"Ufufu… this weapon is impressive," Akagi said with a pleased smile as she adjusted the sniper rifle against her shoulder. "Akagi could easily remove rivals with this."
A hand immediately grabbed one of her fox ears.
"No," Yuuki said flatly. "We are absolutely not doing that."
"Iyaaa~~~!"
Akagi instantly folded, her expression turning pitiful as Yuuki lightly tugged her ear.
"Weapons in here won't kill anyone, but getting shot is still annoying."
Akagi pouted dramatically. "Shikikan-sama is bullying Akagi…"
"Do that again and no more ear rubs."
The effect was immediate.
"No, please don't!" Akagi clung to him slightly. "Akagi needs her daily ear rubs!"
The others nearby couldn't help reacting.
Atago laughed softly behind her hand. "Ara~ that weakness is fatal but I hope Shikikan-sama doesn't forget that we need out ear rubs as well."
Takao sighed quietly but looked slightly amused.
Kaga simply looked away like she had seen this happen too many times already.
Avrora smiled faintly as she fired another shot downrange. One of the red targets dropped instantly. She calmly cycled the bolt and reloaded with practiced motions.
Yorktown had noticeably improved already. Her first few shots earlier had been careful and measured, but now she was adjusting naturally, reading the scope faster with each shot.
Enterprise remained terrifyingly accurate.
Atago and Takao looked like they were genuinely enjoying themselves now, especially once they got used to the handling.
Further down the line—
Laffey had somehow fallen asleep while lying prone with the sniper rifle still in her hands.
Nimi stared at her for a moment.
"…Unbelievable."
Then she simply grabbed Laffey by the back of her uniform and dragged her upright like a sack of rice.
"…sleepy…" Laffey mumbled weakly.
"You are in the middle of training."
Above them all, Yuuki sighed softly before his hand movements against Akagi's ears became gentler.
"There. Enough complaining. Focus on training."
Akagi immediately leaned into the softer ear rubs, tails swaying happily again. "Yes, Shikikan-sama…"
Yuuki clapped his hands once more.
"Alright. Moving on."
The sniper rifles dissolved into particles.
"Pistols and rifles are done."
Another weapon slowly formed in front of them.
This one was larger, sturdier, clearly designed for sustained fire.
"The Cobretti AR-70 Raptor automatic rifle."
The weapon rotated slowly so everyone could see it clearly.
"This rifle uses 5.56mm ammunition and carries a hundred-round magazine. Fully automatic. Stable recoil system."
He tapped the side of the weapon.
"The Da'at Yichud suit assists recoil compensation outside of this skirmish realm, so your bodies automatically adjust while firing. That means better control even during full-auto fire."
Neon's eyes were sparkling now.
"Ohooo… this is a gun."
She circled around the rifle like someone admiring art.
"The craftsmanship… the weight balance… the feed system…"
Anis snorted. "You're drooling."
"Respecting," Neon corrected immediately.
Rapi, meanwhile—
smiled slightly.
A genuine smile.
Automatic rifles were her specialty.
The moment she held the AR-70, her posture changed naturally. Comfortable. Familiar.
Yuuki noticed instantly.
"You've used weapons like this before."
Rapi nodded once. "This feels closer to what I normally use."
"Good. Then show the others proper handling."
Rapi gave a calm nod and stepped forward.
"First thing," she said while checking the rifle smoothly, "don't fight the recoil too hard. Let the weapon settle naturally."
Anis blinked. "You sound like an instructor already."
Rapi ignored that completely.
"Short bursts improve accuracy. Full-auto is for suppression or close-range pressure."
Neon was already hugging the rifle happily. "I love this place."
San Diego raised her rifle excitedly. "This one feels stronger!"
Takao tested the grip carefully. "Heavier than the pistol, but stable."
Atago smiled. "Ara~ this one is satisfying."
Enterprise adjusted the stock against her shoulder without a word.
Yorktown checked sight alignment.
Belfast inspected the mechanism before readying hers perfectly.
Kaga handled it efficiently.
Akagi looked mildly disappointed the rifle could not actually eliminate "rivals."
Avrora adjusted quickly despite being unfamiliar with assault rifles.
Ade and Soda stayed together again, carefully copying Rapi's handling.
Unicorn struggled slightly with the rifle's size at first until Wales helped her adjust her stance.
Laffey somehow nearly fell asleep again while holding an automatic rifle.
"…Laffey," Nimi said slowly, "…please remain conscious for at least one full lesson."
Yuuki looked across the firing line, watching all of them settle into position.
"Alright," he said.
Rows of new red targets appeared downrange.
"This time, controlled bursts. Learn recoil management first before spraying everywhere."
Neon immediately raised her hand.
"What if I want to spray everywhere?"
"…Then Rapi will yell at you."
Rapi nodded seriously. "Correct."
Anis burst out laughing while Neon looked completely unapologetic.
"I knew it," Anis said between laughs. "The moment she gets a bigger gun, all discipline disappears."
Neon proudly held the rifle close. "Firepower is an art."
"Firepower is also recoil," Rapi replied calmly while adjusting her stance. "Control your bursts."
Neon gave a dramatic sigh. "Fine…"
Yuuki watched the firing line from above, slightly amused at the sight in front of him.
Especially the smaller girls.
Despite their size, Nimi, Laffey, Unicorn, and even Neon handled the rifles surprisingly well once they adjusted their stances. The assisted recoil system clearly helped, but they were adapting faster than expected.
Laffey was still half asleep though.
At one point she fired three clean bursts—
then immediately started leaning sideways while standing.
Nimi caught her by the collar before she hit the ground.
"…Stay awake."
"…trying…"
A few minutes later, Nimi was dragging Laffey across the firing range again like a sack while the sleepy destroyer still lazily held onto her rifle.
Yuuki had to look away for a second because he was genuinely trying not to laugh.
Unicorn was doing her best too. She looked nervous at first, but Neon surprisingly helped her adjust the rifle properly.
"No, no, hold it tighter here," Neon said while repositioning Unicorn's grip. "Otherwise the muzzle climbs too much."
"O-okay…"
"See? Much better."
Unicorn fired another burst.
This time it landed properly on target.
Her eyes widened slightly. "…I did it…"
Neon immediately grinned proudly like she personally accomplished something. "See? Firepower friendship."
Nimi sighed quietly nearby. "That phrase should not exist."
Even so, she still helped adjust Unicorn's footing afterward.
The smaller girls somehow ended up naturally grouping together.
Well—
mostly because they kept having to drag Laffey around.
Further down the line, Rapi was easily the standout.
Her movements were smooth and efficient, like the rifle was an extension of her body. Controlled bursts. Minimal wasted motion. Targets dropped one after another rapidly.
Yuuki watched carefully.
"…Good," he muttered quietly.
Anis noticed too. "There she goes again."
Rapi fired another short burst before speaking calmly.
"Automatic rifles are my specialty."
It showed.
Even Enterprise glanced briefly in her direction, clearly noticing how clean her handling was.
Yorktown nodded slightly. "Very disciplined."
Takao adjusted her own rifle after watching Rapi's pacing. "Efficient burst control…"
Atago smiled softly. "Ara~ she's impressive."
Meanwhile, the others were still adapting.
San Diego occasionally overshot targets because she got excited.
Neon kept wanting to hold the trigger too long.
Ade remained controlled and steady.
Soda flinched slightly at louder bursts but kept improving.
Avrora adjusted surprisingly quickly despite clearly being more used to different kinds of combat.
Akagi and Kaga adapted almost immediately because of course they did.
Belfast's form remained flawless.
Wales stayed composed and accurate.
Vestal took slower, measured shots.
Akashi spent half the time examining the rifle's mechanics while firing.
Eldridge, meanwhile, had completely given up trying to hold the larger rifle.
It was almost as tall as she was.
So instead—
she quietly sat on Yuuki's lap while watching everyone else train.
Yuuki adjusted slightly so she wouldn't slide off.
"…Not using one?" he asked.
Eldridge shook her head lightly. "…too big…"
"That's fair."
She stayed there quietly while watching the others fire downrange, completely content.
Below them, another burst of gunfire echoed through the training range as the girls slowly improved shot by shot.
Messy at times.
Chaotic sometimes.
But they were learning together.
And Yuuki could already see it.
The group was starting to click naturally.
==============
Yuuki watched the firing line for a while longer before speaking again.
"Alright. Some of you are still struggling with recoil control, so I'll give you a little hint."
The girls looked toward him.
"In this world, your bodies are being trained as if you're already wearing the combat suits used by Enterprise, Yorktown, Belfast, Illustrious, Atago, and Takao."
That immediately caught the others' attention.
"The Daat Yichud power suits," Enterprise added quietly.
Yuuki nodded.
"Second generation models are already being developed. In skirmish simulations, the system partially recreates the suit's support functions. That's why you can already see things like targeting reticles, ammo count, HP and AP displays."
Neon blinked. "So this is basically suit training without the actual suit?"
"Exactly."
He tapped the side of his head.
"When you eventually wear the real thing, it'll feel natural because your brain already adapted here first."
Rapi looked thoughtful. "So the simulation conditions the user beforehand."
"That's the point."
Yuuki glanced across all of them before continuing.
"Anyway, look at your HUDs. You should see something called Overdrive."
Most of them focused immediately.
A small icon pulsed faintly near the edge of their vision.
San Diego raised her hand first. "Okay, I found it. What does it do?"
"How do we press it?" Neon asked right after.
Yuuki raised a hand slightly.
"Let me explain first."
The room quieted.
"It's called Overdrive. Activating it slows down your perception of time for a short period."
Neon's eyes widened immediately.
"…Wait. Slow-motion?"
"Basically."
Yuuki continued calmly.
"The system injects controlled adrenaline stimulation directly through the simulation. Your brain processes information faster for about ten seconds."
He paused briefly.
"In real time, though, only around two seconds pass."
That got reactions immediately.
Yorktown's eyes narrowed slightly.
Enterprise looked interested.
Takao and Atago both visibly focused harder.
"So during Overdrive," Yuuki continued, "you react faster, aim faster, dodge faster. To you, the world slows down."
Atago smiled slowly. "Ara~ that sounds dangerous."
Takao nodded. "Especially in close combat."
Wales looked interested too. "Sword fighting with slowed perception…"
Akagi's tails swayed slightly. "That would make ambushes much easier…"
Kaga added calmly, "And counterattacks faster."
The Nikkes were equally interested.
Neon looked completely amazed. "THAT'S SO COOL."
Anis whistled softly. "Alright, now we're getting into the fun stuff."
Rapi remained calm, but even she looked impressed. "Enhanced reaction acceleration…"
Yuuki nodded.
"But remember something important."
The excitement settled slightly.
"If your enemy also has Overdrive active, both of you move at the same speed relative to each other."
That made several of them pause.
"In real time, you are reacting incredibly fast. But inside your own perception, everything feels slower."
Takao understood almost immediately. "…Meaning combat becomes more precise."
"Exactly."
Yuuki smiled slightly.
"Now then."
He looked at them.
"Overdrive Authorized."
The HUD icons lit up instantly.
"You activate it mentally. Think it, and the system responds."
There was a brief pause.
Then—
Neon activated hers first.
The world around her slowed.
Her eyes widened immediately.
"…WOAH."
She fired.
Her shots suddenly tightened dramatically, bursts becoming controlled and accurate.
Rapi activated hers next.
Her already excellent accuracy became terrifyingly precise. Targets dropped one after another almost instantly.
Anis activated hers after seeing that. "Okay, this is insane."
Across the range, reactions exploded.
San Diego started laughing while firing rapidly. "THIS IS AWESOME."
Takao's movements became frighteningly smooth, each shot perfectly timed.
Atago smiled brightly while moving through targets with unnatural grace.
Wales adjusted calmly, taking clean and efficient shots.
Enterprise's firing speed increased sharply while maintaining near-perfect accuracy.
Yorktown adapted almost immediately.
Belfast remained composed even inside Overdrive, her shots elegant and controlled.
Akagi looked delighted.
Kaga simply became even more efficient.
Even Unicorn improved quickly once the slowed perception helped her focus.
Laffey somehow activated Overdrive while half asleep, which made Nimi stare in disbelief.
"…How are you still sleepy during accelerated perception?"
"…comfortable…"
Yuuki watched all of them from above.
Their reactions—
pure excitement.
Pure happiness.
It reminded him of the first time he introduced Heroic Mode to Enterprise, Yorktown, Belfast, Illustrious, Atago, and Takao.
That same look.
The realization that combat could become something entirely different.
And now—
the others were experiencing it too.
Overdrive.
The next step forward.
The effect ended almost as suddenly as it began.
The slowed world snapped back to normal speed.
Gunfire returned to its regular rhythm. Movements no longer felt stretched out. Their breathing steadied again as the sensation faded.
Just like Yuuki said—
it had felt like ten whole seconds.
But when they looked at the timers on their HUDs, barely two seconds had actually passed.
Neon stared at her display in disbelief. "No way… that was only two seconds?"
Anis blinked a few times, trying to adjust back to normal perception. "Okay, that completely messes with your sense of time."
Rapi lowered her rifle slowly, clearly processing the implications already. "Reaction speed enhancement on this level changes everything."
It really did.
Even the shipgirls understood immediately.
Yorktown looked thoughtful. "In a real fight, this could completely shift momentum."
Enterprise nodded quietly. "Dodging. Counterattacks. Precision shots."
Takao's grip tightened slightly around her rifle. "In sword combat… this would be devastating."
Atago smiled, already imagining it. "Combining this with close-range combat would be terrifying~"
Wales looked impressed. "A duel could end before the opponent realizes what happened."
Akagi's eyes gleamed dangerously. "Overdrive…"
Kaga finished calmly. "…would make assassination extremely efficient."
That thought alone made several of the others glance at them.
Yuuki sighed lightly. "Please don't immediately use it for murder ideas."
"Too late," Anis muttered under her breath.
The Nikkes were no less excited.
Neon looked like she had just discovered heaven. "Imagine fighting Raptures with this."
Rapi nodded slowly. "Combat efficiency would increase dramatically."
Ade looked amazed. "It gives you time to think…"
Soda looked equally stunned. "Everything became so clear for a moment…"
For the shipgirls who had already experienced Heroic Mode before, the realization hit even harder.
Enterprise looked down slightly, thinking.
"Heroic Mode boosts our combat performance…"
Yorktown continued quietly, "…and Overdrive improves perception."
Takao understood immediately where this was going.
"If both are used together…"
Atago smiled faintly. "…our reaction speed would become monstrous."
And then there was Stealth Mode.
The suits they used back in Magellan already allowed invisibility and suppression systems.
Combining Heroic Mode, Overdrive, and Stealth Mode together—
even Yuuki knew how dangerous that combination would become.
A fully equipped shipgirl using all three at once would be terrifying on a battlefield.
The firing range slowly quieted as everyone processed it.
Then Yuuki clapped his hands once.
The weapons dissolved into particles and disappeared from their hands instantly.
"Alright, enough excitement for now."
A few disappointed noises followed immediately.
Yuuki crossed his arms.
"Overdrive is powerful, but it has limits."
The HUD timers appeared briefly again.
"Sixty-second cooldown after use. You can't spam it repeatedly."
Neon pouted slightly. "Aww…"
"There's also another problem," Yuuki continued. "Overusing it causes headaches."
That got their attention.
"The increased brain activity puts stress on your nervous system. Use it too often, and you'll start feeling it."
Anis rubbed the back of her neck. "So basically mental overheating."
"Pretty much."
Rapi nodded seriously. "Then timing becomes important."
"Exactly."
Yuuki looked across everyone carefully.
"Use it when it matters. Don't rely on it for every little thing."
Takao nodded. "A trump card, not a crutch."
Belfast added calmly, "Proper discipline will be required."
Laffey yawned softly. "…still worth it…I can sleep for ten seconds in exchange for two."
Nimi sighed beside her. "Of course you would say that."
San Diego was still excited anyway. "This is seriously the coolest training ever."
Neon pointed dramatically at Yuuki. "Commander, I officially approve this world."
"That means absolutely nothing."
"It means a lot to me."
Yuuki shook his head slightly, but there was a faint smile on his face.
Because despite the chaos, despite the noise—
they were learning.
And more importantly—
they were starting to imagine a future where they could actually fight back properly.
Yuuki looked across the group before speaking again.
"Alright. Next weapon."
He glanced toward Anis specifically.
"This is something Anis is definitely going to love."
Anis immediately straightened up. "Now we're talking."
Yuuki smirked slightly.
"Actually, all of you are probably going to love this."
Neon was already suspiciously excited before the weapon even appeared.
Then—
a larger weapon slowly materialized in front of them.
Heavy frame. Thick barrel. Compact but dangerous.
"This," Yuuki said while grabbing it, "is the Szakolczay 66mm Type R12 Locust automatic rocket launcher."
The reactions were immediate.
Anis looked genuinely gleeful. "Commander, you are speaking my language now."
Neon was practically sparkling. "THAT IS BEAUTIFUL."
Even some of the shipgirls looked interested immediately.
Atago let out a soft impressed hum. "Ara~ now that looks powerful."
Takao crossed her arms while studying the launcher carefully. "Heavy anti-armor weaponry…"
Yorktown looked interested too. "Compact for its firepower."
Enterprise quietly observed the loading system.
San Diego looked excited instantly. "WE GET ROCKETS?!"
Yuuki nodded.
"This launcher uses a six-round magazine system. Fast reloads. High burst damage."
He tapped the launcher lightly.
"One shot from this thing is usually enough to take out standard targets. Significant explosive damage."
Anis looked like she had just found religion.
"I love this thing already."
Yuuki raised a hand again.
A small Siren drone appeared hovering downrange, reconstructed from combat data gathered during previous missions.
The moment it appeared, the mood shifted slightly.
Even if it was simulated—
everyone recognized what it represented.
Neon immediately aimed at it. "Can I blow it up now?"
"Yes," Yuuki replied calmly. "That's the point."
He pointed toward the launcher.
"No lock-on system. No missile tracking. These are straight-fire rockets."
Rapi nodded. "So accuracy matters."
"Exactly. Aim properly."
Then Yuuki added one more thing while looking directly at the group.
"And please do not aim downward."
That got confused looks.
Yuuki sighed slightly.
"The explosions won't seriously hurt you in here, but they are still extremely annoying."
Anis snorted.
Neon immediately lowered her launcher slightly. "…I was not thinking about trying that."
"You absolutely were."
"…Maybe a little."
Yuuki pointed toward the drone.
"Alright. Try it."
Anis stepped forward first almost instantly.
"Mine."
She grabbed the launcher with obvious excitement and rested it against below her shoulder naturally.
"Oh yeah," she muttered happily. "This feels right."
Rapi stepped slightly aside, already expecting what was about to happen.
Anis aimed.
Fired.
The rocket shot forward with a loud burst and slammed directly into the Siren drone.
The explosion echoed across the range.
The drone disappeared in fire and fragments instantly.
Anis stared for half a second before grinning widely.
"…Okay, I REALLY like this."
San Diego cheered immediately. "THAT WAS AWESOME."
Neon was practically vibrating in place. "MY TURN MY TURN MY TURN."
Yuuki handed her one carefully.
"Don't blow yourself up."
"No promises."
"You are not helping your case."
Neon fired next.
Her rocket missed slightly—
and exploded behind the drone instead.
The shockwave still destroyed it anyway.
Neon gasped dramatically. "EXPLOSIONS SOLVE EVERYTHING."
Rapi pinched the bridge of her nose lightly.
"Accuracy still matters."
"BUT IT WORKED."
"It worked badly."
Meanwhile, the shipgirls started trying them too once he materialized more rocket launchers.
Yorktown adapted quickly, firing controlled shots.
Enterprise hit targets cleanly with minimal wasted movement.
Takao handled the launcher surprisingly well despite preferring blades.
Atago looked entirely too happy firing explosive weapons.
Akagi laughed softly the moment her rocket vaporized a target.
Kaga remained efficient as always.
Wales maintained steady precision.
Even Belfast managed to fire with perfect posture somehow.
Laffey nearly fell asleep while holding a rocket launcher until Nimi physically tilted the launcher upward before she accidentally pointed it at the ground.
"…Safety first."
"…mmm…"
Avrora took careful shots, visibly adjusting to the heavier weapon.
Ade handled recoil properly almost immediately.
Soda got startled by the explosion noise the first time she fired.
"Ahh!"
Then she looked at the destroyed drone.
"…Okay that was amazing."
Above them all, Yuuki watched the chaos unfold.
Explosions.
Cheering.
Neon shouting about firepower every few seconds.
Anis grinning like a maniac.
And honestly—
he expected exactly this reaction.
Yuuki watched another drone explode into pieces before letting out a long sigh.
"Haa… I honestly didn't expect all of you to enjoy rockets this much."
"Of course we love it!" Anis and Neon answered at the exact same time.
Neon looked completely energized, while Anis had the expression of someone discovering her favorite hobby all over again.
Even Rapi—
who was trying very hard to stay composed—
failed slightly.
Her small smile gave her away immediately.
Yuuki noticed it instantly.
"…You too, huh?"
Rapi coughed lightly and looked away. "…Explosive weaponry has tactical value."
Anis pointed at her immediately. "That is the happiest I've seen you all day."
Rapi ignored her.
Nearby, Akagi smiled dangerously while resting the launcher on her shoulder.
"Akagi can remove even more pests with this."
Yuuki immediately looked at her.
"We are still not calling people pests."
Akagi simply smiled innocently.
Takao sighed quietly. "She is not listening."
"At all," Kaga added calmly.
Yuuki shook his head before continuing.
"Alright, another thing."
The HUDs flickered briefly.
"I'm authorizing Heroic Mode for the simulation."
That got immediate reactions from the girls who had already used it before.
Enterprise's expression sharpened slightly.
Yorktown straightened a bit.
Atago smiled knowingly.
Takao looked interested.
Belfast remained calm but attentive.
Illustrious tilted her head slightly.
For the newer girls, confusion appeared instead.
"Heroic Mode?" Neon asked immediately.
Yuuki nodded.
"Those of you who already used it know what it does."
He crossed his arms.
"It boosts overall performance. Weapon damage, movement speed, reaction speed, physical output. Everything increases."
He pointed toward the firing range.
"You'll notice it visually too. Your projectiles change slightly under Heroic Mode."
Anis blinked. "Wait, we get stronger AND explosions get cooler?"
"…That is somehow the part you focused on."
Neon looked extremely interested now. "How long does it last?"
"Thirty seconds."
"And the downside?"
"Two-minute cooldown."
Rapi nodded slowly. "So timing matters again."
"Exactly."
Yuuki raised another weapon into existence before them.
This one was noticeably larger and heavier.
Long barrel. Bulky frame. Built for destruction.
"This is the N72 120mm Rocket and Missile Launcher."
The girls immediately quieted slightly while looking at it.
Even the shipgirls looked impressed.
"That thing is huge," San Diego muttered.
Yuuki rested the launcher against his shoulder.
"This is anti-vehicle weaponry. Heavier than the Locust launcher."
He pointed toward the controls.
"Holding primary fire launches an unguided rocket."
Then he tapped the scope.
"Secondary fire activates targeting mode. The scope can lock onto vehicles automatically."
Rapi's eyes narrowed slightly. "Guided missile capability."
"Yes."
Yuuki continued.
"This weapon hits much harder than the Locust. But there's a tradeoff."
He raised one finger.
"One shot."
Then another.
"Slow reload."
Anis nodded immediately. "Big damage, low fire rate."
"Exactly."
Yuuki pointed toward the Locust launcher nearby.
"The Locust gives sustained explosive pressure. This one is meant for priority targets."
Takao nodded slowly. "Different tools for different enemies."
"At long range especially," Yorktown added.
Yuuki smiled slightly.
"Now you're thinking properly."
He raised his hand again.
Several new drones spawned downrange.
These ones looked different.
Heavier armor plating. Bulkier frames. Reinforced shells.
The previous rockets would not destroy these instantly anymore.
"Heavily armored drones," Yuuki explained. "Perfect targets for the N72."
Neon looked ready to ascend spiritually.
"Commander…"
"No."
"I didn't even say anything."
"You were about to ask if you could fire first."
"…Maybe."
Anis was already stepping forward anyway. "Move aside. Professional coming through."
Rapi sighed softly beside her. "Please don't miss."
"Rude."
Anis raised the launcher and activated the scope.
A locking sound echoed through the HUD.
Target acquired.
"Okay," she muttered with a grin. "Now THIS feels serious."
She fired.
The missile launched with a heavy roar before curving slightly mid-flight and slamming directly into the armored drone.
The explosion was significantly larger this time.
The drone disappeared in fire and debris.
Even the shockwave rolled across the range.
San Diego's jaw dropped. "THAT WAS SO COOL."
Neon looked like she might cry from happiness.
Akagi's tails swayed excitedly. "Akagi approves of this weapon."
Kaga nodded. "High efficiency."
Enterprise stepped forward next, calm as always.
Lock.
Fire.
Direct hit.
Clean.
Yorktown followed with equal precision.
Takao tested the launcher carefully before firing with controlled timing.
Atago laughed softly after watching another armored drone explode.
Even Belfast handled the heavy launcher elegantly somehow.
"How are you making a missile launcher look graceful?" Anis asked in disbelief.
"Practice," Belfast replied calmly.
Further back—
Laffey was once again in danger of falling asleep while carrying anti-vehicle weaponry.
Nimi physically held the launcher upright for her.
"…Please remain awake while holding explosives."
"…trying…"
Meanwhile, Neon finally got her turn.
The moment her missile locked on—
her smile became terrifying.
"Firepower…"
She fired dramatically.
"…IS BEAUTIFUL."
The missile obliterated the drone.
Rapi closed her eyes briefly.
"She is hopeless."
Yuuki watched the explosions continue across the range.
Rocket trails.
Missile locks.
Heroic Mode activating occasionally, causing glowing projectiles to streak through the battlefield with increased force.
The excitement in the air was impossible to miss.
And honestly—
he was starting to enjoy watching them enjoy themselves.
"Looks like a rocket festival in here now," Yuuki muttered while watching another wave of drones spawn into existence.
Only to immediately disappear in explosions.
Missiles streaked across the firing range one after another. Some curved toward locked targets while others flew straight in glowing trails before detonating against armored drones.
Even though everything was simulated, the explosions still looked and sounded real enough to shake the ground beneath them.
Neon was practically in paradise.
"MORE TARGETS," she shouted happily while reloading.
Anis laughed loudly nearby after another clean hit. "Now THIS is proper training."
Even Rapi had stopped pretending she was not enjoying herself.
Her firing remained disciplined and controlled, but the small satisfied smile on her face appeared every time another armored drone exploded cleanly from a direct hit.
Enterprise and Yorktown worked together naturally without even speaking much. One locked targets while the other destroyed them.
Takao tested Heroic Mode together with the launcher and immediately understood how dangerous the combination was.
Atago, meanwhile, looked entirely too happy firing rockets with slowed perception.
Akagi was openly enjoying herself now.
"Shikikan-sama, can Akagi have one permanently?"
"No."
"Aww…"
Kaga quietly continued destroying targets beside her anyway.
Further down the line, San Diego was cheering after nearly every explosion.
Wales stayed composed, though even she looked impressed by the destructive output.
Belfast somehow managed to reload a missile launcher with the elegance of serving tea.
Illustrious laughed softly every time Neon screamed something about firepower.
Unicorn flinched slightly at louder explosions at first, but slowly relaxed once she realized it was safe.
Ade and Soda worked together surprisingly well, alternating reloads and firing while encouraging each other.
Even Laffey—
half asleep as always—
was somehow still hitting targets.
Mostly because Nimi kept physically repositioning her before she drifted sideways.
"…Aim forward."
"…mmm…"
Yuuki sat on the edge of the barracks roof watching all of it unfold while Eldridge quietly sat on his lap.
Another explosion bloomed across the range, bright orange light reflecting in Eldridge's eyes.
"Pretty rockets," she said softly.
Yuuki looked down at her briefly before smiling faintly.
"Yeah. Pretty rockets."
Below them, another cluster of drones spawned.
And vanished almost instantly under overwhelming firepower.
Honestly—
the drones barely had time to exist anymore.
Yuuki exhaled quietly while watching the chaos.
"At least they had fun today."
That much was obvious.
The laughter.
The excitement.
The way even the quieter girls were smiling more now.
For a group that had spent so much time fighting real wars, surviving real losses, and carrying real trauma—
seeing them simply enjoy themselves for once felt strangely rewarding.
Even if that enjoyment currently involved excessive rocket launchers and enough explosions to flatten a small city.
Eventually, the nonstop barrage of rockets and missiles finally began to slow down.
Not because they ran out of enthusiasm.
But because most of them were simply exhausted.
One by one, the girls started collapsing onto the ground, benches, crates, or basically anywhere available.
Neon fell onto her back dramatically while still holding onto the launcher. "I regret nothing…"
Anis dropped down beside her, breathing out a laugh. "Okay… that was actually amazing."
Rapi sat down more properly, though even she looked tired after maintaining constant focus for so long. "Sustained combat simulation is more exhausting than expected…"
"Especially with Heroic Mode mixed in," Yorktown added while rubbing the side of her head slightly.
Takao nodded in agreement. "The mental strain builds up quickly."
Atago stretched her arms upward with a satisfied smile. "Still fun though~"
Enterprise quietly sat nearby, resting her rifle against her shoulder while recovering.
Belfast remained composed as always, though even she looked slightly fatigued.
Illustrious sat gracefully near the others while watching the chaos with amusement.
San Diego had completely flopped onto the ground. "I can still hear explosions…"
"You were screaming during half of them," Wales reminded her calmly.
"Worth it."
Nearby, Laffey had fully given up and was asleep on the floor now.
Nimi stared down at her.
"…At least this time you waited until training ended."
"…zzz…"
Ade and Soda leaned against each other while recovering.
"That was… much more intense than cleaning…" Soda muttered weakly.
Ade nodded slowly. "Very different skill set…"
Akagi was still trying to convince Yuuki to let her keep the launcher.
"Shikikan-sama, just one launcher?"
"No."
"Half a launcher?"
"That's not how launchers work."
Kaga quietly took the launcher out of Akagi's hands before she continued bargaining.
Yuuki sighed and raised his hand.
The launchers dissolved into particles one after another.
Then the damaged field restored itself. Craters disappeared. Burn marks faded. Destroyed drones vanished completely as the simulation rebuilt the environment back to normal.
Within seconds, the firing range looked untouched again.
Yuuki crossed his arms while looking at the exhausted group.
"Alright. I think you girls fired enough rockets today to flatten a town and destroy several hundred drones already."
Neon slowly raised a thumb from the ground. "Productive day…"
Anis laughed tiredly. "Honestly? Best training session ever."
Rapi shook her head slightly, though there was still a faint smile there. "The combat systems are impressive."
Yorktown looked toward Yuuki. "You built all of this yourself?"
"With Jarvis helping, yeah."
Enterprise glanced around the restored range again. "You could train entire armies with this."
"That's the plan eventually."
Eldridge, still sitting quietly beside Yuuki, looked out at the now peaceful field.
"…Less pretty explosions now…"
Yuuki chuckled softly.
"We can save more explosions for another day."
That immediately caused several tired but enthusiastic reactions.
Neon somehow found the energy to sit up again. "Tomorrow?"
"No."
"Aww…"
Even Yuuki had to admit though—
watching all of them laughing together, exhausted after training instead of exhausted from surviving—
felt nice.
Yuuki restored the entire field back to normal with a wave of his hand. Craters disappeared, debris dissolved, and the firing range returned to its clean training state like nothing had happened at all.
"Alright," he said while stepping back down from the barracks roof. "Less shooting this time."
That immediately earned disappointed looks from several people.
"More throwing and demonstrations."
Neon sighed dramatically. "I knew happiness doesn't last forever."
Yuuki ignored her and pulled out a compact cylindrical grenade.
"This is a single-use multi-function grenade."
He held it up so everyone could see clearly.
"One grenade. Multiple settings."
That immediately got their attention again.
"It can function as a fragmentation grenade, EMP grenade, scanner grenade, or smoke grenade depending on how you configure it."
Anis blinked. "So it's basically several grenades pretending to be one grenade."
"Pretty much."
Yuuki rotated the grenade slightly.
"But the best part is the smart function."
Neon immediately leaned forward again. "There's MORE?"
Yuuki smirked slightly.
"Set it to fragmentation mode."
A holographic menu briefly appeared on the grenade.
"Then enable smart function."
He selected a target downrange.
A drone appeared.
Yuuki casually tossed the grenade.
The moment it reached midair—
the grenade split open slightly.
Several miniature rocket projectiles launched outward from it instantly.
They curved sharply toward the target.
Then—
BOOM.
The drone disappeared in an explosion.
The girls reacted immediately.
"WOAH."
"That's cheating."
"That's amazing."
Neon looked spiritually fulfilled again.
Yuuki casually caught another grenade.
"Smart function tracks designated targets automatically. Makes throwing much more effective."
Rapi nodded slowly. "Micro-guided fragmentation."
"Exactly."
Anis grinned. "Okay, I officially love your world's weapons."
Takao crossed her arms while observing carefully. "Very efficient for crowd control."
Atago smiled. "Ara~ tiny rockets hidden inside a grenade. How cute~"
"Cute is not the word I'd use," Yorktown muttered.
Yuuki switched settings on another grenade.
"EMP mode."
He tossed it toward another spawned drone.
The grenade detonated with a blue pulse instead of an explosion.
Every drone nearby immediately shut down and dropped motionless.
"This disables electronics and vehicles temporarily."
Enterprise nodded. "Useful against mechanized enemies."
"Very useful," Yuuki confirmed. "One grenade can disable an entire drone swarm if grouped closely enough."
Rapi looked thoughtful. "Against Raptures, this could create openings."
"Exactly."
Next—
Yuuki switched another grenade.
"Smoke mode is simple."
He tossed it.
A dense cloud rapidly spread across the field, covering vision almost instantly.
"Smoke for cover, retreat, repositioning, confusion."
Belfast nodded calmly. "Classic tactical utility."
Akagi smiled slightly. "Useful for ambushes."
"Again," Yuuki sighed, "please stop sounding evil every five minutes."
Finally—
Yuuki spawned a solid metal wall in front of them.
"Scanner mode."
He tossed the grenade behind the wall.
A pulse spread outward.
Suddenly, silhouettes appeared through the wall itself.
Enemy outlines glowed clearly behind solid cover.
Neon's eyes widened immediately. "YOU CAN SEE THROUGH WALLS?!"
"Temporarily," Yuuki corrected.
The silhouettes moved in real time behind the barrier.
Rapi narrowed her eyes slightly. "Reconnaissance support…"
"Exactly."
Yorktown immediately understood the tactical value. "That changes urban combat completely."
Enterprise nodded. "No blind corners."
Takao looked impressed despite herself. "Information advantage."
Atago smiled softly. "Now that is dangerous~"
Even Avrora looked genuinely surprised.
"A single grenade can do all of this…"
Yuuki nodded.
"That's why utility matters."
He looked across all of them.
"Firepower is important. But information, positioning, and control win battles."
Anis crossed her arms. "Still though…"
She pointed at the smart grenade.
"The tiny rocket grenade thing is definitely my favorite."
Neon immediately agreed. "Same."
San Diego raised her hand excitedly. "Can we throw them now?"
Yuuki looked at the entire group.
Then at the firing range.
Then back at them.
"…This might be a terrible idea."
The girls immediately lit up with excitement the moment Yuuki finished speaking.
San Diego was already halfway to raising both hands. "GRENADE TIME."
Neon looked completely ready to commit several safety violations at once.
Anis cracked her knuckles. "Now this is getting good."
Yuuki immediately raised a hand.
"No."
A collective disappointed sound followed.
"These are for demonstration first. I'm not letting all of you accidentally smart-target each other five minutes into grenade training."
Neon looked offended. "I would never."
"You absolutely would."
"…Fair."
Yuuki held up another grenade while speaking more seriously.
"The smart function uses your HUD targeting system. That means the grenade tracks what you focus on."
Rapi immediately understood the issue. "So losing focus affects the targeting."
"Exactly."
Yuuki nodded.
"If you get distracted during lock-on, the smart projectiles can drift away from the intended target."
Anis smirked slightly. "So focus matters."
"Very much."
Then Yuuki looked directly toward one specific destroyer.
"And Laffey."
Laffey slowly looked up.
"…mmm?"
"Do not fall asleep while the grenade is still flying."
Laffey blinked slowly.
"…no promises…"
Nimi immediately sighed beside her. "Why am I not surprised anymore?"
The others laughed lightly.
Yuuki shook his head before finally giving in slightly.
"But…"
That one word instantly got everyone's attention again.
He raised his hand.
Four grenades materialized in front of each person, hovering briefly before dropping on their firing range.
The reactions were immediate.
Neon gasped happily.
Anis looked delighted.
San Diego almost cheered.
Even Rapi looked interested.
Yuuki pointed toward the training field.
"Alright. Four grenades each."
Then he smirked slightly.
"Knock your socks off."
That was all the permission they needed.
The range instantly exploded into chaos again.
"SCANNER FIRST," Neon shouted while immediately tossing one.
A pulse spread across the field, lighting up hidden targets.
Anis followed by throwing a smart fragmentation grenade directly after.
The grenade split apart midair and curved into multiple targets before detonating in a chain of explosions.
"Oh that is SATISFYING."
San Diego tossed a smoke grenade directly onto herself by accident.
The entire area vanished into thick smoke.
"…I LOST THE FLOOR."
Yorktown pinched the bridge of her nose slightly. Yuuki removes the smoke with a sigh.
Enterprise quietly used a scanner grenade properly and immediately started marking targets through walls.
Takao tested the smart fragmentation system with calm precision.
Atago intentionally curved rockets around cover just because she could.
Akagi was having entirely too much fun with explosives. Good thing she wasn't target anyone.
Kaga at least remained controlled while using hers.
Belfast somehow managed to throw grenades elegantly.
Illustrious laughed softly every time another explosion echoed across the range.
Avrora adapted quickly, carefully maintaining focus while guiding smart fragmentation projectiles into targets.
Ade and Soda stayed close together again.
Ade handled scanner and EMP grenades efficiently.
Soda accidentally dropped a smoke grenade too close to herself and disappeared into a cloud.
"Ade, I can't see anything."
"That is the point of smoke grenades, Soda."
Yuuki removes the smoke with a snap of his finger.
"Thank you, master!"
Meanwhile—
Laffey had somehow activated a smart grenade while looking half asleep.
The grenade briefly lost lock and started drifting sideways.
Nimi immediately grabbed her shoulders.
"Focus."
"…focusing…"
The grenade corrected itself and exploded properly.
Yuuki sat back slightly while watching the absolute disaster unfold.
Explosions.
Smoke everywhere.
Scanner pulses lighting up walls.
Neon yelling about firepower again.
Anis laughing like a maniac.
Honestly—
he had fully lost control of the atmosphere hours ago.
But seeing them this alive—
this relaxed—
made it difficult to care.
Yuuki watched another chain of explosions ripple across the range before rubbing his forehead.
"Sigh… this was really a bad idea."
Neon immediately raised her hand while smoke still drifted around her.
"Commander, can I have more grenades?"
"No."
"Aww…"
"That wraps up grenade training," Yuuki said firmly before anyone else could start asking. "Some of you did well. Some of you nearly blew yourselves up."
San Diego slowly raised a hand. "Technically I only smoked myself twice."
"Which is still twice too many."
Anis laughed loudly nearby while brushing smoke residue off herself. "Worth it though."
Rapi sighed quietly but looked satisfied. "Overall performance was acceptable."
"Some of you," Yuuki continued, glancing toward Neon and San Diego specifically, "need improvement."
Neon pointed at herself proudly. "Improvement means potential."
"That is not how that works."
Even so—
everyone looked satisfied.
The firing range had become a complete mess again despite the simulation constantly trying to restore itself between explosions.
The girls were tired, noisy, covered in simulated dust and smoke effects—
and very obviously having fun.
"You girls forgot one function."
Yuuki smirked slightly as he pulled out another grenade.
The others immediately became suspicious.
Neon pointed at him. "That smile means danger."
Anis nodded seriously. "Yeah, that's the 'bad idea' face."
Yuuki ignored them and adjusted the grenade settings.
"This one's anti gravity mode."
Before anyone could ask further—
he tossed it directly into the middle of the group.
"Wait wha—"
The grenade activated instantly.
A pulse spread outward.
Then suddenly—
everyone floated upward.
"AHHH?!"
"What is happening?!"
The anti-gravity field lifted them clean off the ground.
Those wearing skirts immediately panicked.
Rapi tried to regain balance immediately, though even she looked caught off guard by the sudden weightlessness.
Meanwhile—
the girls wearing skirts reacted much faster to a different problem.
"Commander!"
Atago immediately grabbed her skirt while floating.
Illustrious let out a surprised sound as she tried to maintain composure midair.
Yorktown grabbed downward instinctively.
Unicorn panicked softly while trying to hold herself steady.
Even Belfast lost composure for half a second before recovering elegantly and had to quickly hold her skirt while maintaining some dignity.
"Master," Belfast said with dangerous calmness while floating, "I sincerely hope this was accidental."
"Commander!" Neon shouted while floating upside down slightly. "You perv!"
Yuuki merely floated there calmly inside the field, arms crossed like this was completely normal.
"Relax. It only lasts twenty seconds."
"Shikikan-sama, you pervert!" Akagi complained while hugging her skirt down with one hand and trying to float properly with the other.
She floated surprisingly gracefully somehow, tails drifting behind her while still glaring at the other girls getting too close to Yuuki midair.
Kaga simply sighed while slowly spinning slightly in zero gravity.
Soda and Ade were equally flustered.
Meanwhile—
Yuuki himself floated completely relaxed in the middle of it all.
Arms crossed.
Standing upright in midair somehow like this was perfectly normal.
And worst of all—
he looked entirely amused.
"I did say you forgot a function."
Takao somehow stabilized herself faster than most, though she still looked annoyed. "…You absolutely did this on purpose."
Yuuki grinned.
"Maybe a little."
"Commander!" Yorktown protested while still trying to keep balanced.
San Diego was having the time of her life.
"THIS IS AWESOME!"
Then she spun too hard and immediately lost control.
"WAIT NEVER MIND."
Laffey just floated lazily like she belonged there.
"…comfortable…"
Nimi grabbed onto her before she drifted away completely. "Please stop floating off."
Rapi was trying to stabilize herself logically.
"Body orientation becomes difficult without proper grounding…"
Meanwhile—
Anis and Neon were absolutely not helping.
"Commander, this is definitely abuse of authority!"
"Agreed!"
"You two were asking for more explosives five minutes ago."
"That's unrelated!"
Takao managed to regain control quickly due to her balance training, while Atago simply laughed once the initial shock passed.
Avrora looked more confused than anything as her braided hair drifted around her.
Ade and Soda clung to each other midair while trying not to rotate.
Wales somehow remained graceful even while floating.
Enterprise adapted almost immediately, adjusting herself calmly in the field.
Eldridge drifted slightly off balance near Yuuki.
Before she could tumble downward awkwardly, Yuuki reached out and caught her gently.
"…safe," Eldridge said quietly while holding onto him.
"Yeah," Yuuki replied casually.
Then—
the timer started beeping.
Yuuki grinned slightly.
"Five…"
Instant panic.
"WAIT."
"FOUR."
"COMMANDER."
"THREE."
"THIS IS NOT ENOUGH TIME."
"TWO."
Several girls hurriedly tried repositioning themselves for landing.
"One."
The gravity field shut off instantly.
THUD.
The girls dropped back down.
Those who prepared properly landed safely.
Enterprise landed cleanly.
Yorktown recovered quickly.
Takao and Belfast landed smoothly.
Rapi managed a controlled crouch landing.
Those who didn't prepare—
not so much.
San Diego landed face-first directly into the ground.
"BWAAH."
Neon stumbled sideways into Anis.
Soda fell sitting down while Ade barely caught herself.
Laffey somehow landed asleep.
Akagi recovered halfway through the drop and immediately pointed accusingly at Yuuki.
"Shikikan-sama! You bully!"
"You were literally floating comfortably five seconds ago."
"That is not the point."
Yuuki set Eldridge down safely once everything settled again. Even the Bulin sisters had fun.
The firing range filled with groans, laughter, and complaints almost immediately afterward.
Anis pointed dramatically at Yuuki from the ground.
"This training is dangerous."
"You survived."
"That's not the issue."
Despite all the complaining though—
most of them were laughing.
Even the usually calmer girls looked more relaxed than before.
Yuuki looked around at the chaotic scene he created and sighed.
"…Okay, maybe that one was a little unnecessary."
Neon immediately pointed at him.
"But funny."
"…A little funny."
"It depends on how you use it," Yuuki explained while several girls were still recovering from being dropped onto the ground moments ago.
"The anti-gravity field suppresses gravity in roughly a twenty-meter radius. Above and below."
He gestured calmly while the others looked at him with varying levels of betrayal.
"It can be a disadvantage or a tactical advantage depending on the situation."
Neon pointed at him accusingly from the floor. "You absolutely used it for chaos."
"Maybe a little."
Anis crossed her arms while pouting. "Commander abuse."
Even Yorktown sighed while brushing herself off.
Akagi narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Shikikan-sama enjoyed that too much."
Yuuki raised both hands slightly. "Alright, alright. Sorry."
None of them looked convinced.
"But this next one is harmless."
The moment he pulled out another grenade—
everyone immediately became wary again.
Several of them actually stepped backward.
San Diego pointed nervously. "Why do I suddenly not trust the word harmless anymore?"
"Because your trust issues are justified," Anis muttered.
Yuuki ignored them and switched the grenade mode.
Then he casually tossed it into the middle of the group.
The grenade activated silently.
A transparent dome expanded outward around them.
For a moment—
nothing happened.
Neon blinked. "Uh… did it break?"
Anis answered something back.
Except—
no sound came out.
Neon's eyes widened immediately.
"…?!"
Everyone inside the dome started reacting almost instantly.
They could see each other moving.
Talking.
Complaining.
But there was absolutely no sound.
No footsteps.
No explosions.
Nothing.
Even the ambient hum of the simulation vanished completely.
The silence felt unnatural.
Yuuki watched from outside the dome while the others inside realized they couldn't hear him either.
San Diego was visibly yelling something dramatically.
Akagi looked offended about something.
Neon looked fascinated.
Laffey looked entirely unbothered.
Belfast calmly tested snapping her fingers and hearing absolutely nothing.
Rapi immediately started analyzing the effect instead of panicking.
Takao and Enterprise tested movement communication instead.
Inside the dome—
pure silence.
Then the effect ended.
Sound suddenly rushed back all at once.
"—CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING."
"—THAT WAS WEIRD."
"—THAT IS SO COOL."
The overlapping delayed reactions filled the range immediately afterward.
Yuuki crossed his arms calmly.
"It's called the Mute Function."
Neon immediately pointed at the grenade. "Okay, THAT one is amazing."
Yuuki nodded.
"Complete sound suppression inside the field."
He gestured toward the area where the dome had been.
"Any sound created inside stays inside. Explosions, gunfire, movement, voices. Nothing escapes."
Rapi immediately understood the tactical value.
"…Perfect for stealth operations."
"Exactly."
Yuuki nodded again.
"You can blow open a wall without alerting the entire facility. Conduct silent breaches. Ambush enemies without sound giving away your position."
Enterprise looked thoughtful. "Silent coordinated attacks…"
Yorktown added quietly, "And no radio interference from external noise."
Takao crossed her arms. "Dangerous in the right hands."
Atago smiled softly. "Very useful~"
Akagi's eyes gleamed again in a way Yuuki did not trust.
"…Shikikan-sama gives Akagi many interesting ideas."
"No."
"But—"
"No."
Anis laughed while Neon was practically vibrating with excitement again.
"Commander, your world's grenades are insane."
Yuuki sighed lightly.
"You haven't even seen the really dangerous stuff yet."
That sentence alone made everyone pause.
Then several girls immediately looked excited again.
"Commander, you should at least warn us before pranking us like that," Yorktown said while fixing her uniform properly again.
She was clearly trying to stay composed—
but the small pout on her face completely ruined it.
"At least buy us dinner before floating us."
For a second—
Yuuki genuinely looked caught off guard.
Then he coughed lightly. "Sorry?"
Yorktown crossed her arms, cheeks still slightly puffed. "Sigh… perv."
That immediately caused reactions from the others.
Atago covered her smile behind her hand. "Ara~ Lady Yorktown said it directly."
Illustrious laughed softly beside her.
Even Belfast looked mildly amused despite maintaining her usual composure.
Neon immediately pointed dramatically at Yuuki. "See? Public opinion has spoken."
Anis nodded seriously. "You've lost the court case, Commander."
Yuuki raised both hands defensively while grinning anyway.
"Sorry… sorry…"
"That smile means you are not sorry at all," Rapi said calmly.
"…Maybe slightly sorry."
Yorktown puffed her cheeks more at that answer.
And somehow—
a surprising number of the girls copied her.
San Diego puffed her cheeks exaggeratedly.
Unicorn tried doing it but looked too soft to be intimidating.
Soda copied them innocently.
Even Akagi joined in dramatically while holding her skirt slightly. "Shikikan-sama deeply wounded Akagi's maiden heart."
"You were enjoying floating."
"That is unrelated."
Takao sighed quietly while looking away. "…This group has no dignity left."
"At least not after the anti-gravity grenade," Wales added calmly.
Laffey looked up sleepily from where she sat.
"…floaty was comfy…"
Nimi immediately pointed at her. "You are not helping."
Meanwhile, Eldridge quietly tugged Yuuki's sleeve slightly while sitting beside him.
"…fun though…"
Yuuki looked around at the collection of pouting girls surrounding him and sighed dramatically.
"I see mutiny is beginning."
"Correct," Neon answered immediately.
"Compensation is required," Anis added.
Yuuki narrowed his eyes slightly. "You just want food."
"Yes."
"At least they're honest," Enterprise said quietly from the side.
Even Yorktown eventually lost the battle against her own expression and laughed softly.
The others followed soon after.
The tension faded almost immediately into teasing and chatter again.
Yuuki shook his head while smiling faintly.
"Alright, alright. I'll make it up to you girls later. I'll cook Western for dinner, sounds good?"
That instantly made them react.
"Dinner?" San Diego asked immediately.
"Dessert too?" Neon added.
"Now you're negotiating like sharks," Yuuki muttered.
Anis smirked. "We learned from Akashi."
Akashi proudly placed her hands on her hips. "Nyaa. Excellent students."
Yuuki eventually clapped his hands once more.
"Alright. Next one is demonstration only."
That immediately got their attention again.
"This one will be handled by Enterprise, Yorktown, Belfast, Illustrious, Atago, and Takao."
The six of them stepped forward naturally.
"The reason being," Yuuki continued, "they already have experience using this."
He raised his hand.
Six compact explosive charges materialized before them.
Small. Flat. Magnetic.
C5 charges.
The six shipgirls recognized them immediately.
"These again," Atago said with a faint smile.
Takao nodded slightly. "Magellan."
The others remembered too.
They were the same explosives used during the submarine operation back in Magellan.
Yuuki tossed each of them a charge.
"This is C5 explosive material. Can be used with timers or remote detonation."
He held up a small detonator.
"These girls are going to plant them on designated targets first."
Several armored structures and heavy drone targets appeared across the field.
"Then I detonate them remotely. Or," he added while lifting the device slightly, "I can set a timer beforehand."
Enterprise immediately moved first.
Fast. Efficient.
She planted her charge against a target and stepped away smoothly.
Yorktown followed with equal discipline.
Belfast somehow made planting explosives look refined.
Illustrious moved more gently but remained precise.
Atago looked entirely too comfortable sneaking explosives onto targets.
Takao remained focused and methodical.
The newer girls watched closely.
Neon looked fascinated. "Okay, now THIS feels like sabotage training."
Rapi nodded slowly. "Demolition operations."
Anis smirked. "I approve."
Once all six returned safely—
Yuuki raised the detonator.
"Watch carefully."
Click.
For half a second—
nothing happened.
Then—
BOOM.
The explosion hit far harder than the rockets earlier.
A wave of force rolled across the range as multiple targets disappeared almost instantly under massive detonations.
Fire and debris burst outward while shockwaves echoed across the simulation.
Even the girls who had spent the whole day firing rockets looked impressed.
San Diego's jaw dropped. "THAT WAS HUGE."
Neon stared with shining eyes. "I need those."
"No."
"Aww…"
Rapi watched the destroyed targets carefully. "High-yield demolition charges…"
Yorktown crossed her arms slightly. "Effective against structures."
Enterprise nodded. "And armored targets."
Takao added calmly, "Extremely dangerous if used properly."
Atago smiled softly. "Or improperly~"
"Please stop saying things like that," Yuuki sighed.
Even Akagi looked impressed now.
"So much destruction from something so small…"
Kaga nodded. "Compact but efficient."
Belfast calmly dusted her gloves off afterward like she had merely finished cleaning.
Illustrious looked amused by the reactions from the others.
Ade and Soda stared at the destroyed targets quietly.
"…That could destroy an entire room," Soda muttered.
"Or a vehicle," Ade added.
Yuuki lowered the detonator.
"Exactly. Which is why these are controlled equipment."
He looked directly at the group.
"You don't throw these around carelessly. Demolition charges are mission tools, not toys."
His eyes briefly shifted toward Neon and Anis.
"…Especially not toys."
Neon immediately looked away.
Anis whistled innocently after the teasing died down.
=========
Then her expression shifted slightly.
Not playful this time.
"Hey, Commander…" she said while walking closer. "Can you grant one selfish wish of mine?"
Yuuki looked at her for a moment before nodding once.
"What wish?"
Anis leaned close and whispered into his ear.
Yuuki's expression changed slightly.
Around them, several girls noticed it immediately.
Neon blinked. "Wait… what did she ask for?"
Yuuki stayed silent for a second. "You sure?"
Anis nodded. No hint of playfulness.
Then he raised his hand.
Particles gathered together in the middle of the training field.
A human-shaped dummy slowly formed.
Fat.
Arrogant-looking.
Recognizable.
The moment the face fully appeared—
Neon's eyes widened.
"…No way."
Anis was already moving.
Yuuki spawned a C5 charge and detonator into her hand without another word.
She grabbed both immediately and walked straight toward the dummy.
No hesitation.
No joking smile.
The closer she got—
the quieter the range became.
Then—
she punched the dummy directly in the face.
Hard.
The impact echoed sharply.
"You piece of trash," she muttered.
She slammed the C5 charge onto its chest, activated it, then jumped backward.
Click.
BOOM.
The explosion swallowed the dummy instantly.
Fragments vanished into the simulation.
The shockwave rolled across the field.
Then silence.
Anis stood there for a moment before exhaling slowly.
When she walked back—
she was smiling again.
Smaller this time.
Lighter.
"That thing wasn't real," she said quietly, "but damn… that still felt good."
Neon looked toward the reforming dummy as it reconstructed itself from simulation particles.
Then she checked her belt.
One grenade left.
"…My turn."
Before anyone could stop her, she switched the grenade to fragmentation mode and tossed it.
The smart targeting activated immediately.
Tiny rockets split off midair and curved straight into the dummy.
BOOM.
The dummy exploded for the second time.
Neon crossed her arms proudly afterward.
"Yeah. That felt great."
Even Rapi let out the faintest sigh of understanding.
No one really judged them for it.
Because they all knew why.
Yuuki looked toward Ade and Soda afterward.
"Ade. Soda."
The two maids looked up.
"Do you want me to spawn Magnifico too?"
For a moment—
both girls looked down quietly.
Soda shook her head first.
"We're okay, Master…"
Ade nodded slowly beside her.
"We were already satisfied the moment you destroyed him for real."
There was pain in their voices still.
Not anger anymore.
Just lingering scars.
Before the silence could grow uncomfortable—
Belfast stepped forward quietly and wrapped both of them into a gentle hug.
"You are safe now," she said softly.
Soda lowered her head slightly.
Ade closed her eyes briefly.
The tension slowly eased again.
Nearby, even the louder girls remained quiet for once.
Because beneath all the fun, all the explosions, and all the training—
they understood something important.
Some wounds didn't disappear easily. It became bad memories but, the memories sting.
But at least here—
they finally had a place safe enough to start healing.