The second Razor Gunship skimmed barely a meter above the restless sea.
Its adaptive stealth coating shimmered faintly before blending seamlessly with the darkness.
Radar waves washed harmlessly over its hull.
Thermal sensors found nothing but cold seawater.
Even the newly activated anti-air network failed to distinguish it from the surrounding environment.
Inside the cockpit, Yuu studied the holographic terrain map projected across her visor.
Grimm's reconnaissance data continuously updated the battlefield.
Enemy patrols.
Radar coverage.
Guard rotations.
Surface-to-air missile batteries.
Everything Yorktown had relayed appeared in real time.
Jarvis' voice sounded calmly over the encrypted channel.
"Approaching Landing Zone Bravo."
"Enemy radar remains active."
"GDI stealth systems continue to bypass detection."
"Estimated probability of successful insertion: ninety-nine point six percent."
Yuu smiled.
"I'll take those odds."
The Razor Gunship banked sharply around a rocky cliff before descending into a narrow inlet hidden beneath overhanging stone formations.
From above...
Nothing could be seen.
The engines shifted to silent electric propulsion before gradually winding down.
The rear ramp lowered without a sound.
Cold sea air swept into the cargo bay.
Yuu rose first.
Her Echo Suit Mark II sealed itself around her body with a series of magnetic clicks.
Unlike Yuuki's heavier assault armor, hers emphasized mobility and reconnaissance.
Its matte-gray finish absorbed the surrounding darkness.
Adaptive camouflage rippled across its surface.
Integrated sensor packages continuously scanned the environment while electronic warfare modules quietly jammed nearby passive detection systems.
She cycled her rifle once.
"Let's move."
One by one, the squad disembarked.
Rapi.
Anis.
Neon.
Mary.
Pepper.
Nayuta.
Each wore an upgraded Echo Suit of their own.
Suppressors were already mounted on their Vervact R59 anti-material rifles.
Silenced pistols rested at their thighs.
Their inventories carried enough heavier weaponry to fight an entire platoon if stealth failed.
Rocket launchers.
C-5 demolition charges.
Volt auto rifles.
Laser rifles.
Portable drones.
Medical kits.
Everything had been prepared.
The sea quietly washed against the rocks as the Razor Gunship's engines shut down completely.
Within seconds...
The aircraft disappeared beneath its optical camouflage.
Only rippling water remained.
Yuu activated her tactical display.
A three-dimensional map rose between the team.
"Our objective is straightforward."
She highlighted seven main anti-air batteries surrounding the main compound.
"These sites are connected to a centralized fire-control network."
"If even one remains operational..."
"Our extraction becomes considerably more difficult."
Neon raised a hand.
"So..."
"We blow them up?"
Anis laughed quietly.
"Your solution to everything is 'blow it up.'"
"...Usually works."
Yuu chuckled.
"Eventually."
"But tonight..."
"We're professionals."
She zoomed the map farther in.
"We infiltrate."
"Plant charges."
"Disable the radar arrays."
"Destroy the missile launch systems."
"No unnecessary engagements."
Mary folded her arms.
"What if we're discovered?"
Yuu's expression became serious.
"Then we complete the mission before they know what hit them."
Pepper brought up her Gizmo repair gun attached to her arm, its emitter humming softly.
"I'll stay toward the center."
"If anyone gets hurt, I can patch them up immediately."
Yuu nodded.
"I'll take point."
"Nayuta, with me."
Nayuta tilted her head slightly before stepping forward beside Yuu.
"...Understood."
Her eyes briefly glowed.
Then—
Five identical figures stepped out from her body like reflections peeling away from reality itself.
Each clone stabilized instantly.
Perfect copies.
Same presence.
Same calm expression.
Same combat readiness.
Anis blinked.
"...Yeah, we figured."
Neon leaned closer.
"Heh..."
"Still pretty cool though."
Yuu gave a small nod.
"Each of you get one."
Nayuta's clones moved without hesitation.
One fell in beside Rapi.
One beside Anis.
One beside Neon.
One beside Mary.
One beside Pepper.
The original remained with Yuu.
"Stay close to your assigned partner."
"Provide overwatch and support."
"Do not engage unless necessary."
All six Nayutas spoke in perfect unison.
"...Acknowledged."
Mary adjusted her grip slightly.
"That certainly improves our survivability."
Pepper smiled faintly.
"I feel safer already."
Rapi gave a short nod.
"Good."
"Formation holds."
"Mary and Pepper can handle themselves."
"Neon."
Neon grinned.
"I know."
"No explosions..."
"...unless absolutely necessary."
Anis smirked.
"I'll believe that when I see it."
The squad quietly advanced inland.
Dense vegetation quickly concealed them.
Ahead, searchlights swept methodically across the shoreline.
Armored patrol drones moved along predetermined routes.
Several Rapture sentries stood motionless beside the perimeter fence.
Each was linked into the island's integrated defense network.
Yuu raised a closed fist.
Everyone stopped instantly.
She pointed toward the nearest watchtower.
Two automated snipers.
One radar technician.
A maintenance hatch beneath the platform.
She switched to a silent laser designator.
Rapi acknowledged with a nod.
The team split smoothly into practiced formations.
Like shadows, they slipped deeper into the jungle.
Above them...
Searchlights continued scanning the empty shoreline.
Unaware...
That seven infiltrators were already inside the perimeter.
The jungle gradually thinned.
Towering trees gave way to cleared ground.
One by one, the team reached the edge of the vegetation.
Yuu slowly knelt, raising one hand.
Everyone froze.
Ahead...
The island opened into an enormous military complex.
For several seconds...
No one spoke.
"...Chief..."
Yuu whispered through the encrypted channel.
"...Do you see this?"
High above, Grimm's live feed synchronized with the squad's helmet displays.
The holographic terrain model immediately expanded.
Then expanded again.
And again.
The map Yorktown had shown earlier...
Had only revealed the outer perimeter.
Now that Grimm had completed a full orbital sweep...
The scale became apparent.
Factories stretched for kilometers.
Aircraft hangars lined entire valleys.
Armored vehicle depots occupied multiple sectors.
Power substations.
Communication towers.
Missile silos.
Drone manufacturing plants.
Underground rail lines.
Even the half-pyramid command structure at the island's center dwarfed everything surrounding it.
Its shadow alone covered several city blocks.
Anis slowly lowered her rifle.
"...That's not a base."
"...That's a country."
Neon whistled quietly.
"...How are we supposed to blow up all of that?"
Mary adjusted the zoom on her visor.
"There must be tens of thousands of personnel here..."
Pepper silently counted the anti-air emplacements.
"...Far more than Grimm originally detected."
Even Nayuta's normally calm expression shifted slightly.
"...Large-scale military production."
Yuu exhaled slowly.
"...Chief..."
"We're on the western side."
"This place is enormous."
Yuuki studied the incoming satellite imagery aboard his own Razor Gunship.
His expression became serious.
"...I see it."
"The pyramid isn't the base."
"...The pyramid is just headquarters."
Yorktown quickly overlaid Grimm's newest reconnaissance.
The hologram tripled in size.
Then doubled again.
Enterprise quietly stared at the projection.
"...Commander..."
"This place is almost the size of our old Azur Lane headquarters."
Yuuki slowly shook his head.
"No."
"It's bigger."
Silence filled the command room.
Avrora quietly folded her arms.
"...Beloved..."
"This many defenses..."
Yuuki nodded.
"...Changes everything."
Yuu crossed her arms.
"...Chief."
"We're going to need a much larger Plan B."
"A handful of cruise missiles won't cover something this size."
Yuuki remained silent for several seconds.
Then...
He contacted Yorktown.
"Hana."
She immediately responded.
"Yes, Commander?"
"There should be a Command Interface on the upper right corner of Daedalus's command tactical display."
Yorktown glanced toward the floating hologram.
"...I see it."
She reached out.
A crimson warning immediately appeared.
COMMAND AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED
"...It's locked."
Yuuki smiled faintly.
"Hold."
Jarvis' voice sounded almost immediately.
"Commander authentication accepted."
"Granting temporary operational authority."
The warning vanished.
Yorktown blinked.
"...I have access."
Yuuki leaned back slightly.
"Good."
His tone became calm.
"Open Strategic Reserve."
Yorktown complied.
An entirely new command menu unfolded before her.
Rows upon rows of classified operational packages appeared.
Emergency deployments.
Orbital assets.
Rapid response formations.
Deep strike groups.
Experimental systems.
Even Kaguya quietly leaned forward.
"...Those weren't there before."
Yuuki nodded.
"They're reserved for strategic emergencies and for commanders only."
Yorktown looked back toward him.
"...Which one?"
Yuuki answered without hesitation.
"Deploy Strike Package..."
He paused.
"...Alpha Charlie."
Then added quietly,
"Authorization Code."
"One."
"Three."
"Zero."
Yorktown carefully entered the designation.
============
ALPHA CHARLIE
AUTHORIZATION: 130
============
She pressed Confirm.
For one brief moment...
Nothing happened.
Then—
The hologram transformed.
One classified asset.
Its designation alone caused several systems to automatically restrict further detail.
Even the estimated ammunition expenditure scrolled continuously down the side of the display.
Yorktown's eyes slowly widened.
"...Commander..."
Enterprise stepped closer.
She had commanded fleets before.
She understood logistics.
She understood naval warfare.
And yet...
Even she found herself speechless.
"...You're seriously deploying this?"
Kaguya quietly covered her mouth.
"Oh my..."
Akagi's tails immediately fluffed with excitement.
"Akagi approves."
Kaga slowly nodded.
"...An operation of this scale..."
"...Now this is proper preparation."
Even Belfast raised an eyebrow.
"...Master truly intends to leave nothing to chance."
================
Back on the island....
Avrora looked towards him.
To Yuuki.
"...Beloved..."
"...What exactly are we deploying?"
Yuuki only grinned.
"...A secret."
Avrora puffed out her cheeks.
"...Beloved..."
"That's unfair."
Soft laughter spread across the command room.
Yuuki folded his arms.
"If this operation goes south..."
"...I want enough backup that nobody has to wonder whether we're making it home."
He glanced toward the immense enemy installation.
"I'm not interested in winning by the skin of our teeth."
"I'm interested in bringing everyone back alive."
Jarvis interrupted.
"Strike Package Alpha Charlie acknowledged."
"Assets leaving Daedalus."
"Estimated arrival over target area..."
"...One hour."
Deep within the Daedalus...
Massive blast doors began opening.
Elevators descended into hidden launch bays.
Long-dormant strategic systems awakened one after another.
Whatever Alpha Charlie was...
It required nearly the entire carrier to prepare it.
The runway of the Daedalus command carrier consisted of four massive launch decks, each one long and reinforced enough to accommodate runway for two Harbinger gunships simultaneously. Under normal operations, the carrier could cycle multiple squadrons with seamless efficiency.
But now…
Strike Package Alpha Charlie had claimed two runways for itself.
The drones moved with precise urgency as warning lights bathed the launch bay in crimson. Magnetic clamps disengaged one by one, and the sheer scale of the deployed asset became unmistakable. It wasn't just large—it was imposing, a machine built not merely for combat, but for overwhelming dominance.
Low-frequency vibrations rippled across the deck as its engines began to spool up, the sound deep and resonant, like a distant storm gathering strength.
On another runway, ten elite Mark IV Firehawks escort fighters taxied into formation—sleek, heavily armed, and already running full combat diagnostics. Their drone pilots received final clearance as targeting systems synced with the carrier's command network.
With a thunderous surge of power, the strike package lifted from the runway, its escorts peeling off into tight protective formation as they accelerated into the night sky.
Within seconds, they vanished beyond visual range—nothing more than streaks of light cutting through the darkness.
At the same time, three Barracuda bombers lifted into the air using its VTOL function before burst into the skies.
======================
Yuuki slowly surveyed the sprawling installation through the feed streaming into his visor.
Blue markers rapidly appeared across his HUD.
Power stations.
Fuel depots.
Barracks.
Vehicle assembly lines.
Aircraft hangars.
Communications arrays.
Anti-air batteries.
Every important structure Grimm had identified was automatically tagged by Jarvis.
"...Man..."
He let out a low whistle.
"This place is huge."
Prince of Wales followed his gaze.
"...Indeed."
She narrowed her eyes toward the colossal half-pyramid dominating the island.
"But where are we supposed to begin?"
"We cannot search every building."
"There are simply too many."
Yuuki nodded.
"I know."
His visor continued scanning.
"We'll let Jarvis do the searching."
He pointed toward the pyramid.
"If this place operates like every military installation I've ever seen..."
"There's a central data core."
"A mainframe."
"Once Jarvis gets inside..."
"He'll map every living signature."
"Security cameras."
"Biometric records."
"Cell blocks."
"Personnel files."
"If Bismarck and the others are here..."
"We'll know exactly where."
Jarvis calmly responded.
"Affirmative."
"However..."
"I require physical access."
"The enemy network is isolated."
"I must establish a direct connection with one of their primary data nodes."
Yuuki nodded.
"That's our first objective."
He enlarged Grimm's latest scan.
"There."
A communications complex adjacent to the central pyramid lit up.
"That's probably where their backbone network terminates."
Jarvis immediately highlighted it in green.
"Probability of containing a primary data relay."
"Ninety-four percent."
Yuuki smiled.
"Good enough."
Then...
He noticed someone beside him.
Avrora had grown unusually quiet.
Her hands rested together in front of her.
Her fingers trembled ever so slightly.
"...Avrora?"
She looked up immediately.
"...Beloved..."
She tried to smile.
"...I am alright."
The smile didn't last.
"I..."
She lowered her eyes.
"I'm worried."
"So very worried..."
Her voice became almost a whisper.
"Diana..."
"...Paladin..."
"They're my sisters."
"I haven't seen them in so many years."
"What if..."
She bit her lip.
"...What if we're too late?"
Yuuki stepped beside her.
Without a word...
He gently placed one hand atop her head.
His armored fingers softly stroked her silver hair.
"Hey now..."
"They'll be alright."
Avrora looked up at him.
"They're important."
"They're valuable."
"Whoever built this place isn't going to throw away assets like them."
He smiled reassuringly.
"So stop imagining the worst."
"We'll find them."
"I promise."
Avrora slowly closed her eyes beneath his hand.
The tension in her shoulders gradually eased.
"...Thank you..."
"...Beloved."
Nearby...
Prinz Eugen quietly watched the exchange with an amused smile.
"...Teddy Bear certainly knows how to calm women."
Hipper immediately folded her arms.
"...He's just stating facts."
Eugen smirked.
"Oh?"
"I wonder why somebody sounds disappointed she didn't get head pats."
"E-Eugen!"
Hipper immediately looked away.
"I wasn't!"
Yuuki chuckled.
"You two can argue later."
He turned toward the rest of the team.
Prince of Wales stood ready.
Vestal completed one final diagnostic on everyone's equipment.
Z23 checked the suppressor mounted beneath her rifle.
Prinz Eugen casually spun her suppressed pistol before holstering it again.
Admiral Hipper rested her hand upon her weapon.
Each of them understood what this mission meant.
This wasn't merely another infiltration.
This was a rescue.
For Iron Blood.
For Royal Navy.
For Northern Parliament.
For everyone still waiting somewhere inside that massive fortress.
Yuuki looked at each of them.
"So..."
"You girls ready?"
Prince of Wales smiled proudly.
"Always, my Commander."
Vestal secured her gizmo beam.
"Medical and repair beams are prepared."
"If anyone gets hurt..."
"I'll keep them alive."
Prinz Eugen grinned.
"Hehe..."
"A proper stealth ground operation."
"It's been a while. Unlike the loud shoot and kill tactic we did a few days ago."
"And..."
She glanced sideways toward Yuuki.
"I finally get to work beside my Teddy Bear."
Admiral Hipper looked away with a small huff.
"...Don't misunderstand."
"I'm only here because Frau Bismarck is inside."
"...That's all."
Eugen couldn't resist.
"Sure you are."
Hipper's ears turned slightly red.
"...Shut up."
Z23 quietly smiled to herself.
Unlike the others...
She wasn't trying to hide it.
She had looked forward to this mission ever since it had been planned.
KMS Bismarck.
The woman who had inspired every Iron Blood Shipgirl.
The one who had carried them through war after war.
The one who had never abandoned them.
Today...
They were finally coming to bring her home.
Yuuki looked toward the towering pyramid one final time.
"Alright."
He raised two fingers.
"Primary objective."
"Locate the mainframe."
"Secondary objective."
"Find Bismarck."
"No unnecessary firefights."
"No heroes."
"If we're spotted..."
"We disappear."
"If we can't disappear..."
He smiled beneath the helmet.
"...Then we'll make enough noise that Yuu complains we're stealing all the fun."
Soft laughter spread across the squad.
As they slipped from one patch of cover to the next, Prinz Eugen quietly fell into step beside Yuuki.
A faint smile tugged at her lips.
"...Teddy Bear."
"It's been a while since I've been on a stealth ground operation like this."
She looked ahead, her rifle resting comfortably against her shoulder.
"Most of my time was spent inside Pierre's gilded cage..."
"...with my sister."
"Hey!"
Hipper shot her a glare.
Eugen only chuckled.
Yuuki glanced between the sisters.
"...Do you regret it?"
"Leaving all of that wealth behind?"
Prinz Eugen didn't even hesitate.
"Regret?"
She laughed softly.
"I escaped that bastard."
"I found you."
She rested a hand lightly over her chest.
"And through you..."
"...I found everyone else."
She looked toward Hipper.
"My sister is safe."
"She doesn't have to suffer alone anymore."
Her smile softened.
"I used to chase excitement."
"The next thrill."
"The next drink."
"The next reckless adventure."
She let out a quiet breath.
"I don't anymore."
Yuuki tilted his head.
"Chasing excitement?"
Hipper answered before Eugen could.
"That was how she used to live."
"Always looking for something dangerous."
"Something exciting."
"Something that made her feel alive."
She glanced at her older sister.
"But after Commander John Smith ordered everyone to scatter..."
"...she changed."
Yuuki listened quietly.
Hipper continued.
"She could empty bottle after bottle without ever getting drunk."
"But after that day..."
"...she quit."
Yuuki looked surprised.
"There wasn't a shortage of alcohol."
"Pierre's castle had entire cellars filled with expensive wine."
He gave her a look.
"I know."
"But..."
Hipper smiled faintly.
"...she never touched another bottle."
"Not once."
"She hated seeing Pierre drown himself in alcohol."
"Being an abusive drunk bastard."
"Alcohol became her trauma."
"So she simply..."
"...walked away from it."
Prinz Eugen smiled.
"I suppose..."
"I sobered up."
She turned toward Yuuki.
"Besides..."
"Our connected hearts..."
She lightly tapped her chest.
"...give me far greater excitement than any bottle ever could."
Her crimson eyes met his.
"You gave me something I hadn't realized I'd lost."
"A home."
"My family."
"My purpose as a Shipgirl."
She smiled with unusual sincerity.
"So..."
"I only ask one thing."
Yuuki looked at her.
"...What's that?"
She stepped a little closer.
"Accept me."
"My scars."
"My past."
"My broken self."
"Until the day I can no longer serve beside you."
Yuuki smiled warmly.
"Pfft..."
"You make it sound like you're swearing yourself to a master."
He gently bumped her shoulder with his own.
"I never wanted servants."
"I wanted companions."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"And you're precious to me."
"Just like everyone else, Eugen."
For a brief second...
The usually teasing heavy cruiser was speechless.
Then...
Her smile slowly returned.
One that reached her eyes.
"My..."
"Keep saying things like that, Teddy Bear..."
She leaned closer with a mischievous grin.
"...and we might have our own little Prinz Eugen running around someday."
Silence.
Yuuki laughed.
"Let's save Bismarck first."
"And after you've reached your strongest level..."
"We'll see."
Prinz Eugen offered her hand.
"...Agreed. Wouldn't want the little one born knowing her mother is under leveled."
"Oh you..."
Yuuki blushed under his helmet as he held her hand.
Before either of them could say another word—
"Would you two stop flirting already?"
Hipper's exasperated voice echoed through the formation.
Prinz Eugen immediately turned toward her sister with a wicked grin.
"Oh?"
"Jealous, Sis?"
Hipper's eyebrow twitched.
"W-What?"
Prinz Eugen clasped both hands dramatically.
"Maybe you want your own little Admiral Hipper too."
"A tiny..."
"...adorable..."
"...chibi tsundere Hipper."
Hipper froze.
"Wha..."
"I..."
Against her will...
The image appeared in her mind.
A tiny blonde-haired girl with miniature rigging.
Puffing out her cheeks.
Crossing tiny arms.
Shouting,
"I-It's not like I wanted breakfast or anything!"
The little girl stomped around in an oversized officer's cap while everyone laughed.
Acted just like her mother.
Hipper's face instantly turned scarlet.
"N-No!"
"I would not!"
Prinz Eugen completely lost her composure.
"Hahahaha!"
"There it is!"
"The face!"
Even Prince of Wales covered her mouth to hide a smile.
Vestal quietly giggled.
Z23 coughed into her fist, pretending not to laugh.
Yuuki simply shook his head with a smile.
"...You two really haven't changed."
Hipper cleared her throat loudly, desperately trying to regain her composure.
"A-Anyway!"
She pointed toward the immense fortress ahead.
"Enough of this."
"We're here for one reason."
Her expression hardened.
"...To save Frau Bismarck."
Before the squad could move again—
"Herr Kommandant!"
Z23 suddenly spoke up.
Her voice was far louder than she intended.
Everyone instinctively turned toward her.
She stood perfectly straight, her rifle held against her chest.
"If..."
She took a deep breath.
"If Javelin and Frau Eugen can become your fiancées..."
Her cheeks gradually reddened.
"...then..."
"I would like to request becoming one as well!"
Silence.
Complete silence.
Prinz Eugen's crimson eyes sparkled.
"Oh?"
"Our little Nimi is being quite bold today."
She covered her smile with one hand.
"Already thinking about marriage?"
She leaned closer with a teasing grin.
"Perhaps..."
"...you'd like a little Z23 running around someday?"
"Wha—"
Z23's face exploded into crimson.
"N-No!"
"I just..."
She clenched both fists.
"I just love the Commander!"
The words escaped before she could stop them.
The entire formation froze.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Z23 blinked.
Then realization struck.
"...Ah."
"..."
"...Ehh?"
Prinz Eugen slowly turned toward her.
Even she looked genuinely surprised.
"...Well..."
"I wasn't expecting such a direct confession."
Before anyone else could speak—
Yorktown's voice calmly came over the encrypted communications network.
"...Um..."
"...Everyone?"
"I feel obligated to remind you..."
"...this is an open channel."
Another moment of silence.
Then—
"Eep!"
Z23's eyes widened.
Her entire face turned bright red.
She instinctively covered her mouth.
"...Everyone heard that?"
Yorktown answered gently.
"...Yes."
Back in the Daedalus Command Hall...
Ayanami quietly blinked.
"...Nimi is quite bold."
Javelin nodded enthusiastically.
"I didn't think she'd confess first!"
Laffey simply tilted her head.
"...Laffey thinks Nimi is brave."
On the western infiltration route...
Neon couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Oh!"
"This is too good!"
She immediately began singing over the comms.
"Nimi and Yuuki, sitting in a tree~"
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G~!"
"First comes love~"
"Then comes marriage~"
"Then comes baby~"
"In a baby carriage~!"
Anis burst into laughter.
"Neon!"
"You menace!"
Pepper covered her mouth, trying not to giggle.
Even Mary couldn't suppress a smile.
Back with Yuuki's squad...
Z23 slowly lowered her head.
"..."
"...Neon..."
"...I'm going to remember this."
Somewhere across the island, Neon laughed even harder.
"Worth it!"
Yuuki sighs beneath his helmet.
"...Can we please focus?"
"Those girls aren't going to rescue themselves."
The laughter gradually subsided.
He turned toward Z23.
She still couldn't meet his eyes.
Yuuki stepped closer.
Then gently rested a hand upon her head.
Pat.
Pat.
Her shoulders immediately relaxed.
"Nimi."
She slowly looked up.
"I've always been aware of your feelings."
"And..."
"I accept them."
Her emerald eyes widened.
Yuuki smiled warmly.
"My promise is the same for everyone."
"Reach your strongest."
"Stand beside me at the summit."
"And..."
"I'll be waiting there for you."
For a moment...
Z23 simply stared at him.
Then she gave the crispest salute of her life.
"Commander..."
A determined smile finally replaced her embarrassment.
"...Yes!"
"I'll become strong enough to stand beside you."
Prinz Eugen quietly smiled.
"...That's our little Nimi."
Hipper folded her arms with a small huff.
"...At least she confessed properly."
Prinz Eugen immediately looked sideways.
"Oh?"
"So you've been taking notes?"
"W-What?!"
"I said nothing of the sort!"
"Waiting for the right moment? Let me guess, a candlelit dinner overlooking the sea while you're wearing a really cute dress?"
"No!"
The squad chuckled quietly, their laughter barely audible through the encrypted channel.
Prinz Eugen folded her arms and tilted her head, wearing an unbearably smug smile.
"At least I had the gall to do this."
Before Yuuki could react, Eugen leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
"Ich liebe dich~ That is the truth from me, teddy bear~"
For a moment, the channel went completely silent.
Prinz Eugen was known back then for her teasing. Few rarely can tell whether she was being truthful or just plain joking.
This time, it was the truth.
Yuuki slowly turned toward her.
"Eugen."
"Hehe..."
Eugen's grin widened as she stepped back, clearly pleased with herself.
She might have changed for the better, but her teasing side was still very much alive.
And, if anything...
It had become even more of a menace.
Then Yuuki's expression became serious once more.
He pointed toward the communications complex looming ahead.
"Alright."
"Confessions can wait until we're home."
"Let's bring Bismarck..."
"...and everyone else..."
"...back where they belong."
The smiles faded into determined expressions.
Safeties were checked one final time.
Weapons were raised.
Seven figures disappeared back into the darkness, continuing their silent advance toward the enemy's mainframe.
=================
The operation itself was straightforward.
Executing it...
Would be anything but.
Grimm had already completed a comprehensive surrounding scan of the island.
Every exposed anti-air emplacement had been identified.
Rotating flak cannons.
Point-defense laser batteries.
Heavy anti-air artillery.
They were all marked on every GDI visor.
But one critical problem remained.
The surface-to-air missile network.
Unlike the gun batteries...
The SAM launchers were hidden.
Some were concealed beneath reinforced blast doors.
Others were disguised as ordinary warehouses.
Several were likely mounted on underground elevators, ready to surface only when hostile aircraft entered engagement range.
Grimm couldn't see beneath the island.
Which meant there was only one way to reveal them.
Yuuki and Yuu needed access to the enemy's internal network.
Once Jarvis breached a primary server...
He could expose everything.
Every concealed SAM site.
Every underground bunker.
Every detention block.
Every laboratory.
Every Shipgirl.
Every Nikke.
Nothing inside the fortress would remain hidden.
That made the communications mainframe...
The highest-priority objective on the island.
Meanwhile...
On the western side of the complex.
Yuu raised a closed fist.
The squad halted.
A convoy of autonomous cargo trucks rolled through the security checkpoint.
No drivers.
No officers.
No guards.
Only drones.
Each vehicle moved with mechanical precision, following predetermined routes deeper into the base.
Yuu watched for several seconds.
Then smiled.
"...There's our ride."
The team activated their Echo Suit Mark II infiltration systems.
Tiny indicators across their helmets shifted from blue...
To green.
STEALTH MODE: ACTIVE
The suits immediately bent incoming light around their wearers.
Thermal emissions dropped to almost nothing.
Electronic signatures vanished.
Even their footsteps became nearly inaudible.
One by one...
The squad slipped from the shadows and moved behind the convoy, using the massive cargo carriers as moving cover.
The trucks passed directly beneath multiple sensor gates.
Laser grids swept across the roadway.
Millimeter-wave scanners searched for concealed intruders.
Chemical sniffers sampled the surrounding air.
Not a single alarm sounded.
==================
Echo Suit Mark II adaptive camouflage functioning within expected parameters.
Enemy stealth-detection systems bypassed.
Continue infiltration.
=================
The convoy rolled deeper into the facility.
Towering walls rose around them.
The base felt less like a military installation...
And more like a sprawling industrial city.
Massive assembly buildings stretched into the distance.
Cargo cranes moved shipping containers the size of apartment blocks.
Automated rail systems carried armored vehicles between factories.
Above everything...
The enormous half-pyramid command complex dominated the skyline.
Yuu quietly separated from the group.
"Nayuta."
The original clone gave a silent nod.
"I'll cover you."
Yuu fired her grappling launcher.
Thwip.
The magnetic hook shot upward without a sound.
It locked onto the edge of a nearby communications guard tower.
She tested the line once.
Then activated the winch.
The Echo Suit silently pulled her upward.
Within seconds...
She reached the observation platform.
Flattening herself against the tower's exterior, Yuu slowly lifted her head above the railing.
Her breath caught.
"...Chief..."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"You need to see this."
Her visor streamed everything directly to Grimm and Yuuki.
From above...
The true scale of the installation became unmistakable.
Roads stretched toward the horizon.
Factories operated around the clock.
Columns of drones moved with machine-like precision between production lines.
Aircraft filled hangars large enough to house entire fleets.
Convoys flowed through the complex like arteries feeding a living organism.
And at the center...
The colossal half-pyramid towered over everything else.
Up close...
It was almost impossible to comprehend.
The structure wasn't merely a headquarters.
It was a fortress built inside another fortress.
Yuu quietly zoomed her visor toward its upper levels.
"...This place..."
"...is even bigger than it looked from orbit."
Yuuki studied the live feed streaming from Yuu's visor.
Rows upon rows of factories.
Missile production facilities.
Vehicle depots.
Drone assembly plants.
Everything was interconnected through an immense transportation network.
He smiled faintly.
"...Thanks, Yuu."
"Looks like we know what we're supposed to do."
He switched to the operation-wide encrypted channel.
Every Echo Suit immediately acknowledged.
===============
TACTICAL CHANNEL CONNECTED
ALL GROUND TEAMS ONLINE
===============
"Listen up."
"Our objectives have changed. We need to secure the air for our support to arrive."
He brought up Grimm's holographic map.
Blue markers illuminated every known anti-air battery.
"There are too many anti-air guns for one team to handle."
"So we're splitting up."
One by one, the squad members looked at the projected map.
"You'll separate and move independently around the base."
"Plant demolition charges on every marked anti-air emplacement."
"No prolonged firefights."
"If you're spotted..."
"Disappear."
"If you can't disappear..."
"Relocate."
"The explosives can wait."
He highlighted the center of the fortress.
"Yuu and I will handle the communications complex."
"We're infiltrating the mainframe."
"Once Jarvis gets inside..."
"He'll reveal every hidden surface-to-air missile site."
"The locations of every captured Shipgirl."
"Every Nikke."
"And every underground installation Grimm couldn't detect."
He looked toward everyone.
"The base is enormous."
"So use whatever it takes to reach your objectives."
A schematic of the Echo Suit Mark II appeared on everyone's HUD.
"The Echo Suit's hydraulic assist is active."
"It isn't just armor."
"It amplifies your movement."
"Run."
"Climb."
"Jump."
"The suit bears most of the physical load."
"You won't burn through your stamina crossing this place."
"So move fast."
"But stay invisible."
Another timer appeared.
STRATEGIC STRIKE COUNTDOWN
00:59:31
"We have approximately one hour."
"After that..."
"Cruise missiles begin their attack."
"And Strike Package Alpha Charlie arrives over the island."
No one asked what Alpha Charlie was.
Nobody needed to.
Everyone understood it marked the beginning of the assault.
Until then...
Their mission remained invisible.
Yuuki's gaze shifted toward Prince of Wales.
Then Avrora.
Both women quietly understood before he even spoke.
"I know."
"You both want to find your sisters."
Avrora lowered her eyes.
Prince of Wales remained silent.
Yuuki smiled reassuringly.
"But we can't search an installation this size blindly."
"We need Jarvis inside the network first."
"Only then will we know exactly where they're being held."
He pointed toward the sky above the fortress.
"So do me a favor."
"Help clear the skies."
"When the operation begins..."
"I don't want enemy aircraft interfering with our extraction."
Prince of Wales gave a firm nod.
"...Understood, Commander."
"We'll make sure our air support has room to work."
Avrora placed a hand over her heart.
"...I trust you, Beloved."
"We will find them."
Yuuki nodded once.
"We will."
He switched frequencies.
The channel automatically routed to Yuu.
"Yuu."
Her reply came immediately.
"Listening, Chief."
"When we reach the mainframe..."
"Prepare your intrusion package."
"We're planting every virus we've developed."
"Jarvis will piggyback through your payload."
"Our first priority is complete access to their network."
"Our second..."
He looked toward the countless aircraft sitting inside the nearby hangars. Disabling them one by one will be a hassle.
Since they're all drones....
"...is grounding their air force."
Yuu grinned beneath her helmet.
"Heh."
"I've been waiting to cut the wings off this place."
She checked the compact cyberwarfare module mounted to her forearm.
"Viruses are loaded."
"Electronic warfare package is ready."
"The moment we touch their servers..."
"...their network becomes ours."
Yuuki smiled.
"That's what I wanted to hear."
The infiltration force scattered like drops of rain across the sprawling fortress.
No voices.
No unnecessary movement.
Only silent professionals disappearing into the mechanical city.
Prinz Eugen and Admiral Hipper moved first.
Their grappling launchers fired almost simultaneously.
Thwip.
Thwip.
Twin magnetic hooks locked onto the upper framework of a nearby maintenance crane overlooking one of the anti-air batteries.
The cables tightened.
The Echo Suit's hydraulic assist engaged.
Rather than climbing...
The sisters were launched upward.
They arced silently through the darkness before landing atop the steel framework without making a sound.
Prinz Eugen looked down at the heavy anti-air emplacement below.
"...Target acquired."
Hipper was already moving.
"Less talking."
"More planting."
They descended using maintenance ladders and support beams, carefully avoiding the patrol routes of the automated drones.
Within moments...
Prinz Eugen knelt beside the massive flak cannon.
She removed a compact magnetic demolition charge from her suit inventory.
Click.
The charge locked firmly against the cannon's ammunition feed assembly.
Hipper planted a second charge beneath the elevation motor housing.
Either explosive alone would cripple the weapon.
Together...
The emplacement would be completely destroyed.
Prinz Eugen armed the timer.
A tiny green light blinked once.
Then disappeared.
"...One down."
Farther north...
Prince of Wales and Avrora moved with equal precision.
Their grappling hooks shot toward the roofline of an adjacent logistics warehouse.
Using the momentum, both women swung silently across an open roadway nearly thirty meters below.
Cargo drones continued transporting supplies beneath them.
Completely unaware.
They released their cables at precisely the right moment.
Landing atop another building.
Then immediately launching again.
Like silent pendulums...
They crossed the industrial district from rooftop to rooftop.
Always above the patrol routes.
Always unseen.
Their destination...
Another cluster of anti-air batteries protecting the northern approach.
Meanwhile...
Vestal and Z23 established an overwatch position atop a maintenance platform overlooking several major intersections.
Both rifles rested upon the railing.
Suppressors already mounted.
Z23 adjusted her scope.
"...Two maintenance drones approaching Hipper's sector."
Vestal calmly observed through her own optic.
"They'll discover the charges during routine diagnostics."
Z23 inhaled slowly.
She squeezed the trigger.
Pfft.
A tungsten round punched cleanly through the lead drone's central processor.
The machine immediately collapsed.
The second drone paused.
Attempting to diagnose the failure.
Another suppressed shot.
Pfft.
It fell beside the first.
No alarms.
No radio transmissions.
Only two disabled machines lying quietly in the shadows.
Vestal smiled faintly.
"...Nicely done."
Z23 cycled another round into the chamber.
"We keep their path clear."
"No one reaches the explosives before detonation."
Elsewhere...
Yuuki activated his own stealth mode.
The armor shimmered briefly before the adaptive camouflage enveloped him.
His silhouette dissolved into the surrounding darkness.
Helmet systems synchronized.
Hydraulic servos engaged.
Environmental dampeners activated.
Even his breathing became nearly inaudible.
Jarvis projected a translucent path across his visor.
A blue line winding between patrol routes, security checkpoints, and surveillance cameras.
"Recommended infiltration route updated."
"Estimated travel time to primary communications complex."
"Fourteen minutes."
Yuuki nodded once.
"Lead the way."
Keeping to maintenance corridors, elevated walkways, and the shadows cast by towering factory buildings, he advanced deeper into the compound.
Autonomous forklifts rolled past only meters away.
Heavy cargo drones transported missile components overhead.
Columns of security droids marched through the streets in perfectly synchronized formations.
Not a single human guard was visible.
Everywhere he looked...
Machines.
The deeper he traveled...
The more obvious it became.
This fortress didn't merely employ automation.
It depended upon it.
Which meant...
If Jarvis gained access to the central network...
The entire installation could be mapped in moments.
Yuuki glanced toward the immense half-pyramid dominating the skyline.
"...Just a little farther."
Deep inside that colossal structure...
Somewhere beyond layers of steel, encrypted servers, and automated defenses...
Waited the data that would reveal every hidden missile battery...
And every captive they had come to rescue.
Yuuki tapped the side of his helmet as he slipped beneath the shadow of an elevated conveyor system.
The encrypted channel switched frequencies.
"Yuu."
"How are things on your end?"
Static crackled for only a moment before her amused voice answered.
"...Pretty smooth, Chief."
Her visor feed appeared in the corner of Yuuki's display.
Yuu was moving almost effortlessly across the rooftops.
She fired her grappling hook.
Thwip.
The magnetic anchor latched onto a communications mast.
Without slowing down, she swung across a thirty-meter gap between two factory buildings before releasing at the perfect moment.
The Echo Suit's hydraulics absorbed the landing.
She barely made a sound.
Another leap.
Another rooftop.
She flowed across the skyline like a phantom.
Below...
The rest of her team was already carrying out their assignments.
Rapi silently attached another magnetic demolition charge beneath an anti-air cannon's rotating mount.
Its arming light flashed green before going dark.
Mary and Pepper worked together to secure another emplacement, carefully concealing the explosives beneath maintenance panels.
Nearby...
The five Nayuta clones separated with perfect coordination.
Each clone approached a different anti-air battery.
Each planted an identical demolition package.
Each departed before the nearby maintenance drones completed their patrol cycle.
It looked almost choreographed.
Then...
Neon stopped in front of one completed charge.
She tilted her head.
"...You know..."
"We could just blow it up right now."
She slowly reached toward the detonator.
Before her finger could touch it—
Rapi grabbed the top of her head.
"...No."
Neon's arms continued reaching while Rapi effortlessly held her in place.
"But..."
"It would be so cool."
"No."
"It'd be loud."
"...Exactly!"
Rapi sighed.
"That's the problem."
Anis leaned against the side of the anti-air cannon, laughing quietly.
"Some things never change."
"You give Neon enough explosives..."
"...and suddenly patience becomes optional."
Neon puffed out her cheeks.
"I have excellent patience."
Rapi looked at her.
"...You lasted twelve seconds."
"...That's practically a record."
Even Yuu chuckled as she landed atop another rooftop.
"You two behave."
"We're ghosts today."
"No fireworks until the Commander gives the word."
Neon reluctantly folded her arms.
"...Fine."
"But when the timer reaches zero..."
"I'm making the biggest boom on the island."
Anis grinned.
"I believe you."
Yuu's gaze shifted toward the towering half-pyramid in the distance.
Her expression became focused once more.
She answered Yuuki through the encrypted channel.
"Western sector is proceeding ahead of schedule."
"All teams remain undetected."
"Charges are being planted."
"No alarms."
She checked the tactical overlay on her visor.
"Nayuta's clones have already covered five anti-air batteries."
"Rapi's group has finished two more."
"We're making good progress."
Yuu smiled beneath her helmet.
"And Chief..."
She looked toward the communications complex that stood between her and the pyramid.
"We're almost at the server district."
"When you're ready..."
"We'll crack this place wide open."
Yuu's expression became focused as she reached the final rooftop overlooking the drone control center.
The structure was considerably more fortified than the surrounding buildings.
Unlike the factories and warehouses, this tower had multiple layers of security.
Heavy blast doors.
Dedicated sensor arrays.
Automated defense turrets.
And, most importantly...
A direct network connection to the base's autonomous warfare infrastructure.
Yuu crouched behind a ventilation unit.
"Nayuta."
The clone immediately appeared beside her.
"Ready."
Yuu pointed toward the entrance.
"Two patrol groups."
"Nineteen seconds between rotations."
Nayuta nodded.
"I'll take the first."
"I'll take the second."
They moved simultaneously.
The first patrol of security droids rounded the corner.
Nayuta used her shoulder launched silent small missiles.
Pfft.
One droid's optical sensor went dark.
Pfft.
The second collapsed.
Yuu moved before the remaining machines could react.
Two precise shots.
Four disabled droids.
No alarms.
No warning.
Nayuta immediately dragged the machines into the shadows.
Yuu glanced toward the control tower.
"Clear."
They approached the access door.
Yuu placed a small electronic bypass device against the control panel.
The Mark 49 interface synchronized with it.
===================
ACCESS SYSTEM
SECURITY PROTOCOL DETECTED
BYPASSING...
===================
The door opened.
Neither woman hesitated.
They slipped inside.
The interior was almost completely automated.
Rows of server racks filled the lower levels.
Holographic displays showed hundreds of aircraft and drone signatures moving across the island.
Every aircraft hangar.
Every launch platform.
Every drone squadron.
Every autonomous patrol unit.
Everything was being controlled from this facility.
Yuu's eyes widened slightly.
"...This is it."
Nayuta scanned the room.
"Drone command."
"Most likely connected to the mainframe."
Yuu nodded.
"Exactly."
She moved toward the central control terminal.
"Keep watch."
Nayuta positioned herself beside the entrance, rifle raised.
Yuu opened the cyberwarfare interface on her forearm.
A small encrypted data module appeared.
===============
FRIDAY
===============
She inserted it into the terminal.
"Friday..."
"You're going to have fun."
The module activated.
A stream of encrypted code immediately propagated through the control system.
Then a familiar voice sounded through Yuu's helmet.
"Hello, Yuu."
Yuu smiled.
"Good to have you back, Friday."
"Likewise."
The artificial intelligence immediately began mapping the network.
"Drone control network identified."
"Aircraft command network identified."
"Electronic warfare infrastructure identified."
"Beginning infiltration."
The holographic display suddenly changed.
Hundreds of aircraft icons appeared.
Then thousands of autonomous drones.
Friday began isolating their command channels.
"Aircraft control authority located."
"Initiating remote sabotage."
One by one...
The aircraft systems began locking themselves down.
Hangar doors stopped responding.
Flight-control systems entered maintenance mode.
Weapons systems disconnected from their command network.
Fuel management systems shut down.
Drone launch sequences were cancelled.
Across the enormous fortress...
Aircraft that had been prepared for combat suddenly became useless.
Yuu stared at the display.
"...That was fast."
Friday replied calmly.
"I have only begun."
A second map appeared.
This one was much larger.
Network connections spread across the entire island.
Then...
One connection highlighted itself.
PRIMARY DATA CORE
Yuu's expression immediately changed.
"There."
Friday highlighted a route through the fortress.
"The primary mainframe is located beneath the central command structure."
"Physical access is required for direct integration."
Yuu immediately transmitted the coordinates.
"Chief."
Yuuki's visor received the data.
Friday continued.
"I have also discovered multiple concealed surface-to-air missile installations."
The tactical map exploded with new markers.
Dozens.
Then more.
Hidden SAM batteries appeared beneath warehouses, underground platforms, armored bunkers and concealed launch fields.
Yuuki stared at the newly revealed network.
"...There you are."
Friday continued.
"Uploading data to your maps."
Yuu immediately contacted Yuuki.
"Chief."
"We found them."
"The hidden SAM sites and missile sites."
A pause.
Then Yuuki answered quietly.
"Excellent work."
Yuu smiled.
"Then let's finish opening this fortress."
Friday's voice followed.
"I have one more discovery."
Yuu looked toward the display.
"What?"
"The main mainframe."
"It is also managing the entire Rapture air-defense architecture."
A new schematic appeared.
Yuu's expression hardened.
"If we get Jarvis into that system..."
Yuuki's voice came through Yuu's encrypted channel.
"Then we own the skies..."
He paused as the tactical map continued filling with newly discovered targets.
"...and we can begin large-scale data transfer."
Friday answered immediately.
"Correct."
A second window opened on Yuu's visor.
"Additionally..."
"I have located the Nikke detention site."
Yuu's expression sharpened.
"Where?"
"Northern sector of the base."
"Approximately four hundred meters from Rapi's current position."
"The containment center is beneath a reinforced logistics complex."
Yuu immediately opened the tactical map.
A new marker appeared.
NIKKE CONTAINMENT CENTER
Her eyes narrowed.
"So close..."
She immediately switched to the squad channel.
"Rapi."
"We have your location."
"Friday found the Nikke detention center."
Rapi's response came instantly.
"Send the coordinates."
"Already transmitted."
The marker appeared on Rapi's HUD.
Anis' voice followed.
"...That's close."
Neon immediately sounded excited.
"Are we rescuing them now?"
"Not yet."
Yuu answered firmly.
"First we secure the route."
"Then we extract them."
She turned back toward Friday.
"Relay every hidden target."
"All SAM sites."
"Aircraft facilities."
"Detention centers."
"Command nodes."
"Everything you have."
"Send it to every GDI unit."
Friday replied.
"Transmitting."
Across the island...
Tactical displays began updating simultaneously.
On Yuuki's visor, dozens of previously invisible targets suddenly appeared.
On Wales' HUD...
A cluster of concealed missile batteries illuminated.
Avrora received the coordinates of several underground facilities.
Eugen and Hipper's map updated with additional anti-air positions.
Vestal and Z23 immediately received new sniper overwatch routes.
Rapi's squad received the precise location of the Nikke containment center.
The entire operation had just changed.
They were no longer fighting blind.
They could see the fortress.
Every hidden weapon.
Every important structure.
Every possible route.
Yuu removed the temporary interface module from the terminal.
"Friday."
"Keep sabotaging their aircraft."
"Don't destroy everything."
"Make them believe their systems are experiencing technical failures."
Friday's voice carried a hint of amusement.
"Understood, Miss Yuu."
"I will maintain the illusion."
One by one, more aircraft systems began quietly failing.
A fighter attempted to start its engines.
Nothing.
A drone carrier tried to open its hangar doors.
The command was rejected.
A missile aircraft completed its preflight sequence...
Then its targeting computer rebooted.
The enemy had no idea why.
Yuu turned toward Nayuta.
"Let's go."
Nayuta nodded.
They disappeared through the control center's maintenance exit.
At the same time...
Yuuki received Yuu's transmission.
"Chief."
"Friday located the main mainframe."
"Inside the central fortress."
Yuuki looked toward the enormous half-pyramid dominating the skyline.
"So that's where we're going."
Yuu continued.
"We also located the Nikke containment center."
"Northern sector."
"Rapi and the others are already close."
Yuuki nodded.
"You handle that part."
"Rescue the Nikkes."
"Get them somewhere secure."
"I'll infiltrate the main base."
"Once the explosives are planted..."
"We'll begin the next phase."
Yuu smiled.
"Understood, Chief."
"Good luck."
"You too."
The channel switched.
Yuuki opened the main tactical frequency.
Every Shipgirl and Nikke involved in the operation heard his voice.
"Girls."
"You have your targets."
"The hidden locations have been uploaded to your HUDs."
"Plant the explosives."
"Every anti-air battery."
"Every missile launcher."
"Every critical defense node we've marked."
"Do not detonate yet."
"We'll wait until everyone is in position."
A series of acknowledgements immediately filled the channel.
"Yes, Commander!"
"Understood!"
"Roger!"
"Got it!"
Wales' voice came through clearly.
"All northern targets received."
Avrora followed.
"We will clear the skies for you, Beloved."
Eugen laughed softly.
"Looks like our little treasure hunt just became much easier."
Hipper sighed.
"Focus, Eugen."
Z23 answered with renewed determination.
"Commander, target coordinates received!"
Rapi spoke next.
"Nikke containment center confirmed."
"We're moving."
Yuu added:
"Friday will keep their aircraft disabled."
"Once we reach the detention center, we'll secure the prisoners and prepare for extraction."
Yuuki looked toward the towering fortress.
The operation had been running for less than an hour.
Yet the impossible fortress was slowly being dismantled from within.
Its aircraft were being sabotaged.
Its air defenses were being marked.
Its hidden missile batteries were exposed.
Its prisoner locations had been discovered.
And its entire communications network was beginning to bend under GDI intrusion.
Yuuki activated his stealth mode again.
The Mark 86 shimmered and disappeared into the darkness.
"Alright."
"Let's finish this."
He looked toward the half-pyramid.
"Time to enter the heart of the beast."
===============
Yuu's voice came through the encrypted channel.
"Everyone, once you complete your assignments, regroup at the northern section."
She brought up the newly discovered coordinates.
"Friday located the Northern Nikke containment facility."
Rapi answered immediately.
"Understood."
Anis checked the map.
"On our way."
Neon suddenly raised her hand.
"Before we go..."
Anis already knew where this was going.
"No."
"I haven't even said anything."
"You were going to ask if we could visit the armory."
Neon paused.
"...Maybe."
Anis sighed.
"We're not looting this place."
"Oh, come on!"
Neon whined.
"Raptures have to have something worth taking!"
"We're rescuing prisoners, not going shopping!"
"But what if they have really cool weapons?"
"Neon."
"Fine..."
Neon lowered her rifle with exaggerated disappointment.
"...Mission first."
A Nayuta clone quietly giggled beside her.
"Focus on thy task, Neon."
She pointed toward the next sector.
"There is a concealed SAM installation nearby."
Neon's eyes immediately brightened.
"A hidden SAM site?"
"Now that's something worth seeing!"
Anis facepalmed.
"That's not what she meant."
The squad moved deeper into the northern sector.
They remained completely invisible beneath their Echo Suit Mark II stealth systems.
Security cameras swept across the roads.
Their lenses moved methodically from left to right.
The squad waited.
A camera turned away.
Rapi raised two fingers.
Move.
They crossed the open area.
Another camera rotated toward them.
Nayuta immediately deployed a tiny reconnaissance drone.
The miniature machine flew beneath the camera's blind spot and projected its visual feed directly into their HUDs.
"Camera bypassed."
"Next."
Another drone launched.
Then another.
One by one, the drones mapped the security network.
The squad didn't need to destroy the cameras.
They simply avoided them.
Or temporarily spoofed their feeds.
Ahead...
The tactical map displayed a large underground structure.
Yuu studied it.
"That's it."
"The SAM complex."
Rapi crouched beside a concrete barrier.
"How many?"
Nayuta's drone completed its scan.
"Six launch batteries."
"Two underground magazines."
"One centralized targeting system."
Anis whistled quietly.
"That's a lot of missiles."
Neon grinned.
"Now we're talking."
"Neon."
"I'm focusing!"
They slipped through another maintenance corridor.
The passage eventually opened into a massive underground storage facility.
The squad stopped.
Everyone stared.
For several seconds...
Nobody said anything.
Rows upon rows of missiles stretched into the darkness.
Crates were stacked several stories high.
Automated loading systems moved along ceiling-mounted rails.
Armored doors protected individual magazines.
The markings on the containers made one thing immediately obvious.
These weren't small tactical missiles.
They were cruise missiles.
Long-range weapons.
Enough to threaten ships, aircraft, and potentially distant installations.
Neon's eyes widened.
"...Holy..."
Rapi stared at the storage racks.
"...That's a lot of firepower."
Anis slowly lowered her weapon.
"...They're all cruise missiles."
Yuu immediately scanned the facility.
"How many?"
Friday answered through the network.
"Estimated inventory..."
A pause.
"...Several hundred."
The entire squad went quiet.
Anis looked toward Yuu.
"If we leave these intact..."
"They could use them against us later."
Rapi nodded.
"Or against any settlement they discover."
Neon looked almost offended.
"So..."
"We're definitely blowing these up, right?"
Anis gave her a look.
"...Eventually."
"Yes!"
"Not yet."
Neon's shoulders dropped.
"Aww..."
Rapi almost smiled.
Yuu looked over the storage facility.
"Mark everything."
"Nayuta."
The clone immediately deployed multiple reconnaissance drones.
"Mapping the magazines."
"Targeting systems."
"Fuel and propulsion storage."
"Command links."
The drones spread throughout the cavern.
Within seconds...
The entire facility appeared on their tactical display.
Yuu transmitted the data to Yuuki.
"Chief."
"We found another problem."
Yuuki's voice answered.
"What's the problem?"
Yuu looked toward the endless rows of cruise missiles.
"The enemy has a massive missile stockpile."
"Several hundred, at least."
A pause.
Then Yuuki responded.
"...Deploy your explosives one of it."
"Should be enough to cause a distraction or chaos."
Yuu nodded.
"Already doing it."
Neon whispered to Anis.
"So technically..."
"...we are going shopping."
Anis slowly turned toward her.
"Neon."
"I'm joking!"
Rapi sighed.
The last sam site demolition charge clicked into place.
Yuu checked the green indicator on her visor.
"That's the final SAM site."
Across the northern sector, every concealed missile battery they had discovered was now marked and rigged for demolition.
Friday had already fed the locations into the GDI tactical network.
The anti-air network was effectively blind.
The cruise-missile storage facility had also been tagged with additional explosives. If the main assault went badly, the resulting detonation would at least cripple a significant portion of the enemy's long-range strike capability.
Yuu looked across the rooftop.
"Everyone, regroup."
Rapi, Anis, Neon, Mary, Pepper, and the Nayuta clones gradually converged on the northern section.
Their Echo Suits remained in stealth mode.
No alarms had sounded.
No enemy knew they were there.
Yuu crouched near the edge of the roof.
Below them stood the detention complex.
It was heavily fortified.
Several layers of fencing surrounded the structure.
Automated sentry guns rotated slowly across the perimeter.
Security cameras covered almost every angle.
Small patrol drones moved between buildings.
And beneath everything...
Yuu could detect multiple underground levels.
She zoomed in.
"...This is going to be difficult."
Rapi looked through her scope.
"Too many defenses."
Anis nodded.
"We can't just walk in."
Neon looked toward the building.
"Could we shoot the cameras?"
"No."
"Blow up the sentry guns?"
"No."
"Crash a truck into the entrance?"
Anis grabbed the back of Neon's helmet.
"No."
"Aww."
Yuu smiled faintly.
"We need an underground entrance."
She brought up the facility's structural scan.
"There should be one."
"But we don't know where."
Nayuta's original clone examined the readings.
"The surface architecture is deliberately misleading."
"Several structures appear to have underground connections."
"However, the actual access routes are concealed."
Yuu nodded.
"Exactly."
She looked toward the massive half-pyramid visible beyond the industrial district.
"That's why we have to wait."
Rapi looked at her.
"For the Commander?"
"For the Commander."
Yuu tapped her visor.
"Once Chief gets inside the central mainframe, Jarvis will be able to triangulate the whole base including detention center's internal network."
"Then we'll know exactly where the prisoners are..."
"...and how to reach them."
She glanced at the countdown.
There was still time.
The rest of the squad settled into concealed positions.
Rapi and Anis watched the eastern approaches.
Mary and Pepper monitored the southern perimeter.
The Nayuta clones spread themselves across the rooftop, each watching a different direction.
Neon crouched beside a ventilation unit, looking unusually bored.
"...So we just wait?"
Yuu nodded.
"Yes."
Neon sighed dramatically.
"Waiting is the hardest part of covert operations."
Anis quietly laughed.
"Coming from you, that's impressive."
"I can be patient."
Rapi looked at her.
"Really?"
"...Sometimes."
Pepper smiled.
At least the tension was easing.
Yuu looked toward the distant fortress again.
Somewhere inside that enormous structure...
Yuuki was moving toward the mainframe.
Once he reached it...
The entire island would effectively become an open book.
Yuu touched the side of her helmet.
"Chief."
The encrypted channel opened.
"We've completed the SAM operation."
"All targets are planted."
"The Northern Nikke containment center is directly ahead of us."
"But we need an underground access route."
"We'll hold position until you gain access to the mainframe."
Yuuki's reply came through.
"Understood."
"Stay hidden."
"We're almost there."
Yuu smiled.
"Roger that."
She looked back toward her team.
"All we can do is wait for now."
Rapi nodded.
"Understood."
Anis settled against the rooftop structure.
"Then we wait."
Neon reluctantly lowered herself beside her.
"...Fine."
Nayuta giggled softly.
"Patience is also a weapon."
Neon glanced at her.
"That sounds like something commander would say."
The clone smiled.
"Perhaps."
The entire group became silent again.
Below them, the enemy continued moving without suspicion.
Above them, the night sky remained clear.
And somewhere deep inside the central fortress...
Yuuki was approaching the one system that could unlock the entire island.
The countdown continued.
00:47:18
The Nikke GDI team waited.
The prisoners waited.