“Everyone, assume defensive formation!“ the Commander ordered sharply, refusing to give the enemy any chance to ambush them from all sides.

  “Commander, the Iron Blood's mass-produced fleet are closing in!“ Enterprise warned him, it was a dire situation for them.

  TB voice then came rushing in. ~Reporting, Approaching non-allied aircraft have been detected. Profile matches that of Iron Blood manufacture.~

  “Fuck, just what we needed—surrounded from the sea and the sky,” the Commander muttered under his breath, frustration giving way to quick action. “Enterprise! Hornet! Launch Formation A! Focus on their mass-produced carriers!”

  “On it!“ Both sisters replied with a sharp tone.

  Enterprise drew her bow and loosed a glowing arrow into the air. The projectile arced high before transforming into a squadron of agile fighters that screamed toward the enemy. Meanwhile, Hornet unched her reconnaissance pne to sneak past the chaotic dogfight and locate the Iron Blood carrier.

  Illustrious and Unicorn stood side by side, shielding the Commander’s command ship, while South Dakota prepared to unleash a devastating salvo on the advancing destroyer fleet. Baltimore covered their blind side, her guns at the ready. Greynar took charge of the mass-produced ships, ordering them to form the first line of defense as the rest of the fleet held their positions, ready to respond to any sudden developments.

  Gritting his teeth, the Commander frantically scanned the battlefield for an escape route when his communicator beeped sharply. An incoming call. Saratoga’s voice echoed in his ear as her hologram materialized in front of him.

  “Commander~ This is Saratoga’s emergency contact!“ she chirped, her tone unusually urgent. “Big news, Elizabeth and Friedrich have officially signed a temporary ceasefire agreement for NA waters! For now, we don’t need to worry about the Crimson Axis engaging us in combat!“

  The Commander’s face darkened as he replied briskly, “Not the best timing, Sara. We’re seconds away from exchanging fire with the Iron Blood fleet.“

  “...Eh? W-Whaaat?!“ Saratoga’s hologram jolted as she excimed in shock. “Stop it immediately, Commander!“ Her voice rose with tension. “You must stop it—right now!“

  The Commander swiftly complied, his voice cutting through the comms. “All units, halt immediately! Cease all hostilities! Carriers, recall your pnes!“

  But the order came just a moment too te.

  “Enty!“ Hornet’s voice crackled through the communicator. “I’m right above them, I’ve spotted their—“ Her words faltered, a gasp following. “Wh-What?! They just... vanished!“

  “Huh? They vanished?“ Baltimore asked the confused carrier.

  “Yes! They went poof! As if they were a ghost!“ Hornet answered.

  “Sure enough, they disappeared like ghosts,” North Carolina muttered, her eyes narrowing. She turned to Illustrious. “You know something about this, don’t you?”

  Illustrious nodded gravely. “Yes, I’ve heard of this before. Howe and her fleet reported a simir encounter. They engaged the Iron Blood, only for their fleet to seemingly disappear mid-battle.“ She paused, her voice tinged with unease. “It’s likely they’ve developed advanced holographic technology or some form of cloaking device to deceive us.“

  “Even if that’s the case, there should be someone controlling those holograms. I’ll take a closer look with my pnes,” Hornet said, maneuvering her reconnaissance aircraft to loop around the area.

  After a while, the pnes returned, their reconnaissance yielding nothing. It seemed the Iron Blood fleet had merely been toying with them—or perhaps testing the effectiveness of their holographic technology. Hornet sighed with a small groan.

  “They’ve escaped. Does Command really intend to let the Crimson Axis sail so freely in NA waters?” she asked.

  Saratoga responded with a thoughtful hum. “Well, this decision didn’t come lightly. It took countless debates within the Command Center to reach a somewhat unified stance. Even now, Iris Libre has its reservations about the matter…” Her gaze shifted to Greynar. “What about you, Commander? What’s your take on all of this?”

  The Commander sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Let’s drop the matter of pursuing the Iron Blood fleet,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re still on the same side when it comes to fighting the Sirens. Stirring up unnecessary conflict will only create more enemies instead of narrowing the field.”

  “I agree,” Illustrious chimed in, drawing everyone’s attention. “Her Majesty has already decided that we are to avoid unnecessary hostile contact with the Iron Blood. Besides,” she continued, her gaze dropping to Saratoga, “acting otherwise would only py into the Sirens’ hands. They thrive on us fighting amongst ourselves for their benefit.”

  “Saratoga,” Enterprise called out. “The Commander needs to be informed of the full details.”

  “Ahem, right.“ Saratoga straightened, her usual pyful demeanor giving way to seriousness. As the conversation shifted back on track, she began expining the specifics of the ceasefire. “The Command fully respects and understands everyone's positions, so this arrangement was achieved through a series of intricate uniteral treaties negotiated privately,“ she said before gncing at a document. Clearing her throat, she continued. “In short, in exchange for allowing the Sakura Empire fleet access to certain waters under Royal Navy control, the Iron Blood agreed to permit the Northern Parliament passage through some of their controlled territories. These arrangements, combined with the Suez Canal Navigation Convention, led to a ceasefire agreement between the two camps. However,“ she emphasized, “this ceasefire is only valid during the current war against the Sirens in the NA waters and remains in effect solely for the duration of Operation Siren.“

  “In short, this is a temporary ceasefire—something we probably should have agreed on from the start if we were serious about Operation Siren,“ Greynar murmured, his tone ced with subtle sarcasm. The words, though quiet, carried enough weight to reach Saratoga, whose eye twitched in response.

  “R-right... Hahaha...~“ she stammered, her fingers fidgeting awkwardly as she tried to ugh it off. “You know how it is with Command—always a lot of back and forth before anything gets decided.“

  “Wouldn't that mean hostilities between Azur Lane and the Crimson Axis are effectively over?“ North Carolina asked with a hopeful voice.

  Enterprise gave a small nod, though her expression remained serious. “Kind of. It's a step in the right direction, but let's not fool ourselves—our higher-ups won't bury the hatchet so easily,“ she replied with a quiet sigh, a shadow of weariness crossing her face.

  Saratoga chimed in with a brighter tone, attempting to lift the somber mood. “As... Since the split of Azur Lane, we haven’t had an opportunity like this to fully focus on defeating the Sirens and reciming the seas in one coordinated effort. If nothing else, this ceasefire serves as a clear reminder to everyone—whether on nd or, err... at sea—that the Sirens remain our greatest threat,“ she said with a pyful wink. “And hey, even the Crimson Axis can agree on that much.“

  A haughty yet familiar voice suddenly broke through the comms, catching everyone off guard. “Humph! How rare to find a consensus with them on anything!“ Queen Elizabeth’s hologram materialized in front of the fleet, her presence gained instant attention from the fleets.

  “Your servants humbly greet you, Your Majesty,“ Illustrious decred as she bowed gracefully, Unicorn following suit with a smaller, nervous curtsy.

  The Queen smirked, her gaze sweeping over the assembled group. “Well done, the both of you. It seems our operation shall proceed smoothly after all.“ Her words carried a regal confidence, yet the slightest glimmer of satisfaction danced in her eyes as she addressed her loyal subject.

  “Elizabeth, how are you holding up these days?“ the Commander asked with a small, teasing smile.

  “Worse than you could imagine, servant,“ she replied sharply, her words dripping with regal exasperation.

  “Have you wrapped up your business then, Elizabeth?“ Saratoga chimed in with a curious tilt of her head.

  Queen Elizabeth gnced at Saratoga, crossing her arms over her petite form. “Humph, it’s fortunate I returned before a bigger mess unfolded. That Friedrich der Gro?e truly has some skill... mark my words, she’ll strike back sooner or ter!“ She then turned her sharp gaze to Greynar. “We overheard your little conversation just now. You were THIS close to walking straight into a trap!“ She punctuated her words with a pointed gesture.

  “S-sorry,“ the Commander muttered under his breath, averting his gaze like a scolded child.

  “All of you,“ Elizabeth continued, her stern gaze sweeping over the group, “Enterprise included, were far too careless. Do not let such a blunder happen a second time!“ She huffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Now, keep fighting hard. I look forward to standing alongside you in the final attack!“

  With her parting words, Elizabeth ended the transmission, her hologram flickering out. Saratoga let out a light sigh, her usual pyful demeanor returning as she addressed the fleet.

  “Well then, I’ll be off too! Make sure to get that base up and running before anything else. Reinforcements from NY will be arriving soon, so don’t sck off!” She gave a cheerful wave and a wink. “Sister Sara will be going now~! Take care, everyone!”

  As Saratoga’s hologram flickered out, the fleet regrouped and resumed their operation with renewed focus. Enterprise took point, leading the formation toward the outskirts of the Bermuda Sea and into the depths of the NA Ocean. Guided by TB’s precise navigation, they arrived at their destination swiftly.

  However, their journey was far from uneventful. Siren forces began appearing with arming frequency, their numbers growing steadily with each encounter. The usual waves of mass-produced ships were soon joined by the appearance of humanoid Sirens. The NA Ocean was teeming with Siren activity.

  North Carolina and Baltimore swooped in to intercept the nearby incoming suicide boats, their swift movements cutting through the water with precision. The mass-produced fleet unleashed a barrage on the approaching Siren waves, leaving the humanoid units exposed and vulnerable. Illustrious and Enterprise swiftly coordinated their efforts, unching their respective squadrons at the humanoid Sirens.

  “Enterprise,” Illustrious called out.

  “Yeah, I know,” Enterprise replied, her eyes fixed on the advancing threat. She moved with high-speed grace, her squadron raining a barrage of bombs on the humanoid Sirens, but the attacks barely scratched their armor. “These must be the Mark II models. They’re tougher than the Mark I, that’s for sure.”

  The humanoid Sirens they faced were a striking blue, their armored forms more resistant to damage than their yellow-colored counterparts—Mark I. These advanced units were capable of delivering significant damage to a shipgirl if not dealt with carefully. With their thick armor, it would take concentrated firepower to destroy them in one sweep.

  As the humanoid Sirens targeted Enterprise, she swiftly dodged their attacks. Illustrious’ squadron followed closely behind, unleashing another barrage of bombs aimed at the humanoid Sirens, but it wasn’t enough to break through their defenses. They needed more firepower to penetrate the thick armor of the Mark II Sirens.

  Enterprise quickly spotted, from a distance, an Intruder Siren standing by, charging its beam weapon. Reacting swiftly, she guided her pne upwards, narrowly dodging the deadly ser beam. Meanwhile, Unicorn, spotting the threat, unched a sneak attack. Her dive bomber, loaded with explosives, descended in a suicide run toward the Intruder, aiming to disrupt its charge and give Enterprise a chance to get close to the Siren.

  But then, before anything could happen, another Intruder appeared, already charging its weapon. This time, its focus wasn’t on Enterprise—it was targeting Unicorn instead.

  Noticing the imminent danger, Enterprise shouted urgently to warn the small carrier. “Unicorn! DODGE!”

  “Unicorn!” Illustrious cried out, instinctively reaching for the light carrier beside her, trying to shield her.

  Unicorn’s eyes widened in shock, caught off guard and unable to react in time. She tried to move, but it was too te. The ser shot out, streaking toward her. With a frightened gasp, she squeezed her eyes shut and raised her hands in a feeble attempt to protect herself.

  But the impact never came.

  When she hesitantly opened her eyes, she found a dark silhouette standing in front of her—a mass-produced ship that had thrown itself into the line of fire, shielding her from the attack.

  Behind her, the Commander was already standing, using the mass-produced ship as a shield. “Onii-chan...“ Unicorn let out a relieved breath and smiled, grasping her rigging tightly. “Alright, I’ll do my best!“ She focused back on the Intruder and soared into the sky, releasing several pnes in a determined attack run.

  Illustrious thanked the Commander before aiming at the Intruder that had targeted her beloved sister. North Carolina joined in, unleashing a barrage of firepower while the mass-produced battleships also aimed their guns at the Intruder as an act of revenge. Their combined firepower managed to break through its defenses and bring it down, finally destroying the enemy with a powerful explosion.

  Next, Enterprise and Hornet joined forces with Baltimore, focusing their combined firepower on a single point target—the Intruder’s rigging. With a barrage of shells and a relentless rain of dive bombs, the Intruder exploded with a resounding boom. With the most problematic Siren dealt with, they turned their attention to the remaining humanoid Sirens. Enterprise unched a full-scale assault with her entire set of squadrons to clear out the remaining threats.

  ~Notice. All remaining enemies in the area have been totally wiped out. No Sirens detected within a hundred-meter range.~ TB’s voice resounded from the communicator.

  “Now we just sit tight until NY City arrives with their supply ships and a crew to man the base,” Baltimore said, stretching her body. “I’m so tired after all that fighting. Commander, I’m borrowing your ship.” She climbed aboard the command ship and made herself at home.

  “So, what on earth is the forward base in this operation? I’ve read a lot about it in the mission briefing, and it’s been mentioned quite a lot. I tried to understand it, but I still don’t get it,” Hornet asked, tilting her head in confusion.

  North Carolina answered the confused carrier, “As far as I know, it uses a lot of the Command’s test technology. It’s essentially a rge, self-propelled, enclosed floating dock. It’s not only a pce for personnel rest, fleet supply, and maintenance, but also a campaign command center with advanced equipment.”

  Baltimore chimed in from the command ship, “Hope it’s got automated defenses. Now that would be peachy,” she said with a smirk.

  “Neat, I’d like to see it once they’ve really made the base,” Hornet grinned, her face lighting up with excitement.

  Given their considerable distance from NY City, it was clear the reinforcements would take at least a day to arrive. Deciding to make the best of their downtime, the fleet boarded the command ship to rest and recover for the night. At the Commander’s request, TB agreed to conserve her power, though she kept the navigation radar active as a precaution against any sudden Siren appearances.

  Later in the night, feeling restless, Greynar decided to step outside for some fresh air. The cold, biting wind on the open sea was bracing, providing a sense of calm that he hadn’t felt in a long time. It was a rare moment of solitude, the only comfort in the vast expanse around him. The sensation of the wind brushing against his face helped to ground him, even if only for a little while.

  “Commander,“ a soft voice called out, breaking the quiet of the night.

  Greynar turned around to see Illustrious approaching him. She had draped a loose jacket over her shoulders, its edges fluttering gently in the sea breeze. The garment obscured much of her graceful form, a practical shield against the biting chill of the open waters. Her serene expression, however, brought a touch of warmth to the cold night as she stepped closer.

  “Hey there, Illustrious,“ he greeted her with a small nod.

  She stepped beside him, her gaze shifting toward the vast expanse of the ocean. “A beautiful sight, isn't it?“ Illustrious said softly, her voice almost blending with the gentle rustling of the waves. The moon hung high above, its silver glow cascading over the waters, painting a shimmering trail across the sea’s surface.

  “Yeah, it's nice. Better than back in the port,“ he replied, his voice calm as his eyes lingered on the moonlit horizon.

  “Thank you, Commander.“

  The sudden gratitude in Illustrious’s voice caught him off guard, and he turned to her, brow furrowed slightly. “For what?“

  A soft chuckle escaped her lips. “For saving Unicorn in time,“ she said, her tone warm but tinged with sincerity. “I was ready to shield her myself, but your quick thinking saved us both.“

  “No problem,“ he replied with a smile, crossing his arms as he leaned slightly against the railing. “I was able to save Unicorn thanks to TB. She helped me narrow down the most dangerous Sirens during the fight. We didn’t know there was a second Intruder, but I managed to locate it just in time before it could fire its ser.“

  Illustrious ughed gently. “I suppose I should thank the Navigator as well, but it was your quick thinking that truly saved us.“

  “I guess being a Commander requires a certain level of awareness and perceptiveness,“ he said with a chuckle, brushing off the compliment.

  “Sometimes I wonder,“ Illustrious murmured, her voice tinged with mencholy, “how unfortunate Unicorn is. She was brought into this world during our relentless fight against the Sirens. A harsh era for child like her to grow up in, let alone participate in war.“ She sighed softly, her gaze lost in the shimmering expanse of the sea as she leaned against the rail. “I just wish... for the war to end, so I could live a peaceful life with her and my sisters in the Royal Navy. No more battles, no more loss. Just peace.“

  Seeing her gaze, the Commander also sighed in agreement. “Yeah, me too,“ he replied softly. “I guess all we can do is work hard to make it happen. Even if we’re not done with the Sirens after this operation, we need to keep pushing toward the end of the line.“

  Gncing at him, she softly smiled. “Even through harsh conditions, I know you’ll help us get through it,“ she said quietly. “From Victorious’ words to today, I’ve seen that you’re someone I can trust. That’s why, Commander,“ she stepped closer to him and pced a soft peck on his cheek, “please keep guiding us to the end.“

  “Mmm...“ he nodded. “I will, until the end.“ He then gazed out to the sea.

  ‘Though I said those lines… I’m still screwed when it comes to how to deal with X,’ he thought silently.

  Ending their night together, they decided to go back inside to warm themselves. The cold night served as a reminder that their battle was far from over.