Aiden stepped into the mech suit and let it lock around his body. The familiar weight settled over him, and the internal supports adjusted to his stance. He lifted his right arm slightly and rolled his shoulder, testing balance and response.
[MECH SUIT STATUS CHECK]
[POWER REMAINING: 4%]
He let out a quiet breath.
"That was really a tough battle."
The memory surfaced again without warning. Every move he had made felt risky in hindsight. The whole fight had been a gamble from start to finish. If the serpent had turned back at the last moment and chased him and the others, the outcome would have been very different.
He turned and walked toward the repair area, the mech suit moving with steady mechanical steps. The sound of metal against the floor echoed softly as he reached the power unit storage. He released the suit seals and stepped out, his movements slower now without the support.
Aiden opened the casing and reached for replacement cores. He selected several E rank cores and handled them carefully, checking each one before slotting them in. The process took time with one arm, and he worked slowly to avoid mistakes. One by one, the depleted cores were removed and replaced.
When the final core locked into place, the system responded at once.
[POWER SUPPLY STABILIZED]
[MECH SUIT POWER: 100%]
Aiden nodded to himself.
Satisfied, he sealed the compartment and stepped back into the mech suit. The systems came online smoothly, and the internal balance corrected itself again. He knew the suit would be doing most of the heavy work today.
He headed deeper into the workshop area where the Mech Frame Assembly Unit stood. The machine had been broken when he first arrived in this world, damaged beyond simple repair. He had taken it apart early on and reused its parts to build tools and basic equipment that kept him alive. Without it, his early survival would have been far harder.
Now he needed it back.
The unit was designed to make mech parts, but that role no longer fit his situation. He planned to modify it to produce smaller components instead, parts sized for repairs and upgrades to the mech suit. The left arm and several other sections had taken serious damage, and full replacement parts were no longer realistic.
Another change was already forming in his mind. He would add a brain wave control system to the left side of the mech suit as well. Without his left hand, manual control would only slow him down. Neural input would let him move the arm naturally once it was rebuilt.
That was the plan for now.
Aiden turned toward the secure storage and unlocked it. Shelves of materials came into view, neatly arranged and untouched. He selected what he needed and loaded them onto a transport tray, then pushed it back toward the assembly area.
He took one last look at the broken machine, then set his stance and began working.
******
My name is Lian.
Before Elder Rethan found me, I was an orphan slave. I don't remember my parents clearly, only the days where every mistake meant that I would get beaten up. Many of us were slaves like me, and when we escaped, the Ravanis Kingdom began hunting us.
Every step away from them felt dangerous, and every night I thought they'd catch us again.
Elder Rethan together with Uncle Talren and the others led us far from the roads and cities, deep into the forest. The walk was long, and my feet hurt almost every day. Food was little, and sometimes my stomach felt empty for a long time.
Even so, it was still better than being a slave. No one hit me for being slow. No one shouted when I made small mistakes. At night, I could sleep without fear, and during the day I could play with the other kids. I still felt scared sometimes, but Elder Rethan told me that I smiled more than before now.
Then the monsters came.
Their sounds were loud and close, and everyone panicked at once. Adults shouted, and people ran in different directions. My body froze for a moment, but when I saw the other kids shaking, my legs moved on their own.
I grabbed a stick from the ground and stood in front of them. My hands were shaking, and my arms felt weak, but I didn't step back. I thought that if something bad happened, I will stand up and protect everyone.
The elders gathered us into the big tent. It was crowded inside. One elder saw the stick in my hands. He smiled at me, but his eyes looked sad, why was that? I told him I'd protect everyone. I meant it, even if I didn't know how. When he heard that, he suddenly cried. That scared me more than the monsters. I hugged him tightly and stayed close.
I will protect my new home.
For a short while, things felt calmer. Then a huge snake appeared. It was bigger than anything I'd ever seen, and just looking at it made my legs feel weak. Everyone shouted for us to run, and I ran too. When I looked back, the homes we built were being destroyed again. Tents fell, and the ground shook. My eyes burned, and I wanted to cry, but I held it in.
Then I saw him.
A man stood between us and the huge snake. He didn't run. He blocked its attack and used magic stronger than Elder Rethan. I watched him fight alone, and my chest felt tight when he hurt the monster and made it flee. I have never seen someone stand like that.
That man led us to a new place. Tall walls surrounded it, and for the first time in a long while, I felt safe without forcing myself to believe it. He was very strong, but what mattered more was that he protected us when no one else could.
I clenched my fists.
One day, I want to be like him.
******
The Mech Frame Assembly Unit stood whole again in front of Aiden.
It had taken longer than he wanted. Working with one arm slowed every step, yet the mech suit made up for it, especially the heavy lifting part. Motors hummed as he locked heavy panels into place, clamps holding parts steady while his right hand guided bolts and connectors.
The unit responded as systems came online one by one, screens lighting up with familiar status lines. When the final alignment check passed, he let out a slow breath and rested his hand against the frame.
It was operational.
Aiden moved without delay. He brought up the blueprint and started adjusting it for the mech suit arm, cutting away everything that was not needed. He would make an arm first, and all other upgrades could wait after that.
Keeping the design simple reduced risks and saved time, which mattered more than refinement right now. He reviewed the specs several times, scanning for flaws or missed limits. Nothing unusual appeared. The new arm used stronger materials than the old one, but the structure stayed pretty much the same.
Satisfied, he started the fabrication.
The Assembly Unit moved with steady precision. Metal plates were cut, shaped, and reinforced. Joint housings formed layer by layer, each section tested before the next began. Aiden stayed close, watching tolerances and stress limits. Sweat gathered under the suit as hours passed. His movements stayed controlled, even when fatigue pressed in. He did not rush.
His efforts paid off and everything was finished.
When the arm was complete, he guided it to the hangar.
The mech suit hung suspended by the crane, its damaged side exposed. Aiden adjusted the controls and eased the new arm into position. The connection points lined up slowly. Locks engaged with heavy clicks. Power lines slid into place. He paused often, checking seals and alignment. When the final connection was secured, he stepped back and studied the result.
He was not satisfied.
"J.E.M., run a full damage scan."
[SCAN IN PROGRESS]
The report only confirmed what his senses had already told him. Several sections of the suit still carried stress from the earlier battle, and leaving them untouched would invite failure later. With the new arm in place, his range of movement returned, and he put it to use at once.
Panels were removed and set aside in careful order. Internal supports were exposed, inspected, and reinforced where strain marks showed. Parts that had worn down were swapped out for stronger replacements when possible.
He adjusted internal layouts to spread force more evenly and tightened tolerances that had loosened over time. Each change added weight to the frame, yet that weight translated into stability and strength he could trust.
As he worked, his thoughts drifted toward the core system. A stronger power source would solve many limits at once, and the idea stayed with him as his hands moved from task to task.
The calculations ran quietly in his head, and the answer stayed the same every time. The quality of cores he had was not enough. Pushing the system now would risk a collapse at the worst moment. That upgrade would have to wait until better resources were secured.
Hours passed before the final panel slid into place. He locked it down, checked the seals, and stood still for a moment. Then he stepped into the suit.
The weight settled around him, familiar and steady. Power flowed cleanly through the frame, and every movement felt controlled. The repairs were complete, and the suit answered him without hesitation.
He moved the new arm slowly at first. Fingers opened and closed. The elbow rotated. The shoulder joint followed clean commands.
He switched to brainwave control and focused. The arm responded without delay. The connection felt natural, almost seamless. He tested strength next, lifting and lowering weight until he felt confident.
Two days had passed while fixing the mech suit.
During that time, J.E.M. managed the base without pause. Drones moved along fixed paths, carrying medicine, clean bandages, and simple supplies to those who needed them. Wounds were cleaned and wrapped with steady care, and the injured were guided to safe places where they could rest without being disturbed.
Fresh water was distributed freely, drawn from abundant reserves within the base. Thirst was no longer a worry, and the steady supply helped calm nerves and restore strength after the chaos they had endured. People took turns sleeping, watching over one another while fatigue slowly gave way to relief.
Inside the walls, the tension did not disappear, but it changed. Fear no longer pushed people to shout or run. Movement stayed quiet and purposeful, and voices dropped to low tones as if no one wanted to disturb the fragile sense of safety.
Each small action, from sharing food to checking on the wounded, helped settle their thoughts. For the first time since the attack, the base felt controlled, and that order allowed everyone to breathe a little easier.
Aiden stood still inside the hangar when the final check ended.
The mech suit was ready. He was ready.
He turned toward the exit and began walking. It was time to face the natives again.