SeitamashiiRyuu

A week has passed after the assessment exams. Ryu received a message on his digitizer stating he passed the exams and was required to attend the Academy’s opening ceremony on the first day of school. In addition to attending, an invitation to deliver a speech was given to him for his main participation in defeating the scenario during the practical assessment. “A speech, huh?” he thought out loud about the invitation. He wanted to get as much attention as possible in order to accomplish his goal sooner. Delivering a speech in front of the Academy’s attendees and other students would definitely spread the word like wildfire too. “All right, let’s do it then,” Ryu remarked as he sent a reply message stating he would deliver a speech during the opening ceremony. A reply message followed to confirm his decision, providing guidelines on what he could say for his speech and the proper attire during the ceremony. ==== “... and by joining us here in the Academy, all of you will be taught

With the concerted efforts of all participants the drones were gradually pushed back from their advance. The front line was unable to continue further than a kilometer from the initial point of contact, encountering a different kind of drone blocking their way. Retaining their spider-like features, the new drones possessed a humanoid figure. They were more agile than the previous drones - capable of evading and defending against attacks the participants directed at them. Their attack pattern was also different, becoming more cunning in delivering attacks by using quick feints before delivering the real attack. Occasionally drones that came in pairs would gang up on a participant’s Machine to inflict more damage. “Whoa!?” Marcus exclaimed as he barely dodged an incoming attack from the humanoid drone, its sharp claws scraping against the arm he used to parry the incoming attack aside before ducking in close to deliver a rocket-powered shoulder tackle into the assailant’s abdomen.

Ryuu arrived at Mars with Maximilian, taking a span of three days with the available flight to the planet. Mars was no longer the red planet it was known for during the exodus from Earth. Digitizers made it possible to rapidly develop terraforming technologies and apply them on a widespread scale around the planet. The inhabitants of Mars were able to keep the planet’s atmosphere clean with the focus on renewable energy sources. Departing the spaceport on a train they passed by some of the cities on their way to the planet’s Machine Rider Academy. “What is a Machine Rider Academy for?” Ryu asked the giant gentleman while watching the view outside the window, “Why do you need a school for the game?” “It is because Hackers use Machines for their own ends and experienced players of the game have the best chances in overcoming the Hackers that I founded this institute,” Maximilian replied as the academy came into view from the distance, “A school that trains players become legitimate

Ryu and his grandfather returned to Kojuro the following day to find out more about Brave Senshi’s capabilities. With the data they were able to collect from the fight the day before and scans made on Ryu’s digitizer the scientist was able to discern more information. “Brave Senshi’s new form is intriguing...” Kojuro stated after completing the diagnosis, “If we are to describe how it works, it would be like the Machine’s base form acts like a shell or a limiter to keep the unit in check. Once certain conditions are met, the pilot can unlock the shell and use the form sealed within.” “So it’s like a power up system once you hit the required synchronization rate?” Ryu asked, trying to understand what Kojuro said. “Yes, that is how it works so far,” the scientist replied as he adjusted his glasses, “It is possible the other locks have the same function as the one you just unlocked.” “Brave Senshi then becomes even stronger with each lock opened?” the young man idly wondered

“This is a sudden turn of events! Earlier Ryu Shin was clearly overcome by Oswald Isencraft’s defense swarm!” the announcer exclaimed out loud as Cannonlord Ultimate suffered from successive explosions from within, “But all of a sudden explosions came from inside the Cannonlord Ultimate’s invincible hull! Could it be a malfunction somewhere?” “Impossible! I checked and ran diagnostics on my Machine for several days before this match to ensure nothing will go wrong with the system!” Oswald exclaimed as he slammed both hands on his console, turning his attention to Ryu and Brave Senshi visible on one of the still-functioning cameras on his Machine, “What did you do!?” “I planted the bazooka rounds in the damaged mobile turrets I attacked up close,” Ryu replied after cutting down some of the mobile turrets that were still active near him. Most of the mobile turrets and drones have deactivated after the explosions rocked the giant Machine he was fighting on. Ryu’s words came as a shock

Ryu’s grandfather and the elderly gentleman were catching up on the times over tea as the young pilot showed Brave Senshi to the individual known as Kojuro Seitamashii. The young pilot couldn’t help but keep his eyes on the technician as the latter ran some diagnostic checks on Brave Senshi’s data. There was something about how the man dressed well, how he conducted himself before others, or how he worked with professional ease that Ryu felt was very unusual. “Is there something wrong?” Kojuro asked Ryu as he finally moved his seat back to look at the young pilot, “If not I can explain to you what we have discovered so far from your father’s Machine.” “Ah! There’s nothing wrong!” Ryu answered quickly as he acted like he wasn’t staring at the technician while the latter worked. Kisuke and Maximilian stopped their conversation upon hearing Kojuro’s statement, getting up from their seats to join the discussion. “What did you find out, Kojuro?” Maximilian asked as Kojuro turned on a

[Training mode set up.] [Launching in 3... 2... 1...] “Ryu Shin and Brave Senshi, taking off!” the pilot declared as his Machine was sent into the air by the launch bay. Ryu quickly switched to Brave Senshi’s propulsion to keep him going into the air. Thrusted exploded to life, sending the white and red Machine flying at supersonic speeds. Inside the cockpit, Ryu had to grit his teeth as G forces pressed him back against his seat. “Nnnghhh... This is much faster than what Kensei is capable of...” he said to himself as he lowered the speed to levels he could handle properly, “Whatever dad did to build this Machine, it’s definitely better than what I can make.” The communications line beeped as Ryu’s mother appeared on the monitor. “How are you Ryu? Is everything all right?” Yuna asked her son as she monitored the performance of the Brave Senshi and Ryu’s condition on her digitizer from outside the field, “Your pulse spiked briefly when you switched to manual control after launch.

“Cheers!” Ryu’s mother and grandfather exclaimed as they raised their cups of fruit juice. Delicious home-cooked food was spread in the middle of the table for all three of them to enjoy dinner. Despite living in space, the massive colony possessed capabilities to replicate the effects of day and night for inhabitants to keep track of time. The colony was now in night mode, with the weather outside cooled by a light breeze. “May I have seconds, mom?” the young man asked his mother as he presented his empty rice bowl. After the successive battles he participated in today there was nothing more satisfying than his mother’s cooking. “Of course, Ryu!” Yuna replied to her son as she received his bowl, refilling it with rice from the cooker beside her. She then returned the bowl to him, “Here you go!” “Thank you very much!” Ryu replied after receiving the bowl with both hands, picking his chopsticks afterwards to eagerly eat up the food on his plate and the rice in his bowl. His

Explosions rocked across a rocky canyon, causing debris to scatter and spread in the vicinity. A small figure leaped out the clouds of dust caused by the explosion. It is a humanoid robot, deep blue in color with yellow lines resembling streaks of lightning painted on its lower arms and calves. It carried on its back a large sword that was longer than itself, and possessed multiple parts to form a single large weapon. Rocket thrusters were visible on the robot’s back and behind the robot’s calves, propelling it forward at high speeds. Several missiles flew out from the cloud of dust and chased after the humanoid robot. They closed in from above, crashing and exploding on the ground as the robot dodged and weaved about to avoid getting hit. Thundering stomps echoed from the dust cloud as a larger robot emerged, firing more missiles into the air at the humanoid robot. “GAH-HA-HA-HA!!!” a boastful voice broadcasted from the larger robot, “Is running and hiding all you can do against

Two large trucks accompanied by a bus arrived in town the following day, finding a relatively flat and spacious area somewhere at the outskirts. Several men filed out from the bus, rushing to the trucks to open and unload the contents in the area. Tents were pitched quickly and efficiently, equipment were laid out and assembled with practiced motion. Borders were laid out around the area as the uniformed personnel set up the fences to keep curious bystanders from entering the area unattended. The unusual visitors brought a growing number of townspeople over to investigate what was going on. Gregory soon arrived accompanied by Henry and Akira, the latter just as surprised as the rest of the people watching the camp being set up. Two soldiers stationed at the fence facing towards the town offered their salute as soon as they saw the agent, stepping aside to allow the three of them to enter. Gregory promptly led the way to the middle of the camp, where the largest tent was located. The