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

On a firing range... In one of the Navy SEAL Sniper Academies out there. Someone is looking down at their sights. In total isolation, and in focus, they try to slot the target. 

"Three notches... Adjusting..." Then a clicking sound. Then a few more clicking. "Distance. 428 meters away... Adjust for bullet drop off..." 

It looked like someone was memorizing something and adjusting for comfortability and training fundamentals. Someone beginning their training? Or a seasoned vet warming up?

The aspiring sniper stopped breathing, focusing on what on his crosshairs pointing at.

But someone kicked his leg. 

This, in turn, made him lose all focus and that aspiring beginner is about to throw some hands. He put his sniper back on the bipod attachment and stood up to see who kicked him in the leg. 

A bad treatment was given to this aspiring sniper since he arrived. And the pent-up aggression was about to blow over. About to lash out. 

Eyes widened in surprise. The aspiring was looking at an elite. Right at his face. The person was confused, he politely asked the elite on what he did wrong to warrant a kick on the leg. 

"Your posture is all screwed up." The man said. "Make sure you listen to instructions next time." 

"Sorry, sir." The man nodded. 

"Don't be sorry. Be better." The elite sternly said. "Now, get back on that." 

The aspiring sniper begrudgingly lied back down on the floor to look back at the scope of the sniper. Not before the elite asks him one last question before he goes. 

"I have heard of you and your missions. Why did you come here?" The elite asks. With no response, he repeated the question again. But with a tone of annoyance. 

The aspiring looked back at the elite in a bit of an arrogant way. Then he turned his head back to scope in.

"My life is short."

"I want to learn everything I want to learn." 

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

The cold winds immediately became the theme of this operation since it was a go. The girls and the Commander prepared wisely. 

"This posture is so bad... Damn it." 

Another cold breeze breezes past our protagonist. He shudders and breaks focus on his posture. Making himself frustrated once again. 

Why does he want to torture himself?

Not even the winter clothing that he's wearing is saving him one bit. So in the response of the relentless cold winds, he wiggled his lower body to the left. And to the right. And to the left. And to the right. 

He was trying to warm himself up. But on the ship he's riding on, it's really not... Commendable? 

A-kun: Again, with these wordings. This sounds so bad out of context. 

"Commander? What are you doing?" 

Caster's eyes widen as someone caught him in an act that may or may not be looking ridiculous. He turned his head behind him. Seeing who it was. 

"Zui..." Then he just facepalmed... Out of the people who would get him in doing... Whatever he was doing.  His'warming' method... 

"Your methods... Is kind of questionable, Commander." Zuikaku tried her best to be not as blunt as possible on her comment on Caster's... Posture. 

But unfortunately, it was blunt enough to hurt Caster emotionally. 'I just got burned. Coming from a woman.'

"The picture points towards the north..." He said before... "WOAH!!!" The high tide waves are making the boat rock. As slight snow falls onto the IJN Zuikaku. 

And it had the unintended side-effect of making Caster sea-sick. Feeling the Commander's submarine vibes? 

This prompted him to get to sit down and lean on the railing on the edge of the ship. And finally having the common sense to not torture himself in the posture perfection.

But in the mind of a talented, but hard-working person, he felt that the practice wasn't even close to enough. But he started practicing at the worst possible time possible anyway. So he kind of screwed himself from the start.

But he didn't pay it much mind...

"We're closing on the screenshot location given to us by Illustrious from her sister ship Victorious." 

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

"Since I can finally understand what you're saying, can you elaborate on this screenshot once again?" Caster looked at the same whiteboard with the screenshot plastered at the center. 

"You see, Commander, The Sirens who got away or retreated when we counter-attacked them teleported right?" Illustrious made the explanation that was very similar or basically a copy-paste of last time.

He quietly nodded along. He analyzed the picture. This time isn't in a drowsy and angry mood. 

"That's a portal, yeah?" Caster squinted. "So they teleported out... To where?" 

"That's the main question on this picture. But all we know that they were heading north. And we could find something big." 

Caster thought about this suggestion for a good minute. They weren't much information they could get off of. This picture and the direction 'north' is literally they know. Nothing else. 

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

"But screw it." He silently said as he shrugs. Irresponsible leadership? Maybe? Does he care? Probably not. 

The prep for this Operation was short, but the girls were ready for anything. And the girls were well-rested before the operation. 

Caster's team consists of:

1.) Hood
2.) Prince of Wales
3.) Hornet
4.) Cleveland
5.) Illustrious
6.) Helena
7.) Zuikaku
8.) Shoukaku 

Caster was about to fall asleep on the railing but Shoukaku went up to her sister and stared at the snoozing Commander.

"Aren't we lucky that we got picked before 'them'," Shoukaku said being thankful and be fortunate enough to be chosen to be the first IJN to join an operation.

"Well, we're even luckier that we have 'him'." Zuikaku complimented Caster. Much to his snoozing, he didn't get to hear it. "He's giving us a chance. Let us not waste it."

"I'll protect you even harder than last time, you can count on it." She held her sister's face and faced it towards hers. 

"Then I have nothing to fear." She said valiantly. Raising her sword up in the air. A bit over-reacting, but it is fine.

Then they heard a chuckle. The crane sisters look back on the railing. 

"That's a good sign. But I'll be doing the heavy-lifting for you all. I wanna see this myself." Caster stared some of the ice that was blocking the way.

The ships and carriers breeze past it. And Illustrious make an announcement. 

"We've passed the screenshot location, everyone. We're currently going north. May the holy light bless our operation." Illustrious reminded everyone about the mission at hand. 

The chatter on the communicator was next to none. And the weather was subtly getting colder by the minute. 

'I haven't been on a sniper mission since last year... I sure to be rusty this time around.' He stared as his rifle he's holding. Caress his hands all over the sniper rifle to check for any rust or scratches. 

He also looked at the magazines he has... Not much. No white Wisdom Cube to bail him out this time. 4 magazines including the one he has on right now.

So basically, "20 shots, huh..." 

"Commander," Hood spoke up. "Are you sure about this?" 

"Of course," Caster responded. Knowing what she's implying. "I have experience in doing this."

"So this is the reckless attitude that the others kept talking about him..." Zuikaku said. But in a faint tone so Caster couldn't hear.

"A bit problematic, isn't it?" Shoukaku also commented on the matter. 

They haven't seen anything yet. 

"Commander,"

Caster's head lit up and turned his head towards Shoukaku. 

"Please be careful in this mission. You are our leader," Shoukaku said. Warning him. But do you expect him to hear any of it? "We can always accompany you." 

Then Caster just explained to the 2 CV's that they're going to help him in a different way. Not a direct way. Making airstrikes and giving reconnaissance. The girls weren't really convinced but his skill is yet to be displayed on sniper/stealth missions. So they had a reason to be worried. 

"Didn't I already told you this?" He stood up. Feeling the cold wind.

The 2 didn't respond verbally. But their body language was so clear to him. And he turned around to face the two crane sisters.

"Be confident in my abilities. Just like I have been with your skills," said Caster. Moving past them and patting the 2 on the shoulders.

The 2 cranes turned around to see him walking away. 

"I think it's just not confidence... Is it... Cockiness?"

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

After some time of small talk, last or panic preparation, and just otherwise just waiting time, the fleet has found ground. With the particular climate that Caster was experiencing in the region, the ground was filled with snow. The climate was cold. 

A snow mission. 

'Interesting...' A smile grew wide along his face. 

He landed on the shore... Not seeing much activity. 

With the help of the girls and some keen observers, they deducted that there was nothing of interest on the island. And some of them wanted to find another place. A place where a bit more interest. A lot more activity.

Again, with the scarce intel that they had for this operation, it was a genuinely great idea. And could save them a good bit of time worrying about something that doesn't exist. 

But of course, Edrich Caster thought otherwise. After some talking and some bickering, he had convinced the girls to stay on the shores and let him keep going. It was a strange decision. But the trust he had gained in such a short time from the girls that it just let Caster do whatever he wants.  

Like, he had a weapon and can defend himself. 

"Thank you for putting your trust within me once again. I'll find something. I promise." Caster gave great gratitude for the again, putting their trust in him. 

The responses were pretty generic. But Hood seemingly wanted blood for some reason. A remark was said that strayed away from her usual refined vocabulary.

"Can you please get on with it? It's going to be bloody cold soon." 

"Damn girl. I'll get it on then." He turned off his communicator before saying that statement. He was clearly shocked about that remark. 

He walked towards a hill. He knew that there was a recent activity here. But he wasn't really sure. Some crates here and there. Some new and old. He can't confirm anything as of right now. 

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

The storm is brewing up. 

It was getting harder to see. But he still traverses onward. 

"I am starting to regret this decision bit by bit." He commented on his prior action. As he was crawling up the hill. He's doing it for stealthy purposes. He's not about to get prematurely exposed by carelessness. His carelessness. 

There is a common expectation or a common misconception from action movie watchers that every mission is a 'bop' or it's just 'action-filled'.

Obviously, this notion isn't true AT ALL. And surely, there are some reviews out there that mission in Hollywood is sure not depict missions especially stealth missions the way it is truly done. 

Hell, stealth missions are so boring that sometimes the person doing it cannot even get to fire his gun once. 

A-kun: It seemed like I was insulting y'all reader's intelligence. I am truly sorry.

Carefulness is the key to this mission. If caught, he cannot even disengage from the open area he is in. 

Caster wiggled through the snow. As his crawling form was getting back to shape, he stopped.

"This... This is it." He said before scoping through his scope. 

An old, rugged town was before him. And he saw something that he never expected to see. 

"What the... Sirens?" 

They were walking around the town like they were doing something or protecting something. This definitely caught Caster's curiosity and a lot more questions popped up. 

"What the hell could they be doing here?"

"The Sirens is solely sea-based. Why here? Of all places?" 

"What are they protecting and hiding?"

These questions will be important and will be answered later on. For now, 

As much as he wants to get in there right now, his mind is just screaming at him like an irate boss in a terrible company. Telling him that his idea right now is stupid and he needs to reconsider that. 

As any level-headed human would do, he started going down the hill.  

As he's walking back down where he came from, he took out his communicator. 

"We have good news and bad news to tell you all." He sat down and laid against the cliff. Taking a bit of a breather. 

"Can we hear the bad news?" Wales suggested.

"Okay, not the exact response I wanted and it's not the precise order that I wanted..." Caster said before chuckling. 

Is this the Caster that wins almost every fight he has been in? Is this the so-called 'big-brained' person that the girls think he is? His demeanor is so bipolar that it's not even funny at this point. From happy to death-threatening. 

A-kun: I'm scared.

Prince of Wales just shook her head. But she couldn't help but look at Hood. Because that response from him awfully resembles how Hood would give a sarcastic or snarky remark. 

"W-what are you looking at me for?" Hood said. As their respective ships were right next to each other. 

"Good news is, that I've found something that is interesting."  Caster commented. Making the girls breathe a collective sigh of relief. "But bad news," 

"There are Sirens at the location where I'm at." 

There was silence, as Caster's waiting for the girl's reaction, he took out a water canteen and drank from it. 

"Commander. That is a really big danger. Let us be in there." Cleveland was the first one to react verbally. 

"Yeah, Commander. Let us have something do here. Anything but freezing myself in this cold." Hornet was the 2nd. 

'Is the warm clothing we're wearing doing anything for them?' He taps his head in slight frustration. 

"Okay. Okay. Let's work together here. I want a volunteer to accompany me in infiltrating the creepy town I'm about to go in." Caster said. 

As the girls were talking, Caster's ears were on something else. As the chatter of reasons and pleas that they wanna join Caster, there was a voice that wasn't talking or consciously or subconsciously not wanting her presence to be known.

And that. Was his pick.

"Helena." Caster plainly stated. 

She was slow to pick up the communicator. Cleveland just told her that Caster was calling for her. So she picked up in a haste. 

"Get a fix on my position and get to me. We're going to work together." 

Everybody in the fleet was surprised. Why her? Out of all of the great options, he really chose Helena. (no disrespect.) 

Does he have an ulterior motive on why he's calling Helena instead of somebody else? 

"C-Commander..." Helena stuttered. Not believing the decision. "But..." 

"I'm not hearing any of it." He said in a near aggressive tone. "Can you please stop doubting yourself and face the moment?" 

"Staying behind and looking on the sidelines is not how great ships and heroes form."

"Everyone in the fleet other than you has accomplished great achievements and proven themselves in battle. And has a place in the new Azur Lane."

"You can back out now, no one will ridicule you from it. But if you do decide to fight, you can be anything you want to be." 

After the accidental inspirational speech that Caster made, Helena stood there frozen (get it?) at the Commander's words. 

"Seems that Helena has figuratively frozen." Hood smiled while looking at her reaction. 

After some wholesome encouragement from the other girls, Helena finally got over her mental hurdle and got the courage to step up to the challenge. She formed her ship's guns to her waist and leaped off to land on the ground. 

After a while, she finally got to Caster's position while walking at her own pace. Well, Caster told her that so she wouldn't get really nervous. Or get sped up or indecisive in her actions. 

"Commander..." She hesitantly spoke. As she stood over Caster who was about to fall asleep. 

He took a look at the Light Cruiser. She was shaking... But she had really thick coat on. He is sure that the cold is not bothering her at all but something else. Guess that advice earlier didn't really work the way he hoped. 

'In hindsight, I chose the worst ship mentally for this type of task. But I'll try to make it work. I mean, she'll put in the effort to help so I'll take it.' He assessed his prior decisions... 

Caster got up and he gave Helena a reassuring stare at her. 

"Follow my lead, and we'll never fall."

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

The two walked back up the hill. Not crawling this time around. Helena is not prepared to crawl on the snow... It'll just make her body temperatures go lower. 

And as of right now, as Helena sees the Sirens and the rugged town, she is absolutely petrified. Caster is paying no mind though. 

For Caster, the landscape is way different the way he saw it before walking back down the hill. There were now 3 Siren sentries stationed on rooftops of certain houses. He's not liking this and the 3 sentries could spot them on the hill if not taken out quickly.

"Helena, please lay down. I'll snipe the 3 Sirens on the rooftops." He said to Helena before looking down his scope. 

'Adjusting zoom. 536 meters...' 

His breathing stops.

Click. 

One.

Click.

Two.

Click...

"Three..." 

"All Siren sentries are down. Move." He said before sliding back down the hill. 

Helena followed, and the two are just on the outskirts of the town. They still had a bit of distance from the town and where they were at, so the 2 had some time for small talk. Not entertaining but it is for the time being.

'Those 3 shots were not headshots... I need to focus next time.' Caster thought to himself as he's walking. 

"Commander..." Helena tried to break the silence. But. Footsteps.

"GET DOWN." He borderline screamed and the 2 was laying down on the snow. 

"Don't. Move." 

He and Helena were staring at 2 Sirens at a distance walking towards a cave. 

Helena is about to break in the pressure and nervousness. But before she can legitimately break mentally, the 2 Sirens finally got out of the two's view. 

Caster got up and he helped Helena up. He wasn't complaining or being obnoxious to Helena's demeanor and nervousness but tried to calm her down. Which is already proving to be a difficult task to uphold. 

"Hold on. There's something on your cheek." He reached his hand to Helena's left cheek and took something off of it. 

His straight-forward attitude has been a revelation to the girls. His interactions with some of the girls using this said trait have been a nice touch. He may be oblivious as hell, but he's consciously doing very forward things to the girls. Each resulting in one of two things: 

1.) The girl getting flustered.
2.) Or Caster getting slapped, scolded, or just plain annoyance from the girl.

Well, the 2nd effect is really exclusive for the tsunderes and the onee-chans of Caster's fleet. 

Helena touched her left cheek right after Caster did... Without noticing it, her body temperature started rising. 

Her body wasn't shaking anymore. Comfort started to fill her head. Comfort even in the cold wastes of their location. Comfort in his presence. 

Before Caster took off once again, he looked at Helena's face. She was... Smiling? 

'Woah,' Caster's eyes widen at the sight of her amethyst eyes slightly glowing and her very rare smile. 'She's...' 

Before Caster's speechlessness can go even longer, He snapped out of it and he just waited for Helena to finally calm down. Before continuing their walk down the hill to the town they're about to infiltrate. 

'He's so calm when it comes to this type of pressure... Is he always like this?' Helena told herself as she couldn't keep her eyes off Caster as they keep walking.

"Commander," Helena spoke up.

Caster immediately turned his head towards her. "What is it, Helena?"

"Are you always this calm?" Helena asks him about his scary calmness in any situation he's in. A pretty remarkable trait. 

"Well... I have been. If a leader is nervous, his subordinates will definitely feel it also. You don't want that, right?" Caster answered the question while asking Helena back. 

"I-I guess so." Helena nods. 

The storm has not been a blizzard yet, which is good for visibility for this infiltration. And Caster got reminded of something in his head.

"Helena, tell the fleet to be ready for fire missions," Caster ordered her. In which she did just that. 

"Commander, I just realized, I could use of SG radar to see all of the enemies in this town," Helena said before taking out her radar and her tablet to use as an interface. 

The positive suggestion immediately turned into a bad one as she looks to her tablet, there was a red light beeping in and out. Seems like an error. 

Helena tried to fix it, adjusting the height of the radar, fixing the tablet itself, none worked. There could only be one thing that's stopping it. 

"My SG radar is getting suppressed, Commander," Helena told the bad news. "I think there is a jammer tower here." 

"Oh, over there?" Caster pointed at a tower that was very distinct from the broken houses. Sure-fire evidence that the Sirens have occupied this town.

Helena nods in agreement. 

Whereabouts of the enemy are paramount. It will help them big time. Plus, not only will Caster be benefiting from her radar. The whole fleet will also see the whereabouts about the enemies. Thus, conducting fire missions and the accuracy of those said fire missions will be guaranteed.

Now Caster has to make a choice. 

'I could destroy that jammer by getting Helena or me to disable it, or I could ignore it, and use my intuition to sneak by the Sirens.' He narrowed down his choices. Well, the choices weren't much, to begin with.

Then before a choice is made, his communicator rang. He answered the call. "Hello?"

"Commander. Bad news." Hood was the first voice he hears. 

"We have company." Zuikaku continued Hood's statement. 

Frustration is the only thing on Caster's mind. But he kept his cool. 

"Is it the Sirens?" He asked the 2 in seriousness. 

"No," Hood stated. 

"The Ironblood." 

Word Count: 3790 Words. 

11:27 PM
6/25/20