It's time to give out the rings, Admiral!

It's time to hand out the rings, Admiral! (Author: Azure Azure)

This is a story about beautiful and kind-hearted ship girls who finally find their long-lost admiral. (Kantai Collection + Kantai Collection)

Volume 1, Chapter 1: Kantai Collection Killed Me!

"...Brother...Brother?"

It was around 10 p.m. The boy was sitting on the windowsill of his bedroom, staring blankly at some study materials. Since it was only early spring, there was still a slight chill in the air. The cool breeze blowing in from the window made him shiver. He then heard his younger sister's pleasant voice behind him, which was both curious and a little helpless.

"Brother, if you're tired, it's better to rest early. There's no rush to study."

Outside the window, the tranquil coastline in the distance was filled with the sound of waves, and the only visible feature on the dark sea was the flickering lights of fishing boats.

Perhaps because he had been reading for too long today, he was a little distracted and didn't even notice when his younger sister entered the room. So the boy put down his pen and yawned leisurely.

"Ah~ it's Xiaorou. I'm fine, I was just spacing out for a bit. But you, why aren't you asleep yet? It's already quite late."

The boy turned around, and the girl's delicate face and jet-black, lustrous hair immediately came into his view.

"Yeah, brother, you must be tired from studying. I saw you studying so late, so I thought I'd make you some late-night snacks. Hehe, these are some egg rolls I made with the eggs Aunt Zhang gave me during the day. Eat them while they're hot, brother."

The lovely girl was holding a small plate with several steaming egg rolls on it. When she heard the boy's voice, she raised her arm and placed the plate on the table next to him.

The dim light illuminated the girl's slender body, casting a delicate shadow on the somewhat dilapidated wall behind her. The boy smelled the enticing aroma of the egg rolls, raised his hand to touch his younger sister's soft forehead, and said to the girl beside him with some affection.

"Didn't I already tell you not to worry about me? You're still growing, and not getting enough sleep isn't good for you. Besides, don't you have to get up early to go to the market tomorrow?"

The girl's long, black hair felt smooth and soft to the touch. Feeling the sensation from the top of her head, her face flushed slightly, she smiled gently.

"Hehe, it's okay, brother. I couldn't sleep anyway, so I thought I'd do something for you."

"...I just can't do anything with you."

The boy sighed, turned around, picked up an egg roll, and quickly stuffed it into his mouth. The delicious aroma of oil and egg filled his mouth. He breathed out because it was hot, and nodded vigorously.

"Mmm! Delicious! Whew~ Okay, go to sleep now. Didn't you promise Wang Jing you'd help her sell fish tomorrow morning?"

"Ok!"

The girl, with her beautiful light-colored eyes, watched as the boy swallowed the egg roll she had made in one gulp. Her face was filled with joy and a slight blush. She slowly nodded. The boy picked up his book and pen again, ready to continue his work, but he didn't hear his sister's footsteps. He turned around and found the girl behind him staring blankly at him for some reason.

"What's wrong, Xiaorou? Is there anything else?"

He asked.

Perhaps the girl was thinking about something, because she was startled by the boy's question. Her face suddenly turned red, and she pinched the hem of her clothes, rubbed her thighs shyly, and lowered her head. The girl's shy voice became somewhat expectant.

"Huh?!...No, nothing, brother...But, brother...that...goodnight kiss tonight..."

Noticing his younger sister's boastful expression, the boy was slightly taken aback, but he quickly understood the meaning behind her actions. He scratched his head helplessly and, with a resigned expression, leaned down and gently kissed the girl's forehead.

"Is this alright now? Okay, go to sleep."

"Ok!"

Whether it was excitement or shyness, after her wish was fulfilled, the girl, her face flushed, nodded heavily and then skipped away from the boy's room with a silly smile.

Watching his younger sister's retreating figure, the boy sighed softly and turned his attention back to the worn-out books on the table. Looking at the stiff black printed words on the paper, a moment of confusion appeared in his eyes.

"The exam is in two months... Will I really be able to become an admiral as I wish?"

Thinking of the countless predecessors who failed the annual Naval Academy entrance exam, he felt a little lost. What should he and Xiaorou do if he didn't pass the exam either?

Thinking about the time and effort he had put in over the past year, and considering his sister's expectations and trust in him, the boy patted his cheeks hard, his gaze hardening once more. He gathered his thoughts, picked up his books, and continued studying.

The boy's name is Su Yuchen, and the girl who just left is Su Yurou. They are siblings, but don't get the wrong idea, they are not siblings in the true sense of the word. After all, the boy has only been in this world for a year.

Yes, that's right. A year ago, he was indeed not a human being from this world. Before that accident, he was just an ordinary student from the 21st century living on Earth.

His time travel wasn't particularly dramatic, nor was there a dedicated truck driver rushing him to the set. It was simply because one night, after his vacation, he was playing a sustainable pill mobile game alone in his dorm room. He accidentally fell off his bunk bed, and when he groggily woke up, he found himself on a beach he didn't recognize.

As for why he came to such a strange world, but which felt very familiar after he got to know it, besides being destined by fate, it probably all started when he was in the third year of junior high school and was tricked by some unscrupulous roommates into playing a mobile casual collection game that was guaranteed to last forever.

As a model young man of the new century with no bad deeds, Su Yuchen could honestly say that he wasn't particularly interested in this game when he first encountered it, a game filled with beautiful ship girl characters. However, to everyone's surprise, he completely underestimated his self-control. As he delved deeper into the game, he unwittingly became completely addicted, and so…

Staying up late into the night to grind for ships and collect resources, all to climb the leaderboards for strength and collection. Setting alarms for every expedition to avoid wasting a single second, even if it means eating dirt every meal, to save money for in-game purchases of rings...

With this persistent spirit of hard work and perseverance, on the night before she transmigrated, Su Yuchen finally managed to elevate the strength and collection of her garrison to the top of the Cat Server rankings, where hardcore players were as common as dogs and top players were everywhere.

After transmigrating, when he felt lost and overwhelmed by everything unfamiliar, he was taken in by a family with the same surname, Su, in this strange world. Coincidentally, there was also a younger sister there whose name was very similar to his.

Perhaps God still had mercy on him. After waking up, Su Yuchen realized that he seemed to have transmigrated into the world of his favorite game. He was indeed excited for a long time because of this. How could a ship girl fanatic not be excited to see real ship girls?

However, even a year later, he has neither become an admiral like in the game, nor has he seen a single ship girl. The initial wonder of arriving in this world has completely faded. Now, he is just an ordinary older brother, taking care of his adopted younger sister who is his only family after his mentors, Uncle Su and Aunt Su, went out to sea to fish but never returned.

The night was deep, and the boy, having cleared his mind, suddenly looked up at the starry night sky outside the window.

"There are still two months left, let's keep going!"

Volume One, Chapter Two: Setting Sail

"Brother, please be careful on your journey! It's okay if you don't get accepted, just take good care of yourself!"

On the bustling dock, Su Yuru spoke softly to her brother, her expression somewhat reluctant, as she skillfully straightened Su Yuchen's clothes.

"Okay, okay, Xiaorou. Your brother is a grown man now, how could he not take care of himself? But you, don't let some boy steal you away while I'm not around."

To dispel the girl's sorrow, the boy chuckled playfully, ignoring his sister's pouting lips. He reached out and habitually rubbed her head before turning to a middle-aged woman who had been waiting nearby.

"Aunt Zhang, I'd like to ask you to take care of Xiaorou when I go to take the exam."

"Oh! Don't worry, Aunt Zhang will definitely help you raise Xiao Rou to be healthy and chubby."

Hearing Su Yuchen's voice, the middle-aged woman replied kindly. As an elder, she also gave the young man a few words of advice.

"I won't say much more. Take it easy on your journey. Send a letter to let me know you're safe when you arrive. It doesn't matter whether you pass the exam or not. It's not the only path you can take."

After saying that, she led out the little girl who had been hiding behind her and said to her.

"Come on, Ya Ya, your brother is about to take an exam. Quickly say goodbye to your brother."

"Goodbye, brother." She greeted Su Yuchen timidly, and after receiving a response from the boy, she hid behind her mother.

"Alright, it's getting late. Get ready. If you have anything else to say, quickly tell Xiaorou. I think she's quite reluctant to part with you, so you should comfort her."

After saying "Hmm," the middle-aged woman led the little girl to the side, leaving the brother and sister some space.

"You idiot brother, you big idiot."

The girl pouted and muttered to herself. Although she knew her brother was just joking with her, she still felt inexplicably uncomfortable after hearing his words.

"How could someone possibly be kidnapped?"

"Huh? Xiaorou, what did you just say?"

The boy had just turned around when he seemed to hear his younger sister whispering something beside him.

"Hmph~ It's nothing. My brother is just an idiot."

Su Yuru snorted at Su Yuchen, who had just finished talking with her neighbor Aunt Zhang, and immediately turned her face away in a huff.

Faced with the girl who had become a bit childish, Su Yuchen smiled helplessly. He hadn't expected that his little joke would make his sister angry.

"Okay, okay, it was my fault. I shouldn't have joked about Xiaorou. Please forgive me this time."

Perhaps the girl wasn't really angry, or perhaps it was because that person was her important "brother," but after the boy "sincerely" admitted his mistake, the girl immediately gave him a faint smile. However, thanks to this little joke, the gloom between the two of them lessened considerably.

"...The weather hasn't been very good lately, so wear more clothes when you go out and be careful not to catch a cold. I'm not here with you, so you have to eat well, brother. Don't eat anything cold, and don't drink tap water."

The girl bent down and began to help the boy pack his luggage once again.

Looking at her younger sister, who was all serious and had recently become more and more like a little housekeeper, Su Yuchen shook her head speechlessly. It wasn't like it was a matter of life and death, did she have to be so cautious?

"I'm just going to take an exam. If I get accepted, I'll bring you over once I've settled down. If I don't get accepted, I'll come back obediently, so there's no need to worry so much."

"I know, but you should take good care of yourself too, brother."

…………

The melodious sound of a ship's horn came from behind, and Su Yuchen picked up her luggage and spoke to the girl.

"I'm leaving now, Xiaorou. Take good care of yourself."

"Mmm." The girl nodded, her eyes red. Although she had promised herself she wouldn't be sad, at this moment, she still couldn't help but want to cry. After all, her only support in this world was her brother. Fighting back the stinging in her eyes, she suddenly grabbed the boy's sleeve. "Can...can you kiss me again...I feel a little uncomfortable, brother..."

Su Yuchen didn't speak. He touched his sister's soft hair again and nodded.

When the girl obediently closed her eyes, the boy bent down, intending to gently kiss her forehead as usual. However, before he could even put his lips down, his lips were suddenly touched by a warm scent of green apple.

He opened his eyes in surprise, only to see his younger sister's beautiful face flushed with rosy cheeks.

The warmth lasted only a moment before the shy girl turned around and ran off the dock, leaving Su Yuchen completely bewildered.

It wasn't until quite a while later, when the sound of the ship's horn reached his ears again, that he absentmindedly picked up his luggage and boarded the passenger ship bound for Tsugawa.

The passenger ship slowly set off. Standing on the ship's railing, Su Yuchen looked at the increasingly distant dock and felt a mix of emotions. He had been in this world for over a year, and now he was finally embarking on his journey to experience it. Imagining the unknown road ahead and the many real ship girls, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

He couldn't help but laugh. The boy turned around and wanted to walk back to the cabin, but the familiar voice in his ear made him stop. He turned around and saw his sister standing on the edge of the dock, waving frantically at him.

"Brother! Good luck on your exam! I'll be here waiting for you to pick me up!"

…………

Book 1, Chapter 3: On the Journey

It takes about ten days to travel from the boy's hometown to Tsugawa, where the naval academy is located. During this long period of time, the boy once again lived a life of going back and forth between three points.

Most of the day, he spent his time alone in the cramped cabin, silently reviewing the material that might be tested in the admiral selection exam. Although it was very tedious, he persevered silently because he thought of the candidates who had undergone formal admiral training. Since he didn't have the same resources as them, he could only rely on diligence and hard work.

However, this was, after all, a flight to that coastal metropolis. Aside from the various people and things around him, Su Yuchen also encountered several other candidates who were going to take the governor selection exam, just like him.

But looking at their smart clothes and the professional terms that occasionally came out of their mouths, he finally gave up the idea of ​​going over to talk to them. Who knows if they would look down on a poor candidate like him, just like others?

On the third day of the voyage, Su Yuchen finally encountered something quite exciting: it was the first time he had seen a life form called a ship girl since he came to this world.

Along with many curious onlookers, Su Yuchen stood by the ship, carefully observing the small girl standing on the sea with her own two legs not far from the passenger ship.

Just as people say, they are like spirits born from steel and war. Each ship girl has an eye-catching beauty, whether she is a small destroyer or a powerful aircraft carrier.

He later inquired with some knowledgeable people on the ship and learned that the ship owner had specially hired a destroyer-type ship girl from a naval base in Tsugawa for escort due to the recent increase in deep-sea activities. Her name was Shikihachi.

Upon hearing this, the boy immediately recalled a one-star rarity destroyer that he could obtain in the game's 1-1 dungeon. However, no matter what, he still couldn't reconcile the image of the cute little girl with a ponytail with the somewhat dazed character in the game.

As expected, games really do have a lot of negative effects. Real-life people are much more fleshed out and beautiful than the character portraits in games.

In the game, this destroyer has always been treated as low-end fodder and has not received much attention. Even if some die-hard fans have leveled her up, there are very few of them. Of course, this situation has improved after she was retrofitted, but even so, she can only be considered a relatively niche ship girl.

However, after seeing the envious expressions on the faces of the other candidates looking at Fu Bo not far away, Su Yuchen was immediately reminded of the gap between reality and the game.

Unlike in the game, building ship girls in this world isn't as simple as adjusting a formula and clicking "build." Not only is the "cursed steel," which is used to build ship girls and is imbued with the soul of the warship, extremely rare, but even if you manage to build one, the success rate is absurdly low.

In most cases, you might not even see a single destroyer, and all the resources you've painstakingly accumulated over months or even years will be completely swallowed up by the machines used to build ship girls.

Of course, the success rate of construction is not always so low. Every newcomer who passes the Admiral selection exam and successfully obtains the Admiral qualification has one construction opportunity provided by the academy, and the success rate of construction will be greatly increased that time, unless you are a bad person or have really bad luck.

As for why those test takers had such envious expressions...

Hmm... Every naval base has the responsibility to ensure the safety of the sea area under its jurisdiction. Generally speaking, naval bases with few ship girls will not easily send ship girls to carry out expeditions or other secondary missions. However, this naval base still has the capacity to send ship girls to escort a passenger ship, which means that the lucky admiral has at least two or more ship girls.

Considering the pitifully low success rate of ship girl construction, it's easy to understand why they are so envious.

Envious? Of course, envious. Even Su Yuchen, who had almost achieved a ship-to-ship domination in the game, was a little envious of that admiral's good luck. After all, that person hadn't even had a chance to observe ship girls up close since transmigrating.

Thinking about what he had done in the past year, he felt ashamed of his identity as a time traveler. Why did other people find girls and magical artifacts everywhere when they time traveled, but he had nothing and even had to work hard from dawn till dusk to earn his living expenses?

Fortunately, he still had some confidence in the upcoming exam. Having experienced the exam-oriented education of the 21st century, he was quite adept at rote memorization. Otherwise, if he couldn't even do that, he might as well start his life over again.

The passenger ship sailed peacefully along the coast for several days, and apart from stopping at a few small towns along the way and seeing some new faces, nothing else of noteworthy happened.

Although someone had been looking forward to seeing what the real deep sea looked like on the road, and whether it was like the character illustrations in the game, this was not the old generation where deep-sea attacks were very frequent. Most deep-sea fleets were holed up in the dangerous open ocean, and only occasionally would a deep-sea destroyer or something come to the coastal waters to cause trouble.

He said he wanted to see the deep sea, but he only dared to say it. No one would really hope to be attacked by the deep sea. Even with a destroyer-class ship girl escorting it, no one could guarantee that the passenger ship would not be affected by the war when facing a deep-sea destroyer with the same level of firepower.

But as a certain great man once said, don't make promises you can't keep, otherwise...

So, on the day before they were to arrive at Tsugawa Port, the boy finally encountered the long-awaited deep sea, and it didn't seem to be a typical deep-sea destroyer...