"Do you think Illustrious is the kind of weak flower who fears danger and likes to stay under the protection of the strong?" Lexington said with a smile.
Hearing this, Lilith also smiled and said, "True. If she were really like that, Illustrious wouldn't be the person we know."
"However, regardless of whether she has already become the Silver King, we still need to send someone to verify it," Lexington said calmly.
Nodding, Lilith pondered over a candidate: "Wasn't her master sent by you to the East Pacific for a mission? Let her verify it while she's at it!"
"Alright, I'll go arrange it immediately." Upon receiving the order, Lexington left at once.
"As expected of my capable secretary, so reliable." But Lilith suddenly remembered something important and immediately called out to Lexington's retreating back, "Oh right, have her master buy this issue of shonen manga for me in the East Pacific!"
...Looking at Illustrious suspended in the air, Hood said disdainfully, "I didn't expect you to actually be the Silver King. But looking at you, it seems not even the first seal has been broken. Your strength is at most that of a Three-Star Epic Ship Girl. How can someone like you hope to fight me?"
"So what? You're nothing more than my defeated opponent, yet you have the audacity to show up before me and act all high and mighty," Illustrious said with a cold laugh.
Hearing this, Hood trembled slightly with rage. 'Illustrious, you really do recognize me, yet you pretended not to. I'll make you regret how foolish it was to provoke me.'
"Boom!" Hood's entire body erupted with the aura of a Five-Star Epic Ship Girl. Purple Ship Qi continuously swirled around her. Her right hand opened slightly, and a crimson-bladed Tachi manifested in her palm. Then, she gripped it tightly and used her six wings to fly, shooting straight toward Illustrious.
"Die!"
Accompanied by a series of ear-piercing sonic booms, Hood vanished in a flash. That indomitable momentum seemed as if it would hack Illustrious to pieces.
Watching Hood's instantaneous approach through the air, Illustrious lightly raised her right hand. A triangular prism silver crystal erupting with silver light appeared in her palm.
"Forbidden Technique: Light Mystery Decree."
With a slightly solemn expression, Illustrious gave a low shout and placed the silver crystal into her chest.
"Boom!" Suspended in the air, Illustrious's entire body erupted with silver Prayer Qi like flames. Her aura, which was originally only at the level of a Three-Star Epic Ship Girl, suddenly surged, only stopping once it reached the level of a Five-Star Epic Ship Girl. The aura Illustrious emitted now was twenty times stronger than before.
Seeing Illustrious's aura surge to that of a Five-Star Epic Ship Girl, Hood frowned with a solemn expression. However, she thought it was just a move that overdraws power and was nothing to fear.
Opening her right hand slightly, the silver sword appeared in her grasp. Illustrious gripped it tightly and shot toward the rapidly approaching Hood.
Illustrious and Hood, gripping their respective weapons, flew so fast they turned into streaks of light. They collided with unparalleled momentum, and a thunderous roar erupted from the point of impact. The clash of sword and blade produced a powerful energy shockwave that rippled outward in a circle, causing the sea surface to become turbulent and stormy.
After the collision, the two Ship Girls retreated, then continuously flickered through the air. Each flicker produced sparks of power from the clashing blades.
"Is this the strength of an Epic Ship Girl? It really is extraordinary! If I had this kind of power, I wouldn't have ended up as a prisoner," Shokaku said, clenching her fists with a burning gaze as she watched Illustrious and Hood battle in the sky.
Although Shokaku was a Ship Girl with one foot in the door of being an Epic Ship Girl, she had long hesitated to break through. One must know that the Epic Trial is not easy to pass; many Ship Girls fail and perish during the process. Because of this, her strength remained at the level of a Gold-Plated Ship Girl until now.
"How did Illustrious's strength surge again? She's actually reached the level of a Five-Star Epic Ship Girl. Does this girl have no limit?" Zuikaku said with a grave expression.
Azuma had been paying close attention to Illustrious. She suddenly spoke up, "Have you noticed? The Admiral, who is constantly clashing with Hood, seems to be very happy."
"You think so too! I feel like she's enjoying the battle. It's truly crazy. Besides, shouldn't an Admiral usually hide in the rear to command and let the Ship Girls go down to fight?" Chen Xiaoqiang said with a look of shock.
"One can only say that Illustrious is a very unique Admiral," Zuikaku said softly.
'It seems Illustrious is a decent Admiral. Not only did she help heal my wounds, but she's also helping me save my sister.' Then Zuikaku turned red in the face. 'C-could it be she actually likes me? Otherwise, why would she help me so much? Oh, what am I thinking... but if she really can save my sister, it wouldn't be impossible to agree to her.'
A white figure flashed in the air—it was Illustrious. Constantly brandishing the silver sword, countless silver sword qi erupted from the blade, slashing fiercely toward Hood.
Countless silver sword qi sliced through the air, each carrying an incredibly sharp momentum as they charged forward, looking extremely spectacular against the azure sky.
Gazing at the silver sword qi pouring down like raindrops, Hood gripped her Tachi. The crimson blade instantly erupted with scorching flames as she slashed forcefully toward Illustrious.
A red flaming energy crescent blade, four zhang wide, shot out from the Tachi. The crescent blade soared through the sky, flashing past and colliding with the countless silver sword qi.
"Boom boom boom!" Although the silver sword qi were sharp and dense, the energy contained in the crescent blade was too terrifying, and they were exhausted in no time. After dealing with the sword qi, the crescent blade, though its power was depleted, seemed unwilling to stop as it continued rushing toward Illustrious with a series of sonic booms.
Gazing calmly at the weakened crescent blade, Illustrious gripped the silver sword and swung her right hand. With a flash of sword light, the crescent blade was easily dispersed by Illustrious's strike.
"Hood, it seems your strength has improved quite a bit over the years!" A captivating smile appeared on Illustrious's exquisite face.
Seeing how calm and collected Illustrious was, as if she were out on an excursion, Hood was fuming. She took a deep breath and said coldly, "Enjoy your pride while it lasts. Although your strength has increased greatly, I believe any buffing technique has a time limit. My power is my own, while yours is just an overdraw. As long as I keep stalling you, the final Victory will still be mine."
Hood was right. Illustrious's power-boosting technique—Forbidden Technique: Light Mystery Decree—could increase her power twenty-fold to reach the level of a Five-Star Epic Ship Girl, but it had a time limit. Once used, the boost lasted only twenty minutes. Afterward, her power would be completely gone, leaving her like an ordinary person for a full day before she recovered.
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