By all logic, Bismarck should've struggled with anti-air, yet she walked unbothered under the storm of enemy aircraft.
Yamato felt bitter—this was the power of rigging. Bismarck's specialized gear compensated for her weaknesses.
And beyond that, Bismarck had an absolutely shameless skill: Unsinkable Battleship.
Any attack that didn't deal at least 8% of her HP was completely negated. Even if it did, only the portion exceeding that threshold would count.
To cut 8% of Bismarck's HP in one strike? Even a fully maxed-out Abyssal aircraft carrier flagship would be hard-pressed.
Yamato glanced toward Prince of Wales.
She was having a rougher time, but nothing serious—thanks to Helena standing guard beside her.
As a light cruiser, Helena's specialty was escorting battleships and providing anti-air cover.
At level 110, her defense was downright monstrous—she carved gaps into the storm clouds above, and the Abyssal aircraft were so terrified they didn't even dare to fly over her head.
Noticing Yamato's gaze, Helena turned and gave her a soft smile, silently mouthing something.
Yamato practically coughed up blood.
Helena had said she wasn't providing cover because Bismarck and the others were faking it too hard. They couldn't convincingly sell the image of being bombed into despair—so Yamato had to be the sacrifice.
How could she say that with a straight face?! I'm practically an ally of your base, aren't I?!
Fortunately, the nightmare was finally about to end.
After being bombarded by tens of thousands of Abyssal aircraft for hours, Bismarck suddenly halted and raised her right hand.
"Helena, give me vision!"
If Helena's skill only boosted her own scouting, it wouldn't deserve to be called a god-tier ability.
Her skill, Tactical Analysis, boosted the entire team's scouting and accuracy. Not only that—Helena could synthesize the team's overall data, cross-reference it, and generate pinpoint firing solutions.
Shipgirls fire at targets dozens of nautical miles away, but their enemies are human-sized Abyssals. Scouting and accuracy were crucial. Especially accuracy—one point in accuracy could be as valuable as one in firepower.
Think about it: a +23 firepower cannon might be rated 2 stars, but one with +24 firepower and +2 accuracy? That's a 5-star weapon. That's how important accuracy is.
Prince of Wales also had a team-buffing skill, Atlantic Charter, which increased allies' accuracy. But due to her personality, she only shared it with UK and US faction members.
Bismarck? A German? Doesn't count.
But for Bismarck, accuracy wasn't even needed.
Calling for Helena's help was just to make target locking more efficient.
Bismarck's first skill, Flagship Hunter, guaranteed a hit and added bonus true damage. It was practically a built-in aimbot.
In the middle of the storm, seawater erupted into spray. Bismarck closed her eyes.
The three cannons at her sides tilted slightly, paused for just a second—then slammed backward in recoil.
Nine armor-piercing shells, flickering between solid and ethereal, roared through the sky. They ripped a fine black scar across the sea's surface, which only closed moments later.
Saratoga and Ranger exchanged a glance and nodded in unison.
"Launch!"
Abyssal Yamato felt a jolt of unease.
Sure, the constant aerial assaults had slowed the six-ship squad down, letting the Abyssal army close in.
Now the vanguard was just 30 to 40 nautical miles away.
Reconnaissance reports confirmed that all six shipgirls were injured from the bombardment—especially that Yamato, who was nearly sinking.
Abyssal Akagi and Abyssal Kaga were hyped. During the hours of combat, they noticed that the enemy carriers hadn't launched a single fighter.
The enemy team was practically a bunch of punching bags!
Yet as more time passed, Yamato grew more and more restless.
Something was wrong.
Could a base that fielded Lexington and Tirpitz—monsters of that caliber—really be reduced to this?
Sure, withstanding wave after wave of air raids was impressive, but compared to the awe-inspiring might of those two? This team didn't even come close.
[End of Chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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