The ocean had always been a subject of fascination for many people on the blue planet, for explorers, scientists, researchers, documenters, the Seven Seas have always captured the curiosity for the many cats that is humanity.

Regardless of mankind's growing technology, they have yet to even discover so many of its underwater world, leaving the mysteries to grow and fester within the minds of people.

Despite its beauty and gift for life, it is also the place for tragedies to happen.

As the eras passes by, humanity too grew in the means to travel across the vast seas whether by air or water, no matter what dangers that lurks within the dark depths, mankind always finds a way to conquer that fear and obstacle.

Ships were created as the first type of transportation to take men across the world and as time and history progressed on, so did mankind's technology evolved to create further effective ways to traverse the ocean and world.

Just as ships were created, airplanes were developed to fly into the skies and safely bring its passengers to another continent and to their destination.

However, advancing technologies for humanity also meant the growing rift and tension between many countries and nations, it wasn't before long the embers of war sparked out in the world.

No longer were ships made to become simple means to travel the seas, but now were made into machines of war to further fuel the flames of conflict between nations. Same can be said for airplanes as more weapons were developed to sow destruction upon others.

From the flames of war birthed the many warships and carriers to assist the nations in battle, out came the many naval fleets and growing power that simply fuelled the animosity between each nations involved in the battles.

From the prelude of war came different fleets;

The United States Ships.

The Imperial Japanese Navy.

The Kriegsmarine.

The Royal Navy.

As the war has come into fruition, thus began the great tragedy that is the World War.

Casualties were not only huge in numbers but also in death as millions and millions of men lost their lives, be it civilian or soldier, none were spared from the grief that is the World War.

Yet, despite it all, it did nothing to stop the nations from developing more machines of war, more warships and airplanes to further spread the tragedy of war.

Miraculously, before everything could spiral out of control more than it had already, the Great War was finally put to an end after millions of deaths and its aftermaths, the fires of war is extinguished... for now.

As the nations cleaned up their own messes, so did they continue to advance their technologies despite its unwanted effects of mass bloodshed and death.

More battleships were made along with aircrafts and unfortunately, it wasn't long before the ashes of the previous flames lit up once more to spark another fire of war.

This time, so very much more tragic than its predecessor.

For six long gruelling bloody years, the second World War went on and on, ravaging the planet and its inhabitants, blood is shed once again, death comes to all, and the beauty of Earth is reduced to nothing but a no man's land.

However, nothing changed the everlasting azure beauty of the ocean.

The vast body of water remained unchanged despite the countless deaths of men, and instead, the deep ocean simply became a watery grave for those who fell into its cold dark embrace.

Finally, after so long, the war has finally ended, the war to end all wars for the era has come to an end, to be left recorded in the history books as a warning to never let such event happen again.

With the age of the battleships coming to an end, with the former machines of war, beasts of steel put into rest and decommissioned to never be used again, an era of relative peace comes.

But has peace truly come or is it just the illusion forged by the past?

===============================

(POV - 3RD)

(Y/N) Fujimiya sighed whilst adjusting his visor, his eyes sweeping over the clouds high above the Pacific ocean as he patrolled within his F-22 Raptor jet swiftly through the sky.

To say he was bored will be an understatement but he knew what he had signed up for when he joined the JASDF as a pilot, passing through every test in order to become a fighter pilot.

He'd signed up just as soon as he passed his 18th birthday, waiting for the opportunity to reach up into the dark blue skies unknown to humanity, although the lessons undertaken were harsh and demanding of both his mind and body, he passed nonetheless.

While the world itself wasn't at much conflict with each other, there had suddenly been repetitive news reports and sightings of unidentified objects flying across the seven seas along with the supposed emergence of "ghost ships" coming out from fogs and back.

Coincidentally, (Y/N) had just signed up to the JASDF but since it was stated that the world isn't at war with each other and asides from the strange occurrences within the seas, he had simply been assigned to patrol the area around the Japanese borders routinely.

Suffice to say, there was nothing going on right now... 

*BEEP*

(Y/N) looked down at his cockpit which his jet's sensors suddenly picked up something flying past just a few clicks away from his position, but his naked eyes saw only a brief blur of black shot by only for it to eerily vanish into nothing.

"What was that..?" He thought, adjusting the speed of his jet.

(Y/N) then flew around the area for a few more minutes, keeping his eyes peeled for the elusive maybe intruder or enemy but only to see nothing, but the pilot was already alarmed to the point he contacted the AWACS back at his base.

"Sightseer, this is Stellar 1 reporting in, I saw something in the clouds around me but I could not identify it in time and I do not like it."

"[Stellar 1, we are not picking up on anything on our radar but remain vigilant, your patrol is almost over so keep up the good work.]" The AWACS replied back.

"Copy that, Sightseer." (Y/N) answered back before resuming his flight, albeit with higher caution as he felt a faint shiver down his back.

Being alone up in the skies is somewhat unsettling even when the bright white sun is blazing down at him, it didn't help that the clouds around him also seem to be growing in darkness which he managed to catch a few flashes of thunder erupt within them.

However, in the span of nearly half an hour later where nothing still went wrong and the pilot's nerves are just calming down, his AWACS immediately called in once again.

This time, with something going very, very wrong.

"[Stellar 1, this is Sightseer, there is a ship of unknown origin at vector 350 below you to the east, I need you to ID them.]"

"An unidentified ship? Here?" (Y/N) questioned but still complied as he flew his F-22 down through the clouds which turned the once shining ocean into a fog of rain and winds.

"Weather sucks here... at least I'll be off for the rest of the week." He muttered as he flew towards his designated location and his eyes saw something he's never seen before.

To call it a ship would be... somewhat correct but at the same time, incorrect. The "ship" was black with red highlights all over it and had at least a few main guns and several AA guns attached to its surface but what surprised him the most was the large flight deck on it.

"...Is that a CV?" (Y/N) murmured to himself, flying lower before circling the ship.

"[Stellar 1, what do you see? Can you describe the details?]" Sightseer called to him.

"Words cannot do my sight justice, I'll send you some images to see for yourself and the others." The pilot replied back.

"[Copy that, remain cautious, Stellar 1.]"

(Y/N) then tapped around a few buttons before activating the camera attached to the jet in order to snap several photos of the unknown carrier, he then realised the turrets on the ship began to move just as he forwarded the images back to base.

Said turrets are all moving slowly... towards him.

!!!

(Y/N) slammed the joystick to the side which the F-22 Raptor quickly veered off just in time to avoid a laser that was shot from the carrier, upon his close call with death itself, the pilot immediately contacted his AWACS.

"Sightseer, the unknown ship fired on me with what appears to be a laser cannon, evasion was a success but can I assume the carrier is hostile and my weapons are free?" 

"[Stellar 1, prepare for an interception and attack that carrier and await further instructions.]" The AWACS stated instantly.

"Copy that!" (Y/N) said just as he dodged another laser.

Soon enough, the lone fighter jet commenced its attack on the carrier which (Y/N) repetitively shot barrages of missiles at the carrier, but it wasn't long before he saw multiple advanced looking aircrafts take off from the enemy flight deck.

The speed and shape and colour of the enemy planes soon caused (Y/N) to remember the singular speck of dark blur that he'd missed earlier; it must had been one of these planes.

(Y/N) fired off another set of homing missiles before he pulled up, shooting his jet higher into the skies as he broke through the clouds with the hostile aircrafts close on his tails which began firing more lasers onto him.

Luckily, despite his young age and experiences, (Y/N) was more than prepared to dodge those attacks shot his way, flying almost erratically as he flew around in the sky, once and twice unintentionally performing stunts in order to avoid the shots.

"Oh Kami-sama, I'm so glad I don't have motion sickness..." (Y/N) thought to himself just as he did another large loop in the air while avoiding the lasers.

Despite the enemy aircrafts' inhumane manoeuvres within the sky, the lone pilot still managed to roll out of the attacks and then quickly making a counterattack against them, shooting down several of the alien planes only for more to replace them until (Y/N) noticed something as well.

"Sightseer, this is Stellar 1, the enemy aircrafts appears to be unmanned drones in nature!"

 "[Copy that, Stellar 1, for now return to base immediately and we will deal with this together.]" The AWACS instructed only for (Y/N) to respond.

"Negative, Sightseer, the chances of the unidentified aircrafts and carrier making it to the nearest shoreline is at least a few clicks away, I am asking for permission to engage further."

...

"[...alone... chances... die..!]" Sightseer didn't reply but the pilot heard some discussion in the background, most likely the AWACS and the higher-ups who received the news.

...

"[...Permission granted, Stellar 1, if the heat becomes unbearable, return to base immediately.]" After a few seconds of silence, (Y/N) was given the green light.

"Roger that." The pilot said, pulling up before looping back behind an enemy aircraft and then effectively shooting it down.

The next few minutes were filled to the brim with chaos in the air as (Y/N) relentlessly pursued, shook off and shot down several enemy drones, the unknown carrier at the sea seemingly having a nigh endless supply of them but soon enough, luck shone on (Y/N)'s side as once he shot down the last of the planes, no more came afterwards.

Unfortunately, that luck would not shine for long.

"[STELLAR 1, EVADE NOW!]" Sightseer screamed just as (Y/N) saw a blur above him.

"Shit-!" He cursed, slamming his hands on the joystick but he was just seconds too late.

*BOOM*

(Y/N)'s F22 Raptor shook violently as a stray drone which he failed to perceive and shoot down had abruptly smashed itself against his jet, taking off the right wing and damaging the engines, causing a huge flame to burst out.

"I LOST A WING! SYSTEMS ARE IN A MESS!" (Y/N) yelled through the chaos.

"[STELLAR 1, EJECT IMMEDIATELY! WE HAVE SENT A RESCUE SHIP TO YOUR LOCATION!]" Sightseer shouted back.

"EJECTION FAILED, I'M GOING DOWN-!" The pilot responded frantically as he continued pulling the eject handle to no avail.

{RIGHT ENGINE FAILURE!}

"Gods damn it, not now-!" (Y/N) grounded out, smacking the machine as he pulled hard only for nothing to happen.

Is he really going to die?

{SYSTEM FAILURE!}

"[STELLAR 1, CAN YOU PERFORM A DITCH IN THE OCEAN?!]" The AWACS shouted.

"NO, C-CONTROL SYSTEMS AR-ARE ALSO GONE!" (Y/N) coughed back as smoke began to fill the cockpit along with the heat.

He would not lie and say he's calm because after all, he is still quite young and just over the age of a young adult so to die so soon and violently is more than enough reason to fear the situation.

(Y/N)'s hand began trembling as he futilely pulled the ejection handle continuously to no avail, a part of him wanted to accept the incoming death, but most of his instincts screamed at him to keep trying, keep on trying to stay alive no matter what.

His jet started dropping nose first into the ocean and with how (Y/N) failed to smash the windscreen open or even get it to budge, his death will not be pleasant or quick.

He was no different from other human being, he feared pain, he feared death and he feared the moment when the news of his death will be brought to his parents.

After one last pull and still no result of ejecting from his jet, (Y/N) simply unclasped his hand before leaning back as gravity threatened to pull him down to the front of his cockpit, he threw off his helmet as it did nothing to stop the smoke and heat from entering his lungs.

Looks like he's going to die after all...

(Y/N) felt his heart racing at a mile but strangely, he felt no more fear as his vision began to flash white with his mind curiously wondering one thought just as he saw the surface of the sea.

"Is this what it means for 'life to flash before your eyes'..?"

Time seemingly slowed down just as the young pilot radioed in on his AWACS, now the haze of smoke and fire and heat causing his ears to lose all sense of words from the other side but it didn't stop him from saying his final words.

"Sightseer, please... tell my parents... I'm sorry..." He said one last time before the dark blue waters closed in on him.

=====================================

A resonating static filled the room as other operators heard their youngest pilot's final words before the sounds from his jet was silenced as the static soon settled in.

Everyone then glanced at Sightseer and the officer behind him and with a heavy sigh, the AWACS turned to speak to the man with a sombre tone.

"We... lost him... sir..." 

"...I see... then prepare for retrieval of his remains and a funeral... I'll deliver the news to his family." The officer said gravely before walking off.

"...Yes sir." Sightseer said as a moment of silence was held for (Y/N) Fujimiya.

Yet no one knew, he remained alive under the dark sea.

=====================================

(POV - (Y/N)

The temperature somehow instantaneously became colder just as I hit the ocean surface and sank deeper into the darkness, I can feel the pressure increase as seawater began filling in the cockpit from the cracks of the jet.

...Surprisingly, I'm not that scared as I thought I would get... but still, the impending and inevitable death coming right at my face is still an experience nonetheless.

I felt the waters reach my legs but I paid it no mind as I looked at this failure of a makeshift submarine, allowing me to look at the schools of fishes and marine creatures that swam peacefully around me, as if death was nothing to be afraid of.

The shine of the sunlight above me rapidly darkened before me and my jet sank deeper into the ocean, now with literal darkness accompanying me as my sole companion.

My waist is now submerged in water and still, my beating heart did not make me do anything to prevent it, I took off my gloves to feel the water itself and it was just as cold as I remembered.

I can feel my head becoming lighter and more dizzy as the oxygen decreased, all sounds returned to silence as the water eventually stopped the machinery of the cockpit and it's a wonder how have I not been electrocuted to death.

It's certainly a faster way to die than drowning slowly.

Well, I suppose I'll faint from the lack of proper oxygen circulating into my lungs and brain which then I'll die painlessly in my unconsciousness and let my corpse become nutrients for the ocean.

The water is now up to my shoulders and I looked out the windscreen one last time... only to catch the sight of a light in the distance, much to my bewilderment.

"What the hell..?" I thought, breathing raggedly.

Why would there be light down here... am I hallucinating? Or going insane from death and fear? Could it be a submarine? A living creature? A sea monster perhaps?

All my remaining thoughts soon ceased as I subconsciously reached for that light, its shine reminding me of the sun that beamed down from the dark blue skies but now?

In these waters unknown, this light could be a figment of my imagination, my fears, my coming death yet its persistence on shining in my sight remained firm and motionless.

The water has just reached my chin and my vision which blackened soon from no oxygen caught sight of the light's origin, something out of this world and something incredible.

Maybe I am hallucinating, maybe I am going crazy from the fears of death but the blue giant with shining white eyes turned around to see me, the silence only creating an eerie atmosphere around it but I felt no fear coming from myself.

My vision disappears as I took my last breath-

-only to feel the oxygen entering my mouth... in large quantities as my lungs expanded from the suddenly vanished pressure and my mind soon cleared up as the throbbing and flashes disappeared to which I then opened my eyes to see myself... in the cockpit still.

There was no waters, no fires, no smoke, no heat, nothing but the beautiful blue skies surrounding me with the sun shining down on me... how? Wasn't I shot down and sunken?

I felt my hands clasp around the joystick as I maneuvered my F-22 Raptor around in the skies, there was no abnormalities detected or any mistakes made, I was still alive and breathing with my fighter jet in full conditions.

"How..?" I questioned breathlessly again, was it all a dream? Did I daydream in the middle of my patrol out of sheer boredom?

I then shook off all my thoughts before pressing a few buttons on the terminal to announce myself back to the livings.

"Sightseer, this is Stellar 1, do you read me?" I called for my AWACS only to hear statics.

"Sightseer, this is (Y/N) Fujimiya, can you hear me?" I tried again to no avail.

I fiddled around with the control panel once again only for me to realise something was strapped tightly around my right wrist, something I was definitely not wearing before.

Unlike anything I've ever seen before, it was a strange device attached to it, the colours are all matching in gold as it sported two wing-like appendages at one end of the blue crystal that shone brightly under the sunlight.

I tried pulling the thing off but it looks to me like it's completely bound to my wrist with invisible bindings, I tried breaking it off only to hurt my other hand in return.

Yet for some reason, the shine of its light reminded me of something I saw from earlier... was it perhaps the doing of that... blue giant?

No way, there was no way that a titan lived under the sea without humanity detecting its presence but then again, at least a huge majority of the entire ocean remained undiscovered still so I could be very, very wrong.

"Seriously... what the hell's going on..?" I muttered, turning off the radio chatter to stop the annoying statics before placing the jet on autopilot only realise the status of my jet.

[GUN: ∞]

[MSL: 136]

[QAAM: 18]

[XSDB: 48]

[8AAM: 80]

[FLR: 3]

[DMG: 0%]

...Since when did I install the Advanced Small Diameter Bomb? Or even the 8 Air-to-Air Missiles? This jet could only fit one more type of missile and how the hell is my Machine Gun ammunition on infinity?! Also, my jet also somehow miraculously repaired itself from the assault.

I then looked around for the fuel gauge only to find it gone from the spot that it would be at, I tried again only to find all the usual buttons and switches at its places except for the fuel.

...Am I running on no fuel or infinite fuel..?

Oh well, beggars can't be choosers and I'm certainly not complaining.

...Thinking back from that alien drone, I wonder what the hell happened to that weird ship I saw? I managed to take down all its aircrafts but now could it be floating in the middle of the ocean, waiting for my fellow soldiers to intercept it?

Who knows... I certainly don't anymore.

I then leant back on my seat, looking around the clear blue skies that exuded a serene calmness to it despite my entire situation, could this be another world..?

Haha, no way in all hell and heaven and earth, I may enjoy reading light novels and manga but I'm not that dissociated from society to beg for another life or transfer to another world.

Still doesn't explain what I saw and experienced though.

I sighed before taking hold of the joystick once more, navigating my way through the clouds and blue sky as I tried to make sense of my bearings and this world.

Is it something I know or something unknown?

=====================================

If you didn't realise yet, I've included a bit of Ace Combat stuff into the MC's arsenal since I've been playing the game for a while now and I loved it, but it's just going to be somewhat of a reference since this is Ultraman Agul x Azur Lane so peace out.