The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 99

The result was a resounding success. The installation of the power source proved remarkably effective. Even after Mikhail, piloting the Titan, operated it for the initially planned two hours, he reported only slight fatigue, experiencing neither exhaustion nor a significant depletion of his mana.

Furthermore, while the mana within the power source did diminish slightly, it actively absorbed ambient mana. After a single day, its mana levels were virtually indistinguishable from their pre-experiment state. When mana stones were placed nearby, the recovery rate accelerated even further.

“This is revolutionary!”

“How could such a thing even exist?”

“If we minimize mana consumption, could we potentially achieve near-infinite operation?”

The reaction was explosive. Moreover, the potential applications of this power source extended far beyond Titans. With the right modifications and formulas, it could be adapted for use in countless other fields. It was no wonder that the assembled mages were allowing their imaginations to run wild, envisioning the possibilities.

“What are we going to name it? We can’t simply call something this extraordinary a ‘power source.'”

“That’s right! This invention deserves a name befitting its significance.”

“You’re all getting ahead of yourselves. Still, if I had to suggest a name… ‘Infinity.’ ‘Infinity Core’ has a nice ring to it.”

The development of the Infinity Core, soon to be known simply as ‘the Core,’ served as a beacon, heralding the dawn of a golden age for the Titan program.

#

We immediately ramped up Titan production. Simultaneously, we invited additional knights to undergo Titan adaptation training. After a period of preparation, before the Emperor, esteemed dignitaries of the empire, and a host of watchful knights, the world witnessed its first Titan battle.

The spectacle was awe-inspiring – not only for those of us who had built the Titans, but also for the Emperor, the dignitaries, and especially the knights. The shockwaves generated by the collision of immense power and concentrated mana with each clash of swords sent shivers down spines. Despite their colossal size, the Titans moved with surprising agility, shattering the preconceived notion that they would be cumbersome and slow.

“Ooooh! Oooooh!”

Armin, who had been with me since the very beginning, was visibly moved, tears streaming down his face. However, everyone else was so captivated by the sight of the Titans that his emotional outburst went largely unnoticed.

Clap clap clap clap clap-

“Good! Very good! You have not only met my expectations, but far exceeded them! Excellent!”

“If Your Majesty had not placed your trust in us and entrusted us with this task, we would not have achieved this breakthrough today.”

“Those are words I don’t mind hearing, especially today. In that case, I would like to bestow a name upon it. Would that be acceptable?”

“It would be an honor for our family.”

“Just as it will bring honor to your family, the Titan will bring glory to the empire. Therefore, ‘Glory.’ ‘Glory’ would be a fitting name.”

Glory.

And so, the Titan known as Glory, the prototype for countless Titans to come, was christened.

The Emperor immediately ordered the initial mass production of Glory, commissioning approximately thirty units. While this quantity was insufficient to fully equip even a single knight order, no one in the research lab or workshop felt discouraged.

They understood the immense financial investment required to produce a single Titan, as well as the significant time and effort involved. Above all, they were honored that the Emperor himself had chosen the name. Thus, while the workshop continued its tireless work, I and a select group of mages immersed ourselves in another critical area of research:

Synchronization.

Since the Titan was ultimately an extension of the human pilot, maximizing the synchronization rate was just as important as perfecting the Core. Even with comparable skill levels, and even when piloting Titans with identical performance capabilities, the outcome of a battle could hinge on the synchronization rate. Therefore, our current research focused on two primary objectives.

The first was to develop methods to subtly enhance the synchronization rate for any given pilot. The second was to identify individuals who naturally possessed a high synchronization affinity from the outset. While the synchronization rate could be directly assessed by having a pilot board a Titan, the Titans were too valuable to be used for widespread screening purposes.

As time progressed, the first production run of thirty Glorys was completed, and the pilots who would operate them were carefully selected. All that remained was to test them in actual combat scenarios.

The knights, having completed their Titan adaptation training amidst the envy of their peers, were eager to unleash their newfound power. However, there were no suitable opponents to be found within the confines of the training grounds. This situation coincided with the Emperor’s desire to showcase his achievements both domestically and abroad, leading him to make a bold decision.

Deployment to the Terra Barrier.

No place could offer a more realistic combat environment.

#

The thirty Titans, with their knight pilots aboard, journeyed to the Terra Barrier for what was officially designated as a training exercise. The initial two-hour operational limit was based on simulated combat scenarios, so sustained movement at a normal pace posed no problem.

Thump- Thump-

The support personnel following behind cast glances at the Titans, their eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. As they traveled towards the Terra Barrier, they encountered a number of monsters, a consequence of the relatively unstable security situation in the northern regions of the empire compared to the areas surrounding the Imperial Capital. However, thanks to the overwhelming power of the Titans, they reached the Terra Barrier without even encountering a single orc.

“Have you been well, Father-in-law?”

“…You certainly made an entrance.”

It was awkward. Although it had been some time since we last saw each other, we had spent years fighting side-by-side on battlefields where life and death hung in the balance. Perhaps it was because we had never imagined facing each other in this particular context. The relationship of father-in-law and son-in-law, which we were now navigating for the first time, felt undeniably strange.

“I heard the rumors. Is that the Titan weapon everyone’s been talking about?”

“That’s right. This particular unit is named Glory. His Majesty the Emperor himself bestowed the name.”

“Hmm, shall we see how impressive it truly is?”

Among the thirty knights, several volunteered to spar with my father-in-law. However, Sir Mikhail was ultimately chosen based on my recommendation. His experience fighting Marquis Ponk, combined with his consistently high synchronization rate (while not necessarily the most skilled knight overall), made him the ideal candidate to showcase Glory’s capabilities.

Therefore, it didn’t take long for my father-in-law’s initial assessment, delivered after crossing swords with Mikhail in a human-versus-machine duel,

to shift from “Mediocre.”

to “Not bad.”

While the change in wording might seem insignificant, the difference in meaning was substantial. The initial assessment of “mediocre” was based on the standards of most knights. However, the subsequent “not bad” was a compliment coming from a master swordsman, my father-in-law.

“At this level, you won’t die a dog’s death to monsters due to simple clumsiness. So, what are your plans for it? A standard defensive battle doesn’t seem like the best use of its capabilities.”

“I request the revival of the Autumn Expedition.”

With the development of the Scorpion, the Autumn Expedition had been discontinued. The Scorpion allowed for the efficient elimination of higher-level monsters even during routine patrols. However, to truly maximize Glory’s potential, a large-scale field operation like the Autumn Expedition was essential. No matter how large the Titan, it couldn’t attack beyond the barrier, and no matter how wide the barrier, the Titan couldn’t climb it.

“That’s not an unreasonable request. But how do you intend to venture beyond the barrier? I can’t see how you could possibly exit through the gate.”

“You needn’t worry about that. If that were an insurmountable obstacle, how could we have traveled all the way here from the Imperial Capital in the first place?”

The research lab and workshop are located within the outer castle. If we couldn’t overcome that logistical challenge, escaping the Imperial Capital would have been impossible from the start. Furthermore, the Titan’s overall evaluation would have suffered.

“Sir Mikhail.”

“Yes.”

During our research on synchronization rates, another critical issue emerged: storage and transportation methods. Storage was relatively straightforward, but transportation posed a significant challenge. While the Titans could travel under their own power, as they had done to reach the Terra Barrier, doing so in situations where combat could erupt at any moment (such as in the Land of Monsters or on a battlefield) would risk depleting the Titan’s mana reserves or the pilot’s energy.

However, using conventional methods like oxen or horses was out of the question, as the weight of the materials used to construct the massive Titan bodies was simply too great. Therefore, we explored numerous alternatives, ultimately settling on the use of subspace pockets. Creating a subspace pocket of approximately 5 meters in size was a minor inconvenience for mages of a certain caliber, but it wasn’t particularly difficult.

“Then there shouldn’t be any further problems. Given His Majesty’s orders, I can’t refuse your request, and it will undoubtedly contribute to the defense of the Terra Barrier. Wait here a moment. I’ll make the necessary preparations.”

#

The Autumn Expedition was reinstated after a long hiatus. We formed smaller groups and dispersed. In a situation where even a few individuals would normally need to stick together to stand a chance against a higher-level monster, swarming around would prevent them from gaining meaningful combat experience.

In particular, there was also the belief that [only combat where your life is at risk can be considered true combat,] and that pilots shouldn’t develop the expectation that their colleagues will always be there to bail them out of trouble. Even in the Land of Monsters, it’s not easy to find higher-level monsters swarming around.

“It’s a Basilisk.”

Old memories resurfaced. When I was barely twenty years old, during my first year at the Terra Barrier, I participated in the Autumn Expedition. The first higher-level monster I ever killed during the Autumn Expedition was a Basilisk.

The Basilisk I faced back then was a truly formidable creature. With my limited skills at the time, I wouldn’t have dared to confront it directly. Even experienced knights could fall victim to its attacks if they weren’t careful. If it hadn’t been for the solid bullet I fired at the last possible moment, Sir Wisp would have likely perished.

‘He ended up dying anyway, though.’

Still, he avenged his enemy, so he must have found peace in his final moments.

“What should we do?”

“What do you mean, ‘what should we do?’ We’re not just going to ignore an enemy standing right in front of us. How about two people volunteer to go out for the first engagement?”

The Basilisk’s ultimate weapon, its poisonous mist, was no longer a significant threat as long as they were piloting Glory. The leather hide that was difficult to penetrate with ordinary aura, the immense strength that far surpassed human limitations, and the petrifying magic eye that instinctively caused the body to flinch were all rendered less effective.

Monsters were no longer the source of humanity’s fear. Battles against higher-level monsters were no longer desperate struggles where victory was uncertain and where even a moment’s carelessness could prove fatal. Starting with this battle today, I intended to demonstrate that humanity had taken a significant step forward in its struggle against the monsters.

< Baron's Second Son - Episode 99 - > End