"Queen Elizabeth has what?!" the Commander smmed his hand on the table, he was not ready for an unfortunate news.

  "Please, sit down, Comrade Commander," Soyuz urged calmly, though the tension in her voice was evident. "The news is still fresh, and it's unbelievable for all of us. We need to discuss this carefully."

  Greynar took a deep breath and sat down, his mind racing as he processed the news. "So, Queen Elizabeth, the leader of the Royal Navy stationed at Scapa Flow, has been captured...?" His voice was calm, though he was still in shock about the news. He turned to Soyuz, with a firm expression. "And Omitter? Is she was the one who attack the Royal Navy's transport fleet at Barents Sea?"

  Soyuz nodded. "Yes, Comrade Commander. It happened as soon as we unched our attack on the Winter's Crown. Omitter made her move, using advanced Siren technology to create an aurora-like barrier. She cut through the seas and intercepted the Royal Navy's escort fleet, taking them by surprise."

  Greynar nodded slowly, still processing the information he had taken. "But Omitter was defeated was thanks to the intel we provided to the Royal Navy. At least that part worked out," he acknowledged the achievement. He then shifted his focus. "But what about Iron Blood? Wasn't it Prinz Eugen who disrupted our transport fleet during the exchange? So when Omitter is..." his voice trailed down as he realized.

  Greynar's gaze darkened as Soyuz spoke, the pieces falling into pce. "Omitter's movements and Iron Blood's actions aligning like this... it can't be a coincidence," she continued, her frown deepening. "But at least our supply lines are intact. The shipment made it through safely."

  'And with that, the Royal Navy retreated to assist Elizabeth in Scapa Flow.' The Commander silently mused.

  After the battle on Winter's Crown, the Northern Parliament has won their battle over the Siren on the Winter's Crown. But their war still hasn't yet to end. The Winter's Crown, is Purifier's old nest that will keep producing more and more Siren around the area with no end. Rossiya and the stationed fleets was tasked to be on the Crown's frontline, guarding the Singurity for the Sirens to be contained within.

  Meanwhile, Soyuz has suggested to the Command to extend Greynar's stay period after the triumphant victory. As eyes on the Por region locked to the individual called "Commander" there's no one that could refute her request and the factions are all on alert due to Iron Blood's movement. Royal Navy who initially wanted to lure Iron Blood inside to Scapa Flow, was unexpectedly got overthrown their pn by the sudden ambush of Iron Blood.

  The Commander silently fumed in frustration at a certain elite Siren. 'Damn it, Observer! What kind of script did you give to both the Iron Blood and the Northern Parliament?!'

  Shifting back to the conversation at hand, Greynar cleared his throat. "Ahem, I suppose that sums up the test news? Is there anything else I should note before heading out?"

  Soyuz nodded firmly. "Mark your calendar, Comrade Commander. In six days, you'll be embarking on an expedition with one of our fleets. We'll provide the full details on the scheduled date. The location is cssified—a secret facility we’ve codenamed 'Secret Room'."

  Greynar nodded and bid Soyuz goodbye. As he made his way back to his quarters, his mind was occupied with thoughts about his next move. Accessing the Arcana Sanctum would certainly unveil more secrets, but a nagging concern kept surfacing—how much time did he have before X knocked on the test site?

  There was no exact answer. Only time would tell.

  He needed to be prepared. Whatever was coming would surpass anything he'd faced before. Now, his immediate focus was on uniting the two opposing factions: Azur Lane and the Crimson Axis. If they were to have any hope of confronting the unknown entity emerging from afar, cooperation was essential. The divisions between them were deep, but the threat they all faced from this mysterious enemy left no room for internal conflict. It was the only way to ensure their survival and strengthen their collective defense on test site-β.

  Even with the Sirens' assistance, Greynar knew they needed to achieve more—an Awakening of a KANSEN. However, the process and requirements for such a transformation were still shrouded in mystery. No one had a clear understanding of what truly triggered the Awakening, whether it was a matter of sheer power, emotional strength, or something deeper within the essence of a shipgirl.

  'Is that why the Sirens have been conducting billions of experiments?' Greynar mused, staring bnkly at the ceiling. The vast and unsettling number of trials carried out by the Sirens lingered in his thoughts. 'Awakening... Could it be linked to S.A.V.I.O.R somehow?'

  There was no answer.

  'Then if it really is the reason, why did Observer told me not to use S.A.V.I.O.R in exception of timeline deviation?'

  He asked again to himself, but there was still no answer.

  The Commander sighed slowly. It was pointless to dwell on these small uncertainties for now. What mattered was finding real answers and clues through the Arcana Sanctum. Only then could he determine the next course of action—whether to continue along the Siren’s scripted path or to trust his own instincts.

  Observer too, was some jumble of mess to him. Beneath her sly and seductive fa?ade, she carried an air of mystery that went beyond what most Elite Sirens represented. Unlike the others, Observer seemed to be omniscient—aware of things she deliberately kept hidden, perhaps for reasons connected to S.A.V.I.O.R. or something deeper coming from the original timeline.

  "I should just take my mind off all of this," he murmured, reaching for the door as he headed outside.

  The Commander took a moment to enjoy the snowy ndscape. The cold bit at him, a reminder that the harshness of the environment was not to be underestimated. The vast, white expanse stretched out before him, beautiful yet unforgiving. He still wondered how with those clothing, the girls were all fine and didn't catch a cold.

  As he made his way through the snowy mountain, the crunch of snow beneath his feet was distinct in the silence of the cold ndscape. Up ahead, he noticed a girl tending to something near a building—a small enclosure, partially covered in frost. Curious, he took a step as he identify the girl. It was Grozny.

  Greynar called out to the destroyer, catching her attention as she turned around with a bright smile.

  "Afternoon, Commander," Grozny greeted cheerfully.

  "What are you doing out here?" he asked, curious.

  "I'm just feeding them," she replied, gesturing toward the enclosure. "It’s almost time for the female to give birth."

  As the Commander peeked into the enclosure, his expectations were quickly shattered by what he saw inside. A family of por bears was peacefully sleeping within the space. Greynar, momentarily caught off guard by their presence, quickly adjusted, realizing that such animals might be considered normal here. Quietly, he backed away from the enclosure.

  He turned to Grozny with a raised eyebrow. "Wait... are those really por bears?"

  Grozny nodded. "Yes, they are. Rescued animals, caught up in the war with the Sirens."

  "Huh... I wasn't expecting that. I thought it would be something else," he commented, gncing back at the enclosure. "Are they friendly?"

  The bunny destroyer shrugged. "They are but a rescued animal, so I don't know if they're friendly towards other people."

  Before the Commander could say anything, one of the por bears stirred awake and lumbered toward the enclosure's entrance. Its immense size towered over him as the bear sniffed the air, its eyes briefly locking with his. Greynar tensed slightly, instinctively taking a small step back.

  Grozny warned him not to make any sudden movements, and Greynar gave a slow nod in response. The bear steadily exited the enclosure, moving toward its new visitor. As the Commander braced himself, ready for anything, the por bear sniffed at his scent, and, to his surprise, it gently licked his hand.

  Surprised by the bear's friendly attitude, Greynar chuckled and rubbed his hand against its soft fur. The bear, seemingly enjoying the interaction, y down and extended its paw to him, inviting py.

  "Haha! I think this guy like me." Greynar ughed as he pyed with the bear. "But, why is it friendly to me?"

  Grozny seemed puzzled by the bear's friendliness towards the Commander. After a brief pause, she realized and said, "Commander, I think your scent is mixed with ours from when we spend time together."

  "Really? That's interesting," Greynar replied while continuing to py with the por bear.

  After a few minutes of pyful interaction, Greynar gently urged the bear to return to its enclosure. Obediently, the bear complied, lumbering back inside. Grozny brought out the food for the bears, pcing a bowl down. The female bear, showing her rge, pregnant belly, eagerly ate the food. The male por bear followed suit, eating from the second bowl pced nearby.

  Grozny gestured for the Commander to leave the bear family, and they walked back together. Greynar couldn’t help but smile as he thought about how cute the por bear couple looked while eating together.

  The destroyer then turned to the Commander and bid him farewell, mentioning that she needed to head to Tashkent's room to ask her to py. With nothing else to do, the Commander continued wandering around the building. As he walked, he reflected on how peaceful the past few days had been in Northern Parliament compared to the outside world.

  Time was of the essence, and the Sirens wouldn't remain idle. The Commander decided to check on his shipgirls. He arrived at Volga's room and knocked on the door.

  "Excuse me, Volga, are you there?" There was no response.

  He sighed and slowly opened the door. Since it wasn't locked, he wasn't sure if she was inside or had already left. Peeking in, he saw that the room was dark. Not wanting to be impolite, he quietly closed it again and thought about where Volga might be at this hour. After some consideration, he decided to head to the underground training grounds to look for her.

  Arriving at the training grounds, he noticed the ground shaking slightly from the impact of explosions. It was clear that a battle was taking pce. Two shipgirls were engaged in an intense sparring session, testing each other's firepower with every strike. One was the girl he had been searching for—Volga—and the other had a striking appearance with what seemed to be mechanical horns and a tail. Both were locked in a fierce and dynamic battle, their movements fluid yet powerful as they exchanged attacks.

  As he watched from afar, a white owl suddenly perched on his shoulder. Startled by its appearance, the Commander soon smiled and gently patted it. He then turned his attention back to the sparring session. The shipgirl engaging with the carrier was Kursk, a heavy cruiser who had recently returned from a mission in the south to spy and gather intelligence on any Crimson Axis movements.

  The carrier, Volga, skillfully held her own against the 'hunter from tundra' Kursk. Using her pnes as bait, she forced the heavy cruiser into a defensive position. Seizing this opportunity, Volga swiftly maneuvered her rigging and delivered a powerful strike, knocking Kursk to the side.

  Kursk shook her head as she recovered from the attack and begin counterattacking her. The cruiser unched her seapnes and mini-submersibles to the carrier. Volga turned serious as the seapnes starting intercepting her own aircraft with their gun and released bomb above her. She dodged the torpedoes from the submersibles and the seapnes altogether, skillfully predicting where the bomb and torpedoes woud hit.

  The submersibles erupted as Volga dispatched her anti-submarine warfare pnes to neutralize the underwater threats. Kursk grinned as she observed the seemingly gentle carrier in front of her dispy a level of expertise only an experienced fighter could possess. Seizing the moment, Kursk aimed her rigging at the water, creating a spshing smokescreen that masked her swift approach. She charged forward, only to be met with a sudden, forceful punch to the stomach delivered by Volga.

  "Not bad, carrier," Kursk acknowledged with a smirk, impressed by her opponent's speed.

  "Hehe~ It’s all thanks to my experience with the Commander," Volga replied proudly, a confident smile lighting up her face.

  "What do you say if I admit defeat today?" Kursk asked, halting her movements.

  Volga tilted her head thoughtfully before nodding. "Alright, if you say so, Kursk~"

  They stopped their fight and shook hands politely.

  "It was a good fight. I'm curious about this Commander you mentioned," Kursk said, gncing up to the upper floor where she spotted Greynar observing them. "Speak of the devil, looks like I’ll get my answer right now."

  Volga noticed what Kursk was pointing at and called out to Greynar. The Commander acknowledged them as the owl fpped its wings and flew over to Kursk’s side. He made his way down the stairs and greeted them. Volga rushed up to him and gave him a warm hug.

  "Good afternoon, Commander," Volga greeted warmly.

  "Good afternoon, Volga," he replied with a smile, leaning in to give her a gentle kiss in return.

  After their affectionate exchange, Greynar turned his attention to the red-eyed woman standing before him. This was his first meeting with her in person, but during his stay, Voroshilov had mentioned the notable members of the Northern Parliament fleet who were currently out on missions. Kursk was one of them. She was described as a "lone wolf" who excelled at patrolling and reconnaissance missions around the borders of the Northern Parliament, often operating independently. In terms of stealth, Kursk was considered one of the best.

  Kursk's eyes remained fixed on him, her curiosity was seen through her fierce eye. She had heard tales of this "Commander" who had managed to fend off the attacks on NY and the Siren strongholds, including handling the operations around the Northern Parliament and the battles near Winter's Crown. In her eyes, Greynar wasn't just another leader but an intriguing individual capable of commanding Northern Parliament—someone who Soyuz herself gives respect to.

  "Good to finally meet you, Commander," Kursk greeted with a confident tone.

  "Likewise, Kursk," Greynar replied with a nod. "I've heard about your impressive work during your missions. It's an honor to finally see you here."

  "No, I should be the one honored to meet someone like you," she replied, shaking his hand politely. "I've always operated alone, never having the chance to participate in rge fleet operations."

  "Haha, I guess us meeting here is a pure coincidence," Greynar scratched his head shyly.

  "While it could be a coincidence, I have a guts that you would be here too..." Kursk replied.

  Not wanting to feel more embarrassed, the Commander shifted the topic of the conversation. "Anyway, could I ask you something about your battle tactics?"

  "Sure thing," she replied. "Are you perhaps interested in my way of battle?"

  "Yes," he gnced at her rigging on her back. "I'm curious about how you utilize your submarines and pnes. Do you use them as decoys to distract the enemy, or do you deliberately send them out to create a gap between you and your opponent?"

  Kursk paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts, and then continued her expnation as Greynar took his notes. "First and foremost, Commander, you need to understand the mindset of a hunter. We always consider ourselves vulnerable and stay aware of our surroundings. Only when we've analyzed a certain part of the enemy's movements can we begin our hunt effectively."

  She gestured with her hand as if visualizing her tactics. "By using decoys like my submarines or pnes, I draw the enemy's attention away, making them underestimate my actual position or intentions. Once they fall into the trap, I strike from an angle they least expect. It’s all about patience and timing—waiting for that perfect moment to pounce."

  As Greynar jotted down notes, he asked, "What if you're surrounded and your enemies seem intent on trapping you? How would you handle that situation?"

  Kursk paused for a moment, then smiled slightly. "In that case, you need to move faster than they anticipate. Rely on your speed and instincts to turn the tables and create an opening to trap them instead. A true hunter always trusts their instincts and reacts decisively. The key is predicting your enemy's movements—what matters most is knowing the actions they’ll take to try and surround you."

  The Commander nodded and closed his notebook. "Thank you for the tips and advice. I'll make sure to incorporate this into my strategies in the future."

  Kursk gave a slight huff and replied, "No, I should be thanking you for giving me the opportunity to share my experience, Commander. I'll be watching to see how you create more miracles using my advice. After all, even a hunter like me is still a shipgirl. Maybe there will be a time I'll be under your command and that will certaintly give me some insight about your hunter instinct."

  "I hope so. Well, it's time for us to say goodbye. See you around, Kursk." Greynar gestured for his shipgirl to follow him.

  "Goodbye then, Commander," Kursk responded.

  As he walked away, Kursk's eyes lingered on him. It had been a brief conversation, but it was enough for her to understand how the Commander handled his duties. It was, without a doubt, an intriguing experience for her. She felt certain that fate would bring them together again someday, and when that moment arrived, Kursk promised herself she would learn even more from the opportunity.

  On the way back, Greynar gnced at Volga beside him, feeling curious about something. "Hey, have you had any bad experience around this pce?" he asked.

  Volga thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Nothing concerning, I haven't had any bad experiences here. Although, st night..." she murmured, loud enough for Greynar to catch her words.

  "Last night?" He gnced at her. "What about it?"

  The carrier turned to him and dropped an unexpected word. "I had a dream st night... I was inside a submarine along with several people."