Crossover Shipgirls: Building a Dimensional Empire from Scratch

After Musashi spoke, the rest of the Fleet of Fog shipgirls followed suit, pledging their allegiance.

They had grown increasingly curious about the shipgirls from another world, and before long, they were bonding with their Azur Lane counterparts.

”Hmm, but our ship bodies have been completely wrecked. It looks like we won’t be able to participate in any battles for a while.”

Musashi remarked with a hint of regret.

”That’s a minor issue. When we get back, the Bulins will craft new ship bodies for you. They fixed up Yamato’s ship in just a few days.”

”With the starship conversion process included, you all should be fully upgraded to our level within two to three months.”

Setsuna replied.

”Oh? You mean those little miracle workers? Commander, how many Bulins do you have? There are at least fifty or sixty of us Fleet of Fog shipgirls here.”

Yamato asked curiously.

”Over a million. If each of you gets 2,000 Bulins, there should be more than enough.”

Setsuna yawned.

”Huh?!...”

Yamato was momentarily stunned, gaining a new perspective on the scale of Setsuna’s civilization.

”Commander, I have another request.”

Musashi turned to Setsuna, speaking seriously:

”I want to use your power to search for something in this world.”

”Go ahead.”

Setsuna nodded.

”The Admiralty Code.”

Musashi paused before elaborating:

”I don’t know when or by whom it was created, but the Admiralty Code has the power to impose laws upon the entire Fleet of Fog.”

”Rules such as being unable to leave the ocean or step onto land for extended periods—these were all dictated by the Admiralty Code.”

”While temporary violations don’t seem to cause issues, prolonged defiance of its edicts interferes with our Mental Models.”

”...”

Setsuna was already aware of this.

The Admiralty Code, also known as the Lost Command, was a background mechanism within the Blue World.

It restricted the Fleet of Fog from leaving the seas. Otherwise, given their level of scientific advancement, they would have equipped themselves with thrusters and taken to the skies long ago.

Musashi and her fleet had been searching for it for over a decade, but to no avail. They didn’t even know what form it took—

It could be a piece of code, a physical book, or something entirely different.

Finding it would likely require significant effort.

”That’s an easy fix.”

Setsuna clapped a hand on Mio’s shoulder.

Bringing the Spirit of Origin along had been a strategic decision to deal with problems like this.

”You’re all bound by the Admiralty Code, right? It’s similar to what Iona went through...”

”Mio, set them free.”

Swoosh—

The world around them instantly turned monochrome.

The Spirit of Origin activated her domain once more.

She lightly touched Musashi’s forehead, and Musashi felt a restriction within her being shatter—

She was no longer bound by incomprehensible laws.

”Are you... a god?!”

The Arpeggio shipgirls were stunned.

If Mio had intervened during the previous battle, they would have been erased in an instant.

”For weaker worlds? I suppose I might as well be.”

Mio tilted her head, then glanced at Setsuna:

”Setsuna, would you like me to add a few new rules for them? Something like recognizing you as their supreme deity?”

”Or perhaps, if anyone speaks ill of you, they immediately collapse in unbearable agony, writhing on the ground?”

”I could make that happen quite easily.”

Her expression remained sweet and innocent, as if she were discussing something completely ordinary.

”No need. We should still respect the shipgirls’ freedom of thought. I trust that they’re all good girls.”

”Let’s save that ability for someone else later...”

Setsuna coughed lightly.

”!!!”

Gudako shivered.

With all the powerful shipgirls around, she had nearly forgotten about the lovestruck powerhouse standing beside Setsuna.

If Mio weren’t currently obsessed with him and following his every command, who knew what kind of chaos an Spirit of Origin with her level of power might unleash?

”So terrifying...”

Musashi’s gaze toward Setsuna changed yet again.

At first, she had thought of him as just some spaceship-flying, enigmatic alien.

But the more she interacted with him, the more she realized that everyone around him was absurdly overpowered.

...

”Okay, Blue World—completely settled.”

By evening, in the temporary base’s office, Setsuna crossed off the final task in his notebook: ”Subjugate the Fleet of Fog.”

He exhaled in satisfaction.

Everything of value had already been packed up and taken.

The entire world was now a vassal, every single Fleet of Fog shipgirl had boarded their ships, and thanks to Akashi and the Bulins’ reverse engineering, it wouldn’t take long before they were fully upgraded with new equipment.

Soon, even Iona could be refitted into a true interstellar battleship worthy of the name Yamato.

As for the Admiralty Code... with the Fleet of Fog freed, it was no longer an urgent issue.

He could send someone to search for it later, or just have Nia Honjo investigate with Rasiel, saving himself the effort. One way or another, it would turn up eventually.

”Pack up. We’re heading back tomorrow.”

Setsuna yawned, preparing to leave the office.

Squeak—

Suddenly, a small fox-eared head peeked through the door.

”Nagato?”

”Are you here for more ear and tail rubs?”

Seeing her, Setsuna couldn’t help but chuckle.

Nagato had been stopping by frequently, always curling up in his lap like a fox seeking warmth.

”I... I just thought that once the Commander returns, you’ll probably be very busy... So... I wanted to spend more time with you...”

A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she lowered her head, speaking in a soft voice.

”Of course.”

”Ah—!”

Setsuna scooped her up in a princess carry.

He sat down on the couch, cradling the little divine princess in his arms.

Unlike Richelieu, Taihou, and the other big-sisterly shipgirls, Nagato had an irresistibly adorable, dependent charm.

Small, soft, and cuddly.

As he gently stroked her fluffy ears and tail, the little girl in his lap closed her eyes, letting out contented hums.

”So this is a beast-eared girl’s weak spot?”

Setsuna chuckled. At the very least, neither Taihou nor Richelieu reacted like this when he patted their heads.

”That’s because... you... You’re my Commander!”

”Only you are allowed to touch my ears and tail!”

Nagato declared, face burning red.

”Alright, alright.”

Setsuna chuckled, ruffling her ears again.

”Mmm—”

Nagato burrowed into his chest, mumbling in a muffled voice:

”Commander, you’ve taken in so many new shipgirls in this world... You won’t play favorites, will you?”

”Me? When have I ever?”

Setsuna pinched her cheek playfully.

”The Arpeggio Fleet and Azur Lane’s fleets will each have their own command structure. Yamato is the flagship of Arpeggio, and you’re the flagship of Azur Lane’s Sakura Empire fleet. Where’s the favoritism?”

”I... I’m afraid you’ll be drawn to their Nagato instead.”

Nagato mumbled weakly.

”Huh?”

Setsuna paused, recalling that the Fleet of Fog also had a Nagato.

In fact, she had two Mental Models—both young girls dressed in traditional kimonos.

”I barely even spoke to Arpeggio Nagato. What are you thinking?”

Setsuna pinched the ears of the girl in his arms, making Nagato let out a soft, playful whimper.

”Besides, I’ve always been fair. I treat all the shipgirls in the fleet equally—favoritism doesn’t exist.”

”Really?”

Nagato turned her head to ask.

”You can ask Belfast, Taihou, or Yat Sen if you don’t believe me.”

”...”

Nagato was silent for a moment before cautiously speaking:

”Then... what about me?”

”You? You’re the same as everyone else.”

Setsuna leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

”Ah—!”

Nagato curled up in his arms like a little fox. Then, she slowly raised her head, her nervous gaze locking onto Setsuna’s.

”D-Don’t treat me like a child just to appease me! I am a battleship!”

”Oh?”

Setsuna noticed that Nagato was particularly sensitive about her ”battleship” status and didn’t want to be treated like a small shipgirl.

”Then do you know what a pledged ship is supposed to do?”

He teased her with a smirk.

”I... I know! I’m just... a little short. If the Commander doesn’t mind...”

Her last words were barely audible, like the buzzing of a mosquito.

”...”

Looking at the blushing, flustered shipgirl in his arms, Setsuna felt as if he had discovered a new weakness of his.

Wait a second—

A fox-eared, big-gun battleship loli?!

Adorable. Absolutely adorable. Just pure, overwhelming cuteness. The kind that made him want to spoil her endlessly.

Without hesitation, he lifted Nagato into his arms, projecting the Eternal Snowfall’s ship frame against the night sky.

”Commander... I-I entrust myself to you...”

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