Dante speaks with the Marshal on the phone.
"…Got it. Send a pickup. We'll wait."
"What'd he say?" Akagi asks as Dante hangs up.
"Pickup's coming. I'm napping." He flops onto the office sofa.
"Let's search for survivors," Kaga suggests.
"Right."
Akagi and Kaga search the base, finding a few weakened shipgirls. Arriving military police and navy personnel evacuate them, as the base is in ruins.
Back at headquarters, Dante naps on the sofa in the Marshal's office.
"Akagi, Kaga, what happened?" the Marshal asks.
"A week ago, we heard the Admiral's scream and rushed to his office. He was fine, but…" Akagi begins.
"He summoned monsters to attack us. Some resisted, but…" Kaga continues.
"We could only watch as everyone was killed," Akagi says, crying. Kaga's face shows regret.
The demons devoured the fallen shipgirls, leaving no trace.
"The Admiral was capable but obsessed with results. I never imagined he'd use demons. I'm sorry I couldn't help sooner," the Marshal says.
"It's not your fault," Akagi replies, easing his guilt slightly.
"He always called us weapons, saying we needed power," Kaga says bitterly.
The Marshal knows the navy's dark side corruption, expendable shipgirl tactics, assaults, and treating them as tools, as the Yokosuka Admiral did. It's a persistent issue.
"You're not weapons. You're human," Dante says, awake.
The shipgirls stare, stunned by the words from someone they thought was asleep.
"Demons don't cry. Neither do weapons. Tears are a human right."
The Marshal sees potential in Dante. "About your reward…"
Dante leaps up. "Been waiting! Cash, please—"
"Be an Admiral."
"…Huh?"
"What!?" Yamato, Akagi, and Kaga gasp.
Dante lacks military training or credentials. Appointing him Admiral could jeopardize the Marshal's position.
Dante laughs. "I'm no soldier. Pass!"
"Hear me out. You're from another world, right? Got a way back?"
"No clue, but I got here, so I'll find a way."
"Until then, we need someone like you who sees shipgirls as human."
"And the reward?"
"A place to live in this world, if you become Admiral. We can't support non-personnel otherwise."
Dante, homeless and broke, pauses.
"I need your strength."
"Seriously!?" Yamato interjects.
"KAH!" the Marshal snaps, exasperated.
"…Fine," Dante agrees.
"Dante-san!?" Akagi exclaims.
He can't leave yet stolen weapons, a surviving enemy, and demons still linger.
"Done. Akagi, Kaga, you're under Dante's command now," the Marshal orders.
"An outsider as Admiral? Even you can't allow that!" Kaga protests.
"What will other Admirals say?" Yamato adds.
"KAH!" the Marshal cuts them off.
"(Is this old man okay?)" Dante thinks.
"I'll handle the others. This is an order."
"But…" Kaga hesitates.
"Akagi, First Carrier Division, under Dante's command," Akagi salutes.
"Kaga-san," Akagi prompts.
"…Understood," Kaga salutes reluctantly.
"Looking forward to working with you, Dante," Akagi says.
"Let's have fun," Dante replies.
"Fun? Do you know what an Admiral does?" Kaga asks.
"…"
Tension fills the room.
"Kaga-san, he saved us," Akagi reminds her.
"…I know," Kaga says, leaving.
"Sorry, Kaga's serious and a bit awkward, but she's good. Don't be mad," Akagi says.
"Got it."
"That was scary…" Yamato murmurs.
"Your fault, Marshal," Akagi adds.
"If the Admiral summoned demons, they should stop now, right?" the Marshal asks.
"Maybe not. He was likely a pawn. The real mastermind's out there," Dante says.
"What!?"
"I'll deal with him. Got a score to settle."
Akagi interrupts. "What's this about another world?"
"Just what I said. I'm not from here."
Akagi recalls her dream. "(Was that another world?)"
Her stomach growls.
"…!" She blushes.
"Hah!" Dante laughs.
"Lunchtime. Yamato, prepare something," the Marshal says.
"Yes, right away!"
"Yamato's cooking is hotel-quality—"
"Not a hotel!" Yamato snaps.
"…Sorry."
"Looking forward to it!" Dante grins.
"Yes!" Yamato smiles.
"You treat me differently…" the Marshal grumbles.
"I'll get Kaga," Yamato says.
After lunch, they chat.
"So full! Top-notch!" Akagi says.
"Really uplifting," Kaga adds.
"Was it good, Dante-san?" Yamato asks.
"Best meal in ages. Thanks."
"You're welcome!" Yamato blushes.
"Delicious, Yamato," the Marshal says.
"Not asking you."
The Marshal sulks, but it shows his bond with the shipgirls.
"Shipgirls eat a ton," Dante notes.
"Supply is vital," they say in unison.
"Hah! Enter an eating contest. You'd win!"
They half-consider it.
"When do I start this Admiral gig?" Dante asks.
"Today, but Yokosuka's a wreck because of you."
"My fault…?"
"It'll take time to fix. There's a new base almost done in a few days."
"There, huh?"
"Yes."
Dante sighs. He wanted freedom, not a steady job.
"We'll discuss details later. What's that tiny thing on your desk?" Dante asks.
"(He sees fairies?)" the Marshal thinks.
"It's a fairy," Yamato says, holding it.
"Fairy?"
"(Fairies see him as an Admiral candidate…)"
The fairy trembles.
"Huh?" Yamato says.
"It's scared of you," the Marshal notes.
"(Sensing my demon side?)" Dante thinks.
"He's not bad," Yamato reassures, offering the fairy.
Dante reaches, but it flees.
"Really hated me."
"(Fairies scared? Can we trust him?)" Kaga grows suspicious.
"Fairies are vital for base operations…" the Marshal says.
"Why's it scared?" Akagi asks.
"He kills monsters and scares fairies. Who are you?" the Marshal asks.
"Dunno," Dante shrugs.
"One shipgirl is assigned as your starter. Akagi and Kaga are here, but I arranged another," the Marshal says.
A knock. "Come in."
"Inazuma, reporting!" a girl says.
"This is Dante, your new Admiral."
"You're the Commander? I'm Inazuma. Nice to meet you!"
"Rookie Admiral, but let's get along."
"Yes, sir!"
Akagi and Kaga's faces darken Inazuma was among the ghosts at Yokosuka.
"What's wrong?" Dante asks.
"Nothing!" Akagi says.
"…"
Inazuma was among the many ghosts; Dante doesn't recall.
Three Days Later
At the new base's gate, ready to depart.
"Stay safe," the Marshal says.
"Old man, you sure about no paperwork?" Dante asks.
"How many times? Yes!"
"Just checking."
"You'll still need to handle some decisions."
"How many times you gonna say that? I get it."
The Marshal sighs. Akagi laughs awkwardly.
"Commander!" Inazuma says, annoyed.
"What? Tell him, Inazuma," the Marshal urges.
"Calling the Marshal 'old man' is rude!"
"Huh? That's your issue?" the Marshal says.
"He is old," Dante says, patting Inazuma's head.
"Hawawa!" She blushes.
"Let's go," Dante says.
"Godspeed."
"Yamato."
"Yes?"
"Date me next time. Not every day you meet a beauty like you."
"D-Date!?" Yamato blushes.
"Stop flirting and go!" the Marshal snaps.
"Let's move, Admiral!" Akagi pushes Dante to the car.
"Hey, I wasn't done!"
They board, leaving for the new base as the Marshal and Yamato wave.
"An outsider as Admiral… really okay?" Yamato asks.
"The navy needs him. If demons persist, we'll rely on him."
"Right."
"What about the base's name?"
"Oh, that."
"He insisted on naming it. It was unfinished, so I let him."
"It's official now."
"My neck's on the line…"
"Take responsibility then."
"I forgot something…"
"What?"
At the new base, four shipgirls greet them.
"Welcome, Admiral."
"Who're you?"
"Light cruiser Ooyodo, handling comms and operations."
"Light carrier Houshou."
"Supply ship Mamiya, cafeteria."
"Repair ship Akashi, workshop."
"Thought I'd get one shipgirl," Dante says, patting Inazuma.
"Hawawa!"
"(Calling the Marshal 'old man'!?)" the shipgirls think.
"Didn't the Marshal tell you?" Ooyodo asks.
"Nope."
"…"
"Everyone, it's been a while," Akagi greets.
"Old friends?" Dante asks.
"From Yokosuka," Kaga replies.
"More survivors?"
"You were asleep. We found them, and the police took them," Kaga explains.
"So you're assigned here?" Dante asks.
"By the Marshal's direct order," Houshou says.
"That old man should've said so."
"You saved us from demons and the Admiral," Ooyodo says.
"Was awesome!" Akagi adds.
"Not human," Kaga says.
"Really?" Inazuma asks.
"Thanks for saving us," Houshou and others bow.
"No big deal. Let's have fun together."
They smile.
Ooyodo salutes. "Ooyodo, Houshou, Mamiya, Akashi, under Admiral Dante's command!"
Akagi, Kaga, and Inazuma follow.
"Cool, let's do this."
"Houshou and Mamiya's cooking is amazing!" Akagi says.
"Mamiya's ice cream is unbeatable," Kaga adds.
"Wanna grab pizza?" Dante suggests.
"Wait! You need to learn Admiral duties!" Ooyodo stops him.
"After pizza."
Kaga grabs his collar. "Where you going?"
"Pizza, duh."
"We'll eat it for you. Study," Kaga says.
"Hey, I haven't had one slice here!"
Kaga drags him to the office, others following.
Office
Ooyodo sets thick books on the desk. "Study these for duties."
"Too thick. I was told no paperwork."
"I'll handle most, but you need basics."
"We'll help," Houshou offers.
"Yep!" Inazuma adds.
Mamiya and Akashi already left for their posts.
"Tea?" Houshou asks.
"We'll get pizza," Kaga says.
"Sorry, Admiral," Akagi adds.
"Hey, no fair!"
Dante's "Damn it!" echoes all day.
"Admiral Dante assumes command of Devil May Cry Naval Base."