A Backpack, a Gun and a Codex

Chapter 5 - Storage Assault (part 1)

  It is another day living under the same house with a person, I mean with a pseudo-human robot, and also another day working a freelancer life, and I do not feel a single moment of regret.

  At the very least, that is what I think as of now...

-          Yuusha, today, we will continue with your physical training. As mentioned, we will attack this storage, somewhere about one hour of flight from our base. This time, I will teach you how to control a plane. - Mirai instructs me about today's mission while I am trying to finish my breakfast.

  That is how life works for a person living double lives like me now. Everyday routine, as Mirai says, will start with a training mission in the morning until early afternoon, either 'simple' callisthenic and stamina exercises, or trial missions at real, green-level Intruders' facilities, where I gain simple skills such as weapon mastery, plane riding and strategic planning. Then, I do my projects in the afternoon, sometimes until the evening if the deadline is near. Before I go to bed, Mirai will teach me with all kinds of stuff.

  I grab everything and put them into my backpack, and we are in my backyard now. Mirai calls out the same aeroplane we ride last time. The only difference is that I will practice controlling it.

-          Yes. Scan your fingerprint here to turn on the engine. I had already saved your fingerprint here the last time we ride on it. Then, press this button for the motor under the wings to propel the plane upwards. Once we reach a stable height, move this lever to the first node to go forward. Use the steering wheel to change direction...

  In front of me, there is a big control panel, with lots of buttons lit with different colours, as well as a bunch of levers and the main steering wheel in front of me. Behind my back, Mirai was leaning forward, pointing at different buttons and triggers to tell me what to do. Under her enthusiastic, overly enthusiastic, instructions, I manage to start the engine and the plane slowly rises up to the sky, like a helicopter. We safely take off, but it takes one hour to reach there.

  After the plane successfully connects with the tablet to obtain the map route, I turn on autopilot mode, and during the flight, I use the time to do some of my work and projects, while Mirai is put on standby mode.

  Our next target is one of the Intruders' storage for weapons and more. Usually, such places in the human world would be strictly guarded to avoid an assault, but these Intruders seem to rely much on technology to protect them. Besides some scattering, armed Intruders, the rest can be easily overcome with an EMP attack. This storage, like every green-level facility on the map, is located in a cluster of abandoned islands, completely out of human and satellite view.

  The plane lands safely on the westmost part of the islands, and two of us, armed to the brim, walk out of the plane.

  Mirai summons a small drone to investigate the area, mapping out the terrain of the place. After a few minutes, a complete scan of the islands has been sent to the tablet. But things do not go as easily then. A red exclamation mark appears at the bottom right corner of the screen.

-          Hmm... Looks like our dear drone manages to just scan the map before it gets destroyed by the foreign object detection system of this island. Now, you understand why these Intruders are proud of this equipment right? Hundreds of our comrades have died to these before, so I want to prepare you for this. - Mirai turns off the tablet, before guiding us to the storage.

  The outskirts of the island cluster are loosely guarded, and the closer we move to the centre, where the storage sits safely inside, a wrong step costs your life, and in this case, we already sacrifice a drone.

-          Mirai, you have put the plane back in the arsenal right?

-          Yes. And the EMP device, in case you forget to bring it.

  What a reliable robot. I wish that she is a human in bones and flesh.

  Mirai tunes the EMP device to change its range and intensity, then triggers it with a remote. Using the short time that the detection system of the Intruders is being fixed, we quickly infiltrate into the centre. Some Physical-class Intruders with guns have waited there. I draw out my submachine gun SMG01 and we engage in combat.

-          Yuusha, left side, one Intruder, holding a gun. Summon Compact Shield! - Mirai throws a plate towards me that immediately transforms into a small, durable shield.

-          Roger that! - I quickly direct my gun towards the attacking Intruder and finish it off. - Flash Grenade is incoming!

-          Nice cover!

  It seems like I am getting better at close combat. We are like dancers on the bloody battlefield, synchronising with the sounds of Intruders collapsing on the ground and the blasting sounds of laser beams coming from our guns. In no time, we clear the Intruders and enter the storage.

  As soon as we blow up the storage house entrance with a pack of typical, trustworthy C4 explosive powder, Mirai quickly finds the control panel and shuts down the detection system in case they work again. Before the reinforcement arrives, we take a stroll across the storage to observe their weapons and equipment, which are densely packed within a few rooms here.

-          Yuusha, do you see this piece of equipment? This stolen technology in 2080 allows us to first develop our own cost-effective weapons against Intruders. Basically, you know that the technology in 2050 can already create launchers that shoot deadly, powerful beams of lasers that can penetrate most materials, but the cost to operate them is absurdly high. This concentrating processor here magnifies the firepower of such launchers, and also thanks to its size, you are holding a hand-held weapon like that SMG01, at a very cheap price. This slows down the rate at which the human regime falls under the attack of the Intruders, and I manage to send the package to the past...

  It feels like an excursion for the primary school kids. The "teacher" is telling stories to her students about what they are seeing, while they do not have a single clue. And in this scenario, I feel seriously lost.

-          And here, this solar panel is also a stolen technology that helps us operate vehicles and electronic equipment without the need for fossil fuel. The efficiency of this solar panel is way higher than any solar panel humanity has ever created. The plane we are riding, the launcher, and lots more, all thanks to them. - Mirai continues pointing at another piece of equipment that is as flat as a plate.

  At least I understand some of them when it comes to plain science. The benefits of learning physics in high school, and arguing with random dudes online over trivial topics like how many slaps are needed to cook a chicken, finally arrive.

  As we continue walking around the storage, basking in the astonishment and amazement of the range of cutting-edge technology, the tablet suddenly vibrates vigorously in my backpack. I take it out and read the notification.

-          Hey, their reinforcement has arrived already. Mirai, prepare to engage in combat.

-          Ah, no need to be so serious. Today, I will show you that we can also engage in advanced warfare combat. Here, open this function.

  I tap on a symbol near the top left corner, and it opens up to a series called 'Aerial Combat Series'. There are a lot of unmanned, flying devices in this series.

-          OK, I am also connected to the app now. This series allows you to control and command aerial vehicles and drones, as well as satellites. However, you will be unprotected when you have to hold your Codex to use the series. Hence, only use them when there is someone covering for you, or when you are sure that the Intruders cannot reach you. Now, Suicide Drone squad! - Mirai points her finger forward, while her other hand is placed on her ears, like a communication device.

  On my map shown on the tablet, there are a few red dots, probably indicating the location of reinforcement planes and Intruders. Then, the blue arrows suddenly appear at the entrance of the storage, indicating our drones and their direction. Suicide Drones, as its name tells you, automatically fly towards the Intruders or their vehicles, then detonate themselves, killing Intruders or breaking down their vehicles in the process.

-          Now, we have other toys here. Yuusha, on the left side of your Codex, there is a mini-arsenal of aerial weapons. You can freely try them out for today's lesson.

  I tap on the book icon on the left side, and there are all kinds of planes and drones that one can ever imagine. I tap on an icon of a random plane and draw a line on the map to map its trajectory. Outside, in the sky, a plane flies through the island, right on the line I draw out before. At a higher altitude than the Intruders' reinforcement aerial vehicles, it sprays burning, deadly streams of fire that immediately roast their vehicles' engines. The heat also causes their planes to lose control and they fall down, one by one.

-          Nice. That plane you deploy is called a Pyro-plane. At suitable altitudes and wind conditions, it burns anything under its trajectory. - Mirai proudly taps on my shoulder. - This plane is a modification of the Flamethrower gun, which has been used quite a lot in normal warfare. Yet, nobody thinks of using it to attack from above. What a waste.

  It is all fun and stuff, but then the remaining Intruders on their planes are now launching thermal missiles to counterattack and destroy our drones before they can even touch their vehicles. The Pyro-plane also takes significant damage, and I must withdraw it.

-          Mirai, what did we do now? They are coming quite close already, and at any point in time, they can parachute down here before we can trigger our EMP device. - I am a bit scared now, but when I look at Mirai, she is showing a smile.

-          Oh, this is just an appetiser. The main course is beginning now. - She then bursts into laughter, and takes something out of the mini-arsenal.