Kantai Collection – Kankore – Kakuyoku no Kizuna Vol 1 Chapter 3

The Naval District hosts several hot springs, but the most popular is the open-air hot spring "Bamboo Forest Soup [1]."

Bamboo Forest Soup lies deep in the Naval District, surrounding the spring from which it derives it name; decorated according to the theme of "The Secret Hot Spring Gus.h.i.+ng from the Bamboo Forest," it was well-loved by many s.h.i.+pgirls. It was quite expansive, readily taking in over half the naval district's s.h.i.+pgirls with room to spare.

"...whew~hot springs really are the best."

Zuikaku marinated in the pool, her legs on the rocks in a pose of relaxation as she let out her praise.

Due perhaps to the temperature that followed nightfall, the pool in which Zuikaku soaked was shrouded in a cloud of white steam. From who knows where came a sea breeze that clattered the bamboo that surrounded the hot springs against each other.

"To be able to warm up the body, remove your aches, treat your skin with spring water and (most importantly) just to relax...this is just the best...! Right, Shoukaku-nee?"

"Ohoh, Zuikaku is sounded more and more like a s.h.i.+pgirl by the day."

Shoukaku smiled happily.

This was the fourth day since Zuikaku's first sortie. After joint exercises with the other s.h.i.+pgirls, she had invited Shoukaku along to Bamboo Forest Soup. Recently she had found herself enamored to these baths, visiting the various hot springs in the Naval District or in the outlying towns whenever she had the free time to wash away the day's fatigue.

Shoukaku had yet to display an ounce of reservation to her sister's whims. Indeed, she seemed quite pleased with the fact that Zuikaku was enjoying daily life.

Shoukaku seemed the same right now, indulgently watching Zuikaku, submerged in hot water up to her neck.

During these four days, Zuikaku and Shoukaku had spent their days as before, training in the waters around the naval district.

The rest of the s.h.i.+pgirls were no different, with sorties limited to those on patrol duty.

The current att.i.tude of relaxation belied the planned a.s.sault on Okinos.h.i.+ma, a plan known by all the s.h.i.+pgirls of the Naval District.

The Operation would begin the day after tomorrow. Although Shoukaku and Zuikaku were not listed among the partic.i.p.ants, they would likely either advance on Okinos.h.i.+ma as support for the Main Fleet or serve to suppress the Abyssals in other districts. As such, it was important that they train as best as they could for now.

Once Operations in the Okinos.h.i.+ma Waters had successfully concluded and if Zuikaku had no change of heart, the admiral would officially recognize Zuikaku as a s.h.i.+pgirl of the Naval District.

Shoukaku continued with a voice now devoid of post-training fatigue.

"Every s.h.i.+pgirl has become addicted to hot springs after coming to this naval district. As said, the hot springs are extremely comfy...on the other hands, perhaps it's because we could not experience this kind of thing as wars.h.i.+ps that we need to enjoy it so much as s.h.i.+pgirls."

"Not to mention we were always on the seas as Wars.h.i.+ps, and all the showers used seawater."

Freshwater was incredibly valuable for a wars.h.i.+p, and as such the average seaman could only shower with seawater. This was the case even for the new-model Shoukaku-cla.s.s Standard Carriers and their improvements in comfort.

(Although I don't hate life on the seas, it's still nice to be able to enjoy a bath like normal people...)

As she stretched out her arms, Shoukaku spoke on:

"That's why I also enjoy hot springs. To be able to bathe with you, Zuikaku, is wonderful. Plus leisurely baths like these are great for removing all the aches and pains..."

"Ahahha. We've gotten hit together quite a bit recently."

As Zuikaku's expertise advanced, so too did the difficulty of their exercises. As the two were exposed to increasingly harsh conditions, the hits sustained had steadily increased.

Although they were both hit with virtually the same number of sh.e.l.ls, Zuikaku reckoned that she had still been a little better off thanks to her luck.

While aware of the name of the "Lucky Carrier" given to her in "That War," this war and that were two different things. It would be dangerous to let down one's guard.

Shoukaku smiled wistfully.

"Yes. However, you've gotten used to the rules of this world faster than I had ever projected, and you've allowed me to relax. The great difference between 'That War' and the one here doesn't appear to have taken you by surprise."

"Hehe, it's 'cuz this Naval District's really comfy."

Zuikaku grinned contentedly.

"The Naval District has over a hundred s.h.i.+pgirls--it's like a busy family. Plus the food's good, the neighbors are friendly, and there are great hot springs everywhere...with all that in mind, the difference between worlds isn't even that important. Being a s.h.i.+pgirl's f.u.c.king great."

"It's important to watch your body, though. Zuikaku, since you've come, you've put on a few folds on your stomach."

"D-did I g-gain weight...?"

Suddenly feeling a burst of cold sweat, Zuikaku smiled crookedly. She paid great attention to these kind of things.

"Ugh, but every day the food is so good that you feel like you gotta have them all. Plus most of the dishes never existed during 'That War'..."

From the side came some rather cutting words.

"That is a sign that you are neglecting your training. You lack enough self-control as a s.h.i.+pgirl."

The speaker was Hiyou. She, like Zuikaku, was soaking her legs in the hot water, her hair tied in a neat bun as if proclaiming her good upbringing.

After Zuikaku's first deployment, Hiyou and Junyou often worked with Zuikaku and Shoukaku. They had gone together to the hot springs after concluding training.

The wounds Hiyou had sustained in battle had been completely healed, and her body now moved as if they had not even happened.

From the day after tomorrow, Hiyou and Junyou would be serving as reserve second-line troops like Zuikaku and company.

Hiyou closed her eyes as if savoring the warmth of the hot spring, all the while speaking with her usual seriousness.

"Though they do have their appeal, being too carried away is a problem as well. We are s.h.i.+pgirls, after all, forever under the eyes of the world..."

"There you go with all those rules and c.r.a.p again...Hiyou, I always see you getting seconds."

"It's fine, after all I run a little thriftier than most carriers. Listen up, the Hiyou-cla.s.s used to be luxury liners--"

"Ahyahya--!"

With an excited shout and the impact of a sh.e.l.l, a huge pillar of water burst in front of Hiyou's eyes. As would be expected, countless little droplets found their ways onto Hiyou as well.

"Sheeeeiit, hot springs are the best! I feel all warmed up already! Don't'ya think so too, Hiyou?"

"Before that, don't you have something you need to say to me?"

Hiyou asked with a hint of irritation, her face dripping with water.

"Something I oughta say? Uhh~ya mean that time Hiyou weighed herself at another bathhouse and her face changed color~?"

"....! Junyou! You saw it?! Didn't you say you were going to another bathhouse?"

"You were lookin' around all sneaky like. That's why I had to follow you and take a peek. Only needed one to figure out what was goin' on!"

"I,I'm not worried about my weight! That's just a part of taking care of your body..."

"Hiyou and I used to be luxury liners, so we looove western meals! Not only has Hiyou been to every western restaurant in the vicinity, but she's eaten every dish on the menu!"

"J-junyou!"

"While researching onmyodo at the shrines and monasteries, Hiyou's always munchin' on j.a.panese snacks too...ain't the one all caught up in worldly desires hiyou~?"

"Junyou, sisters like you...!"

An enraged Hiyou stood up from her bath, seemingly having forgotten to cover herself with her towel as she and rounded on Junyou. Suddenly sensing danger, Junyou hurriedly distanced herself.

"If we're talking about worldly desires, isn't Junyou the same? As soon as you have time you're asking me to drink with you! Even if I'm worrying about my weight, you're part of the problem!"

"If you don't want to drink then don't drink~!"

"Well, it's because Houshou-nee's bar food is too good! If someone invites me it'd be rude to refuse!"

"That's nothin' to be ashamed about!"

"There are still some things you shouldn't talk about!"

"Well I mean you might grow a bit of a beer belly, but yo b.o.o.bs will grow to normal size too, you know!"

"Hold on, what are you implying?!"

Hiyou ran after the fleeing Junyou, who nimbly dodged--there was little mood left in the surroundings at this point.

Shoukaku maintained an unconcerned air in regards to the ruckus around her. Zuikaku, meanwhile, looked to Shoukaku's chest and then her own before sighing with a bitter smile.

(Why is it that sisters have such a big difference...speaking of which, how are s.h.i.+pgirl chest sizes decided?)

To put it more subtly, the difference in measurements between she and Shoukaku was rather large. Given that their model and upbringing were virtually identical, why did this happen?

Zuikaku wanted to ask not only Shoukaku, but also the Naval District's most well-endowed Takao and Atago. That required a certain amount of bravery, however, that she had not yet found.

"Then again, though, Junyou has a point--though it's a little contradictory, one shouldn't be over-concerned about this kind of thing as well."

Shoukaku spoke as if to herself, all the while splas.h.i.+ng hot water on her arms.

"We became s.h.i.+pgirls, after all, so it'd be a waste not to enjoy the perks..."

(Not just to save the world, but to save ourselves, huh..."

Because of their transformation into s.h.i.+pgirls, they had become capable of going through the daily life they could not even have imagined as wars.h.i.+ps.

From the overall mood in the naval district, there didn't appear to be any s.h.i.+pgirls dissatisfied with the current arrangements. More likely most of the s.h.i.+pgirls were of the opposite sentiment.

Maybe this was a salvation of its own. To enjoy the time between battles with the abyssals enjoying everyday life with comrades--this was something the s.h.i.+pgirls would not have dared to ask for in the past.

(...in that sense, Shoukaku-nee once told me that our objective is to 'save the Hearts of our comrades', but...)

Last time they had sortied, Shoukaku had indeed told her that.

(Do I have some festering wounds in my heart? And Shoukaku-nee, too...)

Zuikaku sneakily glanced at Shoukaku's expression--she seemed quite relaxed, contentment written across her face with expression unclouded.

(Perhaps the current Shoukaku-nee has already gone through this...)

The entrance opened with a clatter, and Zuikaku turned to the doorway.

"Akagi-senpai, Kaga-senpai...!"

Akagi and Kaga entered the bathhouse, clutching their own towels.

"Ah, you all are here as well. Thank you for your work."

After dousing herself in hot water, Akagi sat down near Zuikaku with a soft smile. Kaga did the same without a word, while Shoukaku nodded to them respectfully.

Zuikaku felt her heart race. Akagi aside, neither Zuikaku nor Kaga would have forgotten what had happened when she had first joined. While Zuikaku held no grudge towards Kaga, she had no idea how to approach this Senpai. On another note, it was also because of her first sortie that she had finally understood the meaning of Kaga's words.

It seemed, however, that Akagi and Kaga had yet to focus on Zuikaku and Shoukaku, staring with graim expressions into teh water, as if hardening their resolve--

(It's worrying, as expected.)

Akagi and Kaga were also part of the Okinos.h.i.+ma strike team. Their thoughts were probably also focused there.

Zuikaku had heard a few rumors about the enemies in the Okinos.h.i.+ma waters.

According to the rumors, Akagi, Kaga and the rest of the main force had been worn out and forced to retreat by the picket fleets before even meeting the main force. Moreover, the number of patrols was unusually large--it would likely be quite difficult to reach the anchorage where the main force resided.

(Akagi-senpai and Kaga-senpai are going to have to head towards that place and destroy an enemy possibly even stronger than the ones before...)

What Akagi and Kaga were thinking about was all conjecture, but Zuikaku knew it would be unwise to bring up this topic. For Akagi and Kaga, the next battle was a battle for revenge--and one that could not be lost at that.

The grim aura lasted nearly a minute--surprisingly, however, the one who broke the silence was Kaga.

"Zuikaku."

"Y-yeargh!"

Zuikaku's words came out oddly due to shock. Maybe her senpai had heard her previous words and was about to give her a sound lecture--fear flashed across Zuikaku's mind.

"While Akagi and Kaga are out, the Naval District will be in your care."

"Y-yes! I'm really sorry...eh?"

Kaga seemed unconcerned with Zuikaku's muddled response, continuing slowly.

"We have yet to figure out when and where the abyssals appear. In the worst case scenario, the naval district itself may come under attack. If that time comes it will be your job to protect the naval district and the other s.h.i.+pgirls."

"But I..."

"This battle will involve not just us, but some 30-or so of our best-trained, front-line s.h.i.+pgirls. You, the Shoukaku-cla.s.s, will be the only standard carriers left behind. 'Our skills are still rusty' will not work as an excuse if the Abyssals attack."

"…………"

"Therefore, we leave the naval district to you. You two, who have returned from your first battle [2] should be able to exhibit the might of the 'future Main Fleet.'"

Kaga eyed Zuikaku--there was no disdain in her eyes now, only trust.

In that case, one would have to respond in kind--Zuikaku nodded with vigor.

"Yes. I will do my best!"

"Then we look forwards to it."

Kaga's gaze returned to the water.

Her words appeared to have softened the mood somewhat. With a wry smile, Akagi joined in.

"Akagi, really...sorry, Zuikaku. This is the only way Kaga knows how to praise other people."

"Praise...?"

"When you first joined the battle, she was very uneasy...hearing that you had returned bearing wounds she had abandoned training to look for you. But she watched from a distance, so you may not have noticed..."

"I,is that so...?"

"Akagi. Your words are making me uncomfortable."

Kaga looked away, her face red--it was true, then.

Kaga gently nudged Kaga's shoulder as she spoke to Zuikaku with a laugh.

"That's why, Zuikaku, you should also work hard and reciprocate Kaga's expectations. I, too, have expectations for you as well."

"Y,yes! Thank you, senpai!"

Akagi nodded and looked towards Shoukaku.

"We'll be relying on Shoukaku as well. Perhaps it may be that you two will become the naval district's last hope."

"Yes, I understand."

Shoukaku inclined her head forcefully.

"I will pray for the safety of you Senpai. Additionally, regarding the enemy anchorage in Okinos.h.i.+ma..."

"Leave it to me. We will put the 1stCarDiv's pride and put an end to the enemy threat."

Akagi and Shoukaku quietly exchanged glances. The agreement between the new and old 1stCarDiv flags.h.i.+ps lighted a fire in Zuikaku's heart.

At this time, Akagi suddenly darted towards Zuikaku and Shoukaku as she whispered to each of them.

"Also, if Hiyou and Junyou ask you guys to go to that Western Restaurant, make sure to tell me too!" "A-akagi senpai, you heard everything earlier?"

Akagi bared her arm with an amused expression as Zuikaku expressed her shock.

"I am one of the elders of this Naval District, after all. The words of my Kouhai can't escape my ears."

"No, what I meant..."

"Akagi loves eating, and as such she is quite adamant about eating out."

Kaga cut in from the side.

"That's why she always keeps her ears out for rumors about delicious restaurants. If you have questions about dieting, you can also ask Akagi--she knows quite a bit, you know."

"H-hold on, Kaga!"

"Hmhm...an eye for an eye."

A bare trace of a smile fought its way onto Kaga's face.

Zuikaku and Shoukaku also burst into laughter. It was a well-known fact that Akagi was the naval district's well-known gourmet, but her good friend Kaga joking about it added a new dimension to the joke.

(Not only Hiyou and Junyou, but Kaga-senpai and Akag-senpai also trust each other...)

Zuikaku looked to Shoukaku as she smiled elegantly.

"I need to quickly earn Shoukaku-nee's trust as well...)

In another corner of the bathhouse, Hiyou and Junyou's verbal and physical riposte continued, but Zuikaku decided to act as if she had not noticed.

Six s.h.i.+pgirls skated on the seas around Okinos.h.i.+ma, cutting through the waves as if they were trying to split the seas.

Today was the third day since the a.s.sault had commenced, and the s.h.i.+pgirls of the main fleet were now forming into attack formation.

This group of six crossing the seas was the first fleet--the fleet's best-trained elite.

The other main force s.h.i.+pgirls waited onboard the command vessel with the Admiral, awaiting the breakthrough.

"things have been going pretty well--"

Fast Battles.h.i.+p Kongou spoke up, relaxed and confident from her position as vanguard.

"We've broken through three fleets, and we're lucky to have escaped any damage...things are going way better than last time--!"

"After all, we were beaten to submission by their surface fleets long before reaching the main force."

Kiris.h.i.+ma's voice spoke from behind Kongou, reawakening memories of the past.

"But I think this time's success comes from us learning our lesson and bringing up some real firepower."

"That's right. The 1stBatDiv [3]'s 姐妹[4] are so reliable--!"

Kongou glanced behind Kiris.h.i.+ma. There stood the two s.h.i.+pgirls Kongou had called the 1stBatDiv 姐妹[5], armed to the teeth with multiple turrets--the 1st s.h.i.+p of the Nagato-cla.s.s Battles.h.i.+ps, Nagato, and the 2nd s.h.i.+p Mutsu.

Armed with eight 36cm, the Kongou-cla.s.s Battlecruisers could go as fast as 33 knots; juxtaposed to them, the Nagato-cla.s.s Battles.h.i.+ps mounted eight 41cm and had a maximum speed of 27 knots. At the time of their completion, the Nagato-cla.s.s were world's strongest battles.h.i.+ps, taking two places among the World's Big 7 Battles.h.i.+ps. They were their nation's pride; in "That War," their specifications had led to them serving as the Main Force.

The Nagato-cla.s.s' value had not changed, even among this Naval District's a.s.sorted s.h.i.+pgirls; they were the trump cards when things got tight, and the s.h.i.+pgirl's leaders.

In response to Kongou's words, Nagato responded with the stolid air of a career soldier.

"I understand. This engagement will be the long-awaited Fleet Decisive Battle. Leave brawling with their Battles.h.i.+ps to me--I will make sure to meet your expectations."

"Being able deploy's not too bad. It'll be worth it, even if we get a little hurt."

Mutsu picked up where Nagato trailed off. She seemed the polar opposite of Nagato, friendly and approachable.

Unlike the Kongou, both Nagato and Mutsu had never been able to take part in the Brawl of the Battlewagons, greeting their end as disappointments and misfits. This applied especially to Mutsu, whose end came through an ammunition explosion that sank her in port--a true misfortune. It was exactly because of this that their words bore such weight.

"Even so, we'll need air support in order to keep up our firepower. If the enemy takes the skies, we won't be able to spot with our seaplanes."

"We'll be counting on you today as well, Akagi, Kaga."

"Understood."

Taking the field once more as flags.h.i.+p and taking the rear, Akagi nodded to Kaga besides her before responding.

"This time around, we in the main fleet have pushed our skills to the limits in preparation for this battle. I shall bet the 1stCarD...no, the s.h.i.+pgirl's pride on this battle. We cannot fail."

"I'd prefer not to dwell on what happens if we fail--"

Kongou's grimaced.

As the Admiral had explained beforehand, the Okinos.h.i.+ma Anchorage would have to be neutralized before the Western Seas Sector could be attacked. The Western Seas Sector was an incredibly bountiful resource area--if this war had to be won, a transport route would have to be established to the region. The Abyssals, endlessly streaming from the bottom of the sea, would not be beaten with a short campaign.

Should the Okinos.h.i.+ma campaign fail, however, this whole plan would just be cart without a horse.

"Taking the Western Seas to secure supplies for a long war, securing the rear and driving the enemy from the Western Sea Sector, making contact with the other isolated nations and then uniting all of humanity's power for the decisive battle--these are our current objectives."

Kiris.h.i.+ma's gaze sharpened as her words turned towards the future.

"But should we fail here and exhaust our strength and resources on the Western Seas' doorstep, our a.s.sault will grind to a halt. The initiative will fall upon the abyssals and their eventual counteroffensive, all of which will culminate in final defeat--"

"The enemy set up the anchorage in Okinos.h.i.+ma to strangle both the homeland and the western seas--from just that we can tell that they will most likely do everything they can to halt our offensive."

Akagi responded solemnly.

"Up till now, the enemy's hurriedly thrown themselves at our a.s.sault piecemeal without stopping to concentrate their force. If we let up the attack and give them time to consolidate, it'll be us facing the danger..."

"That development reminds me of some things I'd like to forget--"

Kongou shrugged.

Though her words were full of levity, their meaning were far deeper. Even if the early battles are successes, defeat at the decisive battle means conceding the initiative, followed by collapse--just like what had happened in "That War."

"--No, there won't be any problem"

Nagato's calm dulcet tones acted as if to cut down the increasingly-grim conversation at its root.

"In order to avoid the same mistakes, we've entrusted the entirety of our memories to the Admiral. Given, we've turned into these s.h.i.+pgirls and so cannot verify the veracity of our memories--nevertheless, this all must have some greater meaning."

"Plus until now the s.h.i.+pgirl escort fleets have been pretty successful."

Mutsu joined in as if just recently enlightened.

The light cruiser and destroyer s.h.i.+pgirls in charge of fleet escort duty had been toiling not only to maintain the flow of materiel from the Mainland, but also to establish s.h.i.+pping routes to the Western Seas.

Even if humanity retook the resource areas, determining escort tactics and routes would require time--there would be no point if the resources could not be brought back to the homeland in a timely fas.h.i.+on. During "That War", their homeland had spent a large amount of time trying to figure out how to make use of their resource dumps--memories of those tactics came from those valuable lessons.

In order to meet the humans' expectations, the light cruisers and destroyers toiled everyday on these tasks. Of course, quite a few light cruisers and destroyers fought on the front lines, but the second line was as important as the first.

"Even in the last days of'That War', when we the main force were immobilized through lack of fuel, they still fought to protect the convoys until the very end."

Nagato continued, full of emotion.

"This time around, I do not wish to make them bear so heavy a weight..."

"In order to avoid this fate, we must succeed."

Akagi took over once more. Having partic.i.p.ated only in the turning point at Midway of "That War," Akagi may have been the one who felt the weight of Nagato's words the most.

"From here on out, the battles will get tougher and tougher. Perhaps we will need more s.h.i.+pgirls--the future of the Main Force is training at the Naval District daily. In order that they will have battles to fight..."

"I've heard."

Nagato had already figured out Akagi's implication.

"It'd be great if we could train her to be our trump card..."

Akagi looked to Kaga, who looked away awkwardly.

At that moment, Mutsu's expression tightened.

"Scout Seaplanes reporting, enemy detected! Closing in on our position!"

"What's their strength?" Akagi inquired immediately.

They were still some way from the main force and their anchorage--the enemy fleet ought to be like those they had met before--picket forces or mid-level patrols. The main force ought to be cruisers and destroyers. With this current force, it probably wouldn't be hard to remove them--

Having finished communicating with the scout plane, Mutsu spoke to Akagi with an expression of shock.

"Enemy fleet composition--three carriers, one battles.h.i.+p, two destroyers. One of the s.h.i.+ps seems like an elite Wo model--but it's glowing with a golden aura. I don't think we've ever seen anything like this before!"

"How can that be?! To run into hitherto-unknown abyssals--isn't this taking a mistake too far....?!"

Kiris.h.i.+ma spoke, face drawn white.

It had already been confirmed that the Wo-cla.s.sed aircraft carrier had a stronger form, referred by s.h.i.+pgirls as the Elite model. But if there existed a Wo even stronger than these two cla.s.ses, it had not been recorded yet.

Moreover, from previous reports on abyssal fleets, mystery or new abyssal s.h.i.+ps normally awaited at the anchorage.

And yet this time, patrol forces preceding the Main Fleet were already showing newtype vessels--just this alone was enough to unnerve the veteran s.h.i.+pgirls.

Adding to that, the enemy fleet consisted of three carriers, two battles.h.i.+ps, and two destroyers--the same strength as a standard Main Force fleet. With this, there was no way to tell what was lying in wait at the anchorage.

"...reminds me of the first time we ran into the Wo-cla.s.s back when we were holding the Line at the Nansei/Southwest Islands--!"

In spite of the sweat that beaded her forehead, Kongou grinned fearlessly.

The Nansei/Southwest Island Line Campaign had happened occured some three months ago--it had been the first carrier battle between the s.h.i.+pgirls and the abyssals. Having cleaned up the seas around the Naval District, it had been the s.h.i.+pgirl's first major barrier in preparation for the a.s.sault on the Southwest/Nansei Islands.

To meet an unknown enemy among the abyssals before reaching the main force--in spite of all the tension, Kongou glowed with excitement.

"Oy ye fuggin c.u.n.ts, let's go gla.s.s some argies! Git those f.o.o.kin' spitfires in the air--!"

"The flags.h.i.+p is me! Don't order us around--Kaga!"

"Understood. First wave, prepare to launch!"

Though Kaga's face was as serene as always, she roared with a vigor that showed she, too, was itching for a fight, letting fly with her carrier planes.

Akagi, too, was the same. The enemy had three carriers, one of which was an as-of-yet unknown Wo-cla.s.s--the perfect enemy for a standard carrier.

To deploy a new Wo-cla.s.s as a gate guard--what kind of enemy would the main fleet be? Unease flickered through their minds, but only mmoentarily--there was an enemy to deal with, right here, right now.

"Stick to the plan--as soon as we launch our first wave, Kongou and company are to begin surface engagement! Focus on gaining air superiority and prioritize the carriers!"

"Right on--! You 'erd her ya f.o.o.kin' w.a.n.kers, follow me--!"

"Understood, Onee-sama!"

"Mutsu, let's go!"

"Understood! Let's pick out one of them carriers!"

As Akagi and Kaga's first wave a.s.sembled and launched, the four battles.h.i.+ps, too, launched into their attack.

"Ohhh....so this is it..."

An awestruck Zuikaku took in the sight around her as she spoke with a voice of praise.

The work area consisted of multiple brick buildings, ordered over an expansive clearing. From several of their roofs issued tendrils of black smoke reaching into the sky. On the ground, personnel [6] scurried to and fro.

The smell of metal a.s.sailed the nostrils, reinforced with a persistent undertone of smoke that came from who knows where. Though it faced the sea like the Naval District, not a whiff of the smell of the sea penetrated.

"That's right. This is the Naval District's factories--a second Naval District for us."

Walking alongside Zuikaku, Shoukaku turned to explain.

Generally speaking, s.h.i.+pgirls sealed their souls into their equipment--n.o.body observed or quantified this, nor did the s.h.i.+pgirls feel it, but there seemed no other reasonable explanation--and then released it in battle.

However, as they could not perform maintenance, repairs or development on their own, all these things were left up to the Naval District Factory. Zuikaku didn't know the details, but the s.h.i.+pgirls' carrier planes--including Zuikaku's arrows, Hiyou's s.h.i.+kigami and the like--were, like sh.e.l.ls and torpedos, manufactured and resupplied here.

"Originally we were supposed to live on base in a nearby Navy Port's command headquarters. But you heard the commander--in order to allow s.h.i.+pgirls to live like humans, our daily lives were moved to the current naval district."

"Of course, staying here would be fairly boring. Shopping would be difficult from here..."

Most likely in order to preserve secrecy or to provide some measure of protection from Abyssal attack, the Naval District was ensconced deep in the harbor, quite far away from either the Naval District or the Train Station. Even Zuikaku and Shoukaku could only reach the factories on bus and foot.

Today, Shoukaku had brought Zuikaku to the naval district factories for a tour as a part of understanding this world.

They had seen off Akagi, Kaga and the other s.h.i.+pgirls to Okinos.h.i.+ma from the Naval base yesterday morning.

To be honest, Zuikaku had wondered, "is it alright to run off to this kind of place while the Senpai were fighting?" However, Shoukaku had brought Zuikaku over with the explanation that "now, more than ever, we should look over these places."

"From here on out, the battles with the abyssals will become increasingly vicious. If we are to resist them, we will not only have to hone our skills, but also maintain and update our equipment. I believe that it is precisely because our senpai are on the front lines that we ought to learn with their efforts in mind."

Yesterday, Shoukaku had used this argument to convince the previously reluctant Zuikaku to tour the naval district factories. Having seen them with her own eyes, Zuikaku also felt she had gained a better grasp of them.

(This is the place that has been supporting us in our battles, huh...)

Thinking back, victory in "That War" had depended heavily on having the right equipment in the right amounts, in the right place. Seeing that war under the same lens, things seemed somewhat safer.

"I recall that this would be the meeting place..."

Having reached the factory meeting room, Shoukaku fretted softly.

"Meeting? Is someone coming?"

"Yes. To be honest, I've only been at the factory once as well, so I'm not very clear on things either--that's why I asked a s.h.i.+pgirl familiar with this place to be our guide."

"A s.h.i.+pgirl familiar with this place?"

"S,Sorry I'm late--!"

From the distance came a voice--Zuikaku turned to see a s.h.i.+pgirl wearing equipment that seemed far too heavy for her slender frame. Dripping with sweat, she leaned with her hands on her knees, gasping for breath.

"Yuubari! You're the guide...? Speaking of which, are you alright?"

Zuikaku spoke with shock.

Yuubari was one of the light cruiser s.h.i.+pgirls. Having been designed with the absurd goal of "fitting the armaments of the 5000-ton k.u.ma-cla.s.s Light Cruisers onto a 3000-ton s.h.i.+p," she had no sisters.

Borne of designing ingenuity, the s.h.i.+p design met the fulfilled requirements and caught the eye of the Naval Community. However, the wars.h.i.+p also struggled with range and reliability issues, as well as the inability to mount seaplanes, among other flaws.

"Whew, whoo...this level isn't a problem..."

The young girl forced out a sweaty grin with a thumbs-up. No matter how you looked at it, this was very much a problem.

"A,anyway, let's find somewhere to rest. Do you want something to drink?"

"Don't worry about it! Visiting hours are limited, so let's hurry up.....woaaahhhh--!

Yuubari broke into a run--and then promptly collapsed. The giant equipment set on her back slammed into the ground with a rumble that summoned a cloud of dust. Her trademark sailor's uniform and green skirt were also soiled with dust.

Zuikaku stood and gaped. Shoukaku, meanwhile, spoke tactfully.

"...Anyhow, let's take it easy, you can introduce us on the way."

"S,sorry about that~"

Yuubari responded tearfully from where she lay, pinned down by her equipment.

"Moving on, this factory develops equipment, and Yuubari records the data?"

Zuikaku spoke up as they walked through the factory grounds.

With a finger on her face, Yuubari responded with a hint of embarra.s.sment.

"Not all of them, but I inspect all the equipment I can use."

Of course, light cruisers cannot mount 41cm or a carrier's plane complement.

"Think about it--I'm an experimental wars.h.i.+p, armed with this heavy outfit. Giving an objective evaluation and giving a second opinion on how it feels in a s.h.i.+pgirl's hands...I specialize in this kind of thing."

Yuubari patted her equipment proudly.

On closer inspection, what looked like two joysticks lay on either side of the outfit. s.h.i.+pgirls with this type of outfit were limited to Yuubari on this Naval District. Perhaps it gave her extra stability when using her heavy equipment--it certainly gave Yuubari a familiarity with manipulating equipment that other s.h.i.+pgirls lacked.

"It's also because of this that fuel consumption is so high....even if average speed isn't very high, it's not like that once the battle starts."

"But for you to work here in this kind of place...as expected of a prototype s.h.i.+p. Someone like me wouldn't be able to pull it off."

"Ahaha, hearing you say things like that makes it worth it for us experimental s.h.i.+ps. My specialty is equipment control--I won't lose to any other light cruiser, even in a real battle!"

Yuubari raised her right fist. It seemed that her role as "the experimental s.h.i.+p in the factory" had become her pride.

(For Yuubari, is this a kind of redemption....?)

The thought flashed across her mind as she watched Yuubari speak happily.

(But remember that Yuubari should be like Shoukaku and I, sank by the enemy...does she dwell on that kind of thing like Hiyou...?)

"Yuubari, you were pretty active in 'That War', right? You were a torpedo squadron flags.h.i.+p, escort fleet member, a partic.i.p.ant in the 1st Battle of the Solomon Seas..."

As if to answer Zuikaku's question, Shoukaku brought up Yuubari's past.

"The Admiral's also full of praises for you as well--says your activity was nothing like that of an Experimental s.h.i.+p. Plus your performance against the abyssals was even more exemplary..."

"Ahaha....well, about that, I guess I was just lucky."

"Even when you sank, didn't over 95% of your crew survive? Samidare, who rescued your crew, made a report of that sort during 'That War.'"

"Ah, yeah, that's true."

Yuubari nodded awkwardly. At the side, Zuikaku also felt a bit of tension.

Questions on the line of "What happened to the people aboard me" were banned in all but name in the Naval District. After all, nearly every s.h.i.+pgirl who had come to the naval district had sunk in "That War", usually with a significant part of the crew. For the s.h.i.+pgirls who retained memories of their deaths, this topic hit far too close to home.

Even s.h.i.+pgirls such as Junyou who had survived the war did not discuss these things. Bringing it up equated to drawing a comparison between "I, who allowed my crew to successfully survive" with "The rest of the s.h.i.+pgirls, who could not preserve their crew."

Zuikaku had also avoided this topic in order to protect these kinds of memories.

So why did Shoukaku--

(If I recall correctly, Shoukaku-nee lost 75% of her crew when she sank in the Marianas. At the time I ended up with a crew of about two thousand. In other words....)

This memory was too cruel--and yet, Shoukaku had voluntarily broken that taboo in order to praise Yuubari.

As if prescient of Yuubari's thoughts, Shoukaku laughed and responded,

"Don't worry, I remember what happened perfectly. But even so, it's not good to keep one's feelings buried up."

"Shoukaku-nee...."

"It's like what I told Zuikaku earlier--I know not whether we were in the right or in the wrong during 'That War'. Therefore, it is pointless for us to ruminate on whether those who we failed to save died for a good cause...however, burying these bitter memories at the bottom of our hearts only serves to raise the possibility that they will one day crawl out and kill us. Though our bodies are strong enough to fight the abyssals, our hearts are still very, very human..."

"........"

"Therefore, I want to accept everything that has happened and moved on....please keep these words between the two of you, of course."

"....I understand. After all, there are s.h.i.+pgirls who went down with all hands..."

"Sorry, the topic has become rather mrobid."

Shoukaku smiled sadly as if to try to diffuse the situation.

"That said, you should be proud of your high survival rate. We're all standing behind you, so give it your best."

"Sounds good! Hearing an old guard like Shoukaku-nee saying that really cheers me up!"

Yuubari replied with a smile like before.

Zuikaku began laughing as well, infected by Yuubari's smile. At the same time, she felt that her faith now lay on even firmer foundations.

(Shoukaku-nee is amazing, as expected...! To be able to subjugate her memories and fight the abyssals...)

Zuikaku did not know how many others shared Shoukaku's mentality. Maybe most of the s.h.i.+pgirls in the old guard were the same--even if that were so, however, Shoukaku's l.u.s.ter in Zuikaku's eyes did not wane.

The Naval District Factory's Development Zone was under heavy security--no ordinary individual would be able to go in or out.

"Well, n.o.body is quite sure how much the Abyssals know about us and how much they may want to know. In order to protect our important secrets, this kind of thing is a necessity."

Yuubari raised her finger.

Just now Zuikaku and Shoukaku had pa.s.sed through the cannon and torpedo development and manufacturing areas under Yuubari's guidance, all without even a glimpse of the interior. It seemed like the security measures applied to the s.h.i.+pgirls as well.

(Well, it's true that some of the s.h.i.+pgirls aren't too reliable in terms of keeping secrets).

With the childlike destroyers in mind, Zuikaku nodded, feelings conflicted.

"I'm not familiar with every Zone in the factory, and there are still some advanced armaments that must remain secret for now. There are a few unnamed areas in the factory that even I know nothing about."

"Experimentation and vivisection on captured Abyssals, maybe?"

Zuikaku's joking inquiry was met with a wry smile Yuubari.

"I, too, have wondered stuff like 'whether these crazy things are happening in there~'. Sorry to say, though, it's all just rumors."

"Ehh, how boring."

"Even though we don't know whether the abyssals know about this factory's location or significance, the c.r.a.p would flow up s.h.i.+t creek real fast if we shut them up in there like in some late-night anime and they escaped to their comrades."

"Ah, that's true...hold on a second, late-night anime?"

".....! Ahaha, I have no clue what you're talking about."

Yuubari looked the other way, whistling loudly. It appeared she, too, had "another" side to her.

"But if security measures are so tight, isn't this tour completely pointless?"

"Oh don't be worried about that, look!"

Yuubari pointed at the sky.

"THat's....!"

Zuikaku's eyes widened.

Several Zero fighters were flying in formation. These fuselages were different from those of Zuikaku's Type 21 Zeroes, instead bearing a dark green.

(The new Type 52 Zeroes...? But it seems like there are some different ones in there...)

There were two types of Zeroes in there--one was the Type 52--the other type bore the same general outline as the Type 52, but bore what seemed like bombs on its belly.

"That's..."

"Type 62 Zero. A bomber version of the Type 52 Zero--what we call fighter-bombers!"

Another voice emanated from the mini flight deck that lay below the Zero Formation--Zuikaku spotted a s.h.i.+pgirl, dressed like an onmyodo in the fas.h.i.+on of Hiyou and Junyou.

This person was the light carrier Ryuujou, her distinctive visor glinting in the sun. She was most likely piloting the carrier planes via the "decree" Kanji written in blue light on her right fingertip.

Though Ryuujou had been designed as a carrier from the outset, her appearance had been incredibly unique, most likely due to the constant revisions made during her construction. The Ryuujou right here, however, was a normal s.h.i.+pgirl with a normal girl's body, no different from the others.

"Ryuujou," Zuikaku remarked, "you work here like Yuubari?"

To be sure, Ryuujou was a light carrier, suited (like Yuubari) to actions in the second line. But though a light carrier, Ryuujou had served as a front-line combat carrier in "That War". Seeing her like this seemed kind of odd.

"Naw, ah don't come 'round these parts nearly as much as Yuubari here. Ah jes visit once in a blue moon to check on the new aeroplanes."

Ryuujou responded proudly in her Kansai dialect, steering the carrier planes with her left hand with right arm akimbo.

How and why Yokosuka-born Ryuujou spoke with a Kansai dialect was one of the Naval District's seven great mysteries.

"Y'all know about how Houshou-nee's in charge'a'this kinda thing, right? Well, Houshou-nee's also a captain in the Naval District, so ah take turns runnin' the coop here at the factory with Shouhou an' Zuihou."

Now Zuikaku understood. If she was rotating with the other light carriers, the effect on overall frontline efficiency would be minimized.

"Plus, ah never got a chance to use the new aeroplanes durin' 'That War' on account of my flight deck bein' too short--no problems now, though! Bein' able ta use these new aeroplanes ahead of all y'all standard carriers--well, ah'd say ah right earned it....go!"

A she shouted, Ryuujou unfurled the flight deck scroll clasped in her right hand, revealing the new s.h.i.+kigami mounted on top. Instantly, the s.h.i.+kigami trans.m.u.ted into the Type 62 Fighter-Bombers, lifting off from the flight deck one after the other.

"Hmhm, ah reckon ah'd have used these kinda fighter-bomber aeroplanes if ah'd made it to the Marianas...it kinda makes me all giddy inside~"

Ryuujou rubbed her nose happily. As she had said, Ryuujou had sank before the battle of the Marianas Sea, having fallen during the Guadalca.n.a.l campaign in the 2nd Battle of the Solomon Seas. She had never had the chance to mount or use anything more advanced than the three early-war planes.

"I can't use carrier planes, so when it comes to inspecting planes I call over Ryuujou or the others."

Yuubari picked up from where Ryuujou left off.

"Recently, development of the Type 52s are nearly complete--the 1stCarDiv and the 2ndCarDiv will be able to equip them soon; we'll also manufacture a few of the Type 62s on a trial basis. It probably won't be long before you two in the 5thCarDiv get upgrades as well, so look forwards to it. The other new model planes are currently in development!"

"Ah, that's great! Thanks, Yuubari!"

Zuikaku allowed her sincere joy to show. Carrier planes are the crux of a carrier--especially the Zero Fighters, vital for claiming air superiority. It would be great if new model planes were prepared quickly.

At the same time, a question popped into Zuikaku's mind.

For the fleet, carrier planes were not the only important piece of equipment. This lesson had been hammered in through experience during "That War"--

"Speaking of which, I have a question..."

Zuikaku leaned towards Yuubari and whispered:

"How is the Radar development? I remember we started equipping several during the middle of 'that war.'"

Essentially, radars launch a radio wave towards the target, using its reflection and diffraction to determine the target's distance and heading.

In "That War", Zuikaku's carrier task force had not been able to use the radar to their full potential. Originally, development had not been complete in time for midway; afterwards, the enemy military's technological superiority led to increasingly dire situations.

Yuubari nodded seriously.

"We're working on development. Look, this is a Type 21 AA radar sample."

Yuubari turned her body to reveal a machine that vaguely resembled a hair ornament.

"The Type 21 should be ready for battle soon; other AA and surface radars are being researched. For torpedo squadrons such as mine, radars in night battle are a decisive factor."

In low-visibility night battles, being able to determine the enemy's position at a distance via radar could well spell the difference between victory and defeat.

Just to be safe, Zuikaku pressed on:

"Do the Abyssals have anything on the lines of Electronic Support Measures?"

Electronic Support Measures (ESM) allowed the user to detect radar waves and use it to determine their source's position and heading.

During "That War," Zuikaku and company's limited experience with radar usage came from high command's fear that the enemy would be able to detect their position with ESM. In reality, radar technology advanced incredibly quickly, the potential dangers of ESM (which needed to send out radio waves of their own) were easily outstripped by the advantages of everyday use of radar.

Even so, that didn't rule out the possibility that the abyssals this time around did not have this ability.

Yuubari vigorously shook her head.

"Thus far it doesn't seem that way--at least that's what I've been told from the factory's Abyssal Research Cla.s.s. As such, compared to something of limited utility such as ESM, I figure we may as well just go straight ahead with radar development."

"Plus when Carrier Task Forces fight it out, the radar's ruther important compared t'ESM."

Ryuujou joined in, her expression none too pleased.

How to meet the enemy attack determined a carrier's life and death. The ability to determine enemy plane distance with air radar was vital for the Carrier Task Force.

"Who knows, the Abyssals might develop something like radar, rendering our airstrikes ineffective just like the enemy in 'That War'. Before that happens...right?"

Currently, humanity's ability to detect the abyssals was not based on sound or visual identification, but via s.h.i.+pgirl radar detection. For reasons unknown, the Abyssals were undetectable by any other means.

From this alone, it was clear that the presence of radars would affect the tide of this war.

"I will do all I can over here. Zuikaku-nee, if you make some new discovery in battle, make sure you notify me."

Yuubari looked to Zuikaku with sincere eyes. Ryuujou's expression was also stern.

"In order to avoid repeatin' the tragedy of 'That War', let's give it all we got."

It was well past noon by the time Zuikaku and Shoukaku left the Naval District Factory.

They had been invited with Ryuujou by Yuubari to lunch at a Soba shop well-liked by the Factory--it appeared the Yuubari really liked Soba Udon.

"Thanks a lot today, Shoukaku-nee!"

Zuikaku spoke en route to the nearby bus station.

"That was pretty much a cla.s.s. It wasn't until now that I realized we wouldn't be enough to fight the Abyssals. I'd been taught that not only in 'That War', but also by Kaga-senpai...I guess I'm still not ready yet..."

"Man is not born wise, and the same applies to s.h.i.+pgirls. Don't take it to heart."

Shoukaku smiled gently as always as she spoke.

"There is only one thing--one thing that you must learn, and that is to never stop going forwards. One day all this will be of help to you. As long as you remember your current feelings, it'll be fine if you continue to do your best."

"Mm! It's great that I'm sisters with Shoukaku-nee. It's because Shoukaku-nee is here that I could come this far...thank you very much!"

"Flattery won't get me anywhere, you know."

"That has nothing to do with it!"

Zuikaku grinned innocently, and Shoukaku smiled softly in return

And yet moments later, the small smile faded from Shoukaku's face--replaced with a new stiffness.

Noticing this, Zuikaku inquired cautiously,

"Shoukaku-nee...?"

"...The Admiral has sent out a transmission requiring that we immediately head to the naval port."

"Could it be a new abyssal? From where....?"

The words exchanged with Akagi and Kaga in the bathhouse a few days ago surfaced in Zuikaku's mind.

"No, you're mistaken."

Shoukaku's expression showed hitherto-unknown grimness as she responded.

"We're going to Okinos.h.i.+ma."

It was silent on deck onboard Zuikaku and company's destination, a s.h.i.+p used by s.h.i.+pgirls in between patrols around Okinos.h.i.+ma as a rest stop.

There would normally be several s.h.i.+pgirls waiting to be deployed on deck, but currently not a single one could be seen. The interior of the s.h.i.+p was the same--not a single one of the main fleet s.h.i.+pgirls that had deployed days ago from the naval port could be found.

Equipment in various states of damage and bloodstained littered the floorboards. Among them were what looked like 41cm turrets, their tough turret faces cracked. Even the fairies looked bitter as they scurried about with their labors.

"What...happened...?"

Zuikaku regarded the scene before her, face pale. She had just arrived via a speedboat.

"Where are Akagi-senpai and Kaga-senpai? Plus the other s.h.i.+pgirls..."

Zuikaku and Shoukaku's four fellow pa.s.sengers--Aviation Battles.h.i.+ps Hyuuga and Ise, as well as Heavy Cruisers Maya and Choukai-- were equally shocked. These four had also been Main Fleet members, but had until now remained at the Naval District as part of the home guard.

"....relax. If the equipment remains are here, it means that everybody returned."

Shoukaku strode through the s.h.i.+p aisle, her expression suggesting she, too, had seen enough.

"Let's go, the Admiral should be waiting for us in the office.

"I hereby order you all to attack the enemy anchorage located in the Okinos.h.i.+ma waters."

The Admiral's first words. .h.i.t them the moment they entered the office.

"The situation is as you have likely surmised. You all sortie in an hour--prioritize anti-s.h.i.+p equipment, but keep in mind the possibility of night battle pursuit. Any questions?"

There was a (never-before-heard) grimness in the Admiral's voice that made him seem like a different individual altogether.

"Please wait a moment...!"

Zuikaku could not stop herself from speaking.

"Please explain, what do you mean by sortie...and what did you mean when you said 'the situation is as we have likely surmised'? I don't understand at all!"

"Do you really not understand?"

"I don't understand!"

Zuikaku stared at the Admiral. "Do you really not understand"--that had obviously been a blunt refusal. She felt her heart sink, but she could not voice her feelings--if the Admiral did not explain, she wouldn't be able to accept it--

The other s.h.i.+pgirls maintained their silence in response to Zuikaku's inquiry.

Only one person--just Shoukaku--eyed the Admiral in a silent plea.

"...Pardon, I am in the wrong. It seems that the urgent nature of this situation has prevented you from calming down...I will explain, then."

The Admiral apologized honestly, and then stood up with a breath.

"The abyssal s.h.i.+ps launched an attack from their Anchorage in the Okinos.h.i.+ma waters and devastated our main fleet. Currently, the wounded s.h.i.+pgirls have retreated to the rear for rest and reorganization."

Though she had largely figured this was the case, Zuikaku still felt as if she had been struck with a mental two-by-four.

(How did this happen, that Akagi-senpai and Kaga-senpai...)

Akagi and Kaga should have been two of the most powerful s.h.i.+ps in the Naval District, and they had been escorted by Nagato, Mutsu, Kongou, Kiris.h.i.+ma and the other Main Fleet s.h.i.+ps. The fact that the attack on the Okinos.h.i.+ma Garrison Fleet had failed even after these elites were committed was incredibly unsettling.

(But why send us to meet this kind of enemy?)

"Nevertheless, this operation cannot be aborted now. Our resource stockpile will only allow us to sortie one more time--this time. As such, I have decided to commit you all from the reserve fleet and roll the dice one last time."

The Admiral was going all-in.

"There will be many patrols in the Okinos.h.i.+ma waters, among them being a new, previously-unseen Wo-cla.s.s--I hope that you will be able to break through these forces and take on their Main Fleet. The report on the enemy disposition is as above; are there any questions--"

"Please hold on!"

Zuikaku raised her voice one more in inquiry.

"Is that all the intel on the enemy we have? What about the Main Fleet's report? The Senpai and the main fleet..."

"To be quite honest, we have met the enemy main fleet nearly every time we deployed,"

the Admiral explained irritably.

"However, we have had to retreat every time with all our s.h.i.+ps on the verge of sinking. Every fleet member appears to have lost their memories by the time they reached this s.h.i.+p [7]--as a result, we have received no intel regarding the enemy Main Fleet."

"....!"

"All we know is that 'the enemy main fleet has multiple powerful battles.h.i.+ps'--power to be able pierce Nagato and Mutsu's armor, at any rate."

"But even if we fought an enemy of that caliber...."

"And that is why I am using this fleet. Even if we sent our own Battles.h.i.+ps in a direct confrontation, we would still be beaten to a pulp by the enemy's firepower. As such, I want to bet the battle with the enemy Main Fleet on Maya and Choukai's torpedos, with you four serving as support."

Though Heavy Cruiser s.h.i.+pgirls lacked the firepower and armor of battles.h.i.+ps, they possessed the speed rivaling destroyers and torpedoes, which battles.h.i.+ps lacked. As long as they could get close, it was more than possible to take down a battles.h.i.+p.

In that respect, this fleet composition might work. And yet--

(But, this is even more....!)

"Shoukaku will serve as flags.h.i.+p. You are to carve a b.l.o.o.d.y trail to the enemy fleet, no matter what happens--should you fail, we will have to retreat."

The Admiral and Shoukaku exchanged gazes.

(Shoukaku-nee...)

Hiding her unease, Zuikaku tried to read Shoukaku's expression. Since Shoukaku was the flags.h.i.+p on the ground, she had the option of countermanding the Admiral's orders.

Nearly a minute of silence later, Shoukaku nodded quietly.

"Understood."

Shoukaku spoke one more phrase as Zuikaku gaped.

"We will definitely bring about a beautiful result."

Led by Shoukaku, the six-s.h.i.+pgirl fleet sailed through the waters around Okinos.h.i.+ma under cloudless skies.

The enemy anchorage was within sight. Fortunately, the fleet had broken through after only three engagements.

They had not encountered the feared newtype Wo. The strongest force they had met thus far was a surface fleet led by a single Battles.h.i.+p. It had not lasted long under the Cranes' airstrikes and the Ise-cla.s.s's sh.e.l.ls, inflicting little more than scratch damage in return.

It was for that exact reason that Zuikaku's suspicion and unease swelled higher than ever.

(Well, we've been pretty lucky so far....but sooner or later we're going to run into the main force...)

The Main Fleet garrisoning the Okinos.h.i.+ma anchorage was an enemy not even the naval district's elites could overcome. Zuikaku didn't know if a chance for victory even existed.

(Speaking of which, I wonder why they even bothered to send a rookie like me....I'm not skilled like Shoukaku-nee...)

She knew, of course, that Okinos.h.i.+ma Anchorage could well decide the tide of the war; she also knew that this war could not be lost. However--

(In that case, why me? Shoukaku-nee should know I'm not experienced enough...)

At this rate, she might very well be the reason this sortie would come to fail. She couldn't take on an enemy that could defeat Akagi and Kaga...

"U-uh, Shoukaku-nee......"

Zuikaku's misgivings were obvious in her inquiry:

"Why did you agree to sortie with this fleet? Compared to me, Hiyou or Junyou are more...."

"You are a standard carrier. Lack of experience does not alter the fact that you are stronger in every regard than a light carrier."

"Even so, this kind of decision is too strange! You knew that, Shoukaku-nee, but agreed to sortie anyway, right?"

Shoukaku gazed at the distant seas in silence in lieu of response.

"This is no different than a suicide mission then! Even if our luck has brought us this far....SHoukaku-nee!"

Shoukaku's brow furrowed as she opened her mouth calmly.

"Listen carefully, Zuikaku. You may have an ability the other s.h.i.+pgirls do not have."

"Eh? Shoukaku-nee, what are you saying out of nowhere...."

"We s.h.i.+pgirls and our partic.i.p.ation as wars.h.i.+ps in 'That War' doesn't just fetter our hearts--it constrains our fate as well."

There was a ferocity in Shoukaku's voice as she spoke that kept Zuikaku silent.

"We have yet to prove this empirically--but this has long since gone from conjecture to theory. Those who were fortunate in 'That War' are consistently hit less, while those whose endings were more tragic are hit more--you have noticed this trend, have you not?"

"How could that be? That's just coincidence..."

Even as Zuikaku responded doubtfully, she was struck by the truth in Shoukaku's words.

That first battle with Kaga; all the fleet exercises in which she had partic.i.p.ated until now; that first deployment last week--every single time, her evasion was significantly higher than Shoukaku's, especially given the difference in skill between them. Given, this could still plausibly be attributed to coincidence and Zuikaku's own exertions--in spite of that, she could not honestly say that she had never wondered whether luck had played any role.

Thinking carefully, the situation was similar here. They had successfully evaded the Carrier Task Force with its New Type Wo and was now closing in on the enemy's main fleet garrison.

The name given to Zuikaku flashed through Zuikaku's mind--"the Lucky Carrier."

S