Belfast was unusually quiet during the preparations.
She remained calm and composed, as the Head Maid always did. Her movements were precise as she assembled her Echo Suit, checked the seals, secured her weapons, and ran through the mission parameters one more time.
But Ade could see through it.
There was tension behind Belfast's calm expression.
They had found her.
After all these years...
They had found her sister.
And she wasn't even far away.
Edinburgh had been living on a small island, hidden away from the wider conflict, simply trying to survive.
Belfast tightened the final strap around her armored forearm.
Ade approached from behind.
"Head Maid?"
Belfast turned.
"Ah, Ade."
She offered a polite smile.
"Are you prepared?"
"Yes."
Ade studied her for a moment.
"But you look tense."
Belfast paused.
"I am fine."
Ade didn't move.
"Head Maid..."
Belfast looked at her.
"You can talk to us."
"We're part of your maids now."
That finally caused Belfast's expression to soften.
She lowered her gaze.
"I am worried, Ade."
Her voice was quieter now.
"Three of them."
"All of them are my sisters."
Ade listened carefully.
"Glasgow."
"Newcastle."
"And Edinburgh."
Belfast's hand slowly closed into a fist.
"They're my sisters."
"Perhaps the four who escaped are my sisters as well."
"Perhaps they're all together somewhere."
She swallowed.
"All this time..."
"I thought they were gone."
"Now they're somewhere on that island."
Her eyes glistened.
"I can at least hope to see Edinburgh again."
"And perhaps through her, I can find the other four."
Soda, who had been checking her equipment nearby, looked up.
"All of them are your sisters?"
Belfast nodded.
"Yes."
"Edinburgh is my elder sister."
"I am the second sister."
"The rest of the Town-class are practically part of our family."
Cocoa tilted her head.
"What is Edinburgh like?"
For the first time since receiving the mission, Belfast smiled genuinely.
"Edinburgh..."
She shook her head fondly.
"She's rather clumsy."
Ade smiled.
"Clumsy?"
"Very."
Belfast's smile grew.
"She has a habit of falling over things."
"Sometimes she forgets where she put something."
"She even wears glasses or sometimes forget them to the point I have to carry them around."
Soda chuckled.
"That sounds adorable."
"It can be."
Belfast sighed.
"Though Edinburgh is perfectly aware of her own clumsiness."
"She once questioned why she had been brought along for a spy operation with Sheffield back then..."
Belfast's smile became more amused.
"...especially after her own tripping nearly blew their cover."
Ade's eyes widened.
"That sounds familiar."
Belfast nodded.
"Indeed."
Soda remembered Enterprise's story.
"I remember that story."
Belfast looked toward her.
Soda continued.
"Edinburgh and Sheffield were the ones who brought Akashi away."
Belfast nodded.
"Yes."
"That was Edinburgh."
She looked down at her hands.
"She was also a former gold carrier."
Cocoa blinked.
"Gold carrier?"
Belfast explained.
"There wasn't anyone more suitable for guarding the Royal Navy's treasury gold than Edinburgh."
"She took the responsibility very seriously."
"If she was ordered to protect the gold..."
"...she would protect it even if it meant retreating from the battlefield."
Soda raised an eyebrow.
"She's obsessed with gold?"
Belfast shook her head.
"Not exactly."
"She was a gold carrier."
"Now she guards the treasury."
"There's a difference."
Cocoa smiled.
"Still sounds like she likes gold."
Belfast gave a small laugh.
"Perhaps."
"She is certainly protective of it."
Her expression became nostalgic.
"She can be clumsy, forgetful and sometimes a little scatterbrained..."
"But she never abandons a responsibility entrusted to her."
Ade nodded.
"She sounds like a good person."
"She is."
Belfast looked toward the tactical display showing the island.
"She is my sister."
There was a brief silence.
Then Belfast continued.
"Sometimes people compare Edinburgh and me."
"The younger sister became the Head Maid instead of the elder."
Her smile faded slightly.
"Edinburgh admitted that she was envious."
"Everyone relied on me."
"They trusted me with everything."
"She wondered why she couldn't be the one everyone depended upon."
Belfast's eyes softened.
"But she never held that against me."
"She is my elder sister."
"No matter how clumsy she is."
"No matter how many times she trips over something."
"No matter how much she forgets..."
She looked toward the island again.
"She's still my sister."
Soda smiled.
"Then we'll make sure you get her back."
Cocoa nodded.
"And Glasgow."
"And Newcastle."
Ade tightened her gloves.
"And whoever those other four are. But, I can guess who are they. If she is among them, I can trust her to protect the other three until we can get them."
Belfast looked at the three Nikkes.
Then at Arisa.
For a moment, the weight she had been carrying alone seemed slightly lighter.
"Thank you."
Belfast bowed deeply to the Nikkes and Arisa.
"Please lend me your aid."
Ade immediately stepped forward, her expression concerned.
"Head Maid, please don't bow like that."
Belfast raised her head slightly.
Ade continued, her voice firm but respectful.
"You are our leader now. We will follow you and serve Master together."
"Even if you believe you do not need us, we will still offer our assistance."
Belfast looked at her for a moment before straightening.
"Thank you, Ade."
Arisa approached and placed a reassuring hand against Belfast's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Belfast."
"The Pleiades Maids will assist you. Even if its only me."
Belfast turned toward her.
"Thank you, Arisa."
Arisa smiled faintly.
"I admit, I was jealous that you were able to become so close to Master."
Belfast blinked.
"Jealous?"
"Many of the Pleiades Maids would compete for the chance to become Master's personal maid."
Arisa glanced toward the others.
"But Master rejects those offers because he does not wish to choose between us. Or more like rejected the idea of someone waking him up."
"Even so, you managed to earn his approval and become someone he trusts deeply."
Belfast lowered her gaze.
"I was assigned by Lady Eva to correct Master's more barbaric tendencies."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Still, serving the man I love is the greatest honor a maid could receive."
Arisa's expression softened.
"Then we understand each other."
Belfast looked at the assembled maids.
The Nikkes stood ready beside her, weapons secured and armor powered. Arisa remained calm and composed, while Ade, Soda and Cocoa watched Belfast with unwavering confidence.
For the first time since learning that Edinburgh was alive, Belfast no longer felt as though she was carrying the mission alone.
She drew herself upright and addressed them with the authority of the Royal Navy's Head Maid.
"Then, once again..."
"Lend me your aid, dear maids."
Soda raised her fist enthusiastically.
"You can count on us!"
Cocoa nodded with a bright smile.
"Yes!"
Ade placed a hand over her chest and bowed.
"It will be our honor, Head Maid."
Belfast returned the gesture.
"Then let us bring our sisters home. I'll introduce you to three old members of the Royal Maid Corps."
She turned toward the Razor Gunship waiting outside.
Her expression became composed once again.
The Head Maid was back.
"Then let us go."
She secured her weapon.
"Our mission is not merely to rescue Edinburgh."
Belfast looked at the others.
"We are bringing our maid family home."
The Razor Gunship's engines began to roar.
And for the first time in decades...
Belfast was going toward her sister instead of merely remembering her.
Yorktown's voice suddenly came through the communications channel.
"Good luck, Bel!"
Belfast paused halfway toward the Razor Gunship.
Yorktown continued warmly.
"Come back soon. And if you need any assistance, just call for us."
Enterprise's voice followed almost immediately.
"Bel."
"We'll watch your back from afar."
Belfast looked toward the comm indicator.
For a moment, the usually composed Head Maid allowed herself a small smile.
"Thank you..."
She took a breath and looked toward Ade, Soda, Cocoa and Arisa.
Her expression became resolute.
"Let us depart, Royal Maids."
"Yes!"
The five boarded the Razor Gunship.
The rear ramp closed.
The engines roared to life.
WHOOOOOM—
The gunship lifted from the Daedalus and immediately accelerated toward the horizon.
Belfast sat near the forward compartment, watching the island's coordinates appear on her visor.
OBJECTIVE: ROYAL NAVY RESCUE
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: 58 MINUTES
Her eyes remained fixed on the tactical display.
Fifty-eight minutes.
Less than an hour.
Somewhere ahead, Edinburgh was waiting.
Glasgow.
Newcastle.
And perhaps the other four Shipgirls who had escaped the original assault.
Belfast quietly clenched her fist.
"Hold on, Edinburgh."
"We're coming."
Ade looked toward her.
"We'll get there before they can transfer them."
Belfast nodded.
"We must."
Yorktown's voice came through once more.
"I've marked the safest approach corridor."
The Razor Gunship's navigation display updated.
"The western side of the island has the lowest concentration of droid patrols."
"I'll keep the surveillance feed open for you."
Belfast smiled faintly.
"Thank you, Yorktown."
Enterprise's voice followed.
"And Bel?"
"Yes?"
"Bring the old maids home."
Belfast's eyes softened.
"I will."
The Razor Gunship accelerated.
Below them, the ocean stretched endlessly toward the horizon.
Ahead...
A small island waited.
An island that had become a prison for six Shipgirls.
And Belfast was determined that, before the day was over, it would become the place where three of them finally found their way home.
====================
Far from the main battlefield, beyond the reach of the Daedalus and hidden beneath an endless blanket of snow, there was a small village.
At first glance, it looked almost peaceful.
Wooden houses stood beneath thick layers of frost. Narrow paths had been cleared through the snow. Warm yellow lights occasionally flickered behind windows, giving the settlement the appearance of a remote northern community.
But it was not a village.
It was a prison.
A virtual prison.
The entire settlement existed inside a simulated environment generated from the consciousness of its prisoners. The snow never melted. The sky never changed. There was no spring, no summer, no autumn.
Only winter.
Every prisoner remained trapped inside their own consciousness, their minds connected to the system while their physical bodies were kept elsewhere.
There was no road leading out.
No communications tower connected to the outside world.
No aircraft.
No ships.
No rescue.
Even death offered no escape.
The prisoners could only continue living inside the artificial winter.
One woman stood at the edge of the village, staring toward the endless horizon.
She possessed long, striking silver-white hair that flowed over an elegant winter military coat lined with thick fur. Her posture remained regal despite the circumstances, her commanding presence almost completely at odds with the small, isolated settlement surrounding her.
She had been imprisoned here for far too long.
A familiar voice came from behind her.
"Comrade Ludmilla?"
Ludmilla turned.
Standing there was Neve.
The Nikke wore an oversized, fluffy winter hoodie with prominent polar-bear ears. Thick layers of cold-weather clothing covered her medium-sized frame, making her look almost as though she belonged in this frozen environment.
Almost.
Neve's sleepy expression remained unchanged.
"Ludmilla."
She approached slowly.
"Fancy seeing you here."
Ludmilla gave a faint smile.
"Comrade Neve."
Neve looked toward the horizon.
Then toward the endless snow.
"You know..."
She sighed.
"All the snow."
"All the cold."
"All the villages."
"But no polar bears."
She sounded genuinely disappointed.
"We can't even leave this place."
Ludmilla crossed her arms.
"I agree."
"Since when do rescue squads end up being captured and imprisoned?"
Neve shrugged.
"Well, we did get captured when we tried to reach Comrade Avrora's village."
"And Comrade Rapi was captured as well."
Ludmilla's expression darkened.
"We were supposed to be a rescue squad."
"To be captured like this..."
She looked around the simulated village.
"...is an insult."
Neve stared at the distant mountains.
"Do you think someone will come for us?"
Ludmilla didn't answer immediately.
The question lingered between them.
Eventually, she shook her head.
"I have no idea."
Neve lowered her gaze.
"Are we even useful as Nikkes anymore?"
Ludmilla turned toward her.
"Our northern base is gone."
"The Northern Parliament base was destroyed."
"We have nowhere to return to."
Her voice became quieter.
"Even if we're freed..."
"Where do useless Nikkes like us go?"
Neve kicked a little snow with her boot.
"I don't even have the energy to look for polar bears anymore."
She sighed.
"Do they even exist?"
Ludmilla closed her eyes.
"You and your polar bears."
Neve looked at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Ludmilla shook her head.
"You've spent your entire life helping others."
"And now you're sitting here worrying about whether polar bears exist."
Neve's expression became strangely thoughtful.
"Someone has to think about them."
Ludmilla almost laughed.
Then her smile faded.
"We spent our lives helping people..."
"...only to end up abandoned on the surface."
The two stood silently.
Snow drifted around them.
There was no wind.
No birds.
No distant engines.
Nothing.
Only the artificial sound of falling snow.
Neve eventually broke the silence.
"Hey..."
Ludmilla looked at her.
"You don't actually regret leaving behind your old life, do you?"
"No."
Ludmilla answered immediately.
"I don't."
She looked toward the horizon.
"I'm just trying to find a home for us."
"A place where we can belong."
"Maybe..."
She hesitated.
"...maybe we can find the Northern Parliament again."
Neve's expression softened.
"Do you think they still exist?"
Ludmilla didn't answer.
Even Avrora was gone.
The thought hurt more than she wanted to admit.
"Comrade Avrora..."
Neve whispered.
"I wonder what happened to her."
Ludmilla looked down.
"I don't know."
"But if she's alive..."
She clenched her fist.
"...I want to find her."
Neve nodded.
"Then maybe someone really will come for us."
Ludmilla looked toward the artificial horizon.
For the first time in a long while, something resembling determination returned to her eyes.
"Maybe."
She looked at Neve.
"But if nobody comes..."
Ludmilla turned toward the frozen village.
"...then I'll find a way out myself."
Neve blinked.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"We were rescue squads."
"We are still rescue squads."
She placed a hand against her chest.
"Even if we have been imprisoned."
"Even if our home is gone."
"Even if we don't know where our people are..."
Ludmilla looked toward the endless white horizon.
"I refuse to believe that this is where our story ends."
Neve smiled faintly.
"Then I'll help."
Ludmilla raised an eyebrow.
"Even though you don't have the energy to look for polar bears?"
Neve's sleepy expression remained unchanged.
"I can multitask."
Ludmilla sighed.
"Of course you can."
"Hoo..."
A familiar voice came from behind them.
"The gang is here."
Ludmilla slowly turned.
A young woman approached through the snow, her long pale pinkish-white hair contrasting against the endless white landscape. Her bright pink eyes carried a strangely cheerful warmth despite the depressing environment.
She wore a tight pink jumpsuit beneath a dark pink open-front jacket, while futuristic pink headphones rested over her head.
Alice.
She walked through the snow as though she were strolling through Wonderland rather than an artificial prison.
"Alice," Ludmilla greeted.
Alice smiled.
"Hey, Ludmilla."
She looked around.
"Guess you're stuck in the cold too."
Neve tilted her head.
"Another prisoner."
Alice nodded.
"Don't worry."
She smiled brightly.
"I still believe Mr. Rabbit will find and rescue us."
Ludmilla stared at her.
"You still believe that?"
"Of course!"
Alice's smile never disappeared.
"Mr. Rabbit came to my dreams and told me to wait a little longer."
Ludmilla raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
She decided to indulge Alice's Wonderland fantasy.
"What does this Mr. Rabbit look like?"
Alice put a finger against her chin.
"Hmm..."
"Mr. Rabbit..."
She giggled.
"I didn't see him clearly."
"But he had black hair."
"And black eyes."
Her smile became strangely warm.
"His eyes were very bright."
"He was warm."
"He was leading an entire army of rabbits."
Ludmilla blinked.
"An army?"
"Yes!"
Alice nodded enthusiastically.
"He came to our aid."
"He told me not to worry."
"Mr. Rabbit will come for us!"
Ludmilla looked toward Neve.
Then back at Alice.
"She's hopeless."
Neve nodded solemnly.
"But..."
Ludmilla smiled faintly.
"...a hopeless girl with hope."
Alice beamed.
Ludmilla sighed.
"Your hope of finding polar bears is still more reasonable than Alice's hope of finding an army of rabbits."
Neve looked offended.
"Polar bears are real."
Alice giggled.
"Mr. Rabbit is real too."
"Of course he is."
Ludmilla shook her head.
She was about to continue when Neve suddenly looked toward Alice.
"Actually..."
"Her dream did mention something strange."
Ludmilla looked at her.
"What?"
Neve's expression became thoughtful.
"I dreamed too."
Alice's eyes widened.
"You did?"
Neve nodded.
"A polar bear came to me."
"It stood in front of me."
"Then it asked me to follow it."
"Follow it where?"
Neve pointed toward the horizon.
"Toward a bright light."
Alice smiled.
"See?"
"Mr. Rabbit is coming."
Ludmilla looked between the two of them.
"A rabbit."
"A polar bear."
She rubbed her temple.
"Why is everyone having dreams in this place?"
A new voice answered from behind them.
"Well..."
"Dreams are better than despair."
Everyone turned.
A blonde woman approached through the snow.
Her long, bright blonde hair moved gently as she walked, while her striking eyes carried an almost boundless enthusiasm despite their circumstances.
She wore a tight, form-fitting utility bodysuit equipped with mechanical and survival-oriented equipment, adapted for cold-weather operations.
Ludmilla immediately recognized her.
"Tove."
"The amateur survivalist."
Tove stopped.
"Hey!"
"I'm not an amateur!"
Ludmilla raised an eyebrow.
"You've been trapped inside an artificial winter prison."
"Yes."
"You have no supplies."
"Yes."
"No shelter-building equipment."
"Well..."
"No practical survival experience."
Tove puffed out her cheeks.
"I just didn't have practical experience yet!"
Alice giggled.
Tove pointed at her.
"Don't laugh!"
She turned back toward Ludmilla.
"My dream is to meet someone who can teach me how to become a proper survivalist."
Ludmilla looked around at the endless frozen landscape.
She gestured toward the village.
"Well..."
"You certainly can't do that while we're here."
Tove's shoulders dropped.
"Yeah."
She looked toward the horizon.
"Whatever this place is..."
Neve quietly added:
"Maybe the dreams are trying to tell us something."
Ludmilla's expression became thoughtful.
Alice's mysterious Mr. Rabbit.
Neve's polar bear.
Tove's unknown survivalist teacher.
Three completely different dreams.
Yet all of them carried the same strange element.
Someone—or something—was leading them toward the same unknown destination.
A bright light.
A rescuer.
A future beyond the prison.
Ludmilla looked toward the artificial sky.
For the first time, she wondered whether their dreams were actually dreams at all.
Perhaps...
Someone really was trying to reach them.
And perhaps the strange figure Alice called Mr. Rabbit...
Was already on his way.
"Having a meeting on this cold day, Ludmilla-san?"
Another voice joined the gathering.
The four Nikkes turned toward the newcomer.
A woman approached through the snow with an unmistakable instructor-like bearing. Light-brown hair was tied into a neat, folded ponytail, with parted bangs framing her face. Bright blue eyes peered through a pair of glasses.
She wore a white, double-breasted military-style jacket decorated with gold trim and epaulettes over a collared shirt and dark necktie. A gray skirt and dark tights completed the outfit, while her ship rigging followed behind her, carrying dual cannons and a miniature bridge.
Even in this strange prison, she somehow retained the air of a proper instructor.
"Katori."
Ludmilla nodded.
"Every day is a cold day here."
Katori adjusted her glasses.
"Unfortunately, you're right."
Another figure followed behind her.
She was a slender, light-brown-haired training cruiser with gentle blue eyes. Her short hair had side locks framing her face, while a peaked naval cap decorated with colorful maritime signal flags rested atop her head.
Her cream-white naval jacket was layered over an olive-green shirt with frilled cuffs, accompanied by a dark pleated skirt and tall winter boots.
"Katori-san..."
Kashima looked around at the gathering.
"Can we join?"
Ludmilla gestured toward the others.
"Please do."
Kashima immediately pulled her winter coat tighter around herself.
"Brr..."
She shivered.
"This is quite cold."
Neve looked at her.
"You're wearing three layers."
"I know."
"And you're still cold."
"I know."
Neve nodded sympathetically.
"This place is cruel."
Ludmilla couldn't help but smile.
"Comrade Katori."
She looked toward the training cruiser.
"How long have you been stranded in this world, outside this prison I mean?"
Katori's expression became thoughtful.
"Years."
She adjusted her glasses.
"More than fifteen years, I think."
The others fell silent.
Fifteen years.
The number sounded almost unreal.
Ludmilla looked toward the horizon.
"Have you ever thought about going back?"
"To your original world?"
Katori remained quiet for several moments.
"Borderline between yes and no."
Kashima looked at her.
"Katori-san..."
Katori continued.
"We don't have families waiting for us in our old world."
"Of course, there is Japan."
"But if I return..."
She sighed.
"I would simply return to the same routine."
"Training."
"Teaching."
"Fighting."
"Running from the Abyssals."
She glanced toward the artificial village.
"At least here, the Sakura Empire treated us better than our old Japan ever did."
Kashima nodded.
"We met Mamiya and Irako here."
"They were happier after joining the Sakura Empire."
"They found people who appreciated them."
Katori smiled faintly.
"And perhaps that's why I don't desperately want to return."
"We have already built connections here."
"Perhaps our lives belong here now."
Ludmilla looked at her.
"Then what keeps you from giving up?"
Katori's eyes softened.
"The possibility that we could find our friends again."
She looked toward Kashima.
"We could train the cruisers of this world."
"Help them become stronger."
"Give them what we learned."
"That gives us purpose."
Kashima lowered her head.
"But if we ever find them again..."
Katori glanced at her.
"Who?"
"Our old friends."
Kashima looked toward the horizon.
"If we have to go back on the run..."
Her voice became quieter.
"I don't know if I can do that again."
"Kashima-san..."
"I don't want to run anymore."
She wrapped her arms around herself.
"I just want somewhere safe."
"A home."
Katori's expression softened.
"If we ever get out..."
"I want the same thing."
She looked around the artificial village.
"But I don't want to stay here either."
Ludmilla nodded.
"A prison isn't a home."
"No matter how comfortable it becomes."
Katori looked toward the frozen houses.
"Exactly."
"I don't want to spend another fifteen years living inside this artificial winter."
"I want to eat proper food again."
"See the Sakura Empire."
"See the people we became friends with."
"Maybe even discover remnants of our original world."
She smiled faintly.
"Perhaps we could accept this world as our new home."
Kashima looked at her.
"And befriend more people."
Katori nodded.
"Like you."
She gestured toward the Nikkes.
"Ludmilla."
"Neve."
"Alice."
"Tove."
Kashima smiled.
"We never imagined we'd become friends with Nikkes."
Neve raised a hand.
"Does that mean we're friends?"
Kashima smiled.
"Of course."
Alice giggled.
"Then we're all friends!"
Tove nodded enthusiastically.
"Absolutely!"
Ludmilla looked at the four of them.
For a brief moment, the artificial village didn't feel quite as empty.
Then Katori's expression changed.
"Still..."
She looked toward the horizon.
"What happened to Mamiya and Irako?"
Kashima's smile faded.
"I hope they're well."
"They couldn't fight. They're just supply ships. Civilian shipgirls."
Katori nodded.
"They were safe within the Sakura Empire."
"But outside..."
Her expression became worried.
"The world is dangerous."
Kashima gently touched Katori's arm.
"Katori-san..."
"Let's just pray they're safe."
Katori looked at her.
"I suppose you're right."
Kashima smiled.
"I'm sure the heavens are watching over them."
Ludmilla looked at the gathering.
Northern Nikkes.
Sakura Empire.
Different worlds.
Different histories.
Yet all of them had ended up trapped in the same frozen prison.
And somehow...
They had found one another.
Ludmilla slowly smiled.
"Then let's stick together."
Everyone looked toward her.
"Maybe we can find somewhere we can call home."
She looked across the small group.
"I want to see our new friends every day."
"Not live like this."
"Not hiding."
"Not running."
"Not wondering whether we'll survive another day."
Katori nodded.
"I agree."
Kashima smiled.
"So do I."
Neve raised her hand.
"Me too."
Alice raised both hands.
"Mr. Rabbit will find us!"
Tove pumped her fist.
"And when he does, I'll learn proper survival skills!"
Ludmilla sighed.
"Of course."
For once, everyone laughed.
Above them, the artificial snow continued to fall.
But far beyond the frozen horizon...
Something moved again.
A tiny distortion.
A brief shimmer of light.
Gone before anyone noticed.
The prisoners continued talking, unaware that somewhere beyond their virtual prison, someone was already tearing apart the walls that kept them trapped.
Their home might have been gone.
Their old worlds might have been lost.
But perhaps...
They were about to discover that they could build a new one together.
=================
Unlike the frozen prison where Ludmilla and the others were trapped, another prison world existed somewhere else entirely.
There was no endless tundra here.
No artificial village buried beneath snow.
No mountains stretching into the horizon.
Instead...
There was an island.
Small.
Remote.
Surrounded by an endless ocean.
At first glance, it almost looked like paradise.
There were trees.
Fresh water.
Wild plants.
A small number of edible crops.
The remains of an old settlement.
Even enough materials to construct crude shelters.
But the Shipgirls knew better.
It was a prison.
Everything they needed to survive had been provided deliberately.
Enough food.
Enough water.
Enough materials.
But nothing that could actually help them leave.
There were no ships.
No functioning communications equipment.
No aircraft.
No way to reach the mainland.
No way to cross the endless ocean surrounding them.
Their old uniforms had long since deteriorated after years of exposure.
So they made new clothes from whatever materials they could find around the abandoned settlement.
Improvised fabrics.
Animal skins.
Pieces of old blankets.
Whatever they could salvage.
They had lived there for years.
How many?
They had eventually stopped counting.
Time meant little inside the prison.
Morning became evening.
Evening became morning.
Another day.
Another week.
Another year.
And still...
Nobody came.
One evening, a small campfire burned beneath a makeshift shelter.
A blonde woman with striking teal eyes sat quietly before the flames.
Bismarck.
She stared into the fire.
But her thoughts weren't on the flames.
They were on a voice.
A voice they had heard two weeks ago.
At first, she had thought it was another hallucination.
Something the prison had created to torment them.
Then the voices had become clearer.
Conversations.
Shipgirls talking.
Voices from outside.
And eventually...
They had heard the voice of the man who had spoken to the others.
The same commander.
The same voice that had reached Friedrich, Mecklenburg and Hindenburg.
They had tried to answer.
They had shouted.
They had called out.
They had begged.
But their voices never reached him.
They could hear him.
He couldn't hear them.
At least...
They thought he couldn't.
Yet they knew something else.
Those Shipgirls had been rescued.
The voice had found them.
It had reached through their prison.
It had brought them home.
Bismarck looked down at the fire.
"What about us?"
Could their voices be heard too?
Could someone hear them?
Could someone find them?
They were so close to the outside world...
Yet impossibly far away.
A soft voice came from behind her.
"Schwester..."
Bismarck turned.
A white-haired woman with teal eyes approached.
"Tirpitz."
Bismarck smiled.
"Please."
Tirpitz sat beside her.
For a while, neither spoke.
The fire crackled between them.
Eventually, Tirpitz broke the silence.
"Do you think our voices are being heard?"
Bismarck looked toward the ocean.
"Our pleas for help?"
"I have no idea, Schwester."
Tirpitz lowered her gaze.
"But if he heard us..."
She paused.
"Maybe he will come for us."
Bismarck smiled faintly.
"I would be grateful."
"To finally escape this prison."
"To finally see Mother Fleet again."
"To finally raise the Iron Blood once more."
"Maybe meeting Hood again."
Tirpitz nodded.
"At least we know she is safe."
"Alongside Frau Mecklenburg and Hindenburg."
"Alongside many others."
Her eyes softened.
"He heard them."
"And he came for them."
She looked toward Bismarck.
"If he can hear us..."
"Maybe he can come for us too."
Bismarck stared into the fire.
"Maybe."
"Maybe we'll be rescued..."
"...and we won't even know it until the moment it happens."
Tirpitz smiled faintly.
"We can only hope."
Footsteps approached.
A familiar voice followed.
"Ah, Comrade Bismarck..."
"Comrade Tirpitz."
Both women turned.
A long-haired pink-haired woman approached the campfire carrying several cups of steaming liquid.
Her pink eyes looked toward the two sisters as she sat nearby.
Diana.
She handed them each a cup.
"Here."
"The nights are getting colder."
Bismarck accepted the drink.
"Thank you, Frau Diana."
Diana smiled.
"Rare to see the two of you awake this late."
Tirpitz held the cup between both hands.
"We were thinking about the voices."
Diana's expression became curious.
"The voices from the other day?"
Bismarck nodded.
"About the Shipgirls who were rescued."
Diana looked toward the ocean.
"I wonder if my sister Avrora is safe."
Tirpitz looked at her.
"She is."
Diana turned.
"I am sure of it."
"Perhaps that voice already found her."
Another voice came from nearby.
"She has."
Everyone turned.
A white-haired woman with silver eyes approached the fire.
Pallada.
The eldest of the three Pallada-class sisters.
She had remained with them through the years, even after her rigging had been altered with Sakura components.
The name Tsugaru might have been assigned to her in this world.
But to Diana and Avrora...
She was still Pallada.
Their eldest sister.
Pallada sat beside Diana.
"Sestra..."
Diana immediately leaned closer.
"I miss Sestra Avrora."
Her voice trembled.
"Is she safe?"
"Does she eat properly?"
"Is she taking care of herself?"
Pallada smiled gently.
"She is."
"I know she is."
Diana looked relieved.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Pallada nodded.
"Avrora is the toughest among us."
"Young, perhaps..."
"But she is still quite the polar bear."
Diana smiled.
"That's true."
Bismarck listened quietly.
The mention of Avrora reminded her of the others.
Somewhere beyond this prison...
There were people living.
Shipgirls who had escaped.
Shipgirls who had been rescued.
Families that had been reunited.
And somewhere out there...
Perhaps someone was searching for them too.
Tirpitz looked toward the ocean.
"Do you think he'll find this place?"
Nobody answered immediately.
The ocean stretched endlessly before them.
No ships.
No lights.
Nothing.
Then Bismarck spoke.
"If he can hear voices from prisons like this..."
"If he can hear the voice of our Mother Fleet."
She looked toward the horizon.
"...then perhaps this one isn't beyond his reach either."
Pallada nodded.
"Then we wait."
Diana held her cup tighter.
"And hope."
Tirpitz smiled faintly.
"Until someone comes."
The four Shipgirls sat around the small fire.
For years, the island had been nothing more than a prison.
Tonight, however...
For the first time in a long while...
It felt like they were waiting for something.
Or someone.
And far beyond the horizon...
A distant light briefly appeared.
None of them saw it.
Not yet.
"Funny..."
A new voice came from the darkness beyond the firelight.
"The ones who ended up trapped here all seem to have sisters."
Bismarck turned.
A tall, elegant woman stepped into the warm glow of the campfire.
Long pinkish-purple hair flowed over her shoulders, and her pointed ears were unmistakable even in the dim light. Her blue eyes reflected the flames, while the regal red military jacket and dark cape she wore gave her the bearing of nobility despite the improvised nature of their clothing.
Duke of York.
The only elf among her sisters.
She folded her arms and smiled faintly.
"It seems no one is truly alone."
Bismarck regarded her.
"Frau Duke of York."
Duke of York looked toward the ocean.
"The voice that calls to us..."
Her expression became thoughtful.
"The one who has been reaching into these prisons."
"He rescued Centaur."
"Albion as well."
She paused.
"I wonder..."
"Can he bring Wales back?"
The question immediately changed the mood around the fire.
Tirpitz lowered her gaze.
Diana went silent.
Pallada looked toward Bismarck.
Another voice came from behind Duke of York.
"Who knows?"
A tall woman with long blonde hair and striking red eyes approached.
Her posture was straight and confident, her red military jacket decorated with medals and formal insignia. A sabre rested at her side.
King George V or her pet name, Georgina.
The eldest in her class.
"Years have passed."
She looked toward Duke of York.
"The last thing we knew was that Wales's Wisdom Cube had been sent to headquarters."
"She was supposed to be resurrected."
"But..."
Her expression hardened.
"The headquarters was destroyed."
"We never learned what happened to her cube."
Duke of York's eyes narrowed.
"Do you think it survived?"
Georgina looked toward the ocean.
"I don't know."
"But if we ever get out..."
Her voice became firm.
"We're finding her cube."
"We're bringing her with us."
"Dead or alive."
A quieter voice came from behind her.
"I know you miss her, sis."
Everyone looked over.
Howe approached the campfire.
The tall battleship carried herself with the same noble bearing as her sisters. Her extraordinarily long gradient hair flowed behind her, while her formal red dress and fur collar gave her an almost ceremonial appearance.
"We all do."
Howe sat beside Georgina.
"It's been years since Wales left us."
Georgina looked at her.
"Howe..."
Howe smiled faintly.
"I remember her too."
Another figure emerged from the darkness.
A younger woman.
Brown hair.
Red eyes.
Her appearance resembled her older sisters, but there was something noticeably more youthful and energetic about her.
Anson.
The youngest of the King George V-class sisters.
She approached the fire and sat down beside Howe.
"Yeah."
"Let's find Wales if we ever get out."
Anson smiled.
"I miss the old serious Wales."
Duke of York gave a small laugh.
"You certainly sound eager."
"Of course!"
Anson looked toward the others.
"We've been trapped here for years."
"If there's finally a chance to escape..."
"I want to take it."
Bismarck looked around the growing gathering.
She frowned slightly.
"Why are all of you gathering here tonight?"
Tirpitz answered quietly.
"I don't know, Schwester."
She looked toward the horizon.
"It feels like..."
"The end of the tunnel."
Bismarck's eyes narrowed.
"The end?"
"Yes."
"The feeling of escaping this endless prison."
Tirpitz placed a hand against her chest.
"Like the feeling we had when we first heard the voices."
Bismarck looked toward the others.
"Do you all feel it?"
Georgina was staring toward the horizon.
Her eyes seemed distant.
"I do."
Everyone turned toward her.
"My Wisdom Cube..."
She touched her chest.
"It feels warm."
"Warm?"
Georgina nodded.
"Warm and bright."
"Something is approaching."
"Something good."
She looked toward the horizon.
"It's close."
"Getting closer."
She smiled.
"Don't you all feel it?"
York slowly nodded.
"Yes."
"The same feeling."
"The same warmth we felt when we heard the voices."
She closed her eyes.
"For years..."
"Everything felt cold."
"Empty."
"Hopeless."
"But now..."
Her hand moved over her heart.
"I can feel warmth again."
"And happiness."
"The voice..."
She looked toward the others.
"His voice feels closer."
Howe looked toward the horizon.
"Maybe he's coming."
"Coming to get us?"
Anson shifted nervously.
"Is it really him?"
She looked almost anxious, but there was excitement behind her eyes.
"What kind of person is he?"
Pallada and Diana exchanged glances.
Neither knew what to say.
Diana held her cup tightly.
"Maybe..."
"Maybe he's the one who can lead us to Avrora."
Pallada nodded.
"If he is..."
"Then perhaps he will come for us too."
Bismarck stared into the flames.
For years, she had refused to let herself hope too much.
Hope hurt when it failed.
But this feeling was different.
It wasn't merely hope.
It was warmth.
A sensation deep within her Wisdom Cube.
A presence.
Something approaching from beyond the boundaries of their prison.
Tirpitz looked at her sister.
"Schwester..."
Bismarck slowly smiled.
"Yes."
"I feel it too."
Duke of York raised her eyes toward the sky.
"Then perhaps..."
"The voice finally knows where we are."
Georgina tightened her grip on her sabre.
"If he comes..."
"We'll be ready."
Anson smiled.
"And then we're finding Wales."
Howe laughed softly.
"Of course you are."
Diana looked toward the ocean.
"And Avrora."
Pallada nodded.
"And the others."
Tirpitz looked around the gathering.
Bismarck.
Duke of York.
King George V.
Howe.
Anson.
Diana.
Pallada.
All of them had spent years trapped in separate fragments of the same forgotten world.
Yet tonight...
They had gathered together without knowing why.
Perhaps their Wisdom Cubes had sensed something their minds could not yet understand.
A distant presence.
A warmth.
A voice.
"Somehow..."
Anson held a hand over her heart.
"...I'm quite nervous."
Everyone looked toward the youngest King George V-class battleship.
"Sending someone who possesses this much warmth and light so close to us..."
She swallowed.
"What kind of person is he?"
Georgina smiled softly.
"To think..."
"After all these years, this person managed to place something so powerful inside us."
"Hope."
She touched her heart where her Wisdom Cube lies.
"A powerful hope."
Duke of York smiled as well.
"Is this person truly a thing of beauty?"
Her eyes reflected the campfire.
"Someone possessing such a powerful heart..."
"Perhaps beauty has little to do with appearance."
"Perhaps it is the strength of the heart that makes someone beautiful."
Howe looked toward the horizon.
"I only hope I can be of use to him."
She rested a hand against the hilt of her sabre.
"Perhaps he can help us find Wales."
Diana looked toward Pallada.
"Sestra..."
"If we ask him to find Avrora for us..."
"Do you think he would grant our wish?"
Pallada looked toward the distant ocean.
"I don't know, Sestra."
"But..."
She placed a hand over her chest.
"We can hope."
"The feeling is getting closer."
Diana nodded quietly.
"I can feel it too."
The warmth within her Wisdom Cube had become impossible to ignore.
Tirpitz suddenly stood.
"Schwester..."
Bismarck looked at her.
"Yes?"
"This person is almost here."
Tirpitz looked toward the horizon.
"Maybe tonight..."
"Maybe tonight is finally the day we can be free."
Bismarck remained silent.
She stared at the endless ocean.
For years, she had learned not to trust hope.
Hope could be cruel.
Hope could make someone believe in a future that might never arrive.
Hope could hurt more deeply than despair.
But tonight...
Something was different.
She could feel it.
The warmth.
The light.
The strange presence approaching their prison.
It wasn't an illusion.
It wasn't another trick created by the system.
It was real.
Bismarck slowly stood.
The others watched her.
She took a long breath.
"Hope really is a dangerous thing."
She looked at her sister.
At Tirpitz.
At Georgina.
At York.
At Howe.
At Anson.
At Duke of York.
At Diana and Pallada.
All of them had survived years of isolation.
Years of uncertainty.
Years of wondering whether anyone even remembered them.
But tonight...
Bismarck finally allowed herself to believe again.
She looked toward the horizon.
"If that warmth truly belongs to the person we've been hearing..."
Her expression softened.
"...then I will trust it."
Tirpitz smiled.
"So will I."
Georgina nodded.
"Me too."
Howe smiled.
"Then we wait together."
Anson took a nervous breath.
"Until he comes."
Duke of York closed her eyes.
"Until the voice becomes a person standing before us."
Diana smiled.
"And perhaps..."
"...he will bring Avrora home."
Pallada looked toward the ocean.
"Perhaps he will."
The fire crackled.
The ocean remained silent.
But somewhere beyond the horizon...
Something was coming closer.
Closer.
And closer.
For the first time in years, the prisoners of the island did not look toward the horizon with despair.
They looked with anticipation.
With fear.
With excitement.
With hope.
And Bismarck, who had spent years refusing to believe that rescue was possible, finally whispered the words she had been afraid to say:
"Come for us."
"Please."
"We're still here."
===================
Meanwhile, outside the artificial prison...
Yuu was already moving.
Her Mark 49's visor displayed a constantly updating tactical map as Grimm's surveillance data streamed across her HUD. The detention center was enormous, but its defensive network was finally beginning to reveal weaknesses.
Beside her, Nayuta, Rapi, Neon, Anis, Pepper and Mary were spread across the surrounding rooftops.
Their immediate task was simple.
Remove the sniper droids.
One by one, the hostile units disappeared from the rooftops.
A suppressed shot.
A flash of energy.
A silent takedown.
The girls moved between cover, ensuring that nothing above the detention center could interfere with the rescue.
Yuu studied the security network.
Then an idea occurred to her.
It was, by all reasonable standards, a terrible idea.
Which meant she liked it.
"Jarvis."
"Yes, Miss Yuu?"
"Can you disable the security system around the detention center?"
There was a brief pause.
"I currently have approximately forty percent control of the local network."
Yuu's eyes narrowed.
"Can you work with that?"
"I can."
"What can you disable?"
"Security cameras can be shut down."
"I can also replace their feeds with looped footage."
Yuu smiled.
"Anything else?"
"Thermal cameras."
"Sentry guns."
"Motion sensors."
"I can disable all of them."
Yuu didn't hesitate.
"Do so."
"Understood."
A moment later, the detention center began going dark.
One system after another disappeared from Jarvis's network.
SECURITY CAMERA NETWORK — OFFLINE
THERMAL SURVEILLANCE — OFFLINE
MOTION SENSORS — OFFLINE
AUTOMATED SENTRY GUNS — OFFLINE
The detention center suddenly became blind.
Yuu stared at the tactical display.
Then something unexpected happened.
The main doors opened.
"Droids."
Rapi immediately raised her rifle.
"They're coming out."
Yuu watched the movement.
Hundreds of droids were beginning to pour from the detention complex.
It looked as though the security shutdown had triggered a response from the automated defense system.
Yuu's eyes narrowed.
Then she smiled.
"We're attacking them head-on."
Neon's eyes lit up.
"Oh, this I like!"
Anis sighed.
"Of course you do."
Rapi raised her weapon.
"What's the plan?"
Yuu looked at the flood of droids.
"Jarvis has isolated communications in this sector."
"That means they can't immediately report what is happening."
She checked the timer.
"We have ten minutes before this place goes loud."
Mary nodded.
"Then we should make every second count."
Yuu raised her weapon.
"Exactly."
She pointed toward the detention center.
"Go loud, girls."
Neon grinned.
"Finally!"
The first shots rang across the courtyard.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Rapi and Anis opened fire together with their Volt Auto Rifles.
The weapons were devastating at close range.
Each round carried a powerful electrical charge, and when the bullets struck their targets, arcs of lightning leapt from one droid to another. The electricity chained through the tightly packed machines, frying circuits and locking their limbs in place.
One droid collapsed.
Then another.
Then five more convulsed as the current jumped between them.
The more enemies gathered together, the more effective the Volt Auto Rifles became.
Rapi adjusted her aim and fired into the center of a dense formation.
"Keep them grouped!"
Anis understood immediately.
She swept her rifle across the advancing line, deliberately avoiding isolated targets and striking the clusters instead.
Lightning erupted across the courtyard.
Droids staggered as their systems overloaded, their weapons firing wildly into the ground before their bodies collapsed in smoking heaps.
Pepper provided covering fire with her Laser Rifle.
Thin beams of concentrated energy pierced through exposed joints, optics and weapon mounts. Every shot was precise, disabling the droids before they could bring their weapons to bear on the team.
"Left flank!"
Pepper fired twice.
The first beam destroyed a droid's targeting sensor.
The second pierced its chest core.
The machine dropped before it could reach the others.
Mary took position behind a concrete barrier and opened fire with her Laser Chain Gun.
The weapon roared as a continuous stream of energy tore across the battlefield.
Unlike the lighter rifles, Mary's weapon was designed to deal with heavier targets. Its sustained beam burned through armored plating, severed mechanical limbs and carved glowing lines across the reinforced bodies of the larger droids.
A heavily armored unit raised its cannon.
Mary shifted her aim toward it.
"Not today."
The Laser Chain Gun struck the droid's shoulder and dragged downward, cutting through its armor before reaching the central power unit.
The machine exploded in a shower of sparks.
Nayuta moved between the others, her movements almost playful despite the chaos surrounding her.
She carried her favorite Volt Auto Rifle in both hands, firing short bursts as she darted from one position to another.
Whenever a droid attempted to flank the group, Nayuta was already there.
She shot one through the head.
Spun beneath the return fire of another.
Then fired into a third at point-blank range.
Lightning jumped between the machines, stunning several more.
But Nayuta was not alone.
Her clones had spread throughout the courtyard, each carrying an identical Volt Auto Rifle.
They moved independently, covering blind spots and attacking from different angles. Whenever the droids attempted to surround the main group, the clones intercepted them and opened fire.
Electrical arcs flashed across the battlefield from multiple directions.
The droids were being attacked from every side.
"There's too many of them!"
Anis shouted as another wave emerged from the detention center.
Yuu raised her repulsors.
Then she switched to her ion blades and charged into close combat.
The droids barely had time to react before she began cutting through them.
She moved with precise, efficient strikes, slicing through armor and severing weapons before they could fire. When several droids launched missiles from their shoulder-mounted systems, Yuu twisted aside and destroyed the projectiles midair with a burst from her repulsors.
Within minutes, she had taken down more than thirty droids by herself, using a combination of repulsor blasts and glowing ion blades.
"Then make them regret coming outside!"
Nayuta's clones answered with a synchronized volley.
The nearest droids were struck simultaneously, their bodies locking up as the electrical current spread through the formation.
Nayuta grinned.
"See? They're very friendly when they stand close together."
One of the clones kicked a disabled droid into another.
The resulting collision sent both machines crashing to the ground.
Neon, meanwhile, was having the time of her life.
She stood behind a damaged barricade with a rocket launcher braced against her shoulder.
"COME ON!"
She fired.
The rocket streaked across the courtyard and slammed into a cluster of droids.
The explosion sent metal bodies flying in every direction.
Several machines were torn apart instantly, while others staggered through the smoke with their armor burning.
Neon laughed and shot another rocket.
"IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?"
Anis grabbed her shoulder and pulled her down as a burst of gunfire tore through the barricade.
"Neon! Stop wasting ammunition!"
"I'm not wasting it!"
Neon fired another rocket without even waiting for the smoke to clear.
The projectile struck a group of droids attempting to advance through the wreckage.
"I'm investing it!"
The explosion knocked several machines off their feet.
Anis stared at her.
"That's not how ammunition works!"
Neon peeked over the barricade.
"It is if the investment produces explosions!"
"That isn't an investment!"
"Then it's a tactical donation!"
Anis groaned and raised her Volt Auto Rifle again.
"Just keep the rockets away from us!"
"No promises!"
Another electrical burst tore through the courtyard as Rapi and Anis fired together.
Pepper's laser beams cut through the smoke.
Mary's Laser Chain Gun continued to burn through the armored units.
Nayuta and her clones moved like a swarm through the enemy formation.
And Neon kept launching rockets into the densest groups of droids she could find.
The courtyard had become a storm of lightning, lasers, explosions and flying debris.
Yet despite the overwhelming number of enemies, the team continued advancing.
Every droid that fell brought them one step closer to the detention center.
And every second they spent fighting brought them closer to the moment when the entire facility would realize it was under attack.
Yuu ignored the argument.
"Keep moving!"
The courtyard became a battlefield.
Droids poured through the gates.
But they had made one critical mistake.
They had left the detention center.
Yuu looked toward Jarvis's interface.
"Jarvis."
"Yes, Miss Yuu?"
"Seal the main gate."
"Immediately."
Heavy security doors began descending behind the last wave of droids.
CLANG!
The enormous gate slammed shut.
The remaining droids were now trapped outside.
Yuu raised her weapon.
"Keep firing!"
The Nikkes advanced.
The courtyard rapidly filled with destroyed machines.
Metal bodies collapsed against the concrete.
Sparks flew.
Smoke drifted across the battlefield.
Neon laughed as she ducked behind cover.
"This is way more fun than sneaking around!"
Rapi fired another controlled burst.
"Focus."
"I am focused!"
"You just tried to shoot a wall."
"It looked suspicious!"
Anis groaned.
"How are you even alive?"
Yuu couldn't help but smile.
"Enough."
She pointed toward the entrance.
"Inside."
The team pushed forward.
Once they crossed the threshold, Jarvis immediately sealed the main doors.
BOOM.
The massive doors locked into place.
Yuu looked back.
The courtyard was now completely separated from the interior.
"Jarvis?"
"The complex has been sealed."
"Can anything outside get in?"
"Not without breaching the doors."
Yuu nodded.
"And anything inside?"
"Cannot leave without my authorization."
She smiled.
"Perfect."
Rapi looked around the darkened corridor.
"So we've effectively divided their forces."
"Exactly."
Yuu checked the timer again.
They had bought themselves precious minutes.
Outside, the remaining droids were still trapped in the courtyard.
Inside, the rescue team faced only the units already stationed within the detention complex.
Fewer enemies.
No functioning cameras.
No thermal surveillance.
No sentry guns.
No immediate communications.
And most importantly...
No alarm.
Not yet.
Yuu raised her weapon.
"Everyone."
The Nikkes turned toward her.
"We're going deeper."
Neon grinned.
"Now this is a rescue operation."
Yuu looked toward the dark corridor leading into the heart of the detention center.
Somewhere beyond those walls were the imprisoned Nikkes.
And somewhere else in this enormous network...
The Kancolle Shipgirls and Nikkes were waiting.
"Let's bring everyone home."
The team advanced.
Behind them, the detention center remained sealed.
Ahead...
The prison awaited them.
Their Echo Suit Mark II armor had been designed for exactly this kind of situation.
The armor absorbed impacts that would have shredded ordinary infantry.
Rounds sparked harmlessly against the reinforced nano plating.
Fragments ricocheted away.
Explosions rocked the corridors, but the suits' defensive systems compensated for the shock.
Yuu's Mark 49 armor was even more absurd.
Heavy-caliber rounds struck her chest plate and simply flattened against it. She didn't even bother taking cover.
She walked forward.
Calmly.
Methodically.
Then raised her repulsor.
BOOM.
A droid disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
Another emerged from behind a doorway.
Yuu didn't stop walking.
Her repulsor fired again.
THOOM.
The machine crashed backward.
"Left."
Rapi immediately turned and fired.
"Clear."
"Right."
Anis opened fire.
"Clear."
The team continued deeper into the detention center.
It wasn't even a firefight anymore.
It was a slaughter.
The droids had been designed to overwhelm ordinary infantry through numbers and coordinated fire.
Unfortunately for them, they were facing soldiers whose armor could absorb their weapons.
Every advantage the defenders possessed had been stripped away.
Their cameras were blind.
Their thermal sensors were offline.
Their sentry guns were disabled.
Their communications were isolated.
And their enemies were wearing armor that made conventional small-arms fire nearly irrelevant.
The Nikkes moved around Yuu, providing overlapping cover while she followed the map Jarvis had generated.
"Next corridor," Yuu said.
Rapi moved first.
Anis followed.
Pepper and Mary covered the rear.
Nayuta and her clones spread through the side passages.
Yuu continued forward.
"According to the map, the northern detention sector should be three levels below us."
"Then we keep going down," Rapi answered.
They rounded another corner.
A squad of droids immediately opened fire.
RATATATATAT—!
Rounds hammered into the Echo Suits.
Armor Mode activated.
The Nikkes didn't even flinch.
Rapi simply raised her Volt Auto Rifle.
"You're done."
She fired.
Electricity surged through the formation.
Anis followed with her own rifle.
The electrical discharge jumped between the clustered droids.
One after another, their systems overloaded.
Yuu walked straight through the fading electrical arcs.
"Keep moving."
Neon stared.
"This is ridiculous."
Anis glanced at her.
"What?"
"They're shooting us and nothing happens."
"That's the point of the armor."
"I know!"
Neon fired another burst.
"I'm just saying it's awesome!"
Mary calmly reloaded.
"You're enjoying this too much."
"I absolutely am."
Another wave emerged.
Yuu activated Heroic Mode.
The Mark 49's systems surged.
Hydraulics increased output.
Targeting systems accelerated.
Her repulsors became significantly more powerful.
She raised both arms.
BOOM!
Two droids were launched across the corridor.
She followed with a sweeping burst that destroyed three more.
Nayuta's clones immediately rushed through the opening.
The clones opened fire from opposite sides.
The remaining droids were caught between multiple angles.
"Overdrive."
Yuu's armor surged again.
She disappeared forward in a blur.
A droid raised its rifle.
Too slow.
Yuu drove her fist into its chest.
CRASH!
The machine was thrown through a reinforced door.
Another attempted to attack from behind.
Yuu turned.
Her repulsor fired at point-blank range.
The corridor fell silent.
Smoke drifted through the air.
Neon looked around.
"That was..."
She paused.
"Actually pretty awesome."
Rapi sighed.
"Keep moving."
They continued.
Eventually, Yuu's visor highlighted the next objective.
"Almost there."
They rounded another corridor.
A larger group of droids suddenly emerged from multiple access points.
"Ambush!"
Rapi immediately shouted.
The droids opened fire.
The corridor disappeared beneath a storm of bullets.
Yet the Nikkes stood their ground.
Their armor absorbed the impacts.
Yuu stepped forward.
"Heroic Mode."
The Mark 49 surged.
The armor's systems reached maximum combat output.
Yuu raised both repulsors.
BOOM!
The blast cleared the first wave.
Rapi and Anis moved through the opening.
Their Volt Auto Rifles discharged simultaneously.
Lightning spread across the formation.
Pepper's laser rifle picked off the survivors.
Mary's Laser Chain Gun tore through the heavier units.
Neon's rocket slammed into the rear formation.
BOOM!
Nayuta's clones swept around the flank.
Within seconds...
The ambush was over.
Yuu lowered her weapon.
"Everyone okay?"
Rapi checked her armor.
"Perfectly fine."
Anis nodded.
"Not even scratched."
Neon looked at her suit.
"Same."
Pepper smiled.
"Armor held."
Mary nodded.
"All systems nominal."
Nayuta suddenly raised a hand.
"Ah."
Everyone looked at her.
"This humble one leveled up."
She looked at her interface.
"Level 32."
Neon immediately pointed at her.
"No fair!"
Nayuta tilted her head innocently.
"What?"
"You sent your clones to clear half the area!"
Nayuta's eyes curved into a smug smile beneath her helmet.
"They are extensions of this humble one's power."
"That's cheating!"
"This humble one merely delegated."
"You delegated everything!"
Nayuta's clones stood behind her.
All of them looked equally pleased with themselves.
Neon stared at them.
"You didn't even have to do the work!"
Nayuta folded her arms.
"This humble one supervised."
Rapi covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Anis shook her head.
"She's actually proud of herself."
Mary smiled.
"I think she considers it efficient resource management."
Pepper nodded.
"Technically..."
Neon turned toward her.
"Don't encourage her!"
Yuu finally looked back at the group.
"Save the argument for later."
She checked the tactical map.
"We're almost at the detention center."
Her visor highlighted the remaining route.
"Once we rescue the northern Nikkes and the Kancolle Shipgirls, we can worry about getting everyone out."
Rapi looked toward the direction they had come from.
"That may be harder."
Yuu nodded.
"The gate?"
Rapi checked the tactical overlay.
"Exactly."
"The entrance is still heavily guarded."
Neon groaned.
"So after rescuing everyone, we have to fight our way back out?"
Yuu smiled.
"Probably."
Neon grinned.
"Good."
Anis stared at her.
"Why are you happy about that?"
"Because..."
Neon raised her rifle.
"We've got better armor."
Nayuta's clones raised their weapons.
Rapi checked her magazine.
Mary and Pepper prepared their weapons.
Yuu looked toward the sealed doors ahead.
"Then let's finish the rescue first."
The massive detention doors stood ahead.