After the transformation into her "ms girl" form, Verline decided to switch back to her mobile suit, the Zudah, which stood tall on the small, remote island.
"System, I have a question," she said, her voice echoing in the cockpit. "Are there any equipment left in the bunker?"
A terse, one-word reply came back: [Yes].
"Alright then," she sighed. "It's a waste to leave it all there. I guess I have to return."
A quick glance at her radar confirmed her suspicion: a massive horde of Beta units swarmed near the bunker entrance.
"Okay, I can do this," she said, before activating the Zudah's thrusters. With a burst of power, she ascended, arcing through the air and heading directly for the bunker's coordinates.
She landed near the bunker entrance, relieved to find the immediate beach area clear of enemies. "System, open the entrance," she commanded. The heavy blast doors groaned open, revealing the elevator shaft. She quickly piloted the Zudah inside, the doors sealing behind her with a definitive thud just as the first Beta units rounded the corner.
"System, store everything here now!" she commanded, knowing she couldn't stay. A system window appeared before her eyes.
[This may result in you being teleported outside as the bunker will also be stored.]
"Do it," she said without hesitation.
A blinding flash of light engulfed her, and when her vision cleared, she was standing on top of the newly stored bunker.
[Emergency Evasion Controller!] her system blared.
Acting on instinct, she dodged a volley of incoming laser fire from a Lazer-class Beta.
"I have to go," she said, spotting the wave of approaching enemies. She reactivated the Zudah's thrusters, dodging more laser fire as she took flight, leaving the Betas behind. She returned to her small island, setting the stored bunker down, which, despite its size, fit perfectly as an underground base.
"I think I'll take a break first," she said, deactivating the Zudah and exiting the cockpit. "Is there a place to sleep here?"
[Sending directions to your map] the system responded.
A detailed map of the entire bunker interior materialized in her vision. "Neat," she muttered, before heading directly to the living quarters. She found a bed, let out a cry of relief, and flopped onto it, falling asleep instantly.
Verline awoke with a renewed sense of purpose. "System, show me the upgrades I can get," she said, feeling the urge to improve her mobile suit.
A list materialized, a veritable menu of enhancements:
Extra Armor Plating: Increases HP and decreases penetration from AT weapons. [100,000]
Extra Ammo: Increases ammo capacity by 25%. [50,000]
Extra Propellant: Increases fuel by 25%. [50,000]
Stronger Frame: Increases HP and decreases the chance of the Saturn engine overheating and exploding. [100,000]
Improved Ammunition: Gives mobile suit weapons more powerful ammo. [50,000]
Improved Sensors: Adds night vision, thermals, infrared, and increases scanner range to 10km. [50,000]
Improved Fire Control: Increases accuracy and range by 25%. [50,000]
Damage Control: Decreases the chance of fires and damage to internal systems. [100,000]
Emergency Power: When below 50%, emergency power activates, putting power back up to 100%. Recharges in 1 week. [100,000]
Verline meticulously scrolled through the options, her mind a whirlwind of strategic calculations. Each upgrade promised a significant enhancement, but she had to choose wisely. Then, her eyes landed on an entry that sparked a particular interest, an upgrade that hinted at a drastic increase in her offensive capabilities:
Beam Weapon Compatible: Gives the user the ability to use beam weapons. [1,000,000]
"Dang, that's expensive," she said, her eyes lingering on the final, exorbitant option. She closed the shop list, a new plan forming in her mind. "You know what? I should probably explore this world and kill more Betas for upgrades."
She stood up and headed back to her mobile suit. Once inside, she piloted the Zudah to the elevator. The ceiling of the bunker slid open as the elevator rose, revealing the sky above. "Time to fly," she said, activating her thrusters and launching into the air.
Her system updated her status:
[Power: 100%]
[Fuel: 89%]
[Ammo: 95%]
"Mhm, fuel and ammo are still good," she noted, before continuing toward the nearest Beta concentration.
She landed, her smile widening as multiple Betas appeared. "Alright, Betas, line up and get ready to die."
With a manic glee, she squeezed the trigger of her Zaku machine gun. "Die! Die! Die!" The 120mm rounds shredded through the enemy horde, even taking down a massive Fort-class Beta.
"Time to bring out the bazooka," she said, the machine gun dematerializing as a Zaku bazooka appeared in the Zudah's hand. She aimed it at a large group of enemies.
"Boom!" she yelled, firing the rocket, which detonated in a massive explosion, wiping out a huge section of the horde.
Then, a system notification flashed, detailing her recent kills and the points she'd earned.
[20 Fort-class: 1,000 points each = 20,000
200 Warrior-class: 200 points each = 40,000
300 Tank-class: 500 points each = 150,000
400 Soldier-class: 300 points each = 120,000
100 Destroyer-class: 600 points each = 60,000
40 Grappler-class: 700 points each = 28,000
Total: 418,000]
"Not enough. Time for some more killing!" she grinned, as another wave of Betas charged toward her.
Verline brought the Zudah's bazooka to bear, her hands steady on the controls. She fired three shots in quick succession, each one a flash of light followed by a thunderous BOOM! The explosions ripped through the enemy ranks, vaporizing a massive number of Betas.
"Hahaha! Die! Die! Zeon is the best!" she shouted into the mic, a strange thrill coursing through her veins. The words had come to her unbidden, a phantom memory from a war that wasn't hers.
Shaking off the odd sensation, she continued to fire the bazooka before switching back to her reliable Zaku machine gun, its rapid-fire rounds singing a deadly song as they tore through the remaining enemies.