27 February 1942,
Location: Port of Manila
Time: 1200
Kongo sighed, glancing at the room around her. The invasion was about to begin, and she had just finished the final briefing with Nachi. As the flagship of the Naval Invasion Escort Fleet, Nachi would spearhead the operation, but Kongo's mind wandered elsewhere, haunted by a ghost.
That ship, she thought. The White Heavy Cruiser.. Kongo's lips pressed together as she recalled the reports. This wasn't just any ship, it carried Kansens from Azur Lane, including some from the Royal Navy like Newcastle and Amazon. How ironic, she mused, having been assembled in Albion herself, though under the order of the Sakura Empire.
But it wasn't nostalgia that gnawed at her. It was the cruiser's performance in battle. The scout planes had captured images of its AA batteries, two turrets that spat bullets at a very high speed. The sheer volume of fire from those turrets and the pinpoint accuracy of each Kansen aboard were terrifying. The fighters and AA guns seemed to predict the flight paths of their enemies, shredding wave after wave of planes with ease.
Three days, she thought bitterly. Three days of harassment, and not a scratch on them. Their defense was flawless, not a single opening to exploit. It unsettled her more than she would ever admit aloud.
But then there was that anomaly. The reports from the radar installations didn't make sense. They should have detected the cruiser, but all the radar found was a small vessel in its place. It was as if the ship didn't exist, or worse, was something beyond comprehension.
The White Ghost, Kongo thought, a nickname she had given the cruiser. It felt appropriate, eerie even, how this ship seemed to dance around them, invisible to the technology they relied on.
And yet, her hands were tied. With the fleet spread so thin to cover the newly conquered territories, Kongo couldn't divert Kansens to chase down a ghost. Even if I wanted to… She clenched her fists. It's impossible right now.
She hadn't received the latest reports of Mo's reckless dash, the wild maneuver that would change everything. But even if she had, Kongo wouldn't have expected it. Not from a ghost.
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27 February 1942,
Location: Java Sea
Time: 1500
De Ruyter, Exeter, and Houston sailed steadily in formation, patrolling the waters around Madura. A quiet tension hung over the kansens, an unspoken acknowledgment of the formidable enemy they faced.
"Reports suggest the Sakuran forces are practically unstoppable," Houston commented, her eyes scanning the horizon. "They've toppled every garrison in their path. If they hit Java, Soerabaja sure is the logical target."
De Ruyter frowned. "If they come from the north, we might surprise them here. But it's a waiting game." Her plan was cautious yet daring, using the patrol not just to guard but to lay a trap. De Ruyter hoped to surprise the enemy if she and her fleet came from the east, an unexpected route through the narrow channels around Madura.
Exeter spoke up, "Their invasion force has to be nearby. With the weather turning, I doubt they'll wait long."
Hours passed with no sign of the enemy. Frustration began to settle in as the patrol ended, and the fleet turned back toward Soerabaja.
Just as they docked, an urgent report from the local airbase shattered the lull. "Sighting near Bawean Island," a voice over the radio crackled. "Enemy transports, thousands of soldiers, escorted by cruisers and destroyers."
De Ruyter's eyes narrowed. "It's time."
Her fleet scrambled, readying themselves for what could be a last stand to defend Java. As they steamed out of the harbor, the sun began to set, casting an ominous glow over the sea.
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On the Sakuran side..
"Looks like our prey is finally in sight," Nachi said, her eyes gleaming as she stood at the helm. Alongside her, Haguro adjusted her crow mask, the tension in the air evident between the two Japanese heavy cruisers.
"Convoy's still on course," Haguro noted, her voice cool and professional. "They're getting close to their destination. We just need to keep the Azur Lane off them for a little longer."
Nachi smirked. "They won't stand a chance. Their fleet's old, slow, and smaller in number." She glanced at the skies, the weather thickening with clouds. "But we should still stay sharp. Their desperation will make them unpredictable."
As they sailed south, the report came in. The Azur Lane fleet had been spotted. Nachi's grin widened. "Prepare for battle."
Haguro's eyes flickered toward Nachi. "I've heard De Ruyter is a capable leader. We shouldn't underestimate them."
Nachi waved a hand dismissively. "Capable or not, they're outgunned. Let's show them what raw firepower looks like."
The clock hit 1600, and the battle began. Nachi's long-range guns thundered, the shells arcing across the water toward the distant garrison fleet. Haguro followed suit, her cannons firing in perfect unison. The first shots landed near the destroyers, sending plumes of water skyward.
"Too far to hit anything vital," Haguro said, adjusting her aim.
Nachi's smile never faltered. "Just try again. Let them feel the weight of our firepower."
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On the Azur Lane side, Exeter grimaced as her first return shots missed. "I can't hit them at this range," she shouted, frustration creeping into her voice.
De Ruyter kept her calm, even as the distance between the fleets remained vast. "Hold steady. We need to get closer. Their range is an advantage now, but not for long."
But just as they started closing the gap, the torpedoes came from the enemy's destroyer line. Like predators in the water, the Type-93 torpedoes streaked toward the De Ruyter's fleet. Kortenaer, one of the destroyers, took a direct hit, a massive explosion ripping through her lower rigging. Flames engulfed her, and within moments, she was sunk.
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"First blood," Nachi said coldly, her gaze fixed on the burning water.
Haguro nodded, her eyes narrowing. "They're holding their ground better than expected, though."
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A second salvo from Nachi struck home. Exeter shuddered as the shells slammed into her feet, damaging her propulsions. "I'm hit! Slowing down!" she called out, struggling to maintain her position in the formation.
De Ruyter saw the damage and waved her forward. "Pull back, Exeter. We can't afford to lose you."
Exeter reluctantly turned away, her speed dropping as she moved to retreat. The loss of her presence left a hole in the defender line, making them vulnerable.
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Nachi noticed immediately, her smirk returning. "They're breaking apart. Let's press the attack."
The battle was far from over, but the scales were tipping. Nachi and Haguro kept pressing forward, determined to prevent the defender from disrupting their invasion fleet.
Darkness fell over the sea, a thick blanket under which the chaotic engagement continued unabated. The sheer firepower of Nachi and Haguro's eight inch guns weighed heavily on Azur Lane forces, yet the shipgirls fought with fierce determination. Electra, a nimble British destroyer, zigzagged between enemy lines, her guns spitting fire, her movements swift and calculated. But it was not enough, Minagumo, a Sakuran destroyer trapped her, and in a sudden strike, Elektra was gone.
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The battle became desperate as the Allied fleet tried to regroup. De Ruyter stood amidst the chaos, her voice steady despite the swirling madness. "We can still win this! For our fallen comrades!" Her words rallied her fleet, but as she spoke, Java, who was right beside her, took a torpedo hit from Nachi. She remained afloat, but the damage was severe.
De Ruyter without a word immediately rushed to Java with a grim realization on her face. The battle had dwindled their numbers to the point of despair…
When suddenly a series of flares illuminated the sky from the east.
[This is USS Michael Monsoor of Azur Lane. We're here to assist] a kansen announced through the comms, the voice sounded resolute.
In the distance, De Ruyter, bloodied but unbowed, watched the flares light up the sky. Her hands were tending to the injured Java, yet her gaze lingered on the scene before her. "Reinforcements? They might be just what we need," she murmured to herself, a flicker of hope returning to her eyes.
Houston, standing by her, nodded slowly, her expression grim yet relieved. "Look at the timing… they might just turn this around."
From the incoming white ship, a kansen began equipping her rigging. Her ship shimmering with a brilliant silvery light. Countless silver cubes formed around the ship, floating through the air in an awe-inspiring display before they converged toward the kansen. The cubes swiftly manifested into her rigging, wrapping her in armor and weapons.
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Newcastle, standing dutifully behind Mo, couldn't help but smile softly. "Lady Monsoor, it suits you," she said, her tone warm with pride.
Mo turned to Newcastle, her demeanor calm yet sharp. "Prepare yourself, Newcastle. We'll press forward now."
Newcastle nodded, her movements graceful as ever. "Of course, my lady."
The battle's momentum shifted as Mo's team pushed forward to the engagement line. Facing off against the Sakuran cruisers, Mo studied the distance carefully. The medium-range engagement provided just enough time for her to deploy her main gun.
Mo's railgun hummed to life, her rigging crackling with blue energy. The charging sound of a high-pitched whine cut through the chaos, drawing immediate attention from the Sakuran ships.
Nachi narrowed her eyes at the unfamiliar sight. "What the hell is that?" she asked, her voice colored with disbelief.
Haguro, standing beside her, shook her head, the dread creeping into her tone. "That… that thing looks similar to Shinano's!"
De Ruyter and Houston, now kneeling beside the heavily injured Java, caught sight of Mo's weapon as well. De Ruyter's eyes widened slightly. "What in the world… is that?"
Houston, equally stunned, watched as the railgun fired its first round. "That's… something else entirely."
The projectile, a 155mm depleted uranium rod, shot forward at Mach 7, a flash of blue light streaking through the darkness. It struck Jintsu, a Sakuran light cruiser, with devastating force. The round pierced below the waterline, cleaving through the ship before the kansen herself could react. Jintsu's ship cracked in half, sinking almost immediately before being swallowed by the sea.
Haguro gasped, her eyes fixated on the sinking wreck. "It destroyed her… in one shot…"
Nachi's bravado cracked, her hands tightening on the controls. "That's impossible!"
But to their horror, Mo was already preparing her next shot. The high-pitched charge rang out again as the railgun targeted Ushio, a destroyer kansen that had strayed too close to Azur Lane's line. The rod struck her rigging with lethal precision, sinking the small kansen without an explosion, only the quiet hiss of metal dissolving beneath the waves.
Watching from afar, De Ruyter felt a strange mix of awe and fear. "She… she's turning the tide?"
Houston, her tone heavy with both gratitude and dread, nodded slowly. "Whoever they are, they've brought something the enemy's never seen before. But I wonder… if that's even something we should have."