The morning sun at the Azur Lane base felt warmer than usual. There were no storms, no howling winds, and no frantic bustle of battle preparations. More than two months had passed since the bloody incident in the middle of the Pacific. Time seemed to slip away unnoticed, for peace always feels fleeting when one stops counting the hours.
The physical scars on Izumo's body had vanished completely, thanks to Akashi's medical technology and her core's innate regenerative energy. However, the memory of the cold 30mm shells still left a trace of trauma that she hid behind a thin smile-a wound that heals quickly in the flesh but lingers long in the mind.
Today was the first day Izumo was truly allowed to leave the strict supervision of the medical building. No wooden cane, no suffocating bandages. Just her, and a new world ready to be explored. It was time for Izumo to enjoy life at Azur Lane while she could. In her mind, however, a specific task loomed. How was the world outside faring?
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POV Izumo: Touring the Kansen Island
I took a deep breath, letting the fresh sea air fill my lungs. It felt incredible. After a month of staring at white ceilings and smelling medicine, I could finally feel the asphalt of the dock beneath my tactical boots. I wore a white shirt and a knee-length black skirt-casual clothes. Well, according to my standards, at least. I was actually quite confused about what to wear, having no experience in such matters.
"Izumo-nee! Hurry up, or we'll miss breakfast in the next district! I want to take you to the best spots!" Javelin called out, jumping with excitement. She wore her cheerful school uniform, complete with the small bag slung around her waist. I realized this was one of Javelin's outfits from the game, one I had already unlocked. Seeing it in person made me genuinely happy.
Beside her, Ayanami stood quietly, though her eyes radiated joy.
"Izumo-nee looks very healthy now, desu. We must celebrate with a walk, desu," Ayanami said with a happy smile.
"Wait for me, n-nyaaa!" Akaneko's voice rang out. The red cat-girl, who had become my family, ran over and immediately hugged my left arm, while Javelin hugged my right. I laughed softly, feeling their honest warmth. I truly enjoyed this.
"Alright, my heroes. Let's see how large this island is. You know, I realized that since I arrived, I've only seen the Sakura Empire and the Central Command Building. It's time I saw the whole island," I said softly.
The four of us began walking along a shady path. Our first destination was the Royal Navy territory. When we arrived, I was awestruck. The Victorian-style buildings and neatly manicured flower gardens made me feel like I was on a tour of an anime version of London. Even though it was only a few blocks, the London vibe was very strong.
Several Royal Navy ship-girls on patrol greeted us. I saw Warspite training some C-class destroyers. She spotted me and offered a greeting.
"Good morning, Lady Izumo. It is good to see you standing tall once more," Warspite said, her tone authoritative yet kind.
"Good morning, Lady Warspite. Thank you for all your help," I replied with a slight bow.
We continued walking past vast tea plantations. There, I saw Belfast and Sheffield picking the finest tea leaves. Their elegance was truly remarkable. As a former retail worker, I knew exactly how difficult it was to maintain perfect posture and a smile under the scorching sun. Belfast noticed me watching; she waved a hand in greeting.
"Good morning, Lady Izumo. Enjoying the morning sun?" Belfast asked.
"Good morning. Yes, Lady Belfast. Since I first arrived here, it feels like I haven't had the chance to see everything," I answered.
Belfast nodded with a smile. She then pulled a plastic bag from her tea-picking basket, gathered some leaves-looking like a full bundle-and walked toward us.
"I believe you should enjoy some tea from the Royal Navy gardens. Please," Belfast said, handing me the bag of fresh tea leaves. I was surprised and thanked her before we continued our journey.
The journey led us to the Eagle Union territory. The atmosphere shifted drastically from classical elegance to an explosion of modern energy. Jazz and pop music drifted from several cafeterias. We stopped to buy pancakes and hot dogs for the four of us from Hornet, who was having fun running a mobile food stall. She even gave us bonus burgers, calling them a gift to celebrate Izumo's recovery-the one who saved Azur Lane. It made me feel a bit bashful.
At a basketball court, I saw Cleveland playing one-on-one against Columbia. The Eagle Union girls truly loved their sports.
"Yo, Izumo! Want to join?!" Cleveland shouted while dribbling fast.
"Maybe later, Cleveland! I'm still getting used to my legs!" I shouted back with a wave.
I chatted briefly with St. Louis and Honolulu, who were enjoying sodas by the roadside. They asked about my condition and gave me some Eagle Union snacks. Their friendliness made me feel truly accepted in this world.
Before continuing, we stopped at a park bench to eat the hot dogs and burgers from Hornet.
"Izumo-nee, let's do this more often. It makes us happy. Especially seeing you happy again; I'm so relieved," Javelin said, enjoying her hot dog.
"I feel the same way, desu. We consider Izumo-nee family. We are happy if you are happy," Ayanami added, enjoying her burger.
I smiled and stood before them. I placed my hands on their heads, gently ruffling their hair with a grin.
"You guys... actually, I'm the one who should be thanking you. If I hadn't met you, I might have been stuck drifting aimlessly with Sweet Jolly and Akaneko in this vast ocean. You also saved me during that incident. I love you guys, you know," I said happily. They smiled back, and we laughed together. Akaneko, meanwhile, was busily devouring her hot dog and burger in turns.
"Akaneko, slow down. You'll choke," I cautioned.
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POV Narrator: An Unexpected Encounter in Iron Blood
The sun was high when Izumo's group reached the Iron Blood district. The architecture here was much more rigid, dominated by black steel and structures that looked incredibly sturdy, reflecting extreme military discipline. However, the aroma wafting from their canteen area was mouth-watering.
"Waaa... the smell of sate!" Akaneko exclaimed, sniffing the air. A cat's sense of smell is truly sensitive to food.
"That is the Iron Blood special seafood sate, desu. It is very delicious, desu," Ayanami added.
They sat at an open stall run by Z21 and Z22. Izumo ordered several skewers of squid and grilled shrimp with sweet and spicy seasoning. While they were enjoying the food, the atmosphere suddenly turned silent. Javelin and Ayanami abruptly stopped chewing-not because of the food, but because of who had arrived.
From the main corridor, a tall figure with long blonde hair and sharp blue eyes walked toward them. Bismarck. The supreme leader of Iron Blood was walking alone, without her ceremonial cloak.
Izumo, holding a skewer, froze. She remembered how Bismarck had nearly blown her head off at the docks before. Javelin and Ayanami reflexively stood up, positioning themselves slightly in front of Izumo with panicked expressions. Akaneko just looked on in confusion, her mouth full of rice.
Bismarck stopped right in front of Izumo's table. Tension filled the air for several seconds. Then, something unexpected happened. Without a word, Bismarck stepped forward and pulled Izumo into a tight hug. Everyone was stunned.
"Ugh... L-Lady Bismarck?" Izumo gasped, nearly dropping her skewer.
"Izumo... forgive me," Bismarck whispered directly into Izumo's ear. The hug felt sincere; there was deep guilt in it. "I acted foolishly back then. I let my emotions over Juneau's death blind me. I should have come to the Sakura Empire to apologize to you, but I couldn't bear to face Nagato's gaze. I didn't expect to run into you here."
Bismarck released the hug, her hands still resting on Izumo's shoulders. Her eyes, usually as cold as ice, looked teary. "Thank you... for protecting my sisters and Azur Lane," she said with genuine sincerity.
Javelin and Ayanami exhaled in relief, though their faces still showed shock. They never imagined the Iron Knight of Iron Blood could be this emotional in public.
"Fu... Fu... Fu... quite a rare sight, isn't it?" Behind Bismarck, Prinz Eugen appeared carrying a large tray of seafood sate. She chuckled at the flush on Bismarck's face. "Our Lady of Iron Blood has a soft side after all. Careful, Bismarck, don't make her faint with your 'death hug'."
Eugen then handed a large skewer to Akaneko.
"Eat up, little kitten. Let these foxes settle their 'adult' business," Eugen said to Akaneko.
Izumo smiled warmly.
"It's alright, Lady Bismarck. I understand your feelings. In my old world, losing a colleague was hard, let alone a comrade-in-arms. I hold no grudge," Izumo told Bismarck.
Bismarck nodded, trying to regain her composure despite the unhideable blush on her cheeks. She took a seat at the table, joining them for seafood sate along with Prinz Eugen, who wouldn't stop teasing her. Admiral Hipper arrived late and grumbled about being left to eat alone.
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POV Izumo: Meeting at Central Command
After the surprising culinary journey in Iron Blood, we continued to the Azur Lane Central Command Building. That grand white building was the heart of the entire alliance. The last time I was here, Javelin had brought me to meet the four faction leaders.
I entered the building alone. Javelin and Ayanami stayed outside with Akaneko, enjoying the remaining snacks. In the vast main lobby, I saw two great leaders in serious conversation near an indoor fountain: Enterprise and Queen Elizabeth. They were accompanied by Belfast (she was incredibly fast, getting from the garden to the headquarters so quickly), who was ready with her notebook.
Noticing my arrival, Enterprise stopped talking.
"Izumo. You've managed to wander quite far," Enterprise noted.
"Lady Enterprise, Lady Elizabeth," I saluted. "My condition is 90% recovered. Thank you for visiting me."
Elizabeth crossed her arms, looking me up and down.
"Hmph, well, thank goodness for that. If you were still sick, who would explain those strange technologies on your ship to Akashi? She keeps complaining because she can't dismantle your helicopters without your permission," Elizabeth said.
I gave a sheepish laugh. However, my expression soon turned serious. This was the main reason I wanted to come out today.
"Lady Enterprise, Lady Elizabeth, there is something I wish to say. It concerns the future of Azur Lane," I said firmly.
Enterprise looked at me sharply, signaling for me to continue. Belfast prepared to take notes.
"The battle against Long Chao taught me a valuable lesson: we don't know what lies beyond this Pacific Ocean. I feel this world is similar to my previous one, yet with different energy and unique lifeforms like yourselves. I don't want Azur Lane to be attacked by surprise again, like when Juneau was lost," I explained. I took a deep breath.
"I am expressing my intention to conduct an expedition. To explore the world, map the territories, and uncover what is truly happening out there. There might be other stranded ship-girls, or perhaps... humans still surviving on the continents. At the very least, we need to be certain we can survive in this world," I said.
Silence fell over the lobby. Enterprise stared out the window toward the open sea.
"Exploring the vast ocean without a support base is an incredibly dangerous task, Izumo. This ocean hasn't been the same since the sirens and dimensional anomalies appeared," Enterprise replied.
"I know," I answered steadily. "But the JS Izumo was designed for long-range missions. With my AESA radar and navigation systems, I can detect threats before they get close. And I feel responsible because enemies like Long Chao come from my world."
Suddenly, rapid footsteps sounded from behind.
"Izumo-nee! If you go, we are going too, desu!" Ayanami's voice broke the silence.
I turned around. It wasn't just Ayanami. Javelin, Nimi (Z23), and Laffey, who had just finished their routine medical check-ups at the headquarters, stood in a line with determined faces.
"We were the ones who brought you home when your rigging shattered," Nimi said firmly, adjusting her glasses. "We won't let you explore a foreign ocean alone without a Destroyer escort."
"Laffey... doesn't want to be sleepy alone in the dorm... if Izumo isn't there..." Laffey murmured, rubbing her eyes, though her grip on her soda bottle was very tight.
"We're a team, right?" Javelin smiled broadly, though her eyes were teary.
Enterprise looked at the four destroyers, then back at me. She saw the same resolve in all five of our eyes.
"Very well," Enterprise said finally. "I give my blessing for this expedition. Izumo, you will lead this exploration task force. But hear me: prepare everything with extreme care. Akashi will help integrate long-range refueling and ammunition systems into your ship."
Enterprise placed a hand on my shoulder. "One more thing: never forget to send regular information updates via scout planes. We must know that you are safe."
"Understood!" I said loudly, giving a perfect military salute.
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POV Narrator: Preparing the White Dragon
The next day, in the early hours of the morning, the Sakura Empire docks became incredibly busy. The ship JS Izumo was nearly finished with its repairs. Spotlights illuminated its gallant, bright gray hull. The flight deck was smooth once more, ready to house the MiG-27K, Qaher 313, and the Fenice and Mi-24 Comet helicopters.
Izumo stood at the dock, gazing at her ship. Beside her, Ayanami, Javelin, Nimi, and Laffey were busy moving their personal gear onto the carrier. Their four ships were also prepared at the dock, ready to act as escorts for the JS Izumo.
"So, a new adventure begins?" Sweet Jolly's voice came from behind. She had arrived with Akaneko.
"Yes, Jolly. I have to do this. For you guys, and for this world," Izumo answered.
"We will always be waiting for you here, Izumo. Don't forget, the JS Izumo is our home too. If you ever feel tired, remember that there are an orange fox and a red cat praying for you at every sunrise," Jolly said, handing over a lucky charm handmade by Nagato.
Akaneko hugged Izumo's leg tightly. "Izumo-nee has to promise! When you come home, bring lots of food souvenirs from abroad!"
Izumo laughed, stroking Akaneko's head.
"I promise, Akaneko," I said, patting her head.
On the ship's deck, the four small destroyers waved toward the dock. They had prepared their ships to sail alongside the JS Izumo, ready to escort the White Dragon beyond the horizon.
Izumo stepped onto the ship. As her feet touched the deck, she felt the connection return-the vibration of the turbine engines merging with her heartbeat. The monitor in her neural eyes flickered to life through the glowing energy of her rigging, displaying the navigation path to unmapped territories.
"Navigation system active. AESA radar active. Exploration task force, prepare to enter the ocean!" Izumo commanded.
The JS Izumo slowly raised its anchor. The ship's loud horn echoed throughout the Azur Lane base, marking the beginning of an expedition that would change all their fates. Dawn began to break in the east. Izumo stared straight ahead, toward the vast blue of the ocean. Her world might be gone, but this new world was worth fighting for.
The aircraft carrier JS Izumo set sail, with the destroyers IJN Ayanami, USS Laffey, HMS Javelin, and KMS Z23 sailing in formation behind her.
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Meanwhile, far off near an archipelago, a plane of familiar shape flew over the sea. That sea lay within Izumo's future navigation path. Izumo was attempting to use the navigation maps from her previous world, trying to match the geography of this world with her own.
The plane was an F-35B, and in the distance, there were the silhouettes of two ships similar to the Izumo. They weren't clearly visible, but the F-35B was heading toward them. Could they be...?
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To be continued
Next Chapter 11: Is This World the Same?