Ch56: Eagle Rising

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It's only been a couple of minutes but things have taken quite the intriguing turn indeed. Not only have we met with the new girl but it turns out she's the Fuehrer reborn as a KANSEN. Seems whatever god exists in this world has a taste for the drama this will likely bring. Still, I have no intention of ceding power now so I make certain to arm my guns and level them straight towards her face the minute I learn the news.

????: Woah!

Me: State your intentions.

????: So you can have a valid reason to kill me again?

Me: Try me.

She considers something for a while before responding, however, it is not in the way I expect. Nay, instead of acting all big and bad she instead kneels down as if accepting the new norm.

????: You've already beaten me. It'd be futile to continue this fight. Besides, it isn't as though anyone would believe that I somehow became a female.

Eugen: Wait, so you're being serious about that?

????: Huh?

Eugen: BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

????: Why you-

Bismark: I must admit, I too find the entire situation amusing. 

Z20: Excuse me! There are some ships heading this way.

Immediately, all laughter ceases and everyone shifts to face the direction she's pointing in. True to her word, the unmistakable plumes of smoke that usually rise from such ships are clearly visible on the horizon indicating that they aren't KANSEN or aren't using their KANSEN form but given we have no ships within the area, it is unlikely they are friendly.

Me: Form up!

Even as people move into position, 6 of the approaching ships separate and form a separate force seeking to outflank us. Before new orders can be issued, however, we're contacted.

????: Iron-Blood. Today your treachery ends.

Treachery? I'm pretty sure we've been fairly honourable since day one or at least since I came into the picture. As far as I know, we've been on the defensive from the very beginning so whoever this is likely attacked us first but we're supposedly the treacherous ones?

Me: Hahaha. Is that so?

????: How dare you mock me!

Me: I thought you were joking. I mean, surely you jest.

????: What?

Me: Do you honestly believe we betrayed you? That is the only way to be treacherous after all. 

????: Why you-

Me: Who are you anyway? If you're going to trespass into our territorial waters then at least tell us who you are.

????: Who we are?

Rather than receive a response, there's silence. It is accompanied by flashing lights along the horizon followed by a thunderous boom. Trails of smoke mark the entire skyline as our fleet takes evasive action. No one needs any orders to do such; it is pretty clear what happened. Whoever they are, they've just fired on us.

Bismark: Returning fire-

BOOOOOOOM

Bismark opens up in the direction of the flashing lights before relocating to a new position to do the same yet again. As she does, the destroyers push ahead at top speed aiming to close the distance between us and whoever's attacking us as quickly as possible. Their objective is not to engage but to identify who we're up against and whether retreat will be necessary. After all, most of our fleet is elsewhere and despite me liking our collective strength we weren't arranged to fight an entire navy on our own. 

The first shots fired at us all miss but it isn't long before the second round arrives and while they too miss, some are far more accurate than others causing water to splash three of the girls. Hipper moves forward to offer some heavier support to our destroyers in case they require it but as she does, an eagle soars overhead. It makes a sound I can't quite place before rocketing down towards Hipper. She sees it and opens fire with her secondaries but aircraft appear all around the diving bird in formation. 

The squadron all attack Hipper at the same time but caught between the destroyers and her own AA, they are easily shot down. The enemy doesn't give up, however, and soon twice the number of aircraft are attacking followed by three times the original number. In the end, they are forced back to the safety net being provided by the rest of the ships, just to avoid being overwhelmed. The attack, despite ultimately failing, does however allow them to move much closer than we'd realised until we're within visual range of each other. Rounds are exchanged within the 12-16 nm mark but it despite this I refrain from using my own aircraft to provide air cover and instead rely entirely on my guns to do the fighting. It puts a burden on our forces but despite this I maintain my original decision.

????: Essex! Watch out! Tor-

BOOOOOOOOOM

????: There's-

BOOOOOOOOOM

BOOOOOOOOOM

BOOOOOOOOOM

BOOOOOOOOOM

????: Retreat! Retreat!

BOOOOOOOOOM

????: How dare you...

The sky goes dark with blackened clouds as a heavy downpour commences suddenly. It's as if a category five hurricane has appeared out of the blue right on top of us but despite the large waves it now brings and the blinding rain, there's only one thing on my mind. It's the glowing eyes of a girl just opposite of where we stand. They are the eyes of a killer who's locked on to her next victim.

 They are the eyes of a killer who's locked on to her next victim

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????: I'll end you for that!

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