering a realm beyond her previous strength. Toward the new possibilities as a destroyer girl.
The remodeling had successfully demonstrated its purpose.
Kagerou pushed forward.
She ran through the darkness.
Before her was the Southern War Demon.
But the current her wasn’t frightened.
She had already overcome her fear. The bigger the enemy were, the more powerful destroyers became. She was a proud destroyer girl, first and foremost.
Her torpedo's arm moved and aimed perfectly.
“Launching pressure check, depth adjustment check, angle of attack as well as trimming check!” She shouted, “First torpedo, launch!”
A torpedo was ejected. The long lance, which had temporarily submerged, slid under the surface and charged forward, leaving no trail of bubbles.
The Southern War Demon gunports shone. A column of water splash. A shell hit the oxygen torpedo and destroyed it.
She didn’t despair. She had considered that would happen.
“Second torpedo, launch!”
An oxygen torpedo was released once again. It rushed toward the Southern War Demon. But this time, the angle was slightly different than before.
In order to dodge the torpedo, the white body shifted slightly.
“Third torpedo, launch!”
Another one advanced. The warhead was aimed at the estimated position that the enemy was trying to evade, and it rushed fiercely.
I̷'̵m̶ ̶n̴o̴t̷ ̸g̸o̷i̵n̷g̵ ̵t̷o̴ ̴l̵e̶t̸ ̵y̶o̸u̵ ̵d̷e̷f̵e̶a̵t̷ ̸m̴e̶…
The Southern War Demon dodged the second torpedo. The third torpedo was heading there.
Its tight lips moved.
The white body proceeded forward.
It waved its iron left arm. The torpedo made contact and exploded.
A thunderous roar. The tip of its arm was obliterated.
The Southern War Demon defended against the torpedo by sacrificing its arms.
The right arm moved. The gun barrel took aim to catch the destroyer. It tried to fire a deadly shot at close range.
But Kagerou wasn’t there.
She had used the three torpedoes as distractions and had crept into its flank.
A triumphant smile appeared on Kagerou's face.
“Fourth torpedo, launch!”
As soon as it was launched, the safety mechanism was released. It was a distance that could be reached by outstretched hands. A deadly distance where she wouldn't miss even in the unlikely event that she did.
“Drop dead, you monster!”
A thunderous roar and a huge pillar mixed with flames.
An explosion exceeding the durability of the Southern War Demon occurred. The explosion overwhelmed its self-repair ability and pulverized it from the bottom of its body.
O̶̱͋o̴͍͛̍ó̴̲̚͜ơ̸̳̘ơ̴̲̍o̵̢͊o̸̱͙͑o̷̝͊̓ỏ̴̲.̵͔̱̊.̷̢͋.̷̥̟͐.̵͉̃.̵̡́͝.̷̟̽!̶̢̦̎͘
A shriek accompanied by flames soared to the sky.
The white body split open, and its shells detonated and scattered in all directions.
Kagerou took a deep breath, then quickly lifted her head.
“Where are you?! Speak out!”
Fiery debris from the shells were raining down on the pile of wreckage. She searched through them.
The flames of the explosion still lingered. The inflammable stuff in the wreckage caught fire. The flames spread as fast as they could.
“Where are you, Shiranui?! Where are you…”
She held up her arms to block the occasional sparks of fire. Gradually, She began to feel the heat.
Something moved with a rustle. A human body was peeking out from under a pile of wreckage.
“… Are you there?!”
The uniform was barely visible. But she didn't even twitch.
Kagerou reached out her hand.
“Shira…nui!”
She grabbed her wrist. She pulled her up with all her might.
Her partner's body emerged from the wreckage.
A Kagerou-class uniform. Rigging that was torn to pieces. A face that was stained with soot. And pale limbs.
She picked her up and withdrew from the scene.
With blazing wreckage behind, Kagerou called out to her repeatedly.
“Open your eyes! Please!”
But there was no reply.
Kagerou was struck with despair. Even though she had fought hard. Even though she had defeated the enemy. Even though she had rescued her.
Despite everything she had gone through.
That’s why, please open your eyes.
“Please…”
Large tears fell from her face.
Shiranui's eyelids moved as if responding.
“Ngh…”
“You’re alive…!”
Kagerou's face brightened up.
Shiranui faintly opened her eyes. She slightly moved her lips.
“Kagerou…”
It was a hoarse voice, but she clearly could hear it.
“The glove… So you noticed it…”
“Uh-huh… It’s you after all, so I thought that you'd be hiding over here. Thank goodness… You're alive… Trully…”
“… Ah, Kagerou is crying… Why…” She reached out and touched Kagerou's cheek. “Was it, Shiranui’s fault…?”
“…Stupid.” Kagerou laughed through her tears. “You are not at fault at all…”
Kagerou tightly hugged her.
Time passed for a while.
Slowly and carefully, the two of them moved forward.
Then a few figures started to come toward them.
“Those are…”
It was destroyer figures. Akebono and Ushio. Nagatsuki and Satsuki, as well as Arare who was pulling them along.
It was the 14th Destroyer Division.
Everyone was waving. They rushed over to Kagerou and Shiranui.
“… Sheesh, doing such a thing,” Kagerou said. “You guys didn’t have to come get me.”
Seeing such a situation, Shiranui mumbled with a sigh, “Kagerou… You must be very blessed to have such good friends.”
“Mm? What?”
“… No, nothing.”
Shiranui closed her eyes.
The sun was rising on the horizon. Dawn was about to break.
○
Starting from Kagerou, the 14th Destroyer Division and Shiranui were retrieved by Maya and her fleet.
The battle report was given during their return trip. Most of the Abyssal Fleet that had been swarming in the area had disappeared, confirming the results of the battle.
Upon hearing the news, the Yokosuka Naval Base erupted in cheers. The Southern War Demon had been defeated, and peace had been restored to that sea area.
And everyone knew that it was the tiny destroyer girls, the 14th Destroyer Division, who had put the final blow.
They returned to Yokosuka Naval Base. Shipgirls were lining up on the pier to greet them.
Amidst the applause, cheers, and general excitement, Kagerou saluted Atago.
“The 14th Destroyer Division has returned.”
“Thank you for your service,” Atago returned her salutation “So you’ve rescued Shiranui.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You never lost hope?”
“Yes," Kagerou replied.
Atago smiled.
“I thought so. Big Sis believed in you after all.”
The injured girls were being carried away. Among them were Nagatsuki, Satsuki, Ushio, and Shiranui.
“Unfortunately, the dock is full. The remaining fast repair materials are insufficient… But we will treat them for sure."
Those were fluffy, but reassuring words.
“The admiral is also delighted, you know?”
“Thank you very much. Um, I have to apologize to the commander…”
“Oh, that's not necessary. He knows exactly what he's doing, and he's busy yelling at his superiors right now.”
The admiral was negotiating with the higher-ups overseeing the various naval bases over operational authority. He said that if he showed them the results from today, he would get more free hands. In that sense, he explained, he was grateful to Kagerou and the others.
“There won’t be any sorties for the time being, and I hope Kagerou-chan gets enough rest as well."
“Yes, ma’am.”
She saluted once again.
Their treatment at the Shipgirl-Exclusive Medical Treatment Facility was over, and the 14th Destroyer Division had regained their former strength. Around the same time, Yokosuka Naval Base announced the end of the offensive operation.
That also meant parting with Shiranui. She didn’t request an extension of her own reassignment, nor did she request Kagerou to return to Kure.
Shiranui faced the 14th Destroyer Division at the main gate of the Naval Base.
“I’ll be lonely,” Kagerou reluctantly said. “I thought I was going to be able to work together with Shiranui since you came here, you know?”
Shiranui shook her head.
“I'm fine with it as long as Kagerou is doing well with the 14th Destroyer Division. I understand perfectly,” The way she spoke sounded somewhat relieved. “Shiranui will be lonely as well, but it was an order. I will make sure the room is clean until the day Kagerou returns to Kure.”
Shiranui looked at Akebono.
“Please take care of Kagerou in my stead.”
“… Hmph,” Akebono turned her face away. “It's not like you to give up so suddenly.”
“Shiranui isn’t so tactless as to destroy the bonds between people.”
“I guess that means I won that game after all.”
“It's a draw. Shall we do it again someday?”
“Of course. Next time, I will make you crawl on your knees,” then Akebono faced Shiranui. “Until then, don't you dare to die.”
“Likewise,” Shiranui held out her hand, and Akebono shook it firmly. “Now then, I’m off.”
She saluted, then walked out the front gate.
Kagerou saw her off until her figure faded away.
“… Well, it’s kinda regrettable,” Satsuki said. “I wish I had talked to her more if she departed just like this.”
“I talked with her, you see. When we were in the dock together. I went to visit her a few times,” Nagatsuki said. “She was very talkative when we were alone, and she told me a lot about Kagerou.”
“How nice, tell me about it.”
“… I know about that too, let's talk about it sometimes…”
Arare joined in, and Kagerou said while laughing, “Stop it, you guys!”
Ushio, who was beaming with a smile while listening, suddenly said, “Oh, that’s right, what about the beer we’re supposed to give to Shiranui?”
”Ah, I forgot about that. I was thinking about getting Shiranui to drink that beer too,” Satsuki held her head with both hands. “It can’t be helped, let's drink it all together, shall we?”
Akebono frowned, “You’re going to drink that, even though it tastes awful?”
“Then let's drink it without Akebono. Let's have a toast as the 14th Destroyer Division,” Satsuki took the initiative and walked away. Everyone agreed and followed suit.
“Wait, you guys left me alone?!”
“Well, that’s because Akebono doesn't want to drink.”
“I never said I won’t drink!”
Akebono hurried after them.
At that time, the girls didn’t know yet.
That the 14th Destroyer Division was being recognized as the trump card of the Naval Base.
The fact that dispatch requests were pouring in from various Naval Bases that had taken notice of their abilities.
Their duty at Yokosuka came to an end. Their next appointment was to the southwest, at Lingga Anchorage.
A new adventure began there.
Gradually, the waves on the sea were rising in height.
To be continued
Note :
[1] : 一発勝負, kind of like a contest of speed, I'm not too sure, they had to take down the enemy before the enemy took Ushio down, which might be similar to do-or-die I guess?
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