Chapter 258

Chapter 258

"The current military MAU project is being carried out in multiple locations. However, the most representative ones are Border City and Bellato City. This facility is the Border City branch’s—well, its official name is quite long, so just think of it as a pilot training center."

Deputy Minister Ismael said this while guiding me through the MAU research and pilot training institution. It had an official name about 20 characters long, but there was no need to remember it.

I walked through the clean corridor, gazing at the facility beyond the glass windows. True to Bellato’s character, the interior was open rather than enclosed. Each department and research lab was visible even from the outside.

Click.

I stopped in front of a facility filled with medical equipment. Boys around Yanaka’s age were undergoing various tests with electrodes attached to their bodies. I also saw them being injected with drugs.

'Yanaka’s abilities also went beyond natural limits.'

A pilot operating a weapon meant to counter Legions needed superhuman reaction speed and cognitive ability. Even so, the intensity of these procedures would be lighter compared to those endured by the Imperial Guard cadets.

"Bellato City is the capital where the Federation’s talent and technology are concentrated, so research and development take place there. Meanwhile, Border City actively incorporates technology from other nations and races."

I verbalized my understanding.

"The fact that an Imperial Guard defector is serving as an instructor for the pilots only happens in Border City. That would never be allowed in Bellato City."

At the end of the main building, a door leading to an annex appeared. Ismael opened it and guided me through.

Between the main building and the annex lay an outdoor rest garden filled with flowers and grass.

People resting in the garden glanced at me. Some of them seemed to be from the Empire.

'Former Imperial Guards? It’s not like I know every single one of them…'

Even from a distance, combat prosthetics gave off a distinct presence. One man, upon seeing me, gave a slight nod in greeting. Though I had no idea who he was, I returned the gesture with a bow.

"Do you know him? He’s also a former Imperial Guard."

"Even if I don’t know him, he knows me."

I gave a brief answer and passed through the garden.

"As a Federation official, this might not be the best thing to say, but the Empire’s combat technology is ahead of other nations. We need to actively adopt the results of their long-standing warfare."

Adaptability and diversity were the Federation’s strengths. Unlike the rigid Empire, the Federation embraced change.

There were pros and cons to both sides. It was difficult to say which system or method was superior, and my political insight was too limited to make such a judgment.

The annex was a full-fledged pilot training center. As I looked around, I saw children lying inside cylindrical machines, undergoing simulation training.

At the far end of the annex, there was a large double door with the words "Main Training Hall" written above it.

When I opened the door and entered, I saw children engaged in physical training and martial arts practice.

"They’re training hard in hand-to-hand combat as well."

Come to think of it, Yanaka wasn’t bad at close combat either.

"We’re also experimenting with direct neural control systems in some cases. When using direct neural control, it’s crucial to learn how to move the body properly. We’re testing all possible piloting methods to determine which is the most efficient. And pilots are just as valuable as MAUs. Even in the worst-case scenario, where their MAU is critically damaged, they must be able to survive and escape on their own."

Ismael clapped his hands in the center of the training hall.

Clap!

All eyes turned toward us.

"Today, we have a special lecture. This is Mr. Luka, from the Empire."

Soon, pilots from other facilities were summoned and gathered.

Border City had 14 officially recognized MAU pilots. It was a number that could be considered either large or small, depending on perspective. The number of pilots being trained in Bellato City was likely higher.

'The fact that they keep emphasizing "official" pilots means there must be unofficial ones as well.'

These children were the publicly acknowledged pilots. Somewhere, there had to be those who couldn’t be revealed.

Even for a special forces soldier, Yanaka was exceptionally normal—a person who belonged in the light. That was true even considering the fact that she was still a minor.

'A killing machine isn’t a role that a normal person with a typical sense of empathy can fulfill.'

A murderer needed a warped sense of values and a twisted morality. Those who took lives lightly saw people differently. Without that shift in perspective, no one could kill dozens, let alone hundreds, with their own hands.

"Another former Imperial Guard?"

"Is this the Empire or the Federation, seriously?"

"This one looks even younger than the last…"

I faintly heard murmurs of complaint.

Compared to the other ex-Imperial Guards, I probably did look young. Most defectors were likely older veterans.

The official pilots were all around Yanaka’s age. Biological enhancement was more effective and had a higher success rate the younger the subject.

'Yanaka.'

Yanaka stood among the pilots, lightly sweating. She was looking at me too.

'A special lecture.'

I was the one who had requested this from Ismael. I wanted to see the faces of the Imperial Guard defectors.  

'A significant number of the defectors must have been part of The Empire’s Blade.'  

The news of my defection must have leaked from here and reached Lante.  

"I'm not someone who can teach others with words or explanations."  

I placed my weapons and coat on the ground as I spoke. A heavy thud echoed roughly through the hall.  

Beep.  

I undid one button of my shirt and bounced lightly in place.  

"There are 14 of you, so even if I spend five minutes per match, it'll take about an hour. This should be better than talking for hours, right?"  

Ismael looked slightly troubled, then sighed.  

"Please go easy on them. If Federation assets get injured during training, it’ll be a problem."  

He whispered this as he spoke.  

The pilots’ murmurs of complaint didn’t cease.  

"This isn't fair. We're unarmed, but he has prosthetics…"  

"You can use whatever weapons you want—live rounds, knives, anything. And I’ll subdue you without leaving a single scratch. If that’s still not enough, I’ll fight using just one arm."  

"Are you serious? We can really use live rounds?"  

The pilot who spoke looked at Ismael for confirmation. I nodded at him.  

Reluctantly, Ismael granted permission. He must have known the general capabilities of an Imperial Guard, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t worried.  

"Then I’ll go first…"  

The pilot boy who had spoken quickly gathered his gear. He chose a combat knife and a handgun—both compact for easy handling. The handgun had a noticeably large caliber, likely intended to counter prosthetics or machinery.  

Tap, tap.  

I hopped lightly as I stepped into the sparring arena.  

Bzzzz.  

As soon as the pilot boy entered the ring, a transparent barrier rose along the perimeter.  

Thud.  

I knocked on it with the back of my hand. It was reinforced glass, designed for bulletproof and protective purposes.  

"I know you're all highly trained soldiers. I even understand that some of you might be able to dodge bullets when necessary. But this time, it won't be so easy."  

The pilot boy seemed confident in his marksmanship. He probably believed he could hit me with predictive shooting. The rounds he chose must have been high-powered enough to damage prosthetics.  

"Oh, by the way, I'm not like the other Imperial Guards you've met. Only my arms and legs are prosthetic. My head and torso are just like yours—flesh and blood. Now, let’s begin."  

The pilots murmured among themselves. The boy holding the handgun, in particular, had a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.  

I stood still, waiting for his move.  

Creak.

The boy aimed his gun at me. At first, he seemed to be targeting my head, but then he lowered the muzzle, aiming for my torso.  

'But even if it hits my body, I could still die.'  

His hands trembled slightly. He bit his lower lip.  

"Hey, time’s passing. Five minutes per match."  

I raised my hands in an unguarded stance as I spoke. His pupils shook even more.  

'As expected.'  

The pilot boy didn’t have the stomach to kill someone. His gun barrel shifted toward my limbs instead.  

"You think aiming for my arms and legs will be enough, when even a headshot or body shot might not?"  

I sneered.  

"Damn it! If I hit anything other than your prosthetics, you’ll… you’ll die!"  

"You were the one who said you'd use live rounds. Were you speaking without being ready for the consequences?"  

"That’s because I thought you had full-body prosthetics…"  

"You think, on a battlefield, the enemy is going to adjust their firepower based on whether you have a prosthetic body or flesh and blood?"  

"T-This isn't the same as a battlefield!"  

The pilot boy shouted, but he still didn’t pull the trigger.  

I glanced at Ismael. He gave me an awkward smile and mouthed, ‘Go easy on them’.  

The pilot boy hesitated. He didn’t want to back down and hurt his pride, but he also didn’t want to look like a coward.  

Hissss.  

A section of the glass wall surrounding the arena slid open.  

"Move aside. I’ll show you how it’s done. That guy won’t die from something like this—he’s a monster."  

A girl shoved the pilot boy away and snatched his gun.  

On the right side of her training uniform, the name Yanaka Bondred was written.  

The boy backed off without a word, watching Yanaka. It seemed she was already acknowledged as the de facto leader among the pilots.  

'She must be the most skilled here, which is why she was deployed for real missions.'  

Yanaka aimed the gun at me. Without any warning, she pulled the trigger.  

Boom!  

The deafening gunshot rang through the training hall. The recoil made her hair sway from the shockwave.  

I tilted my head at the last second, narrowly avoiding the shot.  

'This brat… she aimed directly for my head.'  

She didn’t actually intend to kill me. In a way, it meant she trusted my abilities.  

Drnnnn!  

The reinforced glass surrounding the arena vibrated, absorbing the impact of the gunshot.  

"See that? A shot like this won’t kill him. Just pull the trigger without hesitation."  

Yanaka casually tossed the gun back toward the pilot boy, as if the demonstration was over.  

"No matter what, still…"

The pilot boy hesitated as he spoke. Without even looking at me, Yanaka clicked her tongue in annoyance and pulled the trigger again.  

Thunk!  

I deflected the bullet mid-air with the back of my hand, altering its trajectory.  

‘What a monstrous round.’  

Even though it only grazed me, the impact left my hand and shoulder numb.  

‘As expected of an elite soldier training facility. I can’t believe they’re already issuing personal firearms of this caliber.’  

I shook out my hand. Lapis would be upset if she saw how scratched up I was over something that wasn’t even a real fight.  

"See? He doesn’t die."  

Yanaka tossed the handgun back to the boy. The pilot, now resolute, took aim at me once more.  

…With the pilot boy leading the charge, a brutal sparring session began.  

Of course, I ended up subduing every single one of them, but thanks to Yanaka, it wasn’t easy. None of them hesitated to use lethal weapons.  

‘I did tell them to use everything at their disposal, but still…’  

I could at least grumble about it to myself. Not like anyone else could hear.  

After finishing the session, I put my coat back on and glanced at the exhausted pilots.  

"When you first said you’d be giving a special lecture, I had my doubts. But this was much more productive than I expected."  

Ismael approached me, offering praise that could’ve been either genuine or merely polite. I drank some water and left the area with him.  

"Well, I was curious about the so-called secret weapons of the Federation. I don’t know much about your training philosophy, but for soldiers, they don’t seem particularly aggressive."  

"They’re pilots. The primary target of military MAUs is the Legion. Even if they destroy a Legion, it doesn’t feel like killing."  

"But that doesn’t mean pilots never kill people."  

"Inside the cockpit, their sense of reality dulls. Even if they kill someone, the psychological impact is reduced. A bit of HUD adjustment and the right combat stimulants, and they’ll quickly become the killing machines the Federation needs."  

Ismael’s words were unexpectedly ruthless.  

I silently drank my water, glancing around. Unnoticed, many former Imperial Guards had come and gone, observing me. They must’ve been trying to confirm if I was really Lukaus Custoria.  

‘I need to show them that I’m still standing. Some people won’t believe it unless they see it with their own eyes.’  

Ismael remained close by, clearly making sure I didn’t interact with the other Imperial Guards.  

‘Just how large is The Empire’s Blade?’  

Even the Empire itself probably didn’t have an exact grasp of its scale. And within the Empire, there were bound to be collaborators working with the Blade.  

‘Ivan isn’t really interested in outside traitors. What he truly wants to know is who the enemy inside is.’  

I closed my eyes, feeling sweat trickle down my face, then slowly opened them again. My thoughts were starting to overflow, racing wildly in every direction.  

‘I have to get deeply involved with The Empire’s Blade. Whether I use them to strike at Ivan, or offer them up as tribute to him.’

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