"So, how are we going to aggro that thing?"
The fleet gathered around the tactical display.
Yorktown enlarged Liberty Prime's file.
The giant robot appeared as a hologram above the platform.
Even the exhausted girls sat up.
The machine was enormous.
"According to the database, Liberty Prime is a forty-foot-tall combat robot built by the United States military to liberate Anchorage, Alaska from the Commander's world."
The hologram rotated.
Massive armored limbs.
Heavy weapon systems.
An intimidating frame.
Yorktown continued reading.
"It is equipped with laser weapons, machine guns, and Mark 28 tactical nuclear bombs."
Silence.
Then—
"Forty feet?"
Javelin blinked.
"Nuclear bombs?!"
Neon immediately sat upright.
Yorktown nodded.
"Radiationless."
The silver-haired Nikke visibly relaxed.
Then Yorktown continued.
"But according to the data, each bomb is approximately ten times more powerful than the mini nukes you've been carrying."
The relaxation vanished.
Neon slowly looked down at her Fat Man launcher.
Then back at Liberty Prime.
Then back at her launcher.
"Ten times?"
"Ten times."
Neon suddenly decided she no longer wanted to be hit by one.
Ever.
"That would hurt."
Anis deadpanned.
"Thank you for that tactical analysis."
Meanwhile—
Yorktown enlarged the second file.
EN06 Guardian.
The holographic robot appeared.
Unlike Liberty Prime, it didn't move.
Because it couldn't.
It was built into a gigantic platform.
The carrier studied the information.
"The Guardian is stationary."
A point in its favor.
Then she kept reading.
Everyone's hope immediately vanished.
"Protected by an ultragenetic shield generator."
Bad.
"Immune to all attacks while the shield is active."
Worse.
"Can electrify the floor."
Terrible.
"Capable of instant-kill energy discharges."
Very terrible.
"Equipped with gatling lasers, concentrated beam cannons, missile launchers, plasma projectiles, and approximately six hundred thousand health."
The room became quiet.
Very quiet.
Yorktown enlarged both health bars.
EN06 Guardian
600,000 HP
Liberty Prime
700,000 HP
The carrier stared.
Then began thinking.
The others knew that look.
Yorktown was planning.
Enterprise crossed her arms.
"You're considering it."
Yorktown nodded.
"We could lure Liberty Prime."
The tactical map expanded.
She drew a route.
From Liberty Prime's patrol zone.
Straight toward the Guardian's facility.
"If Liberty Prime identifies the Guardian as hostile..."
The line ended.
Directly inside the Guardian's engagement range.
The fleet immediately understood.
"Oh."
Neon grinned.
"Oh!"
Akagi's tails swayed.
"I like this plan."
Kaga looked thoughtful.
"Two giant robots attempting to destroy one another."
"Exactly."
Yorktown nodded.
The carrier enlarged both weapon profiles.
The numbers appeared.
Guardian.
Laser cannons.
Missiles.
Plasma weapons.
Liberty Prime.
Strategic nuclear bombs.
Heavy lasers.
Machine guns.
The room collectively realized something.
These bosses actually could hurt each other.
A lot.
Enterprise smirked.
"The Commander really did give us a stupid idea."
Yorktown smiled.
"No."
The carrier tapped the map.
A strategic route appeared.
A fallback route.
Attack positions.
Observation points.
Nuclear beacon locations.
The Ion Cannon Beacon.
Everything.
"This is a tactical opportunity."
The fleet immediately gathered closer.
Exhaustion forgotten.
They were already planning.
Already adapting.
Already thinking like a proper task force.
Back at the Command Post—
Yuuki watched the tactical display.
Yuu sipped her tea.
"They're taking the bait."
"They're learning."
The commander smiled.
Arisa stood beside him.
"The mistresses appear excited."
"That's because they think making two giant robots fight is a brilliant plan."
Nayuta laughed.
"Isn't it?"
Yuuki considered it.
Then took another sip of tea.
"Honestly?"
The commander grinned.
"It kind of is."
"Hey, Commander!"
Anis opened a communication channel.
Back at the Command Post, Yuuki glanced up from the Chronosphere schematics.
"What?"
"We don't suppose we could borrow those recon bikes?"
Yuuki raised an eyebrow.
"What for?"
Anis pointed toward the tactical map.
"We need something fast to annoy a giant robot."
The commander immediately understood.
"Oh."
A grin appeared.
"Sure."
The tactical display updated.
Three new icons appeared.
GDI Recon Bike
Speed: Extremely High
"I can spare three. You can comeback here and pick them up at the War Factory."
Anis immediately pumped a fist.
"Thanks!"
The communication ended.
Back on the floating platform, Rapi stood up.
The Nikke enlarged Liberty Prime's patrol route.
The giant robot's location appeared near the Pentagon ruins.
The route toward Sentinel Site slowly illuminated.
Rapi nodded.
"We have a plan."
The others looked toward her.
The Nikke pointed toward three recon bike icons.
"Neon."
"Firepower ready."
"Anis."
"Ready."
Rapi nodded.
"The three of us will lure Liberty Prime."
Several girls blinked.
Neon immediately grinned.
"Oh."
A dangerous grin.
"Oh, I like this."
Rapi ignored her.
"We'll hit it."
Another point.
"Annoy it."
Another.
"Keep shooting it."
Another.
"Then lead it directly toward EN06 Guardian."
Anis immediately understood.
"The Counter Squad is back in action."
Neon stood dramatically.
"Heh."
The Nikke pointed at Liberty Prime's icon.
"We're going to make that thing hate us."
"Correct."
Rapi enlarged Liberty Prime's specifications.
The giant robot rotated above the tactical table.
Forty feet tall.
Heavy armor.
Nuclear arsenal.
An absolute monster.
Then she pointed toward its patrol zone.
"This simulation is based on the Commander's Capital Wasteland."
The map expanded.
The Pentagon appeared.
Ruined.
Destroyed.
Ancient.
"Liberty Prime is currently located here."
The giant robot's marker flashed.
Then Rapi enlarged another location.
Sentinel Site.
The EN06 Guardian's position.
A heavily fortified military installation.
"Meanwhile, EN06 Guardian is stationed here."
Yorktown narrowed her eyes.
Then began reading the facility data.
The carrier's expression slowly changed.
Then changed again.
Then changed a third time.
"...Interesting."
Enterprise looked over.
"What?"
Yorktown enlarged a file.
Several lines of information appeared.
The fleet read them.
Then read them again.
Then read them a third time.
Because nobody quite believed what they were seeing.
Sentinel Site Storage Inventory
Mark 28 Nuclear Bombs
Quantity: 213
Stored: 212
Unstored: 1
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then—
Neon's eyes lit up.
Like a Christmas tree.
Like a supernova.
Like every firework in existence exploding simultaneously.
"There are HOW MANY?"
"Two hundred and thirteen."
Yorktown answered.
Neon slowly sat down.
Then stood up again.
Then sat down.
Then stood up again.
The Nikke was struggling emotionally.
That was too much firepower.
Even for her.
Ade, Soda, Cocoa, Mary, and Pepper insisted on coming along as well.
"You're not leaving us behind, are you?" Soda asked, raising her hand eagerly.
"We can help!" Pepper added with a bright smile. "Besides, someone has to patch you up after you do something reckless."
Anis pointed at herself. "Why are you looking at me specifically?"
"Because it's usually you," Mary replied calmly.
"That's fair," Anis admitted.
Cocoa puffed out her chest. "Cocoa will provide support! And snacks!"
"We're chasing a giant robot, not going on a picnic," Rapi said.
"Why not both?" Cocoa asked.
Ade adjusted her glasses and nodded. "Additional personnel will increase our chances of successfully provoking the target."
Neon grinned. "See? Even Ade agrees that annoying a giant robot is a valid military strategy."
"I did not phrase it that way," Ade replied.
"The meaning was the same."
"It was not."
The Counter Squad wasn't about to complain—having more Nikkes meant more firepower, more distractions, and far more ways to get Liberty Prime's attention.
"If their goal is to make a giant combat robot angry enough to chase us across the wasteland," Mary said with a small smile, "then I suppose we're all qualified."
"Especially Neon," Pepper added.
"Hey!"
The enthusiastic volunteers were more than welcome.
Meanwhile—
Anis stared at the number.
Then at the EN06 Guardian.
Then at Liberty Prime.
Then at the Nuclear Strike Beacons.
Then at the Ion Cannon Beacon.
Then back at the nuclear stockpile.
A smile slowly appeared.
The kind of smile that usually preceded property damage.
A lot of property damage.
Rapi immediately noticed.
Then noticed Yorktown wearing the same expression.
Then Enterprise.
Then Kaguya.
Then Akagi.
Then Eugen.
The realization was immediate.
Every strategist in the fleet had reached the same conclusion.
Simultaneously.
Yorktown slowly folded her arms.
"We lure Liberty Prime."
Enterprise nodded.
"We lead it to Sentinel Site."
Kaguya's tails swayed.
"Then allow the robots to weaken one another."
Rapi looked at the map.
Then at the enormous stockpile of Mark 28 nuclear bombs.
Then at the four Nuclear Strike Beacons.
Then at the Ion Cannon Beacon.
The Nikke slowly smiled.
For perhaps the first time all day.
"So."
Neon leaned forward.
Anis leaned forward.
Half the fleet leaned forward.
Rapi tapped the Sentinel Site icon.
Her smile widened.
"We have a plan to make absolutely certain both robots explode."
The entire platform immediately erupted into laughter.
Somewhere far away—
Liberty Prime continued its patrol.
Completely unaware that an increasingly creative fleet was currently plotting its demise.
And the demise of everything around it.
================
The Nikkes wasted no time.
The moment the plan was finalized, they returned to the Base of Beginnings.
The War Factory's massive doors slid open.
Then all of them stopped.
"Uh..."
Anis blinked.
"Commander said three."
Inside the factory sat not three recon bikes.
Not four.
Not five.
Eight.
Eight fully assembled GDI Recon Bikes lined up neatly in a row.
Rapi stared.
Neon stared.
Ade stared.
Even Soda stared.
The silence lasted several seconds.
Then Neon pointed.
"He lied."
"He rounded up."
Rapi corrected.
The silver-haired Nikke immediately ran toward the nearest bike.
The machine was sleek.
Fast.
Aggressive.
Built for speed.
The moment Neon climbed aboard, she fell in love.
"I want one."
"You've known it for three seconds."
"I want two."
Anis walked around another bike.
The machine looked more like a missile with wheels than an actual vehicle.
"Why does this thing look fast even when parked?"
"Because it is."
Ade answered.
Of everyone present, only Ade and Soda had prior experience with recon bikes.
Both immediately became instructors.
"All right."
Ade pointed toward the controls.
"Throttle."
Then the brakes.
Then steering.
Then the emergency stop.
The lesson lasted approximately thirty seconds.
Because nobody listened.
Not even a little.
Neon immediately accelerated.
The recon bike shot forward.
"WHOOOOOO!"
The machine crossed half the factory before Neon remembered brakes existed.
The bike stopped sideways.
Several crates narrowly survived.
Soda immediately covered her face.
"Ade."
"Yes?"
"I think we have failed as instructors."
Ade nodded.
"I agree."
Eventually everyone took turns.
Mary.
Pepper.
Cocoa.
Anis.
Rapi.
Even the more cautious Nikkes quickly became comfortable.
The bikes were surprisingly intuitive.
And absurdly fast.
Anis returned after her first lap.
Eyes wide.
"Okay."
The Nikke removed her helmet.
"That was awesome."
Rapi arrived moments later.
Unlike Neon, she hadn't nearly destroyed factory property.
The red-haired Nikke parked properly.
Then nodded.
"Fast."
That was all she said.
For Rapi, that was practically a glowing review.
Soon eight bikes exited the War Factory.
Engines humming.
Dust rising behind them.
The formation quickly organized itself.
Rapi at the front.
Anis beside her.
Neon already weaving unnecessarily.
Ade maintaining formation.
Soda attempting to keep everyone alive.
Mary and Pepper following behind.
Cocoa somehow carrying snacks despite driving a military reconnaissance vehicle.
Nobody questioned it anymore.
The bikes accelerated.
The wasteland blurred around them.
Ruined highways.
Collapsed buildings.
Broken vehicles.
Everything flew past.
The speed was exhilarating.
Even Rapi found herself enjoying it.
Slightly.
Very slightly.
Meanwhile—
Far ahead.
The Pentagon ruins waited.
And somewhere near them—
Liberty Prime.
The largest target in the entire training dimension.
The Nikkes weren't planning to fight it.
Not yet.
Their job was far simpler.
And considerably more dangerous.
Make it angry.
Very angry.
Angry enough to chase them halfway across the Capital Wasteland.
Rapi checked her communicator.
The shipgirls were already moving toward Sentinel Site.
Preparing the battlefield.
Preparing escape routes.
Preparing ambush positions.
Everything needed to happen perfectly.
The Nikke slowed her bike slightly.
Then addressed the group.
"Remember."
The formation immediately listened.
"We do not engage."
Neon looked disappointed.
"We do not stop."
More disappointment.
"We do not get hit."
Everyone agreed with that one.
"Our only objective is leading Liberty Prime to Sentinel Site once the shipgirls sent a signal."
The Nikkes nodded.
Even Neon.
Eventually.
The ruined silhouette of the Pentagon appeared on the horizon.
Massive.
Broken.
Ancient.
The riders slowed.
Far in the distance—
A gigantic figure moved among the ruins.
Forty feet tall.
Covered in armor.
Visible from kilometers away.
Even from this distance, Liberty Prime looked enormous.
Anis whistled.
"Okay."
The Nikke stared upward.
"That thing is ridiculous."
Neon grinned.
Then loaded a mini nuke into her launcher.
Rapi immediately noticed.
"Neon."
"What?"
"Don't."
The silver-haired Nikke looked genuinely confused.
"How else are we supposed to annoy it?"
Unfortunately.
Nobody had a good answer to that.
Which worried Rapi immensely.
Because it meant Neon might actually have a point.
And that was always dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Especially when Liberty Prime was involved.
==============
While the Nikkes sped toward the Pentagon, the Shipgirls headed for Sentinel Site.
The facility rose from the wasteland like a steel fortress.
Massive blast doors.
Concrete walls.
Ancient military architecture.
And at its center—
The EN06 Guardian.
The gigantic robot slowly rotated atop its platform.
Left.
Then right.
Then left again.
Searching.
Watching.
Waiting.
Its sensors glowed a cold yellow.
The constant hum of its shield generator echoed throughout the installation.
Even from a distance, the Shipgirls could feel how dangerous it was.
Yorktown studied the tactical display.
Then relayed the finalized plan.
Everyone's interfaces updated.
A holographic map of Sentinel Site appeared.
The Guardian sat directly in the center.
Beneath it—
The nuclear storage chambers.
The plan was immediately obvious.
And completely insane.
Which was precisely why everyone liked it.
Yorktown pointed toward the highlighted locations.
"We place the Mark 28 warheads beneath the Guardian."
Several girls nodded.
The carrier highlighted four additional positions.
"Nuclear Strike Beacons here."
One at each corner.
The markers flashed red.
Then a fifth icon appeared.
Directly on top of the Guardian.
The Ion Cannon Beacon.
Enterprise looked at the projection.
Then at the estimated blast radius.
Then at the number of nuclear warheads.
Then at the Guardian.
The carrier slowly whistled.
"If everything detonates..."
The tactical interface immediately answered.
Estimated Destruction Radius
Three Miles
Several girls blinked.
Others looked impressed.
Neon would have cried tears of joy had she been present.
Kaguya's tails swayed.
"Thou knowest."
The fox woman looked at the display.
"This plan grows increasingly ridiculous."
Eugen smirked.
"And increasingly effective."
Nobody disagreed.
The fleet quickly powered down their riggings.
The massive mechanical constructs vanished.
Weapons were concealed.
Echo Suits shifted configuration.
Stealth Mode activated.
One by one, signatures disappeared from sensors.
Then the infiltration began.
The Shipgirls quietly entered Sentinel Site.
Past damaged checkpoints.
Past abandoned security stations.
Past rusted military equipment.
The facility felt eerily silent.
Only the distant hum of the Guardian remained.
Everyone moved carefully.
Because if the Guardian activated early—
The entire plan would collapse.
Eventually they reached the central complex.
Then entered the main storage hall.
The moment the doors opened—
Everyone stopped.
Completely.
"Oh my heavens..."
Kaguya was the first to speak.
For once—
The fox woman looked genuinely stunned.
The others quickly understood why.
Mark 28 nuclear bombs.
Rows of them.
Stacks of them.
Hundreds of them.
Crates filled the enormous chamber.
Some were stacked almost to the ceiling.
Others formed entire walls.
The warheads resembled silver pillars sleeping beneath fluorescent lights.
The sheer scale was difficult to comprehend.
Yorktown stared.
Enterprise stared.
Belfast stared.
Even Akagi forgot to be competitive for several seconds.
Several seconds.
Which was impressive.
Javelin slowly raised a hand.
"There are... really two hundred and thirteen of these?"
Yorktown checked the inventory.
Then looked around.
Then checked again.
"Apparently."
The carrier sounded just as surprised.
Hipper whistled.
"That's enough firepower to erase a small country."
Eugen nodded.
"Or Neon."
"Mostly Neon."
Kaga added.
The heavy cruiser immediately agreed.
Meanwhile—
Akashi slowly approached one of the warheads.
Then another.
Then another.
The repair ship's eyes sparkled.
"Nyaa..."
Vestal immediately recognized the expression.
"Akashi."
"Nyaa?"
"Don't."
The repair ship sighed.
The merchant cat reluctantly stepped away.
Kaguya meanwhile walked between the rows of nuclear warheads.
Her tails slowly swayed.
The fox woman looked almost reverent.
Not because of the destruction.
But because of the scale.
The engineering.
The logistics.
The sheer absurdity of storing this many strategic weapons in one location.
Then she looked up.
Meanwhile, Akagi smirked to herself as she walked between rows of stacked Mark 28 warheads.
One.
Two.
Three.
Ten.
Twenty.
There were enough nuclear weapons here to flatten entire regions of the wasteland.
The fox carrier's imagination immediately began wandering in directions it absolutely should not have.
Her tails swayed happily.
"If Akagi could somehow keep a few of these..."
The smile on her face slowly widened.
"I wonder how many pests Akagi could get rid of for Shikikan-sama."
Several unfortunate rivals immediately appeared in her mind.
Then several more.
Then a very detailed list.
Akagi nodded to herself.
"Yes. A very efficient solution."
Bonk.
Kaguya immediately smacked her on the head with a folded fan.
The carrier yelped.
"Ouch!"
Kaguya stared at her.
The fox woman's smile remained elegant.
Her eyes did not.
"Thou art not taking nuclear weapons home."
Akagi rubbed her head.
"But—"
"No."
"They would solve many problems."
"No."
"They could protect Shikikan-sama."
"No."
Akagi pouted.
Kaguya sighed.
Then pointed toward the mountain of warheads surrounding them.
"Thou art precisely the reason I worry whenever explosives are involved."
Several nearby Shipgirls immediately nodded in agreement.
Including Enterprise.
Including Yorktown.
Including Eugen.
Akagi looked offended.
Which only made everyone agree harder.
Across the hall.
Toward the distant silhouette of the EN06 Guardian visible through reinforced observation windows.
The giant robot continued its patrol.
Completely unaware.
The fox woman smiled.
A dangerous smile.
"A guardian."
Her eyes moved toward the mountains of nuclear bombs.
"Standing atop a throne of explosives."
Enterprise immediately understood.
"So long as Rapi succeeds."
The carrier folded her arms.
"The Guardian is already dead."
Around them, the Shipgirls began quietly moving into position.
Preparing beacons.
Marking escape routes.
Identifying structural supports.
Setting the stage.
All while a giant robot watched over the facility.
Completely unaware that an entire fleet was currently preparing one of the most excessive ambushes in GDI history.
Yorktown nodded.
No further discussion was needed.
At Level 16, the Shipgirls were no longer the same women who had entered the training dimension earlier that day.
Their strength had increased dramatically.
Their agility had improved.
Their endurance had multiplied.
And perhaps most importantly—
They were finally thinking and operating as a fleet.
"Let's begin."
The carrier gave the order.
Immediately the Shipgirls moved.
A single Mark 28 warhead was enormous by ordinary standards.
For the current fleet?
Manageable.
Several girls carefully lifted the warheads from storage.
Others formed transport chains.
The operation became surprisingly organized.
Even Akashi helped.
Though Vestal was keeping a very close eye on her.
Just in case.
One by one, the Mark 28s disappeared from storage.
Their destination—
Directly beneath the Guardian.
The EN06 continued rotating atop its platform.
Completely unaware.
The giant machine scanned left.
Then right.
Then left again.
Searching for threats.
Finding none.
Meanwhile, dozens of warheads were quietly being relocated directly underneath it.
The irony was not lost on anyone.
Enterprise watched another group disappear into a maintenance tunnel.
"Imagine explaining this operation to someone."
Yorktown almost laughed.
"I don't think anyone would believe us."
Nearby—
Kaguya carried two warheads simultaneously.
The fox woman looked entirely too comfortable doing so.
Several tails helped stabilize the load.
Akagi immediately began competing.
Then Kaga joined.
Then Eugen.
Soon it became an unspoken contest.
Who could move the most warheads.
The answer was currently Kaguya.
Which annoyed Akagi.
Greatly.
As the preparations continued, the tactical display updated.
The pile beneath the Guardian grew larger.
And larger.
And larger.
Eventually—
The numbers became ridiculous.
Even by GDI standards.
Back at the Command Post.
Yuuki stared at the live feed.
Then blinked.
Then enlarged it.
Then enlarged it again.
The commander slowly lowered his teacup.
Yuu followed his gaze.
Then immediately understood.
"They're moving all of them."
"Apparently."
Nayuta laughed.
The clone leaned back in her chair.
"Didn't you expect that?"
"No."
Yuuki answered honestly.
The commander shook his head.
"I expected them to lure Liberty Prime."
Another point.
"Plant the beacons."
Another.
"Then run."
The tactical display zoomed in on the growing mountain of nuclear warheads beneath the Guardian.
Yuuki stared.
Then laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"They really aren't taking any chances."
Yuu looked amused.
The scientist folded her arms.
"They learned from you."
The commander immediately pointed at himself.
"Excuse me."
"You solve problems through overwhelming preparation."
"That's called strategy."
"You once dropped an orbital kinetic strike on a tank."
"It worked."
Nayuta laughed harder.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield—
The operation continued.
The Shipgirls moved with surprising efficiency.
Nobody argued.
Nobody complained.
Nobody needed instructions every few seconds.
They simply worked together.
Yorktown coordinated.
Enterprise supervised.
Kaguya managed logistics.
The others adapted naturally.
Watching the live feed, Yuuki found himself smiling.
This morning—
They had been Shipgirls and Nikkes.
Strong.
Capable.
But still inexperienced with GDI operations.
Now?
They were coordinating infiltration.
Managing logistics.
Preparing demolition charges.
Planning escape routes.
Assigning responsibilities.
Thinking several steps ahead.
And doing it together.
The commander leaned back in his chair.
Pride quietly visible on his face.
"They've changed."
Yuu glanced over.
The scientist smiled.
"They've grown."
The difference wasn't merely levels.
Not Level 16.
Not talent points.
Not upgrades.
Not equipment.
It was confidence.
Experience.
Trust.
The fleet had begun relying on one another.
And Yuuki couldn't help but feel impressed.
Because somewhere between the Ultracite Titan and two hundred and thirteen nuclear warheads—
His girls had stopped acting like recruits.
And started acting like veterans.
Yorktown quickly turned the operation into a proper demolition mission.
The carrier studied Sentinel Site's schematics.
Support columns.
Structural joints.
Power conduits.
Load-bearing foundations.
The locations of the nuclear storage chambers.
Every critical weakness appeared on her tactical display.
"We're not simply piling them beneath the Guardian."
Several girls paused.
Yorktown pointed toward multiple highlighted locations.
"We place them where they'll do the most damage."
The markers flashed.
Foundation supports.
Reactor conduits.
Structural anchors.
Emergency bulkheads.
The base of the Guardian's platform.
"If we're doing this."
Enterprise smiled.
"We're doing it properly."
The fleet immediately agreed.
The operation resumed.
Mark 28 warheads began disappearing from storage.
One after another.
Then another.
Then another.
At some point, carrying nuclear weapons became strangely normal.
Enterprise carried one over her shoulder.
As if it were cargo.
Yorktown moved another into position.
Even Belfast was carrying warheads.
Calmly.
Elegantly.
Like a nuclear bomb delivery service.
The Bulins were even worse.
"Purin!"
One Bulin ran past carrying a Mark 28.
"Kurin!"
Another followed.
"Bulin!"
A third carried one nearly as large as herself.
Somehow.
Nobody questioned it.
Sandy was running alongside them carrying another warhead.
Entirely too enthusiastic.
The scene had become absurd.
Several of the newer members occasionally stopped and stared at what they were doing.
Then continued anyway.
Maya carried another bomb into position.
Then paused.
The cruiser looked around.
The underground halls.
The stealth operation.
The dozens of nuclear weapons being relocated.
The giant robot overhead.
Then she laughed softly.
"Yesterday."
The cruiser shook her head.
"Yesterday I was living peacefully with Laurelin."
Choukai looked over.
The Sakura cruiser was carrying a Mark 28 under one arm.
"As was I."
Houshou smiled weakly.
The carrier adjusted her grip on another warhead.
"Yet here I am."
The three women looked at each other.
Then at the nuclear bomb they were carrying.
Then at the dozens more being transported through the facility.
"We are carrying strategic nuclear weapons like sacks of rice."
Maya finally said it.
The three immediately started laughing.
Because it was true.
Ridiculously true.
Not far away—
Eugen carefully placed another Mark 28 beneath a support structure.
The heavy cruiser remained quiet for a moment.
Watching the others work.
Watching the fleet move together.
Watching everyone contribute.
Then she smiled.
A softer smile than usual.
One rarely seen.
Not long ago—
She had expected a very different future.
A useless prince.
A political marriage.
A crippled life.
Endless compromises.
Endless disappointments.
The kind of future that slowly crushed dreams.
Now?
She was helping execute a plan involving hundreds of nuclear bombs.
Alongside friends.
Alongside family.
Alongside the man who won her as a life partner.
She smiled to herself, quite proud to be part of Yuuki's fleet.
The difference was absurd.
Yet somehow—
Better.
Far better.
Much like Hipper, who helped carry the warheads without complaint. Long ago, she had been crippled. Now, she could walk again. Fight again. Work alongside the other Shipgirls who had become her allies once more.
At the center of it all was the man who had rescued her.
The one who had given her a second chance. To think she could see Eugen's teasing smile again after all this time. She had missed that side of her. And as long as she could stay with Eugen—and that dumbkopf—she didn't mind if this became her future.
Nearby—
Javelin carefully guided another warhead into position.
The destroyer smiled to herself.
Not long ago she had been a prisoner.
Powerless.
Helpless.
Just surviving.
Much like Cocoa.
Much like several others.
Now?
She was part of a fleet.
A real fleet.
One that trusted her.
One that depended on her.
One that she would gladly fight for.
The realization made her smile.
Around them—
The operation continued.
Yorktown directing placements.
Enterprise assisting wherever needed.
Kaguya coordinating logistics.
Belfast managing movement routes.
The others naturally filling whatever role was needed.
Nobody was trying to stand out.
Nobody was trying to take credit.
Everyone simply worked together.
As a fleet.
Back at the Command Post—
Yuuki watched quietly.
The commander didn't say anything for a while.
Yuu noticed.
Nayuta noticed.
Even Arisa noticed.
The live feed displayed dozens of Shipgirls carrying nuclear warheads through Sentinel Site.
Yet that wasn't what held his attention.
It was them.
How they worked.
How they trusted one another.
How naturally they had fallen into their roles.
The commander smiled.
A proud smile.
Not because of the plan.
Not because of the levels.
Not because of the explosives.
But because of the people.
This morning they had been Shipgirls and Nikkes.
Now—
They were becoming a fleet.
And Yuuki could see it happening in real time.
One nuclear bomb at a time.
=====================
Eventually, the last warhead was moved into position.
The final support column had been mined.
The final reactor conduit had been surrounded.
The final structural anchor had been rigged.
Sentinel Site had effectively become a giant bomb.
Yorktown checked the tactical display one final time.
Every marker turned green.
All charges placed.
All warheads positioned.
All escape routes prepared.
The carrier nodded.
"We're done."
Relief spread through the fleet.
The hardest part had been moving hundreds of warheads without alerting the Guardian.
Now came the dangerous part.
Getting out.
Quietly.
Yorktown looked toward Kaguya.
The fox woman immediately understood.
"I shall lead them."
The flagship nodded.
The carrier turned toward the rest of the fleet.
"Everyone except Enterprise, Belfast, Atago, Takao and myself will withdraw."
Several girls hesitated.
Not because they disagreed.
Because they understood what remained.
The beacons.
The most dangerous part of the operation.
The final step.
Kaguya noticed the concern immediately.
Especially from some of the newer members.
The fox woman smiled.
A calm smile.
A reassuring one.
"Yorktown hath guided us unto this moment."
Her tails swayed softly.
"Place thy faith in her."
The others slowly nodded.
They trusted Yorktown.
They trusted Enterprise.
They trusted Belfast.
They trusted the fleet.
One by one, the Shipgirls began withdrawing.
Echo Suits shifted back into stealth mode.
Signatures disappeared.
Footsteps became silent.
The EN06 Guardian continued rotating atop its platform.
Its sensors sweeping methodically.
Left.
Right.
Left again.
Searching.
Watching.
Finding nothing.
The stealth systems were simply too effective.
The giant robot never noticed dozens of Shipgirls slipping away from the facility.
Back among the withdrawing group, several girls glanced behind them.
Maya.
Choukai.
Houshou.
Even Javelin.
Worried.
Not for themselves.
For the five remaining behind.
Kaguya noticed.
Again.
"Fear not."
The fox woman spoke quietly.
"Yorktown wouldst never bid others tread a path of peril that she herself would not walk."
The group relaxed slightly.
Because it was true.
Yorktown had never hidden behind others.
Never ordered others into danger while remaining safe herself.
She always stood at the front.
Which was exactly why everyone followed her.
Back inside Sentinel Site—
Only five remained.
Yorktown.
Enterprise.
Belfast.
Atago.
Takao.
The tactical display updated.
Four Nuclear Strike Beacons.
One Ion Cannon Beacon.
Five deployment points.
Yorktown took a slow breath.
The Guardian continued scanning.
Still unaware.
Still blind.
Still standing atop enough explosives to create a crater visible from orbit.
Enterprise almost laughed at the absurdity.
"We could destroy it right now."
Yorktown nodded.
They could.
Activate everything.
Detonate Sentinel Site.
Finish the Guardian.
Walk away.
Simple.
Effective.
Safe.
But that wasn't the plan.
The carrier looked toward the distant wasteland beyond the facility.
Toward the route leading from the Pentagon.
Toward the direction Rapi and the Nikkes had gone.
"They're counting on us."
Enterprise smiled.
"And we're counting on them."
The Grey Ghost adjusted her grip on the Nuclear Strike Beacon.
Atago quietly checked her assigned position.
Takao reviewed the escape route one final time.
Belfast calmly verified timing calculations.
Everything was ready.
Now all they needed—
Was a very angry Liberty Prime.
Far away, beyond the horizon.
The Nikkes raced through the Capital Wasteland.
While beneath Sentinel Site, five Shipgirls waited patiently beside enough firepower to rewrite the local geography.
And somehow—
Everyone trusted the plan would work.
Yorktown opens her interface and press Rapi's name.
"Rapi, we're ready."
======================
The Capital Wasteland rushed past beneath the recon bikes.
Broken highways.
Ruined buildings.
Abandoned vehicles.
Dust trails followed the Nikkes as they sped toward the Pentagon.
Then Yorktown's signal arrived.
The operation at Sentinel Site was complete.
Everything was in place.
Rapi immediately opened a channel.
"Everyone, arm missiles."
The joking atmosphere vanished.
One by one, weapon systems activated.
Missile racks unfolded.
Targeting systems came online.
Safety locks disengaged.
The reality of what they were about to do finally settled in.
Ahead of them stood Liberty Prime.
A forty-foot-tall combat robot carrying nuclear bombs.
And their plan involved making it angry.
Very angry.
Anis armed her launchers.
Then looked toward the distant silhouette visible on the horizon.
The giant robot towered over the ruins.
Even from here, it looked enormous.
The Nikke sighed.
"We're so regretting this."
Nobody disagreed.
Not even a little.
Neon loaded another mini nuke.
Then paused.
The silver-haired Nikke looked strangely hesitant.
"Are we sure we're doing this?"
Everyone immediately turned toward her.
Neon.
Questioning a plan involving explosions.
It was that serious.
Soda tightened her grip on the handlebars.
The maid looked considerably less confident than before.
"I am a little scared."
Ade nodded.
The former combat maid checked her weapon.
Then checked it again.
Then a third time.
"I hope I survive this."
Cocoa patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry."
The small maid smiled.
Somehow managing to sound reassuring.
Despite being just as nervous as everyone else.
Nearby—
Pepper looked toward Mary.
The younger nurse's voice became small.
"Are we sure about this?"
Mary stared at Liberty Prime.
The giant robot continued patrolling among the ruins.
Massive.
Armored.
Terrifying.
The nurse slowly armed her own missiles.
Then smiled weakly.
"No."
Pepper stared.
Mary shrugged.
"But we're doing it anyway."
Somehow that was both reassuring and horrifying.
The communication channel became quiet.
For a moment.
Everyone simply watched Liberty Prime.
The giant machine moved between ruined buildings.
Completely unaware.
Completely peaceful.
For now.
Then Rapi spoke.
Calm.
Steady.
Reliable.
The same voice that had guided them through every battle so far.
"If you're scared."
The Nikkes listened.
"Good."
Several blinked.
Rapi looked ahead.
Toward Liberty Prime.
"That means you're taking it seriously."
The red-haired Nikke checked her weapon.
"We're not fighting it."
Another point.
"We're not defeating it."
Another.
"We're just making it angry."
Anis groaned.
"When you say it like that, it sounds even worse."
Neon nodded immediately.
"Much worse."
Rapi ignored them.
"Follow the plan."
The Counter Squad leader looked toward Sentinel Site's marker in the distance.
"Yorktown and the others are trusting us."
The Nikkes fell silent.
That was true.
Five Shipgirls remained inside a giant nuclear trap.
Waiting.
Trusting them to bring Liberty Prime exactly where it needed to be.
Rapi smiled.
A small one.
The kind that rarely appeared.
"So let's not disappoint them."
The nervousness didn't disappear.
The fear remained.
The danger remained.
But the hesitation faded.
One by one—
The Nikkes nodded.
Weapons armed.
Missiles ready.
Recon bikes prepared.
Ahead of them—
Liberty Prime continued its patrol.
Completely unaware that eight increasingly reckless women were about to make its day significantly worse.
And behind them—
Five Shipgirls waited beside enough explosives to make history.
The operation had officially entered its final stage.
"Target acquired!"
Anis's voice rang across the communication channel.
The giant robot stood among the ruins of the Pentagon.
Forty feet of steel.
Armor.
Weapons.
And enough firepower to flatten entire city blocks.
Rapi didn't hesitate.
"Fire!"
Eight recon bikes unleashed their payloads.
Missiles streaked across the wasteland.
Smoke trails cut through the air.
Then—
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The missiles struck Liberty Prime directly.
Its chest.
Its shoulders.
Its face.
Explosions engulfed the giant robot.
Dust and smoke filled the area.
For a brief moment—
Nothing happened.
Then the smoke parted.
Liberty Prime remained standing.
Completely unharmed.
Several Nikkes immediately regretted their life choices.
Anis stared.
"Oh."
The robot slowly turned.
Its massive head rotated toward them.
The blue visor shifted.
Then turned red.
Every Nikke immediately felt a chill.
A deep mechanical voice echoed across the ruins.
"VOICE MODULE ONLINE."
The machine's eyes brightened.
"AUDIO FUNCTIONALITY TEST INITIALIZED."
The giant robot took a step forward.
The ground shook.
"DESIGNATION: LIBERTY PRIME."
Another step.
"MISSION: DESTROY ALL COMMUNISTS."
The red visor locked onto the recon bikes.
"ENGAGING CHINESE INVADER."
Silence.
Then—
"We're not even Chinese!"
Anis shouted.
The robot clearly did not care.
Missile pods opened.
Machine guns deployed.
Targeting systems activated.
Liberty Prime immediately responded to the attack with overwhelming violence.
"SPREAD OUT!"
Rapi shouted.
The recon bikes accelerated.
The formation exploded apart.
Eight riders shot in different directions.
The first missile barrage followed.
WHOOOOSH!
BOOOOM!
Buildings disappeared.
Concrete erupted.
Entire sections of ruined streets vanished beneath explosions.
Anis nearly fell off her bike.
"IT'S ACTUALLY SHOOTING AT US!"
"What did you expect?!"
Ade shouted.
"POLITE CONVERSATION?!"
Liberty Prime continued advancing.
The giant robot's voice boomed across the wasteland.
"INITIATING DIRECTIVE SEVEN THREE NINE FIVE."
Its machine guns opened fire.
The ruined city immediately became a war zone.
"DESTROY ALL COMMUNISTS."
"We're not communists!"
Neon yelled.
A missile exploded behind her.
The shockwave nearly launched her from the bike.
"Yeah, try explaining that to the robot!"
Another barrage followed.
The Nikkes weaved between buildings.
The recon bikes demonstrated exactly why Yuuki used them.
Speed.
Pure speed.
They accelerated through streets and alleyways.
Jumped collapsed roads.
Dodged debris.
And somehow remained ahead of the giant war machine.
Then Liberty Prime escalated.
The red visor intensified.
Energy gathered.
Rapi's eyes widened.
"Oh no."
Twin blue beams erupted from Liberty Prime's eyes.
The lasers carved through the city.
Buildings melted.
Roads exploded.
Entire sections of ruins vanished.
Neon screamed.
The beam narrowly passed behind her.
Concrete liquefied.
Metal glowed red.
"THAT THING ALMOST COOKED ME!"
The silver-haired Nikke immediately increased speed.
Her recon bike zig-zagged wildly.
The laser followed.
The city behind her ceased existing.
Several blocks simply disappeared.
Anis looked back.
Then immediately looked forward again.
"Nope."
The Nikke accelerated harder.
"Nope."
Another missile exploded nearby.
"NOPE."
Meanwhile, Liberty Prime continued advancing.
Relentless.
Unstoppable.
Every step shattered pavement.
Every weapon system remained active.
And most importantly—
It was chasing them.
Exactly as planned.
Back at Sentinel Site—
Yorktown watched the tracking data.
The giant red icon representing Liberty Prime had begun moving.
Toward them.
Toward the trap.
Toward the EN06 Guardian.
The carrier smiled.
"They did it."
Enterprise checked the distance.
Then nodded.
"The bait worked."
Far away—
The Nikkes raced across the wasteland.
With an angry Liberty Prime directly behind them.
And closing.
Rapidly.
The trap was set.
Now all they had to do—
Was survive long enough to spring it.
=====================
Liberty Prime's red visor burned brighter.
The giant robot continued marching through the ruins.
Entire buildings crumbled beneath its feet.
Nothing slowed it.
Nothing stopped it.
Its targeting systems remained locked onto the fleeing Nikkes.
Then its voice boomed across the Capital Wasteland.
"Tactical Assessment: Red Chinese Victory — Impossible."
The declaration was followed by another barrage of laser fire.
Twin blue beams carved through the city.
Skyscrapers split apart.
Roads melted.
Several unfortunate ruins ceased being ruins and became rubble.
The Nikkes immediately regretted every life choice that had led them here.
Then Anis's warning indicator screamed.
TARGET LOCK
The Nikke glanced upward.
Liberty Prime's visor was staring directly at her.
The machine immediately announced its intentions.
"COMMUNIST TARGET ACQUIRED."
Anis paled.
"Why me?!"
"ENGAGING RED CHINESE AGGRESSORS."
"We're still not Chinese!"
Anis yanked the handlebars.
Her recon bike shot through the shattered remains of a collapsed office building.
The giant robot responded with complete overkill.
Missiles launched.
Machine guns opened fire.
Laser beams followed.
The entire building exploded around her.
Concrete collapsed.
Windows shattered.
Dust filled the air.
Anis burst out the opposite side.
Somehow still alive.
Then Liberty Prime escalated again.
Because apparently missiles and lasers weren't enough.
A hatch opened on its back.
An enormous object emerged.
The Nikkes stared.
Then stared harder.
Then immediately realized what they were looking at.
"Oh no."
Rapi's voice sounded unusually strained.
Liberty Prime casually grabbed one of its Mark 28 nuclear bombs.
Like someone picking up a baseball.
The giant robot pulled its arm back.
Then threw it.
Directly at Anis.
The tactical channel exploded.
"IT THROWS THEM?!"
Anis screamed.
The warhead crossed the sky.
The Nikke immediately abandoned dignity.
And possibly physics.
Her recon bike accelerated so hard it nearly became airborne.
Then—
BOOOOOM!
A massive explosion consumed several city blocks.
The shockwave launched debris everywhere.
Anis disappeared into a cloud of dust.
Several Nikkes immediately feared the worst.
Then her voice came through the channel.
Very angry.
Very alive.
And considerably louder than before.
"BE THE BAIT, THEY SAID!"
The recon bike burst from the dust cloud.
Anis somehow remained attached to it.
"IT'LL BE FUN, THEY SAID!"
Another missile exploded behind her.
The Nikke accelerated even harder.
Neon wasn't helping.
The silver-haired Nikke turned around while driving.
Which was already concerning.
Then she launched another recon-bike missile strike.
The missiles impacted Liberty Prime's chest.
Tiny explosions erupted.
The giant robot barely noticed.
Neon immediately regretted it.
Because Liberty Prime's head slowly turned toward her.
"Oh."
The Nikke blinked.
"Oh no."
The visor glowed.
Target lock warnings appeared.
Several hundred of them.
Neon immediately accelerated.
"YOU DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING!"
Liberty Prime disagreed.
"COMMUNIST DETECTED."
"THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS!"
Another laser beam nearly removed her from existence.
The beam passed so close that her hair briefly stood on end.
Meanwhile—
Ade and Soda were desperately weaving between ruins.
Mary and Pepper remained together.
Cocoa somehow looked calmer than everyone else.
Rapi continued leading the formation.
The Counter Squad wasn't trying to win.
Wasn't trying to fight.
Wasn't trying to survive with dignity.
Their only goal—
Stay alive long enough to reach Sentinel Site.
Behind them—
Liberty Prime continued marching.
Angrier.
Louder.
And increasingly determined to liberate them from life itself.
Liberty Prime's targeting systems shifted.
One moment it was firing indiscriminately.
The next—
Every warning alarm on the recon bikes activated simultaneously.
MISSILE LOCK
MISSILE LOCK
MISSILE LOCK
Rapi glanced into her rear camera.
Then immediately regretted it.
"Oh."
The giant robot had launched an entire volley.
Heat-seeking missiles filled the sky.
Dozens of them.
Maybe more.
All headed directly toward the fleeing Nikkes.
"Countermeasures!"
Rapi shouted.
"Launching countermeasures!"
The recon bikes responded immediately.
Small canisters deployed from the rear compartments.
They burst apart midair.
Glowing heat spheres appeared behind the formation.
The missiles instantly changed course.
One after another.
Locking onto the decoys.
Then—
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The wasteland exploded behind them.
Fireballs filled the skyline.
Shockwaves rolled across the ruined streets.
The Nikkes barely escaped.
Anis looked back.
Then immediately decided she didn't want to look back anymore.
Liberty Prime's voice echoed across the battlefield.
"EMBRACE DEMOCRACY OR YOU WILL BE ERADICATED."
"Hell no!"
Anis shouted.
The giant robot ignored her response.
As expected.
Its processors continued calculating.
Several strange mechanical noises emerged from its chassis.
Whirring.
Clicking.
Grinding.
Then—
Something unexpected happened.
The robot leaned forward.
The servos in its legs screamed.
Its ancient machinery groaned.
The giant war machine began moving faster.
Much faster.
The ponderous walking pace disappeared.
Instead—
Liberty Prime started jogging.
The ground shook.
Buildings rattled.
Several already-damaged ruins collapsed outright.
The Nikkes stared.
Horrified.
"IT'S GETTING FASTER!"
Soda shouted.
The maid accelerated immediately.
The robot was actually gaining ground.
Which should have been impossible.
Nothing that large should move that quickly.
Apparently Liberty Prime disagreed.
"Tactical Assessment."
The robot's voice crackled.
"COMMUNIST EVASION DETECTED."
The giant machine increased speed again.
Several Nikkes screamed.
Not from fear.
From disbelief.
Ade immediately reacted.
"Missiles away!"
The combat maid launched another salvo.
Several rockets struck Liberty Prime's chest.
Small explosions erupted.
The robot barely noticed.
Still—
Its visor briefly shifted toward Ade.
That was enough.
"Good."
Ade nodded.
"Look at me instead."
Cocoa followed.
The tiny maid launched her own missiles.
The explosions accomplished approximately nothing.
Except annoy the robot.
Which was currently the objective.
"Hey!"
Cocoa pointed dramatically.
"Over here!"
Liberty Prime actually turned.
For half a second.
Then resumed chasing everyone equally.
The maid looked surprisingly satisfied.
"I helped."
"You did."
Pepper replied.
Mary was less convinced.
The nurses continued weaving through ruined streets.
Trying very hard not to die.
Meanwhile—
Liberty Prime continued broadcasting.
"We WILL NOT FEAR THE RED MENACE."
The robot paused.
Its processors visibly working.
Calculating.
Evaluating.
Then a strange squeaking noise emerged from somewhere inside its chassis.
The ancient machine was clearly operating beyond its intended limits.
Anis heard it.
Then laughed.
"That thing sounds like it's falling apart!"
Unfortunately—
It was still keeping up.
Very effectively.
The tactical display updated.
Distance to Sentinel Site.
Dropping rapidly.
Back at Sentinel Site—
Yorktown watched the approaching icon.
The giant red marker representing Liberty Prime was moving far faster than expected.
The carrier blinked.
Then checked again.
Then a third time.
"Enterprise."
The Grey Ghost looked over.
Yorktown pointed.
The carrier immediately saw it.
"...Why is it running?"
Neither woman had a good answer.
Three miles away from Sentinel Site, the rest of the fleet remained hidden atop a rocky hill.
Echo Suit stealth systems concealed every heat signature.
Every energy reading.
Every movement.
To any sensor, the hill was empty.
The Shipgirls watched through their visors.
And collectively questioned whether this plan had been a good idea.
Far below—
Liberty Prime was charging across the wasteland.
Not walking.
Not advancing.
Charging.
The forty-foot robot bulldozed through ruined buildings while firing everything it possessed.
Missiles.
Machine guns.
Eye lasers.
Occasionally—
Nuclear warheads.
The Nikkes raced ahead of it in a constantly shifting zig-zag formation.
Every few seconds another countermeasure sphere launched.
Every few seconds another explosion followed.
The battlefield looked less like a pursuit and more like a natural disaster.
Anis narrowly avoided a laser.
Neon dodged a missile barrage.
Ade and Cocoa launched more rockets.
Mary and Pepper desperately kept pace.
Soda somehow remained upright despite looking terrified.
And Rapi continued leading them directly toward Sentinel Site.
The sight was both impressive and horrifying.
Choukai watched another explosion bloom in the distance.
Then slowly turned toward Maya.
"...Are they going to be okay?"
Maya opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Then watched Liberty Prime throw another nuclear warhead.
The explosion erased an entire intersection.
"...I have absolutely no idea."
Several nearby Shipgirls nodded.
It was the most honest answer available.
Javelin winced.
"That looked close."
"Everything has looked close for the past ten minutes."
Hipper pointed out.
Nobody could argue with that.
Even Belfast would have admitted the situation was becoming increasingly unreasonable.
And Belfast never admitted such things.
Yorktown remained focused on the tactical display.
The distance continued shrinking.
Liberty Prime.
Sentinel Site.
Collision course.
Exactly according to plan.
The problem was—
The Nikkes still needed to survive the final stretch.
Enterprise stood beside her.
The carrier's expression remained calm.
But her hands were clenched.
Watching friends become nuclear-warhead bait had a way of testing nerves.
Even experienced veterans.
"We could support them."
Avrora quietly suggested.
Several girls looked tempted.
Very tempted.
A few well-placed bombardments.
Some airstrikes.
Maybe a distraction.
Anything to ease the pressure.
Yorktown immediately shook her head.
"No."
The carrier's answer came without hesitation.
Every eye turned toward her.
"If we reveal ourselves now, Liberty Prime may redirect its attention."
Another point.
"If it changes course, the trap fails."
Another.
"If the trap fails, we fight two bosses separately."
The hill became quiet.
Nobody liked that outcome.
Not even a little.
Yorktown continued watching the approaching markers.
"The Nikkes know their mission."
The carrier smiled slightly.
"And they've done everything we've asked of them."
Far below—
Neon launched another missile.
Liberty Prime immediately responded by attempting to vaporize her.
The Nikke swerved.
The laser missed.
Barely.
Yorktown's smile widened.
"They'll get here."
Enterprise followed the carrier's gaze.
Then nodded.
Because despite all the chaos.
Despite all the explosions.
Despite the giant robot actively trying to erase them from existence—
The Nikkes were still moving toward Sentinel Site.
Still maintaining formation.
Still following the plan.
The distance indicator dropped again.
Two miles.
The trap was waiting.
The Guardian was waiting.
The beacons were waiting.
"Home stretch!"
Anis shouted over the communication channel.
Sentinel Site appeared on the horizon.
The massive facility grew larger with every passing second.
Behind them—
Liberty Prime was still chasing.
Still firing.
Still attempting to liberate them from existence.
A laser beam carved through a ruined building.
Missiles exploded behind the recon bikes.
The giant robot's voice continued echoing across the wasteland.
"COMMUNIST EVASION DETECTED."
"Yeah, yeah!"
Anis accelerated harder.
"Come and get us!"
The Nikkes burst over a ridge.
Sentinel Site was now directly ahead.
Everything had led to this moment.
Rapi checked the distance.
Then immediately opened a channel.
"Now!"
The Nikkes nodded.
One by one—
Their Echo Suits activated.
"Stealth mode!"
The recon bikes shimmered.
Their outlines distorted.
Then vanished.
Heat signatures disappeared.
Energy readings vanished.
Visual profiles dissolved.
In an instant—
The fleeing targets ceased to exist.
Liberty Prime's sensors immediately reacted.
The giant robot slowed.
Its red visor flickered.
Target locks vanished.
Warning systems recalculated.
The machine's voice echoed across the battlefield.
"CHINESE PRESENCE DISAPPEAR."
The grammar somehow made it more threatening.
The giant robot stopped jogging.
Its head slowly rotated.
Searching.
Scanning.
Analyzing.
"SWITCHING TO SCANNING."
The visor shifted from red to blue.
Then back to red.
Then blue again.
"COMMENCING TACTICAL ASSESSMENT."
The Nikkes remained perfectly still.
Hidden.
Waiting.
Watching.
Then Liberty Prime took another step forward.
Directly into Sentinel Site's engagement zone.
Immediately—
Everything went wrong.
For Liberty Prime.
The EN06 Guardian's sensors activated.
The giant stationary robot had been tracking the approaching contact for several seconds.
Now it finally classified the newcomer.
Threat.
Hostile.
Target.
Warning lights illuminated across the Guardian's chassis.
Its massive body rotated.
Weapon systems unfolded.
The shield generator intensified.
Then—
The Guardian opened fire.
WHOOOOSH!
Missile batteries launched.
Dozens of rockets streaked toward Liberty Prime.
The giant robot looked up.
Just in time to be hit.
BOOOOOM!
Explosions engulfed its shoulder.
Another volley followed.
Then another.
The Guardian's gatling lasers activated.
Streams of energy crossed the battlefield.
The wasteland erupted.
The hidden Nikkes stared.
Wide-eyed.
The Guardian wasn't holding back.
Not even a little.
Liberty Prime staggered.
Only slightly.
Then its head snapped toward the Sentinel Site.
Its visor glowed red.
The giant robot immediately reached a conclusion.
A very incorrect conclusion.
But a conclusion nonetheless.
"COMMENCING TACTICAL ASSESSMENT."
Its processors worked.
Evaluated.
Calculated.
Then confidently announced:
"RED CHINESE DETECTED."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then—
Anis nearly fell off her bike laughing.
"Oh my god."
Neon was already wheezing.
"It thinks the robot is Chinese!"
Even Rapi had to cover her mouth.
The situation was simply too ridiculous.
Meanwhile—
The EN06 Guardian continued firing.
Missiles.
Lasers.
Plasma projectiles.
Everything.
Liberty Prime immediately responded.
Its own missile pods opened.
Machine guns deployed.
Laser emitters activated.
The giant robot pointed directly at the Guardian.
"COMMUNIST AGGRESSION CONFIRMED."
Its voice boomed across Sentinel Site.
"DEMOCRACY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE."
Then it fired.
The first laser beam struck the Guardian's shields.
The entire facility lit up.
Back on the hill three miles away—
The hidden Shipgirls watched the battle begin.
Yorktown slowly lowered her binoculars.
Enterprise folded her arms.
Kaguya's tails swayed.
The Nikkes had succeeded.
Perfectly.
Two Level 20 bosses.
One Sentinel Site.
Hundreds of nuclear warheads.
Four Nuclear Strike Beacons.
One Ion Cannon Beacon.
And now—
Two extremely angry robots trying to kill each other.
The trap had finally sprung.
And it was glorious.