“Now, you will all use these Frame Units to operate a Frame Gear. Do not let your guard down just because it’s in a virtual space. The shocks and movements the machine experiences will return to the Frame Unit as they are. If you let your guard down, you could get injured.”
In front of the Frame Units, which looked like round eggs lying on their sides, Professor Sofie warned us.
Inside the Frame Units, which simulate operating a Frame Gear in virtual space, the layout was identical to a basic Frame Gear cockpit. Most riders use these for training to become ‘Machinist Troopers.’
This training room, where the Frame Units were placed, was quite large. There were fifty Frame Units in one room, along with a large video monitor and several medium-sized monitors.
There were about ten such classrooms in total, and students could freely use them during [Star Duel] or for self-training by applying for use.
By the way, the time limit for using them outside of class or [Star Duel] is set to sixty hours per month, with a maximum of three hours of continuous use. If there were no time limits, some students might occupy them indefinitely.
Since today was the first Frame Gear exercise class, almost all the first-year students were attending. There were about 180 students.
Although the training room was quite spacious, with so many people gathered, it felt a bit cramped... Not because it’s small or hard to see around, okay?
Professor Sofie operated the remote, and a plain landscape appeared on the large video monitor.
“This stage will be ‘The Wasteland.’ There are few hills, so you can move around freely. However, please refrain from any actions that might disturb others. First, you’ll all use the same machine to learn basic movements.”
The image on the video monitor changed, and a single Frame Gear was displayed.
A machine with the form of a light-armored knight in gray. That’s...
“The ‘Light Chevalier.’ A mass-produced Frame Gear built about a hundred years ago. It’s an easy-to-handle beginner’s machine. Let’s start by practicing basic movements with this one. After you finish the basic training, you can switch to your own machine.”
The Light Chevalier, huh. It’s known for being affordable and easy to handle, often deployed in towns far from the capital. We didn’t have it in my hometown of Arente, though...
I remember once making a model of it. I modified it, changed the colors, and made it a Nero-specific machine.
“Now, the first fifty students will stay in this classroom based on their registration numbers, and the rest will move to other classrooms. Please follow me.”
Following Professor Sofie’s instructions, the first fifty students stayed in this room, while we moved to the next classroom.
My registration number is 144, so I’ll be in the third classroom.
Entering the classroom, I made my way to Frame Unit 144.
I pressed the switch on the side of the unit, and with a soft hissing sound, the upper part of the egg-shaped frame unit lifted like the lid of a treasure chest.
Wow... This is the Frame Gear cockpit...!
Using the step next to the unit, I slid into the seat inside. ...It’s big.
Just as I thought that, the chair shrank with a whoosh, the control stick slid closer, and the foot pedals raised up.
Wow! It automatically adjusts to the perfect size! It’s like a Magic Artifact!
“Has everyone boarded? Please place your smartphones in the central console slot. The unit will activate, and your machine’s data will be recorded into the academy’s main system.”
I heard Professor Sofie’s voice from the unit’s speakers. Hmm, I need to place my smartphone here?
I placed my smartphone into the rectangular slot in the center of the console.
Then, a soft sound rang, and the lid of the unit closed. The console’s instruments lit up with a flicker of light.
At the same time, the white parts of the unit’s shell, which represented the “egg,” became translucent, and the surrounding landscape shifted to a wasteland.
This is the virtual space... It looks almost real. The viewpoint is high up; this must be the camera height of the Frame Gear. Whoa, I can see below through the gaps in my legs.
I glanced to my right, and about fifty meters away, I saw the Light Chevalier standing. There was another one to the left. They were probably the machines numbered 143 and 145.
"Did you learn how to move the machine earlier in the classroom? Now, I will send you the operation check process. To avoid disturbing others, complete each task one by one, and once you've finished all of them, you may switch to your own machine. After that, feel free to move it however you like."
As Sofi-sensei's voice echoed, a series of instructions appeared on several small sub-monitor screens inside the eggshell main monitor.
"Umm... what’s this...? Let’s raise the right arm. Let’s raise the left arm. Let’s turn the neck. Let’s twist the upper body. Let’s try walking...?"
Huh, do I have to do all of this...? There are over a hundred of them, though...?
Well, I guess I’ll try. I grasped the control sticks with both hands.
I pressed the buttons on the control sticks and raised the machine’s right arm. …Hmm? It’s raised, right?
Since the arm of the actual machine is not displayed on the eggshell main monitor, I can't really tell. I can see my neighbor's arm raising, though.
The frame gear’s cameras aren't just at the eyes; they're placed around various parts of the machine. They combine the footage to display a pseudo-surrounding view. …The real thing.
I suppose the frame unit also adjusts its display similarly...
Ding, a sound came, and a checkmark appeared next to "Try raising the right arm." Does that mean it’s cleared?
Ah, on another sub-monitor screen, there’s footage of the light cavalry cavalry raising their right arm. I should check it here.
Next, I raised my left arm. Ding, a checkmark appeared. Alright.
"Umm... next, let’s try turning the neck?"
I’m not sure what’s the point of doing that with the full-surround monitor. Umm, the neck’s movement synchronizes with the operator, right? …But it’s not moving?
I shook my head back and forth like an idiot, but nothing happened.
Even on the sub-monitor, my light cavalry cavalry is facing forward. Huh?
Ah, right, it won’t sync unless I channel magical power! I sent magical power through the control stick and tried shaking my head again. Oh! All the surrounding monitors spun to the side!
Ding, a checkmark appeared. Alright, cleared!
I then continued to complete the tasks one by one.
Try walking. Try sitting. Try standing. Try jumping. Try punching. Try kicking. And so on.
The last one, "Try dancing to the rhythm," was quite a challenge.
Sofi-sensei's voice came through the speakers.
"Number 144, Nero Silhueska, all tasks completed. You may switch to your own machine and freely move it until the end of the session, but please be careful not to disturb others."
"Yes! Understood!"
Alright! Now I can move my own machine freely!
I manipulated my phone to bring up the data for my machine and swapped it with the light cavalry cavalry.
The light cavalry cavalry’s appearance on the sub-monitor changed.
My frame gear, "Lucifer."
A lightning frame emphasizing mobility. The only equipment is two short swords.
By using the thrusters on the back and legs, it can make irregular trajectories and move quickly.
The joint drive system also uses special technology, making the reaction speed much faster than other frames.
As for the coloring... what should I do? I’m not sure about just having it all in gray. On the other hand, something flashy isn’t quite right... Alright, I’ll just add a bit of white and black.
Alright, the color change is done! Now, let’s move it a little!
"Here we go, Lucifer!"
I stepped forcefully on the foot pedals, and as I tried to make it run, the thrusters on my back and legs added propulsion, and instead of running, it was more like flying just above the ground. I quickly spread my legs and skidded along the ground to stop abruptly.
"Whew, that surprised me... It’s faster than I expected..."
Wait, did the thrusters activate by themselves? Oh, it’s because I kept the magical power flowing... Is this the high-mobility mode?
This time, I’ll just use the foot pedals to walk normally. …Let’s try running. Wow, it’s fast. Even running normally is faster than the light chevalier.
I tried jumping, and it felt like I could jump even higher. Maybe because the machine is light? Oh, right.
I made Lucifer jump, and just as its feet left the ground, I activated the thrusters to the max.
Oh! I jumped even higher! Then I changed my posture and moved sideways in mid-air.
Oh, oh! I can move through the air consecutively! I’m still descending a bit, though.
I got excited and kept using the thrusters, moving around in the air while enjoying it.
I landed with a scratchy sound on the ground. That was fun! It was amazing!
"U-um, number 144, Nero Silhueska. Are you alright!?"
"Huh? Yeah, I’m fine."
I suddenly heard Sofi-sensei’s voice, sounding a bit panicked. I stopped controlling the machine and replied.
"…Are you feeling unwell?" she asked.
"No, not really."
"I see... Please be careful not to use too much magical power. Every year, a few freshmen end up overusing their magic during the first exercises and fall ill..."
Ah, so she was worried about me. I did collapse during Achilles’ time.
Lucifer doesn’t seem to use much magical power. It’s certainly dropped quite a bit, but it’s still fine. I can feel when it’s reaching a dangerous point.
During Achilles’ time, I didn’t notice the depletion. Before I knew it, it was all gone.
Also, for a frame gear to consume more magical power than that armed gear, I think that thing was a failure... Well, the principal, Kuhn, did say it was a prototype, so it’s probably just that.
Alright, next, let’s try jumping straight up and blasting off to see how high I can go!
I once again made Lucifer jump high into the air.
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