Azur Lane Mobile Front.

After forcing back the two who were close at hand, Shoukaku then turned its attention to Enterprise in the air.

No one saw how she actually wielded the knife; all they saw were several consecutive dark crescent moons rushing straight toward the company, seemingly about to completely block its escape routes.

The company made full use of the Freedom Gundam's mobility, and with a series of quick maneuvers, it managed to evade all the seemingly unavoidable attacks.

Adhering to the principle of retaliating when attacked, the company "politely" launched a full-scale attack, forcing Xianghe to stop his actions and dodge with a backflip.

(It seems Zuikaku was right; Shoukaku's swordsmanship hasn't reached that level yet, he can't even generate sword energy with his backflip.)

Seeing that its attack was dodged, the company re-aimed and fired several more rounds, but whether it was because the opponent was fast or could predict the company's attack direction in advance, each time the attack was dodged in advance.

However, Yi Xian's attacks were not so easy to dodge. Having just been forced to create distance, Yi Xian, under the cover of the company, found another opportunity to close in.

While Yixian's mobility isn't as monstrous as Enterprise's, it's still far superior to Shokaku's current capabilities.

Shoukaku tried several times to shake off Yi-sen's close-range attacks, but Yi-sen immediately re-engaged. In the end, he had no choice but to use his sword to parry Yi-sen's punches.

"Huh? Why is she dodging and blocking with her sword?" Rob glanced at her for a few moments and noticed something unusual about Shoukaku. After a moment's thought, he suddenly realized, "Her shield, her shield is gone!"

Rob's loud reminder immediately brought everyone to their senses. The opponent had actually traded defense for attack?

Although the opponent's constant barrage of sword strikes made it difficult for her to get close, it was still easier to deal with compared to the previous shields that required multiple people to break through. After all, no matter how strong the attack, it's meaningless if it misses.

Having figured things out, the company relentlessly suppressed Shoukaku with its firepower from the air. If Shoukaku showed any weakness, Yisen had the ability to end the battle with a single strike. The only question now was whether they could make it in time.

Zuikaku joined the battle after Enterprise and Yatsen, although her damage output was unlikely to inflict decisive damage on Shoukaku.

However, it must be said that her swordsmanship was indeed the most exquisite among everyone present.

Every time Shoukaku tries to swing his sword, Zuikaku interrupts him at the crucial moment, her familiarity with her older sister allowing her to anticipate Shoukaku's actions.

Even if Shoukaku is currently at full strength, Zuikaku can still suppress Shoukaku to a certain extent.

"Shokaku-nee, you're still the same as ever. In this aspect, I'm still better!"

With a single sword strike, Shoukaku was forced back. Zuikaku then pressed forward and unleashed several powerful straight slashes. Shoukaku had no choice but to raise his sword with both hands to parry. The clash of swords produced a crisp sound, which even seemed somewhat pleasant to the ear.

Just as Shoukaku was about to block the next attack, Zuikaku suddenly changed his move, flipping his wrist and changing his straight slash into an upward slant.

Caught off guard by this sudden change of tactics, Shoukaku raised his sword high, leaving his defenses wide open.

Zuikaku created a unique opportunity with her superb swordsmanship, and Iksen naturally wouldn't let this once-in-a-lifetime chance slip by.

"Ms. Shoukaku, I hope you can get a good night's sleep."

Chapter Seventeen: Code Name: Qilin

A heavy punch slammed into Shoukaku's beautiful chin. In this critical moment, Yixian naturally didn't care about the rule of not hitting someone in the face. Taking down the target was the most important thing.

With this punch, Yi Xian used all her strength, sending Shoukaku flying into the air. Even with the unknown extra boost she had received, Shoukaku was momentarily stunned by the punch, her mind going blank as she flew higher into the sky.

Yi Xian adjusted her posture, tucked her fists to her waist, and took a deep breath.

Her expression hardened, and her fists erupted with a fierce bluish-white light, enveloping her body. Within the light, her eyes seemed to flash red, adding two bright red dots to the white expanse.

With a crouch, he shot into the sky like an arrow, instantly arriving above the flying crane.

"Restriction lifted!" With a delicate shout, Yi Xian's fist flew out like the wind. In an instant, a barrage of blue-white light spheres rained down like a storm, forcefully slamming the Xianghe, which was still flying upwards, back onto the sea.

No one present could count how many punches Shoukaku had taken in those few short seconds.

However, Yi Xian had no intention of letting her off so easily. The ball of light from his fist continued to fiercely attack Xiang He, who was already lying on the sea.

The smoke and splashes generated by the collision of the light sphere with the ship's equipment and seawater gradually obscured the figure of the Shokaku.

After a series of fierce punches, Yi Xian exhaled a deep breath, then dove into the smoke.

Instantly, the sounds of fists colliding with bodies and ship rigging filled the air, and flashes of light occasionally pierced through the smoke. It was impossible to know what was happening inside.

Another heavy punch sent Shoukaku flying out of the smoke. When everyone could see clearly, although Shoukaku didn't seem to have suffered much damage, they all understood that it was due to the characteristics of the ship.

After all, her ship's rigging wasn't in such good shape; the entire rigging was practically totaled. Thick smoke billowed from above, and the already damaged deck was broken in two.

Even so, Yi Xian's attack did not end.

She burst out of the smoke and caught up with Shoukaku, relentlessly raining down heavy punches on him. With each punch, Shoukaku would be sent flying backward a considerable distance, preventing her from regaining her balance and leaving her completely at the mercy of Yixian's relentless attacks.

"Grey... Grey Ghost, is she... is she usually this cruel?" Zuikaku, who was watching from the side, was terrified. She couldn't help but swallow hard and carefully recalled whether she had ever offended this woman before.

"No...no, Sister Yixian is a very nice person." Although the company knew what kind of woman Yixian was usually, the beating Xianghe had just received still made her waver a little.

After unleashing countless punches on Shoukaku, Yisen's attack finally reached its final move.

The orange-red spheres on her wrists began to glow, and the spikes on her wrists suddenly elongated, becoming like two sharp swords. Lightning crackled around the blades.

Code name: Qilin!

No one saw the final blow clearly. All that is known is that Yi Xian rushed forward and then fell back onto the sea.

The Shokaku's hull was sliced ​​into several pieces after the attack. All the corroded ship equipment had detached from the main body during the attack and fell onto the sea surface.

[Devastating Strike!]

A Rubik's Cube, a pure black Rubik's Cube, slid out from the bridge of the Shokaku that had been cut off.

As the Rubik's Cube detached from the ship's rigging, Shoukaku himself fell into a coma. The blackness on his body began to gradually dissipate.

Zuikaku rushed over and hugged Shoukaku tightly. She carefully checked her older sister's condition.

"We shouldn't stay here any longer. You can take a look at Miss Shoukaku's condition when we get back." After finishing her work, Yixian wiped the sweat from her forehead and reminded Zuikaku that they should make a quick getaway.

Zuikaku nodded, picked up Shoukaku, and flew off towards the rear.

“Ms. Mikasa, the request is complete, so we'll be leaving now. I hope to see my reward as soon as possible.”

Seeing that Shoukaku had been successfully recovered by Zuikaku, Robo decided not to stay there any longer. The problem with the New Jersey hull needed to be resolved immediately.

“Thank you for your help, Commander Rob. I assure you, the reward will certainly satisfy you.” Mikasa smiled and nodded to Rob; this situation had completely surprised everyone. She also had many things to deal with upon returning.

The internal problems of Sakura Empire can't wait any longer. We might need their help again later, and the issue of compensation needs careful consideration.

"We've really put on a good show. With so much data collected, we're sure to gain even more power, hehehe~"

Hidden in a corner of the Mirror Sea, Akagi, having witnessed Robo and his companions' attack on the corrupted Shoukaku, couldn't help but laugh. The treasure bestowed by the "gods" was so powerful; once the problem of eroding his mind was resolved, that gray phantom would no longer be a threat.

"Sister, that black Rubik's Cube is still too dangerous, isn't it...?"

Compared to Akagi's attitude, Kaga appeared much calmer, even though she had always been a believer in the power of the strong. However, under the influence of that black cube, she couldn't guarantee that she would still be herself.

"It's alright, Kaga, I'll handle it."

Akagi, who had retrieved the black cube using his highest authority, looked thoughtfully at the ominous object in his hand.

Warning-----Recycling process has started, this area will soon be abandoned-------

"Let's go, Kaga, it's time for our next 'Sanctuary'."

"Yes, sister."

"The test site has completed another round of testing."

Somewhere, in an unknown location, the testers received the latest experimental data.

"Hmm? Let me see, the experimental field... Ah, so it's a recording experiment for the 'small animals,' this is..."

The observer happily retrieved the data that had just been transmitted, after all, she had been waiting for the experiments with the "little animals" for a long time.

"The reaction of the Meta-Cube and the ship... Hmm, it seems the previous deduction was correct. New ship equipment... Hmm?"

The observer's smile vanished into horror upon seeing the data on the new ship equipment.

"What is this? A ship that has almost completed its metamorphosis process was knocked unconscious in one hit? Are the ships in this testing ground monsters?"

The data that came in was outrageous, so outrageous that the observer exclaimed that she had seen a ghost. Even though it was clearly written down in black and white, she still couldn't believe it. So, she decided to go and see for herself.

Chapter 18: Contingency Plan

Having just successfully escaped from the "Sanctuary," the group was surprised to find that the storm that had previously enveloped it had dissipated. Sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on the sea. A gentle breeze caressed their faces, bringing a sense of comfort.

"It looks like the mirror-like sea here is about to disappear."

Rob looked back at the spot he had just left. In the air, it seemed as if transparent fragments were being peeled away, and he could vaguely hear sounds like glass cracking.

"Ms. Mikasa, this request is now complete. I hope to see my payment when we meet again."

“Commander, you really didn’t need to emphasize that repeatedly.” The success of the operation put the senior colleague in a good mood, and she smiled. “Well then, I’ll take my leave now, after all, the child’s condition is still not optimistic.”

Although the root cause of Shoukaku's problems has been removed, her ship equipment has been almost completely destroyed as a result. Whether it can be repaired is up to fate.

This was good news for Robo, as the Sakura Empire's most elite Fifth Carrier Division was unlikely to participate in subsequent operations, which greatly reduced the pressure on his defenses against the Sakura Empire.

After saying goodbye to Mikasa and the others, Rob arranged for Yatsen to return to Donghuang first, while he himself took the company and New Jersey and immediately headed to White Eagle.

The situation in New Jersey is equally dire; grayish-black crystals have begun to appear on the hull tears, similar to those on the Yorktown and Shokaku. Rob is currently unsure of the origin of these crystals, but they are certainly not benign.

“Enterprise, let’s go to Pearl Harbor. The old man has all the facilities there; he should be able to give the New Jersey ship a full inspection.” Rob still had some reservations about going to the American mainland, but after thinking it over, Pearl Harbor was the most suitable place.

The company summoned its machine again, carrying Rob and New Jersey, and flew at full speed toward Pearl Harbor.

"Hopefully the old man hasn't finished get off work yet." Rob sent a communication request to Major General Jenkins, and checked the time; it was already evening.

After the communicator rang twice, the old man's strong voice came through.

"Hey! Rob? What's gotten into you again? You can't be stuck in Donghuang anymore, can you?"

Upon seeing that the communication was coming from a military channel, Jenkins guessed that something must have happened that forced Rob to contact him.

"Sir, we can catch up later. Please have the people in the shipyard and ship equipment research department prepare immediately. I'll be at Pearl Harbor soon. It's urgent; I'll explain the details when I get there."

Major General Jenkins' expression changed. He could tell from Rob's anxious tone on the communication that something serious must have happened.

"Whose ship equipment is malfunctioning?"

New Jersey!

"I'm so angry!" Even though he had been somewhat prepared, the news still broke Major General Jenkins's composure on the spot, and he couldn't help but swear.

Although no one knows exactly what this kid has done, the fact that the Iowa-class battleship, the newest and still under development and not yet officially commissioned battleship of the White Eagles, has encountered a problem with its hull is, without exaggeration, a huge disaster.

"Alright, I'll tell you the details when we get there."

After hanging up the call, Major General Jenkins picked up his pipe, took a deep drag, and calmed himself down.

"As expected, this kid never comes to me with anything good!" Muttering a few curses under his breath, Major General Jenkins picked up the phone on his desk and dialed the maintenance team.

"Hey! Maintenance crew? Tell your men to get to the dock immediately and stand by. Don't ask why, just get there right now!"

He hung up the phone, took a couple of puffs on his pipe, thought for a moment, then turned and walked out of the office. He was going to send a telegram to Iowa, who was far away in New York.

He couldn't handle such a big problem as the New Jersey ship hull issue on his own; it would be better to report it to Iowa immediately. As for whether Rob would be severely punished by Iowa, he couldn't worry about that now.

"Enterprise, you can take a break. Anyway, cruise mode doesn't require any control. I'll wake you up when we're almost there."

The company, having just survived a major battle, was utterly exhausted. Hearing Rob's words, it nodded, then rested its head on Rob's shoulder and fell asleep.

Rob simply reached out and hugged Enterprise to help her sleep more soundly, then looked at New Jersey on the other side.

New Jersey was also lying with her eyes closed and her brow furrowed. The damage to her ship's equipment was beginning to affect her personally. She had been barely holding on before, but judging from the expression on her face, the situation was probably more serious than she had initially thought.

"System, help me choose a mecha that is suitable for New Jersey."

After pondering for a while with the company in tow, Rob decided to first develop a contingency plan. If the New Jersey's hull couldn't be repaired, he would have to take responsibility. After all, he was the one who called the New Jersey out of AF, and the damage to the hull was because his ship had been destroyed by Shoukaku.

This system recommends the Exia and its successors.

"The OO series, huh? Okay. The prospects are good, but I wonder if New Jersey, which is always thinking about using the MK7 to blow up the enemy, can accept only having a small pistol."

[Host, you can promise her something; she'll definitely accept a giant lightsaber that can cut down the moon.]

Rob thought about it for a moment. While the Exia's firepower wasn't yet on par with Enterprise's Freedom Gundam or Yatsen's Soul Reaper, the triple red damage was undeniably appealing. Besides, the later mobile suits were quite powerful, with things like the giant lightsaber—absolutely amazing!

"I just feel that it's not appropriate to entrust such a historical responsibility of mutual understanding to such a simpleton."

[Anyway, there's always the possibility of negotiations falling apart, so please don't feel burdened.]

"What you said makes a lot of sense."

With the backup plan confirmed, Rob was no longer worried about the current situation in New Jersey. He could just replace it! The only problem was that he couldn't tell that idiot about it now; if he did, she'd probably just abandon the project and refuse to fix it.

White Eagle, NY Port.

Iowa had just received a report on the progress of the MK7 development and was carefully considering when she and her sisters would be able to officially go to war. Suddenly, an encrypted telegram from Pearl Harbor was delivered to her desk.

"The New Jersey ship is damaged and is about to arrive at Pearl Harbor."

He slammed the telegram onto the table, the wooden desk creaking under its weight.

Seemingly having heard the loud noise, the office door was pushed open, and Iowa's assistant peeked out to see what had happened.