Whom~ Whom~
The four pilot trainees, followed by other Super Soldiers, passed through the Portal installed in the New Genesis Shelter...
"That’s quite unexpected." Amon muttered as he felt really good passing through that gate.
Nonetheless, they were welcod by the people whom Shane arranged to escort them.
The escorts led the four pilots deeper into the hangar, past rows of half‑finished fras and stacks of ch Weapons.
Workers paused in their tasks, their gazes following the newcors. At the far end, the massive silhouettes of the Sea ch prototypes stood on raised platforms.
The sight stopped the pilot trainees in their tracks.
Amon’s eyes widened as he studied the machines.
He had flown fighter jets before but these chs were nothing like that. They were definitely heavier, slower, and built for endurance rather than agility.
Yet he could see the logic in their design...
Of course, he didn’t look at them with blind awe, but with a pilot’s scrutiny...
’They’ll handle differently, he thought. Like dragging steel through water instead of cutting through air. I wonder what it feels like..."
The other trainees also felt impressed as they circled one of the fras... They really liked the machine, and they seed to be itching to climb inside.
"Damn... they look alive... I want to pilot one already."
"Cockpits look stripped down... I think this one’s being repaired. I wonder if these things have nas."
"They look beautiful... But this will be a long training session for sure..."
Around them, workers exchanged glances, proud of the admiring reactions of the three...
On the other hand, Ziya felt her chest swell as she heard Amon’s low voice.
***
The arrival of the four pilots changed the atmosphere of the Central Engineering Hub.
For months, the workers had labored on steel fras, weapon crafting, and mana items, but now the human elent was here.
The ones who would eventually sit inside the machines and carry them into battle had finally arrived!
Before they were allowed anywhere near the simulation pods, the pilots were placed under the guidance of Engineer Goz.
A stern man with sharp eyes and a commanding voice.
Goz had overseen several ch deploynts. He believed discipline and knowledge were as important as raw skill.
For three days, the pilots studied under him in a classroom carved into the underground levels of New Genesis.
Charts of ch schematics lined the walls, and holo‑projectors displayed diagrams of Aegis cockpits.
"First rule," Goz said on the opening day, pacing before them.
"Respect the sync rate. The ch is not a vehicle. It is an extension of your body. If your sync rate drops, you lose control. If it spikes beyond safe limits, you risk frying your nervous system. Balance is survival."
The four listened intently.
Amon sat upright, absorbing every word and also noting whatever he could.
Ryn, the younger male pilot, tapped his foot impatiently but kept his eyes on the diagrams.
Kira, the short‑haired female pilot, was equally focused, and her confidence was showing in the way she leaned forward, eager to learn from Goz.
Finally, there was Lyn, the quieter female pilot, who just kept her gaze lingering on every detail as if morizing it...
Over the next days, Goz drilled them on ergency protocols. "If the energy ter overload, you cut power imdiately. If hydraulics fail, you switch to manual override. If the cockpit seals breach underwater, you eject. Do not hesitate or you’ll die..."
Just like that, Goz continued teaching them the things they must learn.
They practiced communication signals, morized control layouts, and studied the differences between Aegis ground chs and the new Sea variants.
By the end of the third day, their minds were saturated with knowledge, but their determination had only grown stronger.
On the fourth day, the pilots were finally led to the training hall where the simulation pods awaited.
"Finally..." Amon muttered as he looked at the pods they were about to use.
"That looks so cool." Ryn muttered.
"It looks comfortable sitting there." Kira added.
"Yeah... I might fall asleep..." Lyn joked as she looked at the simulation pod.
Of course, the pods weren’t pods in the traditional sense. They were half‑fras of ch cockpits, stripped down prototypes filled with wires, mana tubes, and others.
Four of them stood side by side, bare but functional.
They looked skeletal, yet intimidating... Then, as soon as Goz activated it, various parts started moving, and it looked as if it was waiting to swallow the pilots whole!
"These are real cockpits," Goz explained as he gestured to the five trainings cockpits. "They can be installed into Aegis units if needed. For now, they serve as your training ground. Treat them as the real thing."
After giving instructions, the pilots climbed inside one by one.
Amon settled into his seat, his hands gripping the controls.
The interior was cramped but it was comfortable... He found the levers, the buttons, and the screens that flickered to life. He felt the energy beneath his fingertips as the faint vibration also ca to his nerves.
Soon, they wore the gloves and helts that were connected to the cockpit’s system.
"Sync rate calibration begins now," Goz announced. "Focus. The ch responds to your intent, not just your hands."
Just like that, the training began with basic movents. The pilots learned to walk the ch fras in simulated environnts, their motions translated into holographic projections. At first, their sync rates fluctuated wildly... It was either too high, too low, making it unstable.
However, it was normal at first since it was still the calibration phase...
But with each hour, they improved.
Amon’s sync rate started becoming steady at around 60 to 65%...
It was probably because of his discipline from years as a pilot, and it was serving him well. But Ryn, the younger male, struggled with overexertion as he was pushing too hard and spiking his readings.
Kira, the short-haired woman, adapted quickly, her confidence translating into smooth control while Lyn’s sync rate rose slowly but consistently until she reached the 60% sync rate. It was still low since they all needed 80% to beco official pilots but it was a good start.
"That real trials will start at 70%... Once you reached that sync rate, every percentage becos a huge obstacle..." Goz explained.
***
anwhile, outside the training hall, Ziya and her coworkers often gathered to watch. They weren’t allowed inside during sessions, but through observation windows, they could see the pilots at work.
"Look at Amon," Harry muttered one evening. "He’s steady as a rock. Sync rate barely wavers. I think he’s the first one to graduate..."
Eudora nodded. "He has discipline. That’s what these machines need. Still, I think that he’s boring."
Ziya found herself watching more than she admitted. The sight of the pilots inside the cockpits made the months of welding and forging feel alive.
Well, there was sothing new to look forward to anyway...
During breaks, the pilots mingled with the workers.
Amon was polite, asking Ziya about the welding process and listening intently as she explained the importance of reinforced joints.
Ryn then joked with Harry about grease stains, while the two won, Kira and Lyn often sat with Eudora and Elen, curious about the enchantnts woven into the armor of their ch.
This was actually a very good thing for the pilot trainees, since they were learning more about the chs they were about pilot!
Just like that, friendships began to form. als were shared, and laughter echoed in the hangar...
Everyone felt like they had been friends for a long ti as they all worked together in the hangar!
***
In the anti, the initial testing of the new ch was finally about to start!
Shane stood inside the Portal Hall of Blue Haven Shelter with his gaze fixed on the massive gates as the transport crews worked.
"Beautiful..." Shane muttered as he saw it being taken out.
The Sea ch Prototype, towering at eight ters tall, was being moved from New Genesis to Blue Haven for its very first seaworthy test.
Its armored fra lood over the crews, and they admired it together...
"I think this thing alone can conquer a Zombie Lair."
"A Sea-Type ch, finally..."
"It’s surprising that we got the Flying chs first before this one."
The others comnted.
Soon, chains rattled as the transport platforms creaked under the weight of the machine.
After a few monts, a ssenger approached, handing him a folder. Inside were the notes from the workers of New Genesis, their request to call the new line of ocean chs the Trident Series, and to na the first prototype unit Leviathan.
Shane read the words carefully and chuckled.
He didn’t dismiss the idea, but he didn’t accept it outright either. For now, he would think about it.
Still, the workers’ pride was clear in every line of the request, so he respected that.
The ch was finally secured near the dockyard, where the test would take place.
Needless to say, crowds had gathered. There were many workers, soldiers, engineers, and even rchants who hadn’t yet left Blue Haven.
All eyes were on the towering fra as preparations began!
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