Chapter 292: Blazing Flames of the Battlefield[R-18] (10)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 292: Blazing Flames of the Battlefield[R-18] (10)
A single diamond on my shoulder.
A little while ago, I finished the completion ceremony and was officially commissioned.
My rank: Second Lieutenant.
Just a month ago, I was a trainee rolling around in the dirt, but now, I was a proper officer.
‘Hmm, for some reason, I feel the urge to order the logistics NCO to hit the deck.’
I leaned back quietly and glanced out the window.
The scenery flowed by, boringly.
“Haaah…”
A lazy yawn escaped me.
On the last night at the training camp, as if they’d been waiting, a few women had lined up.
After a few drinks and not much conversation, we’d go to a room, and they’d spread their legs for me.
‘I was just as starved.’
In the end, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse the women who willingly came to me.
One, two, three…
I couldn’t even remember how many pussies I’d drilled in a single night.
They were like junk food, though. Not a single one had a decent body, face, or state of mind.
‘But they still tasted good.’
A few of them had even clung to me in bed, asking me to be their boyfriend.
Naturally, I refused them all.
The vehicle slowly reduced its speed and turned.
It meant we were about to arrive.
Now, my military life was truly beginning.
I had already received information on the person I was assigned to protect.
Adele Licencia.
The eldest daughter of the Licencia Group.
To be precise, she was the heir to the largest mobile weapon manufacturing corporation in the Earth Federation.
‘A true diamond spoon.’
After my sparring match with Jack Spencer, my surroundings had changed dramatically.
First, my treatment.
I was allowed free access not only to the internet but also to the outside world. I didn’t let the opportunity slip by, scraping together all the data I could about this world before graduation.
The structure of the Earth Federation, the basic knowledge needed for this world, and… the Licencia Group.
That name was embedded everywhere.
From the design and production of mobile weapons to the development of armament systems and the creation of AI tactical cores.
Over 60% of the Federation’s military power had passed through the hands of the Licencia Group.
So, the person I was protecting wasn't just some VVIP.
She was the daughter of an industrial warlord the entire Federation walked on eggshells around, a ‘key asset’ who held a significant political weight.
‘Thinking about it now, a position like this for a guy like me… it doesn’t make any sense.’
My physical abilities?
Sure, the numbers were surprising enough for them.
It was also true that I had beaten Jack Spencer in the simulator, and my actual combat responses were probably at a ‘monstrous level’ by their standards.
But… a post to ‘solely’ guard the eldest daughter of the Licencia Group?
That was on a completely different level from a simple escort detail.
It was a position where I might get to know the Licencia Group’s eldest daughter personally. That meant it was an opportunity to change my future.
If I was lucky, I could gain the backing of the Licencia Group and rise to a level unimaginable in this world.
Fame and power, weapons and information.
This could be the gateway to obtaining it all.
‘…But why me, of all people?’
Logically, this position should have gone to someone carefully selected from among countless officer candidates, from hundreds of elites.
No matter how outstanding my combat skills were, I was just a newly commissioned second lieutenant.
Worse, aside from my physical abilities and combat record, my file showed a man with no background whatsoever.
‘Something… is strange.’
It meant there was either a problem, or there was another reason that wasn't visible on the surface.
And my intuition was telling me that whatever was hidden behind this assignment wasn't just simple good fortune.
Through the vehicle’s window, a logo shining vividly on the outer wall of a skyscraper came into view.
Licencia Group.
The mega-corporation that controlled the mobile weapon industry in this world.
Its symbol, a white ring encircling red wings, was engraved so imposingly that it seemed to cover the entire massive building.
‘…Quite the display of power.’
I smirked and rested my arm on the windowsill. In the center of the glass building, which had to be dozens of stories tall, was a massive hangar.
It was equipped with facilities far more advanced than any standard military hangar. And inside, dozens of maintenance personnel were moving about ceaselessly.
‘…This is the very heart of the war industry.’
I finally felt like I was stepping into the core of this world.
And the ‘VVIP’ I was about to meet here was surely no ordinary person.
*
Adele Licencia.
She was far more beautiful than the images I’d seen on screen.
‘She looks fucking… like she’s begging to be fucked.’
Her pink hair was tied up neatly, and her eyes, the same color, sparkled with a moist sheen.
A thin blouse and skirt. Even in her clean, high-class attire, the full curves hidden beneath were subtly provocative.
She held a teacup and smiled leisurely. A perfectly prepared demeanor, an elegant smile. But beneath it all, a hint of playfulness was hidden.
“Fufu, there’s no need to be so tense. This isn’t the rigid military, you know.”
I chuckled softly and replied.
“It’s not that I’m tense… I just find it a little unfamiliar.”
She nodded, then crossed her legs, placed a hand on her hip, and slowly looked me up and down. As if observing me.
“You know, you seem less… dangerous than I heard?”
Then, with a mischievous smile, she continued.
“Ignoring a superior’s orders during combat, breaking from the chain of command, unauthorized engagement, excessive force. Going by your record, you’re a completely uncontrollable beast, aren’t you?”
I slowly lifted my teacup and took a sip. A warm fragrance brushed my nose and spread smoothly in my mouth.
“Records… can change depending on the perspective of the person reading them.”
Placing the teacup down, I looked at her leisurely. It was obvious from her expression that she had already done a background check on me. There was nothing new to it.
Adele tilted her head with interest and stared directly into my eyes.
“Just act like you normally do. That’s… far more interesting.”
“Well, if you insist.”
Seemingly pleased with my answer, Adele smiled with satisfaction and placed her teacup on the table.
Elegance was ingrained in her every calm movement, and the playfulness in her eyes was still alive.
“Shall we go receive your unit now?”
At her words, the corners of my mouth lifted on their own.
“Oh, finally!”
As I shot up from my seat, she chuckled and narrowed her eyes.
“What’s this? You seem happier about getting the machine than about me.”
“The machine listens well, doesn’t it? It’s under my control.”
Her eyes widened for a moment, and then she burst into laughter.
“Oh my, are you implying that I’m the type who can’t be controlled?”
I shrugged.
“That wasn’t my intention, was it?”
“Fufu. I don’t think so.”
She said, then began to walk ahead. Her pink hair swayed gently.
I leisurely followed her from behind. The machine was nice, and what was to come… I was looking forward to it.
After passing through several security gates with Adele, a massive hangar reeking of metal revealed itself.
Between steel frames that reached the ceiling, a heavy unit stood in its unpainted, gray metallic state.
“This is…”
I unconsciously took a step forward.
“A B-Class mobile weapon, the Legion.”
Adele added from the side. She gestured toward the machine with the back of her hand.
“I originally intended to assign you something better… but the military refused. I’m not sure why.”
I barely listened, looking up at the massive gray unit. Its raw, unpainted body. I felt a low current humming from within it.
‘Hah… I want to pilot it right now.’
The moment I looked up at the machine with a slight smile, Adele, who had been watching me, chuckled.
“Right now… you have the look of someone who’s dying to ride it.”
“Was it that obvious on my face?”
“Yes. Desperately so.”
She took a step forward. She approached me slyly and tilted her head slightly. A playful gaze.
“Well, I suppose I would be the same. It may be a B-Class unit, but its customization is top-tier.”
I nodded with sparkling eyes. Seeing me like that, Adele Licencia smiled and said.
“Would you like to try piloting it now?”
“…Now?”
“Yes. As a test, you can have a short sparring match with one of our pilots.”
She gave a slight eye-smile and added.
“We need to calibrate things before the mission officially begins. And we have to prepare for any unforeseen variables.”
‘Just when I was getting antsy.’
I nodded with a smile.
“Excellent. Who’s my opponent?”
She gestured slowly. From one side of the hangar, a man in a blue pilot suit walked out quietly. A muscular build. Clean-cut features. And a helmet in his hand.
“This is Daniel, a pilot from our Licencia team.”
She looked at me and narrowed her eyes.
“Please try not to break him. Replacements are quite expensive.”
I took the helmet she offered and replied curtly.
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
At my response, the corner of Adele’s lips curled up slightly.
*
I climbed the stairs and pushed myself into the cockpit. The vibration of the metal footplate, the elasticity of the seat.
‘…Oh, this is something else.’
It was much more serious than I had expected.
[Unit Name: Legion / Serial Code: L-77AX]
[Pilot ID Registration Confirmed: Jin Seo-yun]
[Control System: Tactical Manual + Assist Mode]
Red LEDs and interfaces began to light up one by one on the panel.
On the left were the basic sensor and communication interfaces, and on the right were the armament information and output status. In the virtual projection that appeared in the center, the hangar interior was being mapped in real-time.
[Adjusting seat position… Complete]
[Pedal response rate: Normal]
[Unit horizontal stabilizer calibration complete]
‘Wow… it’s more refined than I thought.’
As I placed my hands on the controls, the cockpit frame responded minutely. There was almost no delay, and the pedal response speed was stable.
[Armament Module: Standby]
▷ Melee: High-Tension Blade
▷ Mid-range: Vibration Shooter XM-2
‘Ah… this. It fits my hands perfectly.’
As I smirked, Adele’s voice came through the external speaker.
[Are you ready, Second Lieutenant Jin? Our staff will be bringing in the test unit shortly.]
“I’m ready.”
[Sparring area open. Both units, move to the starting positions.]
The machine began to move slowly.
The unit assigned to me was the Legion L-77AX.
My opponent was a production model B-Class unit, the Berserk-E.
[Melee weapons only. Shields are on auto-adjust, and the match will be forcibly stopped if damage exceeds a certain threshold.]
The communication channel crackled, and I responded simply.
“Understood. Let’s begin.”
The holster on my left arm opened, and a black blade shot out.
The unit lowered its stance, facing forward, and a countdown appeared on the HUD.
[3…]
[2…]
[1…]
[START]
The enemy unit charged first.