Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Shane woke up to the sound of a mechanical voice echoing in his room.

"Good morning, Pilot Buron. Your scheduled neural synchronization test begins in one hour. Please proceed to the hangar."

Still groggy, he sat up and took in his surroundings. The room was filled with high-tech equipment, monitors, and advanced weaponry. The reality of his reincarnation was settling in. He was no longer the Shane E. Buron from his previous world but had taken over the body of this universe's Shane E. Buron—one with a drastically different personality and past.

As he prepared for the test, his inherited memories began surfacing, painting a vivid picture of the previous owner of this body. The original Shane was an egotistical and stubborn individual who had insisted on piloting a Jaeger alone. At first, the world was in awe—he had achieved what no other pilot had. He controlled Rajah, a state-of-the-art Jaeger, for nearly half a day without breaking synchronization. However, what no one knew was that the strain was slowly killing him.

The neural load of operating a Jaeger solo was beyond human limits. Normally, two pilots shared the immense burden of connecting their minds to the massive machine, but Shane had pushed himself beyond reason. The pain had been unbearable, yet he never showed it. Instead, he would walk back to his quarters, barely holding himself together. On the night of his final test, the moment he entered his room, his body collapsed. The neural strain had been too much, and he died alone, unseen, and unsung.

Now, Shane—formerly from another world—occupied this body, inheriting everything from his predecessor, including the memories, skills, and experiences, but without the reckless hubris. He knew what mistakes the previous Shane had made, and he had no intention of repeating them.

The Buron Family Legacy

The Buron family was one of the most influential families in the Philippines, far surpassing even the government in power and resources. Their enterprise, Buron Industries, dominated multiple sectors: advanced technology, food production, and medical innovations. Their wealth and influence stretched across the globe, making them a formidable force in both business and politics.

The family consisted of four surviving members: Shane's father, a brilliant yet pragmatic businessman who had built the empire from the ground up; his older sister, an expert strategist in military affairs; and his second elder sister, a technological genius responsible for several innovations in Jaeger technology. Their mother, however, had perished during the first Kaiju attack, an event that shaped Shane's relentless desire to become a Jaeger pilot.

It was his mother's death that fueled his obsession with creating a Jaeger specifically for himself. He had personally demanded its construction, pushing his father to gather the best engineers and scientists from around the world. Thus, Rajah was born—a Jaeger built to be piloted by a single individual, against all known safety protocols. His father had vehemently opposed the idea, but Shane's unyielding determination left him with no choice.

Now, the new Shane had inherited not only Rajah but also the immense expectations that came with it. He had no emotional attachment to the previous Shane's actions, but he acknowledged that this was still his family in this world. If he was going to continue, he needed to do it right.

The Second Test

Dressed in his pilot suit, Shane made his way to the hangar. As he entered, all eyes were on him. The technicians and engineers whispered among themselves, still amazed at how he had survived the first test. They were unaware that he was no longer the same Shane Buron.

The head engineer approached him. "Pilot Buron, are you sure about this? We can still reconsider the dual-pilot system."

Shane smirked, but this time, it wasn't arrogance—it was confidence. "Let's get started."

The neural synchronization test began once again. As the neural bridge activated, he felt the immense pressure of connecting to Rajah's core. Memories of the previous Shane's struggles flashed before him, but unlike his predecessor, he had knowledge of both his past life and this new one. He knew how to distribute the neural load more effectively, managing the synchronization with precision and discipline.

As Rajah powered up, the Jaeger moved smoothly, as if responding directly to Shane's thoughts. The engineers monitored the data, amazed at the improved stability. They had expected strain, lag, or even a neural overload, but instead, Shane handled Rajah with an ease that defied all logic.

For the next several hours, Shane ran the Jaeger through complex maneuvers, pushing it beyond its previous limits while keeping himself in control. He had proven that piloting alone was indeed possible—if done correctly. When the test concluded, he stepped out of the cockpit, breathing heavily but still standing strong.

The lead engineer shook his head in disbelief. "How did you do that? The previous tests nearly killed you."

Shane simply replied, "I learned from my mistakes."

As he walked back to his quarters, he knew one thing for certain—he was ready for what lay ahead. The Kaiju were coming, and this time, he would be prepared.

End of Chapter 2.