I'm No MOTH Hero Chapter 49

"..."

Kevin wasn't weak. When he learned he was about to become captain, his first thought wasn't whether he was qualified, but whether he could do a good job.

He couldn't act like a rookie; he had to lead his team with maturity. But this realization was followed by a series of thoughts about his own abilities.

When Lin heard the news, he only had one question about the arrangement.

"Kevin, what's your Honkai Energy Adaptability?"

After Kevin stated the obvious answer, Lin already had a clear understanding of the situation.

One person carries a lamp to light the way forward, and those who follow in the hopeful glow find hope.

This was what those who supported Mei thought.

"Lin, I want to know, what do I need to do?" Kevin looked at the pensive man in the helmet. His youthful face had transformed. After joining MOTH for Mei, he had taken on responsibility, and witnessing farewells had matured him.

The three of them laughing together was a distant memory, but it wasn't anyone's fault. They were simply being pushed forward by the torrent of fate. Even if they didn't want to pick up weapons, they had to fight.

Lin sighed, "In what aspect?"

Kevin stated firmly, "All of it."

"Then let's start with sparring."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin's fist was already before his eyes.

"Soul, have you been going on missions too often lately?"

Himiko watched Soul, who had returned after a day and a night of fierce battle and collapsed onto the sofa, her fingers clutching the hem of her clothes.

She was happy to see Soul cheer up and become stronger after Lin's encouragement. But ever since that day, Soul, like Lin, had become a workaholic, fighting on the front lines day and night. And, just like Lin, she often undertook missions alone.

At times, Himiko even felt that Soul was more dedicated than Lin. Relying on her better adaptability, she would often venture deep into the battlefield. Unlike Lin's more methodical combat, she would frequently fight for days or even half a month straight. This couldn't help but make Himiko worry about Soul's health.

"Hoo... It's okay, Captain. As long as this way I can save more people, even just one person..." Soul, with disheveled hair, draped an arm over her forehead. She did feel weak, but the thought of preventing more tragedies from happening fueled an endless stream of power within her.

Member Lin must also want me to do this.

Himiko couldn't say much more. She pushed the file bag towards Soul. "This month's physical examination results are out. Your readings are a bit over the limit. When you don't have a team mission, you are to rest at the base, understand?"

The elevated readings naturally referred to her Honkai Energy coefficient. Exceeding the acceptable range became dangerous. If she didn't take care of her body, she would eventually be corroded by Honkai Energy.

Soul smiled gently, "Don't worry, Captain. I inject inhibitor every time."

"Sigh, honestly. That kid left, and you started this again. I feel like I'm a commander with no troops. Even Hua acts more like my subordinate than you do."

While fending off Himiko's complaints, Soul picked up the file bag and pulled out her physical examination results.

The coefficient was indeed a bit high, but it was fine. If she could share even a little of the burden for Lin, allowing him to rely on her more...

No one would die. Lin definitely wouldn't... No, he couldn't...

"Hm? Soul, what are you smiling about?" Himiko suddenly saw Soul's face behind the file and froze for a moment before asking.

"Ah? Oh... Nothing."

Soul's expression returned to normal. She shook her head with her usual gentle smile at Himiko.

"That's good. You looked a bit creepy just now, are you too stressed?"

"No~"

Soul smiled brightly, not a trace of gloom visible.

Chapter 74: This Body Is Too Suitable

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Where is the problem?!"

Delta rolled on the ground, clutching her oil-stained, messy hair. Inattentively, she slammed her head into the cargo hold with a crisp "clang."

"..." Ignoring the R&D Department head who was throwing a tantrum like a child, Lin picked up his tablet. Seeing the crossed-out design for the Floating Cannon and comparing it to the physical model, he found almost no progress in its appearance. For a moment, he didn't know whether to reprimand Delta or comfort him.

Compared to half a year ago, it couldn't be said there was no progress; rather, there wasn't even a difference of a single screw.

"That hurt... Anti-gravity suspension... Tsk." After venting her frustration, Delta unhappily got up and snatched the tablet from Lin's hand. "How do those damn Herrschers know how to fly the moment they get a Herrscher Core? Is it instinct? Can you explain it to me?"

The assistant stood by and shrugged. "That's knowledge related to the Honkai. Minister, trying to understand the Honkai with human common sense is already an extremely difficult challenge."

"I know! But aren't we here to challenge the unknown realms of humanity!" Delta gritted her teeth unwillingly, glaring hatefully at the Floating Cannon in front of her. "If we had Herrscher-like anti-gravity flight capabilities, we wouldn't have to passively take hits on the ground. Giving humans wings – that's been the dream of so many predecessors!"

She turned her head. "Lin, why don't you get a Herrscher Core, become a Herrscher, and then tell me how to break through this technical bottleneck?"

"..." Lin's gaze turned icy.

"Cough, cough, just kidding. Herrschers are all female, how could I possibly let you go?"

Lin's finger brushed against the outer shell of the Floating Cannon. It used a new material, much more flexible than he had anticipated. He asked, "What did Vill-V say?"

"Uh... She said something a bit difficult to understand." Delta mimicked Vill-V's tone and said seriously, "'Why not just let Lin awaken as a NewType?'"

"..." Lin might have been grateful that Vill-V hadn't renamed the Titan to "ν-Titan."

The technical difficulties were not something Lin could help with. Mei, who should have been here in the R&D Department, hadn't been able to participate in the development of cutting-edge technology due to various reasons. Even the development of Prometheus Unit 2 had been postponed.

"Can the other armaments and the main body not be deployed for combat yet?" Lin asked a question he was more concerned about.

"The Floating Flight Backpack is Titan's top priority R&D project, and Titan's overall parameters need to be adjusted during the development process," Delta said, naturally understanding Lin's thoughts. "Subsequent armament additions will just need to be based on existing parameters, but the Floating Cannon won't work."

"Besides, you definitely want to see a perfect Titan, right?" Delta winked at Lin, but he could only see his own goofy reflection in the helmet's visor.

From a pilot's perspective, Lin really should be expecting a complete Titan, not a half-baked one.

"Well, as compensation, I've already debugged this thing and got it for you." Delta handed the Phase Transfer Device to Lin. "Based on the development of the initial model, we've now equipped every soldier's armor with a 'Spatial Fracture' system. It's a weakened, stabilized version of phase transfer, won't go wrong, and won't kill you. More importantly, it has low requirements."

"Of course, you'll definitely keep using the high-risk, high-reward Phase Transfer, so I've adjusted this thing to be as stable as possible. The first few times, you won't experience the consciousness loss from last time."

Lin silently put away the Phase Transfer Device. It was true that he often used techniques with equal risk and reward, including the Burst Mode and Phase Transfer added by Delta, as well as Mobius's toxins.

With his lifespan dwindling, he no longer had to consider the side effects.

"Ugh..." Delta rubbed his stiff neck, looking at Lin with relief. "Speaking of which, we've known each other for over a year now. That kid who used to complain about why we didn't make lightweight Titans actually has some humanity now."

Lin looked back at him. "You too."

"Maybe it's just getting old. Lately, I've been worried about hair loss. Do you think I should go to Doctor Mobius's lab for a prescription?"

"...The most likely thing she'll do is transplant a hairy ape's skin onto your head."

"Oh, right. Research on the Third Herrscher is still ongoing. It's different from the Second Herrscher's functionality; the Third Herrscher focuses on weaponry. Do you have any ideas?"

This was seeking Lin's opinion. Research could hit a bottleneck at a certain stage, and at such times, an outsider's opinion might have an unexpected effect.

"Raikiri and Plasma Shadow Show work very well for me."

"But you can't use them forever, right? How about something cooler? For example, miniaturizing the Floating Cannons and installing them directly on you..."

Lin helplessly listened to Delta spout his wild ideas, leaning back in his chair without a word.

Delta's gaze was as gentle as a drizzling rain.

This scene felt like a return to the past, when he would tell another person about his fantastical ideas like this.

"Left arm, raise ninety degrees parallel to the ground."

Vill-V set down her top hat, picked up her camera, and turned it on, filming a grand experiment in progress.

Under a single spotlight, a pale, bloodless arm was raised.

"Good, put it down. Now the right arm, repeat three times, then both legs raised ninety degrees parallel to the ground, front and back."

He followed the instructions precisely, his movements as fluid as any normal person's.

"Basic mobility is fine. Okay, now look forward for a vision test." Vill-V turned on the projector. "How many Lins are there in the image?"

"Two," a calm, uninflected voice replied.

"Uh... it seems the monitor needs some adjustment." Vill-V made a cross in the vision section of her notebook. "There's only one Lin in the image. It's probably an issue with light and visual imaging... Next, the operation of the neural circuits. Don't disappoint me. Your answer last time with the girl robot 1.0 made me question if we were from the same world."

"Doctor Vill-V, that's because the questions you asked were not the kind that people in this world would ask. At least, my database has no corresponding records."

"It's 'Great' Mechanical Engineer Vill-V," Vill-V corrected him with displeasure.

"..."

"Actually, in my opinion, your original form of consciousness was more convenient and better suited to your design concept. Having a body isn't necessarily a good thing." Vill-V excitedly licked her lips. "However, this is indeed very interesting to me. Everything is more fun with a challenge!"

"'Great' Mechanical Engineer Vill-V, please continue."

"Oh, right, I almost forgot the important part. So, do you know who you are?"

The red eyes, symbolizing mechanical indicator lights, lit up.

"I am Prometheus Unit 1, an AI assisting Lin."

Chapter Seventy-Five: Birdsong

"This time we're heading to a coastal town on the Mu Continent. Due to multiple small-scale Honkai outbreaks and natural disasters caused by its geographical location, this place has been in a state of long-term chaos and disorder. This is something to be aware of."

Immer explained the next mission location to Lin and Hua. MOTH and the government didn't want to waste resources on such a remote town; the nearest shelter on the map was over thirty kilometers away.

The definition of a small-scale Honkai outbreak is quite narrow, usually involving the lowest-level Honkai Beasts and Mortals formed by Honkai Energy-corrupted beasts and humans. The scale isn't large, but it's difficult for ordinary people to handle, so it's normal for this place to fall into a state of disorder.

"This mission is a joint investigation with Squad One and Squad Four to investigate the high Honkai Energy readings appearing in this area and the abnormal typhoon phenomenon that has persisted for a month."

As Immer moved his hand, the interior walls of the transport plane projected a map of the area and typhoon distribution.

"Typhoons usually land on the Mu Continent here this time of year, so MOTH initially believed this to be a normal natural phenomenon. However, this time, the Category 12 typhoon did not continue inland but stopped at this small town, and its wind speed is still gradually increasing. Yesterday, it escalated into a super typhoon, and it's estimated that in three days, the wind speed will rise to Category 16 or higher."

A super typhoon, rarely seen on land, can reach speeds of over 300 kilometers per hour, easily causing giant waves of 14 meters or more. It is often accompanied by torrential rain and tsunamis, making it one of the most severe natural disasters.

A typhoon that has stayed over a city for a full month with increasing wind speeds is no longer a natural phenomenon. Coupled with the abnormal high Honkai Energy readings, it's no wonder three squads were dispatched for this investigation. Such a situation would at least indicate the birth of an Upper-class Honkai Beast.

"Squad Seven and Squad Three will be primarily responsible for evacuating the remaining residents and investigating the source of the typhoon. Squad One will maintain vigilance and report any important matters to headquarters... Captain, is there anything else to add?"

Lin, who had been silently observing, looked at the map and said, "Do not split up in environments with severe weather and low visibility. Maintain contact with the other squads at regular intervals."

"Understood," Hua and Immer replied in unison.

This disaster sweeping across the entire city and the unnatural "natural disaster" felt eerily familiar...

[Lin, Delta is sending a communication.]

Lin, who had been lost in thought, glanced at the text in the upper right corner and accepted the communication.

After Prometheus returned from Vill-V, there were no abnormalities. He asked Vill-V what exactly she intended to do with Prometheus, but the only reply he received was cryptic, like "It seems like some adjustments are needed for version 3.0."

As for Prometheus... Lin had already given up on asking the disobedient AI.

"Hello? Lin."

"..."

"Hello, hello, hello... Honestly, if you don't say anything, I'd think I didn't get through. Never mind, just listen, it's super good news."

Delta stood in front of the suspended Floating Cannon, smiling smugly.

"Delta, wouldn't it be great if humans could grow wings?"

"What? Did you hit your head? If you want wings, you can go ask those people in the labs."

"No, that's not it."

The man rubbed his sleepy eyes, gazing at the empty sky.

At sea, the sky, which looked like a flawless dome, seemed within reach if you stretched out your hand.

"Growing wings isn't quite accurate... I mean, wouldn't it be wonderful if humans could fly more like birds?"

Tapping on the keyboard, Delta yawned. "They can, can't they? Airplanes are like that."

"Not like airplanes."

"Then what do you want?"

"Hmm... it's a bit hard to express," the man sighed, hugging the back of his head. "It's that feeling of not being bound by gravity."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Delta scoffed. "You're not thinking about anti-gravity levitation flight, are you? That's just a concept. There's neither enough energy to support it nor theoretical knowledge to reference. You think humans progress by looking at creation myths to invent a fantasy technology from scratch with no underlying architecture?"