KanColle X Devil May Cry: Devil Trigger Protocol

Akagi was dreaming. Unlike past dreams where she wandered a dreamscape, this was a vivid vision.

In a sinister void, Dante battled a colossal demon. Blood streamed from his head, his body battered. The demon's tentacles lashed out, whipping and hurling him through the air. They coiled around his arm, hoisting him aloft. Dante, broken and unresisting, hung limp. A magic circle glowed before the demon, unleashing a barrage of energy bolts that pummeled him. Finally, a massive surge of magical force engulfed Dante, erasing him from sight.

Naval Base, Early Morning

Akagi jolted awake, gasping. "Hah… haa, haa, haa…"

Kaga, her roommate, still slept. Sweat trickled down Akagi's skin. Without changing, she bolted from the room.

Akagi rushed to Dante's quarters to confirm his safety. Ignoring courtesy, she entered without knocking—but Dante wasn't there.

"No…!" Akagi's chest tightened, as if her dream had come true. She sprinted to the Admiral's office.

(Please, be there!)

Bursting through the door, she found him—Dante, sprawled on a sofa, snoring.

"…Zzzz…"

Relief flooded Akagi. She approached, touching him to confirm he was real.

"Admiral…" she whispered.

"…Ngh?" Dante stirred, sensing her presence and touch.

"Bit bright for a late-night visit," he quipped, smirking.

"Late-night visit?" Akagi snapped. "I was worried sick, and you make me feel foolish!"

"…Huh?" Dante blinked, confused.

She recounted her dream.

"Me, dead?" Dante scoffed. "You're overthinking it. I don't go down that easy."

"Can you say that for sure?" Akagi pressed.

Dante fell silent.

"You told me before," she said, "that I saw you in a dream before we met. I've had another one, too."

She described a dream of Dante fighting Vergil.

Dante stayed quiet, his expression unreadable.

"In my dreams," Akagi continued, "you fought a reaper-like demon, and you and your brother clashed over your mother's keepsake around your neck. Those happened in your world, didn't they?"

"Just dreams," Dante said. "Don't worry."

But Akagi's dreams mirrored real events from Dante's world.

"Vergil…" she said.

Dante flinched.

"In the dream, you called your brother Vergil," she said. "That's his name, isn't it?"

He'd mentioned a brother but never his name. Her dreams gained chilling credibility.

"Well?" she demanded.

Dante didn't answer.

Kaga entered, searching for Akagi. "Akagi-san, you're here—"

"Time for breakfast, right?" Dante cut in. "Go change, Akagi."

Akagi left, deflated.

"What happened?" Kaga asked.

"Bad dream," Dante said.

Kaga frowned, puzzled.

Canteen, Noon

Kaga was at a loss. Akagi had been listless all morning.

"Akagi-san, what's wrong?" Kaga asked. "Talk to me."

"It's nothing…" Akagi murmured.

Kaga hadn't expected to be shut out.

Akagi left the canteen.

"What's with Akagi-san?" Soryu asked.

"No idea," Kaga said. "She's been like this since morning."

"Did Hiei cook again?" Soryu teased.

"I haven't cooked since the Admiral banned it!" Hiei snapped. Her dangerous dishes had earned a prohibition.

"Still, it's worrying," Kongo said.

"Is she okay?" Haguro asked.

"Some sake'd cheer her up!" Junyo slurred.

"That's a bad idea," Soryu said.

Hoshou stayed silent, concerned. Today was the Marshal's visit. She hoped nothing would go wrong.

Main Gate

Cerberus growled, "You again?"

"I-I'm here to see Admiral Dante…" the Marshal stammered, bracing for rejection as before.

"Get in already," Cerberus barked.

"Th-thank you," the Marshal said, relieved to pass the guardian beast and heading to the office.

Admiral's Office

Dante and the Marshal sat across from each other on sofas, Ooyodo standing behind Dante.

"Where to start?" the Marshal mused.

"You first," Dante said.

"You've reclaimed all the demonic artifacts," the Marshal noted.

"Thanks to you," Dante replied.

"Do you know who took them and why?" the Marshal asked.

"To revive the Demon World," Dante said.

"Demon World?" the Marshal echoed.

"The world of demons," Dante clarified. "Which ties to my question."

"What's that?"

"Hold on," Dante said. He aimed his guns at the door and fired a barrage.

Ooyodo gasped, "Admiral!?"

"What the—!?" the Marshal exclaimed.

Bullet holes formed a human silhouette in the door. As the shooting stopped, someone collapsed.

"Nice guts, eavesdropping," Dante said.

"S-sorry!" Aoba yelped, scrambling up and fleeing.

"Ooyodo," Dante said.

"I'll handle it," she replied, exiting.

"First," Dante said, "this war with the Abyssals—is it mimicking an older war?"

"Not intentionally," the Marshal said. "But it feels… guided. Like it's fate."

"Fate?" Dante snorted. "Doubt that exists."

"I thought so too," the Marshal admitted, grimacing. "But the tide keeps pulling that way."

"That damn clown said demons existed here long ago," Dante said. "History repeats, he claimed. The Demon World will rise again. He wanted me to fight powerful demons. I had to, to reclaim the artifacts, but it's tied to their revival."

"All connected?" the Marshal asked.

"Maybe," Dante said. "Not sure how. He said a 'kind human' tipped him off."

"A human?" the Marshal said. "Who?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking," Dante said. "Second, I met an Abyssal called an Elite on the last mission."

The report hadn't reached headquarters, so the Marshal was unaware.

"It reeked of demon," Dante said.

"What!?" the Marshal exclaimed. "Are Abyssals demons?"

"Not certain," Dante said. "Only the Elite smelled like one."

"This is baffling," the Marshal muttered.

"Don't play dumb," Dante snapped. "The navy researched Abyssals before, didn't it?"

The air grew heavy.

"…Listen as if it's an old man's ramblings," the Marshal said.

Dante raised an eyebrow.

"Long ago, the navy studied Abyssals to win the war and reclaim sea control… or so it was meant to be," the Marshal said.

"Meant to be?" Dante pressed.

"The research was ordered by the headquarters' head at the time," the Marshal continued. "They aimed to weaponize Abyssals. Unethical experiments happened, supposedly."

"And?" Dante said.

"Some navy officers and military police caught wind, arrested the head and researchers, and judged them. The research data was destroyed before the police could seize it. It's the navy's dark secret—never to be leaked."

"Big ramble," Dante said dryly.

"What's that?" the Marshal feigned, playing senile.

Dante rolled his eyes.

"There was one researcher unaccounted for," the Marshal added.

"Where are they now?" Dante asked.

"Still missing," the Marshal said. "Older than me, so maybe dead."

His face hardened, resuming his Marshal demeanor. "This is top secret. Tell no one."

"I'm not into old men's tales," Dante said. "Already forgot."

"Good," the Marshal said.

With the data gone and the researcher missing, leads had vanished.

"Whatever the enemy's goal, handle it swiftly," the Marshal said.

"Got it," Dante replied.

Meanwhile, Hoshou visited Akagi's room.

"Akagi-san," Hoshou said.

"Hoshou-san…" Akagi replied, listless.

"What's weighing on you?" Hoshou asked.

Akagi shared her dreams.

"My earlier dreams were things that happened in the Admiral's world," she said. "If he dies like in my dream…"

"What did he say?" Hoshou asked.

"He called it just a dream, wouldn't listen," Akagi said.

"Then we'll change his fate," Hoshou said. "We'll protect him, be his strength. I'll warn him, too."

"Yes," Akagi nodded.

Arsenal

The Marshal's meeting ended, and he returned to headquarters. Dante was summoned to the arsenal by Yuubari.

"Ta-da!" Yuubari announced.

Dante's car, wrecked from a battle with Geryon, stood fully repaired.

"Hell yeah!" Dante said. "Good as new!"

"Found a wrecked car and fixed it up," Yuubari said.

"Nice job," Dante said.

"Leave it to Yuubari!" she boasted, puffing out her chest.

Dante climbed in and started the engine.

"What's this?" he asked, noticing a slew of unfamiliar switches.

"You noticed?" Yuubari grinned.

"(Kinda hard not to)," Dante thought.

"Upgraded it during repairs," she said.

"Upgraded?" Dante said.

"It can fire torpedoes now," she said.

"What?" Dante groaned, head aching as she explained. Some upgrades were useful, but others—like torpedoes—were useless on land.

"(Good as new? It's a whole different beast)," Dante thought, plotting to stash Agni & Rudra in Yuubari's room next.

Hoshou appeared. "Admiral, we need to talk."

"That opener's for bad news," Dante said.

Cape

Hoshou led Dante to a cape overlooking the base and sea.

"What's this about?" Dante asked.

"Akagi's dreams," Hoshou said.

"You too?" Dante sighed.

"I've seen your dreams, too," Hoshou said. "Fighting your brother, Vergil."

"Everyone knows?" Dante said, stunned.

"Those present when we learned you're half-demon saw the same dream," Hoshou said.

Dante hadn't realized they knew so early.

"Tell me the truth," Hoshou said, her gaze unyielding.

"…My twin brother's named Vergil," Dante admitted. "Akagi's dreams are from my world. Real events."

"Why didn't you tell her?" Hoshou asked.

"What's the point?" Dante said. "Admit they're real and say I'll die like in her dream?"

"If your past dreams were real, it's possible," Hoshou said. "You're her savior. She cares deeply. Be honest with her."

"Dreams are dreams," Dante said. "And I don't plan on dying easy."

"We won't let you die," Hoshou said.

"Reassuring," Dante said.

"Talk to Akagi—" Hoshou began.

"I get it," Dante interrupted. "No need to repeat."

That night, chaos struck the base. An explosion shook the ground, and everyone rushed outside to find Jester waiting.

"You bastard, what're you doing here?" Tenryu shouted.

"Thanks to you, Dante, everything's ready," Jester sneered.

"Ready?" Dante said.

"Long ago, a demon-worshipping civilization thrived here," Jester said. "They built a temple, a gateway to the Demon World. Its seal's broken now."

"No way the Admiral helped with that!" Suzuya snapped.

"To break the seal, this land needed to be saturated with the fighting spirit of those with demonic power," Jester said. "Your Admiral kindly fought demons as I planned. Thanks, Dante!"

"You stole the artifacts for that?" Dante asked.

"Finally get it? Still slow, huh? Ahahaha!" Jester cackled.

Dante didn't bite at the taunt.

(He's moving forward), Hoshou thought. The old Dante would've attacked. His restraint showed growth, warming her heart. Jester, bored by Dante's calm, stopped laughing.

"Dante, a party needs guests, right? Accept the invite!" Jester said, vanishing.

In his place, several Hell Prides, a type of Seven Hells demon, appeared.

"This the invite?" Kitakami said.

"What are those!?" Aoba gasped.

"Demons, like I told you," Hoshou said.

Aoba stared, awestruck.

Dante reached for Rebellion, but Tenryu stopped him.

"Let us handle this," she said, gripping her rigging's sword. Tatsuta held a spear, and other shipgirls deployed their rigging.

"Protecting the Admiral's our job, too~" Tatsuta said.

Apparently, Akagi's dream had spread. Dante had plenty to say but held back, knowing they wouldn't listen.

"Overprotective much?" he said. "Fine, they're small fry. Do what you want."

The shipgirls engaged the demons.

"We'll check for damage," Ooyodo said.

Carriers unable to use planes at night, non-combat shipgirls, and less-trained ones like Aoba and Yuubari scattered to inspect the base.

The low-level demons were dispatched in minutes. Ooyodo rushed back, panicked.

"Admiral! Fire at the arsenal!" she reported.

"Where's everyone?" Dante asked.

"With the fairies, fighting the fire!" Ooyodo said.

"We're going!" Tenryu shouted.

Arsenal

The arsenal was still ablaze when they arrived.

"This is bad…" Kaga said.

"What's the situation?" Dante asked.

"One fairy's trapped inside!" Akashi said.

An explosion rocked the building, something igniting.

"I'm going in," Dante said.

"Admiral!" Ooyodo cried.

Dante dove into the flames, entering the arsenal.

"No…" Hoshou whispered.

"Hurry, put it out!" Akagi urged.

Explosions chained inside as Dante searched for the fairy.

"Where are you?" he called.

Deep inside, the fairy stood surrounded by flames, trapped. Dante charged through, extending a hand. The fairy, terrified of him, hesitated.

"I know I'm scary, but stay here and you're barbecue," Dante said. "Come with me or get roasted. Your choice."

The fairy paused, then leaped into his hand. Dante raced out.

"Admiral, get out!" Suzuya shouted.

"We can't keep up!" Shigure said.

As the shipgirls fretted, Dante burst from the flames, fairy in hand. Turning back, he unleashed Cerberus, encasing the arsenal in ice. The ice shattered, extinguishing the fire.

"Why didn't you do that sooner?" Tenryu demanded.

"Would've frozen the fairy, too," Dante said, holding up the tiny creature between his fingers.

Akashi took the fairy. "You okay?"

The fairy chattered, but Dante couldn't understand.

"I thought we lost you," Hoshou said.

"Don't be reckless!" Akagi pleaded.

"Any injuries? Burns?" Ikazuchi asked.

"I'm fine, no lecture needed," Dante said.

They stared at the smoldering arsenal.

"Gonna cost a fortune," Dante muttered. "Gramps'll be pissed."

City

In the city's heart, the landscape warped. A massive temple emerged, demons pouring out, attacking people.