Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 8 - Balloon Popping Test

Chapter 8 – Balloon Popping Test

For the Weaponry Basics class, our instructor is Professor Bang. He's a middle-aged man with a white, scarred face, giving him a rough, battle-hardened look. His brown hair is styled into a sharp mohawk, and a neatly groomed, suave mustache rests above his lips. Like us, he wears the standard military uniform, but the medals gleaming on his chest set him apart, marking him as a seasoned war veteran.

We support students gathered in a neat row on the blue line, while our WAIFUs stood ready on the red line across from us. Professor Bang raised his megaphone to amplify his already booming voice, making sure no one could miss a word.

"Listen up, maggots! Today, I'm going to teach you the basics of weapons! You support students have unlocked your WEEBs at Level 3! We'll be using those weapons for this class. But first, WAIFU maggots, transform into your Frame Unit Mode!"

"R-roger!" the WAIFU students responded with crisp salutes. They lifted their morphers high into the sky, their voices in unison as they called out, "Frame Unit, Awaken!"

In an instant, towering beams of light surrounded the girls, and they transformed into massive, gleaming mechas, each one ready for the next command.

"Now, support maggots, activate your WEEB and materialize the Beam Rifle!" Professor Bang barked.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Myrrh's enormous mech form staring at me, her glowing blue eyes fixed on me like twin spotlights. She was probably dreading that I might summon the wrong weapon again, like I did yesterday. I just shrugged and gave her a casual smile, hoping it would make her a little more nervous.

But unlike what Myrrh might be thinking, I was ready to take things more seriously this time. I tapped the [Weapons] option on my bios display and selected [Beam Rifle].

"Beam Rifle, Equip!" we all called out as we pointed our hands toward our partner Frame Units. In response, each mecha's dominant arm materialized a sleek beam rifle, the weapon humming to life.

Professor Bang's voice boomed again, "Now, WAIFU maggots, you'll see the number '30' on your beam rifles. That's how many shots you've got. When that number hits zero, you'll be out of ammo, and your beam rifle is done for—so don't waste it." Without skipping a beat, he continued, "Now, support maggots, spawn laser swords for your partners!"

We quickly switched to the [Laser Sword] option, and once again, we aimed at our Frame Units. "Laser Sword, Equip!"

In an instant, each mecha had a laser sword hilt appear at their waist, though it remained inactive, waiting for a command to ignite.

Professor Bang gave us a stern reminder, "Listen up, support maggots! You can summon as many weapons as you want for your partners, but there's a catch. Every extra weapon adds weight, slowing them down. Worse, you could cause them to injure themselves if they're overloaded. It all comes down to your timing. You need to think before you spawn anything!"

His words weighed heavy as we realized how crucial our decisions were in battle.

Professor Bang grabbed his tablet from the table, tapping a button with a quick motion. Suddenly, balloons began popping up all over the area, floating and bobbing unpredictably.

"Now, WAIFU maggots, pop as many balloons as possible using any weapon or method you can! Support maggots, keep track of the ammo and hit 'reload' when needed. You've got sixty seconds! Timer starts... now!"

Balloons rained down endlessly in the WAIFUs' zone, creating a chaotic but colorful battlefield. I fixed my eyes on Myrrh, who was aiming at balloons that floated high in the air, some fifty meters above the ground.