Chapter 13 - "Battle"
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The mech lurched forward the second the hatch sealed.
I gripped the armrests so hard my knuckles went white. Screens lit up everywhere—targeting grids, shield status, mana readings. None of it made sense.
"Mio—how do I even—?"
"Calm down," she said, hands steady on the main controls. "The mech runs on body heat sync. Males generate higher baseline heat than females, so the core reactor stabilizes faster with you inside. That's why sync rate jumps. Everything else is just buttons."
She pointed without looking.
"Blue panel—raise shields. Red reticle—lock targets. Hold till green, then I fire. You don't need to pilot. Just assist. I've got the rest."
I swallowed. "Got it."
The mech stepped out of the hangar, ground shaking under its feet. Outside view showed the perimeter wall—already cracked in places. Mana energy crackled in the air like static.
Then the first monster broke through.
Huge. Ten meters tall. Body like twisted stone and vines, purple veins glowing. Multiple arms ending in blade claws. It roared, sound rattling the cockpit.
Rei didn't wait.
She launched from her hover platform, landed on the monster's shoulder in one smooth arc. Twin energy blades ignited. She slashed clean through an arm, flipped away as it crashed down.
I stared at the screen.
"Rei's… really good," I muttered.
Mio smirked, guiding our mech closer. "Best instructor for a reason. Watch the flanks."
The severed arm started regenerating slowly, purple mana knitting it back together. Rei was already carving toward the core.
Alarms blared again.
"More signatures," Mio said. "Three incoming. Moving to secondary."
Our mech turned. Another monster smashed through—smaller, faster, insect-like limbs, jagged maw dripping energy.
And there was already another mech engaging it.
I leaned closer. "That's…"
"Ren's unit," Mio confirmed. "They pulled him in too."
Ren's mech was black and red, slamming a fist into the monster's side. Inside the visible cockpit, Ren looked focused—nothing like the casual guy from earlier. His internal partner piloted while an external fighter provided ranged support with a massive cannon.
"Not bad," I said.
Mio accelerated. "Our turn."
Our target lunged.
Mio dodged, metal feet surprisingly agile. "Shield!"
I slapped the blue panel. A shimmering barrier snapped up. Claws raked across it—sparks flew.
"Target the joints!" Mio called.
I locked the reticle on a glowing knee. Held until green.
Mio fired the arm cannon. Direct hit. The leg buckled.
We pressed—shields up, cannon blasts, coordinated strikes. Mio's piloting was sharp, no wasted movement. My assists weren't perfect, but they landed when it counted.
Across the field, Rei finished hers with a final thrust through the core. The body collapsed, dissolving into fading mana particles.
Ren's unit crushed the last of theirs under a powered stomp.
Silence fell. Sirens wound down.
Threat neutralized.
Mio guided our mech back to the hangar, steps slower now. The hatch opened. Cool air rushed in.
I unstrapped, legs shaky. "We… actually did that."
Mio hopped out first, offered me a hand down. "Not bad for your first run. You kept up."
I took the hand, stepping onto solid ground.
Rei landed nearby, blades retracting, breathing even. She glanced at me once—brief, unreadable—then nodded to Mio.
Ren's mech powered down in the next bay. He climbed out looking tired but alive.
I watched the cleanup drones swarm the field.
Monsters gone. Academy safe.
For now.
I exhaled, adrenaline finally fading.
One real battle down.
And somehow… I hadn't completely screwed it up.
Progress.
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*End*