This is a Beta Test?! - A Literally Broken System

MARUKI

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Maruki had never seen such a blatant disregard for Kattleynan sovereignty in his entire life serving the Imperial Family. He had sworn a duty ever since he acquired his [Manifest], and he shall do such thing to the very end of his life.

Looking out at sea, the lights that Sir Moriya had turned on for them had helped plenty in terms of defending their position. He could actually see the cannonballs coming now, and he could react accordingly as he jumped and braced himself for every attack that came their way.

"[DIVINE SHIELD!]"

Slamming his shield with his sword, he jumped up and intercepted yet another cannonball aimed right at their [Rig]'s bridge. Roaring to life, blue glowing wings erupted from his shield just as the enemy projectile hit him.

[*BOOM!*]

"UGHH!!"

Rolling back down to the deck in a cloud of smoke, Maruki shrugged off the attack as usual as he shakily stood up to his feet. It was simply unfortunate that while the lights helped immensely in his duty to defend the princess, it also made it easier for their enemies to aim their shots directly at their command center.

"Is this all you have to offer, heathens?!"

With a shout, Maruki jumped up once more, slamming his shield and putting up the defense that had already saved their [Rig] from sinking dozens of times.

"[DIVINE SHIELD!]"

[*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*]

Three cannonballs collided against his blue wings, the damage making it harder for him to breathe as he landed back down on the [Rig]. Panting hard, his shield grew ever brighter as his sense of duty only made him stronger.

"I... I WILL NOT YIELD!"

[*"What's our situation out there?!"*]

The tank's ears perked up as Sir Moriya's voice echoed out from behind him. Taking a short glance, a small communications device was currently relaying the man's voice throughout the [Rig], a few devices meant to answer back showing up as if asking him to reply.

And reply, he did.

"The enemy has still not relented in their attacks!" he shouted out, his shield already glowing to intercept yet another salvo of Vestygian cannon fire. "Worry not, however! I can do this for as long as it is needed!"

[*"That's Maruki, at least..."*] Sir Moriya's voice echoed out from behind him. [*"Shade?! Shizu?! Shen?!"*]

Maruki kept his ears peeled for whatever orders their second-in-command might have. It seemed that the communication system worked in a way that only Sir Moriya was able to hear the entirety of the conversation. And if he was no longer needed, then he shall return to what he did best.

"Come!"

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SHEN

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"T-This is so bad!"

Shen grimaced as she rushed her way below deck, hopefully reaching the hull breaches before they took in too much water. Thankfully, finding the holes wasn't that hard.

Unfortunately, it also meant braving the hot waters of the Deep.

"H-Hot!"

Tiptoeing through the cramped corridors of the [Rig], Shen never expected herself to be working for a princess, let alone a goddess that could somehow change the very world itself. Granted, said ability also stemmed from that [Manifest] thingy as well, but who cares? That Guidance lady could somehow manipulate the world around them, and yet she wasn't some kind of god somehow?

What a horrible liar.

"So hot!" Shen cried out, her feet practically burning up the more she waded through the red waters of the deep. "Why did I agree to this?!"

Thankfully, the lights somehow came on a while ago, meaning that she didn't have to use her hands to help her see through the dim red lights. Making their way to the engine room earlier had the hallways being decently lit, but going deeper into the hull had been an entirely different beast.

Everything she laid her hands on had been hot to the touch, hot enough that her fingers were starting to blister with how many times she bumped into a metal pipe that just hissed with steam and heat. She honestly didn't know what to do, but her dedication to fixing something spurred her on.

"My [Fixit]'s one of those [Manifest] thingies," she whispered to herself, her left hand holding on to the trusty old wrench. "Surely, I can do something cool too..."

Shen didn't really believe it at first, but apparently, her ability to fix things was tied to the wrench that she just picked up somewhere back in the scrapyard. She didn't even think that much about it. She just thought that it was a neat wrench that could help her with her self-studies.

"Oww!" she yelped out as she stepped on a puddle of red water. "AGHH!! IT BURNS!"

Jumping out, Shen cried as she fell to the floor, her palms making contact with the hot metal below her as she hissed once more.

"ACKK! W-WHY IS EVERYTHING.. S-SO HOT!?"

The pain was unbearable, and the regret she was feeling was starting to overwhelm her. However, that nagging insistence at the back of her head to fix things kept on railing at her psyche. She had always had these feelings throughout her life, but it was never this apparent as she forced herself back up.

"I... I can do this...."

Somehow, for some reason, she found herself looking at her trusty old wrench. Her [Fixit] was glowing green, the pains in her left hand seemingly disappearing as her burns slowly healed themselves.

It was at that moment that she realized one aspect of her power. "I-I can fix things... even people..."

Almost immediately, Shen began tapping herself with the wrench, sweet relief flowing through her as she giggled maniacally. "Heh... Hahaha!"

[*"What's our situation out there?!"*]

Her laughs stopped. A voice? Moriya?

[*"That's Maruki, at least... Shade?! Shizu?! Shen?!"*]

Turning around, she noticed some sort of device that was echoing Moriya's voice. There was also some kind of opening below it that she could shout into? "Hello?!"

[*"Shen?!"*]

"I'm down here below deck!" Shen replied. "It's kinda hot in here, but I'm getting there!"

[*"You're alright then..."*] Moriya let out a sigh of relief.

"You bet!" Shen beamed. "I can fix anything, remember?!"

[*"Go ahead and do your thing, Shen,"*] he chuckled. [*"And as for you, Shade and Shizu, I found the button. Get ready for some assistance on my end."*]

Feeling newfound confidence blooming within her, Shen puffed her chest up high as she bravely waded through the hot waters. She had nothing to fear anymore. So long as she can fix herself, she was practically invincible!

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