Chapter 17: Ironblood Training Exercise

When it comes to Peter, the first thing that comes to Lin Lan's mind is the phrase "master of time management."

Peter is a carrier commander who can perfectly manage all her time, scheduling every task with precision. Her strict and disciplined Ironblood style is vividly reflected in her actions.

Additionally, Peter's in-game abilities suggest that she can actually control the flow of time within a certain range for a short period.

In the game, there are only two shipgirls with time-manipulation abilities: the Royal Armored Carrier, Formidable, and the Ironblood Carrier, Peter Strasser. 

Lin Lan has always been eager to see what a battle between these two would look like.

After all, they're the same type of character.

Besides being a master of time management, Peter also has a more famous nickname among players—Peter Three-Three.

This nickname comes from her appearance.

With long black twin-tails, an elegant and commanding aura, and the ability to control time, she bears a striking resemblance to a popular character from a well-known anime, Date A Live: Kurumi Tokisaki.

Some players even wondered if Peter Three-Three could actually summon the Angel of Time, Zafkiel.

Lin Lan's daydream was interrupted by Hipper's dismissive remark:

"Huh?"

"Last time, I underestimated her. I didn't expect that after running out of ammo, she would still have a set of torpedoes hidden. This time, I'm going to make sure she's utterly defeated and sees how powerful the Hipper-class can be!"

Lin Lan realized that Hipper was still upset about losing to Prinz Heinrich during their last training exercise.

"So, what are the rules for your current exercise? I'm pretty curious."

Swallowing his food, Lin Lan picked up a glass of water and asked Roon.

Previously, in the game, shipgirls' battles were depicted in a chibi style. But ever since arriving in this world, Lin Lan had only seen holographic simulation training during his year at the academy.

Although the academy's holographic simulations were conducted from a top-down perspective, allowing commanders to observe shipgirls' battles up close, the first time he saw a real shipgirl fight, he was deeply shocked.

On the harsh battlefield at sea, elegance and destruction coexisted. The intense impact of witnessing real battles left Lin Lan in awe.

Unfortunately, the holographic simulation training sessions weren't held every week, and spots had to be secured in advance.

Given that Lin Lan always had to be on guard against trouble from the financial group, he only managed to attend seven or eight simulation classes over the course of a year.

With the theoretical knowledge from the previous Lin Lan, who was a top student in this world, he quickly adapted to his duties as a commander in holographic simulations.

However, the academy's simulations had a major flaw—they only featured destroyers and light cruisers, with many of their equipment slots not even filled.

According to the academy's textbooks, the development of shipgirls' rigging in this world was still in its early stages.

For example, carrier-based aircraft released by carriers and Siren shipgirls were similar in combat power to real aircraft, but much smaller.

This meant the manufacturing process for these aircraft was entirely different from real planes.

Currently, research institutes in various countries had only designed the most basic rigging that could be used in combat.

In Lin Lan's eyes, this "latest" equipment was akin to the basic gear available when the game first launched—stuff he wouldn't even want cluttering up his storage.

But during his time at the Ironblood fortress, he became intensely curious about his shipgirls' current equipment.

He wondered if the colorful, powerful gear he had painstakingly grinded in the game's open world and research projects had been brought into reality.

If everything had been brought over, these pieces of colorful equipment might truly be considered divine artifacts in this world, capable of delivering an overwhelming, no, an ascendant strike to every nation.

After all, they were divine artifacts brought from a two-dimensional world into reality—gaining an extra dimension was only natural.

In just a brief moment, Lin Lan's imagination had taken flight again.

"Commander, did you understand what I just said?"

Bringing him back to reality was Roon, who had leaned in close.

"Ah, sorry, I got a bit distracted just now. Could you please explain it again, Roon?"

Oops, he hadn't been listening to Roon's explanation about the exercise at all.

Lin Lan could only respond with an awkward smile.

"Huh? You didn't hear a single word after all that?"

Hipper crossed her arms and gave Lin Lan a disdainful look.

"Sis, time's almost up," said Prinz Eugen, glancing at the clock on the wall of the dining hall to remind Hipper.

"Geez, Z23, you're in charge of explaining everything to this idiot again, then take him to find Bismarck."

Hipper sighed in resignation as she gave Nimi the order, then turned and left first.

"You'd better enjoy watching our victory!"

As Hipper's parting words echoed, Blücher happily followed her out, not forgetting to turn around and enthusiastically cheer at Lin Lan:

"Feeling the commander's love, I'm invincible now! Just watch, Commander!"

Lin Lan felt that Blücher was filled with intense fighting spirit—unless it was just his imagination.

He could only hope she wasn't being overly confident this time.

As Eugen left, she wore a playful smile and sent Lin Lan a cheeky air kiss.

Watching the three of them leave, Lin Lan couldn't help but reflect on the Hipper-class Admiral sisters—they each had their unique personalities.

A tsundere older sister, a naive and innocent middle sister, and a mischievous younger sister who enjoyed teasing the eldest.

After finishing breakfast, Lin Lan and Z23 bid farewell to Roon, who was managing the dining hall that day and looked at him with reluctant eyes.

Led by Z23, the two headed toward the fifth floor of the Ironblood Fortress, where Bismarck and Friedrich der Große had their offices.

In the floating elevator, Nimi explained the Ironblood training exercise to Lin Lan.

In summary, the exercise took place in a mirrored sea area outside the fortress.

The content of the exercise involved creating various fully realistic combat scenarios, thanks to the power of the fortress's core.

In these mirrored sea areas created by Ironblood, they could generate mass-produced warships, Siren elite flagships, and simulated shipgirls from other factions.

Of course, various functional and defensive fortifications could also be created, almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

The data for these units was based on actual combat records and could be adjusted for difficulty within the fortress.

However, most of these features were only used in large-scale quarterly exercises against the Sirens.

Daily exercises were simpler, with the Ironblood shipgirls participating in training being evenly divided into two teams according to their ship types for a fair fight.

Their equipment was also standardized for exercises to ensure balanced combat power on both sides.

As Z23 finished her explanation, Lin Lan and Nimi arrived on the fifth floor.

Stepping out of the floating elevator, Lin Lan was greeted by a grand hall that resembled a palace.

No, more accurately, it was a luxurious European-style palace with a black-and-red color scheme, designed on a castle scale.

Surrounding them were various expensive-looking sculptures and artworks. 

At the center were a few steps leading to a raised platform, where two prominent seats were placed, giving the impression of rulers overlooking their subjects.

"This is Ironblood's Central Palace. Despite its luxurious design, almost no one comes here. We're not really into the Royal Navy's grand ceremonies," Z23 explained, to which Lin Lan nodded in understanding.

While Ironblood was known for its discipline and wasn't as concerned with elaborate etiquette as the Royal Navy, it was still one of the largest factions in the port. 

As leaders of Ironblood, Bismarck and Friedrich der Große needed a place fitting for their status in diplomatic situations.

"Bismarck is probably in the Data Processing Center ahead, where she manages and monitors the mirrored sea areas around the fortress," Z23 said as she led Lin Lan through the palace-like Central Hall to a heavy steel door at the back.

Nimi pressed a button beside the door, and Bismarck's steady voice came from a speaker above:

"It's the Commander, isn't it? Please wait a moment. Z23, thank you for your hard work. Could you also inform Z46 to gather a few destroyers for an afternoon cleaning of the Central Palace?"

"Understood, Lady Bismarck."

Nimi smiled at Lin Lan and nodded before heading back.

Soon, as the steel door slowly lifted, Lin Lan got a full view of the Data Processing Center.

The spacious room was bathed in a dim red light, with dozens of semi-transparent virtual screens floating in mid-air.

Various complex data rapidly flashed across the uppermost screens, creating a highly futuristic atmosphere.

As Lin Lan walked into the room, he noticed that the screens displayed live video feeds, much like surveillance footage.

"Commander, I thought you might come here today."

Bismarck stood tall before the screens.

She was dressed in her usual Ironblood black uniform, with a military hat on her head. She turned to face Lin Lan, a slight smile breaking her usually stern expression.