Devil May Cry Naval District – Office
Post-dinner, Dante relaxed when Trish arrived, having mulled over the Admiral's info. She shared her thoughts.
"Definitely demons," Trish said.
"Reason?" Dante asked.
Demons can corrupt human or animal souls with miasma. Ship souls becoming Abyssals might've demonized, she theorized.
"What about Abyssals without demon scent?" Dante countered.
Trish suggested demons could possess Abyssals driven by rage or envy, turning them demonic despite their non-demonic origin.
"You've seen it, right?" she asked.
Dante recalled Devil Prison, where wardens became demons through vile desires. "Your second theory's solid. Good call consulting you."
"You're welcome," Trish smirked.
"Keep this from the Kanmusu," Dante added.
"Obviously. The knight demon's still a mystery, though."
Junyou barged in, unknocking. "Admiral! Drink with us!"
"Knock," Dante grumbled.
"Trish too!" Junyou ignored him.
No reason to refuse, they joined the Kanmusu for drinks.
Dante's Room
"Admiral, wake up! Overslept!" Akagi urged.
"Smells like booze," Kaga noted.
The next morning, the base buzzed. The Kure naval review was tomorrow, so they'd leave today for the distant hotel. Last night's heavy drinking with Junyou left Dante unprepared, with Houshou and others packing for him.
"Was having a nice dream…" Dante groaned.
"Get up and change!" Akagi snapped.
"Breakfast?" Dante asked.
"No time!" Kaga retorted.
A navy meet-and-greet loomed, so tardiness wasn't an option. Dante didn't budge.
"Get up, or Houshou cuts pizza from the menu," Kaga warned.
"What!?" Akagi gasped.
"Let's go," Dante bolted upright.
Kaga smirked. "Worked."
Main Gate
"Forgot anything?" Houshou asked.
"You packed, you tell me," Dante replied.
Dante, Akagi, Akebono, and Shiranui headed to Kure. Lady, Trish, and others saw them off.
"Don't cause trouble, Shiranui," Kagerou teased.
"Annoying," Shiranui snapped.
"I'm your sister!" Kagerou huffed, though Shiranui often cared for her.
"Be careful," Murakumo said.
"Got it," Akebono replied.
"Take care, Akagi-san," Kaga said.
"With the Admiral, I'm fine," Akagi assured.
"That's the worry," Kaga muttered.
"Why the rigging, Admiral?" Akashi asked.
"Gut feeling," Dante said.
Kanmusu tilted heads, confused.
"Lady, Trish, leave demons to the Kanmusu," Dante instructed.
"Got it, but I'll act if needed," Trish replied.
"Fair," Dante nodded.
Lady, hungover from Junyou's drinks, looked ill. Dante worried but trusted Trish to handle things, then left with his group.
Office
Tenryuu and Tatsuta visited, curious about Dante's magic weapons. Tenryuu eyed Alastor, a lightning-infused sword. Trish, unnoticed, warned, "Don't touch it."
Tenryuu jumped, startled by her silent presence. "Why not?"
"It's finicky. Picky about wielders," Trish explained. Found on Mallet Island, Alastor tested Dante by piercing him. He survived, earning its loyalty. Its proud demon spirit could shock or stab if mishandled.
"Seriously?" Tenryuu paled.
"Dangerous, Tenryuu-chan," Tatsuta teased.
Tenryuu, relieved, thanked Trish.
Hotel Restaurant
After hours, they arrived, checked in, and killed time before the navy dinner. Dante joined the Admiral, General, and other admirals, while Kanmusu sat separately.
"This is Sasebo, my grandson," the Admiral introduced.
"Long time," Sasebo said.
"Still a stickler?" Dante teased.
"Mind your business," Sasebo shot back.
"Like your dad, no charm," Dante jabbed.
"What's that mean?" the General snapped.
Sasebo and Dante's mutual dislike stemmed from Dante's free spirit clashing with Sasebo's rigidity. The Admiral, recalling Sasebo's past anger, grimaced.
"Next, Maizuru," the Admiral continued.
"Nice to meet you," Maizuru grinned, almost goofy, wearing sunglasses indoors.
"Our Kanmusu mentioned you," Dante said.
"Oh? What'd they say?" Maizuru asked.
"Maizuru's crazy sometimes."
"Emotionally unstable."
"Hope he dies."
"They ripped you apart," Dante said.
"Curious!" Maizuru laughed, exuding weirdo vibes. Dante decided to steer clear.
"And Oominato," the Admiral said.
"Hey," Oominato muttered, gaunt and gloomy.
"Yo," Dante replied, equally curt.
The Admiral introduced Dante as a demon-hunting specialist aiding the navy. Dinner proceeded with casual chatter, Kanmusu enjoying theirs without issue.
Kure Naval District
"It's packed," Akagi noted.
"Too many people," Akebono grumbled.
"Don't get lost," Shiranui warned.
The review day arrived. Kure buzzed with people. The opening ceremony went smoothly, leading to the main event: a Kure-Yokosuka fleet exercise. A large audience watched via giant monitors showing camera and aircraft feeds.
"Forget nothing. Win," Yokosuka rallied her Kanmusu.
"Crush them," Kure sneered wickedly.
The fleets moved offshore, and the exercise began.
"Who'll win?" Akagi asked.
"No clue," Dante shrugged.
"Say something," Akebono snapped.
"Win or lose, doesn't matter," Dante said.
The match was close until Yokosuka's fleet faltered. Maya gasped, "No way…!"
Yokosuka's coordination crumbled, letting Kure dominate. Only navy insiders—Admirals, Kanmusu, and Dante's group—noticed the issue.
"They're using live rounds?" Yokosuka whispered, horrified.
Exercises used dummy rounds, painful but non-lethal. Live rounds risked sinking Kanmusu. Kure was out to destroy.
"Stop this!" Yokosuka radioed Kure.
"Must've loaded live rounds by mistake. Can't stop now," Kure replied coldly.
"That's cheating!" Akebono protested.
"Why doesn't the Admiral stop it?" Shiranui asked.
"He can't," Akagi said. "With political figures here, stopping mid-exercise and exposing live rounds would shame the navy."
"Where you going?" Akebono asked Dante, who stood.
"Bathroom," he lied.
Akagi understood—he was acting. They silently watched him go.
Yokosuka's fleet collapsed, with ships heavily damaged. "Someone… help…" Yokosuka cried, powerless. As the Admiral moved to stop it, Kure's Sendai fired a torpedo at the crippled Fusou.
"Fusou!" Maya shouted.
Too late to stop, a figure blocked Fusou, triggering a steam explosion. The torpedo detonated early.
"You're…" Fusou gasped.
"Him!" Maya exclaimed.
Smoke cleared—Fusou was safe. Dante, in rigging with Ifrit gauntlets from Mallet Island, stood firm. The explosion came from slamming Ifrit's fire into the sea.
"My gut was right about the rigging," Dante grinned.
"Why you?" Maya asked.
"Repaying a debt," Dante said.
His words, broadcast via monitors, moved Yokosuka to tears. Her "repay me" was banter, but Dante risked himself for her Kanmusu. The navy sighed in relief, but Kure bristled.
"We're in an exercise. Stay out, it's dangerous," Sendai warned.
"It's over," Dante said.
"No signal yet," Sendai retorted.
"Keep going, and they'll sink. That dumb?" Dante taunted.
"You're that 'red demon-fighter,' huh?" Sendai sneered.
The crowd buzzed, recognizing the rumored figure. "How strong are you? Interfere, and I'll sink you," Sendai threatened.
"Sink me? Interesting," Dante smirked.
Sendai readied a torpedo; Dante summoned Rebellion. As she aimed, Kure's Admiral radioed to stop—firing on a person publicly was too risky. The exercise ended.
In a secluded spot, Yokosuka and Maizuru confronted Kure's Admiral.
"What's with the live rounds!?" Yokosuka demanded.
"A mistake," Kure smirked.
"Not a mistake! They could've sunk!" Maizuru snapped, serious for once.
Kure shrugged. "You'd say that in real combat? You're no big deal, chief," he taunted Yokosuka, brushing past. He paused by Dante.
"You're soft, risking yourself for weapons," Kure said.
"You know me," Dante replied.
"Got something on Yokosuka?" Kure probed.
"None of your business. Leave," Dante growled.
"Let's exercise our fleets someday," Kure sneered, leaving.
Yokosuka trembled with rage. "So frustrating…!"
"Don't cry. He cheated. Fairly, you'd have won," Maizuru consoled.
"Shut up!" Yokosuka punched him, dropping him.
"What!?" Maizuru clutched his cheek.
"You saying I lost? I'd have won fair!" Yokosuka stormed off, thanking Dante as she passed.
Dante left, avoiding the drama. Maizuru sat stunned.
Bar
That night, Yokosuka wanted to drink off her frustration, dragging Dante and Maizuru along. She vented endlessly.
"Why'd I get hit?" Maizuru whined.
"Shut up!" Yokosuka snapped.
"You'll never marry, you gorilla!" Maizuru shot back.
"Outside, tacky glasses!" Yokosuka growled.
"They get along," Dante muttered.
"No we don't!" they shouted.
"In sync, though," Dante teased.
"We're academy," Yokosuka explained. She excelled, helping the struggling Maizuru, now a late-blooming admiral. She found it galling he'd made it.
"Being with him sucks," she grumbled.
"Same," Maizuru retorted.
"I'll smash those glasses!" she threatened.
"Do it, pay for them!" he dared.
Despite bickering, they meshed well. Dante thought they'd make a good couple. He and Maizuru endured Yokosuka's complaints all night.