Hit.
A red alert rang out, and the machine abruptly shut down as if its engine had been cut.
How many times had she been hit now?
Takamura Yui did not know. But she did know that if this were a real battlefield, if these had been real attacks, she would have died several times over.
Correction. There was no "several times." Once she died, there would be no later chances.
The beam duel they were currently conducting did not actually involve firing real beams. It was a simulated confrontation.
For example, even if she truly pulled the trigger, no particle beam would actually be fired. But on the screen, it would appear as though a beam had been launched.
The other side's shots were also virtual. If she failed to dodge, the system would calculate the extent of the damage and shut down the corresponding functions of her battlesuit.
It was like being hit by an EMP wave that paralyzed the machine.
If the leg was hit, the leg's functions would stop.
If the cockpit was hit, she would be judged eliminated outright.
And with her as the last of the four-person squad to be eliminated, this round of beam combat ended at thirteen minutes and fifty-two seconds.
That was only eleven seconds longer than the previous round.
At the same time, inside the cockpit of the XV139, Jinguuji Marimo, who was linked through sensation-sharing, understood the reaction speed of the pilot behind her.
It was not merely his physical reflexes that were fast. His mental reaction speed seemed even more absurd.
For example, when information appeared on the screen, Marimo needed three seconds to fully understand it and formulate a corresponding counterattack plan. For Mr. Kain, it might take only 0.3 seconds to integrate everything.
No matter how familiar she became with this kind of reaction-based movement, she would never be able to learn it.
Perhaps to accommodate her, he seemed to hold back somewhat afterward, keeping his movements at a level she could barely follow.
Even with that restraint, it was still extremely impressive.
However, because of the sensation-sharing link, she also understood how he dealt with the attack patterns used by Yui and the others. That allowed her to think further. If their current behavior did not work, they could switch to another method of attack.
For example, when Yui and Isumi suddenly charged in from his left and right, he was forced to block their attacks, which meant exposing his back to an angle where his defenses were weak.
Marimo could revise the plan based on that point. If she and Yui repeated that left-right pincer tactic, they would need to make him believe they were truly attacking from both sides, only for it to be a feint. Once his vulnerable point was exposed, they would break through and attack from behind.
"Hm?"
The display in Marimo's field of vision made her pause. Kain had unlocked the machines used by Yui and the other three, allowing them to conduct real live fire.
On his side, however, the shots remained virtual.
In other words, from this point on, their opponents would be attacking for real.
If this were anyone else, they would probably worry about accidentally injuring their instructor.
However, after so many rounds of being thoroughly beaten, Yui and the others understood the gap between themselves and Mr. Kain. They would not hold back that much.
"Jinguuji, you handle the weapons and defense."
"Huh?"
Marimo froze.
"You are responsible for weapons and defense. I will handle maneuvering."
So that was what he meant. That made her relax.
Weapons and defense mainly involved upper-body movement, while maneuvering involved the lower body.
In other words, she would control the upper half, and he would control the lower half.
After authorization was granted, she could operate remotely through the sensation-sharing equipment.
However, because of her posture, with her upper body leaning forward, her eyes could not see the upper part of the screen. Wouldn't that mean she could not see anything?
That issue was solved by something like a visor she was wearing. It was another piece of astonishingly advanced technology, allowing her to see the cockpit screen's contents projected into the visor.
"Then we begin."
"Understood!"
The seventh beam-attack training round began.
"Hm?"
"Is he going easy on us?"
Yui and Isumi frowned.
This time, the opposing machine's shooting accuracy had worsened.
"Haruka, Mitsuki, you two…"
Whether he was holding back or not, they still had to give it everything they had. As squad leader, Yui issued orders again.
The four machines scattered and began approaching their opponent from four different angles.
Because this time, they could truly attack with live fire. That made it completely different from simulated combat.
With real attacks, even if they did not hit the opponent, striking the area near him would cause destruction. The craters and smoke produced by that damage could then be exploited.
At first, Yui and the others were somewhat worried that he might not be able to react in time, but in reality, their attacks were still perfectly defended against.
Twenty-three minutes passed like that before they were defeated again.
This time, they seemed to have lasted nearly twice as long, but Yui and the others understood that it was not because he had gone easy on them.
They understood why the enemy's shooting had become worse.
Instructor Kain was controlling the machine's movements, while Instructor Jinguuji was responsible for weapons and defense.
After five minutes of breathing room, they entered three new rounds.
"His movements have gotten slower?"
"This time, it is the other way around."
Previously, Instructor Jinguuji had been responsible for the weapons and energy-shield defense, while Instructor Kain had handled machine control.
Now, it was reversed. Instructor Jinguuji controlled the machine, while Instructor Kain handled the weapons and defense.
This round came to an end after only seventeen minutes.
"Whew…"
Marimo let out a long breath.
With this kind of cooperative division of labor, she had genuinely been worried that one mistake on her part would result in them being hit.
It was not that she was afraid of dying. Rather, she was worried that if a machine like this were damaged, the operation against the BETA would lose a major asset.
It was time to switch. She would disembark and let the other four take turns experiencing it as well.
When Marimo released the sensor equipment, stood up, and removed the visor, her vision fell on Mr. Kain's face.
There was no change in his expression.
She immediately felt relieved again.
At the same time, her face warmed slightly once more.
Because while operating the machine, her movements had been rather large. Some of those movements had involved her hips pushing backward. On top of that, when the machine rolled, her body had been flung farther back.
As a result, she had bumped into the person behind her, and had accidentally struck his face.
It was extremely awkward.
That said, Mr. Kain really was remarkably calm.
That made Marimo begin to doubt her own appearance. Was she really that lacking in appeal?
No. What was she thinking?
At a time like this, she was still wondering about her own charm?
What use was charm in a world like this?
Could it charm the BETA? Could it improve combat ability?
Mr. Kain was instructing them so seriously, yet her mind was full of nonsense.
How old was she already? Did she still think she was a young girl?
She was a mature adult. She needed to stop thinking about pointless things.
Smack, smack. She patted her cheeks hard.
"What is it? Are you getting sleepy?"
"Huh? No. I just had some messy thoughts in my head, and I was trying to slap them away."
Marimo answered awkwardly, then hurriedly left the cockpit that had made her so uncomfortable.
"Whew…"
This time, it was Kain's turn to exhale.
This instruction really tested his willpower, especially the waves and impacts that so easily shook that willpower.
In truth, he had also more or less seen some distracting movement from the front as well.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]