One Week After the Unseen Sail
The sea whispered secrets no one could decipher. For seven days, the mysterious sailing ship haunted the fleets of every naval district. Thick fog would swallow expeditions or sorties, followed by relentless assaults from an unseen enemy. No pattern, no logic—attacks struck randomly across the seas. Naval Headquarters received frantic reports, but the enemy's trail was a ghost, leaving them paralyzed.
Naval Headquarters – Meeting Room
The air in the meeting room was heavy with frustration. Admirals from every district gathered, their faces etched with worry. One seat, however, remained conspicuously empty—Dante's.
"Is Dante skipping again?" the Admiral asked, his voice tinged with exasperation.
"What's that guy up to?" the General growled, eyes narrowing.
All heads turned to the vacant chair, where a Kanmusu sat in Dante's place, shifting uncomfortably.
"Uh… chasin' that ship…" Ryuujou mumbled, scratching her head.
Yokosuka clutched her temples. "What's he doing now?"
Maizuru's eyes sparkled. "That's hardcore…"
Sasebo sighed. "Acting solo again, huh?"
Oominato stared blankly, lost in thought.
Kure let out a derisive snicker.
Ryuujou's answer sparked a ripple of reactions. Yokosuka groaned at Dante's recklessness, Maizuru admired his audacity, Sasebo rolled his eyes, Oominato remained unreadable, and Kure's smirk dripped with mockery.
"No choice. Let's start," the Admiral said, waving a hand.
Ryuujou slouched. (Why me as proxy…!?)
Without a designated secretary, Dante's Kanmusu rotated meeting duties, enduring the awkwardness of being out of place and the inevitable scolding for his absence.
Somewhere at Sea
"Strange… thought moving this openly would bait it," Dante muttered, arms crossed, staring at the horizon.
"Help out, you shitty Admiral!" Akebono snapped, dodging enemy fire.
Dante had scoured sea zones, suspecting Kanmusu were the ghost ship's targets. He'd formed three fleets to move as a unit, hoping to lure it out. Instead, only Abyssals appeared, and now they were locked in combat. Dante watched, bored, plotting his next move.
"You listening!?" Akebono shouted.
"You've got this," Dante said dismissively.
Kitakami fired a salvo. "Destroyers, shoot, don't yap!"
"I wanna go home and game…" Hatsuyuki whined.
"Hatsuyuki, right!" Soryuu called.
"Huh!?" Hatsuyuki jolted.
"Hyah!" Junyou roared, unleashing a barrage.
They sank Abyssals, searched, fought more, and found nothing. Defeated, the fleets returned to base.
Devil May Cry Naval District – Cafeteria
At dinner, Houshou and Ryuujou joined Dante's table, trays in hand. Ryuujou looked drained, her usual fire dimmed.
"No luck today?" Houshou asked gently.
"Nada. Maybe Kanmusu aren't the target," Dante said, poking at his food.
"Why not attend a meeting?" Houshou suggested.
"Talking in circles won't help," Dante scoffed.
"I'm done goin'…" Ryuujou groaned.
The meeting's oppressive atmosphere had worn Ryuujou down. She'd sat silently, only to be blamed for Dante's absence. Dante, unmoved, considered who to send next. After dinner, he retreated to the office, sprawled on the sofa, and slipped into sleep.
Command Room – Dawn's Glow
Morning broke. Dante stirred, a strange weight on his head. Slowly, he opened his eyes to Akagi's radiant smile inches from his face. He was cradled in her lap. A sideways glance revealed Kaga, her glare sharp enough to cut steel. Ignoring the murderous aura, Dante focused on Akagi.
"Morning," she said softly.
"Why the lap pillow? Dream?" Dante asked, groggy.
"No dream. Wanted to try it. Annoying?" Akagi tilted her head.
"Just… surprised," Dante admitted.
A crack splintered the glass in Kaga's hand, her grip tightening. Dante's iron will ignored it.
"How was it?" Akagi asked.
"Reminds me of being a kid," Dante said with a smirk.
"I don't need a big kid yet," Akagi teased.
Despite Kaga's simmering rage, the moment felt serene—until the phone shattered it. Dante groaned, answering.
"Why're you skipping meetings!?" Yokosuka's voice blared, forcing him to pull the receiver away.
Here we go again…
"Don't yell. I'm busy," Dante said.
"Chasing that ship? You won't find it like that. Get to a meeting!" Yokosuka snapped.
"I've got my own plan," Dante lied, his mind blank.
He hung up. The phone rang again.
"Persistent. I'm not—" Dante started.
"Who're you mistaking me for?" the General barked.
"General, huh…" Dante sighed.
"What's 'old man'? I'm your superior!" the General snapped.
Same damn lines. Dante was over it.
"Why skip meetings?" the General demanded.
"Busy getting a lap pillow from Akagi," Dante quipped.
"You idiot!!" the General roared.
It sounded like Dante had ditched meetings for a week to nap on Akagi's lap. The General's fury was warranted. Done, Dante hung up. The phone rang again.
"I'm not answering," he declared, flopping back onto Akagi's lap.
Akagi blinked, surprised. Kaga, fed up, yanked him off the sofa and answered.
"It's for you," Kaga said, her voice icy.
"Tell 'em I'm not attending," Dante said.
"Maizuru. Needs help," Kaga replied.
"Maizuru? Rare," Dante noted.
Maizuru's fleet, on a resource expedition, had been attacked by the ghost ship. Heeding the Admiral's prior words—"Trust Dante with demon matters"—they called. Dante grabbed a few Kanmusu and set out.
Fog-Shrouded Seas
Maizuru's fleet dodged cannon fire in thick fog, guarding drumfuls of resources.
"It's hopeless! Drop the resources!" Nagatsuki shouted.
"No way! Master will cry again! I can't watch a grown man sob!" Sazanami retorted.
"But we can't keep this up…!" Kikuzuki said.
"Firing! Hit it!" Hiei yelled, shooting into the fog.
Dante's fleet arrived. Hiei covered Maizuru's retreat, firing at the shadow in the mist.
"Get out now!" Tenryuu barked.
"Thanks! Let's go, Sazanami!" Nagatsuki called.
"Hey, I'm flagship!" Sazanami protested.
Maizuru's fleet fled. Dante's engaged the ghost ship, but Dante himself was missing. The ship turned its bow, revealing mermaid figureheads flanking cannons that spewed flames.
"Hot! Too hot!" Suzuya yelped.
"Sink already, you junk heap!" Ooi snapped.
The flames shocked them, but the fleet rallied, firing relentlessly. The ship refused to sink. Meanwhile, Dante slipped through the fog, boarding the vessel.
"Time to say hi," he muttered.
He climbed aboard. Skeletons in tattered rags manned cannons, more below deck. "Hey! Shooting cannons at ladies ain't cool."
The skeletons froze, then drew swords and guns, charging. Dante dodged, wielding Alastor. Lightning crackled with each swing, shattering bones.
"Enemy attack!" a skeleton yelled.
"Too many…" Dante grunted.
More swarmed from below. He kept smashing them. On the sea, the fleet noticed the cannons stop, hearing gunfire and clashing steel.
"…Huh? Whoa!" Tenryuu gasped as a net dropped, entangling them.
Onboard, skeletons parted, revealing a well-dressed skeleton.
"An uninvited guest," it said.
"Captain?" Dante asked.
"Indeed. Who're you?"
"Navy Admiral, for now."
"What's an admiral doing on my ship?"
"Pirate hunting."
The captain laughed, his crew joining in. Dante stared coldly as shattered bones reassembled.
"You can't kill the dead. We're immortal," the captain taunted.
"Let's test that," Dante said, lunging.
The captain halted him. Skeletons brought captives—Hiei, Suzuya, Kitakami, Ooi, Tenryuu, Hatsuyuki—caught in the net, trembling, swords at their throats.
"Care what happens to them?" the captain asked.
"How'd you get caught…?" Dante muttered.
"Meet our terms, and they're free," the captain said.
"Don't listen!" Kitakami shouted, silenced by a skeleton.
"Terms?" Dante asked.
"Hand over that sword and leave."
Dante glanced at Alastor, then tossed it. It slid across the deck. A blue-flamed demon appeared, grabbed Dante, and leaped overboard, fighting him at sea as the ship sailed away.
"What about the deal!?" Ooi shouted.
"Give back his sword…!" Suzuya pleaded.
"Deal? Never made one. This sword's mine," the captain sneered.
"You tricked us?" Ooi gasped.
"First, we're vile pirates. Second, no obligation to keep promises. Take them away!"
The Kanmusu were locked in the brig. The captain took Alastor to his cabin.
Outside the fog, Akagi, Kaga, Kirishima, Aoba, Jintsuu, and Shiratsuyu waited, unable to use aircraft. As the fog moved, Dante radioed.
"Akagi, you hear me?" he asked.
"Akagi here. What's happening?" she replied.
"Tenryuu and others got captured."
"What!?"
"I'm busy with a demon. Chase them!"
The fleet spotted Dante fighting a floating demon, relieved, and pursued the fog.
"It's fast…!" Akagi said.
"We'll lose it!" Shiratsuyu cried.
The ghost ship moved at unnatural speeds, pulling away.
Dante's fight neared its end. The demon unleashed blue flames, forming a fiery wall. Dante deflected with Cerberus, activated Devil Trigger, and dove through. The stunned demon took a Cerberus strike, freezing in ice and shattering. Dante chased the ship.
The fleet lost the ship among islands. Dante rejoined, his rigging smoking.
"Admiral!?" Akagi gasped.
"What's with your rigging?" Kaga asked.
"Pushed it too hard," Dante said, having infused it with demonic energy for speed, damaging it.
"Where's the ship?" he asked.
"Lost it…" Kirishima admitted.
"What now?" Jintsuu asked.
"Not over. (Alastor, where are you?)" Dante muttered.
The ghost ship docked in a cave hideout. The bound Kanmusu were tossed into a brig. The captain admired Alastor's lightning, thrilled. Suddenly, Alastor sparked, electrocuting him. A bolt shot through the cave's ceiling, visible to Dante's fleet.
"Perfect marker," Dante said.
"Admiral, hold on!" Akagi said, as she and Kaga pulled him toward the island.