NOVEL WEB Chapter 34 – Climax of Midway
"Commander, your order?" Enterprise asked.
"Get Akagi and Kaga first! They are dangerous if left alone." Greynar issued a command.
Akagi launched her ready to deploy dive bombers along with Kaga, followed by Soryuu and Hiryuu behind them. It was took down quickly before they could react by Enterprise using Hellcat that quickly deployed to intercept the Siren's aircraft.
Yorktown was the first one to take action and destroyed several Siren's fleet with her torpedo bombers, Soryuu and Hiryuu counter attacked her with their fighter planes. Yorktown dodged the incoming volley from the mass produced ship while also making her way to Akagi. She noticed that Akagi has already took out her shikigami doll but it was too late, an explosion detonated in front of her face, making Yorktown severely damaged.
Enterprise saw what happen to Yorktown immediately rushed to save her before the torpedo bombers could launch their torpedoes. Yorktown retreated to the backline to maintain safe distance against the enemy, Greynar started to command the mass produced ship to attack the carrier ship using Armor Piercing ammo. The enemy didn't stand still and also fired the same ammo to Greynar forces, both side sustained equal amount of damage resulting in a tie match. Shifting his gaze to Yorktown and Enterprise, he send half of the fleet to cover up Yorktown's retreat.
Glancing to Hammann who is worried, he tapped her shoulder. "Hammann, go with Yorktown."
"What about you!?" Confused with his sudden order, she asked.
"Don't worry about me, just go." Greynar ordered.
"Hmph, fine. Don't die on me, pervert," Hammann said as she left the frontline, causing Greynar to smirk a little.
'I don't plan to die before i got answer for everything'
Greynar shifted his gaze into Akagi's fleet, he knows that its inevitable for Akagi to get defeated on Battle of Midway, but at least he wanted to prevent Yorktown to dying and out of commission. Something that he wanted to do, at least once. Aware of what he is going to do gonna alter more timeline, but the timeline has already broken by the power of S.A.V.I.O.R that the Siren used.
"Hornet! retreat for now, take Enterprise with you to the backline. Let me deal with them personally." Greynar ordered Hornet who was still fighting bunch of Siren's cruiser.
"But-"
"Just do what i say, i have my own cards to play."
"With those mass produced ship only!? How do you even take out those carriers!" Hornet raising her brow as to show her confusion.
Greynar smirked. "No, who said that im going to use mass produced ship?"
The battlefield continued to rage on as a mechanical roar was heard across the sea, destroying the Siren's carrier while biting some pieces of ship's hull and plane, the twin silver dragon was seen. Arriving on time after having a quick repair inside the island, the fleet has arrived.
"Project 72 Carrier, Volga, engaging!" Throwing the enemy into disarray, Volga riding her rigging, causing chaos everywhere.
A request to establish a connection to Greynar's channel, he accepted it. "Commander, this is Aurora, sorry for the late inform, our side just received permission to establish direct line from this island to you."
"Good job, that will make us easier to contact the island immediately without using the telegraph."
A Siren ship exploded, it was the submarine that recently joined the team, Albacore laughing maniacally while throwing torpedoes to the Siren ship, the submarine girl has dealt with underwater problem with her cunning nature and mass produced submarine.
"Hahaha!! Surprise!!! Oooppss... Time to get outta heeeere!" Albacore retreated.
Using the strategy where she will refill her ammunition again every time she out of it, Albacore effectively handled most of missed volley bullet from below.
"Albacore, doing great?" Greynar asked.
"I am! Commander you should try diving sometime. This is very fun!" Splashing with joyous voice she dived once again and launched a torpedo.
"...Haha, maybe i will do that if i have the time."
Satisfied with the result, he ordered the mass produced ship to target the frontline where Soryuu and Hiryuu standing. Distracting them from Volga that approaching them with high speed, they are forced to defend themself from barrage of volley.
Volga's rigging roared upon the massive fleet of mass produced ships, it destroyed several ship with a tackle and crashing through the battlefield with its massive body. The twin headed steel dragon is a force to be reckoned with, Greynar knew that rigging with mechanical monster like appearance is sentimental in game, but never was he seen them on action directly from the story.
He noticed a shipgirl heading toward him, it was Aurora that just entered the battlefield. She asked Greynar to focus the firepower to both sister behind the enemy fleets, based on Yorktown's previous engagement with Akagi, it could reduce the effectiveness of Siren's ship by weakening Akagi that control the fleet and gain an advantage to the battle. Aiming for her, the mass produced started to fire out their weapon.
The sound of volley coming towards her made her startled, Akagi swiftly took her shikigami to create a protective barrier, defending herself against the onslaught. Assuming it was merely ordinary ammunition, she wore an expression that seemed to mock the commander. However, an unexpected turn of events unfolded when the ammunition struck the barrier she had formed—it cracked.
It was not a high explosive shell or armor piercing shell that attacked her, but a semi piercing ammo that combined both of the ammo into a deadly shell that says death to any carrier's armor. Because of that, Akagi decided to release the barrier and dodge the barrage of volley, surprisingly she is fast to dodge the volley while also deploying torpedo bomber to the enemy. By the time the barrage ended, she started to charge forward to Greynar's location.
Destroying the vanguard ships using torpedo bomber, she jumped to the wreckage of a destroyer and throw out an ofuda above Greynar's fleet and seal their movement in a big dome, surrounded by barrier that no one could pass. The dome was encased in an impenetrable barrier, preventing anyone from passing through. The fleet launched an attack on Akagi, who floated above them, but their assault was thwarted by the protective dome's barrier.
In an attempt to breach the barrier, Aurora desperately used the communications system to contact the fleets outside the dome. However, the barrier effectively severed their connection, leaving them trapped within its confines. Escaping the dome seemed impossible, and they were left with no choice but to wait for the fleets outside the barrier to find a way to release them.
Noticing that the commander has been trapped in a dome barrier while fighting Hiryuu and Soryuu, Volga swiftly taken them down with brute force and quickly rush to the barrier, attempting to shatter it with her rigging. The attack bounced off her from the barrier, Volga then directed her attack towards Akagi, only to be intercepted and blocked by Kaga.
Akagi burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! Commander, you truly surprised me with those rounds of shells you used. But what can you do inside this dome besides waiting for help?" She gazed at Greynar, licking her lips. "I will capture you and savor you after the battle."
Greynar met Akagi's gaze, her eyes looked like a beast that ready to devour their opponent anytime. "Akagi, you have crossed the boundaries by aligning yourself with the Siren."
Upon hearing that, Akagi let out a snort. "No, Commander, you've misunderstood. We simply share a common interest that aligns our goals, and I only borrow their power to pursue my own interests."
"And your interest is the destruction of Eagle Union?"
"You are a smart one, but that's not all, i will give anything for the prosperous of the Empire, to expand the territory and slowly devouring the entire continent." Her lips formed a devilish smile.
"You, do you even realize the consequences of your actions, Akagi?" Greynar's anger surged, his tone growing more intense.
"We'll deal with the consequences later... Siren or not, they are worthless in the Empire presence," Akagi retorted, her tone filled with mockery aimed at Greynar.
Waiting for a miracle to happen, Greynar used a morse code he had learnt from the internet to inform Aurora while Akagi was busy with her speech. Noticing the tapping, Aurora silently switched her channel to Albacore, who was already standing by underwater. She received a reply from Albacore that Enterprise was nearby and ready to ambush Akagi. Glancing at Aurora who nodded at him, he began to speak.
"Have you done your speech? Then it's my turn." Holding his breath, he shouted. "All fleets change to high-explosive round! Aim at the dome!" Commanding the mass produced ship, they begin to open fire to the dome.
"Didn't i told you, that it's worhtless-" After finishing her sentence, Akagi got hit by a dive bomber from above, which weaken the barrier a bit .
The barrier slowly cracked because of the barrage of explosion by the shells, from a small crack to a large crack and finally it shattered. The fleet escaped from the dome that slowly dissipating, Greynar then commanded every ship to change their ammunition once again to Armor Piercing shell.
As Akagi searched for the culprit who had attacked her unexpectedly, she sensed a presence behind her gradually emerging from the smoke.
"Akagi, it's time to end this battle." Enterprise appeared before her.
"Heh, hahahaha! So you finally back again after that cowardly retreat." Akagi taunted.
"...What a hypocrite," Enterprise exclaimed, her bow aimed directly at Akagi.
"I don't appreciate being called a hypocrite; the term that suits me better is tactical strategist." Akagi retorted.
"You better be prepared, Akagi."
Akagi smiled. "Then come, Enterprise."
※ ※ ※
As Enterprise battled Akagi, the remaining Siren ships were swiftly decimated by the allied fleets. Greynar and his forces gradually retreated from the western side of the island, providing assistance to Volga, who was engaged in a fierce battle against Kaga. Greynar targeted and destroyed several enemy vessels that hindered Volga's mobility, while also creating a smokescreen to distract Kaga.
"Volga, get away from Kaga! All fleet, open fire to the enemy!"
"Tch, Commander is here, i need to retreat for now." Kaga dodged the volley and slowly back away, she used a shikigami as a cover.
The splashing water gave Kaga a chance to retreat, using her camouflage to hide from Greynar's fleet. She admitted that the Commander was a formidable nightmare once you became his enemy. Thoughts raced through her mind as she realised that once this battle was over, they would have to stop attacking the Eagle Union and focus on dealing with the Siren threat.
Greynar, on the other hand, only want to force the fox carrier into retreat, knowing that he will not survive if Kaga launches a counterattack. With his current fleet already exhausted from the previous attempt to escape the barrier dome, he is relieved that Kaga has left the area immediately after his first attack and retreated.
"Commander, we should get going." Aurora suggested.
"You are the fastest among the fleets, go ahead and assist them ahead, i will be following you." Turning his head to Volga. "You too, go with Aurora."
"...Okay, stay safe then Commander." Volga who was a bit worried followed Aurora.
Following their tracks, he slowed his movement, sensing something directly beneath his ship. Since Albacore retreated to the island to replenish her torpedoes, there is no underwater protection. In other words, any fleet is very vulnerable to underwater attack, and he doesn't want to recall Volga and Aurora because that would put them at risk of attack as well.
~Stage trial completed, preparing to absorb the fragment~
"Wha-" The whole fleets suddenly shook as if the water below was splitting away.
~The access to the fragment has been granted due to the requirement that are needed, opening the chamber of Command~
The voice that echoed in his mind was fully heard by him. Not knowing what to expect by the mysterious voice of S.A.V.I.O.R, Greynar prepared for the worst. He noticed a light below the water, it was clearly not an ordinary light. The longer he sees the light, the closer the light gets. Dodging from the location where the light appear, a watersprout formed in front of him and disappear.
The light emerged from the waterspout, a shining light that could hypnotise an eye with its beauty. It didn't take Greynar long to admire it, he reached out his hand towards the light. It vanished as soon as he touched it.
~Absorbing the first fragment completed, attempting to process the timeline deletion~
As the voice begin to say something very outragous he panicked. "WAIT!! STOP!!!"
~Attempting process to delete the timeline has been cancelled, awaiting for further order~
Sighing as he dodges a giant bullet that could potentially affect his entire progress, he wants to do something, curious as to what the Chamber of Command is.
"Ahhh... Fuck it, lets test this thing." He begin to extend his hand to the sea and took a deep breath.
~Commanding SAVIOR, erase trace of any damage around the fleets before the absorbtion~
~Basic command accepted, attempting to erase any previous trace of the fragments whereabouts~
The water begin to calm down as if there was no any incident occurred. Greynar looks excitedl at his newfound power since he has already achieved his main objective. He tried once again but this time a little bit bolder.
~Commanding SAVIOR, attempt to erase the Sirens~
~Rulebreaker command identified... Denied~
When he heard that the request was denied, he was depressed, but after thinking about the possible consequences, he decided not to mess with the command any more and shook his head. On his way to where Yorktown and Hornet were, he saw them fighting with Hiryuu and Soryuu.
"Fire!"
Given the distance between him and the second carrier division, they have time to dodge the barrage. But strangely, it seems that Hiryuu and Soryuu decided not to move and took the shot. Yorktown and Hornet didn't miss their chance to completely destroy the carrier. Volga and Aurora were the big decoys for Siren to attack, giving Yorktown some breathing space.
After their defeat, they reunite and agree to assist Enterprise, on their way to Enterprise's location, Greynar ponders the strange behaviour of the second carrier division. They seem normal at first glance, but something happened to make them give up. He asked Hornet if she saw anything strange when she fought them, and she shrugged.
Not thinking about it anymore, they arrived at Enterprise's location, she was panting after the fight with Akagi. While her opponent was still standing, Akagi laughed at Enterprise's condition.
"Is this what Grey Ghost is? This is nothing before me!" Akagi laughed menacingly.
Enterprise responded. "Isn't it too soon for you to celebrating, Akagi?"
Akagi stopped laughing and met with her gaze. "Im aware, Enterprise," Akagi continued. "I'm aware that you have prepared a surprise attack, like this!"
Akagi suddenly deployed a barrier around her, knowing that she didn't get scratched after that close explosion in front of her face. Greynar readied to give command anytime.
Enterprise suddenly chuckled. "Hah, you got me... But who said it was my plane!" She deployed a smoke and rise up.
Akagi noticed that a submarine around her was restricting her movement who could freely teleport, given enough time and space. Albacore laughing manically as she cornered Akagi by swimming in circle near her. The smoke also making her vision blurry as she being cautious from all direction.
Distracted by Albacore, Akagi decided to take a high jump to escape from the smoke, but before she could touch the water and deployed a barrier below her. Enterprise is already one step ahead.
"From Behind!?" Akagi startled by the sudden of fighter plane from her blind sight.
"Too late! McClusky squadron, attaaack!!" Enterprise shouted.
"AAAaaaahhh!!!" Akagi screamed, her rigging has shattered into pieces.
"Sister!!" Kaga ended her camouflage to reach out to Akagi and got hit also by the bomb from fighter planes.
Both sister used their last shikigami to teleport away from the scene and disappeared that moment. The war has ended with Eagle Union victory with no death of a shipgirl.