Third Year (3)

"This is a psychoframe?"

Han was taken aback by how different the reality of psychoframe was from his original thoughts. The psychoframes he had previously seen didn't have a single flaw on its exterior like their full body armors.

"We turned the first generation psychoframe into a training bot! This is 'Old Man-3.' We fit the skeleton and basic gear according to your physique. This will be for your personal use, temporarily."

This psychoframe had the same feel as Sergeant Red's, but 'Oldman' looked like an assistant walker.

Only five models of Oldman were available in all of Ark.

Whenever the pilot of the gear changed, the engineer made necessary adjustments to it. They excluded any complicated outer shell since it would be too tedious to adjust every time the pilot changed.

Thump, thump.

Han's heart pounded. He didn't know that he would get to pilot a psychoframe so quickly. He listened to Octo's explanations as he fully equipped Oldman. He had to equip and secure each body part one by one.

"This is not possible to equip alone."

Han listened to all the steel parts clasp.

"Yes, you need an engineer and mechanic's assistance. Don't move unless you want a hole in your shoulder."

Geeeee!

Octo gripped a heavy drill. He drilled all the loose screws to secure the frame. Han suddenly became curious of one thing.

"Um, what if… in the middle…. uh…"

Han hesitated to speak. Octo instantly understood and answered.

"Such situations will probably never occur during training, but out in real battle you can just piss in your pants. Your life is on the line, why would crapping your pants be so important? There's no reason we should be adding additional parts for such small matters. It's complicated enough to build the hip joint of this piece. If we were to build a frame which pops open for excretion, the part becomes a weak point of defense as well. What if it accidentally pops open in error during battle?"

"…I see."

Han's psychoframe fantasies shattered at once. While Octo helped secure the upper parts, the engineer secured the lower gears.

"When you turn on the psychoframe, the cylindrical skeletal frame here will connect with the dragon material. The psychoframe will consume your psychic energy to move. You've used weapons made of dragon bone, right? You will experience the same feeling throughout your entire body."

Octo continued to repeat various warnings. His comedic face all of a sudden felt so serious. Han firmed his heart and nodded.

"I'm ready."

"Today's goal is to find out your maximum piloting time while getting used to your psychoframe."

Octo took a few steps back to give Han room to move.

Weeeng.

The helmet attached to the back of the psychoframe clasped down. It projected various data similar to the battle helmet.

[Open]

Guuuooo!

Something jolted all across Han's body. It felt like his psychic energy was getting absorbed. The parts made with dragon glowed with blue light. The various parts continued to absorb Han's psychic energy.

Ggiiik.

Han began by moving his fingers. The artificial muscles made of dragon leather reacted.

"Now then, begin by holding onto this."

Octo threw a squishy rubber ball. Han clumsily moved his arm to catch the rubber ball.

Octo requested for Han to try and move in various ways. Han repeatedly tightened and loosened his grip on the rubber ball.

"I'm measuring your strongest and lightest grip strength. That's not a simple rubber ball, because it's made up of very expensive pressure sensors. Even if two different people use the same psychoframe with the same specifications, the energy output will vastly differ. The variable is the dragon material."

Octo observed his computer monitor closely. It wasn't possible to comprehend all the complicated data which the psychoframe output with a simple data bracelet.

'This equipment isn't as simple as putting it on and taking it off like other gear.'

Han was shocked by the detailed necessary steps it took to pilot a psychoframe. His original predictions were laughable and this gear was equipped with the latest, cutting-edge technology. It wasn't a simple outer shell.

'The maximum power output was as I predicted. It's the worst possible result. His basic psychic power is low so he could only manifest the same amount.'

Octo didn't say this out loud. Although he was an engineer, he understood that a majority of the psychic power depended strongly on personal mental strength.

'Though… his maximum strength is a record low, there is some hope. There is a huge margin between his lowest and maximum strength which means he has superior control of his psychic energy. If others could only fine control their psychoframe to a stage ten, this brat can fine control up to stage twenty. Taking into account that this is his first time piloting a psychoframe, his fine control ability is probably much higher.'

Octo watched the moving graph on the monitor while locked in his own thoughts. He requested for Han to run and jump. The movements became harsher as time went on.

'This brat's very good at balancing his psychic stamina for long term use.'

Psychic stamina was an engineer's worst enemy. He is manifesting the maximum output with the minimum required psychic strength.

'He easily passed the predicted pilot time. Usual amateur pilots would only be able to pilot for a maximum of ten minutes, but he's been piloting it for almost twenty minutes now.'

A huge smile spread upon Octo's greasy face. He let Han freely pilot the psychoframe for the remaining period of time. Han freely piloted his psychoframe. He wasn't yet accustomed to it, and clumsily tumbled around many times.

"Twenty two minutes and seven seconds. Not bad."

Octo opened a bag of marshmallows and poured it into his mouth.

"Haaa, haa."

Han looked pale from exhaustion. The psychoframe no longer responded to his commands. Han had completely spent his psychic energy.

'This is the first time I've felt like this.'

Han had completely spent all of the psychic energy he could manifest. He didn't have superior psychic skills at all, so he needed to continuously and objectively calculate as he battled.

Psychic strength strongly correlated to mental strength. The mind would blank out and cease to function as well without enough psychic energy. It was his first time intentionally wringing out all the psychic energy from his body. He felt that his psychic level was dropping dangerously low after the ten minute mark.

Silence brought up a water bottle to Han's lips. Han chugged the water down.

Cough, cough.

Han cleared his throat loudly. Octo and the engineers at their computer looked to Han.

"Oh oops, sorry. We'll get the gears off quickly. The data you've given us was too intriguing."

Octo chuckled as he got out his tools. Octo and the engineers expertly removed the securing devices and unscrewed the various parts.

Han difficultly removed the psychoframe with the help of others.

"This is quite tiring."

Han faltered so Octo helped to support him. All the muscles of his body were screaming. It had been a mere twenty minutes, but Han's mind and physical body had been overworked.

"You're going through the adjustment period. You've used a lot of muscles you're not used to using. The second generation psychoframes are much easier to pilot. We've built this in case of extended military operations as well."

Han sat down on a chair while listening to Octo. There were about fifty psykers in third year while there was a limited supply of dragon material and psychoframes. Han leaned his head back and spoke.

"So there is a limit to how many people can use psychoframes at any one time."

"The current number of second generation psychoframes is eighty in total. This used to be top secret, but now everyone is aware of this fact."

Han wiped his sweat to cool down his overheated body. He slowly and carefully contemplated all the details. His rusted and tired mind gradually returned to normal like it was well oiled.

"Psychoframe pilots are selected amongst third years…"

"Well, that's very close."

Octo said flatly and returned Oldman into the hangar. He belonged to the technical department and didn't care much about the institution side of Ark.

"I'll be on my way then," Han said after resting for a period of time.

"Return again soon. We haven't collected enough data from you yet."

Octo hollered to Han who was already on his way. His greasy bald head seemed to shine.

Han was able to visit most of the third year departments with the help of Silence's guidance within two days. Silence was dispatched on the third day, and so Han was left alone.