KanColle X Devil May Cry: Devil Trigger Protocol

Right Passage, Third Floor

As Dante conversed with Zuikaku, Akagi and her group pushed through the spiral passage and stepped through a looming door.

Kaga's voice was sharp, laced with exasperation. "Again?"

Junyou smirked, her tone dry. "Yup, I know this one. Deep Sea Ships incoming."

The scene before them was a vast sea, shimmering under an unnatural light. As expected, Deep Sea Ships—hulking battleships and sleek carriers—materialized from the depths. But something else emerged, figures that froze the blood in their veins.

A voice, soft yet chilling, broke the silence. "It's been a while, Houshou, First Carrier Division seniors."

Kaga's eyes widened, her voice trembling. "Why… why are you here!?"

They were shipgirls—comrades who had perished at Yokosuka Naval Base.

Another figure tilted her head, her smile mocking. "Why so shocked? Not happy to see us?"

Soryu's voice cracked. "What's going on? Why is Hiryu with the Deep Sea Ships?"

Inazuma whispered, "Hibiki-chan?"

Junyou's gaze hardened. "Hiyou…"

Hiei's breath caught. "Haruna, Kirishima!?"

Akagi's voice was barely audible. "You all… died back then, didn't you…?"

"Yes, we died," one of the figures said coldly. "Abandoned by you seniors."

Houshou's tone was firm, defiant. "That's not true! They didn't abandon anyone!"

Hiryu's doppelgänger sneered. "Then what were you doing when monsters tore us apart? Just watching, right?"

Akagi faltered. "…That's…"

Kaga's voice was strained. "There was nothing we could do…"

"Then why weren't you killed?" another figure pressed.

Hiryu's shade smirked. "Obvious, isn't it? Akagi and Kaga were the Admiral's favorites."

"Exactly," another echoed.

Silence hung heavy, the air thick with guilt and accusation.

Houshou's voice cut through. "It was night, inside a building. You know carrier planes couldn't fight there."

"Maybe," a figure replied, "but that doesn't matter."

Kaga's eyes narrowed. "Shoukaku…"

Akagi's voice trembled. "Where's Zuikaku?"

Kaga paused. "Now that you mention it…"

The fallen Yokosuka shipgirls included Zuikaku, Inazuma, and others now fighting alongside Akagi or on lower floors. Yet none of their current allies' counterparts stood before them.

Hiryu's shade glared at Soryu. "My precious Soryu isn't here because of you."

Soryu stammered, "M-Me?"

"Yes," Hiryu's shade hissed. "Give her back."

Shoukaku's shade tilted her head. "Why isn't Zuikaku here? Your fault, seniors?"

Kaga's voice was sharp. "What are you saying?"

Shoukaku's shade waved a hand dismissively. "Let's forget Zuikaku for now. When monsters killed and ate us, what pain do you think we felt? What emotions?"

Akagi's voice broke. "I'm sorry… we couldn't save you…"

"You don't mean that," Shoukaku's shade sneered.

"That's not true!" Kaga snapped.

"We'll show you seniors our pain and suffering," Shoukaku's shade declared.

The shades readied their rigging, weapons gleaming with malice. Akagi's group braced, their own rigging humming to life.

Left Passage, Outer Corridor

Having parted with Zuikaku, Dante strode through the outer corridor. A parallel passage ran opposite, likely where the shipgirls would emerge, converging at a path back into the temple's heart. The shipgirls were nowhere in sight.

Dante grinned. "Can't be late to the party."

He pressed on alone. The corridor opened into a grand chamber, its walls adorned with opulent decorations. At its far end, a mummy sat enthroned, a crown atop its head, draped in a tattered robe. No sign of Jester. No other exits.

Dante sauntered toward the throne. "Inviting me and not showing up? Some party."

With no one else around, he addressed the mummy. "Hey, got an invite, but I'm lost. Know where the party's at?"

The mummy, unsurprisingly, remained silent.

Dante shrugged. "Whatever."

He turned to backtrack, suspecting he'd missed something. A chill ran down his spine, and he spun around. White mist seeped from the mummy, swirling into a towering demon—three times a man's height, translucent, like a ghost. The mummy's soul, twisted by demonic miasma.

"Sink into sweet memories, slumber in the abyss of eternal rest…" the demon intoned.

Dante smirked. "Sorry, not napping yet."

The demon aimed its staff, a magic circle flaring at its tip. A fireball shot forth. Dante swung Rebellion, deflecting it back. The demon summoned lightning, canceling the fireball in a burst of sparks.

"Ancient civilization or whatever, your time's done," Dante said. "Tell me where the party is, or stay asleep."

The demon responded with a barrage of icicles. Dante fired Ebony & Ivory, shattering them as he charged. The demon swung its staff, but Dante leaped high, dodging effortlessly. Rebellion slashed, and the demon recoiled.

Dante grinned. "If you've got a body, I can take you down."

First Floor

"Hit!" Murakumo shouted as the final Deep Sea Ship sank, ending the battle.

Miyuki collapsed onto the water, sprawling out. "I'm exhausted!"

Hatsuyuki muttered, "…Can't move."

Naka groaned, "We're wrecked~"

Jintsuu's tone was firm. "Not yet. We need to join the others."

Satsuki frowned. "But can we fight like this?"

Kisaragi added, "Demons might show up next…"

Their concerns were valid. They'd battled countless Deep Sea Ships, taking heavy damage. They were far from unscathed.

Yuubari offered, "Worst case, we've got curry shells."

Fumizuki whined, "I hate those…"

Shiratsuyu suggested, "How about a break?"

Shigure shook her head. "No way. We're in enemy territory. We could be attacked anytime."

Tatsuta smiled slyly. "Worried about Tenryuu-chan, so I'm going ahead~"

She sped off. Akatsuki and Ikazuchi followed.

Murakumo yanked Miyuki up. "Let's go."

The group chased after Tatsuta.

Throne Room, Top Floor

The demon swung its staff, but Dante slammed Beowulf's fists into the ground. Light exploded outward—Volcano—blasting in all directions. Seizing the moment, Dante surged forward, Rebellion's Stinger piercing the demon with a devastating thrust. It roared, engulfed in blue flames, and vanished.

Dante chuckled. "Worshipped demons and became one? Ironic."

The wall behind the throne rumbled, revealing a hidden passage. Dante stepped inside.

Third Floor

"Fifth Carrier Division, enough!" Kaga shouted.

Shoukaku's shade remained silent.

"Hiryu, we don't need to fight!" Soryu pleaded.

"Shut up!" Hiryu's shade snapped.

The shipgirls hesitated to fight their own, stalling the battle. Enemy planes and gunfire thwarted any chance of persuasion.

Kongou's voice boomed. "My sisters wouldn't do this! I'm fighting back!"

Hiei gasped. "Big sister!?"

"Wait! They're—" Akagi began.

Tenryuu cut in. "If we don't fight, they'll kill us!"

Akagi faltered. "But…"

Kaga stood silent.

Houshou's voice was resolute. "Akagi, go."

"What…?" Akagi whispered.

"What's our goal? Go, now," Houshou urged.

"No way…!" Akagi protested.

"Tenryuu, Inazuma, take Akagi!" Houshou ordered.

"Got it!" Tenryuu replied.

"Akagi-san, let's go!" Inazuma said.

They dragged Akagi, who resisted.

"Houshou!" Akagi cried.

"Go!" Houshou's tone turned sharp, a rare edge.

Hibiki's shade blocked them. "You're not going anywhere."

"Hibiki-chan!?" Inazuma gasped.

"Not on my watch!" Hiei roared, her barrage stopping Hibiki's shade from firing.

"Go, now!" Hiei shouted.

"Don't waste their resolve," Tenryuu added.

"Akagi-san," Inazuma urged.

Akagi was forcibly pulled away.

Second Floor

"Kumanooo!" Suzuya cried.

"Suzuyaaa!" Kumano's shade echoed.

The second floor's battle raged, but five shipgirls struggled. Suzuya faced Kumano's shade in a tense duel.

"Kitakami-san, you okay?" Ooi asked.

"I'd say fine, but it's rough," Kitakami replied.

Destroyers and light cruisers arrived.

"What!? Why're we fighting shipgirls!?" Miyuki exclaimed.

"Everyone okay?" Ikazuchi asked.

"Finally, you're here~!" Aoba sighed.

"What's the situation?" Tatsuta asked.

"Fakes are blocking us—annoying!" Ooi snapped.

"You guys are beat up too," Kitakami noted.

"We faced a ton of enemies," Shigure said.

"We're joining the fight!" Jintsuu declared.

Reinforcements escalated the battle.

"Kumano, let's end this," Suzuya said.

"Indeed," Kumano's shade replied.

They aimed their main guns and fired. Suzuya's shot struck true; Kumano's missed. Kumano's shade dissolved into black dust, and the Deep Sea Ships vanished.

"Kumano…" Suzuya whispered.

"Over?" Kitakami asked.

"Seems so," Haguro said.

"You all made it in this state?" Kitakami marveled.

"No demons on the way here, oddly," Yuubari said.

"Thought it was a trap, so we stayed alert," Tatsuta added.

"Suzuya-san, you okay?" Ooi asked.

"Yeah… let's save the Admiral!" Suzuya rallied.

The shipgirls headed to the third floor.

Throne Room, Top Floor

Akagi, Tenryuu, and Inazuma reached the throne room.

"Where's the Admiral?" Akagi asked.

"Ugh, what's this…?" Tenryuu grimaced.

"Another mummy…" Inazuma whispered.

The mummy, split vertically, sat on the throne. A passage lay behind.

"The Admiral might be ahead…" Akagi said.

"Let's move. This place creeps me out," Tenryuu urged.

Hidden Passage

Dante emerged from the stone corridor into a shifting atmosphere. The walls, reddish-black, pulsed like living flesh.

"Here we go," he muttered.

A massive door loomed, unyielding, with a slot for a key.

"No way, a key?" Dante groaned.

"Admiral!" Akagi called.

Akagi, Tenryuu, and Inazuma arrived.

"Just you three?" Dante asked.

"Yes…" Akagi replied.

"What about the others?"

"Fighting Deep Sea Ships and… shipgirls," Inazuma said.

"Looked like our old Yokosuka comrades. Everyone's hesitant to fight," Tenryuu added.

"Your rigging has radios, right?" Dante asked.

"Yeah, why?" Tenryuu replied.

"They're fakes. Tell them."

"Fakes?" Akagi asked.

"I met a fake Yamato and Lady. They had demonic energy—real ones don't. Hurry."

"Understood! Everyone, can you hear me?" Akagi called into the radio.

Third Floor

"Everyone, can you hear me?" Akagi's voice crackled.

"Akagi!?" Kaga exclaimed.

The sudden call startled the shipgirls.

"They're fakes! It's okay to fight them!"

"Are you sure?" Houshou asked.

"The Admiral saw through them. It's certain."

"Nice! You linked up with the Admiral!" Junyou cheered.

"Understood. Everyone, full counterattack!" Houshou ordered.

"Let's make some noise!" Kongou roared.

"Big sister, that's not quite right!" Hiei corrected.

"It's 'raise hell'!" Soryu added.

"Whatever, fire!" Kongou shouted.

Hidden Passage

"Let's go!" Tenryuu said.

"Can't. No key for the door," Dante replied.

"Key?" Tenryuu asked.

Dante pointed to the door's slot.

"That shape… a staff?" Akagi guessed.

"The mummy had a staff," Inazuma said.

They returned to the throne room.

Throne Room

"Is it safe to take it? Won't we get cursed?" Tenryuu asked, eyeing the mummy warily.

Akagi, Tenryuu, and Inazuma hesitated.

"Tenryuu, take it," Dante said.

"Why me!? Do it yourself!" Tenryuu snapped.

"Tenryuu, take it."

"Why—"

"Just do it."

Akagi whispered to Dante. "Why Tenryuu?"

"She paled seeing the mummy earlier. Thought it'd be funny," Dante grinned.

Akagi stared, speechless.

"Akagi…" Tenryuu pleaded.

Akagi, distracted, didn't hear.

"Tenryuu-san, you can do it!" Inazuma cheered.

"Damn it…" Tenryuu muttered.

The mummy gripped the staff tightly.

"Ugh, gross…" Tenryuu whimpered, half-crying.

She pried the mummy's fingers loose.

"GYAAA!!" she screamed as a finger snapped.

Akagi and Inazuma jumped. Dante doubled over, laughing.

With the staff, they fitted it into the door's slot. The door rumbled open, revealing a vast room with an altar. Jester waited at its center.

"Took you long enough, Dante," Jester taunted.

"Those fakes—Yamato, Lady—your doing?" Dante asked.

"What? Mad? Sorry, not me," Jester replied.

"Only you'd pull something that twisted," Dante shot back.

"That's the temple's system to eliminate intruders! It's got flaws, though," Jester explained.

The system read intruders' memories, manifesting them as foes. It couldn't create the intruders themselves, explaining Zuikaku's absence on the third floor—her shade was with Dante.

"That's why I sensed demonic energy," Dante said.

"Yup! Killed by dear friends or loved ones—scary, right?" Jester grinned.

"Beyond twisted. You're insane. Killing you ends this circus," Dante replied.

"Too late. The demon world's gate is open. Can't stop it now~" Jester sang.

A mirror on the altar reflected a sinister realm—the demon world's entrance.

"Don't decide that," Dante growled, gripping Rebellion.

Akagi's group deployed their rigging.

"He's a clown, but he'll pull annoying tricks. Stay sharp," Dante warned.

"No letting our guard down," Akagi agreed.

"Let's play, then!" Jester cackled.

To Be Continued!