70 Third Year 3 (1/2)

”This is a psychoframe?”

Han was taken aback by how different the reality of psychoframe was from his original thoughts. The psychoframes he had previously seen didn't have a single flaw on its exterior like their full body armors.

”We turned the first generation psychoframe into a training bot! This is 'Old Man-3.' We fit the skeleton and basic gear according to your physique. This will be for your personal use, temporarily.”

This psychoframe had the same feel as Sergeant Red's, but 'Oldman' looked like an assistant walker.

Only five models of Oldman were available in all of Ark.

Whenever the pilot of the gear changed, the engineer made necessary adjustments to it. They excluded any complicated outer shell since it would be too tedious to adjust every time the pilot changed.

Thump, thump.

Han's heart pounded. He didn't know that he would get to pilot a psychoframe so quickly. He listened to Octo's explanations as he fully equipped Oldman. He had to equip and secure each body part one by one.

”This is not possible to equip alone.”

Han listened to all the steel parts clasp.

”Yes, you need an engineer and mechanic's assistance. Don't move unless you want a hole in your shoulder.”

Geeeee!

Octo gripped a heavy drill. He drilled all the loose screws to secure the frame. Han suddenly became curious of one thing.

”Um, what if… in the middle…. uh…”

Han hesitated to speak. Octo instantly understood and answered.

”Such situations will probably never occur during training, but out in real battle you can just piss in your pants. Your life is on the line, why would crapping your pants be so important? There's no reason we should be adding additional parts for such small matters. It's complicated enough to build the hip joint of this piece. If we were to build a frame which pops open for excretion, the part becomes a weak point of defense as well. What if it accidentally pops open in error during battle?”

”…I see.”

Han's psychoframe fantasies shattered at once. While Octo helped secure the upper parts, the engineer secured the lower gears.

”When you turn on the psychoframe, the cylindrical skeletal frame here will connect with the dragon material. The psychoframe will consume your psychic energy to move. You've used weapons made of dragon bone, right? You will experience the same feeling throughout your entire body.”

Octo continued to repeat various warnings. His comedic face all of a sudden felt so serious. Han firmed his heart and nodded.

”I'm ready.”

”Today's goal is to find out your maximum piloting time while getting used to your psychoframe.”

Octo took a few steps back to give Han room to move.

Weeeng.

The helmet attached to the back of the psychoframe clasped down. It projected various data similar to the battle helmet.

[Open]

Guuuooo!

Something jolted all across Han's body. It felt like his psychic energy was getting absorbed. The parts made with dragon glowed with blue light. The various parts continued to absorb Han's psychic energy.

Ggiiik.

Han began by moving his fingers. The artificial muscles made of dragon leather reacted.

”Now then, begin by holding onto this.”

Octo threw a squishy rubber ball. Han clumsily moved his arm to catch the rubber ball.

Octo requested for Han to try and move in various ways. Han repeatedly tightened and loosened his grip on the rubber ball.

”I'm measuring your strongest and lightest grip strength. That's not a simple rubber ball, because it's made up of very expensive pressure sensors. Even if two different people use the same psychoframe with the same specifications, the energy output will vastly differ. The variable is the dragon material.”

Octo observed his computer monitor closely. It wasn't possible to comprehend all the complicated data which the psychoframe output with a simple data bracelet.

'This equipment isn't as simple as putting it on and taking it off like other gear.'

Han was shocked by the detailed necessary steps it took to pilot a psychoframe. His original predictions were laughable and this gear was equipped with the latest, cutting-edge technology. It wasn't a simple outer shell.