Bell donned the anti-g suit handed to him by one of the pilots, complementing it with a helmet graciously provided by Amelia. It was a privilege for him to occupy the backseat of an F-15, a highlight of the ceremony. His assigned pilot was Larry Schumann, a skilled flyer whose brown hair bore the distinguished touch of white streaks, a testament to his experience.
"Let me introduce you two," Amelia said, bridging the gap. "Bell, this is Larry. Larry, meet Bell."
Larry removed his sunglasses, revealing a gaze that radiated confidence. "Pleasure to meet you, Commander," he greeted Bell with a firm nod. "Our agenda today includes a low-altitude flight over the Frostwood Taiga—nothing too extravagant. Eldrin also requested a flyover above his village. That's the plan for now."
Bell nodded in agreement. It had been quite some time since he had the chance to pilot anything resembling an aircraft. Even within the confines of the helicopter, he had never been given the opportunity to take on the role of co-pilot. Larry settled into the pilot's seat, and Bell assumed the position of Weapon System Officer, often referred to as the WSO.
As he settled into the cockpit, it felt as if he had stepped into a relic of a bygone era. A vast touchscreen covered in an array of buttons and labeled controls surrounded him in the backseat. The instructions were clear: do not touch anything. The two powerful jet engines of the aircraft began to rev up, and the touchscreen in front of him illuminated, displaying a plethora of information.
It was a stark contrast to how he was accustomed to flying with his dragon. With Bessy, it was a simple matter of turning right, turning left, going to a specific location, and destroying a target. There were no complex sequences of button presses, nothing remotely as intricate as the fighter planes from his time.
The aircraft taxied smoothly towards runway 1. Larry meticulously checked the flaps, ailerons, and other critical systems of the F-15EX before radioing the base to request permission for takeoff. With a deafening roar, the F-15EX's powerful engines sprang to life, propelling the aircraft down the runway. Bell could feel the intense acceleration pressing him firmly into his seat. The world beyond the cockpit windows became a blur as they gained speed, the thunderous rumble of the engines filling the cabin. With a graceful lift, they left the base and its concerns far behind, if only for a moment.
As the aircraft climbed higher into the sky, Bell gazed down at the breathtaking landscape below. The endless expanse of the Frostwood taiga sprawled out before him, a tapestry of lush green trees and pristine white snow. He had seen this view countless times from the back of Bessy, his dragon, but the perspective from the jet was entirely different—faster, more detached, yet equally majestic in its own unique way.
"Hang on for a moment, Bell," Larry said with a grin. "Amelia wanted me to give you a demonstration of the jet."
Larry pulled back on the aircraft's control stick, subjecting Bell to the powerful forces that pinned him to his seat as the F-15 changed its angle and pointed towards the heavens. The afterburners on the engines erupted in a fiery display, propelling the jet forward with incredible speed, a sensation Bell had never experienced within the confines of a dragon. The landscape below rapidly shrank in size until the Frostwood taiga seamlessly blended into the surrounding snowy terrain.
Bell gazed out at the southern mountain range, the very same mountains where he and Lisa had discovered Aurora and the enigmatic no man's land beyond it. To the north, the continent resembled a pristine canvas of pure white snow, framed by the dark blue expanse of the horizon. It was a sight of unparalleled beauty, one that Bell had never witnessed before. The plane continued its ascent until all he could see were billowing clouds, their edges disappearing into the vast, dark emptiness of space.
"Can you make out any borders from up here, Bell?" Larry inquired.
Below the aircraft, everything was bathed in shades of blue, with white clouds scattered in every direction. Bell was rendered speechless, utterly captivated by the experience of being the first person from his era to ascend to an altitude of 20,000 meters above the ground. It was akin to a primitive caveman witnessing fire for the very first time.
"I understand what you mean," Bell replied, his voice filled with awe. Riding atop a dragon made everything seem small, but this was an entirely different magnitude. The F-15E was hurtling through the sky at a blistering speed of 1,500 km/h, at an altitude where no demon had ever ventured before. It was a truly astonishing sensation, even more breathtaking than flying on the back of a dragon. No dragon would ever reach these heights.
Suddenly, the aircraft executed a graceful upside-down maneuver before descending rapidly toward the earth below. They passed through the sea of clouds, and the snowy plains beneath came into sharper focus. Larry deftly performed another ascent, leveling the aircraft. Objects flew past the plane at breakneck speed, forests and landscapes becoming mere blurs in an instant. The aircraft then reduced its speed to a still-impressive 800 km/h.
"Strap yourself in," Larry advised, as they continued their exhilarating journey through the skies.
[AOA Limiter: OFF]
[G-Limiter: OFF]
Bell's breath caught in his chest as Larry skillfully executed high-G maneuvers with the F-15EX. The jet's agility and responsiveness were beyond anything Bell had ever encountered. Within the confines of the cockpit, the world beyond transformed into a mesmerizing blur of motion, the landscape twisting and turning in a dizzying ballet.
As the aircraft sharply banked, Bell could feel the G-forces exerting their immense pressure on him, a clear demonstration of the sheer power and capability of the machine they occupied. The sensation was simultaneously exhilarating and overwhelming, a stark departure from the fluid and natural movements of dragon flight. On Bessy, the flight had been a harmonious dance with the wind and terrain, but here in the F-15EX, the movements were abrupt and jarring.
Larry's voice came through the intercom, reassuring Bell, "Hang in there, Bell. Let me show you what this bird is truly capable of."
With those words, the jet surged upwards, ascending at a breathtaking rate. The engines roared louder, their afterburners blazing fiercely as they sliced through the sky. The aircraft executed a series of rolls and loops, the world outside the cockpit spinning wildly. Bell couldn't help but draw comparisons to his flights on Bessy, where the movements had been guided by instinct and the natural rhythms of the dragon's body. Plus, flying a dragon never left him feeling lightheaded like this.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
As they concluded the series of exhilarating maneuvers, Larry expertly stabilized the jet, affording Bell a moment to catch his breath. They were now soaring directly above the elven villages.
"How was that for a demonstration?" Larry inquired, a touch of pride evident in his voice.
Bell, still awestruck by the experience, managed to reply, "It was incredible." His voice resonated with a mix of admiration and excitement. "I had no idea a machine could move like this. Who would've thought a bunch of metal could outpace a dragon?"
"Hahaha, I bet," Larry chuckled.
The jet began its graceful descent towards the base, gliding effortlessly through the sky. As they approached the runway, Bell noticed two A-29s on the verge of taking off from the adjacent runway. They appeared to be laden with bombs, likely intended for dealing with the undead that were plaguing the villages or providing support to the hunter team.
Touching down on the runway, the jet came to a gentle halt before proceeding to the hangar. Bell unstrapped himself, experiencing a mixture of relief and exhilaration. As he climbed out of the cockpit, he couldn't deny that this flight had not only served as a demonstration of the F-15EX's capabilities but also sent a clear message to him. It was a stark reminder that the technology of his era was outmatched and outgunned by these advanced machines. He harbored no doubt that defeating the Southern Coalition would be a much simpler task than he had originally imagined.
"How was the flight, sir?" Amelia inquired, assisting Bell in removing the G-suit from his body.
"Amazing, borderline crazy, in fact," Bell replied, handing his helmet to one of the aircrew.
"Figured as much. Anyway, this jet might just be the solution to your leveling problem," Amelia continued.
Bell raised an eyebrow, prompting her to elaborate. "Such as?"
"Well, the 80% penalty on EXP has been quite the hindrance to your progress, especially considering the prospect of amassing a large number of equipment and an army," Lisa chimed in.
"I wholeheartedly agree," Bell added. Cheaper equipment could lead to better equipment, and that was a valuable advantage.
"By the way, sir, you currently have ten skill points that you should allocate. Why don't you invest in leveling up your skills?" Amelia suggested.
Bell nodded, realizing that he had almost forgotten about the skill menu. In the Federation, so much depended on the production of EP, whether by hunting down undead or selling items to the commissary. Bell received most of his income from the former, while his people relied on the latter, along with their basic salaries for working with the armed forces. It was time to make the most of those skill points.
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[Diagnostic Menu] [Level: 28] [10 Demonic Points Available]
Name: Bellial Radcliffe
EXP: 29,240/103,600
General Health Status: Healthy
Skills and Perks:
* Diplomatic Seer Lv. 4: Provides an edge in bargaining, crucial for resource acquisition or information gathering. This includes knowing what the current state or mood of your diplomatic opponent, or allies. It also allows the user to know their relationship with other diplomatic party. Moderate amount of Aether Energy needed to use this spell.
* Sweet Talker Lv. 3: Provide a soothing-like ability to your voice during negotiation session, alongside with a non-aggressive passive spell that would make your offer more likely to be accepted by the opposite party. This ability only works on good will and any dubious request will cancel the spell immediately.
* Aura of Authority Lv. 1: This ability imbues the user with an innate sense of authority and charisma, making others more inclined to respect and listen to you. It's particularly effective in leadership situations, where your presence can inspire confidence and loyalty. It only works on allies that have trusted the user. It will also boost the chance of intimidation slightly towards enemies.
* Mana Efficiency Lv. 2: Reduces the amount of aether energy required to cast spells, allowing for more frequent use of magic.
* Marksmanship Lv. 4: +10% Range and Accuracy of All Weapons on Your Arsenal, Including Summoned Soldiers
* Second-Hand User Lv. 4: 50% Reduction in Equipment Price
======
"Well, there certainly are plenty of options to choose from, aren't there?" Bell mused aloud, his thoughts displayed for the entire command staff to see through their personalized interfaces. He considered the prospect of acquiring new skills or enhancing existing ones. "Any suggestions?"
"Diplomatic seers might be a wise choice, sir," Lukas suggested. "Given our heavily militarized pacifist approach to various matters, improving that skill would be quite beneficial."
"Second-hand user, do I even need to explain the importance?" Lisa chimed in.
However, the conversation came to a halt when Harris drew their attention to a particular skill. It appeared to be remarkably overpowered, prompting unanimous agreement among the command staff that investing in that skill was a no-brainer.
* Corpse Bank Lv. 1: This ability ensures that each corpse would be rewarded greatly, undeads or not. You’ll get extra 20% for each creature, this includes both mechanical and biological creature that you encounter. [1 Demonic Point]
"Any other recommendations?" Bell inquired as he made his selections. He scrolled through the list of potential new skills, some of which seemed to enhance his personal combat abilities, while others pertained to system management, such as Enhanced Crimson Flame and Experimental Logistics.
Ultimately, Bell settled on two new skills: Corpse Bank and Experimental Logistics. He allocated the remaining demonic points to upgrading his Second-Hand user skill, as per Lukas and Lisa's advice, which cost him eight points in total. The remaining points were spent on the newly acquired skills.
======
[Diagnostic Menu] [Level: 28]
Name: Bellial Radcliffe
EXP: 29,240/99,800
General Health Status: Healthy
Skills and Perks:
* Diplomatic Seer Lv. 4: Provides an edge in bargaining, crucial for resource acquisition or information gathering. This includes knowing what the current state or mood of your diplomatic opponent, or allies. It also allows the user to know their relationship with other diplomatic party. Moderate amount of Aether Energy needed to use this spell.
* Sweet Talker Lv. 3: Provide a soothing-like ability to your voice during negotiation session, alongside with a non-aggressive passive spell that would make your offer more likely to be accepted by the opposite party. This ability only works on good will and any dubious request will cancel the spell immediately.
* Aura of Authority Lv. 1: This ability imbues the user with an innate sense of authority and charisma, making others more inclined to respect and listen to you. It's particularly effective in leadership situations, where your presence can inspire confidence and loyalty. It only works on allies that have trusted the user. It will also boost the chance of intimidation slightly towards enemies.
* Mana Efficiency Lv. 2: Reduces the amount of aether energy required to cast spells, allowing for more frequent use of magic.
* Marksmanship Lv. 4: +10% Range and Accuracy of All Weapons on Your Arsenal, Including Summoned Soldiers
* Second-Hand User Lv. 5: 55% Reduction in Equipment Price
* Corpse Bank Lv. 1: This ability ensures that each corpse would be rewarded greatly, undeads or not. The system will give you an extra 20% for each creature, this includes both mechanical and biological creature that you encounter.
* Experimental Logistics Lv. 1: Increase the efficiency of fuel items, engines, and so on, allowing +20% increase on average on range and duration.
======
“That’s all for now.”