Chapter 20 – Aerial Supremacy

It was Monday, and the Orbital Technology Applied Kinetics University buzzed with the energy of returning students. This week, however, the atmosphere was different.

Frame Units—towering mechanical sentries—stood watch at the gates, their imposing forms casting long shadows in the early morning light. Overhead, quadcopter drones whirred methodically through the sky, patrolling with precision, a constant reminder that the university was still on high alert. Despite the calm of the morning, an undercurrent of tension lingered.

I walked alongside a throng of other students, each of us heading toward our campus building. The hum of conversation buzzed around me, but my thoughts were elsewhere. Arriving ten minutes early, I slipped into the classroom, scanning the familiar faces until my gaze landed on Myrrh Alicent. Ever punctual, she sat near the windows, bathed in the soft morning glow. She noticed me immediately, her face lighting up with a smile that was almost childlike in its innocence. She waved, a gesture so casual it belied the strange tension between us.

She acted as though we were close friends, but we weren’t. Not really. We were more like... close enemies, if such a thing existed.

“Good morning, Zaft,” Myrrh greeted me, her voice light and playful.

“Mornin', Myrrh,” I replied, scratching my head lazily as I slid into the seat beside her.

Her eyes lingered on me for a moment before she asked, “How are you feeling today? Any more lightheadedness?”

“None,” I said, resting my chin on my hand, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. “Why are you so worried about me? You texted me the same question on Saturday and again yesterday. Do I really occupy that much of your thoughts?”

Myrrh’s cheeks flushed pink, and she quickly turned away with an exaggerated huff. “Wh-What do you think of me, always thinking of you? Hmph!”

I chuckled under my breath, amused by her reaction, but quickly turned the conversation back on her. “How about you? Are you okay now?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” she said curtly, still refusing to look at me.

“Okay... And your mom?”

“She’s fine too,” Myrrh replied, her voice softening just a little. “The bunker under the hospital is sturdy enough to withstand a nuclear blast and a magnitude 10 earthquake. Honestly, she’s more worried about us than herself.”

I hesitated, my voice dropping as I asked the question that had been gnawing at me. “Did you tell her about... the thing that happened to us?”

“I didn’t,” Myrrh finally said, her serious blue eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made me pause. “I don’t want my mother to worry more than she already does. If she knew I was impaled last night, she’d be beside herself with anxiety.”

Her words hung in the air like a weight, but before I could respond, I noticed the two students sitting in front of us had turned around. They were listening. Their eyes sparkled with a mix of curiosity and mischief.

“Ooooh! What happened to the two of you, huh?” Neil piped up, his grin as smug as ever. His partner, Fei, sat beside him, her face turning bright red with embarrassment.

“Nothing,” Myrrh responded sharply, her icy glare cutting through Neil’s smugness like a blade.

Fei, still blushing, stammered out, “D-Did Mister Zaft impale you, Miss Myrrh? D-Does it hurt the first time?”

“Whatever you're thinking, it's not like that!” Myrrh shot back, her voice cold and biting. “I’d die before I ever let this goon lay a hand on me! Over my dead body!” She crossed her arms defiantly, her tone dripping with disdain.

I couldn’t resist a quiet, dry mutter under my breath. “Duh, you already died.”

Myrrh’s head whipped toward me, her eyes narrowing into a glare as sharp and cold as the one she had directed at Neil and Fei moments earlier. I met her stare with a smirk, knowing full well I had struck a nerve.

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For our Weaponry Tutorial, Professor Bao led us once again to the immense underground testing field—a cavernous expanse of metal and reinforced concrete that stretched far beyond what the eye could see. Only ten pairs were allowed per session, just like before. On one side, the WAIFUs lined up along the red line, standing tall and prepared for action. Meanwhile, we, the support units, waited on the blue line, the hum of anticipation filling the air.

“For this session, I will now upgrade your WEEB clearances to Level 4,” Professor Bao announced, tapping swiftly on her tablet.

As soon as her finger made contact with the screen, a faint beep echoed from our smartwatches, followed by a flicker of blue light. The WEEB system activated, sending a series of notifications across our devices.

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[Weaponry Enhancement Engineering Bios]

[Clearance Level Up]

[New Weapon Unlocked]

[Level 4 – Jetpack]

“With Level 4 WEEB clearance, you are now granted access to the jetpack, which installs a backpack thruster to your partner WAIFU,” Professor Bao continued, her voice commanding yet calm. “Now, WAIFUs, awaken your Frame Units.”

A chorus of voices rang out in unison: “Frame Unit, awaken!”

In an instant, Myrrh and the nine other WAIFUs began their transformation, mechanical components shifting and expanding, their sleek forms morphing into towering, armored mech versions. The ground trembled slightly as they completed their transformations, each one a giant of metal and power.

“Support units, equip the jetpacks to your partner WAIFUs and prepare for flight,” Professor Bao instructed, her voice carrying over the mechanical whirring of the Frame Units.

I scrolled through the newly unlocked options on my smartwatch and selected the [Jetpack] weapon. My left arm began to glow, delicate blue circuits tracing intricate patterns down to my fingertips. With a sharp motion, I pointed toward Myrrh, focusing on the task at hand.

“Jetpack, equip!”

A brilliant flash of light erupted from my outstretched hand, materializing the jetpack onto Myrrh’s back. The thrusters hummed to life, ready for their first test in the field.

The jet engines roared to life, and with a low hum, Myrrh began to lift off the ground, her massive mechanical form gracefully floating into the air. "Whoa..." she muttered softly, the awe evident in her voice. Though I couldn't see her expression through the armored shell of her Frame Unit, I could tell from the tone that she was thrilled.

"This is awesome!" another WAIFU exclaimed, her excitement echoing as she shot into the sky with newfound freedom.

The massive, hulking robots soared above us, practicing their aerial maneuvers. Each time they moved, they left behind thin, shimmering contrails in their wake, streaks of white cutting through the air. Some of the WAIFUs struggled with their balance, their movements jerky as they wobbled midair. Others, like Myrrh, quickly adapted, already flying in a smooth, straight line as she glided effortlessly through the underground sky.

Professor Bao gave them fifteen minutes to master their new aerial capabilities. Meanwhile, for us support units, she introduced a new feature.

"With Level 4 WEEB clearance, you also gain access to an aerial radar," Professor Bao announced, her voice brisk and efficient. "This will allow you to set your Bios to an additional function. Press the [Minimap] option on your system."

I followed her instructions, tapping the [Minimap] option on my smartwatch. Immediately, a holographic radar flickered into existence before my eyes, a translucent map of the underground airspace displayed in vivid detail. I stared at it, a sense of disbelief washing over me. How much easier could our battles with the Cosmic Beasts have been if we'd had this feature back then? Maybe... just maybe, we could've captured that mysterious WAIFU if I’d had this tool at my disposal.

As I studied the minimap, I noticed four glowing crimson dots scattered across it.

"Those crimson dots represent floating buoys," Professor Bao explained, her gaze sweeping over us. "For the next test, the WAIFUs must touch all four buoys within this underground airspace in two minutes. Failure to do so will result in a failing grade. You support units will serve as your partner’s navigators, guiding them with the Bios’ radio feature."

With that, she raised a whistle to her lips and glanced at her timer, poised to start the next phase of the exercise.

"All WAIFUs, practice time is over. Stand by on the red line," Professor Bao commanded.

One by one, the Frame Units descended from the sky, landing heavily on the red line with a dull thud, their jet engines still humming with power. The massive machines, poised and ready, revved their engines in anticipation.

"WAIFUs, on your marks. Get set… Go!" Professor Bao blew her whistle, sharp and clear.

The instant the sound pierced the air, the Frame Units shot up into the sky, jetpacks blazing. Myrrh, among them, surged forward with a burst of blue light trailing behind her.

“Zaft, where’s the location of the first buoy?” Myrrh’s voice crackled through the mic, urgent but steady.

I glanced down at the minimap, quickly assessing her position. Bringing the device closer to my lips, I responded, “Southwest, eight o’clock. It's the nearest!”

“Roger!” Myrrh swiftly turned, angling herself toward her eight o’clock, then rocketed forward at full speed. Her movements were smooth and controlled, leaving vivid blue contrails streaking across the dim underground sky as she barreled toward the first buoy. In just fifteen seconds, she reached it, her mechanical hand brushing against the glowing marker. It lit up with a soft beep, signaling her success.

“What’s next?” Myrrh asked, her voice sharp and focused.

“Twelve o’clock! Head straight north!” I called out, keeping my eyes locked on the minimap.

Without hesitation, Myrrh boosted northward, her jets flaring as she raced toward the second buoy. But she was thinking ahead, her voice cutting through the wind. “How about the third buoy? I want to know my next destination so I don’t have to slow down.”

I quickly scanned the minimap, mapping out her route. “The third buoy is three o’clock from the second. And after that, the fourth is to your four o’clock once you hit the third.”

“Thanks for the heads-up, Zaft!” Myrrh’s voice had a hint of excitement in it, and I could hear the smile in her tone.

Ahead of her, the second buoy came into view. Myrrh surged toward it, extending her hand to touch it as it beeped and glowed. Without losing an ounce of momentum, she expertly pivoted to her three o’clock, maintaining her speed as she honed in on the third buoy.

The third buoy glowed and beeped as Myrrh made contact, her Frame Unit barely slowing as she fluidly shifted direction, her sights set on the final buoy. With remarkable control, she drifted through the air, executing a series of graceful aerial maneuvers. Below, several support units watched in stunned silence, their jaws slack with awe at the spectacle unfolding above them. Even Professor Bao’s normally stern expression betrayed a flicker of admiration.

The last buoy blinked to life with a flash and a beep, signaling her completion of the test—first place secured.

“At first place is Myrrh Alicent! Excellent work!” Professor Bao announced, her voice ringing with approval.

Myrrh descended smoothly, landing on the red line with barely a thud. In a flash of light and shifting metal, she transformed back into her human form, her figure shrinking to its normal size. With an air of casual superiority, she flicked her hair back, an arrogant smile curling at her lips as she strutted across the field like a runway model, every step deliberate, confident.

"It’s just a basic skill," she said, her tone nonchalant, though her posture spoke volumes of pride.