The mahogany desk quivered under the Admiral's relentless assault, his fist pounding the polished surface.

"FUCK!" He cradled his throbbing hand, face contorted in pain.

Iowa's voice drifted from the corner, tinged with amusement. "I could have told you this was going to happen." She turned a page in her book, pointedly ignoring her superior's outburst.

The Admiral whirled, bloodshot eyes narrowing as he glared at his subordinate. "Don't get snarky with me," he growled, jaw clenched.

Unfazed, the kanmusu continued reading what appeared to be a risqué romance novel. Her blatant disregard for his authority grated on his nerves. The Admiral's fingers twitched, a primal urge to lash out at this inhuman creature rising within him. He forced it down, well aware of the futility of such an action.

Iowa's gaze flicked up from her book, curiosity evident in her tone. "Why did you reject her offer for peace?"

"Who? The abyssal?"

"Who else?"

The Admiral's eyes narrowed, irritation coloring his words. "Only a greenhorn would fall for such an obvious ploy. They showed up with the largest concentration of abyssal forces the world has ever witnessed. Does that suggest 'peaceful intentions' to you?"

"I'll give you that point," Iowa conceded, her voice tinged with reluctance. She closed her book, leaning forward. "But what if you're wrong? What if they genuinely came to end this war?"

The Admiral's eyes narrowed. "Let me stop you right there." He leaned forward, his fingers steepled. "Even if I entertained that monster's absurd proposal, what do you imagine would happen?"

Iowa's gaze dropped to the floor. She hesitated, then ventured, "They would return to their island and we'd... coexist peacefully?"

A harsh bark of laughter escaped the Admiral's lips. "Good God, no!" He shook his head, disbelief etched on his face. "My crew would revolt. I'd face a court-martial. The streets would erupt in unprecedented chaos. Neither the Prime Minister nor our American allies would stand for it." He gestured broadly. "Nations prioritize security over morality. Just look at the Middle East or South America. Do you truly believe the Americans have those people's best interests at heart?"

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Iowa's shoulders sagged as she slumped in her chair. "So peace was never a real possibility?"

"Not in the slightest." The Admiral's voice softened, but his resolve remained firm. "Unless they surrendered completely - disarming and submitting to government oversight. But that's capitulation, not peace." His expression darkened. "They pose an existential threat, growing stronger by the day. The previous Abyssals never exhibited the exponential growth we're seeing from this new Central Princess. That isn't even taking into account their apparent ability to upgrade their forces with newer technology."

Abruptly, he changed tack. "What's the latest on the Americans?" The Admiral's mind raced, considering the dire situation after the traitor's cataclysmic attack on their Tokyo Bay defenses.

If the Americans withheld aid, Japan's fate was sealed. For a fleeting moment, he contemplated the unthinkable - launching a nuclear strike. The intrusive thought was quickly banished. Nuking the Japanese mainland remained an absolute last resort, and targeting the Central Princess directly was futile given the depth of her underground stronghold.

Iowa's brow furrowed as she contemplated her response. After a moment, she replied, her voice taking on a grave tone. "The Americans are mobilizing their forces, but amassing the necessary firepower to challenge the new princess will take time. They're readying carrier groups one through nine for an extended campaign."

The Admiral's chair creaked as he leaned back, absorbing the information. "Central Princess is as cunning as she is formidable. Her fleet will likely be rebuilt before we can mount a significant assault." His fingers drummed on the desk. "What reinforcements can we anticipate?"

"At minimum, a thousand Kanmusu," Iowa said, her eyes meeting the Admiral's. "With the abyssal threat diminishing in other regions, every nation is contributing what they can spare. The United States plans to deploy their latest destroyers, complete with those experimental railguns."

A wry smile tugged at the Admiral's lips. "No doubt accompanied by those hypersonic jets they've been crowing about."

For the first time in weeks, a glimmer of hope stirred within him. Since the tragic demise of the top brass—crushed by a meteor in their misguided pursuit of glory—his fortunes had taken a nosedive. Though he despised his role, he recognized it as a grim necessity in the face of genuine monsters.

Through a combination of influence, called-in favors, and carefully applied blackmail, he had maneuvered the Prime Minister into appointing him High Admiral of the Japanese Navy. It had been a close call; his rival had been the preferred choice. Fate, however, had intervened when the man suffered a fatal accident involving a semi-truck.

The Admiral silently thanked whatever Kami or Yokai might be watching over him. At last, he had the opportunity to serve his nation by vanquishing the threats that besieged it.

His gaze drifted to his Kanmusu aide, noting her dual nature with a mixture of suspicion and wariness. The possibility of more treasonous Kanmusu gnawed at his mind. Yes, implementing countermeasures sounded like a perfect solution to the unease haunting him.