A-kun: As you can see, I'm truly sorry for the death of 2 innocent destroyers... I know, they didn't deserve it, but it was imminent. Again, that's just how war works. And I'm trying to capitalize on that one in the last chapter. 

Anyway, this chapter will be on the beaches. I'm going to make it up to you with fanservice galore. Anyway, let's start. 

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

"Enterprise..." Caster plainly stated as he was closing into Enterprise. "Most Battle Stars are given in the pacific theater of World War 2. You had many nicknames in your time. A legend. A ship that cannot be sunk."

"Participated in countless battles, and lived through them all. And lost some friends along the way." He continued.  

"But your determination and your unyielding resolve brought you here. Alive. And you became a legendary figure among the girls."

"A light in the darkness. A leader among soldiers. But... It's lonely at the top. Right?" 

Enterprise only just turned around. Really surprised that he followed her here and his seemingly endless knowledge about her. 

Caster stood next to her. And he looked down on her. 

"You know, you're such a better warrior than I'll ever be... You can change fate. You can take down great threats. And you're the face of the new generation of Azur Lane. Bringing peace to the whole world. One battle at a time." 

And he finally sat down next to her. 

"But if you're sad like this, you really don't have to go through it all alone. That's being selfish." He told his intentions of coming here. 

And too far behind them, Belfast could be seen sitting on a railing of USS Enterprise. Overhearing the whole conversation. And her presence was almost non-existent in the air. With Caster's presence overwhelming the 2 shipgirl's presence. 

"You may not know this, I actually went through this 'phase' once before." He looked down on the ocean blue. 

"I was on a mission and... I was getting emails from terrorists that got my men. Torturing them on live camera." His face was slowly making a frown. 

"At first, I really wanted to get there and just kill all of them. My rage and sadness were blinding me."

"But at the time, I was getting chastised so much that my commanders at the time were having none of it. And they threatened me if I even try to do something very rash, I would get demoted back to a Private or maybe even kicked out of the military entirely." 

Enterprise wasn't sure about what he's getting at. But she kept on listening as it was surely intriguing knowing Commander Caster more on a personal level.

"My self-control and my mental toughness were getting tested.  And I wasn't doing a good job at it. So my subordinates really tried my best to keep me in check." 

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

A long time ago. Sergeant Caster was in a run-down building in the middle of nowhere. Along with his remaining 4 comrades. They have survived another wave of enemy soldiers for the 4th day in a row. 

They were formerly 10 soldiers including our protagonist. But 6 of them got captured instead of killed. And the terrorists they were fighting were demanding a complete surrender or Caster's men would be tortured for 10 days and executed if they still wouldn't comply. 

And even worse, the terrorist would send the said videos to their phones. As they were used as 'alternative' radios for Caster and co. 

It was going to be Day 5 of no help. The satellites were shut down and Caster can't call for backup and emergency exfill teams to help them. And he doesn't know when the satellites would be fixed.

And patience was running out. 

And even worse, the morale and the fear of his uncaptured soldiers were slowly dawning upon them that if they get captured, death awaits them in the end. 

The ammo crate that they have used for days is almost running out. Barely enough ammo to supply them for the next day. And they need to do something. For better or worse. 

Well, that was Caster's thought process as he was analyzing the same situation for 4 days. Still indecisive on their decision. Of course, he wanted to get his captured soldiers back but he needed to do something drastic to do so. He's still reckless here as he is still now. 

And the pressure was getting into the young Caster's head. And he was about to authorize an assault to the terrorist encampment but not until his fellow soldiers tried to snap him out of it. 

And one of them did it to the extreme. 

"Gah!" Caster coughed out blood as he was getting pushed to a wall. 

"ARE YOU NUTS?! WE ARE ONLY 4 AND THEY HAVE HUNDREDS!" A soldier screamed at the top of his lungs. Not even caring if the terrorists hear them arguing far away. "IF WE DEFEND THIS POSITION, WE GET TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY!" 

But the situation as a whole was getting worse. The torture videos that the terrorists would give them would get progressively worse and worse. And the thought of him watching them suffer again is just too big of a burden for him. 

You may ask: 'They have the option for  Caster and co. To not watch the videos at all?'  Right?

Yeah, they have the option to not watch it at all in the first place, but Caster wanted to know what is their condition. And if they're dead, why even bother going to rescue them?

"If you 3 not going to cooperate, I can do this on my own." The clouded judgment-riddled Caster said before standing up and starts walking outside. Having the intention of doing the assault on his own. 

And then a big right swing from his other soldier and puts him on his ass. And his nose was bleeding. 

And Caster had enough of it. He stood up, grabbed the soldier who punched him by the neck, and was pushing him onto a wall. It was pure chaos. Fighting against each other, mind you. 

"SO WHAT? SO. WHAT?! I HAVE BEEN ON MISSIONS THAT I WAS THE ONLY HOPE LEFT. WHY CAN'T I DO THE SAME THIS TIME!?" His frustrations boiled over and it was controlling his actions. As he was trying to choke his own comrade. 

Caster at this time was very idealistic. He wanted every bad situation to go his way and his way only. You could tell me that it was a very bad point of view from the start. Life isn't going to cater to your needs and Caster's needs. Everyone has to experience downfall and failure. 

But this view was getting so unhealthily bad that some people say that his reckless nature stemmed from this moment of time. Going in guns blazing without the consequences that he has to face. And the effects his decision would have on his friends, fellow soldiers, and his life in general.

But he was young, full of himself, and he hasn't realized the hard truths of war. 

"BECAUSE!" The soldier that Caster was choking, said while he punched him so hard again that he went to the ground and almost fainted because of it. 

"WE."

A swing to the left. 

"AREN'T."

A swing to the right. 

"TALENTED." 

Left. 

"AS." 

Right. 

"YOU." 

An uppercut. 

"ARE!!!!" 

Then the last blow was a rough kick to the face. That sent him back and his back met sharp concrete debris and it amplified the pain that Caster was getting in order to put his mind in the right place. 

Caster realized that all of this pain he was receiving isn't from an enemy. It is from his own friends. Comrades. The ones he called 'family'.

And this realization was slowly bringing tears to Caster's eyes. 

But the rage-fueled soldier wasn't done yet. 

"REMEMBER THIS. IF YOU KEEP THIS UP, NOT ONLY YOU'LL LOSE OUR RESPECT, YOU'LL LOSE EVERYONE AND YOU HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT YOURSELF!!!" The soldier screamed at him with full rage. With his other 2 soldiers holding him back before he can hurt the teary-eyed Caster more. 

His eyes widen. And he looked down as his streams of tears were now flowing down to the concrete floor. 

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

"Blinded in hubris. Clouded by my idealistic thoughts. It was painful. Those punches, I still feel it to this day." Caster said as he was smiling. But he was sobbing between his lines.

Enterprise could only watch as his tears were dropping down to the ocean. And the ocean responded...  Enterprise was moved. And the first time that she saw him actually show drastic emotions. 

"I have literally lost my family, my sibling, who is alive doesn't even wanna talk to me. And I have buried and mourned countless soldiers who have died for a greater cause." 

"I knew that when I joined the Army, I would lose my friends in a fight one way or another. But I couldn't stand the feeling of losing them and I really didn't want myself to face and experience that moment." As his emotions were now interrupting his sentences every now and then. 

Enterprise really wanted to help Caster but it's probably too late for that now.

"And the death of those 2 girls reminded me of that moment in my life. I was too idealistic. Never realistic."

"'If I keep going this path, I'll lose everyone's respect and  I'll lose everyone. With no one else to blame it to but myself. '" He almost copied the same hard-hitting words of that one soldier. 

"I was really immature back then. Even though I was built and looked like a man, I had aspirations and convictions like a child."

Enterprise was inching closer to him. 

"All of this babbling, but not getting to the point." As he chuckles weakly as he wipes his tears off his face. 

"Please, remember this. You cannot go through this alone. Through your sadness alone. There are so many positive energies in this base that can comfort you. And..." He stopped for a second. Getting her attention.

"You have me." 

Time seemingly stops. As the 2 have their moment...

Her eyes widen, with nothing but the winds flowing through the 2.

"I may not be good at understanding girls, but I can assure you that I'll give 110% effort  I will give to you."

Enterprise's body was getting weaker. And she put her hands on both Caster's shoulders. She was slowly giving in to her inner emotions. And she was now also tearing up. 

"I... I just couldn't PROTECT THEM!" She finally broke and she put her head on Caster's chest crying. "You... You were right. I have protected and lost so many people that I love..." Saying it in between sobs like Caster earlier. 

"But not only I couldn't protect them, I WAS HELPLESS." She hugged Caster more tightly.

Caster could only comfort her. Hugging her back. And stroking her silver hair. 

"You're... You're my savior, Commander... I hope you know that from now on." She looked up at him with tears still present in her eyes. 

"I feel your pain."

"Just let it all out." 

"I'm always here for you."

"Leave your burden here." 

"And we'll leave it behind after this." 

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

"Commander... Commander." A voice speaking to him while he's sleeping. Probably to wake him up.

He yawned very loudly as he woke up. He got 5 hours of sleep. Yikes. That's not very healthy for him in any case scenario. 

"What the hell... What time is it?" He yawned once more... Wiping his eyes. And looked at the person who was waking him up.

He moved back on his bed a little bit. "Uh... Formidable, correct?" 

"Yes, Commander. Good morning." Formidable bowed so early in the morning... And Caster just stood up and went to the bathroom to do his daily routine. 

Formidable volunteered for now to take care of Caster since Belfast is monitoring Enterprise now. 

And Caster didn't take long to wash and he just wore just casual clothes. Not planning to do much work today. 

"Am I acceptable in this attire, Formidable?" Caster asked for her opinion on his attire. 

She simply nodded in agreement. "You can wear whatever you wish." 

"That's a good sign." He looked at his desk. No papers to work on. A sigh of relief afterward. 'Free day for me~'

Then he felt a disturbance. The atmosphere was awfully quiet. This not always the case on a normal day in the Azur Lane base. 

Something is wrong... 

He walked outside with Formidable following him. He snapped his head left and right to see anyone in view. No one apparently. 

"What the hell is going on?" He nervously walked to the cafeteria. 'I feel another ploy is in play. I gotta be careful.' 

Still not a soul in the cafeteria. The base was empty as all hell. The lack of anyone in the base is putting Caster in a downhill spiral of absolute confusion. And he wanted an explanation. 

"Formidable, why are the girls not here right now?" Caster looked behind him to see Formidable close to him. 

"I'll take you somewhere after you're done here." Formidable just answered. Too vague of an answer. 

'THAT DOESN'T ANSWER ANYTHING!!!' He shook his head. 

He wanted to see at least one person in the base to go wherever Formidable was talking about. But he appreciated the silence. The volume of the girls on a normal day was always beyond comprehension. In other words, the base was loud as crap when all the girls are roaming around these halls and eating in the cafeteria. 

The 2nd place of intrigue was the dormitories. 'There HAS to be someone in here right?' As he opened the first door. 

No one. It was the 4 starter Destroyers dorm. All missing. And he's getting slightly annoyed. 

After some time of seeing nobody in the dorms, he grabbed one last doorknob. 'This is the last one before I go.' 

He opened the door. There was finally one other person other than Formidable. Sitting on the floor staring at a TV screen. 

"Long Island?!" He exclaimed. Not expecting her to be present here. 

"Oh, hey, Commander." Long Island greeted the Commander. Not expecting him of all people to show up getting to see her play games. Such a neet. 

"What are you doing?" Caster asks Long Island as she was still staring at him while tapping furiously on her controller. 

"Playing games." She replies, still not realizing that she's talking to the Commander. But in full Long Island fashion, she just turned her head back to the TV and keeps playing. And Caster didn't mind. Even though he felt that it was kind of improper. 

"Why are you the only one I have seen so far?" Caster tilted his head. While looking at the TV. She's playing an RPG. 

"The girls went outside and went somewhere..." Long Island answered. With vagueness that even rivals Formidable's answer from earlier. 

"Why aren't you going out with them?" Caster questioned. Since she's literally the only one here. 

Long Island didn't respond as she was fighting a boss battle. As per Caster's observations on the game that's going on the TV. And she just lost that said battle. 

"Aw, no!!!" Long Island said in disappointed and she turned around to look at Caster with a pout. Caster wasn't affected though. "You were distracting me!" 

Caster just sighed and... 

"Uwah!? What are you doing?" Long Island said as she's swept off her feet by Caster. "My game!!!" 

Formidable took on the initiative and plugged off the TV, and the console. 

Caster just gave Long Island a stare. With no care of what he's doing. And he's carrying Long Island like she's nothing. 

"Formidable, where's the vehicle?" Caster said but with no response. "Welp, I guess I'm going to guess this time." 

He went out of the cafeteria exits and saw a vehicle. 'This is it?'

He put Long Island inside the car. With a tone that scared her. "Don't." 

Long Island nods. Then Caster's face lit up and smiled at her. Which made her... *ahem* Blush. 

After some time, Formidable caught up with the two and she put some clothes in the car. Some of which that Long Island was familiar to. 

Formidable was supposed to drive the vehicle but Caster objected with the decision. 

"For a fancy lady like you, you don't have to bother yourself with this. I can drive myself, so let me do it." Caster suggested. 

"I suppose that is true. But do you know where we're going though?" Formidable tilted her head. 

"Tell me directions-" Caster said before getting cut off. 

"Commander, let me do it for you." Formidable held Caster's hand stopping him from getting into the driver's seat.

"Fine..." Caster went to the backseat of the car and sat next to Long Island. And he started a chat with her. 

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

As the engine of the car stops, Long Island went out of the car and she also grabbed the clothes that were placed beside her. And Formidable went out also. 

Caster almost slept in the car until he woke up on his own. He looked out of the window. And his eyes widen. 

"What a wonderful view." He opened the car door and was mesmerized by the view. 

The beaches, some umbrellas set up, some playing some games or swimming in the beautiful ocean. 

And... 

The alluring swimsuits on display. And the girls were all having fun. And it made him realize something important. 

"I'm on a remote-looking island, the only male here, and so many beautiful girls around me." He said as his brain was spiraling out of control. 

As he was taking all of the 'eye-candy' for himself, someone finally got Caster out of his trance. 

"Why are you gawking like a monkey?" A voice came out of nowhere. From Caster's view of course. 

He shook his head and looked to the left. And saw Z23. In a really revealing swimsuit. That made Caster look away immediately. 

A-kun: When I first saw this pic, I was like: "Okay. Okay. Okay." Then my mind just shut down. Blue-screened, EVERYTHING!

She was sitting a piece of rock just looking over the others just having fun. And it confused her that Caster was looking away from her. 

"Am I gawking? I'm sorry." Caster looked back at Z23. "You don't look like you're having fun. What's up?" Caster came closer to Nimi. As she was becoming jittery every second he comes closer to her.

"You know, that swimsuit actually suits you a lot. It's a really refreshing view of you not always wearing your beret." Caster took the time of complimenting her swimsuit as he sits next to her. 

Z23 inched away from Caster from embarrassment and her cheeks were painted red. And she looked at Caster's face though, his face was troubled. And it worried her once again. 

"Are you troubled, Commander?" Z23 inched closer again to Caster and looked at him in the eye. 

The heart-stealing stare made Caster look away and the following words were repeating loudly in his head: 'I can't unsee it now. I can't unsee it now. I can't unsee it now!!!' 

In response, he took a deep breath to calm the hell down and he looked at Nimi. With a heart-stealing stare of his own. 

"We're in direct sunlight. Come on, Nimi. You don't wanna waste all your time here." Caster took Z23's hand and lead her to the beaches where all the girls are hanging out one way or another.

But Nimi's attention was all on Caster's hand holding hers. Tch. Smooth and not even realizing it. 

A-kun: I'm jealous. (And probably too lewd.)

As soon he was in view of the girls, the stares from everyone were going STRAIGHT AT HIM AGAIN. This moment reminded him about the same situation but in the cafeteria at the start of his Commander duties in Azur Lane. 

'Oh, my god. WHY AGAIN?!' He screamed in his head. As he's trying his best to not respond at all. 

But some stares became glares as Caster's hand didn't let go yet of Z23's hand. And suffice to say, they were jealous. Really JEALOUS.

He was the odd one out in this beach full of beautiful girls. He saw Javelin and he gestured Z23 to join them. And she obliged. With sudden motivation in her. 

He was looking around for something to do but he was interrupted by Hornet. Who was calling for him the whole time he was just still looking around and getting even more mesmerized by the view. 

"Hornet. You're really protecting yourself from that sunlight." Caster commented on Hornet's doing. As she was laying down with an umbrella protecting her. And Enterprise was next to her. With a beautiful white swimsuit of her own. But she was noticeably down. 

He wasn't seeing any presence of Yorktown anywhere. But just sat down next to Enterprise with Belfast behind him and her. As Belfast was again, Enterprise's maid for the day. 

Before Caster can even try to talk to Enterprise, who wasn't even aware that Caster was next to her, Belfast came in and gave Caster a BLT Sandwich. 

He happily accepted the sandwich. Much to the delight of Belfast, he took a bite of the BLT and he was ecstatic. "This is GOOD. Wow." He said in genuine surprise. 

Belfast giggled that he pleased Caster. And he already finished the BLT since he didn't get to eat breakfast at the base. And Caster asks for one more. And Belfast happily obliges. And he eats that BLT quickly too. 

At this time, Enterprise was just staring at Caster. And the first thing that came to her mind was the memory of the 2 on her carrier. And she felt slightly better emotionally just staring at him eating the BLT like a madman.

"Commander, you're going to choke with how fast you're eating." Enterprise finally talked. And Hornet and Belfast took notice. 

Enterprise, since this morning, hasn't said a word yet. He was just using nods and shakes of her head to respond to questions and some other statements. And it only took a guy named Edrich Caster to make her speak.

'Interesting...' Belfast thought. Stroking her chin. 

"I felt that you're going to talk because of this." With a smirk from Caster in the end of his statement. He purposely did that to get a reaction from Enterprise. And it worked perfectly. 

"Feeling better since yesterday?" He asked. And she nods slowly. 

Hornet, not knowing what happened yesterday, just looked at Belfast via girls' telepathy™  and wanted to know what's going on with the 2. 

And Belfast, like a true maid, didn't snitch on the 2 on what happened yesterday. As she fully saw everything go down. She kept it to herself. 

But then another event has gone straight to Caster's way. As the Sakura Empire girls finally got to the beach and joined everyone in the fun. 

Our 2 particular girls, Akagi and Kaga, saw Caster, and Akagi immediately went to him with Kaga just trying to keep her in check. 

A-kun: Okay, found a bit of a replacement, not that different from the last one, but STILL WORKS. Credits for my guy: JesterX3 for being a bro at the right moment. THANKS!

The two fox girls were wearing red and blue respectively obviously. But Akagi was getting slightly carried away from her actions. Like her animal instinct took over for a second. 

And yes, if this happens again, and with no Kaga to supervise her, let's just say let's all dig Caster's grave. 

But she kept her distance. Akagi and Kaga's swimwear was more revealing and Akagi knew and wanted to capitalize on the opportunity. 

So pushed her hair back and turned her head to Caster in a slightly seductive manner, she said in a really 'suggestive' tone. "Well, Commander, does the sight of Akagi's swimsuit make your heart race?" 

"Yes." He responded in an instantaneous manner that shocked Hornet, Enterprise, Belfast, and Kaga. 

'Congratulations, you screwed yourself.' His brain said before just mentally leaving him to explain. 

But like any other dense protagonist would do, stutter to all hell before getting beat up, Caster didn't even flinch. As he just answered the question. 

But he knew that he sounded like a pervert. So he needs a bit of explaining. 

"I'm being honest with you all. She looks great in that swimsuit." Caster doubled-down on his statement. Before Kaga spoke up.

"We only got here and Akagi has already fainted," Kaga stated as she was tapping Akagi who fainted by Caster's compliment. 

He facepalmed as he was doing more harm than good. So he just went to his serious aura to help the situation to work in his favor. 

"She asked me, and I answered. And me answering that question doesn't mean that I'm neglecting the others that need that same validation of a great swimsuit choice." Caster explained his thought process in the last 20 seconds. "Just chill, y'all. You all look beautiful and any person would kill anyone to get to this point." 

While Kaga carried Akagi to Vestal to help her, Caster finally got out of hot water with the girls. 

"Sorry for me being so defensive earlier. That interaction was so off-the-rails." He chuckled as he rubbed his head. 

Hornet and the other 3 forgive Caster as he did make a point that no one can deny. 

In the next 20 minutes, Caster just stood there... Doing nothing. Not making the most of his situation. Quite the dumb choice not going to lie. 

But at the distance, he saw some girls getting ready for a volleyball match. And his mind immediately went to last time he played volleyball. 

So, he stood up and went to the volleyball court. Without much talking too. The girls were confused by the sudden leave by Caster. 

He met up with familiar faces and some new ones to join the fray. 

"Heya, Commander! Wanna redeem ourselves in volleyball?" Cleveland smiled brightly at the Commander as he's walking towards the court. 

"Let's do it. I'm not planning to lose this time." He smiled.

Some of the girls saw Caster grouping up with the girls on the court and some wanted to play with or against him. So some of the girls gathered up. 

"Commander!" A voice exclaimed trying to get his attention. And he turned around to see who it was.

It was Saratoga and behind her was a menacing group of girls behind her. It felt like Saratoga was leading a gang or something. 

"Commander, shall we have a match?" North Carolina suggested. With her smiling. 

"Hey!!! Count me in!" Hornet ran towards the court with a joyful expression. She's itching for a match. 

"I'm always in for a challenge." He smiled. "Looks like you have made your team, so I'll make mine. Hold on." 

After a short time of deciding who's going to play for Caster's team, it was finally agreed upon.

Caster's team: 

1.) Caster
2.) Z23
3.) Javelin
4.) Cleveland
5.) Yamashiro (Don't ask. Only agree.)
6.) Ayanami

North Carolina's or Saratoga's team: 

1.) Saratoga
2.) North Carolina
3.) Washington
4.) Hornet
5.) Cygnet

And lastly... 

The most important girl of them all...

A-kun: Ayo, Sandy Cult where you at? (btw that shark behind her.) 

6.) SAN DIEGO!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!

"Okay... Seems that we're fully teamed up. Shall we start?" North Carolina said before everyone took their spots on the volleyball court. 

"You're going down, Commander!" Washington exclaimed. Wanting to win this game. 

And Caster responded in his signature 'Caster' fashion. He smirked. 

"Let us begin."

A-kun: Okay, this chapter is going on for way too long and I'll split it up to 2 chapters and a... Half-ish chapter. Don't worry, if you weren't satisfied with the romance and fanservice yet, I'll crank it up the next one. Don't worry. And even more hot pictures of the Azur Lane girls incoming too. Okay, I need to stop being weird and I'll see you all in the next chapter! 

Goodbye!

Word Count: 4797 Words.

3:00 AM
6/5/20