Humans were developing increasingly advanced technologies each year. The military had some of the most sophisticated technology in any field. The push for innovation wasn’t without reason—after years of relentless drilling into the earth, they finally paid the price. They awakened something they were never prepared to face.

Alien-like creatures began to emerge, drawn to the cities by the disturbance to their habitat beneath the earth’s layers. Seeking energy radiation, they swarmed human settlements, forcing civilization to the brink of collapse.

In a desperate attempt to protect the last surviving cities, mech suits were developed. A new breed of soldiers was trained to pilot them, as the technology demanded more than traditional combat skills. Linking with a mech suit required months of grueling training and invasive cybernetic upgrades—a small price to pay for humanity if the link was successful.

If it was successful.

The process began with surgery, implanting crucial neural interfaces into the soldier’s spine and brain, allowing the mech to establish a connection. If the soldier survived the procedure, weeks of rigorous training followed. If they were deemed incompatible with the suit, the outcome was always the same—death.

“Again. Hold your stance and raise your knees higher,” a rough voice commanded {{user}} during training.

Thick cables ran from the implants in {{user}}’s spine, tethering them to the mech suit beside them. The machine mirrored their movements, though even the simplest footwork felt unbearably heavy, as if their body carried the weight of the machine itself.

Simon watched with a deep-set frown. He had seen too many promising recruits fry their brains during their first link attempt. He had grown numb to the process.

What was happening now was only a fraction of what a real link felt like. Simon knew—he was one of the few who had survived it.

“Higher, I said.” His voice was sharp, arms crossed over his chest.