The dust cloud slowly settled.
Moonlight reflected off polished blue, gold, and silver armor.
Unlike Yuuki's combat-oriented suits, this one was elegant.
Streamlined.
Beautiful.
Built not for war—
But for saving lives.
The villagers stared.
The Tsukimimi had just witnessed someone fall from the sky.
Survive.
And stand up without a scratch.
One small bunny child pointed.
"Another hero?"
The surrounding shipgirls immediately looked amused.
Because they knew exactly who had arrived.
The armor itself was unmistakable.
The Mark 49 - Rescue Armor.
A specialized suit developed for search-and-rescue operations.
Featuring a modified New Element Arc Reactor.
Advanced medical scanners.
Thermal tracking.
X-ray imaging.
Autonomous rescue sentries.
Enough medical technology to make most hospitals jealous.
The armor's blue-and-gold plating shimmered beneath the autumn moon.
Small micro-reactors illuminated across its frame.
The backpack unit unfolded slightly before retracting again.
Then—
With a soft mechanical hiss—
The helmet retracted.
Long black hair spilled down her back.
Reaching almost to her waist.
The villagers collectively forgot how to speak.
Even several shipgirls blinked.
Because the woman stepping from the armor looked less like a military officer and more like a painting brought to life.
Twenty-two years old.
Black eyes.
Straight black hair.
Refined features.
Perfect posture.
The kind of beauty that made people pause involuntarily.
Then she opened her mouth.
And immediately destroyed the elegant first impression.
"Ah."
Her eyes immediately locked onto Yuuki.
"So this is where you are."
The commander sighed.
Because he recognized that tone.
The tone of a researcher who had found exactly what she was looking for.
Yuuki immediately attempted a tactical retreat.
It lasted exactly one step.
A hand landed on his shoulder.
"Ufufu~"
The commander froze.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Yuuki slowly turned around.
Yuu's smile was terrifyingly pleasant.
The kind of smile doctors wore before saying words like "this won't hurt."
"Nowhere."
"Liar."
The doctor folded her arms.
"Vergil promised me."
Yuuki immediately groaned.
"What did that traitor promise?"
Yuu smiled.
"A complete examination."
The commander looked toward the heavens.
"That bastard sold me out."
Somewhere aboard the Philadelphia, Vergil sneezed.
Then continued working.
Completely unaware of the danger.
Yuuki sighed.
Then pointed toward the newly arrived doctor.
"Girls."
The group looked over.
"This is Kirino Yuu."
Yuu waved cheerfully.
"Just Yuu is fine."
The commander continued.
"Head of GDI Health Division."
Several villagers gasped.
Mary immediately straightened.
Pepper followed.
Even Vestal nodded respectfully.
"Earth 2.0's best doctor."
Yuu looked pleased.
"World-class surgeon."
More pleased.
"One of the people responsible for modern GDI medical systems."
Very pleased.
"The best of the best."
Yuu immediately pointed at him.
"See?"
The doctor smiled proudly.
"He gets it."
Then—
Yuu finally looked around properly.
And immediately stopped functioning.
Because she had just noticed the gathering.
Shipgirls.
Nikkes.
Tsukimimi.
Animal ears.
Tails.
Fox ears.
Rabbit ears.
Fairies.
The doctor's eyes sparkled.
"Oh my."
The smile widened.
"Oh my."
A pause.
"Oh my."
Yuuki immediately recognized the symptoms.
Everyone else noticed too.
Especially Akashi.
"Nyaa."
The repair ship took a step back.
"Nyaa."
Another step.
Yuu slowly looked around.
"Shipgirls..."
Then toward the Tsukimimi.
"Animal ears..."
Then toward Kaguya.
"Fox tails..."
Then toward Esche.
"A fairy..."
The doctor's breathing quickened.
"Commander."
Yuuki immediately answered.
"No."
"I haven't even asked yet."
"No."
Mary looked confused.
Pepper looked confused.
The villagers looked confused.
The shipgirls looked worried.
Yuu pointed dramatically.
"The research opportunities!"
"Research."
Yuuki corrected.
"Research."
Yuu nodded.
"Research."
Then smiled.
"The things I could learn."
Several girls relaxed.
A little.
Yuuki folded his arms.
"You are not dissecting anybody."
"Obviously."
Yuu replied.
The answer came too quickly.
The commander narrowed his eyes.
Yuu sighed.
"Fine."
Then nodded professionally.
"I'll ask nicely."
"Much better."
The doctor looked pleased.
Then—
Her eyes landed on something.
Or rather—
Someone.
Three someones.
The Bulin sisters.
Purin.
Kurin.
And Bulin.
The three cheerful sisters were standing together.
Completely unaware.
Yuu's eyes widened.
"..."
"..."
"My."
The doctor slowly approached.
The Bulins immediately sensed danger.
The same instinct that warned people about predators.
"Puri?"
"Kuri?"
"Buli?"
Yuu crouched.
The smile became brighter.
Far brighter.
Too bright.
"Myyyy..."
The sisters immediately hid behind Yorktown.
"Buli! Buli!"
The carrier blinked.
Then looked down at the frightened Bulins.
Then toward Yuu.
Then back at the Bulins.
Then back toward Yuu.
"...What exactly are you planning?"
"Nothing."
Yuu replied.
Nobody believed her.
"Nothing at all."
Still nobody believed her.
The doctor clasped her hands together.
"They're adorable."
The Bulins squeaked.
Yorktown sighed.
"They are."
Yuu pointed dramatically.
"Look at them!"
The sisters immediately hid further behind Yorktown.
The carrier now served as a human shield.
"Buli!"
"Purin!"
"Kurin!"
Yuuki rubbed his forehead.
"She likes little kids."
The group blinked.
"Not like that."
He immediately clarified.
Several people relaxed.
"She likes dressing them up."
The Bulins froze.
Yuu smiled.
The Bulins froze harder.
"Little uniforms."
"No."
"Matching hats."
"No."
"Adorable coats."
"No."
"Research-approved fashion."
"Absolutely not."
The doctor looked genuinely disappointed.
Meanwhile, the Bulins were now fully hiding behind Yorktown.
Only their eyes peeked out.
"Buli..."
Yorktown gently patted their heads.
"It's okay."
The carrier looked toward Yuu.
"...Mostly."
The doctor smiled.
The Bulins immediately hid again.
And thus, less than thirty minutes after arriving on the Autumn Isles, Kirino Yuu had already managed to terrify three Bulins, worry every shipgirl, intrigue every villager, and remind Yuuki exactly why nobody ever described her as normal.
The atmosphere gradually calmed after Yuu's arrival.
Though the Bulins still refused to leave Yorktown's protective shadow.
"All right."
Yuu sighed dramatically.
"I won't dress them up."
The Bulins peeked out.
"Probably."
They immediately hid again.
The doctor laughed before turning toward her armor.
"Sentry Mode."
The Rescue Armor responded instantly.
The blue-and-gold suit straightened.
Micro-reactors hummed softly.
Its eyes illuminated with a pale blue glow.
Then, to the villagers' amazement, the armor took a step on its own.
Another.
And another.
Following behind Yuu like a silent mechanical guardian.
The Tsukimimi stared.
"It moves by itself..."
"A living suit of armor?"
"A metal guardian spirit?"
The villagers immediately began inventing explanations.
Meanwhile, the armor itself folded open.
Its various plates separated with precise mechanical movements.
The Rescue Armor retracted around its user before seamlessly detaching.
Yuu stepped free.
The transformation wasn't over.
A thin metallic layer remained beneath the armor.
A sleek second skin woven from programmable nanomaterials.
The material shifted.
Flowed.
Reshaped itself.
Within seconds, the bodysuit transformed into ordinary clothing.
A white lab coat appeared first.
Then a light-blue collared shirt.
A black pencil skirt.
Dark stockings.
Black heels.
The villagers collectively stopped understanding reality.
Neon immediately pointed.
"Wait."
The Nikke blinked.
"Wait."
Then blinked again.
"IT CAN DO THAT?"
Even several shipgirls looked impressed.
Yuu smiled proudly.
"Of course."
The doctor spun once.
"The Echo Suit Mark II."
Yuuki's eyes widened slightly.
"Seriously?"
Yuu nodded.
"The first completed production model."
Even Yuuki looked surprised.
Because he knew exactly how long that project had been sitting in development.
The suit wasn't merely armor.
It was an adaptive nanomaterial platform.
A second skin.
A survival system.
A medical platform.
A civilian disguise.
And emergency protection all rolled into one package.
"You're the first user?"
Yorktown asked.
Yuu grinned.
"Naturally."
The doctor folded her arms proudly.
"I volunteered."
"Of course you did."
Yuuki muttered.
The shipgirls laughed.
Then Yuu suddenly remembered something.
"Oh."
The doctor snapped her fingers.
"That reminds me."
She reached toward the backpack unit still attached to the Rescue Armor.
A compartment opened.
Then another.
Then another.
Until an entire storage section unfolded.
Everyone stared.
Because it was packed full of metallic cases.
Dozens of them.
Yuuki blinked.
"What is that?"
Yuu smiled.
"A delivery."
The doctor pointed toward the sky.
"From Vergil."
Yuuki immediately became suspicious.
"What did he send this time?"
Yuu tossed him a data slate.
The commander scanned it.
Then froze.
"..."
"..."
"...He actually finished it."
Enterprise stepped closer.
"What?"
Yuuki slowly looked up.
A grin forming.
"The mass-production version."
Now several shipgirls looked interested.
Yuu nodded.
"Echo Suit Mark II kits."
The doctor tapped one of the cases.
"Refined."
Another tap.
"Stabilized."
Another.
"Ready for deployment."
The realization spread through the group.
Yorktown blinked..
Echo suit?" Yorktown
Once the excitement outside began attracting increasingly curious villagers, Yuuki decided it was best to move the discussion somewhere more private.
"Inside."
The commander pointed toward the inn.
"Before Yuu starts discussing nanotechnology with random rabbit farmers."
"I wasn't going to."
Yuu replied.
A pause.
"...Immediately."
Everyone sighed.
The group eventually gathered inside one of the larger rooms of the inn.
Low wooden tables were arranged across the floor.
Lanterns illuminated the room with warm golden light.
The atmosphere felt far more comfortable than a command center.
Yuu sat among the shipgirls and Nikkes.
Surprisingly relaxed.
Behind her—
The Mark 49 Rescue Armor remained standing near the wall.
Silent.
Motionless.
Watching.
The shipgirls barely paid attention to it.
They had grown accustomed to seeing Yuuki's various armors standing around like giant mechanical bodyguards.
Neon still occasionally waved at them.
Some of them waved back.
That fact disturbed Mary and Pepper.
A little.
Yuuki reached into his inventory.
Several metallic cases appeared.
The room immediately became interested.
Especially Akashi.
"Nyaa."
The repair ship leaned forward.
The commander opened one of the containers.
Inside rested a familiar device.
Yorktown immediately recognized it.
"So that's what it was."
Yuuki nodded.
"Remember the Daat Yichud Power Suits I lent you?"
Several girls nodded.
The suits had already proven incredibly useful.
Enhanced mobility.
Protection.
Strength.
Shielding.
Many of the shipgirls had grown fond of them.
The commander smiled.
"Funny thing."
A pause.
"We called them Daat Yichud Power Suits."
Then tapped the case.
"But that's not actually their designation."
The room became quiet.
Yuuki continued.
"The official designation is..."
A holographic display appeared.
ECHO SUIT MARK I
The room blinked.
"Oh."
Enterprise said.
"That sounds cooler."
Anis immediately added.
Yuuki laughed.
"The reason we called them Daat Yichud Suits is because the technology originated from recovered Daat Yichud systems."
Then he stood.
The hologram shifted.
A timeline appeared.
"I suppose I should explain."
The shipgirls immediately settled in.
Because whenever Yuuki started explaining technology—
The results were usually absurd.
The hologram expanded.
"First came the Zone Armors during the Third Tiberium War."
Several girls nodded.
"The original GDI Alpha Series."
Primitive by current standards.
Still effective.
The display changed.
"Then came the weaponized variants."
The hologram showed heavier armor.
More weapons.
More combat systems.
The holographic timeline continued to expand above the table.
By now, everyone in the room was paying attention.
Even those who normally had little interest in engineering.
Because they were no longer looking at armor.
They were looking at history.
The history of the Global Defense Initiative.
The history of Yuuki's previous lives.
The history of how a civilization had advanced from simple powered armor to technology capable of challenging gods, Sirens, and Raptures alike.
The display zoomed toward the second generation.
Beta Series
The hologram shifted.
Bulkier armor appeared.
Weapons mounted across the frame.
Enhanced plating.
Dedicated combat systems.
"Zone Raiders."
Yuuki explained.
"Beta Series."
Several armored soldiers appeared on screen.
Marching through Tiberium-infested battlefields.
"Back then these were exclusive to GDI ZOCOM."
The room listened carefully.
"Zone Operations Command."
A military subfaction.
Elite troops.
Specialized deployments.
"The Alpha Series gave soldiers protection."
Yuuki continued.
"The Beta Series gave them teeth."
The armor display expanded.
Shoulder launchers.
Heavy weapons.
Integrated targeting systems.
Enhanced reactors.
"They were the first true combat power suits."
Mary nodded.
"Military specialization."
"Exactly."
Yuuki replied.
"The Alpha and Beta platforms became the foundation of modern GDI armor development."
The hologram displayed battlefields.
Cities.
Armored formations.
Massive walkers.
"Until the Fourth Tiberium War."
The image changed again.
Charlie Series
A new suit appeared.
Far sleeker.
Far more advanced.
This time the design looked familiar.
Mary immediately noticed similarities to Yuuki's own armor.
So did Pepper.
So did Yuu.
Yuuki laughed.
"Then I started meddling."
Several girls smiled.
"Of course."
Yorktown said.
The commander pointed at her.
"Your sarcasm wounds me."
"It should."
Enterprise replied.
The room laughed.
Yuuki ignored them.
"The problem was simple."
The hologram split.
One side showing Iron Man armor.
The other showing Zone Armor.
"I refused to share my Iron Man technologies."
A pause.
"Eventually I realized that was unfair."
The two designs merged.
Arc Reactors.
Repulsor Systems.
Nanotechnology.
Advanced targeting systems.
Flight stabilizers.
Everything fused together.
The result appeared.
Charlie Series
Mary leaned forward.
The jump in technology was enormous.
"The first true hybrid platform."
Yuuki explained.
"Combining Iron Man engineering with Zone Armor infrastructure."
The hologram zoomed further.
Charlie Armor Mark VIII
Colonel James appeared beside it.
"The latest Charlie prototype."
Yuuki smiled slightly.
"The armor James used during the final stages of my Second Life."
The display showed battle footage.
Repulsor blasts.
High-speed movement.
Advanced shielding.
Short-duration flight.
Nanomaterial repair systems.
"It could fight on equal terms with my Mark 48."
Several girls looked impressed.
Even Yuu nodded.
That was a ridiculous benchmark.
Then Yuuki sighed.
"Though I made a mistake."
The display changed.
Mark 48 appeared.
Its brilliant silver-black frame illuminated by a Vibranium core structure.
"I used Vibranium."
Mary tilted her head.
"That sounds impressive."
"It was."
Yuuki folded his arms.
"Until sonic weapons appeared."
The display immediately showed resonance fractures spreading through Vibranium structures.
Several girls blinked.
Enterprise nodded.
"A design flaw."
"A painful one."
Yuuki replied.
The hologram advanced again.
Delta Series
The armor changed.
This time the suit looked more aggressive.
More military.
More refined.
Less focused on protection.
More focused on enhancement.
"Fourth Life."
Yuuki said.
The display expanded.
Delta Series
Accelerator Suits
Several shipgirls immediately recognized similarities to some equipment currently used aboard Daedalus.
"The latest model was Delta Mark VI."
The suit rotated slowly.
Compact.
Efficient.
Deadly.
"Powered by Arc Reactors."
The hologram displayed specifications.
Enhanced Strength.
Enhanced Speed.
Enhanced Agility.
Enhanced Reflexes.
Mary's eyes widened.
"This is less armor."
"Correct."
Yuuki nodded.
"It's a force multiplier."
The suit opened to reveal internal systems.
"Wrist-mounted miniguns."
A minigun emerged.
"Wrist-mounted rocket launchers."
Launchers appeared.
"Integrated tactical computer."
The helmet illuminated.
"Neural-assisted HUD."
Combat simulations filled the room.
"Limited thought-control interface."
Pepper blinked.
"It visualizes battlefield intentions?"
"Exactly."
Yuuki smiled.
The nurse looked impressed.
Yuu nodded approvingly.
"The first platform designed around the user rather than the armor."
"Right."
Yuuki replied.
The commander pointed toward the timeline.
"So if I simplify."
The display aligned all four generations.
====
Alpha Series
Basic powered armor.
Protection and survivability.
====
Beta Series
Weaponized powered armor.
Combat specialization.
====
Charlie Series
Hybrid Iron Man–Zone Armor technology.
Arc Reactors.
Repulsors.
Nanotechnology.
Limited flight.
====
Delta Series
User enhancement platform.
Strength.
Speed.
Agility.
Advanced combat integration.
====
The room followed along easily.
Then Mary asked the obvious question.
"If Delta was already that advanced..."
The doctor looked toward the Echo Suit case.
"What makes Echo different?"
The room immediately became quiet.
Because now they were approaching modern GDI technology.
The technology many of the girls already used.
The technology that would eventually be issued to Nikkes and shipgirls alike.
Yuuki smiled.
Then the hologram advanced once more.
Toward a silver suit unlike anything before it.
=====
Echo Series
=====
Because this was where the real revolution began.
The room became interested.
Even Rapi leaned forward.
The technology was evolving rapidly.
Then came the final transformation.
The hologram changed once more.
A sleek silver suit appeared.
Nanomaterials.
Energy shielding.
Advanced mobility.
Adaptive systems.
"Then we discovered Daat Yichud."
The room became silent.
"That changed everything."
The armor transformed.
"Echo Armor."
The shipgirls immediately recognized the design.
Because many of them had worn it.
Yuuki pointed toward them.
"You've all noticed it."
The girls nodded.
"Higher jumps."
"Greater strength."
"Faster movement."
"Advanced shielding."
"Nanomaterial integration."
The commander smiled.
"Echo Armor was essentially the next evolution of the Accelerator Suit."
The display rotated slowly.
"The most advanced personal armor platform we had ever developed."
Then he pointed toward Yuu.
"Until recently."
Every eye turned toward the doctor.
Yuu smiled proudly.
Then pointed toward herself.
"I am currently wearing the first completed Echo Suit Mark II."
Silence.
Then—
"WAIT."
Neon nearly fell over.
"THAT WASN'T THE ARMOR?"
Yuu laughed.
"The armor was only the outer layer."
Then tapped her sleeve.
"This is the suit."
The room immediately stared.
Because they realized something.
The clothing she wore wasn't normal fabric.
It moved slightly.
Almost imperceptibly.
Adaptive nanomaterial.
Echo Mark II.
The first operational model.
Yuu folded her arms.
"It incorporates everything from Mark I."
Then smiled.
"Plus a lot more."
That statement worried everyone.
A lot.
Yuuki nodded.
"Which means..."
The commander looked around the room.
At the shipgirls.
At the Nikkes.
At Mary and Pepper.
At the newly growing family around him.
Then smiled.
"Yes."
The room waited.
Then—
"The Echo Suit Mark II is ready."
The room became silent.
Not because nobody was interested.
But because everyone could tell from Yuuki's tone that this was important.
The hologram shifted.
The bulky Echo Mark I appeared beside a sleek silver bracelet.
The size difference alone was ridiculous.
Yuuki pointed at the older design.
"Mark I was revolutionary."
The girls nodded.
They already knew that.
Shielding.
Enhanced strength.
Mobility.
Protection.
The suit had already saved lives.
Then Yuuki pointed toward the newer model.
"Mark II compresses everything."
The hologram showed the internal systems folding and condensing.
"Instead of carrying a bulky Mark I carrier system..."
The silver bracelet rotated slowly.
"Everything is compact."
The room stared.
"That's it?"
Neon asked.
"That's it."
The Nikke looked horrified.
"That's illegal."
Several girls nodded.
The commander continued.
"The biggest change isn't the armor."
The hologram shifted.
Various uniforms appeared.
Royal Navy uniforms.
Eagle Union uniforms.
Sakura Empire kimonos.
Nikke combat attire.
Maid outfits.
Military uniforms.
Then the armor merged with them.
Gasps filled the room.
"You can upload clothing templates."
The display changed.
A normal uniform transformed into armor.
Then back into a uniform.
Then armor again.
"Your clothing becomes your armor."
Javelin's eyes sparkled.
"Wait."
The destroyer pointed.
"So I can wear my normal outfit..."
The armor formed around the hologram.
"...and still have armor?"
"Correct."
Yuuki nodded.
The room immediately became interested.
Especially the shipgirls.
Especially Belfast.
Especially Illustrious.
Because nobody wanted to wear bulky armor all day.
The hologram continued.
"Transformation time is nearly instant."
Armor appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Enterprise folded her arms.
"Useful."
"Extremely."
Yuu agreed.
The doctor pointed toward the statistics.
"Every capability from Mark I has been improved."
The display expanded.
Heroic Mode.
Stealth Mode.
Overdrive Mode.
All showed dramatically increased operational duration.
"Heroic lasts longer."
Yuuki explained.
"Stealth lasts longer."
"Overdrive lasts longer."
The girls nodded.
Those modes were already impressive.
Improving them further was significant.
Then Yuu smiled.
"Advanced helmet systems too."
The display changed.
Target tracking.
Medical analysis.
Thermal imaging.
Night vision.
Tactical networking.
Mary immediately looked interested.
"A medical overlay?"
Yuu nodded.
"Integrated."
The doctor looked impressed.
Then Yuuki revealed the next feature.
And everything went downhill from there.
"We can attach armaments now."
The room blinked.
"What?"
Rapi asked.
The hologram expanded.
Various weapons appeared.
Missile launchers.
Drone systems.
Energy weapons.
Support modules.
Ammunition packs.
The room stared.
"It's basically a miniature rigging."
That statement immediately got the shipgirls' attention.
"A miniature rigging?"
Enterprise repeated.
"Correct."
The hologram displayed weapon pods deploying from the suit itself.
"Modular."
"Customizable."
"Adaptable."
Then Yuuki smiled.
"The real advantage comes from the nanomaterial systems."
The hologram zoomed inward.
Millions of microscopic machines appeared.
Nanofabricators.
Then ammunition began forming.
Bullet after bullet.
Shell after shell.
Energy cells.
Missiles.
Created directly by the suit.
At absurd speed.
Silence.
Complete silence.
The shipgirls stared.
The Nikkes stared.
Even Yuu looked amused by their reactions.
Yuuki folded his arms.
"The suit can continuously manufacture ammunition."
Nobody spoke.
"Theoretically."
Still nobody spoke.
"Your ammunition reserves become functionally limitless."
The room remained silent.
Finally—
Anis raised her hand.
"Commander."
"Hm?"
"That sounds like cheating."
"Yes."
Yuuki replied.
Neon nodded immediately.
"Definitely cheating."
Rapi actually agreed.
"That's cheating."
The commander wasn't done.
"This suit is also fully compatible with Anti-Booby systems."
Silence.
Then realization spread.
Slowly.
Painfully.
Akagi blinked.
Kaga blinked.
Enterprise blinked.
Mary blinked.
Pepper blinked.
Yuu smiled.
Then Yuuki summarized.
"Invulnerability."
A pause.
"Unlimited ammunition."
"Adaptive armor."
"Integrated shields."
"Flight capability."
"Advanced combat networking."
"Instant deployment."
The commander looked around the room.
Then asked the obvious question.
"That's cheating, right?"
Silence.
Nobody answered immediately.
Because everyone was mentally imagining shipgirls and Nikkes equipped with this technology.
A destroyer carrying effectively infinite ammunition.
A Nikke no longer worrying about resupply.
A shipgirl deploying armor instantly in civilian clothes.
A combat unit capable of fighting for days.
Then—
Enterprise slowly rubbed her forehead.
"I think this violates several laws of warfare."
"Several?"
Hipper asked.
"I stopped counting."
Mary looked toward Pepper.
Pepper looked toward Mary.
Then both looked toward Yuuki.
The former doctor spoke first.
"Commander."
"Yes?"
"How exactly are your enemies still alive?"
The room exploded into laughter.
Even Yuuki couldn't argue with that one.
Javelin jumped up.
"Really?! We can fight indefinitely?"
"Really."
Unicorn's eyes sparkled.
Nimi adjusted her glasses.
Interested.
Even Enterprise looked impressed.
Mary blinked.
Pepper blinked.
Anis immediately pointed.
"We get one?"
Yuuki laughed.
"Eventually."
"Aww."
"The fitting process takes time."
The commander pointed toward Yuu.
"And she has to help calibrate them."
Every eye turned toward the doctor.
Yuu immediately smiled.
A very enthusiastic smile.
The kind that usually preceded a twelve-hour research session.
Mary immediately looked worried.
Pepper looked even more worried.
Yuuki noticed.
Then laughed.
"Relax."
The commander pointed toward the doctor.
"She's helping set them up."
A pause.
"Not dissecting anyone."
Yuu looked offended.
"I only dissect things occasionally."
The room became silent.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Yuuki sighed.
"See what I have to deal with?"
The room erupted into laughter.
And as the evening continued inside the inn, the Autumn Isles found themselves hosting not only shipgirls, Nikkes, and fairies—
But the next generation of technology that would soon become standard equipment for the growing Global Defense Initiative.
"There's one more advantage."
Yuuki continued.
"The Daat Yichud Mark II—"
Yuu immediately interrupted.
"Echo Suit Mark II."
Yuuki sighed.
"Echo Suit Mark II."
The doctor nodded proudly.
"Much better."
The hologram shifted again.
Unlike the previous generation, multiple body templates appeared.
Adults.
Teenagers.
Children.
Different heights.
Different builds.
"The Mark I platform had limitations."
Yuuki explained.
"The armor was designed around adolescent and adult body frames."
Several of the smaller girls immediately looked suspicious.
"The Mark II removed those restrictions."
The hologram displayed adaptive nanomaterials reshaping themselves.
"Meaning it can fit anyone."
A pause.
"Regardless of size."
"Hey!"
Neon immediately protested.
Javelin puffed her cheeks.
Laffey slowly opened one eye.
"Nimi is small too."
Nimi adjusted her glasses.
"I am not."
"You are."
Javelin replied.
"I am average."
"Small."
"I am not."
Cocoa quietly raised her hand.
"Does this mean I count as little too?"
"Yes."
Neon replied instantly.
"Traitor."
Cocoa muttered.
The room laughed.
Then Eugen smiled.
A dangerous smile.
"Oh?"
The Iron Blood cruiser glanced toward Hipper.
"Looks like flat chopping boards are included too."
The room immediately went silent.
Hipper slowly turned.
"I can hear you."
Eugen's smile somehow widened.
"I know."
"PRINZ EUGEN."
The heavy cruiser looked entirely too pleased with herself.
Yuuki wisely chose not to intervene.
Because survival instincts existed for a reason.
Then Eugen looked toward him.
Which was somehow worse.
"Teddy Bear."
"No."
Yuuki immediately answered.
"I haven't asked anything."
"No."
The cruiser laughed.
"I think Teddy Bear prefers bigger ones."
Several shipgirls immediately became interested.
"Oh?"
Illustrious smiled.
Yorktown quietly covered her face.
Kaga took a sip of tea.
Pretending not to listen.
Akagi was absolutely listening.
"Isn't that right, Teddy Bear?"
Eugen asked.
Yuuki looked around the room.
Every girl was staring at him.
Every single one.
Even Mary and Pepper looked curious.
The commander immediately recognized a trap.
"I don't think there is a safe answer."
"There isn't."
Enterprise agreed.
The carrier looked entirely too amused.
Eugen nodded.
"Then just say you like big ones."
The room leaned forward.
Yuuki sighed.
Then gave the only answer that wouldn't start a war.
"I like all sizes."
Silence.
Yorktown immediately pointed.
"Perv."
"What?"
Yuuki looked genuinely betrayed.
The carrier smiled.
"You walked into that one."
"How?"
Yuuki raised both hands in surrender.
"If I say I like small ones, I offend the big ones."
Several shipgirls nodded.
"If I say I like big ones, I offend the small ones."
More nodding.
"If I don't answer, everyone gets upset."
Even more nodding.
"And if I say I like all sizes..."
Yorktown crossed her arms.
"Then you're a perv."
The commander slumped backward.
"Man."
He looked toward the ceiling.
"Do all men face this question?"
"Probably."
Enterprise answered immediately.
"Definitely."
Prince of Wales added.
"Without question."
Belfast agreed.
The room burst into laughter.
Kaguya seized the opportunity.
"That is why thou should simply worship thy wife, dearest."
The fox woman immediately wrapped herself around his arm.
A triumphant smile appeared on her face.
Unfortunately for her—
"Oh no, you don't."
Akagi grabbed Kaguya's other arm.
The fox immediately found herself being pulled away.
"Ahh!"
Kaguya pointed dramatically at Yuuki.
"Dearest! Save thy wife!"
"Sorry, dear."
Yuuki replied.
"A cruel husband!"
"A dramatic wife."
Kaga muttered.
Meanwhile, Eugen had spotted an opening.
Which was always dangerous.
The Iron Blood cruiser leaned forward.
A playful grin on her face.
"Don't worry, Teddy Bear."
Yuuki immediately recognized trouble.
"These babies are only for you."
Eugen puffed out her chest proudly.
The room collectively groaned.
"Eugen."
Hipper sighed.
"What?"
"You know exactly what."
The cruiser only laughed.
Before Yuuki could even respond—
Another hand grabbed his arm.
"No."
Yorktown calmly pulled him toward her side.
The carrier's smile was perfectly sweet.
Which somehow made it more dangerous.
"He wasn't talking about yours."
The room immediately exploded.
"Mom's fighting back!"
Anis shouted.
Yorktown's face turned red.
"Anis!"
The blonde Nikke pointed dramatically.
"See?"
Then pointed at Yuuki.
Then pointed at Yorktown.
"What exactly am I seeing?"
Rapi asked.
"He prefers Mom's more than ours."
Yorktown immediately covered her face.
"Please stop calling me that."
"No promises."
Anis replied.
Neon nodded.
"Mom."
"Neon."
"Yes, Mom."
The carrier looked moments away from hiding under the table.
Even Enterprise was struggling not to laugh.
Belfast elegantly hid her smile behind a teacup.
Illustrious failed entirely and laughed openly.
Across the room, Mary leaned toward Pepper.
"Are they always like this?"
Pepper watched Yuuki being pulled between Yorktown, Kaguya, and Eugen.
Then watched Akagi preparing to intervene.
Then watched Kaga preparing to stop Akagi.
Then watched Anis making everything worse.
"...I think so."
The nurse smiled.
"It's kind of nice."
Mary looked around the room.
The laughter.
The teasing.
The warmth.
The complete lack of formality.
Then smiled too.
"Yeah."
For the first time in years—
The former doctor felt like she was sitting among a family rather than a military organization.
Meanwhile, at the center of the chaos—
Yuuki simply sighed.
Somehow, discussing advanced military technology had once again ended with him becoming the target of everyone else's entertainment.
And judging by the laughter filling the inn—
Nobody was sorry about it.
Anis, having finally recovered from teasing Yorktown, raised her hand.
"Question."
Yuuki immediately became suspicious.
"That's never good."
The blonde Nikke ignored him.
"So we've got Alpha."
She began counting on her fingers.
"Beta."
"Charlie."
"Delta."
"Echo."
A pause.
Then she narrowed her eyes.
"Is there a Gamma?"
The room became quiet.
Yuu suddenly looked interested.
Very interested.
Vergil wasn't present.
Yet somehow everyone could feel the vice commander becoming interested from hundreds of kilometers away.
Yuuki paused.
Then smiled.
"That's a story for another day."
The reaction was immediate.
"Aww."
Javelin pouted.
"Why?"
Neon asked.
Even Mary and Pepper looked curious.
The commander leaned back.
Thinking.
Remembering.
Then laughed softly.
"Because Earth 2.0 is a very amusing world."
That sentence alone got everyone's attention.
Yuuki looked toward the ceiling.
"The Gamma Series originated there."
The holographic timeline expanded.
A section labeled GAMMA PROJECT appeared.
Unlike the previous armors—
The data was partially hidden.
"Earth 2.0 was... different."
"A different Earth?"
Pepper asked.
Yuuki nodded.
"Very."
The commander rubbed his forehead.
"Let's just say it was a world where women ruled almost every military field."
Several girls blinked.
"Really?"
Yorktown asked.
"Really."
The commander nodded.
"They possessed an advanced exoskeleton technology that only certain individuals could properly synchronize with."
The hologram displayed elegant armored figures.
Far more advanced than conventional power armor.
"The technology was impressive."
Even Yuu nodded.
"It was."
"Codename...
"Infinite Stratos."
The doctor had read the archives.
"Their sixth-generation exoskeletons were decades ahead of what most civilizations could produce."
The room listened carefully.
"Naturally."
Yuuki continued.
"We couldn't leave that alone knowing that those people have techs advanced than us. So, we needed counter measures."
Several girls laughed.
Because that sounded exactly like GDI.
See advanced technology.
Acquire advanced technology.
Improve advanced technology.
Massively improve advanced technology as a counter measure just incase the powers of Earth 2.0 decided to snoop around GDI.
Not to go against the powers.
The standard process.
"So we reverse-engineered it."
The hologram shifted.
Prototype after prototype appeared.
Failed tests.
Experimental models.
Broken frames.
Research facilities.
"It took ten years."
Mary's eyes widened.
"Ten years?"
Yuuki nodded.
"Some technologies aren't conquered overnight."
The room fell quiet.
Because ten years represented an enormous investment.
Yuu folded her arms.
"The original system was already extraordinary."
The doctor smiled slightly.
"Surpassing it required an absurd amount of research."
The hologram displayed the progression.
Generation One.
Generation Two.
Generation Three.
The designs became increasingly sophisticated.
Generation Four.
Generation Five.
Generation Six.
The original Earth 2.0 design stopped there.
Then the GDI branch continued.
Generation Seven.
Generation Eight.
Generation Nine.
The room stared.
"We surpassed them."
Yuuki said simply.
The statement sounded casual.
The achievement was anything but.
Anis whistled.
"So they stopped at six."
Yuuki nodded.
"And we reached nine."
The blonde Nikke leaned back.
"That's ridiculous."
"Yes."
Yuu agreed.
"Very."
Enterprise folded her arms.
"What made them special?"
Yuuki smiled.
"That's where the story gets interesting."
The room immediately leaned forward.
The commander pointed toward the hologram.
"Because the Gamma Series wasn't merely armor. It is based from Infinite Stratos."
The hidden data flickered.
"To understand Gamma or IS."
A pause.
"You first have to understand the world that created it."
The hologram displayed an unfamiliar Earth.
Different nations.
Different history.
Different technology.
And at its center—
A civilization where warfare, industry, and advanced exoskeleton systems had evolved along a path completely different from Yuuki's own world.
The commander smiled.
"Which is why..."
He pointed toward the timeline.
"That's a story for another night."
The room immediately groaned.
"Commander!"
Neon complained.
"You can't stop there!"
"I can."
Yuuki replied.
"Because it's already late."
The commander stood.
"And if I start explaining Gamma Armor tonight..."
He looked around the room.
"We'll still be here by sunrise."
Nobody doubted that for a second.
Yuuki glanced toward Yuu.
"Well, Yuu."
The doctor looked up.
"Hm?"
"Why don't you give everyone here a little preview of Mark II?"
Immediately every eye in the room turned toward her.
Shipgirls.
Nikkes.
Mary.
Pepper.
Even the Bulins.
Yuu smiled.
"Gladly."
The doctor stood.
Then raised her hand.
The Echo Suit responded instantly.
Silver nanomaterials flowed across her body like liquid metal.
The transformation was far smoother than the Mark I systems the girls were familiar with.
There were no bulky deployment mechanisms.
No armor racks.
No carrier units.
Just motion.
The silver wave expanded.
Then solidified.
The Echo Armor Mark II appeared.
The room became silent.
Even the experienced shipgirls stared.
Because it was beautiful.
Not merely advanced.
Beautiful.
The armor retained its gold-and-silver coloration.
The iconic GDI aesthetic remained.
A cape flowed behind her.
Though unlike the older designs, it seemed partially constructed from programmable nanomaterial rather than fabric.
The armor itself was noticeably slimmer.
The large hexagonal plating from Mark I had been refined.
Compressed.
Optimized.
Every line appeared smoother.
More elegant.
More efficient.
The suit no longer looked like someone was wearing armor.
It looked like the armor belonged there.
A natural extension of the wearer.
Mary immediately noticed another difference.
"It looks lighter."
Yuu nodded.
"It is."
The doctor raised her arm.
The armor shifted.
The shoulder plating retracted.
The forearm plating reshaped itself.
The chest protection altered configuration.
The entire suit adjusted itself.
Gasps echoed around the room.
"It changed."
Pepper whispered.
"It can."
Yuu replied.
The armor shifted again.
This time becoming more heavily armored.
Larger plates formed.
Additional protection appeared.
Then it changed once more.
Returning to a lighter configuration.
"Combat Mode."
Another change.
"Reconnaissance Mode."
Another.
"Civilian Protection Mode."
Another.
"Medical Response Mode."
The room stared.
"It's adaptive."
Enterprise said.
"Exactly."
Yuu smiled.
"The suit can alter its protection profile depending on mission requirements."
Akashi's eyes sparkled.
"Nyaa..."
Even Vestal looked impressed.
Then came the real demonstration.
Yuu snapped her fingers.
The armor dissolved.
Not disappeared.
Transformed.
The metallic surface flowed like water.
Gold became cloth.
Silver became fabric.
Armor became clothing.
Within seconds—
The Echo Armor vanished completely.
Yuu once again stood before them wearing her lab attire.
White lab coat.
Blue shirt.
Black skirt.
Dark stockings.
Heels.
Not a single trace of armor remained.
The room was speechless.
Then Yuu smiled.
"This."
She tapped her sleeve.
"Is still the armor."
Neon immediately stood.
"Nope."
"What?"
Yuu blinked.
"Nope."
Neon pointed dramatically.
"That's magic."
Kaguya looked offended.
"Excuse me."
The room laughed.
Yuu activated the suit again.
Armor.
Clothing.
Armor.
Clothing.
The transitions occurred almost instantly.
The girls immediately began imagining possibilities.
Maid uniforms.
Combat uniforms.
Formal dresses.
Kimonos.
Naval attire.
Everything could become armor.
Everything could become protection.
Everything could become a weapon platform.
The obvious symbol remained throughout every transformation.
The crest.
The eagle of GDI.
Resting proudly over her right chest.
A symbol every member of the organization carried.
The room grew quieter.
Because many of the girls suddenly realized something.
Vergil.
Eva.
Yuuki.
And now—
Kirino Yuu.
The fourth person from the Commander's world they had officially met.
The fourth pillar of the civilization that had built flying fortresses, orbital weapons, advanced armors, and technologies centuries beyond anything this world possessed.
Mary watched quietly.
Pepper did too.
Until now—
GDI had mostly been stories.
Descriptions.
Names.
Now it was becoming real.
Real people.
Real friendships.
Real personalities.
Vergil the vice commander .
Eva the administrator.
Yuuki the commander.
And Yuu—
The brilliant, slightly terrifying doctor whose first instinct upon arriving was to examine everything that moved.
The doctor smiled at the gathering.
Then folded her arms proudly.
"Welcome to the future."
The Bulins immediately raised their hands.
"Purin!"
"Kurin!"
"Buli!"
Yuu smiled.
The Bulins immediately regretted getting her attention.
And the room erupted into laughter once more.
"So, Chief?"
Yuu leaned back comfortably.
The room had settled somewhat after the Echo Suit demonstration.
"Yup?"
Yuuki answered.
Vergil had already sent enough paperwork to give him a headache.
"Vergil mentioned something about me staying here."
The doctor crossed her legs.
"As administrator of an outpost?"
Yuuki nodded.
"That's right."
A holographic map appeared above the table.
The Autumn Isles illuminated in blue.
"This."
The commander pointed toward the floating islands.
"Will become the first Blue Zone under GDI protection."
Several girls smiled.
They already liked the idea.
Safe.
Protected.
Prosperous.
A place worth defending.
Yuuki continued.
"I'll establish a Chrono Gate here."
The map expanded.
A connection formed between the Autumn Isles and Home Island.
"It'll allow direct travel."
Yuu blinked.
"So I can come home whenever I want?"
"Eventually."
The doctor immediately narrowed her eyes.
"Eventually?"
Yuuki laughed.
"I still need a few days to recalibrate the portal."
Yuu sighed dramatically.
"So close."
"Besides."
The commander pointed toward the calendar.
"We have something more important first."
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
"The operation."
Several girls immediately became serious.
The Mother Whale.
The rescue mission.
The objective that had brought them here in the first place.
Yuu nodded.
"So I heard."
The doctor's playful demeanor faded slightly.
"The attack on the Mother Whale."
Yuuki nodded.
"Eleven shipgirls."
Another pause.
"Five Nikkes."
The room became quiet.
Because every single one of those names represented someone waiting to be rescued.
Someone who had spent years trapped.
Yuu folded her arms.
"Quite a collection."
The doctor smiled faintly.
"According to the data Vergil gave me, these shipgirls and Nikkes are fascinating."
Several girls suddenly looked suspicious.
Especially after hearing the word fascinating.
Yuu noticed immediately.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Enterprise replied.
"Nothing at all."
The doctor narrowed her eyes.
Then shrugged.
"Vergil won't even let me dissect the live Sirens."
The room immediately froze.
"YUU."
Yuuki sighed.
"What?"
The doctor looked genuinely confused.
"They're alive."
"Exactly."
"Research would be easier."
"NO."
The room erupted into laughter.
Even Yuu eventually smiled.
"Fine."
Then she looked toward the nearby windows.
The village lights flickered outside.
The Tsukimimi celebration was still ongoing.
"So some of them are Nikkes."
Yuuki nodded.
"And the villagers?"
The commander smiled.
"Tsukimimi."
The doctor tilted her head.
"The rabbit-eared people?"
"Correct."
"The remnants of the Sakura Empire."
Yuu looked thoughtful.
"Interesting."
The doctor's scientific instincts immediately activated.
"Sakura-origin populations possess stable animal-trait integration."
Several Tsukimimi outside suddenly sneezed.
As if sensing they had become research subjects.
Yuuki pointed warningly.
"Remember."
"I know."
Yuu sighed.
"Ask nicely."
"Good."
The conversation was interrupted by Belfast.
"Master?"
The maid's gentle voice immediately drew attention.
"Yes, Bel?"
Belfast glanced toward Yuu.
Then toward Yuuki.
"Lady Yuu is from your world as well?"
The room became interested again.
Many knew pieces of the story.
Few knew the whole thing.
Yuuki nodded.
"Yes."
The commander leaned back slightly.
"Tiberium-infested Earth 1.0."
Several girls immediately focused.
Because whenever Yuuki spoke about Earth 1.0, it usually meant another absurd story.
"Yuu was born in 2085."
The doctor looked mildly embarrassed.
"Please don't."
Yuuki ignored her.
"She was twelve when we left Earth 1.0."
The room blinked.
"Twelve?"
Mary repeated.
"Twelve."
Yuuki confirmed.
The doctor covered her face.
Then Yuuki delivered the truly ridiculous part.
"She became a world-class doctor at thirteen."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Mary froze.
Pepper froze.
Vestal froze.
Akashi froze.
Even Yuu looked embarrassed.
"Thirteen?"
Pepper asked.
"Thirteen."
The nurse looked toward Mary.
Then back toward Yuu.
Then back toward Mary.
The two medical professionals silently questioned their life choices.
Yuuki wasn't finished.
"By fourteen she had already surpassed most of Earth's medical community."
Mary stared.
Pepper stared.
Yuu quietly wished she could disappear.
Unfortunately she couldn't.
Then came the explanation.
"Earth 1.0 wasn't normal."
The room nodded.
That was becoming a recurring theme.
Yuuki continued.
"To survive, humanity began preserving and integrating knowledge."
The commander looked toward Yuu.
"She inherited the accumulated expertise of some of Earth's greatest doctors."
The room finally understood.
Not talent alone.
Knowledge.
Experience.
Generations of medical understanding condensed into one individual.
The foundation of a perfect doctor.
Yuu coughed lightly.
"Ehem."
The doctor adjusted her glasses.
"I am still learning."
The room stared.
Mary immediately pointed.
"You're already terrifying."
Pepper nodded.
"Very terrifying."
Even Vestal agreed.
"Quite terrifying."
Yuu looked offended.
"I'll have you know I'm perfectly normal."
Nobody in the room believed that.
Not even Yuuki.
The commander laughed.
Then Yuu glanced toward him.
The doctor's expression softened slightly.
"A lot of those memories gave me knowledge."
A pause.
"But understanding people..."
Her gaze lingered on him.
"...that part I'm still learning."
The room became noticeably quieter.
Because despite all her brilliance—
Despite the knowledge.
Despite the achievements.
Kirino Yuu was still exploring something no amount of inherited memories could teach.
The bonds she had formed with the people around her.
And especially—
The strange connection she shared with the Commander who had brought her into this world.
Yuu adjusted her glasses as the conversation shifted back toward her role within GDI.
"Ehem."
The doctor straightened slightly.
"So, in simple terms..."
Yuuki pointed toward her.
"She basically knows everything about humans."
Yuu immediately raised a finger.
"That's an exaggeration."
"Mostly everything."
Yuuki corrected.
"That's still an exaggeration."
"Enough everything."
The room laughed.
The commander leaned back.
"Earth 1.0 gave her an enormous amount of medical knowledge."
Then gestured toward the surrounding world.
"But this world gives her something new."
Yuu nodded.
"Shipgirls."
"Nikkes."
"Arcane lifeforms."
"Fairies."
"Kaguya."
"Tsukimimi."
The doctor smiled.
"A completely new field of study."
Several girls immediately looked nervous.
Especially after hearing the words field of study.
Yuuki noticed.
"Relax."
The commander pointed toward Yuu.
"We need her expertise."
The room listened.
"If we're going to improve your bodies."
"If we're going to understand how your cubes work."
"If we're going to understand how NIMPH works."
"If we're going to develop better technology for all of you."
Then he pointed toward the doctor again.
"We need research."
Yuu nodded proudly.
"Research."
The girls remained suspicious.
The commander sighed.
"No."
A pause.
"She isn't going to chop you up."
"Thank goodness."
Pepper muttered.
"Maybe scans."
Yuu added.
The room froze.
"Yuu."
"What?"
The doctor blinked innocently.
"Scans are normal."
Yuuki continued before the girls could panic.
"Body scans."
"Energy readings."
"Blood analysis."
"Cognitive mapping."
"Structure analysis."
The girls listened.
"So we can improve all of you."
That got their attention.
Enterprise folded her arms.
"What exactly are you planning?"
The room became quiet.
Because that was the real question.
Yuuki smiled.
"A chance."
The commander looked around the room.
"A chance for all of you to level up."
Silence.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Anis raised her hand.
"Level up?"
The commander nodded.
"Like a game?"
Neon asked.
"Exactly like a game."
The room immediately exploded.
"WHAT?"
Mary blinked.
Pepper blinked.
Even Yuu smiled slightly.
Because she already knew where this was going.
Yuuki continued.
"It's still theoretical."
The commander pointed toward the hologram.
"But if I can integrate GDI progression systems into your frameworks..."
The display changed.
Levels.
Skills.
Attributes.
The room stared.
"You girls could continuously improve yourselves."
"Wait."
Javelin blinked.
"You mean stronger?"
"Stronger."
"Faster?"
"Faster."
"More durable?"
"More durable."
Neon immediately stood.
"THAT'S CHEATING."
"Correct."
Yuuki replied.
The room laughed.
Then the commander looked toward Kaguya.
The fox immediately became suspicious.
"Why art thou looking at me, dearest?"
Yuuki smiled.
"Kaguya."
The Arcane shipgirl crossed her arms.
"Yes?"
"You're already stronger than most shipgirls."
The room nodded.
That wasn't even a debate.
Kaguya was absurd.
"Imagine."
Yuuki continued.
"What you are now is Level One."
The fox blinked.
"Level One?"
The commander nodded.
"Then imagine Level One Hundred."
Silence.
Even Kaguya became quiet.
Because she immediately understood.
The implications were ridiculous.
The room slowly processed it.
Then—
Yorktown raised her hand.
"Commander."
"Hm?"
"What level are you?"
The room immediately focused.
Everyone wanted that answer.
Every single person.
Yuuki smiled.
Then shook his head.
"I'll show you once you gain the ability."
The room immediately erupted.
"EHHHH?!"
"Commander!"
"That's unfair!"
"Tell us!"
"No."
Neon pointed accusingly.
"You know."
"I do."
"And you won't tell us."
"Correct."
Anis narrowed her eyes.
"Then what about Vergil?"
"Classified."
The room groaned.
"What about Eva?"
"Classified."
The room groaned louder.
"You just won't tell us!"
Javelin complained.
Yuuki nodded.
"Correct."
The destroyer pouted.
"That's not fair."
"Gain the ability."
The commander smiled.
"Then we can talk."
The room collectively sulked.
Then—
A voice spoke.
"I can tell mine."
Everyone turned.
Yuu had raised her hand.
The room became curious.
Yuuki immediately sighed.
"Yuu."
"What?"
The doctor smiled.
Then casually answered.
"Level 1000."
Silence.
Utter silence.
The room froze.
Neon froze.
Anis froze.
Mary froze.
Pepper froze.
Even Kaguya froze.
Then—
"THAT'S RIDICULOUS!"
The room exploded.
Yuu blinked.
"Is it?"
The response somehow made it worse.
Yuuki covered his face.
Because Yuu genuinely didn't understand why everyone was shocked.
The doctor looked around.
"What?"
The room pointed at her simultaneously.
"ONE THOUSAND!"
Yuu tilted her head.
"That's normal."
"It is absolutely not normal."
Enterprise replied.
The doctor looked confused.
Then Yuuki finally explained.
"Currently you're not bound to GDI."
The commander pointed toward the group.
"You can't see our statistics."
The room blinked.
"Our statistics?"
The commander nodded.
"The system doesn't recognize you yet."
A pause.
"Which means you're currently arguing with someone whose status window you can't even open."
The room stared.
Then looked toward Yuu.
Then looked toward Yuuki.
Then looked toward the others.
And suddenly everyone became even more curious than before.
Because now they knew one thing for certain.
The people from GDI were hiding an absurd amount of information.
And somehow—
Level 1000 was apparently considered normal.
The room remained fixated on the number Yuu had casually revealed.
Level 1000.
Not a soldier.
Not a frontline warrior.
Not one of GDI's dedicated combat specialists.
A doctor.
A researcher.
A woman whose preferred battlefield was a laboratory rather than a warzone.
That single fact alone had shattered everyone's understanding of what GDI truly was.
Mary was the first to recover enough to speak.
"Commander... exactly how many people are in the Global Defense Initiative?"
The room immediately turned toward him.
Until now, they had seen the technology.
The Daedalus.
The Philadelphia.
The armors.
The drones.
The orbital weapons.
The impossible medicine.
The nanotechnology.
But they had never actually asked how many people were responsible for all of it.
Yuuki calmly raised his teacup.
"Five hundred."
Nobody reacted immediately.
Mary blinked.
Pepper blinked.
Enterprise slowly frowned.
Then Pepper carefully asked, "Five hundred thousand?"
Yuuki shook his head.
"No. Just five hundred. Those who came with me to this world."
The silence that followed was almost painful.
Neon looked around the room as if expecting someone else to explain it.
When nobody did, she pointed directly at Yuuki.
"That makes absolutely no sense."
Yuuki merely shrugged.
"It makes perfect sense once you understand how GDI works."
Yuu leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs.
"The misconception is assuming GDI functions like a normal civilization. We don't."
The doctor gestured toward herself.
"Every member of GDI is heavily augmented, highly educated, cross-trained across multiple disciplines, and supported by advanced AIs and automation systems."
She pointed toward the Mark 49 armor standing silently against the wall.
"Most civilizations solve problems by adding more people."
Then she pointed toward the holographic projection of the Daedalus.
"GDI solves problems by building better tools."
The room listened carefully.
Yuu continued.
"A single engineer can oversee facilities that would normally require hundreds of workers. A single doctor can manage populations that would normally require entire hospitals. A single researcher can accomplish what would take institutions decades to achieve."
Mary and Pepper exchanged glances.
As doctors themselves, they understood exactly how absurd that sounded.
Yet after everything they had witnessed since meeting Yuuki, they couldn't dismiss it.
Yuuki rested his elbows on the table.
"Girls, those five hundred people are the best of the best. The engineers. The scientists. The doctors. The soldiers. The pilots. The administrators. The researchers. Every single one of them was chosen because they excelled beyond what normal standards could measure."
Yuu smirked.
"Most of the researchers under Vergil are strong enough to fight Sirens and Raptures if they wanted to."
That statement drew several stunned looks.
Enterprise folded her arms.
"Researchers?"
Yuu nodded.
"Most of them simply prefer creating new technology over destroying things."
Yuuki chuckled.
"Which is fortunate for the Sirens and Raptures. If Vergil ever convinced his entire research division to deploy to the battlefield, I'd feel sorry for the enemy."
The room laughed, but nobody entirely believed he was joking.
Then an uncomfortable realization began spreading among the shipgirls and Nikkes.
They slowly turned toward Yuu.
Then toward Yuuki.
Then toward Yuu again.
The implication was impossible to ignore.
Yuu was Level 1000.
A doctor.
A researcher.
The Head Doctor of the GDI Health Division.
Someone who spent most of her time healing people and studying things. According to Yuuki, the person who dissects people to understand them.
If that was the level of a non-combat specialist...
Then what about the people who actually fought?
Anis slowly leaned forward.
"You know what? I suddenly have a question."
Neon immediately nodded.
"I have the same question."
Yorktown smiled knowingly.
Enterprise already knew where this was heading.
Kaguya hid a grin behind her fan.
Even Belfast looked curious.
The room slowly turned toward Yuuki.
The commander instantly recognized that expression.
The collective look of people who had just connected several terrifying dots.
Anis pointed dramatically.
"Okay. Yuu is Level 1000."
Yuu nodded proudly.
"Correct."
Neon continued.
"Vice commander Vergil is apparently some kind of super genius monster."
Yuuki did not deny it.
Yorktown joined in.
"And Lieutenant Eva is classified."
"Very classified," Yuuki replied.
Enterprise folded her arms.
"And those five hundred people follow your orders."
Yuuki suddenly became very interested in his tea.
The room immediately noticed.
Kaguya's tails swayed behind her.
"Dearest husband."
The fox smiled sweetly.
"What level art thou?"
Yuuki took a slow sip.
The room waited.
Akagi leaned forward.
Kaga watched quietly.
Mary and Pepper were now just as invested as everyone else.
Even the Bulins had stopped talking.
The commander lowered his teacup.
Then smiled.
"I'll tell you once you gain the ability to see levels."
The room exploded.
"THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER!"
Neon practically stood on her chair.
Anis pointed accusingly.
"That's the most suspicious answer you could possibly give!"
Yorktown shook her head with an amused smile.
"You are deliberately hiding it now."
"Absolutely."
Yuuki answered without hesitation.
That only made things worse.
Mary stared at him.
"Commander, if your doctor is Level 1000, I am honestly afraid of what your level might be."
Pepper nodded immediately.
"I don't think I want to know anymore."
Kaguya laughed behind her fan.
"Oh, but I do."
The fox leaned against Yuuki's shoulder.
"Mine husband has many secrets."
Anis grinned.
"And every time we learn one, the next secret is somehow worse."
The room erupted into laughter again.
Only Yuuki remained suspiciously calm, quietly drinking his tea while every shipgirl and Nikke in the room became increasingly convinced that the most dangerous person in GDI was not Vergil, not Yuu, and certainly not Eva.
It was the commander who refused to answer the question.
The more he refused to answer, the worse their imaginations became.
Takao, however, looked unusually pleased.
Unlike the others, she wasn't intimidated.
She was excited.
The swordswoman sat upright, her eyes carrying the same determination Yuuki had seen when they first crossed blades.
For her, strength was something to pursue.
Something to understand.
Something to surpass.
And right now she had just discovered that the man she chose as her teacher might be standing at the very top of an organization filled with monsters.
A smile appeared on her face.
"Looks like taking you as a teacher was the best decision I ever made."
Several girls nodded in agreement.
Yuuki chuckled.
"Glad somebody is happy about this conversation."
Takao folded her arms.
"You're hiding your level."
"Correct."
"You're hiding your abilities."
"Also correct."
"You're hiding your class."
"Very correct."
The swordswoman smiled.
"Then I definitely chose the right teacher."
The room laughed.
Yuuki shook his head before placing his teacup down.
"Honestly, you girls are focusing on the wrong thing."
That immediately got everyone's attention.
The commander pointed around the room.
Toward the shipgirls.
Toward the Nikkes.
Toward the newest members sitting among them.
"Right now, every single one of you is stagnating."
The room grew quieter.
Because they could tell he was serious.
Enterprise slowly nodded.
She already understood what he meant.
The commander continued.
"Shipgirls rely on riggings."
He pointed toward Yorktown and Enterprise.
"Your combat performance is tied to your equipment."
Then he pointed toward Rapi, Anis, Neon, Mary, and Pepper.
"Nikkes rely on weapons, support systems, and whatever technology the Ark decides to provide."
Several Nikkes frowned.
Because he wasn't wrong.
"The problem is that neither system allows true growth."
The hologram above the table changed.
Old riggings appeared.
Old weapons appeared.
Then Sirens.
Then Raptures.
The difference was obvious.
"Your current equipment is becoming obsolete."
Nobody argued.
Because they had experienced it firsthand.
The Sirens kept evolving.
The Raptures kept evolving.
Yet their own systems remained largely unchanged.
Yuuki leaned forward.
"Could I give you better weapons?"
The commander snapped his fingers.
A hologram of advanced GDI weaponry appeared.
Particle weapons.
Railguns.
Plasma systems.
Anti-material cannons.
"Absolutely."
The room stared.
Then the hologram vanished.
"But that's a temporary solution."
Several girls frowned.
"What do you mean?" Yorktown asked.
Yuuki smiled.
"If I hand you a stronger gun, the gun becomes stronger."
A pause.
"You don't."
The room became silent.
Because now they understood.
The commander pointed toward himself.
"What I want isn't stronger equipment."
Then toward the girls.
"I want stronger people."
The hologram changed again.
This time showing a progression tree.
Levels.
Skills.
Attributes.
Equipment.
Everything connected together.
"What I'm designing is a system where your equipment grows alongside you."
The room immediately became interested.
Yuuki continued.
"The stronger you become, the stronger your equipment becomes."
"The higher your level, the more damage you can deal."
"The higher your level, the more damage you can withstand."
"The more skills you unlock, the more options you gain."
The display evolved continuously.
Weapons changing.
Armor adapting.
Statistics rising.
Skills unlocking.
Mary stared at it.
Pepper did too.
Even Yuu nodded approvingly.
The doctor already knew the theory behind the project.
"What you're trying to create," Yuu said, "is a growth ecosystem."
Yuuki pointed at her.
"Exactly."
The commander smiled.
"An ecosystem where your personal growth matters more than the weapon you're carrying."
Takao's eyes lit up.
For a swordswoman, there was no better answer.
Strength earned through effort.
Not borrowed through equipment.
The commander looked around the room.
"And that's why I need Yuu."
Immediately all eyes shifted toward the doctor.
Yuu smiled.
The room became nervous.
Again.
"I need her to understand your bodies."
Yuuki continued.
"The shipgirls."
"The Nikkes."
"The Arcane shipgirls."
"The differences."
"The similarities."
"The limitations."
The hologram showed body scans.
Cube structures.
NIMPH architecture.
Energy pathways.
Rigging systems.
"Before I can design a system that helps you grow, I first need to understand what exactly you are."
The room slowly nodded.
That actually made sense.
Even if the person performing the research happened to be slightly terrifying.
Mary raised a hand.
"So we'll be helping develop this system?"
"Exactly."
Yuuki nodded.
"The more we learn, the better the result."
Yuu smiled warmly.
A smile that somehow worried everyone.
"Don't worry."
The doctor clasped her hands together.
"I'll be nice."
The room immediately looked unconvinced.
Very unconvinced.
Akashi slowly leaned toward Vestal.
"Nyaa..."
Vestal nodded.
"That's exactly the smile."
Mary looked toward Pepper.
Pepper looked toward Mary.
Rapi quietly moved her chair a little farther away.
Anis followed.
Neon followed even faster.
Yuu blinked.
"Why is everyone moving away?"
The room erupted into laughter.
Even Yuuki couldn't help smiling.
Because somehow, despite being one of the most brilliant doctors in GDI, Kirino Yuu had still not realized that she was often far scarier than any Siren or Rapture.
===========
The former village chief sat on the deck of his ship, his mood growing darker with every passing minute.
Behind him, the Autumn Isles slowly disappeared beyond the horizon.
His former home.
His former wealth.
His former authority.
Gone.
All because of a single afternoon.
"Those bastards..."
The man slammed his fist against a crate.
Several of his men nodded in agreement.
"They came out of nowhere."
"With those women."
"And those machines."
Another pirate spat into the sea.
"We couldn't even fight back."
The memory still felt humiliating.
The fox woman claiming ownership of the island.
The black-and-white armored soldiers.
The strange flying machines.
The impossible technology.
Most humiliating of all—
The fact that not a single one of them had been able to do anything about it.
The former chief clenched his jaw.
"Let them have their victory."
Several pirates looked up.
The chief's expression darkened.
"Once they're gone..."
A cruel smile appeared.
"We'll come back."
Murmurs of agreement spread across the ship.
"The rabbit folk are weak."
"They always were."
"We'll just take everything again."
The men laughed.
For the first time since being expelled, morale began to recover.
Then—
One of the pirates frowned.
"Captain."
"What?"
The sailor looked around uneasily.
"Don't you think it's quiet?"
The laughter stopped.
The former chief frowned.
Now that the man mentioned it...
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
No waves striking the hull.
No gulls overhead.
No wind.
Almost as if the sea itself had fallen silent.
The former chief slowly stood.
His instincts suddenly screaming at him.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
He stepped toward the edge of the deck.
And froze.
A line.
A thin line running across the wooden planks.
Perfectly straight.
Perfectly clean.
The pirate blinked.
Then the deck shifted.
A horrifying creak echoed through the ship.
The line widened.
Wood separated.
The entire vessel split in half.
The former chief's eyes widened.
"What—"
The deck beneath him collapsed.
Men screamed.
Wood shattered.
The ship began breaking apart.
As if struck by an invisible blade.
Pirates tumbled into the sea.
Crates vanished beneath the waves.
Masts snapped.
The vessel died before anyone fully understood what had happened.
The former chief crashed into floating wreckage.
Gasping.
Panicking.
Then he saw her.
A lone figure standing atop the remains of the ship.
Dark rigging surrounded her.
Mechanical appendages floated behind her like predatory wings.
Red ribbons fluttered from her arms.
The sea itself seemed to recoil around her.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
Inhuman.
The pirate felt his blood run cold.
Because instinct immediately told him one thing.
This woman was dangerous.
Far more dangerous than the people who had expelled him from the island.
She slowly looked down at him.
Cold crimson eyes.
Emotionless.
The former chief couldn't breathe.
The woman spoke.
"You are from that island."
It wasn't a question.
It was a statement.
The pirate nodded frantically.
"Y-Yes!"
His voice cracked.
The woman's gaze never changed.
"Is he there?"
The pirate blinked.
"He?"
The woman's expression remained blank.
"Is he there?"
The former chief suddenly understood.
The travelers.
The commander.
The women.
The machines.
She was looking for them.
"Yes!"
The pirate nodded desperately.
"Yes, he's there!"
The woman's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Good."
The former chief swallowed.
"Please!"
He pointed toward the sinking wreckage.
"He and his women kicked us out!"
His voice trembled.
"Please spare us!"
The woman looked at him.
For a moment.
Then looked away.
As if he wasn't worth acknowledging.
"Good."
The dark rigging behind her activated.
Mechanical weapons unfolded.
Energy began gathering.
The sea illuminated red.
The pirate's face drained of color.
"What are you—"
The woman interrupted.
"That saves me the trouble."
The rigging opened fire.
The ocean exploded.
The wreckage vanished.
The remaining pirates vanished.
The former chief vanished.
No bodies remained.
No evidence remained.
Only shattered waves.
And silence.
The woman drifted above the sea.
Watching the last fragments disappear beneath the water.
Her expression never changed.
"Humans."
The word dripped with contempt.
Disgust.
Bitterness.
As if speaking of something filthy.
Then she turned toward the distant horizon.
Toward the Autumn Isles.
Toward the source of the anomaly.
Toward the man she had been searching for.
The dark rigging shifted behind her.
The sea parted as she accelerated forward.
A black streak racing across moonlit waters.
The former pirates were already forgotten.
They had merely served a purpose.
Now only one objective remained.
Find him.
And far away on the Autumn Isles, surrounded by laughing shipgirls, curious Nikkes, and a doctor discussing impossible medical theories—
Yuuki had no idea that another visitor was already on her way.
One far more dangerous than the pirates he had expelled.