Vittorio Veneto—boasting over 210 firepower points while fully equipped—was one of the most powerful shipgirls in the base. She also possessed a Holy Shield skill capable of blocking any damage, placing her firmly among the most powerful of the fast battleship group.
Von Hutten also had a Holy Shield ability, though hers could only block shellfire. In certain situations, it was even more practical than Veneto's. Her firepower was nearly on par with Veneto's as well, and she had the highest durability and armor of any shipgirl in the base—making her the most capable when it came to enduring prolonged combat.
Rodney had the powerful BIG·SEVEN skill, which allowed her to fight at double effectiveness—like a martial arts master using both hands to fight independently. Her solo output was equal to that of two combatants.
The BIG·SEVEN skill was also shared by battleships like Colorado, Nagato, and Nelson. It originated from the real-life battleships of the 1920s–30s that were equipped with 406mm-class main guns: two from the Nagato class (Japan), three from the Colorado class (USA), and two from the Nelson class (UK).
Maryland was no slouch either. Her ability, Brawling Mary, made her deal more true damage the more wounded she became. Even the tankiest Abyssal flagships would tremble at the sight of her—she was a true berserker.
And these weren't the only ones. Many other shipgirls who believed themselves qualified stepped forward eagerly, hoping to be selected by Hikaru to join the battle.
Hikaru had no choice but to reject them with a firm stance. However, he didn't shut the door completely—if the battle proved difficult, he would consider pulling reinforcements from among them.
This was one of his ace strategies.
Every time Hikaru swapped secretary ship or head cook, it would cost him significant mental energy. But if he pushed himself to the brink, he calculated that he could handle two swaps in a single day.
In other words, he could summon ChangChun the day before and have her fight through the morning. By midday, he could swap in Vittorio Veneto, who would fight until evening. And if needed, he could call out Missouri to carry the momentum forward.
A war wouldn't be over in just one day. The previous defense of the South Seas lasted for weeks—from troop movements to aftermath resolution, it had dragged on for dozens of days.
The longer it took, the better. That way, Hikaru could rotate in a new powerhouse each day.
Just imagine—Abyssal flagships struggling with everything they had to break a shipgirl… only for Hikaru to calmly snap his fingers and summon a fully-rested warrior to the front line, charging in with full morale and stamina.
The thought alone was exhilarating.
Still, no matter what, he wasn't planning to do three swaps in a single day. That was far too risky—he could end up severely mentally damaged, even turning into a vegetable.
But just the hint of this plan had the shipgirls cheering with excitement.
One more rotation meant one more shot at glory—and one more layer of insurance for the base.
Among them, Vittorio Veneto was especially determined. She resolved to achieve overwhelming feats so that the Commander would never want to part with her again.
Missouri, despite still looking a mess, cast a smug glance at the shipgirls around her.
After all, the reason she'd been bullied earlier was precisely because of how smug she'd been.
She'd arrogantly flaunted that, as the current secretary ship, the Commander had already promised to switch her over to the other side tomorrow.
That kind of bragging obviously triggered envy—especially since Missouri had zero self-awareness and even flaunted it in people's faces, saying things like, "Back then I only became secretary out of pity for the Commander."
Sigh. Who would've thought the Commander couldn't bear to part with her and was now summoning her across worlds? She could spend every day by his side—but so many of her sisters were still here. That part was a little sad.
Her showboating had gone so far that even Washington, her fellow US faction shipgirl, couldn't stand it anymore—and she had been the first to lash out.
For once, all the major cliques in the port united to give Missouri a brutal beatdown.
Still, seeing the desperate scramble for deployment spots now, Missouri couldn't help but feel pleased.
Look at you all fighting tooth and nail for a spot. Meanwhile, I've already got the golden ticket. Tomorrow, I'll be by the Commander's side. Ha! I'm a genius.
Just as she was preparing to craft a few more self-praising inner monologues, Hikaru coughed and called out, "Missouri."
"What is it, Commander?" Missouri's voice was so sugary it could make someone gag. She even threw a challenging glance at Veneto. "If it's work, how about we wait until I'm at your side tomorrow? For now, I can only give advice—I've got no hands on deck at the moment."
[End of Chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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