Chapter 39

“Edu? What have you done?! Can you just freely store and retrieve a tank like that? Are you a spatial manipulation awakened individual?”

The body sways at an incredible speed. Her actions alone reveal just how excited Banetta was, but like this…

“Ba, Banetta-san… Plea, please stop-”

“Huh, sorry.”

It was only then that she came to her senses, and stopped shaking me. The sky spun around, and multiple Banettas appeared. Wow! Was this someone getting duplicated?

Leaning on Bungbungi as I felt I might pass out, the dizzy sensation gradually subsided.

“Are you alright? Nothing hurts, does it?”

“I’m, getting better…”

Since the four Banettas have now reduced to two, I must be feeling better, right?

“Sorry, I was too shocked…”

She apologizes and bows her head. However, it’s not completely unexpected for Banetta to react like this.

Even I was surprised when I first used COLLECTION, so how would others perceive it? The ability to store and retrieve something as large as a tank, isn’t that amazing?

Anyway, after resting for a bit, the two Banettas merged into one. Hmm, feeling better now.

“But Edu, what is this ability of yours? If you’re not a spatial manipulation specialist, how did you do it?”

“Eh, it’s a power I gained sometime back, but this is actually the first time I’ve used it.”

There’s an inexplicable feeling that telling the complete truth to Banetta would lead to very troublesome situations, so I change the subject slightly.

“Did you gain the ability? What was the cause of your second talent awakening? Ahh… I’m curious, so curious!”

True to expectations, Banetta reacts enthusiastically.

…Not that I don’t trust her, but her curiosity does seem a bit excessive.

“Edu is such a mysterious child, I’d almost want to keep you caged and study you.”

“Haha…I’ll pass on that.”

Given Banetta’s nature, I wouldn’t put it past her to actually do such a thing, so I subtly distance myself.

“Still, you said this was the first time you used your ability, right? Then let me prepare everything so that I can learn more about your power later?”

“Oh, would you?”

Though I don’t know exactly what this power is, judging from the term “COLLECTION,” it’s clearly more than just storing things, making her offer very appealing.

“There’s no reason I shouldn’t prepare, but in exchange, can I ask you a few questions about your talent and yourself? And I promise I won’t tell anyone else.”

“Really?”

“I swear to heaven and earth, I won’t say a word to anyone.”

“If that’s the case, sure… But you’re not planning on dragging me off to some laboratory, are you?”

“Can’t you trust me?”

“I trust you, Banetta, but not your overflowing curiosity.”

“Too harsh!”

Though she replied this way, her face exhibited less disappointment and more a slightly embarrassed expression. She evidently acknowledges her own excessive curiosity.

“But since you haven’t outright rejected my offer, it shouldn’t matter, right?”

“That’s correct! You made the right decision! No backing out later!”

“Got it.”

My response makes her face brighten instantly. She’s clearly an excellent expert in her field, yet at times, she’s also childlike.

“Then, for moving things around, let’s use Edu’s power. Practice with various things just in case.”

“Got it.”

Following Banetta’s suggestion, I begin experimenting with COLLECTION.

Storing and releasing a tank, issuing different commands, and periodically checking the status of the tank.

After several dozen minutes of this,

I finally get the hang of handling COLLECTION.

“COLLECTION Release, placing it in the nearest empty space!”

– COLLECTION function will be released. MBT-4S Saver tank will be released from COLLECTION and placed in the nearest empty area.

The tank reappears with a white light. A final check inside the tank reveals no anomalies.

“Everything’s normal.”

“Wow, this is an incredible ability.”

The immediate revelations about COLLECTION’s power are as follows.

First, it can effortlessly store something as large as a tank, and there are no apparent consequences like MP consumption after storage.

And the stored items are kept in their exact state as they were when stored.

Though invisible, it’s essentially a true Doraemon pocket power. While it seems like too generous a reward for a dungeon run, there’s no reason to turn down such a granted ability.

As I thought this, Banetta’s gaze on her wrist widened.

“Wow, it’s already this time. Edu, we’re doing ground training tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Given that leaving food inside the tank is impractical, I’ve kept it separately. But still, I’ve stocked up on some long-term supplies just in case of emergencies.”

“Thank you.”

I bow my head in gratitude for Banetta’s thoughtful consideration. Though she may seem unenthusiastic at times, she proves dependable when it counts.

“Whatever I’m asked to do, I’ll make sure it’s done, so come to my lab in the morning tomorrow to pick up the food.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Good, let’s head in then.”

“Yes!”

…

And it was Saturday morning.

On the arid ground, a large, long, and clunky spaceship landed with its cargo hold opened, and three figures stepped out.

Jack, Edward, Nisia, and Edu, who was carried on Nisia’s back, making a total of four.

While the other three, excluding Edu, wore the plain Academy uniform, Edu alone wore a military officer uniform similar to the one Lianna and he had bought together, instead of the Academy attire.

“In that case, I’ll pick you up when you return, so see you at 20:00 on Sunday, rookies!”

“Yes, thank you for the ride.”

Edu turned his body, formed a salute, and the middle-aged pilot blinked, smiled slightly, returned the salute, and called out to the four.

“Alright, don’t forget to always be careful!”

As the hatch closed and the transport plane slowly ascended, leaving Edu’s group behind, Edward finally spoke.

“Hey, Edu?”

“What is it, Edward?”

“Didn’t you clearly say that we should gather some friends for training this weekend?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Then… why am I on the ground?”

“We’re practicing on the ground?”

“Um, well. Goodbye, then. I’ll head back to the Fangju.”

“Jack?”

A hand rested on Edward’s shoulder with a thud. Just by that, Edward became as if glued in place, unable to move.

“Damn it! Let go of me, Jack! This is cheating! What kind of training on the ground is this?!!”

“Edu must have his reasons, let’s go.”

“Nooo!!!”

Edward’s anguished cry echoed, but Jack merely dragged him along with a bitter smile.

Only then did Edward greatly regret having fallen for Edu’s words, but it was too late to turn back now.

…

In the depths where even sunlight couldn’t penetrate.

In a gloomy space illuminated only by the faint light emitted from several machines and the emotionless red sensors, an alien noise reverberated.

Cylinders pumped as violently as untamed calves, and cables thicker than trees carried high-voltage currents beyond what common organisms could withstand.

This place, saturated with countless machines, could be simply described as a heart of steel.

And at the center of this place stood a large tower resembling the command bridge of a battleship from World War II, often called a pagoda mast.

[Order: Armored Combat Unit N342 to proceed to Zone A4-D3. Request clearance of remaining hostile bodies.]

[Confirmed: Armored Combat Unit N342 proceeding to Zone A4-D3. Starting clearance.]

[Order: Artillery Group A155 to proceed to Zone D3-M2 and provide firepower support at coordinates 54D-L2.]

[Confirmed: Artillery Group A155 proceeding to Zone D3-M2 and initiating support at coordinates 54D-L2.]

Receiving countless streams of information via the front lines, the enormous steel tower acted as if it already knew the responses as soon as the commands were issued.

The high-level processing device, the brain of the steel invaders known as Invaders, and the hidden core of their invasion, had been continuously operating while commanding the Earth invasion from this timeless location.

That is, until the information came in.

[Notification: Communication lost with bot squad operating in region N4A7-V8. Situation suggests complete annihilation. Requesting central directive.]

[?!]

The high-level processing device halted its operation. For a brief moment, but unmistakably a dead silence.

A machine that hadn’t shown the slightest waver while burning countless worlds and harvesting their lives had paused its movement to respond to an unforeseen situation.

Complete annihilation of the Bot squad dispatched to N4A7-V8.

In the grand scheme of the Earth invasion, it was a minor blip not particularly significant. But what mattered was the information contained within.

[…]

Thus far, the invaders hadn’t won every battle in their Earth campaign.

But all those defeats were within the scenarios the high-level processing device had anticipated. They were never out of sync with expectations, like they were now.

[Exceptional situation detected.]

In other words, for the high-level processing device, the significance of this loss wasn’t merely the annihilation of a bot squad but a precedent-breaking situation that should never have occurred.

In the past, such rare events, like the appearance of alien empires and monstrous lifeforms during the smooth invasion of Earth, were of the same magnitude.

No further unpredictable events should arise.

Everything must remain under control.

The electronic brain of the high-level processing device rapidly processed countless accumulated experiences over a long time and branched out in a frenzy to find the best solutions.

And as always, the high-level processing device produced a result.

[Order: Highly probable occurrence of unprecedented major incident in region N4A7-V8. Deploy all available forces for search and extermination.]

[Confirmed: Deploying Tank Squad B340 and Assault Squads B344 and B542 to region N4A7-V8 for search and extermination.]