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Chapter 509: Mechanical Battle Armor
Mechanical Battle Armor, officially named the Exoskeleton Mechanical Combat Armor.
This was a project led by Victor for development.
It incorporated inspiration and partial data provided by the players.
Utilizing advanced knowledge and data from two worlds,
it came at a high cost to produce these powerful war machines.
The most advanced form of mechanical armor could even assist its pilot in reaching the Legendary tier.
Of course, the model known as "Thor's Hammer" had a staggeringly high production cost.
It drained the entire savings of over ten thousand players and was worth as much as half a floating city.
Initially, the purpose of building mechanical armor was to better utilize the intelligent combat assistance system.
The latter's support capabilities were incredibly potent, but most players and Professionals were entirely unable to fully harness its power.
However, with Bay Territory's current manufacturing capabilities, even understanding the intelligent combat system was out of reach.
Therefore, Matthew's idea was to first focus on manufacturing the armor itself.
Even simplified mechanical armor could provide significant combat boosts to many ordinary soldiers.
Compared to surgical modifications, mechanical armor required less consumption and was more suitable for large-scale production.
However, this didn't mean Matthew intended to abandon the earlier concept.
After all, producing full sets of magical armor was so expensive that even Matthew felt the sting.
It was impossible to equip every modified warrior with magical armor costing millions of gold coins.
More importantly, before Victor descended into madness,
he and the players attempted to combine magical armor with mechanical armor.
The experiment nearly succeeded, but it was thwarted by the interference of an evil god.
Considering all factors, Matthew decided to intervene early in the research and production of mechanical armor.
Hearing Matthew's explanation, Victor, who had initially been a bit dazed, suddenly had his eyes light up brilliantly.
He carefully considered Matthew's ideas, combined them with his own knowledge of mechanical modification and alchemical body techniques, and immediately realized the immense potential of mechanical armor.
Victor quickly grabbed some drafting paper and began sketching nonstop.
Under Matthew's watchful eyes, Victor demonstrated exceptional drawing skills, quickly outlining the basic structure of the mechanical armor.
Beside the sketch of the armor, he deliberately added a human model, continuously modifying and adjusting the external structure of the mechanical armor.
Stroking his chin, Matthew watched Victor refine the mechanical armor's design.
From the initial rough abstraction, it gradually became more detailed and realistic. Matthew couldn't help but admire silently:
"As expected, high intelligence really speeds up the brain."
"If real-world geniuses had the physical and mental bonuses of Professionals, what kind of brilliance would they achieve?"
"Perhaps they'd even figure out technologies like miniaturized fusion reactors, gravity controllers, and other concepts that only exist in theories."
Setting aside these somewhat complex thoughts, Matthew gestured to the project leader. Under the leader's eager gaze, he said:
"Maintain constant communication with Mage Victor and try to meet all his mechanical modification requirements."
"If any equipment or materials are unavailable, report it promptly."
After giving these instructions, Matthew turned and left.
Although the seed of mechanical armor development had been planted,
it would take at least one or two years before the armor could appear on the battlefield.
After arranging bodyguards for Victor to ensure this invaluable talent's safety, Matthew headed to the military camp.
"Kill...!"
The resounding shouts echoed across the training ground.
Thousands of recruits were diligently practicing combat maneuvers.
Compared to the initial selection criteria, the standards to become a reserve soldier had risen significantly.
First, their identity had to be clear and clean.
They needed to have over five non-family members who could vouch for their background and experiences.
Additionally, they had to pass a lie detection system test before being eligible to register for selection.
Then, their strength had to meet the mark.
All candidates had to either be Professionals or become one during the two-week preliminary selection phase.
Finally, the best were chosen.
After enduring two weeks of basic training, candidates underwent an elimination assessment.
Out of every 2,000 participants, only the top 500 were selected.
Even those who failed the assessment were encouraged to train and participate in regular sessions.
After all, they had the opportunity to retake the assessment every three months.
If they didn't want to give up on becoming a soldier, they needed to train diligently during their spare time.
Soldiers selected through this process naturally had a strong foundation.
However, to become fully qualified, they still needed to learn multiple specialties, skills, and formation techniques.
During the three-month training and testing period, the majority of reserve soldiers could pass.
Those who failed three times consecutively were reassigned to other positions.
Soldiers trained under this rigorous system typically reached the level of a Tier 3 Professional on average.
Why did their strength improve so quickly?
The reason was simple.
"Once training is over, hurry to the mess hall for a meal. The latest batch of mulberries has arrived."
"That's premium stuff—eat as much as you can. The harder you train, the better you'll absorb it."
"Being a soldier is tough, but it's definitely better than struggling as an independent adventurer."
"Throughout the entire Netheril Empire, only in Bay Territory can regular soldiers eat their fill of magical food."
"Magical food is excellent, but it must be paired with training to properly replenish nutrients and strengthen the body..."
"No need to worry yet. In the final month of training, we'll head to the Dark Forest for joint combat training..."
Veteran soldiers serving as part-time instructors gave such advice to the new recruits.
They were not only reserve officers for basic command roles but also used training new recruits to hone their leadership abilities.
Simultaneously, they identified their preferred recruits to form new combat squads.
Using veterans to train rookies and substituting real combat for drills,
this was one reason why Bay Territory's army developed so quickly while maintaining strong combat effectiveness.
Through commanding troops in battles against the drow, Angela had achieved notable victories.
Angela gained invaluable combat experience.
She had now fully digested this experience and mastered several advanced combat techniques and auras.
Her strength had finally advanced further, breaking through her limits to become a high-ranking knight.
It was her outstanding performance that convinced Matthew that any soldier or Professional who gave their all could overcome limitations of talent and aptitude.
When Angela saw Matthew, she was studying an underground world map. In a tone full of anticipation, she asked:
"My lord, are we preparing to further develop the underground world?"