I Got a Monster Spaceship from the Tutorial Tower - Chapter 50

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 50
Episode 50
Combat Squadron.
It was far more than simply expanding the scale beyond the five-craft limit of a standard squadron.
「A Combat Squadron is an organizational structure that supports the organic operational activities of fighter craft under a Super Carrier.
One Combat Squadron consists of fifteen fighter craft organized into three squadrons.
The pilots and fighter craft of a Combat Squadron receive performance bonuses adjusted according to the average grade of their assigned fighters.
The Combat Squadron’s flagship and squadron leader fighters receive additional bonuses.」
Even just this much defied all reason.
In truth, until now a squadron had been little more than an arbitrary party formed to enter a floor simultaneously.
And there were no benefits to speak of.
If anything, it only raised the difficulty of each floor marginally.
But a Combat Squadron granted direct bonuses to the fighter craft assigned within it.
The magnitude of that bonus remained unknown, but even the slightest gain was precious—almost tearful—in a tower where each floor’s margins were so tight.
That wasn’t the end of it.
「The Combat Squadron of a Super Carrier is exempt from the Tutorial Tower’s entry regulations.
It is possible to assign fighter craft of regular pilots—not merely Carrier Aircraft—to the Combat Squadron.
However, fighter craft under a Combat Squadron cannot exceed the level of the Space Battleship.」
“This is absolutely insane.”
Bypass the Tutorial Tower’s entry regulations, and even allow regular pilots to be assigned?
“So in theory, pilot Ha-yun could be added to our Combat Squadron?”
“That is correct, Captain.”
And fighter craft added that way wouldn’t even be bound by the Tutorial Tower’s five-craft simultaneous entry limit.
With just the Combat Squadron function alone, eleven pilots including the Space Battleship itself could participate in a clear simultaneously.
Add in the existing squadron composition and the number swelled to fifteen.
A benefit available to anyone as long as their level didn’t exceed the Space Battleship’s.
‘I heard a typical small Clan’s pilot roster is around thirty members. If I assembled just two Combat Squadrons…’
A Space Battleship carrying firepower comparable to a modest Clan?
Tingles raced through Yeon-u’s fingertips.
Of course, limitations came with it.
「Current Assembling Capacity: 1 Combat Squadron
Please activate the Technology Specialization function to expand Combat Squadron size and improve performance bonuses.
No new Combat Squadron may be established until the current Combat Squadron exceeds ten fighter craft.」
But for now, this was no restriction at all.
Currently, Yeon-u’s Carrier Aircraft totaled five.
With four pilots, establishing another Combat Squadron was still a distant prospect.
As for external pilots, at present only Ha-yun seemed remotely feasible.
Still, after activating the Combat Squadron function, the list of options that followed was quite extensive.
「Combat Squadron Performance Bonus Enhancement 1.
Effect: Adjusts various performance bonuses of the Combat Squadron more favorably.
Required Points: 2」
Yeon-u promptly spent his remaining 2 points on bonus enhancement.
He was thoroughly satisfied with the Combat Squadron itself, and the performance bonus offered immediate tactical advantage.
His accumulated points vanished in an instant, but he felt no regret.
If anything, anticipation surged through him.
Beep.
“Captain, the pilots have returned.”
The Bridge door slid open, and with Torka and Makros in the lead, the pilots announced their return.
Yeon-u approached Torka with grave expression and measured steps, placing both hands on his shoulders.
“Captain?”
Even Torka, a seasoned veteran who’d seen everything, looked taken aback by Yeon-u’s sudden gesture.
Understandably—the twenty-fifth floor clear had gone flawlessly, even by his exacting standards.
“Torka, Squadron Leader.”
“Yes, Captain.”
When Yeon-u spoke with genuine gravity, Torka responded with equal discipline.
“Effective immediately, you are Commander of the First Combat Squadron. Concurrent assignment as First Squadron Leader.”
“?”
“Eh?”
“What’s this supposed to be? Captain, you only giving the good stuff to the high-grade flyer?”
He’d been promoted to formal Squadron Leader before the clear, and now suddenly a Combat Squadron?
Makros spoke with a disappointed expression.
“Captain, do we really need to keep making positions and promotions among ourselves like this? At this rate, you’ll make me a squadron leader too.”
“How did you know?”
“Huh?”
“Makros, you’re the Second Squadron Leader from now on.”
???
“Captain, give Ha-yun something delicious too.”
The pilots, having no idea what was happening, could only look bewildered.
But the meaning of what Yeon-u had said became clear without any explanation needed.
Flash!
The moment Yeon-u finished speaking, a soft glow rippled across Torka and Makros’s bodies before fading.
Torka and Makros recognized the effect of that light better than anyone else.
“What is this…?”
“Chirp?”
A system performance bonus granted to the commander and squadron leader of a Combat Squadron.
While it didn’t raise physical stats the way Yeon-u’s Physical Training Chamber did, these pilots—constantly pushing their bodies to their limits—were sensitive enough to notice even the slightest change.
Torka and Makros clenched and unclenched their hands and wings, marveling at the correction they could feel.
Though hard to describe in words, the bonus level seemed considerable.
Shimmer.
Then a fainter glow visited Gudru and Sureka as well.
Though they held no formal rank, they too could receive performance bonuses as pilots of the Combat Squadron.
“G-Gudru gets something delicious too.”
“I-I shall serve you with utmost loyalty, Captain!”
Gudru and Sureka were naturally startled as well.
“My, what on earth is all this?”
Hwaryeon and Surika, who had arrived a little later than the pilots, looked bewildered as they watched them move their limbs with wonder.
‘At this rate, the maintenance crew will probably end up registered in the formal system too someday.’
She wondered if the classification would be that granular, but given that a Combat Squadron existed, a Support Unit seemed entirely possible.
But this was far from the end.
If anything, they’d only received half of the reward.
Yeon-u smiled deeply.
“Well, once you’ve all adjusted, shall we head to the Summoning Chamber?”
The growth engine of the Space Battleship, rivaling Technology Specialization in importance.
Yeon-u still had four regular summoning opportunities and one advanced summoning opportunity left.
* * *
The Summoning Chamber, where they had moved along with the crew.
‘Four regular summons and one advanced summon—something’s bound to come up.’
With so many opportunities accumulated, expectations rose in kind.
“Alright. Let’s get started then…”
Whatever came out wouldn’t be a loss, but still, a tension ran through him like defusing a bomb right before his eyes.
「Initiating Random Summoning.
Regular summoning opportunity will be used first.」
A portal opened along with the notification window.
「Carrier Aircraft Fuel Tank
Grade: Consumable
Description: Can refuel carrier aircraft.」
“…Ah.”
Though the result wasn’t satisfying, Yeon-u swallowed dryly and accepted the disappointment.
“Oh, our fuel reserves were running low anyway—this is perfect!”
Hwaryeon, at least, was pleased.
After all, what good was assembling a dazzling fighting force with high-grade fighters and brilliant pilots
if they ran out of fuel and became an empty shell that couldn’t even sortie?
Looking on the bright side, they moved to the next opportunity.
「Initiating Random Summoning.」
Zing!
「Plasma Charge Pack
Grade: Consumable
Description: Can charge plasma-based weapons.」
“Ah…”
Another sigh from Yeon-u in succession.
“Oh my, we have laser charge packs, but I was just wishing we had plasma charge packs—this is perfect!”
Of course, Hwaryeon, who handled maintenance, was delighted.
‘Right, right. As long as someone’s happy, that’s what matters.’
The third summoning.
「Initiating random summoning.」
Whiiing!
This time, a sizable portal shimmered in copper—the color denoting C-Grade equipment!
‘A fighter aircraft?!’
Yeon-u felt a spark of genuine hope. The bait had finally taken.
C-Grade wasn’t a bad rank at all.
And considering Torka, who supposedly led the Combat Squadron, was stuck piloting a mere D-Grade Goliath, this might solve that problem.
But then—
「Fighter Maintenance Heavy Equipment Type A
Grade: C
Description: Heavy equipment used for fighter maintenance. Supports lifting, tilting, hovering functions, and basic component replacement.」
“…….”
Once again, neither a fighter nor a crew member.
Unable even to sigh, Yeon-u stared blankly at the heavy equipment as Hwaryeon stepped forward, bowing repeatedly.
“Captain, you’re the best! I can manage simple repairs on my own, but proper work requires equipment like this! This will take a huge load off Gudru.”
“Tch…… It seems like we’re only getting things that make the maintenance crew happy, Captain.”
Makros, clicking his tongue beside him.
“He’s not wrong…….”
Yeon-u was actually starting to agree with Makros for once, when—
Whoooosh!
“A scatterbrained harpy who knows nothing but flapping his own wings! Despite the wretched maintenance conditions, I’ve done everything in my power to keep you from becoming a lost soul in the void, and yet you complain?”
“B-b-bawk! I’m s-so sorry, Chief!”
“Enough! Why would I waste words on a creature whose words and conduct are lighter than feathers themselves!”
“…….”
Watching Hwaryeon’s eyes blaze with foxfire as she grabbed Makros like a cat seizing a mouse, Yeon-u could only clamp his mouth shut.
‘Actually, he kind of deserves it.’
Makros would have been quite wounded if he’d known what Yeon-u was really thinking.
Still, the next summoning yielded something at least useful for combat.
「Advanced Standard Electronic Warfare Module
Grade: C, Carrier Aircraft exclusive
Description: A module capable of performing substantial electronic warfare. Causes confusion in ordinary enemy craft. Has probability of disabling the propulsion systems of lower-tier enemy craft.」
An upgraded version of the Electronic Warfare module currently mounted on Makros’s Silver Edge.
Makros was already using his existing module quite effectively.
And if the main forces gained Electronic Warfare capability as well, it would certainly prove invaluable.
“Hwaryeon, mount this on the Silver Edge, and install the old Electronic Warfare module on the Fullmail instead.”
A Fullmail that charged through the gaps between enemy craft while jamming their systems, then collided with its barrier?
It seemed like it would create quite a synergistic effect.
“Of course, Captain. ……Though I wonder if that feather-headed pilot can truly grasp such subtle strategy.”
“What kind of insult is that?!”
“Then tell me—do you have no feathers on your head?”
“Well, I don’t, but…….”
Makros bristled at Hwaryeon’s jab, only to lose the exchange.
Gudru laughed heartily from the side, backing Hwaryeon up.
“Harpy has feathers. Bald eagle.”
“You oversized troll!”
Makros huffed indignantly, but he couldn’t actually charge at the troll.
Gudru might be kindhearted, but he was still a troll by nature.
Of everyone present, he was physically the strongest by far.
In any case, this exhausted all the standard summoning attempts.
“Tch…… Now only premium summons are left.”
But as always, the premium summoning had never disappointed Yeon-u’s expectations.
“Come on—a fighter or a pilot! Let’s go!”
Yeon-u shouted with determination and opened the final portal.
「Initiating random premium summoning.」
Whiiing!
And the portal that opened, matching Yeon-u’s spirited cry, blazed with brilliant silver light.
“What—what is this?!”
Yeon-u stepped back without thinking.
The portal was larger than anything he’d ever seen before.
It nearly filled the entire Summoning Chamber.
‘This can’t be anything but an actual fighter.’
So it seemed that only a high-grade Summoning could produce results worth celebrating.
Yeon-u and the other crew members watched the result with eager eyes.
And slowly, the silhouette of a fighter emerged from the portal, lower fuselage first.
It was certainly larger than any C-Grade or lower fighter, and noticeably bigger even than the Silver Edge, which ranked in the same tier.
Though to be fair, the Silver Edge wasn’t particularly large for a fighter to begin with.
Whoosh. Thud!
The Summoning completed at last, and the new fighter descended its massive fuselage into the Summoning Chamber.
It was a craft Yeon-u had seen before.
“This is…….”
「You have acquired a B-Grade fighter: Cruzer.」
Cruzer.
While Jang Chaebin’s Phalanx was defensive and Jeong Gwanu’s Phantom was offensive,
the Cruzer was a balanced-type fighter among B-Grade craft.
Unless one belonged to a massive Clan like Mangho, it was more than excellent enough to serve as the flagship fighter of an entire Clan.
Torka spoke with admiration.
“The Cruzer is the standard craft piloted by Squadron Leaders of the Empire. Congratulations, Captain.”
“I congratulate you too, Torka.”
“?”
Yeon-u placed a hand on Torka’s shoulder with a smile.
“You’ll be flying this from now on.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————