Aircraft Carrier Hime raised her right hand; a pink energy sphere a foot across bloomed above her palm, swelling by the second.
Smugly, she explained: "I said I'm stronger than Anchorage Princess because of my unique power—Nightmare. It plunges victims into sleep and torment, and the moment despair takes hold in the dream, they transform into Abyssals."
"Once my Nightmare Burst is complete, every Ship Girl here will become my loyal servant."
Hearing how deadly the expanding orb was, Illustrious shouted, "We can't let her finish! Whether that thing really turns us Abyssal or not, we can't risk total annihilation!"
"Right! Strike now—together we'll break her casting!" Dido felt the sphere's sinister pulse; nothing good could come of it.
"Three of us together will shatter her spell—go!" Soryu's aura flared as she shot ahead, blades bared.
Seeing Soryu charge, Illustrious and Dido exchanged glances, then surged after her.
Aircraft Carrier Hime watched them storm in, her face scornful, as though their assault were a joke.
"Aircraft Carrier Hime, telling us your Nightmare Burst's effect only let us stop you. Die for your arrogance!" Soryu reached her first, Tachi screaming through the air in a vertical cleave.
"Hmph. I told you because I know you can't stop me—never could." Calmly she watched the blade descend.
Clang! When the Tachi was two feet from her head, pale-blue hexagonal shields flared above Aircraft Carrier Hime.
Ship Qi Shield—her unshakable confidence while casting. Soryu's strike slammed to a halt.
Tch! Soryu recoiled, stunned that Aircraft Carrier Hime could hold such a sturdy barrier mid-spell.
Glancing at the nearly finished Nightmare Burst, Aircraft Carrier Hime smiled. "Futile. One Ship Girl can't break my Ship Qi Shield—give up."
If one couldn't, three might. Soryu waited for Illustrious and Dido to close for a combined blow.
Seeing Soryu stymied, Illustrious and Dido accelerated to join the assault.
Yet Aircraft Carrier Hime didn't flinch; her Nightmare Burst was complete. "Too late! When it detonates you'll all be my devoted pets—burst, Nightmare Burst!"
The three-foot pink sphere exploded in a blinding rose flash that swept over the Ship Girls like sudden nightfall.
Soryu swung again but was swallowed by the radiance; Illustrious and Dido, racing behind, vanished next.
Blast… still too late… Illustrious murmured as her senses faded.
I won't become Abyssal! I'll resist— I… Dido fought, but the light dragged her under as well.
The three aerial warriors lost consciousness and spiraled down, splashing into the sea to drift helplessly.
As every Ship Girl sank into slumber, Aircraft Carrier Hime laughed. "When you wake, you'll be Abyssals—my faithful fleet!"
Hm? Someone's breaking free of my Nightmare… impossible! Only a human soul network could do that, and these are Ship Girls!
Whoosh—she darted to the struggling figure: a white-haired girl in a high-slit qipao trembling on the verge of waking—Illustrious.
So the so-called Silver King has a soul network despite being a Ship Girl. Interesting… but I can't let you wake and come after me.
Without hesitation Aircraft Carrier Hime raised her black blade, Ship Qi surging, and slashed at Illustrious's defenseless form.
Half a foot from splitting her skull, she froze. Wait—this girl is the Silver King!
Hovering above them loomed the hundred-meter silver sword. Aircraft Carrier Hime pondered: if Illustrious unlocks her seals she'll be the mightiest being alive.
If she becomes an Abyssal under my command, I could rule the abyssal seas—perhaps even become the Abyssal Queen!
Elated, she stayed her blade; killing her now would shatter that dream. Yet Illustrious was waking—would she soon turn and strike?
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