Chapter 51: The Mind Behind the Iron Angel

What exactly is a Riki Handler?

Some might say they are commanders.

Others might call them tacticians, battlefield analysts, or simply the men responsible for guiding Iron Angels through combat.

But all of those descriptions would be incomplete.

A Riki Handler is something far more important.

Iron Angels possess bodies capable of feats that ordinary humans could only dream of. Through the cultivation of Chi, their physical abilities are pushed to extraordinary heights. Their strength, speed, durability, and senses can all reach terrifying levels.

But there is a problem.

Their minds remain human.

And when a body becomes faster than the mind controlling it, physical strength alone is no longer enough.

That is where Riki comes in.

A Riki Handler cultivates the mind itself, sharpening their perception, reasoning, mental fortitude, and computational speed to extraordinary levels.

Through Riki Arts, they can share the senses of Iron Angels, seeing what they see, hearing what they hear, and feeling what they feel.

And when an Iron Angel encounters an enemy on the battlefield, the Riki Handler may perceive the situation before the Iron Angel has even finished processing what she sees.

An attack begins.

The Handler understands it.

The Handler calculates the response.

And he sends neural signals with his Riki.

If the synchronization between the Iron Angel and Riki Handler is perfect, the Iron Angel’s body moves instantly according to those signals.

Not because the Iron Angel consciously decided to move.

But because, for that brief moment, the mind of the Riki Handler has become one with her body.

That is what a Riki Handler truly is.

Not a commander standing behind an army.

But the mind that allows an army to think faster than it ever could alone.

But...

The role of a Riki Handler does not end with sharpening the mind of an Iron Angel.

Their presence serves another, equally important purpose.

They keep Iron Angels calm.

Chi is an incredibly powerful force, but it is also inherently explosive and violent. The longer an Iron Angel remains transformed and immersed in Chi, the more that violent nature begins to influence their mind.

At first, the changes may be subtle.

Increased aggression.

A shorter temper.

A growing desire for conflict.

But the longer an Iron Angel remains in such a state, the worse those tendencies become.

If left unchecked for long enough, the Iron Angel will gradually lose control of those violent impulses and begin to approach a condition known as Chi Psychosis.

A state in which the destructive nature of Chi begins to overwhelm the mind entirely.

But this is where the presence of a Riki Handler becomes essential.

Riki does not merely sharpen the mind.

It also has a calming effect on Chi.

Through their connection, the Riki Handler can stabilize the violent fluctuations within an Iron Angel’s Chi, suppressing the impulses that would otherwise grow stronger over time.

As long as the synchronization between the two remains stable, the mental side effects of prolonged transformation can be almost completely averted... depending on the Iron Angel’s constitution and the Riki Handler’s capabilities.

In other words, a Riki Handler does not simply make an Iron Angel more efficient.

They also keep them sane.

Arthur struggled to get back on his feet, one hand pressed against the floor as he pushed himself upright.

His head was still spinning slightly from the punch.

〘Master, are you alright?〙

Genesis and Eclipsion sounded worried.

Arthur wiped the blood from beneath his nose before managing to straighten himself.

"I’m fine."

He took a slow breath, waiting for the dizziness to fade.

Across from him, Alexis and Rexi had already tensed up.

Both of them lowered their centers of gravity and took battle stances, their eyes fixed on the old man.

Arthur glanced at them.

Neither of them had a weapon.

Neither did he.

The three cadets had been specifically told that they wouldn’t need weapons for this class, so none of them had bothered bringing any.

And now...

They were being told to charge at a veteran who appeared to possess Generation Five implants.

Arthur’s eyes narrowed.

Is this old man serious?

Generation Five implants were several leagues beyond the standard equipment available to cadets.

Even without knowing the full extent of the man’s capabilities, the mechanical limbs and artificial eyes alone were enough to tell Arthur that this wasn’t an ordinary instructor.

Yet he was standing there casually gesturing for the three of them to attack him. Was he asking them to calmly throw their lives away?

The old man sighed.

He looked between the three cadets, then moved his head from left to right, causing an audible pop.

"If you don’t make a move..."

His mechanical fingers curled into a fist.

"...I will."

The old man suddenly disappeared from where he stood.

BOOM!

The metallic floor cracked beneath his feet as he launched himself forward.

Alexis’s eyes widened.

He barely had time to react.

In the blink of an eye, the old man had crossed the distance between them.

His mechanical hand clamped around Alexis’s face.

"Wha—"

BANG!

The old man slammed him into the ground.

The impact sent a violent shock through the room, leaving a visible dent in the metallic floor beneath Alexis’s body.

His eyes rolled back instantly.

Blood began to seep from his nose and ears as his body went limp.

Rexi froze.

Arthur’s eyes widened slightly.

What the hell...

The old man released Alexis and stood upright.

He glanced down at the unconscious cadet with disappointment.

"Minus five."

Rexi’s body tensed.

A faint blue glow suddenly appeared beneath the sleeve of his uniform.

Thin lines of blue light spread across his arm, illuminating the fabric from underneath.

The old man’s artificial eyes shifted.

He looked toward Rexi.

"Generation Three implants from your entrance assessment, huh?"

Rexi didn’t answer.

He slowly raised his fists.

The blue lines beneath his sleeve grew brighter.

The old man stared at him for a moment.

"An Impact Multiplier, huh?"

He chuckled.

"I hope you know that won’t make you a match for me."

Rexi gritted his teeth.

The old man lowered his stance slightly.

"Now then..."

His mechanical fingers curled.

"How are you going to put up a fight?"

Rexi’s expression hardened.

Then he changed.

BOOM!

His body shot forward, blue light flashing across his limbs as his enhanced muscles propelled him toward the instructor.

His fist came straight for the old man’s face.

But the old man simply tilted his head.

The punch passed harmlessly beside him.

Rexi’s eyes widened.

Too fast!

The instructor’s mechanical hand caught his wrist.

"Predictable."

Rexi twisted his body, attempting to pull himself free.

The old man didn’t budge.

Instead, he stepped forward.

BAM!

His knee slammed into Rexi’s stomach.

The impact lifted Rexi’s feet from the ground.

His eyes widened as the air was violently forced from his lungs.

The instructor released his wrist.

Rexi stumbled backward, clutching his stomach.

"Guh..."

The old man watched him carefully.

"Your implants make your body faster."

He took another step forward.

"But they don’t make you faster."

Rexi’s breathing became heavier.

The old man’s slowly walked up to him.

"That’s the difference between an enhanced soldier..."

"...and a Riki Handler."