Chapter Nine: "The Star Front" and Space Mechanics
The next morning, Ryoma finds Mira in the ship's "chemistry laboratory", surrounded by glass test tubes and herbs from the Qing World. Ryoma: "What are you doing, Science Witch?" Mira (laughing lightly): "I'm trying to combine the Qing Black Snake herbs with the ship's Blue Gunpowder energy. If I can't produce magic fire, I'll make bombs that freeze the machines with poison." Ryoma (sitting seriously in front of her): "Mira, you are smart, and that is why I need you. This world depends on technology, and central artificial intelligence analyzes everything. But it cannot analyze the human spirit... or the (trick) that you are good at." Mira (looking at him arrogantly): "Trick? Oh, Ryoma, you always know how to compliment me. Don't worry, I will be the mastermind behind every mess we create in this world." Suddenly, the ship shook violently. [System Alert: A Central AI "Reconnaissance Unit" has been detected. Objective: Your ship.] [Sub-mission: Destroy the reconnaissance unit before it reports your location.] Ryoma (yelling from the cockpit): "Seiya! Go to the Mecha. Mira! Use poison bombs to immobilize them!" Siya (excited and fearful): "Mecha? Am I going to drive a metal machine, Ryoma?" Ryoma: "No time to explain! The Mecha is programmed to fuse your fighting spirit with robotic energy! Go!" Sia ran towards the machinery room. Mira fired smoke bombs from the ship, covering their path. Ryoma sat in front of the center panel, his hand glowing with the 15% energy. [System Alert: The skill (Space Steps) has been activated.] The ship took off at an incredible speed, dodging a laser strike from the reconnaissance unit. In the machinery room, Sia sat in the Mecha (a 20-metre-long metal instrument with the "Edenia" logo on it). Siya (holding the command stick, her fighting spirit glowing silver): "For Edenia... For Ryoma... For humanity! Burn, you machines!" The Mecha launched from the ship, and with a single laser sword swipe, it cut the recon unit in half. There was complete silence in the space.