The battle immediately escalated into chaos.
Missiles streaked across the Sentinel Site.
Laser beams carved through concrete.
Explosions erupted every few seconds.
The EN06 Guardian unleashed everything it had.
Gatling lasers.
Plasma projectiles.
Missile batteries.
Entire sections of the facility were engulfed in fire.
Liberty Prime answered with equal violence.
Its eye lasers scorched the battlefield.
Machine guns hammered the Guardian's position.
And every so often—
A Mark 28 nuclear warhead sailed through the air.
The resulting explosions shook the entire region.
Even three miles away, the hidden Shipgirls could feel the shockwaves.
The battle wasn't merely destructive.
It was catastrophic.
Back on the observation hill, the fleet watched through their Echo Suit visors.
The tactical overlays continuously updated.
Yorktown wasn't smiling.
Not yet.
The carrier was studying the numbers.
Analyzing.
Calculating.
Waiting.
Then the data appeared.
EN06 Guardian Shield Integrity
80%
Liberty Prime Health
90%
Enterprise immediately noticed.
"The shield."
Yorktown nodded.
The Guardian itself wasn't the problem.
Its shield was.
As long as the electromagnetic barrier remained active, all of the explosives beneath Sentinel Site meant nothing.
The Guardian could survive.
The trap could fail.
Which was why they had needed Liberty Prime.
Kaguya's tails swayed as she watched another nuclear detonation.
"So that is thy true objective."
Yorktown nodded.
"Liberty Prime is our battering ram."
Another laser struck the Guardian's shield.
The barrier visibly flickered.
Only slightly.
But it flickered.
Enterprise folded her arms.
"The shield is taking damage."
"Exactly."
Yorktown enlarged the combat telemetry.
Every hit.
Every missile.
Every laser.
Every nuclear detonation.
The integrity percentage slowly decreased.
Not quickly.
But steadily.
The Guardian's shield was winning.
For now.
The problem was that Liberty Prime simply refused to stop shooting.
Or throwing nuclear bombs.
Another Mark 28 detonated against the shield.
The entire Sentinel Site disappeared behind a wall of light.
When the smoke cleared—
The integrity had fallen again.
Shield Integrity
76%
The fleet became excited.
"It's working."
Javelin grinned.
"It is."
Yorktown agreed.
"But don't celebrate yet."
The carrier pointed at another section of the display.
Guardian Shield Reboot Time
180 Seconds
Everyone immediately understood.
The moment the shield collapsed—
The clock would begin.
Three minutes.
Only three.
That was their window.
Three minutes to place the beacons.
Three minutes to activate them.
Three minutes to escape.
Three minutes before the Guardian's protection returned.
Enterprise watched another exchange of fire.
Beside her stood Belfast, calm as ever despite the apocalyptic battle unfolding above. One hand rested on the Nuclear Strike Beacon assigned to her.
Nearby, Atago and Takao waited as well.
Each carried their own beacon.
Each understood exactly what would happen once the shield collapsed.
No one spoke about it.
There was no need.
The moment the Guardian's electromagnetic shield failed, they would move.
Then looked toward Yorktown.
"When do we move?"
Yorktown's answer came instantly.
"The moment the shield drops."
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
The carrier had already made her decision.
Far below—
Liberty Prime continued advancing deeper into Sentinel Site.
The giant robot had completely committed to the fight.
Its processors had already determined the answer.
The EN06 Guardian was obviously a Communist.
There could be no other explanation.
The giant machine launched another barrage.
"COMMUNIST AGGRESSION CONFIRMED."
A laser beam slammed into the Guardian's shield.
"DEMOCRACY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE."
The Guardian immediately responded with missiles.
The wasteland exploded again.
Back on the hill—
Several Shipgirls couldn't help smiling.
Not because victory was certain.
Because the plan had actually worked.
Two raid bosses.
Fighting each other.
Exactly as intended.
Now they simply needed the shield to break.
And once it did—
The real operation would begin.
Far below Sentinel Site, the battle transformed into something almost mythological.
Not between heroes.
Not between armies.
But between two machines built for war.
The EN06 Guardian remained anchored to its platform.
An immovable fortress.
Its shield generator blazed with golden energy.
Missiles continuously launched from its armored chassis.
Three-barrel gatling lasers painted the battlefield with streams of destruction.
Plasma projectiles exploded across the wasteland like miniature suns.
Entire sections of Sentinel Site were collapsing around it.
Yet the Guardian never retreated.
Never moved.
Never hesitated.
It simply continued firing.
Relentlessly.
Opposing it—
Liberty Prime.
A towering giant advancing through explosions that would annihilate lesser machines.
Missiles slammed into its armor.
Laser fire scorched its chassis.
Plasma detonations engulfed it.
Still it marched forward.
One thunderous step at a time.
The giant robot's optics analyzed the battlefield.
Calculating.
Adapting.
Learning.
Then—
Its visor focused upon the Guardian's shield.
The electromagnetic barrier flickered beneath another barrage of attacks.
Liberty Prime stopped.
For a moment.
The machine observed.
Processed.
Evaluated.
Then its voice boomed across Sentinel Site.
"SIGNIFICANT OBSTRUCTION DETECTED."
Another nuclear detonation illuminated the battlefield.
"COMPOSITION: TITANIUM ALLOY SUPPLEMENTED BY ENHANCED PHOTONIC RESONANCE BARRIER."
The Guardian immediately answered with another missile salvo.
Liberty Prime ignored the attack.
Its processors continued calculating.
"ESTABLISHED STRATAGEM: INADEQUATE."
The machine's visor brightened.
Internal systems activated.
Power readings surged.
Even Yorktown's tactical display registered the change.
Enterprise immediately noticed.
"Something is happening."
Below—
Liberty Prime's ancient reactor roared to life.
Energy output spiked dramatically.
Its optics shifted from red to brilliant blue-white.
The giant machine raised both arms.
"REVISED STRATAGEM."
The battlefield momentarily grew quiet.
As though the machine itself had reached a conclusion.
Then—
"INITIATE PHOTONIC RESONANCE OVERCHARGE."
Warning symbols exploded across every tactical display.
The hidden fleet immediately sat upright.
Power levels were climbing.
Rapidly.
Dangerously.
The machine's eye emitters glowed brighter.
And brighter.
And brighter.
The air around its head distorted from the heat.
The Guardian recognized the threat immediately.
Every weapon it possessed redirected toward Liberty Prime.
Missiles.
Lasers.
Plasma bolts.
Everything.
The stationary fortress unleashed a storm of firepower.
The wasteland vanished beneath explosions.
Yet Liberty Prime continued charging.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Straight through the bombardment.
Its armor blackened.
Sections of plating melted.
Health indicators dropped.
Liberty Prime Health
85%
But it never stopped.
The giant machine raised its head.
Its visor reached critical brightness.
Then—
The world turned blue.
A colossal beam erupted from Liberty Prime's optics.
Not a laser.
A pillar of concentrated photonic energy.
The beam struck the Guardian's shield directly.
The impact illuminated the entire Sentinel Site.
Shockwaves erupted outward.
Concrete shattered.
Windows exploded.
Missiles detonated prematurely.
The electromagnetic barrier screamed beneath the assault.
Back on the hill, every Shipgirl instinctively shielded her eyes.
Even from three miles away.
The beam continued.
And continued.
And continued.
Liberty Prime was pouring every ounce of power it possessed into a single attack.
The Guardian fought back.
Its shield generator surged.
The golden barrier intensified.
Trying desperately to hold.
Trying desperately to survive.
Cracks appeared across the surface.
Tiny at first.
Then larger.
Then larger still.
Yorktown's tactical display updated.
Shield Integrity
76%
72%
68%
64%
The numbers began dropping faster.
Much faster.
The fleet stared.
Even Kaguya's tails froze.
The battle had changed.
This was no longer an exchange of attacks.
No longer a firefight.
It had become a contest of endurance.
A duel between two war machines refusing to yield.
One defending.
One breaking through.
The photonic overcharge continued.
A pillar of blue-white energy connected Liberty Prime and the Guardian's shield.
The electromagnetic barrier groaned beneath the strain.
Cracks spread across its surface.
The golden dome flickered repeatedly.
Yet somehow—
It held.
The Guardian immediately adapted.
Its combat processors identified the new threat.
Threat Level: Critical.
Every weapon system rotated toward Liberty Prime.
Every missile battery.
Every plasma projector.
Every laser emitter.
The entirety of Sentinel Site focused on a single target.
The giant robot.
The Guardian unleashed hell.
Missiles rained down continuously.
Plasma bolts exploded against Liberty Prime's armor.
The gatling lasers painted glowing scars across its chassis.
The battlefield vanished beneath fire and smoke.
Liberty Prime marched through all of it.
Its optics remained locked on the shield.
Its beam never wavering.
Never weakening.
Then the machine spoke again.
Its voice echoed across the battlefield.
"OBSTRUCTION DETECTED."
The shield flickered.
Another crack appeared.
"COMPOSITION: TITANIUM ALLOY SUPPLEMENTED BY ENHANCED PHOTONIC RESONANCE BARRIER."
A missile detonated against its shoulder.
The machine ignored it.
"CHINESE BLOCKADE ATTEMPT: FUTILE."
Back on the observation hill, several Shipgirls burst out laughing.
"IT SAID IT!"
Javelin pointed.
"It's bullying the shield!"
Even Belfast's lips twitched slightly.
Meanwhile—
The Guardian entered Phase Two.
Warning sirens activated across Sentinel Site.
Additional launch systems emerged from concealed compartments.
Massive hatches opened throughout the facility.
Yorktown's eyes widened.
"Nukes."
The fleet immediately sat upright.
The Guardian had begun deploying its own nuclear arsenal.
The first warhead launched skyward.
Then another.
Then another.
Unlike Liberty Prime—
The Guardian didn't throw them.
It fired them like artillery.
The warheads arced across the sky before descending toward Liberty Prime.
"WARNING."
Liberty Prime's optics tracked the incoming objects.
"FORCEABLE IMPACT ALERT."
Its processors worked furiously.
"SCANNING FOR CHINESE ARTILLERY."
The first warhead detonated.
A massive fireball engulfed the giant robot.
Then a second.
Then a third.
The entire battlefield disappeared beneath nuclear explosions.
The shockwaves rolled across the wasteland.
Even the hidden fleet felt the ground shake.
When the smoke cleared—
Liberty Prime was still standing.
Damaged.
Blackened.
Armor scorched.
Yet standing.
Its health indicator dropped.
Liberty Prime Health
80%
The machine's optics brightened.
"LIBERTY PRIME IS ONLINE."
Another missile struck its chest.
"ALL SYSTEMS NOMINAL."
A plasma bolt exploded nearby.
"WEAPONS HOT."
The giant robot took another step forward.
The ground trembled.
"MISSION: THE DESTRUCTION OF ANY AND ALL CHINESE COMMUNISTS."
The fleet collectively lost it.
Even Enterprise laughed.
The robot was somehow winning them over.
Not because it was intelligent.
Quite the opposite.
Its absolute certainty was somehow inspiring.
The Guardian retaliated again.
A concentrated laser beam erupted from one of its massive laser arms.
The attack slammed directly into Liberty Prime.
For several seconds the beam remained connected.
Melting armor.
Burning through plating.
Driving the giant robot backward.
Yorktown frowned.
The beam was doing real damage.
Then Liberty Prime reacted.
Its targeting systems shifted.
The machine analyzed the source.
Calculated.
Determined a solution.
The giant robot raised its arm.
Machine guns roared.
Missiles launched.
Its optics fired another concentrated beam.
Everything struck the same location.
Again.
And again.
And again.
The Guardian's left laser arm began failing.
Armor shattered.
Metal warped.
Sparks erupted.
The giant weapon tried to continue firing.
Then—
BOOOOOM!
The entire arm exploded.
Half the battlefield lit up.
The ruined weapon detached from the Guardian and crashed into Sentinel Site.
The fleet erupted.
"YES!"
Neon immediately jumped to her feet.
"GET HIM!"
"Come on, Liberty Prime!"
Anis shouted.
The Nikkes were openly cheering now.
Mary laughed.
Pepper joined in.
Even Yorktown found herself smiling.
The situation had become absurd.
The giant robot trying to kill them thirty minutes ago had somehow become their champion.
Another nuclear shell exploded.
The Guardian's remaining weapons opened fire.
But Liberty Prime had already tasted success.
The giant machine continued advancing.
Relentless.
Unstoppable.
Its optics locked onto the remaining laser arm.
The next target.
The next obstacle.
The next "Chinese blockade attempt."
And on Yorktown's tactical display—
The number everyone was watching continued falling.
Guardian Shield Integrity
58%
55%
53%
51%
The shield was close.
Very close.
The Guardian's shield integrity crossed a threshold.
Shield Integrity
50%
Immediately—
The battlefield changed.
Warning sirens echoed throughout Sentinel Site.
The ultragenetic shielding system surged.
Golden energy erupted across the Guardian's chassis.
The electromagnetic barrier intensified instead of weakening.
New layers of protection appeared.
Additional shield nodes activated around the platform.
The entire facility glowed with dangerous energy.
Yorktown's display immediately updated.
EN06 Guardian
PHASE TWO ACTIVATED
"Oh no."
Javelin stared.
"It has another shield."
Enterprise narrowed her eyes.
"Not another shield."
The carrier pointed.
"It's reinforcing the existing one."
The Guardian wasn't trying to survive.
It was adapting.
Just like a proper raid boss.
Hidden compartments opened throughout its armored frame.
Then plasma launchers emerged.
Dozens of them.
Entire batteries of weapons unfolded from the platform.
The air around Sentinel Site turned blue.
Then the bombardment began.
Plasma bolts rained across the battlefield.
The ground melted.
Buildings evaporated.
Entire sections of the facility disappeared beneath superheated explosions.
Liberty Prime found itself under attack from every direction.
The giant robot endured the barrage.
Its armor blackened further.
Additional plates shattered away.
Its health continued falling.
Liberty Prime Health
75%
Then—
The giant machine stopped.
Its optics brightened.
Internal systems roared to life.
Every warning indicator on Yorktown's tactical display flashed simultaneously.
"What now?"
Maya asked.
Nobody answered.
Because nobody knew.
The answer came from Liberty Prime itself.
The giant robot straightened.
Power output surged.
Weapons systems intensified.
Additional reactor vents opened.
The machine's voice boomed across Sentinel Site.
"TACTICAL REASSESSMENT COMPLETE."
The giant robot took another step forward.
"COMMUNIST RESISTANCE GREATER THAN EXPECTED."
Missiles detonated against its armor.
The machine ignored them.
Then its optics glowed brighter than before.
"ESCALATION AUTHORIZED."
Yorktown's interface immediately updated.
Liberty Prime
PHASE TWO ACTIVATED
The fleet stared.
Even the Nikkes watching from concealment blinked.
The giant robot had entered its own second phase.
And unlike the Guardian—
It didn't gain more defenses.
It gained more aggression.
The battlefield erupted.
Missile launchers fired continuously.
Its optics unleashed repeated energy blasts.
Machine guns hammered the Guardian's defenses.
And most terrifyingly—
The robot accelerated.
Again.
"Why is it always faster?!"
Anis complained.
The machine answered by charging directly toward the Guardian.
The ultragenetic shield attempted to stop it.
Liberty Prime disagreed.
The giant robot raised its fist.
Then punched the barrier.
The impact shook Sentinel Site.
The shield visibly rippled.
The fleet stared.
Then Liberty Prime punched it again.
And again.
And again.
Each strike produced shockwaves.
The electromagnetic barrier groaned.
The giant machine had apparently concluded that lasers were insufficient.
Therefore—
Punching.
Nearby plasma launchers continued firing.
One struck Liberty Prime's shoulder.
Another hit its chest.
A third exploded against its head.
The machine finally acknowledged their existence.
Its visor slowly turned.
The nearest plasma launcher froze.
As if realizing it had made a terrible mistake.
Liberty Prime reached down.
Grabbed it.
Then ripped it from its mounting.
Metal screamed.
Bolts snapped.
The launcher continued firing uselessly.
The giant robot stared at it.
Then crushed it.
Like crumpling a soda can.
The launcher exploded in its hand.
Liberty Prime immediately threw the wreckage into another plasma battery.
Both detonated.
The hidden fleet erupted.
Neon was practically bouncing.
"THAT'S SO COOL!"
The Guardian retaliated.
Additional launchers emerged.
More missiles.
More lasers.
More plasma.
The entire battlefield became a storm of destruction.
Yet Liberty Prime continued advancing.
Punching.
Shooting.
Throwing debris.
Launching nuclear warheads.
Refusing to stop.
Refusing to retreat.
Back on the hill—
The Shipgirls found themselves doing something they never expected.
They were rooting for Liberty Prime.
Openly.
"Come on!"
Javelin shouted.
"Break the shield!"
"Hit it harder!"
Neon yelled.
As if the giant robot could hear her.
Akagi shook her head.
"We are cheering for the machine that attempted to kill us."
Kaga watched Liberty Prime tear another weapon emplacement apart.
"...I regret nothing."
Even Belfast looked mildly invested.
Enterprise simply folded her arms.
A small smile visible.
Because every punch.
Every missile.
Every explosion.
Was bringing them closer.
Closer to victory.
Closer to the shield collapsing.
Closer to the moment Yorktown had been waiting for all along.
And on the tactical display—
The number continued falling.
Slowly.
Relentlessly.
Guardian Shield Integrity
48%
46%
44%
The barrier was losing.
And everyone knew it.
Back on the observation hill, the fleet continued watching the battle unfold.
The sky over Sentinel Site had become a permanent storm of explosions.
Missiles crossed paths.
Lasers carved through the air.
Plasma detonations illuminated the battlefield.
Every few seconds another section of the facility collapsed.
The fight had long since stopped resembling a boss battle.
Now it looked more like two natural disasters trying to kill each other.
Neon watched Liberty Prime rip another weapon emplacement from the Guardian's platform.
The giant robot immediately threw it through a nearby bunker.
The bunker lost the argument.
The Nikke sighed.
"...I kind of feel bad."
Several girls looked over.
Neon pointed toward the giant robot.
"That thing is basically fighting our battle for us."
The silver-haired Nikke watched Liberty Prime continue punching the Guardian's shield.
Again.
And again.
And again.
"And we still have to blow it up."
For once—
Nobody immediately disagreed.
Even Rapi remained silent for a moment.
The giant robot had spent the last twenty minutes being their accidental hero.
Then Anis shrugged.
"We have to."
The Nikke pointed toward the tactical display.
"Feel bad if you want."
Another nuclear detonation erupted in the distance.
"But that thing still sees us as enemies."
That immediately killed most of the sympathy.
The fleet remembered being chased.
Very recently.
By the same robot.
One carrying nuclear bombs.
Anis continued.
"The moment the Guardian dies, Liberty Prime is going to look around."
Another point.
"Then it's going to see us."
Another.
"And then we're all suddenly Chinese."
The entire fleet laughed.
Because unfortunately—
That was probably accurate.
Rapi nodded.
"The Guardian is weakening it for us."
The Nikke folded her arms.
"But we still need the final kill."
Several girls looked confused.
The red-haired Nikke pointed at their interfaces.
"Experience."
Immediately everyone understood.
The leveling system.
If Liberty Prime defeated the Guardian by itself and then left—
The fleet gained nothing.
No experience.
No levels.
No rewards.
No progress.
And perhaps most importantly—
No satisfaction.
Enterprise nodded.
"We came here to grow stronger."
The carrier watched another nuclear detonation.
"Not watch someone else do it."
Rapi agreed.
"And Liberty Prime is already entering its late combat stages."
The tactical display updated.
Liberty Prime Health
68%
The Nikke pointed toward it.
"If it drops much further, it'll probably enter Phase Three."
Neon shuddered.
The silver-haired Nikke remembered being chased by Phase Two.
That had been bad enough.
"Aka."
Anis pointed at the screen.
"Super pissed-off robot."
The fleet unanimously agreed with that assessment.
Meanwhile—
Back at the Command Post.
The atmosphere was considerably more relaxed.
Yuuki sat comfortably with a cup of tea.
Yuu sat beside him.
Nayuta occupied an entire chair by herself.
Arisa stood nearby.
Meanwhile—
Esche and Oberis were somehow sharing a second muffin.
The battle feed occupied the main holographic display.
Everyone watched in silence.
The screen showed Liberty Prime throwing a plasma launcher into another plasma launcher.
Both exploded.
A building collapsed.
Part of Sentinel Site caught fire.
The Guardian responded with missiles.
Liberty Prime responded with nuclear bombs.
Another building ceased existing.
The command room remained silent.
Then—
Nayuta slowly took a sip of tea.
"This is the greatest thing this humble one watched all week."
Yuu nodded.
Without hesitation.
"I agree."
Arisa tilted her head slightly.
The maid observed the battle.
"Is this considered a military operation?"
Yuuki looked at the display.
The Guardian fired a laser.
Liberty Prime punched the laser emitter.
The laser emitter lost.
The commander considered it.
Then nodded.
"Technically."
The room laughed.
Even Esche giggled.
Oberis pointed toward the screen.
The tiny fairy was cheering openly now.
"Hit him again!"
Another explosion followed.
The fairy immediately clapped.
Back on the battlefield—
The fleet continued watching.
Waiting.
The Guardian's shield was still dropping.
The Liberty Prime was still advancing.
And everyone knew the truth.
The giant robot wasn't the hero.
It wasn't the villain.
It wasn't even aware of what was happening.
It was simply the biggest hammer available.
And Yorktown intended to use every swing.
Until the shield finally broke.
======================
The battle somehow became even more violent.
Missiles no longer filled the sky.
They dominated it.
Entire swarms crossed overhead every few seconds.
The wasteland beneath them had ceased resembling a battlefield.
It now resembled the aftermath of an apocalypse.
And the battle was still ongoing.
The Guardian's shield continued dropping.
Shield Integrity
40%
38%
35%
32%
30%
The moment it reached thirty percent—
Warning sirens erupted across Sentinel Site.
The Guardian entered Phase Three.
The entire facility lit up.
Emergency systems activated.
Additional weapon ports opened.
Shield emitters overloaded.
Power conduits glowed bright orange.
The stationary fortress had entered desperation mode.
Yorktown immediately sat upright.
"There it is."
Enterprise nodded.
"The final phase."
The Guardian unleashed everything.
Missiles.
Plasma.
Lasers.
Point-defense weapons.
Entire sections of the facility transformed into gun batteries.
The air became saturated with firepower.
Yet—
Liberty Prime continued advancing.
Its health had dropped considerably.
Liberty Prime Health
70%
Scorched armor covered its body.
Entire plates were missing.
Several systems sparked openly.
Its left shoulder continuously emitted smoke.
Still—
The giant machine refused to stop.
It marched directly through the bombardment.
Toward the shield.
Toward the objective.
Toward what it had apparently decided was the greatest Communist threat in the Capital Wasteland.
Then its voice boomed again.
"OBSTRUCTION DETECTED."
The giant machine stared directly at the barrier.
"COMPOSITION: TITANIUM ALLOY SUPPLEMENTED BY ENHANCED PHOTONIC RESONANCE BARRIER."
A plasma blast struck its chest.
Liberty Prime ignored it.
A missile exploded against its head.
Ignored.
Another nuclear shell detonated nearby.
Ignored.
The machine had reached a conclusion.
And like all of Liberty Prime's conclusions—
It intended to solve the problem violently.
The giant robot stepped forward.
Then punched the shield.
The barrier rippled.
It punched again.
The golden dome shook.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Every strike echoed across Sentinel Site.
Shockwaves rolled through the facility.
Support structures collapsed.
Windows shattered.
The Guardian desperately tried to stop it.
Its weapons fired continuously.
The giant robot simply kept punching.
The fleet watched in stunned silence.
Even Neon had stopped talking.
The sight was absurd.
A forty-foot robot literally beating a shield into submission.
The numbers continued dropping.
Shield Integrity
25%
22%
18%
15%
11%
The Guardian's barrier flickered.
The golden light weakened.
Cracks spread across the dome.
Entire sections began collapsing.
The Guardian increased power.
The shield recovered slightly.
Then Liberty Prime punched it again.
The recovery disappeared.
The machine raised both fists.
Then brought them down together.
The impact resembled a small earthquake.
The barrier fractured.
The Guardian's shield emitters overloaded.
Electrical arcs erupted across Sentinel Site.
Yorktown stood.
Enterprise stood.
Every Shipgirl stood.
The tactical display flashed.
Shield Integrity
5%
3%
1%
The Guardian desperately tried to stabilize.
Too late.
Liberty Prime drove another fist into the collapsing barrier.
The golden dome shattered.
The entire electromagnetic shield exploded into fragments of energy.
A wave of light surged across Sentinel Site.
Then vanished.
Silence.
For a brief moment—
The battlefield became quiet.
The Guardian's shield was gone.
Back on the hill, every tactical display updated.
Shield Integrity
0%
Shield Reboot Countdown
180 Seconds
Yorktown's eyes widened.
"The shield is down."
The fleet immediately straightened.
This was it.
The moment they had been waiting for.
Far below—
Liberty Prime observed the results.
Its processors calculated.
Evaluated.
Confirmed.
Then the giant machine announced its conclusion.
"PROBABILITY OF MISSION HINDRANCE: ZERO PERCENT."
The battlefield fell silent.
Then half the fleet burst into laughter.
Even Yorktown couldn't help smiling.
The robot sounded genuinely pleased with itself.
Which was fair.
It had just punched through a raid boss shield.
The Guardian, however, had a very different opinion.
Its exposed chassis was now vulnerable.
Its weapon systems redirected.
Every remaining gun pointed directly at Liberty Prime.
The battle had entered its final stage.
And beneath Sentinel Site—
Hundreds of Mark 28 warheads waited.
Four Nuclear Strike Beacons waited.
One Ion Cannon Beacon waited.
For the first time since the battle began—
Yorktown smiled.
Because Liberty Prime had done exactly what she needed it to do.
Now it was the fleet's turn.
The instant the shield collapsed—
Yorktown moved.
No hesitation.
No second thoughts.
No celebration.
Only action.
Because the timer had already begun.
Shield Reboot Countdown
180 Seconds
Three minutes.
That was all they had.
Three minutes before the Guardian's shield returned.
Three minutes before the entire plan became significantly more complicated.
Yorktown immediately opened a fleet-wide channel.
"Enty! Bel! Atago! Takao!"
The four women responded instantly.
Every one of them had been waiting for this moment.
"Now!"
The carrier pointed toward the tactical markers.
"The beacons!"
The hidden fleet watched as the five Shipgirls burst from concealment.
Stealth systems disengaged.
Echo Suits accelerated.
The women shot across Sentinel Site at maximum speed.
Below them—
Liberty Prime and the Guardian continued their apocalyptic duel.
Neither machine noticed.
Too focused on destroying each other.
Too occupied to detect five incredibly determined Shipgirls.
Enterprise reached her assigned location first.
The Grey Ghost slid beneath a damaged support structure.
Directly beside one of the largest piles of Mark 28 warheads.
She slammed the Nuclear Strike Beacon into place.
The device locked onto the surface.
Activation panel deployed.
Her fingers immediately entered the code.
527751
Confirmed.
Atago arrived seconds later.
The heavy cruiser planted her own beacon among another cluster of nuclear warheads.
Code entered.
Confirmed.
Takao repeated the process.
Then Belfast.
The Royal Maid moved with flawless precision.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
The fourth beacon activated.
Across Sentinel Site, warning lights illuminated simultaneously.
Back at the center—
Yorktown raced directly beneath the Guardian's platform.
The gigantic machine towered overhead.
Weapons firing continuously.
Missiles launching.
Lasers flashing.
The battle above resembled the end of the world.
The carrier ignored it.
Her destination was already marked.
The Ion Cannon Beacon.
Yorktown slid beneath the Guardian's platform.
Then attached the beacon directly beneath its chassis.
The device activated instantly.
A blue light illuminated.
Connection established.
Target confirmed.
Yorktown entered the final code.
The beacon immediately came alive.
Then—
The warnings began.
One after another.
Echoing throughout Sentinel Site.
"Nuclear Strike Beacon Deployed."
The first beacon announced itself.
"Nuclear Strike Beacon Deployed."
The second.
"Nuclear Strike Beacon Deployed."
The third.
"Nuclear Strike Beacon Deployed."
The fourth.
The battlefield suddenly became much more dangerous.
Then—
"Ion Cannon Beacon Deployed."
Every Shipgirl and Nikke immediately looked up.
The beacon continued.
"Ion Cannon Satellite Approaching."
A brief pause.
"Please evacuate target area."
Another voice joined it.
"Nuclear Strike Approaching."
Then another.
And another.
And another.
The entire Sentinel Site became a choir of increasingly alarming warnings.
"Please evacuate target area."
"Please evacuate target area."
"Please evacuate target area."
Even Liberty Prime briefly paused.
Its processors attempting to understand why the environment was suddenly issuing evacuation notices.
The Guardian ignored them completely.
The countdown appeared on every interface.
60 Seconds
Yorktown immediately activated her communicator.
Her voice echoed across every channel.
Every Shipgirl.
Every Nikke.
Every observer.
"Sixty seconds, ladies!"
The carrier accelerated away from Sentinel Site.
The others followed.
Immediately.
No arguments.
No hesitation.
The mission was complete.
Now came survival.
"Attention fleet!"
Yorktown's voice remained calm.
Focused.
Professional.
"Minimum evacuation distance is five miles!"
The entire fleet moved.
Recon bikes roared to life.
Riggings deployed.
Echo Suits activated burst movement.
Everyone fled.
Even Liberty Prime and the Guardian continued fighting completely unaware.
The giant machines remained locked in combat.
Missiles.
Lasers.
Explosions.
Neither realizing they were standing atop hundreds of nuclear warheads.
Neither realizing four Nuclear Strike Beacons had been activated.
Neither realizing an Ion Cannon was already descending from orbit.
Back at the Command Post—
Yuuki slowly lowered his tea.
The commander stared at the display.
Then at the countdown.
Then at the estimated yield calculations.
Then back at the countdown.
Yuu saw his expression.
"What?"
The scientist looked concerned.
Yuuki pointed at the screen.
"The girls may have overdone it."
Nayuta immediately laughed.
Arisa actually covered her mouth.
Even Esche and Oberis stopped eating muffins.
Because for Yuuki—
The man who regularly solved problems using orbital weapons—
To say someone had overdone it...
That was saying something.
And the countdown continued.
55 Seconds
54 Seconds
53 Seconds
The entire fleet raced away from Sentinel Site.
While behind them—
Two Level 20 raid bosses unknowingly stood on top of the biggest trap in the Capital Wasteland.
And it was about to go off.
Yorktown and the others sprinted toward the rear exit of Sentinel Site.
The countdown continued relentlessly.
53 Seconds
Behind them—
Liberty Prime and the Guardian continued their war.
Neither machine cared about the increasingly urgent evacuation warnings.
Missiles crossed the sky.
Lasers illuminated the wasteland.
Explosions rolled through the facility.
The end of the world was apparently still on schedule.
Yorktown reached the back entrance first.
Then smiled.
The recon bikes were waiting.
Exactly where they should be.
Rapi.
Anis.
Neon.
Ade.
Mary.
All of them had returned.
Despite having every reason to leave.
Despite already completing their part of the mission.
They had come back.
Waiting for them.
"Over here, Mom!"
Anis waved enthusiastically from atop her recon bike.
Yorktown couldn't help smiling.
The carrier jogged over.
"Thanks for coming back."
Anis grinned.
"No way we were leaving you behind."
Nearby, Belfast adjusted her armor.
"Let's go, ladies."
There was no need for further discussion.
Everyone immediately paired up.
Atago hopped onto the back of Mary's bike.
The heavy cruiser wrapped an arm around the nurse's shoulder.
"Thank you, Mary-san."
Mary smiled.
"You're welcome."
Takao moved toward Neon.
The destroyer's bike was already idling.
"Thanks, Neon."
The silver-haired Nikke flashed a grin.
"Anytime."
Enterprise climbed onto the back of Anis's recon bike.
The Grey Ghost looked entirely too comfortable about this.
"Thanks, Anis."
Anis puffed her chest proudly.
"No sweat, sis!"
Enterprise chuckled.
Nearby, Belfast mounted behind Ade.
The maid gave a graceful nod.
"My thanks, Ade."
The former combat maid laughed.
"I can't let the Head Maid get hurt."
"How considerate."
Belfast's smile was genuine.
Finally—
Yorktown climbed onto the back of Rapi's bike.
The carrier secured her grip.
Then looked toward the red-haired Nikke.
The countdown continued.
49 Seconds
The battle behind them intensified.
Another nuclear detonation lit the sky.
The shockwave rolled across Sentinel Site.
Neither robot showed signs of stopping.
Yorktown grinned.
"Take us away, Rapi!"
The Nikke nodded.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Only confidence.
"Roger."
Rapi pressed the pedal.
The recon bike surged forward.
The others followed immediately.
Engines roared.
Dust erupted behind them.
The convoy accelerated across the wasteland.
Five bikes.
Ten riders.
One increasingly absurd escape plan.
Behind them—
Sentinel Site continued burning.
The Guardian and Liberty Prime remained locked in combat.
Still unaware.
Still fighting.
Still standing directly atop hundreds of Mark 28 nuclear warheads.
And above them—
An Ion Cannon was already descending from orbit.
Back at the Command Post—
Yuuki watched the feed.
Then slowly set down his teacup.
Yuu noticed.
"Something wrong?"
The commander pointed toward the retreating convoy.
Then toward the countdown.
Then toward the Sentinel Site.
"No."
Yuuki smiled.
The fleet had remembered something important.
Not the mission.
Not the experience.
Not the rewards.
Each other.
They had come back.
Nobody had been left behind.
The commander looked genuinely pleased.
"They're finally acting like a real fleet."
Beside him, Yuu smiled.
Nayuta nodded.
Even Arisa looked quietly proud.
Meanwhile—
The countdown continued.
45 Seconds
44 Seconds
43 Seconds
And every second brought Sentinel Site closer to becoming a crater.
The recon bikes burst from Sentinel Site at maximum speed.
Dust exploded behind them.
Engines screamed.
The countdown continued.
30 Seconds
The warning echoed across every interface.
"Countdown initiated. You have thirty seconds."
The fleet accelerated even harder.
Behind them—
The battle still raged.
Liberty Prime and the Guardian continued their war completely oblivious to the apocalypse descending upon them.
"Thirty seconds, ladies!"
Yorktown shouted.
"Punch it!"
Nobody needed to be told twice.
The throttles twisted further.
The recon bikes surged forward.
The wasteland blurred.
25 Seconds
They crossed the third mile marker.
The fleet waiting on the observation hill watched nervously.
Even from here, the battle looked enormous.
The explosions.
The lasers.
The missiles.
It looked like a war between gods.
20 Seconds
"A little more!"
Yorktown urged.
The bikes continued accelerating.
Every second mattered now.
15 Seconds
Then the warnings changed.
The Ion Cannon Beacon activated its final announcement.
"Ion Cannon Strike Imminent."
A second warning followed.
"Nuclear Strike Imminent."
Then another voice joined them.
One nobody expected.
Liberty Prime.
The giant robot's speakers boomed across Sentinel Site.
Apparently it had finally recognized the incoming threats.
"WARNING."
Its voice echoed through the battlefield.
"WARNING."
The machine immediately classified the attack.
"RED CHINESE ORBITAL STRIKE IMMINENT."
The fleet collectively lost composure.
Even while escaping.
Even while racing for their lives.
They still laughed.
The giant robot genuinely believed it was under attack by Communist orbital bombardment.
"ALL PERSONNEL SHOULD REACH MINIMUM SAFE DISTANCE IMMEDIATELY."
The robot sounded oddly concerned.
As if trying to protect civilians.
Despite there being absolutely nobody nearby.
The absurdity somehow made the moment even better.
Meanwhile—
Yorktown checked the distance.
Almost four miles.
Not enough.
Not yet.
Above them—
Thunder rolled across the heavens.
Dark clouds parted.
The sky itself seemed to split open.
The first signs of the Ion Cannon appeared.
A brilliant column of light.
Descending.
Growing larger.
Brighter.
More terrifying.
The fleet looked upward.
Then immediately wished they hadn't.
10 Seconds
9
8
The heavens opened, followed by sounds of thunder and the wail of nuclear raid sirens.
The Ion Cannon beam descended toward Sentinel Site.
At the same time—
Four nuclear missiles appeared.
Falling from the sky.
Trailing fire.
Racing toward the battlefield.
The sight was almost biblical.
Divine judgment delivered simultaneously from orbit and atmosphere.
7
6
5
The beam widened.
The missiles approached.
The fleet finally reached the observation hill.
The others were already waiting.
Kaguya immediately stepped forward.
The Arcane Shipgirl raised both hands.
Mana surged.
A massive crystal barrier erupted before the fleet.
Layer upon layer of shimmering protection.
The fox woman's tails swayed violently from the effort.
"Everyone behind the shield!"
Nobody argued.
They immediately took cover.
The countdown continued.
4
3
The missiles were seconds from impact.
The Ion Cannon was almost upon Sentinel Site.
The Guardian finally noticed.
Liberty Prime finally noticed.
Neither had enough time to react.
2
1
Then—
The world ended.
A colossal pillar of energy descended from the heavens.
The Ion Cannon struck Sentinel Site directly.
At the exact same moment—
Four nuclear missiles impacted.
The Guardian.
Liberty Prime.
The warheads.
The entire facility.
Everything vanished inside a sphere of blinding white light.
For a brief moment—
The battlefield disappeared.
Sound disappeared.
The world itself seemed to stop.
Then reality caught up.
The detonation erupted outward.
A mushroom cloud rose into the sky.
Growing.
Expanding.
Towering higher and higher.
The shockwave followed.
A wall of destruction consuming everything in its path.
Buildings vanished.
Roads disappeared.
The entire Sentinel Site ceased to exist.
Three miles of wasteland were swallowed instantly.
The shockwave slammed into Kaguya's barrier.
The crystal shield groaned.
Cracks spread across its surface.
The fleet braced themselves.
Dust and wind exploded around them.
The sky darkened.
The earth trembled.
The mushroom cloud continued rising.
Higher.
Higher.
Higher.
Until it dominated the horizon.
Back at the Command Post—
Nobody spoke.
Not Yuuki.
Not Yuu.
Not Nayuta.
Not even Esche or Oberis.
They simply stared.
Watching the impossible amount of destruction.
Finally—
Nayuta slowly lowered her teacup.
"...This humble one would like to formally apologize."
Yuuki blinked.
"For what?"
The clone pointed toward the screen.
"For ever thinking you were excessive."
The commander stared at the mushroom cloud.
Then at the tactical readouts.
Then at the estimated yield.
Then back at the mushroom cloud.
After a moment—
Even he nodded.
"Fair."
On the hilltop—
The fleet watched the cloud rise.
The battle was over.
Sentinel Site was gone.
The Guardian was gone.
Liberty Prime was gone.
And somewhere inside that growing inferno—
Two bosses' worth of experience were waiting to be claimed.
The only sound that remained was the distant rumble of the mushroom cloud.
And the realization that they had actually pulled it off.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The mushroom cloud continued rising.
The sky remained illuminated by the fading afterglow of the Ion Cannon strike.
Sentinel Site no longer existed.
Only a crater remained.
A very large crater.
The fleet stared.
Then—
"THAT WAS AWESOME!"
Sandy practically bounced in place.
The destroyer pointed toward the horizon.
The mushroom cloud was still growing.
"Did you girls see that?!"
The Bulins immediately joined in.
"Big boom, Bulin!"
"Bulin!"
"Purin!"
"Kurin!"
The three tiny shipgirls cheered as though they had personally detonated the entire site.
Nearby—
Akashi stared at the cloud.
The repair ship looked impressed.
Very impressed.
Yet also deeply offended.
"Nyaa..."
Vestal immediately recognized that tone.
"You are still upset."
"Nyaa."
Akashi crossed her arms.
"There were two hundred and thirteen Mark 28s."
The cat pointed accusingly toward the crater.
"And I wasn't allowed to keep even one."
Vestal sighed.
The nurse had expected exactly this reaction.
"Akashi."
"Nyaa?"
"No."
The repair ship sighed again.
Meanwhile—
Neon continued staring at the mushroom cloud.
The silver-haired Nikke looked genuinely moved.
"That..."
She pointed dramatically.
"That was true firepower."
Nobody disagreed.
Four Nuclear Strike Beacons.
An Ion Cannon.
Hundreds of Mark 28 warheads.
The resulting explosion had been excessive.
Magnificently excessive.
"The Ion Cannon was the cherry on top."
Neon nodded to herself.
Completely satisfied.
The fleet slowly stood.
Kaguya's crystal barrier remained active.
Protecting them from the lingering heat and pressure.
Not that it mattered much.
Their Echo Suit Mark IIs were designed to survive far worse.
Still—
The barrier looked impressive.
Then—
Something appeared.
A dark object.
Falling from the sky.
Fast.
Very fast.
Several girls immediately tensed.
"What is that?"
Javelin pointed.
The object spun through the air.
Burning.
Trailing smoke.
Getting larger.
And larger.
And larger.
Until—
BOOM!
It slammed against Kaguya's barrier.
The crystal shield absorbed the impact.
The object bounced away.
Rolled across the ground.
Then finally stopped.
The fleet stared.
Silence followed.
Because they immediately recognized it.
It was Liberty Prime's head.
The massive armored head lay half-buried in the dirt.
Scorched.
Damaged.
Barely functional.
One optic flickered weakly.
The machine emitted sparks.
Then—
Its speaker crackled.
The voice was distorted.
Broken.
Failing.
"Catastrophic..."
Static.
"System..."
More static.
"...failure."
The fleet gathered around.
Nobody spoke.
Even Neon remained quiet.
The giant robot continued.
"Initiating core shutdown..."
A pause.
"...as per Emergency Initiative Two Six Eight Two Two Zero Nine."
Its remaining optic flickered.
The machine's voice weakened.
"Immediate self-destruct."
Another pause.
Then—
"Better dead..."
Static.
"...than Red."
The fleet looked at one another.
Nobody laughed this time.
The joke had stopped being funny.
The machine had fought.
It had endured.
It had unknowingly helped them.
And in the end—
It had never stopped believing in its mission.
The speaker crackled one final time.
Its final words echoed softly.
"I die..."
Static interrupted.
Then returned.
"...so... that... democracy... may... live..."
The optic dimmed.
The machine went silent.
Forever.
The wasteland became quiet.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
For a moment—
Nobody moved.
Yes.
Liberty Prime had been their enemy.
Yes.
It would have turned on them eventually.
Yes.
Destroying it had been necessary.
But none of that changed what had happened.
The giant robot had stood against impossible odds.
Had broken the Guardian's shield.
Had fought until the very end.
And somehow—
Won their respect.
Yorktown slowly stepped forward.
The carrier raised her hand.
A salute.
Enterprise followed.
Then Belfast.
Then Takao.
Then Atago.
One by one.
Every Shipgirl saluted.
The Sakura girls lowered their heads respectfully.
Kaguya.
Akagi.
Kaga.
Houshou.
Takao.
Atago.
A warrior's farewell.
The Nikkes joined them.
Even Rapi.
Even Anis.
Even Ade.
Neon stood quietly.
Looking at the ruined head.
Then wiped her eyes.
Nobody commented.
Nobody teased her.
Because they understood.
The giant robot had been ridiculous.
Annoying.
Dangerous.
Completely insane.
But it had also been brave.
And somehow—
Against all logic—
The fleet had come to like it.
The wasteland remained silent.
A fallen warrior.
A victorious fleet.
And a mushroom cloud still rising behind them.
For one brief moment—
Friend and foe no longer mattered.
Only respect.
The moment of silence lasted only a few seconds.
Then a familiar hologram appeared.
Blue light formed beside Liberty Prime's ruined head.
Yuuki.
The commander looked over the fleet.
Then toward the mushroom cloud.
Then toward the crater that used to be Sentinel Site.
Then back to the fleet.
His expression said everything.
He was impressed.
"Girls."
The commander folded his arms.
"Wow."
Several girls straightened.
Even Akashi stopped staring mournfully at the missing Mark 28 collection.
Yuuki shook his head.
"I am genuinely impressed."
The hologram looked toward Yorktown.
Then Enterprise.
Then Kaguya.
Then the rest of the fleet.
"You defeated all five bosses."
The girls grinned.
The commander continued.
"I honestly expected you to call it a day after defeating the Mirelurk Queen."
Several Nikkes immediately looked away.
Because they absolutely had considered it.
Neon raised her hand.
"We did."
"Several times."
Rapi added.
The fleet laughed.
Yuuki nodded.
"Exactly."
The commander pointed toward the distant mushroom cloud.
"But instead, you kept going."
The hologram gestured dramatically.
"You beat the Ultracite Titan."
"The Behemoth."
"The Mirelurk Queen."
"The EN06 Guardian."
"And Liberty Prime."
The commander smiled.
"That is not bad for a group of Level 1 recruits who started this morning."
The fleet couldn't help looking proud.
Then Neon pointed toward Liberty Prime's head.
"But..."
The Nikke hesitated.
"Liberty Prime..."
Several girls glanced toward the fallen machine.
Yuuki immediately understood.
The commander smiled.
"Oh."
He waved dismissively.
"We have the real Liberty Prime."
The fleet blinked.
"What?"
Yuuki nodded.
"The fully upgraded version."
The commander pointed upward.
"It's currently in storage awaiting activation."
Silence.
Then—
"What?!"
Anis nearly fell over.
Neon stared.
"You mean..."
Yuuki laughed.
"The one you fought was just a boss variant created for this training dimension."
Several girls immediately looked at Liberty Prime's head.
Then at Yuuki.
Then back at the head.
The emotional damage was manageable now.
Mostly.
The commander shrugged.
"After a while it'll regenerate and reset itself for the next training group."
Neon visibly relaxed.
"Oh."
A pause.
Then she nodded.
"Good."
Another pause.
"...it was still cool though."
The entire fleet agreed.
Then—
A notification appeared.
Every interface lit up simultaneously.
CONGRATULATIONS
ALL FIVE E-RANK BOSSES DEFEATED
Another notification followed.
A bronze medal materialized inside their achievement menu.
The design displayed a mushroom cloud.
Several girls blinked.
Achievement Acquired
E-Rank Conqueror Medal
"Achievement medal?"
Javelin tilted her head.
Yuuki immediately answered.
"Every pocket dimension has one."
The commander pointed toward their interfaces.
"You defeat all major objectives and bosses."
"You earn the medal."
The fleet immediately opened the Achievement tab.
There it was.
Their first achievement.
The mushroom cloud emblem sparkled proudly.
Yuuki grinned.
"We have hundreds of pocket dimensions."
The commander folded his arms.
"Collect them all if you want."
Several girls immediately became interested.
Especially Akashi.
The cat's eyes sparkled.
Then another notification appeared.
Dungeon Completion Reward
2,500 Credits
The reaction was immediate.
"Credits?!"
Akashi practically teleported forward.
"2500?!"
The repair ship looked horrified.
"That's half our monthly salary!"
The commander nodded.
"Correct."
Akashi immediately loved dungeons.
The fleet laughed.
Then the final reward arrived.
Experience.
A lot of experience.
The bars on their interfaces surged upward.
Levels climbed.
The girls watched in surprise.
Then—
LEVEL UP
LEVEL 21 REACHED
One after another.
Every Shipgirl.
Every Nikke.
Every participant.
The entire fleet advanced.
The girls immediately stared.
"Level twenty-one?"
Mary blinked.
Pepper checked her interface twice.
Anis looked confused.
"We only beat two bosses."
Yuuki nodded.
"At the end."
The commander emphasized the last part.
Then pointed toward the combat records.
"You also killed thousands of ghouls."
"Super mutants."
"Mirelurks."
"Radscorpions."
"Deathclaw hatchlings."
"Random wildlife."
The commander shrugged.
"Experience is experience."
The logs continued scrolling.
The amount was absurd.
Neon immediately understood.
"So everything finally cashed in."
"Exactly."
Yuuki nodded.
The commander pointed toward another notification.
Super Upgrade Point Earned
Immediately—
The fleet became excited again.
Another super point.
Another permanent upgrade.
Another step forward.
The girls began opening menus.
Discussing builds.
Comparing perks.
Arguing over optimal choices.
And for the first time since arriving—
Yuuki simply smiled and watched.
Because the recruits he had brought here this morning—
Were no longer recruits.
Not really.
Level 21.
Achievement earned.
Dungeon completed.
A fleet that worked together.
A fleet that trusted each other.
And most importantly—
A fleet that came back for one another.
The commander looked genuinely satisfied.
"Welcome to Level 21."
The hologram smiled.
"You girls earned it."
Yuuki looked at the tactical reports.
Then at the crater.
Then at the mushroom cloud.
Then back at the fleet.
The commander slowly shook his head.
"Actually..."
The hologram pointed toward the horizon.
"I didn't expect that."
Several girls blinked.
Yorktown folded her arms.
"What?"
Yuuki laughed.
"The crater."
The commander zoomed in the tactical map.
The entire area around Sentinel Site was missing.
Gone.
Reduced to molten earth and shattered rock.
A massive circular scar dominated the wasteland.
The measurement appeared on the display.
Crater Diameter
3 Miles
Silence.
The fleet collectively looked away.
Even Akashi suddenly found the ground fascinating.
Yuuki pointed at them.
"You girls made a three-mile crater."
Nobody volunteered a defense.
Because there wasn't one.
The evidence was right there.
The commander continued.
"Most recruits lure the bosses together."
Another point.
"Plant a few Nuclear Strike Beacons."
Another.
"Detonate them."
Another.
"Get their rewards."
The hologram looked toward Yorktown.
Then Enterprise.
Then Kaguya.
Then Neon.
Then back toward the crater.
"You girls used every beacon at a single location."
The fleet became increasingly interested in the weather.
Yuuki wasn't finished.
"Four Nuclear Strike Beacons."
The commander held up four fingers.
"One Ion Cannon Beacon."
A fifth finger.
"Hundreds of Mark 28 warheads to kill two robot bosses."
The hologram pointed toward the crater again.
Then laughed.
"You vaporized everything."
Neon immediately raised her hand.
"It was awesome though."
Several girls nodded.
Including some who probably shouldn't have.
Yuuki sighed.
"I never said it wasn't."
The commander rubbed his forehead.
"No wonder you gained another level."
That immediately regained everyone's attention.
"Wait."
Javelin blinked.
"The crater gave us experience?"
Yuuki nodded.
"The destruction itself doesn't."
Another point.
"But the Guardian."
"And Liberty Prime."
"And every remaining hostile unit."
"And every structure objective."
The commander pointed at the combat logs.
"You essentially achieved a perfect dungeon clear."
The girls immediately felt much better about the crater.
Akashi even looked proud.
"Nyaa."
The fleet tried very hard not to smile.
Failed.
Completely.
Yuuki finally folded his arms.
Despite the absurdity.
Despite the crater.
Despite the fact they had somehow turned an E-Rank dungeon into a small geological event.
The commander looked genuinely pleased.
"Still."
The hologram smiled.
"I am proud of you."
The fleet immediately straightened.
Yorktown smiled.
Enterprise relaxed slightly.
Even the Nikkes looked pleased.
Because they knew Yuuki wasn't talking about levels.
Or credits.
Or medals.
The commander continued.
"You adapted."
"You worked together."
"You trusted each other."
"And you came back for one another."
The hologram nodded toward Rapi and the other Nikkes.
Then toward Yorktown and the five who planted the beacons.
"Nobody got left behind."
That earned quiet smiles from everyone.
Even Akagi.
Even Eugen.
Even Rapi.
Yuuki finally clapped his hands together.
"All right."
The commander pointed toward the distant GDI base.
"Mission complete."
Grimm landed gracefully on Yorktown's shoulder, finally completing its mission as the fleet's scout. The eagle settled proudly beside her, honored to serve as part of Yorktown's companion and the newly formed GDI fleet.
The fleet immediately looked interested.
Because now that the excitement was fading—
The exhaustion was arriving.
Fast.
Very fast.
Yuuki grinned.
"Head back to base."
Another point.
"Freshen up."
Another.
"Get cleaned."
Another.
"Eat dinner."
The commander looked at the exhausted fleet.
Many of them still covered in dust.
Soot.
Mud.
And various monster remains.
"You girls smell like a combination of ghoul, mirelurk and nuclear battlefield."
Several girls immediately looked offended.
The others started laughing.
Even Belfast discreetly checked her sleeves.
Yuuki pretended not to notice.
"After dinner we'll teleport back to the Daedalus."
That immediately sounded appealing.
Very appealing.
The commander smiled.
"And after that."
He pointed upward.
"Back to the inn."
Another smile.
"Hot baths."
"Soft beds."
"No giant robots."
The entire fleet visibly relaxed.
Even Neon.
Especially Neon.
The silver-haired Nikke stretched dramatically.
"I suddenly love this plan."
Anis nodded.
"Best plan today."
Rapi quietly agreed.
Mary and Pepper looked relieved.
The Shipgirls looked equally exhausted.
Kaguya's crystal barrier finally dissolved.
The fox woman looked ready for sleep.
Yuuki chuckled.
"Come on."
The hologram began fading.
"You girls earned your rest."
The commander gave them one final smile.
"Level 21."
"First achievement medal."
"First completed dungeon."
"Not bad for a single day."
The hologram vanished.
Leaving the fleet standing before a three-mile crater.
A mushroom cloud.
A fallen robotic hero.
And the satisfying realization that tomorrow—
They would do it all again.
After dinner.
And preferably with fewer nuclear weapons.
Though nobody actually believed that last part.