"What the hell is that?!"
Gumber stared in shock at the sight before him.
A sharp metallic object burst through the ground, spinning relentlessly.
"There they are! The people Odin mentioned who were in danger!"
A man's voice echoed from beneath the earth.
The machine rumbled violently, releasing heavy, thunderous sounds as it rose completely from the ground, revealing its massive body.
"Oh my… it's huge."
Shinji couldn't hide his amazement.
The machine stretched dozens of meters in length. At its front, a gigantic drill rotated slowly.
"See? It so beautiful!"
Commander Tetsutaro appeared from a hatch on the machine's body. A steel panel flipped open and slid to the side.
"It's constructed from black steel—five times harder than ordinary steel!"
Tetsutaro himself appeared only in the form of a gray robot.
"Isn't it fascinating? My latest invention!"
He continued enthusiastically introducing the machine, jumping down and walking around it while laughing loudly.
An older man appeared shortly after, his clothes stained with black oil and coal dust.
Wonton.
"Get inside. Just ignore him."
Shinji was the first to approach. Only when he stood close did he truly grasp how enormous the machine was.
Outside, Tetsutaro was still rambling.
"The Wrat's engine can reach thirty thousand horsepower! It can drill straight through a mountain!"
Lio stepped inside. Alba followed, but his large frame got stuck in the doorway.
Tetsutaro had already circled the entire machine without pausing his explanation.
"The glass is specially reinforced! As strong as steel against pressure, yet completely transparent!"
Wonton walked to the door. A keypad popped out. After pressing a few buttons, the entrance widened automatically.
From the outside, the machine looked grimy, pitch-black, and lined with sharp gears. Yet the interior was surprisingly neat and bright.
"It's beautiful!"
Shinji sat down on a white sofa in the left corner.
"So soft…"
The cushion was so comfortable he nearly forgot to stand up.
Lio sat beside him, equally impressed.
Alba suddenly remembered something and stepped back out.
Tetsutaro assumed he wanted to hear more about the machine and became even more excited.
"I almost forgot about you two!"
Alba returned, carrying Akidou and Omelet.
They were laid on a bed built neatly into the wall.
"Be careful. There are hidden mechanisms everywhere. Don't press anything randomly."
Wonton warned them.
But before Shinji could fully register the warning, he noticed a slightly different tile beneath his foot and curiously stepped on it.
A spring-loaded mechanism instantly activated. A large red mechanical glove shot out and punched him straight in the face.
Shinji clutched his cheek in pain.
Outside, Tetsutaro was still passionately explaining his machine—to a rock.
Wonton stepped out and stared at him for a moment.
"A Commander acting like a child… not a shred of dignity."
He raised his arm. It split into two halves, and from within, a smaller mechanical arm extended outward, stretching toward Tetsutaro's robot, grabbing it and dragging it back inside.
"Sit down. Fasten your seatbelts."
Wonton turned back and headed toward the control room.
"Preparing to launch in thirty seconds."
He spoke into a silver device embedded in the control panel.
At Heavenfield, inside the white station's control tower—
"You old man! You'll break my machine if you grab it like that!"
Tetsutaro was remotely controlling the robot using a joystick.
The startup signal was transmitted. The operators immediately put on their headsets and took their positions.
"Activate Engine No. 01!"
The machine shook violently as the engines roared to life.
"What's happening?!"
Shinji fumbled with his seatbelt.
"Activate Track No. 01!"
The left track began moving. The machine surged upward from underground and pivoted around.
Shinji lost his balance and nearly fell, saved at the last second by Lio.
"Drill, activate!"
The massive drill at the front began spinning wildly in midair.
"Activate all tracks and Engine No. 02!"
The machine lunged forward. The deafening roar forced everyone to cover their ears.
"Main spring, activate!"
A large steel pillar extended from the rear, tilting the machine sharply forward. The drill struck the ground, instantly pulverizing rock and soil.
"Yes! Wrat is operational! See that?!"
Tetsutaro jumped excitedly, pointing out the window.
The machine plunged straight into the earth, diving deep underground and continuing forward as stone and soil were shredded apart.
"Activate main air pump!"
Small vents opened in the ceiling.
"It'll continuously pump oxygen inside so we can breathe!"
Tetsutaro cheerfully pointed upward as the pipes pumped air into the cabin.
"What is he even saying?"
Lumber asked Gumber.
"No idea… probably boiled-egg language."
From the control tower came the final command.
"Finally, filtration system—activate!"
At the front of the machine, near the drill, large intake pipes extended outward, collecting all the crushed debris.
The material was transported to the rear, processed through the internal system, then shot backward to seal the tunnel they had just created.
"This is incredible… so advanced. I don't understand a single thing."
The moment Shinji finished speaking, Tetsutaro rushed over and pressed his face close to his.
"Right?! Isn't it amazing?! And that's not all! There are tons more features! Want to see them?!"
Then he suddenly noticed Akidou and Omelet still unconscious on the bed. Blood continued seeping from Akidou's leg, staining the sheets red.
"What happened to them?"
After hearing the explanation, Tetsutaro nodded.
"I see… that's dangerous."
He stepped to the bedside. A white medical kit marked with a red cross rose from the floor.
"First, we disinfect it. Infection would be troublesome."
He took out a brown bottle, poured the liquid onto a cotton pad, and applied it directly to Akidou's wound.
"How long has that bug been attached?"
"Since this afternoon."
Shinji replied.
Tetsutaro's eyes widened.
"It's been piercing his leg since this afternoon and he hasn't bled to death?!"
Inside the control room, Zoe, Beast, and Ceasar were assisting under Wonton's guidance.
After instructing them for a while, Wonton sat down and opened a book.
He glanced up at the display panel.
"Fuel at 38%... I wonder if that's enough to make it back."