Long Live Ironblood: Wilting Rose

Arduous Process

A day had passed since the commander and Bismarck were discharged from the repair bays, and all seemed quiet with the Azur Lane not doing too much.

"So... What now?" The commander asks as the Ironbloods find themselves bored out of their minds.

"You and Bismarck don't have any papers left?" Köln asks.

"Nope, nothing that we really missed." The commander replies. That's when someone enters the Ironblood docks, and Tirpitz and company bring out their riggings upon seeing who it is. Her long white hair is adorned with a strange headpiece, and her rigging resembles that of a manta ray, and her yellow eyes scan the area before her.

"Locating target form... Located." She says in an almost monotone voice.

"Another Siren visit?" Bismarck asks. "What is it?"

"I'm looking for your commander." The Siren replies in a more human sounding voice. "I'm what you would call a tester. You can just call me Beta if that pleases you."

"Alright... Well, she's looking for you." Bismarck says to the commander.

Okay." The commander replies as he walks over to Beta with his rigging at the ready. "What is it?"

"I would like to see this rigging tested out." Beta says. "Follow me. It's okay if the others come too." And with that the Ironbloods find themselves at their docks with Beta and the commander in the water. "I've only heard of the power that your rigging holds, and I would like to witness it for myself." And with that she opens up a portal where a small group of Siren ships emerge, but they do not attack, nor do they move once they've emerged from the portal. "Go ahead and destroy these."

"Alright." The commander replies as he charges up his quad laser and fires, punching gigantic holes in the hulls before using the four snapping jaws to completely tear and shred up the ships. When the commander is finished, what once was a small group of Siren ships was reduced to bits and pieces of scrap metal.

"Whoa..." Bismarck says. "I've never seen you do that with your rigging before!"

"It certainly worked." Beta chuckles. "You definitely made short work of those ships. During my analysis I also picked up anti air and auxiliary guns. Why don't you go ahead and use those to destroy this next group?"

"Sure thing, if it helps further your research." The commander replies as another portal brings out a group of five giant Siren ships. "Whoa... Are these carriers?"

"These are older models but yes, these are carriers." Beta says, and the commander puts his auxiliary guns to work. "If your lasers managed to punch holes in the hulls of those models, imagine how much damage you could do with your main guns alone."

"You're definitely right about that." The commander replies as his auxiliary guns rip smaller holes in the hulls, but thanks to how quick those guns fire, it isn't long before the Siren carriers are so ridden with holes that the sea claims them as it's own as they sink to the bottom. Before the carriers sink though they send out their planes, which get shredded up by the commander's anti air guns in a matter of seconds. Beta then destroys those ships to avoid leaving behind evidence before turning to the commander.

"Now for one last test." Beta says as she prepares her rigging. "Fight me."

"Fight you?" The commander asks.

"Until someone hits the ground." Beta replies as the two engage in naval combat. Beta is the first to open fire and she takes note of how daringly the commander moves about, goading her to open fire and evading the shots at the last second before retaliating with salvos and barrages. Eventually the battle reaches a point where the commander starts charging up one of his lasers and he fires, putting a clean hole in Beta's rigging, before she surrenders. "Holy smokes! They weren't kidding about your lasers!"

"I didn't think they could punch through Siren armor that easily!" The commander says, surprised at how powerful he is.

"Well I would advise you to use that power wisely." Beta replies. "And that's all the testing I'm going to do. Buh bye." She says as she takes her leave.