An hour later.
The dust in the experimental field gradually settled, and the Manchus and Buri, armed with tools, began to repair the battered and riddled training ground.
Even though they couldn't unleash their full strength in land combat, the destructive power of the ship girls was still exaggerated, achieving an effect similar to a rocket barrage.
“Well, based on our test results and assessment, your physical strength lies between a destroyer and a cruiser.”
Enterprise said, looking at the experimental data in her hand.
“Your resilience is slightly stronger, similar to a heavy cruiser. Unless you’re subjected to a large number of torpedo attacks, ordinary destroyers shouldn't be able to harm you.”
“Only destroyer-level? It’s weaker than I imagined.”
Lu Chen moved his body, stretching.
He could roughly sense it during the test.
He was still able to handle the attacks of destroyer ship girls, but when the battleships and carriers came out, he could only be crushed.
Similarly, small-caliber main guns couldn't hurt him, but taking a heavy cruiser-class naval gun head-on would still be a bit difficult.
“It’s probably because you and the Mind Cube haven't achieved a hundred percent synchronization. Using it more should allow you to unleash greater power.”
Enterprise pondered for a moment.
“Oh, that's fine then.”
Even destroyer-level strength was more than enough to dominate the surface.
Lu Chen felt that he would at least have to reach Yamato-class or Iowa-class levels in the future.
“But I don’t seem to have the ability to summon ship equipment? I also can’t float on the sea?”
He suddenly remembered that, although both of them used the power of the Mind Cube, he was missing something compared to the ship girls.
He only had physical strength, not an armament system.
“Because your true form, Commander, is not a warship.”
Akashi's eyes remained filled with resentment.
“The Mind Cube's function is to materialize the collective cognition of humanity regarding a certain object.”
“To put it another way, if the user believes that a warship is a ship girl, it can imbue the warship with sentience and materialize the battleship into a human.”
“But your self-perception is originally human, so naturally you wouldn't have any ship equipment.”
“…”
Lu Chen fell silent for a moment.
“So because I believe that warships are people, the Mind Cube can turn a warship into a ship girl? What kind of idealism is this, a power of 'I think therefore I am' that distorts reality!?”
“I can’t become a ship daddy because I originally believe I am a human!?”
“That's right.”
Akashi nodded.
“But if Commander, you believe you are something else, the Mind Cube might be able to turn you into that.”
Lu Chen had a new understanding of the black technology of the Azur Lane world.
“That means, if I truly believe that I am a warship, I can project ship equipment. If I believe I am a Gundam, I can pilot the Unit-01, the Wing Zero, or the Freedom Gundam, the Barbatos!?”
“Hmm.”
Akashi expressed agreement.
“Although I don’t know what a Gundam is, theoretically, that’s how it works, meow.”
…
Lu Chen was unable to distort his self-perception in a short period of time.
He had been a real human for twenty years, even if he frantically self-hypnotized himself with phrases like “I am a star destroyer, I am a star destroyer,” or “I am a Gundam, I am a Gundam,” it wouldn't work.
This wasn't as simple as gender recognition, where you could just fill in something like an armed helicopter.
His subconscious wouldn’t allow it, and neither would his body.
He could only think of a solution later.
However, gaining physical abilities similar to those of ship girls was not in vain.
It also made him curious about what other capabilities he could integrate in the future.
The only minor problem was that Akashi often chased after him, demanding payment.
She criticized him for freeloading on a Mind Cube.
Lu Chen could only promise that he would help her sell the paint box to multiverses in the future, and together they would cheat the aliens of other worlds.
Akashi thought it over for a moment, then immediately beamed with joy. She spent her days squatting in the store, brushing the white box with gold paint, ready to give the other worlds a little shock of being scammed.
Five days later.
Port Area Main Building, Top Floor Conference Room.
After a period of discussion and resolving the incident of Lu Chen devouring the Port Area’s only Mind Cube.
The two sides reached a consensus on the cooperation between the two worlds.
Although they hadn't been together for long, perhaps due to the affinity with the power of the Mind Cube, the other ship girls' attitudes towards Lu Chen had become much friendlier.
Some enthusiastic ones had already begun addressing him as "Commander."
“Ahem, then, on behalf of all the ship girls of Azur Lane, I agree to establish a comprehensive cooperative relationship with your world.”
Enterprise, wearing a white military uniform, handed Lu Chen a document.
This was the outcome after numerous negotiations, discussions, and countless internal meetings held by the ship girls.
Lu Chen opened the document. There were two copies, and the cover page also had the Azur Lane faction logo printed on it, making it look very formal.
It was very much like the diplomatic meetings between the major nations on Blue Star back in the day.
“I, on behalf of the Port Area, sign this trade agreement, immigration agreement, scientific research agreement, non-aggression treaty, and military alliance treaty with you.”
“May prosperity and development come to both our worlds.”