"...You’re not Hiryuu," Baltimore broke the tense silence, her weapon raised and steady, aiming at the mysterious figure. "Who are you?"

  The figure tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. Then, she spoke in a calm, almost detached tone. "Oh, how intriguing... Seeing all of you here. Tell me, are you here for the Arbiters?"

  "...Arbiter?" Illustrious echoed, her brows furrowing in confusion.

  Noticing their ck of recognition, the mysterious girl nodded slowly, as if confirming her own thoughts. "I see... So you’re not here for the Arbiters."

  ~Searching through mainframe database... No entity by the name "Arbiter" could be found,~ TB’s voice reported.

  "Forget about it," the figure interrupted dismissively, her attention shifting past the group to the command ship. Her gaze nded on Greynar with an unsettling precision. A smile—unexpectedly sincere—spread across her face. "You must be the commander who's been making Enterprise so uneasy tely. Nice to meet you."

  Inadvertently, her gaze drifted toward the distant embers flickering on the horizon. Though her tone remained casual, her eyes were devoid of warmth, cold and calcuting. The Commander felt a sudden weight press down on him, his body refusing to respond. It was as if her stare alone had locked him in pce, paralyzing him with only her stare.

  He didn’t bother struggling—it was clear it would be futile. The oppressive weight of her gaze held him fast. But then, after a moment, the mysterious ship's intense stare softened, and she let out a quiet sigh.

  "So, this is why Enterprise has been like that…" she murmured, almost to herself. Her lips curled into a faint chuckle. "The awaited one, huh?"

  "Hey!" Baltimore cut in, her voice firm and unyielding. "Quit spouting nonsense and face us properly." She stepped forward, only for Enterprise to hold her back.

  "Wait, Baltimore," Enterprise said, her voice calm but serious. "There’s something I need to ask her."

  As Enterprise stepped forward, the mysterious ship smirked, her expression hinting at familiarity. Her eyes studied Enterprise carefully, recognizing the questions swirling in her gaze.

  Enterprise mirrored that intensity, her own thoughts racing. Ever since the revetions at Canal Stronghold, her unease had only grown. The Fre, the Ashes, and the Sirens—they all seemed connected, their retionships weaving a deeper mystery. What were they, and what was their purpose? The unanswered questions gnawed at her, fueling the tension in the air.

  "Who are you? Who are the Ashes? And what’s your connection to the Sirens?" Enterprise demanded, her voice sharp with urgency as she stared at the mysterious ship.

  The ship scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. "Tch, seems like you already know quite a bit. Is this ANTI-X's way of trying to win you over?"

  "Tell me!" Enterprise’s voice rose, her frustration boiling over.

  The ship shrugged nonchantly. "Why don’t you ask them yourself if you're so curious? They've taken quite the interest in you—for reasons only they know."

  "Interest... in me?" Enterprise murmured, her expression shifting. "Why?"

  The mysterious ship’s smirk widened as she turned away. "Well, I’ve got better things to do, so let’s end our little chat here. I’m leaving now. But if any of you dare to follow me... I’ll kill you all."

  Her words sent a wave of tension through the fleet as everyone instinctively readied themselves for battle.

  Then, she burst into ughter. "Rex, I’m just kidding~ Don’t get so worked up. Besides, you’d have to match my speed first before you could even try to catch me. A little advice, though, if you don’t know anything about the Arbiters, it’s best you stay out of this mess. You’re not ready for the whirlpool you’re stepping into."

  Her cryptic warning lingered in the air as she turned, leaving the fleet to grapple with her riddles. What felt like a murderious intent dimmed down as the figure was gone from the sight. It was as if she was never there in the first pce.

  Everyone's muscles rexed, but only slightly, as the tension began to ease. Even the Commander, who prided himself on maintaining composure in the face of the unknown, felt shaken. For the first time, he had sensed the raw, murderous intent radiating from the shipgirl.

  She hadn’t been joking about killing them.

  "..."

  "..."

  An eerie silence hung in the air as everyone tried to process what had just happened.

  "Although she cimed it was a joke, there wasn’t even a hint of humor in her eyes..." North Carolina finally broke the silence with a heavy sigh. "I wonder if we’ll have to chase her down. She looked a lot like one of the Ashes... She must be incredibly powerful."

  "Yeah, but they’re not invincible," Hornet chimed in, her voice carrying a determined edge. "The reports make that clear enough. Commander, if we see her again, we can’t just let her walk away like that."

  Greynar met her gaze and nodded firmly. "We’ll definitely see her again. Next time, we’ll be ready."

  With that, the fleet pressed on, resuming their course through the vast expanse of the Bermuda Sea. Along the way, they encountered countless wreckages of Siren ships, remnants of what appeared to be the handiwork of the Hiryuu look-alike. Despite their efforts to track her down, the chase proved futile.

  Still, their pursuit had taken them deep into the Bermuda Sea, bringing them closer to the middle of the Sea which got a lot of Siren's wreck all over the pce.

  "Goodness... These enemies are completely obliterated," North Carolina observed, her voice tinged with disbelief. "There's no way these Sirens can be salvaged or repaired."

  "Indeed," Illustrious agreed, gncing over at the wreckage of a destroyed Siren carrier. She stepped closer, her gaze lingering on the mangled remains. "It seems that Hiryuu from the Ashes is responsible for this. Her firepower is truly staggering. Just one shipgirl, and yet..." Her voice trailed off into a hushed murmur.

  The Commander's expression darkened. The Ashes—META ships—were no trivial threat. Their strength was undeniable, but their power came at a devastating cost. It was a double-edged sword, often pushing those who turned META into madness or leading to their gradual deterioration, with death as the inevitable end. That's why, in the end when Bismarck was about to turn into META, she self-destructed as a result to prevent herself.

  "We’re fighting the Sirens, and the Ashes are fighting them too. Meanwhile, Command has ordered us to open fire on the Embers, who are also hostile to us," Hornet said, her brows furrowing in frustration. "And if we add the Crimson Axis to the mix, this war has turned into a chaotic free-for-all between four different forces. I just... I don’t get it anymore. Who are we even fighting against? What’s the point of all this?"

  "The Arbiters she mentioned earlier are troubling me," North Carolina admitted with a grimace. "Could Ashes’ relentless assault on the Sirens here be tied to whatever this 'Arbiter' is?"

  Enterprise nodded, her expression serious. "It seems the unusual Siren deployments across the NA waters might be far more complex than we originally believed," she replied thoughtfully. Turning to the AI, she issued a command. "TB, scan the area ahead of our destination. Look for more wreckage—or any surviving Sirens. There might be clues we’re missing."

  ~Affirmative.~

  As the fleet sailed through the foreboding waters, Greynar received a private communication. It was from Unicorn, the timid little carrier trailing near his ship. He answered her call, his tone warm and reassuring, like that of an older brother.

  "Unicorn? What’s on your mind?"

  There was a brief pause before her soft voice came through. "Um... Onii-chan... Can I... stay with you on the command ship? Just for a little while?"

  Greynar’s thoughts drifted back to their earlier encounter with Hiryuu META. It must have been a frightening experience for her—her first real encounter with the Ashes.

  "Of course," he replied gently.

  Not long after, Unicorn joined him aboard the command ship. She quietly settled into the chair behind him, clutching her stuffed unicorn tightly. Sensing her unease, Greynar left his station and sat down beside her. The steady hum of the ship surrounded them as they continued their journey toward the Bermuda Sea.

  "Feeling scared?" he asked gently, his voice steady yet comforting.

  Unicorn nodded slowly, her gaze downcast. "This is my first time... meeting someone so scary. Does Onii-chan feel scared too?"

  Greynar took a moment before answering, his tone honest yet reassuring. "To be honest, I do. Knowing that person is so powerful—she could overpower us in a matter of seconds; it’s hard not to feel that way." He paused, gncing into the distance as though searching for the right words.

  "But..." he continued, his voice firm, "I'm a Commander. I can’t give in to fear. Besides, the Ashes are different from the Sirens. They can be reasoned with, even if it’s difficult."

  Unicorn slowly looked up at him, her big eyes searching his face. "Then... can Unicorn be like you? Not feeling... scared?"

  Greynar smiled gently and reached out to pat her head, his touch comforting. "You know, Unicorn, it’s not about never feeling scared. Fear is natural. But have you ever thought about turning that fear into bravery? Using it to make yourself stronger?"

  The curious girl tilted her head, her expression a mix of confusion and intrigue. "Turning it into... bravery?"

  "Yes," the Commander replied gently, his voice steady and reassuring. "When there's something you want to do, but fear is holding you back, try to take that fear and turn it into your strength. Let it become the force that drives you toward your goal."

  "Onii-chan... do you do that too?" Unicorn asked softly, her wide eyes filled with curiosity and admiration.

  Greynar smiled warmly, nodding. "I do. I turn my fear into strength because that’s what helps me face challenges and become the person I am today," he said. His tone softened as he added, "But I couldn’t do it alone. I’ve been able to overcome fear because I have people who support me."

  Unicorn’s grip on her stuffed unicorn loosened slightly, and a faint smile began to form on her face. "Support..." she murmured, her thoughts drifting. "Unicorn also has someone who supports her... Illustrious-neechan always watches over me."

  "That’s wonderful," the Commander said with a warm smile, gently patting her head. "Just as she supports you, you can be someone your sister can lean on too. Be the kind of person she can rely on, a source of strength for her to overcome her own fears."

  With a bright smile, clutching her unicorn doll tightly, the girl decred, "Yes! Unicorn will become strong and overcome her fears! Unicorn wants to be someone Onii-chan can depend on too, so you won’t feel scared anymore!"

  "Good girl," the Commander said with a warm smile. "Then let's continu—" Before he could finish, the ship suddenly jolted, shaking violently. Unicorn let out a small squeal, clutching her stuffed unicorn tightly.

  ~Commander, report, A thunderstrike occurred near the fleet. While no abnormal weather patterns have been detected, it appears to be a remnant effect from the previous Singurity,~ TB’s calm voice echoed through the command ship, cutting through the tension.

  "Enterprise, can you hear me?" Greynar called out, steadying himself as he grabbed the comms.

  "Loud and clear," Enterprise’s composed voice responded. "TB’s analysis checks out. There’s no sign of abnormal weather, it’s something else."

  "Damn," Hornet grumbled, her voice coming through with a mix of irritation and relief. "For a second, I thought my heart was about to sink. Talk about a jumpscare from the sky!"

  "Hmm...? The waves seem to be picking up," North Carolina remarked, noticing the swell growing gradually more intense.

  "Enterprise," Baltimore called out, her eyes fixed ahead. "The remnant of the previous Singurity—isn’t it just up ahead?"

  "That’s correct," Enterprise replied, her tone calm but focused. "Although it’s been abandoned, the residual effects still remain."

  "That means we’re getting closer, doesn’t it?" Illustrious remarked thoughtfully. "Perhaps it would be safer to take a detour from here. The abnormalities will only intensify the deeper we go if we’re not cautious."

  "Good idea, it should be safe if we're take a detour and report back to the Command soon." The Commander accepted her suggestion.

  As the fleet continued on their course, there wasn’t much to investigate, given the absence of the Siren fleet. Still, they remained vigint, aware that an ambush could be waiting at any moment. The girls knew all too well that the Sirens could be lurking in the waters, ready to strike if they weren’t cautious.

  When they took a detour into another area of the Bermuda Sea, they encountered a disturbing sight—hundreds, if not millions, of dead fish scattered across the waters. There was no clear expnation for the phenomenon. At first, it seemed like an oil spill, but North Carolina quickly dismissed the idea, noting that if it were oil, there would be residue on the fish and the water would show a visible color change.

  As they ventured into another part of the area, the fleet encountered a newly formed isnd with a volcano towering above it. What struck them as strange was that the volcano's peak was covered in snow, an unusual sight for a freshly formed mountain. To make matters even more peculiar, a dense mist coiled around the area, adding to the sense of abnormality that hung over the isnd.

  Finally, as they completed their detour around the Bermuda Singurity, the fleet was met with a mysterious sight: a bck cloud floating eerily close to the sea, yet suspended in the sky. It was unlike anything they had seen before. Enterprise, ever cautious, collected a sample for further investigation. Hornet, always one to lighten the mood, joked that it looked like a sand magnet. She found it particurly interesting that the cloud seemed to fall apart as soon as someone touched it.

  They decided to move closer to the center of the Singurity. With TB warning them that bad weather would arrive in three hours, they noticed there were no Sirens in the area, and everything appeared clear. TB confirmed that the sector was safe and passable, even for a passenger ship.

  "Whew, looks like our investigation is done," Hornet said, letting out a sigh of relief. "Heave-ho!" She jumped aboard the command ship, her body weary from the long journey. "Commander, I'll be staying here for a while..."

  The Commander turned from the radar, gncing over his shoulder. He shook his head. "Guess my pce is turning into a gathering spot now..."

  Hornet chuckled. "I mean, it's comfortable here. You know how much I love being inside rather than out there. But when duty calls, I’ll be back out there."

  Inside the command ship, the five girls, save for Enterprise, were resting. With TB confirming the area was clear and Siren activity subsiding, only the mass-produced ships remained to defend the fleet. So far, the operation had proceeded smoothly, with no notable events, aside from their unexpected encounter with an Ashes member.

  Illustrious and Unicorn gnced around, taking in their surroundings since it was their first time aboard. Meanwhile, Baltimore sipped a drink she had brought from her rigging, and North Carolina was absorbed in a book, likely about bunny girls.

  "Whatever floats your boat," he replied, turning his attention back to the radar. "Enterprise, any sign of activity?" he asked, addressing the carrier still stationed on the water.

  "My st reconnaissance pne just returned," Enterprise reported. "It looks like we're completely free of Sirens. The waters are safe now, and the route from NY Port to the center of the Bermuda Sea has been cleared. You can contact headquarters for follow-up combat pns."

  "Got it," the Commander replied. "I'll make sure to report it."

  With that, they settled in for the night on the water. Thankfully, the command ship was spacious, offering plenty of room for everyone to rest. When compared to an average battleship, it was about half its length but still impressive in its own right. The size was closer to that of a heavy cruiser, though still rger than an average destroyer.