Yamato Mansion, Sakura Empire
June 21, 1942
5:00 PM
Musashi slowly opened her eyes, trying to recognize her surroundings. She was in her bed chamber. She attempted to get up from her bed, but most of her body ached for unknown reasons. "W-What... happened?"
Then she remembered losing consciousness as Lucas pushed her out of the path of an unknown attack from Observer's Plasma Cannon.
One of the Shipgirls yelled to inform everyone, "Everyone! Lady Musashi is awake!"
Everyone rushed inside the room to check if their Leader or Flagship was alright. Among them were the Bunny sisters, Hiryuu and Souryuu.
"Thank God, you're alright, Lady Musashi..." Souryuu said as she and her sister Hiryuu bowed.
"Tell me what happened after I passed out?" Musashi asked the two bunny sisters.
Souryuu and Hiryuu quickly glanced at each other and nodded. Souryuu then reported to her, "While you were unconscious, Azur Lane released a transmission to every Shipgirl to retreat or evacuate the area."
"And the Sirens...?"
"They have been defeated by the Azur Lane Main Force."
"I see...."
"Umm... they also defeated Empress III an Arbiter Class," Hiryuu added.
Musashi quickly glanced at her, eyes wide, asking only one question, "Who—who did it?"
Souryuu replied, "It was Enterprise, Ma'am."
"Enterprise?" Musashi whispered her name, almost humming, as she held her chin.
"No, not the Enterprise that belongs to Eagle Union. The other one that owned the Jet Aircraft, according to Takao. She saw how she handled the Arbiter Class let alone Empress III with ease, reigning the sky... but..."
"But, what?"
"But, because of Akagi's interference, Empress III managed to hit Enterprise on one of her riggings. Takao said only one flight deck rigging out of the six she has was damaged."
'She managed to stay afloat after receiving substantial damage. Is she equipped with advanced repair units?' Musashi thought.
"Where is Akagi now?" Musashi asked the two bunnies.
Hiryuu and Souryuu hesitated at first, but Hiryuu was the first to answer, "She was captured and is now in the hands of the Modern Kansen in that area."
"Takao handed Akagi over to the Modern Kansens; she was alone in that area with few remaining ammo and fuel. That's why she handed her over and retreated," Souryuu said.
Musashi changed the topic and asked about the Empire. "What about the Empire's situation?"
"The remaining docks and repair yards were also targeted, and now we're only at half capacity. Fuel is low, Ammunition Stocks are depleted, and Factories all over the Empire have been targeted," Hiryuu reported.
"The first attack was centered around the Capital. The next wave focused all around the Empire. All of our Fighter Interceptors could not reach their height ceiling; all we could do was watch as the bombs fell on their intended targets."
"The Emperor? How is the Emperor?" Musashi suddenly asked.
The two hesitated to answer for a moment, as the implication could further deteriorate command. But before one of them could speak, a man's voice answered her inquiry.
All three turned their heads towards the voice. A sliding door opened, and Cmdr. Shin emerged with a disheveled look, his uniform wrinkled as if the weight of the brass on his shoulders felt lighter than a feather.
"He was taken by the enemy. Half of the Palace Inner Circles are dead, most of them belonging to the Militarist Faction," Cmdr. Shin said bluntly.
Musashi's gaze slightly twitched, her brow furrowed. "Azur Lane or Sirens?" she asked about the identity of the Emperor's captors.
"Azur Lane and their operatives, who managed to slip past our security, took His Imperial Majesty and the Imperial Family away, along with Nagato and Mikasa. This happened as the whole Empire was being bombed. Those operatives were also involved in the past days concerning our Capital Defenses, Troop Movement, Supplies, and much more, which helped them with their surgical strikes on our important facilities and buildings housing Military High-Ranks," Cmdr. Shin said with visible anger, his demeanor unable to hide such rage. He let it out, wanting them to know his fury.
He had failed to save the Emperor, failed to avenge his father, failed the Empire. All that anger culminated into a full rage rarely seen from his usually short temper.
Musashi, seeing him like a raging animal with an aura of anger surrounding him, asked, "Is there something that happened without my knowledge?" sensing something amiss.
Souryuu whispered in Musashi's ear not to anger the Commander further. Musashi gasped and covered her mouth as she heard the words about how the Commander's father had died.
"I-I see. So, that's what happened," Musashi said with a slight horror in her voice. "My condolences."
"What should we do now? We don't have proper command left," Hiryuu asked.
Harbor
Shoukaku was treating her injured sister. Zuikaku had been wounded due to carelessness while fighting Enterprise (CV-6).
Their forces had been overwhelmed with the help of CVN-80's AWACS aircraft that loitered above, providing Enterprise, Hornet, and Lexington with early warnings and tactical advantages, / Cheat Codes.
"Ouch! That hurts!" Zuikaku cried as the alcohol touched her wound.
Shoukaku pinched her ear, scolding her. "How many times do I have to tell you? You should start taking care of yourself!"
"Fine. Fine! I get it! ... You don't have to yell."
"Hold still, I need to wrap it." Shoukaku wrapped a bandage around Zuikaku's wound.
Ayanami was sitting at the edge of the dock, looking at the horizon as the sun set in the west, creating a beautiful orange ambiance at the Harbor. Ayanami's arm and leg were both covered with bandages, bearing battle wounds and scratches from fighting Lafayette.
"Did you hear the news?" Shigure asked the three.
"News? What news?!" Yukikaze shouted.
"Is it about Enterprise?" Yuudachi said.
"Hai. I heard she managed to beat and kick an Arbiter's ass!" Shigure said, making punching and kicking motions in the air.
"Ayanami, is she talking about—" Yuudachi asked.
"Hai, that's her. The first time we met, I thought she was that scary. But I was wrong. She's like Enterprise, but more different. Her aura of authority is more superior than that of Lady Musashi," Ayanami said.
"Wait, you said she was that strong, right?" Shigure asked.
Ayanami nodded. "She's also kind," she added.
"Oh. This brings up another question." Everyone looked at Shigure. "I've also heard that the kid you just fought was also able to kick some Siren ass too. Right?"
"I also heard news that he beat Kaga-sempai too," Yuudachi added.
Yukikaze interjected, "Hmmp... he's lucky he doesn't have to face me, Yukikaze the Great," she proudly remarked.
Everyone frowned and groaned at her boldness.
"Yeah... you'll be crying like a baby if you get hit by one shell," Shigure said jokingly.
"What did you just say!" Yukikaze shouted. The two then growled like dogs, facing each other.
Yuudachi muttered, "Oh, boy, here we go again."
Ayanami didn't mind the two, only staring at the horizon, ignoring the commotion behind her as she pondered what the Empire would become after this.
DOCK YARD
"You've got to be kidding me, Shiranui! This will only last a minute in a firefight!" Hyuuga exclaimed as she received a small amount of ammunition for her 14-inch Main Gun. This was only half of her ship's entire munition stockpile.
"This is the only ammunition left," Shiranui simply said in her typical stoic and cold voice.
"Why did Azur Lane have to target our ammunition depot?!" Hyuuga said in annoyance.
"Deprive the enemy of good things, including food and war materials," Ise muttered.
"Yes. You're right, they deprive us of war materials and good things. This is normal in times of human wars," Shiranui glared at the sulking Hyuuga.
"What do you mean, Shiranui-san?" Ise asked.
"You guys are made to fight the Siren war, not human war. Human wars are more terrifying than you kansen could ever imagine. And those who attacked us know what they are doing and targeting," Shiranui coldly said.
"Now, I'll take my leave. I still need to distribute these remaining Ammo Boxes to others." Shiranui left, carrying a Box of Ammo, with Manjuus behind her also carrying Boxes of Ammo.
"Human War, huh?" Ise said in a lower voice, almost mumbling, as she pondered.
Safe Zone
USS Enterprise CVN-80 cruised at her cruising speed in the designated Safe Zone, currently escorted by a Nuclear Cruiser, Amphibious Assault Ship, Aegis Destroyers, and two Frigates. Two ships had char marks and burns without any significant damage.
The carrier's left-front bow section was charred, and the starboard side sponson, where the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile and CLaWS (Close-in Laser Weapon) along with other Defense Weapons were housed, was burned. One of her four EMALS was destroyed, the rails burned or melted, and the electrical wiring was a mess of burns. The forward bow section was flooded from the sustained explosions and blast. It would take a few months or more for the carrier to be back in battle-capable and pristine condition.
On the deck, Manjuus in Flight Jerseys were busy cleaning off any char marks and burns. Small flames were put out immediately to resume flight operations on deck. Jets, chained and parked on the port side of the Flight Deck, represented what remained of the air wing.
Three of the four EMALS were the ones launching aircraft off the carrier. The Manjuu Technicians maintained the remaining EMALS for air operations, quickly replacing some damaged parts. The scene on the deck mirrored that of CVN-65 USS Enterprise off the Hawaiian coast when one of her parked aircraft caught fire from an accidental or Unguided Rocket stowed under an F-4 Phantom. The aft deck was charred and burned, but on CVN-80's case, it was the front bow.
Even with the charred and burned appearance that marked a carrier projecting American might across the seven seas and the Pacific region, amidst all the gloom, the American flag raised at the bridge mast waved proudly in the wind with a backdrop of soaring jets above.
At the helideck of the USNS William McLean,
Lucas whistled as he viewed the returning fleet. The charred supercarrier caught his attention. "Well... good luck, old man. Looks like your vacation is ruined," he said, looking at the Supercarrier. "Back in our world, that repair would take more than a month just for simply painting the hull."
"Seems like it. The sandy beaches of Hawaii will have to wait for now. Fixing her and getting her ready for the next operations will be a top priority," William said, puffing smoke and grimacing at the thought of his disrupted respite.
"Yeah... the sandy beaches and bikinis... you'll be missing out, old man," Lucas said.
William agreed to the notion, unaware of someone else eavesdropping on their conversation from behind.
"So, you like women in bikinis, huh?"
A woman's voice sounded, and both men quickly swiveled their heads. They saw 'Granny' Mikasa standing there with a curved-up smile on her lips.
"Whoa... you almost startled us there," Lucas said, his heart nearly dropping as soon as he heard her voice.
"This is man's business only. No 'grannies' allowed," William said jokingly.
Mikasa responded by pouting. "Hey! Just because I'm an old warship doesn't mean I can't wear any bikinis," she said, striking a pose with her torso bent to the side and a hand on her hip. The two recoiled at the mental image of her in that pose with bikinis.
'Where did she even get that idea? We don't even want to see her in bikinis!' both men thought.
William's daydreaming was cut off as one of the Manjuus in a Flight Deck Jersey tugged his coat. He looked down at the Manjuu, who pointed at an MH-60 Seahawk parked at the Helideck adjacent to them.
"Looks like my ride is ready." William turned his attention to Mikasa. "I'm sorry, Miss Mikasa, I'll have to take my leave." He then went inside the MH-60 Seahawk, guided by the flight deck crew.
The flight deck crew gave a thumbs-up for the resumed flight operation. The Seahawk lifted off the Cargo Ship's Helideck and flew towards the Supercarrier.
As the Helicopter flew above the Supercarrier and circled, finding a suitable spot to land, William perched at the door, observing the extent of the damage to the flight deck: the burns, melted metals, and the hull integrity itself.
'Shit! That's half a year of repairs, man! Even with a Modern Shipyard, it would take six to ten months to repair this kind of damage.' His mind swirled with the extent of the damage he witnessed. 'Thankfully, we are in another world; maybe the magic and whatever else could lessen the repair time.'
The Seahawk then landed in the middle of the carrier deck. As the Helicopter's wheels touched the deck, William quickly bolted from his seat and headed towards where Enterprise-80 stood.
Enterprise-80, in her blouse and skirt, her Admiral's jacket charred and torn, multiple patches visible where her bruises were, she stood still despite all the injuries she had sustained.
Nearby stood Vestal, fuming as always, no matter which Enterprise she faced. Her concerns as a medic took precedence over everything else.
"How many times do I have to tell you! You need to take a rest! For God's sake, listen to me!" Vestal's voice boomed, berating Enterprise-80 to take rest.
Enterprise-80 seemed to be tuning out Vestal's words as she stared at the extent of the damage on her deck, where the Manjuus were still sweeping with brooms.
William walked towards the two, also tuning out Vestal's ranting.
"What is the extent of the damage?" he asked Enterprise-80 with urgency.
Vestal stopped for a moment to catch her breath and momentarily noticed William. "Oh... you're here."
Enterprise-80 responded, "One section of my bulkheads is flooded; two sections of the deck are burned or melted. One EMALS is damaged beyond repair. Weapon Systems on the starboard side sponson are offline."
He held his chin, contemplating, and murmured, "One EMALS needs to be replaced, or another section needs to be created for the burned and melted areas."
"How much time would it take to fully repair my ship?" she asked him without breaking her gaze from the damaged section of the flight deck.
"That would be half a year if we were in our world. But we are in another world... maybe it would take a few months, maybe less?" William was unsure of his own answer.
"I'll leave it to you then." Enterprise-80 then gave him a tablet containing the damage report, which had been gathered by her Ship Technicians (Manjuu) and Damage Control Parties (Manjuu).
As William reviewed the tablet, he immediately started calculating the extent of the damage and the materials needed. "Seems like I'm going to need your miracle here, Vestal, to make this work on a large scale," he said to himself.
"So, you need my help then?" Vestal spoke from behind him. William didn't react; he already knew she was listening.
William turned around and faced her. "You're in a chill mood... a moment ago you were erupting like a volcano...?"
"Sorry, I grew accustomed to it. Every time Enterprise—whatever class or classification she may be—still has a way or cards to play at making my blood boil each time she goes into battle and returns damaged and injured. So..." she softened her tone, clasping her hands together while putting on an angelic face, "what can I do for you, then?" she said with a hint of giddiness.
William was taken aback by her quick and sudden shifts in emotion—a moment ago an erupting volcano, now calm and serene.
He puffed smoke and continued, "If Azur Lane wants her back in the water in good condition, I'm going to need your help to make this work, and a lot of resources need to be allocated."
"There's no need to worry. Adm. Nimitz recognized her importance. Right now, Adm. Nimitz is upgrading the existing Large Dry Dock in Pearl, and a lot of resources are being prepared. So there's nothing to worry about," Vestal said in a reassuring tone.
"The man. The myth. The legend. Adm. Nimitz," he muttered under his breath.
"What?" Vestal tilted her head, asking in confusion.
"Nothing. It was nothing... All we have to do now is patch the damaged sections until then... okay, let's get moving."
The two then started patching the melted or burned sections of the ship with the help of the Manjuus. They also replaced the burned and melted parts of the EMALS. Vestal still had a hard time using a tablet, as she was used to using ship blueprints to assess damage to the ship's hull.
Hangar Deck
Manjuus were inspecting all the planes. Many had only minor damage, but the Hornets had bullet holes. All the Hornets with bullet holes were lucky they hadn't exploded like Zeroes, thanks to their self-sealing fuel tanks. The Manjuus were in a rush to fix these planes and make them airworthy again at a moment's notice because the second operation would start tomorrow.
New Airframes and parts were brought out from storage to replenish the air wing that Enterprise-80 had lost while combating Empress III, an Arbiter-class Siren. The drones were the easiest to fix and make airworthy compared to the other manned aircraft.
Briefing Room, USS Essex LHA-12
Everyone was in the Briefing Room, waiting to be briefed about the second coming operation. They took their seats as the room darkened, and a projector displayed a map with arrows pointing at their next targets.
Enterprise-80 addressed them.
"Alright, listen up. We have received a transmission from Pearl stating that we have to rendezvous with New Jersey's Task Force alongside frontline Cmdr. Elena. After we've rendezvoused with them, we are going to commence the next operation: Blockade the Empire. Ten fleet carriers will partake to enforce this blockade of the island nation, as I conduct strikes on hard-on targets like bunkers and hidden cave emplacements.... Are there any questions?"
Warspite raised a hand. "Yes, Warspite. What is your question?"
"About the Emperor. What should we do with him?"
"Shit, I almost forgot him," she muttered. "We will use the Emperor to convince the Sakurans to surrender as we conduct a blockade of the home islands."
"Their government will... we will use the Emperor to quell the people's spirit to resist. If they want to negotiate surrender, Essex and JS Maya, you two will assist New Jersey and Langley with the terms of surrender."
"What if they are not convinced by their Emperor's word? What should we do next?" Hornet asked.
The Modern Kansens' expressions darkened as they knew what it meant for her. Enterprise-80 sighed and spoke, "I have a plan."
".... Okay...." Hornet and everyone else were confused by her sudden change of expression.
Enterprise-6 was next to raise a hand. "Do you think they will retaliate at the blockade?"
"I've destroyed most of their ammunition depots. Their ammo would only last a day if they want to attack now. But, I want you all to stay vigilant and report any enemy attack."
Lucas chimed in. "What about kamikaze attacks?"
Everyone looked at him with confused faces as they heard the word 'kamikaze.'
"Kamikaze? What is that?" Queen Elizabeth asked.
Enterprise-80 furrowed her brows and groaned. "Shit. I don't know if they will choose that option to attack us."
Lucas elaborated, "I bet that Cmdr. Shin and Tojo will continue fighting until there are no men, women, and children left to fight."
Everyone who knew Cmdr. Shin nodded in agreement; they knew he was the kind of man who would never surrender, even if it was hopeless.
"So, what is this kamikaze attack?" Enterprise-6 was intrigued.
Enterprise-80 then pushed the button on the remote of the projector and played footage of Kamikaze Attacks on Essex-class Carriers and any US Navy Vessels in the Pacific Theater of War. Everyone who saw the footage for the first time covered their eyes. Many didn't even blink as they watched the kamikaze attacks on the US vessels.
"Damn," Hornet muttered.
"For now, this is only speculation if they will use this attack. Let's just hope they will not resort to this kind of attack."
"That attack is like the equivalent of our missile strikes," Lucas said.
"So that's why I will provide a data link on one of my AWACS Planes to let you know if there are any hostiles in the air and give you time to react."
She paused and looked at everyone's reaction to see if they understood the memo. "Alright, dismissed."
Everyone left the Briefing Room, chatting about the kamikaze attack as they went. Many were afraid, especially the unarmored ones.
They could only speculate on the extent of the damage if they were hit by a kamikaze attack. Shivers ran down their spines as they thought about it.
"Tennessee," Enterprise-80 called.
Tennessee stopped at the door hatch and turned. "Yes, Ma'am."
"Guide our guest inside William's ship's brig."
"Yes, Ma'am." Tennessee then left and headed to the cargo ship to guide the guest.
"Why do you want the Emperor and other Sakuran shipgirls to meet Akagi in the ship's brig?" Enterprise-6 asked.
"The Emperor and other Sakuran Shipgirls are currently watching the footage that Arizona recorded in the Empire. All of it is evidence of betrayal to the Imperial Throne. I bet Hirohito is having a hard time accepting the fact that all of his inner circle were plotting against him.... And that will convince him to tell the whole Empire to surrender."
"I see."
~1 hour before the Briefing~
Before the briefing, Enterprise-80 met with the Emperor and the Imperial Family, along with other Sakuran Shipgirls like Mikasa, Nagato, and Shinano, in designated quarters for the Imperial Family.
"It seems you haven't changed much since the last time I knew about you, Emperor," Enterprise-80 said as she sat down on the couch opposite the Emperor's seat.
"You knew about me?" Emperor Hirohito asked with surprise.
Enterprise-80 smiled briefly. "No... I only knew about you from textbooks and history. You died thirty years before I even hit the waters."
"I see..." Emperor Hirohito said, looking down in contemplation. He then looked up and spoke, "Are you here to read my punishment?"
"No. The Alliance is the one that will judge you, not me."
"What then? Why are you here? To chat?"
"More or less... I'm here to tell you some crucial information that you should know firsthand."
Shinano spoke out of nowhere as she listened to the conversation between the two. "You speak as if something ominous is going to befall the Empire."
"Yes. That's the reason why I'm here, and I wanted to talk about it," Enterprise-80 said.
Everyone listened carefully as Enterprise-80 explained to them the fate of their counterparts, how they were brought to their knees and surrendered. Bunker Hill-76 connected the Flat-Screen TV to her laptop as Enterprise-80 narrated.
"The Japanese people believed their forces were still strong, that nothing could harm them. So, we did what we could to destroy that belief by destroying everything that floated, bearing the Imperial Chrysanthemum on its hull and waving the Rising Sun Flag."
The video on the flat-screen TV showed the destruction of the Imperial Fleet, from Battleships and Carriers to Cruisers and even a simple Fishing Boat, as bullets strafed the decks of each vessel.
Then the next footage shocked everyone to the core as a massive formation of B-29 Superfortress Bombers rained down death on the fleeing Japanese below. Then came the real shocker that gave the Sakurans the true horror of war as the next footage played.
"The Japanese people did not believe we possessed such weapons and called it a bluff. We warned them... and they ignored it. From splitting the atom and harvesting the power of the sun, America unleashed destruction on Hiroshima... and Nagasaki..."
The footage played the nuking of the two cities and the aftermath. Destroyed houses, burned corpses littered the streets, and radiated victims slowly rotted away.
Everyone was now traumatized by the footage they had just seen. The sheer horror of human warfare was beyond anything they had known.
Enterprise-80 continued, almost startling the Sakurans. "We didn't stop there.... We created more and more powerful Bombs that can easily fit on a Fighter Aircraft with ten times the destructive capacity."
Everyone looked at Enterprise-80 with horror in their faces. "Don't tell me..." Emperor Hirohito mumbled in horror.
"Yes... I have bombs several times more powerful than those that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki," Enterprise-80 said.
Both Nagato and Shinano's tails straightened up in fear as they turned pale in total shock and terror. Shinano hadn't expected the power of the sun to be that powerful as to wipe out an entire city, and now the bomb that Enterprise-80 held was several times more powerful than the previous bombs.
She then leaned forward, facing the Emperor. "Your Imperial Majesty... don't make me force my hand in such atrocity. I promised Roosevelt no Union boys would shed blood to stop this war." Her tone of voice grew grimmer every time she talked about the use of Nuclear Bombs.
"I will be the destroyer of worlds, if I must," she said, the words sending shivers through the Sakurans who were listening to her warning of the calamity to come to the Empire.
Emperor Hirohito fell into deep contemplation about his next move to save his Empire and subjects without facing divine punishment.
Nagato placed her left hand on the Emperor's right shoulder and spoke, "Your Imperial Majesty, please... save our people."
"I leave you for now. As you make the right decision, Your Imperial Majesty, I am limited in options and time.... Don't force my hand on bringing your Empire to its knees." Enterprise-80 stood up from her seat, startling Emperor Hirohito slightly.
But before she reached the door, she left a few words. "There is footage about your inner circle's betrayal." Enterprise-80 and her entourage, Bunker Hill-76, left the room, leaving the Sakurans to ponder the decision that could save the Empire or lead it to the same fate as Japan.
Ship Brig, USNS William McLean
Akagi was sitting on one of the bunk beds in the Cargo Ship's brig. She had been staring at the metal walls with protruding pipes in the corner the whole time. Then a familiar voice spoke from the other side of the room.
"So, you've been captured too, huh, Akagi?"
Akagi shifted her attention to the other room. She saw an Iron Blood Shipgirl being held captive. Odin was also sitting on the bunk bed, maintaining her stoic face despite some bandages.
Odin was currently wearing a hospital gown as her clothes had been torn in battle and needed to be removed for her wounds to be treated. Her curves protruded from the thin hospital gown.
"Oh, it's you, Odin. Where is Eugen?" Akagi asked.
"Eugen and the others managed to escape while I bought them some time."
"I see.... How did they manage to capture you?"
"I've been beaten into a pulp by a 'bunny girl.' She's like Roon or even crazier than Roon. She even beat Roon and me without even breaking a sweat," Odin said while maintaining her cold personality.
But in Odin's mind, she was angry and afraid that she had been beaten by a bunny.
-Well, you didn't get eaten just like Subaru, so you're alright.-
Akagi's imagination ran wild as she tried to picture what this 'bunny girl' looked like with the description of being crazier than Roon. She muttered, "How could a 'bunny girl' be even crazier than her?"
Odin slammed her fist against the metal walls of the brig, causing a loud clang. "I'll never forget how she defeated me!"
Akagi thought, 'This is the first time I've seen her get this angry.' Then some banging on the cell bars caught their attention.
"Looks like you've got some visitors, Akagi," Tennessee said as she banged the cell bars with her baton.
Akagi noticed someone behind Tennessee. She saw a familiar kimono, naval uniform, and imperial crest. Her eyes widened as she knew who they belonged to.
"You have an hour to speak with her," Tennessee said as she let them through the cramped corridor.
"Arigato, Tennessee-san..." Nagato said as she passed through.
Emperor Hirohito looked at Akagi as if he wanted to ask her questions he really didn't want to hear. He took a deep sigh and asked her directly without any greeting or formality, "Akagi... is it true that you conspired with the Sirens for Siren Tech?"
Akagi could not lie or run away; she had been captured. Lying would not save her in this situation. She had no choice but to tell them the truth about her conspiring with Observer without the knowledge of any High-Ranking Military personnel.
"Hai, Your Imperial Majesty," she said while looking down, tears slowly falling from her eyes.
This was all Hirohito needed to hear before he decided to agree to Azur Lane's demands. Emperor Hirohito looked at Nagato.
"Tell her, we accept the demand."
Sakura Empire
"What do you mean, surrender?!" Cmdr. Shin's voice boomed in anger. He hadn't expected Musashi to make a decision such as surrender.
"Hai. Surrender, that's the only option we have left!" Musashi shouted back, but calmly.
Souryuu and Hiryuu both just stood there, like kids in the corner watching their parents argue with all the shouting and retorts. They stood in silence and listened to the arguing, their bunny ears drooped.
"We've come this far. And you want to surrender! What about the people who died in this war? What about the soldiers who stood their ground and proudly protected the Empire? What about them? Are you going to ignore their sacrifices and surrender?!" he yelled, throwing his hands out expressively.
"No, I didn't ignore nor dismiss their sacrifices. They are the reason why I want to end this war by surrendering! I care about those who were left! Those who cling to life!"
"I-I am not going to surrender." His voice cracked. "I will not betray the Sakura Empire. I will continue fighting and use any kind of means until—"
"Until what?!" Musashi's voice cut in. "Until there are no Sakurans left? The only way to preserve this Empire from falling is to surrender. They even have the Emperor in their hands."
Cmdr. Shin leaned back against the wall with a resounding thud. His body felt heavy with the decision Musashi had made for the Empire. He sat in the corner like a defeated man, grabbing his cap, which was barely hanging above his head. He looked at it for a while; the Imperial Chrysanthemum glistened in the light of a lamp. With hesitation in his eyes, he threw it away, as if his rank was irrelevant in the Empire's current situation.
"The reason I... I," he started to speak, his voice ragged and cracking, "I-became a Commander, the role is to protect and serve the people of the Sakura Empire... and not to... betray them."
He then started tearing up and curled into a fetal position.
Musashi, with a face of understanding, knelt to grab the discarded cap. She walked towards him and lowered herself to his level. "This is the only option we have. Please... help me..." She placed the cap back where it belonged. "Help me save our own people from destruction.... I need your help, Commander."
Her voice gently pleaded for his cooperation. "Please... Commander."
Cmdr. Shin thought for a moment. He glanced at Souryuu. Souryuu knew what that glance meant; Cmdr. Shin had a habit of looking at her whenever he made a decision, either good or bad for the Empire. She lightly nodded her head in response.
"Fine..." He made up his mind. "Just don't let them make us sign some unequal treaties."
"Hai." She smiled.
Musashi offered a hand to help him stand up. As the Commander made up his mind, the sliding door slid open. At the door, someone barged into the room with ragged breathing and beads of sweat dripping. They both looked at the person who barged in, it was Kako.
Kako took a breath and fixed her glasses, speaking stutteringly, "Li-Listen to the Radio."
"Souryuu-san," Musashi ordered.
"Hai." Souryuu turned on a radio beside her. The radio crackled with static. They all listened intently, as if a major news broadcast was about to begin. From the radio's speaker, they heard the Emperor's voice addressing them to surrender.
(Same declaration of surrender that Emperor Hirohito broadcasted that marked Japan's surrender)
"Are they forcing him to say those words?" Hiryuu exclaimed, surprised that the Emperor was hinting at total surrender.
"No," Musashi said, raising her hand as she listened.
"Nani?" Everyone looked at Musashi as she said that word.
"I know how he sounds, whether if someone was forcing him to say something or if he was addressing us of his own volition. This is his own words and voice. This is His Imperial Majesty's decision."
Musashi looked at Kako. "Did the people hear about this?"
"Hai. They were the first ones to hear this and reported it to us, which was the reason I ran hastily to your manor to announce such news."
"I see... this is the only thing we needed to convince our people to lay down arms and surrender."
Musashi turned around and looked at the three. "You three. Tell the others to lay down arms. Tomorrow, we are going to surrender."
"Hai." The three complied and left the room to carry out the task.
"I hope His Imperial Majesty is right about his decision," Cmdr. Shin said with doubt in his mind. He had never thought the Emperor would decide to surrender so quickly.
"Hai. This is His Imperial Majesty's decision, and his decision alone," Musashi said, putting her full trust in the Emperor's decision to surrender.
"What about Tojo-san?" Cmdr. Shin mentioned the Prime Minister. "He did not like the terms of surrender."
Musashi sighed, knowing this question would come up sooner or later. "We're going to ask him about the surrender too."
"If he refuses?"
"He won't refuse the Emperor's order of surrender." Musashi looked at him. "If all goes to plan... let's contact Azur Lane about the terms of surrender."
The two then headed to the hospital where PM Tojo was being treated for a shrapnel wound in his abdomen, bandages wrapped around to prevent further bleeding.
In the infirmary bed, PM Tojo listened to the broadcast with a begrudging look on his face, with mixed relief. Relief that the nightmare was over and that the Emperor was safe and sound.
"Surrender... huh?" he muttered to himself.