Azur Lane Mobile Front

"Have you figured out what?" With just one glance, Mikasa could tell that her junior had figured out the ins and outs of the matter.

"I've thought it through." Zuikaku organized his thoughts and explained them to Mikasa.

“It seems the situation is more serious than I thought.” Mikasa sighed after listening to Zuikaku’s account. “According to you, Akagi deliberately led you into the ‘Sanctuary.’ This means that she is absolutely confident that she can control you there.”

"That's right. If it weren't for Shoukaku's pawn suddenly appearing at the end, I'd probably be under their control by now."

"However, if we want to rescue those who are being controlled, we must return to the 'Sanctuary' and confront the children of the First Carrier Division head-on, including the huge target hidden within."

This is no easy battle! Even Mikasa felt the difficulty in this situation. With limited strength, she was trying to break through the trap that the enemy had already laid. If it weren't for the important junior who was trapped, she might have just given up.

"Senior, please help me! If you just step forward and tell everyone what Akagi and the others have done, enough comrades will join the team." Zuikaku bowed deeply, her senior was her last hope. If she didn't help, Shoukaku would truly be beyond saving.

“That’s a matter for later.” Mikasa gestured for Zuikaku to sit down, then shared her thoughts: “Even if I do as you say, by the time we’re ready, Akagi will have already finished her experiments. Can you guarantee that after the experiments are complete, your Shoukaku will still be Shoukaku?”

"Eh? What should we do then?" Zuikaku said, indicating that he was at a loss and asked his senior for advice.

"Of course, we'd just storm into the 'Sanctuary' and snatch them out. But we don't have the power to win right now. I don't know if my old buddies can still be of any help."

The small room fell silent, broken only by the occasional sound of someone sipping tea.

"If there is anyone in the world who can break this situation single-handedly, it must be that flying gray ghost!"

After much deliberation, Ruihe finally came up with someone who could break the current stalemate. The good news was that he had found the person; the bad news was that they were from the opposing camp, and he was lucky if they didn't shoot him twice on the first encounter.

"I know Gray Phantom, that little girl White Eagle~ I heard she's pretty powerful. What's a flying Gray Phantom?" Senior Mikasa thought, "Can't you say something I, an old man, can understand?"

"Ah~ it's like this..." Zuikaku organized her thoughts and recounted her experience at Pearl Harbor and the recent battle reports from the AF.

"To fight against your entire fleet by himself? Is it that the younger generation is complacent or that the new kids are just too amazing?" Mikasa felt quite incredulous after hearing this. Had she completely fallen behind the times?

"But it's no use~ The White Eagles and we are now on opposing sides, how could they possibly help us?"

“How would you know it wouldn’t work if you didn’t try?” Mikasa smiled confidently. “Besides, the enemy of the Eagle Union is Sakura Empire. What does it matter if they ally with our newly formed Sakura Empire?”

"Huh? A new Sakura Empire alliance? What's that?"

"Oh, look at my memory, I forgot to tell you. This is a private organization that I and a few friends started. How about it, do you want to join?"

"Ah~ Ah? Okay."

And so, Zuikaku, still completely bewildered, became a member of the newly formed Sakura Empire.

Then, Mikasa left Zuikaku behind, saying she was going to find her old friends to ask who the flying gray ghost was and where she was. After all, they didn't have much time left to search the world.

Mikasa returned in less than half a day.

"You'd never guess where that flying gray ghost is." Mikasa said with a mischievous grin as she entered the room.

"where?"

"It's very close to us."

"Very close?" Zuikaku pondered for a moment, then a thought that she had never considered before popped into her mind, "Could it be...?"

"That's right, Donghuang."

Chapter Six: A Visitor Arrives

Although Zuikaku found it quite unbelievable that the person she was looking for was in the Eastern Empire, she couldn't raise any questions and had no choice but to follow Mikasa Ichido to T Port in the Eastern Empire.

"Senior, why T Port?" Seeing that Mikasa had not only found the person in less than half a day, but also determined the specific port, Zuikaku thought that this efficiency was too high.

"Hmm? You didn't know? You need to study more, Zuikaku. Donghuang only has this one port with ships stationed here now."

"Huh?" Zuikaku was stunned.

The company finished its morning surveillance mission, checked the time, and figured they could still make it to lunch if they sped up a bit. So they quickened their pace and raced towards the port area.

The companies, busy on their way, were completely unaware that two ships were sailing towards their port area below them.

"Oh, so modern ships have reached this level. They can use what's called...aircraft weaponry, right?"

On the way, Mikasa was chatting with Zuikaku. Since there was nothing else to do on the journey, it would be good to catch up on the current situation of the younger generation.

"So, Zuikaku, um~" Mikasa pointed to the sky, "that, is it the airplane you were talking about?"

Zuikaku looked in the direction Mikasa was pointing and was immediately startled.

"That's not an airplane! Senior~ That's that Gray Ghost!" Zuikaku almost couldn't name any other plane that was as fierce as this one.

Seeing that the company was about to take off, Zuikaku gritted his teeth, released his carrier-based aircraft, and fired his machine guns directly at the company's direction.

The woman was pondering the crucial question of what to eat for lunch when she was suddenly shot down by a carrier-based aircraft's cannon. She stared blankly at the approaching plane, bullets grazing her face before bouncing off, and her temper flared instantly.

With a single shot, Enterprise took down the carrier-based aircraft, then dove down to lower its altitude and saw the culprit, Zuikaku, and another unfamiliar ship beside her.

"Stop, stop, stop! I'm not here to fight!" Seeing Enterprise raise its gun, Zuikaku quickly gave a French military salute to show he meant no harm. "You were flying too fast just now. This was the only way I could get you to stop. I really didn't come here to fight!"

"Oh my? Is this the legendary 'Flying Enterprise'?" Mikasa looked at Enterprise with a curious expression, examined her carefully for a long time, and concluded that she had nothing to do with ships.

"Who are you?" The company, eager to get back to dinner, didn't want to pay much attention to the Sakura Ship in front of them. However, they were also embarrassed to be impolite, so they could only wait and see what the other party wanted to say.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Enterprise. I am Mikasa. Former flagship of the Sakura Empire Combined Fleet—Mikasa."

The company's expression changed slightly; they hadn't expected that the person in front of them was actually Mikasa.

"What brings you down here?" Since he's a senior, I naturally can't be too polite.

"Naturally, there are some important matters that I need to discuss with your commander in person."

"Wait a moment." Enterprise sent a message directly to Rob. It's unclear what they said on the communicator, but Enterprise nodded after listening.

“The Commander has agreed. Please follow me.” Enterprise turned to lead the two, but suddenly, she seemed to remember something. She turned back to them and asked, “What’s your speed?”

"Huh? Why are you asking that? My speed is around 34 knots." Although he didn't know what the company was up to, Zuikaku honestly answered the question.

"Haha~ Well, I'm a bit ashamed of this, after all, it's a pre-dreadnought~ It only has 18 knots."

The woman's face fell immediately. At this rate, forget about lunch; tomorrow's lunch was in jeopardy. Then, she gritted her teeth and came up with a rather outrageous idea.

"Both of you, give me your hands."

Mikasa Zuikaku was even more confused about what this strange corporate executive wanted, and dazedly reached out her hand. This decision, however, would lead them to regret it for a considerable time.

The company grabbed the two's hands and, without a word, sped away, leaving a long trail of flame in the sky, along with the screams of Mikasa and Zuikaku.

Inside the port area, Rob, who had just finished a communication with the company, was deep in thought, wondering why the people from Sakura Empire would come over at this time and say they had something important to discuss with him in person.

As for why the Sakura Empire knew about his affairs in the Eastern Empire, he didn't bother to investigate; he figured it was definitely the Eagle Union's problem again.

"Yixian, let us know we have guests. Hmm, maybe they are guests."

Today, Yi Xian is on duty and is currently organizing the documents that Luo Bo has already processed.

"Guests? Okay, I understand, Commander. Could you tell me where these guests are from?" Yi Xian was taken aback. It had been many years since any guests had visited this place.

"Sakura Empire, the person opposite calls themselves Mikasa."

The Sakura Empire's forces arrived much faster than Robo had anticipated. Some things weren't even ready here yet, and they were already here.

Then, Robo led Yixian and Zhenhai to see Mikasa and Zuikaku, who were almost dead on the spot, their souls practically escaping from their mouths.

"Enterprise, why is this happening?" Rob was shocked. Why did these two become like this after arriving at the port area?

"I flew back with both of them!"

Now, not only Luo Bo, but even Yi Xian and Zhen Hai had expressions of horror on their faces.

The group hurriedly carried Mikasa Zuikaku into the house and took good care of her for a while. The two of them finally recovered.

Seeing that the other side had finally come to their senses, Rob quickly pressed his white-haired dog's head, bowed deeply, and offered a sincere apology. Although the two sides were hostile forces, Rob felt that this kind of behavior was somewhat inhumane.

Ruihe's face was initially filled with a desperate and indignant expression, and it looked like he was about to take the company down with him. However, after seeing the company apologize and considering the purpose of his trip, he forced himself to hold back.

"Ah~ I'm finally alive again." Mikasa picked up the teacup on the table and drank it all in one gulp. "These juniors these days, really. It's a pretty novel experience, but it would have been better if it had gone a bit slower. After all, they can't take this much strain~"

"Ms. Mikasa, hello. I am Robo, the commander here. Enough with the small talk. May I ask what brings you here?"

"Oh, so you're the commander here. I remember... it's been a long time since we've had a commander from Donghuang, hasn't it?" Mikasa put down her teacup and looked him up and down. Although she didn't recognize Rob, she recognized Yixian and the others around her. Seeing that the Donghuang people seemed to revolve around Rob, she believed his words.

"Zuikaku and I came here seeking help," Mikasa said, taking a deep breath and explaining the purpose of her visit.

Chapter Seven: Pulling and Tearing

"Ms. Mikasa, you've come all this way, are you just here to make fun of me?" Rob was incredulous after hearing her request.

A hostile force came to me for help? Could it be that Azur Lane headquarters is fishing for us here?

“Of course not, we are indeed here to seek help.” Mikasa said sincerely, while Zuikaku next to her seemed a little nervous.

Seeing that the other party was indeed not joking, Rob put aside his own thoughts and seriously negotiated with them.

"Ms. Mikasa, perhaps you haven't been out and about for too long and are not aware of the situation. Currently, Sakura Empire and us—Azur Lane—are in a state of hostility."

“Although I haven’t been out and about for a long time, I’m still aware of these situations. Commander, why don’t you hear why we’re asking for your help?” Mikasa finished speaking and nodded to Yixian, who came to refill her tea, to express her gratitude.

“Ms. Mikasa, whatever this favor is, I can’t help you. After all, I don’t want to go to a military court.” Rob shook his head, intending to refuse Mikasa’s request outright.

"That kid Akagi is researching ship replicas in the Mirror Sea, and he's already figured out quite a bit." Mikasa wasn't in a hurry when Robo directly rejected her request. She said this lightly and then fell silent, picking up her teacup and savoring the fragrance of the Eastern Tea.

This news was quite explosive. Luo Bo glanced at the other party and exchanged glances with everyone present without making a sound.

"Ms. Mikasa, if that's the case, we are aware of the situation."

Rob had a vague feeling that Mikasa was still hiding some information, so he prepared to kick the ball back to see if he could get any other information out of her.

"To be honest, some time ago, some ships in our port area accidentally entered the Mirror Sea and saw the kind of replica ships you mentioned." Rob said, gesturing with his hand. "Those things, if I may be so bold, don't pose much of a threat. Even if Akagi could fill the sea area from Sakura Empire to the Eastern Empire with replica ships, I wouldn't be under much pressure."

Rob paused slightly, then continued, "Moreover, this kind of thing should be considered a secret of your Sakura Empire. Is it appropriate for you to tell us this so directly, Ms. Mikasa?"

"There's a problem within Sakura Empire, am I right, Mikasa-senpai?" Shinobu, who had been sitting silently to the side, suddenly spoke up.

After Zhenhai finished speaking, although Mikasa remained calm and unhurriedly sipping her tea, Zuikaku beside her was not so good at managing her expression.

This information naturally did not escape the notice of Zhenhai and Luo Bo. The fact that problems had arisen within the rival Sakura Empire was good news for Donghuang.

Mikasa glanced at Zuikaku beside her, signaling her to calm down, otherwise she wouldn't be able to handle her. Receiving her senior's look, Zuikaku quickly put on a serious face, giving off an expression that said, "You're all talking nonsense."

Now that the other party has revealed their hand, Rob naturally won't let this opportunity slip by. After all, the side that holds the upper hand at the negotiating table gains more benefits. What he needs to do now is to take control of the pace of the negotiation.

“Ms. Mikasa, the fact that you came to us for help already speaks volumes. After all, with your reputation in Sakura Empire, most problems could be solved if you stepped forward. Yet you turned to outsiders, even to us, an enemy force. This shows that you have no way to solve the current problem.” Rob tapped his fingers on the table beside him, making a “tap tap tap” sound.

"If we're talking about something that only we have in this world, the answer is obvious. You need Miss Enterprise's power." Zhenhai continued Luo Bo's words, revealing the answer.

Unexpectedly, Zuikaku's expression revealed his true intentions completely. Mikasa gave a wry smile, "Well, it seems I'm not suited for negotiation. The battlefield suits me better."

"So you're finally willing to have an open and honest talk?" Seeing that the other party had stopped pretending, Luo Bo breathed a sigh of relief. After all, making faces is a very tiring thing, and if you keep doing it for too long, you'll have to worry about getting facial paralysis.

“Of course. Commander, you’re absolutely right. There are some problems within Sakura Empire, but that’s not why I’m asking for your help. Actually, the main reason is this child.” Mikasa glanced at Zuikaku and continued, “According to this child, Akagi is indeed researching ship clones, and as a result, many Sakura Empire ships have come under her control, including this child’s sister, Shoukaku.”

Seeing the hopeful look in Zuikaku's eyes, Robo was certain that Mikasa was telling the truth; this was their reason for coming to him. But this reason alone wouldn't bring them any benefit, since they were only there to rescue one person.

“Ms. Mikasa, you still aren’t telling the truth. It’s just a ship. You personally went to negotiate with Akagi. I don’t believe she would really refuse to give you face. Perhaps rescuing Shoukaku is the real wish of Ms. Zuikaku next to you, but it’s definitely not yours.”

"No, I don't really want to get involved in these things, after all, I've already retired."

"Mikasa-senpai, if I'm not mistaken, the problem within Sakura Empire is you, isn't it? You believe Akagi and the others' path is flawed and want to correct them. However, to achieve this goal, prestige alone is not enough; you also need manpower and strength. Zuikaku-san and Shoukaku-san should both be within your plans, right? In fact, even we are your 'helpers.' Am I right, Mikasa-senpai?"

Zhenhai started her habitual little gesture again, gently stroking the black stockings on her legs while stating her speculation.

Mikasa's expression finally changed; her previous composure and calmness vanished, replaced by a bitter look.

"I have long admired Miss Zhenhai's reputation, and seeing her today, I can confirm that it is indeed well-deserved."

Composing herself, Mikasa decided to reveal her entire plan.

“Akagi, ever since Amagi left, her thoughts have become more and more extreme. She does want to protect Sakura Empire, but with her methods, Sakura Empire definitely has no future.” Mikasa seemed to recall the Akagi who was still a good child back then, and couldn’t help but shake her head.

"She now controls many of her companions, even at the cost of their souls, in order to gain greater power. This situation has become even more serious since she returned from AF."

Rob immediately understood. If AF had been thoroughly beaten by the company, it probably wouldn't have made it back without the Siren's intervention. It's perfectly normal for them to be desperate and want to step on the gas.

"Mikasa-senpai, I have a question. Could you please answer it for me?"

"what?"

"Who is the current flagship of Sakura Empire?"

Zhenhai's question stunned everyone present.

Chapter 8: The Issue of Compensation

Who is the current flagship of Sakura Empire? This is a question that no one present had thought about, since neither the Eastern Empire nor the White Eagle Empire has a so-called supreme flagship.

However, the Sakura Empire was different; the flagship of the Sakura Empire's combined fleet was nominally the one in charge of the Sakura Empire.

However, Akagi is not the flagship. Even though she is now in charge of the Sakura Empire, she is still not the flagship.