Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-24905458-20151012125250/@comment-26829458-20151016055942

I'd known about Kancolle for about 1 year and a half before actually becoming a Teitoku. What I knew at that time mostly came from reading the doujins, the wikia (like this one) and historical facts. Over time, my interest turned toward a specific girl: Hibiki(Verniy). The more I read about the tragic she gone through, the more I want to be by her side to protect her. That was my reason for playing Kancolle.

Within the first 3 days after joining, the DesDiv 6 had gathered. Then 1 week later, with the help of Yamashiro (my first BB recipe) and some CLs, I pushed my way out of 1-4 to unlock the DD/CL training ground 1-5. From here, my plan to give Hibiki the first ring was put into action. That was my naive thinking before experienced the hellish I'd later known in 4-3.

If Kai Ni is a walk in a park, then getting to lv99 is more like climbing a rocky moutain in rainy season. One month after I became Teitoku, the Summer Event 2015 started and I was truly a fool to participate without a second thought (HQlv 69). At the end of the event (HQlv85), I was left with a way-too-imbalanced forces: BBs and CVs got much stronger while my DD/CL remained weak (only Sendai and Isuzu got their Kai Ni, 4 other CLs only got their Kai and not even reach lv40). Even so, I still gear them up for 4-3. It was the beginning of the 5 days of endless Sorties, Res burning, Buckets wasting, non-stop Expeditons. More than 30 Ships were called upon, all for the sake of getting Hibiki to lv99.

In the end, the hardship of grinding Exp was nothing compare to the trolling of RNG-sama. On the last day, when there were only about 2000 Exp left (one more Sortie with 2 MVPs), RNG-sama decided to test my sanity. 10 Sorties, 8 times disconnect right after entering 4-3 (Hibiki lost sparkling, the others got red face), 2 times early retreat (Node J trolling, enemy BB taiha Hibiki twice, the others got done in by either CA/CL). To be honest, I really wanted to cry at this point. RNG-sama seemed to pull eveything in her power to prevent me to going to 4-3 again.

Fuel and Ammo left no more than 300 each after the retreats, plus the fact that RNG-sama blocking 4-3, I got no choice but to go the only place that could help me get the remaining 800Exp: 3-2 A. My beloved Hibiki as flagship, the 5 CVs loaded with all the strongest Torpedo Planes (and 1 Saiun) I had. Guess RNG-sama did not expect I use such a cheap trick on her. 2 2 Sorties, 2 Pecfect S Rank, Hibiki lv99 reached. I truly cried this time, out of joy and relieved.

I gave Hibiki(Verniy) the ring right after that, now I am not gonna let her be in danger anymore. Her place now is by my side, nowhere else.