The Martial Unity

Chapter 2528: Input-Output Transmission Control System



Rui narrowed his eyes as he listened to the Esoterist's explanations about how the engine- core of the MECHA functioned. He had to admit, he was impressed by how well the design seemed to make the human being the center of the MECHA, literally and figuratively.

He had been deeply skeptical of whether a MECHA could harness human potential as well as conventional Martial weapons. After all, his understanding of this formerly fictional technology was that mech pilots only interacted with mechs as far as data input and outputs were concerned.

However, in the MECHA model that the Esoterist had innovated, the MECHA pilot was also literally the engine of power.

That exceeded his expectations entirely.

Now he could understand how MECHAS harnessed the full depths of human potential.

"However, that isn't all, leaders of humankind." The Esoterist smiled. "I am pleased to inform you that this isn't the extent to which MECHAS centralize human beings in their philosophy. The MECHA doesn't just draw physical power from the pilot, but it also makes the most of their durability and endurance. The hydraulics transmission system transmits not just power from the pilot to the mech, but also a portion of all impacts weathered by the MECHA to the pilot."

This shocked all those who listened to the Esoterist.

The 'A' in MECHA stood for armor.

Armor was meant to protect the wearer by taking damage instead of the wearer. Yet, the Esoterist had just brazenly informed that MECHAs shared damage with the user!

"I am aware of how counterintuitive this must sound, but there is a reason for this," he explained. "First, durability and endurance are an entire dimension of human potential that, if discarded, could make MECHAS entirely unviable as a Martial Path."

Considering that one of the whole reasons that the Esoterist had developed MECHAS was to turn them into viable Martial Paths, he simply didn't want to do anything that could prevent this.

"Additionally, spreading damage over a larger variety of targets dilutes the damage and minimizes loss in combat power," he added. "On top of that, if these MECHAS are piloted by Martial Artists, then they will easily be able to handle a portion of the impact with their Martial prowess."

In other words, as counterintuitive as it was, it was best to let both the MECHA and the pilot suffer damage rather than letting either of them suffer all the damage. In this particular model, both the MECHA and the pilot were important.

"That covers the two primary functions of the engine-core," the Esoterist surmised. "It is the means of transmitting power from pilot to machine and means of transmitting damage from machine to pilot. It is thus the most important part of the MECHA."

He waved his hand, zooming in on the pilot.

The pilot happened to be donning a layer of a strange esoteric substance that covered every inch of their body. They wore what appeared to be a thick helmet-like apparatus that covered the entire head.

"If I had to name a component of MECHAS that was perhaps just as important as the engine- core, it would most certainly have to be the MECHA interface," he explained. "This interface, which takes the form of an Input-Output Flux Transmission System, allows pilots to seamlessly maneuver MECHAS as though they were wielding their own bodies."

That was a bold claim.

Many a person had wondered how such an unnerving contraption could possibly be controlled by a human to the same degree that swords could be controlled.

The Esoterist had found the solution.

"The input transmission suit that you see the pilot wearing is actually the means by which the pilot senses the surroundings of the MECHA," the Esoterist informed them. "The way that it does is that the MECHA transmits all sensory stimuli it experiences directly to the suit which in turn recreates the same sensory stimuli identically onto the body of the pilot. That is why it covers every inch of the MECHA pilot. If the MECHA steps on a rock, the pilot will experience that sensation of stepping on said rock scaled down to their size."

A wave of murmurs erupted from the leaders of human civilization at this stunning revelation. To think that there would be such a profound manner of conveying sensory data of the MECHAS' outskirts to the pilot!

"That's not all." The Esoterist smiled. "That is just half of the interface. The input half. The way that the pilot controls the MECHA is through a bioelectrical control unit that you see covering the pilot's head."

He zoomed in on it, continuing his explanation. "This device reads the brainwaves of the pilot and conveys them to the MECHA which in turn executes the will of the pilot. This is based on the same principle as Martial Masters being able to read the minds of people, except to a much more precise level that comes from prior calibration and data collection on the brainwaves of each individual pilot. Thus..."

His attention returned to his audience. "The pilot is able to see the surroundings of the MECHA through the input transmission unit and control the MECHA through the bioelectrical control unit. Together, these compose the Input-Output Transmission-Control System that serves as the data interface between the MECHA and pilot."

He gave the audience time to digest everything he said.

A smirk emerged on his face even as he sensed the general atmosphere amongst the leaders of human civilization.

Aversion and wariness.

There were hints of fear, disgust, and revulsion as well as they beheld the unnerving, chilling, and lifeless humanoid form of the machine.

On a rational level, they each recognized that the Esoterist's innovation ought to be celebrated as a massive revolutionary invention that could potentially merge Martial Art and technology and aid human civilization amidst this massive apocalypse. They were even sincere in their gratitude towards the Esoterist.

However, on an instinctual and emotional level, they were deeply repulsed by the disconcerting and lifeless humanoid machine that purported to be the next step of Martial

Art.

This was simply a product of the all-but-human tendency to fear the unknown.

This was especially true for the many Martial Artists amidst the audience. They each beheld

the MECHA with severity and a hint of distaste.

This machine was supposed to be a weapon like the sword?

They couldn't bring themselves to even remotely comprehend that notion.

Instinctively, they viewed this cold, lifeless humanoid machine as no more than an

abomination.