Azur Lane Mobile Front.

Now that the research institute was no longer causing trouble, Rob should go and take over as agreed. Early that morning, Rob called on the company, and they headed to the ship research institute together.

In the research institute's shipyard, the Strike Gundam still stands there, just as it did when it first appeared.

"Enterprise, why don't you try synchronizing with the machine?"

“Commander, tell me what I should do?” Enterprise indicated that this matter was clearly beyond her knowledge.

"This... I don't know either." Rob decided to ask the system, "Hey, system, are you still alive? How do I synchronize this thing with the ship?"

[Please explore on your own, host.]

"Damn it, what use are you?" Rob looked up at Gundam and said, "If we're talking about the most likely place, it should be the cockpit. Enterprise, go up this ladder and into the cockpit in the chest area. See if there's any reaction."

Upon hearing this, Qigong quickly climbed to the driver's cab. The cab door suddenly opened by itself, and Qigong jumped into the cab. The door then closed automatically.

After a few minutes, the Strike Gundam began to fade into the distance, as if slowly disappearing from the world. Meanwhile, Enterprise was frowning with her eyes closed, seemingly troubled by something in her mind.

A few minutes later, the ethereal machine suddenly returned to normal, the cockpit door opened, and Enterprise stepped out. It seemed the first synchronization attempt had failed.

"Enterprise, how are you?" Rob noticed that Enterprise looked unwell and immediately stepped forward to ask.

"I'm fine, Commander. But just now, some memories that don't belong to me entered my mind."

What did you see?

"The battlefield, and the struggles of people on the battlefield."

"If I'm not mistaken, what you're seeing is this machine's history. It's the same as a ship. Ships also carry a similar set of memories."

"Yes. I have a memory of the Enterprise participating in the war. By the way, Commander, the test just now gave me a bit of a headache, so I won't be going to class this afternoon. Please remember to ask for leave for me."

"Fine." Rob sighed, thinking that he had given his company another opportunity to slack off. His company was completely different from the other one; it was a total slacker. He was exhausted.

"Having fought wars your whole life, can't you enjoy yourself?"

The system eventually provided some hints.

"That makes sense. He fought his whole life, became a legend in the Pacific theater, and in the end, all he got was decommissioned and scrapped. If I were him, I would have done the same." With the system's notification, Rob roughly understood the company's current situation.

Although the reason for the synchronization failure is roughly clear, Rob doesn't have many ways to solve the problem at the moment. After all, there aren't many ways to fix things like opening a shop.

Three months passed quickly. During this time, Rob and the company tried several more body synchronization experiments, but all of them failed.

That day, Rob went to class at the academy as usual. A transfer order shattered his temporarily peaceful life.

"Robo, Garcia. According to regulations, trainees who successfully complete the construction of a ship will enter their internship period ahead of schedule. This transfer order just came down yesterday. Garcia, you and Nevada will be transferred to the Panama Canal defense line for internship. As for Rob, your situation is a bit special, so after consideration, you will be going to Pearl Harbor. It's a large naval port, and there are relatively few Sirens around there."

Rob and Garcia received the transfer order, saluted, and left the office.

"Luo, although Hawaii is relatively safe, there's that guy of yours, right? So, I hope to see you again when I graduate."

"You're the one who needs to be careful. The sirens have been causing quite a stir in Panama. Don't die, you bastard." Rob and Garcia punched each other on the shoulder before going their separate ways to prepare for the rest of the trip.

"Safety, ah, there's no escaping it now. Pearl Harbor, if I remember correctly, is still about three months away?"

After Rob left, he immediately went to find the company.

"Let's take a look, pack our things, we're getting ready to go to Hawaii."

"Pearl Harbor?" The company glanced at it, then continued munching on its fries.

"Ships should all carry their own memories, albeit vaguely, and to you it's more like watching a movie. But the course of world history and the ships' memories have overlapped too much. Don't you want to offer some opinions about going to Pearl Harbor at this point?"

"That thing is not to be taken seriously, Commander."

“Enterprise, listen to me.” Rob grabbed Enterprise’s shoulder. “We need to be prepared, because if history really repeats itself, the bombs will be thrown at our own heads.”

"Commander, that really can't be taken seriously. Besides, all the ships have that memory. Even if it's true as you say, according to that memory, the Sakura Empire's final defeat was already predetermined. In that case, would the Sakura Empire people be out of their minds and still follow that memory?"

"That's not necessarily true. If Ironblood can leave, why can't Sakura Empire leave?"

"Commander, you're overthinking it. Look, everything's perfectly fine in the Eastern Empire, isn't it?"

Ultimately, Rob failed to reach an agreement with the company. Now, the company is adopting a "I don't care, I'm going to open anyway" attitude, leaving Rob at a loss. Perhaps only a bomb thrown at her head will bring her to her senses.

"System, give me a Gundam pilot's manual."

[This system indicates that the host is not cut out for this.]

"I always have to be prepared for both scenarios. If the company can't fight, then I will."

[Host's courage is commendable. Gundam Pilot's Manual: 1000 experience points. Would you like to redeem?]

"Exchange! Oh right, system, exchange for all three types of assault backpacks for me, but don't convert them now."

[Redeem complete.]

"I hope I won't need these in the end, after all, piloting a Gundam is not something that ordinary humans can do."

Chapter Seven: Gundam Stands Tall in Hell

By the time Robb and Enterprise arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, it was already November. The day he remembered was drawing ever closer. When the Strike Gundam was hoisted and unloaded from the ship, all the ships still docked in Pearl Harbor came to watch.

Just as Rob was about to take the company to the port to register, he saw a blond aircraft carrier wearing a cowboy hat speeding towards him.

"I heard you were coming, so I took a day off to pick you up. How are you, Enterprise 2? Did you miss me?" Bumblebee said, giving Enterprise a bear hug. "I sank more Sirens this month than Enterprise 1! Enterprise 2, aren't I amazing?" Bumblebee pulled Enterprise along as they walked, then turned to Rob and said, "Enterprise 1 is on a mission and can't come pick you up. She might not be back for a while. If you don't understand anything here, just ask me! For Enterprise's sake, I'll answer anything you know!"

"Thank you, please take us to register first. After all, we're not very familiar with this area."

“No problem! Leave it to Bumblebee!” Bumblebee took the lead and walked ahead. “Let me tell you, although old man Jenkins looks a bit serious, he’s actually a very nice person.”

The port commander's office at this time.

An old man stood at the window, gazing towards the harbor. Though the years had etched their marks on his face, his eyes remained bright and alert. His hair, though gray, was still neatly combed. He held a pipe in his hand, taking occasional puffs.

"What's the situation in the port area of ​​Arizona?"

"It's the new trainee commander from the Naval Academy, the one unloading the ship. He should be the special ship equipment mentioned in the news."

"The command has given me this kind of work again. What use is a greenhorn who has never been on the battlefield? I asked the command to send more people to strengthen the defense, but I haven't received a reply."

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" The old man heard the voice, still standing at the window puffing on his pipe.

"Hey, old man Jenkins, I've brought the new commander. And also, this is my other Enterprise sister." Bumblebee knocked on the door and even before a reply could be heard, she was already turning the doorknob, seemingly quite familiar with the commanders here.

Rob followed Bumblebee into the office, looking around the room. The overall style was quite simple, with little decoration, suggesting a focus on practicality.

"Naval Academy Trainee Commander Rob, reporting for duty! Rear Admiral!" Upon seeing the office occupant approach, Rob immediately stood at attention and saluted.

Major General Jenkins approached and observed Rob, then suddenly punched him hard in the chest. Rob felt a tightness in his chest and a sharp pain, but he gritted his teeth and endured it without making a sound.

Rear Admiral Jenkins looked them up and down again. "Not bad, not bad at all! Arizona, bring them tea." He then sat down on the sofa. "Lucky kid, you already have your own ship before you even graduate. It took me years to build one back in the day." He then pointed towards the harbor with his pipe. "Is that... Gundam... that thing you brought over?"

“That’s right, that’s right, Gundam. Commander Law said that’s my Enterprise’s ship hull.”

"How can you call that a ship's hull? The current command is really making a mess of things." As he spoke, Rear Admiral Jenkins picked up his pipe and prepared to take another puff.

“Commander.” A female voice with a hint of melancholy came from behind. Young Master Jenkins shuddered, quickly put down his pipe, and then looked at it a few more times with lingering reluctance.

Arizona brought over several cups of tea, placing one in front of Major General Jenkins and another in front of Bumblebee, who was lounging casually on the sofa. Then he took away Major General Jenkins' pipe, saying, "Commander, you've run out of your ration for today."

Seeing this, Rob and Enterprise could only lower their heads and suppress their laughter, pretending they hadn't seen anything, but Bumblebee clearly couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

Major General Jenkins was clearly embarrassed and had to change the subject.

"Robo, your ships aren't ready for combat yet, right? Here's what you'll do: Hornet has a mission in a few days, you two can go along and see what real combat is like, and what the Sirens really are. This stuff is way more useful than the books you read in academy!"

"Haha, old man, you really understand me. I was already planning to ask you for help with this even if you hadn't told me."

"That's all for now, Arizona, see him out." The old general, who had just suffered a minor embarrassment, decided to send him away. Upon hearing this, Rob had no choice but to turn and leave. Just as he was about to leave, Major General Jenkins suddenly called out to Rob, "Kid, treat your daughter well."

"Rest assured, I will stay with her until the end of my life."

In the days that followed, Robo would go on missions with Bumblebee whenever he had one, and when he wasn't on missions, he would tinker with Gundam in the port. The synchronization between Enterprise and Strike Gundam seemed to be making some progress; perhaps they could catch up at the last minute.

December arrived quickly. If Robo and Enterprise's memories were correct, tomorrow would be a historic moment: the Sakura Empire would launch a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor at dawn. Although Robo had mentally prepared himself, as a raw recruit who had never been on the battlefield, he wasn't sure how effective that preparation would be. At this moment, he even fantasized that history wouldn't repeat itself, that war wouldn't break out.

On the morning of December 7th, Rob used the excuse of performing maintenance on the mobile suit to go with Enterprise to the dock where the Strike Gundam was temporarily stored. Rob made one last request for Enterprise to synchronize with the mobile suit, but it ended in failure. Rob could only do one last check on the mobile suit's condition and wait to see if that moment would truly arrive.

Just before eight in the morning, a violent explosion shattered their last illusions. This moment had finally arrived. The two frantically rushed out of the dock; the sky was obscured by countless fighter jets, and the sea was ablaze.

"Enterprise, come with me. The cockpit of the Strike Gundam can fit two people!" Rob glanced at the hellish port area, then ran back into the dock.

"Attention all personnel! The port area has been attacked by unidentified enemy aircraft. All personnel are on high alert! This is not a drill! I repeat, all personnel on high alert! This is not a drill!"

The piercing alarm blared in his ears. The company looked up at the approaching plane and finally put aside all his unrealistic fantasies.

"Why do you all love war so much?" The company sighed deeply, its eyes immediately sharpening, as if the legend of the Pacific theater had returned.

The company quickly jumped onto the Strike Gundam, startling Rob, who was still on the ground, and he couldn't help but marvel at the girl's skill.

Just then, an aerial bomb exploded near the dock where Rob was. The fire spread rapidly, and the blast wave stirred up dust and thick smoke. All that could be seen was the red flames and the gray-black smoke, making it impossible to see anything else.

"Damn it!" Rob quickly covered his head with his hands, then seized the opportunity to run towards the Strike Gundam.

At that moment, the Strike Gundam, which had been lying on the ground, moved. It bent its legs, braced itself with its arms, and straightened its torso, severing all the wires still attached to its body. Amidst the flames, the Gundam stood tall on the earth.

"The assault... the company finally succeeded?"

Chapter 8: The First Battle

Let's turn back time a little.

It was a beautiful, sunny weekend. Most of the crew, whether at the port command or serving on mass-produced ships, were on leave, ready to enjoy a pleasant weekend.

In the port command office, Rear Admiral Jenkins was carefully fiddling with his beloved pipe. Arizona was undergoing maintenance at the port today, so he could sneak in a couple of puffs.

Suddenly, a huge explosion nearly triggered a heart attack in the major general. He cursed and went outside to check the situation. He saw many colleagues who had also gone out to investigate, and then he saw enemy planes swarming overhead, with flames shooting into the sky from the direction of the port.

After a sharp whistling sound, a deafening explosion ensued. Bricks, dirt, and even human remains flew through the air. Another whistle followed as enemy planes swept overhead, their machine guns mercilessly reaping lives. Cries, shouts, and pleas for help filled the air. The world seemed to be reduced to two colors: a sky filled with swirling gray-black, and interspersed with a striking crimson. If hell truly existed, this was it.

"Damn it, enemy attack! Enemy attack! Everyone, to your combat positions immediately! Now!"

However, it's the weekend, and only a few staff members are on duty. Many of them experienced the recent attack and will never be able to return to their posts.

"Damn it! Arizona and the others are still at the port!" The old general glanced in the direction of the port. He immediately found a car, and while everyone was screaming and running wildly toward the port area, he stepped on the gas and sped toward the port.

"Sister... Sister, where are you..."

"Sister... the sea... the sea is on fire..."

"Sister... I'm sorry... I might... not be able to protect them anymore."

Arizona, dragging its battered and bruised body, glanced at the people still desperately fleeing behind it, and resolutely used its remaining anti-aircraft firepower to counterattack the overwhelming enemy aircraft.

Another air raid came straight at her. The remaining anti-aircraft firepower was no longer enough to shoot down the enemy. She could only close her eyes in despair.

A beam of light shattered the bomb that had already landed on Arizona's head. Several more beams followed, each capable of taking down an enemy aircraft. Arizona looked back and saw a silver-haired girl in the sky, wearing a blue breastplate, wings like those on her back resembling an airplane, and mechanical boots on her legs. She held a rifle in one hand and a shield in the other. Although her appearance was completely different from traditional ships, Arizona believed that if God truly existed and would send warriors to save them from this hellish situation, then that warrior must look like this.

Meanwhile, on the mass-produced warships anchored in the harbor, the sailors finally reacted after the first wave of attacks. Those who were uninjured quickly took their positions. Although their numbers were small, the signal for a counterattack had been given.

Robert, a sailor who had served for two years, had always aspired to become a commander and had never given up trying. Today was supposed to be his day off, but instead of going out to have fun or sleeping in, he stayed in his barracks reviewing for the commander's exam. He reacted immediately after the first wave of attacks.

He quickly climbed onto the deck, found the anti-aircraft guns that hadn't been destroyed yet, checked the ammunition, and vented his anger at the enemy planes in the sky.

"You damned bastards, taste my bullets!"

However, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down; he was the first to retaliate, and he was quickly noticed by the enemy plane. A plane roared down towards him, its machine guns firing, and bullets were about to fall on him. Instinctively, he covered his head with his hands, and his legs seemed to have a mind of their own, driving his body away from its current position.

Suddenly, a strangely dressed girl descended from the sky, landed in front of him, shielded him from the bullets, and then shot the plane to death, leaving a trail of blue flames as she flew away.

"Cough cough cough! What was that just now? That was so cool!" Still shaken, Robert stared blankly at the departing company, getting a mouthful of dust in the process.

At this moment, the company was fighting a fierce battle at the port, trying her best to save everyone she could. She went to support wherever the attack was most intense. Whenever she landed on a warship, she would switch to her cannon mode, and under the sweeping attack of "Flame God," enemy planes would melt away like snowflakes under the sun.

A military off-road vehicle drove into the harbor, screeching to a halt and leaving a long skid mark. The door was roughly flung open, and Rear Admiral Jenkins emerged, head bowed. He looked around; seeing no Arizona hull in the harbor, a slight weight lifted from his shoulders. This proved that Arizona had retrieved its hull and might be preparing a counterattack.

But now, the most eye-catching thing in the entire port is the white figure of the enterprise, especially those red and white beams of light, which are like the horn of counterattack. Every time they appear, they can take away several enemy planes, which boosts the morale of the soldiers who are still fighting back.

None of this could attract Rear Admiral Jenkins' attention; he was anxiously searching for that blue figure. Finally, among several capsized ships, he saw the Arizona, battered and tattered, its main guns completely destroyed, and its anti-aircraft guns firing only sparsely. The Rear Admiral's expression tightened, and he strode towards his secretary ship.

A young hand pulled him aside.

"Major General, this is not a place for you. You are the highest-ranking commander in this port area. You should be organizing a counterattack." The newcomer was none other than Rob. Rob was also covered in dust, and had a wound on his forehead that had only been treated briefly and was still bleeding.

“Arizona is still there, so naturally I should be here.” Rear Admiral Jenkins dusted himself off, clearly still caught up in the sight of Arizona and not paying attention to Rob’s words. “That,” Rear Admiral Jenkins pointed to the Enterprise still battling in the sky, “is it your ship?”

A bomber plummeted from the smoke-filled sky, spinning as it crashed towards the two men. Startled, they quickly ducked behind cover. The bomber eventually struck a nearby building.

Rob got up from the ground and patted the dirt off his body.

"Yes, Major General! Major General, please return to your position. Enterprise and I will take charge of the port area. Enterprise, bring Arizona out; she looks like she's about to sink."

Upon hearing Rob's words, Enterprise swooped down and scooped up the nearly incapacitated Arizona, flying directly to Rob's side. Major General Jenkins snatched the blood-soaked Arizona from Enterprise's arms. Arizona took one last look at the old general before fainting.

The company, which had been fighting at the port for a long time, was completely unharmed, with only a little dust on her body. She wiped her face, put down Arizona, nodded to Rob, and then turned back to the battlefield.