episode_0019

“This is a real Atlas V Graviton Damper.”

Scarlet couldn’t hide her excitement and muttered.

And her gaze turned to the pile bunker lying next to it.

“How on earth… did you get this in such a short time? Is there some special black market I don’t know about?”

Her sharp question made me break out in a cold sweat.

I couldn’t tell her about the System Store.

“I already had it. Anyway, Scarlet.”

I quickly changed the subject.

“This job of implanting it into my Bugbear. By our agreement, you should do it for free, right?”

At my words, Scarlet glared at me for a moment, then burst into loud laughter.

“Fine, I’ll do it then. It’s not often I get a chance to work with parts like these.”

She alternated her gaze between the Bugbear and the parts, an eager expression on her face.

“But it’ll take some time. To properly implant this into this junk frame, it’ll require almost a complete redesign. At least… you should expect a week.”

“A week?”

As I furrowed my brows at the longer-than-expected time, Yuna, who had been listening quietly beside me, interjected with a surprised expression.

“You can finish that kind of modification… in a week? Don’t lie. Even at Icarus, custom work of that scale takes at least several months.”

Her voice was filled with disbelief.

At Yuna’s words, Scarlet glared at her indignantly, as if her pride had been wounded.

“How dare you compare me to those slow-witted engineers at Icarus?”

Scarlet snorted and said confidently.

“If it’s in my hands, a week will be more than enough! I’ll show you with the results.”

Scarlet looked back and forth between the Bugbear, the Graviton Damper, and the pile bunker once more.

Like a child with a complex puzzle before her, countless modification plans seemed to be forming in her mind.

“Alright… put this here, connect that like so… power distribution like this… Yes! I’ve figured out the optimal component combination.”

She exclaimed excitedly, like a child who had discovered a new toy.

“But listen.”

Scarlet’s voice dropped a tone.

“If I proceed with the modifications as I’ve envisioned, using the parts you brought, you might have to give up not only other long-range armaments but possibly even part of the basic defense system. The center of gravity will also be extremely skewed. Are you really okay with that?”

She gestured towards the Bugbear with her chin, pressing me as if to confirm whether I truly wanted to proceed with this work.

“Normally in cases like this, the standard approach is to consider large-caliber shotguns or energy cannons that can unleash firepower at close to medium range while preserving mobility… Why are you so fixated on such dangerous and inefficient ultra-close-quarters combat?”

Scarlet’s concerns were natural.

Her words were based on the fundamental common sense of modern mech combat.

As she finished speaking, Yuna, who had been listening quietly beside us, also nodded and chimed in.

“Scarlet’s right, Jin-woo.”

Yuna said, looking at me.

Her eyes held a serious concern as a pilot, beyond mere curiosity.

“In modern combat, surviving with only pure melee weapons like a pile bunker is almost impossible. No matter how excellent your mobility, you’ll be at an absolute disadvantage in long-range firepower and sensor combat.”

She continued, crossing her arms.

“It’s highly unlikely the enemy would allow you to approach, and even if you did, the damage sustained in the process would be enormous.”

Both of their words were correct.

Whether from a technical or tactical perspective, their points were extremely rational and sensible.

If I were a normal pilot, I would naturally have followed their advice.

But I wasn’t a normal pilot.

I possessed a special ability called ‘Movement Flow’, and most importantly, I had the experience from Galaxy Titans where this crazy approach worked. I had reached the peak in a way others deemed impossible. I believed it would work in this reality too.

No, I had to make it work.

I met both their worried gazes in turn. Then I spoke in a steady voice.

“I’m already prepared for the high risk. No, perhaps it’s precisely because the risk is high that it holds more meaning.”

I said, looking at Scarlet.

“So, don’t worry about anything else, just focus on creating the best possible result. I’m trusting your skills with this, after all.”

My words contained a resolute will that refused any further compromise or persuasion.

Scarlet stared intently at my eyes for a moment, as if trying to read them, then shrugged and let out a chuckle.

“Alright, then shall we begin?”

She brought up the holographic blueprint on the workbench again, and began to mutter as she gathered the tools around her.

Then she waved her hand dismissively at Yuna and me, as if annoyed.

“Alright, alright, show’s over now, isn’t it? I need to concentrate from now on, so could both of you please leave?”

Her expression genuinely looked annoyed.

“I can’t stand anyone loitering around while I’m working.”

As Scarlet finished speaking, loud rock music began to blare throughout the workshop.

“Ugh! My ears!”

Yuna shrieked, and instinctively clapped both hands over her ears.

She scrunched her brows as if in pain, and immediately turned and practically bolted out of the workshop without a single complaint.

“I’ll be back in a week then.”

Scarlet merely waved her hand dismissively, not really listening. I shrugged and left the workshop.

Outside, Yuna was waiting for me, still covering her ears and frowning. As soon as I emerged, she asked.

“So, what are you going to do now?”

“Good question.”

A week.

It wasn’t a short time.

Without a mech, there wasn’t much to do in this dangerous Terminus. Take on a request? Bare-handed? That would be no different from suicide.

“You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

Yuna’s gaze felt like she was testing me.

It must be this.

I pulled out the data chip from my pocket, which contained the temporary access code to the Icarus facility that she had given me. And I held it out to her without a word.

Yuna looked down at the chip in my hand for a moment, then a faint smile played on her lips, as if she had been waiting.

“Are you thinking of joining our corporation?”

She asked, as if confirming.

I scoffed and replied. I didn’t want to pretend to fall for such an obvious offer.

“It’s just for sightseeing. Since I have nothing else to do for a week. And I also want to see with my own eyes how great your company is.”

“I’m kidding. No matter how good you are, I can’t just let you join without any tests.”

“As I said before, I like freedom.”

At my playful reply, Yuna’s smile deepened slightly.

“Alright, whether it’s sightseeing or whatever, you’re welcome.”

She said, nodding her head.

“Let’s go to the hangar.”

We crossed the bustling corridors of Terminus, and headed towards the upper security zone.

There, the Silvera she had arrived in stood, displaying its overwhelming majesty.

Yuna passed through the security line without any hindrance, and I followed her towards the Silvera.

Seen up close, the Silvera was even more astonishing. It couldn’t even be compared to my Bugbear.

Yuna skillfully opened the cockpit hatch and climbed inside. Then she gestured to me.

“Get in. It’s my first time riding the Silvera with someone else.”

I hesitated for a moment, but then solidified my resolve, and climbed the narrow ladder into the Silvera’s cockpit.

As expected, the interior was a feast of cutting-edge technology.

Holographic interfaces, ergonomically designed cockpit. It was a spacious and comfortable area, incomparable to the cramped cockpit of my Bugbear. Sitting in what appeared to be a co-pilot’s auxiliary seat, it didn’t feel cramped at all, even with two people. Everything was neatly and efficiently arranged, and I could even detect a faint, pleasant scent.

“Hold tight.”

Yuna said briefly, then grasped the control stick. Her movements were smooth and precise, without hesitation.

[Automatic route set. Destination: Icarus Technology Far Eastern Branch.]

[Takeoff sequence initiated.]

The Silvera took off smoothly, almost silently.

It gracefully navigated through the complex structures of Terminus Station, and ascended into the sky above the gray wasteland, beginning its automatic flight.

“This is no joke.”

Is this what it feels like to go from driving a Matiz to a Lamborghini?

I could clearly feel that the sheer power was on a different level.

Unlike the Bugbear, which rattled and felt unstable every time it cut through the atmosphere, the Silvera made no sound, like an owl.

“Nice, right?”

As if she had heard my exclamation, a faint smile appeared on Yuna’s lips as she spoke.

“It’s a completely different level.”

As I honestly admitted, she added.

“Don’t say that so easily. From my perspective, you’re also a pilot on a different level.”

She continued with words that made me blush, as if it were nothing.

“You scratched my Silvera, and destroyed the XG-01 Aegis. And you did it with a mass-produced Bugbear, no less.”

“You certainly have the nerve to say that to the person involved.”

I retorted brusquely.

“I’m just stating facts. Oh, by the way, I still haven’t fixed the spot where you scratched it. Every time I see it, I remember the humiliation of that day… no, the experience. It’s like a pledge to myself.”

She said, glancing at me as if feeling indignant.

I pondered her words for a moment, then suddenly recalled what happened in the workshop earlier and asked.

“When did you get so close to Scarlet?”

“We got along quite well. Her ability to analyze mechs is outstanding, and her passion is immense. She could put most corporate technicians to shame.”

After several hours of flight, we were able to arrive at our destination: Icarus Technology Far Eastern Branch.