Chapter 209: Another Test
Valerie subconsciously moved her fingers.
The massive metal palm of the power armor immediately reacted in perfect synchronization, without the slightest delay, as if that giant mechanical construct was truly a part of her body.
When she raised her right arm, she could even clearly "feel" the faint tremor of energy flowing inside the Power Fist, just like perceiving the contraction of her own muscles.
"This..." Valerie was momentarily speechless.
This sensation of commanding the machine as easily as her own limbs was completely different from the previous experience of having to deliberately overcome operational lag.
She felt as if she had truly merged with this steel giant several meters tall; every command was transmitted naturally like a neural signal.
"Neural synchronization rate 92%, status stable." The auxiliary AI's voice sounded directly in her consciousness. The tone was steady, yet it seemed to possess an indescribable sense of coordination absent before. "Initiating basic maneuverability test. Please follow the guidance."
Valerie responded to the system's guidance almost by instinct.
Driven by her will, the power armor fluidly completed a series of complex movements—walking, running, emergency braking, turning, and jumping. The transition between movements was as natural as controlling her own body.
The lingering heaviness she felt before vanished, replaced by a sense of powerful and completely controlled strength.
"How does it feel?" Joric's voice came through the encrypted channel.
"Incredible..." Valerie's voice held suppressed shock. "It's like... it has become an extension of my body. The operation latency is almost imperceptible."
"Data records show a 47% increase in reaction speed and a 31% increase in movement precision," Joric reported the analysis results calmly. "Commencing weapon system tests now.
"Prioritize evaluating the combined efficacy of the Storm Bolter and the shoulder-mounted laser cannon. Target: Pre-set range target at one kilometer."
With a slight thought, Valerie maneuvered the power armor out of the workshop. The Storm Bolter mounted on the left arm raised rapidly. Targeting data appeared instantly in her field of vision, requiring almost no conscious adjustment.
She could even "perceive" the operation of the internal mechanical structure of the weapon, as if she could hear the subtle metal friction of shells sliding into the chamber.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Three precise bursts. The massive recoil was transmitted clearly through the neural link, only to be instantly adapted to and completely negated by her.
In the distance, heavy armor targets fell in succession, indicating hits.
"Switch to shoulder laser cannon. Sustain irradiation on moving target marked B."
As soon as the order was given, Valerie didn't even need to deliberately search for the target. The shoulder laser automatically locked onto the target maneuvering at high speed within the test area.
A crimson beam shot out precisely, continuously burning the surface of the moving target, leaving deep red molten scars on the metal plate.
While the laser cannon continued to fire, Valerie could already perceive the energy in the right arm's Power Fist gathering.
This multi-threaded operation became effortless under the neural direct link mode. She could process status information from multiple weapon systems simultaneously, as naturally as breathing.
"Close combat mode ready. Simulated hostile power armor unit ahead."
Just as the system prompt faded, Valerie spotted the abandoned "Onimusha" frame placed in the center of the test area.
This semi-realistic test zone was scattered with real war debris, giving every test a sense of combat urgency.
She piloted the power armor into a swift charge. The four-meter-tall steel body displayed astonishing agility under neural control.
The moment she closed in on the target, her right fist swung out carrying accumulated energy.
The disintegration field of the Power Fist activated instantly. This time, the sensation of matter unraveling was clearer than ever before—it felt not like a weapon destroying the target, but her own fist directly crushing it.
The abandoned "Onimusha" frame disintegrated in the field as if devoured by an invisible beast, metal components turning into fine dust drifting in the air.
Valerie could even feel every subtle vibration of the target structure collapsing through the neural link. This experience, bordering on sensory extension, brought her control over the Power Fist to a new level.
Subsequently, she tested the combination of removing the Storm Bolter and swapping in a physical shield and chainsword, experiencing the difference between pure melee defense and attack.
The entire testing process lasted for several hours. Valerie tried various weapon module combinations.
Under the neural direct link mode, she could not only switch and use weapons faster but also intuitively feel the energy consumption, recoil, armor-piercing effect, and effectiveness at different ranges for each weapon.
After the test ended, Valerie stepped out of the cockpit.
Although the continuous high-intensity testing had left her mentally exhausted, her eyes shone with an unusually bright light.
This feeling of power at her fingertips reawakened something that had been suppressed since her betrayal and flight—the desire to control her own destiny.
"Data collection complete." Joric spoke to the hovering Servo-skull, his crimson optical lenses scanning the newly compiled analysis report. "The improvement in combat effectiveness from the neural direct link mode meets expectations, especially in multi-weapon system coordination and melee reaction."
He pulled up the detailed weapon evaluation data, his tone filled with the weighing of technology. "The Storm Bolter performs best in terms of comprehensive cost-effectiveness. Ammunition resupply is convenient, and it has good suppression effects on various armored targets.
"The Plasma Incinerator has the greatest power, but energy consumption is too high and the rate of fire is limited. It is more suitable as a solution for special situations.
"The shoulder laser cannon is quite reliable as auxiliary firepower, with low energy consumption and strong sustainability.
"The physical shield is valuable when dealing with dense firepower, but it does sacrifice some mobility.
"The Power Fist remains irreplaceable in close combat, while the chainsword is more efficient when dealing with non-heavy armor targets."
" comprehensive view," Joric concluded, "a balanced configuration—such as the Storm Bolter combined with the Power Fist, with an optional shoulder laser or physical shield depending on the situation—should handle most battlefield needs. Special missions will require custom loadouts."
He turned to Valerie. "What are your thoughts from actual combat?"
Valerie thought for a moment and answered seriously, "The neural direct link definitely increases weapon usage efficiency significantly. I personally prefer the combination of the Storm Bolter and Power Fist. It covers both long and short range, with sufficient burst power.
"The shield is useful, but it really does affect mobility."
Joric's optical lenses flickered slightly. "Very good. Next, you need to undergo higher intensity confrontation training to fully adapt to combat under the neural direct link mode.
"If you have any ideas or suggestions, bring them up. Reasonable parts will be used as reference and integrated into subsequent mass production considerations."
With the continuous improvement of the experimental unit and Valerie's rapid progress, another reliable option was added to Joric's technological reserve.
On the front lines, the war of attrition between Arasaka and Militech continued. Every day, new steel wreckage piled up on the Badlands, and new combat data was generated amidst the smoke.
Behind this seemingly deadlocked conflict, undercurrents were still surging—Yorinobu Arasaka's schemes and the prying eyes of various factions all heralded that this corporate war was far from over.
Joric continued to focus on his technical research and iteration, calmly observing, analyzing, and improving, preparing for the technological breakthroughs that might come.
(End of Chapter)