At the mention of equipment, Bismarck's interest was immediately piqued. Considering herself an Ironblood soldier, she was also very attentive to her own weapons.
Her standard equipment was all of the highest Super Rare quality, manufactured by Raize himself after he had analyzed and perfected it.
Special equipment was custom-made by the Commander for each shipgirl's specific strengths. If a shipgirl's level increased and her bond with her Commander deepened, she would also gain power suited to her from Raize.
Bismarck knew that the special power within her came from Raize. She personally admired Laffey, the max-level powerhouse, who during training handled them as easily as beating up children—their attacks couldn't even touch the hem of Laffey's clothes.
"Don't worry, it's a powerful weapon I've personally prepared just for you."
Raize smiled and directly transmitted the data and visuals of the modified Quantum Compression Cannon(Black Hole Cannon) to Bismarck via their mental link.
Upon receiving the information in her mind, Bismarck's eyes widened, clearly filled with anticipation and delight.
As one of the leading Iron Blood shipgirls, she loved such insanely destructive weapons.
"Darling~, do I have one too?"
Cheshire, watching their exchange, spoke up with a hint of pique. A powerful weapon personally prepared for Bismarck—she wondered if she had one too.
"Every shipgirl will receive a gift suited to them when they reach the required strength." Raize was highly sensitive to the emotions of the big cat beside him. He looked at Cheshire with a teasing smile and said, "You're no exception, but only once you catch up to Bismarck's strength. My gifts also require sufficient power to wield."
Upon hearing this, a proud smile appeared on Bismarck's cold and glamorous face. She glanced at Cheshire, who was looking at her with defiance, her eyes conveying a clear message.
'Work hard. Only strong shipgirls can earn the Commander's extra attention. If you keep acting spoiled without improving, you'll always just be a child in need of care in his eyes'
'Hmph! Someone as stiff as an iron block like you will never be seen as a girl by the Commander either! That's your limit!'
Though Raize wasn't looking directly, he 'saw' through his energy fluctuations the subtle clash between the noble Persian cat-like Bismarck and the Cheshire cat.
Right now, in his eyes, these two beautiful girls really were like Scarlet—cats of different styles and breeds quietly competing.
Just as Raize and the two shipgirls stepped out of his office, a familiar and friendly greeting almost broke his state of serene clarity.
"Hey, kid."
A Eagle Union shipgirl, who looked like a traditional Western woman with the appearance and bearing of a kind, optimistic big sister, smiled warmly and greeted Raize upon seeing him.
She was very outgoing and stepped forward, placing an arm casually over Raize's shoulder in a buddy-like manner.
"Hmm, the mental link connection is very active—must be the Commander in person. Don't know if I should say it's been a while."
Nevada wore a bright smile, hugging the expressionless Raize like an old pal, completely disregarding gender norms.
Seeing the Commander in person brought a small joy to her heart. Besides the first time she was born and opened her eyes to see Raize and greet him, Nevada had initially seen Raize's stiff expression.
The emotional fluctuations through the mental link felt strangely solidified, and sensing no other emotions, Nevada had thought her Commander was a shy, introverted boy bad at socializing.
In reality, Raize had just experienced the heart-stopping moment every Azur Lane player goes through.
Though he didn't dislike Nevada, hearing her voice in Azur Lane would make any Commander react like Raize did.
Now, hearing Nevada's hearty voice always triggered a subconscious reaction.
"Nevada, don't be so informal with my child."
A shipgirl sitting at the desk handling port affairs, with a strong aura and presence, spoke up to reprimand Nevada.
Dressed in black naval attire with her skirt spread on the floor, the red naval rigging on her head resembling two fierce horns, her golden pupils exuded authority and gentle maternal affection as she looked at Raize.
Of course, the gentle motherly affection was directed at Raize; the authority was for Nevada.
This was the heavyweight presence from Raize's second phase of research ships—the apex Iron Blood battleship, Friedrich der Große.
"Sorry, sorry, just got a little excited seeing the Commander in person."
Though not from the same faction, Nevada, originally of the Eagle Union faction, wore an apologetic smile, showing the utmost respect for this Iron Blood shipgirl.
If she was the big sister, then Friedrich der Große was the big sister's big sister. Few shipgirls could surpass her authority, not even Bismarck beside Raize.
"Good day, Friedrich der Große."
Bismarck also greeted Friedrich with great respect, her demeanor and tone lacking their usual coldness, showing deep respect and admiration for this shipgirl who surpassed her in strength and all other aspects.
"Hmm, it seems you've been working hard too, Bismarck. Your progress in strength is commendable."
Friedrich smiled in response to her Iron Blood kouhai. For a meticulous and hardworking shipgirl like Bismarck, she, as a 'mother,' felt gratified.
The stronger other shipgirls became, the more they could help her child and share his worries and burdens.
Though someone didn't want to be called a child.
"Friedrich, stop calling me 'child' all the time. If you won't call me Commander, can't you just use my name properly?"
Raize expressed some helplessness about Friedrich's child-like form of address. He wasn't some little kid in need of protection.
He wasn't in the past, in his previous life, nor in this one.
He felt a slight resistance to Friedrich der Große's strong maternal aura.
First, it reminded him of his deceased mother.
Second, it made him unconsciously project his memory of his past life mother onto Friedrich.
His mothers from his past and present lives were irreplaceable. Raize didn't want to seek their presence in Friedrich, which wouldn't be good for anyone, even if Friedrich herself didn't mind.
"My proud child, whether it's the deep contractual bond between us or my own intuition, both tell me you haven't fully matured yet."
On Friedrich's gentle and exquisite face, a mature and embracing maternal smile appeared. She casually handed a piece of scrap paperwork from her desk to her living dragon-shaped rigging beside her.
The ferocious dragon-head-shaped rigging, like Friedrich's little pet, opened its mouth, shredded the useless paperwork, ate every scrap, and incinerated it into ash.
"Even though you are mature and strong now, and don't yet need the protection of us shipgirls, the growth I recognize comes from within—the heart."
Friedrich's gentle golden eyes seemed to penetrate Raize's body and even his heart, clearly seeing the unhealed wounds deep within, areas that resisted anyone's entry.
This gaze made Raize quite uncomfortable. The strongest mental fluctuation in the mental link came from Friedrich der Große before him.
Though a shipgirl born not long ago, she was as mature as an elder who had seen through everything.
Friedrich, with a maternal spiritual fluctuation perceived by other shipgirls as completely undisguised, conveyed her feelings to Raize. Wearing an intoxicatingly gentle smile, she slightly raised her finger, pointing at Raize's heart, and said:
"And my child's heart, which still retains a touch of immaturity, tells me it needs me. My existence is necessary."
"I will accept all of you and eliminate everything that stands in your way... So, reserve your cold rationality for your opponents on the battlefield. Before me, you need not suppress yourself—just indulge in acting spoiled as you wish, my child..."
This was why Raize felt somewhat instinctively resistant toward Friedrich. She seemed to understand Raize better than any other shipgirl.