Fallen City, outside of the city.
The day is already too early for some people to wake up. This time, however, is indeed a little different than before. They are ready to launch their attacks against Azur Lane, which are still hiding in the fallen city.
It seems that neither of the two factions are supported by the weather, it seems very foggy and restricted their visibility.
"Yawn, I'm still sleepy," Takao yawned. "But I still need to stay up early."
Takao's trying to recall her last fight with Kay. She's got two opportunities to strike him with clear hit, but she's wasting her chances and miss badly.
His strength is much greater than her is, and he still holds his power. She saw that Kay had stopped his attack just a few seconds before his strikes reached her neck. She's terrified when she recalls it back.
"You are awake, Takao-chan," Atago said. "You can't get to sleep? Well, you can come to your big sister."
Atago is attempting to hug Takao, only to be stopped and missed. Zuikaku and Shoukaku can only watch this sister drama a little before the main event begins.
"Please focus, Atago," Takao shouted. "We've got a fight to ...." ..
Suddenly, a bird comes and rests on Takao 's head. The bird was standing proudly and grinning at them. Feeling better, I'm sure.
Atago and Shoukaku are watching the amusing incident until they break into laughter. Only Zuikaku feels sorry for Takao for this moment.
"Are you mad, Takao? ", Asked Zuikaku.
Takao relieves a deep breath and draws her sword right away. She's trying to cut the bird few more times than the last moment, yet her attacks does not manages hit the bird, even once.
After several attempts of failure, Takao gives up and feels very depressed. What a very bad day to start the mission.
"What's wrong with this bird? ",Asked Takao. "We've always been followed by this bird, even here."
The bird flies and lands on Shoukaku 's shoulder. Then, Shoukaku gives a little food to the bird. The bird, after eating it, looks at her eyes, trying to tell her something.
"Well, at least the bird is quite tamed," Zuikaku said. "It's been followed me for no reason for a while, I think."
Zuikaku is attempting to hold the bird that sits on the shoulder of her sister. But the bird unexpectedly flies away.
"Hey, it looks like the bird hates you," Shoukaku said as she chuckled at her.
"Please don't say that," Zuikaku said. She feels a little sad in her heart.
Then, all of them laugh together. This moment, like a war, never happens. It's the sound of laughter and joyful scenes. Yet, the truth is the pain for them to acknowledge as they know it from a very beginning.
Suddenly, they heard someone scream. Several loud explosions can be heard from a distance. Several aircraft are descending from the sky, falling from the cloud. A certain ship has already been damaged.
"Enemy attack!!!!!".
"Enemy attack!!!!!".
"Our flagship has been attacked by Azur Lane!!".
********************
Fallen City, in a certain building and few hours before the attacks began.
Kay is gazing at the assessment of the Crimson Axis fleets that involved in this mission to capture them or destroy them . From the [Eagle Eyes], he saw Kaga, Takao, Atago, Zuikaku, Shoukaku, Ayanami, Hiryuu, Soryuu, Kirishima, Hyuuga, Ise, Fusou and Yamashiro. And, there are a lot of sirens at their disposal.
"I see ships from Ironblood, too," Kay said. "They 're a mole girl, a really tsundere girl, and several other people I've never met before. I really ought to read a report about them before I start this mission".
Basically, Kay saw Prinz Eugen, Admiral Hipper, Z1, Z23, and Koln. He did not have enough time to read the information of the Ironblood faction. Yeah, that's why he's really unfamiliar with them.
"It's still four o'clock in the morning, but I know you 're ready for it," Kay said.
"Are you sure you don't want to get some rest, Master? ", asked Sheffield. "You 're already getting up to guard us when we are sleeping."
Kay only manages to sleep for a few hours before he begins making a new strategy to fight the Crimson Axis in this Fallen City. He stays to watch the perimeter in the middle of the night.
"Don't mind me," Kay said. "Let's go through our information before we start."
"First of all, I assumed that Crimson Axis just used siren technology to help them defeat Azur Lane and high-class sirens. But befriending high-class sirens has already ruined their main objectives".
"If what Sheffield and Edinburgh have told us is true. Aren't we make a big mistake for coming here".
"Is Kaga and Akagi betray Sakura Empire?".
"Or is the Sakura Empire itself is the real enemy all along".
The only reason Kay 's coming here is to take down the Sakura Empire. Since he feels it's better for them to overcome it quickly before it's too late. But he never figured that Kaga and Akagi would betray the Sakura Empire.
"I already informed the fleet about our strategy," Kay said. "Changing the strategy without telling them is going to cause chaos for all of us".
After, creating a little confusion in the Sakura Empire. They 're going to wait for another reinforcement to join them in the Fallen City. Kay and the others will strike first, before the reinforcements encircle and block the exit by surround the Crimson Axis.
It is a good plan, but it is also risky for Cleveland, Montpellier, Essex, Shangri-La, Formidable, Sheffield and Edinburgh. Since, they have to face several enemies by themselves before the reinforcements joins them.
"I don't think it's going to be a problem," said Edinburgh. "I 'm sure that madam Wales will understand your decision, commander."
Edinburgh is right. Wales and the other Royal Navy will going to accept his decision. But the problem is rising somewhere else. It's about the Eagle Union. Either they're going to approve or reject this new plan, it's a dilemma for Kay.
And the others problem is, it is too risky and too much for Kay to ask the girls who is still with him to get along with his sudden plan.
"Hey, do you believe in ....",
"We do believe in you, commander", shouted all of them, making Kay surprised. Whatever you order is, we will follow it as you command". Then, he chuckles a little bit and looks at them. "
"Well, now listen clearly", said Kay. "Because I will send you in suicide mission".
********************
Fallen City, just a few moments before the attacks began.
"Looks like their queen isn't here as I predicted," Kay said, referring to Nagato. "And we're very lucky, there's only Kaga here as their flagship for this mission."
Kay looks at the girls who are still quite after listening to his orders. Simply put, he asks them to face the Crimson Axis on their own without any support. The mission must be accomplished before the reinforcements arrive. Until then, they are alone.
"We...facing them.....by ourselves....", said Cleveland. "It is definitely a suicide mission".
"As long aniki is here, I am not afraid", said Montpelier.
"I thought you are joking, commander", said Edinburgh in tears.
"Commander, you are really not planning to sink us, right?", asked Essex.
"Belfast and madam Wales will kill you", said Sheffield.
Formidable and Shangri-La can only watch and seem accept the reality.
"Hey, I thought that you already agreed with this plan", said Kay. But, it is true that he asked them too much. "I never intend to sacrifice all of you with this plan".
"However, this is only think that I can figure right now".
"We have to force them retreat".
"But, this time. It all on us".
Kay doesn't know a lot about high-class sirens. Still, he knows they 're really cunning creatures with full of lies. He needs to gather some information about them before a figures a new strategy.
"Sorry girls," Kay said. "I 'm sure you have high expectations for me as I try to conquer the Sakura Empire. But that ambition has to wait until the next time".
All the girls were in agreement with him. They know that Kay is reluctant to conquer it because of the existence of high-class sirens at Sakura Empire . Kay doesn't want to fall into their scheme by risking it . So, that's why he's giving up on the original plan.
"Now, Essex and Shangri-La, you 're going to strike first," Kay said. "This weather makes it increasingly hard for them to deploy their aircraft. We 're going to take this chances to strike first".
"Aren't it will also affect us, commander? ", asked Shangri-La. "The fog is very thick and our sight is very limited."
"All you have to do is deploy the aircraft as high as you can and go in a straight direction," Kay said.
"As soon as you reach the target I wanted, dive your aircraft by 90 degrees. Facing down like a fall to Earth".
"You will see their aircraft carriers".
"Then, target the enemy aircraft carrier runaway with your bomber. As long as you destroy some of it, it's more than enough for us".
"After all, they 're likely to be as useless for this battle."
Kay has already used [Eagle Eyes] to locate all the enemy shipgirls. Since they're in in the Fallen City and being surrounded by them, it's pretty easy to strike them in the sky by heading in linear direction.
"We 're going to destroy their aircraft carriers first," Kay said. "Then the hiding games will begin. You 're going to ambush them while you're using attack and run tactics against them. With a place liked this, it will works easily".
They need to damage the enemies in order to force them to retreat. They already knew the structure of this Fallen City before the mission began. So, it's not going to be a challenge for them.
Kay is looking at his watch. It's six o'clock in the morning, the time that Takao has already woken up and met the others. With her, he saw Zuikaku and Shoukaku. He decides not to target them for this strategy, and already alerts Shoukaku.
"Essex and Sharing-La!!", shouted Kay. "This is an order, deploy your aircraft and destroy the enemies aircraft carriers".
"Show me the pride of Azur Lane!!!"
"As you wish, commander", shouted Shangri-La and Essex.
Both of them are ready their rigging. A perfect time to start the mission and deploy the planes.
"Charge through the typhoon, full steam ahead!", shouted Shangri-La.
"Spread your wings and fly!", shouted Essex.
**********************
Fallen City, outside of the city.
Fusou and Yamashiro are already waking up and starting to prepare for this major operation. After recognising that some shadows appear from the sky, Fusou begins to look at the sky. The shadows grow bigger and bigger until they almost reach the sea.
It's the Essex and the Shangri-La aircraft. The planes dive very quickly and drop the bomb when they saw enemy aircraft carriers.
Bommm...Booommm...Booommmm.
"Soryuu!!! Hiryuu!!!
Their runway on aircraft carriers is heavily damaged and incapable of deploying aircraft. Not only them, siren aircraft carriers, almost have the same fate. They have already been destroyed by the bomber.
It's too fast, and the fog seems to make it become worse. They can't see who's targeting them. They learned only after most aircraft carriers had already been destroyed.
Only Kaga is left. It's hard to compete with their flagship alone. Kaga managed to escape both the Essex and Shangri-La bombers.
"That's not enough, Azur Lane!!! "Kaga screamed as she launched several planes to get rid of the bomber. "You've got to do better than that."
Essex and Shangri-La are trying as hard as they can to damage her. But the attempt is futile. It seems like both of them come from different classes.
"Commander, we can't beat Kaga," Essex shouted. "What are we supposed to do? ".
"Should we try again, commander," asked Shangri-La. "it was only her left for us to destroy it."
Kay smiled at them and then let out a little chuckle. Kay is using [Eagle Eyes] and saw Shoukaku, deploying her planes towards Kaga.
"It's kind of funny to see her get betrayed," Kay said.
"By their own teammates"
Essex and Shangri-La are very puzzled. They do not understand what their commander talking about. Until, they realized something happens at Kaga.
Suddenly, some of Kaga planes have been destroyed. It is not Essex and Shangi-La planes that destroying them. It is Shoukaku 's planes.
"Fifth-carrier division!!! What are you doing?", shouted Kaga. She suddenly realized that Shoukaku is the one who destroyed her planes.
Shoukaku is acting innocent of her action. As the fog is too thick for them to see. She used this thick fog as an excuse for her reason to destroy Kaga 's planes.
"I 'm sorry about that Kaga-senpai," Shoukaku said. "I thought you were the enemy."
"Teehee", said Shoukaku while showing not so sorry pose at Kaga.
Kaga is become furious and mad at Shoukaku. She already wants to kill her, until she realizes another waves of planes diving towards her.
She tries to evade it, but it is too late. The planes already drop the bombs towards her.
Boooom.....Booommmmmm...
A direct hit. Kaga is incapable to fight anymore for this battle. However, her determination is cannot be ignored. They still should be careful. A flagship is hard to sink.
"That is enough", said Kay. He ordered Essex and Shangri-La to retreat the planes.
"Prepare for the second step"
"Roger that, commander!!", shouted all of them.
"This time, show me what you can do. Azur Lane".
Kay smiled at them and walking away ,suddenly disappear from their sight. They are alone without their commander to guide them. The outcome for this battle is depends on them. But, they believe they can do as their commander expects.
It is for Azur Lane.