As Emperor appears from the portal, he lands gracefully on the ground, feeling his tentacles grab each other, intertwining. He walks towards the door, heading to speak with the others.
Empress and Observer sit around the control room, waiting for the combatants to return and report.
Empress: "Observer Alpha: Clone 23; Do you believe Purifier is attempting to steal Emperor from me?"
"Observer: "I doubt it Empress. Purifier might be stupid, but not enough to oppose you, Empress."
Empress: "I certainly hope so."
She hardly gets to finish her thought as Emperor walks in, with the hole in his chest repaired by his tentacles. Emperor walks up to the Observer clone and motions dramatically.
Emperor: "I have returned, successful from another mission!"
Observer: "Why is Purifier not with you?"
Emperor: "She was heavily damaged, almost inoperable. So, I brought her to the medical bay. Now, allow me to pull up the battle."
Emperor presses a button on the holo table, and holographic images of the Royal Navy and Bismarck appear. Emperor laughs, seeing the Royal Navy on the run from Bismarck's strength.
Emperor: "Wow, that boost helped her out a lot. Maybe she can defeat them all?"
Observer: "So, I see how the mission went. How goes the project?"
Emperor: "Project Orochi is on track. With the Crimson Axis now having a mental cube, the Iron Blood will grow powerful. However, the Sakura Empire is who we should focus on."
Empress: "Oh? And how is that?"
Emperor: "Thanks to Amagi's death, the Akagi-Class had begun work on the Orochi, as per my instructions, through Shinanos's dreams."
Empress: "Then, why have we let the Sakura Empire create it?"
Observer: "With the loss of their sister, the sisters, Akagi and Kaga, can be manipulated to think this can protect the Sakura Empire and revive their sister. Correct, Emperor?"
Emperor: "Wonderful explanation Observer."
Empress: "So, after the Sakura Empire finishes creating it, we'll swoop in and steal it?"
Emperor: "However, one problem. The Sakura Empire has finished the main body, but do not have the power source."
Empress: "The black mental cube. So, how will we have them receive it?"
Emperor: "I wish to speak with them myself. I wish to sway them to our side, and also spread my wings, riling up the Kansen."
Empress: "That makes sense. When will this happen?"
Emperor: "In a few days, the Akagi-Class will attack the Azur Lane, and is calculated to lose. However, I shall manipulate that outcome."
Empress: "Very well. You have permission to begin your mission, and accomplish project Orochi."
Emperor: "Thank you."
Emperor walks out, the door sliding shut behind him. Emperor heads out, heading towards the pool area.
Emperor sits at the bottom of the pool, anchored to the ground thanks to his weight. He meditates on the mission, wondering about its various outcome possibilities.
Emperor looks up, feeling a disturbance in the water flow, and sees Arbiter: Hermit looking at him underwater. He stands up, and pushes off, rocketing him out of the water. Upon hitting the surface of the water, his thrusters on his feet activate, alloejg him to walk on water. He steps up onto the pool deck, greeting the three in front of him
???: "Marvelously done. You sure you aren't a submarine?"
Strength, Hermit, and Love watch him, grinning at him. He walks up to them, putting his hands behind his back, intertwined.
Emperor: "No, there is no Siren Submarine, besides maybe Compiler."
Hermit: "You've certainly improved since the last time you had to contain Strength."
Emperor: "I remember that. Strength almost destroyed the entire building."
The Arbiters all laugh. Well, all except Strength.
Strength: "Hey! If you are so confident, let's spar again!"
Emperor smirks, looking back at Strength. Hermit and Love look on, feeling tension grow between the two.
Emperor: "You sure you want to go Strength? I have been preparing for a battle, and it will not be easy!"
Strength: "I'm sure I can beat you!"
Emperor laughs and walks to the door, opening it. He looks back and beckons for them to follow.
Emperor: "Cmon Strength, you scared?"
Strength grunts, running to Emperor. Hermit and Love look at each other, groaning.
Hermit: "Get Compiler ready. Have her prepare an Arbiter repair tube. And have the Tester drones ready for repair duty, we will need base repairs."
Love nods and leaves, Hermit following the two.
Emperor and Strength stand opposite each other, on a circular platform above a pool of water. Emperor stands, hands intertwined behind himself, and Strength crouches, hands changed to claws.
Strength: "Don't worry. I'll have someone else take over your spot for the mission, so we won't fail."
Emperor: "I think not."
Emperor's eyes grow brightly blue, and his rigging grows brighter, practically oozing with energy. Strength shakes in fear, before smacking herself and readying herself.
Hermit floats up, off the platform, pointing one of her riggings cannons upwards.
Hermit: "Anything goes. First to make their enemy surrender or forfeit due to damage wins. Are you ready?"
The combatants nod, and Hermit grins.
Hermit: "Ready... GO!"
Hermit fires her rigging into the air, signaling the start, and Strength approaches Emperor. He has his eyes closed, and Strength grins, thinking she has an easy victory. She swipes at him, but he dodges out of the way. Strength runs off, almost falling off. She looks back and growls.
Strength: "Coward! Face me!"
Strength rushes towards him and rapidly swipes at him, doing nothing but swiping air, Emperor dodging every blow. Emperor begins to block with one hand as she speeds up, yawning at the battle. This annoys Strength, and she spins, hitting Emperor with her tail, throwing himself close to the edge of the circle.
Strength: "So, what'll you do now!?"
Emperor breathes heavily before his eyes open, full of excitement. He prepares his rigging and fires a barrage of lasers at Strength, two hitting her chest. She quickly blocks the rest with her claws, slowly approaching Emperor.
Hermit: "What is Emperor doing? He's not really fighting back; he is just delaying her."
Love: "He must have a plan. He does have incredible combat and skills under pressure."
The two nod and continue watching the fight, interested in what Emperor will do.
Strength approaches and slices down powerfully, knocking away Emperor's guard. She then does a tail whip, but it is stopped. She opens her eyes to see Eight metallic tentacles withdrawing from Emperor's back, four grabbing her tail. Emperor grins at her, relishing in her shock.
Emperor: "What's wrong? Something got your tongue? I thought I only have your tail."
Strength tries to shake off Emperor but fails. Emperor begins to spin the tail around, moving Strength around. Strength begins to pick up speed and lift, Emperor rising. He lets go, throwing her into the platform, destroying it and dropping her into the pool. The platform pieces fall around her, and she begins to drift to the surface on her back.
Strength: "What happened?"
Strength looks up in terror, seeing a terrible sight. Emperor has combined four tentacles, combining them into a massive laser. The other four idle by his chest, aimed toward the Arbiter. He grins, before shouting.
Emperor: "See you at the end of this war Strength!"
Emperor fires the laser and begins firing barrages of lasers towards Strength, decimating the water around Strength. The laser burns around Strength, burning away the synthetic flesh created by the Magister.
When the smoke clears, a cube lies at the bottom of the tube, the water having evaporated from the heat of the lasers. He floats down and grabs it, blowing it a kiss.
Emperor: "See you later."
Emperor floats up, throwing the cube at Love, her grabbing it easily. He lands close to the two Arbiters and returns to his original state, eyes ordinary blue, tentacles returned, and arms intertwined behind him.
Emperor: "Love, please have Compiler repair Strength, she is a useful combatant, and we will need her."
Love nods and runs off. Emperor faces Hermit and points at the pool.
Emperor: "Hermit, have the drones refill that pool by the time I return. If not, you might have to do the same thing as Strength."
Hermit gulped and nodded. Emperor, satisfied, heading out of the room, towards his.
Emperor enters his room, heading towards a desk. He opens a drawer and pulls out a watch, glass broken into multiple pieces. He puts it on, and checks the time.
Emperor: "Off, as per usual."
Emperor says as he grins. Emperor summons a portal and flies through it, leaving the siren base and closing it behind him.
Emperor lands on the peak of an island, looking out upon an ocean. He stands, surveying the area.
Emperor: "The Sakura Empire fleet is supposed to arrive in approximately 3 hours. That's enough time rest for a while."
Emperor backs off and sets up camp, resting up before the drawn-out battle.
And that's it.
May the Azur Lanes grace you.