Devil May Cry Naval Base
Under the cover of night, with the shipgirls fast asleep, an intruder slipped into the base. The patrolling MPs lay unconscious, taken out without a sound. The figure moved swiftly toward the docked ship, aiming for the captain's quarters. Creeping inside, they rummaged through the room until they found it—a box containing a jagged, green-glowing stone. They sealed it shut and made to leave, but a shadow dropped from the crow's nest, blocking their path.
Dante's voice was low. "What do you plan to do with that?"
The intruder deployed their rigging, aiming their main guns at Dante. He leaped aside as a deafening blast tore through the deck. The figure dove into the sea, fleeing, with Dante in pursuit.
The explosion jolted the base awake, plunging it into chaos.
Dante called after them, "If you're leaving, at least pay for that thing!"
The intruder, thinking they'd escaped, froze as Dante sprinted alongside them.
"Who's your fleet, Sendai?" Dante asked.
Sendai smirked. "Didn't expect you to keep up."
"This is just a warm-up. Want a real fight? I'm game."
Sendai grinned. "Night battle, huh?"
She fired her cannons and torpedoes. Dante twisted, dodging the shells, then vaulted over the torpedoes with ease, evading her attacks with fluid grace.
Sendai scoffed, "Dodging won't beat me."
"Not trying to win," Dante replied.
Sendai's eyes narrowed. "You mocking me?"
"You're from Kure, aren't you?"
Sendai froze, stunned. "How…?"
"Bingo," Dante said, stopping as she did.
"How'd you know?" she demanded.
"Your face," Dante said. "Or rather, your eyes."
Sendai was one of many shipgirls with the same name across bases, their faces identical. Yet Dante had pegged her as Kure's Sendai by her eyes alone.
"They're like Akagi's when she lost her friends to a demon-obsessed Admiral," Dante said. "Or Suzuya's, running from her abusive one. I saw it during the Kure-Yokosuka joint exercise."
"What's got you so desperate?" he pressed. "What're you carrying?"
Sendai snapped, "Don't act like you know me!"
She unleashed another barrage. Dante dodged effortlessly.
"I'm asking because I don't know," he said. "Fine, different question. Why that stone?"
Sendai fell silent.
The sound of battle drew the other shipgirls—everyone but the carriers. They aimed their guns at Sendai, who was locked in combat with Dante.
Jintsuu pleaded, "Sis, stop!"
Naka cried, "Why're you fighting the Admiral, Sendai-chan? Stop it!"
"I'm not your sister," Sendai shot back coldly. "Don't call me that."
Though Sendai, Jintsuu, and Naka were sister ships, her words hinted she might already have her own sisters elsewhere.
Sendai pulled out a small orb and crushed it, releasing a thick smokescreen. Dante lunged toward her, but she was gone.
Admiral's Office
"Don't go overboard," Dante said.
Aoba saluted. "Leave it to me!"
Tenryuu grinned. "With me here, it's fine."
Dante turned to Tatsuta. "Keep these two in check."
Tatsuta chirped, "Got it~"
The next morning, Dante summoned Aoba, Tenryuu,怎样 and Tatsuta for a special mission: investigate Kure Naval Base. Aoba's knack for shady "journalism" made her perfect for the job. Dante had quietly thwarted her past schemes to keep the base safe. She'd since stopped planting bugs or cameras, knowing she couldn't outsmart him. Tenryuu and Tatsuta were there for protection, with Tatsuta doubling as a leash for the reckless pair. They set off for Kure, not to return for a while.
Dante gazed out his office window at the sea, lost in thought. He sensed a storm brewing. The shipgirls were handling sorties and expeditions diligently, and other bases were managing the Abyssals. Demons? He could deal with those himself. Lady and Trish were already in play, gathering intel. The wildcard was the so-called Doctor—elusive, dropping cryptic hints, and just annoying enough to be a nuisance without being a clear threat. Dante mulled over his next move.
Luxury Hotel
Days later, the Marshal summoned Dante to a hotel room. Inside were the Marshal, Yamato, and an unfamiliar woman.
"You came," the Marshal said.
"What's the deal?" Dante asked.
The Marshal gestured to the woman. "She's the one with business."
She was Japan's first female Prime Minister, a direct request from the nation's top official—an extraordinary matter.
"What's the job?" Dante asked.
"Mind your tone," the Prime Minister snapped.
The Marshal vouched, "His skills are unmatched. He stopped a demon outbreak in the city."
The Prime Minister nodded. "I see."
She motioned for Dante to sit. He complied, and she placed a thick file labeled "Top Secret" and "Dante" on the table.
"My file?" Dante asked.
She ignored him, flipping through it.
"Origin?"
"America," Dante replied.
"Where in America?"
Dante glared, sensing the questions were pointless. "Get to the point."
"Your father?"
"Vanished when I was a kid."
"Mother?"
"Dead."
"Siblings? Older, younger?"
"No clue. If there's no real job, I'm out."
Irritated, Dante stood, but she showed him the file—most of it redacted, barely legible.
"I checked if you're trustworthy," she said. "This suggests you're no ordinary human."
"And?" Dante pressed.
"Can I trust you?"
"If the pay's good, I'll get it done."
She sighed. "I've got no one else."
Finally, she explained the mission. A crime syndicate's mountain estate hosted an underground casino, used for money laundering and attended by major criminal organizations. The police couldn't touch it. But this wasn't about hunting criminals.
Yamato spoke up. "We've got intel that an Army officer will be there."
"Army?" Dante asked.
The casino had a VIP poker room, and the officer was expected to attend. Dante's task: join the game under a false identity, gather evidence, and win to cut off the Army's funds—and the syndicate's, as a bonus.
Dante frowned. "Ignoring the criminals?"
"That's police work," the Prime Minister said. "The Army's shady movements are a national issue. They're not trustworthy right now."
The Marshal added, "The Army's acting outside government orders, pursuing their own agenda."
The government would fund Dante's buy-in, but if he lost, the money would go to the criminals or the Army. Failure wasn't an option.
"You'll work with Yamato," the Marshal said.
"She up for this?" Dante asked.
"She's fine," the Marshal assured.
Dante had one concern: the traitor hadn't been identified, and everyone, including Yamato, was a potential suspect. But the Marshal smiled as if to say, "No worries."
"And," the Marshal added, "you two will pose as a married couple."
Dante blinked. "...What?"
The VIP poker game was a week away. With that, Dante returned to the base.
Devil May Cry Naval Base: Mess Hall
After dinner, Dante briefed the shipgirls on the mission.
Shigure tilted her head. "Is the Admiral good at poker?"
Dante smirked. "A guy like me? I don't lose at any game."
Silence. The shipgirls stared, unconvinced.
Goya hopped up. "I'll grab some cards!"
Worried, they decided to test Dante's skills. Goya returned with a deck, and representatives from each ship class joined the game, with Houshou dealing. No bets, just declaring hands.
Destroyer rep: Shigure. "No mercy."
Light cruiser rep: Jintsuu. "Me?"
Heavy cruiser rep: Atago. "Let's do this!"
Battleship rep: Kongou. "Your allowances are mine!"
Hiei sighed, "We're not betting money."
Light carrier rep: Junyou. "Gotta earn my sake!"
Ryuujou groaned, "No betting!"
Carrier rep: Kaga. "I'll crush you."
Souryuu nodded. "Classic poker face."
Submarine rep: Goya. "Nothing to say."
Miscellaneous rep: Akashi. "Do I need to be here?"
Houshou dealt. Everyone revealed their hands.
Akashi: "Two pair."
Goya: "Two pair."
Kaga: "Full house."
Junyou: "Ugh, one pair."
Kongou: "Flush!"
Atago: "Three of a kind."
Kitakami: "Heh, straight."
Jintsuu: "Um, three of a kind."
Shigure: "Straight."
All eyes turned to Dante, who hadn't shown his hand. Asashio and Shiranui peeked over his shoulder.
Asashio: "Is this good?"
Dante muttered, "Don't say it…"
Shiranui: "Commander, this is…"
Dante growled, "Don't."
Suzuya snapped, "Just show it!"
Dante sighed. "No pair. High card."
"...That's weak," the shipgirls muttered.
Dante laughed it off. "I went easy on you."
They played again, swapping players. Dante kept losing.
Dante: "One pair."
Akagi: "Two pair."
Dante: "Three of a kind."
Choukai: "Flush."
Dante: "Straight."
Hiei: "Yes! Full house!"
Dante: "Flush!"
Shiranui: "Four of a kind."
Dante: "Full house!"
Ryuujou: "Four of a kind."
Dante: "Four of a kind!"
Murakumo: "Straight flush."
Dante's losses piled up. The shipgirls grew bored. One final round.
Dante slammed his cards down. "How's this?"
A straight flush—stronger than anyone else's hand. Victory at last.
Houshou smiled. "Royal straight flush."
Dante froze. She'd topped him with the strongest hand possible. He hadn't won a single round.
Luckless in love and gambling, Dante was pitied by the shipgirls.
Kitakami whispered, "This is bad…"
Ooi suggested, "Can we cancel the mission?"
Failure seemed inevitable, with dire consequences.
Suzuya perked up. "...Training!"
For the next week, the base became a poker boot camp, drilling Dante relentlessly.
Could he pull off the mission?