Chapter 19: Secrets, Section 5

Perfect Cooperation!?
Kurokami snorted in disdain. That was just talk. He had been in contact with these prisoners for less than a week, and cooperation had only just begun—how could it be called perfect?
Human nature is full of suspicion. Even if these prisoners had been isolated for who knows how long, Kurokami didn’t believe they had completely shed that flaw. Moreover, even if these prisoners had no other intentions, Kurokami himself wanted to bring them under his control. There would inevitably be some disputes, big or small.
But fortunately, though humans have many flaws, one thing is always considered first: interests. In the long term, Kurokami was confident he could offer these prisoners enough benefits to attract them to his side. In the short term, these prisoners needed benefits from him right now.
That benefit was called freedom.
Following Leader Madaro’s life-support vehicle, Kurokami slowly entered the giant warship. Along the way, he listened to the leader’s endless explanations without saying a word. Until they reached the last room.
“This is it… Young man, your name is Kurokami, right? I heard some of your subordinates were also captured and brought to the Black Prison. That’s great. Oh, please forgive my bluntness—I didn’t mean that. What I mean is, if we liberate them too, we’ll have a significant fighting force. I’m sure you’ve seen those mechs outside. What do you think if I let your subordinates use those mechs?” As they reached the room’s door, Leader Madaro suddenly stopped and said with a smile,
“Perfect. My subordinates certainly won’t disappoint you.” Kurokami nodded affirmatively and replied briefly.
Perhaps because of the genuine admiration in his tone, Leader Madaro smiled satisfactorily. Then, however, he shook his head.
“No, no… Kurokami. I know you have a considerable force, maybe even one or two planets. I’ve also seen many beautiful mechs. But please don’t be angry. What I’m saying is, those are just toys. That’s right—toys. Using those mechs is only suitable for hunting in space, not for combat.”
“…” Kurokami remained silent.

Perhaps you prisoners do possess many geniuses. But to claim that all the mechs outside are just toys is quite an overstatement. I’ve seen those mechs outside just now. Though each one is a masterpiece, they’re still far from being capable of looking down on everything. Maybe an excellent technician piloting them can face enemies several times their number, but what about dozens or hundreds of times?

Hunting birds in space… Hmph, what an arrogant claim. Then show me a bird.

Though he didn’t show his dissatisfaction, Chief Madaro seemed to sense it. He burst into loud laughter. Then he turned and pressed the password lock by the door, muttering to himself.

“Perfect… Hehe. Well, Black Hair, you might not agree with me, so let me show you this…”

“Click!” The door opened.

“What is this!?”

Black Hair gasped in shock, stunned.

What did he see?

A mech?

Yes, it was a mech. But it was such a mech…

Eight meters tall—taller than ordinary mechs by a head. It had a standard humanoid appearance, with heavily bulging shoulders that seemed to carry two giant cannons. The armor in front of its chest was sloped conically, giving it unparalleled penetration power. Its waist was slightly slender, just like the reconnaissance mechs he had seen before, offering maximum agility. Its legs, though still standard bipedal in appearance, were a third longer than those of ordinary mechs, with large joints, clearly the result of extensive optimization. Coupled with the armor modules covering its entire body, this mech resembled an ancient demon, standing proudly before Black Hair.

“Hehe, hmph, haha, hahaha…” Seeing Black Hair’s astonished expression, Chief Madaro laughed wildly as if he had received the perfect reward. In the life support cabin, tears of laughter streamed from the corners of his eyes.

“The shoulders are high-energy pulse rapid-fire cannons, equipped with a powerful EMP system. It has a triple-control scanner that can detect invisible targets! It also carries a negative ion generator, which creates multiple layers of protection up to three meters around it. Its power source is a multi-element fusion reactor never seen before, breaking the limits of magic-powered engines. The arms are composite, providing stability for shooting and strength for combat. Although it’s very heavy, it’s all worth it! The legs are fitted with multi-layer impact modules designed for land combat, offering 360-degree thrust that can last for ten minutes! There’s also a subspace backpack on the back, eliminating the need for resupply. Most importantly, we’ve integrated this year’s greatest invention into this mech—the subspace positioning terminal! It allows the pilot to teleport over short distances!”

“What do you think? What do you say?! Compared to this, aren’t the previous ones just toys?! Black Hair, tell me! Isn’t it?!”

A wild smile, arrogant words! Madaro acted like a madman, laughing insanely. But at that moment, Black Hair really had no desire to argue.

Indeed, if what he said was true, then previous mechs were indeed just toys compared to this one!

Having an external energy protection layer usually only found on warships meant that ordinary energy weapons were ineffective against it. The triple-control scanner enhanced its detection capabilities. Add to that its significantly improved speed and agility. Just from the basic design, this mech far surpassed the limitations of current mech design, becoming an undisputed pinnacle. And most importantly, it even had its own subspace system!

Hearing this term, Black Hair felt dizzy. Subspace… it was something that had been researched and experimented with on Earth in the past—a massive device that required dozens of rooms just for a simple generator, and now these madmen had installed it on a mech. Damn it, wouldn’t this mech in front of him become a monster!?

Unrivaled!

That phrase flashed through Black Hair’s mind instantly.

He nodded firmly, his gaze never leaving that giant figure before him, his expression as if in awe.

It was like a money lover finding treasure or a beauty encountering a diamond. Which true warrior isn’t fascinated by a powerful mech? Black Hair was no exception. Thinking that this mech might become his own, he was so excited he could almost hear his pounding heartbeat. His sturdy body trembled slightly.

“A demonic machine!! This is a demonic machine!!” Madaro wildly waved his arms as he rushed into the room and declared loudly at the feet of that mech. “No other mech can compare to it; none can withstand its power. In its presence, all weapons become useless. It possesses the speed of lightning, the durability of mountains, the fury of storms, and the dignity of a demon god. It is no longer just a mech—it’s a symbol!! With it, anything is possible!!” With that, he suddenly turned his head, his gaze fixed intently on the black-haired man’s face, carrying a fierce intensity. “Tell me! Who can pilot it!! Tell me, who is worthy of it!!” “Who is worthy of my demonic machine!!” “Who is worthy of my Emperor!!” “I!!!” The black-haired man growled softly. He slowly stepped into the room and stopped only when he stood at the feet of the mech as well. One hand gently touched the cold metal surface, as if caressing a beloved woman. “In the past… I’ve always regretted not having a mech that would allow me to fully unleash my abilities. The theory of human-machine synergy seemed like a joke right before my eyes. People say technological progress leaves humans behind, but who could have imagined how painful it is for a skilled technician to have the ability but no mech? Can you understand? Can you imagine?” The black-haired man murmured to himself, like a madman. Yet as the cold touch of his fingers seeped into his nerves, his eyes grew brighter. “But now I’m no longer regretful. Perhaps this mech is a new beginning. Leader Madaro, is its name Emperor? Do you want to see it at its full potential?” Suddenly turning, his gaze was sharp as an arrow. “Trust me, I can do it.” “…” This time, it was Madaro who was speechless. Though the black-haired man’s words were full of arrogance and self-pity, there was not a hint of mockery. In fact, when the test report for this mech was delivered to him, he had already concluded that if the Demon Emperor needed a pilot, it could only be this young man with black hair. But… this mech had one major weakness…

To power the various surreal equipment installed on the mecha, it uses a multi-element fusion reactor. When it operates, the mental pressure generated far exceeds the limits of ordinary magic-powered mechs. Therefore, its operating system cannot be a standard mental control center—it must be a combination of manual and mental control. This imposes special requirements on the technician. Unless the technician possesses both manual and mental control abilities, piloting the Demon King Mecha is simply an impossible joke! In confusion, Madaro unintentionally voiced these requirements before painfully closing his eyes. It’s cruel to shatter a technician’s dream, but isn’t this shattered dream also tied to his own aspirations? Could this mecha, which embodies the efforts of countless prisoners and years of hope, representing the pinnacle of mecha design, ultimately end up as just scrap metal in a warehouse? The black-haired man smiled…