Chapter 72: Biological Exoskeleton Armor

"President, this is the prototype of the biological exoskeleton armor: Crimson-1."

Dr. Tinei presented a crimson-red suit of armor to Haruto, resembling a skeletal frame covering the entire body.

The deep red color looked almost like flowing blood. It pulsed faintly, as if it were alive and breathing.

Haruto nodded, waiting for further explanation.

"Crimson-1 is primarily made of synthetic RC cells, engineered by the foundation. It has tensile strength and durability far surpassing regular alloys. If Crimson-1 sustains damage within 30%, it can self-repair, ensuring continuous operation."

"Equipping Crimson-1 requires the use of Crimson-A serum, which contains trace amounts of synthetic RC cells. It has been tested on D-class personnel and proven harmless to the human body."

"Crimson-1 directly interfaces with the muscular nervous system, making it feel like a natural extension of the body, minimizing latency."

"It has excellent adaptability, adjusting its shape to fit the wearer for optimized combat performance."

"This exoskeleton armor enhances the wearer's strength by over three tons and boosts movement speed to 33.4 meters per second."

"In full-coverage mode, it can withstand three minutes of continuous fire from handguns and light machine guns. It is also immune to gas, toxins, acids, and alkalis."

"The augmentation module includes a 3D Maneuver Gear-3, embedded with interchangeable high-concentration Icefall Stone cartridges for aerial mobility and short flight durations."

"It also integrates anomalous items such as,

SCP-207 (Coca-Cola variant): Enhances agility and reaction speed for 24 hours.

Ghoul-1 (Ghoul Blood): Rapidly heals injuries, though with minor side effects."

"The weapon module includes:

1. A Glock pistol

2. An M920 light machine gun

3. Adaptive blade extensions that surpass alloy strength

4. Optional equipment like a tactical grenade launcher, flamethrower, laser beam, and railgun."

"Now, here is the test footage of Crimson-1 with the subject: Levi Ackerman."

The screen lit up, displaying Levi's sharp yet slightly annoyed expression.

"Is this thing really meant for humans?"

After receiving confirmation, he clicked his tongue and injected the red serum—Crimson-A.

Then, he stepped toward the Crimson-1 armor.

Just as he reached out his hand, the armor expanded and enclosed him instantly.

The test began.

The site is a massive alloy chamber—2000 meters long, 300 meters wide, and 300 meters tall.

Afterward, following the instructions, Levi underwent a speed test.

For a 1,000-meter run, Levi completed it in 9.85 seconds—running as if it were a 100-meter sprint. At his normal speed, he had already surpassed many sports cars. Moreover, even after ten tests, Levi still showed no signs of fatigue.

Physical examinations indicated that after running ten kilometers, Levi's heart rate only slightly increased, classifying his state as light exercise—similar to taking a walk.

For the strength test, Levi lifted an alloy weighing 15.37 tons at maximum.

This might not mean much to some, so here's a comparison: Spider-Man's strength is officially set at 15 tons.

In other words, Levi, equipped with the Crimson-1, could likely stop a runaway train with his bare hands.

Omni-Directional Mobility Test

The Crimson-1 suit had two rows of jet nozzles at the back and no hook locks, as the Crimson-1 could extend itself independently.

Levi used the Crimson-1 to maneuver swiftly within the room, practically ignoring gravity.

His speed far exceeded his normal running speed. Even without using hook locks, he could remain airborne solely by relying on gas propulsion.

The Crimson-1 was equipped with a condensed Icefall Stone canister, far superior to the old ODM gear's storage system.

It could sustain high-intensity combat for over ten hours. Even if Levi relied entirely on gas propulsion for aerial movement, the fuel would last for more than an hour.

Full-Coverage Mode

The Crimson-1 extended outward, fully enveloping Levi.

In this mode, none of Levi's skin was exposed.

He could withstand close-range gunfire, explosive blasts, and shrapnel without taking damage.

Any minor damage to the Crimson-1 was completely repaired within seconds to a dozen seconds.

Afterward, Levi stepped out of the Crimson-1, appearing somewhat reluctant to part with it.

The test footage ended here.

Dr. Tinei turned off the video and then looked at Haruto, saying,

"President, the augmentation module test footage previously featured D-class personnel. This time, no personnel were expended. As for the weapon module, most weapons are still beyond the control of the test subject, Levi Ackerman, so they were not tested here. Due to Levi Ackerman's outstanding physical test results, these test data will be used as a reference. When others equip the suit, performance may slightly decrease."

Haruto nodded.

To be honest, he was already quite satisfied.

The Crimson-1, though still a prototype, demonstrated exceptional performance and a well-developed system in nearly every aspect. If it became standard equipment for the Mobile Task Force...

Then, the combat power of this task force would be unimaginable.

Even standard Level 3 anomalies wouldn't stand a chance against them. Even Level 4 anomalies would struggle to resist being taken down.

"What about production difficulty and costs?"

Since the performance was flawless, it was time to discuss the cost.

It would be disastrous if the Foundation had to exhaust all its resources just to create one Crimson-1.

Dr. Tinei handed him a cost report.

"The main issue is the excessive consumption of pseudo-RC cell kagune. Cultivating pseudo-RC cells can only be done bit by bit."

Haruto skimmed through the report and nodded.

In short, they lacked RC cells. Currently, the Foundation had only one captured Ghoul—Rize Kamishiro.

Even if they drained her completely, they wouldn't have enough material for two Crimson-1 suits.

For now, they could only extract Rize Kamishiro's cells and have the Foundation cultivate them.

The cost of this process was manageable, but the time required was too long.

If only they could capture more Ghouls...

Unfortunately, Rize did not possess Coordinate Power.

Haruto wasn't sure how she differed from Annie. While pondering this, Haruto suddenly remembered something...

Didn't he have the ability to assimilate others using the Blacklight Virus?

The Blacklight Virus contained recorded Ghoul genetic data.

"Dr. Tinei, bring in some D-class personnel."

A not-so-ethical idea crossed his mind.

Dr. Tinei was puzzled but still followed the order, instructing armed personnel to escort several D-class individuals into the room. Haruto approached them and injected his blood into their bodies.

He then manipulated the Blacklight Virus, assimilating them while fully degrading their genetic makeup to match a Ghoul's.

The D-class personnel underwent a short adaptation period before showing immense pain.

Soon after, their eyes turned blood-red, and their expressions became frenzied.

"Kagune Eyes!?"