"As expected of the person I love, truly amazing!" Vicious pounced onto Illustrious and said with a look of joy.
"Is this Supreme Ship Qi? It's truly terrifying. When I tried to sense it with my Divine Sense, I was instantly swallowed up. Fortunately, I retracted my Divine Sense quickly, otherwise I would have ended up heavily injured," Essex said with lingering fear.
"You guy are truly a monster! Luckily we aren't enemies," Saratoga said fortunately.
Regarding Eugen's unclear strength, Atago had been quite nervous at the thought of an opponent whose depths she couldn't fathom. But after seeing that Illustrious knew Supreme Ship Qi, Atago's nervous mood relaxed. "It seems with Illustrious joining us, our mission won't be in too much danger!"
"Vicious and Saratoga, don't start any more disputes. We're in a meeting. If you disturb my meeting again next time, I won't be polite, understood!" Atago said with a dark face and a fake smile.
"Sorry! I won't do it again!" Vicious and Saratoga said in unison, trembling with fear from Atago's 'kind' (nuclear) smile.
After glancing at these two mischievous troublemakers with a sigh, Atago began to pull up the information for the next Five-Star Nightmare Deep Sea for everyone to see.
Judging by the avatar, the first Five-Star Nightmare Deep Sea was a white-haired, flat-chested loli.
[Guard Chijime: Five-Star Nightmare Deep Sea]
[Ship Type: Light Aircraft Carrier
Unique Ability: Ice
Weapon: ship-slaying great sword
Personality: Tsundere]
"A Nightmare Abyssal with the unique ability of ice, hee hee hee! It's decided, she's my opponent. Essex, don't fight me for her, because my unique ability is fire, which is perfect for dealing with Guard Chijime." Saratoga raised her small hand excitedly.
"My lightning can also deal with this ice-using Nightmare Abyssal, but in terms of which does higher damage, your fire ability indeed hits harder. Fine! I'll let you have this Guard Chijime," Essex said flatly.
"Good, then Guard Chijime is left to you, Saratoga. Any problems?" Atago said with a serious expression.
Saratoga stood up, gave Atago a military salute, and said with a face full of confidence: "No problem! Captain, leave it to me! I will definitely sink this Guard Chijime completely."
"Then I'll leave it to you; I believe you can do it," Atago said with a faint smile.
"A fight between ice and fire just cancels each other out; in the end, victory can only be won through strength. Saratoga, if you can't win, you must tell everyone! We'll help you," Vicious said sarcastically.
"When it comes to strength, I'm not weaker than Guard Chijime. Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself! Don't drag everyone down!" Saratoga also replied sarcastically: "Looking at the info for European Chijime earlier, it said she's a Sadist. I'm quite worried you'll get caught and then whipped with a European lash!"
"Ara ara, Saratoga, thanks for the kind reminder!"
"You're welcome! After all, we are good companions! Oh ho ho ho!"
Watching Saratoga and Vicious sarcastically caring for each other, Illustrious couldn't help but say: "Can you guys stop laughing? It's a bit creepy, because your laughter is so disgusting!"
Hearing Illustrious say their laughter was disgusting, Saratoga and Vicious's faces immediately darkened. Each of them grabbed a piece of soft flesh on Illustrious's waist and gave it a pinch, a squeeze, and a twist.
"Ow ow ow! Sorry, I was wrong! You laugh so beautifully, it makes my heart flutter!" Illustrious screamed in pain.
Saratoga said with a 'kind' face: "We laugh beautifully? Good! Let me ask you, does Vicious laugh more beautifully, or do I?"
Vicious also said with a 'kind' face: "Darling, I laugh the most beautifully, right!"
Saratoga and Vicious stopped pinching the soft flesh on Illustrious's waist, but their hands didn't move away. As long as Illustrious didn't give a satisfying answer, they would pinch her hard again.
Feeling those two soft little hands on her waist, cold sweat began to drip from Illustrious's forehead. Uh! This was a life-or-death question! If she said Saratoga laughed the most beautifully, she would definitely be pinched by Vicious. If she said Vicious laughed the most beautifully, she would be pinched by Saratoga.
"Say it! I laugh more beautifully than her."
"Darling, ignore her, hurry up and say I laugh the most beautifully!"
Saratoga and Vicious urged Illustrious. In desperation, Illustrious immediately said: "Saratoga laughs the most beautifully!"
There was a reason Illustrious said Saratoga laughed the most beautifully—it was because she believed Vicious loved her and understood her, so Vicious surely wouldn't get angry and pinch her.
After she said Saratoga was beautiful, Vicious immediately performed a pinch, a squeeze, and a twist on Illustrious's waist in one smooth motion. The level of proficiency was incredible. This was clearly only the second time Vicious had pinched Illustrious; why was she so skilled?
Could it be that pinching a lover's soft flesh is a skill every woman is naturally born being incredibly proficient at?
"Ow ow ow! It hurts..." Facts proved Illustrious was wrong. Vicious did love her, and precisely because she loved her, she couldn't accept Illustrious saying she didn't laugh as beautifully as another woman.
Knowing she was wrong, Illustrious immediately changed her tune: "Sorry, I said it wrong. I thought about it, and Vicious still laughs the most beautifully."
Vicious was happy and immediately stopped pinching Illustrious. Illustrious breathed a sigh of relief, but before she could relax for long, Saratoga started pinching her. "I'll give you one more chance to rephrase that. Who exactly laughs the most beautifully!"
With her soft flesh being pinched so hard it was agonizing, Illustrious changed her tune again: "Sorry, I thought about it again, and as expected, it's you, Saratoga, who laughs the most beautifully!"
Saratoga was happy and immediately stopped pinching Illustrious. Illustrious breathed a sigh of relief, but before she could relax for long, Vicious started pinching her. "Darling, didn't you just say I laugh the most beautifully? Why did you change your tune again? I'll give you one chance, who exactly laughs the most beautifully."
Pained by the pinching, Illustrious couldn't help but smile bitterly. It seemed she had entered an infinite loop. If she said Saratoga laughed the most beautifully, she would be pinched by Vicious; if she said Vicious laughed the most beautifully, she would be pinched by Saratoga.
To avoid the infinite loop, Illustrious began trying to find a way to break it. She didn't want to be pinched by Saratoga and Vicious anymore.
So Illustrious thought seriously, thought hard, thought desperately, trying to come up with a way to break the loop. After a thousandth of a second, she finally figured it out. "Neither of you laughs beautifully. Actually, the one who laughed most beautifully just now was Atago! Atago's faint smile just then was like sunlight, shining into my heart and making me feel incredibly warm."
"Oh, stop it! Illustrious! Even if you say I laugh the most beautifully, I won't be happy!" Atago said with a blush, her right hand shyly against her face.
Atago's shy look was so cute that Illustrious wanted to'sun' her, but Illustrious had forgotten one important thing: that sentence offended both Saratoga and Vicious at the same time.
The two small hands on Illustrious's waist immediately performed a pinch, a squeeze, and a twist in one smooth motion. Illustrious was once again sent to heaven by the pain from these two Ship Girls.
"Ahem! I'll start showing you the information for the third Five-Star Nightmare Deep Sea!"
"Wait a minute! Hey! Atago, don't you plan to help me?" Illustrious had been counting on Atago to tell Saratoga and Vicious to stop pinching her, which is why she said Atago laughed the most beautifully! If Atago didn't tell them to stop, she was going to be pinched to death!
"You're on your own!" Atago smiled and clicked on the information for the third Nightmare Abyssal on her tablet.
Seeing the information for the Nightmare Abyssal appear on the screen, Saratoga and Vicious gave one last forceful pinch before letting go of Illustrious to look at the screen.
After that final sting of pain, Illustrious was finally free from her suffering. She rubbed the soft flesh on her waist with her hands. "You guys are really ruthless!"
After complaining, Illustrious also looked at the screen.
The Ship Girls began to read the information for the third Nightmare Abyssal.
Judging by the avatar, the third Nightmare Abyssal consisted of two girls with normal breasts: one was a white-haired girl and the other was a black-haired girl.
[Twin Chijime: Five-Star Nightmare Deep Sea]
Note: Twin Chijime are symbiotic sisters among the Abyssal Princesses.
[Ship Type: Aviation Battleship
Unique Ability: Death's Reaping
Ability Explanation: Eyes emit red beams. If hit, the target will be completely consumed.
Weapon: The white-haired elder sister is named Yue and uses a Tachi; the black-haired younger sister is named Ye and uses a Scythe.
Personality: Violent; will draw weapons and strike at the slightest provocation.]
"How come this Nightmare Abyssal is two people?" Vicious said, puzzled.
"The name says it all! She's called Twin Chijime, so of course it's two people." Saratoga glanced at Vicious as if looking at an idiot.
Vicious felt offended and immediately said angrily, "Try looking at me like that again!"
"I'll look if I want! You're such an idiot! Hit me if you've got the guts!"
"I'll hit you then; I'm not afraid of you."
"Come on! Let's have a good fight!"
"A good fight, huh? I'll beat you straight to God!"
"Clang clang!"
Seeing Saratoga disturbing her meeting again, Atago didn't show them any mercy this time and directly rewarded each of them with a chop to the head.
Saratoga and Vicious teared up from the pain. Rubbing their heads, they looked at each other and said in unison: "It hurts! It's all because of you!"
"You guys really have a good relationship!" Illustrious couldn't help but laugh.
"It's not good!" Saratoga and Vicious said in unison again.
"And you still say it's not good, even your words are the same," Illustrious continued to laugh.
"Bastard, don't say the same thing as me." Saratoga glared at Vicious with dissatisfaction.
"You're the one! Who the hell wants to say the same thing as you?" Vicious glared back.
Atago suddenly appeared behind Saratoga and Vicious with a dark face. "Try arguing again!"
Sensing killing intent, Saratoga and Vicious immediately lowered their heads, not daring to argue anymore.
"Then I will leave this Twin Chijime to me!" With no other options, Essex had to choose Twin Chijime. This Twin Chijime's ability is Death's Grasp; as long as one dodges the red beams, it shouldn't be much of a problem.
Atago nodded and said, "Hmm! Twin Chijime is left to Essex. Since the three Five-Star Nightmare Deep Sea have been decided on who will deal with them, let's talk about the last enemy! This person is the strongest and most troublesome among our enemies, and their strength is currently unclear."
The Ship Girls grew solemn; everyone knew who Atago was talking about.
"It seems everyone knows! That's right, this enemy is none other than the sixth of the seven Great Saints of the Deep Sea Cult—Eugen!" Atago brought up Eugen's information.
[Eugen: Estimated to be a Legendary Ship Girl]
[Ship Type: Heavy Cruiser. Unique Ability: Time Stop. Domain: Twilight Garden. Domain Explanation: Within the domain, six types of flowers can be manifested, each releasing different floral scents. Once inhaled, one will enter different states. For example, once the Flower of Desire is inhaled, hallucinations will appear before your eyes, and countless beautiful women will surround you. Once you sink into it, you will be doomed beyond salvation. Weapon: Gauntlets. Personality: Scheming.]
"Time Stop! This unique ability is way too overpowered! Can we really win?" Saratoga asked with concern.
"As expected of the sixth Great Saint of the Deep Sea Cult! To think the awakened unique ability is this powerful!" Vicious expressed admiration.
"Time Stop is a bug; I have no way to deal with an opponent like this!" Essex muttered in a low voice.
"Everyone, don't worry. A powerhouse of Saint Eugen's level will be handled by Illustrious and me. You just need to focus on dealing with those three Nightmare Abyssal entities." Atago looked at Illustrious and said, "Illustrious, you don't have any objections, right?"
"No objections! I'd actually like to have a good exchange with a powerhouse who can use Time Stop!" Illustrious looked eager to try.
Atago concluded, "Alright! We must succeed in the battle three days from now; failure is not an option. Most importantly, everyone, absolutely do not die, understand?"
"Understood!" the Ship Girls replied in unison.
...
Illustrious, who had previously promised Saratoga to treat everyone to pizza, took Atago and the others to the Happy Pizza Shop the next day.
Walking down the street, Illustrious noticed many merchants and citizens promoting the Deep Sea Cult and inviting people to join.
"Don't miss out while passing by! My bread is made from high-quality wheat. As long as you join the Deep Sea Cult, I'll give you a bag for free!"
"Fresh apples! Just join the Deep Sea Cult and I'll give you ten for free! Come and join!"
"Our Deep Sea Cult believes in the God of the Deep Sea. Joining and becoming a believer allows you to receive the protection of the God of the Deep Sea. As believers in Free Iris, our Deep Sea Cult will pay 30% of your personal tax every month. Are you still worried about not being able to pay your personal tax? Then don't hesitate, hurry and sign the joining paper to join now!"
A tableware shop owner saw Illustrious and the others and immediately approached them. "Beautiful ladies, do you want to join the Deep Sea Cult? This Deep Sea Cult is a good religion; after I joined, my life has been getting better and better."
Illustrious took out five 100-yuan bills and gave them to the tableware owner. "Joining the cult, I'll pass. Shopkeeper, let me ask you, why is everyone shouting to get people to join the Deep Sea Cult?"
After receiving the five bills, the tableware owner immediately put them away. "You must be travelers who just arrived in Free Iris, right? To be honest with you, a year ago, ever since the new King took office, this country has fallen to the Deep Sea Cult. Now, 70% of the citizens have joined the Deep Sea Cult, and only 30% remain who haven't."
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