"Relax, it's not as bad as it looks. Just watch," Illustrious said calmly.
Illustrious studied the Epic Ship Girl: long raven hair, a golden phoenix hairpin, ruby eyes, a dainty nose, glistening red lips.
A red choker circled her neck, and she wore a crimson halter gown cut high and low, black lace garter stockings hugging her alluring legs.
She lounged in an ornate Western chair, right leg crossed over left, a red high-heel dangling from her foot, swaying idly.
In her right hand she swirled half a glass of champagne; a flush tinted her cheeks—tipsy, as though she wouldn't resist if you ran her through—yet anyone foolish enough to step closer would die horribly.
"He-he! Taihou is here; none of you are getting past. I'm not as fragile as I look, you know. Of course, if you're strong enough to entertain me, I might let you through," Taihou murmured, eyes hazy.
The crowd cursed her inwardly. Two piles of censored corpses on the ground had challenged her to test her strength—and paid the price.
"Ah, Taihou is lonely… Is there no one to share the burning heat and pounding heart inside me?" she lamented, gazing at the crowd.
"Damn, she's arrogant! Does she think being a Five-Star Epic lets her do whatever she wants?"
"Yeah! There are hundreds of us—what are we afraid of?"
"Exactly! We've prepared too long to let some wench send us home empty-handed!" The onlookers seethed, eager to teach her why flowers are red.
For all the hot-blooded talk, no one rose to face Taihou; two mangled Ship Girl corpses already lay before them as a grisly warning.
In the stalemate a Ship Girl stepped forward. Wearing a bright-green sailor dress with long sleeves and twitching rabbit ears, she spoke with gentle grace: "Miss Taihou, this is unclaimed territory. Neither of us has the right to seize it."
The crowd recognized her at once.
"That's Souryuu, main fleet Ship Girl of the East Pacific's Wang Xianyu Naval Base—a Five-Star Epic Ship Girl! If she fights, Taihou's in real trouble!"
"I'm not so sure—Taihou just vaporized two Gold-Plated Ship Girls in seconds!"
"Right! Those five red rings fired chains of crimson spears—deadly."
Taihou eyed the approaching Souryuu coolly. "Enough talk. Fight or leave; you're stronger than those two, but still no match for me."
Souryuu adjusted her round glasses. "Why must Ship Girls fight one another? Can't we live in harmony?"
"Die." Impatient, Taihou raised her right hand; fifteen red rings appeared and hurled as many spear-chains straight at Souryuu.
Souryuu stopped, unruffled, then blinked out of sight, reappearing in flashes to dodge the chains. She materialized behind Taihou, purple Ship Qi cloaking her fist as she smashed downward.
Noticing Taihou's faint smirk, Souryuu aborted the punch and vanished an instant before sixteen chains skewered the spot where she'd stood.
Reappearing in mid-air, Souryuu spread six purple wings. She weaved hand-signs and sent thirty sword-shaped energy blades screaming toward Taihou.
"Gale-Sword Tempest!"
Taihou, still seated, snapped her fingers; countless red rings formed a three-zhang shield of chains overhead.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The thirty blades slammed into the shield, shock-waves forcing Admirals to cower behind their Ship Girls.
Gasping, Souryuu stared: her ultimate had done nothing, and Taihou hadn't even left her chair.
Maybe Taihou wasn't merely a Five-Star Epic Ship Girl...
Souryuu shivered at the possibility. She bowed mid-air. "I concede. Thank you for the lesson, Senior!"
She withdrew, unwilling to be humiliated further.
"You lasted longer than most; be proud. Leave."
Souryuu beamed. "Thank you, Senior!"
She skipped back into the crowd as if she'd just won the lottery.
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