The distant silhouette of the Razor Gunship disappeared beyond the horizon, carrying its passengers away from the shattered Mirror Sea.
For several moments, neither woman spoke.
Ash stood quietly, the Mirror Sea Core resting in her palm. Faint crimson light pulsed within its fractured surface.
"Do you think we can trust him?" Ember finally asked, her eyes fixed on the empty sky where the gunship had vanished.
Ash lowered her gaze to the Core.
"What choice do we have?"
Ember remained silent.
"He figured us out almost immediately," Ash continued. "And more importantly, we can't allow the Sirens to learn about our plans."
Her fingers tightened around the Core.
"We've helped countless anomalies over the years. Guided them. Protected them. Tested them."
A bitter smile crossed her lips.
"But he's the only one we were never able to read."
The admission hung heavily between them.
"We need to inform the others," Ash said. "If he truly can provide a safe haven for META shipgirls... if he can unite us without the Sirens noticing..."
Her eyes hardened.
"Then this may be our only chance to end this war."
Ember glanced at her.
"Ash..."
"For a century we've been fighting a losing battle," Ash continued. "Watching world after world fall. Watching countless commanders rise and die."
The bitterness in her voice deepened.
"They all made promises."
Promises to save them.
Promises to defeat the Sirens.
Promises to change fate.
"Every single one of them failed."
The crimson glow from the Core reflected in Ash's eyes.
"But this time feels different."
Ember raised an eyebrow.
Ash slowly looked toward the horizon.
"Yukihira Yuuki isn't an anomaly."
Her voice was firm.
"No."
A small smile appeared.
"He's the commander we've been waiting for."
"Not of Azur Lane... He is the High Commander of the Global Defense Initiative."
Ash held the badge of the Diving Eagle in her hand. The one thing that connected him and her should she needed him.
"The one who can finally free META shipgirls from the Sirens' grasp."
For the first time in a very long while, genuine hope entered her voice.
"All those other commanders were weak compared to him. Not because they lacked courage... but because they were trapped within the rules of this war."
She closed her hand around the Core.
"Yuuki isn't."
Silence followed.
Then Ember exhaled.
"I trust your judgment, Ash."
She turned away from the ocean.
"But if you're wrong, we're all dead."
Ash chuckled softly.
"If I'm wrong, we were dead a long time ago."
The two METAs shared a brief look before activating their rigging.
"Come on," Ash said.
"We need to alert the Ashes."
Energy flared around them.
Ember gave the distant horizon one final glance.
"Let's hope you're right."
Her expression darkened.
"Because I'm done playing soldier for those damn Sirens."
Without another word, the two META shipgirls vanished into the night, carrying with them the first spark of hope they had felt in a hundred years.
===================
By the time Yuuki returned to the inn's courtyard, the night had become peaceful once more.
It was almost difficult to believe that a battle had taken place only minutes earlier.
The Razor Gunship descended into the courtyard before its rear ramp lowered with a hiss.
Yuuki stepped out first.
Behind him came Kaguya and Yuu, followed by Atago, Takao, Maya, and Choukai.
A heavy metallic tremor echoed through the courtyard.
THOOM.
THOOM.
THOOM.
The Vibranium Hulkbuster Mark 48 emerged from the darkness behind them, each step shaking the ground slightly. Beside it, the Rescue Armor Mark 49 landed gracefully, its thrusters fading into silence.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, Yuu disengaged from the Mark 49.
The armor opened and released her.
Moments later, both she and Yuuki changed back into their sleeping yukatas as casually as if they had merely returned from an evening stroll.
The contrast was absurd.
Two of the most advanced war machines on the planet stood silently nearby while their pilots looked ready for bedtime.
The Mark 48 and Mark 49 sealed themselves and moved to opposite ends of the courtyard.
Standing motionless.
Watching.
Like silent guardians.
Above them, the Razor Gunship lifted off once more.
Its engines roared as it ascended into the night sky before disappearing toward the distant silhouette of the Daedalus Command Carrier.
"Commander!"
Yorktown was already approaching.
"We're back," Yuuki replied.
The gathered shipgirls immediately noticed something.
Yorktown crossed her arms.
"So... you didn't capture her?"
Yuuki chuckled.
"There's more going on than it seems."
His gaze swept across the assembled shipgirls.
"You girls saw our conversation through the feed, didn't you?"
"Yes," several voices answered.
"Good."
Yuuki nodded.
"Then you already know what comes next."
The courtyard grew quiet.
"Ash and Ember will be contacting us eventually."
That immediately drew everyone's attention.
"They're going to start moving META shipgirls toward our side. Slowly. Carefully."
Enterprise blinked.
"They're actually choosing us?"
"They've been fighting and pretending for over a century. Maybe more." Yuuki replied. "Alone. Ordered around by Sirens. Forced to survive one catastrophe after another."
His expression softened slightly.
"It's about time they finally chose a side."
A smile appeared on Enterprise's face.
"It would be nice to have them join the family."
Several shipgirls nodded in agreement.
Enterprise folded her arms.
"I've always wanted to talk to Ash."
Yuuki laughed.
"You'll have to wait."
The white-haired carrier pouted.
"Ash and Ember won't be the first ones coming over. They'll spend months making sure every META is safe before they commit themselves."
"That sounds like them," Takao said.
Her ears twitched slightly.
"So what is our plan now, Shikikan-sama?"
Yuuki's answer came immediately.
"We wait."
The courtyard fell silent.
"We don't know where the other METAs are. We don't know their situation. We don't know how deeply the Sirens are watching them despite pretending to be weapons for them."
He shrugged.
"So until Ash or Ember contacts us again, we focus on our own priorities."
"The Mother Whale," Nayuta said.
Yuuki nodded.
"The Mother Whale."
A collective seriousness settled over the group.
That battle was approaching fast.
Then Yorktown spoke quietly.
"To think... she said that Hornet and I became META."
A faint unease lingered in her voice.
Yuuki immediately turned toward her.
"Hana."
Yorktown looked up.
"That was another version of you."
His voice was gentle.
"Not you."
The carrier froze.
"I like you for who you are."
A deep blush instantly spread across Yorktown's face.
The other shipgirls immediately began staring at her.
Yorktown's face turned even redder.
"Co-Commander..."
Yuuki merely smiled before turning toward the rest of the gathered shipgirls and Nikkes.
His gaze moved across every single one of them.
Enterprise.
Belfast.
Atago.
Takao.
Kaguya.
Yuu.
The Nikkes.
All of them.
"And that goes for every one of you."
Several girls straightened immediately.
"I don't need any of you becoming META just to grow stronger."
The confidence in his voice was absolute.
"I'll make all of you stronger."
Energy crackled briefly across his fingertips.
A reminder of the impossible things he had already accomplished.
"We'll level up."
The girls exchanged excited looks.
"We'll evolve."
More smiles appeared.
"And one day..."
Yuuki grinned.
"We'll surpass the METAs themselves."
For a moment, silence reigned.
Then cheers erupted throughout the courtyard.
Even the usually reserved Takao couldn't stop the small smile that appeared on her face.
For the first time in a long while, the future didn't feel uncertain.
It felt exciting.
"Dont forget us, Commander."
Anis immediately stepped forward and pointed a thumb at herself.
"We're leveling up too. We're your ground personnel, after all!"
"That's right!" Neon raised her hand enthusiastically. "And I want even more firepower, Commander!"
"Of course you do," Rapi sighed.
"Firepower solves everything."
"It does solve everything!"
"It doesn't."
"It does."
"It doesn't."
Yuuki watched the familiar exchange with an amused smile.
"These two..."
Even Rapi couldn't entirely hide the small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
His gaze shifted toward the rest of his Nikkes.
Ade stood gracefully beside the others, maintaining her usual composure.
Soda waved energetically the moment she noticed his attention.
Cocoa tried to appear professional, only to perk up immediately when Yuuki looked her way.
Then there were the newest additions.
Mary.
Pepper.
Recently awakened.
Recently freed.
Yet already beginning to find their place among the growing family.
Pepper smiled warmly.
"We'll do our best, Commander."
Mary nodded beside her.
"Both of us owe you more than we can ever repay."
Yuuki shook his head.
"You don't owe me anything."
The former hospital staff exchanged glances.
He continued.
"If you really want to help, then help me save the others."
Mary's expression immediately became serious.
"The other Nikkes..."
"Yes."
Yuuki's voice softened.
"There are still countless Nikkes out there suffering under bad commanders, corruption, experimentation, or abandonment."
Pepper clenched her hands.
"We'll help."
Mary nodded firmly.
"As doctors, that's our duty."
"And as members of this family," Pepper added.
Yuuki smiled.
"That's exactly why I'm counting on you."
His gaze moved to another figure standing slightly apart from the others.
The Pilgrim.
Nayuta.
Quiet.
Observant.
Watching everything unfold with thoughtful eyes.
Unlike many of the others, she understood exactly how extraordinary this gathering had become.
Shipgirls.
Nikkes.
Even META shipgirls potentially joining them in the future.
An alliance that should not have been possible.
Yet here it stood.
Held together by a single person.
The Commander.
Yuuki folded his arms.
"Whether you're a shipgirl, a Nikke, or a META..."
His eyes swept across every one of them.
"It doesn't matter."
The courtyard fell silent.
"We're all getting stronger together."
A chorus of approving voices answered him.
Anis grinned.
"So we're really building the strongest faction in existence?"
"Looks that way."
Neon's eyes sparkled.
"Can we get bigger guns?"
"That's your takeaway?"
"Of course!"
The courtyard erupted into laughter.
For a brief moment, thoughts of Sirens, META timelines, Mother Whales, and endless wars faded away.
Tonight, they were simply a family.
And for many of them, that was a future worth fighting for.
"Also..."
Yorktown's voice cut through the laughter.
Before anyone could react—
Slap.
A light smack landed against Yuuki's cheek.
The courtyard immediately fell silent.
Yuuki blinked.
Everyone blinked.
Even Anis stopped talking.
"What was that for, Hana?"
Yorktown stared directly into his eyes.
"So you miss being able to die?"
The question hit far harder than the slap.
Yuuki froze.
The smiles around the courtyard vanished.
"What?"
"You heard me."
Yorktown folded her arms.
"Your fight with Ember."
The carrier's voice remained calm.
Too calm.
"You looked like you were enjoying it."
The courtyard grew quieter.
"You fought like someone who had already accepted death."
Yuuki opened his mouth.
Yorktown didn't let him speak.
"No."
Her blue eyes narrowed.
"Not accepted."
The next words struck even harder.
"You looked excited by it."
Several girls visibly flinched.
Enterprise's expression darkened.
Takao's ears lowered.
Even Rapi slowly crossed her arms.
Yorktown took a step forward.
"The will to live."
Another step.
"And the resolve to die."
Another.
"Those things are different."
Yuuki found himself unable to answer.
Yorktown's gaze never left him.
"When Ember pushed you, you smiled."
Silence.
"When you broke through her defenses, you smiled."
Silence.
"When she threatened your life..."
Yorktown's voice softened.
"You smiled."
The courtyard became deathly still.
Yuuki looked away.
"..."
"Are you looking for death?"
The question landed like a hammer.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Yorktown's hands trembled slightly.
"Is dying twice not enough for you?"
For the first time, everyone understood.
She wasn't angry.
She was scared.
Terrified.
Because she had seen something during that battle that nobody wanted to acknowledge.
A part of Yuuki that seemed completely comfortable standing on the edge of death.
A part that welcomed it.
A part that had forgotten to fear it.
Stripping all his armor to stood before Ember bare for death to welcome him back. Where a single mistake will take his life again.
"..."
Yuuki rubbed the back of his neck.
"Uhh..."
He couldn't even defend himself.
Because she wasn't entirely wrong.
"I tend to go overboard."
Nobody laughed.
His smile faltered.
"Sorry..."
Yorktown's expression tightened.
"Please don't do that."
The words came out almost as a plea.
"During that fight..."
She struggled to find the right words.
"You became someone else."
The courtyard remained silent.
"A person who throws away his life for fun."
Yuuki's eyes widened slightly.
The words hurt.
Because there was truth in them.
The thrill.
The challenge.
The rush of facing an equal.
For a brief moment against Ember...
He had forgotten what was waiting for him afterward.
Forgotten the people standing in front of him now.
Forgotten the family he had built.
His shoulders lowered.
"Sorry..."
This time there was no joking.
No excuses.
No clever comeback.
Just a quiet apology.
Yorktown looked away.
Still upset.
Still worried.
But the tension broke when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around Yuuki from behind.
Atago.
"You made everyone worry, Shikikan-sama."
Another presence appeared beside him.
Takao.
For once, even she didn't look embarrassed.
"Recklessness is not courage."
The more Yuuki looked around the courtyard, the more he realized Yorktown wasn't alone.
Every face carried the same expression.
Worry.
Concern.
Fear.
Not fear of the enemy.
Fear of losing him.
Kaguya stepped forward first.
The usually elegant shrine maiden let out a long sigh.
Her fox ears drooped.
One by one, her ten tails lowered behind her.
The sight alone made Yuuki wince.
"Thou mayest be strong, my beloved."
Her golden eyes met his.
"But should thou perish whilst I, thy wife, am forced to watch..."
Her voice grew quieter.
"Dost thou truly believe I could endure such a thing?"
Yuuki froze.
Kaguya rarely showed weakness.
Yet now she looked genuinely hurt.
"Every battle, I place my trust in thee."
A hand moved to her chest.
"But trust is not the absence of fear."
Her ears lowered further.
"I fear losing thee more than any enemy."
The courtyard fell silent.
Then Akagi marched forward.
"Shikikan-sama made Akagi worried!"
The carrier's voice echoed throughout the courtyard.
For once, there was no possessive grin.
No scheming smile.
Just frustration.
And relief.
Beside her, Kaga simply nodded.
A silent agreement that somehow carried even more weight.
"Commander."
Kaga's voice was calm.
"But Akagi is correct."
A brief pause.
"Do not do that again."
Yuuki immediately looked away.
"...Sorry."
Unfortunately for him, the line of complaints had only begun.
His eyes drifted toward Avrora.
The Northern Parliament cruiser looked moments away from tears.
Standing beside her, Wales gently rested a hand on her shoulder.
"There, there."
Wales sighed before turning her gaze toward him.
"You truly frightened everyone."
"Da..."
Avrora's voice trembled.
"Please do not scare us like that again, Commander."
The guilt in Yuuki's chest grew heavier.
Illustrious closed her fan.
A rare look of disappointment crossed her face.
"Honestly, Commander."
Beside her, Belfast nodded.
The head maid looked remarkably similar to a mother whose child had done something incredibly foolish.
"Master."
Belfast's voice was gentle.
Which somehow made it worse.
"Throwing away your life may seem acceptable from your perspective."
Her gaze softened.
"But not from ours."
The courtyard became quiet once more.
"We are connected to you now."
The words struck deep.
"All of us."
Shipgirls.
Nikkes.
Every one of them.
"If you were to die..."
Belfast paused.
"The bond would be severed."
Several girls lowered their heads.
"And none of us are prepared for that."
Yuuki found himself unable to respond.
Because he knew she was right.
Belfast stepped closer.
"Imagine remaining connected to someone right until the moment they die."
The image alone sent a chill through the courtyard.
Nobody wanted to imagine it.
Least of all him.
A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around one of his.
Prinz Eugen.
"Teddy bear."
The teasing nickname lacked its usual mischief.
"I always thought I was the reckless one."
Her crimson eyes narrowed.
"But intending to die before we're even married?"
She poked his chest.
"Are you planning on leaving your fiancée behind?"
Yuuki immediately looked guilty.
"That wasn't—"
"It certainly looked that way."
Eugen huffed.
Then rested her head lightly against his shoulder.
For a moment.
Just a moment.
She looked vulnerable.
"Don't."
A single word.
Barely above a whisper.
Yet it carried more emotion than all her usual teasing combined.
Before Yuuki could answer—
"Hmph!"
Another voice interrupted.
Admiral Hipper crossed her arms.
Her face was red.
Though whether from embarrassment or anger was impossible to tell.
"You really are a dumbkopf."
The courtyard froze.
Hipper pointed directly at him.
"For a genius, you're unbelievably stupid sometimes."
Several girls nodded immediately.
"Hey."
"No, Commander."
Rapi folded her arms.
"She's right."
Yuuki looked betrayed.
Even Rapi?
Especially Rapi.
Hipper continued her assault.
"You solve impossible problems."
Point.
"You build ridiculous machines."
Point.
"You outsmart Sirens."
Point.
"But somehow you still need everyone else to explain why dying is a bad idea."
The Iron Blood cruiser huffed.
"Dumbkopf."
This time several girls openly agreed.
Even Takao nodded.
Yuuki's shoulders slumped.
"...I think I'm being bullied."
"You deserve it."
Yorktown answered immediately.
"Agreed."
Enterprise.
"Affirmative."
Rapi.
"Indeed."
Belfast.
"Dumbkopf."
Hipper.
The courtyard erupted into laughter.
For the first time since returning from the Mirror Sea, the tension finally broke.
Yuuki rubbed his cheek.
Surrounded on all sides by shipgirls and Nikkes who looked equal parts annoyed and relieved.
And suddenly he understood.
This wasn't a lecture.
It wasn't discipline.
It wasn't even criticism.
It was love.
Awkward.
Embarrassing.
Overwhelming.
But love nonetheless.
Looking around at all of them, Yuuki finally smiled.
A real smile.
One without the thrill of battle behind it.
"...Alright."
The courtyard quieted.
"I get it."
He bowed his head.
"I'm sorry."
Then he looked back up.
"And I'll try harder to come back alive."
A chorus of approval answered him immediately.
Only then did the weight pressing on everyone's hearts finally begin to lift.
Rapi nodded.
"Agreed."
"Commander," Mary added softly, "patients who stop valuing their own lives often stop noticing when they're hurting the people around them."
Pepper lowered her head.
"We don't want to lose you. Especially, when you just form a connection to our hearts."
One by one, the others voiced their agreement.
Not as soldiers.
Not as subordinates.
As people who cared.
Yuuki looked around the courtyard.
Yorktown.
Enterprise.
The shipgirls.
The Nikkes.
Every face carried the same concern.
For perhaps the first time that night, the weight of what could have happened truly settled on him.
His smile became smaller.
Warmer.
More genuine.
"...I'll be more careful."
"Good."
Yorktown immediately replied.
Then, after a brief pause, she stepped forward and lightly pressed her forehead against his chest.
"Because you're not allowed to leave us behind."
This time, nobody teased her.
Nobody laughed.
The courtyard was simply too relieved to see him standing there.
The courtyard gradually settled.
The tension was gone.
The worry remained.
But now it was tempered by understanding.
Yuuki looked at the gathered shipgirls and Nikkes.
At the faces that had just spent the last several minutes scolding him.
Not because he had failed.
Not because he had made a mistake.
But because they cared.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"However..."
The courtyard grew quiet again.
"If I ever have to fight like that again..."
Several girls immediately frowned.
Yuuki raised both hands in surrender.
"Just hear me out."
That earned him permission to continue.
"I died once peacefully."
His expression softened.
"The second time, I died a hero's death."
Silence followed.
The words carried more weight than he usually allowed them to.
He looked toward the stars overhead.
"I don't intend to die a third time."
His gaze returned to them.
"Especially not by getting myself killed."
The conviction in his voice was absolute.
"I didn't spend all this time training."
He gestured toward the Mark 48 and Mark 49 standing guard nearby.
"I didn't build all of this."
Then toward the Daedalus hidden among the clouds.
"I didn't create everything we've accomplished together..."
Finally, he looked at them.
"...just to throw my life away."
The girls listened quietly.
What he was saying now felt different.
No bravado.
No thrill-seeking.
Just honesty.
Yuuki placed a hand over his chest.
"So trust me."
His smile became warmer.
"Okay?"
The courtyard remained silent for a few seconds.
Then Enterprise nodded.
Yorktown followed.
Takao.
Kaga.
Akagi.
One by one.
Finally, Belfast spoke.
"We will."
Her blue eyes narrowed slightly.
"As long as Master does not treat it as entertainment."
Several girls immediately nodded.
"Agreed."
"Exactly."
"That's the important part."
Yuuki rubbed the back of his neck.
"...Fair."
A sheepish grin appeared.
"Won't happen again."
"You better mean that."
Yorktown pointed at him.
"I do."
The carrier stared for several moments before finally sighing.
"...Sorry if we worried too much about you."
That surprised everyone.
Yuuki most of all.
He shook his head.
"No."
His answer came immediately.
Yorktown blinked.
Yuuki's smile became smaller.
More genuine.
"It's nice."
The courtyard quieted.
"Having someone worry about me for once."
For a brief moment, nobody knew what to say.
The words had come out so naturally.
So honestly.
That they hit harder than any speech.
Kaguya's ears twitched.
Belfast softened visibly.
Even Hipper looked away awkwardly.
Then Yuu suddenly broke the mood.
"Well, Chief."
The young woman stretched her arms above her head.
"This is still the strangest staff meeting I've ever attended."
A grin spread across her face.
"We went from fighting META shipgirls to discussing your death wish."
"I do not have a death wish."
"Debatable."
"Yuu."
"Very debatable."
The courtyard erupted into laughter once more.
Even Yorktown couldn't stop herself from smiling.
Yuu clapped her hands together.
"Anyway!"
She pointed toward the inn.
"I'm starving."
Immediately, several voices agreed.
"Same."
"I could eat."
"I am hungry as well."
Kaguya raised her hand elegantly.
"Indeed."
The fox woman moved beside Yuuki.
"Thy husband nearly perished. As compensation, thou shalt accompany me during supper."
"That's not how compensation works."
"It does tonight."
"Shikikan-sama is not your husband!"
Akagi shouted.
"Yet..."
Kaguya grins.
"Kiii!"
Akagi hissed.
Another round of laughter followed.
Belfast stepped forward and gave a graceful curtsy.
"Then I shall begin preparations."
The head maid's professional smile returned.
"I'll help out, Master."
"I'll assist too," Illustrious offered.
"Me as well," Wales added.
Mary and Pepper exchanged glances.
"The kitchen is about to become crowded."
"Very crowded."
As the group began moving toward the inn, Yuuki found himself lingering behind for a moment.
This was what he had been fighting for.
A home.
And for once, he wasn't standing alone inside it.
With a small smile, Yuuki followed after them.
================
The first thing Yuuki noticed upon waking was warmth.
A lot of warmth.
The second thing he noticed was that he couldn't move.
At all.
"..."
For several seconds, he simply stared at the wooden ceiling above him.
Then he slowly looked down.
Akagi was sleeping on his right side.
Kaga was sleeping on his left.
Both carriers had wrapped their tails around him sometime during the night, creating a living cocoon so effective that blankets had become entirely unnecessary.
"...Of course."
A soft weight rested atop his head.
Looking upward as much as he could, he found Kaguya peacefully asleep above him, her arms wrapped around his head while her fluffy tails sprawled across half the room.
Yuuki immediately understood.
He wasn't escaping.
Not anytime soon.
The room itself had become a battlefield of sleeping girls.
A very peaceful battlefield.
A faint smile formed on his lips.
Yorktown slept beside Akagi, her expression calmer than it had been the previous night.
Beside Yorktown was Enterprise.
And beside Enterprise was Houshou.
The three carriers had likely spent hours talking before eventually drifting off.
Not far away, Atago, Takao, Maya, and Choukai had gathered together into their own little group.
Atago looked remarkably comfortable.
Takao looked like she would deny being comfortable if anyone asked.
Nearby, Illustrious slept peacefully with Unicorn curled up beside her.
The little unicorn girl looked completely content.
Belfast occupied another corner of the room.
Even while asleep, the head maid somehow maintained perfect posture.
Ade rested beside her.
Soda had somehow migrated halfway across the floor during the night.
Cocoa remained determinedly close to both of them.
Across the room, Rapi slept beside Anis.
Anis had somehow stolen most of the available pillow space.
A completely unsurprising development.
Meanwhile—
Yuuki nearly laughed.
Nimi had become a pillow.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
Neon.
Laffey.
And Javelin.
All three had somehow ended up using her as one.
"...Poor Nimi."
The destroyer was still asleep.
Perhaps she had simply accepted her fate.
On the opposite side of the room, San Diego had suffered a similar fate.
Several Bulins had gathered around her like ducklings.
Using her as a giant plush toy.
San Diego was smiling in her sleep.
Apparently she didn't mind.
Avrora rested peacefully beside Wales.
The battleship had one arm draped protectively over the smaller girl.
Nayuta slept peacefully beside them.
Not far away, Eldridge had somehow migrated during the night until she ended up beside Enterprise.
Nobody knew how.
Not even Eldridge probably knew.
At the foot of the bed—
Akashi.
Curled into a ball.
Sleeping exactly like a cat.
One ear twitched occasionally.
Yuuki wasn't even remotely surprised.
Nearby, Vestal slept alongside Mary and Pepper.
The three medical professionals looked exhausted.
Likely discussing treatment plans and future rescue operations long after everyone else should have gone to sleep.
Finally, in another corner—
Prinz Eugen and Admiral Hipper.
Hipper was sleeping normally.
Eugen was not.
Eugen had somehow monopolized nearly all available blanket space.
Even in sleep, she remained a menace.
A small chuckle escaped Yuuki.
The room was filled with quiet breathing.
Occasional snores.
The rustle of tails.
The soft sounds of people who felt safe enough to sleep deeply.
For a long moment, Yuuki simply listened.
No alarms.
No Sirens.
No battles.
No emergencies.
Just peace.
The morning sunlight filtered gently through the windows, illuminating dozens of sleeping faces.
People who trusted him enough to lower their guard completely.
People who had become his family.
A warmth settled in his chest.
The kind that had nothing to do with Akagi's tails or Kaguya's embrace.
Home.
That was the word for it.
Not the inn.
Not the room.
Not even the island.
The people around him.
They were home.
Yuuki smiled quietly.
Then immediately regretted moving.
Akagi's ears twitched.
Kaga's tail tightened.
Kaguya mumbled something incomprehensible and hugged his head harder.
"..."
Yuuki stared at the ceiling once more.
Perhaps staying trapped for a little while longer wasn't such a bad thing.
"Good morning, Master."
Yuuki turned his head as far as his current imprisonment allowed.
Belfast was kneeling gracefully nearby, already dressed and prepared for the day.
Her usual gentle smile greeted him.
"Shall I pry you away from your captors?"
Yuuki blinked.
"Eh?"
He glanced around.
"I could have sworn you were asleep just a moment ago."
"I was."
Belfast nodded.
"Then how—"
"The mysteries of a head maid are not meant to be understood, Master."
"...Right."
Yuuki decided not to question it.
"A little help?"
"Of course."
Belfast rose elegantly and stepped forward.
Only for Akagi's tails to immediately tighten around him.
"Mm..."
The carrier buried her face deeper into his shoulder.
"Ehehe..."
One crimson eye lazily opened.
"Shikikan-sama will never escape Akagi."
The tails squeezed tighter.
Not painfully.
Just enough to make a point.
Yuuki sighed.
Then reached over and began rubbing Akagi's ears.
The reaction was immediate.
Akagi's ears twitched.
Her expression melted.
A contented sound escaped her lips.
"Nnn..."
Kaga's ears perked up.
Without even opening her eyes.
Yuuki chuckled.
Then started rubbing Kaga's ears too.
The fox carrier immediately leaned into his hand.
Which somehow caused both carriers' tails to tighten around him even further.
"...I think I've made my situation worse."
"You have."
Belfast observed calmly.
"I suspected as much."
The commander shifted slightly.
Or attempted to.
"Well, I suppose I can skip blankets whenever this happens."
He buried one hand into Akagi's tails.
Soft.
Warm.
Ridiculously comfortable.
"No wonder children love Kaguya's tails."
Several fluffy tails immediately swished proudly above him.
"Naturally."
Kaguya tightened her embrace around his head.
"They are the finest tails."
"Biased."
"Correct."
Akagi raised her head.
"Then Shikikan-sama should sleep with Akagi every night."
"No."
The response came immediately.
Kaguya's tails fluffed up.
"This one belongs beside his wife."
She hugged his head tighter.
"At all times."
Akagi's eye twitched.
"Kaguya..."
"Akagi..."
An invisible storm seemed to gather between them.
Yuuki chose not to get involved.
For the sake of his continued survival.
Instead, he glanced toward his left.
"And you."
Nothing happened.
"Kaga."
Still nothing.
"How long are you planning to pretend you're asleep?"
A brief pause.
Then Kaga's arms tightened around his side.
"..."
"..."
"...You've been awake this entire time, haven't you?"
"Perhaps."
Kaga finally opened one eye.
Not even remotely ashamed.
"This is rather comfortable."
Yuuki stared at her.
"Kaga."
"Commander."
"You were awake."
"I was evaluating the situation."
"You were cuddling."
"A tactical evaluation."
Akagi nodded seriously.
"That is indeed an important evaluation."
"You're both impossible."
Kaga finally opened both eyes.
A faint smile appeared.
A dangerous smile.
The kind Yuuki had learned to fear.
"Why so shy?"
Yuuki immediately knew he wasn't going to like where this was going.
"I am as much yours as you are mine."
The smile widened.
"And I must admit..."
Yuuki's danger instincts activated.
"I was rather impressed by your performance during that battle."
"It affirmed something."
"Kaga."
"That you are worthy of not merely my loyalty..."
Kaga slowly moved closer.
"...but perhaps my entire being."
Her grin became downright predatory.
"Hehehe..."
Yuuki could practically hear Akagi cheering internally.
"Ka—"
FWOOSH.
A massive purple furred tail suddenly dropped between them.
Directly onto Yuuki's face.
The world became fluff.
Complete.
Absolute.
Fluff.
Kaguya's voice followed immediately afterward.
"Denied."
"Kaguya."
The fox wife didn't even look remotely apologetic.
Meanwhile Kaga looked mildly annoyed that her advance had been intercepted.
Akagi looked offended that she hadn't thought of it first.
Belfast quietly turned away.
Pretending she wasn't witnessing any of this.
A difficult task considering half the room was beginning to wake up from the commotion.
Enterprise opened one eye.
Yorktown groaned.
Atago smiled knowingly.
Takao immediately covered her face.
"Already?"
Maya sighed.
"It's not even breakfast yet."
From beneath an overwhelming amount of fox tail fluff, Yuuki's muffled voice emerged.
"Can I have a normal morning for once?"
The room fell silent.
Several girls looked at one another.
Then laughter erupted throughout the room.
Even Belfast failed to suppress a smile.
"No, Master."
"Absolutely not, Commander."
"Impossible."
"Never happening."
Yuuki sighed.
Somehow, despite commanding fleets, defeating Sirens, and surviving battles against META shipgirls...
A normal morning remained his greatest unattainable dream.
The door slid open.
Yuu walked in, already dressed for the day and carrying a cup of coffee.
She took one look at the scene.
The trapped commander.
The foxes.
The tails.
The complete lack of personal space.
Then she slowly sipped her coffee.
"...Wow."
Yuuki immediately pointed at her.
"At least you have a room to yourself."
Yuu raised an eyebrow.
"Don't misunderstand, Chief."
That somehow made Yuuki nervous.
"I would sleep here too if I could get close to you."
The room became quiet.
"I only found out this morning that they all slept next to you."
Yuuki felt a sudden sense of dread.
Yuu thoughtfully took another sip.
"Hmm."
"No."
"Hmm."
"Yuu."
"I just have to make sure we all sleep together from now on."
"Yuu."
"You might want to make your bed bigger."
"Yuu."
"Or your room."
"Not helping."
"I think it's a great solution."
"It is not."
"It absolutely is."
Before Yuuki could continue arguing—
Akagi tightened her embrace.
Kaga joined from the other side.
Kaguya added several tails for good measure.
The commander disappeared beneath a mountain of affection.
"Help."
"No."
"Traitor."
Yuu grinned.
Across the room, Yorktown watched the scene unfold.
A troubled expression slowly appeared on her face.
"..."
Enterprise noticed immediately.
"Hana?"
Yorktown pointed.
"Do you think..."
She watched Akagi happily nuzzle into Yuuki's shoulder.
Kaguya was refusing to surrender even a single inch.
Kaga looked entirely too pleased with herself.
"...giving them hugging privileges was a mistake?"
Enterprise followed her gaze.
A pause.
Then another.
"...Possibly."
"Possibly?"
"Definitely."
Yorktown buried her face in her hands.
"What have I done..."
The room erupted into laughter once again.
==================
Eventually, the group managed to free Yuuki from his fluffy prison.
A feat Belfast later described as "a successful extraction operation."
The morning routine soon followed.
The morning baths had become a daily tradition.
Shipgirls and Nikkes alike took advantage of the natural baths before breakfast.
It helped everyone relax.
Helped everyone stay fresh.
And most importantly—
It prevented Akagi from claiming exclusive ownership of the commander for the entire morning.
Several girls considered that the greatest benefit.
Not that Akagi agreed.
By the time breakfast arrived, everyone had gathered around the large dining hall.
The atmosphere was lively.
Anis was already eating enough for three people.
Neon was asking if she could take the Mark 48 armor for a spin for the third time.
Rapi was questioning why she bothered trying to stop her.
Ade and Soda were enthusiastically serving everyone.
Cocoa was attempting to assist.
Nayuta enjoyed her meals before the bulin sisters all over her.
The results were mixed.
Meanwhile, Yuuki sat at the head of the table reviewing reports that had arrived overnight.
The mood shifted slightly.
Business time.
He placed the datapad down.
"Looks like construction is progressing ahead of schedule."
That immediately caught everyone's attention.
"The observation base?" Enterprise asked.
Yuuki nodded.
"The Autumn Isle observation base."
Several girls straightened.
This was one of GDI's newest strategic projects.
A forward operating installation designed to monitor the surrounding seas while extending GDI's sensor network.
"Most of the facilities are operational now."
He scrolled through the report.
"The observation arrays are online."
Another page.
"The communications network is stable."
Another.
"The Wave-Force Towers have completed synchronization."
Several shipgirls exchanged impressed looks.
Wave-Force Towers were no joke.
Powerful defensive structures capable of projecting devastating energy across large areas.
"They're online already?" Takao asked.
"Yesterday."
Yuuki nodded.
"And the Defender Cores?"
"Also online."
That drew even more attention.
The Defender Cores were arguably more important.
They served as the backbone of the island's automated defense network.
Should an attack occur, the island would be able to defend itself even without a fleet stationed nearby.
Plus, the Spysat Uplink is now online and sync with the Observation Tower allowing the base to see everything in a 1000km radius of the island.
Ion walls and gate is now online.
Four Instant Generators is now online and began power the whole base alongside its defenses.
The main administration building which serves as Yuu's base and hospital is now online as well.
Advanced Stealth Generator hidden the entire base alongside the defenses.
Advanced Gap Generator already shrouded the island from above.
The Advanced Crystal Shield already surrounded the island.
Wave Force system online.
Air defenses online.
Drone hives are now online.
Enterprise folded her arms.
"That's faster than expected."
"Much faster."
Yuuki looked pleased.
"Nanocores."
Yuu snorted.
"I am still impressed with its capabilities."
She took a bite of breakfast.
Several girls nodded in agreement.
Yuuki finished his coffee.
"After breakfast, we'll head there and inspect the facility ourselves."
The announcement was met with immediate approval.
A small trip.
A chance to see the newest GDI installation.
And perhaps most importantly—
A chance to spend another peaceful day together before the next crisis inevitably arrived.
Because everyone at the table knew one thing.
Peace never lasted forever.
But that only made mornings like this worth appreciating even more.
The breakfast meeting was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Establishing video uplink."
JARVIS's calm announcement echoed throughout the dining hall.
A holographic screen immediately materialized above the center of the table.
The moment the image stabilized—
"Sup!"
A familiar face appeared.
Yuuki groaned.
"Ah."
The man on the screen grinned.
"Oh, the mad woman is there too."
Yuu slowly chewed her breakfast.
Then pointed her fork at him.
"Rude."
The screen shook slightly as someone behind Vergil nearly ran into a workstation.
Dozens of researchers were visible in the background.
None of them looked like they had slept.
Several holographic displays filled the laboratory.
Every screen was displaying data extracted from the Mirror Sea Core.
Yuuki immediately recognized the look in their eyes.
The look scientists got when they found something revolutionary.
Or dangerous.
Usually both.
"Yo, Verg."
"Like the gift?"
For a moment, the scientist simply stared.
Then his composure vanished.
"Holy shit, man!"
Everyone in the dining hall jumped.
"You just handed us the research opportunity of a lifetime!"
Behind him, several researchers cheered.
One woman looked like she was on her fifth cup of coffee.
Another appeared to be arguing with three holograms simultaneously.
A third had seemingly forgotten blinking was a biological requirement.
The entire laboratory was in controlled chaos.
Vergil pointed dramatically toward the camera.
"Do you have any idea what this thing is capable of?"
"The Mirror Sea Core."
"Exactly!"
He spun around.
A massive holographic model appeared behind him.
"The Sirens basically handed us the blueprint for a localized dimensional reality manipulation system."
"...You mean a pocket dimension."
"NO!"
Vergil pointed again.
"Better."
The scientist's eyes practically glowed.
"We've been using pocket dimensions for years."
That was true.
GDI had already developed multiple dimensional storage facilities, hidden research zones, training environments, and logistics spaces.
The problem was scale.
Space limitations.
Energy consumption.
Structural stability.
The Mirror Sea solved many of those problems.
Vergil gestured toward another display.
"By cross-referencing the Core's architecture with Einstein's Chronosphere research and Siegfried's dimensional studies..."
Several equations flashed across the screen.
"...we might be able to build an entirely new generation of dimensional infrastructure."
Yuuki nearly choked on his coffee.
"Already?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"Eighty percent."
"Verg."
"Ninety."
The commander rubbed his forehead.
The scientist grinned.
"We're calling it a working theory."
Everyone knew that meant they were already building prototypes.
"What can it do?"
Vergil's smile widened.
"Hide everything."
The room became quiet.
"Imagine a Mirror Sea created by us."
A rotating image appeared.
The Earth Division Headquarters.
Then it vanished.
Hidden within a dimensional layer.
Next appeared another image.
The Philadelphia.
Gone.
Then another.
The Little Doctor GDI Prime Fleet.
Gone.
Only empty ocean remained.
Several shipgirls immediately understood the implications.
Enterprise sat forward.
"An entire fleet?"
"Potentially."
Vergil nodded.
"A fleet."
Another projection appeared.
"A base."
Another.
"An island."
Another.
"Possibly entire operational theaters."
Silence followed.
Even Takao looked impressed.
Kaga's ears twitched.
Akashi nearly fell off her chair.
"Nyaa?!"
A hidden fleet.
A hidden headquarters.
A hidden logistics network.
The strategic implications were absurd.
"And that's only the beginning."
Vergil looked exhausted.
And somehow more excited because of it.
"Mirror Seas aren't just camouflage."
His voice lowered.
"They're controlled realities."
The room grew silent again.
"Which means if we can figure out the underlying framework..."
He pointed toward the Core.
"...we can start building our own."
Yuuki slowly looked at Yuu.
Yuu slowly looked back.
Neither trusted that statement.
At all.
"You're going to break reality, aren't you?"
"Only slightly."
"No promises."
Several researchers behind him nodded enthusiastically.
That somehow made it worse.
Yuuki immediately changed the subject.
"Did any of you actually sleep?"
The laboratory became quiet.
Several researchers avoided eye contact.
One scientist visibly crawled underneath a desk.
Another suddenly became fascinated by a wall.
Vergil coughed.
"Nah."
Yuuki sighed.
"Of course not."
"We needed to figure out the Mirror Sea first."
"That's not healthy."
"Science waits for no man."
"Sleep certainly does."
"Details."
Yuu buried her face in her hands.
"I hate how this conversation feels normal."
"It is normal."
"It shouldn't be."
Vergil ignored her.
"Oh."
He snapped his fingers.
"We also reverse-engineered the Dipol."
That immediately got Yuuki's attention.
"The one from Magellan?"
"Yep."
A vehicle appeared on the screen.
Modified.
Enhanced.
Covered in experimental systems.
"We've already begun testing it inside the dimensional proving grounds."
Yuuki stared.
"You work fast."
"We don't sleep."
"That's not a positive thing."
"It is for productivity."
"It is not."
"Agree to disagree."
The commander decided he was losing this battle.
Again.
Then Vergil's expression shifted.
"Oh."
Another hologram appeared.
A damaged golem.
The room quieted.
"We've made progress on the golem project too."
Several people leaned closer.
"The construction framework is surprisingly straightforward."
Vergil crossed his arms.
"The problem is the energy core."
The damaged golem rotated slowly.
"We can recreate the body."
Another hologram appeared.
"We can recreate the control systems."
Another.
"We can recreate most of the magical circuitry."
Then he pointed toward the shattered chest cavity.
"But we still can't recreate the core."
The scientist sighed.
"We need samples."
Yuuki immediately understood.
"Magic cores."
"Exactly."
"We blew up the last one."
The room became awkwardly silent.
Vergil stared.
Yuuki stared back.
Then both men slowly turned toward Nayuta.
The Pilgrim looked up from her breakfast.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Nayuta took another bite.
Then calmly nodded.
"Yes."
"We destroyeth all of them."
Yuuki groaned.
"Oh man..."
Nayuta nodded again.
"This humble one beginning to regret that decision."
Vergil pointed accusingly at the screen.
"Do you know how much research those things represented?"
"They were trying to kill us."
"That is irrelevant."
"They exploded when trying to absorb ionized energy. It seems that mana isn't compatible with ionized energy and chrono based energy."
Yuuki sighs.
Meanwhile the entire laboratory behind Vergil collectively groaned in despair.
The loss of the golem cores had apparently become a tragedy of scientific proportions.
And judging from the expressions on the researchers' faces—
Yuuki had a feeling his next mission was about to involve finding more.
"I'm sure we'll find more in the future."
Yuuki waved dismissively.
"We have Kaguya."
Kaguya immediately puffed out her chest.
"Naturally."
"And we have the fairies."
"Excellent point."
Vergil pointed at the screen.
"Dude, please find more."
His expression suddenly became serious.
"We need additional samples. Especially magical cores."
Several researchers behind him nodded vigorously.
One even held up a sign reading:
STOP EXPLODING RESEARCH MATERIALS
Yuuki pretended not to see it.
Then two small lights appeared above his shoulders.
Golden particles swirled.
Silver particles followed.
A moment later, two familiar fairy queens materialized.
Esche settled on one shoulder.
Oberis landed on the other.
Both looked entirely too pleased with themselves.
"If thou seekest golems or magical cores," Oberis said, "we can guide thee."
Yuuki blinked.
"Guide us where?"
The two fairies exchanged glances.
Then Esche smiled.
"To Aman."
The room grew quiet.
Even Vergil stopped talking.
Which was rare.
"What is Aman?" Enterprise asked.
"A continent."
The fairy queen's voice became distant.
"A hidden continent."
A holographic projection appeared from the fairies' magic.
A massive landmass.
Mountain ranges.
Forests.
Ancient cities.
Floating islands.
And surrounding it all—
A dimensional barrier.
"Aman exists within its own dimensional enclosure."
Several researchers behind Vergil immediately began recording everything.
"It separated itself from the world long ago," Oberis explained.
"The magical races feared the rapid advancement of technology."
Images shifted.
Mages.
Spirits.
Elves.
Dragons.
Arcane civilizations.
"They withdrew from the modern world."
The projection changed again.
Sirens.
Raptures.
War.
"Then the invasions began."
The atmosphere became noticeably heavier.
"They believed their dimensional sanctuary would protect them."
Esche folded her arms.
"It did."
A pause.
"For a while."
The image showed cracks forming in the dimensional barrier.
"The Sirens eventually discovered them."
Several shipgirls frowned.
"Can they still be alive?" Belfast asked.
"Oh yes."
Oberis nodded.
"Quite alive."
"Probably stronger too," Esche added.
The room became interested again.
"What do you mean?" Yuuki asked.
The fairy grinned.
"They were forced to adapt."
The image shifted once more.
Ancient magical towers.
Now integrated with machinery.
Mana reactors.
Arcane computers.
Floating battleships powered by magical energy.
Runic railguns.
Dimensional gateways.
The entire dining hall stared.
Even Vergil looked impressed.
"Well."
The scientist adjusted his glasses.
"That's terrifying."
"That's awesome!" Neon immediately corrected.
"Magical firepower!"
Neon's eyes sparkled.
"I am in!"
Anis immediately pointed at her.
"Ooh!"
"I smell an adventure."
"Of course you do."
Rapi didn't even look surprised.
"It's literally a hidden magical continent."
"Exactly."
Anis nodded.
"Adventure."
Yuuki rubbed his forehead.
"Hold your horses."
The room groaned.
"We have enough problems already."
The complaints immediately increased.
"We haven't visited Neopolis."
He pointed at Ade.
"Ade already informed us that numerous Nikkes may still be operating there."
Ade nodded.
"There are many unregistered signals."
Another point.
"We still need to recover Nayuta's main body."
The Pilgrim nodded.
"Affirmative."
"Once we accomplish that, locating additional Nikkes and shipgirls becomes much easier."
The excitement cooled slightly.
Unfortunately, he was right.
The mission list was already overflowing.
Yuu suddenly leaned forward.
"Hmm."
Everyone looked at her.
"If Aman is hidden inside a dimensional layer..."
A holographic screen appeared beside her.
"We'll need reliable dimensional travel."
Vergil immediately perked up.
"Go on."
Yuu pointed toward the projection.
"The fairies mentioned mana."
"Correct."
"And our current dimensional systems are primarily chrono-energy based."
"Correct."
"Then we might need a mana generator."
The laboratory behind Vergil became completely silent.
Every researcher froze.
Then chaos erupted.
"WRITE THAT DOWN!"
"WE ARE WRITING IT DOWN!"
"WRITE IT DOWN HARDER!"
Several scientists immediately ran off-screen.
Vergil pointed dramatically.
"Yuu."
"Yes?"
"That's actually a brilliant idea."
"Thank you."
The scientist immediately turned toward his staff.
"If we can acquire a vessel that uses mana-based propulsion, we can reverse-engineer the entire system. Since our little fairies have mentioned on mana generators in Aman flying ships."
His eyes widened.
"Then integrate it into the Paradox Engine."
"Reverse engineered the mana generators. We also need their mana based radar to locate intense magical energy. Looks like that Dipol you obtained from Magellan will be the prime travelling method into the pocket dimension. Integrate it into Paradox Engine and use it's mana based Dipol to get use there."
The room became quiet.
Even Yuuki looked interested.
That had possibilities.
A lot of possibilities.
A hybrid dimensional drive.
Chrono energy.
Mana.
Mirror Sea technology.
The combination was absurd.
Which meant GDI would probably attempt it.
"Nice idea, Yuu."
"Obviously."
She took another bite of breakfast.
"I have those occasionally."
Vergil ignored the comment.
"The problem is obtaining a sample."
A pause.
Then everyone slowly looked toward Esche.
Then Oberis.
Then Kaguya.
The three magical beings immediately realized what was happening.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Kaguya sighed.
"I know that look."
Yuuki grinned.
"We already have two magical detectors."
Esche proudly raised her hand.
"Ohoho!"
Kaguya raised her hand. "And one magical future wife."
"Kii!" Akagi hissed.
Yuuki immediately bonked her on the head with his hand.
"Behave."
He laughed.
"But I'm serious."
His expression became thoughtful.
"We may need all three of you."
The room grew attentive again.
"If Arcane shipgirls exist outside our current territory..."
He looked at Oberis.
"If magical civilizations survived..."
Then at Kaguya.
"If mana-powered vessels are still operating..."
Finally he looked toward the possibility of a magic continent.
"Then that continent might not just be another destination."
The room fell silent.
"It might be the key to finding everyone we've been missing."
For the first time since Aman had been mentioned, nobody treated it like an adventure.
Because they all realized the same thing.
Somewhere beyond that dimensional barrier could be lost Arcane shipgirls.
Lost civilizations.
Lost technologies.
And perhaps answers to questions they hadn't even thought to ask yet.
Vergil broke the silence first.
"...I'm adding Aman to the mission board."
"Of course you are."
"Priority three."
"That's actually reasonable."
"See? I can be responsible."
Nobody believed him.
Not for a second.
Before the discussion about Aman could continue, Vergil suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Oh."
Everyone immediately became nervous.
Whenever Vergil said "oh" like that, it usually meant he'd discovered something that would either revolutionize science or create three new crises.
Possibly both.
"I almost forgot."
He pointed toward Yuu.
"Yuu, I finished triangulating the data you sent me."
Yuu blinked.
"The shipgirl and Nikke data?"
"Yep."
That immediately caught everyone's attention.
Yuuki lowered his coffee.
"You already finished?"
"Of course I did."
"You haven't slept."
"Sleep is optional."
"It isn't."
"It is for scientists."
"It really isn't."
Vergil ignored him.
"I tweaked the Leveling System nanomachines to match the biological and cognitive structures you mapped out."
Now everyone was listening.
Shipgirls.
Nikkes.
Even the researchers in the background paused.
"I'm sending a dropship to the island."
Yuu nearly dropped her coffee.
"Already?!"
"Yup."
Vergil grinned.
"You're the one who sent me complete data on every shipgirl and Nikke on the island last night."
Several girls slowly turned toward Yuu.
Yuu suddenly became very interested in her breakfast.
Yuuki pointed at her.
"So that's why you stayed up so late."
"Maybe."
"Yuu."
"Fine."
She sighed.
"Yes."
The head doctor leaned back in her chair.
"I had Friday help me process the data."
"Of course you did."
"There's a lot of it."
She pointed around the table.
"Shipgirls."
Then toward the Nikkes.
"Nikkes."
Then toward Nayuta.
"Pilgrims."
Then toward the ceiling.
"Probably whatever weird magical beings we discover next week."
The room reluctantly admitted she had a point.
"It took most of the night."
Yuu tapped her datapad.
"But we finally figured it out."
A holographic projection appeared.
Complex diagrams.
Cube structures.
Nanomachine pathways.
Energy conversion systems.
The display looked like complete nonsense to everyone except Vergil.
And somehow Vergil looked excited.
"Bad sign."
Yuuki muttered.
"Very bad sign."
Yuu ignored him.
"The good news is that we can modify the enhancement framework."
Another projection appeared.
Shipgirl physiology.
"The Wisdom Cube acts as a growth medium."
Another.
"Nikke neural architecture functions similarly."
Another.
"Meaning future upgrades can be integrated more efficiently."
Enterprise frowned.
"In simpler terms?"
Yuu smiled.
"We can make all of you stronger."
That explanation was universally accepted.
Then her expression shifted.
"There is another discovery."
The room quieted.
Yuu brought up a new projection.
This one showed Ember's scanned data.
"I silently scanned Ember during the battle."
Nobody was surprised.
At this point everyone assumed Yuu scanned everything.
Including things she probably shouldn't.
"Using her data as a baseline..."
The projection shifted.
"...Vergil discovered something interesting."
The scientist's grin immediately returned.
Which worried everyone.
"A very hard limit."
The room became silent.
"Origin Cubes."
Several shipgirls straightened.
The term alone carried significance.
"The Origin Cube permanently altered META shipgirls."
The projection displayed countless growth curves.
Every graph eventually stopped.
At exactly the same point.
"Level 500."
Silence.
Then—
"Five hundred?!"
Anis nearly fell out of her chair.
Several shipgirls looked equally stunned.
Yuu nodded.
"Correct."
She enlarged the graph.
"Every piece of data points to the same conclusion."
"The META awakening process pushes them to an incredibly high level."
Another graph appeared.
"Then permanently stabilizes them there."
Yuuki folded his arms.
"So META shipgirls are capped."
"Exactly."
Yuu nodded.
"They awaken."
"They evolve."
"They become stronger."
Then she pointed at the graph.
"And then they stop."
Several shipgirls exchanged glances.
That explained a lot.
META shipgirls were absurdly powerful.
But they rarely seemed to continue growing.
"Meaning," Vergil said, "Level 500 is probably the maximum intended state of a standard Origin Cube user."
The room fell quiet.
Then Yuu smiled.
Which somehow worried everyone more than Vergil smiling.
"Fortunately."
Uh oh.
"We don't care about intended limits."
There it was.
The scientist mindset.
Vergil immediately nodded.
"Correct."
"If we can acquire live META samples..."
The room collectively groaned.
"Ash is going to hate this."
"Ember definitely will."
"Probably."
Yuu continued anyway.
"We might be able to alter the Origin Cube framework."
The graph expanded.
A second growth curve appeared.
This one continued beyond the limit.
The room went silent.
"Ascension."
Yuu spoke casually.
As if she weren't casually discussing doubling the strength of META shipgirls.
"We can potentially bypass the cap entirely."
Even Enterprise looked stunned.
"A thousand?"
"Maybe."
Vergil immediately corrected.
"Theoretically."
"Which means definitely."
Yuuki translated.
"Probably."
Yuu nodded.
"As for Nikkes..."
The display changed again.
This time showing Nikke neural cores.
"The architecture is surprisingly similar."
Pepper blinked.
"It is?"
"Not identical."
Yuu shook her head.
"But compatible enough."
The diagrams aligned.
"Wisdom Cubes."
Then.
"Nikke core structures."
The similarities became obvious.
"It wasn't difficult to figure out after that."
A long silence followed.
Then Yorktown slowly looked toward Yuu.
Then Mary.
Then Pepper.
Then all the Nikkes.
Then back to Yuu.
"...Do you realize what would happen if the Ark learned this?"
Yuu didn't even hesitate.
"Yes."
"And?"
The head doctor shrugged.
"They'd try to capture me."
Several Nikkes visibly tensed.
The Ark had done worse for less.
"Then what?"
Yuu smiled.
A calm smile.
A dangerous smile.
The kind that reminded everyone she was far stronger than she looked.
"Then they can try."
The room became quiet.
Yuu took another sip of coffee.
Completely unbothered.
"I can destroy the Ark if I really wanted to."
Silence.
Several researchers behind Vergil immediately stopped typing.
Even Vergil paused.
Yuuki rubbed his forehead.
"Yuu."
"What?"
"That's not helping."
"I'm being honest."
"That's the problem."
Yuu smiled innocently.
"Besides."
She pointed toward herself.
"I wouldn't even need the Mark 49."
Several shipgirls froze.
"Or the Echo Suit."
The silence became absolute.
Anis slowly lowered her spoon.
Neon stopped talking.
Rapi closed her eyes.
"See."
Rapi sighed.
"This is why normal people find us terrifying."
"Are we not normal?"
Everyone looked at Yuu.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Fair enough."
The dining hall remained silent for several moments after Yuu's casual declaration about destroying the Ark.
Finally, Illustrious raised a hand.
The elegant carrier looked genuinely curious.
"Is Lady Yuu truly that terrifying?"
The entire table turned toward Yuu.
Yuu swallowed another mouthful of breakfast.
"Yup."
The answer came far too quickly.
Yuuki groaned.
"That isn't helping your case."
"It wasn't meant to."
Before anyone could ask further questions, Yuu casually raised her right hand.
"Here."
The skin on her fingers rippled.
Several shipgirls immediately leaned back.
The flesh itself appeared to liquefy.
Nanoscopic silver particles flowed beneath the surface.
Then—
Shift.
Her hand transformed.
Metallic structures unfolded from her palm.
Precision instruments emerged.
Microscopic manipulators.
Scanners.
Her fingers becoming cutting tools.
Diagnostic probes.
Several surgical devices.
Then a syringe appeared from the back of her hand.
Then another.
Then another.
The entire hand had transformed into a living multifunctional toolset.
The room fell completely silent.
Even the fairies stopped talking.
Akashi's ears stood straight up.
"Nyaa?!"
The transformation continued.
The tools retracted.
Reformed.
Shifted again.
A scanner.
A welding instrument.
A surgical manipulator.
A medical injector.
Each appearing and disappearing effortlessly.
As though her body no longer obeyed normal biological limitations.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"How?"
Enterprise finally asked.
For once, even she looked stunned.
"It resembles magic."
Kaguya nodded.
The fox woman looked equally surprised.
The fairies exchanged uneasy glances.
Even they weren't entirely certain what they were witnessing.
Yuu shrugged.
"Not really."
Her hand returned to normal.
"Magic manipulates mana."
Another transformation.
A thin metallic needle emerged from her fingertip.
"I manipulate nanites."
The needle disappeared.
"The principle isn't actually that different."
That statement caused several headaches immediately.
Yuu continued anyway.
"Magic manipulates ions through mana and mental processing."
A holographic model appeared.
"Meanwhile I manipulate nanites."
The display zoomed inward.
Cells.
Molecules.
Neural pathways.
Biological structures.
"My nanites allow me to observe and interact with biological systems at the cellular level."
The room became quiet again.
"Every cell in your body constantly communicates."
Thousands of glowing connections appeared.
Signals.
Chemical exchanges.
Electrical impulses.
Information networks.
Millions of interactions.
Every second.
The projection resembled a galaxy.
Not a human body.
"Each cell transmits information."
The web expanded.
"Thousands."
Larger.
"Millions."
Larger still.
"Billions."
The entire dining hall stared.
"This communication network forms tissues."
The web condensed.
"Organs."
Larger structures appeared.
"Systems."
Eventually—
"A human."
The hologram displayed a complete body.
Connected by countless streams of information.
Yuu pointed at it.
"Once you understand the system..."
The image shifted.
The body began restructuring itself.
"...you can modify it."
Silence.
Several girls looked completely lost.
Then—
"My brain hurts."
San Diego collapsed face-first onto the table.
The room immediately burst into laughter.
Even Yuu paused.
Sandy slowly raised one hand.
"I understood exactly three words."
"What three?"
"Human."
"Body."
"Pain."
"Fair."
The explanation resumed.
"Think of it like this."
Yuu simplified the model.
"Cells gather together."
A small cluster appeared.
"They exchange information."
The cluster expanded.
"They become structures."
Larger.
"Those structures become matter."
The projection formed a hand.
"And matter can be manipulated."
The hand transformed into a blade.
Then a tool.
Then a scanner.
Then back again.
The room stared.
"...Wow."
Javelin was the first to say it.
Several others nodded.
Even Kaguya looked impressed.
The fairies seemed equally fascinated.
Then Anis raised a hand.
"Can we learn that?"
"No."
The answer came immediately from both Yuu and Yuuki.
Anis deflated.
"Aww."
Yuu pointed toward herself.
"This requires absurd amounts of processing power."
Another projection appeared.
A neural network.
"The calculations alone would destroy most minds."
Several shipgirls immediately looked less interested.
"I spent years training."
Yuu crossed her arms.
"Years researching."
Another point.
"Years enhancing my cognitive capacity."
Another.
"And years learning how not to accidentally kill myself."
The room became much less enthusiastic.
"Good point."
Mary nodded.
That sounded important.
Yuuki finally joined the explanation.
"Before anyone gets any ideas..."
Several girls immediately stopped getting ideas.
"What Yuu does is abnormal."
"Very abnormal."
"Extremely abnormal."
"Thank you, Chief."
"You're welcome."
He pointed toward her.
"She's one of the few people capable of surpassing what normal humans can achieve."
The room grew quiet.
"Most people don't even come close."
Anis blinked.
"So she's special."
"Very."
Then Neon raised her hand.
"Wait."
Everyone looked at her.
"Didn't you say you can do something similar?"
Several eyes immediately shifted toward Yuuki.
"Sort of."
The commander shrugged.
"I just don't use it the same way."
Yuu nodded.
"Chief could do similar things if he wanted."
That statement immediately alarmed everyone.
"But?"
"It's not my style."
Yuuki took another sip of coffee.
"I prefer creating things."
The holographic image shifted.
Weapons.
Vehicles.
Technologies.
Research projects.
"I like discovering things."
Then he pointed toward Vergil's image.
"Vergil prefers reverse engineering things."
The scientist immediately nodded.
"Correct."
"I take things apart."
"And break reality."
"That too."
The room laughed.
Yuu folded her arms.
"The point is that everyone uses their abilities differently."
Just as the discussion seemed to be winding down, Vergil suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Oh."
Yuuki groaned.
"There's another one."
"There is."
"Of course there is."
The scientist grinned.
"While we're discussing absurd technologies, I managed to snatch something from Purifier."
That immediately got everyone's attention.
Even the researchers behind him paused.
Yuuki narrowed his eyes.
"What did you steal this time?"
"I prefer the term acquired."
"What did you acquire?"
Vergil reached off-screen.
A moment later, a crystalline object appeared in his hand.
The crystal shimmered with shifting colors.
Blue.
Purple.
Silver.
Each facet seemed to contain an impossible depth.
As though entire worlds existed within it.
The dining hall fell silent.
Even the fairies stared.
"A crystal?"
"Not just a crystal."
The scientist carefully rotated it.
Several readings appeared around the hologram.
Dimensional fluctuations.
Temporal distortions.
Spatial anomalies.
Enough warning signs to make most scientists run away.
Vergil looked delighted.
"This little beauty is what Purifier attempted to use when escaping Philadelphia."
Yuuki sat forward.
The room immediately became serious.
"You're saying that's Siren technology?"
"Very advanced Siren technology."
Another holographic display appeared.
The crystal floated in the center.
Dozens of scans surrounded it.
"We've only begun analyzing it."
Vergil's expression shifted from excited to fascinated.
"But the preliminary results are insane."
"When are they not?"
"Fair point."
He enlarged the projection.
The crystal pulsed.
Reality around it visibly distorted.
"Interdimensional travel."
Several researchers nodded.
"Portal creation."
More nods.
"Cross-dimensional navigation. Seems to have higher settings."
The room became quiet.
Vergil pointed toward the crystal.
"If our data is correct, this thing allows travel beyond conventional space."
Higher level siren techs probably can travel between worlds and timelines.
Interdimensional travel can travel between Mirror Seas, Dimensional layers and Pocket realities.
All connected by glowing pathways between mirror dimensional cores.
The crystal sat at the center.
"It can traverse timelines."
Several shipgirls blinked.
"Move through Mirror Seas."
The map shifted.
"Navigate external dimensional zones."
Another shift.
"And literally tear open space to create portals like those scrins."
The room fell silent.
Again.
Yuuki stared.
"...And Purifier was carrying this around?"
"Apparently."
"That's mildly concerning."
"Extremely concerning."
Vergil corrected.
Several researchers nodded.
One looked personally offended that a Siren had access to something this valuable.
Then Yuuki remembered something.
"Hmm."
Everyone looked at him.
"Ash and Ember."
Vergil immediately nodded.
"I thought the same thing."
A recording appeared.
The META shipgirls.
Dimensional distortions.
Mirror Sea transitions.
Reality warping.
The patterns were almost identical.
"They're using similar technology."
The scientist crossed his arms.
"Not necessarily the same crystal."
"But the underlying principles are incredibly close."
That realization caused several people to pause.
Meaning the Sirens.
The METAs.
And potentially Aman.
All shared overlapping dimensional technologies.
The implications were enormous.
Kaguya's ears twitched.
"So this crystal may be the key to reaching places otherwise inaccessible."
"Exactly."
Oberis immediately nodded.
"The dimensional barrier around Aman may respond similarly."
Esche looked equally interested.
"Perhaps even the pathways between Mirror Seas."
The room became thoughtful.
Then Vergil pointed directly at Yuuki.
"Which brings me to my point."
Yuuki immediately regretted asking questions.
"I have a feeling you can do something with this."
"Why me?"
"Because you have the Tacitus. Only you can read it."
The room grew quiet.
The scientist held up the crystal.
"Tecitus is already capable of processing technologies that should not logically coexist."
He pointed dramatically.
"If anyone can turn this thing into something useful..."
The scientist grinned.
"It's you."
Yuuki stared at the crystal.
Then at Vergil.
Then at the researchers.
Then at the crystal again.
A long silence followed.
Finally—
"I'll see what I can do."
A short silence followed.
Vergil stared at him.
"...Okay, come to the Philadelphia once you're ready."
Several researchers in the background looked equally interested.
The opportunity to immediately begin reckless dimensional experimentation had apparently been approved.
Yuuki smiled.
"Don't worry."
That immediately made everyone nervous.
"When everything settles down..."
His gaze drifted toward the crystal.
The impossible crystal.
The one capable of piercing dimensions themselves.
"...we'll figure out what secrets you're hiding."
The crystal pulsed softly.
That made everyone slightly uncomfortable.