Chapter 20: The Intense Drill (Part 1)

Through the screens in the Data Processing Center, Lin Lan could watch the members of both Team A and Team B begin their movements from a perspective similar to an RTS (Real-Time Strategy) map.

"Augustus actually handed over command to Ulrich. It seems she really wants to win this drill."

Bismarck had already adjusted her state of mind and was back at work.

She watched as the command of Team B was transferred and explained to Lin Lan.

"Ulrich must be highly skilled in command. After all, it was under her leadership that the team successfully brought back the meta-versions of Scharnhorst and Gneisenau from another Siren experiment world during the Tower of Midgard incident."

Lin Lan recalled the game's storyline, where Ulrich handled the arbitration agency with ease, leaving a deep impression on him.

"Yes, speaking of those meta ships, they aren't with us now. They left the port to find you."

Bismarck said thoughtfully.

Meta ships, simply put, are shipgirls in a corrupted state, but meta isn't just simple corruption.

According to the game's lore, shipgirls can awaken through their mental units and gain greater power due to the presence of the commander.

However, in worlds without a commander, the shipgirls aren't as fortunate.

When faced with the destruction of their comrades by the Sirens and the ruin of everything they protected, shipgirls created by mental cubes may fall into irreversible meta states.

Though meta shipgirls gain unimaginable power as their meta state deepens, they gradually lose their sanity.

Eventually, if they over-meta, they become completely insane monsters, destroying everything in sight.

Lin Lan thought of the dozen or so meta shipgirls in his port. Once they joined, they didn't continue to over-meta.

So, he wasn't too worried about these meta shipgirls acting on their own. Instead, he was more concerned about those foolish enough to provoke them.

"Peter has decided not to engage immediately. She's only deploying carrier aircraft, planning to use the harbor's defense systems and the aircraft to deplete the enemy's resources."

"As long as the harbor isn't breached within the three-hour daily drill period, they win."

Bismarck commented as she watched Peter deploy her aircraft amidst the storm.

Lin Lan had been studying at the Naval Academy for a year, and with the knowledge he inherited, he had learned quite a bit of theory.

Watching Peter's aircraft fly into the storm, dispersing into several groups over the ocean, he thought aloud:

"In such harsh weather, it must be difficult for the aircraft to spot enemies. Peter is likely focusing on reconnaissance."

Bismarck nodded.

"That's right. But it seems Augustus doesn't plan to let her scout easily."

Indeed, amidst the thunderstorm, a large, concentrated group of aircraft appeared directly in front of Peter's previously dispersed aircraft.

Augustus had decided to send all her fighters and bombers straight at the harbor in a bold frontal assault!

"Is she planning to directly damage the harbor's defensive facilities? But just these won't be enough."

Peter obviously didn't expect Augustus to commit all her fighters and bombers in one go.

Caught off guard, many of Peter's aircraft were shot down by Augustus' fighters.

But Peter wasn't worried because the defending side's aircraft and ammunition could be replenished indefinitely.

"Adalbert, activate the anti-air systems and prepare for an air raid."

As her other aircraft began flanking maneuvers, Peter ordered Adalbert to control the harbor's defense systems.

"Adalbert, roger."

The searchlights on the ocean surface slowly rose into the stormy sky, and the harbor's anti-aircraft guns all aimed at the sky, ready for the incoming bombardment.

"Wait, Adalbert, keep half of the searchlights on the sea."

Suddenly, Tirpitz gave a command. Staring into the dark ocean, she sensed something suspicious.

"Uh, okay."

"Boom!"

Just as Adalbert responded, a loud explosion erupted from beneath a lighthouse in the harbor.

"So that's their plan. They're using the incoming aircraft to lure our recon teams together and draw the searchlights upwards."

"They want to sacrifice this wave of aircraft and strike the lighthouses while they're focused on the air."

Tirpitz calmly analyzed the situation, and Peter's expression grew serious:

"If the lighthouses are destroyed, we'll become sitting ducks in this dark sea. We must locate their main fleet."

At that moment, the roar of JU-87 dive bombers filled the sky.

"Rat-tat-tat! Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!"

The searchlights in the sky caught Augustus' bombers, and the harbor's anti-aircraft firepower was unleashed.

Even so, two lighthouses were forcibly taken out by Augustus, leaving only five in the harbor.

"Peter! Let me and Little Iron go out to scout the situation!"

Heinrich anxiously looked at Peter, but Peter just shook her head: "My aircraft numbers are still sufficient. There's no need for you to sortie yet."

"Peter, large numbers of mass-produced warships have been spotted on the harbor's left side!"

Adalbert's voice came through, drawing everyone's attention to the direction of the searchlights.

Amidst the dark ocean, a massive fleet of mass-produced warships emerged from the stormy shadows.

"Leave these mass-produced ships to me! Once I take them out, their subsequent attacks won't be as effective!"

Scharnhorst could no longer contain her urge to fight. She leaped into the sea from the dock, charging toward the mass-produced fleet.

"Wait, Scharn just rushed out alone? Is that okay?"

Adalbert asked in the team's communication, surprised to see Scharnhorst dashing out on her own.

"My aircraft and the others' main guns will cover her. You keep the searchlights on to scout other directions."

Peter said, stroking her chin.

Scharnhorst's combat power was immense. If she could indeed destroy all of Team B's mass-produced ships, even if she didn't make it back, it would be a big win.

"Peter, we've spotted more enemies on the harbor's right side... It's Seydlitz and Prinz Eugen leading the way, but there are shadows behind them. We can't tell how many!"

In the opposite direction from the mass-produced ships, Adalbert's searchlights on the sea revealed new enemies.

"So, the main force was hiding here. Augustus thought such a simple feint would fool me?"

Peter's eyes flashed with disdain.

Tirpitz analyzed the situation carefully. Since Team B was using a feint, their main fleet must be on the right side.

Sacrificing mass-produced ships for a surprise attack was a common Ironblood tactic.

Even if Team B tried to split their forces for another surprise attack, with equal strength on both sides, splitting their forces would not be enough to break through the harbor's defenses.

"I'll go with Heinrich and Count Spee."

Tirpitz said calmly.

Peter nodded, agreeing with the plan.

Once this simple tactic was exposed, the value of the surprise attack was lost. 

As long as Tirpitz and the others could hold off the main force on the right, the attacking side, weakened by the loss of mass-produced ships, would likely fail to breach the harbor.

Scharnhorst had already opened fire. With Peter's aircraft covering her, she was ready to tear the mass-produced fleet apart.

Even if there were an ambush, Scharnhorst was confident she could take on two enemies at once in a short time.

As long as she held out until Peter's aircraft and the covering fire from the rear arrived, her mission would be complete.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Even in this dark night, her main guns hit the mass-produced ships with pinpoint accuracy, while their return fire was completely blocked by her ship rigging, not even scratching her armor.

There was no doubt—once she entered the mass-produced fleet's formation, it would be a complete massacre.

"Wait, Scharn, quickly activate the anti-aircraft guns!"

Suddenly, Peter's voice came through the comms.

Before Scharnhorst could react, an overwhelming sense of fatigue made her feel as if her body was weighed down, as if filled with lead.

"This is… Augustus?"

Being from Ironblood, she immediately recognized who possessed this deceleration ability.

Scharnhorst looked up, her eyes wide, as she saw torpedo bombers diving toward her, enduring the attacks from Peter's fighters and her own anti-aircraft fire, dropping cluster torpedoes into the sea.

Despite the raging storm, she clearly saw the seven or eight white trails of torpedoes getting closer.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom!"

In the end, despite her best efforts to evade, four torpedoes struck her, causing severe damage to her rigging and temporarily disabling her propulsion system.

If Peter's fighters hadn't taken down several torpedo bombers earlier, she might have been heavily injured or even sunk.

After launching this wave of torpedoes, Augustus' torpedo bombers were wiped out by Peter's fighters and Scharn's anti-aircraft fire.

With the previous bombing and fighter groups that attacked the harbor, Augustus had now exhausted all her aircraft.

"Tch, is that all? Augustus, you're bound to lose."

Rainwater slid down Scharnhorst's face as she stood on the sea, smirking coldly.

In just two or three minutes, the repair tools she carried would restore her propulsion system, and these mass-produced ships would still be in her grasp.

Since Augustus' final strike failed to sink her, Scharnhorst wouldn't hold back.

But a thunderous roar from the front shattered Scharnhorst's illusion.

Within the storm, a tall figure stood at the bow of the capital ship, her face hidden by a pair of dark goggles and her combat suit glowing with light blue light.

"The capital ship responsible for completing Augustus' final strike is Omitter?!" Scharnhorst exclaimed.

A large cannon appeared beside Omitter, and after a burst of dazzling light, it fired straight at Scharnhorst.

"Boom!"

Scharnhorst hastily raised her shields, but the enemy's attack went through them and struck her ship rigging.

Her rigging was reduced to pieces, her internal systems damaged, causing her to lose mobility in her legs.

Scharnhorst was sank.