Illustrious continuously swung the silver sword in her hand to slash at the black mist mass—horizontal slashes, vertical slashes, diagonal slashes—and finally used a move called "Heavenless Sword," but it was all useless.
After a while, no matter how Illustrious attacked, she couldn't injure Island Princess. Not only was she wasting energy, but her body was also being constantly struck by the black mist mass, and countless wounds were increasing.
This was an unfair battle. Illustrious could not attack Island Princess, while Island Princess could attack Illustrious.
"Fool! You can't hit me, you can't hit me. Watch me ram you to death." Island Princess used her Five-Star Nightmare Deep Sea power to ram Illustrious again. The impact force was too heavy; Illustrious felt like her skeleton was about to fall apart.
"No, I can attack you." Illustrious continued to swing her sword, saying with a stubborn expression, "You are evil, and I am righteous. No matter how many times you attack me, I will stand back up. I am immortal."
"Oh my! I can't take it. I didn't expect there to be an idiot like you among the Ship Girls. You don't really think you can win against me just by shouting about justice with your mouth, do you! That's too funny!" Island Princess attacked Illustrious from all directions, beating her until she was covered in wounds.
Seeing Illustrious constantly taking hits, Azuma was very worried. She glanced at the Aircraft Carrier beside her. This Aircraft Carrier was stronger than her. If she helped the Admiral, she could definitely help Illustrious.
"Aircraft Carrier! You look very strong. Could you please go help Illustrious?" Azuma tugged at Aircraft Carrier's arm and said.
"Why should I go to Illustrious?" Aircraft Carrier said coldly.
"Aren't you the Admiral's Ship Girl? If the Admiral is in danger, aren't you worried? Don't you want to rush out and help?" Azuma said anxiously.
"How funny. By that logic, what about you? You are also the Admiral's Ship Girl. Why don't you rush over to help! You only know how to stand on the moral high ground and judge others, while you yourself haven't taken any actual action." Aircraft Carrier said coldly.
"If I could help, would I be asking you? I... I can't beat that Island Princess." Azuma clenched her fists and said.
"That's just an excuse. If you really wanted to help the Admiral, you would have gone up already. Even if your strength is low, as long as you rush up to help, even if it's just blocking with your body, you could help the Admiral avoid some pain." Aircraft Carrier folded her arms and said with a haughty expression.
"You... you're just being unreasonable saying that. Just tell me, are you going to help the Admiral or not?" Azuma said with a sharp Gaze.
"You want me to go up and help the Admiral? Sure! But you have to kneel down and beg me, and swear that you will no longer compete for the position of Wife Ship." Aircraft Carrier said to Azuma, looking down on her.
"Kneeling is one thing, but you also want me to give up... the Wife Ship position." Azuma's face showed signs of struggle.
"What, can't bear to? It seems your love for the Admiral only goes so far." Aircraft Carrier said with contempt.
Hearing that Aircraft Carrier wanted Azuma to kneel to her, Unicorn and the other Ship Girls present were displeased. Azuma had just saved them, so how could they let this newcomer, Aircraft Carrier, bully her?
"Hey! Newcomer, aren't you going too far? If you won't help, then don't, but what right do you have to make someone kneel to you? And to demand they stop competing for the Wife Ship position? You're absolutely wicked." Yukikaze jumped out and pointed at Aircraft Carrier.
Aircraft Carrier bent down, her head moving closer and closer to Yukikaze. "Who do you think you are? You have no right to boss me around! If we're talking about newcomers, you're the real one! I remember the Admiral saying that there was no Ship Girl named Yukikaze at this Naval Base. Where did you pop out from? Don't tell me you're a spy from another Naval Base, trying to harm the Admiral!"
Seeing Aircraft Carrier closing in, Yukikaze quickly took a step back and said: "Don't spout nonsense about me being a spy! I'm not a spy; I'm a Free Ship Girl. I came here to find the Admiral and sign a soul network."
"So you're a newcomer too, and you haven't even signed a soul network with the Admiral. You have no right to talk to me." Aircraft Carrier said mercilessly.
"I... I..." Yukikaze was left speechless.
Seeing Yukikaze in trouble, Unicorn blocked the way in front of her. Facing Aircraft Carrier's fierce Gaze, she said: "Sister Azuma is very good to us. Every day she cooks, does laundry, and cleans for us, and at work, she handles all sorts of affairs for the Naval Base. She has always worked diligently without complaint, asking for nothing in return, so I won't allow you to bully Sister Azuma."
"You're Unicorn, right? A Ship Girl who only knows how to hide behind others and trembles in fear whenever she encounters any difficulty, unable to do anything. I've already heard about you from Ayanami." Aircraft Carrier said with a sharp tongue.
Unicorn slumped to the ground, looking dejected and listless: So that's the image I have in everyone's eyes.
Seeing Unicorn glance at her, Ayanami frowned. Aircraft Carrier, you jerk, you promised to keep it a secret at the time. I didn't say anything, yet this is how you keep a secret.
Shokaku knelt down to pat Unicorn's head, comforting her wounded heart, then turned her head and smiled at Aircraft Carrier with narrowed eyes: "Aircraft Carrier, you've only just arrived at the Naval Base, yet you're already being so overbearing. It seems you don't hold the Ship Girls of our Naval Base in any regard. You are so narrow-minded and intolerant that I'm afraid the Admiral won't be able to like you."
By saying "the Ship Girls of our Naval Base," Shokaku was dividing the factions. She put Aircraft Carrier in a faction of one, while Shokaku aligned herself with the faction of all the other Ship Girls at the Naval Base. This was a ruthless move; right from the start, she set Aircraft Carrier against all the Ship Girls of the Naval Base.
Aircraft Carrier frowned. This woman was a tough character, but she had a way to make Shokaku lose her footing. "I don't need a reminder from a slut like you who only knows how to seduce the Admiral by the seaside every day."
"Sl... slut? It seems I need to give some newcomers a lesson, otherwise they won't know how to respect their seniors." Shokaku said with a dark expression.
"Hmph! Based on what? We'll see who teaches whom. Let me show you what it means to be outmatched by someone even better." Aircraft Carrier said with a hostile tone.
Seeing that Aircraft Carrier was about to make a move, the other Ship Girls immediately stood behind Shokaku. The factions were instantly divided: on one side was the old faction led by Shokaku, and on the other was the faction of the three newcomers. Because of their conflicting ideologies, they were about to start fighting.
"What's going on! Why have I been assigned a faction? I'm just a bystander watching the show!" Haman said in a panic.
"Glug glug! Everyone is going to fight. Laffey invites everyone to drink some '82 Lafite; let's make up and be friends again!" Little angel Laffey took out some '82 Lafite, took a sip, and said.
Both factions looked at Laffey and frowned. Who would want to drink what you've already sipped!
"Alright, stop arguing!" Azuma shouted. Looking at Illustrious above, who was being beaten until she was covered in wounds, Azuma finally made a decision. "I agree to your request, but you must go and save the Admiral."
"Oh! You've finally made up your mind. Alright! I will definitely keep my word. Now, kneel before me!" Aircraft Carrier said triumphantly.
Azuma gritted her teeth and was about to kneel when Aircraft Carrier, not expecting Azuma to actually do it, immediately used her hands to support Azuma and stop her. "Alright, alright! I was just joking! I don't need you to kneel. It seems there's a reason the Admiral likes you! And the other Ship Girls too, standing united—it's truly admirable."
The Ship Girls present were bewildered by Aircraft Carrier. Only a moment ago she had been arrogant and overbearing, so how did she turn into such a kind and harmonious person in the blink of an eye?
"Everyone, don't be surprised. I was just conducting a test earlier—testing everyone's feelings for the Admiral and the unity of the Naval Base. I apologize for any offense and hope you won't take it to heart." Aircraft Carrier said quite sincerely.
"Then will you go and help the Admiral?" Azuma pressed.
"No!" Aircraft Carrier became serious. Seeing Azuma about to speak, she immediately explained: "Don't say anything, let me tell you! It's not that I don't want to help, but the Admiral won't let me. She said she wants to kill the Island Princess with her own hands, and she'll get mad at anyone who tries to help her."
"Aircraft Carrier, ignore the Admiral's request! Can't you see she's about to be beaten to death? Hurry and go help the Admiral!" Watching Illustrious's injuries worsen, Azuma urged Aircraft Carrier.
"That's just on the surface. The Admiral is about to win; this Island Princess is done for." Aircraft Carrier said dismissively.
The Ship Girls watched Illustrious continuously taking hits. This didn't look like she was about to win at all! We may not be well-educated, but you can't just lie to us!
Seeing that the Ship Girls didn't believe her, Aircraft Carrier said confidently: "If you don't believe me, just keep watching and you'll know the result. You must have faith in the Admiral. If the Admiral loses, I'll cut off my head and let you use it as a chair."
Seeing Aircraft Carrier so confident that the Admiral would definitely win, the Ship Girls began to observe the battle between Illustrious and the Island Princess.
...
"Bang, bang, bang...!" The black mist form of the Island Princess kept crashing into Illustrious's body.
Although the Island Princess had covered Illustrious's body in wounds, she didn't feel happy; instead, she felt a bad premonition.
It was no wonder she had this thought, because Illustrious was too strange right now, too off. Even though she was being beaten, she still wore an expression of confidence, as if she were about to win.
After crashing into Illustrious's body once more, the black mist form of the Island Princess pulled back fifty meters.
The Island Princess's vigilant appearance made Illustrious couldn't help but mock her: "What's wrong? Why stop fighting? Continue!"
"What on earth are you planning?" Even though she clearly had the advantage, the Island Princess felt like Illustrious was about to win, so she asked immediately.
Blood flowed from Illustrious's forehead, but her expression was cold as she said: "Hmph! It seems you've realized something is wrong now. You're not too stupid after all. Since you've been hitting me for so long, I must properly repay you."
"Appear! Violent Destroyer!"
"Thou! That palace of the army-crushing force that tramples over all things!"
"Its name is! The Ultimate Technique of the Thunder Authority—Thunder Wrath Palace!"
With a slightly grave expression, Illustrious stared at the Island Princess in the distance with an astonishing aura, then swung her hand down heavily.
Seeing Illustrious swing her hand down, the Island Princess looked left and right, but didn't find any amazing display from the Illustrious in front of her. Could it be that this Illustrious was all show and no substance, actually just a dud with no real skills?
Thinking about how she had been scared into not attacking by a dud like Illustrious, the Island Princess began to blush with shame and anger. Looking at Illustrious, she immediately shouted in rage: "You bastard, where are you playing tricks? I'll ram you to death right now."
Watching the Island Princess wanting to ram her again, Illustrious pointed to the sky and said: "Take a look at what's in the sky."
Following the direction of Illustrious's finger toward the high sky, the Island Princess saw a purple palace over thirty zhang tall, filled with countless violent thunderbolts.
From just a single violent thunderbolt, the Island Princess sensed a danger that could kill her. If the entire purple palace were to crash onto her, she would definitely perish, with no chance of survival.
"Thank you for your 'care' just now. In return, you should properly receive this move of mine—Thunder Wrath Palace!" Illustrious said with a fierce tone.
"Damn it! It's actually the Thunder Palace! I didn't expect you to have already collected the purple silver heart. Damn it!" The Island Princess said with a pale face.
Seeing the Island Princess scared pale, Illustrious began to feel pleased! Although the Island Princess's special mist form was very strong and could not be attacked with armed Ship Qi.
If it were before, she might not have been able to deal with the Island Princess, but after collecting the purple silver heart, Illustrious could unleash the Ultimate Technique of the Thunder Authority—Thunder Wrath Palace. Then the situation was different; dealing with the Island Princess now was absolutely no problem.
However, because her strength was different from other Rulers, and her strength was only comparable to a Five-Star Epic Ship Girl, she needed a long time to unleash the Thunder Wrath Palace. If the Ruler of the King of Thunder were to unleash the Thunder Wrath Palace, it could definitely be done instantly, unlike her, who had to take a beating for a while to be able to unleash it.
The Island Princess's face turned dark: "The Thunder Wrath Palace can crush all things and just happens to counter my special mist form. No wonder you were so confident when I was hitting you, you bastard. It turns out you were secretly condensing the Thunder Wrath Palace one thousand meters up in the sky."
Illustrious pressed her bruised and swollen face and said with some pain: "That really hurt when you hit me earlier. You really hit me like you wanted to kill me! But now the tables have turned, and it's your turn to be beaten by me."
The Island Princess ignored Illustrious. She focused entirely on defensive maneuvers, first canceling her mist state. She canceled it because the mist state could not defend against the King of Thunder's Strike. Returning to human form, she deployed her Ship Qi Shield, the only way she might be able to defend against it.
The Island Princess circulated all the Ship Qi in her body to deploy a thick Ship Qi Shield. Her expression was tense; she didn't know if she could withstand this strike.
Although the King of Thunder's Strike descended slowly, it was impossible to evade. Once the King of Thunder's Strike locked onto a target and was unleashed, it was guaranteed to hit; this was the profundity of the Law of Causality authority.
The King of Thunder's Strike tore through the sky, descending slowly. Its terrifying power caused the surrounding space to distort. Wherever it passed, the air was instantly cleared, forming a vacuum zone, with countless air rushing back in, signaling the immense destructive power of this King of Thunder's Strike.
During the first Great War between the Ship Girl Alliance and the Abyssals, three Calamity Abyssal Entities attempted to conquer the South Pacific Governor-General's Mansion. At that time, the Governor-General's Mansion's combat strength consisted only of one severely injured Legendary Ship Girl and the King of Thunder, who served as the Governor-General.
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