Union’s carriers broke their formation and started flanking me.

Enterprise immediately launched torpedo bombers, and then launched dive bombers to attack me from the top. Rapid deployment allowed me to intercept them immediately and soon all of her attack crafts were shot down or forced to retreat.

While I was busy, Hornet attacked from her side. My main gun immediately turned there and radars locked the targets. Her torpedo bombers managed to sneak in but were met with a wall of machine gun fire and their torpedoes mostly missed. I received minor damage to anti-torpedo protection. The dive bombers are much more threatening for me but there are more of them than 127mm can handle.

I got several bomb hits to my deck and I am incredibly happy they exploded without penetrating my armor. It is painful but I avoided heavy damage and the flight deck is in usable condition.

After I fired several shots I started steaming away from the enemy to break the distance. They accelerated together with me.

I already can see that I am blocked from fleeing to any side. Yorktown sails to my left and Hornet to my right. I decided to analyze their behavior and movement patterns by slightly changing my course. After ten minutes of looking at their maneuvering I confirmed that they want me to turn back towards the land. I activated Brave New World and launched fighters and bombers to the left side, meanwhile I turned there to make a break out of their claws.

With each moment I was getting closer until I closed in on Yorktown. When I was close enough to see her face I wanted to scream, she has no face at all. I doubt that this doll is a living being so now I don’t have to think about holding back. Torpedoes bombs and shells hit Yorktown like a storm. This did not sink her but at least it disorientated her. And then I trusted Fuji’s memories.

I turned hard to the port side and headed to the side where was Enterprise. I did not make a break through the expected and already cleared side but through the side where they expected me to never go.

All their planes were already sent to Yorktown’s direction and now the Grey Ghost has no way to attack me from the air. I rushed past her and I was back on my way to the other side of the fog. They had to regroup into a single formation. I immediately launched a new wave of planes.

A6M fighters easily started shooting down enemy fighters and cleared the way for my torpedo bombers. Yorktown is already crippled so she was my natural target. Three torpedoes and Yorktown fell into the water, she never stood up again. The remaining torpedo bombers went for Enterprise who received damage and had to slow down. The dive bombers tried attacking Hornet but the damage was not enough to sink her.

After taking heavy damage and losing Yorktown, the enemy had to stop the chase. They tried hiding in the fog and prepared to attack me.

[I will have to face them later. For now I should make sure they won’t be surprising me.]

I turned off the radar and landed all planes, even the scouts. I did not turn my gear back into the carrier and decided to sail on my two. I will avoid detection as much as possible to attack from afar. I will turn the fog into my ally.

While the plan was good on paper, in reality I was not experienced enough to search through the fog without the planes. I doubt that this is just me being stupid, Fuji as a carrier would rely on her escorts to scout. I can only rely on my luck, which is usually on my side.

I found a silhouette in the fog and crouched. I was not found and had a chance to follow the enemy. The silhouette was searching for me but didn’t find. In the end the enemy started moving somewhere.

At the area where the person headed I saw the two shipgirls who were standing idly in the fog. My first desire was to sortie my attack aircraft and it took a lot of will to force myself to just continue observation.

Maybe Akagi was saying nonsense but after I decided to give a try to being patient and stopped jumping to the frontlines I found myself staying in the fog undetected while I perfectly see the enemy. I have a lot of time to prepare for the actions.

The enemies finished whatever they were doing and split up. I carefully backed into the fog and steamed at Full Ahead away from there.

It is the time to sink them while they are alone.