Chapter 20

"Did you say you were going to teach me the trick?"

That was a lie.

"I never thought you'd use those guys to gather data. I guess I underestimated your deviousness."

"Don't say such a bad thing. I just provided the technology they said they wanted. Even Saiko-san acknowledged it, didn't she?"

"Sure. But they took the machine. And now you're even giving them the technology you were considering. We need to get some information in return."

Providing the technology is essentially leaking information.

Of course, to share the information about the machine, Saiko Heavy Industries' approval is necessary. Even if it's about the 'trick to operate the machine,' which is the domain of a pilot, since providing this information could affect the company's interests, it should be reported, discussed, and consulted.

When Keita consulted with Ryubun about the secret technique, Ryubun initially showed reluctance.

After all, unlike Keita, who, as a mere student, has no intention of monopolizing martial achievements, Ryubun, as a company executive, needs to act to maximize the company's benefits.

It's not a sane decision to give technology to the other party for free—especially when the guarantee of safety is uncertain. It's natural for Ryubun to show reluctance.

However, the technology to operate the mass-production model is undoubtedly important for Saiko Heavy Industries, which is trying to build the prototype No. 3.

So when Keita said, "Even if the military manufactured them without permission, if the mass-production models, which share the same core parts, can conduct tests and accumulate data first, wouldn't you say it's not a bad deal?" Ryubun agreed to provide the technology on the condition that they would share the experimental results with Saiko Heavy Industries.

The military, except for the Third Division faction, which wants to monopolize martial achievements, has no objection to mass-producing machines capable of defeating large enemies. Therefore, they had no problem with providing the test data from the mass-production models to Saiko Heavy Industries.

Of course, the information also ended up being shared with companies affiliated with the zaibatsu, and the engineers working there received more fuel than necessary, but that goes beyond the scope of a mere student or a mere company president, so there's no point in worrying about it.

Setting aside the health issues of the engineers from zaibatsu-affiliated companies, whose sleep and holidays will be cut short.

"Hey, it moved."

On the monitor that Keita and Ryubun were watching, the mass-production model was seen performing a side jump after shooting.

"Of course. The problem is what comes next."

Considering that it couldn't move at all before, this is a significant evolution.

Ryubun thinks this alone is worth it, but for Keita, who can already move the machine freely, it would be a problem if they were satisfied with just this.

"For you, maybe... Oh, it fell over."

Seeing the mass-production model fall over after a failed landing, Ryubun chuckled.

"Is it a problem with the posture control, or a drawback of making the lower body lighter? What do you think, Saiko-san?"

"Both. There's indeed a stability issue with the lower body, but it can be managed to some extent with the upper body. It's not doing that. So, the problem is with the use of the upper body."

"Right."

If this were a real test, it could lead to a major accident involving the pilot's life, but fortunately, they are watching a simulator, so they can discuss the incident without worrying about injuries.

Their conclusion was that the problem was with the operator.

"Still, considering this is the first experiment, it's not a bad result. Your command system did its minimum job."

"It really did the minimum."

That's right. The command system. That's the information Keita gave to Muto Saori.

To put it simply, it's a system where pressing a button performs a predetermined movement.

This is the method Keita uses to operate the hybrid type, which is contaminated by the particles in his brain, but it was originally used for the beast type.

Beast-type machines typically don't have side arms on their backs or under their arms.

So, when a beast-type machine shoots, the pilot imagines pressing a button, which triggers the cannon on its back to fire.

Building on this, Keita came up with a system where pressing a blue button makes it jump left, pressing a red button makes it jump right, and pressing both buttons performs a special move.

In Keita's case, he also adjusts the speed and hang time by the duration and strength of the button press, and when landing, he imagines taking a firm stance and absorbing the impact with each joint. However, he realizes that this is a personal skill, so he doesn't expect other pilots to be able to do the same at this stage.

Therefore, this is really just a 'system to get it moving.'

When he proposed this method, it went against the common knowledge among pilots that 'you need to connect your nerves to operate the machine,' so there was a lot of opposition from existing pilots, but it was well-received by the military personnel who are not pilots.

Of course. The weapons they use, whether tanks or fighter jets, turn right when the control stick is turned right, left when turned left, and fire when the trigger is pulled. It's natural for them to expect the same from a machine.

With this system, it becomes possible to give detailed commands to a machine that was previously unstable and could only be operated by the pilot's intuition, such as 'move two steps to the right, shoot forward, then take one step back and shoot again.' If the upper body can also be used, it can be used for tasks like setting up and removing debris, which would be a welcome development for commanders.

It might feel restrictive to pilots who are used to operating freely, but considering the ease of coordination with allies, it's not all bad.

Of course, if multiple machines are used, it might look strange to see a group of quadrupedal machines jumping sideways on the battlefield, but that level of proficiency is still a long way off, and by then, the weapons and operational methods will likely have been improved.

Probably.

Incidentally, Keita also suggested the simplest solution: replacing the lower body with tank treads.

For example, a red button for forward, a blue button for backward, and a green button for turning.

This would make it impossible to jump, but it would make forward and backward movement easier, allow the handling of heavy cannons, and reduce the burden on the operator, who would only need to focus on aiming and timing. If the upper body could rotate independently, it would also make lateral movement easier.

The main drawback would be that it would look like a tank and that close combat would be a secondary function.

The military is currently discussing whether to prepare a machine with this modification.

In any case, the fact that a machine that could only crawl before can now perform basic combat movements thanks to the command system is undeniable.

However, what's important to Keita is not that the mass-production model can move, but what that means for him.

"You don't look happy. Is something worrying you?"

"Well, I'm wondering if the Third Division faction will be satisfied with this. That's all."

The technology transfer was done to suppress their jealousy.

If they criticize it as 'half-baked,' it would be meaningless for Keita.

"They will. After all, a machine that could barely move can now jump sideways. It just needs more practice."

"I hope so."

The operators will need to train to improve their skills, and the mechanical parts of the machine will need a major overhaul. Additionally, the difficulty of using other commands in combination, and the methods of operating with reduced freedom, will keep not only the pilots but also the engineers and officers busy.

In such a situation, there won't be time to focus on Keita. That's the logical conclusion.

Ryubun says so, but Keita has a nagging doubt.

"You look worried?"

"…Yeah. I heard from someone in the Third Division faction that my classmates, the 5th and 9th seats—Kasahara and Kobata from the First Year—volunteered to be the pilots of the mass-production models."

"Hmm? Well, I can understand that."

The Third Division faction is eager for achievements. Keita and Ryubun showed them a way to achieve martial glory.

If they can do what Keita does.

If they can defeat multiple large enemies alone.

If they can achieve a feat that no one else can criticize.

It's natural for them to think this way, and it makes sense to use students who haven't developed bad habits as pilots for the mass-production models.

The problem is that these students are eager for achievements.

Of course, they won't provoke Keita, who provided the technology. If anything happens, Muto Saori will likely get the information before they act.

What Keita is worried about is something else.

"…Will they go to the battlefield in that state?"

"…Ah, that."

This experiment proved that the mass-production models can move with the command system.

Given that, the next step for the military will be to research how to make the mass-production models move more smoothly and to reproduce the firepower and mobility they originally sought, i.e., to restore and test the prototype No. 2.

If they think 'if we can jump sideways and shoot, we can do what Keita does,' the likelihood of them going to the battlefield is very high.

Of course, if they choose to go to the battlefield, it's their own responsibility if they die. Keita has no control over that. However, will the other side accept that?

If they had such self-restraint, Keita wouldn't have been wary of their resentment, and when he told Igo Shoko and Muto Saori, they would have laughed it off as a baseless worry.

"We can't say it's impossible. In that case, you'll have to go to the battlefield as a comparison."

"…Yeah."

"Same here. I don't care about the Third Division's kids, but I'm curious to see how your machine moves. So, give up on that."

Now, Ryubun understands that Keita's desire is not to advance but to live a peaceful life with his sister. However, even understanding that, as a technologist and a businessman, Ryubun cannot leave the No. 1 machine and its pilot, Keita, alone.

"Yeah. …I'll use the simulator too."

"Sure."

The worst-case scenario of 'an attack out of resentment' seems avoidable, but the next worst-case scenario of 'practical training on the battlefield' seems unavoidable.

Feeling the harshness of reality, Keita repeated simulator training to improve his chances of survival in the upcoming combat.

---

"This isn't a machine! It's a mechanical device that moves with buttons!"

"Then just press the buttons!"

—This might not be the 'trick,' but it's a bit of one, right?

Q: Wouldn't a regular tank be better if you're going to use treads?

A: Because it can't do civil engineering work...

Thank you for reading.