KanColle X Devil May Cry: Devil Trigger Protocol

Two days after the Yokosuka exercise, Dante's group trekked through a mountain forest. Their cherry blossom viewing plans had been delayed by the exercise, and most cherry trees had already shed their blooms. Akashi had heard of a lone cherry tree deep in a mountain, rumored to hold its flowers longer. Though just a rumor, they set out at dawn, only to get hopelessly lost.

Ooyodo glanced at Akashi. "Akashi?"

Akashi avoided her gaze. "…"

"Can I ask something?" Ooyodo pressed.

"Don't…" Akashi mumbled.

"Are we… lost?"

"We're lost!" Akashi wailed, her voice echoing through the trees.

Dante, trailing the group, muttered, "Whatever, but why are they here?"

At the rear were the Marshal, Yamato, the General, and Yokosuka's Admiral.

"I heard about this picnic," the Marshal said.

"I told him," the General added.

"Why'd you tag along?" Dante snapped, irritation flaring.

Yamato bowed slightly. "Sorry, Dante-san."

Yokosuka's Admiral grinned. "C'mon, fellow Admirals should bond!"

The General had spread word of Dante's picnic, ambushing them at the base's gate at dawn to join. Dante stopped, rubbing his temples. "How'd it come to this?"

As the group pressed on, Houshou doubled back. "Still mad?"

Dante stayed silent.

"Anger eats at you," she said softly. "Don't let it control you."

"Lecturing me?" he grunted.

"Advice," she corrected. "You hide your true feelings with silence. Don't you trust us enough to open up?"

"Not really…" he trailed off.

"Tell us how you feel," Houshou urged. "We're—"

"Family, right?" Dante cut in.

She smiled. "You get it."

"We'll get left behind. Let's move," he said.

"Yes," Houshou nodded.

They pushed deeper into the mountain, still lost.

Fumizuki whined, "Akashi-san, are we there yet?"

"Hold on," Akashi muttered.

"I'm tired… wanna go home," Hatsuyuki mumbled.

"I know, just wait," Akashi said.

The Marshal groaned, "This is tough on an old man…"

Akashi snapped, "Enough!"

"I'm starving!" Akagi chimed in.

"I'm struggling too, so help me out!" Akashi shouted, her voice echoing again. She studied the map, but their location was a mystery.

Shigure frowned. "Is there really a cherry tree out here?"

"Probably wilted by now," Murakumo added.

Junyou, a new shipgirl from a recent build, slurred, "Admiral, when can I drink~?"

"You were drinking earlier," Dante said.

"W-What? I'm sober!" Junyou protested.

"I saw you chugging," he deadpanned.

Morale waned as they wandered aimlessly.

Kongo tried to lighten the mood. "Maybe spin a compass and we'll get there, ne!"

A joke, but it sparked a chorus: "That's it!"

They spun the compass and pressed on, soon reaching a rickety suspension bridge.

Ooyodo eyed Akashi. "Akashi?"

"What?" Akashi replied.

"I don't want to cross," Ooyodo said.

"I know," Akashi sighed.

Memories of a harrowing bridge in Jester's labyrinth haunted Akashi, Ooyodo, Houshou, Mamiya, Akatsuki, Ikazuchi, Inazuma, and Kongo.

Akatsuki hesitated. "We're crossing this?"

The bridge looked neglected, ready to collapse.

Dante shrugged. "What's the holdup? Move."

"Can't we find another way?" Mamiya asked.

Akashi checked the compass. "It's pointing that way."

Dante sighed. "Fine." He stepped onto the bridge alone.

"Be careful!" Akagi called.

"I'm good," he replied, striding confidently. At the midpoint, he jumped repeatedly. "See? Solid. Come on!"

Naka whispered, "Sometimes I really admire that side of him…"

The shipgirls nodded vigorously. The General crossed casually, while the others inched across cautiously.

The Marshal panted, "I'm beat…"

"Need a piggyback?" the General teased.

"Embarrassing!" the Marshal huffed.

"Then walk," the General said.

"Be kind to the elderly!" the Marshal snapped.

Yamato turned to Dante. "Sorry about today."

"What about your jobs? Navy bigwigs slacking off?" Dante asked.

"They heard about the picnic and insisted on coming," Yamato explained.

"Childish old man," Dante muttered.

Yokosuka's Admiral laughed. "It's fine to cut loose sometimes!"

"Why're you here? Slacking too?" Dante shot back.

"Yup!" she declared proudly.

"She said it," Kitakami muttered.

"Are all Admirals idiots?" Ooi sighed.

Not quite.

"You're slacking too, huh?" Yokosuka's Admiral teased.

"My base runs on a six-day weekend," Dante quipped.

"What!? You're insane!" she gasped.

"Look who's talking!" he retorted.

Bickering, they reached an open clearing. A single cherry tree stood, its blossoms vibrant.

"We're here!" Akatsuki cheered.

"Yay!" Satsuki shouted, the destroyers racing to the tree.

"Finally," Dante said. "Long hike."

"Now I can drink!" Junyou whooped, despite sipping the whole way.

Houshou clapped. "Let's spread the sheets!"

"Yes!" the group chorused.

With time before lunch, they played and relaxed. Junyou raved, "Drinking under cherry blossoms is the best~!"

"You're drinking too much!" Soryu scolded. "You'll finish it all!"

Dante napped in the grass. Akagi and Kaga approached.

"Admiral, we set up the sheets. Nap there, or your clothes'll get dirty," Akagi said.

"It's too noisy there," Dante grumbled. "Especially with those extra idiots."

"Can we join you?" Akagi asked.

"Your clothes'll get dirty. Up to you," he said.

"I'll take the offer," Akagi replied, lying on one side.

Kaga settled on the other. "Excuse me."

"It's peaceful," Akagi said.

Dante stayed silent.

"What do you think?" she pressed.

"It's naptime," he said. "Bored again?"

"I want to talk," Akagi insisted.

"We're always talking," he pointed out.

"It's peaceful," she repeated.

"Ignoring me?" he asked.

"Your sword's kinda creepy, with that skull face," she said.

"Tell my dad," Dante replied.

"Your father?" Kaga asked.

"He gave it to me. Complain to him if you meet him," Dante said.

Akagi panicked. Dante's family was gone, a topic she avoided. Now his father came up.

"My brother's sword was Dad's too. Both heirlooms," Dante added.

Brother too. Akagi's heart sank.

"I left Dad's sword back there…" Dante mused.

Force Edge, once Sparda, stayed in his old world.

"Back in your world?" Akagi asked.

"Yup," he confirmed.

"Is that okay?" Kaga asked.

"Probably fine," Dante shrugged.

Kaga frowned. "It's an important heirloom, right?"

"It just ended up with me," he said.

"But if it's tied to demons, isn't that risky?" Akagi asked.

"It's fine as is. Needs this to unlock its power," Dante said, holding his amulet.

Akagi and Kaga recognized it from a dream where Dante fought his brother over it. Akagi tried to pivot. "That's pretty! Would it suit me?"

"Sorry, can't give it up. Mom's heirloom," Dante said.

Mother too. Akagi's spirit crumbled.

"Your guns are cool too!" she blurted, praying they weren't heirlooms.

"Those?" Dante said.

Akagi braced herself.

"They're built for me. Normal guns break when I fire too fast. A skilled gunsmith made ones I can't break," he explained.

Akagi sighed in relief—no family talk.

"I assembled them, though," Dante added. "They're heirlooms too."

"What?" Akagi and Kaga gasped.

"The gunsmith?" Kaga asked.

"Gone," Dante said.

Akagi, devastated, had dragged out painful memories. "Sorry, Admiral… First Carrier Division's pride ends here…"

"What's with her?" Dante asked Kaga. "She okay?"

"She's fine," Kaga said.

"Heirlooms are a burden," Dante continued. "Cleaning up messes, being called a traitor's kin, getting targeted…"

Akagi and Kaga fell silent, regretting the conversation. Kaga nudged Akagi to share their real intent.

"Tell him," Kaga urged.

"I can't…" Akagi mumbled.

"Spit it out," Dante said. "Leaving me hanging sucks."

Kaga prodded, "Akagi?"

Reluctantly, Akagi spoke. "I knew you before we met."

Dante frowned. His world was separate—how could she know him?

"I saw you in a dream," she explained. "Fighting a reaper-like demon in a sunset-lit city, and a tower rising from the ground."

Dante knew instantly: Temen-ni-gru. "Weird story."

"I was shocked when we met," Akagi said.

"I'm shocked now," Dante replied, though Kaga sensed he wasn't.

"Lunchtime!" Mamiya called.

They gathered under the tree, preparing food.

"Cheers!" everyone toasted, sipping drinks.

"Foul-blooded one, leave this land!" a voice boomed.

Everyone but Dante spat out their drinks, looking around. No one was there.

"Leave!" the voice repeated.

Dante stared at the cherry tree. The others followed his gaze.

"No way…" Tenryu whispered.

"A talking tree?" Shigure scoffed.

"Defile this land no more!" the voice demanded.

Unsure who spoke, they addressed the tree.

"You talking to me?" Dante asked.

"Get out!" it roared.

Houshou stepped in. "We mean no harm. We just want to view the blossoms."

"A few days ago, foul beings came," the voice said. "They ravaged this land, breaking nature's order. You carry their presence."

Kitakami muttered, "It's just talking now…"

Dante and the shipgirls knew it meant demons. The Marshal's group, unaware of Dante's origins, was confused.

"What's this about?" the Marshal asked.

Dante ignored him, dreading the hassle. "We'll leave after the picnic."

Silence from the voice. Then, demons appeared.

"There are the defilers," the voice said.

"Demons, even today?" Suzuya groaned.

Dante faced the tree. "Deal? I don't care who you are. I'll handle them, you let us picnic. How's that?"

He pointed, laying out terms.

"Very well. I keep my promises," the voice agreed.

"Five minutes," Dante said.

He kicked a pot of curry at the demons, charging. But the curry-soaked demons screamed, melting. Dante froze.

"Whoa…" he said.

"They melted…" Shigure gasped.

"Gross…" Tenryu grimaced.

"Who made that?" Dante asked.

Kongo eyed Hiei. "Hiei?"

Hiei, sweating, raised a hand.

"Sulfuric acid in there?" Dante asked.

"N-No!" Hiei stammered.

"Where'd you make it?" Kongo asked.

"In the mess hall!" Hiei insisted.

"No acid in the mess hall," Akashi said.

"We'll sort this later," Dante said.

He dispatched the demons effortlessly.

"Thank you, foul-blooded one," the voice said.

"No problem," Dante replied.

"I have a request," it continued. "What you call demons—the boundary between their world and ours weakens. Stop it. We guardians have lost our power."

"More demons around here?" Dante asked.

"Not just here. All the lands surrounded by sea," it said.

"Japan?" Shigure clarified.

"Yes," it confirmed.

"Admiral, it's probably…" Akagi began.

"That damn clown," Dante finished, meaning Jester.

"You differ from that demon. Will you help?" the voice asked.

"Planned to anyway," Dante said.

A breeze stirred, lifting fallen petals in a mesmerizing dance. The voice fell silent.

As they resumed the picnic, the Marshal bombarded Dante with questions about the "foul-blooded" label. Annoyed, Dante pawned it off on Houshou, whose explanation sparked a heated debate. The shipgirls patiently convinced the Marshal.

Ooyodo glanced at Akashi. "Akashi?"

Akashi winced. "…"

"Asking again," Ooyodo said.

"Don't…" Akashi pleaded.

"Lost again?" Ooyodo asked.

"Lost!" Akashi wailed, her voice echoing a third time.

The Marshal groaned, "We've got work tomorrow…"

"What do we do?" Yamato asked.

"Camp out?" the General suggested.

"I want my bed!" Yokosuka's Admiral whined.

The uninvited four griped freely.

"Where's the compass?" Dante asked.

Akashi rummaged. "It's… gone! I dropped it!"

"What!?" the group cried.

"How'll we sortie tomorrow?" Tenryu shouted.

"What about tonight?" Haguro panicked.

"It's dark, nanodesu…" Inazuma murmured.

"I want a bath…" Kisaragi sighed.

"Admiral?" Akagi looked at Dante.

Everyone stared, eyes pleading.

"Why me?" Dante asked.

"Do something with your demon powers!" Naka urged.

"Commander…" Fumizuki whined.

"Get Nevan to guide us from the air!" Soryu suggested.

"Good idea, Admiral!" Kongo agreed.

"Don't have 'em," Dante said.

"What?" Akagi asked.

"No devil arms," he clarified.

"Why not now!?" Ooi snapped.

"Who brings that to a picnic?" Dante retorted.

"Then what!?" Satsuki cried.

"Commander! Admiral! Dante-san!" the group shouted.

Demons appeared.

"Worst timing!" Kitakami yelled.

"Hieee!" Hiei squeaked.

"Hyah!" Junyou charged, drunk and hyped.

"Junyou-san!" Jintsuu called.

"Stop that drunk!" Tenryu shouted.

"Admiral!" Houshou urged.

"Always me, huh?" Dante grumbled.

He defeated the demons, and the group found their way back.