The main component of the Mark I Humanoid Exo-Skeleton was the skeletal-like component that was secured to the back. It was a load-bearing artefact, meant to support the user in carrying heavy weights. Unpowered, it increased one’s load-bearing capacity by a third, but when fully powered, it would double that instead.

It looked like a second spine or something to Aziz, just that it was less gory than the pictures he’d seen on reference books. There were four slots on the Exo-Skeleton, each of them meant to accommodate supports for the limbs. These supports ended in a gauntlet for the hands, and an ankle brace for the feet. The enhancement factor was similar; one-third when unpowered, double when powered.

“Give it a try, the two of you,” said Shiki. “Test out your movements, and be gentle about it. We’ll make any minute adjustments you think is necessary. Once you’re done, we’ll attach the retractable armour plates and the Barrier Orb, and you’ll be free to use it in battle.”

The old man’s evident ease was enough to make Aziz put down any worry, and after executing some combat movements, the colonel nodded to himself.

“All fine, Shiki,” said Aziz.

“Same here for me,” Marie added.

“Good. It seems that we can begin mass production soon, if the basic specs don’t require fine adjustment. Okay. We’ll now be attaching the retractable armour plates. Do you still remember how to activate and deactivate them?”

“Yes,” said Marie. “While wearing the gauntlets, clench the right fist five times in rapid succession to activate them. Clench the left fist to deactivate them.”

“Correct. Now, stay still and let my technicians attach those armour plates.”

Shiki glanced at the two teams of people bustling around the area, and then cleared his throat. Assembling in front of him a moment later, the old researcher assigned the team of women to Marie, and the team of men to Aziz.

The armour plates, in their retractable form, looked like small black rectangles. It didn’t take long before they were inserted into the supports on the back of his limbs and his back; clearly, these technicians had done the same thing repeatedly until the point of mastery.

After doing a few checks, the technicians around the two of them took a few steps back and nodded at the old man, who smiled in return. “Thank you, guys. Marshal, colonel, you can start the trial now. There might be a weird sensation or two, but it’s natural, since we upgraded the armour plates. Just bear with it for a few seconds.”

“Got it.”

“Don’t get creeped out, yes.” Marie smiled, and then clenched her fist five times. Black metal slid outwards and covered her entire body, leaving only her head exposed. Blue lines filled up whatever gaps that had been in her armour, turning the marshal into a sleek light show.

“How do I look?” Marie asked, doing a twirl on the spot.

“Fetching, ma’am.” Aziz eyed her from top to heel. The stark contrast between her bright hair and her black armour was really cool, but now that he’d taken a good look at the armour, he couldn’t help but feel worried.

“Still,” said the colonel, “doesn’t this mean that the user can’t use items on their body? Small tools, things like these…that’s a problem for soldiers, right?”

“That’s right, which is why this is only given to the Republic’s people in the Hall of Guardians,” said Shiki. “And besides, there’s an attachment for a cloak here. Get one with loops and pockets and they’ll hold whatever items you want. Alright. Colonel, your turn.”

Aziz looked at his fist and clenched it five times. Black metal spread across his body, covering his uniform with a smooth black sheen. A soothing coolness enveloped him seconds later, as what seemed to be a built-in cooling system kicked into action.

“Not bad,” Aziz said.

“Right?” Shiki’s eyes twinkled. “We’ll just run some final checks, and then you two are free to leave. Right, we have a cloak for you two. Complimentary, and it comes with enough pockets to hide a small arsenal inside.”

“Thank you so much, Shiki,” said Marie. “Much appreciated.”

“Thanks for your help,” Aziz added.

“Alright, alright. Now, just get over here and help us get a bit more data, okay?” Beckoning them over to a small gauntlet of trials, the old researcher clapped his hands, and the technicians began to double down on their work.

After an hour or so, the tests were done. Shiki had run them through obstacles and tasks designed to test the limits of their newly acquired artefact, and Aziz had put in his all to complete them the way the researcher wanted it to be.

“Still, was a spar really necessary?” Aziz grumbled, as he drank from a cup of water that had been kindly provided by the old man.

“Why are you the one grumbling? You didn’t hold back at all, did you?” Marie rubbed her elbow, a grimace on her face. “That really hurt!”

Aziz looked away. “Sorry. I was a bit too engrossed in the tests, so…”

“Well, whatever.” She turned to the old man. “Do we need to do anything else?”

“No,” Shiki replied, passing over two pieces of paper. “Just sign out here, and you two can go. Thank you for your help in the trials back then.”

“It should be us thanking you,” said Marie.

The old man chuckled, and turned to the young lieutenant that had been leaning by the wall the whole time. “Jasper, we’re done here. Do escort them out safely, if you please.”

“Yes, sir.” The young man walked over to Aziz and Marie. “Ma’am, sir, do follow me.”

Waving goodbye to Shiki and the technicians, the two followed the lieutenant out, their bodies still clad in the black armour. Aziz didn’t want to deactivate it so quickly, since he wanted to get used to wearing it. It would be a problem if the first time he wore it for an extended period of time was on the battlefield itself.

Marie probably had the same thought.

Aziz stretched his body and said, “Say, how long are you going to keep that armour on?”

“Maybe the whole day?” She looked around the place, her eyes wistful. “I wonder if we’ll get to test more prototypes.”

“If we’re lucky, I guess.”

Before Marie could reply to his words, the entire building shook.

No. It wasn’t just the entire building; this sensation reminded Aziz of the time the Great Divide fell, and as he glanced at Marie, she too clearly had the same thought.

“Something’s happening!”

The lieutenant at the front glanced back at them. “Pick up your pace.”

Jogging through the hallways, Aziz and Marie burst out of the building. High up in the sky, beyond the reach of anyone, were the warring Divine Kingdoms of the great gods. He’d gotten used to their dim shine over the past week, but now…

They were practically glowing.