The Pacific Ocean always hides secrets behind its endless blue expanse. Several days have passed since JS Izumo and the four destroyers—HMS Javelin, USS Laffey, IJN Ayanami, and KMS Z23—weighed anchor from the Sakura Empire docks. The Azur Lane base is now hundreds of miles behind; there is no time to look back. With a vital mission for the future of Azur Lane ahead, they leave behind an empty horizon filled only by the sound of waves crashing against the ship's hull. The sea remains friendly to them, as if blessing this journey.
The Exploration Task Force moves steadily westward. Under Izumo's leadership, these five ships form a unique formation: a modern helicopter carrier escorted by four legendary destroyers from the World War II era. However, while the ships remain the same, the ship-girls themselves are different. Their appearance is no longer what it was during the great war against Long Chao. Thanks to Akashi's "touch" and inter-faction logistical research, they now wear expedition outfits that are far more tactical.
Izumo leads in the center, her long white techwear jacket fluttering in the sea breeze. Behind her are Javelin, Ayanami, Laffey, and Z23 Nimi. They stand alert on the flight deck of JS Izumo. Four helicopters are on standby there: two Fenice and two Comet. These serve as transportation if they wish to stop at a nearby island where there is no port. In such cases, they choose to fly.
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Relaxed Moments on Deck
That afternoon, the sun shines brightly, yet the sea air feels cool. On the vast flight deck of JS Izumo, the atmosphere feels far from military tension. Javelin and Ayanami are busy in front of a portable BBQ grill they set up in an open area. They placed it on the runway path. Because of the strong wind, the aroma of seasoned beef and the savory steam from the grill begin to fill the surrounding air, making anyone who catches a scent feel hungry.
"Ayanami, please flip the meat! It's going to burn!" Javelin cries out cheerfully. She wears her light purple hoodie with the sleeves rolled up, showing the small Union Jack emblem on her shoulder.
"I've got it, Javelin. Don't panic, desu," Ayanami replies calmly. She wears a black haori jacket with a blue neon circuit pattern that blinks slowly every now and then. Her right hand deftly flips the meat skewers using tongs. She is using her talent for grilling here; Ayanami is quick and precise in determining when to flip and drain the meat so it doesn't get too charred on one side.
Izumo herself is relaxing, sitting not far from them, reclining in a comfortable beach chair. She wears a sleeveless black turtleneck under her white jacket, while her tactical shorts allow her silver tail to move freely as she finds a comfortable position. Beside her, Laffey is fast asleep, her bunny-eared hoodie covering half her face, still clutching a soda bottle.
"Nimi! Any results? Is it a strike? You look very serious watching the water." Izumo shouts softly toward the edge of the deck.
Z23, who prefers to be called Nimi, is standing at the edge of the deck with modern fishing equipment. She looks very serious, her digital glasses analyzing the movement underwater. "Patience, Izumo. The current here is quite strong, but my radar sensors are detecting something bi—"
STRIKE!
Nimi's fishing rod bends sharply. "I've got one! This pull is incredibly strong!" Nimi braces her feet, her black boots creaking against the deck.
"Whoa, Nimi caught a fish! I want to help pull!" Javelin runs over.
After a ten-minute struggle, Nimi manages to pull her catch onto the deck with great strength, aided by Javelin. A giant Marlin with a sharp snout and silvery-blue scales floppes on the steel floor. It is so big that it might take several meals to finish.
"Amazing, Nimi! That's huge!" Izumo praises as she stands and approaches.
"This can be our main course for today," Nimi says, wiping sweat from her forehead, a proud smile on her face as she gives a thumb-up to Izumo—a rare smile for the usually stiff Nimi.
Javelin immediately prepares an additional grill from inside the ship's tower. Besides the BBQ beef, they now enjoy fresh grilled Marlin from Nimi's catch. They eat together on the deck, sharing laughs and stories. In the middle of this foreign ocean, moments of eating together like this are a reminder that they are not just war machines, but souls bound together—by the energy of the Wisdom Cube, by togetherness, and a sense of family.
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Familiar Land: Iwo Jima
After lunch, Izumo returns to her position near the bridge. She sits in her beach chair again. Her eyes stare sharply ahead. The AESA radar from the carrier detects a land anomaly in the distance. Izumo displays a hologram screen, and a map projection appears. It is the same navigation map from the bridge, showing an island near their path.
"There's an island ahead," Izumo mutters.
She immediately manifests a partial rigging in the form of a small monitor on the left, closing her eye like a monitor monocle. The coordinates appearing are matched with the digital map from her old world. Her heart beats fast. The shape of the island—the hill protrusion at the southern end resembling a shark's head.
"No way..." Izumo says.
"What is it, Izumo-nee?" asks Ayanami, noticing the change in Izumo's expression.
"That island... in my world, its name is Iwo Jima," Izumo says softly.
Izumo's hypothesis is growing stronger. This world indeed has an extraordinary geological and geographical resemblance to her own, even if the energy flowing within it is different. Even Izumo's core energy is different from Azur Lane's. Sure enough, as they get closer, the silhouette of Mount Suribachi is clearly visible. Even from a distance, the remains of old lookout towers on the hilltop still stand tall, as if defying time.
Iwo Jima. The silent witness to the bloodiest battle between the United States and Japan in her world. A place where thousands of lives were lost in the war for air and sea territory. The last place where the pride of Japanese forces was tested against the American military.
"We're stopping there," Izumo orders. "Drop anchor on the north side of the island."
Since the dock on the island is destroyed or inadequate for a ship the size of JS Izumo—and the four other ships also need a place to anchor—all ships eventually drop anchor in one spot nearby. They decide to land using air units. Izumo prepares one Mi-24 Comet helicopter for herself, as well as two AW249 Fenice helicopters for Ayanami, Javelin, Laffey, and Nimi, as the cabin capacity is a maximum of two people.
The sound of helicopter blades breaks the silence of the dead island. They land in a vast area of black sand. As their feet touch the ground, the atmosphere of the island feels heavy.
"This island," Nimi mutters, looking around. "It feels like standing on a mass grave."
"In my world, it was," Izumo replies quietly. She explains the history of the Battle of Iwo Jima to her comrades. About how U.S. ground forces accidentally took air strikes from their own side (friendly fire), and how the stubborn Japanese underground defenses turned this island into a hellscape.
Izumo glances at Ayanami, who seems silent.
"If this map is correct, then we are in a territory called Japan. In your world, this is like the gateway to the Sakura Empire," Izumo explains.
Ayanami stares at the open sea with a blank gaze. "So, this is like coming home, desu? But, it feels very different, desu."
"Coming home to a different version of the world," Izumo adds.
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Eye in the Sky.
Laffey and Nimi separate to conduct observations from the hilltop. They climb a ruined path, passing large cracks in the ground from ship cannons and aerial bombs from decades ago. Both are still thinking hard about how a small island, with a defending force, was able to fight an enemy bringing so many ships, planes, and troops with only the will to hold out as best they could.
Nimi stands at the peak, letting the strong wind blow her hair. From here, almost the entire island is visible. The beauty of the blue sea surrounding the black sand creates a tragic contrast.
"The view is beautiful, but the land is suffering," Nimi says poetically.
Laffey, who is usually sleepy, suddenly looks up at the sky. Her eyes narrow. "Nimi... look at that."
Laffey points toward a high cluster of clouds. There, the silhouette of a plane flies very fast and very quietly. Its shape does not resemble the propeller-based planes or early-generation jets common in Azur Lane. This plane has sharp, futuristic angles.
"Unknown aircraft! Nimi, report to Izumo-nee!" Laffey cries out, her sleepiness vanishing instantly.
Below, Izumo receives the report through her headset. She immediately looks to the sky. Thanks to the optical system of the small monitor on her left eye—her partial rigging—she can zoom in on the silhouette. Izumo's blood suddenly runs cold.
"5th Generation Aircraft... F-35B Lightning II," Izumo whispers. "Carrier specialist... belonging to the United States in my world. And if this is Japan... then it is a Japanese unit. And Japan has a special unit for carriers."
That means there is only one possibility: There is a modern aircraft carrier nearby. And if that plane is over Iwo Jima, it means they have entered that ship's radar range. They are being watched.
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Drone Reconnaissance: Qaher 313
"Everyone, back to positions! We are under surveillance!" Izumo orders. "I should have detected them. The F-35B is a stealth aircraft. It's hard for my radar to pick up without visual observation. Ah, dammit."
She immediately moves her hands virtually. On the deck of the JS Izumo anchored nearby, the aircraft lift moves up, carrying two Qaher 313 stealth drones. Izumo closes her eyes, performing a neural sync. The visual projection from the drone's camera is now clearly displayed in her vision.
Zuuuum!
Two Qaher 313 drones blast off from the flight deck. To avoid enemy radar detection, Izumo flies her drones very low, just a few meters above the sea surface (sea-skimming). She circles the Iwo Jima peninsula, searching for the source of the scout plane. A plane wouldn't be far from its mother ship. Surely, whoever is watching is nearby.
On the island, Ayanami, Laffey, Javelin, and Nimi stand guard beside Izumo's body as she focuses on controlling the drones. They manifest their partial rigging, their small cannons aimed at the sky, ready for a surprise attack.
"Got you!" Izumo thinks.
The Qaher's camera detects ships. Behind a small, uninhabited island about 40 miles from Iwo Jima, two aircraft carriers are seen stationary. The area where they are anchored is thick with mist. The weather is indeed a bit cloudy, including at Iwo Jima.
Izumo zooms in with her camera. She almost loses control of her drone when she sees the hull numbers on those ships.
181 and 184.
"JS Hyuga and JS Kaga..." Izumo trembles. "So, it really is 'Japan.' They are other versions of my ships in this world. And they certainly aren't alone."
The camera then shifts to the figures of the ship-girls standing beside the flight decks of those carriers. The first girl has short brown hair, wearing a white shirt with a neat black blazer, gripping a bow tightly. The second girl has shoulder-length blue hair, wearing a white shirt and a blue blazer, also carrying a bow.
"Hyuga and Kaga as Kansen. It seems the other hypothesis is true. These ships' souls take the form of ship-girls and control the ships themselves," Izumo mutters.
However, the reconnaissance doesn't last long. Izumo was too focused on the targets below and ignored the sensor warnings above her. Without her realizing it, four F-35B jets are already flying directly above her two Qaher drones, matching their minimum speed. Two Apache helicopters also emerge from behind the hill of the small island. Izumo only notices when she is about to roll and head back to her ship.
"Dammit! I'm trapped!" she says. Beside her, Javelin is confused, but Ayanami and Nimi understand that Izumo's drones are caught.
Izumo immediately performs a sharp rolling maneuver to turn back. However, the opposition has no intention of letting the uninvited guests leave. Without warning, the Apache helicopters fire air-to-air missiles. Hellfire missiles streak forward from the two attack helicopters.
"Flares! Now!" Izumo commands.
Izumo releases a burst of heat flares from the Qaher's tail. The missiles explode in the air, fooled by the decoys. Izumo engages full afterburners. The two Qaher 313s blast away at supersonic speeds, leaving vapor trails on the sea surface.
The F-35B jets don't stay idle. They engage their afterburners and give chase. The thumping sound of automatic jet cannons begins to ring out.
RATATATATA!
One of the Qaher drones is hit directly in the engine and explodes into metal fragments. Izumo groans, feeling the mental strain of the destroyed drone. She now has only one drone left. She performs a cobra brake maneuver in the air, forcing one F-35B jet to overshoot so she can turn to fire, but the enemy numbers are too great.
Far from the dogfight, one of the F-35Bs that was spying on them suddenly turns from its initial path and dives sharply toward Izumo and the others on the island. The plane prepares to fire its cannons at their coordinates, engaging its air brakes and preparing to shift to VTOL mode.
"Danger, desu!" Ayanami says, realizing something is wrong.
Ayanami reacts faster than lightning. She focuses all her core energy into her greatsword, which now glows neon blue. With an incredibly high vertical leap, Ayanami streaks into the air. She prepares her signature massive blade
SLASH!
Before the F-35B jet can pull the trigger and lock onto the girls below, Ayanami slashes through the wing and nose of the modern jet. Right in its blind spot, the center of the fuselage is torn open. A massive explosion occurs in the air. Ayanami falls back to the ground but is quickly caught by Nimi and Javelin.
At the same time, the last Qaher drone in the distance is destroyed by an enemy jet missile. Izumo's visual projection is cut instantly. She opens her eyes, panting with cold sweat pouring down her temples.
"Everyone back to the ship! Now!" Izumo screams in panic. "We are considered intruders. Guests who didn't ask permission!"
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Standoff at Sea
They run back to the helicopters and fly as fast as possible toward JS Izumo. As soon as they land on the deck, Ayanami, Nimi, Laffey, and Javelin immediately activate their full rigging. Their ships manifest full weaponry, standing as guards at each end of the JS Izumo's deck as it begins to move westward. Izumo readies three MiG-27K units and another Qaher 313 drone on deck. Ready. She also readies the MARS-230 rocket grenade launchers and activates the Mark 45 torpedo tubes.
Izumo monitors the radar anxiously. "They're coming."
Two destroyers suddenly appear from behind the horizon at high speed. Izumo recognizes their shapes: Aegis-class destroyers.
"JS Kongo and JS Asuka..." Izumo mutters. "Even they are here?"
The two destroyers approach with very aggressive maneuvers, coming within just a few meters of JS Izumo. The four Azur Lane destroyers have already aimed their cannons. Izumo herself has activated her two MARS-230 grenade launchers and prepared the torpedo tubes in her hull.
Two ship-girls step out onto the decks of their respective ships. The girl from JS Asuka has short gray hair, wearing a white lab coat over a black uniform with a short skirt—looking like a brilliant researcher. Meanwhile, the girl from JS Kongo has long dark blue hair, wearing a white uniform with a black pencil skirt, giving off a very formal and disciplined impression.
Their large ship cannons rotate, locked directly onto JS Izumo's bridge. The JS Asuka, whose cannon is a railgun, is seen recharging power. A high-pitched, noisy electromagnetic hiss can be heard.
The atmosphere becomes completely silent. Only the roar of the ship engines and the crashing of waves fill the space between them. Weapons are primed to fire; energy is at its peak.
Izumo stares at the two modern ship-girls from her deck. Her hands are clenched.
"Shall we talk... or shall the weapons do the talking?" Izumo says under her breath, waiting for the next move from these mysterious interceptors.
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To be continued.
Chapter 12: Where and Why?