Broken Mirror: Prologue

"Speech/ "Thoughts"

Lightning danced across a black sky while cold rain pelted the agitated ocean below. Multiple lights shined from an armada of steel ships spread a safe distance from each other as they dueled the elements. Near the rear of the formation, large vessels, ships hundreds of meters in length, rose and fell with the waves. Despite the impressive size of this collection of warships, it was only a part of much larger coalition formed by previously-warring factions.

Now all of them were united against a common foe. The Sirens, an alien race with unknown goals who seized control of the world's seas for their own purposes.

Ironblood, Sakura Empire, Vichya Dominion, Sardegna Empire, Eagle Union, Royal Navy, Iris Libre, Northern Union, and Eastern Radiance. Once separated into either the Azur Lane or Crimson Axis, all now stood together to banish their mutual enemy from their world.

United, this alliance began a slow but progressive campaign against the invaders, liberating their waters beach by beach, island by island. The fight was long, costing much in resources and lives, but every sacrifice would not be in vain.

They would not let them be in vain.

Now, the ships of this unified front now steamed towards the final enemy stronghold, intent on surrounding it within a ring of steel and cannons. This would be the last battle; the nations refused to allow any other to follow.

The Siren's must've known their intent, as they sent waves of aircraft and ships to intercept the advancing forces in attempt either to exhaust their ammo or force a retreat, but the supply and repair ships each battle fleet had a safe but close distance away shot down those hopes. After each defending wave, the fleets would communicate damages and munitions spent before calling upon the auxiliary fleet as needed. The armada never ceased movement, constantly heading towards their singular objective.

When cracks spread on the sky and the sea turned an unnatural red, the coalition knew they were close. Their alertness raised beyond maximum, because as the gaps of ocean separating the allied nations shrank, the resistance they faced grew. In another effort to deter the invasion, portals had appeared underneath the majority of support vessels, casting them out of the Mirror Sea. Despite the severe decrease in medical and munition fleets, the combat fleet knew to turn back now was folly.

So onwards they pushed, only sending those in critical need of ammo resupply or medical care. Soon, the waves stopped. A large metallic spire rose out of the altered ocean.

The final enemy stronghold stood before them, the final battle at hand.

On the bow of every ship stood a woman each, their gazes affixed towards the objective. Without a word, the ships they stood on dispersed into small luminous blue cubes which landed on each woman, transforming into an assortment of cannons, guns, and shark-like familiars. As if sensing the readiness of its adversaries, slots opened on the sides of the tower, bellowing out black jets.

At the sight of the swarm, the carriers of the human coalition launched their planes, some leaping on the canopies of a single fighter for increased mobility. Below, the destroyers and cruisers strove to create a dome of anti-air defensive line around the battleships, while the latter used their heavier cannons to blast an opening in the enemy spire. After a few minutes of focused fire, a hole big enough for multiple ships to enter was created. A few light cruisers and destroyers placed themselves near the entrance of their newly created infiltration point to cover for their allies as they filled in, jumping in only after everyone else had.

Now inside, the group split its forces into three, with a single directive: leave only rubble as they searched for those in charge. However, the ones they hunted were not idle. Multiple explosions rocked the structure, lights flickering and dimming as power sources were destroyed.

"How much longer is this going to take?"

"Well, had you been here before they started destroying everything, we would already be back in the past!" Snapped one of the pale-skinned Sirens known as Tester. She furiously tapped away on a keyboard, desperately trying to activate her brethren's means of escape before the human forces could locate them.

Unfortunately, she and the others had to find her current object of immense irritation, Purifier, due to the knowledge she possessed. The value of this knowledge was absolute and thus could not be lost.

'But of course she decides to disappear for a nap right before our enemy comes blasting in our door!'

If Tester managed to activate the Mass-Time Jumper before they were shot to bits, the first thing she would do is record every iota of information Purifier held, then beat her into oblivion. However, this could only happen if she could stabilize the declining power supply long enough for her to plug in the desired point in time to warp herself and company.

Unfortunately for the Tester, Purifier's disappearance was quite purposeful. The bombastic Siren did indeed possess invaluable knowledge, but not the kind Tester believed. Purifier could hardly keep a smile off her face.

'C'mon, little toys! Hurry and find us so we can leave this world! Literally!'

Oh, yes! She couldn't wait for the real mission to start!

As if to answer her desire, an explosion rocked the chamber, sending some of her comrades tumbling to the floor while others shook in place. The Sirens turned to the last barrier keeping their enemies out: a thickly armored bulkhead. Undoubtedly, it's alien in design and composition, guaranteeing the slab of metal would endure quite a beating before it gave in.

Enough time for a last-minute escape? Tester thought not as she left the console, joining her fellows at the center of the room. Purifier, despite her elation at what was coming, did feel a bit sad for her ruse but orders were orders.

'Sorry, Tessy, I'll explain everything in after we get there.'

Tester herself felt oddly calm despite her imminent termination. She supposed her end was inevitable given the lack of support and supplies from command.

Punishment for her failure to secure this timeline.

'But why would the Empress pull our forces out, instead of intensifying our efforts?'

Her inquiry would be put on hold as the their last barrier fell, allowing the coalition to spill in. Circling the Sirens in multiple layers, high-caliber guns positioned along the inner most circle.

No words were said. What could? Everyone knew what was coming next.

Or at least, all but one.

Before the guardians of humanity could fire a single shell, the device Tester tried in vain to activate suddenly came to life. Purifier's howling laughter accompanied swirls of energy as those gathered into her trap begun to levitate into the air. The sphere spun faster and faster as the energy built up.

"Keep your arms, legs, and cannons near your bodies at all times! Next step! A new timeline!"

As the light show escalated and gravity ceased to function, two individuals recognized the split-second window left to end this war.

"For the Eagles!"

"Für das Eisenblut!"

The crack of twin-mounted cannons might have drowned out the crackle of energy launched from a high-tech bow, but both struck their target. There was now an odd whirling coming from within the explosive impact of the only attacks able to be precisely aimed without fear of harming an ally.

"…not good." Purifier stated when the smoke cleared, and the partially-damaged time machine continued spinning despite the threat it now posed to itself.

Not to mention everyone else.

Unable to stop the deteriorating machine, Purifier just sighed and muttered, "Spoilsports…" before she and every individual present was either sent to back in time, shredded across time and space, sent to the future, simply vanishing, or sent to completely different worlds.

Without Purifier's power to keep the Mirror Sea operational, the pocket dimension collapsed and faded from existence. Outside the alternative reality boundaries, the support vessels and their crews could only smile at the surprisingly bittersweet moment.

Humanity had saved their world, but with a 100-percent causality rating for every combatant. Somberly, the fleet began to sail home, radioing to their leaders about the victory.

Celebrations would soon occur around the world, but for these souls, the sail to their respective ports would be held in memorial to those lost.

CUT! ITS OVER!

AN: A short event that will serve as a springboard for a new Naruto/ Azur Lane series LQ and I am writing. Obviously, the biggest question is which faction should he join and after brainstorming plotlines for all major factions and a few minor ones, we've decided to allow you readers two weeks to choose between Ironblood, Sakura Empire, Eagle Union, Royal Navy, Northern Union.

So since there are timeline shenanigans in Azur Lane, I feel that it's completely fine to escalate the war! Therefore, expect infantry, air raids and more.

I'm going to the time now to give a few disclaimers, that will also be placed in the official poll. PLEASE READ COMPLETELY.

1. Given that Ironblood is an option, I feel the need to assure you readers that if chosen, that this will NOT be a Nazi Naruto story. The poll will explain my plans- without spoilers- in more detail for this path but rest assured that I have no intention of swastikas or other Nazi symbols being common place.

2. Certain historical figures such as Nimitz, Churchill and other key leaders during WWII will serve as mentor figures or political allies as the story progresses. These people are their ideologies will rub off on Naruto.

3. Nationalism will be a reoccurring theme in these stories but I am not putting any country above or below others. Nationalism was common in people back then so it should be included.

4. As I know this story will attract history buffs, I will ask that individuals knowledgeable about this era please give whatever criticism they have short so as not to flood the comment section with multiparagraph reviews. Instead, PM these to me personally, I will be happy to read them and I will attempt to respond to all as I hold history very highly.

This poll will last for two weeks starting the day after this story it is posted. I would to repeat that Nazism will not be gloried in anyway even in the German path. That said, please vote.

That will be all from me here, during these two weeks I will be finishing chapters for other stories so please be on the lookout for those.

Whichever path is chosen, I look forward to it!

Greyblueflames Burning out!