Moria realized that if he did not raise his output, there was no way he could bring this thing down.
He suddenly accelerated, slipping behind BT in a flash. A whipping kick shot straight toward the titan's knee joint.
But BT seemed to have anticipated it. The armor on its back split open, releasing a blast of high-pressure air.
Boom!
Moria froze for a split second, watching as BT adjusted its posture midair.
"Heh heh heh… interesting."
"Captain, that wasn't Observation Haki, was it?" Moria called out. "This thing must be expensive!"
Reid looked at him with genuine confusion. "It's a mech. Where would it get Observation Haki from? Have you never heard of radar? Moria, you're really advertising your lack of education. Read more books."
BT's mechanical eyes flickered. "Tactical update: opponent Moria shows no killing intent. Hidden strength detected. Combat classification updated to sparring."
Its leg thrusters ignited. In an instant, BT surged in front of Moria and brought both crossed arms crashing down.
Moria blocked with both hands, but the overwhelming force drove him to one knee. The ground shattered beneath him, cracks spreading outward like a spiderweb.
"Tch…" Moria gritted his teeth. "It's got some serious strength!"
Just as he was about to break free, BT's chest suddenly opened, revealing a tiny speaker.
"Mr. Moria is a big idiot. Perona is the cutest."
Moria: "???"
Reid, delighted: "Now you get why I picked you for the test, big sister, right?!"
Moria's movements locked up instantly. Veins bulged on his forehead. "Heh heh heh… what kind of deranged tactic is this?!"
BT replied calmly, "Tactical effectiveness: 87 percent. Based on data analysis, auditory interference can significantly disrupt focus. This phrase ranks highest in lethality within the database, with an emotional fatality rate of 89 percent and a guaranteed secondary damage rate of 100 percent. Emergency conditions required its use. I hereby apologize to Miss Perona."
Taking advantage of Moria's distraction, BT slammed its shoulder into him.
Boom!
Moria lowered his voice. "Alright, alright. That's enough. Let's stop the spar here."
BT retracted its systems. Its eyes returned to a calm blue glow. "Simulated combat concluded. Estimated victory probability: 98 percent."
"You're called BT, right?"
"Yes, Mr. Moria. I am BT-7275, Vanguard-class Titan. You may call me BT."
"Where did you pull that 98 percent from, you bastard?!"
"Analysis indicates that if pilot Lati were to cry due to my negligence, the probability of my defeat would rise to 98 percent."
Inside the cockpit, Lati giggled and patted the control panel with her tiny hands, as if applauding BT.
Moria brushed the dust off himself and glanced around. Reid, Tesoro, and Enel were all staring at him with obvious hostility.
"Heh heh heh… guess it wasn't wrong," Moria muttered.
Reid wrapped him in blood mist and dragged him back. "A bet is a bet, Moria."
Moria suddenly remembered something. "Hey! You bastard captain, that line was something you said ten years ago, wasn't it?!"
Reid reached up and gently patted Perona's head as she floated beside him. Dressed like a little steam princess, she declared proudly, "Brothers forever."
"Oh, Lord Reid, I was young back then," Perona protested weakly.
"Heh heh heh." The scoundrel only smiled and said nothing.
Tesoro stroked his chin. "This thing… can it be mass-produced?"
"No point," Reid replied.
"Understood."
BT gently adjusted the cockpit so Lati could see everyone clearly. "Protocol Three: Protect the pilot. Ongoing."
Sunlight poured over the red-and-gold armor. Reflected in Lati's emerald-and-gold eyes was the steel giant fighting solely for her.
Reid stood with his hands in his pockets as blood mist drifted lazily around him. "Moria, release your trash zombies. I want to see BT's limit."
Moria grinned as shadows spread beneath his feet. "Heh heh heh… now this is getting interesting." He waved a hand, and dozens of shadow裂 opened in the ground. "Zombie army… uh… zombie grunts, show yourselves!"
Clack clack.
These were ordinary pirate corpses Moria had casually picked up on Skypiea. In the past, they had been used for mopping floors and cleaning toilets. Reid was not entirely sure how strong they were. Even Moria himself was unsure. They sounded impressive, but against regular marines, they were barely any different.
BT's eyes swept the battlefield. "Enemy units detected: zombie soldiers. Count: thirty-seven. Threat level: low. Combat mode engaged."
It carefully repositioned Lati's cockpit deeper into its chest. Layer after layer of armor sealed over it.
"Begin, BT," Reid ordered.
BT extended its high-speed chainsaw blades. Its mechanical voice was steady and efficient. "Tactical recommendation: rapid elimination."
It charged straight into the horde. The chainsaws roared, rattatatatatat.
Utterly destructive.
BT could not use Armament Haki, but against fodder like this, it was enough to sever them completely so they could not reassemble.
Tesoro whistled. "Even without Haki, that level of destruction is still terrifying."
Zombies surged in from all sides. The armor on BT's back opened, micro-missile launchers locking on.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Explosions lit up the battlefield. More than a dozen zombies were blown apart, limbs scattered everywhere.
Moria watched with interest. "Heh heh heh… that firepower is no joke."
He snapped his fingers, and the zombies regrouped in an orderly fashion, spreading out to surround BT and attack from blind spots.
BT's eyes flickered again. "Encirclement detected. Tactical judgment: disengage immediately and execute wide-area saturation attack."
It leapt high, thrusters roaring, spinning its body midair. Twin chainsaws carved a perfect arc.
Whoosh!
The final wave of zombies was sliced cleanly in half. The battle was over.
BT retracted its weapons. Blue light returned to its eyes. "Combat duration: two minutes and forty-seven seconds. Enemy units eliminated. Self-damage: zero percent. Recommendation: enhance tactical responses against high-mobility targets."
Reid's eyes practically glowed red. "This is awesome. This is so damn awesome."
The first time Reid had seen the Trust Me and watched a pilot get flung out of a mech, something inside him had ignited. What kid had not dreamed of mechs? Even now, Reid still thought they were the coolest thing in the world. The roar of thrusters, the pressure of overwhelming firepower. You could never get enough of it.
He recalled the cartoons from his childhood. A pig, a few sheep, a cat, a rabbit, dozens of suits of armor, and that pink hair dryer. Stay away from me.
Moria stared at the zombie remains scattered everywhere, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Heh heh heh… my zombies…"
BT turned toward him, voice sincere. "Mr. Moria, thank you for cooperating with the test. Data from your zombie soldiers has been recorded. Efficiency against similar threats will increase by 23 percent in the future. Thank you for providing this data. As the pilot is currently unable to communicate verbally, both BT and the pilot extend their heartfelt thanks."
Moria paused. "…You're welcome. You're welcome."