episode_0124

Here, there is a man.

The name is Alexei.

A man who attacked Starlight Colony, was hit by an etheric EMP, and was captured and taken prisoner by the colony’s defense forces.

A man who ended up trapped in a brain mattress and decided to become a space marine because there was no one to pay the compensation for the attack.

At first, I thought, ‘Now I’m trapped in the mattress and I’m going to have to work like a slave for the rest of my life,’ but after experiencing it myself, it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

Although they are treated as slaves, it feels like they are provided with the minimum human rights.

Considering compensation and hourly wages, he actually had to serve nearly 2,000 days for the colony, but the process of serving that sentence was like that of a regular soldier.

Wake up at 6 am.

After changing bedding within 10 minutes, perform morning roll call, canter, and gymnastics.

After breakfast, training begins at 9am.

-Fuck, he said he was a pilot! Why are you doing physical training?!

-No swearing, Space Marine #149!

-Ahhhh!!

Occasionally, there were people who were trapped in the brain mattress and vented their dissatisfaction.

There was a lot of training that involved harsh treatment of real bodies in a virtual reality space, and the training was as vicious and heinous as if it were training with actual colony defense forces.

Alexei achieved considerable success even among the space marines divided into numerous squads.

When the AI assistant said that he could become a new person and go through a re-socialization process – the green hair was strange, but the glasses and suspiciously feminine appearance seemed to remind him of someone – Alexei felt a little hopeful. It was done.

So I got on the Rafale.

Although others said, ‘Rather than going out on an aircraft that is not for sale, I would rather go to meet AS with a pistol bare-handed,’ Alexei willingly climbed aboard the Rafale and participated in training.

Patrol training through remote control.

Suppression training that takes place under the assumption that you have encountered an actual enemy.

And sometimes, even a ‘free flight’ moment given to those who perform well.

Although he was separated by a brain mattress, the vastness of space that he could see through the Rafale fighter jet’s camera instilled in him a strong desire.

freedom.

The desire to get off the brain mattress.

As if it could satisfy that desire, Starlight Colony also subtly reduced the compensation paid to each individual based on their training level and performance.

-This isn’t exactly trying to get you hired as a member of the Colony Defense Force!

A few space marines noticed his dark intentions and complained, but they were soon taken somewhere by the green-haired, red-hat-wearing instructor and never returned.

According to what I heard, there was a rumor going around that he was an ethereal organic life form and an android working in the after-sales service manufacturing and welding department, stripped of his identity and working 24 hours a day, but Alexei had no idea.

Alexei was an excellent marine, one of the top ten among space marines.

One day, I spent a day or two like that.

Rumors circulated.

-They say the masked pervert is actually a paladin.

Paladin.

The legendary pilot who is said to have been retired for about 6 or 7 years.

The Ace of Aces that everyone who has been in space and has ridden in AS has admired at least once, or even now.

A hero of the era who chose to disappear into history after the incident [Advent Colony Death], which almost broke out not only within the 12 Alliance but also a cosmic war.

Showing no mercy to enemies who threaten peace, the video of him piercing through a dozen battleships with a single point while scattering blue starlight still remains in Alexei’s memory.

That being was actually the perverted masked instructor?

-They said it wasn’t a mask, but actually a visor to block the optic nerves! They say your eyes are damaged from the long battle!

It turns out that the mask wasn’t suspicious or an attempt to hide its identity, but was just a design of taste.

-hey! Paladin is active!!

Also, it turns out that he just retired, and even now, about 7 years later, he pierced the SS-class aircraft ‘Black Storm’ of the Sagittarius Colony, one of the 12 Alliance Colonies, with a single blow and stopped its function?

Inside the brain mattress, the space marines’ enthusiasm began to explode.

Even those who once sarcastically asked, ‘Why are you making us such slaves and gloating about it?’ began to change their minds one by one.

-I will fight alongside the Paladins too!

When I was young, or when I first got to AS.

That moment when I was moved while watching Ace’s performance.

Before crossing the front line, I overheard or saw a leaked video about the activities of the secret army that protects the peace of the universe called the Galaxy Unit.

The glory of that moment ignited in Alexei’s heart.

-Starlight Colony is really strong because it has three Creation Beasts, but it also has a Paladin, so didn’t it just give in to the stronger one?

Some people mocked and criticized it like that.

In reality, it cannot be otherwise: space pirates are ultimately humans who cling to the strong in order to survive.

Those who are not ashamed to live by clinging to the strong, and think that it is a way to survive.

And if there is one important part.

– Alexey. You know what, doesn’t it feel like it was filtered out once?

-yes?

Of all those who remain as space marines, only those who have not crossed the front line to some extent remain.

These people, who were extremely vicious, killed people indiscriminately, were violent, and were so called unrecoverable, had disappeared somewhere.

It is unclear whether they were trapped in a coffin of the ether and ejected out of space somewhere, or whether someone even bought them by paying a huge amount of compensation.

As only those who were considered ‘those capable of rehabilitation’ from the Starlight Colony’s perspective remained, the space marines began to be reborn one by one into something else.

-We are proud space marines of starlight!!

Starlight Marine.

A marine who travels through space, and at the same time a military force devoted to justice and peace.

It was not simply a guard dog that protected the colony.

They were like heroes who sacrificed their lives for the colony and its citizens.

Although his activities were outside the mainstream, Alexei had an intuition.

[iced coffee.]

This is the time to join the mainstream trend.

[This is Paladin 00.]

The legendary call sign resonates in my brain in a deeper voice than I remember.

[You will now be dealing with Starlight Colony’s special platoon.]

I said it was you, not you guys or you guys.

[Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Two creation trees.]

As soon as they received the information about the enemy they had to deal with, Alexei almost flipped over with his flag, but-

[And the ones dealing with them are you and me.]

Paladin is with you on the battlefield.

[But there is no point in me stepping forward from the beginning. This is training.]

It was already too big to be called training, but Alexei couldn’t bear it.

Because you can stand on the battlefield with your paladins?

Because you can directly deal with Green Camp, who is already doing great things?

Rather than feeling helpless like when they fought as space marines, is it because they are scheduled to fight in a cybernetic world that is very familiar to those already in the brain mattress?

[I will give freedom to those who achieve success in this battle.]

Because the reward given to those who made a major was so sweet.

[Those who cause effective fire will be given leave.]

[The person who caused the effective damage, the number of days of discharge – no, I will reduce the compensation.]

The idea that you can temporarily enjoy the freedom you have been longing for, or that the complete freedom you have been longing for can come closer through your own efforts.

[And if you happen to succeed in ‘shooting down’ the enemy.]

There.

[That person will be specially recruited as an ace pilot. In addition to creating a new identity, we will also grant you etheric ‘special skills’ created through the power of the Creation Tree.]

A reward that any pilot could not bear. Private plane.

[I promise in the name of Paladin. Of course, I can say things like this because it is not easy. Don’t you want to live in an ether capsule forever?]

A reward that must be obtained as a Space Marine on the Brain Mattress.

slope.

And, freedom and new identity.

[Start.]

With the start of the simulation, the moment we boarded the Rafale in the familiar electronic universe.

Buuu!!

“What are you doing?! Stop!!”

Alexei pulled the booster despite the dissuasion from those around him.

“Paladin said! You will lead me to the starlight!!”

“What crazy things are you talking about! In formation…Ugh!!”

Bu-euung.

Alexey looked.

Not only himself, but all the other space marines rushing towards the ‘enemy’ at a sudden acceleration.

“This is not a suicide special attack ㅡㅡ! This is a great journey for us to regain our freedom and find a new lifeㅡㅡㅡ!”

“Ah…say…!”

A colleague called his name, but Alexei could no longer hear it.

Front.

I saw an enemy aircraft approaching in the direction I was flying.

“Gotcha-”

Pa–ang.

With the explosion, Alexei was oxidized.

[You Die.]

A rising signal.

“Ah, ah….”

The last thing that passed by was purple lightning.

“As expected, I….”

[Simulation mode ‘Type-R’.]

[In the war with Type-R, Type R threatened humanity by unleashing infinite weapons.]

[You play the role of a Type-R soldier.]

“Seo, could it be…?”

[20 seconds later, you will be resurrected on planet ‘Type-R’. Get ready.]

“……!!”

Alexey.

“Ah… Sayㅡㅡ!!”

He shouted his name loudly and grabbed the control stick again.