Seeing that terrifying expression on Ayanami, Unicorn lowered her head and said, "Uh! Y-yes! I saw wrong."
The other Ship Girls who were just about to reprimand Ayanami, seeing how ruthless she was, immediately dared not say anything more.
Seeing that Illustrious was finally unconscious, Ayanami started to move her mouth again.
This time there were no accidents. Ayanami successfully performed artificial respiration on Illustrious, but as a result, she still didn't wake up.
This was normal; after all, the force Ayanami used in that punch just now was not small.
...
Half a day later, Illustrious, lying on the bed, opened her eyes. "Hmm! A familiar ceiling."
Looking left and right, after checking, Illustrious realized it was her own room. "It hurts so much. Why did Master and Ayanami hit me? Did I do something wrong? Even if I did something wrong, there's no need to be so ruthless!"
"Grr—!" Illustrious's stomach made a noise.
"I'm starving. I have to go find something to eat. Looking at the sky, it's already night. I wonder if Azuma left any food for me?" Illustrious rubbed her stomach and walked out of the room.
Not long after leaving the room, Illustrious saw Shinano.
"You're awake!" Seeing Illustrious, Shinano said in surprise.
"Master! It's so good to see you. Have you eaten dinner yet?" Illustrious asked.
"I ate long ago. You should check what time it is." Shinano praised, "Your Aircraft Carrier Azuma's cooking is truly top-notch. I ate it with great relish."
"What! You've already eaten?" Illustrious looked disappointed. "It seems I can only eat the cold leftovers Azuma left behind."
"Uh! I'm afraid it's impossible for you to eat the food Azuma left behind." Shinano touched her forehead hair and felt a bit embarrassed.
"Eh! Why?" Illustrious asked in confusion.
Shinano patted her stomach and said, "Because I thought you wouldn't wake up until tomorrow at the earliest, so I ate your portion too."
"What! How can this be..." Illustrious wailed, wanting to cry but having no tears. "Master! What did I do wrong for you to treat me like this?"
"Hmph! You have the nerve to ask? Didn't I say my age is a taboo subject? Yet you went and exposed my secrets anyway," Shinano said gloomily.
"Just because of that?" Illustrious said dissatisfiedly. "Master! You really are quite old. Even though you look like a young girl on the outside, you're already at the level of a grandmother on the inside. You need to be self-aware at this point, otherwise people will say you're just an old crone acting like a maiden, and that won't be good."
After hearing Illustrious's words, Shinano, who was on the verge of erupting like a volcano, took a deep breath of the slightly cool air. "It's been many years since we last sparred. The night is nice today. Come, follow me out for a hearty battle."
"No, no way! When you spar, you always beat me half to death," Illustrious immediately refused.
"Sorry! You don't have the right to refuse." Shinano dragged Illustrious out of the villa.
Arriving at a remote open space within the Naval Base, Illustrious and Shinano faced off against each other.
"Can't we spar another day?" If it were any other time, it would be fine, but right now Illustrious felt so hungry her stomach was sticking to her back.
"Stop talking! Draw your sword!" Shinano said coldly.
"Master, I beg you, let me go! I'm really hungry! If you win in this state, it won't be a fair victory!" Illustrious pleaded nicely.
"It doesn't matter, you won't starve to death. You know, back when I threw you into the deep-sea waters, you went six days without eating anything, and you're still alive and kicking now." Drawing her ship-slaying great sword, Shinano spoke flatly.
"Don't talk about it, you're making me remember bad things." Thinking of Shinano's cruel teaching methods, Illustrious couldn't help but tremble a few times.
When she was thrown into the deep-sea waters by Shinano back then, Illustrious had a miserable time. Not only was she hunted by the Abyssals day and night, but she also fainted at sea due to lack of a steady food supply.
"Don't you find those times quite unforgettable?" Shinano smiled faintly.
"Yes! I probably won't forget for the rest of my life. You, this heartless master, are the cause of all those consequences," Illustrious said through gritted teeth.
"That attitude isn't good! You should know I did all that for your sake. In nature, eagles push their children off cliffs to make them learn how to fly," Shinano said seriously.
Nodding slightly, Illustrious felt that Shinano's words weren't wrong. Her rapid progress back then was indeed thanks to Shinano's Spartan-style education.
Despite the fast progress, Illustrious still wasn't grateful. She shook her head and said, "That's true, but what I want is a gentle and kind master, not a cruel and heartless one like you!"
Reaching into the void, Illustrious pulled out her ship-slaying great sword from her rigging space.
After giving the Tachi a forceful swing, Illustrious assumed a combat stance.
Looking at Shinano not far away, Illustrious kicked off the ground with force and shot forward.
"Good timing, you finally have some motivation." Shinano, holding her Tachi, charged at Illustrious like a bolt of lightning. "I've suppressed my strength to the level of a Gold-Plated Ship Girl now. You don't have to fear me using the power of a Legendary Ship Girl."
"Really? That's great. Then I won't be afraid of losing to you." Illustrious had already reached Shinano; she gripped her ship-slaying great sword tightly and finally slashed down with great force.
Clang!
Looking at the incoming ship-slaying great sword, Shinano easily dodged and instantly appeared behind Illustrious. "If you want to beat me, practice for another hundred years first! You're still a bit too green right now."
A flash of light appeared as a blade strike swept toward Illustrious.
"Guh! So fast..." Shinano's sudden disappearance startled Illustrious, but she calmed down and used her mental perception to locate Shinano's position.
Clang!
Wielding her ship-slaying great sword, Illustrious turned and slashed, just in time to block Shinano's incoming strike.
"Beautiful!" Shinano smiled and said, "I thought your swordsmanship might have regressed after becoming an Admiral, but I didn't expect you to have actually improved instead."
"Of course, I am a genius after all!" Illustrious said triumphantly.
"That arrogant tone is really annoying. You didn't think my attack would end so simply, did you? Ha!" Shinano, holding her Tachi, unleashed a storm-like barrage of attacks on Illustrious.
Shinano swung her blade over a dozen times with force, and for a moment, the space was filled with the shadows of blades and swords.
These dozen or so strikes far exceeded the previous two in both power and speed. This caused the previously calm Illustrious to struggle to hold her ground, and she was finally pushed back over a dozen steps by one of Shinano's strikes.
Shinano shook her head and said, "No, no, I just praised you a bit and you're already in trouble. This isn't good. Let Master give you some proper love!"
Griping her Tachi, Shinano shot toward Illustrious once again.
The knocked-back Illustrious steadied herself, but her expression changed when she saw Shinano attacking again.
Clang, clang, clang!...
Wielding her ship-slaying great sword, Illustrious blocked Shinano's continuous slashes, but in a moment of carelessness, she was kicked from the side by Shinano and sent flying backward.
Shinano gave her ship-slaying great sword a forceful swing and held it at an angle. Then, a crisp blade hum emanated from it, spreading in all directions.
The blade gleamed with a sharp edge as Shinano walked toward Illustrious step by step.
With every step Shinano took, she exerted mental pressure on Illustrious.
Her hands were trembling. Illustrious secretly cursed herself for being afraid. She shouted in annoyance, "Tsk! Master, your power and speed are already at the level of a Three-Star Epic Ship Girl. Did you really suppress your strength to the Gold-Plated Ship Girl level?"
"Are you questioning your master?" Shinano said coldly.
Illustrious said somewhat fearfully, "I wouldn't dare! It's just..."
"Stop talking! Take this!" In the blink of an eye, Shinano appeared in front of Illustrious. The Tachi in her hand was like a bolt of white lightning in the dead of night, carrying a fierce energy that made the space fluctuate as it slashed down toward Illustrious.
With a diagonal slash, Illustrious struggled to parry Shinano's strike. "Guh!... So heavy!"
"Ha!..." Using all her strength, Illustrious immediately pushed Shinano back and then launched a fierce counterattack.
Seeing this, Shinano did not retreat but advanced instead, and the two immediately began clashing blades.
Clang, clang, clang...
A bright moon hung in the sky, and on the grass below, two young women were locked in a fierce battle.
The countless flashes of blades and swords produced by their battle swallowed the night.
Clang!
After fighting for over a hundred rounds, Illustrious's blade was suddenly struck by Shinano's. The powerful impact sent Illustrious's ship-slaying great sword flying into the sky; it spun several times before landing and embedding itself in the ground.
Shinano held her ship-slaying great sword a mere 0.01 centimeters from Illustrious's neck. "You've lost again!"
Raising her hands, Illustrious smiled. "Indeed! I lost again. But it can't be helped, who told my opponent to be you!"
After sheathing her blade, Shinano said seriously, "You have too little ambition. Even if you encounter an enemy stronger than you, you should still resist tenaciously."
Illustrious hugged Shinano's slender waist and buried her head in Shinano's chest. "That's easy to say, but Master, you're not my enemy. How could I really fight you to the death?"
"You! I really don't know what to say to you." Shinano stroked Illustrious's head with her right hand and said, "If the day ever comes when I truly have a life-and-death duel with you, would you just stand there and let me cut you down?"
After taking a deep breath of the 'cleansing milk,' Illustrious looked up and said softly, "Master and I have such a good relationship, so that day will never come."
Gazing up at the bright moon, Shinano murmured in a low voice, "That might not be certain!"
"Eh! Master, what did you say? It was too quiet, I didn't hear clearly," Illustrious said, blinking her sky-blue eyes.
"Nothing!" Shinano shook her head and then said, "Alright, we just finished a match and are covered in sweat. Come, let's go take a bath together."
"B-Bath!" Illustrious's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "I'm not sleepy anymore now that you mentioned that."
"I'm warning you, no messing around!" Shinano said, narrowing her eyes.
"Don't worry! I'm a very proper person, I definitely won't mess around," Illustrious said, patting her chest.
"Really? You won't take the opportunity to grope me while bathing like you used to?" Shinano was a bit skeptical; Illustrious had a notorious track record.
"I guarantee on my character that I won't use my hands to grope you. If I break my word, I'll be a man in my next life," Illustrious said seriously.
"What a harsh oath. Fine! I'll trust you one more time." Shinano took Illustrious's hand and hurried toward the bathhouse.
Seeing that Shinano believed her, Illustrious was laughing inwardly. Groping was a must! As for breaking her oath, Illustrious didn't care at all. She actually wished she could be a man in her next life!
After arriving at the bathhouse, the two took off their clothes, and after washing their bodies for a while, they entered the bath to soak.
Glancing at Shinano, Illustrious couldn't help but swallow her saliva, thinking to herself, "Incredible! Master's figure has really become more and more alluring over the years!"
Stretching her back, Shinano let out a sound that made Illustrious lose her self-control! "Mmm~ Ah! So comfortable! The feeling of the body being enveloped in hot water really makes one's mood pleasant!"
This pleasant moan broke Illustrious's last shred of patience. Unable to resist the temptation and losing her self-control, a blushing Illustrious leaned toward Shinano. "Master! How about I give you a massage?"
"A massage? Sure! Then come over and help me," Shinano said, tilting her head and beckoning with her finger.
"Understood, I'm coming right now." Illustrious chuckled and went behind Shinano to start the massage. "Not bad, not bad. This size, this weight, this softness... I love it, I love it."
"Mmm~ Hmph! You... you bastard! Where are you touching!" Shinano slapped Illustrious across the face.
"Too naive! Did you think I was completely unprepared?" Illustrious immediately dodged to the right, and then she was easily hit.
With a smack, Illustrious covered her face, looking incredulous. "How did you know I would dodge to the right?"
Shinano smiled slightly and said, "Having lived with you for so long, I've already figured out your habits. In my reasoning, the probability of you dodging to the right is over 80%."
"I hid it so deeply, yet you still knew the direction I'd dodge just by reasoning. I'm impressed! As expected of Master." Illustrious's tone shifted as she said aggrievedly, "But why did you hit me!"
"A-After doing that kind of thing, you still think you're in the right?" Shinano said in shy anger.
"I need to reason with you properly. Even though I said I'd give you a massage, I didn't say I'd massage your shoulders!" Spreading her hands, Illustrious said righteously.
Shinano's response to Illustrious was another slap, leaving a palm print on the other side of Illustrious's face.
Rubbing her cheeks, Illustrious said angrily, "I'm warning you, don't think you can do whatever you want to me just because you're my master."
With a 'kind' expression, Shinano's palm struck again. Fearing a beating, Illustrious could only squat and cover her head.
Seeing that she couldn't hit Illustrious, Shinano said coldly, "If you give me a proper massage, I'll forgive you."
Illustrious was overjoyed. "Thank you, Master, for your mercy! This time I'll definitely give a proper massage and won't mess around."
"It better be, otherwise I might as well clear out the sect today to prevent you from harming other Ship Girls." Shinano lowered her hand and turned her back to Illustrious, waiting for the massage.
Illustrious came behind Shinano, placed her hands on Shinano's shoulders, and began the massage. "Master! How is it? My skill isn't bad, right?"
"Mhm! It's alright! But it would be better if you were a bit faster and used more pressure," Shinano said softly.
---------------------------------
I hope you enjoy this fanfiction! If you're having fun and want to read 30 chapters in advance, feel free to check out my Patreon: patreon.com/TLScarlet
Your support means a lot so if you like the story, don't forget to drop a Power Stone.