KanColle X Devil May Cry: Devil Trigger Protocol

The command office of Devil May Cry Naval Base thrummed with restless energy. Yokosuka's challenge loomed, and to keep the shipgirls sharp for the counterstrike, Dante had granted a free morning.

Akagi faced him, her voice steady. "It's finally here."

Dante, lounging with his usual swagger, grunted, "Yeah."

"Will the General show?" she asked, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Probably," he replied, tone flat but certain.

"We'll need to give it everything," Akagi pressed, her resolve unshaken.

"Sure," Dante smirked. "Gotta win to hit that cherry blossom picnic."

Akagi's face brightened. "The bento's going to be amazing."

A brief silence fell, their gazes locking in unspoken understanding.

Dante broke it, brow furrowing. "Yo, why's everyone here?"

Akagi shrugged, almost sheepish. "We're bored."

The office was a chaotic sea of shipgirls, every one present. Gear and bodies crammed the space, turning it into a lively, suffocating mess.

Hatsuyuki muttered, "Too tight."

"Miyuki, move already," Murakumo snapped.

"What? I just sat down!" Miyuki shot back.

"Ooyodo, tea for me!" Akashi called.

"Hold up, coming," Ooyodo replied, juggling requests.

Kaga, stern as ever, turned to Soryu. "We need to beat Yokosuka for that picnic. No slacking."

Soryu blinked, puzzled. "What's that even mean?"

"Morning tea's the best, desu ne!" Kongo chirped, her cheer infectious.

"Totally, sis!" Hiei agreed.

Mamiya glanced around. "Friday, right?"

"Curry night, then," Houshou nodded.

Shigure grinned, laying down cards. "Royal straight flush."

"Again?!" Satsuki groaned.

"Thirsty…" Fumizuki whined.

Kisaragi sighed, "I'm getting bored…"

"More milk, nanodesu!" Inazuma demanded.

"Refill!" Akatsuki echoed.

"Refill!" Ikazuchi chimed in.

"Ooi-chi, let's do our best today," Kitakami said warmly.

"Of course, Kitakami-saaan!" Ooi beamed.

"This'd look good on you, right?" Suzuya teased Haguro.

"R-Really?" Haguro stammered.

"Can't wait to see who they've got!" Tenryu grinned.

"Right~" Tatsuta purred.

"Jintsuu-chan, this is yummy," Naka said, munching.

"Naka-chan, sit properly," Jintsuu scolded gently.

The room felt like a schoolyard overrun with rowdy kids.

Dante raised an eyebrow. "Bored? Nothing to do?"

Akagi shrugged. "No sorties, no expeditions, no training this morning. The office is the only fun spot."

Dante shook his head. "That's sad."

"Why're you looking at us like we're pitiful?" Akagi huffed.

"Wasting time like this? That's a crime against life," he quipped.

"So we're chatting with you!" Akagi shot back.

Dante fell silent, unimpressed.

Akagi shifted gears. "So, what's the fleet composition?"

"Composition?" Dante echoed, confused.

"Yeah, you haven't decided," she pointed out.

"Everyone fights, we crush 'em. Done," he said.

Akagi blinked. "…What?"

"Rules? No clue," Dante admitted.

The room froze. Dante, it turned out, barely grasped the fleet exercise.

Akagi recovered, exasperated. "It's like a sortie! Form a fleet, fight theirs!"

"Then no need for extra builds," Dante mused.

The shipgirls groaned in unison.

"No need for all that hellish training either," he added.

"What!?" Miyuki yelped. "Then what was that torture for?"

"What'd we bust our asses for?" Suzuya wailed.

"So, composition?" Akagi pressed.

"Battleships and carriers. Smash 'em," Dante said, still simmering.

Houshou interjected, "That won't do. You need balance with other ship types."

Dante shrugged. "Never thought about it. Still don't get it."

A heavy silence fell. The shipgirls realized Dante's "strategies" were pure instinct.

Kaga's eyes narrowed. "How've you been choosing fleets?"

Dante grinned. "Whoever pops into my head. Just vibes."

The room sighed collectively. His confident orders had fooled them all.

"Fine," Dante said. "Battleships, carriers, and whoever wants in."

"Me!" Tenryu jumped.

"Go for it," Dante waved.

Afternoon, Main Gate

A car rolled into the base. Six shipgirls, the General, and Yokosuka's Admiral stepped out.

"Here," the General said.

Yokosuka's Admiral scanned the base. "So, this is where the legend is…"

"How's it feel?" the General asked.

"Excited," she replied. "And I don't plan on losing."

"Good," he nodded.

Ooyodo greeted them. "We've been expecting you."

"Lead the way," the General said.

Ooyodo guided them to the exercise grounds.

Exercise Grounds

Dante's crew waited. Spotting the General, Dante's face soured, unhidden.

"Showed up, huh?" the General boomed.

"Didn't ask you to," Dante shot back.

Yokosuka's Admiral approached. "Nice to meet you. I'm Yokosuka's Admiral."

She extended a hand. Dante shook it, half-hearted. "Yeah."

"Been dying to meet you, celebrity," she teased.

"Celebrity?" Dante raised an eyebrow.

"You're famous," she said. "No one in the navy doesn't know you. A civilian backed by the Marshal, turned Admiral, fighting demons in red."

"Dreamed of fame," Dante quipped sarcastically.

She leaned in. "One thing. Why'd you reject our support fleet? Not good enough?"

Dante sighed, tired of explaining. "What if I say yes?"

Her eyes flashed. "That pisses me off. I graduated top of the academy, became Admiral, and drilled my fleet relentlessly. We're sharp, and being called useless? Not cool."

She was blunt, fiery. Dante respected that, faintly.

"Your girls can handle shipgirls or Abyssals," he said. "But underestimate demons, and you're screwed."

"I'm not losing to demons either," she snapped.

"Oh?" Dante smirked. "There might be one right next to you."

"What? Trying to scare me?" she scoffed.

"Who knows? You're new. Probably no big deal," he taunted.

The General cut in. "Told you not to get cocky, kid. She's efficient—sorties, expeditions, exercises. All top-notch. Get smug, you'll lose."

"Let's test that," Dante said, then paused, spotting a familiar face. "...Tatsuta?"

"Our Tatsuta's top-tier," the Yokosuka Admiral said proudly.

Dante grinned at his crew. "Yo, another Tatsuta! Doppelgänger vibes!"

"Hello~" his Tatsuta chirped.

"Hello~" Yokosuka's Tatsuta echoed.

"Like a mirror," Dante laughed.

"Ready when you are~" his Tatsuta said.

"Same~" Yokosuka's replied.

"Let's do this," the Yokosuka Admiral said.

Dante squinted. "Wait, which Tatsuta's ours?"

The Admirals stared, confused. The Tatsutas were identical.

"Hey, Tatsuta," Dante called.

"Yes?" both answered.

"…Our Tatsuta," he tried.

"What~?" both replied.

"Tatsuta, assemble!" he barked.

"Here~" both sang.

Dante groaned. "You two planned this, didn't you?"

"What're you talking about~? We're both Tatsuta," his Tatsuta teased.

"Pain in the ass," Dante muttered.

Both sides split for strategy talks.

Dante scanned Yokosuka's lineup—Fusou, Yamashiro, Maya, Choukai, Tatsuta, Shimakaze. "Who's who?"

Kitakami analyzed. "Two battleships, two heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, one destroyer."

Shigure frowned. "Fusou, Yamashiro…"

Dante grimaced. Yokosuka's fleet was built around battleships, just like his usual style. But with carriers on his side, copying them felt dull. On a whim, he switched plans.

The fleets took to the water. Devil May Cry's lineup: Murakumo, Miyuki, Hatsuyuki, Akatsuki, Ikazuchi, Satsuki… and Dante.

"Hold up!" Yokosuka's Admiral shouted. "Why're you out there?"

Dante grinned. "To crush you!"

"Can't even talk properly!?" she snapped.

The General's taunts had left Dante unhinged. But Yokosuka wasn't the only one frustrated.

"What's with that lineup? Way too skewed!" Suzuya yelled.

"Where's the original plan? I was supposed to fight!" Tenryu fumed.

"Destroyers can't take battleship fire!" Kitakami warned.

"Admiral, get back here!" Houshou ordered.

"Why?" Dante asked.

"We just told you!" Suzuya snapped.

"Come back!" Kaga barked.

"You too!" Ooi told the destroyers.

Dante and the destroyers trudged back, reluctant.

"Time out!" Kitakami called.

The General watched, muttering, "That guy…"

The shipgirls swarmed Dante, lecturing.

"Why'd it come to this!?" Houshou demanded.

"Destroyers only? That's insane!" Kitakami said.

"Winning straight's boring," Dante shrugged.

"You want to win?" Ooi challenged.

"Of course," Dante said, pointing at the General. "I'll break his smug face with a lineup they think can't win."

Houshou sighed. "We get you're mad, but calm down. We want to win too."

"Don't throw a tantrum," Kaga scolded.

"Destroyers for a clean win. That's it," Dante insisted.

"So stubborn!" Suzuya groaned.

"He's hopeless!" Tenryu declared.

Realizing persuasion was futile, the shipgirls left Dante and the destroyers, huddling to strategize.

"What now?" Tenryu asked.

"Stick with the original plan," Akagi said.

"But we know their lineup. Shouldn't we adjust?" Jintsuu suggested.

"Is there a better one?" Ooi asked.

"Just go with the original," Kitakami urged.

Behind them, Dante shooed Murakumo's group to the exercise. "Go win."

"Is this okay?" Murakumo hesitated.

"Go. Win," Dante repeated.

"But destroyers can't pierce battleship armor—"

"You trained against demons. These guys are nothing," Dante cut in.

Murakumo nodded. "Alright. Let's go."

Kaga finalized, "Original lineup: Akagi, me, Kongo, Suzuya, Tenryu, Tatsuta. Good?"

"Wait!" Suzuya yelled. "Murakumo's gone!"

Houshou turned. "Admiral?"

"They're off," Dante said, unbothered.

The shipgirls sighed. Dante had sent them.

"Do you even get it?" Akagi asked.

Dante didn't answer, heading to a vantage point.

The fleets moved offshore, awaiting the signal.

Murakumo took charge. "We trained against demons. They're slower than the Admiral. Dodge and hit hard."

Her fleet nodded.

The General, binoculars up, addressed Dante. "Destroyers only? What's the play?"

Dante stayed silent.

"No battleships or carriers?" the General pressed.

"Winning with destroyers is more fun," Dante said.

The General chuckled. "Fair."

The signal sounded.

"Line ahead!" Murakumo ordered.

Something approached.

"Incoming!" Miyuki shouted.

"Zuiun?" Hatsuyuki gasped.

Fusou and Yamashiro's Zuiun bombers closed in. Lacking anti-air, Murakumo's fleet struggled. Bombs dropped.

"Dodge!" Murakumo yelled.

They evaded. Yokosuka's fleet appeared, guns blazing.

"Main and secondary guns, fire!" Fusou commanded.

Murakumo's team weaved, dodging complexly.

"Dangerous!" Ikazuchi yelped.

"More coming!" Satsuki warned.

"Can we win!?" Miyuki panicked.

"Focus! Counter when there's an opening!" Murakumo ordered.

Yamashiro growled, "So annoying…"

Shimakaze broke ranks, charging alone.

"Shimakaze!" Maya shouted, but she was gone.

Murakumo saw it. "Target her!"

They fired on Shimakaze.

"Too slow! Can't hit me!" Shimakaze taunted.

"This…!" Akatsuki growled.

"But…!" Hatsuyuki added.

"Compared to the Admiral…" Murakumo began.

"…She's slow!" they shouted, hammering Shimakaze.

Shimakaze faltered, taking hits. Yokosuka's Admiral clutched her head. "What's she doing!?"

Shimakaze was sunk.

One down, but Yokosuka's barrage continued. Murakumo's team dodged, but couldn't forever.

"Ouch!" Satsuki winced.

"I'm fine!" Ikazuchi insisted.

Satsuki took minor damage. Ikazuchi, moderate. They struck back.

Yokosuka's Tatsuta, moderate damage. Choukai, minor.

"Now!" Murakumo shouted, launching torpedoes.

Yokosuka mirrored them. Torpedoes crossed.

Satsuki and Ikazuchi were sunk. Yokosuka's Tatsuta went down. Maya took minor damage.

The fight dragged on, both sides landing hits until time ran out.

Post-Exercise

The fleets returned.

Devil May Cry: Murakumo, minor damage. Miyuki, minor. Hatsuyuki, moderate. Akatsuki, moderate. Ikazuchi, sunk. Satsuki, sunk.

Yokosuka: Fusou, minor. Yamashiro, minor. Maya, moderate. Choukai, minor. Tatsuta, sunk. Shimakaze, sunk.

Tactical defeat for Murakumo's team. They fought hard but lost.

"Commander…" Murakumo started.

"Sorry…" Akatsuki murmured.

Dante said nothing.

"We won!" Yokosuka's Admiral crowed.

A fist cracked her head. "Idiot!" the General barked.

"What!?" she yelped.

"You think you won?" he growled.

"We did!" she protested.

"He used only destroyers against your battleships and still put up a fight. If he'd used his battleships and carriers, what then?"

She froze, glancing at Dante, who lounged, arms crossed, bored.

"Why didn't he use them?" she asked.

"To prove a point," the General said. "His girls aren't weak."

Dante hadn't just fought—he'd made a statement, choosing a disadvantaged lineup to show strength.

"You would've lost with his full fleet," the General said. "Your failure's not seeing that."

She gaped, stunned.

Dante called out, "Yo. Free docks and repair materials. Round two?"

He wasn't done.

"He's not calm at all!" Tenryu shouted.

"Over, over!" Suzuya dragged him back.

"I'll fight solo next!" Dante yelled.

"Shut up!" Ooi snapped.

"Calm down!" Naka urged.

The General watched, amused. "Interesting guy."

Houshou approached. "What was that about?"

"Yokosuka's Admiral was pissed about the support rejection," the General said. "Set this up to settle it."

"So you provoked him to ensure the exercise?" Houshou asked.

"Yup. But I meant it too," he said. "If he was serious, he'd have used battleships and carriers. Choosing destroyers for pride? He's green."

"Maybe," Houshou said. "But we've faced everything with him. And we'll keep going, together."

"Do what you want," the General shrugged.

Main Gate, Evening

Yokosuka used the docks and dined with Dante's crew. Time came to leave.

"Next time, we'll win for sure!" Yokosuka's Admiral declared.

"That's my line," Dante shot back. "I'll make you cry for mercy."

"Enough already," Ooi muttered.

"Thanks for the show, kid. See you," the General said.

"Don't come back," Dante spat.

Yokosuka left. The exercise ended, victory unclear.

"Commander, what about the picnic?" Fumizuki asked.

"Let's go shop for it," Dante said.

"Now!?" Suzuya yelped.

"It's night!" Kitakami protested.

"Shops still open?" Naka wondered.

"Sleepy… tired…" Hatsuyuki mumbled.

"No rest for us," Kaga sighed.

"That's us," Akagi smiled.

Dante's crew rushed into town, scrambling for picnic supplies.