This five-meter difference was enough to give the 75-meter Iron Hammer a comprehensive boost in strength!
It was like the difference between a lightweight boxing champion and a heavyweight boxing champion. They were both called champions, but could they really be compared?
"Tell Lin Wange and Lin Changge immediately. Tell them to stay sharp and not underestimate the enemy!"
"No need."
At that moment, General Luo stood up. He pressed his earpiece, his expression somewhat grim.
"Sakurajima has sent word. They've already deployed Sakura Saber, so they won't be needing our help!"
The Exes Were Beaten into Retirement by Me
As soon as General Luo finished speaking, the Command Hall fell silent once more.
Then someone stood up and said in disbelief,
"Have these Sakurajima people gone mad? Do they even know what they're doing?"
"This is fighting monsters, not child's play. Those small nations that were wiped out are proof enough of what happens if anything goes wrong!"
Another person stood up, adjusted his glasses, and spoke in a rather sinister tone.
"It seems Sakurajima still hasn't recognized reality..."
As members of the Far East Sakurajima Mecha Base, one could infer quite a few things from the base's name alone.
Yet even under such circumstances, there were still people unwilling to live quietly and peacefully.
"General, what should we do now?"
Everyone in the Command Hall turned to General Luo.
In matters like this, only General Luo had the authority to make the final decision.
General Luo's expression had been unpleasant ever since he received the message through his earpiece.
However, he remained calm.
"Since the Sakurajima people have made their choice, they will bear the consequences themselves!"
After all, this was not Far East territory, so General Luo could remain composed.
General Luo continued,
"However, we can't pretend we know nothing. Send them Iron Hammer's data. What happens next will depend on their own methods."
"All personnel are to remain on standby. If the situation turns unfavorable, deploy Wulei immediately to intercept the monster!"
"Yes, General!"
"Hm? Why did it suddenly become so quiet outside?"
As a reserve pilot, Luo Bing was quite familiar with the operations of the Mecha Base.
Under normal circumstances, every large mecha underwent a comprehensive inspection and refueling before deployment, while frequently worn components were also replaced.
The preparation time varied depending on the capability of the base's logistics personnel, ranging from three to ten minutes.
Luo Bing had only just returned to his dormitory with Luo Yun less than a minute ago. Why had things already gone quiet?
A one-minute preparation time was impossible.
Even the Far East's Ace Mecha Base could not achieve such a speed, much less Sakurajima's branch base.
"Brother, what's going on?"
Luo Yun also sensed that something was off and asked.
Luo Bing shook his head. He had no answer either and could only brush her off.
"Let's wait. There should be more news soon."
Every monster attack was a top-priority matter for the Mecha Base. No matter what happened, the entire base would be notified.
That way, everyone would understand the situation and know what they needed to do.
Everyone who worked at the base was an elite. There was not a single incompetent person among them. As long as the situation was explained, every department would naturally make its own judgment about what to do next.
Working with a group of capable people was undoubtedly the best possible work experience.
Luo Bing's guess was spot-on. Not long after he finished reassuring his little sister, the built-in loudspeaker in the dormitory sounded.
"Attention, all departments. The monster Iron Hammer appearing in the North Sea has already been engaged by Sakurajima's local mecha, Sakura Saber. We may rest temporarily, but all departments must remain at Level Two readiness to guard against unforeseen circumstances!"
The voice from the loudspeaker was gentle and feminine. It belonged to Examiner Murong.
Luo Bing froze after hearing it.
There was simply too much fishy about this.
Without another word, he turned on the television and switched to a local Sakurajima channel—the renowned Tokyo TV Station.
At that moment, the channel that normally aired cartoons year-round had dispatched its star host, who was standing by the coast.
Luo Bing's gaze did not linger on the sweet-looking host at all. Instead, he looked farther into the distance beyond the large screen.
A towering figure could vaguely be seen standing in the distance, like a giant blocking the mountains and sea.
It was a large mecha whose primary color was pink.
There was only one mecha in the entire world that used pink as its main color.
It was the large mecha Sakurajima had built by pooling the strength of the entire island—Sakura Saber!
"Sakura Saber. Height: 69 meters. Speed: 7. Strength: 7. Armor: 7."
As he softly recited Sakura Saber's stats, Luo Bing's eyes turned somewhat cold.
"These Sakurajima people who've been living comfortable little lives lately... looks like they've gotten carried away. They actually dared to engage a monster right on the coastline!"
According to the information Luo Bing knew, Sakura Saber was not particularly outstanding among large mechas. Its initial simulated terrain had been urban terrain.
In other words, it was a land-based urban combat mecha, not a type suited for naval combat at all!
Luo Yun did not know these hidden details. What she was familiar with were Sakura Saber's two pilots.
"Those two people who came to our base for a friendly exchange some time ago were Sakura Saber's pilots, right?"
Luo Bing nodded.
"That's right."
"Sakura Saber's previous pilots retired to recuperate because of some psychological issues."
"This is the new pilots' first battle!"
Luo Bing guessed that Sakurajima's eagerness to fight this time was partly driven by the desire to help Sakura Saber's new generation of pilots make a name for themselves.
After all, a mecha pilot who only shone in training classes could not be compared to one who had killed or driven back a monster.
Luo Bing only hoped Sakura Saber would not kick an iron plate.
After all, he was friends with one of Sakura Saber's pilots.
Although...
The two retired former pilots had technically been beaten into retirement by him, but that did not affect his friendship with the current pilots!
It could only be said that those two middle-aged men had terrible mental fortitude. They could not accept losing to a reserve pilot like him, and their ability to adjust their mindset was simply too poor. They were clearly the type to surrender after fifteen minutes when behind.
Ignoring the host's nonsense on the screen, Luo Bing thought for a moment before telling Luo Yun,
"I'll go back to my room and rest first."
He then returned to his room, took out his phone, and dialed someone's number.
During the call, Luo Bing's gaze was conflicted and hesitant, but in the end, he made up his mind.
After transmigrating, aside from spending several days fully accepting the original owner's memories, Luo Bing had also been trying to figure out exactly what his Golden Finger did.
After all, one could not eat recklessly or speak carelessly, and naturally, one could not use a Golden Finger carelessly either.
Luo Bing had originally planned not to use it until he understood its function.
But now...
With his friend in danger, that plan had already fallen apart.
"I'll ask first... See whether Sakura Saber can handle Iron Hammer, then decide what to do."
King of Monsters!
The atmosphere in the base's Command Hall was somewhat more relaxed than usual.
Every mecha deployment was a test of everyone's nerves.
Now that they could observe from afar, they wished every situation could be handled this way.
General Luo watched the high-definition image on the large screen, his expression solemn and devoid of any other emotion.
"Sakura Saber has reached a point ten kilometers from the coastline. It looks like they intend to keep the monster's threat outside the shore."
Someone beside him reported on the frontline situation.
After struggling against monsters for so many years, humanity had accumulated extensive experience.
The ten-kilometer red line along the coast was a reflection of that experience.
As long as a monster was driven back beyond ten kilometers, the humans living onshore would not be affected too severely.
General Luo stared at the screen for a moment before abruptly asking,
"Sakura Saber's pilots are two young replacements who came up from reserve?"
The clerical officer beside him nodded.
"Yes, General."
"According to the information released by Sakurajima, Sakura Saber's main pilot is Koizumi Junko, nineteen years old. Her last publicly released Spiritual Connection Index was 97, and she graduated first in every virtual exam—of course, those were Sakurajima's internal assessments."
Sakurajima was just a small place now. As for internal exam results from a small place, those who understood, understood.
"The co-pilot is Nakamura Ichiro, twenty years old. His last publicly released Spiritual Connection Index was 95."
The clerical officer did not elaborate much on the co-pilot. Because large mechas were simply too massive, operating one alone was far too exhausting, and under overloaded conditions, no one knew how many problems might arise.
Thus, the two-person piloting system had emerged.
Based on their Spiritual Connection Index and compatibility with the mecha, the two pilots were divided into a main pilot and a co-pilot, working together with separate responsibilities.
In public promotions, the two received equal treatment.
But without question, the main pilot received more attention.
A pilot with a high Spiritual Connection Index could bring out a mecha's combat power more perfectly and was undoubtedly the proper choice for main pilot.
However, judging by General Luo's deeply furrowed brow, something seemed wrong.
"A Spiritual Connection Index of 97? How much did Sakurajima inflate that number?"
"Sakura Saber's movements are somewhat sluggish. This is definitely not the control level of a Spiritual Connection Index of 97..."
After a pause, General Luo added,
"It feels more like the control level of a Spiritual Connection Index of 95."
The clerical officer beside him immediately covered his mouth in shock.
"A Spiritual Connection Index of 95? That co-pilot named Nakamura is at 95!"
General Luo was a first-generation pilot and one of the very few pilots who had survived to retire. When it came to familiarity with mechas, no one dared claim they were better than General Luo!
Before you continue