Chapter 39

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39. In the Ocean That Is Not a Fantasy (Extra Chapter for Being First in the Three Rivers)

Black.

Endless black.

It was as if someone had taken away their eyesight; there was nothing to see but a vast expanse of black. The black sea, the black sky, the black silhouettes, and the black waves. The shipgirls, whose moods were gradually turning as dark as the surroundings, looked at this black world in despair, waiting for their souls to turn black as well.

"Is this the world beyond the North...?"

The fleet, sailing on the sea, looked up at the sky with weary faces.

The dark clouds above offered no response, still enveloping them like an iron lid, pressing heavily on everyone's hearts.

The radio had already failed. All that could be heard were strange, chaotic noises. The navigation map was meaningless here, as everything beyond the Northern Sea was unknown. All they could do was follow the unknown.

But what good would it do to follow the unknown? As if punishing them for their cunning, a black storm suddenly disrupted all their actions when they tried to sneak through the Northern Sea and map it. They could barely maintain their formation, struggling not to be swallowed by the perfect storm.

But even if they survived the perfect storm, what then? It had been sixteen hours since they last saw the sun. At ten in the morning, the sky was still as gloomy as ever.

No goal, no direction, only the sound of the sea in their ears.

"The surrounding waters have been scouted, no targets found."

"Is that so? Good work, go rest for a bit."

If she returned like this, the admiral would be upset.

Looking at the little girl behind her, whose face was covered in soot, the flagship gathered her scattered thoughts and put on a kind and gentle expression. She smiled and wiped the soot off the little girl's face, gently pinching her still chubby cheeks.

But the little girl showed no sign of happiness at this affectionate gesture. She looked at the big sister she once admired with a blank expression, tears streaming down her face.

The clear tears made the flagship's heart tremble, a bitter feeling rising in her chest.

"Onee-chan... are we going to die... right?"

"Who told you that?"

"..."

The little girl lowered her head, silent.

But looking at the desperate and lifeless gazes of the other shipgirls behind her, it was clear they knew their situation and understood their predicament.

They were finished.

In this unfamiliar sea, with no supplies and no place to rest, they didn't even have the courage to stop. They could only move forward by inertia, advancing for sixteen hours in the pitch-black sea, waiting for their fate to arrive.

Even if they couldn't see the deep sea, what did it matter? This was the deep sea's domain. They would eventually face those deep sea battleships. Their future was almost certain.

Death.

The Northern Mixed Fleet would perish here.

This was the only future they could see, the only one they could confirm.

"But isn't this enough? Born from the sea, encountering so many good things, and then returning to the sea. Isn't that pretty nice?"

In the formation behind the Yamato, a girl with braids laughed weakly, looking at the flagship of her formation with a weak smile. Her face showed a carefree expression, but her trembling hands betrayed her true feelings.

"But if there's a next life, I really want to be a battleship..."

"..."

Looking at the carefree girl, the Yamato clenched her fists, trying hard not to let her own despair show.

If the flagship broke down, what would the others do? Even in the last moment, they couldn't give up any hope. Even if they sank, they had to have a purpose. How could they accept dying in obscurity?

But this was probably the future for everyone here.

Just as the fleet fell into silence, a panicked voice broke the eerie calm over the radio.

"At twelve o'clock, enemy detected!"

"Oh!"

Though it wasn't good news, everyone showed a sense of relief.

Dying in battle was better than sinking into obscurity. At least that way, they could prove they had fought, that their sacrifice wasn't in vain. So, let's fight, let's face our final battle!

But, I'm sorry, I can't be by your side...

The Yamato nodded, a determined light flashing in her eyes.

"Don't panic! Report the enemy's type and formation! Even if we die, we'll drag a batch of deep sea ships to hell with us! We can't let our sacrifice be meaningless!"

"The enemy is the 'Red Demon' type battleship..."

"The 'Red Demon' mixed formation? It's tough, but we have a chance to win—"

"No, it's not a 'Red Demon' mixed formation."

The girl's voice over the radio trembled, filled with an indescribable despair. And even without the radio, everyone could see it.

A large fleet, full of oppressive power, was gradually emerging on the horizon.

More than fifty ships sailed silently on the black sea.

Their faces, similar to humans but not quite, were filled with ominous dark red light. Horns, like the grudges of demons, protruded from their foreheads, pointing straight to the sky. Their black clothing and the distorted weapons around them exuded a terrifying pressure.

This was not the familiar mixed formation of a dozen or so ships, consisting of one or two 'Red Demon' type battleships. This was a complete deep sea fleet, a destroyer of nations, consisting of more than fifty battleships.

The morale that had just risen plummeted to an icy low.

"Rather, it's a 'Red Demon' battleship formation..."

Facing the terrifying formation that could destroy them with a single round of cannon fire, the girl's voice over the radio was filled with sobs.