The Pacific Ocean, usually calm, has now become a stage for the horror of future technology clashing with the technology of the past. The bright blue sky is covered by jet exhaust smoke and crisscrossing missile trails. On one side, a ship-girl with a single silver fox tail stands tall as a shield; on the other, a giant steel monster weighing tens of thousands of tons, CN Type 004, cuts through the waves with arrogance. Standing on the deck of that aircraft carrier is Long Chao, the ship-girl who controls every inch of the giant vessel through her sheer will.
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POV Izumo
Nuclear Flash and Hull Wounds
The monitors in my neural eyes blinked red at a high frequency. My active sonar sensors caught four large objects moving rapidly beneath the water's surface. Those were the nuclear-powered Mark 45 Astor torpedoes I had just released. I didn't care what effect they had on the enemy, but I had to defeat her immediately. If she remains, the safety of the Azur Lane ship-girls cannot be guaranteed. I've promised Nagato and myself. I've promised to return home to Jolly and Akaneko.
"Don't expect those ancient toys to even touch my hull!" Long Chao shouted from a distance. Her voice echoed through her magnificent aircraft carrier's loudspeaker system.
Long Chao raised her hand. Instantly, the AFGS (Anti-Fast/Glide System) on the CN Type 004 sprang into action. Interceptor projectiles launched with terrifying computerized precision, intercepting my nuclear torpedoes right in their path.
DUARRRRRR!!!! BUMMMMMM!!!!
The explosion didn't happen on the ship's hull, but the impact was far more horrific. Because the torpedoes were nuclear-powered, the explosion created a ball of fire that detonated underwater, instantly evaporating millions of liters of seawater, creating a massive upward geyser. A giant shockwave hit in all directions, followed by a massive water mushroom cloud erupting into the sky, carrying hot steam and residual radiation that created localized rain in the middle of the sea. The shock created a small tsunami that made me nearly lose my balance on the water.
"Uhk... this pressure...!" I braced myself. My rigging shook violently.
Above, I saw the enemy KB-X Bomber beginning to dive. They were trying to use the steam from the nuclear explosion to sneak in. I drew my mechanical bow.
"I won't let you! AW249 Fenice, destroy them!" I shouted loudly as I released the arrows that transformed into those two Italian attack helicopters.
Two Fenice attack helicopters sped out, firing their 20mm Gatling cannons at Long Chao's bombers and strike aircraft. Spike missiles, which cannot be manipulated by flares, brutally attacked Long Chao's Su-39 planes and Aksungur drones.
The sky was decorated with fiery explosions as one of my helicopters successfully took down an enemy strike plane. However, amidst the aerial chaos, a new sonar warning appeared. The signal was very close, moving from beneath the murky water caused by the explosion earlier.
"What?! A torpedo from below?! Since when did she launch it??" I was shocked. It turned out the KB-X bomber had managed to launch a torpedo before it exploded.
Before I could evade, the torpedo slammed right into the lower side of my rigging's hull—which is technically my legs in this manifestation.
BRAAAAKKKKK!!!!
"AAAAAAAGGGHHHHH!!!!" I screamed in pain.
Unbearable pain radiated from my legs through my entire spinal cord. The explosion tore through my lower armored plating. I was thrown dozens of meters across the sea's surface, blood seeping from the corner of my mouth due to internal shock. The status monitor in my eyes cracked, displaying a critical warning: HULL INTEGRITY 65% - SEVERE DAMAGE ON LOWER SECTION.
"It hurts... truly... agonizing..." I groaned while struggling to maintain consciousness.
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POV Narrator: Laser Sword Dance
Long Chao, standing atop her aircraft carrier's command tower, smiled coldly seeing Izumo slumped over. She immediately ordered hundreds of R-Han 122B rocket projectiles to launch all at once, targeting the Azur Lane destroyers who were already exhausted from previous attacks.
"Die, you relics of the past who only stand in my way!" Long Chao shouted arrogantly.
The rain of missiles seemed impossible to dodge. However, Javelin and Ayanami stood tall. In their hands, Izumo's two laser katanas glowed brightly.
"Ayanami! Now!" Javelin shouted.
Javelin swung the Alka katana, which glowed with an intense laser red. Meanwhile, Ayanami gripped the HPLS, which emitted a cold, electric blue energy.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
The dance of modern steel began. With the speed of destroyer-class Kansen, they sliced through the fast-moving missiles. The red Alka blade cut through the warheads of the R-Han 122B projectiles launched by Long Chao, causing them to explode in mid-air, while the blue HPLS split the rocket bodies with terrifying precision.
"This sword is incredible, desu!" Ayanami said.
Her hair fluttered amidst the missile explosions. She became an impenetrable blue storm, protecting Nimi (Z23) who was being tended to by Laffey behind them.
Long Chao was stunned. She didn't expect the swords to be able to keep up with her automatic missile system. She thought it wasn't about the sword, but who was holding it. But she still underestimated them for relying on simple weapons.
"Just swords?! Don't be ridiculous!" Long Chao mocked.
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POV Azur Lane Dock: Hope Fixed in Place
Meanwhile, at the central headquarters, the atmosphere at the dock was very quiet yet tense. IJN Nagato stood at the edge of the dock with a very pale face. She could feel through her spiritual connection that one of her "foxes" was severely wounded.
"Zuikaku, Shokaku! Get ready right now!" Nagato commanded firmly. "Activate all your squadrons. If Izumo's signal drops by even one more percent, you must perform Air Cover immediately!"
"Understood, Lady Nagato!" Zuikaku answered while preparing her katana. Zuikaku and Shokaku stood at the edge of their respective flight decks on standby. A dozen planes were already prepared for launch.
Near the spot where JS Izumo usually docked, Sweet Jolly and Akaneko stood frozen. Their hands were tightly clasped in a deep, prayerful position.
"Izumo-nee, please, don't lose," Akaneko whispered with tears beginning to wet her cheeks. She could feel the aircraft carrier that served as their home vibrating violently from afar, as if its soul was screaming in pain. Jolly closed her eyes, her lips mumbling a prayer to the ocean.
"Izumo, you are our captain. You are our protector. Steel must not break through hatred. Family must always stay together. Come back," Jolly said.
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POV Izumo: Awakening of the Fox Queen
The sound of their prayers seemed to pierce through dimensional boundaries, entering my fading consciousness. I remembered the shelves of the retail store in Surabaya, my old, boring life. I won't let my new life end here, at the hands of a soulless monster.
I forced my hands to prop myself up on the water. My Auto-repair system chirped loudly; my core energy began to repair and seal my damaged rigging. The cracks began to heal. This was purely her own energy, not a Wisdom Box.
I stood up slowly. My eyes stared sharply at Long Chao, who stood arrogantly on the deck of her giant ship.
"Long Chao... do you think an aircraft carrier that big can save you?" I said in a voice that was now heavier and more authoritative.
I pulled three of my mechanical bowstrings with all my might. Deep blue Wisdom Cube energy gathered at the tip of the bow, forming the manifestation of MiG-27Ks.
"Javelin! Ayanami! Fall back now!" I shouted.
I released the arrows, which transformed into three MiG-27K Floggers. The three planes sped off incredibly fast. Then I released four more arrows, launching four Mi-24 Comet helicopters to follow the three planes. They fired at several aircraft that tried to interfere with the MiG-27Ks' flight path.
These planes streaked at subsonic speeds, capable of maneuvering to avoid CN Type 004's anti-air fire. The three planes flew low over the water. They prepared to fire.
"What?! My defense system can be bypassed?!" Long Chao panicked. She ordered her Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) to fire.
Unfortunately, the MiG-27K has a primary missile weapon that cannot be detected by anti-air. The missiles were released; due to the plane's high kinetic force, the missiles immediately reached their maximum speed and streaked away...
DUAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!
A massive explosion hit the center of CN Type 004's flight deck. Fire billowed high, destroying several J-36 planes that were preparing for takeoff. The giant ship tilted several degrees.
"You, Izumo!!!!! How dare you damage my ship!" Long Chao screamed with overflowing rage.
I caught my breath, enduring the pain in the lower part of my body.
"Ayanami, Javelin... return my swords. Let's teach this 'Predator' what it truly means to be a Kansen!" I said to the two cute destroyers.
Javelin and Ayanami nodded. They handed the two swords back to me. I gripped Alka in my right hand and HPLS in my left. Red and blue light merged, creating a devastating aura of energy around me. The real battle had just begun.
The sea was no longer just surging; it was boiling with the fire and fury of two steel civilizations. Amidst the mist of the nuclear explosion steam still shrouding the horizon, JS Izumo no longer chose to play it safe from a distance. With her lower hull cracked and her repair system working at its limit, Izumo made the most dangerous decision of her life.
"Propulsion system, Overload mode! Javelin, Ayanami, stay behind me!" I said. Javelin and Ayanami nodded. The two of them were behind me.
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POV Izumo: Incursion onto the Giant Deck
I could feel every roar of my turbine engines inside my chest. The monitors in my eyes showed the remaining Wisdom Cube energy constantly draining, but I didn't care. My target was right before my eyes: CN Type 004, the predator now starting to tilt due to the direct hit from my MiG-27Ks.
"Show all your fangs, Izumo! Don't let her breathe!" I muttered to myself.
I drew my mechanical bow repeatedly at an impossible speed. From the blue energy portals appearing around me, my full pride squadron streaked out. Four AW249 Fenice helicopters flew low, sweeping the enemy deck with Gatling machine guns. Behind them, three MiG-27K Flogger strike planes dove sharply, dropping precision bombs right toward the enemy's still-active CIWS air defense systems. Then, four Mi-24 Comet helis fired at the ship with dual Gatling guns, adding to the damage.
Not stopping there, two Qaher 313 Drones launched like black shadows, performing Electronic Warfare attacks to blind Long Chao's radar.
"Now!" I said firmly.
I leaped high. With the help of the thrusters on my rigging, my body streaked through the flames and landed hard on the flight deck of the CN Type 004, which was nearly three times the size of a football field. My tactical boots hit the steel deck with a loud thud.
The sight before me was a steel hell. Enemy J-36 planes were shattered, burning fiercely from my MiG attacks. Several enemy NH-90 helicopters tried to take off, but my Fenice helicopters immediately peppered them with fire until they exploded on the spot.
At the edge of the deck stood a girl in a white cloak now stained with soot. Long Chao. She stood tall, but her hands trembled with suppressed rage. Her giant aircraft carrier was screaming; internal explosions began to be heard from the lower hangar section due to my Qaher drone strikes.
"Izumo... you dare set foot on my ship?!" Long Chao screamed. Her voice was hoarse, full of hatred.
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POV Narrator: Duel Between Kansen and Ship-Girl
The aerial battle around them was still raging fiercely. Izumo's MiG-27K squadron continued to rain 30mm cannon fire onto the command tower section, while the Fenice helicopters hunted down any personnel or weapons trying to resist. The CN Type 004 aircraft carrier had now truly become a burning steel coffin in the middle of the sea.
Izumo walked slowly toward Long Chao. The rigging on her back hissed, emitting hot steam. In her hands, she held two laser katanas: Alka (Red) in her right hand and HPLS (Blue) in her left. Long Chao cursed, spitting blood to the side. She didn't carry rigging like Izumo; her power was the ship itself. But now, that ship was dying.
"Look at yourself, Izumo! What's the difference between you and me?!" Long Chao mocked with a bitter laugh.
"And yet you're proud of slaughtering ship-girls who only have old iron cannons with your missiles and jets! You're a coward for fighting people who don't have the same weapons as you!" Izumo barked back at Long Chao.
Izumo then fell silent for a moment. The sea breeze blew hard, carrying the scent of burning J-36 jet fuel.
"I didn't ask for the situation to be like this, Long Chao," Izumo answered coldly. "But I have people I must protect in this world. This world you call the 'past' is my new home. And I won't let a monster like you destroy it for the sake of your ridiculous match ego."
"Too much talk! Die along with this history!" Long Chao lunged forward, using the remaining energy of her ship to manifest a short energy sword from her hand.
But Izumo was much faster. As a Kansen who had perfectly merged with the Wisdom Cube, her reflexes surpassed any computer's calculations.
SLASH!
Izumo no longer cared about her enemy's insults. She swung Alka and HPLS simultaneously in a deadly crisscross motion. Red and blue light sliced through the darkness of the explosion smoke.
The red Alka blade cut through Long Chao's energy defense, while the blue HPLS pierced straight into the ship-girl's chest, shattering her energy core.
"Uhk...!" Long Chao staggered back. Her body collapsed, slumped over the hot steel deck. Deep red blood flowed, soaking her now-torn white cloak.
The attack was fatal. Long Chao's life core, connected to the CN Type 004 aircraft carrier, had been destroyed. Beneath their feet, the giant carrier began to shake violently. Explosions from the lower ammunition magazine began to tear through the ship's hull, letting seawater rush in.
Long Chao raised her head slightly, staring at Izumo with eyes that were starting to lose their light.
"You won this time... Izumo. But remember... I will always chase you... If I am born again later, I will make sure... you sink deeper than me... and you will lose what you're fighting for!!!" Long Chao said on the brink of death.
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POV Ayanami & Javelin: Moments of Tension
From a distance, Ayanami and Javelin stared anxiously at the enemy aircraft carrier as it began to slowly sink. Its bow began to enter the water, creating a giant whirlpool.
"Izumo-nee! Get out of there quickly! The ship is going to explode!" Javelin shouted with all her might.
Laffey, carrying Nimi on her back, also stared unblinkingly. "Izumo... run..."
On the deck, Izumo prepared to jump back into the sea. She saw the lifeless Long Chao amidst the flames. However, death wasn't finished with Izumo today.
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POV Narrator: The Last Attack from the Remnants of Death
In the final moments before her consciousness completely vanished, before finally dying, Long Chao used the last of her will. A "zombie" command sent to the remains of the planes still intact on the deck.
A severely damaged Su-39 plane, sitting right next to Izumo, suddenly started its engines automatically. The plane's nose swiveled, aiming straight at Izumo's back as she prepared to jump.
DUAR! DUAR! DUAR! DUAR!
The Su-39's GSh-30-2 automatic cannon fired 30mm caliber shells at very close range. Izumo, who had lowered her guard feeling the enemy was defeated, didn't have time to react.
"AGHHH!" Izumo screamed.
Two large cannon shells pierced Izumo's shoulder and lower back. The force of the shots was so great that it shattered her rigging's mechanical connections. JS Izumo's massive rigging detached from her back, shattering into pieces and falling into the sea.
Izumo's body was thrown into the air, hurtling off the enemy carrier's deck toward the open ocean. Without her rigging, she was just an ordinary, helpless girl in the middle of the ocean. The piercing wounds on her body bled, staining her tattered combat uniform.
"Izumo-nee!" Ayanami screamed hysterically.
With speed surpassing her limits, Ayanami glided across the water, leaping over the large waves created by the sinking of the CN Type 004. She increased her speed to the maximum until her rigging emitted thick smoke.
Just as Izumo's body was about to hit the hard surface of the water, Ayanami managed to catch her. She held Izumo's limp and unconscious body to her chest.
"Izumo-nee! Wake up, desu! Izumo-nee!" Ayanami's crying broke out.
Behind them, the CN Type 004 aircraft carrier finally exploded for the last time. A colossal explosion sent a giant fireball into the sky, before finally being slowly swallowed by the darkness of the Pacific Ocean.
Silence returned to the sea, leaving only the sound of Ayanami's sobbing and Izumo's increasingly short breaths. The modern steel had won, but the price had nearly claimed the winner's life. Is this the sacrifice you meant, Izumo?
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POV Azur Lane Dock: A Deadly Silence
At the Sakura Empire dock, Nagato suddenly fell to her knees. She clutched her chest, her eyes wide with shock.
"Izumo's signal... gone... her rigging is destroyed..." Nagato said, her eyes staring blankly ahead.
Hearing that, Jolly and Akaneko screamed hysterically. They fell prostrate onto the cold concrete of the dock. Their hands, which had been praying, now clawed at the ground, begging for a miracle that felt so far away.
"NO! IZUMO-NEE!!!!" Akaneko's scream echoed throughout the Azur Lane base, beginning the longest night for the ship-girls.
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To be continued
Chapter 9: The Ocean Blue and the Promise to be Kept