A sky-piercing floating island. On its peak: flying cascades, slender bamboos, and below them an endless sea of clouds.
A young woman stood on the summit. An ornate kimono covered only half her chest, baring pale shoulders and skin.
Beneath, a white mini-skirt; from below, legs rose like a white sky—until an unexpected peach-blossom grove appeared. White over-knee socks clung to smooth skin, curving thighs and setting off the exposed skin above.
One cannot help recalling the verse: "Suddenly he came upon a peach forest lining both banks for hundreds of paces, with no other trees, the fragrant grass fresh and beautiful. The fisherman marveled and went on, wishing to explore the grove to its end."
Fox ears twitched adorably atop her head; star-white hair shimmered like a night sky, seemingly distant yet close as the girl next door.
A deep-blue fan pendant hung at her chest, a fixed emblem that stirred with every breeze, drawing eyes to the alluring valley below.
Gazing afar, she watched the blazing sun slowly set; her back looked utterly lonely.
She remains the undisputed strongest Legendary Ship Girl of the present age—Shinano. Countless battles, and never a single defeat.
All of this was because her unique ability was essentially a bug; by relying on it alone, she could remain invincible in any battle.
Not long ago, she took on her first and last disciple. This disciple was perfect in every way, except for one thing—she learned too fast! In just half a year, she had mastered everything, leaving her master with nothing left to teach.
The reason she had come up the mountain this time was actually to hide from her disciple. Oh, disciple! My dear disciple! Please, whatever you do, do not find your way here!
However, speak of the devil and he shall appear—or in this case, her disciple arrived once again.
"So, you've come," Shinano said expressionlessly, her voice carrying an innate authority.
"Mm! I've come!" Illustrious replied quite calmly.
"You shouldn't have come!" Shinano sighed, speaking with a sense of helplessness.
"But I came anyway," Illustrious said, her expression firm.
"What for?! Everything I could teach you, I already have. There's nothing left now, so please, just let me go!" Shinano was almost on the verge of tears. Do you really want to drive your master to death before you're satisfied?!
"Master, you must be joking. You are the strongest existence among the Legendary Ship Girls. How could someone as powerful as you only have this much to show? You must have more to teach me," Illustrious said with a serious face.
"No, I'll say it one more time: I have taught you everything. What you have is enough to last you a lifetime. It is time for you to descend the mountain, so please, I beg you, let me go!" Shinano reached the end of her patience and laid all her cards on the table.
"No, I don't believe you. You're lying to me. I can see it in your eyes—there is still something you haven't taught me," Illustrious said, putting on an 'I saw through you long ago' look.
"What! You even saw through that? As expected of my disciple. Sigh, fine! I was planning to keep one last trick up my sleeve—after all, 'teach the apprentice and the master starves'—but considering how comfortably you've been looking after me, you little rascal, I'll teach it to you!" Shinano acted surprised, but knowing how miraculous Illustrious was, she didn't find it that strange.
"That's wonderful! Thank you, Master," Illustrious laughed happily.
"Once you've learned this move, you must go down the mountain to gain experience!" Shinano tossed out a statement that made Illustrious sad.
"Eh! Master, do you hate me now?" Illustrious said, sounding a bit hurt.
"Silly disciple, how could I ever hate you? But you can't stay by my side forever! A young eagle needs to experience the world." Yes, I do hate you! Entwining yourself around me day and night without end—I'm about to be annoyed to death by you.
"But Master, I'm still very weak. Please don't drive me down the mountain, okay?" Illustrious acted as if she were afraid to leave, acting spoiled toward Shinano.
"No! You are already an Epic Ship Girl; you aren't weak in this world. Protecting yourself is absolutely no problem." Shinano had long since become immune to Illustrious's acting spoiled and rejected her flatly.
"But..." Illustrious still wanted to persuade Shinano.
"No 'buts.' Are you really going to disobey your master's words?" Shinano cut her off, giving her no chance.
"Yes, I obey your command!" Illustrious had no choice but to agree helplessly.
"Once you're down the mountain, don't peek at girls bathing, don't steal girls' stockings, and don't steal girls' panties. It was one thing when you did those things to me, but if you do them to others, then don't you dare tell anyone you're my disciple, because I can't afford to lose that kind of face," Shinano said with a solemn expression.
"Ah! Master, so you knew all along!" Illustrious was startled, her face turning crimson.
"Hmph! Did you think my title as the strongest among the Legendary Ship Girls was just for show? I know everything you've done." Hmph! There are only the two of us on this small island; if it wasn't you, it'd be me. It's that simple, of course I knew.
"Ah! You... you knew everything? Then... that black tea you drank that day... you also knew I did that?" That day, Illustrious had drugged the black tea to knock her master unconscious, and that night, she had directly taken her master's first time.
"So you were the one behind that day too! No wonder after I finished drinking, I woke up in the morning to find myself completely naked. You even told me back then that I must have been sleepwalking and took them off myself. Now it seems that wasn't the case, was it?" Shinano looked at Illustrious with a 'kind' smile.
"Ehehe!" Illustrious tilted her head, stuck out her tongue, and winked, playing dumb.
As the master and disciple were having their heart-to-heart, a voice interrupted them.
"Hee hee hee! I've finally found you! Shinano, come forward and meet your death! I'm going to cut you down here today; this time next year will be the anniversary of your death!"
A White-Haired Girl suddenly arrived, appearing before the master and disciple. This person was a Special Abyssal; Special Abyssals were divided into Nightmare Abyssals and Calamity Abyssal Entities.
The White-Haired Girl before them was the head of the Ten Calamity Abyssal Entities—Harbor Princess. She had come here today specifically to kill the one known as the strongest among the Legendary Ship Girls, to flaunt the might of the Abyssals and prepare for their upcoming plan to eliminate humanity and dominate the world.
Upon seeing Shinano, Harbor Princess was delighted. She opened with a grand gesture; her aura soared to the heavens as countless golden strands of Ship Qi enveloped her body, and a terrifying pressure bore down directly toward Shinano's position.
The legendary pressure was extremely frightening. Illustrious, being an Epic Ship Girl, turned pale and was instantly pressed to the ground by this majesty, unable to move.
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