Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter1 (section)

===Part 1===

HsMCV-08 Predator Octopus

Class: Next Generation Mobile Combat Vehicle

Crew: 4 (but can be 0 while controlled remotely or used as a drone)

Measurements: 10m long, 2.8m wide, 3m tall (not counting antennae)

Weight: 20 tons (not counting ammunition, fuel, crew, and additional armor)

Max Speed: 250km/h

Max Climbable Slope: 60 degrees (varies based on slope conditions such as moisture or ice)

Engine: Diesel engine with electrical assistance

Drive Method: 4-wheel and 8-wheel drive modes. Front 4 and rear 4 wheels can be turned independently

Sensors: Anti-personnel, anti-air, and anti-vehicle multipurpose microwave radar, facial recognition and object search using optical imagery, IR detection, audio detection, and laser range finding. Also includes detection and countermeasures to locks of same types

C4I Communications: midrange ground radio, close and midrange IR laser, close range ultrasound, high-speed satellite communication. Combined, these methods provide a baselevel equivalent to a front line communications base.

Armaments: 120mm tank gun (can use various shells as well as launch anti-ground and anti-air drones), 40mm auto grenade launcher, 12.7mm heavy machinegun.

Defenses: multipurpose smoke emitter, anti-missile metal net launcher, auto attitude angling program to reduce damage when hit



“Huh, that’s a weird thing to see parked here. Stopping for lunch maybe?”

Hamazura Shiage, a delinquent boy wrapped in plenty of gauze and bandages, made that comment in front of a large discount store that was open for business so soon after New Year’s. But since this was District 12, the floor above it seemed to contain a shrine or church or something.

The dark gray 8-wheel vehicle designed for urban warfare wasn’t something you normally saw while walking around town, but fire trucks and ambulances would also stop by convenience stores for food when there was no emergency to respond to. You would sometimes see photos of it people had posted on social media.

Takitsubo Rikou tilted her head in her pink track suit.

“Probably part of the martial law they talked about on the emergency message sent to our phones. Remember when they beeped like they do before an earthquake?”

“Martial law. You can’t be serious. Surely it’s only training and they forgot to check the right box or something. Y’know, one of those false alarms where they don’t even give you any free gems to apologize. But now that you mention it, the convenience stores and supermarkets do all have their shutters down. I thought they were just closed for the holiday, but maybe not. This could be bad…”

“At least you’re out of the hospital. If you had been there any longer, they might have shut you inside in the name of protecting the sick and injured.”

Those two were only all the way in District 12 because they wanted to avoid the crowds at the few stores that were still open among all the closed shutters. But what if that wasn’t people after holiday sales and were actually buying up what they could before everything shut down?

Meanwhile, Takitsubo Rikou spoke to him with her usual blank look.

“We’ll be fine as long as the global search engine and that penguin logo discount store are still open for business. The Earth isn’t in danger yet.”

“I hope you’re right…”

With the deep rumble of diesel engines, a convoy of military vehicles drove past them. Another of the 8-wheel armored vehicles was in the lead, a trio of military trucks carrying materiel and ammo followed, and an anti-air tank with a radar and two humongous autocannons took up the rear. What were they planning to fight?

Takitsubo didn’t seem to mind as she removed one of the plastic baskets by the entrance and placed it in the cart.

“The others said they were sick of New Year’s food, didn’t they? So how about we have roast beef tonight?”

“I’m pretty sure Mugino and Kinuhata meant they don’t want any more fancy food, not just the Japanese kind. I bet they’d love it if we made curry udon.”

“Or a rice bowl? Okay, how about we make roast beef bowls as a compromise.”

“Wow, it’s the exact same ingredient, but it sounds way cheaper now!!”