*Before that*
Zeimachi who had explained the grim aspect of fate found himself in need of another bandage for his head as he noticed several young girls trailing behind him.
Having successfully retrieved his misplaced "balls," he embarked on yet another adventure only to find a spirited tomboy that needed a little push for her low skilled lay-up.
After he managed to secure the hidden "ball" for the tomboy, he went to his next destination to gain additional C vitamins and also took care of some bills related to his medical expenses.
'Yeah you suck at making a joke ▀▀▀▀, so just do it normally next time.'
...
....
.....
In the end of the day, not long after he departed from Cleveland and her co, Zeimachi who can't repeatedly rejected the good intentions from those ship girl chose to surrender and humbly complied to their wishes.
Though he's quite stubborn, but even the hardest rock could be eroded by the constant drip of water.
He couldn't really help it, especially considering how Vestal and some other girls he had aided continued to follow him whenever he used the Astra Sphere to provide relief to the girls he encountered.
"Uhhh fine okay, so just stop grabbing my shirt and let's go."
"Really?! Then follow me."「Vestal」
He felt guilty for making the ship girl followed him wherever he went, while there're many of her friends that need a little bit of her treatment.
Thus, he found himself in the middle of a simple operation at a medical facility within Azur Lane Academy, accompanied by a nurse ship girl who is brimming with enthusiasm.
"Didn't you see what I just did?! Ack! Don't you have anesthesia or something?! Having a bullet pulled out from your brain is supposed to hurt like hell, you know?"
"Fuuuhhh... that's more or less what I can mostly do in here. I suggest you get a more complete operation in a bigger hospital. There's supposed to be one in the city, but... after knowing what happened... I think it'll be a little hard."「Vestal」
"...(Sigh) Yeah, no doubt about it."
There're many ship girls in that building, some of whom had various injuries from battling the humans marked by the Descend of Madness, while others had wounds from blocking various Noble Phantasms from the Gate of Babylon.
These're the scenes Zeimachi witnessed as they passed through to enter the room they're currently in.
When one ponders this situation, a scene like this should naturally have fostered a sense of mutual care among these girls, given their roles as comrades in arms and even classmates.
However for some inexplicable reason, a few of them directed their attention more intensely towards him. Take for instance Enterprise Alter who stood alongside Hornet, their eyes remained fixated on him, especially when they saw each incision of the scalpel being created onto his body.
Their gaze remained fixed on each unfolding scene, captivated as solid lead bullets were delicately extracted one by one from his wounds.
"Don't worry, they're not plotting anything sinister against you. Well, as long as you behave, that is~"「Vestal」
Playfully toying with a syringe using her delicate fingers, Vestal bore an uncanny resemblance to the villainous nurses from action movies, as if she had been eagerly awaiting her next patient.
Of course, she presented the syringe in a humorous manner to alleviate her patient's anxiety, but Zeimachi couldn't help but take it a bit too seriously. Especially when he saw Vestal being busy with some medication within the glass cabinet.
"That's not very reassuring. But, why don't they just come inside? Staying at the door might obstruct your good fortune, you know."
"Ufufufu, are you certain? Because then it would be five against one. Can you handle it on your own?"「Vestal」
Vestal's smile once again reminded the man never to challenge a nurse while receiving treatment in a hospital bed.
Furthermore, as the ship girl dressed in a nun-like outfit turned her head toward the entrance, he noticed that the door had somehow become increasingly crowded with other ship girls peeking in to catch a glimpse of him.
"...We're talking about watching over me, right?"
Vestal remained silent.
"Right?!"
If he wasn't mistaken one of the white-haired girls was Tirpitz, and the one beside her the petite girl with long silver-grayish hair was Z46, better known as Viersech.
He's aware that they wouldn't harm him, but he continued to play his role as if it were their first encounter, maintaining a cold and distant demeanor as if he were completely unfamiliar with them.
This also provided an opportunity for him since he didn't want to spend any more time dealing with those girls. Well, he do want to, but it's still not the perfect time for that.
Watching bottles of pills touches each other with the nurse's palm, a flash of inspiration left a track in his mind.
It didn't take long for him to make a decision when he was swept by a flash of inspiration.
"Yosh!"
As soon as he spotted a gap in the nurse's defense, the man swiftly sprang from the bed and dashed toward the glass window of the medical room.
"It's just a joke! Come back!"「Vestal」
The shattering sound of glass immediately caught the attention of the ship girls undergoing treatment, while also leaving those at the room's door entrance in stunned surprise at the sudden turn of events, debuffed by the confusion of his act.
"Are you sure it's okay to let him go like that?"「Tirpitz」
Her concern and suspicions for the human who had suddenly leaped out of the room was evident.
Tirpitz continued to gaze in the direction of the sudden run & dash event, where Vestal stood with her hands on her hips, shouting after the man who had just received treatment and was now making a run for it.
"I've observed his actions albeit briefly, and from what I can tell, he doesn't seem to have any malicious intent toward us. Montpelier and those Bullin sisters can vouch for him."「Enterprise Alter」
"...I'm not trying to pressure you into taking responsibility. It's just... will he be alright after jumping like that?"「Tirpitz」
Following Tirpitz's gaze, Z46 who had a mild interest in the figure watched the event with her solemn eyes.
"..."「Z46」
Although she didn't know how resilient he truly was, Viersech assumed everything would be fine as long as there's nothing to harm him.
"Well, he should be okay, right? I mean, he's the one who confronted that dangerous thing head-on."「Hornet」
"He mentioned it was something called a Noble Phantasm."「Enterprise Alter」
The sand of time continue to flow, as several other girls arrived to investigate the source of the earlier commotion.
There's another one with the hair of white, the one bearing the name of Kiev. Her attire been seamlessly assimilated to that of a nurse and janitor.
"Ya, Tirpitz and also Viersech, right? There are some great girls from the Union as well. What just happened?"「Kiev」
"Someone just jumped out of the window, and our nurse here is having a really rough time. Well, some good things, as usual, if I had to put it that way!"「Hornet」
With the one behind her stood another individual by the name of... somewhere around Luigi, who seemed startled upon hearing what had transpired.
"W-What has actually gotten into him?"「Luigi di Savoia Duca Degli Abruzzi」
The more crowded they are the more merrier it has become, with each sounds drawing more unwanted attentions, Zeimachi who know nothing about those continue his dash.
—————————————————————
*In the middle of that*
As soon as he burst through the window and landed amidst a thicket where no ship girl was in sight, he hurriedly sprinted to the next location as per his plan.
"Eh, what— what?!"「Kazagumo」
"Eh, aren't you— fast?!"「Le Triomphant」
He encountered some ship girls along the way, but given their specialization in speed there're no collision accidents that would go down in history.
"Now then, let's start."
It was now the perfect time for him to start his next move.
Upon arriving in the field littered with unattended corpses, Zeimachi took a few seconds break before he unleashed the power of the black sphere of stars, the Astra Sphere, to gather all the lifeless bodies toward him.
Harnessing his power, he then uttered the command "Arise!" and underwent a transformation assuming the role of a Necromancer, before he ultimately become the next Shadow Monarch, NOT.
Gathering the corpses was just the beginning of what lay ahead.
During his previous battle, a significant number of Feathers had scattered as unintended collateral damage from the clashes between his Edge and various Noble Phantasms.
Some of these Feathers had even entered or seeped into the bodies of the humans around them.
Though this wasn't even a part of his original plan, but now by sheer coincidence, it turned out to be incredibly useful.
"Though not much, but these should be enough."
Feathers turned into an Edge will lost their luster and continues to burn into ashes.
When those Feathers entered the dying mans as they're knocking on the death-door, the available Feathers within their body responded and willingly chose to be absorbed into their new dying host vessels', or more exactly into their realm of consciousness.
Be it the Feather that has lost their Edge, or the man who're on the brink of death, they more similar than anything.
The phrase, deads yearn for each other, could be used for this description.
This presented an opportunity for the Feathers to establish a record within their memories, taking advantage of their hosts' brains while they were still in a "fresh" state.
Of course, by now, these individuals had long passed away, leaving practically zero chance for any help.
However, by utilizing that brief open window to collect the imprinted fragments when their "souls" had been assimilated with his Feathers, he had acquired the original memories and experiences of the deceased individuals.
In simpler terms, he had used his Feathers to gather the memories from those lifeless bodies.
Conjuring the fragments of Feathers that he had collected, he calls out each Feather on top of the heads of the lifeless bodies, attempting to gather any lingering consciousness that might still reside within those lifeless husks.
"Step one complete, next is steps two and three."
The next tasks on his agenda involved taking the Feathers he had modified, inserting them back into the bodies of the deceased, and adding a layer of illusion to conceal the fact that they had been injured or killed.
He believed that as long as they weren't subjected to electronic scrutiny, they shouldn't be detected as dead.
"There's no way I'm forgiving you all, so I'll be using your body along with your life however I want, hate me all you like."
After successfully creating an army of the dead by utilizing his extensive knowledge and experience, he list each member to determine their origin.
"There're peasants, beggars, civilians, council members, office workers, former soldiers, a chairman of a significant company, and even someone with influence within the Naval HQ itself. Haha, it's truly chaotic."
Steps two and three were now complete.
The fourth step involved sending his army back to their respective places and having them act as if nothing significant had occurred.
As he had mentioned earlier, some of them had families, held high positions in certain institutions, were regular citizens who had caught wind of the news, and even some prominent figures.
So there's no way he's going to let their disappearance to attract any unwanted attention. For now, his priority was to avoid arousing any suspicion.
"So, this is the city that wasn't explained much in the game? It's not that bad, actually."
Most of the member within his army had their homes in the city located nearby Azur Lane Academy.
It was a city built by humans, shielded by the ship girls, and served as a place where they could interact with each other and be treated as "human."
The city was known as the City of Rite.
However, since Zeimachi was having difficulty navigating the city on his own, he had taken to calling it Daedalus City out of frustration.
"This is another dead end?!"
With all the "Masked Corpses" successfully returned to their rightful places, Zeimachi made his way back to the port.
All the while through the help of some key individuals within his "Masked Corpse" legion, he had also crafted a fraudulent document.
The arbitrarily crafted document had bestowed upon him the role of commander, a position that would prove instrumental in safeguarding the ship girls.
It's a strategic move, especially when he considered the presence of factions like Siren and Ashes in that world.
Since he also got one of the famous figure from HQ in his "Masked Corpse" legion, so he might as well use his authority to smoothen his way.
"Eh? You're just a Private? Hold on, there's no way this document is genuine, right?! I mean you're dressed like a... besides, a mere Seaman couldn't possibly take over as Commander!"「Saratoga」
"It has been decided that I'll be taking on the role of temporary commander, though it wasn't exactly my intention, buuut~ there's no helping it~ Now then, shoo shoo, I have work to do."
With his base secured, he had established the central hub for his Operations Purgatorio. The operations by what the name's define.
Furthermore, he also solidified his position in the office as the temporary commander, just like what he had said about vehemently intend to take on responsibilities after causing a commotion in that place.
Now that the base and the pieces were in place, it's time for him to execute his plan.
He carefully made his first move within the dark room which he had restored using his remaining power with the help of Astra Sphere.
"Now, let's play tetris uhh I mean chess."
Zeimachi muttered with a calm smile as he began orchestrating his next steps. Very different, from the usual him.
...
....
.....
"Let's prioritize money first."
His first objective was to eliminate any evidence, and while at the same time to create a counterfeit evidence.
He schemed to make it appear as if it all started within the Casino and the money lending sector by utilizing the remaining members of Yulijer's henchmen and his leftover dirty fortune.
He gradually gained control over the gambling and money lending sectors by leveraging his army of "Masked Corpses," creating the illusion that nearly every person in the city had at least dabbled in these industries.
Naturally, once he accomplished these activities, suspicions arose within the Naval HQ, primarily due to the city's proximity to their invaluable assets of war, the ship girls. Even banks and some other prominent figures from the police and detective sectors caught wind of this.
Nevertheless, by strategically employing the figurative "Masked Corpses" from his legion, he had successfully bought himself some time before the inevitable confrontation.
"A-Ahaha crap, I almost got busted right off the bat. Next is to strengthen their mask."
As days passed, Zeimachi moved on to the next phase concerning corpse decay.
Corpse decomposition was a result of tissue degradation due to autolysis and bacterial activity.
It typically began to manifest around 24 hours after death, starting with a greenish hue around the cecum and spreading throughout the abdominal cavity.
The smell would become putrid due to the formation of new gases.
As a result, it was becoming increasingly difficult for them to contain the odor or fluids that would soon begin to seep from their lifeless bodies.
This was why the "Nivea" side operation was necessary.
Whether this was morally acceptable or not, the city itself housed both a cosmetic store and a construction supply shop that stood side by side around the same block.
Using the authority that belonged to some important merchant figures within his legion, thus Zeimachi acquired and integrated these small businesses as a means to utilize their resources.
Zeimachi had initially considered sneaking into the Gear Lab at the Academy as well to "borrow" some materials to create some explosives and Bio-weapon for his next step, but...
"What are you doing over there..."「Kirishima」
He turned down that plan because he didn't want to further raise suspicion among the ship girls, who're more than capable of detecting his presence despite his use of perception-blocking techniques with his Feathers.
"Maybe it's because the Wisdom Cube is a type of technology? If it's like this, it'll be even more challenging for me to leave. But... even though they seem so formidable, they still couldn't defeat that Whitey, huh. Thankfully, I wasn't too late back then."
Though challenging, he once again employed individuals with critical roles within his "Masked Corpses" legion.
This allowed him to gain additional time and resources for his weapon preparations and the development of his army of the dead.
However, another fluke happens where a few city residents began to notice peculiarities in their town.
These normal citizens began to grow suspicious, observing individuals who appeared somewhat robotic and noticing the pungent odors that couldn't escape the nostrils of their pets.
"So, it has come to this. Well don't worry, its not the time yet."
However thanks to his "control" yet again, everything returned to a state of calm.
Once again he had employed the authority of an influential figure within his "Masked Corpses" legion and finally completed his Side-operations : Nivea.
"Hehehe, yes it was all industrial waste fault. Very useful for having one there."
After successfully completing the "Nivea" operation, he proceeded to make preparations for Operation Purgatorio.
As the name suggested, this plan will later involve a city-wide purge, but before he could continue with his preparations...
"Ah, I almost forgot about them!"
Because of his intense focus on planning the city takeover, he had almost overlooked them.
Thereby...
Aside from playing "How to get a city from your office," he also engaged in several other side projects related to the ship girls.
One of these side projects involved U-101.
"Mr! Please show me the Overdrive Mode from that memory! You can do it, right? Please, I really want to try it with Great Shark!"「U-101」
Thanks to Cera's assistance, the girl had regained her cheerfulness.
He asked her to inquired about what Cera had done, but his question was met with laughter and an endless smile.
'But how can I stop? That Whitey guy, ahahaha!'
Setting Whitey aside for now, he attended to his tasks.
After retrieving U-101 from the Void and reuniting her with her surviving comrades, Zeimachi returned again to that space and informed Cera that he's still occupied with some of his operation plan.
"Well, don't be too hard on yourself, foolish champion~" (Cera)
"Talk to the hand." (Zeimachi)
There were also moments when he entered a place called the "Storage", that'll awaken the root of his hideous persona.
The "Storage" itself was a storage facility ship girls frequently used to store some of their old wares.
Later got changed when Yulijer and his henchmen came, and then turned into where the "Meat," the so-called art created from humans' worldly desire were kept, and left untouched as they're no longer satisfying.
"Kukuku, how much should I rate this place, dear brother? ... Four? Hmm, I'll give it an Eight for its filthiness'." (El Dust)
Dried bloodstains splattered across various corners of the room welcomed him, and when he shifted his gaze forward, there's a curtain concealing whatever lay beyond.
All of this he had observed from the entrance. The unpleasant odor and sight would likely become even less pleasant if he were to step further inside.
"You shall not step any further from there."「Warspite」
"..."
"Stop! I won't repeat it for the second time, halt your step!"「Warspite」
However, he paid no heed to her warning and continued to venture inside. As he had anticipated, the scene within was far worse than he had imagined.
Like fleshlights that had lost the complete part of their bodies, many of them were in a state where death would be a kinder fate.
Some were missing limbs, and there were a few who appeared to have been turned into gruesome sacks of brutality.
Several body parts of their limbs being treated akin to firewood piled up in a barrel, while their bodies turned pleasure tools were visibly in a deplorable state, sprawled on a filthy mattress soaked with various fluids.
"It doesn't matter how important you are in freeing this port, I can't let you saw her!"「Warspite」
"..."
"Will you say something already!"「Warspite」
Although he had suspected from the beginning, this evidence had now given him a clear understanding of what the term "Meat" mentioned by U-101 earlier truly meant.
If the girls in the brothel are the one with their fortitude broken, then those in here are the one whose lives have been utterly ruined. Ultimately letting them transformed into...
"(Whisper) It's not the time yet, calm down."
"A... aa..."「???」
They're turned into mere living fleshlights, a living onahole unable to do anything else.
He couldn't fathom how they had deteriorated to this state in just three days.
However, with this, he's certain that many parties involved at the time had not been killed in his battle with Yulijer.
Perhaps they were not at the port, or perhaps they were individuals like him, people who preferred to operate from behind the scenes.
"Should I say, as expected from a System user? I bet he must be spreading his wings to even the government in this world... Yeah, it doesn't mean much since we're going to do the same."
"What... whom are you talking to?"「Warspite」
Seemingly disregarding Warspite who had her sword pressed against his back, Zeimachi summoned one of his Feathers and tightly clutched it with both palms.
Just like a shattered glass, the Feather fragmented into numerous small pieces and shot into all the ship girls in the room except for Warspite.
"Have a pleasant dream, next is... ouch..."
"I've had enough. If you don't want this sword digging into your back, tell me what you've done!"「Warspite」
"... Don't worry, they're not dead. As long as you don't spread the word about my actions in this place to others, then I'll comply with your wishes."
Next, he summoned the black ball of stars and let it float into the air, where the stars within spun rapidly and emitted a dazzling light.
What happened next was so shocking that Warspite involuntarily loosened her grip on the hilt of her sword.
Because when the blinding light subsided, all the ship maidens in the area had reverted to their healthy and pristine girl forms.
"... Her... majesty?"「Warspite」
"... Hmph, it do kinda anticlimatic. But ain't a bad choice either."
Their limbs had returned to their original state, and the wounds on their bodies had vanished without leaving a trace.
Covered in fabric to protect their bare body, Warspite couldn't believe the miraculous recovery that had befallen them.
Whether they were Destroyers, Cruisers, Battleships, or Carriers, Zeimachi had healed them all and returned them to their full healthy condition using the data stored within the Astra Sphere.
"Warpsite, let them sleep for now. You can take your queen and follow me, we'll explain each other."
"... Yes. Please bare with me, her majesty."「Warpsite」
He didn't let Warspite linger to mourn her queen who was currently in a deep sleep, fragile from the spent of her sanity.
He did allow Warspite to carry her queen with her, but that was all.
He focused on preserving the pleasant moments for some day in the distant future. He had something more important than crying and regret.
Starting with evacuating the girls from the storage, analyzing the events and figures that would become his targets, and then considering himself, who had pushed the limits of his human body by using the Astra Sphere.
'That object... should not be possessed by anyone and not even mortal being such as a human like him, but I'm sure that if it's in the hands of that fool, at the very least, no one can misuse it. That's how I see it.'
Exactly like his "Spell" that borrowed knowledge from the archive, there're reasonable usage limits he could impose on that object. If he were to exceed that limit, he'd have to deal with the side effects.
Nevertheless he didn't care, as long as the mission and goals could be achieved, he would do whatever it took.
'Yes, you're right. Darn it, I told you not to overexert too much.'
Finally, when he arrived in front of the ship girls who held important positions the same with Warspite, he instructed them to save the others from there (the storage) with Warspite accompanying them to avoid any misunderstandings.
Done with that, he left as soon as he arrived.
When asked where he's going, Zeimachi simply replied that he would be heading to a place used as a base camp for ship girls like U-101, those who had managed to escape or survive the "Three Days of Hell."
...
....
.....
Based on what he learned from Warspite, there're approximately hundreds of ship girls living in the port and attending the academy, representing various factions.
Fortunately, some of them were on missions or commissions in different locations on the day of the incident, so they're not affected and could act as saviors for those trapped in the port.
Some of those who heard about the situation in their home sought help from the headquarters.
"... Welp, we got some player in the castle."
However, strangely it was extremely difficult to make the headquarters understand their situation.
"So this is the place, huh? ... How weird, even these guys can't get inside."
They had no choice but to go there immediately to rescue their friends or sisters.
The place Zeimachi was visiting now was their base camp, where the ship girls had turned it into a safe zone away from Yulijer's surveillance or his henchmen.
The place itself resembled an underground bunker, which felt strange to him, but he's still thankful to whoever had built it because it provided a place for the ship girls who had escaped to regroup and plan their next steps.
His pride have been scratched when the Feather of his somehow couldn't pierce the blocking wall of that base.
"... Yeah, let's just leave it. I'm sure this place will be quite memorable for them. Let's move on to the next plan while we wait for the main Ope to be ripe."
He had spent approximately a month doing everything mentioned above, including restoring his energy.
But was that the end of it? Certainly not.
Next, he went to meet Akashi to increase the number of Manjuu as a source of labor to repair the damaged port and academy.
He could use his sphere to fix those in seconds, but if he did so, it would hinder him from executing the rest of his plan making him out of commission.
Still, he used the sphere more selectively whenever he got stuck and wanted to jump over a few steps ahead.
"Yup, this much should be fine."
He also noticed the absence of "Meowfficers" in the port and included blueprints for creating these cats along with the Manjuus to create a brighter and more comfortable atmosphere in the Azur Lane port and academy.
"N-Nyaa!? You... are..."「Akashi」
Akashi was initially taken aback by his appearance but soon realized that he came with business. After receiving the money and blueprints, she was both curious and cautious about the intentions behind them.
"Here, job and money."
"Nyaaaa☆ I-I mean, what do you want me with this money and blueprint nyaa? There's no way you're nyaaing to create some dangerous thing right?"「Akashi」
"Like what you just said, there's nothing dangerous about these jobs. You can take a look at it with your researcher friends and discuss it first, I'll be waiting in the commander officer."
Zeimachi waited patiently for Akashi to consider the proposals, knowing that their implementation would benefit Azur Lane in the long run.
It took a few hours for Akashi to meet with him and continue discussing the profit and the ongoing part of his plan.
Although Akashi was the one handling most of the financial aspects, Shiranui was beside her, examining the contents of his blueprint.
Its going to take a while before those two could create more Manjuu, so using this chance he then returned all of his attention back to the development of city.
"..."
Just like how he had planned, every part of the city have been circulated with the dirty money belonged to the money lender corporate and also from the casino which was belonged to Yulijer as well.
Whether it was in the distant gambling districts, malls, shopping areas, or special districts like food and amusement parks, the dirty money flowed through the hands of individuals from his "Masked Corpses" legion.
This financial manipulation was just one step in his broader strategy to take control of the city and protect the ship girls within it.
Every part of the city was touched by the tainted money, and even the beggars discreetly took their share, falling prey to the bait provided by Zeimachi through his "Masked Corpses."
The web of financial manipulation continued to spread throughout the city, entangling it further in his grand scheme.
"It's time."
As time went on, the residents of the city again began to notice the anomalies, and some started to suspect that the city had fallen into the clutches of loan sharks associated with the casino.
The smart and resourceful individuals wasted no time and decided to leave the city, taking their families or associates with them and leaving behind any evidence of their involvement.
They knew that staying in the city would only lead to trouble.
"No one can run."
Unfortunately for those who tried to escape, they're unaware that one of the members who had joined them in their escape was actually part of Zeimachi's "Masked Corpse" legion.
When news broke that the City of Rite had turned into something resembling a mafia casino or the like, this information could no longer be concealed even by the authority held by important figures within his "Masked Corpse" legion.
"Thus they shall move."
From what he gathered through the ears and eyes of his operatives, it appeared that the city was about to be "cleaned" of all those who had exploited it or taken control of it.
Of course, this was part of the plan played by the important figures within the higher-ups.
Zeimachi had noticed some of them "washing their hands" and practically fleeing from their crimes. Having the city "cleaned" up would undoubtedly aid their escape from the scales of justice.
As the plan continued to unfold, Zeimachi knew that time was of the essence.
The city was in chaos, and the authorities were starting to catch on to the activities of the "Masked Corpses." But he had anticipated this, and he was ready to execute the final stages of his plan.
With his army of "Masked Corpses" at his disposal and the city in turmoil, Zeimachi was prepared to make his move and accomplish his ultimate goal. The stage was set for a dramatic conclusion to his intricate and audacious scheme.
"It begins, now."
The initial attempts by the HQ to investigate what had happened in the city were met with swift and deadly resistance from the "Masked Corpses." The investigators sent to the city were quickly eliminated by the various factions involved, including the merchants, mafia, loan sharks, and the casino.
This turn of events left the higher-ups who had been satisfied enough in exploiting the ship girls furious and frustrated.
What they had perceived as disposable pawns had now united and were even capable of resisting the forces dispatched by the HQ.
The situation was rapidly spiraling out of control.
"Yes, hello... I understand. Yes, I have received messages from others as well... Yes."
It was then as the fleet's commander, he received numerous emails and phone calls directed to the academy.
As expected, the higher-ups were still unaware neither of the fact of his true identity, nor the fact if he's the one who had prepared the traps, but their demands and pressures continued to pour in.
The number of high-ranking officials contacting him far exceeded his fingers, and they pushed, urged, and berated him to take action in response to the ongoing crisis.
They demanded various actions from him, including issuing immediate apologies, publicly acknowledging his negligence in allowing chaos to unfold in the city near the academy, and meeting many other demands.
In other words, the higher-ups from HQ wanted to use him as their scapegoat.
It was quite amusing to see them attempting to manipulate someone they believed to be a mere "Fool," little realizing that he was once treated as a star in the dark sky, far beyond the comprehension of ordinary humans.
'Oh? Is it time for my homeland arc?'
"It's time to conclude this operation."
Marked by the mysterious contacts initiated by numerous high-ranking HQ members who sought his assistance, Zeimachi began to draw the curtains on his Operation Purgatorio.
As for what is the operation like when it reached its end...
For simplicity, consider it as where he executes what he had planned from the beginning.
'Boo! Not fair not fair! You got awfully too detailed back then, now you chickened out?! Cowaard!'
He gathered intelligence about his targets, and using that intel, he managed to turn the tables on the key figures, forcing them to step down from their positions and hand over their seats of authority to ship girls like Nagato, Bismarck, and others.
That's what should be known, but if you want to know more...
Zeimachi created a bloodbath that resulted from the gunfire and bio-weapons clash between his "Masked Corpse" forces and the troops sent by HQ to eliminate the mafia and all sources of trouble there.
The bodies of the "Masked Corpses" were destroyed by the bio-weapons, and the same fate befell the soldiers sent by HQ, all of them perished in the crossfire.
Many parts of the city were destroyed due to explosions and gunfire. The loan shark headquarters and casino were not spared from the devastation, and of course, the homes of the residents also became targets.
"..."
Whether they were involved or not, blood was shed by all.
And by using some "Masked Corpses" who had important roles within the government, he gathered information to carry out what was explained earlier.
Perhaps it sounded brief and concise earlier, but of course, that wasn't all he did.
Using blackmail and the power he possessed, he created a scenario that made it appear as if the targeted executives had committed suicide, were killed in accidents or by some chance got in a strife with each other in their rank as the final stage of his Operation Purgatorio.
Whether their families were safe or not, it's better to keep those details hidden since misfortune will never escape from their back.
And in the end, when the small-scale warfare had concluded, the City of Rite had lost a significant portion of its human population.
It would take time to make the city habitable again for humans, so those who somehow survived decided to stay away from the city.
"..."
This raised suspicions about Zeimachi's presence and whereabouts.
However, no matter how they investigated, the person who held the evidence and the key to Zeimachi's rise as a commander through a false identity had vanished from that world.
The rest of the story unfolds as he uses the Astra Sphere to clean the city of any foul or dangerous substances, allowing the Manjuu to continue the city's restoration process after discussing it with the ship girls.
Only a very small number of ship girls are aware of this story, and even among those who know, they remain unaware of Zeimachi's involvement in that chaos.
"... That's all, I'll be on my way to my office."
When Operation Purgatorio was declared complete, Zeimachi, armed with the last piece of information regarding the commander's whereabouts, departed for a location in Cuba within that world.
He hoped that experiencing some adversity there might lead him to turn over a new leaf and perhaps fulfill his role as a responsible man once again.
"..."
But how disappointed he was by what awaits him in Kuba, instead of finding a man who had resolved to fix his mistakes, he encountered a wretched individual sleeping in a cardboard box, missing most of his organs.
Observing this pitiful sight, Zeimachi decided to end the man's life and brought his body back to the port. He wouldn't allow this man a peaceful even after his death.
With this event marking the end of his mission, three months had passed for him.
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*After all of that*
"... Vital check, not good. Mental check, low sanity. Huuh... if I didn't have these memories about them... I wonder if I'll actually become crazy."
Zeimachi remained hidden inside his office after completing all the necessary tasks outside. He slumped with his face on the desk while sitting behind it.
Although there were no stacks of documents on his desk, he appeared utterly exhausted.
*Knock-Knock-Knock*
From the direction of the door, a slow, deliberate knocking sound echoed.
Despite hearing it, Zeimachi remained unmoving in his chair.
It had been nearly a month since he had delivered the body of the previous commander to some ship girls, and since then, he had kept himself locked inside the office, oblivious to the passing of time.
"Excuse me, Master. Your misconduct is making all of girls in here concerned, could you open this door and let me clean your room with you together in it?"「Sheffield」
From behind the door, the knocking voice was accompanied by a ship girl dressed as a maid. She carried a tray full of food. Her voice sounded cold, contrasting the warm meal she brought with her.
Her name is Sheffield, one of the members of the Royal Maid squad from the Royal Navy. Her speech could be sharp at times, but it was all part of her personality.
"No answer this time, again."「Sheffield」
It had been more or less one month since her master last had any contact with the outside world.
Every time a maid knocked on his door to deliver breakfast, lunch, or dinner, he either ignored them or told them he didn't need anything.
This behavior was causing concern among the ship girls who had learned about it. Even though they knew Akashi often met with him, Akashi herself was prohibited from discussing anything other than work when meeting her changed commander.
Each time the green cat asked about his health, the man would always deflect the conversation or simply ignore it if he seemed disinterested.
"Master, please at least respond like how you pathetically did, else I'll pardon myself to get in."「Sheffield」
This time, Sheffield had brought him breakfast. While it was part of her duty due to the maid rotation, she still made the choice to deliver it.
Sheffield knew that this man had played a significant role in remaking the port, saving their queen, and possibly more secrets she was unaware of.
She couldn't bear to see such a person deteriorate into a lifeless shell as he continued to skip his meals. In fact, he hadn't eaten anything for the past three months.
"Master? Could you please answer me already?"「Sheffield」
When there was no response, she furrowed her eyebrows slightly.
"... Master?"「Sheffield」
While she typically didn't receive a response, the silence behind the door felt unusually eerie. Dark thoughts crossed her mind, leading her to contemplate an action she didn't want to take.
"..."「Sheffield」
"Pardon my intrusion- ..."「Sheffield」
As she took out a key from her breast pocket with the intention of breaking into the office, Sheffield firmed her resolve. However...
Before she could barge into the room, the door opened, revealing Zeimachi dressed in a jacket, long black training pants, and a muffler on his head—attire he often wore during leisurely moments.
His appearance and demeanor were in stark contrast to his usual relaxed self.
Sheffield, who was facing her commander directly for the first time, couldn't help but be taken aback by the sight before her.
"Good morning, Master. My name is Sheffield, a Royal Maid assigned to deliver your food this time. Could you please do this faster, Master? If your breakfast gets cold, I'll need to bring you a new one as a replacement."
Sheffield displayed a momentary look of surprise on her face before quickly regaining her composure, bowing her head slightly.
"..."
"..."「Sheffield」
Yet being directed to his silence only seemed to add to Sheffield's unease, unlike Zeimachi, who could read the ship girl's thoughts in any ways he like.
"Hey, Sheffield-san, are you not wearing anything down there?"
With a lazy tone and a smile that exuded a mischievous air, Zeimachi pointed toward the girl's maid uniform.
"Do you want to see, Master? As your maid, this could be considered misconduct towards your subordinates, but I can't refuse your orders, Master."
Sheffield let out a small sigh, thinking that her commander was a wicked or terrifying person for once. Fortunately, he's just a perverted man who had some interest in their subordinates' body.
That's what Sheffield thought.
Just as she was about to place the tray with breakfast on the floor and lift her skirt, he stopped her.
"It's definitely not an order from your Master, just a curious joke. Thank you for continuously doing this despite the fact that I haven't been eating. Please convey my gratitude to the maid squad for their care. How is your Queen doing?"
"Ck."「Sheffield」
"... Did you just click your tongue?"
"Your Majesty is still undergoing treatment for her trauma while in a deep sleep state, as are some other ships with similar or higher levels of trauma. Some of them have been released from treatment and are recovering, thanks to your plan, Master, at least that's what Warspite-sama told me."「Sheffield」
Sheffield tried to hide the clicking sound, but it slipped out a bit. She continued by providing him with updates about the port and the fleet.
"Hmm, well, now it's time to go. I think it's time to see how they're doing."
Interestingly, Zeimachi didn't quite match the description Warspite had given her. He didn't seem cold, but more... like an idiot.
At least, that's what Sheffield thought when she saw Zeimachi ruffle his hair and hide his face with the muffler in a manner similar to a ninja.
"May I ask what's with that appearance?"「Sheffield」
Since he looked so absurd in that attire, Sheffield decided to ask just in case there's a reason behind it.
However, when she saw her commander striking an unbelievable chuunibyou pose, her face twisted into the expression of a maid who had spotted a single speck of dirt on a pristine white plate.
"What do you think, Sheffield-san?"
Sheffield paused before responding, "... It's perfect for you to hide your face from the world, Master. Excuse me... I think it's perfect to hide your face, Master."
"Looks like it's decided then. Let's go, Sheffield-san. Time to spy on their secrets from the shadows! I'll follow you to the kitchen first. Sorry, but I don't really need to eat that. My body is special, so I can go without food for a long time."
Zeimachi gave her a thumbs up, but she couldn't see his smile. Nevertheless, that didn't mean she would let it slide.
His claim that his body was special didn't alleviate her concerns, especially since many girls had grown worried about his habit of skipping meals.
An exasperated sigh escaped her mouth, aimed towards her master conduct.
"Master, please let me clarify a few things. As a member of the Maid Corps, you don't have to use honorifics towards us."「Sheffield」
Spoken like a true maid, what Sheffield just said was true. Being a master who put much consideration for their servant, will only lower their credibility as a master.
Sadly for Sheffield, the man is somewhat still a foolish one.
"Well, it's fine, right? I mean-"
*Bang*
Don't worry, it's just a blank shot that barely missed his head.
'Ahhh she missed! You should've headshot him girl!'
"I see... then have you changed your mind, Master? Please stop adding -san to my name. Just call us by our names without any remorse. Moving on, could you please hold this, Master?"「Sheffield」
She passed the tray to him, pretending that her ribbon on the back of her dress had loosened, before suddenly pulled out another gun, identical to the one she had just shot from the back of her skirt.
She aimed those twin guns right next to his ears. Not letting him a chance to rebuke.
"Sheffield."「Sheffield」
"Ahehe... l-let's calm down for a second and put those guns down, okay?"
"Sheffield."「Sheffield」
"..."
This act continued for a few moments before he finally agreed to call her without the -san honorific if there was no one else around.
Finished with the way he needed to address her, Sheffield stated that she would clean his room while he ate breakfast.
"Dark, damp and gloomy. A fitting room yes, master."「Sheffield」
She expressed her love just like how a maid supposed to.
And just like the 3rd law of Newton, Zeimachi surprised her by suggesting that they should eat together while discussing more about her queen's condition.
"You want to eat... with me? Are you being serious, Master?"「Sheffield」
Thankfully she didn't reject the idea.
He passed the tray back to her and locked the door to his office. Sheffield couldn't help but wonder if she had successfully convinced this shut-in master to change, little did she realize that it was nothing more than an act.
"How NAIVE."
In an instant, Zeimachi swiftly moved away from Sheffield just like how he did with Vestal.
"Hwahahaha! Saraba baka mono ga! You think you had actually caught this great me!?"
Typical of Zeimachi, he seized the opportunity and jumped off again. He even taunted the silent maid as he escaped down the stairs and falling out onto the field through the opened window.
Leaving Sheffield standing alone, frozen in disbelief.
It took a few moments for Sheffield to fully grasp what had just happened, but one thing was clear to her: her commander was challenging her to a fight.
"... Fine, if that's how you want to play."「Sheffield」
Sheffield, still in front of his office door, silently loaded a HE (high explosive) round into her gun, perhaps preparing for any further antics from her elusive commander.
"Ah Sheffy, did I just heard— hiiii!!!"「Dido」
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