The Genius Mecha Pilot Wants to Survive - Chapter 06

### Titan Modification

Why did the Battalion Commander call me, and not the Platoon Leader? I was curious, but I focused on other things first.

During my first mission, I was dropped in suddenly and was only desperate to survive. Now that the battle was over, I organized my future plans while walking to the Battalion Commander’s office.

‘First… survive, just like in the tutorial.’

This is my alpha and omega. Even if I mutter it, no separate status window appears now. It’s uncertain if seeing the ending will return me to my original body.

Then, should I just live quietly in space after discharge?

‘Impossible.’

Even if the course splits into various developments, it eventually converges into one stem.

The appearance of the SS-rank Queen who shakes the entire universe. The appearance of a top-tier Kilug that is impossible to deal with unless humanity unites. If I don’t deal with that, death is certain.

The best ending is for the player to catch the Queen and the special species protecting her as a Super Soldier or Commander. The ending where Kilug still appear here and there, but their momentum drops as the SS-rank dies, entering a stable period.

If you clear it with heavy damage, or only catch one of the Queen or the special species, it’s the Normal ending. The Kilug forces are much more threatening, and humanity unites to resist… barely holding on, waiting for a new hero. The image cut that appears in the ending is also much more desperate. It shows humanity pushed to a few star systems, doing endless quantity defense; it’s called “Normal,” but it’s basically no different from a Bad ending. As for the Bad ending, well, it’s the extinction of humanity. The only difference from Normal is that extinction happens a bit faster and more certainly, right?

Thinking about the snowball effect that started because I couldn’t do the standing firing, it was obvious what would happen if I ignored the SS-rank Queen and enjoyed space life.

‘In the end, to survive, I have to catch the Queen in the final act.’

To do that… I had to get stronger. Strong enough to participate in the Queen raid, strong enough to cut down the Queen and her knights.

As I organized my future, I arrived at the Battalion Commander’s office.

“Salute, Private Min-cheol Lee.”

“Wrong.”

I saluted, but a heart-sinking reply came back. My cosmic goals were grand, but reality was that I was a lowly Private. A Private who was momentarily startled by the words of the Battalion Commander, who had been friendly during the operation.

“You’re not a Private. You’re a Sergeant now. Sergeant Mitchell Lee.”

I succeeded in a promotion from Private to Sergeant. Four ranks at once in an instant.

“Thank you.”

“I should be the one thanking you. As a commander, and as a soldier. I thank you. The success of this operation is all thanks to you.”

Actually, the failure was also because I couldn’t do the standing firing…. I didn’t bother telling the sad truth to the Battalion Commander, who stood up and even bowed slightly.

“It’s thanks to everyone working together.”

“Haha, so humble. Anyway, let’s move on to the main topic.”

“Yes.”

“It’s strange that a great pilot like you came as infantry, and I wanted to know more about you.”

He frowned and looked at a separate terminal screen.

“But none of your previous information or history could be retrieved.”

Ah. So that was it. I actually guessed why. I’m not a person from here, I’m a body that transmigrated. In the game, it didn’t show what the playable character did, and I never met any acquaintances.

But to be completely blank.

“Um, I guess it’s because I’m from the countryside. There wasn’t much to input when I enlisted.”

“Even so, where you’re from, things like that are usually written down. It’s strange that it’s missing.”

“Well, maybe it’s because of the atmosphere or solar magnetic fields… wouldn’t it be?”

“Tsk, data loss even now. That’s why stocks are falling.”

The Battalion Commander also accepted it and lamented slightly. It’s nonsense in IT powerhouse Korea, but it’s possible here. It’s not that Korea is more advanced than the space era. Within the same planet, or if connected, the game world is obviously more amazing.

However, space is wide. Information isn’t instantly transmitted, and you can’t just pull desired info from various servers.

Often you have to carry it manually, analog-style, so it gets lost. During missions, communications cut off, and sometimes you have to break through carrying important data. In the Commander route, there are types where you install and protect relays between planets and satellites.

In other words, data omission in this era. Not common, but not unheard of.

“Write down some simple information here again. I’ll update the server.”

I looked at the paper handed over. Fortunately, it’s Hangul-patched.

“Actually, I could have made the Platoon Leader do this, but I called you because I wanted to interview you directly. You’re the hero of this battle.”

Strangely flattering. There’s a saying in the military that it’s good to be average, but I did too much.

“First, your military occupational specialty was infantry, but I’ve decided to move you to the Titan unit.”

Originally it’s a place to ask what you want, but it changed to notification, not a question.

K-military or Space military, the ones above doing whatever they want is the same. Still, it was what I wanted, so it was fortunate. Originally, it would have taken two more chapters to get to the Titan route.

“The Titan from the other day had too much mud stuck in between, but I told the maintenance team to wash it first. It should be almost done.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Haha, no problem. There’s so much you’ll do for the unit in the future. I should at least do this much.”

That face smiling and giving well-wishes… it was like a Master Sergeant recommending a career NCO position.

The interview was over. For my background, I wrote down a place called a countryside planet that actually exists and that you don’t go to in most routes. Since it’s such a remote countryside planet, no one will suddenly pop up and ask, “Who are you?” It’s even a planet that gets destroyed if you don’t stop it via the Commander route nearby. It was perfect for a complete lie.

They asked me to decide on a separate call sign, but nothing came to mind, so I decided to set it later.

‘I want to do something cool… but asking people to call me that is too cringey.’

“Ah, can you call me ‘Black Reaper’?” I can’t say that. So, the call sign is on hold.

After the interview, fatigue rushed in and I thought about going to the assigned room to rest, but there was something I wanted to do first.

It’s time to go see my Titan (military property).

A massive body over 10m. A rough, angular body reminiscent of a B-MW. Both arms have several gun barrels the size of a human head, and it’s heavily armed with weapons in every corner. I can’t guess how heavy it is, but I see two sturdy legs supporting it.

‘This is the romance, after all.’

4th generation, 5th generation, screw them all. This is a Titan, this is a robot.

6th generation… too OP to complain about together. 5th generation is good too, though.

But what I’m given now is this heavy-tasting 3rd generation Titan. Not something stolen from someone else, but my real (military property) Titan.

I was looking at it, feeling sentimental for no reason.

“Hey mister! Are you the pilot of this friend?”

Then a young, thin voice came from behind. The blue maintenance jumpsuit is covered in oil stains. I see long brown hair tied back and a few freckles.

‘Who is this?’ The age looks subtly young, is that possible for a female soldier?

“Salute!”

Like a K-soldier, I gave a salute first.

“No, no, no need to salute, I’m not a soldier.”

“Then who…?”

Listening to the story, it was an existence somewhere between a military civilian employee and a civilian. They handle basic repairs and maintenance with the base salary received from the military, and privately, for a fee, they handle additional equipment purchasing agency and reinforcement modification work.

In the game, I just clicked in the interface screen to reinforce, so I didn’t know, but there was someone like this.

“Just call me Brill. Anyway, mister! Titans are delicate equipment! Don’t handle it so roughly!”

“Yes?”

Not 4th generation or later, but a 3rd generation Titan is delicate…?

“The damn Giant Mud corpses are soaked in between all the joints! It’s basically at a level where it can’t be used!”

“But if I hadn’t done that…”

“To think of flying a 3rd generation Titan in the sky in the first place, are you sane? If you want to do aerial attacks, ride a 4th generation or later machine!”

Ah, I want to ride one too~ Buy me one.

“But if it weren’t for me, more Titans would have become scrap metal. No, wait, they would have just become Kilug.”

Kilug use everything from the planet’s energy to all surrounding resources. A machine that went down near an enemy nest is just a great mineral supply source for the Kilug.

“Ugh, that’s… true… well, life is important, but…”

She spoke bitterly for a moment, then her tension went up again.

“Anyway! Don’t handle the Titan roughly for no reason. It’s really troublesome from the perspective of someone repairing it.”

Then, huge nagging followed.

“That aside, how do I do the modifications?”

“There are people who think all sorts of impossible things are possible just because I say modification, but it doesn’t work like that. Titans are delicate and sensitive equipment, you know.”

That’s from later generations, I know 3rd generation is a product with a motto of really simple, sturdy, simple, fast mass production. Of course, it’s true that modifications aren’t just slapped on everywhere.

There were one or two times I had to load a save file because I sortied after roughly modifying it, and it couldn’t move properly.

“I won’t ask for unreasonable modifications. Don’t worry, how should I set up the estimate?”

“Phew, first give me your terminal number. I’ll send you an app link, so install it, log in, and register your information separately. Otherwise, I won’t know whose machine it is, so I can’t apply it. It says almost everything can be equipped in the app, but if you just slap it on, the weight load won’t match and it’ll be a mess. Don’t order recklessly, put it in the cart and send it to me separately! Got it, mister?”

No, I know even without you showing me. I have years of experience tinkering with Titans. That aside, there was a problem from earlier.

“But why do you keep calling me mister? I’m 20 years old.”

Reality age is mister, but game age is a fresh, green rookie soldier. Since the data was erased, let’s lower it to 20.

“You’re a soldier, so you’re a mister. Soldier mister.”

F*ck.

Installed the app and entered, I saw the familiar interface. It’s the modification screen I saw when I went to the maintenance room in the game.

How should I modify it? Regardless of the generation, one of the fun parts of Titans is reinforcement and modification.

Can change machine guns in both hands to shotguns, or anti-material sniper rifles.

Can put missiles instead of energy weapons on the shoulders, and although 3rd generation movement isn’t very efficient and it’s expensive so it’s not easy to buy, beam sabers can also be put in the side equipment storage on the thighs.

Depending on taste, you can modify your own weapon.

Of course, money or resources go in. But since I got a lot for my performance in the previous battle, there’s no big worry.

Looking at the records of fighting in battle, the current Coalition Army’s method is to give large additional rewards according to the merit earned. Also, since the base salary is high, there’s a reason why applicants flock from numerous planets.

‘Then, how to modify it.’

Simply applying weapons you have a romance for is one way. Sticking only efficient weapons is also a way.

But besides those newbie methods, there are a few fixed forms.

Light armor type that removes armor as much as possible or changes to light ones, and maximizes speed with weapons.

“Why ride a Titan if you do that~ A giant robot should be heavy~ that’s the real taste.”

Ultra-long-range type that attacks safely from inside the unit like a weasel.

Even in those concepts, detailed variations are different. Among speed freaks, there was even a guy who carried a beam saber and acted up. If it’s 4th generation or later, it’s doable somehow, but even though it’s inefficient with 3rd generation.

For long-range types, there were snipers who do precision shooting with sniper rifles and energy weapons, and artillery styles that use large cannons, etc.

The style I originally preferred is the light armor type. Enemies fighting with 3rd generation were usually average, so damage was enough.

‘Damage was enough…’

Why does the face of the Giant Mud I encountered during the tutorial come to mind?

Well, that’s a special case from the previous battle, so let’s not think too deeply.

Actually, the most certain method was obvious.

‘Tailoring it to the next battlefield.’

The upcoming battle is a defense battle. I checked this during the Battalion Commander meeting just in case. Where the next progress route will be.

Transit through Gaspaeng Base, an intermediate supply base before joining the main force. Receive additional supplies, etc., and plan to join the main force. However, an enemy attack happens when stopping at that base.

In such defense battles, light armor type is good, but going for heavy armor type is heavy and reliable.

The problem is the cost… The app was linked to my account, so I could check the amount. Maybe because I achieved an absurd war record in this battle, the money that came in was very sweet.

I crunched the numbers. Some parts are tight, but reselling existing equipment, and calculating supplies and rentals… The estimate came out. The cost was enough to modify it into a heavy armor form usable in the next mission.

Now, it’s time for some crazy modifications.