He Kui took Elena for a test flight around the perimeter with the Raider Assault.
"Alright, the basic performance tests are complete."
The MS form's movement was seamless, smoother than expected. As an elite Green badge pilot, Elena adapted to the machine's motion quickly.
"Next is the vertical take-off test. Watch me do it first," He Kui instructed.
With a burst from the boosters on the back and the flight engine, the Raider shot into the sky. Mid-air, it seamlessly transformed as its grappling claws latched onto the flight module below, morphing the machine into a propeller plane configuration. The upgraded control components made transformation faster, though without magnetic coating technology, speed could still improve.
"Just like that. Elena, your system is upgraded, so you only need to press the red circular button on the upper right. The process will complete automatically."
He Kui had to manually align with the flight module, but Elena, unlike him, couldn't perform such complex maneuvers instantly. The automation simplified the process and allowed for a quicker response, though his manual operation remained faster, especially if he needed to react to incoming attacks.
"Got it!" Elena said confidently.
"Don't worry, nothing will go wrong. Just trust me," He Kui reassured her. Though letting her test the system on a real machine was risky, time was pressing; once all checks were complete, they would be heading to Brazil to support Edward.
"I'm not worried at all~!" Elena's voice was laced with excitement as she launched herself into the sky with a determined thrust. Soon enough, she successfully transformed into the propeller plane form.
"Good."
Watching her perfect transformation, He Kui smiled with satisfaction. After verifying both the propeller and vehicle modes, the basic tests were complete.
"Extreme tests are unnecessary," he noted. "Since the machine has already been checked out previously, we should be good to go."
"You're amazing, A!"
Elena's eyes gleamed with admiration as she watched He Kui handle everything so skillfully.
"Thank you," he responded with a smile.
"But are we going alone?" she asked.
"Not exactly; there are…"
"Reporting for duty!" A familiar voice rang out from outside the hangar before He Kui could finish.
"No need to be so formal; we're all mercenaries here," he replied, seeing his four subordinates standing at attention. To avoid suspicion, He Kui hadn't explicitly requested their support, but the president, likely hoping for extra security, had arranged their transfer to him. The Ministry of Defense had no objections, and neither did He Kui. Besides, keeping them stationed at Panama wasn't helping their growth, and they, too, were elite Green badges, ideal for the kind of precision unit he needed.
"Yes, ma'am."
Despite her casual attitude, the four still felt nervous, especially given A's skill level, which they knew little about. They only knew she was a powerful mercenary, apparently even stronger than their Director He. Yet considering Director He's limited combat record and his role as a researcher, they figured he still ranked higher in strength.
"Are you all ready?" He Kui asked, unaware of their internal debates.
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Then let's set off."
"We'll discuss mission details on the way. For now, we're assigned to the Special Operations Command, temporary Strike Force 6. Identification codes will be shared en route, and here's your transport code. Head to the designated meeting point."
"Understood, Captain!"
With quick salutes, the four jogged off to their assigned transport.
"Elena, you should go prepare as well. The trip may not be peaceful," He Kui said.
For secrecy, the mission was set to start at dawn. Though stimulants could keep them alert, being physically prepared was essential.
"Right!" Elena clenched her fists with determination. Now that she was a part of the mission and able to fight alongside A, she wanted to be ready.
As she left, He Kui returned to his cockpit and redirected his focus to Aegis in Orb.
In Orb's morning light, Ras stood at the port, holding his hand excitedly, with a luggage-carrying robot trailing behind.
"What's that?" He Kui asked, curious about the machine.
"Hehe, isn't it cute? It's one of Director He's early works~" she replied.
"It's… cute," He Kui muttered with a twitch of his mouth. The robot was indeed one of his earlier pieces, though not exactly a "work." It was a simple B-class item, showing signs of wear and wobbling with each step.
"Looks like it's broken; want me to fix it?" he offered.
"No way! You just don't understand, do you? Director He designed it like this to make it cuter!" Ras beamed, clearly charmed by the machine. He Kui, less than enthused by her logic, suppressed a shiver.
"Who told you that?"
"The person who sold it to me~"
"Ah," He Kui thought. Must've been a savvy seller taking advantage of her naivety. Hard to believe this girl was heir to a corporation.
"Since Miss Ras is so fond of Director He's creations, why not go to PLANT?" he inquired.
"I'll definitely go someday! But Dad says I'm too young now," she replied, pouting.
"Is that so," He Kui noted. At fourteen, Ras was technically considered an adult by Coordinator standards, but her father, a Natural, likely had a different perspective.
"You're a fortunate young lady, Miss Ras," he said softly, gently holding her hand
.
"Hmm?" Ras blinked, her sheltered mind not fully grasping the weight behind his words.