At dawn on the fifth day, Lati opened her emerald-green eyes. Flecks of gold shimmered within them as she curiously took in the world around her.
Reid crouched beside the crib and flashed a wide grin. "Hey, little one. Your uncle prepared a present for you."
"Excited? I'm excited too, heh heh," Reid said as he pushed the stroller forward. "Time to let you get some sunshine."
Morning light spilled across the open grounds outside the castle. Reid rolled out what looked like an ordinary baby stroller. Lati lay inside it, tiny hands and feet kicking now and then, her round eyes darting about in wonder.
Then, wreathed in a swirl of blood mist, Reid dragged out another "stroller" from deep within the castle.
A sleek, gold, streamlined stroller descended gently to the ground. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable. Reid's expression, however, made it clear that this thing was anything but ordinary.
Tesoro raised an eyebrow. "Captain… that can't be…"
Tesoro, Stella, Kureha, and the others followed behind. Perona floated in midair. Laboon clung tightly to the edge of the stroller, eyes full of anticipation.
"Lord Reid, what exactly is this 'surprise' you mentioned?" Perona asked, blinking.
Reid grinned, suddenly looking like a bright, carefree young man. "Watch closely. This thing is very, very powerful."
He lightly pressed a hidden button on the handle.
Click. Boom!
The stroller disassembled and reassembled in an instant. Metal components flipped and locked together. Hydraulics hummed with a low, steady resonance. In just three seconds, a six-meter-tall titan mech stood before them, clad in red-and-gold armor. Its mechanical eyes glowed with a calm blue light.
"I am BT-7275, a Vanguard-class Titan," a deep yet gentle mechanical voice announced. "You may call me BT."
Lati's eyes widened even further. Her tiny hands flailed in the air as she made soft, delighted noises.
BT inclined its head slightly, mechanical eyes locking onto the infant. "New pilot detected: Guild Lati. Initiating data scan. Protocol Three: Protect Lati."
Tesoro's jaw nearly hit the ground. "Th-this… this was built by the Judge?!"
Reid crossed his arms proudly. "I provided the design. He made it real."
Kureha, cigarette hanging from her lips, rarely looked surprised, but now she was staring. "You little brat. You gave a war machine to a baby that isn't even a week old? What kind of crib is this supposed to be?"
Reid shot back confidently, "Sis, you don't get it, do you? This is a crib. BT has a fully automated infant care mode."
BT added helpfully, "Lullaby database, diaper changing guidelines, and formula preparation procedures loaded."
Little Perona gasped. "That's amazing!"
Perona floated closer and poked at BT's armor. "Can it fight?"
"Heh heh," Reid said, sounding pleased. "You finally asked."
"BT, open combat analysis module."
"Tactical analysis module activated," BT replied. "Threat assessment: Perona, Ghost Princess. Combat capability-"
Reid patted BT's speaker. "No need to analyze."
Laboon circled BT excitedly. "Woof! Can I get inside too?"
"Apologies, Laboon," BT said calmly. "The cockpit is restricted to the pilot, Lati."
"Woof…" Laboon drooped in disappointment.
Moria stared straight at the titan. "Impressive. Is it destructive too? It's about as tall as I am. Does it have healing functions?"
"Medical module not installed," BT replied. "However, basic first-aid guidance is available."
"She's big enough," Reid said to BT. "BT, open pilot mode."
BT dropped to one knee as the cockpit slowly opened. Inside had been converted into a cozy infant capsule, complete with soft padding, a temperature control system, and even a small bottle holder.
Reid carefully placed Lati inside. "Want to give it a try?"
The moment Lati entered the cockpit, she waved her hands excitedly. BT's eyes softened in hue. "Pilot status: satisfied. Initiating safety restraint procedure."
Several soft mechanical arms gently secured Lati, ensuring she would not be hurt by sudden movement.
BT rose smoothly to its feet, so steady it could have carried a cup of water without spilling a drop. It raised one hand, projecting a hologram of a star-filled sky across its palm, while a gentle lullaby played.
Lati giggled, reaching out to grab the sparkling stars.
Tesoro was moved to tears. "It's perfect…"
Stella rubbed her forehead. "You really don't think this is a bit excessive?"
"No," Reid said flatly. "I don't."
Then Reid's smile turned dangerous. "Oh right. BT, demonstrate self-defense mode."
"Command confirmed," BT replied. "Demonstration mode activated."
Its shoulder armor flipped open, revealing rows of micro-missile launchers. A high-speed chainsaw blade extended from its mechanical arm. A laser targeting system beeped as it locked onto a distant rock.
"Threat marked. Recommendation: prioritize pilot protection."
Everyone fell silent.
Stella shouted, "Lord Reid, this is too dangerous!"
Reid spread his hands innocently. "What? We need to be prepared, don't we? There are always idiots out there."
BT immediately retracted its weapons. "Please rest assured. Except under extreme circumstances, all weapon systems require manual authorization. Current mode: infant protection priority."
Lati was not frightened at all. On the contrary, she happily slapped the control panel, making soft, excited sounds as if issuing commands.
"Pilot command interpreted: request rocking," BT said.
It began to sway gently from side to side. Lati laughed even louder.
Reid folded his arms, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Moria, want to give it a try?"
Moria startled and pointed at himself. "Heh heh heh… Captain, you want me, a mighty warrior, to fight a machine? Honestly, I could tear it apart in less than a second."
"Someone like you doesn't need to put on a show for a baby," Reid said, raising an eyebrow. "Rules are simple. No Armament Haki, no Devil Fruit abilities, and only minimal close combat."
"Captain, why not just declare it the winner already?"
"Go on. Humor me," Reid urged. "Go, go, go."
Moria narrowed his eyes, carefully studying the red-and-gold titan. "Fine. Good chance to stretch my muscles."
BT turned its gaze toward him, voice calm and analytical. "Challenger detected: Gecko Moria. Combat capability assessment: extremely high. Recommended tactic: immediate retreat. If necessary, BT may engage autonomously to buy time for pilot evacuation."
Inside the cockpit, Lati excitedly slapped the controls, completely unaware she was about to become the center of this "battle."
Moria grinned and suddenly stepped forward. His right fist cut through the air and slammed straight into BT's chest.
Bang!
The dull crash of metal echoed across the open grounds. BT staggered back half a step. Its armor dented, but the memory metal rapidly flowed and restored itself.
Moria shook his wrist. "Heh heh heh… pretty tough, huh?"
"Moria, be careful. Don't break it," Reid called out. "If you do, you're fixing it for me in the North Blue."
"Got it, got it, Captain."
BT's mechanical arm shot forward in a precise uppercut.
Moria twisted aside and countered with an elbow strike aimed at BT's joint.
Click.
BT's right arm hesitated for a split second, then adjusted its stance and swung its left arm, forcing Moria to retreat.