Chapter 135 – Ambushed

A delicate hand took the chalk from Hikaru's fingers. Lexington pulled California's arm off Hikaru's shoulder and said calmly, "The naval district is by the sea, and the climate is humid. If this drawing had been done in the past, the blackboard would've already soaked up moisture. There would also be a layer of dust on the board."

Fletcher immediately nodded. "This chalk drawing is fresh."

Hikaru let go of California's shoulder, stroking his chin as he realized the severity of the situation.

He had only just manifested this naval district moments ago—how could there already be a chalk drawing on the board made by someone else, and one that was clearly drawn recently?

"Any other clues?" Hikaru stared at the chalkboard but couldn't make anything out. "Is there some kind of message hidden in the drawing? Someone trying to tell us something?"

"I'm not sure, but I can tell…" Fletcher stood on tiptoe and pointed at the central figure among the stick figures holding hands. "That's Vittorio Veneto, our powerful battleship shipgirl. The others are all elementary schoolers."

Hikaru immediately recalled Veneto's image. After so many dream visits to the naval district and exchanges with his shipgirls, he was deeply familiar with them. He could recognize nearly every one on sight.

Vittorio Veneto—a battleship from Italy. Despite being the most powerful shipgirl in terms of firepower at the base, she had a flat and petite loli-like figure. She liked to dress in small tailored suits, black gloves, suspenders, stockings, and heels—basically, she enjoyed cosplaying as a mafia boss or a mature woman.

Every time she spoke with Hikaru, she'd cradle a delicate porcelain cup of strong espresso in her hands, striking a composed, elegant pose as she sipped slowly.

Despite all her efforts to act like an adult, Veneto could still easily get lost in a group of destroyers and elementary schoolers—her height and build just weren't convincing.

So if this chalk drawing was left by Veneto, what message was she trying to send?

Especially with herself drawn among the elementary schoolers… Could it mean she had been cursed somehow?

No, no. Hikaru shook his head. That wasn't the point.

"The key is—why would this drawing be here in the first place?" Hikaru looked to Lexington. "Any ideas, my lady?"

Before Lexington could answer, Tirpitz had already stepped forward, positioning herself slightly in front of Hikaru and said coldly, "Careful. There's someone inside the Commander's Office."

What? How could there be someone else in the Commander's Office? Wasn't this their own naval district?

Before Hikaru could even process the thought, a cold flash of light burst through the wall of the Commander's Office—a gleaming shell rocketed straight toward him.

His pupils shrank. The clean white cone of a Type 91 armor-piercing shell was already in his face.

A real, physical shell—over 195 cm long and 46 cm in diameter!

The shockwave generated by the shell felt like blades tearing through the air, slicing a bloody scratch across Hikaru's cheek.

BOOM!

The attack came at thunderbolt speed. Tirpitz didn't even have time to summon her rigging. She lunged forward with a shoulder tackle like an iron mountain, slamming into the shell head-on. The Type 91 shell exploded on contact, detonating violently right in front of Hikaru.

The entire floating island trembled. Buildings in the naval district shook and collapsed. A mushroom cloud rose from the impact point.

A beam of white light burst through the cloud and streaked back out to sea—Lexington, carrying Hikaru and the others, retreating from the island at top speed.

Hikaru felt like his head was splitting open. His thoughts were a blur, his soul practically shaken pale. Even though he hadn't taken the shell directly, Lexington had shielded him from the full brunt of the blast.

But even so, Lexington's white dress was now torn and tattered. That single shell had left her damaged.

Words couldn't describe the sheer destructive power of that shot.

Hikaru had watched Tirpitz fight against Abyssal Barbarossa and the others from afar before. He could swear with confidence: this shell's destructive power exceeded Tirpitz's maximum offensive output.

There was someone on the island even stronger than Tirpitz.

That thought alone sent a chill down Hikaru's spine.

Trying to figure out why there were outsiders in a manifested naval district no longer mattered. Right now, all Hikaru could do was pray desperately in his heart—pray that Tirpitz wasn't hurt.

[End of Chapter]

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