Devil May Cry Naval Base
Houshou saluted. "We're off. Hold the fort."
Ooi smirked. "Got it."
For the Western Sea operation, Akagi, Kaga, Houshou, Junyou, Kongou, Hiei, and Dante were to join fleet girls stationed at Lingga Anchorage. The submarines had already left for commerce raiding.
Akebono scoffed. "Does the shitty Admiral need to go?"
Dante shrugged. "Got something to check."
He'd sensed a demonic stench from Abyssals last time he was in this world. The mystery lingered. Rumors of Princess and Demon-class Abyssals piqued his interest. Going might yield answers—or nothing—but doing nothing wasn't his style.
Kitakami grinned. "No strong Abyssals here. We'll handle coastal patrols."
Houshou nodded. "Contact Yokosuka if trouble hits. They'll send backup."
Ooyodo bowed. "Understood."
Mamiya smiled. "Admiral, no pizza there. Eat properly."
Dante groaned. "I'm not a kid."
Akebono muttered, "Shitty Admiral."
"Hm?" Dante raised a brow.
"Be careful," she said.
"Don't wreck the base," Dante shot back, chuckling at her spunk.
The fleet set sail.
Two Days Later: Lingga Anchorage
Dante stretched. "Long trip."
Suzuya waved, sprinting over. "Admiral!"
They'd pushed nonstop to arrive. She'd come to greet them.
"How's it here?" Dante asked.
"Outings or living conditions?" Suzuya teased.
"Both."
"Outings? Armored Carrier Demon showed up—tough fight. Living? Decent, but no entertainment," she said.
Dante smirked at the Demon mention. If Elite Abyssals carried demonic scents, what about Princesses or Demons? Could they talk? He needed to know their link to demons. "Wish I'd seen it."
Suzuya nodded. "We nailed their trade routes. You guys rest."
Dante dismissed Akagi and the others to relax.
Suzuya perked up. "New fleet girls joined. Wanna meet them?"
"Drops, right?" Dante said.
"Hey, you remembered!" Suzuya grinned.
"Forgot till yesterday," he admitted.
"Ugh, hopeless…" Suzuya sighed, leading him to the new girls.
Meeting Room
Dante muttered, "So many names to learn…"
New fleet girls meant more names to memorize—a hassle. As he grumbled, Suzuya arrived with six girls.
Choukai bowed. "I'm Choukai. Pleased to meet you."
Shiranui saluted. "Shiranui. I look forward to your guidance."
Kagerou beamed. "Finally! I'm Kagerou. Let's get along!"
Ryuujou grinned. "Light carrier Ryuujou. Unique silhouette, huh? But I'm a proper carrier, pumping out planes. Count on me!"
Dante raised a brow. "Impressive…"
Kirishima tested, "Mic check… One, two… Okay. I'm Kirishima. Nice to meet you."
"No mic needed this close," Dante said.
"R-right! Haha…" Kirishima laughed nervously.
Kumano curtsied. "Greetings, I'm heavy cruiser Kumano!"
Dante glanced at Suzuya, who gave a wistful smile. She'd fled Maizuru Naval Base after its abusive Admiral and Kumano's sinking. She'd found Dante's base, joining for refuge. Noticing his look, she said, "I'm fine."
"Good," Dante replied.
The new girls tilted their heads, confused.
"Choukai, seen you at Yokosuka drills," Dante noted.
Choukai smiled. "Looking forward to working together."
"Kumano, Kirishima, Ryuujou, Kagerou, and… Shiranui?" Dante confirmed.
Shiranui's eyes narrowed. "Is there a problem with Shiranui?"
Dante sighed. Another tricky one. "Nah, nothing. I'm napping."
Suzuya groaned. "Again!?"
"Pulled an all-nighter. Let me sleep," Dante said, closing his eyes.
The strategy meeting was tonight. Fleet girls, equipped with rigging, barely needed sleep or food—a perk of their ship origins. Dante, despite his rigging, wasn't so lucky.
Ryuujou blinked. "What's with this Admiral?"
Suzuya laughed. "Loves sleeping. We're heading out."
Most left, but Shiranui stayed.
Kagerou called, "Shiranui, let's go!"
Dante opened an eye. "Not leaving?"
"No orders," Shiranui said.
"Do what you want," Dante said.
"Understood." She stayed, staring blankly. Dante ignored her, drifting off. A girl staring at a sleeping man—bizarre to anyone watching. What was Shiranui thinking?
Akagi shook him. "Admiral, it's time."
Dante woke for the strategy meeting. Shiranui was still there, unmoved.
"You stayed the whole time?" Dante asked.
"Yes," Shiranui said.
Houshou began, "Let's start."
Shiranui lingered, unnecessary for the small meeting.
"Planning to stay?" Dante asked.
"Any issue?" Shiranui replied.
Dante was clueless about her motives, but Houshou chimed in. "She's guarding you."
"Guard? Don't need it," Dante said.
"Am I… unneeded?" Shiranui asked.
"Not what I said," Dante groaned, exasperated by her leap.
Kagerou burst in. "Shiranui! Stop loitering!"
"Any fault?" Shiranui asked.
"You're disrupting! Come on!" Kagerou dragged her out.
Kaga sighed. "Shall we begin?"
The meeting started. Before Dante's arrival, they'd executed a commerce raiding operation at Bagel Bay, with cruisers and submarines hitting enemy supply lines. Now, the main goal: assault Rilanka Island.
Houshou outlined, "We'll form a mobile task force… Admiral, listening?"
"Yeah," Dante said, bored. Plans didn't guarantee success. He preferred winging it.
Houshou continued. Three fleets from Dante's base, plus one from Sasebo's base—where Dante once washed up after a clam-digging mishap—would attack Rilanka. Sasebo's Admiral, a marshal's grandson and general's son, was a rigid stickler.
Haguro reported, "Harbor Princess is confirmed at the enemy base."
"The big boss?" Dante asked.
"Among known Abyssals, yes," Haguro said.
Akagi smiled. "It's base destruction. You can sit this out, Admiral."
Kaga added, "You didn't need to come."
"I'm definitely going," Dante insisted, earning sighs.
The fleet assignments were announced. It was time to execute.
Operation Day: Western Sea
The fleet charged toward Rilanka Island. Sasebo's fleet—light carriers Shouhou and Zuihou, aviation battleships Ise and Hyuuga, light cruiser Kuma, and destroyer Yuudachi—would join later.
Akagi shouted, "Enemy fleet!"
An Eastern counterattack force appeared, including Battleship Ta-class Elite and Heavy Cruiser Ri-class Elite.
Dante sniffed. "That demonic stench… First time seeing those."
Souryuu identified, "Battleship Ta-class Elite."
"Another Elite…" Dante muttered, charging in.
Kaga sighed. "As expected."
Akagi rallied, "Support the Admiral, like old times!"
"Yes!" the fleet replied.
Dodging Abyssal attacks, Dante called to the Ta-class, "Why do you smell like demons? What are you?"
Silence. It fired instead. Dante grimaced. "Another mute? I hate chatty types, but some talk would be nice!"
He slashed its shells with Rebellion, countering with Ebony & Ivory.
They crushed the enemy fleet, navigated whirlpools, and defeated Eastern reinforcements. Rilanka was close. Sasebo's fleet joined.
Hyuuga apologized, "Sorry for the delay."
Yuudachi squealed, "Red Admiral, poi!"
She clung to Dante, remembering his shipwrecked rescue.
"Noisy as ever," Dante said.
"Rude, poi!" Yuudachi pouted.
"Still 'poi'-ing, huh?" Dante teased, ruffling her hair as she yelped.
"How's your Admiral?" Dante asked.
"Still a stiff, poi," Yuudachi said.
"Shame," Dante said. Sasebo's Admiral was inflexible, leaving a bad impression.
Dark clouds loomed over Rilanka. Harbor Princess awaited.
"Kuruna…" she spoke.
Dante's eyes lit up. He'd thought Abyssals were mute, but this one talked—and reeked of demons. "Hold up," he told the fleet, approaching alone.
Yuudachi followed. "What're you doing, poi?"
"Chatting. Stay back," Dante said.
"Going with you, poi!"
Hyuuga asked Akagi, "What's your Admiral doing?"
"Talking to the Abyssal," Akagi said.
Hyuuga stared, questioning Dante's sanity.
Other Abyssals moved to attack, but Harbor Princess stopped them, intrigued. Humans couldn't walk on water, yet here Dante was.
"Cloudy, but nice for a stroll," Dante said.
Yuudachi whispered, "(Small talk, poi!?)"
Harbor Princess stayed silent, observing.
"Why the demon smell?" Dante asked.
"Nothing… nothing… you don't understand…" she said.
"That's why I'm asking," Dante replied. Communication was possible, but not the dialogue he wanted.
"Tell me about your demon connection," Dante pressed.
Silence.
Dante couldn't confirm Abyssals were demons—some lacked the scent. Then, something flew from the fleet's rear, soaring over them toward Dante.
Aoba shouted, "Commander!"
Dante drew Rebellion, clashing swords with a silver knight-demon—the same one from Akebono's arrival day. It shoved him away from Harbor Princess.
Yuudachi cried, "Admiral!"
She chased, firing at the demon, who deflected her shells and attacked Dante again.
Harbor Princess, seeing Dante gone, targeted the fleet. Hyuuga shouted, "No more waiting!"
The fleet engaged, battle erupting.
Dante yelled, "Stop attacking!"
Kaga snapped, "Too late!"
He hadn't gotten answers, but the fight was unstoppable. Facing the knight-demon, Dante growled, "Ruining my chat… What's your goal?"
The demon stayed silent, blades clashing as the battle spiraled into chaos.