The Second Battle of Santa Cruz was still a victory for the IJN Combined Fleet, but at the cost of the bombing of a vital forward anchorage. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

More importantly, the regular air carrier fleet of the ヲ-class transferred from across the ocean completely crushed the confidence of the vast majority of people. No one knew when the next round of airstrikes would begin, returning to the devastated port of Shoreland, and most people were thinking of retreating.

"It's ironic. When we withdrew from the Marshall Islands, the vast majority of people strongly opposed Sousuke Takayanagi's proposal to retreat, believing that by insisting on breaking into the lair of the Deep Sea Fleet in the Hawaiian Islands, we would be able to crush the non-human enemy fleet. As a result, this time, Sousuke Takayanagi didn't plan to give up the Solomon Islands, but they began to secretly have voices of retreat. ”

With the help of his intelligence system, Gonjun Sato easily obtained several records of the condition of the personnel who were "handled" by Kawauchi of the First Sentai Team. Sousuke Takayanagi did not seem to intend to abandon the Solomon Islands, and did not hesitate to use deterrence in order to control the retreat of his soldiers.

"Because I'm here?" Kii thought that the deep-sea fleet would not know where Kii was temporarily staying at the anchorage, so he did not dare to bomb again.

"Don't be stupid. Your cabin wasn't visited by bombs, do you really think it's luck? Besides, even if there is a regular air carrier fleet of the ヲ-class that accidentally hits you, it will only lose a ship and anger the will of the deep sea. Central Seihime wouldn't take this level of risk into account. ”

Sato drew a rough map of the eastern part of the Solomon Islands on a blank page in front of Kii, on which he drew two small circles, representing the adjacent Buin and Shotland fields, and then blacked out the lower right corner of the page with a pencil.

"According to the reconnaissance intelligence and the information sent back by the submarine, it can be determined that the deep-sea fleet has taken control of the Santa Cruz Islands and the New Hebrides Islands. Above the blockade network, it is estimated that more than 100 regular aircraft carriers of the ヲ class are waiting on the ocean. The deep-sea fleet has come out, and we can hardly find a reason to win against them. ”

After listening to Sato's analysis, Kii realized how quickly the battle situation had changed. Obviously, a week ago, only one enemy fleet led by Light Cruiser Ji Ji was stuck in the route to the Hawaiian Islands. Now the enemy has blocked all the routes of the combined fleet.

Adversity and predicament are two different concepts, the former will make speculators choose to retreat, but the latter will only make the heroes of the times determined. This time, the deep-sea fleet is really going to completely defeat the IJN Combined Fleet in a battle...... Kii realized the true intentions of the other party, and the odds of winning on his side were very low.

"It is in the enemy's mood that we continue to defend Shortland."

Kii came up with an answer, and Gonjun Sato applauded softly. "You're already a great commander. But in other words, can you turn down an invitation from your former friend to a showdown? Sousuke Takayanagi must act as a hero to face the deep-sea fleet that is about to be overpowered. There was no way back for him, and once he lost his cloak as a 'genius commander', his 'life' would be over. For him, for us, for all of us at IJN, the ensuing battle could be an opportunity for the collapse of the whole line at any moment. The Solomon Islands means to all of us differently than the Marshall Islands, where every upend has occurred. Now it's just a matter of going back to the beginning, and for you, your starting point is not Pearl Harbor or Holland Harbor in the far north. ”

"Here?" Kii recalls the night battle when she was calculated by the Moored Water Ghost, and it was the first time she enjoyed the slaughter of the war, using the Kii's performance to the fullest, and defeating the enemy's deep-sea interception force with one ship. It was also during that battle that Kii showed a fanatical admiration for war, and she was no different from the vast majority of young men who joined the army.

"You knew at that time that I was the dead Sanjo Kirin?"

"The will of the deep sea deliberately didn't tell me about you, and it was also in that battle that I was 100% sure that you were the one I was waiting for." Gonjun Sato suddenly lifted Kii's long sideburns and put it close to her ear. "I can't give you a logical and rigorous reasoning conclusion, but please believe that the key to victory is with us, even in your hands. Come on. ”

"Ahem! Cough!! "Yamato, who walked into Kii's wooden house, knocked on the door again, and coughed a few times." Sato Shaosa generously called on the officers to give up the dormitory to the wounded as a ward, which is really a good idea, it is difficult for you to sleep on the floor here. ”

Because of Sosuke Takayanagi's relationship, Yamato didn't have a good impression of Kii's think tank Sato Gonjun, especially after discovering that the other party was more emotional than his own admiral.

Kiyi's face turned red, and he directly picked up the pillow next to the table and buried his face in it. "Something to talk about."

"If you don't want me to come, use your authority to connect the phone lines here. The report showed that a special destroyer encountered an army aircraft carrying out a coastal patrol mission, and the pilot relied on excellent flying skills to reluctantly drive the reconnaissance plane back. According to the man's description, the ship was similar in appearance to the enemy ship that sank the Blowing Snow, and the pilot had the good fortune to see the ship's deep-sea habitat up close, a girl who looked similar to your team's Spring Rain. ”

Yamato didn't wait for Kii's answer, pulled out a piece of paper from the document bag in his hand, and then left immediately. What Kii would do, Sosuke Takayanagi had long predicted, and he sent Yamato precisely to throw the trouble on Kii.

The other party has already buried the resurrected Nake (Light Patrol Qihime) with his own hands, and as a "fair" sharing of responsibility, he naturally wants to let Kii dispose of it himself.

"Want to see what the pilot described?"

Gonjun Sato shook the page in front of Kii, who waited for a few seconds and hurriedly threw it on the pillow to snatch it. But Sato moved quickly and took the page to the other hand. In front of Kii, tear it to shredded paper.

"Don't look, except for Yamato's deceptive lie just now, there is no evidence to prove that Chunyu suffered the same thing as Naka. Forget what just happened. ”

"I can handle this...... For the sake of the spring rain, but also for the sake of others. I'm their admiral. ”

Gonjun Sato took out the folded notebook from his trouser pocket and handed it to Kii. "Fulfill your request, if you really want to personally give the spring rain a funeral. I'll help you when you need to, when you need someone to be the bad guy. ”

“……”

Kii stretched out her hand and gently hugged Sato Quanjun's waist, she was a ship girl, if she used force, the human flesh would be easily crushed by her, and at this time she felt regretful.

"I ......"

"What I can teach you, what I can help you, what I can do for you, I have done my best. What do you understand by this? Don't make a decision lightly. Your mother loved nothing more than to watch human tragedies happen. I, O I, hope that you can smile happily every day, complain, worry, confide in me, and share everything about you. This is what I want to answer you, you can save it for the time being, until you feel that the time is right. Tell me what exactly the emotion I have forgotten is. ”

Gonjun Sato interrupted what Kii wanted to say, and he gently stroked Kii's long hair to soothe Kii's anxiety.

The answer is obviously easy to see, and even Kii, who is usually not very good-headed, has long understood.

"Next time I go back to my country, come with me to Hiroshima again if I have the chance. I personally introduce you to the beautiful scenery of my hometown. ”

"I'm looking forward to it."

The two made a pact again, but this time it was not for the war they were in, but only for the two of them. It seems that compared to the promise of creating a miracle, this one is easier to achieve, more realistic, and more in line with the wishes of the two of them.