Elder brother's garrison

Page 1357

“That voice… if I remember correctly, it should be Washington, right?” Yubari gave a wry smile, her hands behind her back as she strolled closer, observing the scene on the training field. “So many years have passed, and Washington’s style is still so manly—oh, right, she doesn’t seem to like being described that way—so many years have passed, and Washington’s style is still so rugged.”

Yubari hummed as she arrived at the edge of the training ground, where she indeed saw Washington carrying a large gun turret, engaging in a training exercise with a group of nimble heavy cruiser girls in the very center of the training ground.

Yubari's gaze was unconsciously drawn to it.

Washington's strength goes without saying; she ranks among the top even in a newbie naval base. However, what Yubari is paying attention to this time is the group of heavy cruiser girls who are fighting on par with Washington under her command.

"Hmm... Hmph? They're actually holding their own against Washington, although their superior numbers are a factor... These heavy cruiser rookies are quite impressive." Yubari watched the scene on the training field with interest, then smiled and looked away. "Oh dear... I'm suddenly getting interested in their ship equipment... I'll go say hello to Washington after they finish training."

As Yubari was making his plans, suddenly, another familiar shout rang out on the beach not far from Yubari.

"Big Sister!! I...I can't take it anymore, I really can't take it anymore..." Rome's pleading was incredibly weak.

"Hmm? You're already done with just three hundred quick repairs today? You usually do thousands of them, right? That's embarrassing. Take a two-minute break and then continue the drill with me." Veneto's emotionless voice came through.

"No! Boss! I'll die, I'll really die!"

"Since she's my sister, she should be able to come back to life, right?"

"I don't have such unreasonable skills!"

"What? So you can't be resurrected?"

"Big Sister, don't look so disappointed! Reviving someone is something no ship girl can do! Don't have any strange expectations of me!"

"Resurrect me now! Your sister empire is watching you."

"I'm completely drained! I'm utterly empty!"

"Aren't you still alive?"

"Help me—"

"..."

Listening to the sounds coming from over there.

Yubari couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth.

This sound...

If I remember correctly, it should be those two sisters.

Thinking of this, Yubari quietly moved closer to the source of the sound.

really.

Just as Yubari approached the beach, she indeed saw, in a corner of the beach, the charred body of Roma, who had been bombarded by Veneto, lying on the sand with her arms crossed and chest folded, while Veneto's legs cried out indifferently. Meanwhile, the youngest sister, Empire, was sitting quietly beside them with a book in her arms, her head drooping as she dozed off, completely ignoring her sister's miserable howls.

Wow...

This is a sight rarely seen in a newbie naval base in every sense.

Yubari quietly clung to a rock and began to spy on the scene on the beach.

“Roma, didn’t you manage to keep your daily repair usage in the four figures during those days? This morning you only used three hundred quick repairs. I seriously doubt you can even reach your goal of one thousand quick repairs a day tonight,” Veneto sighed to Rome.

"I tried so hard! I really did try, Big Sister, you have to believe me! I gave it my all to face you, Big Sister, but I don't know why we used so few quick-repair tools in the exercise..." Roma cried, looking aggrieved and heartbroken.

"Do you think I'd believe that kind of explanation?" Vienneto remained emotionless. She pointed to the mountain of green quick-repair devices and supplies behind her. "Go wash your face on the beach, eat some rice balls to replenish your energy, then use a quick-repair device. We'll continue the exercise. Today we must find out why you've been causing problems in your recent exercises..."

Just now.

A voice traveled between Veneto and Rome.

"I think the reason why Rome's fast repair team has been using less recently is not because they've been slacking off, but because their strength has been gradually increasing to the point where they can somewhat compete with Veneto."

Chapter 1751 The Progress of Rome

Rome and Veneto, who were having a heartfelt conversation, heard the voice coming from the sky. They were both slightly startled, then closed their mouths and looked towards the source of the sound.

then.

Rome and Veneto spotted a familiar red-haired ship girl peeking out from the rubble building beside them, resting her chin on her hand and smiling happily.

“Yubari?” Veneto asked in surprise.

"Haha, didn't expect that, did you?" Yubari waved to Veneto and said, "I'm back!"

“I really didn’t expect you to not come home for the past three or four years…” Veneto put one hand on his hip, looked at Yubari, and smiled with admiration. “I think you came back just recently, Yubari? You came to collect data on Iowa. Who in the naval base are you targeting this time?”

"What? Can't I come back if there's nothing wrong?" Yubari jumped down from the rubble building and hopped over to Veneto and Roma. "The last time I came back was for work, and I didn't even have time to properly say hello to everyone at the naval base, so I came back during my vacation this time! After all, I checked your sister's ship equipment last time, so what? You're not welcoming me this time?"

“You really are something else…” Veneto shook her head and sighed. “Since we’re all ship girls from the naval base, we’re family, so of course I’m not saying I’m not welcome—but what’s the follow-up to what you just said?”

"Hmm? What's next?"

"Regarding the comment about why Rome's repair costs have decreased recently," Veneto said, his gaze shifting slightly to Rome lying on the beach. "Even I didn't notice Rome getting stronger... How did you see it in Rome at a glance?"

"Yo, Rome, long time no see." Yubari waved and greeted Rome with a smile.

"Hello, Yubari-nee!" Roma sprang to her feet from the beach with a somersault, her chest heaving as she quickly bowed to Yubari. When she straightened up, her chest heaved up and down.

"..." Veneto stared at Roma's ample bosom, his brow twitching slightly before his expression subtly darkened, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. "Roma, weren't you just lying on the ground saying you couldn't get up? How come you're suddenly so energetic as soon as Yubari arrives? Looks like the training isn't heavy enough..."

"Hey hey hey hey hey!??" Roma exclaimed in surprise, quickly waving her hands at Veneto. "No, no, no! Big sister, please let me explain! I... I just rested on the beach for a while and regained some strength! Big sister, please have mercy!"

"Hahaha," Yubari laughed upon hearing this, "The way you two sisters get along is still as unique as ever."

“…” Veneto sighed, “Rome.”

"Report! I'm here!"

"Regarding what Yubari just said about you getting stronger recently, do you have any feelings about it yourself?" Veneto asked Roma.

"Huh? Uh..." Roma was taken aback. She shrank her neck, frowned, and thought for a while before shaking her head blankly. "I... I don't know either. I feel like Big Sister is still as strong as before... Whether it's artillery firepower, positioning experience, or even the strength of ship equipment, she completely overwhelms me. When I was practicing with you, Big Sister, I didn't even have the strength to fight back..."

Speaking of it.

Rome sighed, a look of helpless frustration appearing on his face.

“I have nearly ten more years of practical experience than you, and I’m also your older sister, so it’s only natural that I’m stronger than you.” Veneto looked at the dejected Roma, paused for a moment, then reached out and beckoned to Roma, “Head down.”

"Huh? Oh, oh..." Rome was taken aback and quickly bent down.

Then, Rome felt a small hand press on his head, stroking back and forth in the very center of his head.

"If it were me ten years ago, I probably wouldn't be able to beat you today. At least in this respect, Rome, you've already done better than I did back then," Veneto's calm voice rang out. "So don't be discouraged. As long as you keep working hard, one day you too can become the most shining ship in this naval base."

Roma abruptly looked up, somewhat surprised, at Veneto, then his gaze gradually softened with emotion.

"Thank... thank you, Big Sister!" Roma clenched his fists, his face full of fighting spirit. "I will continue to work hard!"

"Hmm."

"No, but... Big Sister, I have a question!" Roma asked curiously, "Big Sister, when you said that one day I will become the most dazzling ship in the rookie naval base... how long is that?"

“About ten years?” Veneto tilted his head.

"Ten years??" Rome was dumbfounded.

Before becoming the brightest ship in the newbie naval base... do I have to keep working this hard?

Like now...

Now like this...

Rome glanced back at the mountain of wreckage from the rapid repair equipment behind him, and his expression faltered.

Alas!

Rome's legs trembled at the thought of enduring such horrific Spartan training from his older sister every day for the next ten years.

“Maybe it won’t take that long.” Yubari looked at Rome’s bleak future and suddenly laughed. “Actually, Rome’s progress might be even faster than Veneto imagined.”

Upon hearing this, Veneto and Roma suddenly turned their heads and looked at Yubari.

"Did Yubari discover something?" Veneto asked Yubari.

"Hmm..." Yubari's eyes swept over Veneto's body, and she smiled and replied with her red lips, "I guess so."

"Could it be that, thanks to your professional expertise in ship equipment research, you secretly observed my battle with the boss and discovered my improved movement and shelling accuracy?" Roma asked eagerly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"Haha... I'd love to say that, but actually I just got here myself. By the time I arrived, you were already lounging on the beach discussing the upcoming exercises with Veneto, so I didn't get to see any of your battle scenes," Yubari said with a laugh.

"Uh...you didn't see it..." Upon hearing this, Rome collapsed like a punctured balloon. "Then...then the previous conclusion was all just guesswork..."

“I wouldn’t say that,” Yubari shook his head and smiled at Veneto beside him. “Veneto, you and Roma spend every day on the training ground doing high-intensity drills, right? In a sense, as long as Roma is conscious, you’ll stay by her side and keep her company, won’t you?”

"Yes."

“Being together day and night is a good thing~ But precisely because you’re together every day, it’s easy to become unaware of the gradual changes in certain characteristics of your partner as the days go by.” Yubari smiled at Veneto with his hands behind his back. “The subtle changes in Rome’s fighting strength every day probably fall into this category. So much so that even you, Veneto, with your professional eye, didn’t notice the changes in Rome in a short period of time.”

"The changes in Rome?" Upon hearing this, Veneto thoughtfully shifted his gaze to the innocent-looking Rome. "Yubari, are the recent changes in Rome... very obvious?"

“You’re always focused on Rome, so of course you won’t notice it right away. At times like this, you just need to change your perspective, and you’ll see.” Yubari walked to Veneto’s side, cupped Veneto’s cheeks in his hands, and gently lowered Veneto’s head slightly, looking down at Veneto’s feet. “Do you remember what it was like after you fought Rome before?”

Veneto looked down, staring blankly at his feet.

In Veneto's memory, her exercises and battles with Rome often ended with her absolute advantage. Rome was almost unable to put up any effective resistance under her command, let alone fire cannons, or even get her clothes dirty or let a little water splash on her.

but……

It wasn't until Yubari looked down at his feet that Veneto suddenly noticed something he had previously overlooked.

—That is, a small, inconspicuous corner of her clothing near her thigh had become charred, wrinkled, and tattered at some point.

That tiny, barely visible patch of clothing was incredibly discreet, no bigger than a soybean, resembling a cigarette burn mark. Although the burn mark was charred black, Veneto preferred black and white clothing, and the charred color was remarkably inconspicuous on her. Had Yubari not deliberately turned Veneto's perspective, Veneto felt she would have taken a long time to notice it.

“This is…” Veneto and Roma were both stunned.

“Veneto, you’re someone who pays close attention to your image. You must check your clothes carefully every day before and after you leave, right? This tiny burn mark could only have appeared on your clothes recently, meaning it’s a trace of Rome’s attack.” Yubari withdrew his hands and explained proudly to Veneto, “Hmph… In other words, Rome has become so powerful that, from being completely helpless against you before, they’ve reached the point where they can damage your clothes when you’re not paying attention! But even if it’s only a tiny bit!”

"..." Veneto and Roma stared at the marks on Veneto's clothes, remaining silent for a long time.

"This highlights the difference between traditional teaching and our modern teaching!" Yubari, ignoring Veneto and Rome, proudly patted his chest and said, "Traditional instructors find it difficult to accurately judge students' progress with their own eyes, while the advantage of our modern teaching is that we can quantify everything that can be quantified! As long as Rome's progress exists, we can quantify it into data and observe it in real time. We will never encounter situations like yours where..."

Pfft!

Before Yubari could finish speaking, suddenly, with a thud, Roma knelt down on the beach.

"Big Sister! I...I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to ruin your clothes! I...I...I..." Roma lay trembling on the beach, her voice trembling with fear. "I just found out! I...I didn't mean to, I...I was just trying my best to defend myself from Big Sister's attack, sob sob sob Big Sister, I was wrong, I shouldn't have ruined your clothes, Big Sister, please don't hit me!!!"

Chapter 1752 The Opportunity for Transformation

Obviously.

More than their growing strength, Rome was worried about their own safety.

Veneto lowered her head, staring silently at the burnt hem of her dress in Rome.

Who knows what the boss will do to herself after discovering she burned her clothes...

Those are the boss's clothes!

Normally, my older sister is the kind of person who cares a lot about her clothes and appearance, and this trait became even more obvious after she received the admiral's wedding ring.

Every morning when she leaves home, or every evening when she returns home, her boss would carefully examine her outfit in front of the mirror. Her level of attention to detail was almost supernatural. She would even solemnly pick out and iron out a tiny loose thread on her clothes with a paperclip and a candle, spending more than ten minutes doing so!

Rome wasn't stupid; she knew perfectly well that Veneto's demand of herself stemmed from her desire to display the most imposing and dashing demeanor among all the battleship girls in the entire naval base at any opportunity she might encounter Shiro, and she didn't want to make a fool of herself in front of her admiral.

This is why Rome understood the importance of clothing to Veneto.

I accidentally burned the boss's clothes this time, and she found out. Just thinking about possibly running into the admiral and losing face in front of her, she'd probably tear me apart!

Perhaps the boss might not deal with me immediately because of my pride in front of Yubari, but I'm sure I'll be in for a rough time! This whole thing is far from over, and I probably won't have many good days left!

Think of this.

Rome felt no joy at its growing strength; instead, it was filled with desolation.

At this moment, Rome, as if they had accidentally broken an important prop and were afraid of Veneto's retaliation, and that their training volume would be doubled again and again, frantically kowtowed to Veneto and begged for mercy.

Kneeling is shameful, but it's effective.

What's more, the person he's kneeling to is his own sister, and it's all for his own future health and well-being so he won't be mistreated. It's definitely worth it!

Thinking of this, Rome increased the frequency of its pleas for mercy and prostrations.

Yubari, who was watching from the sidelines and had no idea why, was speechless.

...The way these sisters get along is sometimes really hard for others to understand.

Yubari sighed.

"Luo..."

Just as Yubari was about to say something to the kneeling Roma, Veneto, who had been silent all along, seemed to finally snap out of her reverie. Veneto slightly raised her head and fixed her gaze on Roma.