(Location: The Pacific Ocean – Alternate World War II Timeline)
(Time: Early Morning, Thursday, 1st Week of January 1930)
The Diwata-Class Celestial Skyfortress, Captain Accel Winchester's personal super aircraft carrier, had been drifting silently in the calm waters of a strange new world for several hours. The engines were idle, and the massive warship, with its 250,000-ton frame and more than 20,000 personnel aboard, was completely still. Inside the ship, everyone was fast asleep, locked in a deep and unnatural slumber.
"Ugh… what the hell?" Accel groaned as he stirred, his head pounding from the effects of the forced slumber. Blinking his eyes open, he found himself lying in bed next to his wife, Commander Lizzy Winchester. The two of them had fallen asleep together, just as they always did. The comfort of her presence was familiar, but the disorienting heaviness that lingered in his body was not.
(Note: Whether they are sleeping naked or not, it's up to your imagination.)
Lizzy stirred beside him, rubbing her eyes and groaning softly. "Accel? What's going on?" she asked groggily, sitting up in bed and looking around their quarters.
"I don't know," Accel replied, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing up. "But something's not right. I don't remember getting here."
Lizzy sat up fully now, concern flashing in her eyes. "Neither do I. What the hell happened?"
"I'm not sure, but we need to figure it out," Accel said, quickly pulling on his uniform. "We could be in danger."
Lizzy nodded, shaking off the remnants of sleep. She quickly got dressed, and together they made their way out of their quarters, moving through the corridors of the Celestial Skyfortress. Everywhere they passed, crewmembers remained sound asleep, adding to the growing sense of unease.
As they approached the command post, Accel and Lizzy exchanged a glance. They had fought side by side for over 15 years, through the most dangerous of situations. This was no different, yet something about it felt deeply wrong.
As he made his way through the ship's corridors, he noticed that the usual buzz of activity was missing. The halls were eerily quiet. His unease deepened when he passed by crew quarters—inside, soldiers, scientists, and engineers lay motionless, still asleep. It wasn't just him. Everyone was under some sort of spell. Panic began to bubble up inside him, but years of battle-hardened experience forced him to remain calm. He needed answers.
Arriving at the command post, Accel took a deep breath and hit the emergency alarm button. The deafening sound of sirens echoed throughout the ship, shaking the sleeping crew out of their induced slumber.
(The Bridge of the Celestial Skyfortress)
The crew assembled quickly, shaking off their confusion and assuming their positions. Lizzy stood close to Accel as they watched the system monitor light up with the same mysterious message that had appeared before:
System: "How is your sleep? Did you notice that your surroundings have changed?
The words lingered on the screen, sending a wave of unease through the entire bridge. No one spoke as they read the message, but tension filled the air.
"What do they mean, changed surroundings?" Lizzy muttered, her brow furrowed with concern.
Accel's eyes narrowed. "Keep reading," he instructed the crew, his tone firm.
System: "Now, then. Let's head on to the main topic. You are now transported to the World War II – Alternate Timeline!"
A stunned silence followed the announcement, the words hitting them all at once.
"World War II?" a crewmember muttered in disbelief.
As Accel processed the message, something clicked in his mind. This wasn't just an alternate version of history. Something far more complex was at play. Before he could voice his thoughts, the system continued:
System: "There will be no further announcements after this message. No restrictions, no rules—you are free to do as you please in this world. And now, I welcome you to the World of Azur Lane. Enjoy!"
The message blinked out, leaving behind a stunned crew. The revelation hit everyone hard.
"A- Azur Lane?" Lizzy whispered, echoing the thoughts of many on the bridge.
The realization slowly dawned on Accel. Azur Lane was a game—a popular mobile game known for its naval battles and anthropomorphic shipgirls. He had played it during his earlier days as a student from NMA and at the Philippian Imperial College, back when the stresses of real-world combat hadn't taken over his life. But now… it wasn't a game anymore. They were inside this world, and nothing about it was virtual.
"This isn't just some coincidence," Accel said slowly, piecing together the implications. "We've been transported into the world of Azur Lane."
The crew began to murmur among themselves, trying to make sense of it all.
Lizzy stepped closer to Accel, her expression serious. "So, what do we do now?"
Accel considered her question for a moment, then nodded. "We stick to our training. We were sent here for a reason, and we'll figure out what that reason is. For now, we stay sharp. We treat this like any other mission—adapt and overcome."
Before Accel could give further instructions, the radar technician suddenly called out from across the bridge.
"Captain! We've detected something on radar—300 kilometers away. It looks like a group of ships… surrounded by multiple unknown contacts. They're under attack!"
Lizzy moved quickly to the radar console. "Could be enemies, or it could be potential allies. What do we do?"
Accel's jaw tightened. He knew he couldn't just stand by while others were under fire. "We assist. All hands to battle stations!" he commanded, his voice clear and steady. "Prepare supersonic aircraft for deployment, arm all Advanced Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS) and Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM), and bring our enhanced defenses online. We're going in hot."
As the Celestial Skyfortress began to stir with renewed energy, the crew rushed to their battle stations. The massive carrier, with its countless aircraft and state-of-the-art weaponry, roared to life as the engines powered up. Enchanted Fighter Jets were armed, magic shields were activated, and artillery systems locked into position.
Lizzy shot Accel a quick smile. "Operation Phoenix Resurgence, huh?"
"Feels appropriate," Accel replied with a faint grin. "Let's rise from the ashes one last time."
The radar signals grew stronger as the Celestial Skyfortress cut through the waters, speeding toward the battle zone. The approaching fleet had detected their reinforcements, and a distress signal confirmed their need for help.
Accel stood firm at the helm, his gaze never wavering. The air crackled with tension, but he remained calm. Whatever world they had been thrust into, whatever dangers they faced, he and his crew would rise to meet them head-on.
As they neared the engagement zone, Accel issued the final command: "Launch all aircraft. Let's bring them home."
The battle was about to begin.
(End of Chapter 2)