Shooting Training
"Alright, we're starting shooting training. Anyone here ever fired a gun?"
A week into the officer academy, the chaos of lectures, orientations, and physicals has settled. Now, we're diving into proper pilot course training—starting with shooting. Some classmates seem to have experience. Me? None. The juvenile academy didn't cover firearms, and my past life as a peaceful Japanese didn't either. …Though, now that I think about it, when I absorbed Ryouto, I got the skills of those goons he was with—probably gun-wielders. Shame I didn't keep that ability.
"Hardly anyone, huh? I'll demonstrate."
The instructor steps forward, explaining:
Minimize exposure: left foot forward, right back, body sideways.
Grip the gun with pinky to middle finger, index under the trigger.
Firm grip, extend arm like pointing at a distant target.
Support with left hand, wrapping the right.
Bend right elbow slightly, pull gun close.
Squeeze the trigger gradually.
His shots hit the head and heart of the human-shaped target with precision.
"Now, try it. Axel, class rep, you're up."
I take the pistol, aim, and fire. It feels instantaneous—all shots fired with barely a pause. My bullet spread is tighter than the instructor's.
"Whoa."
Even I'm shocked. Is this my 152 Shooting stat at work?
"You sure this is your first time?" the instructor asks, stunned.
I'm just as surprised. Classmates murmur: "As expected of the valedictorian," "First time and that good? Genius," and… "Ugh, lend me your butt!" Okay, that last guy's getting a headshot.
I'm no genius like the Branstein brothers or Latune. I'd love to absorb that talent, though.
"No issues from what I see," the instructor says. "First-time shooting like that? Hate to admit it, but you might have natural talent. Don't get cocky—keep at it."
I salute and return to my spot. The morning passes with shooting drills.
Simulator Training
Next day, it's simulator training.
"Today's simulators. Juvenile academy grads know the drill, so I'll keep it brief. Ask them for details," the instructor says, tossing the explanation to us.
Talk about slacking off. Classmates, especially general entrants, look annoyed. Understandable—who wants to learn from fellow students instead of a proper instructor? But this must tie into the collective responsibility thing from orientation. Of our fifty pilot course students, half are juvenile academy grads like me, half general entrants—split evenly, probably by design.
"Axel, can you handle it?" Barison asks.
"Got it. Everyone, pair up—one juvenile grad, one general entrant."
I'd rather they figure it out themselves, but as class rep, I've got to step up.
"First, scan your ID here," I say, showing the simulator's slot. "It opens the cockpit. Hold on."
I sit, tweak settings to keep the door open.
"Normally, the door closes. Select your machine, weapons, and mission objective, choose solo or linked mode, then hit start."
I skip starting it—too dangerous with the door open.
"You all know basic controls, right?"
Juvenile grads learned this already, and general entrants should've covered enough to move a machine during entrance exams. Plus, anyone who's played Burning PT would get the gist. Barison, unsurprisingly, knows his stuff.
"Go for it."
I reset the simulator and swap with him. The door closes properly, and the monitor shows Barison piloting a Gespenst. Everyone's paired up—no stragglers.
"Instructor, we're done," I report with a salute.
"You're first. Wanna give it a go?"
"Yes, sir."
I scan my ID, hop into an empty simulator, and hear the instructor's voice.
"Axel, you hear me? You're in a mass-produced Gespenst Mk-II. First lesson, so take out some drones."
"Roger."
The Gespenst Mk-II is the Federation's mainline unit. Armed with a Neo-Plasma Cutter for melee, Mega Beam Rifle, Split Missile, and Slash Ripper for ranged. No Jet Magnum, but it's got a Tesla Drive for flight. Like 0083's GM Custom—unremarkable but reliable. Perfect for my high-mobility shooting style.
"Ready."
I stick with the default loadout for my first academy sim. Victory condition: destroy ten drones. The simulation starts.
"Plains, huh?"
The monitor shows endless grasslands. I equip the Mega Beam Rifle—melee weapons would just get in the way. Split Missiles and Slash Rippers are prepped on the weapon rack.
"Here they come."
A squid-like mechanical drone appears—Inspector's Garoika, a mass-produced fodder unit, the most common in the war.
"First one."
I fire the Mega Beam Rifle, its red beam piercing and exploding the Garoika. Another appears outside my range. I move the Gespenst, lock on, and fire Split Missiles. They scatter, triggering smaller explosions to down the second drone.
"Next!"
A Garoika sneaks up behind. I switch to Slash Rippers.
"Slash Ripper, launch!"
Three spinning blades shoot from the rack, slicing the drone cleanly. The computer-guided Rippers don't miss such simple targets.
Flawlessly, I destroy all ten drones, stunning the instructor again, just like yesterday's shooting drill.
Character Profile: Axel Almer
Level: 7
PP: 10
Melee: 134
Shooting: 152
Skill: 144
Defense: 141
Evasion: 169
Accuracy: 191
SP: 198
Ace Bonus: Unknown
Growth Type: All-Rounder/Special
Air: A
Land: S
Sea: B
Space: A
Spirit Commands:
Accelerate (SP 4)
Effort (SP 8)
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Skills:
EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv.9, SP Recovery, Focus)
Telekinesis Lv.4
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Kills: 4