Pax Propter Vim [Azur Lane Fanfic]

Chapter 22

(Disclaimer alert! I may or may not have a bit too much fun reading this chapter, the characters may act a little bit too OOC).

Warning! Long chapter, take your time reading it, it'll... Take a while. 12,609 word. (Noice)

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Cam Ranh Bay Naval Base, Indochina.

27 Desember 1941, morning.

The salty sea breeze rolled over the harbor, mingling with the distant echoes of aircraft taking off from the nearby airstrip. The sky was clear, but the atmosphere inside the command room of the Imperial Japanese Navy's fleet was anything but.

Kaga’s fist slammed onto the wooden table, rattling the porcelain teacups resting atop it. Her piercing blue eyes, sharp as a predator’s, burned with frustration.

"What are you saying?! Enterprise is in Hong Kong!? How can that be?!"

With an audible crack, Kaga’s foot met the table’s sturdy legs, sending a sharp tremor through the floor. The anger in her voice was enough to make the officers outside the room pause in their steps.

Haguro, standing across from her, barely flinched. Her expression remained as unreadable as ever, though a cold sweat dripped down her back. She had expected this reaction.

"They managed to slip past all of our patrols." She reported, her voice calm but tinged with unease. "Our forces recovered fragments of wrecked warships… Signs suggest they were taken out by a submarine attack."

Kaga clenched her jaw. "Damn it! Damn Azur Lane to the ninth hell! Gather the fleet—we’re moving out now!"

Haguro inhaled quietly, lowering her gaze. "...Kaga-sama, we can’t abandon our post."

Kaga narrowed her eyes. "And why not, Haguro?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Please, enlighten me. I’m all ears."

Haguro met her gaze, her tone unwavering. "The Imperial Army is still locked in combat in Malaya. The Admiralty’s orders were clear—we are to provide naval bombardment alongside the Fifth Carrier Division."

Kaga exhaled sharply through her nose, her tail flicking in irritation. "Tch." Her ears twitched, reflecting her inner turmoil. Frustration gnawed at her, but she couldn’t deny the logic.

A few tense seconds passed before she turned on her heel. "Fine. If we’re stuck here, we need every available shipgirl ready. Go find Zuikaku and Shoukaku."

"Understood, Kaga-sama." Haguro bowed slightly before hurrying out of the command room.

Several minutes crawled by, each second stretching into eternity. Kaga paced the room, her arms folded tightly across her chest. The thought of Enterprise and her fleet slipping past them like ghosts left a bitter taste in her mouth. She had studied in America—she knew how the enemy thought. But somehow, the Azur Lane had still caught them off guard.

The doors slid open.

Haguro returned, and behind her were the Crane Sisters—Zuikaku and Shoukaku.

Zuikaku strode in first, her brown hair styled into side ponytails that swayed with each step. Dressed in her signature white robe with a short red pleated skirt, she exuded the energy of an eager warrior ready to prove herself. Her katana rested at her hip, her grip firm yet relaxed.

"Kaga-senpai! You called?" Zuikaku greeted, a confident smile at her lips.

Kaga shot her a look. "We’re in the middle of a crisis, Zuikaku. Try to act like it."