Jindai High

ARX-8 Laevatein

The destruction of the Arbalest at the hands of Leonard’s Belial was a heavy blow to the scattered Mithril forces and to Sousuke personally. However, it was not the end. Wraith salvaged the Artificial Intelligence system and the Lambda Driver and took it to Alaska, where Mithril got to work on a new Arm Slave. The suit was designed by AL, the original AI system in the Arbalest, and worked on by Sarah Miller, the girl Sousuke saved in the first episode. Thus, the ARX-8 Laevatein was born.

This was the next evolution for the ARX series and the next generation in Arm Slaves, making it the second 4th generation Arm Slave, after Belial. The suit was designed by AL for direct combat engagement and specifically modified to suit Sousuke’s battle style, making it even more powerful. This called for a high output-power plant and an enhanced muscle package which is easily seen in the arms. These new systems and advancements give the suit exceptional strength and mobility far beyond what the Arbalest could achieve. In the front of the suit, there are two smaller arms hidden within the frame. This allows the suit to throw grenades and even Anti-Tank Daggers without having to use its own arms. The suit’s paint scheme is meant to give it a fiery feeling in battle. Wraith once said that she could feel an intense heat from the cold Lambda Driver, meaning it wanted action. When the Lambda Driver is used, cooling fibers come out from behind the head, giving it a similar look to the Venoms’ and Codarls’ ponytails when their Lambda Drivers are active.

Despite these advantages the ARX-8 has its weakness as well. Designing the frame for direct combat sacrifices the ability to operate for long term missions. The suit can only operate for about 30 hours. This is much less than the Arbalest and even the M9. The other drawback is its basic electronic warfare and protection systems. Normally, Mithril suits have ECS, invisibility, and missile counter measures which are essential in missions. The ARX-8 has none of these, making it vulnerable to missiles and no ability to make a quick escape. The radar system is on par with an M6, meaning it is not as precise as the M9. Sousuke cursed at AL saying that he should pull the AI out and put in something he would need. AL’s response was that it would be a real piece of junk if he did that.

The weapons that go with Laevatein are similar with any of AS unit. However, it uses a 165mm Howitzer Cannon with a barrel attachment. This is not meant for use by a normal AS suit but the ARX-8 is not a normal suit. It needs to use the Lambda Driver to stabilize itself to fire without the barrel attachment. Otherwise, it would be thrown to its back after one shot. Even using the Lambda Driver, use of the barrel attachment will still throw the ARX-8 to its back. With its bare hands it can rip AS units apart like paper using the power of the Lambda Driver. One such example is the ARX-8 literally throwing a Behemoth back when it tried to step on it. Two Monomolecular Cutters are stored in the knees. The latest addition to the Laevatein is the Fairy’s Feather. This was a device designed by Kaname for Sousuke and it has the power to read and cancel out a Lambda Driver the moment it is used. The problem is, that like the Lambda Driver, it requires intense concentration. Sousuke can only use it for a few minutes before it starts to overwhelm him.

The ARX-8 does not make an appearance until Come Make My Day. Its first appearance is an overwhelming sense of power that Sousuke can feel after the suit lands. He recognizes the voice calling out as AL asking permission to enter this new war. In battle, the suit single-handedly destroys three Behemoths and three Codarl units in a record time of five minutes and fifty two seconds. It is well-recognized for its raw power and strength making it the number one target for Amalgam. In Nick of Time it is targeted for destruction but slips away to fight again. Later in that novel Sousuke encounters Leonard’s Belial and the two have a rematch. However, the fight is cut short when they are trapped underground. Forced to cooperate to get out they hold off their match until later. In the second part the two battle again but this time Sousuke uses the power of the Fairy’s Feather to cancel out Leonard’s Lambda Driver. However this means that Sousuke cannot use his own Lambda Driver making it a battle of skill. The fight ends with Leonard taking damage but before it could be settled reinforcements arrive and Sousuke is forced to retreat. The lasting damage, however, Leonard now had to recognize that the two suits were now equal.

A powerful suit that is designed specifically for Sousuke, the ARX-8 is a one-man army. Its equipment to destroy battleships and cancel out the Lambda Driver barely can touch Sousuke’s own skill. Combining all these abilities and Sousuke’s skills make the Laevatein the most dangerous weapon any enemy can face on the battlefield.—blackwolf581

BONUS: High Quality Renders of ARX-8 by Illsteir