Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Mechanical Railgun

"Newbie Armament Preparation and Simulation Training Area—what a long name... This should be it." Following the map’s directions, Zhuang Xiaoyuan finally saw her green dot overlap with the yellow one, and found the section marked with a sign reading "Newbie Armament Preparation and Simulation Training Area." Yet, as she stepped inside, she was utterly at a loss.

The so-called "Newbie Armament Preparation and Simulation Training Area" was a vast building reminiscent of a large sports arena, though its interior bore no relation to any gymnasium. The space was enormous, but filled with so many props and devices that even the spacious halls felt almost crowded. Crowded, but not chaotic. Rows upon rows of high-tech circular pods, each large enough to fit three or four people, were neatly aligned throughout the open chamber.

Perhaps due to the recent emergency announcement, Zhuang Xiaoyuan found herself alone in the room—no one else was present. She approached the nearest pod and began to examine it.

This pod was semi-circular, its lower half flush with the floor, while the upper portion, rising above ground, formed a smooth hemisphere. The dome was made of an unknown white metal, except for a section facing her, where an arc of reinforced glass was embedded. Zhuang Xiaoyuan tapped her fingers against the glass—despite her efforts, she couldn’t scratch or break it, confirming its hardness and strength far surpassed ordinary reinforced glass.

The pod’s surface was flawlessly smooth, with no visible buttons or controls. Only when she circled around and explored with her hands did she find a patch with a distinctly different texture. This area lay on the pod’s left side—her right as she stood before it. It looked identical to the surrounding metal, but when she ran her palm across it, it felt like touching a touchscreen.

The moment she pressed her entire hand against this area, a beep sounded and a mechanical whirring began. The pod’s curved glass shield slowly lifted upward, revealing its inner workings.

Amazed by the technology of this world, Zhuang Xiaoyuan peered inside. The interior was stark and simple: just a single reclining chair that looked exceedingly comfortable. Above the headrest was a headset and visor, an apparatus reminiscent of VR gear from her previous life.

Seeing the setup, she quickly surmised how the armament system worked here. Previously, Zhuang Xiaosi had shown no sign of carrying any weapons, yet she’d gone straight to the front lines. The mecha girls must have space-folding technology or similar means to carry equipment. The weapons were probably stored in a personal dimension.

With no one else around, Zhuang Xiaoyuan had no choice but to figure things out herself. Since this was an armament preparation and simulation training area, there shouldn’t be any real danger. Reassured, she climbed into the pod, settling into the chair and donning the headset and visor.

As she lay back and fastened the gear, the curved glass slowly lowered, sealing her inside. But by then, Zhuang Xiaoyuan could see nothing of the real world—once the headset and visor were on, she found herself immersed in a sea of weaponry.

The instant she put on the equipment, it felt as though the pod’s system had connected directly with her. When she regained her senses, she was standing in a vast empty space, surrounded by darkness, with only a glowing screen of text before her eyes.

[Unit presence confirmed. Initiating connection. Connection complete. Confirming unit model... Confirming... Unit model confirmed. Experiment 99, Prototype Unit Zero. Checking permissions... Checking... Permissions check complete. No restrictions set. Welcome to the Central Armament Arsenal.]

As the stream of text faded, light filled the darkness, revealing rows and rows of racks, each laden with different types of weaponry. To her left and right, endless shelves filled with data and blueprints stretched into the distance, as if she truly stood in an infinite ocean of arms.

Though overwhelmed by the multitude of weapon choices, Zhuang Xiaoyuan managed to restrain the impulse to grab everything she saw. She took a deep breath, exhaled, and calmed her mind.

Approaching the nearest weapons rack, she found a massive turret-like weapon hanging from it. The turret was nearly as tall as she was, with twin barrels extending three or four times its own height.

How on earth is a mecha girl supposed to use something this big? She couldn’t even lift it, let alone fly with it. Was it designed for group battles, to be operated by several mecha girls at once? With this in mind, she looked down at the floating information screen above the weapon: [Electromagnetic Railgun: A heavy, high-powered weapon that uses electromagnetic fields to launch projectiles at high velocity. Muzzle velocity: 4,500–5,600 miles per hour. Drawback: Severe energy consumption.]

"Goodness, it’s actually the legendary electromagnetic railgun. This is an absolute must," she exclaimed, captivated by the description.

Any devotee of anime in her previous life would know about electromagnetic railguns, those ultra-high-tech weapons. Even if they didn’t, they’d certainly recognize the Railgun—a character famous for using similar abilities based on electromagnetic induction. Given the destructive power of the Railgun’s attacks, this electromagnetic railgun was surely a supersized version of the same concept. Its power was undeniable; she had to have it.

She tapped "Confirm Load" on the screen, then turned to the second weapons rack. This one didn’t have anything as oversized as the railgun, but instead offered eight identical, spindle-shaped weapons, each one thicker than her own thigh.

Their appearance gave no clue to their function, so Zhuang Xiaoyuan checked the information screen: [Remote-Controlled Multipurpose Floating Cannons: A system of multiple detached floating cannons, remotely operated through mental input and multi-lock-on systems. Designed for one-vs-many combat scenarios, against multiple enemy units.]

"This... this is just like the DRAGOON System from Freedom Gundam!" Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s eyes sparkled, nearly drooling with excitement. Though the shape and construction were different, the sight of eight independent, self-guided floating weapons instantly reminded her of the DRAGOON System from Gundam. Every boy dreams of being a martial arts hero—no, a mecha pilot. And the Freedom Gundam equipped with the DRAGOON System was absolutely one of the top mechas in her heart.