Birth of the Silhouette Base
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Translator: SFBaka
Editor: Thor’s Stone
The Cimon-class mobile assault base advanced on the seabed at a steady pace.
It was heading to a large artificial approach that would eventually lead to the interior of the mountain base above the arsenal fortress.
Once it reaches a specific position, it will settle on a platform and will be carried to the rail catapult.
After a while more, the ship finally landed on the platform and was automatically set into position on the rail catapult. The place it was transported to also served as a maintenance area.
『Dike to all crew. We have arrived at our destination. Familiars, please gather at the designated area to proceed with data linking. All other crew members, please proceed to the flight deck.』
The Metal Iris members promptly assembled on the deck. The Familiars immediately rushed over after they’d finished data linking with Dike.
Jenny and Rick were standing side by side on a small work vehicle. Kou and the rest were standing in front of the vehicle.
「Good work on gathering today, everyone. Thank you. From today onward, Metal Iris and Storm Hound will merge as one. Together, we will fight as a single team with reliable comrades.」
Loud cheers went up after the announcement. Metal Iris also had many Familiar and Therianthrope members. There was no one who opposed the decision.
「I haven’t gotten to the most important part, y’know? See this spaceship that we rode in today and this secret base? From now on, these will be lent to us by Asia herself. This will be our new home guys.」
What followed was silence. The Familiars who just finished data linking with Dike were calm. The humans, Therianthropes, and Nereids held their breaths as they looked at each other’s faces in shock.
If this was true, it would be a truly outrageous development.
「I won’t blame you for being shocked. After all, Rick and I were only told this today as well. And Kou, who led us to success in our previous operation, will also be joining us today as a technical advisor.」
The murmurs from the gathered personnel instantly went up in volume. They had now recognized Kou as Asia’s official representative.
「You all know I’m not good with formalities guys, so I’ll just give it to you straight. I’ll be acting as the main representative of our Force, and Rick will be second-in-command. Kou-kun will serve as the Hidden Boss behind the scenes or something like that. From now on, we are an army serving directly under Asia!」
Cheers, that were louder than ever, went up.
Kou, who was introduced as the Hidden Boss, turned to Jenny in a fluster, but she completely ignored him.
「We will probably have to undertake even more dangerous missions from now on. But we have been granted this much power in exchange. It was said in ancient times that great power comes with great responsibility. Thus, we have to use the power granted to us correctly and become a completely reborn Underground Force. Now then, Kou-kun. Please grant us some words as well.」
Kou went up to the work vehicle and stood next to Jenny.
「Hi everyone. I’m Kou, and I’ll be a member of Metal Iris as well starting from today. Once again, it’s nice to meet you all. Let us do our best to completely free Asia. And let us all endeavor to create a world where humans, Familiars, Therianthropes, and Nereids can all walk side by side together.」
Everyone applauded after hearing Kou’s short address.
The Therianthropes and Nereids applauded the loudest. The Familiars were also in really high spirits.
「As of today, we are the reborn Metal Iris. All you Familiars have already been given all the relevant data about this place, so please serve as guides to the rest. No. Before that, all of you need to choose your rooms on this ship first. We’re all gonna be quite busy, okay, guys? We’ll begin moving to this base completely starting today after all!」
The Metal Iris members were already surprised enough that they would be given individual rooms on the ship, but they were even more flabbergasted to learn that their entire Underground Force will be able to stay in an exclusive residential area. It was way better treatment and conditions compared to their days bunking in the barracks of the shelters they go to during missions.
The loudest cheers resounded at this moment.
Kou noticed that Aimer was already happily chatting with Marl and Flack. He was finally able to see Aimer’s natural smile.
It was great that she now had companions close to her age. Kou thought that all this trouble was already worth it if it meant seeing Aimer’s happy smile.
And so, the ceremony for the formation of a new Underground Force was now over.
Every member was excited about their new place and went back to the ship for a more thorough tour.
「This is amazing, Kou-kun.」
Fuyuki exclaimed inside the command room. Jenny and Blue were also present.
「This certainly is an amazing situation. To think we’d get to have this base all to ourselves. This place is already on the scale of a military fortress city.」
「But the place where Asia stays is designated as an off-limits area for you guys. I’m really sorry for that.」
The section connecting the surface base with the underground arsenal complex was sealed just like how it was in Fortress Area X463. It can only be entered by qualified Development Engineer and those who have been given proper access authorization.
To be exact, the entire underground complex can currently be considered as Asia’s main body, but Kou and the others judged that they didn’t need to reveal all the details unless deemed necessary.
「Don’t worry about it. Rather, I still can’t believe you’d allow access to everything except that.」
「But this place is currently empty though.」
「That’s true. It looks like we need to get our hands on various supplies. How are our funds, Jenny?」
「Funds? I just checked the assets we received from Dike. We’re now super loaded! If we weren’t at war, such an amount will allow all of our members and us to live extravagantly for the rest of our lives.」
「We really managed to get a super-rich patron huh!」
Fuyuki exclaimed in astonishment after hearing Jenny’s words.
「But this place really is empty right now. We also don’t have enough manpower.」
「It looks like Asia intends to dispatch newly created Familiars here later.」
「That’s great. Once our men have properly settled down, let’s recruit more humans and Nereids too.」
「So the problem is supplies huh.」
「I have a suggestion, Fuyuki-san. How about leaving the matter of supply procurement to the Benshin General Trading Company?」
Fuyuki mulled over Kou’s suggestion.
「Yeah, that could work…… Putting it up for a bid is normally how you’d go about it though. But if we want to secure a supply channel quickly, Benshin certainly is a very good option. We can definitely make good use of their Japan-style flexibility and adaptability.」
「Mm. If we’re going with Benshin, why not leave the bidding for cooperation with specialized trading companies to them too?」
「Kou-kun. Are there any specific conditions?」
「Conditions huh? I’d like companies that can work well with Therianthropes and Familiars if possible. Also, I’d prefer it if they can be trusted to keep some secrets safe.」
「Understood. I’ll get in touch with them after we’ve finished assigning all members to their rooms on the ship and their quarters in the residential area.」
「It looks like everyone’s really excited.」
「Of course, they are! I’ve never encountered personal residential blocks furnished with a fully equipped Silhouette garage in my life until I came here! This place can already be called a full-fledged Silhouette base.」
「Ahaha. Silhouette base huh? That has a nice ring to it. This was a former port, and Silhouettes are indispensable to operate it effectively.」
「This is no laughing matter Kou. It really might turn out like that.」
Living quarters that were equipped with a fully functioning and equipped Silhouette hangar was unheard of. Blue was worried about just how casual Kou was when handing out such a place.
「The Mercenary Association is impartial. It’s fine for mercenaries registered under them to work for either the Stones or humanity. This place, however, is different. This base will only house mercenaries who are committed to fighting the Stones, so, depending on the situation, it might be good to advertise it a bit.」
「I feel like mercenaries will come flooding in once that happens.」
「That’s fine. This place is pretty big anyway. Anyway, let’s leave that for later. We have other stuff to worry about.」
「We’ll need to secure some supplies first, right? We’ll go and gather some. I’ll be going then. Just contact me using the team code if there’s anything you need my help with, Kou.」
「Oh, right. I’ll be in your care then, Fuyuki-san.」
After Fuyuki left, Kou let out a mutter.
「Silhouette base huh? It does sound interesting.」
Blue couldn’t hide her frustration after hearing Kou mutter those words under his breath.
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