"We actually found the enemy here! Is there only one target?"
A brown-skinned, black-haired ship girl with a silver-white ship suit spread out like wings approached Hornet, her gaze wary as she studied the figure before her.
"Don't be careless. That guy managed to evade Sister Enterprise and the others' detection. It must not be an ordinary Siren."
"Hmph, whoever dares to stop us at this moment will be taught a lesson!"
Two White Eagle destroyers also took their combat positions, shielding Enterprise and Yorktown.
One of them was a little girl clad in a dark blue short-sleeved sports jacket, wrist guards and knee pads, and sneakers—clearly an athletic girl skilled in track and field.
The other was a petite destroyer girl with long white hair, dressed in a black-and-white lace skirt paired with a transparent off-shoulder short windbreaker.
A pair of black and blue cat ears adorned her head.
These three ship girls were none other than the escort ships of the Yorktown sisters—the heavy cruiser Northampton and the destroyers Maury and Hammann.
(Northampton)(Hammann)(Maury)
Additionally, a tall girl with long beige twin-tails timidly stepped forward from the White Eagle mass-produced fleet, cautiously deploying her ship uniform.
Her ship uniform was distinct from all the others, boasting an elegant, pure white streamlined design.
Above her, circles of mechanical ships rotated like angelic halos, while pure white dodecahedral star-shaped crystals floated around her.
"It's the enemy. Everyone, leave it to me..."
Like an angel descending into the darkness of the night, she activated her warship suit and joined the group.
Her rosy red eyes locked onto the enemy as she enunciated each word with seriousness.
"Anchorage, don't be so rash. First, observe the enemy's intent."
Enterprise, gripping her ship-mounted longbow weapon, glanced at the girl and gestured for her to hold back.
This curvaceous girl was none other than the powerful fourth-phase scientific research ship of the White Eagle camp—the heavy cruiser Anchorage—who was also the apple of Lin Lan's eye.
(Anchorage)
Despite Anchorage's appearance resembling that of a high school girl, her mind remained at the level of a young child.
Thus, even though she possessed great strength, she remained deeply attached to the commander, whom she affectionately referred to as "Teacher."
Upon learning that Yorktown and the others would be the first to travel to the Western Continent in search of Lin Lan, she emerged from her previous depression and eagerly volunteered to accompany them to the Iron Blood camp.
After Anchorage's arrival, the mass-produced fleet behind her gradually formed a battle formation, preparing to face the enemy.
More than a dozen mass-produced warships lined up, all aiming their cannons at the lone figure standing on the sea ahead.
As the three members of Enterprise launched carrier-based aircraft for closer observation, they finally discerned the identity of the black-skinned woman blocking their path.
"It's actually her!"
Hornet's previously cautious expression turned grim, while Enterprise and Yorktown also bore solemn expressions.
Upon hearing Hornet's words, Northampton and the others swiftly loaded their shells, fixing their eyes on the figure illuminated by the moonlight.
"Arbiter's forces, Arbiter: Strength VIII."
Enterprise clenched her ship-mounted mechanical longbow tightly and murmured the name in a low voice.
When Enterprise spoke the name, Northampton, Maury, and Hammann all inhaled sharply—except for the oblivious Anchorage.
The Sirens' Arbiter's Forces were distinct from the experimental research institutions used for test subjects.
It was a specialized combat division within the Sirens.
Every arbiter in the Arbiter's Forces wielded terrifying strength, capable of annihilating an entire experimental world with ease.
Moreover, arbiters commanded their own exclusive troops—agents—who far surpassed the humanoid Siren executors in the experimental institutions in terms of combat prowess.
Yorktown stood on the water, controlling her carrier-based aircraft to hover above Strength VIII, wondering why this entity had suddenly appeared here.
They had fought against the Arbiter's Forces before under the commander's leadership.
Though they had initially suffered one-sided defeats, frequently sustaining grievous injuries from the arbiters' devastating attacks, they eventually gained new equipment and honed their combat experience.
Over time, they gradually learned to counter the Arbiters rather than being utterly overpowered.
Even so, the ship girls—each elite member of their respective port-area factions—had to form mixed six-person teams equipped with specialized anti-Arbiter gear.
Only through the coordinated rotation of two to three teams could they barely repel an Arbiter.
And this was assuming that the Agent Fleet did not appear.
In the port area, perhaps only the META ship girls—those who had transcended into META form after their homeworlds were obliterated by the Sirens—could stand a chance in a one-on-one duel against an Arbiter.
Yet, Yorktown observed that the Arbiter showed no signs of attacking them. She simply stood there coldly, not even summoning her ship suit.
Considering this, Yorktown, the flagship, turned to her companions and spoke with a serious tone:
"Since she hasn't actively attacked us, let's not provoke her. Our goal is to reunite with the commander. There's no need to engage Strength VIII here."
She then turned to Enterprise.
"Try sending a mass-produced warship around the side to gauge her reaction."
After hearing his older sister's words, Enterprise suppressed the burning desire to engage in combat.
That's right. They had come here to find the commander, not to defeat Strength VIII.
The Royal Faction fleet had previously battled Strength VIII, and this entity's strength was unfathomable.
Additionally, she possessed a peculiar ability to manipulate gravity.
With their current forces, it would be extremely difficult to defeat Strength VIII—especially if there was an ambush waiting behind her. Their best option was to bypass her entirely.
As Enterprise commanded a mass-produced battleship from the fleet to slowly sail toward the Western Continent, all the White Eagle ship girls focused their attention on the warship.
"Hammann, do you think this guy is specifically here to intercept us?"
As they watched the warship advance, Maury couldn't help but ask Hammann beside her.
"How should I know? But this guy is undoubtedly strong. When I saw Yorktown's sister return to the port, her ship suit was covered in scars."
Hammann, the white-haired little girl with pseudo-cat ears, clenched her fists as she recalled Yorktown's battered state when she returned from a battle against the Arbiter.
This time, with her here, she would never allow her dear Yorktown sister to suffer such devastating injuries again.
Under the group's tense gazes, the warship steadily approached the Western Continent, maintaining a significant distance from Strength VIII.
Just when they believed they could bypass the terrifying Arbiter, something inexplicable occurred.
As the mass-produced warship entered the sea behind Strength VIII, it suddenly seemed to be pulled by an unseen force.
The entire vessel sank straight down, as though its buoyancy had vanished.
Within mere moments, the massive warship disappeared beneath the waves, vanishing from sight.
Yet, Strength VIII still did not summon her ship suit, continuing to stare at them motionlessly.
"It seems this guy is dead set on preventing us from reaching the commander."
Enterprise's expression darkened. If she still couldn't comprehend why Strength VIII was here at this point, she would be a fool.
"Then what do we do? Retreat, or...?"
Hornet had already begun stretching, preparing herself for the intense battle that loomed ahead.
Fight or evade?
For a brief moment, all eyes turned to Enterprise and Yorktown.
On one side was the commander they longed to reunite with.
On the other was the Arbiter's Forces, wielding terrifying power.
A choice had to be made.
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