Chapter 1401

Ves took his newly-created spiritual product and left the 'workshop'.

He quickly found out that if he did not wish to abandon his detached spiritual projection, then he had to depart from Lady Miralix's mind first.

Leaving took little effort. The main difficulty in entering her mind from a distance was tracking down her very minute presence in the imaginary realm. Exiting merely required him to phase through the barriers of her mind.

Because of the differences between their states, they actually didn't really bump into each other. The new spiritual product he created also exited fairly easily, proving that it fell into the category of a spiritually powerful entity, though only barely.

However, as he crossed out of Lady Miralix's mind and instantly dragged his spiritual projection and its cargo back to his own mind, he thought back to his Mastery experiences.

Was the System doing something similar? Had it already mastered the ability to spiritually project someone's consciousness and insert them into other people's minds?

\"Am I reinventing the wheel?\"

It irked him a bit that some of his experiments and explorations resulted in innovations that others had already come up with. Not being the first person to invent some of his spiritual new techniques struck a significant blow to his vanity.

\"Damnit. Couldn't it have taught me some of these tricks earlier?\"

He only let this wrinkle spoil this mood for so long. As a teacher himself, he knew the value of solving problems without assistance. Although it sounded paradoxical, it really was the best way for someone to learn a new ability or technique.

So even if the System appeared to possess a more refined set of applications of Spirituality, Ves did not even consider begging it to teach him some tricks. He was doing well enough on his own by learning at his own pace.

As Ves fully returned his entire consciousness in his own mind, he regarded the spiritual product in his mind with the fondness of an artisan creating a seminal piece of work.

There was a reason why he called the spiritual fragment that combined his own spiritual energy with the Dragon Cat's spiritual remnant a product.

It was, in essence, a manufactured creation!

Even if the production process took place in a purely spiritual setting, it did not detract from the fact that it had come into existence through deliberate intent.

\"Am I a god now?\" He asked himself.

Well, he didn't really feel like one, so he probably had some ways to go. In any case, the point was that Ves made significant strides in his design philosophy.

He had gone from using spiritual fragments directly as his design spirits after minimal processing to using them as the raw materials of a more sophisticated spiritual product!

This was like if he used to eat eggs by boiling them and eating directly by using them as ingredients for a traditional cake. The latter was much more sophisticated than the former, thereby opening up many possibilities with what he could do in his work!

Sure, the product he created looked kind of rough and unpolished when Ves inspected it further. The spiritual fragment only merged together the two different kinds of spiritual energies in a rudimentary fashion.

This was a product created out of trial and error rather than deliberate theory. Ves still had no idea why it worked at all and how he got the two energies to establish a basic, symbiotic bond with each other.

\"It's good enough that it worked!\"

For a mere modification project, Ves didn't quibble too much about the shortcomings of his spiritual product. In fact, applying his new creation to the Kinslayer would be a very good opportunity to put this innovation to the test!

\"You're going to need a name. You deserve that at the very least.\" He whispered.

He had breathed life into the remains of a spiritually dead entity. The new creation might have incorporated some of his spiritual strength, but it was completely detached and independent from himself.

All their common ground did was make the newborn spiritual entity more open and trusting towards him. It had not yet developed a sophisticated consciousness that stood up on its own.

\"It's like a baby, pretty much, but without the incessant crying and need for milk and comfort.\"

He spontaneously decided to call it Vescas.

The name didn't matter. What Ves cared more was what its creation represented for his future development.

No longer was he bound to the whims of his spiritual fragments if he ever obtained them for his future projects!

As long as they proved recalcitrant, uncooperative or incompatible, Ves could choose to overpower their defenses and break them apart!

\"It's just like dismantling a useless mech in order to recycle its parts and materials!\"

If he did this to living spiritual fragments, he was essentially killing them by doing this. Their spiritual imprints tying them to their source would still linger, but no longer did they play a significant role.

As long as Ves introduced his excess spiritual energy and melded it into the broken spiritual remains, his living spiritual imprint would overpower and subsume the dead spiritual imprint of the original source!

This was exactly what happened in the case of Vescas!

As Ves continued to probe his new organic product from every angle, he noted that its spiritual imprint had changed as well.

It contained elements from both the deceased Dragon Cat and himself along with a lot of random elements.

The latter proved to be the component that distinguished the new entity's imprint from both its parent sources.

Vescas firmly existed as an independent spiritual entity, and only possessed loose familial ties with Ves and the Dragon Cat!

\"This must be the reason why I can't control it like a limb. It really is akin to a child!\"

The path of life revolved around the wonder and mysteries of life. Surprises and unexpected behavior was part of what made life so vibrant every day.

If Ves turned back to the path of determinism, then he might prioritize a way to enslave the spiritual product and keep it under his heel.

\"I can't do that.\" He shook his head.

Right now, he did not wish to besmirch the path of life and tread over its core values. Now that he created a new form of spiritual life, he wanted to put Vescas to good use where it could develop into something more.

\"It might be my baby, but it's also a product! Products are meant to be used, not pampered!\"

He wasn't running a charity, after all!

As Ves quietly studied Vescas further by probing it with his own Spirituality, he found out that the spiritual product contained a messy fusion of both his understanding of mech design and the Dragon Cat's rich experience in combat!

This was a very ideal fusion considering that both of them complimented well with a tiger mech once they combined their strengths!

\"It's all about symbiosis!\"

His own Spirituality was highly familiar with mechs and mech designs, but it possessed no battle expertise.

The Dragon Cat's remnant spirituality knew nothing about how mechs worked, but it possessed an abundant amount of battle intent and experience.

Combining the two together resulted in an ideal fusion where the strengths of both covered the weaknesses of each other!

The spiritual product's familiarity and intimacy with mechs was the highest of any spiritual fragment he came in touch with in the past!

Entities such as Qilanxo's spiritual fragment and Prophet Ylvaine's spiritual fragment all possessed their own strong points.

However, all of the supplemental images he blended into them only supplemented some familiarity and expertise in mechs into them. It did not change their fundamental makeup in a very significant way.

It was more like the previous spiritual fragments began to wear mech-themed coats. Underneath their clothes, they still reflected their source, which possessed little to no familiarity at all with mechs.

This was why his latest innovation was so important. Rather than drape his spirituality over the fragments in a shallow manner, he shoved it inside their spiritual makeup! This forced them to integrate a much larger proportion of his intimacy of mechs!

For this reason, Ves regarded Vescas as the next step in his utilization of spiritual fragments. Despite its lack of strength compared to Ylvaine's spiritual fragment or Qilanxo's spiritual fragment, its depth and familiarity to mechs far surpassed the older spiritual entities!

\"It's kind of a way of accomplishing more with less.\"

Ves had been driven to this point out of necessity. The Dragon Cat's spiritual remnant had already died by the time he got to it. What he essentially did was repurposing the spiritual carcass into something new and functional.

If he could already do this with some dead spiritual remains, what if he applied the same method to something stronger?

His eyes shone as he started to imagine the possibilities if he managed to harvest a living spiritual fragment from a notorious Crown Cat such as Zeigra!

In fact, his greed urged him to take more. Instead of harvesting a mere fragment from the huge cat's spirituality, Ves aimed to capture it whole!

Of course, he didn't think it was as simple as yoinking Zeigra's spirituality out of his mind as soon as he caught sight of the Crown Cat.

He figured that he'd only have an opportunity to do so at the moment of its death. As the fate of the Dragon Cat's spiritual remnant already showed, when a powerful creature died, their spirituality became unmoored.

This would be the time when Ves would make his move!

\"In order to get to that point, I have to make sure Lady Miralix and her hunters are piloting the strongest mechs possible!\"

His motivation towards his current assignment shot up into the sky! He deeply committed himself to improving the mechs of the Catstrikers, especially Miralix's Kinslayer!

As soon as he came off his inner contemplation, he dragged Lucky and Nitaa over to the mech workshops where he immediately went to work.

Aside from drawing up modification plans on the fly for the humanoid mechs, Ves poured his entire heart into tweaking and refining the Kinslayer.

Ves was like a bundle of energy as he completely immersed himself into his work. While the other mechs of the Catslayers only received modest alterations, the modifications he made to the Kinslayer became much more pronounced!

With Vescas housed in his mind, he actively solicited it during the modification process. Even if it was too immature to make its own decisions, just familiarizing the spiritual product to the mech was an important step.

\"Look closely! This is going to be your new home soon!\"

Overall, the changes he made to the Kinslayer made it conform a little more to the Dragon Cat. In fact, Ves spent more time and effort on applying cosmetic changes than altering its performance.

Appearances mattered! As Ves added various decorative elements to the mech, the tiger mech became more and more majestic. Along with the latent X-Factor it developed because of how much Ves invested in the modification plans, the mech slowly began to take an entirely different air!

To the mech technicians working at the workshop, their leader's personal mech began to acquire the stature it deserved!

While Lady Miralix understood little of what Ves was actually doing, she applauded his efforts nonetheless.

\"Fantastic work, Mr. Larkinson!\" She clapped her hands in satisfaction. \"I knew it was worth it to involve you in my hunt! I can already imagine how well my new and improved Kinslayer will perform against Zeigra! The footage that we'll record will surely look epic!\"

Though he shared some of her enthusiasm, Ves did not let his feelings detract from the dangers they faced.

\"Please don't think you'll be invincible when you pilot the new Kinslayer. We're facing a Crown Cat, after all. Or other preparations can't fall behind.\"

Lady Miralix quickly regained her composure. \"Ah, yes, you're right. We can't take any Crown Cat for granted. It's been a while since we last observed Zeigra in battle, so he may have grown stronger than we projected in the meantime. Hopefully, your efforts have closed the gap.\"

\"We can only hope.\" Ves said cautiously.

Chapter 1402

After a week of tinkering and modification work, the Felixia Catslayers finally commenced with their ambitious hunt.

Practically half of Kemila's residents emerged from their homes, bars and other workplaces in order to witness the procession of the Felixia Catstrikers.

Like any dutiful scion and mech pilot of House Laterna, Lady Miralix ingratiated herself in Kemila's hunting community.

She spent a fair amount of time in the middling hunting city going on various hunts, doing business with the local shops and service providers, and learning from more experienced hunters.

For this reason, lots of locals paid attention to everything she did. So when she and her hunting team finally set off for their long-anticipated hunt, the citizens of Kemila largely cheered them on that morning!

Nonetheless, the moment the crowds at the streets caught sight of the altered Kinslayer marching proudly at the head of the procession, their cheers stilled in their throats for a moment.

\"This mech!\"

\"How come it looks so different than before!\"

\"Not even the huge cats I've faced in battle are as ferocious as Lady Miralix's Kinslayer!\"

A burst of discussion and admiration exploded from the crowd of people closest to the compound. Almost everyone in the city caught a glimpse of the Kinslayer or its predecessors before.

Yet the difference between now and then was that the current incarnation of the Kinslayer gave a vastly stronger impression than before!

Whereas before the hunters regarded the Kinslayer as a fine battle machine and a quality mech, now they started to believe it had become capable of something more.

The Kinslayer evoked a powerful sense of pride and confidence! Even Ves looked a bit stumped when he witnessed the mech basked in the energy of the parade.

Vescas, the Kinslayer's new design spirit, took after its parents! Its pride came from the Dragon Cat while its confidence came from himself! The two of them combined led to an aura that turned the Kinslayer into a mech that made everyone believe it could triumph against a Crown Cat!

\"Meow.\"

\"Oh, you silly Lucky.\" He admonished the pet that perched on his shoulder. \"I can't turn you into something like that. You'll have to develop your own air.\"

\"Meow!\"

\"I don't think you'll appreciate the process I have to do in order to make you resemble the Kinslayer.\"

Ves, Lucky and Nitaa accompanied the hunting team in one of their four fast legged transports.

Each hunting team consisted of twelve mechs and up to four extra support vehicles. The latter carried spare parts, some basic fabrication and repair equipment, additional supplies and more.

The legged transports resembled the ones the Vandals and Swordmaidens utilized on Aeon Corona VII.

Of course, the models used by the Catstrikers were optimized for close-to-standard gravity, so they moved a lot faster. At their full speed, they could keep up with any sprinting medium mech.

Right now, Ves looked out of the transparent viewscreen at the top of one of the legged transports. His commanding view over the crowd and the mechs in the procession gave him a very clear picture of how the changes he made to the Kinslayer sparked a drastic change to how people reacted to its appearance!

Compared to the seemingly-transformed tiger mech, the humanoid ranged and melee mechs that trailed after it like obedient soldiers barely looked any different.

While Ves did manage to help the mech technicians perform various tweaks and optimizations under the hood, he simply didn't have the time or resources to impart them with a spiritual component.

\"Hopefully, it won't come to bite me back in the butt.\"

Ves, Lady Miralix and everyone else accompanying the hunting team depended on the performance of the humanoid mechs to wear Zeigra down.

If the humanoid mechs failed to contain the powerful Crown Cat in the first couple of rounds, then the Kinslayer might be forced to step forward prematurely!

This was an outcome that everyone on their hunting team wanted to prevent, including Ves. He thought he could make more improvements to the other mechs, but the Kinslayer demanded so much of his attention that he barely squeezed enough time to soup up the other mechs.

\"Well, it's not like they were in shambles before I got my hands on them. I've seen worse.\"

To someone like Lady Miralix, succeeding in this hunt determined the success she enjoyed in the future. With so much at stake, it did not surprise him at all that she paid far more attention to the state and quality of her mechs than regular mech commanders.

Ves approved of her attitude. Her willingness to make a lot of concessions in order to acquire his assistance proved how much she invested in her mechs.

\"If more mech pilots and mech commanders were like her, the LMC would be making vastly more sales.\"

In truth, even if more and more people in the mech community started to learn about the remarkable nature of his products, they still hesitated to open their wallets. The high prices that his company charged still posed an enormous deterrent to popularizing his style of mechs.

It reminded Ves that he had to design a series of cheaper mechs at some point in order to service the lower end of the mech market.

\"Mr. Larkinson?\" Nitaa asked. She'd been standing quietly at his side in the observation compartment. \"Please forgive me for my presumptuousness, but can I ask a question?\"

\"Sure. You don't need to ask for permission. I consider you as something more than just a bodyguard.\"

\"What are we even doing here? What is so important about participating in this dangerous hunt that you have to participate in person?\"

Ves stopped admiring the work he did to the Kinslayer and turned around to face his Kinner bodyguard. He had to crane his neck upwards due to her height, which irked him a bit.

\"Nitaa, you've spent some months in my company, which is enough time for you to become familiar with me. Do you think I'm the sort of person who does something without a reason?\"

She shook her head. \"I know that you are not one for wasting time, sir.\"

\"This is the same. My words and actions might not make much sense from time to time, but there's always a reason behind my decisions.\"

\"But are your decisions sound?\" She questioned. \"Although I don't wish to disparage you, I think the concerns expressed by your executive assistant are valid. Your judgement is... outside the norm.\"

Ves crossed his arms. \"I'll give you that. I know what Gavin and you are worried about, but you just have to put your faith in me that I am doing the best for both myself and anyone who depends on me. There are factors in play that I don't dare to reveal to you or anyone else.\"

\"I understand that, sir, but is it worth taking so many risks?\" She frowned. \"Right now, we are on our way to hunt one of the deadliest hostile creatures on Felixia. Each Crown Cat is a tough and unreasonable monster. Who knows how many mechs have succumbed to the rage of these huge cats, and legged transports aren't exempt from danger!\"

\"I share your concerns, Nitaa, but I'm still convinced this is the best course of action for me. I have already made a lot of gains on Felixia, but the grand prize has yet to fall into my hands. I won't leave Felixia until I'm satisfied!\"

He turned back towards the viewscreen in order to watch the hunting team move out of the city premises and head into the deepest hunting zone within Kemila's range.

In truth, Ves already made a lot of gains. Without coming across a damaged and dying spiritual remnant from an exobeast that had recently been slain, Ves would have never come up with his series of new spiritual techniques.

It was in rare encounters like these that frequently prodded him into coming up with novel solutions to unexpected problems. Spiritual invasion, spiritual alignment and spiritual restoration were the latest tools he added into his spiritual toolbox.

His options and his versatility in the spiritual department grew by the day. He had made a lot of strides in the path of life since the start of his one-year tour, so much so that Ves thought it might be time to hit the brakes soon.

Though the path of life continued to tempt him with greater possibilities, he couldn't neglect the path of determinism. Adding too many uncontrollable factors in his mech designs would eventually lead to disaster!

To him, life possessed unlimited potential. The danger here was that not every outcome favored him. If his own design spirits turned against him one day, Ves would have to rely on precautions to limit the damage.

Unfortunately, the path of life did not place a strong emphasis on control. Once a new spiritual product came into existence, Ves lost direct control over them. How they developed was anyone's guess.

Only the path of determinism provided a solid framework to rein in his spiritual products! Even if the problem didn't appear to be acute right now, he saw the need for solutions to be ready at hand in the future.

\"Will there ever be a time where you can let your guard down and stop chasing after power?\" Nitaa asked, interrupting the silence.

Ves ruefully smiled as he stared at the giant tropical forest looming closer and closer.

\"I don't think that time will ever come. There's always a threat in the background that is ready to pull out the knives as soon as I reveal my back to them. If I wanted to be at the whim of fate and circumstance, I can just abandon everything I have and turn back to the life of a normal space peasant. Even then, I'll never be safe, as normal citizens are still subject to events that affect entire states.\"

His answer made Nitaa uneasy, though she already expected such an answer.

\"When someone grows into power, they have the option to resist. Those that lack sufficient power have no choice at all.\"

\"Exactly. I've suffered from lacking power plenty of times in the past. No more. As soon as I gained some control over my life, I resolved to never put myself in such a helpless condition again. The decisions I've made and the risks I've taken are a necessary price to pay in order to remedy my deficiency.\"

\"You could slow down, sir.\" Nitaa frowned. \"I won't argue with you about the merits of pursuing growth, but the speed and urgency in which you are doing it has turned you into a greater threat to yourself than any external enemy!\"

Ves turned around again and faced Nitaa with a flat face. \"Haha. That's funny. Nice joke. Just to be clear, I'm always doing what is best for myself! Sure, I have to go through a lot of pain sometimes, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel.\"

The two stopped talking once the hunting team finally moved into the tropical forest. The massive genetically-modified trees towered far above the height of mechs, providing both hunter and prey with plenty of solid obstacles that made every attempt to sprint a nightmare in this environment!

Their comms also chirped, notifying that they had both lost connection to the planetary network.

\"The hunting zones are under a complete blockade.\" Ves said seriously. \"There's no way we can call for help.\"

Everything fell into the neatly-planned arrangements of House Laterna. The hunting zones became areas where hunters had to rely on their efforts to catch their prey.

If they failed, no one would come and save them. No matter how many signals they transmitted, no one would come to their aid.

Even a privileged member of a noble house was not exempt! In the eyes of House Laterna and almost every other noble institution, the sanctity of the hunt mattered more than the life of a single family member!

\"We're on our own from now on!\" Ves declared. \"The true hunt has begun!\"

Chapter 1403

Tracking an immense cat-like creature in a hunting zone required a bit of effort. The experienced hunting consultants riding on the legged transports constantly scanned their surroundings.

Enormous creatures ordinarily left a lot of traces of their passage behind. Ves understood little of what they saw, but one day after they set out, the Felixia Catstrikers found a trail!

\"The tracks are over two weeks old. Not bad.\" One of the fellows stated at the observation compartment of one of the transports.

Ves, Lucky and Nitaa happened to be present as well. The rest of the cramped transport's interior looked absolutely drab. The vehicle's entire design revolved around function. Hardly any thought had been spent on comfort, which Ves personally thought was a bad design choice!

The hunters and other personnel aboard the transports didn't share his complaints. To them, a hunt was serious business. This was no time to sink into a comfortable couch and enjoy a nice glass of wine!

Certainly, a longer hunt on an untamed planet might merit some priority on comfort, but the Felixia Catstrikers estimated that their current hunt would not last longer than a week.

During this period, every mech pilot and every staffer had to be as alert and focused on the job as possible!

Even Ves still carried some responsibilities. He had to keep track of the conditions of the mechs of the hunting team throughout the course of the hunt. He also had to pitch in with performing acute repairs in the field after they concluded a round of fighting with the Crown Cat.

He knew he'd become very busy soon, which was why he prized this quiet period at the beginning. If only he had a comfy couch instead of a drab alloy bench to rest upon! His seat didn't even come with a backrest!

As the hours passed by, Ves idly distracted himself by studying the surrounding terrain.

The hunting zone that kept Zeigra contained within its area was situated in the very depths of a very huge tropical rainforest environment. Different from regular forests, House Laterna seeded the lands with supersized tropical trees.

It took an extremely long time for these trees to grow to their current height and size, but once they did they absolutely towered over every mech!

Ves studied the basic parameters of the trees beforehand and found out that even mechs and huge cats had difficulty cutting them down!

While they weren't invincible or even highly resilient, their sheer size and mass made trying to cut them down a waste of time. A mech or a huge cat would have to expend way too much energy to go through all of that wood, and that only took care of one among billions of trees!

Aside from the massive trees and huge shrubs and bushes, plenty of wildlife also livened up the vibrant rainforest. Various creatures the size of dogs comprised the smallest animals in the forest.

Larger animals the size of bears or hippos preyed upon these bottom-tier animals, but even these mighty genetically-strengthened predators fell prey to the various cats roaming the hunting zone!

Yes, cats!

Zeigra was far from the only huge cat to occupy the hunting zone. House Laterna wanted to provide hunters with a realistic and challenging hunting experience, and facing multiple predators fell within the range of possibilities that could overcome a hunting team.

For this reason, Lady Miralix and the other hunters slowed their pace and progressed carefully into the rainforest. Even as they tracked Zeigra's old tracks, they kept their eyes peeled out for the tracks of smaller but still threatening huge cats.

Still, even the most vigilant hunters fell prey to surprises.

Just as Ves was shifting his seating posture, alarms suddenly rang throughout the compartment!

\"Alert! Massive heat signature detected to the west!\"

The observation chamber immediately locked down by sliding down the armored shutters over the transparent windows!

\"What's going on?!\" Ves asked with concern.

\"A huge cat is lying in ambush along our path!\"

Ves activated a projector and inputted his temporary credentials. Due to his sweeping responsibilities, he gained extensive access to the systems of the hunting team.

Right now, he used his access to call up the live footage of the fight about to take place outside.

As soon as someone sounded the alarm, the mechs and vehicles of the hunting team all moved into position. The legged transports all huddled together, forming the center of a loose formation of ranged mechs that all pointed their weapons outward.

Circling around them, the melee mechs brandished their weapons as they adopted postures that would help them deflect or withstand any pounce from a huge cat!

In this circumstance, the mechs couldn't afford to evade or dodge an attack! Neither the ranged mechs or the legged transports were built to withstand the raw fury of even a regular huge cat for more than a couple of seconds!

\"It's coming!\"

The bushes to the west parted as a huge cat pounced at the nearest machine, which happened to be a knight mech immediately placed upon the spot!

The cat did not utter any roar at all, perhaps thinking that its attack hadn't been noticed at all!

In truth, the hunting team already locked on the creature's noise, heat signature and other indicators a while ago!

Even if the huge cats were genetically modified to make them harder to detect, that only worked in distances ranging to kilometers. This close, their huge bulk made it untenable for them to remain undetected!

As the huge cat which looked like a green-and-orange panther pounced, the knight mech which stood in the way began to bend its stance and angle its kite shield.

CLANG!

The colorful panther's claws raked across the surface of the shield and deflected to the side! The rest of the huge cat's body partially slammed against the shield as well, but due to the clever angling, started to bounce aside as if it was a stone skipping across water!

\"Yes! The cat fell for it! He's dead meat now!\"

The hunting consultant's words proved accurate. The panther who looked like an abomination of a kid's doodling had been thrown so off-guard by the failed pounce that it failed to react in time to the threats approaching its flanks!

Two spearman mechs flanking the knight mech charged forward and rammed their weapons through the thick hide of the huge cat!

\"AOOOOOWW!\"

The huge roar emanating from the injured creature was so forceful that Ves had the illusion that it rattled his bones!

He picked up Lucky and hugged his cat close to his chest.

\"Look, Lucky! That's what happens to big, dumb cats! I better hope you don't grow up as large and stupid like this genetic failure!\"

\"Meow!\"

\"Just look at the awful coloring of its coat! The biotech researchers who cooked up its genes have no artistic sense at all! Anyone who takes a look at it will immediately develop the impression that it's a clown! Considering its idiotic decision to ambush a hunting team, I'm not surprised it's lacking in the intelligence department!\"

Once the cat suffered two deep puncture wounds, the hunting team adopted a conservative and vigilant posture.

Only the knight mech and the two spearman mechs sparred with the bleeding panther. The other mechs including the Kinslayer vigilantly faced every other direction in case any other hidden cats lay in wait to pounce!

Just because some huge cats were stupid didn't mean every specimen charged at their deaths!

Most cats, especially the more mature and older ones, developed sentient or near-sentient intelligence. This made them especially dangerous as their planning and cooperation exceeded the norm of regular exobeasts.

Perhaps the most fearsome disaster that could befell a hunting team was being ambushed by a pride of multiple huge cats!

When each of these massive creatures consciously and proactively hunted together, then the battle power they could exert increased exponentially!

Fortunately, it appeared that the colorful panther brought no friends and backup. The knight mech easily fended off the weakening panther's instinctive attacks while the spearman mechs continued to poke more holes into its flanks and rear.

After eight minutes of steady dancing, the panther finally developed second thoughts. Though it attempted to escape multiple times, the hunting mechs did not allow it to escape with its life intact.

The green-and-orange panther might develop a grudge against the Felixia Catstrikers or other hunting teams! To prevent the resentful cat from taking revenge in the future, the Catstrikers had to nip the attacker in the bud!

\"It can't run!\"

Stabbed by spears from both flanks, the huge cat had bled out so much from its puncture wounds that it could no longer summon up the strength to stop the knight mech from stabbing through one of its eyes with a sword!

\"It's dead!\"

Despite this small accomplishment, none of the hunters expressed any excitement.

In fact, the hunting team outright ignored the carcass of the panther and quickly started to get back on the move!

\"Why are we leaving the carcass behind?\" Ves frowned.

\"The huge cat is only an adolescent of its species.\" The hunting consultant shook his head. \"Lady Miralix won't earn any prestige for hunting such a weak prey. Zeigra is our only target. We are to avoid any lesser huge cat as hunting them down provides no benefit to our hunting team!\"

The cat that pounced on them just a moment ago turned out to be young, inexperienced and weak!

The fury and combat prowess of a Crown Cat definitely surpassed that of this trivial panther!

What they encountered was just a taste of what was about to come!

\"Is it unusual to face a lot of ambushes by other huge cats?\"

\"It's as normal as any other hunting environment.\" The hunter smiled. \"Many times, hunting teams that set out to hunt down a specific cat will return with the carcass of another cat on their transports. Every cat in every hunting zone is our enemy. Some are clever and know better than to confront a team of mechs, but other cats like the panther just then are compelled to attack anything big that moves!\"

\"Even if they face a bunch of mechs that they can't eat?\" Ves scratched his head.

The hunter's smile turned into a grin. \"There's us humans inside those mechs, you know? The transports like the ones we are on right now carries a lot more humans. Some cats are really hungry for human flesh. Others deliberately target us because they're smart enough to realize that they're nothing but prey that exists solely for our amusement!\"

Now that he thought about it, the fate of most huge cats on the Asco Continent was kind of tragic. A lot of huge cats emerged from test tubes instead of born from actual mother cats.

Knowing no love, they grew rapidly as their genes compelled them to eat and eat until they grew to an immense size. This hastened and industrial-like upbringing did the mental states of the cats no favor.

\"The smarter the cats, the more they comprehend the nihility of their existence! Their entire lives came into being for the sole purpose of giving us humans some feisty prey to hunt!\"

The way the hunter gleefully talked down on the huge cats made it clear to Ves that some hunters were in it to satisfy their need to take down something bigger and stronger than them. Humans were so small compared to the size of the huge cats that it gave the former a power rush whenever they took down something so enormous!

\"Don't you think that some of these cats deserve better?\" Ves cautiously asked.

The hunting consultant threw an ugly look at him. \"Prey is prey. No matter how deadly they are and how smart they grow, the cats are always destined to turn into our fur coats and hunting trophies mounted on our walls. In the parlance of mech designers like you, they are prey by design!\"

House Laterna designed the vast majority of the huge cats on the Asco Continent to serve as hunting fodder!

In no instance did the biotech researchers and the hunters ever think that the huge cats deserved any chance of escaping this fate!

For some reason, Ves felt inordinately sad for the huge cats.

\"Meow!\"

Of course, Lucky didn't see it that way. To him, the huge cats were merely mutations that deviated enormously from the ideal cat!

Chapter 1404

The hunting team rested only for a short period after taking down the huge panther. As mechs started to remain on guard, Ves and a handful of mech technicians exited their legged transports and performed perfunctory maintenance and repairs on the mechs engaged in battle.

Only the knight mech that faced the brunt of the panther's charges required some minor fixes. The mech had been designed to absorb a lot of shock, and it had properly braced and angled itself to redirect a large portion of the forces slamming into its shield.

\"Alright, it's done!\" Ves shouted as he recalled the mech technicians who replaced a few minor broken subcomponents.

The work they performed amounted to nothing but an emergency patch. Only after they rested for the night would the maintenance crew be able to perform more thorough maintenance.

Right now, the carcass bleeding and stinking all over the place made this location a very poor resting spot! Who knew how many hungry cats would converge on the site!

The hunting team departed within an hour. Lady Miralix declined to take any trophies from the corpse of the brightly-colored panther. The noblewoman and her hunters considered the huge cat to be too young, juvenile, stupid and unworthy to celebrate its death!

Back inside the legged transport, Ves harbored mixed feelings about the attitudes expressed by the hunting consultants and other people on the team.

Their callous treatment of huge cats like the panther made it clear that they saw every huge cat in the hunting zones as prey and only prey.

The only value the huge cats offered to the hunters was how much bragging rights they provided to the hunters. It was as if every huge cat wandered around with a floating label on top of their heads which signified how much reputation and prestige they provided!

The panther they just defeated evidently provided so little value that the hunters outright dismissed the kill.

\"What do the geneticists and exobiologists who designed this ugly panther think about their creation?\"

They likely care little to nothing about their own creations. They cooked up so many different species of huge cats and dumped them onto the Asco Continent in order to collect experimental data.

The more successful species that grew into Crown Cats received the bulk of their attention. The lesser ones who fared less well against the hunters were probably regarded as genetic trash that needed to be cleaned up to make room for deadlier and more successful prey.

Normally, Ves cared little for the methods and machinations of biotech researchers. The crazy specialists constantly played around with genes sampled from newly-discovered exobeasts or synthesized entirely from their labs. The type of work they did differed significantly from the work of a typical mech designer.

One played god, while the other designed machines.

\"Yet the difference isn't so clear now in my case.\" He whispered to himself.

He cast his eyes down his firm and dexterous hands. For now, he designed mechs with his hands.

In the future, he might be able to shape more than mechs with his limbs. Perhaps he might directly create a new lifeform with a few gestures of his hands one day!

Having read the research data and files that Lucky had once lifted from a hidden research outpost, Ves knew that the attitudes held by the hunters were also shared among the specialists

who created the cats.

\"There are very few people who actually respect the huge cats.\"

Only the hardcore, professional hunters who lived by the hunter's creed respected every creature they felled. Sadly, Lady Miralix declined to hire any of them on her hunting team.

To her, rigid traditions had no place in her current mission. All she cared about was hunting down a notable Crown Cat to provide a powerful boost to her career.

\"In a way, the huge cats are fulfilling their purpose. Why should I pity their existences?\"

No matter how much he tried to dismiss the issue, his doubts continued to come back to haunt him. This was because his recent experimentation drew obvious parallels with the work of House Laterna's biotech researchers.

Both of them created new forms of life. While their methods and their products diverged, the implications of their work were remarkably similar.

\"What is the responsibility of a creator to their work?\"

Ves struggled with this question ever since he became a mech designer.

Sometimes he washed his hands of them as soon as they fell into the hands of his customers. This applied the most to his mass-market products.

Sometimes he cared a lot about how they were being utilized. This only applied to some of his custom mechs and gold label mechs.

The somewhat inconsistent approach made it clear that Ves had never really come up with a good answer to this difficult question.

On top of that now came the consideration of how he should approach the creation of spiritual products.

Even though he called them products, they were just as alive as the diverse species of cats created and spread throughout Felixia.

It was easy to abuse a lifeless object. If Ves held a nutrient pack for example, he had no qualms about throwing it on the ground and trampling it with his foot.

If he instead wanted to do the same with a cuddly house cat, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to exhibit such cruelty!

\"Well, it's different if it's a nasty bug, but whatever!\"

The point was that living and potentially sentient lifeforms possessed intrinsic rights! They deserved better treatment!

Ves constantly thought back on his first spiritual product and how he should regard it during every stage of its existence.

\"A product is created to fulfill a specific purpose. Yet does life have a purpose?\"

\"Meow.\"

He scratched Lucky's ears. \"Heh. Even pets like you have a purpose, you know.\"

Even if Lucky had been designed to eat minerals and convert them to gems, Ves thought of his cat as something more than a production machine.

Lucky was his friend and companion. His liveliness and his capacity to exhibit emotions such as love, hate, irritation and amusement made him part of the family.

If Lucky could become a beloved companion, then what about the spiritual fragments he procured and the spiritual products he intended to produce in the future?

\"Does life have to fulfill a specific purpose? What if its job is done? What happens next.\"

The struggles he faced with regard to continuity, free will and control all became more acute the more he delved into the path of life.

How much responsibility should he show to his living spiritual creations?

How many rights should he bestow to his spiritual products, and how far should he go in considering their wellbeing?

\"If they are merely products, this would be so much easier to deal with. But they're not! They're alive!\"

Not only were his spiritual products alive, but they were also sentient. So far, Ves had never encountered a spiritual entity that wasn't sentient or emerged from a sentient being.

This complicated the matter further because it cut off the convenient option of treating his spiritual products as mundane as livestock, which solely lived to produce meat for consumption.

After a bit of thinking, Ves decided to hold off on declaring a bill of rights for spiritual existences.

Instead, he tentatively developed a number of principles that eased his conscience and made him feel better about his future works.

First, as spiritual products were meant to serve as vital components of his mechs, he extended the same regard he held for mechs.

Without a design spirit, his mechs were unable to come to life. For this reason, the spiritual fragments and products that fulfilled this role deserved to be considered living beings rather than something lesser.

\"Rather than consider them objects that just happen to be alive, it's better to treat them as living beings that are hired to perform a specific purpose.\"

Ves already treated spiritual entities such as Qilanxo's spiritual fragment and Prophet Ylvaine's spiritual fragments in this way. In essence, he was merely formalizing what he already believed in and extended the same treatment to the lesser design spirits of his older mechs.

Each of them, no matter how strong or weak they became, deserve the basic respect of a living, sentient being.

Secondly, the existences of his spiritual creations encompassed more than fulfilling their purpose.

Each spiritual entity was alive. Each of them possessed their own hopes, dreams, ambitions and priorities. While Ves really wanted them to serve as the design spirits of his mechs and mech designs in perpetuity, there may come a time when they wanted to move on and do something else in their spiritual lives.

Of course, Ves couldn't allow them to quit their jobs willy-nilly, especially if the mech models they enhanced were still current and widely-used!

\"I have to make a compromise here. Total freedom and total control are both untenable.\"

He did not wish to enslave his spiritual products and force them to labor on his behalf when they really wanted to do something else.

However, as a mech designer, he deeply relied on design spirits to elevate the quality of his mechs in a way that no other competitor could match!

For this reason, extending total freedom to his spiritual products and allowing them to express their free will would certainly lead to many disasters!

Instead of choosing between one direction or the other, Ves decided to straddle the middle line. As long as his design spirits fulfilled their duty for a certain period of existence, Ves would allow them to 'resign' from their work and find a different purpose in life.

\"I can always create another product to fulfill the void left behind.\" He muttered.

Offering hope to his spiritual products and promising that they would be able to take the reins of their own lives after fulfilling their obligatory duties would hopefully keep them motivated.

\"They'll stay honest and dutiful as long as they are incentivized to do so!\"

Perhaps some spiritual products liked to work as design spirits and would voluntarily choose to extend their 'employment contracts'. Others might decide they wanted to explore the galaxy or the imaginary realm.

Whatever they decided, Ves wanted them to make their own choices. Only by being empowered to choose their own future would they be willing to work for him in earnest!

This summed up his third principle, which was that spiritual entities were obligated to do their jobs and not slack off or quit prematurely for the duration of their employment contracts.

Ves snorted. Would spiritual entities even abide by contracts?

Maybe he should find a way to form a binding spiritual contract. With all of the potential that spirituality offered, something as simple as a contract that bound two parties to a specific set of terms ought to be possible.

In any case, the three principles he formulated this day would henceforth act as his guiding approach!

It was as if a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. In the end, he took a radically different approach to his creations than the biotech researchers of House Laterna.

He managed to come up with a simple set of principles that safeguarded his right to exert control while at the same time granted some fundamental rights to his spiritual products.

\"This ought to be sufficient!\"

The principles aligned closely to the path of balance that he currently followed.

The path of determinism would seek to impose absolute control over his spiritual products, to the point of robbing them of the vitality that life had to offer.

\"What's the point of life if they can't express themselves?\"

They'd end up as sad as the huge cats in Asco, who were only formulated into existence to provide hunters with trophies and research data to House Laterna's research institutions.

In contrast, the path of life would obligate him to surrender full control and let his spiritual creations choose their own purpose.

While this kind of unbound forms of life held the highest potential to produce something remarkable, the lack of order and predictability made them far too hard to work with in the long run.

All of his mechs ought to be reliable! Ves would not be able to stay in business if the quality of his mechs fluctuated wildly from model to model!

The three principles of life he formulated avoided these undesirable outcomes. Though not everyone got what they wanted, no one received unfair treatment!

Chapter 1405

His mood significantly improved after he formulated his principles of life. Not only did they match with the principles of his design philosophy, but they also merged with it! By becoming a newly-merged aspect of his expanding ideology, Ves had taken one step closer to advancing to Senior!

\"Becoming a Senior isn't all about designing mechs.\" He reiterated the lessons he learned from talking to various high-ranking mech designers. \"It's about achieving the impossible, taking one step at a time.\"

His recent insights prompted him to look at the Kinslayer in a new light.

As the hunting team steadily followed Zeigra's tracks, Ves constantly kept an eye on the Kinslayer. He continually kept up a projection of its telemetry in his view, and specifically monitored the fluctuations of Lady Miralix's neural connection to her mech.

Even if he didn't understand the majority of what was being measured and what it meant if some lines went up or down, he still gained a general sense of what took place.

One of the regrets he held about the Kinslayer was that he hadn't managed to replace her neural interface. Just like every other mech in civilized space, the tiger mech utilized a standard neural interface model published by the MTA.

From the telemetry he received so far, Ves observed that the neural interface model leaned somewhere in the middle. It was neither too dangerous or too limited. The neural interface was simply a bog-standard piece of equipment that provided no advantages or disadvantages.

\"Boring.\" Ves flatly declared.

Even so, Ves saw some signs that Lady Miralix had begun to deepen her relationship with the Kinslayer.

This was especially so once he extended his spiritual senses towards the tiger mech when Lady Miralix actively piloted it. Even if she wasn't aware that a spiritual existence occupied the mech, her fondness for her mech increased after every piloting session.

\"The Kinslayer is maturing. Don't you think so, Lucky?\"

\"Meow!\"

The cat held in his grasp turned his gaze away from the tiger mech in view. A giant mech in the form of a cat was still inferior to his own existence!

Nonetheless, Ves sensed that Vescas was rapidly starting to mature. Its frequent bonding sessions with Lady Miralix helped enormously.

Vescas already exhibited some affection towards Miralix as her mind had been the birthing chamber of its existence. The spiritual product subsequently grew smarter and more sophisticated due to its ability to access Miralix's mind and the knowledge stored within.

Observing this interaction from the side revealed something important to Ves. The newborn spiritual product's development drew heavily from its environment!

This meant that Lady Miralix unwittingly indoctrinated the rapidly-maturing Vescas with her own values, principles, beliefs and biases!

Though Vescas retained a lot of instincts, beliefs and knowledge from both the Dragon Cat and Ves, these were merely inherited from its 'parents'. Now that Lady Miralix became its only other caretaker, the spiritual product began to take on her beliefs and view its inherited values from the perspective of a noble hunter!

Ves didn't know what to make of this phenomenon. On one hand, if mech pilots raised newly-born spiritual products, their compatibility continually improved and might possibly reach a monstrous height over time!

On the other hand, the spiritual products also diverged from the values and principles instilled into them by him. How much would Vescas even hold on to aspects of Ves and the Dragon Cat?

\"It feels like I'm giving my newborn baby for adoption to someone else. The baby might share my DNA, but her upbringing reflected that of an entirely different person!\"

Despite the mixed feelings this brought to Ves, he did not oppose this novel development. In fact, the promise of high compatibility reminded him of his third Mastery experience.

Back then, he witnessed Venerable Eloise Pelican maintain a very tight relationship with her space knight. The bond between them was so tight that Venerable Pelican and her mech managed to achieve the legendary state of complete resonance!

Though this remarkable condition only came about after Qilanxo's spiritual fragment gave them a firm push, complete resonance could have never taken place if Venerable Pelican did not trust her mech to such a high degree!

\"There's value in this phenomenon!\"

Ves saw great value in this kind of development in custom mechs!

With mechs designed to accommodate a specific mech pilot, compatibility mattered more than anything. Having a design spirit that gently familiarized and grew alongside the mech pilot was extremely beneficial to the performance of the custom mech!

Ves expected much greater synergies to arise out of mechs like the Kinslayer if they continued to be used!

Previously, Ves deduced that Lady Miralix only saw her Kinslayer as a one-use mech made solely for the purpose of taking down a Crown Cat.

Now... the deepening affection she shared with the Kinslayer made Ves suspect that she was starting to change her mind.

He couldn't help but smile when he observed this change. His work propagated his principles! He had already converted another mech pilot into adopting his insistence that mechs ought to be valued as living companions rather than disposable commodities!

He sighed. \"If only every mech can start off with an impressionable mind.\"

Sadly, Ves did not see any way this could be viable for his mass-market mechs. Both the military and private outfits saw mechs as their possessions instead of the possessions of mech pilots.

This was an important distinction. Despite the fact that mech forces mostly assigned mech pilots to specific mechs, they might be shuffled around one day.

If a specific mech developed to the point of adoring only a single mech pilot, what if a mech officer chose to put a different person in the cockpit?

\"The results won't be pretty.\" Ves grimaced as he imagined several unpleasant scenarios.

Mech pilots died, retired and transferred all the time. Even the Avatars of Myth routinely rotated their assignments as some mech pilots earned the right to enjoy some leave so they could spend some time with their families!

Since it would be an awful waste to leave their mechs unattended, Melkor or another officer would just assign another mech pilot to use the unoccupied mech.

For this reason, Ves decided to avoid replicating this phenomenon when he designed a commercial mech.

\"Besides, what will happen if it is being raised by thousands of parents at the same time?\"

If Ves released a new mech model with a newborn spiritual product as its design spirit, then thousands of customers would collectively shape its perspective as it matured!

He could hardly imagine the horror that all of this chaos might result!

For this reason, Ves resolved to put mature spiritual entities in charge of his commercial mech models.

\"Their flexibility and adaptability will be much less, but it's essential to retain their universality.\"

A mech that turned useless upon the death or departure of its main mech pilot was an awful product to most outfits. Unlike custom mechs, ordinary mechs had to offer consistent and reliable performance as long as any skilled mech pilot entered their cockpits.

As Ves continued to muse about the various implications of his recent innovations, the hunting trip continued to creep closer to Zeigra.

The powerful Crown Cat never made a habit of hiding its presence. It rarely hid its tracks as it was already the most powerful creature in the hunting zone.

Zeigra feared nothing! Any cat or mech that wanted to challenge the king of the forest was welcome to try!

\"We're getting close.\" Lady Miralix announced with a serious expression.

The noblewoman and her closest confidantes gathered in a cramped conference room in one of the legged transports. Ves observed the map projected above the center table. It depicted the surrounding terrain and outlined the tracks they observed.

The line representing the tracks led forward until they neared a small lake.

A hunting consultant started to brief everyone on what they discovered.

\"The lake up ahead is one of the most desirable water sources for the beasts in the hunting zone. It's laced with a high concentration of desirable minerals to the huge cats. Even a Crown Cat like Zeigra likes to linger around the lake. Right now, we are reasonably certain we can find our target in the vicinity, though pinning down his exact location can't be done without approaching the site.\"

Everyone present knew that the critical first round of battle loomed close!

\"Forgive me for asking, but is Zeigra nocturnal?\" Ves asked.

\"We don't know.\"

Huh?

\"To be more precise, we haven't been able to discern a pattern from the information we've obtained about Zeigra.\" Lady Miralix explained. \"The organic products produced by the labs show a high amount of variance. Right now, we can't make any assumptions about Zeigra's sleeping patterns.\"

This meant that they had no idea whether Zeigra was at his most alert state when it was day, night, dusk or dawn!

\"When will we launch our attack, then?\"

The noble switched the projection to depict a simulation of an attack launched in broad daylight!

\"Since it is not viable for us to scout and observe Zeigra without revealing our presence, we will commence our attack in a timing that best suits our hunting team. My hunters and I are still accustomed to a normal sleeping pattern. This means we are most alert and primed for combat in the late morning, which is the best time for us to confront the Crown Cat!\"

Lady Miralix and a number of hunters proceeded to explain the plans they made for the first round of attack.

The projection demonstrated various scenarios that might happen. The Felixia Catstrikers had to be prepared for every eventuality.

What if Zeigra wasn't alone and enjoyed the company of another huge cat?

What if the Crown Cat sniffed out their presence long ago and quietly slinked away?

What if Zeigra turned out to be stronger than anticipated and pressed the Catstrikers back?

What if Zeigra avoided the mechs and instead launched an ambush towards the vulnerable legged transports?

Emphasizing good preparation, Lady Miralix demanded a ready answer to all of these questions and more.

The leadership and competence she exhibited soothed everyone's nerves. She possessed a good foundation to take charge in her future roles in the Sentinel Kingdom's military.

\"As you all know, the first round is critical. Even if we don't encounter any surprises, Zeigra may still be able to overpower our mechs through sheer brute force.\"

No one wanted to see this happen, especially not during the first round of combat when Zeigra fought at his peak!

\"If worse comes to worst, my Kinslayer and I will step in to push Zeigra into retreat!\"

\"No!\"

\"That's too reckless!\"

\"Your mech won't be able to hold when it matters the most!\"

\"SILENCE!\"

The woman strongly pressed everyone into shutting their mouths. She glared at everyone who expressed their doubts.

\"I know what you are afraid of, but that was when we still had our old mechs! It's different now! Remember that we have a new guest among us! We are in the company of a mech designer who is famed for creating miracles and has an abundant amount of experience in repairing mechs in the field!\"

Everyone turned their attention to Ves, making him feel very uncomfortable all of a sudden.

\"Mr. Larkinson here will make sure that any deterioration my mech might suffer will doubtlessly be remedied for future confrontations! Isn't that right?\"

Ves offered a nervous smile. \"I appreciate your compliments, but the spare parts, supplies and equipment you've brought can only do so much. I can probably patch or jury-rig some minor damage, but if Zeigra rips off an entire limb from the Kinslayer, repairing such heavy damage is beyond my capabilities!\"

\"I'll make sure my Kinslayer won't be pushed to that point.\" She grinned back. \"You can rest at ease, Mr. Larkinson. Everything is under control.\"

If there was one thing the Laternas excelled at, it was in maintaining control!

Chapter 1406

The lake the mechs of the hunting team approach could only be called small to huge cats and giant mechs.

For regular humans, the lake encompassed an area the size of a small mech arena!

Hardly any animals and critters approached the glistening mineral-rich water to quench their thirst. Even if many of them knew that they'd be able to boost their growth if they continued to drink the valuable lake water, the apex predator that claimed the lake as his own had left his scent all over the place!

This was Zeigra's territory, and any creature that dared to sample the lake water did so at their own peril!

As the local star continued to rise above the sky of Felixia, the waters began to glisten, sparkle and reflect a considerable amount of light. The humid air and mist added a mystical quality to the entire scene.

If not for the dangerous cats and other predators that roamed the forest, Ves would have mistaken the sight as an idyllic relaxation site!

Unfortunately, Ves doubted the pristine site would remain so picturesque. The Felixia Catstrikers had begun to move according to the plan they formulated the previous night.

Half of the mechs of the hunting team cautiously approached the clearing around the lake.

The mechs had already been adapted for hunting purposes. Each mech made as little noise as possible as they moved. They avoided every tree and took detours around bushes. Their mech pilots, all young but very well prepared, skillfully navigated the rough terrain without impacting the terrain too much.

Some huge cats were very skilled at reading the tremors propagating through the ground! Many ambushes failed when the huge cats had put up an act but turned around and claw the attacking mechs at the last moment!

\"We don't expect we can take Zeigra by surprise.\" One of the hunting consultants explained to the inspector who worked on behalf of both the royal house and the Galactic Hunting Club. \"We are merely aiming to place our mechs close enough to limit the amount of plans the Crown Cat can form in response to our approach.\"

The inspector, who happened to be a noble, nodded in understanding. \"I see you have only sent out a single knight mech in the first wave. That is a bold choice.\"

\"Lady Miralix has faith in her mech pilots and the mechs she procured for them. Mr. Larkinson here has also endeavored to sharpen them up for the coming confrontation.\"

That caused the inspector to glance briefly at Ves before turning back to the projection.

For his part, Ves felt rather put out that Lady Miralix and the other members of the hunting team put way too much stock in his abilities. Did they think he was a miracle worker or something?

He was just a mech designer! There were limits to how much he could do, especially on short notice and under severe cost and resource constraints!

Lucky, who sat on his shoulder, rubbed nervously against his head.

\"Meow.\"

\"I know. I have a bad feeling about this too. When was the last time a hunting team made a stab at Zeigra? We know how strong he was back then, but how much has he grown since this time?\"

The Catstrikers already took Zeigra's growth into account. They anticipated that he had grown up to twenty percent more powerful since his last confirmed battle against a hunting team.

Ves hoped that whoever made those estimates knew what they were doing!

\"We've caught sight of a large signature at the other end of the lake! We have a confirmed sighting of Zeigra!\"

The projection shifted towards depicting a huge cat lounging on a low, grassy gnoll by the side of the lake. The massive beast squinted his eyes and basked in the sunshine pouring down on the lake and the clearing.

\"That's a very enormous and dangerous-looking cat.\" He muttered.

\"Meow.\"

\"Do you think you can still take him on?\"

\"Meow..\"

\"Hehe. Seeing is believing!\"

Compared to how the newest Crown Cat appeared in previous footage, the cat obviously underwent some development.

Zeigra's rust-bronze colored fur coat looked significantly richer and magnificent. Faint spots of deeper red added a remarkable texture to the Crown Cat's luxurious fur.

The cat's massive and heavy tail lazily swished about as if the huge cat had nothing to worry about this fine morning.

However, the Catstrikers weren't fooled by this peaceful facade.

\"We've detected several elevated life signs from the huge cat. He has definitely detected our first vanguard! Shall we attack, commander?\"

\"Not yet.\" Lady Miralix spoke over the channel. \"Let's wait until our flanking mechs are in position.\"

The attack planned by Miralix and her mech pilots sounded simple. Instead of throwing all eleven humanoid mechs of the Catstrikers at Zeigra all at once, they would begin with only half of that number.

The six mechs they sent forth first consisted of three ranged mechs, two spearman mechs and a single knight mech.

There was no way such a paltry force could defeat a beast that weighed more than a heavy mech and charged as fast as a lancer mech!

But that was not the point!

The vanguard's main purpose was to probe Zeigra's capabilities and determine how much the Crown Cat had grown.

Minutes passed as everyone grew more tense. Even the royal inspector looked uneasy. If the Zeigra turned out to be stronger than expected, the formidable king cat might take out his ire on the hunting team by smashing aside their mechs and tearing apart the legged transports!

Ves and everyone else aboard the transport vehicles would be in big trouble if that happened!

As Ves thought that the Catstrikers would be content in maintaining the status quo for hours if need be, Lady Miralix finally issued a decisive order!

\"Launch the attack! Follow the plan!\"

All of the mechs stopped their hiding measures and rose up from behind the concealing bushes. The three melee mechs all stood ready to react to anything that might get thrown in their way as the three ranged mechs aimed their ballistic rifles at their prey.

Most hunting teams in Asco favored ballistic rifles as their ranged weapon of choice.

Laser weapons could output a lot of damage, but they fared best in sustained battles, which rarely happened during hunts.

While they brought a considerable amount of firepower to the table, especially against cats that didn't specialize against fending off energy attacks, the damage accumulated too gradually most of the time.

In contrast, ballistic and kinetic weapons achieved much more immediate results due to the impact damage they dealt. Powerful shells and projectiles not only hit like a good blow from a melee mech, they also rattled the huge cats and incited worry.

No matter how formidable they appeared, no creature liked to be peppered with painful rounds!

\"Fire!\"

The ranged mechs unleashed their first salvos. Having read up on the specifications of the ballistic rifles, Ves knew that they fired specialized shells designed specifically to deal damage against exobeasts with resilient exteriors!

As soon as the rounds impacted against the seemingly-oblivious Crown Cat, the enormous creature roared in pain and irritation as three loud explosions impacted his flank!

\"Minimal damage! Oh, he's angry!\"

\"Keep firing! We knew Zeigra's hide is harder than it looks, but the damage will add up!\"

According to the analysis performed on Zeigra's past battles, one of the more remarkable aspects about the cat was how much damage he resisted.

The cat's hide incorporated a lot of exotics and materials ordinarily seen in mech armor!

While every huge cat developed by House Laterna's biotech researchers incorporated this ability, Zeigra was vastly more efficient in ingesting and transforming materials into hardening his hide!

In their previous encounter, the Catstrikers easily defeated an ambushing huge cat by impaling it with simple spear thrusts.

Against Zeigra, it was much more likely for the spearpoint to break before the Crown Cat's hide got punctured!

\"Fire at will! Weaken his hide as much as possible!\"

One of the reasons why the Catstrikers wanted to confront Zeigra over at least four rounds was because they needed time to chip away at his defenses!

A single round of combat didn't offer enough time to create a serious vulnerability in his defenses!

Leaving aside whether it was possible to keep the ranged mechs safe against a raging Crown Cat, their rifles would probably run out of ammunition before they dealt enough damage!

For this reason, the Catstrikers heavily preferred tiring Zeigra out over multiple rounds. Otherwise, the ranged mechs wouldn't be able to replenish their ammunition!

\"He's coming! Damnit! He's diving into the water!\"

\"What?!\"

While the lake wasn't very big, it was still deep enough to encompass an entire Crown Cat!

The ranged mechs continued to fire at the underwater cat. Their firing systems automatically compensated for the angles they needed to adopt to hit the fast-moving cat, but even then their rounds encountered a lot of difficulties!

Ves knew that the ballistic rifles hadn't been designed to fire into the water!

Sooner than he expected, the powerful Crown Cat emerged on the side of the bank where the vanguard made their stand!

\"Damnit! Our flanking mechs are out of position! We thought Zeigra would have chosen to sprint around the lake! It will take a little more time for our flankers to get into position!\"

The six mechs of the vanguard faced a very tough test right now. They had to contain and withstand the powerful Crown Cat!

Fortunately, his relatively young age meant he lacked the rich battle experience of the older Crown Cats. Zeigra directly pounced against the knight mech with his claws ready to grip and tear at the defensive mech!

Just like last time, the knight mech did not attempt to fend off the attack head-on. Zeigra's pouncing momentum was way too dreadful for any mech to withstand directly!

Instead, the mech quickly took a few steps back and angled to the side. The knight mech held its curved shield with both arms, having never unsheathed its sword.

There was no way the knight mech would ever be able to hurt Zeigra even if it swung its sword a hundred times!

SKRT!

An awful sound screeched as Zeigra's claws raked across the surface of the shield!

If the previous huge cat barely left any marks on the shield, Zeigra was entirely different!

His sharp claws and powerful momentum inflicted a very deep pair of grooves behind! Zeigra managed to penetrate multiple layers of armor with his first attack!

Everyone looked frightened at the might of the Crown Cat! If Zeigra continued to cut and pound at the damaged sections of the shield, it would surely succumb in minutes!

Fortunately, while the shield took a serious beating, the knight mech itself managed to smoothly ride out the impact pressed upon its frame by moving backwards and bending its legs to shunt the force to the ground!

\"Get up!\" Lady Miralix commanded. \"Zeigra has already recovered! He's attempting to attack our rifleman mechs!\"

Despite its remarkable stance and techniques, the knight mech endured such a heavy impact that it required several more seconds to recover! This was way too much time as the energetic Crown Cat already started to close the distance to the ranged mechs!

The rifleman mechs had already started beating a retreat, turning around their upper torsos to fire at Zeigra's massive bulk while doing so. Nonetheless, their running speed paled in comparison to an apex predator that had reached the top twenty of the ranking!

The spearman mechs had no choice but to move into action. They rushed forward and tried to threaten Zeigra in order to force him to confront the more immediate threat!

\"Zeigra is attempting to bypass our spearman mechs!\"

The cat was smart enough to realize that the ranged mechs posed a bigger threat! The longer they fired at his hide, the more his defenses deteriorated!

Just as the spearman mechs launched their thrusts, the cat released a powerful roar! Immediately afterwards, one of the spearman mechs inexplicably tripped!

\"NO!\"

Chapter 1407

One of the two spearman mechs in charge of holding up Zeigra as the beast went after the rifleman mechs tripped.

It shouldn't have happened!

Ves and everyone else gasped as they witnessed one of the mechs falter in such a critical moment. How could a mech that had only faced one brief moment of combat jumble its footing in such an idiotic manner?!

Was it the mech pilot? Almost certainly not! From their academy days, mech pilots spent thousands of hours practising the right footing for their mechs.

With the consequences of falling due to improper footing so grave, the mech instructors thoroughly force their mech cadets to learn how to walk, run, sprint and sidestep on even the most rugged and uneven simulated terrain!

Though the mech pilot of the spearman mech was fairly young, this proper footing should have still been a critical graduation criteria for even the most basic mech pilots!

Suspicions rapidly turned towards the mech.

As the mech designer who supervised the condition of the mechs, Ves began to receive some unwelcome glares from the others in the command center.

If a mech carried a critical flaw that might have led to a mech losing its footing, then he should have caught it well before the battle commenced!

Aware of the blame he might receive, Ves immediately manipulated the projected interface to call up the logs and telemetry from the tripped spearman mech.

Having studied Zeigra extensively, he had already what kind of tricks the Crown Cat might pull off! This wasn't the first time a mech faltered before the powerful organic product, but it never happened so quickly and abruptly!

While Ves tried to seek out the reason for the spearman mech's sudden fall, the battle rapidly progressed.

With just one spearman mech left on its feet, its mech pilot continued pushing the machine forward despite the fall of a partner.

However, Zeigra exhibited no concern towards the lone spear targeting its eyes! Belying its prodigious mass, the beast easily sidestepped the thrust and continued charging onwards to the vulnerable rifleman mechs!

Fortunately, the mech pilots of the rifleman mechs had already started moving even before Zeigra closed in. They split up in different directions and spent more time on sprinting away than firing potshots at the creature.

Zeigra roared in fury and kept charging forward, determined to chase after at least one of the hunter mechs!

\"Run! Maximize your speed by any means possible!\" Lady Miralix urged! \"Backup is on the way but it will take time!\"

Zeigra's mobility posed lots of problems to the vanguard as the huge cat had cleverly threaded a hole in their formation! One spearman mech wasted precious seconds trying to raise itself up its feet while the other desperately sprinted after the speeding beast!

The knight mech chased after the cat as well with its raked shield, but its bulky armor did its speed and acceleration no favors! There was no way the knight mech could ever catch up to an organic product optimized for chasing after prey!

Zeigra wanted to kill the rifleman mech in the center of his vision so much that he began to sprint like a cheetah!

His hind limbs pushed off the soil almost simultaneously, pushing forth his immense bulk with powerful force.

His forelimbs landed and pressed against the soil soon after, stabilizing his feline bulk just enough for his hind limbs to push forth again!

The sinuous undulation of his back during his dash possessed a mesmerizing quality. The Crown Cat's pleasing aesthetics only added to the intimidation factor of the creature. Practically every mech pilot engaged in battle against the beast already started to quiver!

The rifleman mech that became Zeigra's target ran as fast as possible, so much so that it decisively tossed away its ballistic rifle in order to sprint faster with the aid of its arms!

Yet no matter what kind of running technique its mech pilot employed, its speed still fell short of Zeigra's dash!

\"Fire at its limbs! Disturb Zeigra's footing as best as you can!\"

The two rifleman mechs that ran on opposite sides to the dashing cat stopped their flight and turned around to aim at Zeigra's limbs!

Their rifles barked out, but the round impacted only empty ground.

They missed!

It took an agonizingly long time before the rifles fired again! One of the powerful rounds exploded a distance away from the cat as Zeigra cleverly juked at the last moment! Another round fell close enough to encompass one of the limbs, but the damage was too weak to deter the cat from his determined attack.

Lady Miralix and everyone else saw with increasing horror as Zeigra resolutely dodged or withstood every round thrown in his way. It took vastly more damage before his hide and his flesh degraded! The brief window of opportunity at the moment was far too short to push Zeigra to that point!

\"Stall Zeigra as best you can before you eject!\"

The pilot of the rifleman mech kept withdrawing, hoping to stretch out the chase as much as possible.

However, just as it seemed it would take Zeigra half-a-dozen seconds more to close the distance, the rifleman mech jerked and stumbled upon its feet!

\"EJECT!\"

Just before the rifleman mech tumbled completely onto its face, the mech pilot had already issued the emergency eject command!

The cockpit blasted out the back of the rifleman mech and flew out of Zeigra's grasp just as the furious Crown Cat pounced on what remained!

A triumphant roar bellowed from his throat as Zeigra savaged the rifleman mech with savage glee. The Crown Cat showed no mercy to the pilot-less mech as he tore through its vulnerable rear armor and made an absolute mess of its internal parts!

Ves looked sick as Zeigra inflicted an incredible amount of destruction to numerous critical components. He suspected that Zeigra knew exactly what he was doing as the cat deliberately savaged as many parts as possible even though he constantly suffered repeated impacts from the rifles aimed at his sides!

In addition, not only did the Crown Cat destroy the mech with his claws, he also took several meaty bites out of it! An entire arm got ripped apart as Zeigra clamped the rifleman mech's shoulder and ripped straight through its armor plating!

\"He's eating the mech! He's feeding himself!\"

In fact, Zeigra became so preoccupied with thrashing and digesting mouthfuls of the mech that the flanking force finally arrived within range!

One more rifleman mech added to the firepower of two of its surviving comrades. With three ballistic rifles coordinating their firepower, Zeigra began to accumulate increasingly serious damage.

His prone state made it exceptionally easy for the ranged mechs to layer their fire on the same spots they already struck, thereby compounding the damage further and further as time went by!

A pair of axeman mechs led by another knight mech approached from the Crown Cat's left! They closed in even as Zeigra greedily kept ingesting choice bits of metals and alloys from the badly-mutilated mech frame underneath its limbs!

\"Careful! He might be putting on an act!\"

The warning issued by Lady Miralix proved prescient as the Crown Cat abruptly turned and spat out the contents of his mouth at the approaching knight mech!

The defensive mech raised its shield and blocked the saliva-covered debris without any effort! The mech slowed down as it came close, though, unwilling to charge a cat that was bigger, stronger and bulkier!

Nonetheless, the defensive mech's proximity succeeded in drawing Zeigra's attention, enough for the flanking axeman mechs to charge at his sides and slam their axes down in unison on the creature's wide flanks!

\"Careful! He's launching an attack!\"

Zeigra's huge eyes glinted in savage cunning as he rapidly whirled his body around, abandoning his mutilated prize in favor of batting aside an axe with his paw before chomping his powerful jaws straight onto one of the arms of the axeman mech!

With a powerful heave, the Crown Cat ripped the arm straight off the shoulder of the caught mech!

However, Zeigra's choice had left the other axeman mech in a prime position to attack the creature's rear! Its mech pilot exploited the opportunity by landing a savage chop with all of the strength and momentum of the charging mech behind the blow!

A painful roar escaped the rust-red-colored cat as the prime axe chop landed straight onto the small of his back! His seemingly-invincible hide suffered a modest but very welcome cut!

\"We've bled the cat!\"

Unfortunately, the damage and the trickle of blood that escaped from the cut failed to impact its spine, which might as well be as hard as ship-grade armor plating!

\"His bones are too tough to break! We already knew that! Concentrate on the flesh! We have to damage his flesh and bleed him dry!\"

Perhaps Zeigra himself did not expect to get hurt so much, because the cat lost his composure and started lashing out in a mindless flurry of attacks!

Though his savagery increased, the melee mechs that finally caught up managed to keep the berserking cat occupied without suffering any further damage.

A minute passed as two knight mechs, two axeman mechs and two spearman mechs each surrounded Zeigra in a circle.

Whenever the cat targeted a mech, the machine in question would do its best to pull back and avoid getting hit.

In the meantime, the other mechs took advantage of the opening by landing hasty attacks onto Zeigra's vulnerable flanks and hindquarters!

Most of the attacks concentrated on the limbs or the cut on his back whenever possible. Despite the flurry of attacks, the mechs were unable to exert much force or momentum in their blows. Zeigra's hide absorbed most of the blows without too much issue!

\"The damage is accumulating! Keep going!\"

The encircement did not manage to press Zeigra enough, though.

One of the axeman mech swung its hefty axe with just a single arm, which significantly hampered its combat effectiveness.

Meanwhile, the spearman mech that recently tripped but climbed back on its feet exhibited far too much caution with its footing. The mech moved too slow to keep up with Zeigra's rapid maneuvering!

In addition to all of this, the ranged mechs no longer dared to open fire, as the risk of hitting the melee mechs became too great! The rifleman mechs instead took advantage of the lull by repositioning themselves while they changed their magazines.

Just as everyone thought they were succeeding in piling up an increasing amount of damage onto the Crown Cat, Zeigra roared yet again!

Though the mech pilots had long grown used to the intimidating roar of their prey, the knight mech with the raked shield inexplicably jerked to a halt!

\"Its mech engine has stalled!\" Ves shouted with alarm!

Zeigra instantly pounced at the knight mech, raking its shield again before batting aside the slowed and weakened mech as if it was a light mech!

\"He's running!\"

Apparently, Zeigra no longer wanted to tussle with the mechs and attempted to beat a retreat!

\"He might be putting on an act again! Stay in formation and don't reveal any vulnerabilities!\"

The Crown Cat continued to dash away from the lake clearing and entered the dense forest. The thick and immense trees blocked many of the shots from the rifleman mechs as Zeigra cleverly maneuvered his body behind the natural cover!

Just a minute later, the cat managed to sprint out of range!

\"He's gone!\"

\"Stay alert! He might be circling around us for another offensive! Do not lower your guard!\"

Nothing happened in the next couple of minutes. Zeigra was well and truly gone.

The first round had ended!

Yet.. no one looked happy. Ves continually studied the logs of the stricken mechs but kept one eye on the faces of the hunting consultants and other personnel monitoring the battle in the command center.

The Felixia Catstrikers managed to bleed Zeigra and land plenty of blows against his resilient bulk. Yet at what cost did they secure the first round?

Chapter 1408

The first round between the Felixia Catstrikers and Zeigra ended abruptly after the latter's departure.

Some of the Catstrikers privately felt relieved as the worst case scenario hadn't occurred.

When the humanoid mechs of the Catstrikers managed to surround the Crown Cat, they inflicted a considerable amount of damage, weakening the structural integrity of Zeigra's resilient fur by an uncertain degree.

This probably led the huge cat to conclude that it was in his best interest to depart.

As a precaution, most of the mechs still remained on guard in case Zeigra wanted to start with the second round right away, but for all intents and purposes the battle was over.

The legged transports moved into the clearing and poured out a host of mech technicians and equipment in order to perform emergency repairs on the mechs that suffered serious damage.

Lady Miralix opted to remain inside her Kinslayer in order to guard the legged transports. That did not prevent her from projecting her body onto the battle site to observe and help supervise the aftermath.

A lot of questions welled in her mind. The first round may not have led to the total disaster that everyone feared, but the damage the cat dished out seriously impacted their battle effectiveness.

Perhaps the most tragic casualty of the first round was the rifleman mech that got caught out by Zeigra! Not only did the brutal cat tore out practically its entire internal guts, but the cat also chomped significant chunks of alloy from the mech!

As Ves depressingly studied the wreck of the downed rifleman mech, Lady Miralix's projection floated up to his side.

\"I don't need a mech designer to know that there's no way that this mech will get up again.\" She began. \"What happened?\"

\"Do you mean the incidents where two of the mechs had tripped?\"

\"Yes. What happened?\"

\"Have you heard of the rumors surrounding Zeigra?\"

\"Do you mean to say the claims that Zeigra possesses the ability to corrode the parts of a mech is true?\"

\"With the evidence I've gathered, there's no more room for doubt.\" Ves declared. \"Zeigra truly does possess the ability to induce targeted corrosion and weakening of specific parts.\"

He began to summon up a projection from his comm and pointed at specific log data points which indicated that moments before the spearman mech and rifleman mech tripped, small but critical subcomponents had already started to send out small alerts!

With the help of his explanation, Lady Miralix managed to understand what had happened. Her eyes widened in alarm!

\"If this is true, then it only took seconds for a number of critical components in their legs to fail! That's too fast!\"

\"According to the rumors of the previous hunters who attempted to hunt down Zeigra, it took several minutes of contact before incidents like this occurred. Either they underestimated this possible effect, or Zeigra has become far more adept at wielding this special ability!\"

The implications weighed heavily on their shoulders. Hunting down a ferocious Crown Cat became a lot harder if Zeigra continually sabotaged the functioning of the mechs of the Catstrikers!

\"How does it work? Can we block Zeigra from utilizing this corrosion ability?\"

Ves helplessly shrugged. \"Beats me. I'm a mech designer, not an exobiologist. You'll have to ask the developers of Zeigra's species if you want to know more.\"

\"I doubt they know anything.\" The lady sighed. \"Half the products they cook up in their labs perform vastly out of their expectation. Every Crown Cat is pretty much a product of accident, coincidence and chance. Biosciences are always subject to the chaotic whims of nature. Besides, I'm not allowed to gather inside information and any contact to the outside universe is blocked in the hunting zone. We can only rely on ourselves for answers.\"

The Catstrikers did employ some unaffiliated biotech specialists, but none of them had any idea how Zeigra could possibly corrode the parts of a mech at a distance.

As soon as Ves disseminated his explanation, the suspicious glances directed at him lessened. The evidence he provided made it abundantly clear that the mech technicians and him hadn't been negligent in maintaining the mechs.

Still, the worried mech pilots still remained upset as Ves hadn't been able to come up with any solution to block this insidious attack! The mechs would continue to be vulnerable to Zeigra's hidden machinations! They would have to continue battling the Crown Cat all the while aware that their mechs might falter at critical moments!

Everyone's morale inevitably took a serious hit. This single extra complication had already led to the premature destruction of a rifleman mech. Another axeman mech would have to make do without a vital arm, while the spearman mech that tripped required an extensive amount of tedious light repairs as its entire frame got rattled by its fall!

\"What an awful mess!\"

The Catstrikers knew the first round would be the toughest, but after facing Zeigra's surprising strength and abilities, it became clear they still underestimated the challenge of confronting it in battle.

A lot of analysis and speculation went on in various meetings. Ves only attended a number of them as he became more preoccupied with directing the emergency field repairs on the mechs affected by the battle.

Because pressing Zeigra quickly was crucial to tiring out the beast, the repairs only lasted for around six hours. The mech pilots maintained a rotation of patrols in order to grant everyone crucial time to sleep and rest.

By the time Lady Miralix commanded her hunting team to follow Zeigra's tracks, the Catstrikers continued forth with one less mech.

There was no way for Ves to restore the badly-mangled rifleman mech! Since the wreck wasn't going to be moving and fighting on its own strength anymore, he instead recommended the mech technicians to salvage some intact parts that might prove useful in fixing up the other rifleman mechs in later battles.

\"Zeigra may have fled, but he shouldn't have run too far! March carefully and stay in formation!\"

As the mechs and the legged transports cautiously entered the tropical forest and followed Zeigra's tracks, Ves returned to the observation room and began to study the logs of the battle once again.

Previously, Ves only managed to witness Zeigra in battle through publically-available archival footage. The fidelity of the recordings had been deliberately lowered in order to avoid giving too much away about the hunting mechs. The footage had also been cut and edited to remove parts the hunters didn't want to reveal to its rivals and competitors.

Now, his inside access to the database of the Felixia Catstrikers meant he could call up all the data he wanted.

Ostensibly, he claimed that he was studying the footage in order to determine whether he could implement any adjustments to the mechs to make them less prone to corrosion attacks.

In truth, Ves wanted to determine whether Zeigra truly sabotaged the mechs with a spiritual ability.

With all the strange things that exobeasts could do, he couldn't quite rule out whether Zeigra possessed a significant degree of spirituality or not. Ves found it very difficult to determine the answer to this question through watching the footage.

\"The distance hasn't helped at all.\"

In the name of safety, the legged transports had been placed well out of the way from the battle site with the Kinslayer standing guard.

While Ves agreed with the precaution, the sheer distance also hampered his ability to extend his spiritual senses in the surroundings and put Zeigra under direct observation.

Still, Ves tentatively guessed that even if Zeigra developed a measure of spirituality, it probably wasn't too strong. The huge cat was still young and lacked the experience and accumulation of the higher-ranking Crown Cats.

Instead of anticipating a resemblance to Qilanxo, Ves revised his expectations downwards. He began to lean towards the assumption that Zeigra's spirituality probably wasn't much stronger than the spirituality of the Dragon Cat.

\"The fact that one is alive and the other had been dead for days before I got to her matters a lot, though.\"

Ves still hadn't given up on his ambition to harvest as much spirituality from Zeigra as possible, but he still had to be patient at the moment. At this time, he absolutely couldn't afford straying close to the site of the battle.

The Crown Cat's strength and abilities exceeded everyone's imagination! It was easy to imagine that the king of the forest would eventually rise to the top of the rankings with a few more years of maturing!

\"Zeigra deserves to carry his crown!\"

As Ves continued to pour over the logs, he failed to detect anything pertinent. The parts that abruptly weakened in a matter of seconds just lost their integrity out of the blue. Even when the mechs were on the move, the parts still deteriorated as if Zeigra possessed an uncanny view.

He reported his meager findings to Lady Miralix during a short break.

\"Zeigra has the ability to target specific components and subcomponents of a mech.\" Ves began to explain to her projection. \"His corrosion ability, for lack of a better description, is capable of targeting precise internal components without requiring direct vision. No matter how much armor plating or other parts are in the way, he is always able to affect parts that are ordinarily shielded and protected deep within the mech.\"

Lady Miralix's projection looked grave. \"Can Zeigra.. do more than sabotage the legs of our mechs?\"

\"I think.. his control is not as outrageous as you think it is.\" Ves cautiously replied. \"First, Zeigra may be clever, but he's far from matching the knowledge of a mech designer. I don't believe he is very clear about what all of the parts inside a mech actually does. My guess is that he's probably targeting the mobility of our mechs because that is what his instincts as a predator tells him how to best hinder his prey.\"

\"What if he targets something else besides the legs and engines of our mechs?\"

\"Then we better hope he doesn't mess with the power reactor or a couple of other critical components, my lady. If Zeigra knows as much about mechs as a typical mech technician, then he could employ his abilities to much greater effect!\"

Facing the Mech Cruncher was a nightmare to every mech!

Each one that entered battle against this formidable cat constantly had to be ready for sudden and drastic failures. The stress this put onto the mech pilots grew unimaginably burdensome.

Nonetheless, under Lady Miralix's leadership, none of the mech pilots lost their nerves. They still became determined to resume the hunt and take revenge against the cat. Their pride as hunters wouldn't let them give up so early during the hunt!

\"Let's move! We're getting closer to Zeigra! Stay on your toes and be prepared for battle at any moment!\"

A few days passed by as a game of cat and mouse ensued. The Felixia Catstrikers unerringly tracked Zeigra in an attempt to prevent the cat from resting and recuperating.

The Crown Cat wasn't the only entity to be deprived of sufficient sleep. All of the mech pilots constantly stayed awake and alert throughout the hunt. Stimulants and other measures ensured they retained most of their alertness, though their battle effectiveness still eroded over time.

During the chase, the Catstrikers confronted Zeigra two more times. Each time, the Catstrikers suffered greater damage than the Crown Cat.

Zeigra's resilience and endurance turned him into a very difficult opponent to tire, and his corrosion ability continually tripped and sabotaged the mechs in his vicinity at the worst possible moments!

By the time Zeigra beat a rapid retreat at the end of the third round, the Catstrikers were only left with six functioning mechs!

The hunting team lost half of the mechs they brought into the hunting zone! Serious questions and doubts started to arise among the hunters and the support personnel as they began to lose faith in the hunt.

Unlike the hunting team which visibly lost half of its strength, Zeigra still fought as vigorously and energetic as ever! Despite his accumulating wounds and deteriorating hide, the Crown Cat still retained most of his battle effectiveness!

Chapter 1409

No one in the hunting team thought the hunt for Zeigra proceeded well. Over the course of three rounds of battle, their mechs managed to unload a lot of damage onto the Crown Cat.

However, his exotic and mineral-enhanced hide proved to be as tough as the armor plating of a heavy mech! The sheer resilience of the Crown Cat along with his formidable mobility meant that Zeigra absorbed or evaded most attacks directed against him without any apparent results!

Even if the exobiologists and other experts claimed that their efforts succeeded in wearing Zeigra, the mech pilots all suffered from the illusion that they faced Zeigra in his peak condition!

When one side visibly grew weaker while the other side still fought close to peak condition, the latter became increasingly unfathomable!

No amount of analysis and expert opinions could shake the impression that had rooted into the minds of Lady Miralix's closest companions. Her former classmates in the academy finally exhibited the weaknesses resulting from their lack of tempering and experience.

More and more, the mech pilots began to demand an end to the hunt!

Who cared whether they failed? They could always try next time! The price of retreat was no big deal to the mech pilots, but the same didn't apply to their commander.

Lady Miralix urgently wanted to conclude the hunt! The faster she hunted down a Crown Cat, the sooner she received permission to leave Felixia and pursue a career in the wider Sentinel Kingdom!

She was well aware that the late twenties and early thirties proved pivotal to the careers of many mech pilots. This was a time where the most ambitious and successful mech pilots grew the fastest and attracted the attention of a patron who might take a promising mech pilot under their wing!

While there was no harm in wasting a year or two, this was unacceptable to the most ambitious mech pilots! Every year mattered! It would be hard to make up for lost time as Lady Miralix might enter the service of Sentinel's military at the starting line while most of her fellow peers of the same generation had already been promoted to mech lieutenants or mech captains!

Due to these considerations, declaring an end to the hunt while they still possessed a number of functioning mechs was completely unacceptable to Lady Miralix!

\"I would not call one rifleman mech, one knight mech, two spearman mechs, one axeman mech and one tiger mech a qualified hunting force against a Crown Cat.\" One of the mech pilots argued. \"And lest you argue otherwise, all of our mechs barring your own are already falling apart!\"

Due to the enduring complaints, Lady Miralix decided to call every mech pilot to a meeting.

Of course, considering the danger of leaving their hunting team exposed, they attended the meeting via projections. All six mechs that were still fit for battle deployed around the vulnerable legged transports.

Fortunately, Zeigra's preoccupation with demolishing and taking bites out of the mechs in front of his face prevented the cat from going after the vulnerable transports parked in the distance.

However, it was exactly due to Zeigra's focus on their mechs that forced Lady Miralix to confront her mech pilots over their demands to retreat!

\"We can still fight.\" She stated, her face marked by the stress and exhaustion of keeping the hunting team together. \"We entered this hunting zone to slay a Crown Cat, and we will not return without his carcass in our possession!\"

\"Madness!\"

\"Zeigra is too strong!\"

\"We're not good enough!\"

\"Lady Miralix!\" One of the female mech pilots who lost their mechs shouted over the crowd. \"Let's face it, our plan has failed. The battle of attrition that we waged against Zeigra has weakened us more than this darned cat! He's practically immortal! Every time we face him in battle, it's as if all the damage we've dealt to it before has been wasted! According to your own exobiologists, the damn cat has been eating huge chunks of our mechs to restore the integrity of his hide! A drawn-out chase is exactly the wrong approach to take against this monster!\"

The woman's words resonated with the others in the meeting room. The exobiologists carefully studied the data captured by the sensors and found out after the third round that the cat's hide already incorporated a significant amount of exotics and metals it previously ate from their own mechs!

Ves sat in the back of the room and observed the meeting while Lucky yawned and napped on his lap.

If Genevieve was here, Lucky would at least be able to enjoy the company of a fellow cat. Sadly, Lady Miralix declined to bring her pet along the expedition, knowing that she would be forced to remain in the cockpit of her mech for days on end!

As the mech pilots continued to convince Lady Miralix to call for an end to the hunt, Ves began to entertain his own doubts.

He developed his own judgement based on how the first three rounds developed.

Both sides increasingly became more familiar with each other. Just as the Felixia Catstrikers gathered a wealth of data on Zeigra, so did the cat learn how to better defeat the opposing mechs.

In the first round, the Catstrikers lost just a single mech.

In the second round, the hunting team lost two mechs.

In the third round, they lost three mechs!

It didn't take much imagination to suspect that the hunting team might lose all of their remaining mechs!

A key factor that depressed everyone's expectations was the condition of the surviving mechs.

Every mech aside from the Kinslayer lost at least twenty percent of their battle strength! Some mechs fared worse, such as the axeman mech that lost its arm in the first round.

Despite the best efforts of Ves and the mech technicians, they only managed to make rudimentary patchwork repairs on the surviving mechs. No matter how many spare parts they salvaged from the wrecked machines, the lack of time and heavy equipment severely hampered the extent to which they could repair a broken mech.

With so little amenities, Ves already thought it was a miracle to ensure the hunting team could still rely on five functional humanoid mechs.

\"Give it up, please.\" One of the mech pilots begged. \"While we've all managed to eject from our cockpits in time, if we lose all of our mechs, how can we deter Zeigra from finishing us off?\"

A human running on foot could never possibly outrun a vengeful huge cat! The legged transports wouldn't be able to get away either as they were optimized for capacity rather than speed.

Lady Miralix glared at her subordinates. Many of them used to be her buddies at the academy!

\"My answer remains the same. A hunt is always marked by peril. That's what makes them worthwhile. Haven't we all agreed to persevere and put our utmost into succeeding in this hunt? Don't forget how much we'll benefit from having a successful Crown Cat hunt in our records! Our future colleagues will envy us! Promotions will shower down on our heads! Make no mistake. Killing Zeigra and returning in triumph is an opportunity that will only come once!\"

\"Commander, we don't have to hunt him this year! We can try again next time! With all of the things we've learned about Zeigra, we can adjust our mechs and training to counter his strong points while exploiting his weak points! For example, we've learned that a battle of attrition isn't ideal against this cat!\"

\"NO!\" Miralix angrily erupted.\"WE WILL NOT END THIS HUNT AT THIS MOMENT! WE STILL HAVE A CHANCE!\"

Her outburst quieted the meeting room.

The woman took a deep breath. \"If we turn back now, everything we've learned will be moot. Zeigra is a fast-evolving cat and he has already started showing some progress after each and every round. Give him a few months or years, and he'll no longer be the bottom-ranked Crown Cat. Entering in the top ten is not impossible as long as he turns the tables on additional hunting teams!\"

Once a Crown Cat entered the top ten, the Felixia Catstrikers no longer stood any chance of hunting such a formidable creature. Only the top hunting outfits with years of experience and an abundance of skill could challenge these true apex predators!

Some of the mech pilots sent knowing glances at each other. One of them eventually spoke up with a fatalistic tone.

\"We've already sounded each other out in private. I'm sorry, Lady Miralix, but we can't support your ventures any further. There is no shame in conceding defeat against a formidable Crown Cat! In fact, the fact we tussled with the monster and returned with our lives is enough for us to earn a bit of fame!\"

\"That's nothing! That's just a consolation prize that essentially celebrates our failure! I will not have such a stain marring my record!\" The lady shouted.

\"You're being too unreasonable! All of us understood how much you depend on this achievement, but hunting Crown Cats is hard for a very good reason! In your obsession with earning glory and fame, you've lost sight of how most hunts against these top monsters fail!\"

\"We were too overconfident!\" Another mech pilot interjected. \"We're all young and we've never fought a Crown Cat before. Zeigra is completely different from the other cats we've hunted for practice!\"

It became clear to Ves that Lady Miralix's subordinates had already collectively decided to pull back. They merely wanted to get Lady Miralix to concede and give the order to retreat.

However, her obstinance and her strong belief that they still stood a chance against Zeigra threw a wrench into their plans!

The relations between Lady Miralix and her mech pilots continued to sour as they both held their ground.

Lady Miralix wanted to continue to chase after Zeigra!

Her subordinates no longer wanted to do anything with the hunt!

The two held completely opposite opinions. Despite Lady Miralix's high birth, every mech pilot was more than aware that she only wielded a limited amount of power right now.

As an untested mech pilot with a noble pedigree, Lady Miralix couldn't draw on the authority of House Laterna to force anyone on the planet to comply. This hunt was supposed to be a trial that put her leadership and combat capabilities to the test.

Right now, Lady Miralix was badly failing this critical leadership checkpoint.

Ves quietly shook his head at the increasingly acrimonious fight between the two sides. Lady Miralix practically stood alone as her staff and other non-combat personnel started to take the side of the mech pilots.

No one wanted to die in order to satisfy someone else's vanity! The fame and prestige that everyone stood to gain from slaying Zeigra was only attractive if they got to live at the end of the hunt!

As everyone's tempers flared, Lady Miralix increasingly found herself isolated. She found no support among even one of her mech pilots!

Her projection increasingly looked more upset! I was as if she was being driven mad by her own men!

\"I won't repeat myself! The Felixia Catstrikers still have a chance! I will not order a retreat even if we only have one functioning mech left!\"

\"Then you can go hunt Zeigra on your own!\" A mech pilot threw back! \"Our mechs and our legged transports will return to Kemila without you! If you're so eager to charge at Zeigra and throw your life away, then by all means go ahead! Just don't drag us with you in your suicide attempt!\"

The Felixia Catstrikers had enough! After three arduous rounds against Zeigra, they were ready to throw in the towel!

Sitting in the back, Ves quietly snorted.

Lady Miralix opted to form her hunting team entirely around young and inexperienced mech pilots.

Regardless of how well they performed in the mech academies, their resolve was no different from any other rookie mech pilot!

Chapter 1410

Ves observed the meeting from a detached perspective. Despite the stakes and the repercussions to his own plan, he chose to spectate rather than wade into the discussion.

Most of his attention fell on Lady Miralix. Before, she came across as an ambitious noble scion who maintained impeccable control. His interactions with her had always been pleasant, though that was mostly due to how much she needed his help.

Even then, she never lost her composure. Her dignity remained inviolable.

All of that went out of the window today. With public opinion going against her, she became increasingly more desperate. Her eyes glared accusingly at the academy buddies she assumed would have her back.

In this critical moment of the hunt, her comrades all wanted to disregard her wishes and return home!

The collusion and open insubordination among virtually every subordinate made it clear that while Lady Miralix held all the money and the authority, she was just a solitary human at the moment!

A leader would be able to command a team of a hundred people.

A single individual had no way of stopping a group of people from doing what they wanted!

Stripped of her power, Lady Miralix could truly do nothing to stop the mechs and legged transports from leaving. If the humans that crewed and piloted them really wanted to stop risking their lives on what they consider to be an increasingly doomed hunt, then no amount of orders would keep them in place!

\"This is treason!\" Her projection yelled at the other mech pilots, some of whom attended in projection form. \"We agreed to risk our lives on this hunt in order to obtain an opportunity to earn fame! Think of what is at stake!\"

\"Our lives are at stake!\" One of the mech pilots angrily retorted. \"We all got onboard with your project because we believed in your claims that you could take down a Crown Cat! Now that we're actually putting your claims to the test, it turns out that your pedigree means nothing here! You vastly overstated the advantages you enjoyed as a member of House Laterna and hoodwinked us all into throwing our bodies against a monster that's at least half as dangerous as an expert pilot!\"

A mech pilot who recently lost his mech slammed his fist against the conference table. \"We all knew it was a challenge, and we all agreed beforehand that you'd order a retreat if the hunt becomes untenable. Now is that moment! With just five half-broken mechs and your lone pristine tiger mech, there's no way we can take down a freak of a huge cat like Zeigra!\"

\"Cowards!\"

Not every mech pilot was present in projection form. Half of the mech pilots who lost their mechs in the previous rounds against Zeigra were physically present. Some of the most senior support staff attended the meeting as well, though all of them looked like they would rather be elsewhere.

Being forced to choose sides and piss off their employer at this sensitive time would certainly incur repercussions in the future!

Still, when it came down to it, the opinions of a mech technician or a hunting consultant didn't matter. Since the mechs did all of the fighting, only the will of the mech pilots mattered in the greater scheme of things.

Sadly, Lady Miralix adopted a belligerent and accusatory stance, which completely rubbed the mutinous mech pilots the wrong way. Far from bending their will in her favor, her demanding and spiteful attitude repelled them even further!

Again, Ves shook his head at the sight.

Someone like Major Verle of the Flagrant Vandals would never let the meeting devolve into such a counterproductive fashion.

Having watched the maestro work his manipulation upon the unsuspecting Vandals many times, Ves picked up some lessons on how to rein in unruly subordinates and keep them motivated to work towards a common goal.

Major Verle also taught him the importance of maintaining morale. This abstract but very real quality determined the willingness of subordinates to go above and beyond in performing their duty!

During the entire hunt, Lady Miralix completely neglected to keep up everyone's spirits! Her lack of attention into encouraging her mech pilots and pepping them had now come back to bite her in this crucial meeting!

Her stubbornness and tone deafness seemed uncharacteristic to his past impression of her. The more he observed her like a researcher observed a test subject, he recalled that she was indeed his current test subject!

\"The Kinslayer!\" He whispered.

He suddenly realized that between now and then, he induced a critical change in her circumstances by instilling her mech with a design spirit!

Vescas originated from his attempts to create a fusion between his own spiritual energy and the Dragon Cat's spiritual energy. The resulting spiritual product became a new entity that continually bonded with Lady Miralix during her extensive piloting sessions the last few days.

What attracted his attention right now was the traits that Vescas inherited from its 'birth parents'!

The aggressive Dragon Cat needed no elaboration. The alien exobeast personified fury when she was still alive, and she allegedly possessed the ability to induce others to embrace their rage!

As for Ves, while his spiritual energy revolved highly around mechs, it also carried some of his other traits, including his penchant for taking risks and his love for big gambles!

His eyes widened. Combining this flaw of his with the Dragon Cat's fury complemented and amplified their effects!

If his guess was right, then Vescas started off with an extreme inclination for recklessness upon his birth!

Instilling him as the Kinslayer's design spirit therefore had the unfortunate consequence of passing on this trait to Lady Miralix during the long days since the start of the hunt!

Ves smacked his face with his palm! He hadn't thought that something like this would happen! He hadn't considered the full repercussions of blending his traits with the traits of another spiritual entity.

Any spiritual product he created in the future would carry both his positive traits and his negative traits! If paired with a spiritual entity that was already inclined towards imprudence, then the resulting combination would synergize into an even greater degree of recklessness!

This was one of the fews instances where synergy worked against his intentions!

In a man-machine connection, Just as Lady Miralix influenced the mech, the mech also influenced Lady Miralix!

Most of the time, Ves viewed this as a beneficial and positive relationship. What was the harm of letting mech pilots bond with their mechs?

Yet after his talk with Old Man Terrence, he recognized the dark side of this equation. What if one side of the bond possessed an undesirable trait?

It would get passed along to the other side regardless of whether it was a good idea!

This was true spiritual contamination!

Since the process took place over a man-machine connection, Lady Miralix's mind had been completely exposed to the influence of the other side!

As Ves continued to palm his face, he let out a deep breath.

Next time, he should pay more attention to the overlapping traits that he put in his spiritual products!

\"Goddammit.. I'm such an idiot.. hehehe... stupid me... I want to hit my old self...\"

\"What's so funny, Mr. Larkinson!?\" A mech pilot confronted him all of a sudden!

\"Uh, what?\" Ves quickly lowered his palm and looked at the mech pilot pointing him in an accusatory manner.

\"Are you mocking us?! Do we look like clowns to you? We are fighting for our lives here! Lady Miralix is completely being unreasonable, and all you're doing is sitting in the back as if you are watching the show!\"

A befuddled expression came over his face. \"

At this moment, Lady Miralix's projection turned towards him as well!

\"Mr. Larkinson, help me convince these numbskulls that they're missing the opportunities of their lifetimes! Don't forget our deal!\"

Ves sighed. If the mutineers had their way, he could kiss goodbye to the heavy concessions Lady Miralix promised to him. There would be no opportunities for him to trade with organizations like the Sentinel Peacekeeper Association and the Circle of Mota.

He'd also miss out on other benefits!

Though he still possessed some misgivings about continuing the hunt, he eventually decided to side with Lady Miralix. He was familiar with the Kinslayer's capabilities, and judged the hunting team still stood a chance of defeating Zeigra as long as Lady Miralix put her entire heart and soul into the battle!

As Ves viewed the discontented expressions of everyone around the conference table, he knew it was time to dust off his old Devil Tongue.

He condescendingly sneered towards the mech pilots.

\"I can hardly believe the bunch of you are mech pilots. Do you think a situation like this is untenable? The military mech pilots that I've served alongside with for several years during the Bright-Vesia Wars would be ashamed of your timidness!\"

\"Are you calling us cowards?!\"

Ves shook his head. \"Not necessarily. To be honest, your concerns are valid. The hunt has indeed taken a risky turn. Yet the resolve that you are showing today is incredibly disappointing!\"

That riled up the mech pilots even more, but Ves didn't care. He began to place Lucky down in order to stand up from his seat. With deliberate steps, he approached the center of the meeting room.

Meanwhile, he concentrated his mind and roused his Spirituality. He automatically constructed an image of confidence, superiority and above all the leadership that Lady Miralix lacked!

He had become so adept in this process that it only took seconds to form a basic image, but it was sufficient for him to don it as a mask.

The invisible aura that emanated from his body caused some of the people present to pause and back off. The people standing in the way subconsciously parted to the side, allowing him free passage all the way to the side of the conference table!

The spontaneous parting added more weight to his presence. It was as if he demanded everyone's attention!

\"Are you proud of yourselves?\" He began, staring down in the eyes of each mech pilot in succession. \"Is this what you imagined yourselves to be when you were attending your fancy mech academy? From what I've heard of Lady Miralix, each and every one of you scored high in your classes at your mech academy!\"

\"This is exactly why we should turn back! We can't waste our skills in this doomed venture!\"

Ves crossed his arms. \"Waste? Is that the extent of your resolve?\"

\"What's wrong with that?! So what if we chose to retreat? You're not the one who is risking your life by confronting Zeigra up close! It must be nice to be a mech designer, right? All you cowards do is sit back in the rear and use those big brains of yours to calculate whether it's better to coat our mechs in green or red!\"

A brief moment of silence ensued after a mech pilot made this remark. The air grew tense as some people began to sense an unsettling feeling in the air.

Ves narrowed his eyes. \"Did you just insult my profession?\"

\"I—\"

\"—I repeat, DID YOU JUST INSULT MY PROFESSION!?\"

His outburst momentarily suppressed every mech pilot!

\"You mech pilots are a disgrace!\" He continued. \"Do you think you're entitled to honor? Do you think that battles where you hold the advantage are the only ones worth fighting?\"

\"It makes sense to—\"

\"SHUT UP, YOU SAD EXCUSE OF A MECH PILOT!\" Ves clenched his hand into a fist and banged it against his heart. \"I know many mech pilots. I come from a family of mech pilots. I served alongside mech pilots. I sell my products to mech pilots. Of all the ones I've interacted with, the bunch of you are some of the most disgraceful I've ever met!\"

The accusation that Ves threw at the feet of the attending mech pilots did not endear him to them. Even so, Ves still expressed his opinion without hesitation!

Chapter 1411

\"You should be ashamed of yourself.\" Ves theatrically shook his head in disappointment. \"Do you know why? Because you are a bunch of pampered kids!\"

The stares of resentment from the mech pilots attending the meeting grew more severe. Their acrimony towards Ves continually increased as he continued to disparage them in various ways.

Even Lady Miralix looked astonished! If Ves continued to pile up insults onto her mech pilots, they might decide to depart right this instant! That was the last thing she wanted to see!

Yet as soon as she thought about opening her mouth to reprimand the mech designer, she simply failed to sum up the courage to do so! Her heart quivered each time she was about to speak!

Ves ignored the noblewoman's distress and transmitted his full ire towards the mech pilots. Each and everyone of them began to feel ashamed when they met his eyes, though they didn't know why!

\"Do you think you are real mech pilots? Just because you've graduated from a mech academy doesn't mean you amount to something! Even the shabby pirates in the frontier are superior to you! Do you know why? It's because they have the courage to fight even under the most awful circumstances imaginable!\"

His rebukes continually battered at their self-esteem. While Ves had to admit that he was taking some liberties with the truth, he really wanted to teach these brats a lesson!

\"Let me ask you again.\" He spoke. \"Do you have the guts to consider yourselves to live up to your profession?\"

Silence.

\"Where is your courage? Where is your willingness to push yourselves? I don't see any of that here today! Let me tell you what I've witnessed from true mech pilots. They're willing to fight when ordered to even when they're outnumbered by two-to-one! I've seen real soldiers throw themselves into battles when the odds of victory are against them! These men and women in uniform are true mech pilots!\"

\"You have no right to look down on us!\" Someone finally summed up the courage to respond. \"War is war! Mech pilots are expected to do their duty! This is different! Hunting a Crown Cat is nothing more than a selfish pursuit! We aren't harming anyone by beating a retreat!\"

Ves grinned like a shark. \"Are you sure about that? In my judgement, the odds are fifty-fifty. Zeigra has as much of a chance of winning as us. Are these odds too low for you spoiled brats?\"

\"It's not worth it for us to gamble our lives for a bit of fame!\"

BANG!

\"There is more than fame and prestige on the line here!\" Ves burst out while slamming both of his knuckles against the surface of the conference table! \"You goddamn mech pilots all dream of building up a wonderful career for yourself, but promotions won't come by if you lack the persistence to fight for opportunities! This hunt has always been a golden chance for you all, but at the first sign of difficulty, you've all turned into snivelling cowards!\"

\"I object to that! You have no right to call us cowards!\"

\"I'm not painting you as cowards! Your own conduct has painted you as cowards!\" Ves pointed at the mech pilot who spoke back at him. \"Don't you see what you people are turning your backs against? This is a rare opportunity to test yourself and push your resolve to the limits! The entire reason why House Laterna imposes this challenge to every mech pilot who bears their name is because a trial like this separates the warriors from the braggarts!\"

A part of Ves felt kind of bad to paint their prudent decision in a bad light. Personally, he thought that they made a rational choice by objectively weighing the benefits and risks.

What Ves was doing right now amounted to upending their calculations by bombarding them with additional considerations regardless of whether they were relevant or not! Even if the mech pilots didn't agree with his words, a sliver of doubt would still chip away at their determination!

\"From what I've heard, Nyxian pirates are some of the most dangerous scum you can fight against in the Komodo Star Sector. Do you think you're ready to confront them in battle when they've stacked the deck against you? There are many situations where they don't play fair! When you inevitably face a situation where the odds of victory can be as low as twenty percent, are you willing to fight your way out or put yourselves at the mercy of the most ruthless and despicable pirates in the region?\"

\"We'll never be placed in such a situation!\"

\"Oh really?\" Ves snorted. \"Has every battle the Sentinel Kingdom engaged in been fought on favorable terms? Can you state with confidence that none of the Peacekeeper outfits have ever been led into a trap?\"

Another moment of silence.

\"Do you see now why I think you're shaming yourselves? You would never last on the battlefield with your pampered attitudes! The worst thing about it is that every colleague who you'll work with in the future will all be able to see how little you can tolerate discomfort! Any adverse situation you encounter, you'd rather cease and pull back rather than grit your teeth and push through!\"

The arguments that Ves made use of partially drew on the indoctrination that every mech pilot went through in their academy days.

As a Larkinson and someone who frequently interacted with mech pilots all his life, Ves knew exactly what kind of ideals the mech academies wanted to instill in their mech cadets!

Courage, honor, duty, fealty, brotherhood, sacrifice and more were just some of the common values that every mech pilot internalized from their mech instructors.

Mech pilots were expected to fight. In order to make them willing to put their lives at risk and perform the dreadful act of killing other people, their minds needed to be stuffed with specific beliefs.

These ideals also served to anchor the morality of the mech pilots in a way that benefited society. Mech pilots trained to kill without any other considerations were much more likely to join a criminal or pirate gang!

While Ves wasn't familiar with the precise curriculum that Sentinel potentates had to go through, he could make an educated guess.

The Kingdom's strong animosity towards pirates almost certainly led to a very intense focus on shaping the norms and values of every mech cadet!

This meant that when Ves disparaged the mech pilots in such a direct and confrontational fashion, he directly targeted their hearts!

The mech pilots found it harder and harder to respond against Ves. For some reason, they began to feel they truly didn't deserve to be regarded as real mech pilots!

\"It's true that the prospect of battling Zeigra once again is not a sure bet.\" Ves spoke while constantly sweeping his eyes over his audience. The brief instances of eye contact made it even harder for them to stand up against him! \"Yet Zeigra is not a god! He can be defeated! To turn back on this critical moment is a huge mistake!\"

\"Why is it a mistake?\"

\"Do I need to explain it to you pampered brats?! Where is your competitive drive! How can you expect to achieve anything great in your lives when you aren't willing to step out of your comfort zone? The next and likely final confrontation against Zeigra will be a battle to the death in the truest sense. Either Zeigra dies, or all of us dies!\"

\"That's exactly why we should retreat!\" One of the members of the support staff uttered. \"We've never signed up for a suicide mission!\"

Ves glared at the person who spoke out, who immediately quivered backwards. \"All hunts against Crown Cats are suicide missions! You all know damn well what you've signed up for! The casualty statistics that the Kemila Hunting Hall has published is easily accessible to you! When Lady Miralix paid you your fat paychecks, it's because it already includes hazard pay! I don't believe that any of you signed up for this hunting team without being aware of the risks!\"

That shot down most of the support personnel, though their resentment towards him had probably grown.

He didn't care. Only the mech pilots mattered. As long as he got through to some of them, the hunting team would still be able to proceed with the hunt!

\"Look, the matter is simple.\" He spoke, turning his gaze back to the mech pilots. \"If you are content to wallow in your mediocrity, then go ahead and depart from this hunting team. If instead you think you are capable of achieving more, then stick with Lady Miralix and trust in her abilities. I know that killing Zeigra will be hard, but it is exactly in battles like these that test your courage, your conviction and your piloting abilities to the limit where expert candidates are born!\"

This was a known fact. Even if advancing to expert candidate was as unlikely as winning the lottery, a lot of those lottery winners tended to emerge in the midst of arduous battles!

With his understanding of expert pilots, Ves believed that the combination of intense emotions, extreme pressure and forcing pilots to exhibit the utmost of their abilities presented an ideal conditions for any mech pilots to make their breakthroughs!

Of course, Ves didn't expect any of these dummies to break through the extraordinary threshold during this hunt. He had already scouted out their spiritual potential and found nothing of significance.

Just like Lady Miralix, her subordinates were destined to remain as mortals. Ves didn't tell them that, though. Just pointing out that something like that could happen among them already lifted some of their hopes!

Ves had done more than enough to savage their egos. This was the moment where he had to present a light at the end of the tunnel.

He knew that abusing people was not an optimal method to motivate people! Ves needed to give them something to look forward to if they played along!

\"Mech pilots come in many flavors. Most mech pilots I've met are adequate soldiers and warriors. I count all of you in this category. Yet is this really what you will amount to in your lives? Who will remember you when you retire after a lifetime of boring service? What deeds will you accomplish when the most impressive accomplishment in your records is an abortive hunt against a Crown Cat? Is this the legacy that you intend to leave behind in order to make your mark on history?\"

No! Though none of the mech pilots spoke out, their eyes betrayed their unwillingness.

Every mech pilot imagined themselves as heroes in their minds! Piloting mechs was such a great and lauded vocation that it was easy for many mech pilots to believe they were destined for greatness!

This was especially so for recent graduates who still hadn't endured the grind and slog of actual duty!

Ves deliberately appealed to their desire for greatness because he didn't see any other angle he could use to motivate the mech pilots.

In the end, neither Ves nor Lady Miralix could coerce the mech pilots into fighting Zeigra. They needed to decide for themselves whether they were willing to risk their lives to earn a substantial amount of reputation and prestige!

\"Make your choice.\" He said with a tone of expectation. \"Are you brave enough to go through the crucible of heroes, or will you rather run from it with your tails stuck between your legs? Choose carefully. An opportunity like this might very well happen once!\"

He nodded towards every mech pilot before slowly drawing back.

Silence reigned in the meeting room as every mech pilot contemplated their options.

Each of them viewed their earlier decisions in a new light.

In the end, only half of the mech pilots agreed to stay onboard. The other half threw in the towel.

Chapter 1412

\"Thank you, Mr. Larkinson.\"

After the fateful meeting where half of the mech pilots decided to stay onboard the Felixia Catstrikers, everyone except Ves and Lady Miralix's projection had left the room.

The two stayed back in order to hold a private conversation.

\"I bailed you out to further my own interests, not yours.\" He flatly replied. By now, he had shed his stern persona which he used to great effect during the meeting. \"Don't forget that this attempted mutiny reflects badly on your leadership ability.\"

\"I.. you're right.\"

Perhaps in front of everyone else, she might maintain her belligerent act. However, she couldn't do so against the savior of her hunting ambitions.

Ves took a deep breath. After whipping the mech pilots with his Devil Tongue, he was feeling awfully tired of it all.

\"Let's move on. We've managed to stem the bleeding to only half of the mech pilots and a portion of the support personnel. What do you intend to do with them, my lady?\"

She let out a rueful smile. \"It's difficult. I can't hold them here. They also have enough crew on their side that they can hijack some mechs and at least one legged transport and return to Kemila on their own volition. However, I can't let them do that. I need each and every mech we have to fight the final round against Zeigra.\"

This left the Felixia Catstrikers in a very difficult position. The traitors wanted to leave the dangerous hunting zone as soon as possible, but there was no way they could return safely unless they enjoyed the escort of at least two functioning mechs!

If Lady Miralix granted them a single legged transport with no escort at all, then the chance they would suffer an ambush from an errant huge cat was very significant!

In fact, the risk of dying in a random ambush was probably larger than the risk of remaining with the hunting team when they confronted Zeigra!

Neither Miralix nor the traitors could afford to compromise on their demands for the mechs of the hunting team!

Nonetheless, to Ves, the equation was simple.

\"Just knock the treacherous mech pilots out and stuff them in one of the holding cells of the legged transports. Make sure to post guards at their cells to prevent any sympathisers from freeing them! Problem solved!\"

\"That.. that will not endear anyone to me.\" She retorted. Her earlier bravado was nowhere to be seen. \"Not only will we be trampling on the demands of those who want to leave, we'll also be instilling more doubts to those who have tentatively decided to stay by my side.\"

\"Hahaha!\" Ves grinned. \"They're traitors! Each and every one of them has chosen to quit halfway in the middle of a perilous hunting zone! Even if we aren't chasing after a Crown Cat, their cowardly collusion has threatened the safety of you and everyone else who are determined to fulfill your mission!\"

\"This isn't a battlefield. While the mech pilots who voted to quit are unquestionably cowards, it's still a step too far to paint them as traitors. This is an extremely serious accusation that will only heighten our divisions even further!\"

\"Who cares? If you give in to their demands, you'll only be endangering your loyalists, which happen to be the people whose support you need the most! Instead of compromising with the traitors, just lock them up and keep them out of sight until after the hunt concludes! This way, you'll only piss off the people who have already decided to betray you! As for everyone else, the fight against Zeigra will quickly distract them from other matters!\"

Though it took a bit more persuasion, she eventually started to come around. Ves purposefully appealed to her obsession to succeed in the hunt.

Her chances to kill a Crown Cat depended highly on how many mechs she could bring. All of the mech pilots that remained loyal just happened to match the specialties of the humanoid mechs that remained functional.

Lady Miralix hardened her eyes after she accepted his arguments. \"I'll take care of it. All of the cowards have made their wishes known. My security team will move out and secure them somewhere safe where they won't be able to disrupt our operations.\"

She did as promised. After an hour of tension and premature exchange of farewells, the security guards and others who earned her trust ambushed the unsuspecting traitors and put them under arrest!

\"Hey, what's happening?!\"

\"Miralix has gone crazy! She's going to kill us all!\"

\"We're friends! Why are you taking us down!?\"

\"This is outrageous! We'll be lodging a complaint as soon as we get free!\"

No matter what kind of threats or excuses they muttered, the traitors and cowards succumbed to the stun guns without much issue. The mech pilots may be capable of annihilating entire city districts with their mechs, but outside the cockpit they were unable to muster up any resistance against armored guards!

Ves observed the mass arrests from the observation chamber at the top of one of the legged transports. As the person who encouraged Lady Miralix into taking the traitors in her custody, he bore some responsibility if anything went wrong.

After all, the mech pilots and support personnel who decided to quit did so because they didn't wish to risk their lives any further.

By taking them hostage, the traitors were forced to accompany the hunting team. The only difference was that each of them no longer played any role in the upcoming confrontation. They were not longer in control of their own destinies! They could only pray that Lady Miralix and her loyalist mech pilots were capable enough to kill or scare off Zeigra!

If the remaining Felixia Catstrikers succeeded, then all they faced was to return to Kemila in disgrace. Their decision to quit the hunting team in the field in this vital stage while their other comrades continued the good fight reflected awfully on their records.

In fact, if Zeigra succeeded in overpowering Lady Miralix and her loyalists before killing the rest of the hunting team, then the decision of the traitors would instead be seen as a prescient choice!

\"In short, the traitors suffer the least amount of damage to their reputation if the rest of the hunting team dies!\"

Ves found an issue with this warped situation. It didn't seem fair for the cowards to root for the failure of the former comrades they decisively turned their back towards.

\"Hehehe.\" He chuckled. \"Since you guys are so eager to see us die, then you might as well ride along with us to the end!\"

On the flipside, if the final round ended in Zeigra's death, then the traitors would be seen as dishonorable! No one cared whether Lady Miralix hurt their feelings and put them in deadly peril by denying them permission to retreat.

In fact, she wouldn't even be blamed for imprisoning the traitors. As someone who succeeded in hunting a Crown Cat, her reputation and prestige would almost certainly shield her from the minor irregularities that happened under her leadership!

\"This is the privilege that victors enjoy!\"

Ves realized that as long as someone earned more fame, they were allowed to get away with quite a lot of misdeeds.

He experienced this himself back in the Bright Republic and Ylvaine Protectorate!

\"Meow.\"

Lucky casually jumped on his shoulder and watched what was happening with a curious gaze.

\"Heh. Pets are just as selfish as humans. You've disobeyed me plenty of times, remember?\"

\"Meow!\"

The two of them watched as the excitement quickly died down. Fortunately, enough loyalists remained to take charge of the remaining mechs and transports. The hunting team quickly ended their extended break and resumed their march.

Zeigra was certainly licking his wounds right now! The longer the Felixia Catstrikers delayed the final round, the more the powerful Crown Cat regained his strength!

In order to prepare for the final round of combat against the cat, Lady Miralix convened her mech pilots and some of the remaining hunting consultants for a final planning session.

Ves also attended the meeting, of course, though he was more interested in stroking Lucky's back than offering any further advice. He had already attracted way too much attention. He did not wish to exert any further pressure on the nervous mech pilots.

Miralix began the meeting by projecting the most likely scenario. \"The plan we formulated before we set out on this hunting trip already took our possible losses into account. However, we suffered a bit more damage than we expected. I don't think it's viable for us to maintain an encirclement with only one ranged mech, one knight mech and three other melee mechs. If Zeigra really wants to run, he can easily slip through one of the gaping holes in our encirclement.\"

\"If we allow Zeigra to run again, it's a question whether any of our mechs still has some fight left in their frames.\" A mech pilot expressed his concerns. \"While I'm all for trying to take down Zeigra one more time, a second time is...\"

\"I agree.\"

Lady Miralix surprised everyone by agreeing with the sentiment the mech pilot expressed!

\"We all want to kill Zeigra.\" She continued. \"As long as we have a realistic chance of success, I'm all for it. That won't be possible if my Kinslayer is damaged to the point where it no longer poses a threat to the Crown Cat. The fourth round will be our last chance to achieve success. There won't be a fifth round.\"

Sitting in the back, Ves quietly nodded in approval. He was relieved that whatever spiritual contamination acted on her, she still retained a measure of her rationality. Continuing the hunt even when all of the humanoid mechs had fallen apart and her Kinslayer was halfway from following in their footsteps was sheer folly!

Even if her entire crew didn't rebel, Ves would certainly take matters into his own hands if necessary!

Lady Miralix began to instruct her subordinates in the changes to the plan. Since Zeigra hadn't been as weakened as they expected, the noblewoman decisively gave up her previous intention to corner Zeigra in a one-on-one duel.

\"We need to take the offensive right from the start.\" She declared with a determined expression. \"The moment we track Zeigra to his hideout, we'll spend a brief moment to top off our energy levels before commencing our assault!\"

Some of the mech pilots looked concerned. Maintaining an encirclement was a lot less risky than participating in an offensive!

\"Some of our mechs won't be able to last against Zeigra.\"

\"I know. Even if Zeigra quickly takes out one of your mechs by using his corrosion ability, that means he hasn't used it on my own machine. If there's anything we've learned during the previous rounds, it's that sending in our mechs by piecemeal will only play in the Crown Cat's hands! We have to overwhelm him with enemies in order to spread out his limited corrosion ability over multiple machines!\"

Unless Zeigra held back during the previous rounds, which was a very realistic possiblity, the Crown Cat couldn't use his special power over metals in rapid succession.

Zeigra always exhibited a delay before he activated this ability again!

In fact, the pauses that occurred between his use of his powers lasted longer and longer in each round.

This meant that whatever resource or energy Zeigra expended to activate his powers, the Crown Cat couldn't easily replenish what he lost!

This observation gave Lady Miralix a lot of confidence! Even if the Crown Cat was still a tough opponent without his powers, Zeigra almost exhausted his trump card!

Whatever limits he faced, everyone estimated that he was close to reaching this point!

Lady Miralix unabashedly grinned. \"A Crown Cat that relies solely on his body is a cat that we can defeat! As long as we work together and display impeccable teamwork, we can end the short-lived reign of Zeigra! For the hunt!\"

\"For the hunt!\"

\"For the hunt!\"

\"For the hunt!\"

Chapter 1413

The measures taken by Lady Miralix suppressed the internal turmoil in her hunting team. That did not mean that she solved the underlying issues entirely.

It was all well and good for Ves to berate the mech pilots for lacking the courage to challenge their limits when Zeigra was still far away.

Now that the Felixia Catstrikers followed the Mech Cruncher's tracks to his latest hideouts, everyone's nerves began to simmer again.

Both the mech pilots and the support staff started to have second thoughts about this confrontation. With the possibility of dying by getting chomped by an immense genetically-modified cat getting closer and closer, morale throughout the entire group started to waver.

As for Miralix herself, her urgency and eagerness in slaying Zeigra drove her to exhort her team to push forward.

She wasn't going to let anyone wallow in their doubts for long! Delaying the battle would only provide more opportunities for incidents to throw another wrench in her plans!

\"Zeigra is close.\" She spoke from her mech. She transmitted her voice to all of her remaining mechs as well as the legged transports parked in the distance. \"He's just up ahead, licking his wounds. Though he's still able to exert a formidable amount of strength, all of our analysts and experts agree that he is wounded and exhausted.\"

Ves had declined to sit in the command center this time. Because of the importance of the battle, he decided to see if he could lend a hand this time.

For this reason, he took Lucky and moved to the empty observation chamber placed at the top of the legged transport. Though the vehicle wasn't close enough to observe the Crown Cat in person, he already summoned a raft of projections that displayed multiple feeds as well as telemetry from every mech about to go into battle.

In truth, Ves paid no attention to the figures and graphs depicting the state of the mechs. He merely summoned them as a smokescreen to hide his real intentions.

Considering the uncertain odds of the final round, he decided to contribute to the battle more directly this time.

How?

By seeing if he could leverage his Spirituality to hinder Zeigra!

After extensively observing Zeigra in battle, Ves tentatively concluded that the Crown Cat ought to be a spiritually strong entity. While Ves hadn't been able to confirm this conclusion directly because he hadn't been able to get close to the cat, there were too many indirect signs that this was the case.

His intuition leaned in favor of this conclusion as well, so Ves decided to go through with his radical and potentially dangerous plan!

\"If this little move of mine succeeds, then maybe I'll no longer be relegated to cheer from the sides!\"

It only dawned upon him recently that his spiritual toolbox had become filled with many tools, of which some could be turned into weapons if the situation had grown desperate!

Ves felt as if he was about to join a fight between armored knights. Against a confrontation between armored warriors, there was little he could do if he came armed with a pitchfork while wearing peasant garments!

Yet even a pitchfork could be deadly in the right circumstances!

\"Well, it's not like I'll have to face Zeigra all on my own. I'm merely lending a hand, that's all.\"

The Kinslayer and the five surviving humanoid mechs would be playing the leading role in defeating Zeigra. Ves only intended to tilt the odds in their favor so that their chances of victory increased.

For the upcoming battle plan, the Kinslayer played the leading role. The tiger mech that had recently been enhanced by instilling Vescas as its design spirit remained in tip-top shape by refraining from participating in the previous three rounds.

That wasn't possible anymore. Lady Miralix needed to enter the fray in person, but under circumstances that Ves thought was less than ideal.

The biggest variable that could ruin their chances of winning was Zeigra's metal corrosion power. The Crown Cat's ability to drastically weaken specific subcomponents deep within a mech had been the main reason why the Catstrikers lost so many mechs in the previous rounds.

If Zeigra was smart enough to employ his ability on the Kinslayer right at the start, then the entire outcome of the battle may have been decided right then and there!

In order to lessen the chances of this happening, Lady Miralix planned to throw her subordinates straight at Zeigra, keeping him occupied for several minutes.

Meanwhile, she planned to maneuver her Kinslayer to Zeigra's rear and planned to remain out of sight of the Crown Cat as much as possible!

Ves had a lot of doubts about this tactic.

First, Zeigra did not require line of sight to affect a subcomponent with his corrosive ability. There was a chance that the huge cat might still be able to employ his ability to a mech attacking from behind!

Second, Lady Miralix's subordinates would face the brunt of Zeigra's ire! With the resolve of the mech pilots already starting to waver, ordering them to stand their ground in front of one of the deadliest huge cats on Felixia was asking a lot!

Third, Zeigra may still be strong enough to fend them all off even if he didn't employ his corrosion ability! Though all of the biotech researchers stated that the previous rounds of battle successfully injured and tired the huge cat, Ves believed the creature would only fight harder when pushed into a corner!

\"We can't underestimate any Crown Cat!\"

\"Meow!\"

Lucky swished his tail in vigilance. Even he knew that this moment would be pivotal to all of them. If the hunting team failed to defeat Zeigra in this final round, then everyone left behind on the legged transports would instantly turn into sitting ducks against the Crown Cat's ire!

\"If worse comes to worst, we'll have to sneak our way back on foot.\" He whispered.

\"Meow..\"

\"Yeah, with huge cats and other predators infesting this forest, it'll be a very difficult journey back to Kemila.\"

The most important point was that no one could call for rescue in the hunting zone. House Laterna deliberately turned much of the Asco Continent into a communications void. Multiple measures ensured that not even Lucky's sophisticated communication methods could transmit a help signal to Kemila or any vessels in orbit!

The sanctity of the hunt had to be preserved!

In this way, Felixia's Asco Continent retained its solid reputation as a challenging hunting continent!

\"There's no exception. Not even a scion of House Laterna can cheat the hunting process!\"

With their backs to the walls, Ves saw no choice but to initiate another experiment.

\"Let's see if it works!\"

Time passed as the mechs of the Catstrikers slowly trudged to a hilly and mountainous part of the forest. Cliffs, rocks and other complex terrain features forced the mechs to watch their steps carefully.

Ostensibly, the terrain heavily favored Zeigra, whose agility and quadruped form allowed the Crown Cat to move over terrain that would give many humanoid mechs headaches!

However, the Kinslayer agilely climbed and hopped over jagged rocks and cliffs without too much effort!

The six mechs slowly advanced to a small cave that barely fit Zeigra's prodigious body. As soon as the mechs came within sight of the cave, Zeigra's alert eyes already glared at the machines as if the cat had awaited their arrival for a while.

\"Drive him out of his hole! Open fire!\"

The battle commenced when their only remaining rifleman mech started to unload onto the cat! A steady salvo of shells blanketed the cave and the cat with loud impacts and explosions!

ROOAAAAR!

Zeigra angrily bellowed at the hunters who doggedly pursued him over several days. The Crown Cat lifted his mighty bulk and quickly started to accelerate towards the mechs!

The battle had begun!

Though the approaching Crown Cat caused all of the mech pilots to quiver, they had already been psychologically prepared to face such a situation.

As the rifleman mech continued to pelt at Zeigra, the Kinslayer quietly circled to the side. In the meantime, the remaining four melee mechs adopted a spread formation.

The only knight mech the Catstrikers still possessed stood bravely in the front with his battered and claw-scarred shield held out in front.

\"He's veering to the side!\"

Zeigra knew better than to waste his time with the knight mech, whose sword and shield hardly posed a threat to his resilient hide and flesh.

However, whenever Zeigra tried to maneuver around the melee mechs to attack the lone rifleman mech, the Catstrikers shifted their orientation so that the knight mech would always be in the way!

The constant maneuvering wore at the nerves of the mech pilots and frustrated the Crown Cat.

Having evidently lost his patience, Zeigra roared yet again before dashing forward.

If the knight mech was determined to stand in his way, then he would just have to take it down first!

\"He's coming!\"

The mech pilot of the knight mech endured an enormous amount of pressure as the violent cat closed the distance. Nonetheless, the mech continued to stand in place, only moving to position and angle its shield to properly redirect the impact as much as possible!

CLANG!

The knight mech audibly groaned as it endured an immense amount of force! Despite the mech pilot's attempt to mitigate the damage as much as possible, several alerts sounded out as its internal integrity took a substantial beating!

However, the knight mech's heroic attempt to withstand Zeigra's charge succeeded in blunting his charge and slowing him down!

As the Crown Cat tried to recover from his charge, the other three melee mechs immediately went on the attack!

The two spearman mechs kept their distance and thrust their spears at Zeigra from opposite directions. The axeman mech which had lost its arm in the first round held back, but would make sure to block the cat from going after the rifleman mech that continued to steadily wear down the integrity of his resilient but cracking hide!

\"Damnit! We can't hold him for long!\"

\"We don't have enough mechs!\"

\"Hold your ground! I'm coming!\"

As Zeigra was about to swat aside the annoying spears that tried to bar his way forward, the cat abruptly roared in pain and irritation as the Kinslayer finally made its move!

Lady Miralix had held her mech back until she was certain that Zeigra hadn't been watching for attacks from the rear. As soon as she saw her window of opportunity, she urged her Kinslayer forward and pounced straight at Zeigra's hindquarters!

The collision drove the Kinslayer's claws deep into Zeigra's flesh! Not even his resilient hide proved sufficient enough to withstand the tiger mech's claws!

The angry cat immediately ignored the surrounding humanoid mechs and quickly whirled around in order to swat at the offending mech that dared to make him bleed!

However, Lady Miralix cleverly retreated and tried to circle around Zeigra to remain out of sight. At no point during the battle could the Kinslayer afford to be subjected to the Crown Cat's strange ability!

The knight mech and spearman mechs all stepped forward and intensified their attacks, doing their best to attract Zeigra's attention away from the Kinslayer!

As the tiger mech and the humanoid mechs prodded the frustrated huge cat from multiple directions, Ves made his move!

\"The time is now!\"

While his eyes kept staring at the various displays, he no longer paid any attention to the information projected in front of him. Instead, he concentrated his mind and leveraged his Spirituality into another excursion to the imaginary realm.

At this crucial moment, Ves no longer decided to remain on the sidelines. As soon as his spiritual projection entered the imaginary realm, he swept his senses throughout the surrounding void.

Though the corrosive spiritual winds did their best to obscure his senses, he still managed to detect a strong and active presence in the vicinity.

\"Found you!\"

Proximity in the imaginary realm is often correlated to proximity in the imaginary realm. Just as Ves suspected, Zeigra's spirituality had broken through the extraordinary threshold, which made his presence very easy to find!

Chapter 1414

Within the span of a minute, the mech pilots of the Catstrikers were being pushed to the brink!

Zeigra's aggressive attacks and maneuvering made it very difficult for Lady Miralix's Kinslayer to approach from behind and savage the Crown Cat's vulnerable rear with its claws.

The huge cat was on guard after suffering from the initial surprise attack!

\"This darned cat is too smart! He's ignoring us!\"

The humanoid mechs of the Catstrikers did their best to hinder Zeigra from turning his ire towards the Kinslayer. The tiger mech was their only hope of tearing the crown from the powerful cat!

Despite the possibility that the cat might sabotage their mechs at any moment, the mech pilots stuck to their parts of the plan and boldly kept the raging, bleeding and berserking cat occupied!

Nonetheless, an accident still took place as soon as their only remaining knight mech braced for another attack.

Instead of fending off another claw strike, Zeigra dove straight forward and bit the side of the knight mech's shield! With a powerful heave with his neck, the Crown Cat wrenched the shield away from its former owner's grasp!

\"Pull back!\"

Too late! As soon as Zeigra succeeded in robbing the shield from the knight mech's possession, he quickly pounced forward and pounced the mech to the ground!

\"NO!\" Lady Miralix shouted! \"ATTACK! PUSH HIM OFF OUR COMRADE!\"

Zeigra ignored the spear jabs, axe chops and claw attacks savaging his flanks and hind in favor of demolishing the mech it pressed down on the ground. A savage roar escaped from his throat as his claws cut its way through the thick but already-damaged chest plating of the offending mech!

The mech pilot of the trapped mech desperately wanted to eject, but he couldn't! Since the mech had fallen flat on his back, there was no way for the cockpit to eject and bring its occupant to safety!

Awful screams soon flooded the comms as Zeigra vented his frustrations at his trapped and succeeded in piercing his claws through the cockpit! The Crown Cat uttered a triumphant roar before chomping straight through the damaged chest portion of the mech!

Shortly afterwards, Zeigra lifted up his head while chewing a bite of mech sprinkled with the crushed and mangled body of a mech pilot!

Both fear and rage suffused the other mech pilots. The fate suffered by their comrade intimidated the other mech pilots, amplifying their doubts which caused them to unconsciously relent on their assault.

While Lady Miralix was under an incredible amount of strain as she tried to inflict serious damage to Zeigra, she still recognized the danger the fatality presented!

\"Fight! Zeigra is right in front of us! This is no time to mourn our fallen comrade! Avenge his death by killing the perpetrator! Only then will we be able to honor his sacrifice!\"

In this tense and perilous moment, Lady Miralix pushed herself and her mech to a degree that smashed her previous records!

She had planned for this fight for years! Every mech pilot who emerged from House Laterna knew they were destined to test their mettle against a Crown Cat! Her will and determination never wavered even once even when she knew that Zeigra wanted nothing more than to kill her and her hunting team and ruin all of her efforts!

Her bond with her Kinslayer deepened. If Ves still paid attention to the telemetry transmitted back to the legged transports, then he would have picked up that her connection to her mech deepened until it had reached the upper limit that her neural interface would allow!

Going any further wasn't possible as the Kinslayer's neural interface model attempted to shield her brains and psyche from the negative side effects of such a dangerous connection.

Even so, her mech moved and fought more fluidly than ever before! Zeigra continually attempted to catch the Kinslayer out, but Lady Miralix succeeded time and time again in slipping through the Crown Cat's grasp.

The Kinslayer moved in unison to her thoughts! The mech's responsiveness towards her commands had become so remarkable that she felt as if she truly embodied the machine!

This wondrous and immersive state saved the Kinslayer time and time again as Lady Miralix possessed an uncanny sense when Zeigra attempted to whirl around and launch a sudden strike!

As long as she could keep this up, she could slowly wear Zeigra down!

\"Hang on, men! Keep up the fight! Don't let up the pressure!\"

While the Kinslayer and the humanoid mechs barely managed to keep Zeigra contained, the removal of their only knight mech meant that the cat became a lot more unbridled!

The spearman mechs were doing their best to pierce and bleed Zeigra's flanks, but the cat's increasingly aggressive counterattacks were taking a toll onto their already degraded mech frames!

As the Felixia Catstrikers barely kept up with the raging Crown Cat in the material realm, a separate battle took place in the imaginary realm.

Different from what Ves expected when his spiritual projection neared the coordinates of Zeigra's spirituality, he encountered two spiritual entities instead of one!

One cloud of spiritual energy dwarfed over the other. A combination of instinct, cunning and brutality suffused this roiling concentration. Ves tentatively identified it as Zeigra's spirituality!

Surprisingly, hovering close to this larger concentration was a smaller and antagonistic collection of spiritual energy.

Ves immediately recognized its flavor! In fact, as its creator, Ves was more than familiar with its identity!

\"Vescas! Why are you here!\"

Now that he thought about it, why wouldn't Vescas be here? His first true spiritual product was a spirituality strong entity. This meant that its presence amounted to more than a miniscule hole in the imaginary realm!

Nonetheless, when Ves evaluated the spiritual presences of Zeigra and Vescas in the imaginary realm, he quickly realized that their strengths diverged significantly.

Whereas Zeigra's spirituality resembled a storm, Vescas' spirituality only measured up to a tornado.

Still, despite the disparity in strength, neither of them attacked each other directly. Ves could only speculate at the reason. Perhaps both of them were incapable of observing and interacting in the imaginary realm like Ves was doing.

The result of their proximity was an indirect standoff where both sides influenced each other with the pressure of their auras!

Zeigra held a significant advantage in this area. Not only did he possess a lot more spiritual energy, but its quality was a lot more sophisticated and mature!

As for Vescas, the newborn spiritual product only enjoyed a week or so of development. This was way too short for it to match the spirituality of a maturing Crown Cat who already underwent frequent tempering in battle!

Still, despite Zeigra's superiority in this department, his spirituality failed to break Vescas' spiritual presence.

Even when it was suppressed on all sides, the spiritual product admirably held its ground! Its concentrated mix of stubbornness, faith in mechs and unrelenting fury shielded the presence from the brunt of its proximity to the stronger spiritual presence!

\"Is this what happens every time two spiritually strong presences are locked in battle?\" Ves mentally guessed.

Perhaps a battle between expert pilots took place in two realms at the same time! At the same time they locked themselves into battle, they were also pressuring each other with their spiritual presences in the imaginary realm!

Right now, Ves recognized that while Vescas held its ground, it was still being suppressed by the stronger spiritual presence. Zeigra was simply too strong and could easily bring its pressure to bear on a flawed and recently-born spiritual product!

\"What are the consequences if Vescas succumbs?\"

Nothing good, he suspected. Though he didn't think that Zeigra's spiritual presence was capable of outright snuffing Vescas' spiritual presence, the damage the former could inflict on the latter would certainly affect the Kinslayer's battle performance!

If Lady Miralix or the Kinslayer ever suffered a spiritual backlash from such an incident, then the pain and distraction might be enough for the Crown Cat to catch the tiger mech out!

It would be game over for Ves, Lady Miralix and the rest of the Catstrikers if that happened!

\"I have to step in and tilt the odds in our favor!\" Ves resolutely concluded.

Yet... what could he do? While Zeigra's spiritual presence seemed strong, in truth its magnitude probably matched his own.

The problem was that Ves was merely projecting a portion of his Spirituality in the imaginary realm.

Much of his spiritual strength was locked in his design seed, which he imagined as a solid crystalline mass of spiritual energy.

This provided him with a lot of benefits such as strengthening his beliefs and amplifying the help it offered to his design work. Yet the downside to such an arrangement was that the effectively spiritual energy he could utilize for other applications was cut into a fraction of its former glory!

\"Still, my Spirituality has grown in recent months. I have a bit more spiritual energy than before, and that's not just due to replenishing what I've lost.\"

His maximum capacity had slowly grown and still grew even now. Ves had no idea how much further it would grow, but as long as his design seed didn't claim a larger share of the pie, he'd be able to exert an increasing amount of strength in other applications.

\"Well, that's still in the future. The issue is that I need to do something now!\"

Ves suspected that the spiritual posturing that took place between the two spiritual presences might be one of the reasons why Zeigra hadn't employed his strange corrosion ability yet. As strong as his spiritual presence seemed, Ves sensed some signs that hinted at exhaustion.

\"It's the same as when I've expended my own spiritual energy on something.\" He muttered.

Zeigra's spiritual presence wouldn't be able to suppress Vescas' spiritual presence if it weakened any further. If the latter gained some breathing room, it might be able to exert its own strength in a way that tipped the battle in the material realm in Lady Miralix's favor!

Perhaps Vescas' spiritual presence might even be able to turn the tables and suppress Zeigra's spiritual presence, causing the Crown Cat to fight a lot less confidently in his struggle against the Catstrikers!

After taking in the situation, Ves decided to move into action. He extended his own spiritual projection forward and began to tentatively attack Zeigra's spiritual presence.

The closer he neared his target, the more he tried to sneak his way undetected. Zeigra's spiritual presence was fully occupied with wearing down Vescas' spiritual presence, which enabled Ves to sneak his spiritual projection up close.

The spiritual projection subsequently attempted to take a bite out of Zeigra's formidable concentration of spiritual energy.

\"OUCH!\"

Ves failed! The spirituality he attempted to siphon from the distracted spiritual presence hurt his spiritual projection!

Apparently, it was a lot harder to mess with the spiritual presence of an entity that was awake and locked into combat!

Not only did Ves failed to manage to steal a small spiritual fragment from Zeigra, but his spiritual presence also became alert to the presence of another interloper!

Some of the pressure that Zeigra exerted over Vescas suddenly washed over him as well! Though the pressure wasn't enough to affect his core consciousness or his design seed, it was a different case for his spiritual projection!

The weaker concentration of spiritual energy from his mind started to lose some of its integrity! Ves quickly supplemented the losses from the attack by supplying additional spiritual energy to his spiritual projection!

\"Damnit, it's like adding more fuel to the flame!\"

Ves found himself in the unenviable position of being forced to continue to drain his spiritual energy in order to maintain the strength of his spiritual projection.

Each second that passed meant that more and more of his spiritual energy burned due to Zeigra's attacks!

Ves had to make the most of his limited time before he expended too much spiritual energy!

Chapter 1415

Trying to take a bite out of Zeigra's spirituality was like trying to bite a ball made out of compressed alloy. All Ves could accomplish from this act was breaking his teeth!

After two more tries, Ves knew better than to make another attempt to secure a small prize for himself. Zeigra's active and belligerent spiritual presence maintained a state of high vigilance. It left no openings at all for Ves to abscond with a borrowed spiritual fragment!

Since Ves saw no hope of damaging Zeigra's spirituality by taking a bite out of it, he quickly tried to come up with alternative means.

His main objective did not encompass crushing Zeigra's spirituality. Neither did Ves hope to siphon away a spiritual fragment.

Those were just opportunistic goals that he would fulfill if he possessed the strength and ability to do so.

As his broken spiritual teeth attested to, the strength of his spiritual projection was far too inadequate to make a dent in Zeigra's spiritual defenses!

In the back of his mind, he always maintained the faint hope that he possessed the power to decide the outcome of a battle between two spiritually strong entities!

\"As if!\" Ves shook his head.

His design seed monopolized the majority of his spiritual energy. What he had left hardly constituted anything that could pose a serious threat to expert pilots, especially if they were awake and on guard.

Instead, Ves realized that expert pilots appeared to be exceptionally suitable for launching attacks in the imaginary realm.

Their spirituality took the form of a force of will.

In truth, a force of will was a fancy description for a collection of spiritual energy that underwent a qualitative transformation.

The critical aspect that defined the force of will was that it gained a lot of strength by fusing them with the strong willpower of an expert pilot.

\"It's essentially a process of weaponizing spiritual energy in its misty form!\"

What Ves was doing right now, expert pilots could do at least ten or even a hundred times better! Perhaps the reason why Ves hadn't seen any signs of expert pilots doing so was because they weren't aware of the imaginary realm.

\"I'll have to look into this sometime.\" Ves mentally muttered. \"How much do expert pilots know? And how aware is the MTA of this intangible realm that connects everyone's spirituality?\"

He suspected that out of the major trans-galactic organization, only the Five Scrolls Compact knew more.

In any case, since Ves didn't possess the strength to attack Zeigra directly, he instead opted to annoy it and disrupt whatever it was doing.

Even though Ves continued to burn through his spirituality while he remained near, Zeigra's spiritual presence only diverted a small part of its attention to the annoying fly that buzzed all over the place.

In addition, while the quantities of spiritual energy between them differed a lot, their quality was roughly on par!

Actually, Ves discovered that the quality of his spirituality was a bit richer than that of the Crown Cat!

All of this meant that the expenditure of spiritual energy on his part was within a tolerable range. As long as he kept his presence here brief, he'd be able to top off his losses with the excess spirituality that he accumulated in his P-stone.

\"Let's go!\"

He truly felt like a fly trying to annoy a human. His spiritual projection hardly posed a threat to Zeigra's spiritual presence. However, the Crown Cat definitely bore some discomfort, as evidenced by how much pressure he lifted from Vescas!

The spiritual product breathed a little easier now that the oppressive Crown Cat no longer exerted his complete attention onto the design spirit of the Kinslayer!

The results were felt in the battle taking place in the material realm as Zeigra's responses and aggressive attacks yielded less results.

Lady Miralix and her subordinates swiftly noticed the difference. They mistook Zeigra's weakness as a sign that the huge cat was starting to succumb to attrition!

\"He's getting tired! He hasn't had a good rest in days! Keep bleeding him! We have to sap his strength as much as possible!\"

Only a couple of minutes had passed, but none of the mechs in the battle looked great. Zeigra successfully caught one of the spearman mechs and battered it into a wreck. Its mech pilot, eager to avoid the fate of his dead comrade, managed to eject in time.

Still, the loss of yet another melee mech meant that the Catstrikers no longer managed to contain the Crown Cat. Zeigra eagerly took advantage of his increased freedom of movement by battering every other mech in the way to run down the sole rifleman mech!

The Kinslayer desperately followed Zeigra on his heels, but the injured Crown Cat moved so abruptly that his initial advantage was hard to overcome!

\"My ammunition is almost spent! I'm ejecting! Sorry, commander!\" The mech pilot of the remaining rifleman mech transmitted before decisively activating the ejection command!

As the cockpit of the rifleman mech threaded between the tree trunks and flew off into the distance, the vengeful Crown Cat leapt onto the prone and lifeless mech and angrily tore out its limbs while biting big chunks out of its thin frame!

Metal crunched between the Crown Cat's teeth before he swallowed his prize. The huge cat's eyes already started to shift back and forth, as if contemplating his escape route.

\"Zeigra is looking to escape!\" One of the sharp-eyed hunting consultants in the command center transmitted to the mechs in the field. \"He's approaching his limits! Keep exerting pressure! Whatever you are doing is working!\"

\"Close in but surround our target from the sides!\" Lady Miralix screamed and pushed forth her Kinslayer into a direct confrontation against the Crown Cat! \"Make sure to cover as many escape routes as possible! We have to contain him here or all of our sacrifices will be in vain!\"

She had no other choice but to launch a direct challenge against the injured huge cat! Only two mechs remained standing, and both of them were already at the end of their ropes!

The spearman mech and axeman mech maneuvered to the sides but refrained from getting close. With all of the damage they incurred, their mech pilots doubted that they could inflict any serious damage onto Zeigra while most of his hide was still intact!

Even though Zeigra's mineral and exotic-infused hide largely looked intact, all of the damage it withstood during the battle had taken a toll on its integrity. Zeigra's hindquarters and flanks leaked out blood from several nasty cuts as the Kinslayer's claws and a few errant spear and axe strikes managed to pierce through the hide or expand its existing wounds.

These wounds now presented the only hope of defeating Zeigra! This seemingly unstoppable Crown Cat no longer seemed invincible now that his hide presented several tantalizing openings which exposed the creature's softer flesh!

A rush of excitement and battle mania swirled her mind. The fight she had been waiting for had finally arrived! The prospect of fighting a one-on-one duel between her Kinslayer and Zeigra did not frighten her at all. Instead, she embraced the moment, betting the entirety of her life and her future on this battle!

She never entertained any thoughts of retreating at all!

\"Either you die, or I die! If I can't return with your head as my trophy, I might as well be buried within your stomach! For the hunt!\"

\"For the hunt!\"

\"For the hunt!\"

The Kinslayer circled around Zeigra, as if trying to get an angle at the Crown Cat's wounded parts.

Despite her battle euphoria, Lady Miralix knew very well that attacking Zeigra from the front was a bad idea!

Just like most cat-like species, Zeigra was at his most dangerous when oriented towards his front! The Crown Cat could easily bring most of his offensive power such as his forelimbs and his devastating maw to bear upon any opponent opting to face it in a head-on collision!

As much as Lady Miralix put her trust in her Kinslayer, this fight was still very much uneven!

As a result, she decided to maneuver her Kinslayer in a circle around Zeigra, hoping to obtain an opportunity to savage the huge cat's open and bleeding wounds!

Zeigra released a frustrated roar at the tiger mech. All of the circling by the mech forced the tiring cat to awkwardly spin around in place in order to maintain his facing towards the mech shaped like his own species.

Meanwhile, his discomfort during the battle deepened as a part of him that he might not be aware of endured its own suffering!

Back in the imaginary realm, Ves had spent quite some time trying to buzz around Zeigra's spiritual presence. While he faintly believed he was making a difference considering the pressure on Vescas lessened, Ves believed he wasn't doing enough to tip the battle in his favor!

A part of his consciousness briefly directed his attention towards the footage and the telemetry projected in front of his physical body. He rapidly took in the state and the battle and realized the pivotal confrontation between Zeigra and the Kinslayer had commenced!

Ves realized that to win, he not only had to prevent Zeigra from employing his strange ability onto the Kinslayer.

He also had to make sure that Vescas still held up against the pressure exerted by the Crown Cat!

When Ves studied the condition of his spiritual product, he found out that Vescas' spiritual presence in the imaginary realm started showing cracks.

Vescas was a flawed and rudimentary creation to begin with. Ves created him out of a combination of his spiritual energy and the Dragon Cat's remnant energy. Now that it was starting to take on damage, its structure that glued the two types of spiritual energies together began to unravel!

\"Damnit! My creation is too fragile!\"

If Vescas had more time to grow up, then it might have been able to patch up its flawed and makeshift structure and refine it into a more coherent whole.

However, Ves only created it recently. Throwing it in battle after merely a week of maturing and exposure to Lady Miralix's mind was way too soon!

\"The difference in development is too large!\"

Ves decided to cease his paltry efforts and began to direct his spiritual projection to Vescas' spiritual presence.

After a moment's thought, Ves decided to approach the damaged spiritual entity and feed it some of his spiritual energy.

The infusion, though small, made a substantial contribution! It was as if Ves had added some fuel to Vescas' nearly-empty tanks!

Ves carefully fed more of his spiritual energy to his spiritual product, knowing that the latter could absorb it without too much effort.

\"You're my creation, after all! Even if you've become an independent existence, you still carry a part of me in your spiritual DNA!\"

Ves slightly winced at the losses he suffered. His spiritual energy expenditure had reached the point where he would have exhausted his remaining reserve of excess spiritual energy.

Now he was suffering from a real deficit! The longer this went on, the more time he needed to replenish his losses!

\"I have to make this quick! I don't want to spend another couple of months without the drive to design a mech! I'll go crazy at that rate!\"

If a mech designer no longer enjoyed the process of designing a mech, then what was the point of continuing with his profession?

Fortunately, Vescas did not require too much milk from its mother in order to become sated. The spiritual product was still a weaker spiritual entity than Ves, so its capacity to absorb additional energy was limited.

Ves had merely supplied Vescas with enough spiritual energy to restore its defenses against the pressure exerted by Zeigra's spiritual presence.

\"That's enough to keep you intact for a couple of minutes!\"

Considering the raging battle taking place in the material realm, Ves estimated that the battle would soon be coming to a close! As long as Vescas managed to stand its ground, then Zeigra would not be able to employ his spiritual superiority with impunity!

\"There's still one more thing I can do, I think!\"

His spiritual projection regarded Vescas in a different light. The brief contact he made with his spiritual product opened up his eyes to another possible way he could tip the balance in his favor!

Chapter 1416

The Felixia Catstrikers were almost wiped out. One by one, Zeigra destroyed or disabled half of their mechs in the first three rounds.

Now, the fourth round annihilated every remaining humanoid mech in the fight. Both the spearman mech and the one-armed axeman mech that feebly tried to contain the brutal huge cat had finally succumbed from all of the damage they accumulated.

Every mech possessed a limit! To the two midrange mechs, they had already performed admirably for lasting so long against a huge cat engineered to destroy and consume mechs!

At this stage of the battle, Lady Miralix's Kinslayer was the only mech that stood in the way between victory and defeat. The lives of all of the mech pilots who ejected as well as the support personnel watching the battle with baited breath aboard the legged transports depended on the performance of the tiger mech!

Despite carrying such a huge burden on her shoulders, Lady Miralix no longer thought about her responsibilities. She no longer put any mind to her future ambitions, nor did she think about how frightening it was to confront a Crown Cat by herself.

She had fully given in to the rush of battle!

Both Lady Miralix and the Kinslayer fought with only one goal in mind: to defeat Zeigra! Their animosity towards the powerful huge cat compelled them to vanquish the arrogant huge cat and prove their worth as the true king of the forest!

\"No stinking cat will triumph against a true daughter of House Laterna!\"

While his exhaustion and his profusely-bleeding wounds sapped Zeigra's strength, the Crown Cat still mustered up whatever strength he could draw upon his battered body. The endurance of the huge cat had continuously confounded everyone from the hunting team!

\"Rank twenty, my butt! He's at least rank fifteen, if not higher!\"

\"I don't understand how he's able to keep fighting when many other cats would have slowed down by now! Is Zeigra extracting his energy from the chunks of mechs he's eaten or something?!\"

The huge cat certainly deserved to be regarded as a Crown Cat. Yet Lady Miralix exhibited no fear at all for challenging this formidable beast in single combat.

Zeigra may be powerful, but her Kinslayer still managed to keep up!

Even though her mech bore numerous claw marks and other scars of combat, as long as she avoided damage to the Kinslayer's limbs and other essential parts, she still had a chance of vanquishing her opponent!

Zeigra possessed an absolute advantage in size, strength and damage absorbing capacity. Despite his increasingly distressed state, the cat appeared as if he could still keep up the fighting for another fifteen minutes!

Lady Miralix knew her Kinslayer couldn't last that long! Having expended a huge amount of energy from the start of the battle, the endurance of her tiger mech would only see her through the battle for just five minutes at this rate!

That was too short!

Even if she stretched out her energy reserves, the damage that Zeigra inflicted on her mech continued to take its toll as well.

A battle of attrition pitted both sides to a brutal competition to see who outlasted the other! The Kinslayer significantly underperformed in this aspect compared to Zeigra, but Lady Miralix did not give up the fight!

She still maintained her confidence!

\"If I can't beat you with strength, I'll beat you with my skill!\"

The battle between the two cat-like entities became increasingly more violent as Lady Miralix no longer heeded any concerns about conserving the energy reserves or the integrity of her mech.

Instead, she urged her machine to circle around and launch risky attacks. Even if she failed half of the time, the strikes she landed succeeded in exacerbating the wounds that Zeigra already incurred.

Lady Miralix recognized that the key to victory lay in accelerating the bleeding! As long as Zeigra lost enough blood, he would inevitably slow down as the lack of blood circulation would severely hamper the functioning of his huge but very demanding body!

The Kinslayer's smaller size provided it with an advantage in spontaneity and explosiveness. Zeigra could be quite fast as well, but aside from pouncing forward, he had trouble keeping up with the Kinslayer as the tiger mech dodged and tried to circle around!

As the battle in the material realm heated up, the battle that simultaneously took place in the imaginary realm took yet another turn.

The spiritual presences that Zeigra and Vescas maintained in the imaginary realm echoed the circumstances in reality. The former still maintained an absolute advantage in strength over the latter.

If Ves had not injected his recently-created spiritual product with a dose of his own spiritual energy, then Vescas would have already succumbed by now!

\"What would have happened if I didn't intervene?\" Ves momentarily wondered.

Perhaps Vescas might not break apart, but it would have certainly drawn back its strength, thereby depriving Lady Miralix of the support she received from her mech!

There was a significant difference between piloting a mech that felt alive and one that felt as lifeless as a rock!

With so much at stake, how could Ves make a difference between the posturing that took place between the two uneven spiritual entities?

His previous efforts in annoying Zeigra's spiritual presence might have made a difference, but Ves doubted that he achieved anything too impactful.

The beast's spirituality was almost as strong as ever! Aside from its energy expenditure, Zeigra's spiritual presence still felt as aggressive and brutal as ever!

\"Whatever exhaustion and physical wounds Zeigra is suffering from, the damage isn't reflected to his spirituality!\"

That made sense to Ves, but it was still a disappointment to him. He couldn't find an easy angle to make any serious dent in Zeigra's spiritual strength.

The only way that Ves could pose a serious threat to the huge cat's spirituality was if he could muster up his complete strength, but that was easier said than done!

\"It's not like I can move my design seed from the deepest part of my mind and fling it forward like a cannonball.\" He muttered. \"Can I?\"

That was a silly idea. Ves had tried multiple times to move his design seed, but it appeared to be rooted in the core of his mind.

Trying to tear his design seed from its place in order to use it as a weapon was as silly as a mech tearing open its cockpit, grabbing hold of its mech pilot in order to use the body as a club!

Ves could not bring his full Spirituality to bear against his opponent, and this limitation annoyed him to no end!

How could he leverage his limited strength in the best possible way to tip the balance of the ongoing battle in his favor?

His eyes drew away from Zeigra's spiritual presence and started to lock into the spiritual presence of his spiritual product.

\"I can't do anything about Zeigra since his spirituality is active and at its most alert state, but it's a different story when it comes to Vescas!\"

Ves enjoyed a lot of leverage over his spiritual product. As for his creation, Vescas still responded and opened up to him, especially after he fed the newborn spiritual entity with additional spiritual energy when it needed it the most!

\"It's like a puppy who latches on to anyone who shows affection!\"

Vescas grew onto Lady Miralix when she continually interfaced with the Kinslayer. Now, it had become reacquainted with one of its birth parents when Ves helped it in its time of need.

The openness of his spiritual product towards him gave Ves an idea that might work.

\"What if I resonate with my spiritual product?\"

The theory was simple. Instead of adding his strength directly to a fragile spiritual product which couldn't handle anymore energy, why not find a way to resonate and amplify its existing strength?

One of the main preoccupations of a mech designer was synergy. Trying to piece different parts together so that their combination resulted in a much higher level of performance made a huge difference.

\"Just like how physical parts can achieve synergy, two compatible spiritual entities can achieve synergy as well!\"

However, Ves quickly bumped into the problem of how he could possibly resonate with his spiritual product.

\"I'm not an expert pilot.\" He mentally muttered to himself. \"Yet.. I can imitate some of their abilities!\"

His eyes metaphorically shined as the idea came into his head. He studied and witnessed the usage of an expert pilot's force of will enough times to know how they worked in principle!

Even if his understanding of the underlying mechanics was a bit fuzzy, Ves might as well try and see if he could achieve anything remarkable!

\"Is it possible that I can make Miralix and Vescas achieve unity between man and machine?\"

Ves mentally shook his head. There was no way he could fully replicate the steps required to achieve the legendary state of complete resonance. What Venerable Eloise Pelican and her Valiant Warden mech once achieved had only come about with the aid of a very powerful spiritual fragment!

With the lackluster strength of his spiritual projection in the imaginary realm, the best Ves could hope for was to provide a temporary boost to the Kinslayer's X-Factor by resonating with Vescas.

He decided to enact his plan. He first changed the shape of his spiritual projection. Instead of compressing it into a solid tentacle-like concentration of spiritual energy, he deliberately dispersed it into its more natural cloud-like form.

Of course, the burn rate of his spiritual energy increased as the corrosive winds of the imaginary realm as well as the pressure exerted by Zeigra's spiritual presence pounced on the weaknesses of this form!

To combat this, Ves attempted to muster up his thoughts and emotions and inject it into his spiritual projection in a special way. He was not very deliberate about what kind of elements he chose to incorporate into his pseudo-force of will.

The weak but coherent force of will that Ves invented possessed a very weird quality. He recognized all of the aspects of himself in it, such as his depth of knowledge and affection towards mechs as well as his beliefs and assumptions concerning his design philosophy. His force of will even possessed a dauntless quality, as if it dared to take on the galaxy!

Ves had no time to reflect on himself. Instead, he moved his pseudo-force of will to the spiritual presence of his spiritual product.

\"Open yourself up to me.\" He mentally whispered to Vescas. \"I want to help you. You need my help!\"

His naive spiritual product tasted the flavor of the approaching force of will and instantly took a liking for it! It hadn't yet grown sophisticated enough to be on guard, so it wholeheartedly embraced the force of will that felt so familiar with its own spiritual DNA!

\"Yes! Resonate with me! Empower yourself by synchronizing with my empowered will!\"

What happened next was hard to describe to Ves. His cognition blurred as something very remarkable and abstruse took place. His force of will seamlessly entered into his spiritual product and began to vibrate, for lack of a better word.

Due to the willpower infused in his force of will, it managed to retain its separate identity. Vescas could not do anything to absorb it without using force, but it would never do such a thing against an entity it loved!

Whatever Ves was doing started to produce results.

Vescas' spiritual presence in the imaginary realm started to firm up. While quantity or quality of spiritual energy hadn't increased, the rudimentary resonance taking place inside its core makeup amplified its existing strength!

The spiritual product no longer wavered against the suppression exerted by Zeigra's spiritual presence. Instead, Vescas started to exert its own form of pressuring!

Although its pressure paled in comparison to that of the Crown Cat, it nonetheless produced some effects!

The changes taking place in the imaginary realm quickly reflected back to the battle taking place in the material realm!

Whereas Lady Miralix felt as if she controlled her mech more fluidly, to the point of where her mech already begun to move before she inputted her thoughts through the connection, Zeigra experienced the opposite!

The Crown Cat's appeared less confident and his ferocity exhibited some instability!

As his wounds and his exhaustion continued to pile up, this subtle change in mentality compounded Zeigra's difficulties! The huge cat began to show increasing signs of hesitation!

Chapter 1417

Within the imaginary realm, the spiritual projection that Ves shaped into a psuedo-force of will continued to interact with Vescas in a very abstruse way.

\"There's a lot about resonance that I still don't know yet! I have the feeling that I've only touched upon the tip of the iceberg!\"

To be honest, the resonance he achieved with Vescas could hardly be called perfect. Not only did his projected strength fail to measure up, he also suspected that he was fumbling the process.

In addition, the mixed and polluted qualities and attributes embedded into his pseudo-force of will prevented him from exerting it into a strong, coherent direction.

\"Expert pilots like Venerable Foster are all single-minded in their beliefs!\" Ves mentally recalled. \"This makes it easier for them to exert the full force of their will in a specific application!\"

Venerable Foster's aggressive and domineering attitude complimented her extremely well whenever she sought to destroy her opponents.

Venerable Pelican's motherly instincts and protectiveness allowed her to achieve superhuman feats whenever she fought to protect her friends and family.

The strength shown by both of them led Ves to surmise that simplicity did not detract from their strength. In fact, the purer their force of will, the easier it was for them to exert their powers!

\"Unfortunately, I'm anything but simple.\" Ves mentally sighed.

Just a single look at his messed-up pseudo-force of will revealed the difference.

The force of will of genuine expert pilots resembled glasses of water flavored with a specific, defined taste.

In contrast, his own bastardized version of a force of will resembled raw sewage!

The lack of purity in his mentality, as reflected by the unfiltered thoughts and emotions he imparted to his pseudo-force of will, meant that he would never be able to match an expert pilot on their home ground!

\"I've made my choice long ago! The development of my spirituality has always been geared towards improving my ability to design mechs!\"

The only reason why his turbid and polluted pseudo-force of will resonated with Vescas at all was because his spiritual product inherited his mental garbage!

The perfect match between the two made sure that at least some form of resonance took place!

The effects became increasingly more evident in the desperate battle that took place in the material realm.

The duel that Lady Miralix and her Kinslayer had started against Zeigra was beginning to reach its terminal phase. Both the mech and the huge cat were nearing their physical limits!

One of the forelimbs of the Kinslayer suffered an awful claw strike that resulted in a thirty percent reduction of its ability to exert force. The blow considerably hampered the mech's mobility and offensive power!

However, Lady Miralix managed to make Zeigra pay for his overreach by pushing her mech beyond its limits and launch a brutal counterattack that tore through the hide, flesh and tendons of one of his already-injured hind limbs!

This was a crucial attack, because the partially-crippled limb ensured that Zeigra was no longer able to run away or launch powerful pouncing attacks!

The only way this savage duel between the artificial and organic cat would end was for one or the other to die!

Though some of the parts of the Kinslayer started to whine or buzz in a worrying fashion, Lady Miralix still invested her complete attention into the fight. She couldn't afford to let herself be distracted by her increasing concerns!

\"I still have a chance!\"

She pushed her Kinslayer past her limits, demanding more out of its frame despite the damage preventing it from moving as smoothly as before.

Amazingly, the mech and its partially-crippled limb held up under the immense strain that Miralix forced upon its stressed and failing parts!

Though various parts of the mechs were already beginning to deteriorate to the point of breaking down, for now the most critical parts still held on during this crucial end stage of the battle!

While Lady Miralix and her Kinslayer still threw themselves fully at their opponent, Zeigra had slightly begun to wilt.

A tiny flaw in his mentality compounded the exhaustion and injuries afflicting his body. The constant pursuit and the lack of rest that plagued Zeigra during the past few days were finally showing their results!

No matter how much rest and recuperation the Crown Cat managed to eke out during the hunt, he never managed to recover to his peak condition!

Zeigra's savage and unrestrained fighting style didn't help much either. Though his high aggression yielded great results in the earlier rounds, the huge cat had expended huge amounts of its energy to take out all of the humanoid mechs of the hunting team.

Now, with just one mech left to defeat, Zeigra was truly starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel! The huge cat no longer dared to launch unrestrained attacks, and instead circled slowly to keep pace with the Kinslayer.

He let out an intimidating roar at the mech that closely resembled his own form. Zeigra took a lot of issue with the machine that learned from him and imitated some of his attacks!

As the two opponents postured against each other, the differences in bearing became increasingly more evident.

Whereas Zeigra's confidence exhibited some flaws, the Kinslayer piloted by Lady Miralix seemed even more eager than ever to vanquish its opponent!

In fact, the Kinslayer subtly experienced some changes on a level almost no one perceived. Its braveness and its aggression became more pronounced. It was as if the mech wouldn't stop attacking until its very last parts fell apart!

\"You've done an excellent job, but I still need your strength!\" Lady Miralix whispered to her mech. \"You were made for this battle! We have to keep fighting until we fulfill our purpose!\"

She had the illusion that the Kinslayer concurred with her sentiments. Through her connection with her mech, the focus and emotions she invested into the battle seemed to have elevated in a higher state.

Her bond with her mech had reached a state where she partially felt as if she had become the mech! Through some means that she wasn't even aware of, her control over the machine had surpassed the technical limitations imposed on her by her neural interface!

The mech and cat suddenly launched against each other! The two cats barely missed each other as they both managed to land their blows!

The two cats quickly separated from the exchange of blows.

The Kinslayer acquired a new stretch of claw marks that marred the increasingly-distressed armor onto its flanks.

As for Zeigra, the huge cat roared in pain as thick, scarlet blood bled over his giant snarling face. What was worse was that pain continually erupted from his head due to the claws that the Kinslayer had embedded into its skull before detaching them from its paw!

Though Zeigra's huge and immensely-resilient resilient skull prevented the claws from digging into his brains, the pain was almost unbearable to the cat! The blood that bled over his eyes and around his nose also interfered with his senses!

Another pain roar escaped the Crown Cat's throat! The agony plagued Zeigra to such an extent that the beast raised one of his limbs in order to dislodge the detached claws pressed against his skull!

\"Chance!\" Lady Miralix's eyes lit up.

She spotted an opening!

Her mech had already started to pounce forward just as Zeigra swatted the claws from his wounded forehead. The final batch of replacement claws had already slotted into the forepaws of her mech, its gleaming sharpness ready to tear into the flesh of the huge cat!

The nearly undetectable form of a translucent cat-like form briefly overlapped with the form of the Kinslayer as the tiger mech successfully pounced on the Crown Cat!

Sadly, not a single sensor managed to capture the brief apparition!

The most the sensors managed to capture were some anomalies readings that vaguely resembled fake resonance. However, the instance happened too rapidly to confirm that fake resonance had taken place despite the lack of resonating exotics built into the Kinslayer!

Lady Miralix herself jostled onto her piloting seat as the abrupt collision pushed the inertial dampeners of her cockpit to their breaking points!

Nonetheless, no matter how much abuse her physical body went through, her mouth curled into a razor-sharp grin as she enthusiastically urged her Kinslayer to bite Zeigra's neck and activate the warming heat projector built into the throat of the mech!

\"This is it! Unleash your might, Kinslayer! LET YOUR RAGE BURN THE LIFE OUT OF THIS CROWN CAT!\"

The tiger mech endured an immense amount of battering as Zeigra frantically tried to dislodge the Kinslayer from his neck!

However, the Kinslayer's proximity made it difficult for the Crown Cat to leverage its strength at the awkward angle that the mech had latched on to his vulnerable flesh!

In addition, the attrition brought the Crown Cat close to his limits and sapped his strength and energy to the point where his strength no longer overwhelmed the tiger mech!

Even so, the Kinslayer's condition didn't look much better either! Parts continued to malfunction at an alarming rate! Just making sure that it maintained its grip and bite onto the violently-shaking Crown Cat was already taking a huge toll!

\"We're doing it! He's dying! Keep burning until there's not a single shred of life left in his body!\"

The Crown Cat released mangled roars as the heat and flames emanating from the throat of the tiger mech washed into his unprotected neck and constantly burned at his vital flesh!

While the flesh of the huge cats had been genetically-modified to resist a variety of damage including laser fire, the immense amount of thermal energy that the Kinslayer withheld until this final, pivotal moment was too much for any engineer flesh to handle!

Increasingly large portions of Zeigra's hide and flesh started to char and blacken! Uncountable amounts of tissue were dying rapidly due to being overwhelmed by the heat and flames!

Zeigra's desperate counterattack against the Kinslayer intensified for a moment, making it seem as if the mech wouldn't be able to hold on, but slowly the huge cat started to fade.

The strength and frequency of his battering grew weaker! As more and more of his neck and other portions of his body succumbed to the heat, the functioning of his body started fail at an accelerating pace!

\"BURN! BURN! BURN!\"

Even though the Kinslayer lost some strength as well, the mech heroically persisted in its attack and continued to release its entire remaining reserves of fuel and energy to unleash as much damage to Zeigra as possible!

Still, there was a limit to how much the Kinslayer could hold on. At some point, the mech had exhausted all of its reserves.

The tiger mech's throat ceased to emit its deadly payload as the heat projector itself had run out of juice! The component along with the entire mouth cavity of the mech had pretty much begun to melt!

The rest of the mech no longer possessed the strength to remain active. Its frame emitted forceful groans as its failing components could no longer hold it together! They'd been pushed well past their limits, to the point where the mech forcibly shut down lest its continued breakdowns resulted in debilitating damage!

Both the tiger mech and the huge cat slumped down.

Silence stretched across the battlefield.

The spectators of the battle aboard the legged transports stared at the footage with amazed astonishment.

\"Who.. won?\"

An exobiologist checked the sensor readings. \"Zeigra's lifesigns are fading...\"

\"He's dying!\"

\"Does that mean we've won?\"

\"Lady Miralix is still alive!\"

Everyone realized what that meant. Cheers spontaneously erupted from every member of the hunting team! They succeeded! Through the skin of their teeth, they defeated a formidable Crown Cat!

\"We've won!\"

The waves of success not only spread out in the material realm. Upon the moment that Zeigra succumbed, a radical change took place in the imaginary realm that occupied Ves' attention!

Chapter 1418

Two cats entered the battle. Both of them collapsed in the end.

Yet the difference between the two was that one cat's life had already begun to fade, while the other cat was as vigorous as ever!

The Kinslayer magnificently fought against Zeigra, the Mech Cruncher and one of the fastest-growing huge cats released onto the Asco Continent!

Many sensors spread around the battle site beforehand captured every second of the final confrontation between the Felixia Catstrikers and Zeigra!

Such recordings held a huge amount of value as they proved Lady Miralix's courage and valor against a powerful foe! They also proved that Lady Miralix played the leading role in this difficult and risky hunt!

Inside the cockpit of the dormant and half-broken Kinslayer, Lady Miralix quietly wound down from the excitement that carried her all the way to the end of the battle.

Despite her lack of awareness of what took place outside her mech, she already knew she fulfilled her greatest wish. If Zeigra was still alive, then the cat would have continued to savage her Kinslayer!

Since nothing of the sort had happened, Lady Miralix knew that she had finally proved herself to be worthy to fight in House Laterna's name!

\"I did it.. we did it.. Zeigra is dead...!\"

From today onwards, she became a true potency of House Laterna! She could lift her head high and leave Felixia in order to take part in the wider Sentinel Kingdom as one of its most prominent noble mech pilots!

\"The victory I've achieved today will continue the prosperity of my house!\"

As Lady Miralix quietly immersed herself in her exultation of completing her challenge, Ves did not have time yet to celebrate.

He still needed to secure his own gains from the destructive battle between the two cats!

At the moment of Zeigra's death, his spiritual presence in the imaginary realm abruptly started to falter!

Ves recognized that the moment he had been waiting for and working towards all this time had finally arrived!

\"This is my chance!\"

He immediately stopped resonating with Vescas. As much as he wanted to experiment with it further, the act continually drained his spiritual energy, something which he intensely abhorred!

Ves mentally patted Vescas' back as he withdrew his spiritual projection from its spiritual presence.

\"Good job. You really helped us all succeed. Now give me some of my energy back.\"

He forcibly siphoned some of the spiritual energy that originally belonged to him back into himself. Though he encountered some resistance, Vescas still held him in high regard, so it didn't resist as much as it could have despite the pain it experienced.

Besides, even if the spiritual product did put up a fight, its strength was still lacking against its creator!

\"Don't be so bummed out, Vescas. If Lady Miralix continues to pilot the Kinslayer, then you'll eventually make up for the loss!\"

The spiritual energy he drew back into himself did much to replenish his earlier expenditure.

Energized by the recovery of some of his spent energy, Ves began to move his spiritual projection towards Zeigra's spiritual presence.

Whereas before it projected strength, brutality and cunning, now it started to unravel! The death of Zeigra meant his spirituality lost the foundation that sustained its life!

\"It's dying!\"

Just as he expected, a spiritual entity that lost its physical body could no longer sustain itself!

Even if pieces of it might be able to persist in the form of broken fragments, most of what gave the spiritual entity its identity would be lost because there was simply too much that couldn't be retained!

This was what happened to the Dragon Cat days after Ves managed to access its frozen corpse. A lot of time had passed upon which the Dragon Cat's spirituality had gradually broken apart and most of its pieces either blew away into other parts of the imaginary realm or deteriorated completely due to the spiritual corrosion they endured.

Still, Ves also kept an open mind and considered the possibility that Zeigra's spirituality might persist even without a physical body. He had seen stranger stuff, of which the most eye-catching was the paradoxical existence of his dead mother.

Was the spiritual ghost that claimed to be his mother truly what she claimed to be? If so, how in the hell did she manage to keep her spirituality intact and somewhat lucid throughout all of those years since her corporeal death?

\"Am I able to do the same?\" He mentally asked.

Ves considered this question many times. He believed that not even expert pilots and Journeyman Mech Designers were able to retain their spiritual existences after their bodies were laid to rest. A lot of places would have been haunted by spiritual ghosts by now if that was the case!

From the signs he gathered so far and the guesses he made, he tentatively concluded that life after death required a special technique. His mother probably utilized a sophisticated method that halted the degradation of her spiritual existence.

Still, even if she managed to preserve a sliver of her life, Ves doubted that her condition remained well throughout the years. Only until Ves arrived at the Glowing Planet did she manage to regain the strength to mess with his life and wander off after stealing the corpse of the crystal builder leader from his possession.

He was still rather cross about that theft!

Ves mentally shook his head. Not everyone could replicate his mother's feat. She was the exception rather than the rule.

Zeigra was case in point. As the genetically-engineered beast met her end at the hands of Lady Miralix and her Kinslayer, his spiritual presence increasingly started to lose cohesion!

Bits and pieces of Zeigra's spirituality even detached from the presence the cat maintained in the imaginary realm! The corrosive spiritual winds feasted upon the debris and whisked them away from this site!

If the damage that Zeigra's spirituality suffered in the imaginary realm was already this bad, then the damage it suffered in the material realm was probably just as bad!

\"I can't let Zeigra's spirituality continue to fall apart!\"

Though Ves briefly thought about capturing the bits and pieces that detached from Zeigra's spirituality, he pushed it aside in favor of an even greater possibility.

Instead of scavenging a few scraps and merging them into a feeble spiritual fragment, why not capture the whole thing?!

Although Ves still wasn't quite sure about how he would sustain the spiritual entity's life, he formed a few theories that he wanted to test!

He quickly extended his spiritual projection towards Zeigra's faltering spiritual presence. He did so to see how much of an awareness it still retained.

\"OUCH!\"

Okay, that was pretty lively still! Even as Zeigra's spirituality deteriorated, it still remained lucid and unresigned throughout the process! Ves sensed an entire wellspring of anger within the spiritual entity.

He was really angry at his defeat! He hated the Kinslayer and he hated his own weakness at failing to overcome the metal cat!

Ves did not hear Zeigra explain his feelings in words, but instead inferred it through the jumble of violent emotions swirling inside the spiritual entity.

Seeing that Zeigra might not be able to comprehend human speech, Ves tried to bring his spiritual projection closer in order to convey a simple message.

\"I can save you. You don't have to die. Cooperate with me and I can bring you back to life.\"

RAGE.

Zeigra's spirituality mindlessly lashed out at Ves! Even as Zeigra's spirituality fell apart, it still recognized one of the antagonists that contributed to its death!

Knowing that Ves didn't have the time to persuade Zeigra's spirituality gently, he decided to take a firmer approach.

\"We won. You lost. Your body may have died, but your spirit still lives on, for now. How long can you last, though? Surrender to me. As long as you allow me to bring you away, I promise I will craft a new container for you to come back to life, both in spirit and in body!\"

Trying to articulate his intentions through a non-verbal exchange seemed difficult, but Ves adeptly conveyed his meaning to the intelligent spiritual entity.

While Zeigra was still a beast all considered, its spirituality wouldn't have grown so formidable if it was stupid!

Unfortunately, even if Zeigra was capable of higher-level thinking, it was still a huge cat! Its grief, hatred and animosity towards his killers vastly exceeded his other considerations!

Though Ves detected that Zeigra still possessed the will to live, his desire to deny his killers as many prizes as possible compelled him to remain stubborn to the end!

\"Do you really want to die?! Do you really want to depart from this existence without leaving behind a legacy in the form of offspring?\"

Ves appealed to the huge cat's baser instincts. He continued to coax the spiritual presence with offers of salvation and a chance to live a new life!

Still, Ves knew he faced a very tough customer. Zeigra's spirituality stubbornly maintained his unyielding stance, seemingly determined to deny Ves to the very end!

Time passed. The corrosive spiritual winds continually assaulted the weakened and fading spiritual presence. More and more spiritual debris separated from the greater whole and got carried away to parts unknown.

Most of the debris would eventually break down. One or two pieces might survive as hardy fragments, but even they might fall apart after enduring decades or centuries of continued battering.

The weak had no place in the imaginary realm!

Even though Ves occasionally wanted to capture the increasing amount of debris that separated from Zeigra's spirituality, he resisted the temptation.

Instead, he persisted in coaxing Zeigra's spirituality to give in to his demands.

\"Does it feel good for you to die? I bet it doesn't! Save yourself the agony of death and open yourself up to me. Now that our battle has ended, I am no longer your opponent. I'm your savior! Accept my help and your life will no longer be forfeit!\"

Though Zeigra kept up his resistance, it became increasingly harder to do so as its spirituality accelerated its degradation.

His spirit was really dying!

The closer he got to death, the more his resolve and his instincts wavered. The rage that Zeigra held towards his killers began to seem more and more distant as the threat of spiritual death became more acute!

Eventually, Zeigra's spirituality finally ceased its resistance. It had implicitly given in to Ves! Deep down in the core of his spiritual being, Zeigra still wanted to live!

\"You've made the right choice!\" Ves mentally smiled.

Though Ves privately ached at all of the spiritual energy that Zeigra lost, he knew it was a necessary step to gain the huge cat's acceptance.

The weak had no right to contend against the strong!

Now that Zeigra lost a substantial portion of its spiritual strength and continued bleeding even now, it fully recognized that it was in a weaker position.

Therefore, when Ves attempted to grab hold of Zeigra's spirituality, the beast did not resist.

\"Oh.\" Ves mentally muttered in surprise.

He thought he would face a lot of resistance in his attempts to move Zeigra's spirituality. Even if it did not put up a resistance, its anchoring in the imaginary realm would certainly be hard to overcome!

However, the truth turned out to be different!

\"His anchors have weakened!\"

This made his next step a lot easier! While Ves fumbled around a bit, he eventually managed to drag Zeigra's spiritual presence back into his own mind!

\"I want it all! I don't just want the portion of your spirituality in the imaginary realm, but also what's decaying in your dead body's mind!\"

Fortunately, the spiritual presence was connected to the spirituality locked in the dead Crown Cat's mind. While Zeigra's death had caused the bonds to loosen, Ves still managed to tug it from its place and drag it all the way back to his mind!

As soon as Ves captured every last bits of Zeigra's spirituality within his range, he quickly returned to his mind.

Only to encounter a massive headache!

\"AAAAAHH!\"

Chapter 1419

What if Ves met a stranded pirate ship out in space one day?

What if he opened a channel to the pirate ship and offered to rescue the men trapped within?

What if the pirates inside cussed and hurled insults at him, all the while their starship was falling apart?

What if the starship started to break up and throw every pirate into lifeless space?

At that point, many of those pirates quickly changed their mind and accepted the hand that was offered to them. They meekly boarded the vessel of their rescuer and profusely showed their gratitude as their comrades were fished out of their distressed ship.

Of course, once all of the pirates found safety by entering a new ship, they immediately turned on their rescuer and tried to hijack their ride!

This was exactly what Ves faced, because as soon as he slurped all the spirituality that Zeigra still retained and dumped it into his mind, the beast instantly rebelled!

\"AHH! You ungrateful pussycat!\" Ves yelled as he held his head in pain!

\"Meow?!\"

Lucky jumped from his shoulder and floated in the air, looking worried at his owner's state. The gem cat could do nothing to help Ves out in his spiritual struggles.

Ves could only rely on himself to fight his spiritual battles!

Right now, he faced a rebellion in the sanctum of his mind! The damaged but still vigorous spirituality of the slain Crown Cat refused to stay put and lashed out in every direction, inflicting an increasing amount of damage to his mentality!

Fortunately, his mind proved to be resilient, but he couldn't afford to keep this up forever.

Letting Zeigra's spirituality enter his mind was a bad idea. Keeping him contained in his mind where Zeigra was free to vandalize his mentality with impunity sounded even worse!

He quickly began to suppress the unruly spiritual entity. Because Ves was defending the interior of his mind, he was able to leverage a lot more spiritual strength to contain Zeigra for now, but how long would he be able to last?

\"Pipe down, Zeigra!\" He mentally yelled. \"You're not going to come back to life if you keep resisting against me like this! Be patient and let me craft your body!\"

Unfortunately, even if Zeigra's spirituality understood his intentions, the beast continued to resist the suppression.

After several minutes of wrangling, Ves realized that Zeigra was simply far too feral for Ves to tame! This prideful beast who fought his way to the top of Felixia food chain could not tolerate submitting to someone else, let alone the person responsible for killing his physical body!

A Crown Cat could not tolerate any affront to his dignity! Zeigra especially wasn't able to stomach submitting to a tiny, soft, bipedal snack who shouldn't have been able to pose a threat to him at all if not for their strange-tasting machines!

Ves partially regretted bringing Zeigra's spirituality in his mind, though he knew it was a necessary step to rescue it from the vagaries of the imaginary realm.

The good news was that its deterioration slowed down enormously.

The bad news was that it began to sustain itself from Ves' own body and mind! It lodged itself in his head like a parasite!

Not only that, but Zeigra was greedy for more! He wanted to supplant Ves as the dominant consciousness!

\"Screw you, you dumb cat!\"

Ves suppressed Zeigra's spirituality as best he could, but he knew the disembodied beast would never subside as long as an opportunity was still within reach.

Hosting Zeigra's complete spirituality in his mind was a lot different from hosting Qilanxo's spiritual fragment!

Just like the Sacred God herself, Qilanxo's spiritual fragment regarded Ves as a friend and tried to do its best to withhold its formidable and damaging spiritual energy within itself.

Zeigra on the other hand tried to do everything possible to hurt and weaken Ves! The cat felt no gratitude for the rescue but instead saw it as an opportunity to turn the tables and come out on top!

\"A beast is a beast! No matter how smart they're engineered, they're still governed by their baser instincts!\"

Ves grossly overestimated the degree of rationality exhibited by organic products. Zeigra may be sentient, but it never enjoyed a human upbringing! It was a mistake to assume that Zeigra might act like a civilized human being!

\"Well, tough luck, you stupid cat, because I've already prepared a backup plan!\"

Even if Zeigra's spirituality acted docility in his mind and cooperated with his arrangements, Ves still worried about the possibility of betrayal.

He drew his concentration from his mind and returned his attention to reality.

Ignoring all the projections blaring out for attention, he drew to the side and picked up a familiar box placed to his side. He opened it up, revealing the P-stone stored inside, which he picked up with both his hands.

\"The party stops now.\"

First, he tugged out all of the excess spiritual energy he stored within his P-stone and returned it to his mind. This way, he replenished what he spent and strengthened his defenses against Zeigra's ongoing revolt.

Next, he leveraged his considerable mental defenses and forcibly pushed out Zeigra's spirituality.

If Zeigra's incorporeal spirituality got booted out of his head, then it would certainly drift its way back into the imaginary realm unless it could anchor its presence in the material realm!

There were only two places where Zeigra's spirituality could safely reside: his mind or the P-stone!

As Ves resisted Zeigra's presence in his mind with every fiber of his being, the Crown Cat's spirituality eventually got pushed into the P-stone, which exerted a strong suction that assisted in the beast's relocation!

\"Hahaha!\" Ves burst out.

The P-stone felt much different now that it hosted an unruly spiritual entity! Zeigra hated everything that happened to him recently. The Crown Cat detested his new home and lashed out at the spiritual confines of the P-stone!

However, unlike Ves' mind, the P-stone was more of a solid, lifeless structure! At the very least, Zeigra found himself unable to deal any significant damage to the P-stone!

More than that, the P-stone also prevented Zeigra's spirituality from leaving its new prison! The suction and attraction it exerted on spiritual energy was at its strongest at the very center!

Due to strange, abstruse rules, Zeigra's spirituality found itself unable to exert a sufficient amount of strength or leverage to resist the attraction and leave the P-stone!

To be honest, Ves hadn't expected the P-stone to be so capable of containing a spiritual entity. Whenever Ves pulled his excess spiritual energy from the P-stone, he only had to exert a moderate amount of strength to overcome the suction.

\"But then again, I'm on the outside and not affected by whatever happens deep inside.\" He whispered.

Even if Zeigra was capable of exerting a sufficient amount of strength to leave the P-stone, what was the use in escaping?

Aside from Ves' mind, the deterioration of Zeigra's spirituality would quickly resume without finding another suitable body to house its formidable spiritual strength!

Both the P-stone and Ves' mind represented two lonely starships in the void of space. The moment Zeigra's spirituality attempted to escape either of them, it would quickly become exposed to the deadly vacuum, cold and radiation of interstellar space!

In this regard, leaving the P-stone was an act of suicide! After Zeigra chose to set aside its pride for a chance to live, it no longer had the courage to choose death!

Ves lovingly stroked the surface of the energetic P-stone as he placed it back into its container. \"Stay put for now. I still have a use for you.\"

Before he closed the box, Ves frowned a bit as he observed something disconcerting. Zeigra's spirituality continued to deteriorate even if it found a temporary home. It was far too big and strong to be able to maintain its integrity now that it had lost its physical foundation!

The P-stone made for a fine prison, but as a permanent home for spiritual entities, it still fell short!

\"My stone isn't alive.\"

The difference between his mind and the P-stone was that the latter was literally as dead as a rock. Just because it interacted with spiritual energy didn't mean the rock itself was alive!

What Ves basically did right now was to stuff Zeigra's spirituality in a cold, dark cell without any source of sustenance to keep it alive and healthy!

Zeigra needed a source of spiritual food and water to maintain its existence! If Ves didn't solve this problem, then the spiritual entity would still degrade over time!

\"Damnit. You greedy bastard.\" He mentally berated the cat.

After a bit of thought, Ves injected a trickle of his spiritual energy into the P-stone. It quickly arrived at Zeigra's side. The disembodied Crown Cat quickly pounced on it and started to assimilate it into its spiritual being.

It was hard. The incompatibility of their attributes meant that Zeigra found little to his liking. However, desperation forced the beast to chew on Ves' sewage-flavored spiritual energy anyway and assimilate it into its spiritual makeup regardless of the consequences.

\"Don't complain.\" Ves mentally lectured the rebellious spiritual entity and smacked the surface of the P-stone. \"It's the only sustenance that you'll enjoy for the next few weeks or months. The less trouble you stir up, the faster I'll complete your new home!\"

Once Ves closed the box, he resolved to keep it close to him in case the Crown Cat managed to slip out of his prison somehow.

Still, Ves thought it was unlikely for Zeigra to succeed. His spirituality still suffered a considerable amount of deterioration upon his body's death. The paltry amount of spiritual energy that Ves threw at Zeigra was clearly not enough for the cat to repair the holes and other injuries to his spirituality.

After studying the box and making sure that its contents didn't act out or anything, Ves finally let down his guard and relaxed upon his bench.

\"Success!\"

Through his hidden intervention, Lady Miralix and her Felixia Catstrikers succeeded in completing their Crown Hunt!

Ves stood to gain a considerable amount of rewards resulting from this accomplishment! Aside from the concessions promised by Lady Miralix and the prestige he earned for tuning up the mechs employed in the hunt for Zeigra, he also achieved his main objective for traveling to Felixia!

In his opinion, the contents of his P-stone represented his biggest prize! The value of the complete spirituality of a powerful beast vastly exceeded that of an incomplete fragment!

This was the first time that Ves truly captured the total spiritual essence of another entity!

Ves managed to retain almost all of Zeigra's strengths, weaknesses, quirks, memories and other traits! Though the brief moment of deterioration caused Zeigra's spirituality to lose a few bits and pieces of itself, the losses were fairly minor all-considered.

The difference between a complete specimen and a mere fragment of a greater whole made a very huge difference to Ves. While spiritual fragments such as the one he refined of Prophet Ylvaine came across as very sophisticated, he always suspected that it hadn't restored what it lost, but rather amplified its existing traits to fill up the huge gaps in its spiritual makeup.

\"Is this what happened to my mother as well?\" He idly wondered, before quickly throwing the speculation to the back of his mind.

\"Meow.\"

Lucky found it safe to approach again. The gem cat curiously floated down on top of the box and thumped his tail against the side of the container.

The box slightly shook, causing Lucky to jump back into the air in fright!

\"Meow!\"

\"Hahaha! Careful with what's inside, Lucky!\"

For all of his bravado, Lucky still regarded Zeigra with great fear. The latter's performance in the previous battle made it abundantly clear that the Crown Cat was an absolute killing machine!

\"Well, let's wrap this up and start with the aftermath. We have a lot of work in store!\" He spoke as he picked up the box and carried it with him out of the observation chamber.

Chapter 1420

The battle site soon became a hive of activity as soon as the hunting team definitively confirmed that Zeigra was dead.

Huge cats faked their own deaths before, and ambushed a lot of complacent hunters when they approached with their guards down.

Fortunately, the exobiologists on the hunting team confidently concluded that there was no way for Zeigra to ever come back alive again. The damage his body suffered was simply too severe!

The legged transports approached the messy and rocky battle site, their many sturdy legs easily allowing them to pass over the irregular terrain. Once they approached the corpse, they settled down and disgorged a large number of people and equipment.

Two main priorities occupied the support personnel.

First, they needed to rush a broken mech back into action. Zeigra had done a great job at disabling all of the mechs of the hunting team.

Even the Kinslayer could no longer be brought online due to all of the damage it suffered during the final confrontation!

This presented a huge concern to the hunting team as they were completely defenseless against the predation of the other huge cats that occupied the hunting zone!

\"We don't have to worry too much about any other huge cats approaching this location for a time.\" A hunting consultant cheerfully informed Ves as they stepped out of the transport.

\"How so?\"

\"The huge cats are highly territorial. They detest the presence of other cats on their turf. The only valid reason for the cats to get together is when they are in heat. Even then, many of the organic products are deliberately engineered to be sterile. House Laterna can't tolerate their products reproducing by themselves. Who will buy their products after buying a single breeding pair? Besides, the divergent genetics of each individual cat also makes it difficult for them to produce a viable offspring.\"

Ves nodded in understanding. \"So for now, we're safe?\"

\"Yep. We don't have to worry too much about the cats finding out about Zeigra's juicy carcass. As a Crown Cat, his territory is by far the most expansive in this hunting zone. Even if the other cats smell the scent of his carcass, their fear for him will keep them away for at least a week by our reckoning.\"

This relieved Ves a little, because he shouldered the main responsibility of jury-rigging a mech back into service.

He had a lot of work to do. Zeigra had done a huge number on all of the mechs. From all the data he studied earlier, restoring the Kinslayer to a mobile state was doable, but Ves did not expect he could bring the heavily-battered tiger mech back into fighting condition!

His only alternative was to find some way to restore the fallen humanoid mechs. Unfortunately, Zeigra chomped judicious bites out of the torsos of all of their frames. The damage to any single mech was too severe for Ves and the mech technicians to restore them to functionality with conventional repairs.

Ves already had a plan in mind, though. As long as they cannibalized the intact parts from other broken mechs, Ves expected they could bring at least two of the mechs back onto their feet after a few days of work.

They wouldn't be pretty, nor would they be able to withstand a lot of damage, but as long as they could fend off an opportunistic huge cat, that was enough!

While Ves and the technical personnel crawled over the fallen mechs, the hunting specialist and biotech specialists quickly moved into action to preserve their physical prize.

If they wanted to return with their trophies in the best possible condition, they had to move quickly to preserve Zeigra's carcass!

Even now, the hot, tropical humid environment was probably not doing the body any favors. Its many cuts, bruises and notably charred and burned neck sections presented huge temptations to any bacteria and other bugs in the vicinity!

Fortunately, the hunting team already planned for this occasion. Some of the legged transports brought to the expedition dumped their cargo onto the ground before reconfiguring their cargo bays into mobile cooling chambers.

While the carcass was too large and heavy to fit into any single legged transport, some of the hunters in the team specialized in skinning and cutting up huge cats. They expertly directed the workers who employed specialized cutting machinery to process the carcass at the quickest speed.

\"Start with the head, but be careful! Lady Miralix won't like it if we spoil her trophy!\"

The head had to be preserved at all cost. As the grand prize of the Crown Hunt, the hunters prioritized its preservation with utmost haste and diligence.

As for the remainder of the carcass, they would skin it and cut it up afterwards. Since the ownership of the rest of the body went to Ves, the hunters were clearly not as motivated to do their best.

It was fine, though. What use did Ves have for a giant, headless carcass?

As Ves turned back to his work and drew up some rudimentary preparation work to keep the mech technicians busy, he approached the fallen Kinslayer.

The tiger mech had been slumped alongside Zeigra's body ever since its heat projector expended all of its firepower.

Medical personnel already opened up the mech's cockpit to rush Lady Miralix to the infirmary at one of the legged transports. She had fallen unconscious at the end as she expended her all in the fight.

Everyone present saluted and looked at her with appreciation as a floating stretcher brought her away in order to monitor her health.

As for Ves, he expressed little interest in the noblewoman's condition. Instead, he arrived at the Kinslayer's damaged side and placed his palm onto its armor plating.

He surreptitiously extended his spiritual senses and managed to find the familiar presence of its design spirit. Vescas looked dispirited after undergoing two battles at once in two different realms.

\"Rest well. You deserve it. Hopefully, Lady Miralix appreciates you enough to restore you back to new.\"

Ves had no idea if Lady Miralix intended to do so. She might consider the Kinslayer to have fulfilled its purpose. Still, it would be a very heartless act for her to order the Kinslayer to be scrapped. As the mech that she took a liking to and had brought her to victory against a Crown Cat, the Kinslayer might very well become her permanent companion!

\"If Lady Miralix decides that her Kinslayer has lived long enough, you're free to strike out on your own. That's what you deserve.\"

In truth, Vescas wouldn't fare any better than Zeigra's spirituality when left unmoored and without a space to inhabit. Ves would certainly have to take Vescas out of the Kinslayer and place his spiritual product in another P-stone.

It was a good thing that Lady Miralix promised him a second P-stone upon their return to Kemila.

If that didn't work out, Ves could always host Vescas in his own mind. As his own creation, Ves was confident he could contain the spiritual product!

\"Hopefully, it won't come to that.\"

In his opinion, the Kinslayer deserved to live. Even though he wasn't involved in its design, he had become very attached to it due to the contributions he put into the mech. Adding Vescas as its design spirit had made a huge difference in the outcome of the Crown Hunt.

He began to get to work by performing a more thorough inspection on the state of the Kinslayer. The judgement he made earlier matched with his inspection. With the supplies and equipment the hunting team had brought, Ves was confident that he'd be able to bring the Kinslayer back online.

\"It can move, but it can't fight.\"

That was enough. Though Ves expected that he could only get three of its four limbs to work, that was sufficient for the mech to drag itself back to Kemila.

It would be a shame to leave the mech behind after all it had done. Under these hot and humid conditions, the exposed parts of the mech would certainly deteriorate. Even if mechs were built to take a beating and resist corrosion as much as possible, Ves still believed the mech would not fare well when left alone here for a week!

In the meantime, any other huge cat might stumble upon this site and trash the machine!

A few days passed by as the work proceeded rapidly. The mech technicians under the expert and experienced direction of Ves managed to restore a spearman mech, an axeman mech and a rifleman mech to basic functionality

The judicious jury-rigging and patchwork repairs meant that none of the mechs could muster up more than thirty percent of their former strength. They were basically paper tigers in the sense that they looked vastly more impressive than their actual battle power.

The three shambling mechs would certainly struggle against an ordinary huge cat!

\"We'll just have to trust that the presence of the three mechs is enough to deter the cats from attacks.\" A hunting consultant remarked. \"We'll be taking a different route on our way back. Before, we didn't make any attempts to avoid the other cats. That's not a good idea anymore. We'll be doing a lot of scouting to avoid unnecessary trouble.\"

Everyone who signed up on the hunting team consisted of professionals. While Lady Miralix had made some errors with regards to the composition of her piloting roster, she insisted on hiring competent personnel.

All in all, watching Lady Miralix lead her hunting team with mixed success taught him a lot of lessons. Many of her decisions elicited admiration in him, but a few notable choices had almost caused the hunt to fail!

Amidst the celebration and joy of defeating a Crown Cat, almost no one spared any thought about the defectors who wanted to give up and return. Not only did they quit the hunting team on their own accord, they also contributed nothing to the final round of battle.

Even if they played an important role in battling Zeigra in the previous three rounds, their contributions ultimately couldn't compensate for the fact that they stabbed their employer in the back in the most critical stage of the hunt!

While their actions technically weren't criminal as they didn't outright desert in the middle of an ongoing battle, such a disgraceful act deeply offended the sensibilities of the mech piloting community.

Mech pilots placed a huge amount of importance to the virtues of honor, courage, duty and so on! Families like the Larkinsons rose to fame in the Bright Republic because of their adherence to these values!

Mech pilots that faithfully embodied these virtues were held in high regard while those who spat on them were scorned by their fellow pilots. No ordinary outfit commander would want to hire scum who abandoned their employer and comrades before the job was done!

\"It's worse in the Sentinel Kingdom.\"

After spending some time in the Sentinel Kingdom, Ves realized that its martial culture emphasized honor to a much greater degree.

The constant struggle against the Nyxian pirates had forced the state to present itself as a bastion of order and righteousness.

The nobles and royals largely derived their legitimacy from their ability to protect the commoners from dangerous pirates!

Ves also benefited from this preoccupation as well. While his contributions to the hunt might not be as important as that of Lady Miralix and her loyal mech pilots, he was still an esteemed Journeyman!

Not only that, he personally accompanied the Felixia Catstrikers as they hunted Zeigra, risking his own life and limb to help repair and maintain the mechs in the field!

This achievement mattered the most in the Sentinel Kingdom! Ves expected his future business to go a lot smoother now that he could brag about going on a famed hunt in the state!

\"Hopefully, some of the local Journeymen will be a bit more willing to conduct an earnest exchange with me.\" He grinned. \"Hardly any Journeyman has dared to take part in a Crown Hunt!\"

Chapter 1421

Everyone exerted their utmost into completing their tasks.

Not everything went perfectly. Plenty of problems occured along the way.

For example, Ves had to be very creative in repurposing parts that belonged to other mech models in order to get the most intact mechs back to work.

The ramshackle nature of the three functional mechs caused him to feel pained every time he took a glimpse at them. Ves would never tolerate selling such awful machines! Gloriana would probably suffer a heart attack at the mere thought of presenting mechs in their conditions as her own works!

\"Hehe. It's a good thing that I can still tolerate imperfection.\"

Ves was no stranger to messy solutions. His time with the Vandals prepared him well for these kinds of tasks. In truth, while the difficulty of the problems he faced today was little different from those he experienced on Aeon Corona VII, his capabilities improved enormously.

As a Journeyman, his affinity with mechs had undergone a qualitative improvement. Even if he worked with mechs that he hadn't designed himself, he easily understood the essence and logic behind their designs.

Fortunately, Lady Miralix hired some excellent mech technicians with considerable amounts of certificates under their belt. Their efficiency and competence impressed him so much that he even became tempted to poach them and add them to his personal workshop crew!

\"Too bad they're Sentinels.\"

Ordinary people were highly reluctant to leave their home states, and the Sentinel Kingdom imposed a lot of bureaucratic hurdles if any Sentinel wanted to emigrate.

Aside from the complicated work the hunting team had done to the mechs, the remains of the Crown Cat presented a number of headaches as well.

Zeigra's carcass turned out to be harder and heavier than expected. Even in death, its resilient hide and bone slowed down the cutting process!

The crews working on the carcass broke or wore out a lot of cutting implements. In some cases, the workers even resorted to taking out their plasma torches in order to cut through the more resilient parts of the dead beast!

While the hide was already difficult enough to separate, the bones were even worse! The workers found it nearly impossible to cut through the neck bones of the beast so that they could fully separate the head of the Crown Cat from the rest of the carcass!

The body processors were forced to wait until the mech technicians managed to restore an axeman mech.

With great difficulty, the axeman mech took up its weapon and started to make careful chops at precise portions of the dead cat's neck bones.

Even borrowing the power of a mech did not lead to quick results. The axeman mech was far from its peak condition, and it also had to be careful not to spoil its aim. The chopping proceeded very slowly and only after a lengthy day did they succeed in separating the head.

Even so, work still proceeded without any interruptions. Everyone was riding high on morale after they achieved the most difficult portion of their hunt. All they had to do was to return to Kemila with their spoils.

During the final day where Ves and the mech technicians finally managed to get the Kinslayer back online, the Felixia Catstrikers were ready to return to their base in triumph!

The legged transports no longer carried many supplies and parts. Instead, their cargo holds housed all of the dismembered pieces of Zeigra. The Crown Cat grew into a very sizable and heavy cat when he was alive, so the transports all strained to support their own weight.

Before the hunting team took off, Lady Miralix first had to recover from her immense exertion. Strangely enough, the medical specialists still expressed some concerns about discharging her early, but the hunting team really needed her to pilot the Kinslayer on their way back.

As a custom mech, the Kinslayer was hardwired to accept only Lady Miralix. Any other pilot that attempted to pilot the tiger mech simply wouldn't be able to bring the mech online, let alone transmit any instructions to it because its systems refused to recognize the input of anyone other than its intended mech pilot!

This was a standard security measure that was very prevalent among custom mechs. After all, since its designers precisely tailored the mech to accommodate a specific individual, no one else ought to make use of these exquisite machines.

Locking the mechs to a specific mech pilot ensured that others who came into possession of them got a lot less value out of their prizes. They would have to tear apart half of its parts and fill up the void with new ones in order to solve the pervasive hardware locks embedded in so many parts!

If the hunting team wanted to enjoy the protection of the Kinslayer, then Lady Miralix's condition had to be well enough for her to pilot mechs.

As soon as she left the infirmary, she called up a succession of subordinates to get herself up to speed.

Ves met with her fairly quickly in a private compartment on one of the transports. After Ves provided his perfunctory report on the state of the functional mechs, they began to divert to other topics.

\"I have to thank you, Mr. Larkinson.\" She tiredly smiled at him. \"The Kinslayer.. has really helped me through the battle. All of the previous practice hunts I've been through has never made me feel so good in the cockpit.\"

\"That's my job. I just hope you'll spread the good word among your fellow comrades.\"

\"I'll be sure to do so. I'm very impressed with what you've done with my mech. Consider me a devoted customer to your products. I'll be sure to import some of your other products as well if I have need of them in the future!\"

Until now, the LMC basically didn't maintain any presence in the Sentinel Kingdom at all. The semi-closed economy made it fairly difficult for foreign products to enter the powerful third-rate state's lucrative mech market.

Ves hoped that his hunting achievement on one of their famed hunting grounds might result in special treatment in the future. If Lady Miralix vouched for him and spoke on his behalf, then maybe the Sentinel Kingdom might become a priority market for the LMC in a few years!

The two started to become comfortable in each other's company. As Ves sat in his seat while stroking Lucky's back, they began to go over how the Kinslayer performed in battle.

\"Zeigra hit really hard back then.\" She spoke, casting her mind back to the memories of that day. \"I'm amazed my Kinslayer endured so much damage. If I wasn't so taken in by the fight, I would have begun to harbor some doubts about the durability of my mech.\"

\"Mechs are more capable than you think. It's not just the expert mechs that are capable of miracles.\" Ves idly remarked.

\"Do you really believe that?\"

\"Oh, I do. In fact, it's a core part of my beliefs regarding mechs. Every machine can be special if you care about it, right?\"

She shrugged. \"I'm not a technically-inclined person. I'm just a mech pilot. However, even without studying all of the modifications you've made to my mech, the differences has been very stark to me. Whatever you did has completely transformed its piloting experience. I don't know if I can ever go back to piloting a regular mech after piloting such a fantastic mech in what might be the most magnificent battle of my life!\"

A lot of people started to accuse his mechs for harboring an addicting quality to them. While his critics hadn't outright accused him of going down the road of the Farund Affair due to the lack of hard evidence, a lot of potential buyers started to get in touch with those awful rumors.

From what he could tell from the reports that Calsie passed to him, the fear of getting brainwashed was quickly starting to become a major problem to the LMC! No matter how much proof his company provided to the public, a growing portion of the markets the company became involved in exhibited an increasing amount of vigilance towards its products!

When Ves witnessed Lady Miralix express so much love and devotion to her Kinslayer, he kind of felt the same way about his own work! The adoration she exhibited came across as very disturbing!

If he hadn't personally designed his own mechs, then his paranoia would have certainly warned him to stay as far away from the strange machines as possible!

Ves had a lot of work to do when he finally returned home!

For now, he was still some months away, so he turned his attention back to the present. He immediately thought of another problem on his hands.

\"If we return to Kemila with Zeigra's frozen body parts, their ownership will pass on to me, right?\"

\"Right.\" She smiled. \"I do not intend to stiff you on this matter. While I'd love to have the complete carcass, this is what you deserve.\"

\"Thank you.\" Ves smiled back. There were upsides to doing business with fans! \"I'm wondering what I can do with it, though. What do hunters ordinarily do when they return with such a valuable prize in their possession?\"

\"They can do much with a carcass. Even without a head, the body of a Crown Cat is still of considerable worth.\" She spoke. \"Even if you recycle the flesh and bones into exotics and other materials, you'll still be able to recoup some of what House Laterna had fed the beast. Don't expect to gain much, though, considering that many exotics will lose their strength when processed in such a destructive way.\"

The same occurred when someone attempted to recycle a mech wreck. No recycling operation could ever extract the full value of the materials of a mech due to the degradation of exotics when subjected to heavy processing.

\"I take it that most hunters don't do that, right?\"

\"No.\" She shook her head. \"Most hunters have different ideas in mind. The parts of a huge cat are worth more than their constituent materials. This is especially the case for a Crown Cat like Zeigra!\"

\"So what kind of options do you suggest?\"

\"It depends on you, Mr. Larkinson. Some hunters see a lot of value in eating the flesh of a formidable huge cat. While eating their flesh can't be done without subjecting them to treatment in order to extract the toxic materials out of their tissue, if you want to impress a noble or high official, then serving them Zeigra steak is an extravagant way to do it! You've got more than enough meat to hold a barbecue if you wish!\"

The suggestion didn't appeal to him. \"No thanks. I'm not one for fancy eating.\"

\"Another popular option is to turn your spoils into a trophy. There are very professional taxidermy companies in Kemila that would love to receive Zeigra's body parts. According to your wishes, they can treat the parts and piece them back together into a lifelike showpiece that you can use to impress your guests.\"

This sounded a bit more interesting.

\"Is that proper if I don't have the head?\"

\"It's not a big deal if you attach an imitation head to a mounted body. The very best and most authentic method is to partially recreate the outer tissue with cloned flesh. This can get very expensive, but you absolutely won't be disappointed with the results!\"

Ves didn't think he'd be interested in building up his own collection of hunting trophies, but now that the opportunity presented itself, he slowly came around to the idea.

Having encountered several incidents where his lack of fame, reputation and prestige posed a hindrance to his personal and business interests, he truly had to do something to tackle this shortcoming.

Bringing home an impressive mounted body of a formidable Crown Cat sounded like just the thing to impress the snobs!

Chapter 1422

The Felixia Catstrikers returned to Kemil in triumph. Though the hunting team emerged out of the tropical forest with just four shabby mechs and a handful of struggling legged transports, the entire city welcomed them back with open arms!

The city administrators prepared a festive welcoming party to celebrate their success in their Crown Hunt. Each huge game hunter dreamed of participating in the fall of a Crown Cat, but few dared to risk their lives to do so. That someone from Kemila managed to do so sent everyone in the city into a frenzy!

\"Catstrikers! Catstrikers! Catstrikers!\"

\"Miralix! Miralix! Miralix!\"

As the mechs and vehicles slowly but steadily passed through the avenues and boulevards that led back to their compound, a continuous mob of visitors yelled and cheered at the victorious hunting team.

Massive projections Each of them showcased the highlights of the rounds of combat the Catstrikers fought against Zeigra, giving everyone a good glimpse of how harrowing the battle against the Crown Cat turned out.

No one thought that Zeigra held back during the fights! He more than earned the reputation deserving of a Crown Cat, and his slaying made the achievements of Lady Miralix and her subordinates all the more impressive!

Ves watched over the enthusiastic crowd that continued to wave and show their admiration towards the procession. Both Kemilans and hunters from other cities had flown all the way to the city in order to witness the return of this now-famous hunting team!

He scoffed at the massive turnout. \"House Laterna sure pulled out all the stops to raise Lady Miralix's profile.\"

As a daughter of the current countess and the head of the house, Lady Miralix most certainly enjoyed a lot of favor. Unfortunately, the rules and traditions of the house prevented Countess Laterna from showering Miralix with too many advantages.

Before her hunting team returned from the hunting zone, Lady Miralix was still a junior member of her house. The young mech pilot still needed to prove herself that she had what it took to represent House Laterna in a greater stage.

Now that she returned with Zeigra's as a hunting trophy, her mother no longer became constrained by the limitations that prevented her from investing more resources into her development.

\"Now that Lady Miralix has passed her difficult trial in such a magnificent way, there's nothing left to stop the countess from boosting her daughter's profile!\"

Though it sounded a bit unfair, Lady Miralix had to work for her success. Overall, the skills she developed in preparing and leading the Felixia Catstrikers would surely help her in her future leadership positions.

Even in the Sentinel Kingdom, few could boast of successfully hunting down a formidable beast that was just as formidable as a Crown Cat. For Lady Miralix to do so just a year after she graduated from the mech academy immediately propelled her to the forefront of her generation!

\"She's not the only one who benefits.\"

As soon as the hunting team emerged from the hunting zone, his comm reconnected to the planetary network. He quickly received a message from the Galactic Hunting Club.

The organization added his name to their database and recognized his contribution to the successful hunt! Since a representative of the Club witnessed the hunt from start to finish, the Club quickly verified the achievement!

When Ves used his newly-gained credentials to access the Club's virtual portal, he discovered that it was just as he imagined. The organization's main purpose was to register, verify and rate the notable hunting achievements of people all over the galaxy.

Browsing some of the lists of names quickly confirmed his impression that aside from the professional hunters, a lot of nobles and high dignitaries took part in dangerous hunts.

Ves even sought out a listing of hunters from the Bright Republic and found all kinds of familiar big names!

\"Each of the five founding families are represented!\"

Though hunting appeared to be a nobleman's game, even the prominent members of non-feudal states participated in this activity.

In contrast to the likes of the Tovar Family and the Ramzi Family, Ves had not found mention of any Larkinson in the database!

He snorted. \"Of course my family wouldn't be mentioned. Hunting is a wasteful hobby! Joining the Mech Corps and fighting on the battlefield is where true Larkinsons are born!\"

He still believed that hunting was just a game while war served as the true crucible for individuals looking to prove themselves. However, he recognized that the members of high society did not necessarily agree with this standpoint.

\"Every noble and every member of high society has a vested interest in upholding the credibility of the hunt!\"

Therefore, even if Ves did not care too much about the vain achievement he secured, he recognized its value among the highest circles of galactic society.

From here on out, he expected to enjoy some of the gains that Lady Miralix currently enjoyed.

As the hunting team finally returned to the confines of the compound, the party outside the streets proceeded onwards without the presence of the victors.

A lot of Catstrikers expressed interest in heading out into the city to celebrate, but Lady Miralix insisted that everyone completed their vital assignments before they received any leave.

The compound became a hive of activity as the members of the hunting team rapidly performed their necessary tasks. The Catstrikers rapidly stowed away their surviving mechs, sent Zeigra's body parts to the local taxidermy companies and kicked out the disgraced and formerly-imprisoned defectors.

In the meantime, Ves met up with the companions he left behind in Kemila. As soon as he reunited with Gavin, Nitaa, Crindon and the Ingvars, they all exhibited relief at his safe and sound return.

\"You really worried us when you merrily disappeared into the hunting zone!\" Gavin exclaimed.

Though Nitaa did not speak out, the intense worry in her eyes made it clear that she probably suffered through a restless period as well.

For a brief moment, Ves felt a little guilty at making his subordinates worry. While he still felt it was worth it for him to participate in the Crown Hunt, he recognized its impact on those who depended on his well being.

\"It's over now.\" He smiled back. \"For now, I don't have anything risky on the agenda. Let's move on and see what gains we can take advantage of. Let me hear what kind of business arrangements you've made when I was with the hunting team.\"

His subordinates had been moderately productive. Gavin arranged the early shipments of materials that Ves had ordered before. Crindon collected some pertinent intel on the Circle of Mota. The Ingvars interviewed plenty of ex-Peacekeeper mech pilots who used to perform missions in the Nyxian Gap.

Ves received a brief summary of what they gained while also receiving the detailed reports to his comm for later reading.

Perhaps the only direct subordinate who hadn't been very productive was Nitaa. Ves had merely assigned her to follow Gavin around to make sure nobody hassled him while he conducted business.

\"Has anything else happened lately that needs mentioning?\" Ves asked.

\"There is one development that requires your attention, sir.\" Nitaa spoke up. \"As you know, the frontier has been thrown into turmoil lately. The sandmen have become increasingly more active and escalated their raids on human-owned space.\"

\"I know. What has changed?\"

\"The sandmen haven't let up. The entire frontier has turned into a warzone and the border states next to the frontier are finding it increasingly harder to repel the suicidal sandmen raids. Among them, Tomaris Federation is becoming one of the most hard-hit states.\"

Ves frowned when he heard that. Tomaris was one of the final destinations he had in mind to cap off his year-long tour. He wanted to pay a visit there because the state maintained an extensive association to the frontier.

He saw an opportunity to dust off his relations with the Swordmaidens at Tomaris!

\"The news we've received from Tomaris isn't good, boss.\" Gavin added. He shared Nitaa's worry and wanted to dissuade Ves from visiting the place. \"The state is not only facing an increasing number of incursions from the sandmen, but it's also under attack by another enemy. The news is rather vague, but whatever is plaguing the Tomaris Federation has led to a lot of panic. The state is in a full-blown crisis!\"

\"I see. I'll look up the news myself, but for now let's see what happens. The CFA probably won't allow the sandmen to remain unbridled for long. Even if they don't care about the border states, they can't afford to be seen as weak by letting aliens cross over into human space with impunity!\"

Everyone expected the CFA to step forward in order to beat the sandmen black and blue. The powerful naval organization may even decide to exterminate the sandmen entirely for their unbridled attacks!

The only complication was the time it took for the CFA to mobilize its warfleets and muster up reinforcements from elsewhere.

After addressing the worrisome situation at the Tomaris Federation, Ves heard enough and decided to leave the compound. He paid a final visit to Lady Miralix in her office to bid farewell.

\"You're leaving?\"

\"I am. I have a schedule to keep and I've already spent way too much time on Felixia. I initially planned to take part in the hunt for a regular huge cat.\"

\"Do you regret taking part in my hunt?\"

\"Of course not, my lady! Even though I spent more time here than anticipated, the gains I've made is much more valuable than anything else I could have achieved in the same span of time.\"

The key here was that the hunt succeeded. If it failed, then Ves would have regretted his decision to take part in the venture! In fact, perhaps he wouldn't have the time to feel any regret because the vengeful Zeigra might have eaten him whole upon the hunting team's defeat!

\"Before you ask, I am already starting to fulfill my promises to you. You can expect to receive invitations from the Sentinel Peacekeeper Association and the other organization within a day. In addition, the exotic you asked for is right here.\"

\"You have the P-stone I asked for?\" Ves shone his eyes in anticipation.

\"Yes. Please inspect for yourself.\"

A gap in the ceiling appeared. A square container floated through the opening and landed on the desk. Ves immediately approached and picked up the box.

\"Wow. That's pretty heavy.\" He uttered.

He quickly opened the unlocked container and found a bronze-green metallic rock resting inside. The exotic looked just as unremarkable as in the projections!

Caring nothing for Lady Miralix, Ves eagerly caressed his palm over the surface. The second P-stone differed quite a lot from the first P-stone he uncovered long ago in one of the many exotic sample marketplaces at Centerpoint.

If Ves didn't know any better, he would have mistaken the P-stones as different varieties of space junk.

Yet as Ves surreptitiously injected a mote of spiritual energy into the bronze-green metallic rock, it reacted the same as his first P-stone!

It absorbed and contained his spiritual energy!

Ves couldn't hold in his glee. He grinned as he realized that despite its different physical makeup, his second P-stone likely held the same properties as his first one!

If two samples of the same exotic existed, then more of them must certainly be out there as well! One of his greatest fears about the P-stones could be laid to rest now that he learned that it wasn't a unique phenomenon!

\"I see you're very happy about that rock.\" Lady Miralix remarked, looking intrigued at what the big deal was about with the sample that her noble house long considered to be almost worthless. \"What's so special about it that makes you so excited?\"

He offered a dumbed-down explanation. \"It's helpful to the development of my design style. My mechs will definitely become more distinct after I study the properties of this exotic.\"

That wasn't entirely accurate, but Lady Miralix did not need to know anything more.

After a bit of talking, the two finally concluded their successful cooperation and bid farewell to each other. Ves left Lady Miralix's office with a spring to his step!

Chapter 1423

Ves spent one more day in Kemila before he planned to depart. Having returned to his hotel, he took the time to study the reports written by his subordinates and get up to speed with various other developments.

One notable point of interest to him was the deteriorating security situation at the Tomaris Federation. Sandmen fleets continued to cross the fairly porous border into human space and wreak havoc in human-occupied star systems for reasons that escaped every human.

No one knew why the sandmen had suddenly gone mad and attacked in such an unbridled way!

However, Ves had a feeling that he might know more about what was driving these insane attacks. The sentient AI he inadvertently released from the Starlight Megalodon may be the chief culprit behind these developments!

There must be a reason why Sigrund drove his fellow sandmen to pick a fight with humanity!

However, even though Ves suspected Sigrund's involvements a long time ago, trying to guess the motives of this bizarre artificial lifeform was an exercise in futility!

Sigrund thought nothing like a human! It didn't seem as if Sigrund cared a lot about the race it used to belong to, because the relentless incursions were really stretching the CFA's patience thin!

Ves even felt tempted to reaffirm his decision to visit the Tomaris Federation in person. He wanted to snoop around in order to figure out what in the hell Sigrund was up to these days!

\"Really. Some entities are too dangerous to be left alone!\"

He dearly wished to tip off the Big Two to the sentient AI's existence, but the unholy pact he made with the sentient AI prevented him from doing so. Ves knew that Calabast, the only other person alive who knew of Sigrund's existence, kept her mouth shut as well.

In fact, Calabast had previously warned him numerous times not to leak any hints!

Whatever damage he could do to Sigrund, the AI would certainly hit back twice as hard!

These constraints left him feeling helpless as he browsed the various alarmist news articles that spoke of the devastation the more successful sandman raids had wrought to the border states!

In particular, hundreds of thousands of citizens had died so far. The economic damage the sandmen inflicted affected the livelihoods of billions of Tomarans more!

Knowing that he could put a swift end to the incursions gnawed at his conscience. Too many people suffered from his inaction for him to dismiss the difference he could make.

So much for being an altruist.

\"Well, I can't contribute to human civilization if everyone wants me dead or in captivity, right?\" He joked.

Since he couldn't do anything about what kind of mischief Sigrund was up to, Ves completely pushed the issue from his mind. It wasn't his problem anymore.

Instead, he shifted his attention to more immediate concerns, such as studying the two P-stones he possessed while he awaited the completion of a couple of special orders.

Ves holed himself up in his hotel room together with Lucky. Once his cat activated his ECM field, Ves finally couldn't hold himself in and eagerly brought out both of his P-stones from their containers.

\"Fascinating.\" He whispered as he compared them side-by-side.

Lucky curiously floated down and rested himself atop the grey P-stone.

While to normal eyes the rock appeared completely inactive and inert, Ves picked up a lot of activity from his spiritual senses!

The rock that imprisoned Zeigra's damaged spirituality seemed to leak out an angry aura as the spiritual entity inside detested Lucky's show of disrespect!

No mere tiny cat was allowed to step onto Zeigra's head!

Of course, Lucky arrogantly taunted Zeigra by settling down by patting the surface of the rock with his paws. The gem cat even bent down his neck as if to take a bite out of the P-stone!

\"Stop that!\" Ves admonished his cat. \"You're not allowed to eat my P-stones! They're too rare to be treated as your food!\"

\"Meow!\"

\"I said no!\"

\"Meow meow!\"

\"Okay, okay! If I find a few more P-stones, I'll promise you can eat one!\"

Only then did Lucky stop making a move on his P-stones. The cat thumped his tail against the surface of the grey rock one more time before he jumped onto Ves' shoulder.

Even though Ves felt a bit annoyed at Lucky, he did learn something useful out of the interaction.

While the P-stone did lock Zeigra in place, it did not prevent its prisoner from sensing other spiritual entities nearby.

\"Can it see outside?\"

Ves didn't know the answer to this question, but he guessed the spiritual entity probably couldn't see far outside its immediate vicinity.

\"Well, let's see how similar these rocks are.\"

Both of them reacted to spiritual energy, but their interactions might differ. Perhaps they responded completely differently or possessed different capacities. Ves wanted to compare their respective responses in order to determine if he was dealing with just a single type of P-stone.

He first injected numerous quantities of spiritual energy into his second P-stone.

As far as he knew, the second rock behaved identically to the first rock. Ves was hard-pressed to find any differences!

\"Aside from their different physical makeup, their reactions are the same!\"

Next, he curiously pulled out Zeigra's rebellious and violent spirituality from the first P-stone and quickly dumped it into the second P-stone.

Though the huge cat's spirituality did not enjoy the experience, Ves noted with some satisfaction that the second P-stone apparently functioned the exact same way! It exerted a strong suction force that kept Zeigra's spirituality locked within its center!

\"They're the same!\"

Ves found it very odd that the two rocks could differ so much in terms of density and physical makeup but shared the same remarkable traits!

A part of him felt disappointed at this finding. If he found a P-stone that possessed a different effect, then he would have been able to expand his options.

\"Still, this outcome isn't so bad. Since the P-stones aren't unique and since they share the same emission footprint, it's a lot easier now for me to obtain additional samples!\"

In a way, the huge differences between his two P-stones helped him pin down some of their distinctive traits. The extensive lab results that Lady Miralix had passed on to him made it clear that both P-stones possessed the same emission footprint.

While it was very weak, it could still be measured with sensitive scanners! As long as Ves scoured the marketplaces for materials with the same pattern of emissions, then he no longer had to scour all of the stalls and shops in person!

\"Still, the only problem is that others might be on the lookout for them as well.\" He furrowed his brows.

His paranoia forced him to consider the possibility that the Five Scrolls Compact might be tracking the P-stones as well! Since the organization definitely appeared to be experimenting with spirituality, the value of exotics that could store both raw spiritual energy as well as spiritual remnants of dead entities might be considerable!

If the Five Scrolls Compact truly sought for P-stones themselves, then it would be a very bad idea for Ves to post an open advert for additional samples onto the galactic net!

\"Does this mean I'm back to square one?\" He frowned.

Not exactly. While he did not dare to announce he sought for exotics that exhibited the same emission footprint, he could still make his search easier in other ways.

\"I no longer have to depend on myself to seek out additional samples!\"

Before he made his deal with Lady Miralix, Only Ves possessed the ability to discern the P-stones. With the lab results in hand, Ves could now pass on the distinctive emission pattern that appeared to be unique to P-stone to trusted subordinates and task them with seeking out other rocks with the same properties.

Unfortunately, Ves did not possess the requisite 'trusted subordinates' who he could assign this tedious but important chore.

If only he had a shadow force in place that he could trust to perform this task discreetly!

Perhaps the only person who came close was Crindon, but Ves did not wish to send his only qualified virtual security expert away.

Another idea came to mind. \"I don't have a shadow force, but Calabast certainly has! She has invested a lot of time and resources in building up a spy network!\"

His eyes lit up. That was a great idea! They were partners anyway, so Calabast ought to be able to help him out on this front!

The only issue was trying to convey his demands to her in a secure fashion. Other than telling her in person, the only other alternative was to resort to the only other secure method of communication he knew.

\"Looks like I'll have to pass on a parcel the next time I meet with a Shadow Courier.\"

Getting in touch with a Shadow Courier was fairly troublesome to him, though he already scheduled an appointment with one of them. Ves could pass on his parcel containing his instructions to Calabast at the same time he received one of his awaited packages.

Once he finished his rudimentary investigation on the P-stones, he put them back into their containers.

\"Stay safe, P-stones.\"

Ves planned to utilize his first P-stone as a container for spiritual entities. His second P-stone inherited the old role as a battery for spiritual energy, though at the moment he still had to replenish a modest deficit.

\"I'll probably recover in a week.\"

In fact, he observed his recovery rate and found to his surprise that he was generating spritual energy at a higher rate than before. He took this change as evidence that his Spirituality had grown even more formidable.

Ves wondered if his Spirituality would continue to grow by itself. The other possibility was that his Spirituality grew in tandem with the advancements he made to his design philosophy.

\"I've been making plenty of new discoveries lately, so that might lead to a lot of growth!\"

The next day, Ves woke up and did his normal business in the morning. In the afternoon, Ves took his subordinates to a certain district in Kemila.

He had an appointment with one of the exclusive shops in the city.

As Ves and his entourage exited their aircar, they stepped onto a shopping street that was nearly empty of guests.

Most Kemilans still celebrated Lady Miralix's success! All the bars and other gathering places had become packed with revelers as they gushed over the expertly-edited battle footage released to the public.

\"Let's go inside.\"

Ves entered a small but luxurious-looking clothing store. The boutique offered a sample of handmade, artisan wares, but Ves paid no mind to the products on display.

\"Ah, Mr. Larkinson! Please proceed to my workshop! Your order is almost ready!\"

The group entered a small clothing workshop in the back of the store. Various fibers, cloth, hides and other materials were strewn about the tables and open storage cabinets. The smell of strange chemical solutions suffused the entire workplace, causing Nitaa to crinkle her nose.

\"Not toxic, but very unpleasant.\" She softly spoke to Ves. \"The sooner we get out of here, the sooner my nose gets some relief.\"

\"Bear with it for a while.\"

Ves approached the elderly man in an impeccably sharp and clean work uniform. A garment that carried a very familiar shade rested on the worktable before the proprietor of the shop.

\"I'm almost done. I'm just putting the finishing touches on your order.\"

\"I understand. Take your time.\"

The person working on the garment was one of the best tailors in Kemila. The man specialized in extracting the finest fibers and other materials from the bodies of huge cats and turning them into stylish clothing!

Though Ves ordinarily didn't care too much about what he wore from day to day, the thought of wearing an outfit made from the remains of a Crown Cat sounded very tempting to him! He eagerly accepted Lady Miralix's recommendation upon their return to Kemila.

Now that he came within sight of his next ensemble, he judged that the wait had been more than worth it! Even the others looked intrigued!

Chapter 1424

As a craftsman himself, Ves recognized the skill and attention the bespoke tailor poured into his work. The old man had worked on many different materials extracted from a diverse selection of huge cats.

Ordinarily, Ves had to wait in line before the tailor started with his order. However, the tailor instantly set aside his current orders as soon as he received the opportunity to work with the remains of a Crown Cat!

\"The fibers of a Crown Cat are some of the most difficult materials to work with.\" The tailor explained. \"In many cases, they require extensive treatment and trimming in order to make them workable. The same goes for their hides. Only the lightest, most flexible and most pristine layer of leather can be worked into a garment suitable for humans.\"

\"My order must have given you a lot of headaches.\"

\"Oh, not at all! I can count the amount of times I've worked with materials taken from Crown Cats with one hand. These magnificent creatures are worthy of commemoration, and it is a dream of every tailor on this planet to work with materials derived from these famous beasts!\"

Ves understood the tailor's sentiments. In some way, he considered his Devil Tiger project in a similar light. The challenges he set for himself pushed his abilities to the limit and stimulated him into developing many new solutions.

The sense of satisfaction in developing and completing such an exceptional work represented a seminal moment in his professional development!

Soon enough, the artisan finally completed his work. He carefully raised his final piece and placed it together on a table where identical pieces already rested.

\"It is done.\"

A luxurious ensemble of clothing presented to Ves. From fur tufted boots to a rich and formal looking coat that imitated some of Zeigra's majesty, the entire outfit earned Ves and everyone else's appreciation!

\"Wow!\" Imon Ingvar uttered. \"Boss, do you have any spare materials? I want an awesome outfit as well!\"

Casella Ingvar quickly swatted her brother's head. \"Be reasonable! You haven't participated in the hunt. You are not entitled to any of the spoils. Besides, custom outfits like these are hunting trophies in themselves! They're not as valuable if more copies of them exist!\"

She was right. Ves purposefully ordered the ensemble to impress the people he would meet in the future. Though the outfit already looked impressive in itself, those who were part of the Galactic Hunting Club or were aware of his hunting achievement would certainly recognize its significance!

Wearing a garment made out of the materials extracted from Zeigra's remains was the same as wearing a hunting trophy on his body!

Hopefully, wearing his new outfit would finally put an end to instances where elite figures and exclusive establishments refused to do business with him. He was tired of being treated as a nobody due to his lack of reputation!

While Ves still didn't completely comprehend high society's obsession with reputation, he knew he would definitely make a strong statement if he showed up with this impressive outfit!

\"Where is the changing room?\"

Moments later, Ves emerged from his changing room looking completely different than before. Whereas Ves already looked quite decent with the formal business clothes that Gavin prepared every morning, this time he truly came across as a dignified leader!

The complete ensemble consisted of a long overcoat, a detachable hood, a fur-tufted cape, a robust pair of pants, a soft and pale dress shirt, a tight-fitting jacket suit, a shiny, dark pair of boots, a velvety pair of gloves, a thick leather belt with a buckle fashioned out of treated bone, and most peculiarly, a pair of decorative furry cat ears.

That last option perplexed everyone who saw him emerge from the changing room!

\"You look really good, but... what's with the cat ears?\"

\"I like them. Why not? Don't I look good, Benny?\"

\"You do, but.. the cat ears make you look weird.\"

While his overall outfit was colored in the same shade of Zeigra's original rust-red coat, the tailor artfully varied the shade between the different pieces. The old man also added some silver accents in the decorative frills and designs to break up the monotone look.

Though his other subordinates didn't have the courage to express their doubts, Ves could read their dubious expressions well enough.

If not for the cosmetic cat ears, Ves would have made a very dignified impression on everybody!

He smirked. What his subordinates didn't know was that he deliberately sought to elicit this reaction. While he wanted to appear impressive, he didn't want to come across as stiff and formal.

One of the key means of protecting himself was to paint himself as an eccentric mech designer! Indulging in strange and weird hobbies such as wearing fake cat ears on top of his head served as distractions that helped deflect attention to his many secrets!

\"Do you think my cat ears are fine in their original color tone, or do they look better if they are dyed in black to match my hair?\"

\"Meow.\"

\"Yeah. You're right. The contrast looks weird.\"

Despite that, Ves opted to keep them in their original red-rust shade. The more confounding he looked, the more he could take advantage of the confusion he sowed!

\"I see you have prepared an extra pair of cat ears.\" Gavin pointed out.

\"Yup. Don't you think they would make a lovely present for Gloriana?\"

\"Uhhh...\"

No one wanted to wade in that minefield!

Ves ignored his perplexed subordinates and turned to the tailor. \"A great work like this surely bears a name.\"

The man smiled as one fellow artisan to another. \"Indeed. I call it the Pride of Dusk. Each Crown Cat is a prideful beast, but from what I have ascertained from the battle footage I've glimpsed, Zeigra is especially prickly when it comes to his pride. The cat fought majestically to the very end! Even in his death throes, I observed the stubborn pride that made him die unresigned.\"

\"Pride of Dusk.\" Ves rolled the name off his lips. \"That's a very solemn name.\"

\"Dusk represents a sunset. Don't you think the shade of Zeigra's coat matches the shade of the sky of a fading sun?\"

\"Dusk also symbolizes a fall and the ending of an era. Zeigra's reign as the king of his hunting zone has come to an end at the hands of humans.\"

\"Mmhmm. Very aptly put, Mr. Larkinson. Take care not to suffer the same fate. I hope my work will serve as a continuous reminder that while pride and hubris has their benefits, take care not to indulge yourself to the point of becoming conceited. I have served many impressive clients such as you. A distressingly large proportion did not meet a good end due to their own arrogance.\"

Ves casually waved aside the words of warning. \"That will never happen to me. I'm always humble!\"

\"Ahem!\"

\"Did you want to say something, Benny?\"

\"N-No, boss! I have to say that you look really good in your outfit! Personally, I think you could switch up your outfit but keep the overcoat. It adds the most gravitas to your appearance.\"

He nodded. \"Good suggestion.\"

The tailor approached Ves and carefully inspected the fit, making quick adjustments here and there with his strange tools.

\"Your new garments should all be very durable.\" He said. \"While they aren't capable of absorbing shock or absorbing heat like actual combat armor, they won't damage easily if exposed to enemy fire or extreme environments. With proper care, my work will easily last for centuries!\"

\"Did you add anything else to my outfit?\"

\"No. Upon your request, I've left out all the usual components that my clients routinely wish for me to add. Mind you, it will get very hot for you if you step outside my shop dressed like this. The lack of climate controls embedded in my work will result in overheating!\"

Ves smirked. \"That's not a problem for me. My body is more than capable of handling some excess heat.\"

If there was one unintentional benefit that he enjoyed from Dr. Jutland's experimentation on his body, it was that his Jutland organ made sure that his body never grew too hot.

In fact, when his body encountered a chill, his Jutland organ was even capable of outputting some heat to warm up his body to an extent!

After he received some instructions on how to care for his outfit, Ves bid goodbye to the artisan and brought his subordinates out onto the streets.

The impact his appearance made became immediately evident. The handful of shoppers and locals within the vicinity immediately drew their eyes at him and his distinct outfit.

All of them pretty much recognized that his clothes had been made from the remains of the Crown Cat that recently died!

Ves indulged in his vanity for a moment before he entered the aircar in order to head to his next destination.

He and his group arrived at a large facility which emanated a very strong chemical stench. Different from the tailor's workshop, the place that Ves headed to next smelled a lot more industrial!

\"Are you able to cope, Nitaa?\" He asked with some concern as he knew his bodyguard possessed a sensitive nose.

\"I've endured much worse. I'm also capable of blocking my nostrils whenever I wish, sir.\"

\"That sounds handy.\"

The director of the facility greeted Ves and guided the new arrivals to one of the work halls. Though his new ensemble attracted a lot of attention from the director and the surrounding workers, they quickly went back to work.

Ves and his followers soon came into view of a giant, partial skeletal prop!

\"Are those Zeigra's bones?\"

\"Indeed, Mr. Larkinson! We have already prioritized our work on the remains you've brought to our company. While we are still in the early stages, I promise you that Zeigra will look as formidable when he was still alive!\"

\"You claim you can treat and solidify Zeigra's original flesh, right?\"

\"Correct. Admittedly, it's our most expensive treatment, and the remains of Crown Cats are some of the hardest to transform. While Lady Miralix has waived all the fees relating to this commission, we can't accelerate this time-consuming process. It will be more than worth it at the end, though.\"

\"I can imagine recreating the head takes time as well.\"

\"Indeed. We are in the process of cloning a lot of tissue, but much of the head will still consist of imitation material. Some of the bones and tissue found in Zeigra's head is simply too difficult to reproduce in our labs. The cost will become incredibly prohibitive as well. I doubt Lady Miralix would want to be on the hook for so much money.\"

\"I've already taken that in mind.\" Ves replied. \"As long as the illusion of a whole body can be conveyed, then this imperfection won't matter in the greater scheme of things.\"

He could already imagine placing the complete mounted beast in the expansive lobby of the headquarters of the LMC. The sight of such a savage, frozen Crown Cat served as an excellent contrast against the display models already placed at the Mech Nursery.

\"When will it be complete?\"

The director mentally made some calculations. \"Three months, maybe four if we encounter any serious complications. Crown Cats are very demanding to mount, and Zeigra's hide and body parts did not arrive in the best possible condition. Repairing all of the cuts and holes in the hide is a massive endeavor.\"

That sounded longer than Ves expected, but good work should never be rushed.

\"If you do complete it, please send it on a secure shipment back to my company headquarters in the Bright Republic. Is that doable?\"

\"Certainly! We have shipped our mounted huge cats to clients all over the star sector! Please rest assured that our work will safely arrive at your intended destination within half a year!\"

That was just about the time that Ves returned home, so the timing worked out.

\"That's great. Please inform me if there are any delays.\"

Chapter 1425

\"Clothes make the man.\" Gavin said as they waited for their transit ride back up to orbit at Felixia's spaceport. The group had already departed the Asco Continent and returned to the cuddly Eron Continent. \"Though I expected you to make a powerful impression on people with your outfit, I didn't anticipate you'd have that effect on cats as well!\"

After receiving the Pride of Dusk, Ves decided to wear the full ensemble for a day.

The effect of his outfit was incredibly considerable. His previous business attire already made him appear professional, but plenty of people wore similar clothing. He never actually stood out if not for his entourage following him around.

Now, his rust-colored fur tufted ensemble never failed to draw everyone's fascination. The tailor had already done a fantastic job of processing the choicest of materials from Zeigra's remains to fashion the Pride of Dusk.

However, the recent explosive round of publicity surrounding the successful Crown Hunt instantly made the people in the know associate his new outfit to Zeigra's fall.

If they held any doubts about the authenticity of his clothing, then the subtle but unmistakable platinum logo of the Galactic Hunting Club on his garments laid them all to rest!

Anyone registered with the Galactic Hunting Club could scan the logo with their comms. The portal would instantly send an information package containing the details of the hunt. This included its standardized challenge rating as well as his personal contribution to the endeavor.

Those who lacked access to the database of the Club would merely be redirected to a public page containing a very incomplete summary of the hunt.

Apparently, the snobs saw no use in showing off their hunting achievement to commoners. Their vain and wasteful preoccupation might even result in a backlash, which Ves was sure would happen in the Bright Republic!

Therefore, while the average bystanders merely admired his impressive outfit, those of higher standing gave him looks of deep respect and apprehension. They knew that a man who materially participated in a hunt was not to be trifled with! People like Ves ought to be treated with respect no matter his actual identity!

Yet what caused people to look askance at Ves the most was the effect he had on the surrounding cats!

The some of the friendly, playful cats that normally brightened up the spaceport had stopped their usual antics. Instead, they approached and surrounded Ves as if he was a god among cats!

\"Mrow! Mrow!\"

\"Miao. Miao. Miao.\"

\"Mew mew mew!\"

Literally hundreds of cats sat in a circle around Ves, causing him to attract far too much attention than he anticipated. Frankly, the procession of cats was driving him mad!

\"Shoo! Shoo! Go bug someone else for once!\" He vigorously waved his gloved hand.

\"Miao!\"

\"I'm not a Crown Cat, you stupid feline! I'm human!\"

\"Mewwww!\"

Ves instantly pulled off the decorative cat ears from his head. \"These are fake, you see?! I'm human!\"

\"Meow!\"

Lucky angrily hissed at the surrounding cats. Ves belonged to him! All of the other cats had no right to receive his pampering!

Ves and Lucky had to deal with the unwelcome fascination of the cats for quite some time until their large transit shuttle finally took in passengers. As Ves entered the vehicle, the cats bumped into an invisible field that automatically repelled their entry.

\"Miao! Miao! Miao!\"

That didn't stop them from scratching the field in order to follow Ves inside!

\"That's over now.\" Gavin sighed. \"If those cats followed you back to the Barracuda, I don't know how we can get any work done!\"

As Ves and his group slowly made their way back to the Barracuda and the fleet that awaited them in space, they all looked forward to their return to normality.

Felixia may have been a fun and novel destination, but they all had their fill of cats by now!

Ves on the other hand studied his new garments with an intrigued expression. The strange reaction he elicited from the cats of Felixia aroused some strange ideas.

As the group reached the orbital space station, they transferred to another shuttle that brought them back to their ships.

The Ingvars returned to the Ion Tracker in order to resume their training with the Battle Criers.

The rest boarded the Barracuda. Once everyone settled in, the fleet soon transitioned to FTL and traveled to their next destination.

As Ves entered his stateroom, he removed his Pride of Dusk and laid its pieces onto his desk before changing into a plainer outfit. Since he was in public, he felt no need to impress anyone.

\"Let's see if I can do anything with my new acquisition.\" He grinned.

An idea came into mind as he witnessed how much attention the Pride of Dusk attracted. It already carried a powerful effect from its remarkable cut, exceptional materials and impressive story behind its creation.

Could he make his Pride of Dusk more distinct? What if he applied some of the techniques he usually reserved for his mechs and mech designs onto the outfit meant to raise his stature?

Two additional questions emerged shortly after he entertained this radical suggestion.

First, was it even possible?

Second, was it a good idea?

He grinned. \"I have no idea what I'm doing, but I guess I'll find out!\"

Ves first instructed Lucky to activate his ECM before proceeding to his next step. He opened the box that held the first P-stone and retrieved the rock from its container. He studied it for a moment before placing it onto his desk.

\"Do you recognize the pieces of your old self?\"

Evidently, the spiritual entity did indeed sense something intimately familiar to itself, because Zeigra's spirituality frantically tried to escape its prison!

However, no matter how much Zeigra fought against his bonds, the P-stone's cruel suction force firmly kept the spiritual entity in place!

\"Hahaha!\" Ves laughed.

The materials that made up the Pride of Dusk may have gone through extensive processing, but they still retained their affinity for Zeigra's spirituality!

Confirming this interaction meant that his idea had a decent chance of working!

\"What if I'll put you back in a portion of your old body? Hmm? Would you like that, Zeigra?\"

As usual, the angry and furious spiritual entity ignored his words. It simultaneously wanted to lash out at Ves while urgently trying to break through its prison to return to the portions of his old body!

Ves shook his head at the sight. Zeigra had not grown any tamer since his spiritual imprisonment! In fact, he doubted that the unruly Crown Cat could ever be tamed!

This was also why he decided to keep the Devil Tiger as a one-off mech without claiming credit to its design. If Ves attempted to commercialize its design, he would doubtlessly lead a lot of mech pilots to their ruin!

\"It's such an enormous waste to insert my first complete spiritual entity onto a design which will only ever produce a single copy.\"

To be honest, the amount of time, effort, money and favors he expended on his Devil Tiger project exceeded that of his prior five original mech designs!

For a project he once considered as a way to fulfill a pair of Upgrade Missions and an opportunity to experiment, it had ballooned into so much more.

Ves recognized that he was guilty of the cardinal sin of feature creep. During the development of the Devil Tiger, he kept tacking on new expectations and requirements onto his mech design!

\"Yet... even if I'm guilty, so what?\"

Though the scope of his design project vastly exceeded his initial demands, he didn't consider that to be a bad thing in this case. Ves put less stock in completing his Upgrade Missions and more emphasis on the amount of progress he made to his personal development.

\"Already, this project has been worth it when it comes to all of the new spiritual techniques I've developed!\"

Of the techniques he recently came up with, spiritual restoration became his new favorite. Breaking spiritual entities or gathering disjointed pieces of them to bring them back to life by merging them with his own spiritual energy was a very complicated process.

He still didn't know how everything worked!

Yet considering how well his first attempt worked out by creating Vescas, the new technique held a lot of promise. The more he explored this new avenue, the more refined his future spiritual products turned out.

He'd have to delve much deeper into the path of life, though. The creation of life was a very complicated process, and his crude attempts so far exposed him to how much depth this field contained!

\"Well, let's proceed with the next step.\" He muttered.

Ves wasn't stupid enough to take out Zeigra's whole spirituality and dump it all into his new outfit. He expected that Zeigra's spirituality was way to voluminous and powerful to be contained by a bunch of garments.

Perhaps one way to address this issue was to carve out portions of his P-stone and embed them into his clothes.

However, Ves did not expect that to go well, since the suction force the tiny pieces exerted would probably be too miniscule to keep the spiritual entity in place!

No. You don't get to return to your old body entirely. Just a portion of you should be sufficient to my purposes. Get ready, Zeigra, because this will probably hurt!

Instead of trying to infuse the Pride of Dusk with Zeigra's whole spirituality, Ves intended to do so with only a small fragment!

Of course, obtaining this fragment was easier said than done. Ves knew he wouldn't be able to convince Zeigra to part with a portion of his spirituality in any circumstances, so he mustered up his concentration and his free-floating spiritual energy into a blade.

\"Cut!\"

Ves proceeded to attack Zeigra's spirituality with the blade he formed!

No result!

\"Ouch!\"

Both Ves and Zeigra suffered from the collision.

\"Damnit, you're still too tough!\"

Ves realized that he was going at it the wrong way. Instead of trying to cut into Zeigra's spirituality like a skirmisher mech stabbing its knife against the chest plate of a knight mech, he should instead target its weak points!

Due to the repercussions of Zeigra's corporeal death and subsequent deterioration, the Crown Cat's spirituality looked far from okay! Various gaps and wounds still encompassed its entire makeup. Any of these wounds presented an easy opportunity for Ves to cut out a valuable spiritual fragment!

Like a butcher honing his blade in front of a carcass hanging on a hook, Ves clinically studied Zeigra's trapped spirituality to find the best vulnerability to exploit.

He had to take care to cut out the right proportion.

Too much, and Zeigra's spirituality would incur too much damage to the point of spiritually lobotomizing its main consciousness!

Too little, then the effect to his Pride of Dusk would be too subtle, defeating the point of this experiment.

After a bit of consideration, Ves decided to harvest a spiritual fragment that was small enough to encompass his overcoat. He wanted to reduce the effect of Zeigra's spiritual fragment when he removed and hung up his overcoat. Too much of an angry cat wasn't necessarily conducive to all of his business transactions.

\"Well, here goes!\"

It took a bit of fumbling, but he eventually managed to jam his spiritual knife onto one of the medium-sized openings of Zeigra's spirituality. With a healthy application force, he leveraged his spiritual strength onto the trapped and immobile spiritual entity and violently dislodged a jagged portion from the whole!

Zeigra spiritually lashed out in pain and agony at the loss, but Ves paid no mind to the pain he inflicted on the dead cat. Instead, he grabbed the loosened portion and pulled it out, resisting the suction force from the P-stone.

\"It's already deteriorating!\"

Ves quickly squashed and compressed it together in order to form a crude fragment, which stemmed but failed to halt the deterioration process.

\"Well, let's see if this works!\"

He quickly shoved the fragment into his new overcoat and waited with baited breath.

The fragment met hardly any resistance as it settled into the spiritual space of the overcoat of the Pride of Dusk. In fact, it settled in very nice, as if it rightfully belonged in it from the start!

\"Success!\"

His prediction came true. The overcoat did indeed possess the capacity to host a spiritual fragment!

Chapter 1426

His overcoat gained a lively aura. Though the addition of a small spiritual fragment taken from Zeigra's surviving spirituality did not encompass a lot of strength, the effects on his coat became very noticeable at close proximity!

Every other fragment that Ves made use of up to now went on to become the design spirits of his mech designs! The scale and scope of such uses was on a completely different level from now!

The size of his coat was many times smaller than the size of a mech, which meant that its aura emanated from a vastly smaller surface area!

\"In addition, the physical interaction between a human and another human is a lot more closer than the interaction between a human and a mech!\"

Most bystanders kept a very healthy distance from a mech, even if they weren't active. Nobody wanted to be squashed under the feet of these massive machines!

The same didn't apply to humans, though with the aggressive, prideful and intimidating aura his coat acquired, Ves may as well exhibit some of that effect if he wore it around his body!

\"I like it!\" He grinned.

Though the aura's ire directed a lot of animosity towards himself, Ves did not take it to heart. This little bit of pressure did not disturb him at all. The spiritual fragment locked inside his overcoat was as harmless as a kitten, so why should he be worried?

Ves patted the soft but firm surface of his coat in satisfaction. \"I wonder how other mech designers will react to my appearance!\"

He tested it out by calling both Gavin and Nitaa to his stateroom. As soon as they entered, their eyes practically bulged as their minds and bodies instinctively reacted as if they were being stared at by a predatory beast!

\"What did you do, boss?!\"

\"Hahaha! Nothing much! I just made some adjustments to my coat!\"

\"Well, whatever you did, it's a lot like coming in close proximity to one of your mechs!\"

\"That sounds about right.\"

\"I'm afraid you overdid it, though. I can't relax in your presence while you're wearing your coat!\"

Though Ves easily resisted the intimidation factor of his spiritually-enhanced overcoat, others were not so comfortable. When Ves removed his coat, its aura still radiated a powerful presence while it remained in sight!

He frowned a bit. \"Hmph. Behave!\"

He mentally swatted at it with his Spirituality, but that did not do anything to make the spiritual fragment subside. In fact, Ves noticed that it still possessed a connection with Zeigra's main spirituality!

This meant that the fragment in fact did not possess a separate consciousness! Unless the Crown Cat himself changed his mind about Ves, his overcoat would continue to emanate a hostile and intimidating aura!

He scratched his head. \"Benny, go retrieve a coffer something.\"

When Gavin rummaged through the closet and returned with a spare briefcase, Ves folded his overcoat and stuffed it inside.

Once he closed the briefcase, a portion of the intimidating aura disappeared. Though Ves still perceived some tension in the air, it seemed that putting his overcoat out of sight succeeded in dampening his overcoat's effects.

\"It's much better now that the coat is out of sight.\" Gavin sighed.

Nitaa concurred. \"Maybe a thicker case works better.\"

\"I doubt it. Some things can't be blocked no matter how many layers are in the way.\"

From what he knew of auras, only distance weakened them due to the inverse-square law. Right now, Ves hadn't found any materials that blocked auras outright, though perhaps he might find one in the future.

One thing he found curious was that other people like Gavin and Nitaa clearly perceived the intimidating aura emanating from the coat while not sensing a lot of abnormalities from the P-stone!

Ves, Lucky and to a minor extent Nitaa all perceived Zeigra's hostile spirituality, but Gavin completely ignored the P-stone. Apparently, P-stones possessed a minor isolating effect that only worked on spiritually weak individuals.

\"Curious.\" Ves scratched his chin.

In any case, he got the results he wanted, so he ended the experiment. As Gavin stowed the briefcase and the other pieces of his new outfit in the closet, the distraction ended.

After taking care of his other business, Ves resumed his work on the Devil Tiger project.

\"It's been a long time!\"

As Ves projected the main schematic of his unfinished mech in front of his vision, he compared its dimensions to Zeigra's physical appearance when he was still alive.

The two diverged in several aspects. Zeigra used to be a lot bigger, stronger and heavier. The Devil Tiger relied a bit less raw strength and immense size and more on its mobility to get the better of its opponents.

\"Should I scale up my design?\" He wondered.

He quickly ruled out of the option. Increasing its proportions was not as simple as magnifying all of its components by thirty percent or so. Ves did not look forward to initiating a complete redesign just to accommodate its design spirit!

In any case, it wasn't as if his mechs no longer worked if they carried divergent design spirits. His Aurora Titan worked fine despite hosting a non-human design spirit.

The intention of his mech designs was not to bring the deceased back to life. Neither did he seek to clone the capabilities of powerful humans or exobeasts.

He saw no future in imitating or emulating products developed by nature or products cooked up by biotech specialists.

Ves believed that proper mech designers ought to be capable of creating entirely new and original mechs that exhibited the strengths that fit them the best!

\"I shouldn't lose sight of the purpose of my work. My mechs still have to function as products that serve a useful purpose!\"

He knew he had a tendency to romanticize his mechs and mech designs. The danger to this was that he could easily lose perspective of the nature of his profession and the actual demands of his customers.

Once he sobered himself up, he rejected any thoughts of trying to turn the Devil Tiger into an artificial copy of Zeigra's formidable body. It just didn't make any sense from a fundamental design perspective. His tiger mech design performed the best if it remained in the medium weight class!

Still, Ves saw plenty of areas which could use some adjustments. He wanted to steer the Devil Tiger away from a design that relied heavily on ambushes and maneuver warfare to one more suited to brawling and dueling. This would make the Devil Tiger match the brutal and prideful inclination of its design spirit.

Before he visited Felixia, Ves hadn't made up his mind on the final vision of his mech. Now that he returned with Zeigra's spirituality, the end product was no longer shrouded in fog. He knew exactly what he was working towards!

\"Let's get to work!\"

As the fleet quietly traveled to its next destination, Ves dove into his design work. With the P-stone trapping Zeigra's spirituality resting on his desk, he comfortably basked in the Crown Cat's hostility and used his sensations to inspire him in his design work.

His recent successes along with the rewards he received put him in a fantastic mood. Even the temporary deficit in his spiritual energy did not hinder him significantly in any way as his passion overflowed as he worked.

Several days passed as Ves achieved rapid progress in the completion of his design. While the incorporation of ASMAS into his mech design meant that Ves had to do a lot of things differently, he eagerly tackled the novel problems that came with configuring the pure ASMAS and substitute ASMAS into empowering the Devil Tiger to the fullest extent.

The momentum that Ves accumulated caused him to set aside every other distraction in an attempt to complete his mech design as soon as possible.

Many problems seemed trivial to his eyes, and those that posed a larger hindrance hardly stalled his momentum. Within a matter of days, his incomplete design rapidly exhibited fewer gaps.

Even the fleet's arrival to its next destination could not bring Ves out of his design frenzy. He brushed off Gavin and Nitaa's attempt to urge him to meet his appointment on the surface of the planet they orbited.

\"I CAN'T STOP NOW!\" He shouted as his shaking eyes kept staring at the zoomed-in portion of his mech design. His hands neurotically flicked around the projection to add, remove and adjust various components to his design. \"I'm on a roll here! Tell whoever I'm meeting on the planet to reschedule my appointment!\"

\"They won't like it, boss.\"

Ves snorted. \"They're mech designers! They should understand the importance of when a fellow colleague is in an inspired design mood! Now get out and let me work in peace!\"

Once he got rid of his latest distractions, Ves spent an entire week on completing his design.

As the Devil Tiger became more and more whole, it began to embody some of the aspects of its name. The mech that Ves had shaped truly looked and fought like a devil in the form of a tiger!

Not only was it a devil to its opponents, it also posed a risk to its mech pilots!

When Ves had reached the stage of adding in and configuring its cockpit, Ves briefly paused when he had to decide which neural interface model he should incorporate into his design.

Previously, he considered utilizing a neural interface model with very loose safety limitations.

However, he made this decision before he picked up an extremely hostile design spirit. What would Zeigra do if he obtained the power to screw around with the minds of the mech pilots of the Devil Tiger?

Ves grimaced. \"Nothing good would come out of that.\"

Should he change his mind and opt for a safer neural interface model? One with stricter safety limits would mean the mech pilot wouldn't be able to establish a deeper bond with the Devil Tiger. That went against the purpose of his experiment and the vision he laid out for his mech!

\"The Devil Tiger is and will always be a double-edged sword!\"

Still, it wouldn't do his machine any good if it immediately killed its mech pilot right at the start. Ves therefore opted for a different approach to the problem.

First, he scoured the galactic net for a neural interface design that the MTA never authorized for usage.

It wasn't very hard to find one, as various black market organizations seemed to find some uses for them for some reason.

\"They probably use them to boost the performance of underground dueling mechs.\" Ves loosely guessed.

It was an easy way to improve the odds of winning, but once the mech pilots encountered mishaps, it would be all over for their careers! Even their lives may be lost due to the severe repercussions of using these unsafe neural interface models!

Once Ves grabbed a black market neural interface model suited for tiger mechs, he dove into its programming and adjusted its safety parameters.

Whenever a new mech pilot interfaced with the Devil Tiger, its neural interface would start off with relatively standard safety limits.

Only when the mech pilot spent a few hours with the Devil Tiger would the temporary safety limits slowly retract.

This way, both the mech and mech pilots enjoyed a brief period of time where they could get to know each other under safer but more limiting circumstances.

If the Devil Tiger liked its mech pilot, then the loosening safety limits meant that the mech pilot would benefit from the closer bond he formed with his mech.

If the Devil Tiger hated its mech pilot, then the lifting of the restrictions would definitely lead to various shenanigans.

Ves chuckled at the thought. \"I shouldn't make it too easy for Zeigra to get rid of its mech pilot! He has to work for it if he wants to get rid of someone he doesn't like!\"

Chapter 1427

As his mech took shape, Ves wondered on how he should address the later stages of the design process.

Ordinarily, it would have been irresponsible of him to finalize his design and begin with fabricating a copy intended for consumers.

However, his Devil Tiger project was not like any of its other design projects. Its exorbitant cost, illicit nature and various radical design aspects meant it was a bad idea for Ves to produce and test a physical prototype!

Besides, Ves was confident that the Devil Tiger's theoretical performance wouldn't diverge from its actual performance.

Why should he adhere to a traditional design process anyway? Even if his mech came with a major flaw or two, Ves wouldn't incur any penalties.

The target audience for his Devil Tiger consisted of Nyxian pirates! Ves cared nothing for their wellbeing! In fact, Ves considered them as potential test subjects ready to be subjected to various experiments such as his Devil Tiger!

\"Even if there's a couple flaws, my mech is inherently self-correcting! I'll intervene in person if necessary!\"

As a mech meant to serve as an experiment, Ves wanted to access the data his Devil Tiger accumulated. He knew that it would be very hard if nigh impossible for the mech to transmit its data back to him, especially if the machine failed to piggy back a connection to the galactic net.

Ves tried his best to program some hidden routines inside the core programming of the mech. Once it connected to a local network with access to the galactic net, the Devil Tiger would immediately compress and encrypt its log data before uploading them to a random, publically-accessible storage site.

As long as this happened, Ves would always be able to retrieve the log data through anonymous means. This way, he could keep track of the Devil Tiger usage and whether it performed as intended.

\"This is a two-way street.\" Ves smiled. \"As long as my mech can access the galactic net, then it isn't limited to uploading data. It can also receive new instructions!\"

Ves programmed in various obscure addresses it had to keep an eye on whenever it accessed the galactic net. Once it encountered an encrypted file on one of those addresses, the mech would download and decrypt it in order to process the new instructions he provided.

This way, he could continue to tweak, update and modify the Devil Tiger's design from remote! The malleable, smart metal nature of his mech meant that the mech required no human intervention in order to adjust its own design!

\"It's brilliant!\" He grinned.

Of course, these measures also came with various downsides. The exchange of data took place within the most open and insecure communications network in the galaxy! Ves could not have picked a less secure network than the galactic net!

Though Ves incorporated heavy encryption onto the data packages, he was under no illusion that it would hold against determined decryption attempts.

Ves couldn't do much about attempts to crack the encryption of the log data. There shouldn't be too much harm in it as long as nothing in the logs contained any clues that led back to his identity.

What he worried about more was if some joker mech designer figured out a way to imitate the process that Ves used in updating the instructions of the Devil Tiger. If this third party utilized the same encryption method and uploaded a new set of instructions onto a specific address, then they would easily be able to hijack Devil Tiger!

\"I need an extra layer of security!\"

After a bit of thinking, he came up with a novel way to reduce the chances of third party interference.

Even if a hacker managed to upload some instructions onto the data banks of his Devil Tiger, the mech would not accept them unless its design spirit inputted a code that unlocked the final pass!

\"No matter how good a hacker is in intruding in electronic systems, they can't do anything to influence a design spirit!\"

Manipulating them was unique to Ves, thereby granting him sole control over the most core aspects of the workings of his mech.

Of course, Zeigra's spirituality shouldn't be the one who decided which instructions to accept. Instead, Ves configured the arrangement in a way that it would only be able to unlock the final pass if Ves intervened directly!

\"The Pride of Dusk can help!\"

His new overcoat housed an active spiritual fragment of Zeigra. Ves noted that it shared its consciousness with the main spirituality that was locked in his P-stone.

\"This essentially means I can observe and manipulate Zeigra's spirituality from remote!\"

This was a very novel arrangement and Ves felt very enthused about implementing it for the first time. If everything went well, then Ves might apply this arrangement to his other works.

\"Keeping pieces of my design spirits close to my person is a good way to rein in my more unruly design spirits.\"

The approach swung the pendulum away from the path of life and closer to the path of determinism, thereby injecting a crucial measure of control over his Devil Tiger!

Ves would not allow anyone, not even Zeigra's spirituality itself, to ruin his experiment!

Programming all of these additional features into his mech entailed a lot of extra work. Ves recognized he had to do a thorough job in order to close as many loopholes and exploits as possible. As long as he left out a single opening, some clever hacker or mech designer would surely jump in to take advantage of his Devil Tiger!

He especially encountered a lot of difficulties in envisioning the interaction between his design spirit and the systems of his mech. Ves had to revisit some of his existing mechs, study the extent to which their design spirits influenced the operation of his mechs, and extrapolate from there.

Trying to get both spirituality and technology to work together felt like trying to make magic work with technology. Ves had to wear two hats at once in order to figure out the means for one to influence the other.

Still, Ves already made some strides in this new and uncharted territory by figuring out how to grant exclusive control over the tail of the Devil Tiger to the design spirit.

While he wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to give Zeigra direct control over one of the aspects of his mech, the tail was one of the least consequential limbs of his mech.

Whether all of this worked as intended remained to be seen. Ves would only be able to find out once he finally fabricated the mech, which was a challenge in itself.

\"I need a secure and private mech workshop to put this mech together!\"

He already had some plans in mind for that.

\"I'll be picking up the final batch of materials as well as Gloriana's pure ASMAS shipment in my next stop. Once I've gathered all of the materials, I can begin to find a suitable workshop.\"

As for finding a workshop, there were plenty of underground workshops and manufacturing facilities on major manufacturing planets. Trying to rent a reliable one that wouldn't screw him over was his biggest concern, but Ves was confident he could navigate the murky swamp.

The next point of difficulty was trying to sell his mech. Previously, Ves considered entering the outskirts of the Nyxian Gap in order to pass off his Devil Tiger somewhere, but this was exceedingly risky.

\"It will be a lot more convenient for me if I can sell my mech through the Circle of Mota!\"

Ves initially knew little about this mysterious organization, but Crindon managed to collect some scraps of information on them. The Circle of Mota mainly served as a trading channel between Sentinels and Nyxians.

Because such trade was very illegal and highly controversial within the Sentinel Kingdom, every transaction occurred with the highest level of privacy possible. The Circle developed several traditions that made it harder to track the buyers and sellers of the illicit goods between trading through the Circle's marketplaces.

Considering the special nature of the Devil Tiger, Ves knew he would never be able to sell the mech at a profit. The cost of its pure ASMAS alone was enough to bankrupt the LMC! How could Ves possibly expect to sell his mech at such an exorbitant price to the ruthless but shabby pirates that inhabited the Nyxian Gap?

It was likely that Ves would have to share his mech at an enormous loss, but he never intended to profit from its sale in the first place. The techniques he invented, the lessons he learned and the solutions he developed represented his real gains. As for the money? That came extra.

Even so, if he ended up selling his Devil Tiger for just 30 million bright credits or so, there was no way he'd end up satisfied!

\"I have to do my best to sell my mech at a fair price!\"

From the stories that Crindon collected about the Circle of Mota, Ves knew that the underground organization offered various avenues for him to get what he wanted.

First, a lot of goods offered by the Nyxian pirates consisted of unknown exotics and strange curiosities. Even the best appraisers in the employ of the Circle of Mota struggled to estimate the value of these prices.

Due to their uncertain value and applications, these goods tended to pile up in warehouses as their demand was nonexistent.

\"I can obtain a lot of strange exotics in exchange for my mech!\"

While Ves wouldn't know if he got the better of such a transaction or not, there were a lot of uses to expanding his collection of exotics. Even if none of them reacted to spirituality or contained any useful traits, he might still be able to find a use for them in his future mech designs.

\"Every successful mech designer builds up a collection of exotics for this reason.\"

The other, more uncertain alternative would be to submit his mech to the auctions that the Circle regularly organized.

Ves pursed his lips at the thought. \"Mechs like the Devil Tiger are often sold in auctions.\"

The idea intrigued him, but who knew if anyone would recognize the actual worth of his mech? What if the bidders in the auction only possessed a paltry amount of money?

\"Will the Circle even allow me to submit my mech for auction?\" He wondered.

Auctions only accepted the submission of great and unique mechs. It was meaningless to auction bog-standard mechs that could easily be bought through other channels.

Considering all of the features as well as the overall performance of his Devil Tiger, Ves was quite certain that the Circle would love to put it on auction!

However, if Ves ever exposed the Devil Tiger to so many auction goers, then he'd have to be really careful not to leave any clues behind that exposed his hand in its design!

This was difficult!

Ves had already taken a lot of precautions. For example, one of the reasons why he waited to pick up the shipment of pure ASMAS was because he wanted to obtain it in a secure and anonymous fashion from a Shadow Courier.

\"With how much Gloriana paid to the Shadow Couriers, they better keep their mouths shut.\" He muttered.

While Ves was confident he could hide the collection of materials and obscure the fabrication process, all of that would be moot if his Devil Tiger radiated a similar aura to that of his other mech designs!

\"I have to find a way to suppress this effect!\"

This was the final headache he faced before he completed his design. Normally, Ves did everything he could to maximize the external influence of his mechs. The more impressive their auras, the greater their ability to influence allies and enemies alike! This was one of the core strengths of his products!

\"How can I go against my instinct and suppress my Devil Tiger's aura?\" Ves frowned.

Chapter 1428

How could Ves design a mech that advanced his design principles without tying it back to his identity?

\"The Devil Tiger is way too controversial. I can't allow it to taint my reputation.\" He grumbled.

He already switched up his distinctive design style in many ways to obscure his fingerprints on the Devil Tiger's design. Ves never designed a bestial mech before, which made it easy for him to disassociate himself from the Devil Tiger design.

While Ves could employ all manner of technical tricks to erase the similarities between his public designs and his Devil Tiger design, the one area which he couldn't erase was his specialty.

The X-Factor of his mech was certainly going to be very strong. Ves knew that for certain. If the effect only applied to the mech pilot, then that was okay, because the chances of exposure were miniscule in that case.

However, one of the distinctive features about his mechs was that as their X-Factor increased, their auras became more noticeable as well! They became especially perceivable on any mech that Ves crafted by hand, as in the case of his gold label mechs and custom mechs!

\"Should I deliberately weaken the X-Factor of my Devil Tiger?\" He wondered.

He quickly shook his head. His pride as a mech designer would never allow him to sabotage his efforts for such an inane reason! Though he was afraid of exposing himself, he detested crippling a mech that had the potential to be something great!

\"There is no way I'll allow my Devil Tiger to be born in a stunted state! I just can't!\"

Ves had become way too invested in this project to dial his efforts back. Nothing compelled him to go this far for what he considered to be an experiment. He did not expect to gain any recognition or material rewards either.

He simply wanted to design a mech that surpassed his previous efforts.

\"In many of my mech designs, I have to restrain myself. I have to abide by the rules. The demands of my customers rank first. Yet that can get tiresome at times.\"

Working on the Devil Tiger design challenged him enormously, he also felt liberated. The design project reinvigorated his love for mech design. Creation was boundless and limitless. A mech designer like Ves would only stagnate if he kept to just a narrow slice of possible mech designs.

Due to this, Ves initially resisted attempts to restrain the strengths of his mech design.

However, as he thought about it more, he considered it to be an interesting exercise. This might not be the only time he wanted to restrain the outward expression of the X-Factor of his mechs.

When Ves thought about the problem, he recalled a distinct phenomenon concerning the mechanics behind auras.

\"When multiple identical mechs are standing side by side, their auras overlap with each other.\"

In fact, they didn't just overlap, but they also synced with each other! This caused them to merge their strengths and amplify their effects to observers!

If auras could be layered on top of each other to amplify their effects, what if they could dampen each other instead?

\"Interesting.\" Ves rubbed his chin in an intrigued manner. \"However, this can only be done if I have at least two mechs. If there's only one source of aura, I don't have anything to dampen it with, unless...\"

What if he split Zeigra's spirituality in two? Then put them both into the Devil Tiger? Could a mech design accommodate two identical but separated design spirits?

The idea tempted him a lot, yet it sounded way too crazy even for Ves! The risks involved with splitting a spiritual entity into two was way too reckless! He could hardly predict what might result if he attempted such a radical act!

\"The entire point of the Devil Tiger is to see how it will function with a complete spiritual entity! If I split them up into two super-sized spiritual fragments, the entire nature of my experiment is different!\"

Besides, Ves doubted he could arrange the two spiritual fragments together in a way that caused them to completely negate each other's auras.

He had to find a different approach. As he mulled over the issue, he came up with another simple idea.

\"What if the X-Factor of my mech is expressed inward rather outward? Is it possible to tweak this aspect?\"

He had never consciously tweaked the parameters of the X-Factor, mostly because he never imagined he could manipulate it directly.

In all of his previous works, the X-Factor always came about indirectly. One source was the focused emotional and spiritual investment he put into his designs. Another source was the design spirit he placed into his designs.

The latter had stolen the show the last few years. As an external source of strength, the use of design spirits vastly strengthened the X-Factor of his mech designs.

\"Yet underneath my shiny design spirits rests a bedrock of subliminal spirituality that serves as the spiritual foundations of my mech designs!\"

This was something that he could influence directly. While it was ordinarily too weak to affect the strength of a design spirit, what if he strengthened it to a degree that it could?

\"It's worth a try!\"

Of course, his enthusiasm quickly subsided when he thought about how much spiritual energy he had to invest to negate Zeigra's aura. If he tried to dampen it directly, then the amount of energy he had to expand would likely suck him dry!

\"I have to resort to a different approach!\"

Dozens of theories flitted past his mind as he tried to come up with a novel approach that produced his desired result with as little sacrifice as possible.

Ves eventually palmed his head. \"Why am I thinking of dampening when I can just block it instead? What if I can shape the spiritual aspects I'm in control of into a container that blocks any aura from radiating outwards?\"

It was kind of like treating his mech as a source of radiation. If he wanted to contain the radiation and protect the outside environment from becoming exposed, then he could simply build some kind of barrier that expressly disallowed its passage!

The key was that this barrier did not have to be too strong or fancy! It just had to be strong enough to contain the aura of the X-Factor of his mech!

\"Aura is a byproduct of the strength of the X-Factor. It's not really all that strong on its own!\" Ves realized. \"I can use this property to develop an efficient barrier!\"

He invested all of his mental processing power to this solution. He called up a projection of his largely-complete mech design and injected it with some of his spiritual energy in a specific fashion. He formed an intangible, conceptual barrier along the outer contours of his design.

Ves used his imagination to instill his spiritual barrier with a specific instruction. It's only goal was to prevent the Devil Tiger's aura from escaping from the mech!

He contemplated adding more instructions, but he was afraid of screwing up his original intentions.

As soon as the barrier took effect, Ves immediately perceived the difference. The Devil Tiger design no longer appeared to radiate anything remarkable! Ves found his design to be a lot duller now that he could no longer perceive its residual aura!

\"I'm on the right track!\"

Of course, his thin and weak spiritual barrier only blocked the Devil Tiger's inherent aura. Ves still hadn't instilled it with a design spirit.

\"It's about time, though.\"

Solving this final problem meant that Ves overcame the final hurdle that prevented him from finalizing his design.

While he felt rather cross that he couldn't test his design with a prototype, he thought he did a pretty good job regardless. In any case, since his design philosophy mainly affected people rather than technology, Ves never suffered from a huge divergence in simulated tests and realspace tests.

Ves took a mental step back and evaluated his work up to now. After several weeks of intensive design work, his mech looked as formidable as he envisioned.

The mech's overall appearance bore a vague resemblance to Zeigra, though he opted to dye the mech in a deeper, darker and more striking shade of red. Black stripes interspersed across its exterior added a menacing tiger-like quality to the mech.

In order to make its name even clearer, Ves also stamped a small but noticeable label of its name onto its flank. This way, no one would mistake its actual name!

While its cost was way way higher than its actual performance, the Devil Tiger was no slouch. Among third-class mechs, its performance equaled that of an expensive custom mech like Lord Javier's Loquacious Raphael.

\"It's more accurate to describe the Devil Tiger as a mech that straddles the zone between second-class and third-class mechs!\"

With ASMAS at its core, his mech had the potential to complete its step into second-class mechs. The only issue was that his mech would have to consume a lot of expensive materials and upgrade all of the third-class components that the mech wasn't able to upgrade on its own.

\"Human intervention is still required for some of the upgrade and repair processes.\" Ves grumbled.

Smart metal in the form of pure ASMAS and substitute ASMAS comprised about seventy-five percent of his mech design. While this was a very high proportion, the twenty percent that consisted of regular mech parts still required human attention in order to repair them or upgrade them with better parts.

The configuration that this proportion resulted was a mech that excelled in landbound skirmishes. Its endurance was quite decent, though its pure ASMAS expended a considerable amount of energy and spare materials each time it produced a new batch of substitute ASMAS to repair its losses.

Still, it was better for the mech to perform its own repairs than to let enslaved or ill-educated pirates tool around the guts of his mech! Ves had already programmed his mech with various nasty responses if anyone incompetent tried to screw around with his machine!

As Ves evaluated his mech for one last time, he picked up Lucky who was lounging next to his P-stone and showed off his design.

\"Look at this design. Isn't it a beauty?\"

\"Meow.\"

\"Don't you wish you'd be as huge, dangerous and menacing as my Devil Tiger?\"

\"Meow!\"

\"Size matters, Lucky!\"

\"Meow meow!\"

Lucky angrily phased out of Ves' arms and floated out of reach. Who claimed bigger cats were better?! A gem cat like him was perfect for cuddling and sneaking!

Once he finished chuckling, Ves grew solemn. It was time for him to finalize his design by adding its final, special touch. He picked up his P-stone and inspected its intangible prisoner.

Zeigra's spirituality still hadn't let up on its animosity towards Ves. The deceased Crown Cat wanted nothing more than to hit back at Ves in retribution for the hunt!

\"Your struggles are pointless, you loser cat! Behave for a moment and accept your new home! It will be the only safe harbor you'll enjoy!\"

Ves mustered up his Spirituality and dragged Zeigra's spirituality out of the P-stone long enough to immediately shove it into the conceptual space of the Devil Tiger.

A transformation occurred!

While the aura barrier that Ves formed around the Devil Tiger successfully blocked his design from radiating a distinctive aura, it wasn't perfect. The mech still took on a very subtle quality that hinted at something more beneath the surface!

Ves immediately had the feeling that he created something special.

All of the risks he had taken and all of the time and resources he invested into its design resulted in a mech design with limitless growth opportunities.

As long as his Devil Tiger evaded total destruction, then it possessed the potential to grow into a truly formidable mech!

His design seed seethed with excitement. Even it acknowledged that Ves had created something exceptional!

\"My Devil Tiger design is complete!\"

Now, all he had to do was to produce its only copy!

Chapter 1429

Ves admired his finished mech design from multiple angles. He noted that forming a barrier to contain the aura that resulted from its strong X-Factor did not magically make the aura disappear.

As Ves examined the interaction closer with his spiritual senses, he realized that as the aura found no outlet to escape outward, it instead sank into the interior of his mech design!

This resulted in a strange effect that gave the Devil Tiger design a very strange and subtle quality.

\"The Devil Tiger doesn't feel like my regular mech designs, which is what I wanted, but...\"

It was as if his mech glowed in a different way. Instead of radiating a clear aura, it started to emanate a hidden pressure that made him doubt the wisdom of what he did. He had the feeling that percolating his mech with its own aura all the time might lead to unpredictable results!

Instead of worrying about it, he actually looked forward to what this might result!

\"Hahahaha! I hope you won't succumb too soon!\"

This alternate expression of aura served as a way to disassociate himself from his creation. Although both expressions shared a couple of similarities, the inward expression of aura was a lot less blatant about drawing attention to itself.

\"There's enough differences to establish plausible deniability. That should be sufficient.\" Ves nodded in satisfaction.

The only other concern he held was the lack of restraints keeping Zeigra's spirituality in place.

Unlike the P-stones, his mech designs did not possess a powerful attracting force on spiritual entities.

This basically meant that Zeigra's spirituality was free to stay or leave as it desired!

Of course, when Zeigra realized this soon after inhabiting the mental space of Devil Tiger design, he immediately tested the waters outside his open cage.

As soon as Zeigra made his escape, his spirituality immediately began to deteriorate!

In fact, its existing wounds along with the gaping hole from the time Ves carved out a fragment accelerated the breakup process!

There were no other places that could shelter Zeigra's spirituality except for the P-stone that it had just left.

There was no way Zeigra wanted to return to its former prison! At the very least, his new home presented him with the hope of escaping in the future! He just had to bide his time for an opportunity to hop to a better home!

Ves grinned. He sensed Zeigra's thoughts and knew that there was a risk that the Crown Cat's spirituality wanted to leave.

However, Ves believed that Zeigra would gradually become used to the Devil Tiger. The mech possessed a high growth potential that wasn't any inferior to that of the Crown Cat's original body!

He actually considered the Devil Tiger to be a much more effective prison than his P-stone!

\"The best prisons aren't the ones with the thickest walls, but the ones whose inmates want to stay!\"

Now that he finally completed the Devil Tiger design and confirmed that Zeigra had nowhere else to go for the time being, Ves switched off the projection and deactivated all of the jammers and security precautions in his stateroom.

As soon as he reconnected to the rest of the galaxy, Gavin immediately entered his stateroom with a concerned expression.

\"Are you finally done with your work?\"

Ves nodded. \"Yeah. I'm done tinkering. Sorry for being so rude, but I can't control the onset of inspiration and creative moods. Creative and passionate states of mind are very valuable to me. All of my best works came about with inspiration.\"

\"I know, boss. You've told me that before. I know how you tend to be when you are completely taken in by your work. I just want to suggest you ought to find a balance. You can't just isolate yourself in your room for weeks or months on end. It was much better when you worked with Ketis, because at least you were forced to come out of shell. Now that you're back to working alone, you've regressed.\"

\"You have a point.\"

Though he recognized Gavin's concerns, Ves wasn't apologetic at all. He considered upending his schedule a small price to pay to rush his mech design to completion.

\"Right now, our fleet is orbiting Reinz I for a while. We originally scheduled appointments with two Journeyman Mech Designers who reside on the industrial planet.\"

\"Have you successfully rescheduled those appointments?\"

\"Surprisingly, the Journeymen expressed a lot of understanding for our request to postpone the appointments.\" Gavin replied in a puzzled manner. \"I don't know what's up, but their secretaries have been very accommodating to us. They've basically told us that you're welcome to drop by their headquarters whenever it's convenient!\"

\"Sounds like my reputation has already spread! Haha!\"

He knew that taking part in the Crown Hunt had been worth it in the end. Though the commoners outside of Felixia didn't pay much attention to this blip in the news, those in the know were aware of its true significance.

By participating in one of the Sentinel Kingdom's celebrated hunting traditions, Ves had made a lot of inroads in the local power structure. His acquaintance with Lady Miralix meant he also enjoyed a measure of native noble support, which further enhanced his standing in the state.

Once Ves got up to speed with what he missed, he immediately proceeded to get down to the surface of Reinz I. As he emerged from the armored shuttle surrounded by the mechs of the Battle Criers, he decided to wear his overcoat over his normal business attire.

The addition of this single article of clothing made a huge difference to his stature!

Every employee of the headquarters immediately felt or noticed his ostentatious presence. The living spiritual fragment locked within the overcoat emanated an aura of both menace and pride!

The effect it had on the receptionists, the security guards and everyone else within sight caused them to feel suppressed and compelled to show their respect to Ves!

While Ves found this reaction to be exceedingly interesting, he became a bit annoyed at how strong his overcoat affected the moods and emotions of other people. At this rate, the Planetary Guard would probably arrest him on suspicion of brainwashing everyone in the vicinity!

He needed to modulate the strength of his overcoat's aura. When Ves thought about the problem, he realized he already developed a solution!

As he and his followers stepped in the elevator that brought them to the top of the headquarters, he quietly went to work. He expended a small portion of his spiritual energy to form a weaker but otherwise identical barrier to the one that encompassed his Devil Tiger design.

Once he stabilized the barrier, he gently enveloped his overcoat with it, making sure to cover both the exterior and the interior portion of his garment.

The tense shoulders of Gavin and Nitaa immediately relaxed a bit as the tenseness in the air immediately subsided by half!

\"That's better!\" Gavin sighed. \"Was that you're doing, boss?\"

\"Yup. What do you think?'

\"It's a lot less threatening. It's less of a punch in the face and more of a slap in the face. You still look like you demand attention, but it's not as forceful as before.\"

Ves nodded in satisfaction. \"That's the effect I was going for. What do you think, Lucky?\"

\"Meow.\"

His cat arrogantly perched on his shoulder as if it enjoyed sitting atop a Crown Cat!

Now that Ves had taken Zeigra out of the P-stone and placed him into an intangible design, Lucky could no longer bully the captive spiritual entity as easily as before.

The only way for the gem cat to establish his dominance over the Crown Cat was to mess with the Pride of Dusk!

\"Don't you dare scratch my coat!\"

\"Meow!\"

\"I'm serious!\"

Soon enough, the elevator reached the top floor. After leaving Gavin and Nitaa behind at the security checkpoint, Ves passed through the entrance of the office and met with the first mech designer he wanted to meet today.

As soon as Ves stepped foot into the office, the dynamics within the room immediately reversed. Ves subtly weakened the barrier filtering some of the aura his overcoat emanated, and the effect became palpable.

The man sitting behind his desk on the opposite side of the room immediately stood up in respect.

\"Mr. Larkinson! Welcome to my headquarters! I have looked forward to your visit for a long time! I'm honored you've decided to meet me first!\"

Ves calmly stepped forward and stretched out his arm to shake the other Journeyman's hand. As the distance closed, his counterpart experienced an increasing amount of pressure!

\"Thank you, Mr. Pelle. I hope I haven't troubled you with the changes in my schedule.\"

\"Oh, not at all! There is nothing else on my agenda that demands my attention, so it is no issue for me to meet you at this time.\"

Marcus Pelle was a local Sentinel Journeyman who hadn't come to success on his own. While he showed some promise when he graduated from a technical university, the man lacked the capital and connections to start his own mech company.

It was only when one of the local noble houses in the Reinz System recognized his capabilities and invested in him that Pelle propelled his way into success. He even managed to advance to Journeyman a few years ago when he reached thirty-five years old.

While the mech industry did not consider anyone who advanced to Journeyman at that age to be remarkable, it still served as proof that Pelle possessed the drive and competence to reach greater heights!

Within the mech community, Marcus Pelle's age, experience and abundant portfolio put him in a senior position over Ves. Yet as the small talk proceeded, the Sentinel mech designer did not put on any airs and instead gave ground to his guest!

Ves knew that Pelle's unusually accommodating attitude came from the intimidation effect of his coat as well as his recent bump in reputation. Considering the man's close ties to a noble house, the man was especially sensitive to noble associations!

While Ves enjoyed establishing his superiority over Pelle, he quickly reined in this vain desire.

If he started to revel in this act, then it might come back to bite him in the future!

Relying on fear and intimidation to coerce others into cooperating with him would only breed more hostility!

Therefore, as much as Ves wanted to indulge in his macho desire to put himself on top of others, he consciously tweaked the filtration barrier that enveloped his coat to reduce the effect of its aura to a point where it faded into the background.

The shift happened so discreetly that Marcus Pelle hardly noticed the air between them lightening up. While the man grew a bit more comfortable with his guest, he still maintained some guardedness.

\"Let's move on to the exchange, shall we?\" Pelle suggested.

\"You first.\"

Generally, Ves liked it when others went first. He could gauge the sincerity and the willingness of the other party to conduct an honest exchange by the opening they delivered.

Those who wanted to conduct a sincere exchange were fairly liberal in what they revealed. In contrast, those who wanted to hoard their secrets spent much of their time on vague descriptions and worthless anecdotes.

Considering the circumstances, Marcus Pelle did not dare to mess around!

\"Are you aware of my design philosophy?\"

\"Yes.\" Ves nodded. \"According to your record, you specialize in designing spaceborn mechs that are suited for extensive deployments. Your products are famous in Sentinel for being able to operate in space for weeks!\"

Marcus smiled. \"That claim is already outdated. My latest mech design is able to operate continuously in space for more than a month!\"

\"That's very impressive!\"

Was it unique to design a mech that could operate for months at a time in deep space? Not really.

However, those who wanted to design such mechs had to make a lot of considerations that other mech designers never thought about. One of the most prevalent problems that occurred when mech pilots were deployed in the cold of space for so long was that they tended to become unstable!

What Marcus Pelle actually specialized in was designing mechs that mech pilots didn't mind piloting for weeks at a time!

Ves saw a lot of similarities in their priorities, hence why he became eager to exchange with this Sentinel Mech Designer!

Chapter 1430

Marcus Pelle began to explain the rationale of his design philosophy.

\"One of the biggest threats plaguing the Sentinel Kingdom is the pirates spilling out of the Nyxian Gap. As you have probably heard by now, the Nyxian Gap is not a normal region of space. Unlike regular space which consists of empty space interspersed with star systems that consist of one or multiple suns orbited by varying amounts of planets, it almost entirely consists of an endless field of asteroids!\"

The amount of asteroids floating within the Nyxian Gap defied natural law. Some very strange anomalous effects caused a huge region of space within the Komodo Star Sector and its neighboring star sectors to host a seemingly-endless sea of rocks, most of which consisted of worthless materials.

However, the Nyxian Gap also represented a source of wealth. Some of the rocks floating in the Nyxian Gap contained scraps of exotics of varying rarity and value. Low-grade and medium-grade exotics were fairly prevalent in the finds that prospectors uncovered, but sometimes they hit the jackpot by uncovering a small deposit of high-grade exotics!

The wealth buried within the Nyxian Gap attracted the greed of every state that surrounded the hazardous region. Despite the pirates and other scum infesting the area, the Sentinel Peacekeeper Association continually dispatched outfits and expeditions to the mineral-rich portions of the Gap in order to prospect for exotics.

The Sentinel Kingdom's territories weren't all that remarkable. The reason why the Kingdom grew so impressively to the point where it became the strongest third-rate state in the star sector was because of how much wealth they extracted from the Nyxian Gap!

Due to the Sentinel Kingdom's preoccupation with the Nyxian Gap, their mech culture distinctly placed a lot of emphasis on spaceborn mechs.

That did not mean that the Sentinel Kingdom saw no use in landbound mechs. Notable mech pilots like Lady Miralix still had plenty of fighting in store if they deployed to the Nyxian Gap.

Anomalous heavy gravity planets such as Mournshell attracted a lot of landbound mechs, while many moon-sized asteroids transformed into secret pirate settlements sometimes required boots on the ground as well.

Still, most battles still took place in space in the Nyxian Gap. Due to the complex environment within this area, the Peacekeeper outfits sometimes develop unusual demands.

\"There are many uses for mechs that can operate continuously within the Nyxian Gap.\" Marcus Pelle elaborated. \"One of the biggest problems with the Nyxian Gap is that FTL drives are completely useless in this region aside from a few exceptions. Fleets have to navigate perilous routes, surrounded by asteroids in every direction, in order to reach their destination. Such journeys can last for months or even years.\"

Ves idly rubbed Lucky behind his ears. \"Since a lot of time is invested in these journeys, the expeditions have to be sure they reach their intended destinations!\"

\"Exactly! Navigation is very difficult in many portions of the Nyxian Gap. Asteroids are constantly spinning and colliding everywhere, thereby scrambling navigational markers that help both Peacekeepers and pirates from figuring out their positions within this territory. My mechs are often deployed as part of long-range reconnaissance units. They're sent in different directions in order to figure out which direction leads them to their intended destination.\"

Ves could hardly fathom how these outfits and expeditions kept track of the mechs they sent out. Navigation within the Nyxian Gap was so difficult that every outfit that operated in the region depended on the services of specialized navigators!

\"You're not the only one who designs long deployment spaceborn mechs, right?\"

\"Correct. There are a number of mech designers from Sentinel and other states with an interest in the Nyxian Gap who compete in this market.\"

\"What separates your products from your competitors?\"

\"Well, aside from the high energy efficiency and various power-saving settings of my designs, I've invested a lot in developing methods to maintain the mental health of my customers. It's something that none of my competitors has paid as much attention to than me. Mental health isn't something that ordinarily comes to mind when mech designers embark on a new mech design.\"

In other words, Marcus Pelle's actual specialty largely encompassed the field of psychology and other fields related to the human condition!

Both Ves and Pelle developed pilot-centric design philosophies, which caused them to share some kinship with each other.

Just as with Ves, Pelle's mech designs didn't feature the greatest and most efficient performance. Nethertheless, the high regard of its customers caused his products to develop a modest but very devoted fanbase!

\"I take it that your specialization goes beyond loading up the data banks of your mechs with games and drama series.\"

Pelle nodded. \"Isolation breeds lots of problems. Outfits try their best to mitigate this problem by sending out multiple mechs on reconnaissance missions at a time, but this is fairly costly and not very efficient. Carrier vessels can only bring so many mechs, and they constantly require protection wherever they find themselves. Not a single region in the Nyxian Gap is devoid of pirates!\"

\"Except for the outposts, right?\" Ves asked.

\"Even the outposts aren't completely safe.\" The Sentinel mech designer shook his head. \"Whenever they get too big or attract too much traffic, the Nyxian pirate gangs tend to gather together and launch a massive assault! Even if the Peacekeepers have placed a lot of defenses at these sites, the Nyxian pirates can't tolerate the presence of any lawful settlement in their playground!\"

They quickly went back to the main topic.

\"Even pairing mech pilots up isn't enough to stave off isolation, right?\"

\"Correct, Mr. Larkinson. Even if you are grouped up with your closest comrades, my research indicates that there are instances where colleagues can grow estranged from each other. The Nyxian Gap is a very strange space, and while I haven't been able to gather any proof that it agitates them in any measurable way, the strange conditions already exert their own form of pressure!\"

In other words, the unknown and uncomfortable space environment was so weird from the regular, orderly universe that mech pilots started to believe they were stuck in a dark, endless hole where no respite could be found within several light-years!

In fact, the stories that Ves heard about mech pilots going crazy in the Nyxian Gap were so prevalent that he started to suspect that there might be a spiritual effect at work!

Sadly, the only way to verify his guess was to step foot in the Nyxian Gap himself, which he really wanted to avoid at this stage.

\"So how do you best stave off the negative effects of isolation?\"

The question pointed straight at Marcus Pelle's core specialty. He paused for a moment as if to contemplate how much he wanted to reveal.

Eventually, he gave out one useful nugget of information.

\"One of the most obvious ways to defeat isolation is to make mech pilots feel they aren't alone.\"

The answer sounded simple, but Ves sensed the depth in those words. \"Even when they are deployed on their own for weeks at a time?\"

\"Even then, there are ways to make mech pilots experience a connection with the wider galaxy despite lacking any connection to their ships or the galactic net. Before I came around, the most predominant solution to this problem is to drug the mech pilots with stimulants that suppressed their fears and prevented their moods from sliding.\"

\"I've heard about that. They're quite effective, right?\"

\"That's true. A lot of Peacekeepers have relied on these drugs to mitigate the destructive effects of isolation. However, I don't consider any of those drugs to be perfect. Each drug affects more than just the fears that emerge from enduring isolation.\"

\"What's so bad about that?\"

\"The skill, attentiveness, motivation and judgement of the mech are depressed as well when taking these drugs. While they might not necessarily have a severe effect on hardened and experienced mech pilots, their performance drops are very significant. I believe there are better solutions to stave off isolation than drugging our mech pilots stupid!\"

Ves agreed with such a sentiment. As someone who dealt with several addicts in his life, he knew that a reliance on drugs and stimulants often led to severe or outright destructive repercussions.

\"What is your alternative to drugs?\" He pressed, eager to hear the solution that Marcus Pelle came up with as his specialty.

\"Surrealism.\"

\"..Pardon?\"

\"Surrealism.\" Pelle repeated. \"It's a simplistic description of what I do, but it succinctly describes one of the earlier methods I came up with to keep mech pilots active and engaged in their mission.\"

Ves wanted to stop petting Lucky in order to rub his ears. Did he hear correctly? Had he mistakingly entered into an exchange with a graphical artist rather than a mech designer?

\"Of all the possible answers I expected, I never imagined you'd come up with this.\" Ves said mildly. After so many instances where he confounded other mech designers, this time it was his turn to be perplexed! \"What is so surreal about your products?\"

Pelle smiled at Ves. \"I've altered the sensory perception of my mechs. There are many ways to process and translate sensory data in ways that allow mech pilots to interpret them through the man-machine connection. What I've done is to add a mode to the sensors of my design that alters some of their parameters when the mechs are continuously deployed.\"

Ves frowned at this response. \"So.. if I understand this right, instead of depending on stimulants, you instead mess with the sensors of your mechs in order to simulate some of their effects?\"

\"Somewhat.\" The Sentinel mech designer shrugged. \"It's anything but a perfect solution, but the results I've achieved are surprisingly effective. I've learned much about how mech pilots think and how their moods change as a result of specific external stimuli.\"

\"It still sounds weird for me. Are you projecting eyeballs onto the surfaces of asteroids or something?\"

\"Heavens, no! You can't just mess with the perception of mech pilots with such disturbing images!\"

\"So this method can easily backfire and go awry.\"

\"Right. Frankly, this method is very dangerous and can easily lead to the deaths of your customers. That's why I don't recommend you utilize this method yourself.\"

Pelle spent some time to warn Ves of the many possible repercussions if he attempted to imitate this method without a foundation in the underlying theories.

Ves sensed the seriousness in his counterpart's warnings. \"You've been very clear about the dangers inherent with messing with the sensory perception of mech pilots. Why do it in the first place, then? What is the point of this method?\"

\"The simple explanation is.. it serves as a distraction. Space is monotonous. While boredom can be staved by serving up entertainment to mech pilots, that will almost always result in a massive reduction in situational awareness.\"

\"Distracted mech pilots are easy marks for pirates.\"

\"Exactly. In addition, not every mech pilot derives enjoyment from such static entertainment. The sense of isolation can creep up at them regardless if they immerse themselves in virtual simulations. All of it is fake.\"

\"Isn't surrealism fake as well?\"

\"Ah, but that's the strength of this method.\" Pelle grinned. \"You see, the surrealism that I've resorted to is all real!\"

\"All real?\" Ves couldn't resist scratching his head this time. \"So if I understand this right, the illusions you serve up to your mech pilots reflect reality?\"

\"Indeed. If you place a red filter in front of your eyes, your vision will turn red. Does that mean the reality you perceive is any less true?\"

Ves frowned. \"I'd say that my perception is distorted in that case.\"

\"What is true and what is false? What is illusion and what is reality? I think that absolute truth doesn't exist, and that reality can never be perceived in an unbiased perspective. There is always a form of distortion at work no matter how precise and how accurate a sensor claims to perceive and measure reality!\"

Chapter 1431

What was real, and what was fake?

To Marcus Pelle, the difference was a matter of perspective.

Perhaps one person found an imitation mech that precisely copied an authentic mech design to be real, while others insisted that it would always remain a fake.

A lot of arguments could be made about what was fake and what was real, but Pelle did not stop at this point. Instead, he took a step further and came up with a surprising principle.

\"If what is real and what is fake is in question, why not play around with this ambiguity?\"

This was where Pelle's interpretation of surrealism came into play. The mech designer manipulated the sensors of his mechs into blended truths and untruths, thereby causing mech pilots on long deployment to become plagued by strange sensory outputs.

This wasn't as straightforward as turning every asteroid into a floating dog or something. Instead, Pelle tweaked the sensors and the filters in a way that caused them to transfer more junk data to the minds of the mech pilot.

Garbage that ordinarily got filtered out before they transferred through the neural interface essentially got a free pass, though still within reasonable limits that prevented mech pilots from getting overloaded.

The result was that mech pilots would become subject to strange but fascinating illusions.

Perhaps one minute the environment looked blue-shifted all of a sudden. In the next minute they perceived the smell of rotten eggs from a distant starship. After that they spot something ridiculously funny from a distant glow!

\"What is the point of messing with the perception of mech pilots to this extent?\" Ves frowned as he repeated his question.

\"The goal is to stave off the creeping sense of boredom and isolation without causing mech pilots to lose situational awareness. It may surprise you to hear this, but my solution has actually turned out to be effective. Instead of becoming distracted by watching irrelevant action dramas, they instead place their attention more fully on the environment for many hours at a time!\"

The theories Marcus Pelle developed relied on very strange assumptions. Ves found it difficult to follow the other mech designer's train of thought.

He understood some of the gist of it, but his perspective on mech design simply diverged too much from that of Pelle's to accept what he heard.

In the end, his gains from this exchange did not amount to much. Ves did develop some interesting insights about the nature of truth and falsehood and how it could be manipulated to achieve certain goals.

When he thought about it, Ves already engaged in something similar by turning the imaginary into reality.

The images he created into mind became capable of affecting reality when infused with spiritual energy.

The mechs he designed influenced the mentalities of both mech pilots and observers through unusual means.

Ves always had the sense that anything pertaining to spirituality possessed both a real and imaginary quality. It followed fewer rules than more mundane forms of matter and energy. As long as someone grew strong enough, they became capable of breaking more and more rules, allowing them to achieve a myriad of extraordinary feats!

During the meeting, Marcus Pelle successfully managed to claw back some of the initiative he lost, but Ves didn't mind. Though Pelle probably believed he successfully confused Ves by babbling on about surrealism, the man had no idea what kind of help he'd been!

As Ves finally departed Pelle's headquarters, he entered in a thoughtful mood. As his armored shuttle took off to his other appointment for the day, he reflected on his understanding of his spiritual techniques.

\"Pelle and I both have something in common.\"

They both manipulated their mech pilots with elements of fantasy. While Pelle resorted to technological means by messing with the sensors of his mechs, Ves utilized spiritual means to manipulate the interaction between mech pilots and their mechs.

The comparison made him feel a little uncomfortable, because how far was he allowed to go before he crossed a line?

His recent actions, such as intimidating Marcus Pelle with his overcoat and developing a radical mech like the Devil Tiger, both pushed his manipulation abilities to a new extreme.

In both instances, Ves got caught up with the rush of possibilities that opened up when he utilized his new spiritual techniques.

\"Just because I can, doesn't mean I should.\" He whispered to himself.

Ves recognized he'd been indulging himself a little too much. The temptations of the path of life lured him into a direction that compelled him to perform increasingly more radical actions!

The unusual and frankly unethical methods that Marcus Pelle developed in order to keep the users of his mechs awake and alert repelled Ves to an extent.

Mech pilots didn't get the full story and were subjected to strange surreal illusions without their consent or control. It reminded Ves to how neural interface specialists such as Old Man Terrence surreptitiously manipulated the neural interfaces of his mechs.

In all of these cases, the mech designers all treated their customers as test subjects!

\"Maybe this perspective is much more widespread than I initially thought.\" Ves mused.

In most cases, the mech designers harbored good intentions, but that did not necessarily make it right.

His Devil Tiger project especially crossed a lot of lines he really shouldn't. It was fine though, since it was just a one-off experiment. He would never dare to introduce such enormous dangers to his commercial mechs!

\"Not all mech pilots are my test subjects! Only some of them are!\"

A temptation always existed to push the boundaries with every mech he designed. With how frequently he came up with innovative new techniques, he always had to try his best not to get caught up too much in his excitement.

Admittedly, this was a lot harder than he thought sometimes. He always believed his new inventions worked and hated the thought of restraining himself due to an abundance of caution.

Ves always thrived by pursuing his passions! Yet surrendering to them also made him prone to warping his judgement! The ideas he came up with sounded very frightening to him when he recalled them afterwards!

In cases like these, Gavin's recent words reminded him of a solution against this judgement problem.

\"I should stop designing mechs alone.\" He muttered.

He remembered the times he designed his mech alongside the likes of Professor Ventag and Ketis. Each time they discussed their collaborative works, they constantly conducted small professional exchanges as they shared some of their own insights and perspectives.

Ves also had to rein himself in and ground himself to reality each time he wanted to explain or justify his design choices.

He sighed. \"When I get home, I should really intensify my efforts to expand my design team.\"

In the following hour, he met up with another Journeyman on Reinz I. Sadly, Ves gained much less out of this exchange. Their design philosophies diverged even further than he expected.

Nonetheless, Ves was already happy with his gains from his first exchange, so he didn't mind his lack of results this time.

In any case, he became more practised with manipulating the aura of the Pride of Dusk's overcoat. It hardly took any effort for him to dial its intimidation effect up or down.

He also managed to find a sweet spot that lowered the intensity of its aura to the level where he commanded respect without arousing too much fear and suspicion.

\"Let's leave this boring planet and be on our way to our next destination.\" Ves spoke at the end of the day.

Once he and his escort returned to their ships, the fleet quickly entered FTL travel and headed to a special destination.

This time, the fleet headed to one of the port systems of the Sentinel Kingdom!

Just like the Bentheim System, the Cinach System served as a major trade nexus in the surrounding region. A lot of visitors and trade goods passed through Cinach, causing a wealth of money to flow in the pockets of the noble houses that divvied up the planets of the system.

Ves aimed to complete multiple tasks in the Cinach System.

Its abundant shipyards meant he could finally send his Barracuda to a drydock.

Its expansive industries and trade channels meant that he'd be able to get in touch with both the Sentinel Peacekeeper Association and the Circle of Mota. If neither of these clubs offered what he wanted, then he could always divert to the other underground organizations that operated in the underbelly of the Cinach System.

\"Every port system hosts a lively underground economy. If Cinach is anything like Bentheim, then there's an abundance of gangs operating beneath the surface.\"

Even so, the Sentinel Kingdom acted a lot more strictly against any organizations with connections to pirates. The Circle of Mota's presence in Cinach was extremely sensitive and prone to frequent relocations. If Lady Miralix hadn't vouched for him, he would have never been able to get his foot in the door with the secretive and elusive trading platform!

Just before the fleet emerged in the Cinach System, Nitaa requested a private meeting with Ves. Her grave face caused him to raise his vigilance.

\"What's the matter, Nitaa?\"

\"I've performed some research and got in touch with some of my former comrades. What I've learned is distressing. It's likely that the Five Scrolls Compact maintains a presence in Cinach through yet another splinter organization.\"

Ves paused for a moment. \"Do you think it's the Circle of Mota?\"

\"It's possible.\" She tentatively nodded. \"I haven't been able to determine for sure, but it sounds like something that they would facilitate. Most splinters serve as conduits for information and intel. If they're really involved with the Circle of Mota, then the Compact also gains a clandestine trade channel that they can use to obtain valuable resources without leaving any obvious trails.\"

Both of them grew grave as they processed the possibilities. While Ves was a bit annoyed that Nitaa hadn't been able to confirm whether the Circle of Mota acted as a front for the Compact, he'd have to be a lot more careful with his identity while he was present.

Ves had the feeling that he might be entering a lion's den if he visited one of their temporary trading sites!

The Compact already controlled an even larger black market organization in the form of the Angel's Wing Foundation! This made him feel that his fears were justified in this case.

Still, just because the Compact had their tentacles on them both did not deter him from doing business with them when it suited him. In any case, as long as he did not give away any clues that he possessed the System, then it was fine for him to transact with the lackeys of the Compact.

\"Is there a chance that a main member of the Compact is present in the Circle of Mota?\"

\"The chances of that are low.\" Nitaa replied. \"The brothers and sisters of the Compact are very hesitant about visiting highly-populated systems. I don't think you'll have anything to fear on that front.\"

They briefly discussed the precautions they had to take to keep Ves safe. Once they finished going over their plans concerning their visit to the Circle, Ves asked another question.

\"Have you heard anything about what the Compact is doing these days? Have they made any moves recently?\"

Her face scrunched up in worry. \"I did receive some hints that the Compact has become more active starting a few months ago. The Order of Fl'xix back in the Kinner Tribe has begun to make some secret preparations. For what, I'm not sure.\"

\"Could it be the Ruined Temple?\"

She shook her head. \"I don't think so. Their envoys should still be years away from arrival. From what I can read between the lines, the Order of Fl'xix may have received a warning for something that might occur in the near future.\"

All of this sounded disconcerting to Ves. Something that worried the Five Scrolls Compact should definitely be something that concerned him as well!

Chapter 1432

Ves smiled as the fleet emerged on the outer edge of the Cinach System. Just as he expected, the star system hosted a boisterous amount of traffic as thousands of trade vessels and passenger ships.

One of the strengths of the Cinach System was that it held a large number of planets and moons. All of this real estate enriched the ruling noble houses and attracted even greater amounts of trade.

The Cinach System hosted three notable planets.

Cinach VI under the control of House Evenson hosted a large number of mech companies. While the other planets in the system produced mechs as well, Cinach VI worked hard to become the premier destination to anything related to mechs.

Cinach VIII under the rule of House Gin Tefa excelled in education and research. It hosted a large number of universities and research institutions that produced and employed a large number of highly-educated people. Many of these universities ranked in the top of their respective fields in the Sentinel Kingdom!

Cinach XII may be the most distant planet from the local star, but it hosted lots of non-mech related industries. Most raw materials entering the Cinach System arrived at Cinach XI in order to go through extensive processing before they were being passed to the hungry industries elsewhere on the planet and in the system!

The latter planet also happened to feature an extensive orbital industry geared towards producing, repairing and modifying all kinds of starships!

The first priority that Ves wanted to address was to bring the Barracuda to one of the drydocks they booked. While the ships of the Battle Criers parked in the orbit of a moon, the Barracuda flew ahead and entered one of the massive structures orbiting Cinach XII.

As the corvette settled into the drydock, Ves called up Crindon and Captain Silvestra for a brief meeting.

\"Has the shipwright company agreed to perform the planned overhauls?\"

The captain nodded. \"Yes, sir. Nothing has changed despite the slight delay in our arrival. Aside from paying an additional fee, the work can still proceed.\"

\"After this, my vessel will be a lot more secure, right?\"

\"Relatively.\" Crindon noted with care. \"Jammers will still be necessary if you want to enjoy a moment of privacy. We're essentially exchanging Fridayman ship components with Hexer ship components. You can bet that the Hexers will keep a very close eye on you through the backdoors they've implemented in their own parts. In addition, the CFA and MTA will always have access to the systems of your ship.\"

Ves groaned in exasperation. \"How do the pirates manage this problem, then?!\"

\"They're smart enough to produce their own homegrown communication systems, sir. While not every pirate is as diligent, the more established and powerful pirate gangs all tear out the existing communication systems and replace them with versions developed by their own kind. Of course, it's very probable that those communication systems come with backdoors as well. This is why belonging to a pirate alliance is so highly prized by their ilk. If they are to be subject to monitoring, then they would be watched by their own side!\"

That made sense. The Dragon Alliance and the Ravienne Alliance were the two premier pirate blocs in the Faris Star Region. A lot of pirates that Ves encountered in the frontier dreamed of becoming a part of those alliances. The backing they provided massively increased the chances of survival for the pirates who were lucky enough to shelter under a large umbrella!

\"I'm getting really tired of dealing with all of these backdoors all the time.\" Ves groaned again. \"When we get back to the Bright Republic, I think I'll start developing and producing my own communication systems from the ground up. Do you think that's viable?\"

Crindon immediately expressed some doubts. \"It's a lot more complicated than you think. While it is easy enough to create a decent communication system, it's the security issues that require the most attention. I can help on this front, but I'm not trained to program security suites from scratch.\"

\"You have a point. I guess I'll have to consider this option further.\"

\"I think you're heading in the right direction. Every large and wealthy organization develops their own communication systems. While this does not make them immune to hacking, they will at least be able to minimize their vulnerabilities against their own rivals.\"

However, Captain Silvestra added another caveat. \"You can't replicate every communication system. Instantaneous communication across all of human space is an essential capability, but the Comm Consortium maintains a tight grip on the development and production of quantum entanglement nodes. This is one communication system that you can never reproduce!\"

That was also true. It was unthinkable for Ves to rip out the quantum entanglement node residing on the Barracuda. The best the upcoming overhaul could accomplish was replacing some of the external subcomponents produced by companies they trusted more.

Ves left Crindon and Captain Silvestra and the rest of the crew of the Barracuda to assist and supervise the extensive overhaul in the works.

All of the work being done required about two to three weeks to complete, which meant that Ves had plenty of time to fulfill his other goals in the meantime.

A week went by as Ves visited numerous Journeyman on Cinach VI. He got to see his new reputation at work as every mech designer he exchanged offered at least something substantial.

While none of these meetings prompted Ves to learn anything drastic that shifted his paradigms, he still picked up a few useful insights.

Every mech designer viewed mechs in a different light. Though Ves started to encounter a lot of overlap in the opinions expressed by the local mech designers, he nonetheless felt he gained something by broadening his perspective.

As he wrapped up his schedule of exchanges, Ves also briefly met with a Shadow Courier to obtain some of his long-awaited cargo in a seemingly-abandoned warehouse on Cinach VI.

\"Your package, Mr. Larkinson.\" The dark-robed woman spoke as she passed a secure box to Ves. \"Please inspect its contents.\"

Ves did so. As he opened up the box, he whipped up his Vulcaneye and scanned all of the key materials held within.

The sulomnium, beta-otricine and Flesha's Tears he asked for were all present in the right quantities. Their quality also passed muster.

\"Everything is in order.\" He smiled as he stowed away his multiscanner and passed the box to Nitaa. \"Before you go, can I pass my own package through your network?\"

\"We are at your service, Mr. Larkinson.\" The robed woman bowed with perhaps a bit more deference than usual due to the Pride of Dusk. \"We guarantee that every message or parcel you entrust to us will be delivered without fail, or your money back.\"

\"Good, because I have a small package that I want to deliver to someone in the Ylvaine Protectorate.\"

Ves and the Shadow Courier quickly concluded a deal. He had to pay a considerable sum in the tune of tens of millions of bright credits for what amounted to the delivery of an encrypted data chip, but he had no other choice.

The contents of the data chip contained his request for Calabast to scour the resource markets for more possible P-stones. Ves included all of the scanning data on the two P-stones so that Calabast and her underlings would know how to identify them based on their distinct emission footprints.

Once he concluded his meeting with the Shadow Courier, Ves felt ready to proceed to the next phase of his stay in the Cinach System.

\"Let's visit the local branch of the Sentinel Peacekeeper Association.\" He announced.

He and his escorts had to move all the way to Cinach XII where the Peacekeepers set up their branch.

Since Cinach was a port system, the Peacekeepers established a very large and extensive branch on the surface of Cinach XII.

\"Many mercenaries and treasure hunters travel back and forth between the Cinach System and the Nyxian Gap.\" Gavin explained. \"The Peacekeeper branch on Cinach XII attracts a lot of mech pilots, mech commanders, mech designers, traders and representatives of major companies. A lot of goods and services change hands here as Nyxian spoils are highly prized. Some of the most lucrative transactions in the system take place in their exclusive trading halls!\"

The key word here was exclusive. The Peacekeepers existed to organize every private outfit that was willing to undertake missions in the Nyxian Gap under a united banner. Because some of their spoils were in high demand, the Peacekeepers limited the possible business partners that were allowed to take part.

In general, the Peacekeepers mainly catered to the nobility of the Sentinel Kingdom. In rare instances, people like Ves who received the backing of a noble were also permitted to do business under certain circumstances.

The pass that Ves received from Lady Miralix only allowed Ves to participate for a couple of days. It was much harder for her to arrange a permanent pass to a foreign guest like him. At its heart, the Sentinel Peacekeeper Association existed to advance the interests of Sentinels, not foreigners!

\"Do any organizations like the Peacekeepers exist in the Bright Republic?\" Ves asked as he leisurely stroked Lucky's back.

\"Not as far as I know, boss. While the Bright Republic is fairly close to the frontier, most of our private outfits are more engaged with jobs closer to home. The frequent wars against the Vesia Kingdom makes it difficult for us to turn our attention to the wealth that we can extract from the frontier.\"

\"Ah. That makes sense, Benny.\"

Right now, Ves and his usual followers were traveling aboard an armored shuttle that slowly brought them to the expansive grounds of the Peacekeepers. A small squad of Battle Crier mechs discharged their usual task of escorting the shuttle as well.

Commander Cinnabar accompanied him as well this time.

\"What do you think about the mission of the Peacekeepers, commander?\"

He shrugged. \"I don't think the Peacekeepers are as honorable and upright as they claim. The Nyxian Gap is one of the roughest regions in our star sector. Communication is difficult if not outright impossible, so anything can take place inside. I'm sure the Peacekeeper outfits have all been driven to desperation at some point as they performed their missions.\"

\"That's very cynical of you to say that, commander.\"

\"The Nyxian Gap is a region that operates without rules. Those who try to abide by them will always face a disadvantage against those who possess no scruples.\"

Ves glowered a bit when he heard this. As far as he knew, his missing father still hid somewhere in the Nyxian Gap. The investigators hired by his grandfather hadn't managed to discover anything else. This illustrated the immense difficulty in obtaining any useful intel from this dreaded region!

\"What do you think, Nitaa?\"

\"I'm not too familiar with the Peacekeepers, but I know that some of the outfits have hired fellow Kinners. Some tasks are so sensitive that employers demand absolute trust from the mech pilots they send into the Nyxian Gap.\"

\"And these Kinners are okay with being deployed to the Nyxian Gap?\"

Both Nitaa and Commander Cinnabar shared a look with each other.

\"That's the life of a Kinner, sir. To be fair, we're only willing to perform these dangerous tasks if we signed a good contract. We're expensive for a reason.\"

Ves knew very well considering that he paid a lot of money to permanently secure the services of two Kinner bondsmen.

After some time had passed the shuttle finally landed at a landing zone within the campus-like grounds of the Peacekeepers.

\"We're here!\"

The branch of the Peacekeepers occupied as much space as a city district. Interspersed between plazas, parks and broad avenues, Ves spotted many different trading halls, employment centers, warehouses, mech workshops and other facilities.

As soon as Ves went through a brief inspection where the security guards verified the validity of his temporary pass, he quickly led his followers to one of the trading halls.

\"Let's go! We don't have a lot of time, so I plan to make the most of this visit!\"

Chapter 1433

Ves became dazzled by the variety of goods on offer. Though most of it consisted of exotics prospected from asteroids and other satellites within the Nyxian Gap, he became impressed at the sheer variety on offer.

\"The selection of goods here is only topped by the sheer variety of goods for sale at Centerpoint!\" Ves gasped.

The trading halls of the Sentinel Peacekeeper Association offered a lot of juicy goods at a lot more reasonable prices than those that Ves encountered at Centerpoint!

Of course, this was one of the benefits of getting access to the Peacekeepers. Only the well-connected Sentinels enjoyed such favorable treatment.

It made him miss his access to the Clifford Society. He could have exchanged all of the merits he saved up on something good.

It would have been nice if Ves managed to obtain permanent membership to the Peacekeepers, but that was not in the cards.

\"So what are we looking for, boss?\"

\"Hmmm... it would be nice if I can get another P-stone.\" Ves mulled for a moment. \"I'd also like to secure more geril spice and learn where it comes from. I'll also keep my eyes peeled for other curiosities.\"

This time, Ves opted to wear his full Pride of Dusk ensemble over his business attire. The sight immediately attracted the attention and respect of others, especially as he weakened the aura-filtering barrier around his overcoat.

Normally, he loathed presenting himself in such an ostentatious fashion. This time was different, though.

Just like other exclusive trading platforms, the traders here cared a lot about the people they transacted with. A nobody would not be able to gain access to the more exclusive goods and services on offer. Even if they managed to convince a trader to sell something, then the prices they had to pay may turn out to be prohibitively high!

The effect of his outfit made a huge difference. As he calmly waded through the bazaars, not a single vendor or trader treated him lightly!

Even when he placed his silly decorative cat ears on top of his head, this still didn't detract from the respect he received!

Neither his wealth nor his status of a Journeyman caused the Peacekeepers to take note. Instead, with the aid of his Pride of Dusk, the locals mainly acknowledged his involvement in a successful Crown Hunt!

Sadly, even as Ves encountered numerous interesting goods, he didn't actually encounter anything he considered a must-buy.

Conscious of his budget, he was loath to blow his reserves on expensive trinkets with dubious value.

While the Peacekeepers offered an impressive variety of exotic, none of them were relevant to him. Occasionally, he did come across a few materials that Ves wanted to add to his Devil Tiger mech, but he left them alone.

It was too expensive to buy all of these interesting exotics! The Devil Tiger already forced him to expend too much money and resources. There was no need for him to sink more investment into a mech that was already prohibitively expensive.

Of course, just because Ves didn't feel the urge to procure anything special didn't mean that Lucky was the same.

\"Meow! Meow! Meow!\"

Just like when they visited Centerpiece's marketplace, Lucky acted like he entered a dragon's hoard. His cat clung to his shoulders and constantly patted his cheek and pointed his paws at a certain store within the trading hall.

\"Stop hitting me, Lucky!\"

\"Meow!\"

\"I don't care if there's Rorach's Bone for sale in that store! Do you know how expensive they can get?! The windfall mined from the Glowing Planet has all been gobbled up by the various states that took part in breaking it apart!\"

In fact, Ves wasn't sure whether the Rorach's Bone emerged from the Nyxian Gap or the Glowing Planet.

Its regenerative properties were highly valued but also hard to work with. While he could think of plenty of uses for the material, obtaining a sample of Rorach's Bone was more of a luxury than a necessity to Ves.

\"Meow!\"

\"I'm not neglecting you! I'm just watching my budget, that's all!\"

In order to placate Lucky, Ves bought some cheaper exotics, forking over the equivalent of tens of millions of bright credits each.

Lucky's complaints quickly subsided with the purchases. The cat comfortably munched on a hardy mineral as Ves and his followers moved on and visited other trading halls.

Aside from exotics, the Peacekeepers also traded a lot of salvaged and captured mechs and ships.

\"A lot of pirate spoils are for sale here.\" Ves noted.

\"If you want to pick up some mechs or ships for cheap, here's your chance.\"

Ves grimaced. \"No need. I can produce my own mechs, and I'd rather obtain my ships from reputable sources.\"

He still browsed the venues to learn what kind of equipment the Nyxian pirates used. While he encountered plenty of mechs and vessels they probably stole from their victims, he also stumbled across numerous offerings that appeared to be produced by the pirates themselves!

\"While the Nyxian Gap is a harsh region, the Nyxians can be very inventive sometimes, sir.\" The vendor politely explained. The Pride of Dusk exerted a lot of pressure on his shoulders. \"The Nyxian Gap is home to quite a number of exiled mech designers and even shipwrights. If they're skilled and good enough, the pirate outfits lure them to work on their behalf. That's how most of the products that I'm selling have come about.\"

Ves grew curious as he inspected some of the salvaged mechs. The quality of most of them were quite decent!

\"How much industry takes place in the Nyxian Gap?\"

The vendor looked apologetic. \"I have no idea. Most of the Nyxian Gap is just an empty sea of asteroids, but I've heard stories that there are places where the pirates have built space stations or larger settlements at some sites.\"

\"How large are we talking about?\"

\"Not as large as Cinach XII or anything. I don't think there's any settlement that hosts more than a hundred-thousand Nyxian pirates, but don't take my word for it. I only hear some rumors every now and then.\"

Though the seller claimed he didn't know a lot, his position within the Peacekeepers exposed him to a lot of hearsay and rumors.

One of the reasons that Ves spent so much time in the trading halls was to sample some of these rumors. He wouldn't be able to approach so many Peacekeeper staff otherwise!

Ves kept his ears out for stories of random pirates and dark mercenaries, hoping to hear any signs of his father.

However, his father probably did everything possible to obscure his identity in the Nyxian Gap! There was no way he'd be stupid enough to use his real name while he remained in hiding!

\"The Oblivion Hand has been gaining ground lately.\" One of the vendors gossiped. \"Ever since the Dark Cleaver, their new commander, launched a coup against Commander Dafoe, they've been making a lot of noise. They made a lot of enemies along the way, but under the leadership of the Dark Cleaver, the Oblivion Hand managed to break every enemy that stood in their way and absorb the defeated remnants into their ranks!\"

\"Uh huh. That sounds very interesting, but let's move on.\" Ves muttered with a disinterested expression. \"Have you heard about any settlements in the Nyxian Gap?\"

\"Well, supposedly there's a really huge pirate haven in the Nyxian Gap. Some of the pirates the Peacekeepers have captured have claimed to have visited a hollowed-out rogue planet in the deepest parts of the Nyxian Gap.\"

That immediately aroused Ves' interest. \"Tell me more.\"

\"It's supposedly called the Archport and is under the absolute control of a pirate boss who styles himself as the Enlightened King. From all of the pirates the Peacekeepers have captured and interrogated over the years, we're pretty sure that the Archport exists.\"

\"Such a massive pirate haven sounds like a great target for the Peacekeepers.\"

\"It would, if it wasn't so deep in the Nyxian Gap.\" The vendor retorted. \"Unless the Peacekeepers manage to find some sort of shortcut, it literally takes decades to reach this far into the Archport!\"

\"That sounds ridiculous!\"

\"That's how space travel is like in the Nyxian Gap. There's a lot of oddities at work. Distances don't make sense sometimes, and this problem will only grow more severe the deeper you head into the inner region of the Gap. It's as if there's a massive hole in reality in the center of the region that radiates all kinds of strange anomalous effects in the surrounding space.\"

That might very well be true. A lot of scientists cracked their heads to figure out how the Nyxian Gap came into being. Perhaps some kind of extremely powerful magnetar got struck by some ancient alien superweapon which collapsed and scrambled the space it used to occupy.

The phenomenon of space compression meant that the Nyxian Gap encompassed a much smaller region of space than it appeared on the maps. It was just that the inability to engage in FTL travel counteracted this effect.

\"I see.\" Ves nodded thoughtfully. \"If it literally takes decades to reach the Archport from the outside, then I'm not surprised that the Peacekeepers haven't done anything about it. Do you think it actually exists?\"

\"Yeah. We don't have any idea how to get there, though. I'm sure that some kind of shortcut exists that shaves off the travel time, but strangely enough, the pirates who claimed to have visited the Archport literally don't know. The knowledge of this route has been plucked from their brains!\"

That caused Ves to grow suspicious. He began to wonder whether the Five Scrolls Compact secretly controlled this so-called Archport. It made a lot of sense and it fit their modus operandi.

However, Ves could lodge this accusation to a lot of things. He even entertained suspicions that the Compact even managed to infiltrate the Peacekeepers!

Ves vigorously shook his head. There he went again, letting his paranoia get the better of him. It was ridiculous for him to suspect that the Peacekeepers were secretly controlled by the Compact considering that the aristocracy was firmly in control of the organization.

As Ves continued to interact with the vendors and other staff, he abruptly paused when he noticed a very remarkable piece of salvage for sale.

Ves turned and immediately approached a specific store. He walked up to one of the projections that showed something that he never expected to find in this region of space.

\"This...\" Gavin hesitated. \"This wreck looks like it came from an Aurora Titan. Is.. is this your mech?\"

His lips curled downwards. \"No. It's an imitation, and a good one at that!\"

The imitation mech suffered very heavy damage and almost every part of its exterior sustained damage. Nevertheless, Ves could easily imagine that the machine performed close to the authentic versions produced by the LMC and NORA Consolidated!

Ves shook his head at the sight. \"Let's go.\"

\"Don't you want to purchase the wreck and investigate it further?\" Gavin asked.

\"Nah. I've already seen what I've wanted to see. I'm pretty sure the copycat mech didn't come from one of the underground mech manufacturers based in the Reinald Republic. I'm not interested in learning more.\"

Every mech designer who designed a good mech suffered from copycats looking to rip off their work. It was futile for Ves to try to stamp them out completely. If the MTA wasn't able or willing to do so, then what could he do?

What Ves found most egregious about the wreck of the imitation he encountered was that he actually sensed the hint of something remarkable in its projection!

This meant that the copycat mech manufacturers managed to obtain the full design schematics and reproduce them well enough that they even managed to impart their imitation mechs with a hint of X-Factor!

This did not bode well for Ves and the LMC!

Chapter 1434

Ves got what he came for during his visit to the Sentinel Peacekeeper Association. The gossip, rumors and other nuggets of information he pumped from the mouths of the Peacekeepers at their branch on Cinach XII might not be the most reliable intel around, but collectively they painted a broad inside picture of the Nyxian Gap.

His perspective of the Nyxian Gap had deepened. He became a little bit more aware of the dynamic between Peacekeepers and Nyxians. The Nyxians themselves also fought against each other for supremacy, survival or greed.

The highly unusual anomalous effects within this vast, disturbing region of space led to the emergence of a unique society where fugitives and exiles found second lives as brutal pirates or merciless dark mercenaries.

As Ves and his followers entered a private courtyard in order to enjoy some lunch, they began to share their own thoughts.

\"The Nyxian Gap is like a supercharged version of the frontier.\" Ves opined. \"The resources there are richer, but the pirates there are far more ruthless.\"

Commander Cinnabar scratched his red beard. \"The population of humans in our star sector is astounding when you think about it. Only about 3.5 percent of them are potentates, of which many of them become mech pilots. Of this group, only a miniscule proportion turn into bad apples.\"

\"When you think in percentages, the proportion seems small. But when you start counting in absolute numbers, the figure is quite astonishing!\" Ves summed up. \"No one knows how many mech pilots roam the Nyxian Gap, but I've heard estimates ranging from a million to a hundred million mech pilots!\"

A hundred million mech pilots! Though Ves personally thought this estimate was way too inflated, if the pirates could muster up even a fraction of that number, they could easily overrun the Sentinel Kingdom!

However, while analysts generally agree that the Nyxian Gap harbored a lot of scum, their sense of unity was non-existent. Pirate alliances existed, but the effective size of the Nyxian Gap was too large to exert effective control over large regions of space within the Gap.

In the Faris Star Region, both the Dragon Alliance and the Ravienne Alliance held sway over considerable portions of space. Navigating between their holdings was generally easy, as it didn't take more than a few months to go from one end to the other end of their territory.

Not so for the Nyxian Gap. Dozens or even hundreds of disparate pirate alliances existed in a region where it took decades, centuries or even millennia to travel from one end to the other end of the Gap! The lack of FTL travel really hampered any group's ability to assert effective dominance over the entire region!

Surprisingly, Gavin mentioned an upside. \"The Nyxian Gap is a magnet for trouble, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Don't you realize how few wars the Sentinel Kingdom has fought against other states? Sentinel and the other states in the vicinity of the Nyxian Gap are more interested in defending against pirates and exploiting the boundless resources of the Nyxian Gap than waging destructive wars against each other!\"

\"The states know if they are pulled in any war, then the Nyxian pirates will all come out of the woodwork to take advantage of the chaos.\" Nitaa remarked. \"They'll be the only winners of war by the time the fighting ends.\"

All of this sounded probable to Ves. He never heard of any instances like the Bright-Vesia Wars occurring in this corner of the star sector. Every state already had their hands full trying to defend their territories against the ravages of pirates.

No matter how many pirates they exterminated, there was always more!

This reflected the ubiquity of bad apples within the mech piloting community. Potentates did not magically transform into virtuous saints when they trained to become mech pilots. While the mech academies did their best to instill notions of honor, duty, sacrifice, justice and other virtues, people were just too diverse!

Some mech pilots were just too rotten to redeem or turn a new leaf. When these dangerous and unstable individuals entered the cockpits of their mechs, their capacity for murder, destruction and other violent acts went through the roof!

When these rotten mech pilots finally showed their true nature, they were no longer welcome in civilized space. They needed to find somewhere to escape pursuit!

Places like the frontier and the Nyxian Gap therefore ended up as the garbage dumps of the star sector. They accumulated all of the human trash that the Komodo Star Sector generated and digested them into the next generation of pirates and scum!

\"Hey, it's not just the mech pilots who have turned pirate, you know!\" Gavin complained. \"An even greater number of norms like us are driven to desperation as well.\"

\"Even mech designers aren't exempt.\" Ves nodded in agreement.

A lot of people who entered the Nyxian Gap didn't have what it took to survive or retain their freedom. Many of them died, and most who survived ended up as slaves or lackeys to powerful pirate gangs.

Only the strongest and most ruthless among these fugitives ended up on top and gained a measure of power over their lives. The Nyxian Gap constantly brought out the worst in people because they had no other choice if they wanted to survive!

The thought of his father trying to stay alive while avoiding the Five Scrolls Compact weighed heavily on Ves. He had to grow stronger before he could save his father!

However, even as a Journeyman, his ability to influence his father's fate was still non-existent!

At this rate, by the time Ves finally advanced to Master, his father might reach the end of his lifespan!

He vigorously shook his head. He couldn't let himself fall into despair! Perhaps he might be able to offer aid sooner. Ves would just have to keep his eye on the Nyxian Gap and wait for opportunities to help his father or hinder the Five Scrolls Compact.

\"Meow.\"

Lucky just finished crunching the minerals served in a small bowl placed on the table, but he was already begging for more!

\"You already ate enough for the day!\" Ves admonished his cat.

\"Meow!\"

\"If you want to earn more, then be on the lookout for anything interesting!\"

Once everyone finished their lunch, Ves resumed trawling the trading halls and other venues for gossip and something interesting to buy.

Along the way, Ves also kept a lookout on imitations of his work. Yet aside from the copycat Aurora Titan wreck he encountered earlier, he hadn't found any other ripoffs.

He didn't know whether to feel relieved or insulted.

\"The LMC hasn't expanded its reach to this part of the star sector yet.\" Gavin noted. \"Give it time. I'm sure more imitation mechs will pop up in the markets here.\"

Ves sighed. \"Yeah, you're right. There's no way we can beat the plague of copycats.\"

\"The best the LMC can do is to expand their presence in the Sentinel Kingdom and elsewhere. When there are legitimate copies for sale here, many mech buyers will opt to buy from us. All of our mechs are certified by the MTA, after all. Who knows what kind of corners and backdoors the illicit producers have sneaked into their copycat mechs.\"

Ves snorted. \"According to what I've heard, the black markets have developed their own solution for that, though their reliability still isn't as good as the MTA.\"

Black market organizations knew that they had to provide some measure of assurance to their buyers. They employed various mech designers as mech appraisers who could inspect and judge the true state of a mech for a fee.

While the reliability of these mech appraisers were always in question, they were better than nothing!

As Ves continued to hang around in the Peacekeeper halls, he began to attract an increasing amount of attention. His overcoat as well as his recent accomplishment caused various Peacekeepers to observe him closely. He even received a couple of commission requests from various outfits!

He refused them all on the spot. Ves did not intend to entangle himself any further within the Sentinel Kingdom.

None of the commissions promised anything interesting as a reward either. Ves had better things to do than to spend months to design a custom mech for an underwhelming sum of money.

Though Ves felt a little bit flattered at being approached, none of the offers matched the rewards given by Lady Miralix. None of the Peacekeepers managed to match her sincerity!

As Ves kept browsing the goods for sale, he continually kept his senses, hoping to catch another P-stone in the wild. According to Lady Miralix, his second P-stone originally came from the Nyxian Gap, so Ves held some hope that he'd be able to find another sample among the goods that the Peacekeepers managed to gather!

Sadly for him, Ves failed to uncover any new P-stones that he could add to his collection.

However, he did find one interesting exotic that attracted his attention.

When he idly brushed his spiritual senses over the rock, his spiritual energy suddenly seethed in excitement!

\"Huh!?\"

Even Lucky, who clung to his shoulder, suddenly jerked his head at the mineral.

\"Meow!\"

\"I know! Stay put!\"

Wary of being ripped off, Ves did not immediately enter the store that sold the exotic that reacted to his spirituality. Instead, he lingered around the section of the trading hall and pretended to browse the other wares for sale while he cautiously inspected the rock with his spiritual senses.

From his brief glimpse, he saw that the exotic looked like a gnarly bright yellow rock with strange red dots spread throughout its surface. It resembled a squat, solid mango infested by parasites.

It was these strange red dots that caused the spiritual energy he extended to react. As Ves extended a more solid spiritual tentacle towards the strange exotic, he closely observed the interaction that took place.

As soon as his spiritual tentacle pressed against one of the red dots, a charged sensation ran through his Spirituality! It was as if he encountered a high-quality source of spiritual energy!

\"This!\"

His eyes widened as he kept inspecting the exotic with his spiritual senses. He continually revised his evaluation of the strange exotic as his Spirituality continued to experience charged sensations from the strange rock.

\"What is happening?\"

Upon closer inspection, he realized that his spiritual energy actually started to change upon interacting with the red-spotted yellow rock! Ves immediately drew back his spiritual senses for fear of contamination!

Yet despite this threat, his fascination for the exotic did not decrease! Exotics that reacted to spirituality were far too rare, so even this suspicious rock merited his attention!

Ves continued to act nonchalant for ten more minutes before he finally gave in to his temptation. He casually entered the store that sold the yellow rock and a variety of other exotics and slowly came over to his intended destination.

\"I haven't seen anything like this before. Where did you get it?\" He asked the vendor.

The man on the other side of the counter hesitated for a moment.

Right now, Ves had dialed up the strength of the aura of his overcoat, thereby exerting a lot of pressure to the salesman!

The staffer did not have the courage to pull off any shenanigans. He answered the question without any embellishments.

\"This sample is part of some spoils brought back more than a year ago by one of our Peacekeeper outfits. Ostensibly, the rock came from the center of the Nyxian Gap. While we have no way of verifying this claim, we've never found anything like it, so the chances are low that it can be found in the periphery of the Nyxian Gap!\"

That discouraged Ves a bit. The second type of exotic he found that reacted to spirituality turned out to be another unicorn-like exotic that was extremely difficult to find! It was impossible for the Peacekeepers to travel all the way to the center of the Nyxian Gap!

Chapter 1435

Ves already spent several days at the Peacekeeper branch on Cinach XII. While its trading halls sold a large variety of exotics and other spoils, he hadn't bought anything aside from snacks for Lucky.

He didn't consider any of the goods he'd seen so far to be must-buys.

While some exotics possessed interesting properties, they were usually expensive for him to bother.

The second-hand mechs, ships and other equipment for sale were not in good condition and of dubious construction. If Ves wanted to buy some new equipment, then he might as well buy them from the legitimate markets!

Amidst all of the junk, the yellow rock covered with mysterious red dots stood out from the junk due to its intriguing reaction to spirituality!

Even now when Ves had already retracted his spiritual senses, he still felt some lingering charge running through his spiritual energy. It was as if his Spirituality had been injected by a stimulant that turned it hyperactive!

\"What's it called?\" Ves asked the intimidated salesman.

\"It's official name is a bunch of serial numbers as we haven't found anything like it before. Personally, I like to call it the fruit rock. Don't you think it kind of looks like a passion fruit but with its seeds strewn all over?\"

The name sounded undignified for a rare exotic that reacted to spirituality, but it wasn't as if his own naming sense was any better!

\"What does this so-called fruit rock do?\"

The vendor shrugged. \"In truth, we don't know. While we've subjected it to lots of scans that confirms that it is an exotic due to its activity levels, we haven't found any effects or applications so far. It's just another weird space rock that might be capable of achieving something great in the right hands.\"

Ves smirked. \"If this rock is really great, then it would have been sold by now. You said it was recovered a year ago? How much time did it spend in this display cabinet? It looks like you have a hard time getting rid of it. I don't blame you since it doesn't look like it does anything.\"

\"That's just because its full potential hasn't been uncovered yet, customer!\"

A messy negotiation ensued. Despite the intimidation that the vendor experienced from Ves and his coat, his salesman instincts were too strong to be suppressed!

Even so, Ves firmly held the upper hand during the bargaining. With the tantalizing fruit rock within such close reach, he no longer wanted to play the long game and pressed for a quick transaction!

While Ves eventually paid more than what he would have if he expressed less interest, he still found the cost to be bearable. All in all, he managed to get away with a valuable exotic that promised something new to him by forking over the equivalent of around 78 million bright credits.

That was still a lot of money, but easily bearable to a Journeyman like him! In fact, Ves secured an absolute steal at this insanely-low price!

As the salesman carefully transferred the rock into a container and passed it over, Ves thanked the man and eagerly stepped out of the store.

\"Meow.\"

Lucky jumped down to the top of the container in Ves' grasp and directed his cute eyes towards the contents.

\"No, Lucky! This isn't your food, so stop begging!\"

\"Meow meow!\"

\"Look, just like the P-stone, if I find more samples of this exotic, I'll feed you some, okay?!\"

\"Meow!\"

Lucky only stayed long enough to secure this concession from Ves. The cat jumped back to his shoulder and settled down constantly.

As soon as Ves secured his prize, he quickly led his group out of the Peacekeeper branch and back to their hotel on Cinach XII.

There, he immediately jammed his hotel room while inspecting his new find with great interest.

\"What's with all of the excitement, boss? Is this exotic really that good?\"

\"I'm about to find out, hehe.\" Ves eagerly rubbed his hands before whipping out his Vulcaneye.

Along with his purchase, he also received a lot of files containing scanning data, but Ves wanted to make sure they were accurate.

So far, the scans his Vulcaneye returned concurred with the data he received.

Only a single discrepancy occurred. The activity level of the exotic he dubbed the F-stone had dropped by a tiny but measurable degree. Had the exotic degraded over time or did his recent actions drain it of some of its energy?

Ves began to investigate by extending his spiritual energy in the form of a detached spiritual projection while keeping his Vulcaneye active.

\"Ah!\"

Upon contact, his spiritual projection reacted as if it gained a very energetic charge all of a sudden! The effect was even more pronounced this time as the charge concentrated solely on the projection rather than the rest of his Spirituality!

In truth, his probe was very reckless. If not for his haste and eagerness to uncover the secrets of his new F-stone, he would have never sent out a chunk of his spiritual energy as a lab rat!

Nonetheless, as Ves became fascinated at the strange charge infused in his spiritual projection, he hardly cared about the potential dangers it posed. His intuition hinted to him that he was observing something good!

However, when Ves directed his gaze towards his multiscanner, he found that the activity level of his F-stone experienced another drop during the moment his spiritual projection came into contact!

Evidently, the F-stone acted as a container for a finite amount of unknown energy! The more he charged his Spirituality with this strange energy, the more he depleted the F-stone's reserves!

\"Damnit! Is it a finite source?\"

As Ves continued to monitor the activity level of the F-stone, it didn't look like it was starting to recover what it lost. Though he would have to keep an eye on the F-stone for a longer period of time to be sure, he suspected that nothing would change no matter how long he waited!

This meant that Vse had no way to recharge the F-stone once it expended its entire reserve!

Ves felt a bit bummed at the finding. His enthusiasm for the new F-stone diminished now that realized that he realized that it was essentially a single-charge battery!

\"What a waste! Rechargeable batteries are always better than single-charge batteries!\"

Nonetheless, he should be happy that he uncovered something pertinent to his interests at all. Exotics that reacted to spirituality was way too rare, so finding the F-stone still represented a major coup.

Now, he just had to figure out what the hell this strange charge did to the spiritual energy it touched.

\"Hmm.\"

He began to inspect his charged spiritual projection. The detached tentacle floated before his eyes as he engaged his spiritual vision. As he delved deeper into the altered concentration of spirituality, he inspected its attributes.

This was where he suddenly found a difference!

\"It's changed! No, it's still the same, but there's something extra in the mix!\"

Ves knew his own Spirituality the best. He long memorized every spiritual attribute that could be found in his spiritual energy along with their relative proportions. The most dominant attributes pertained to mechs in some way, but there were also plenty of other attributes related to his personality that he couldn't quite identify for the moment.

Regardless, in the years since he gained awareness of his own Spirituality, he never experienced any drastic changes in the mix.

Yet now, his charged spiritual projection suddenly gained an additional attribute! And in large quantities as well!

It was as if he drank coffee without sweetener for his entire life, but one day accidentally dropped some sugar in his drink!

Ves compared his main Spirituality and his detached projection and saw that the latter contained much more of the extra attribute. This meant that the charge that he previously gained was in such low quantities that it didn't really result in a noticeable shift. Only when he charged a portion of his spiritual energy did it become easier for him to spot the addition.

Now that he found out that his spiritual energy gained an extra attribute, he quickly started to investigate its nature.

It was very difficult for Ves to uncover the exact nature of an attribute, especially since he did not possess a frame of reference. He wasn't even sure about the natures of his own attributes!

Nevertheless, Ves did not encounter a lot of ambiguity when he inspected the nature of the extra attribute that the F-stone infused in his spiritual projection.

For some reason, he got the sense that the attribute was related to might and offensive power. He began to regard his spiritual projection as a sharp knife that could inflict a lot more damage than before!

\"Curious.\"

Ves spontaneously decided to test it out. The only other spiritual entity on hand was Zeigra's spiritual fragment that he locked within his overcoat. He immediately turned his attention to the garment, which he hung up at a nearby coat rack, and mentally sent out his charged spiritual projection.

His overcoat pulsed in pain! The changes in the aura were so acute that Nitaa and Gavin unconsciously flinched!

Ves quickly retracted his spiritual projection, which seemed to have lost some of its charge.

The experiment confirmed his suspicion! Whatever charge his F-stone held, transferring it to his spiritual energy before using it to attack another spiritual energy resulted in a lot more damage than before!

\"This exotic is a treasure!\"

After performing several other, less drastic experiments, he found out that he could empower his entire Spirituality if he wished so, but he needed to absorb a lot more charge if he wanted to empower it to a drastic degree.

Since the F-stone's charge did not regenerate or recover on its own, Ves was loath to perform such a wasteful experiment. As long as he only possessed a single specimen, he couldn't afford to expend its charge too quickly!

Ves happily ended his observation and experiments and stowed away the F-stone into its container. He'd carry it around for now until he returned to the Barracuda, where he could safely stow it away in the ship's vault.

\"What's this exotic all about?\" Gavin frowned. \"You've been slobbering all over your new purchase as if it was a giant piece of candy. Is it really that valuable to you?\"

\"Oh, it's very valuable, Benny. Perhaps others might not know what to do with it, but it's different for me. From now on, we should add F-stones to the list of must-buy exotics. I can never have too few of them! As for what they do... let's just say that they're valuable. Not just to me, but also others.\"

Ves pointedly turned towards Nitaa. \"Did you sense anything strange about the F-stone?\"

She shook her head. \"No. My nose didn't pick up anything different.\"

Nitaa happened to be one of the few people around who possessed a small but noticeable quantity of spiritual energy.

An idea came to mind. What if instead of charging his own Spirituality, he made use of the F-stone to charge someone else's spiritual energy?

He had no idea what might result from such an interaction. Though Ves felt tempted to whip out his F-stone again and see what happened if it charged Nitaa's spirituality, that was way too reckless.

It was too irresponsible for him to treat his own bodyguard as his test subject!

If only he had one of the Cursed People's beast riders around! Ves had no qualms about subjecting them to this potentially dangerous experiment!

Ves sighed and shoved his complaints aside.

\"I'm very happy with my purchase today. Our visit to the Peacekeepers has been more than worth it in my regard. Since we've already scoured their trading halls, there's nothing for us to find. I'm not interested in socializing with the Peacekeepers or partaking in their services.\"

\"So.. does that mean we'll visit the Circle of Mota next?\"

\"Not yet.\" Ves shook his head. \"First, I want to rent a secure workshop. It's time for me to fabricate a very special mech!\"

Chapter 1436

Once his excitement for the discovery of the F-stone faded, he began to address a priority that he had long been waiting to tackle.

\"The Devil Tiger yearns to be born!\"

Ves already finalized the design shortly before he arrived in Cinach. Not only did he impart it with a very lively if rebellious design spirit, but he also collected all of the requisite materials.

The Battle Criers even received the shipment of pure ASMAS on his behalf. Right now, the supply ships of the Kinner mercenary corps stored all of the materials in their cargo holds.

Ves summoned both Nitaa and Commander Cinnabar for a meeting.

\"Nitaa, have you secured a suitable workshop where I can fabricate my mech in secret?\"

His bodyguard nodded. \"I've anonymously approached an underground syndicate that's in control of an industrial district in a medium-sized city. They've agreed to let us use a well-equipped but abandoned mech workshop in exchange for a hefty fee. They demand half of the payment up-front.\"

\"Details, please.\"

The tall woman handed over a data pad to Ves where he studied the layout and the equipment of the workshop.

Though the tools and equipment looked a bit aged, they were well-maintained. That was better than he expected out of an illicit workshop.

\"I'm okay with it. Go ahead and confirm the agreement. Take care of the up-front payment as well.\"

\"Will do, sir. We're free to enter the workshop as soon as the syndicate confirms they've received the money.\"

\"Good. I want this done quickly. Commander Cinnabar, please coordinate with Crindon about the transfer of materials down to the workshop. I don't want to leave any traces, understood?\"

Both of them nodded. While they had no idea what Ves was up to, they were Kinners. It wasn't in their nature to question their employers too much.

\"We'll have to shuffle the materials around for a while if we want to obscure their providence, sir. To be safe, we should also transfer its contents to different cargo containers and dispose of the empty ones.\"

\"Take care of it. I trust that you'll ensure we won't leave any loopholes behind for investigators to trace my activities to me. Do you need more time or resources to complete these arrangements?\"

Nitaa looked confident. \"It won't take more than a day. If any complications arise, I'll inform you as soon as possible.\"

\"Sounds good. Don't hesitate to ask for advice from Crindon if necessary.\"

Having a diverse staff on hand provided him with a lot more conveniences than before. Ordinarily, Ves would have contacted a black market organization himself to make all of these arrangements, but now that he expanded his staff, why not delegate these tedious tasks to his underlings?

While assigning Crindon to this task would have been better, his security expert was still preoccupied with supervising the overhaul of the Barracuda.

In any case, Nitaa was not a simple bodyguard. While she failed to perform well enough to be admitted into the Order of Fl'xix, she still acquired many of their skills. The Kinner order did more than guarding people. Spying, investigating and interacting with underground organizations also fell within their competences.

In short, Ves regarded Nitaa as a budget spy. The only major deficiency she suffered from was that she didn't know how to hack. The most she could do was utilize an automatic hacking tool or program.

Nitaa and Commander Cinnabar immediately started rolling the ball. Taking care to hide their identities with each step of the way, they confirmed their agreement with the syndicate who owned the mech workshop before starting to transfer their cargo down to the surface of Cinach XII.

While Cinach VI provided a much better infrastructure for the production of mechs than Cinach XII, Ves did not wish to bother with the hassle of moving back to the sixth planet from the local sun.

Besides, Cinach XII possessed its own advantages. The presence of the branch of the Peacekeepers along with extensive heavy industries meant that a lot of cargo got shifted around.

It was easy enough to insert a few unremarkable cargo containers in the enormous flow of traffic and shuffle them from warehouse to warehouse.

Though the logistical operation kept Nitaa and the Battle Criers very busy, at the end of the day all of the cargo containers safely arrived at the workshop through an underground entrance.

Ves also arrived at the mech workshop through shifty means. He secretly departed from his hotel with the use of his Stealth Augment and under disguise.

He had to leave Gavin behind along with a member of the Battle Criers who acted as a decoy by wearing the Pride of Dusk. While the deception was far from foolproof, it was good enough to confuse most casual inspections.

In the end, Ves, Lucky and Nitaa arrived at the mech workshop through the same underground tunnels they used to deliver the cargo containers.

As Ves stepped foot in the mech workshop, he briefly inspected all of the equipment and became satisfied with what he saw.

\"Alright, Lucky. Go snoop around and see if the syndicate we've hired the workshop from have left behind any bugs.\"

\"Meow.\"

Ves sighed. \"Okay, okay!\"

He put his hand in the pocket of his obscuring high coat and withdrew a small mineral chunk. He threw it over Lucky's head who immediately jumped up to snap the exotic with his maw!

Having received his prize, Lucky happily floated away with his tail swishing in happiness.

\"You too, Nitaa. Please sweep the mech workshop to make sure there aren't any traps lying around.\"

\"Understood.\"

You could never be too sure when dealing with these underground organizations. While Lucky and Nitaa thoroughly inspected every corner of the facility, Ves approached the equipment and started inspecting their software and hardware.

If the syndicate wanted to keep an eye on what went on in the mech workshop, they wouldn't do something as crude as placing hidden bugs and sensors all over the place.

They'd bug the fabrication machines instead!

While the 3D printer, assembly system and all the other equipment seemed in order at first glance, Ves was very familiar with how they worked. If he wanted to bug the machines, he could think up a million different ways on how it could be done!

With his paranoid tendencies, Ves did not hesitate to waste half a day inspecting all of the machines in person.

He cracked open the 3D printer and scanned every individual component inside.

He utilized an automated hacking software to access the root programming of each machine in order to find any discrepancies.

He activated the machines and used some spare materials to test and witness their performance. This proved to be a prudent precaution because he found that some of the subcomponents had become misaligned due to extensive use.

To be honest, the misalignment was not a big deal, but it annoyed him to hell when he thought about leaving them alone. After he diverted his time, he continued to delve in the guts of the production equipment.

\"Ahah! Gotcha! I knew they wouldn't be able to resist!\"

While the 3D printer ostensibly appeared proper, in truth Ves found an extremely tiny component hidden deep within the enormous machine.

The component acted as a secret logger! While the 3D printer's regular logging software and components had already been removed, this tiny, non-standard part essentially replicated some of their functioning in secret!

Anyone who retrieved the data the tiny component gathered would be able to reconstruct what Ves had produced with the machine!

Ves removed and crushed the tiny component as soon as possible. Having found solid proof that the local syndicate lied to him, he resumed his search with much more diligence than before.

He found no more bugs.

\"Did I catch them all, or did I miss some?\" He wondered.

He wasn't sure, but he wouldn't be able to find anything else even if he searched again. As much as he wanted to indulge in his paranoia and conduct another search, he already wasted enough time.

\"It's about time for me to start.\" He declared.

He began the long preparation of taking out the materials. He did not use the mech workshop's own lifter bots to move all of the heavy goods but instead used the ones he bought earlier in the day. He already inspected them thoroughly and planned to destroy them afterwards to minimize the risk of exposure.

\"I can never be too sure!\"

He felt as if he was back to fabricating a prohibited gamma laser rifle. While his Devil Tiger was not strictly as egregious as a weapon of mass destruction, its existence would most definitely lead to a lot of controversy!

Still.. the risks he was toying with exciting him. The thought of finally bringing a dangerous mech like the Devil Tiger into existence quickly stoked his passion.

\"It's been long enough! I can't hold back any longer!\"

Ves eagerly dove into the fabrication process. First, he took out the pure ASMAS that formed the inner core of his mech.

Stored in a huge barrel, the pure ASMAS that Gloriana procured for him looked no different from a grey, mercury-like soup at first glance.

Preparing it was the simplest step of all. Ves merely had to pass on the programming and instructions he already composed beforehand.

In fact, the fabrication process this time proceeded very differently than normal. The high degree of smart metal utilized in the mech meant that his Devil Tiger was essentially capable of constructing itself!

Once he inspected the pure ASMAS and verified that it had all implemented their new programming, he began to place several piles of materials surrounding the alien-like mass of shifting metals.

After sending a few more instructions, the pure ASMAS began to engulf some of the metal and alloy bars. An uncountable amount of nanomachines quickly began to break apart the bars into tiny particles.

A second pool of shifting, morphing metal began to form. This was the substitute ASMAS made of lesser materials. As more than half of the Devil Tiger consisted of substitute ASMAS, its production took a lot of time, all the while the pure ASMAS demanded a constant supply of energy to power its nanofabrication activities.

Ves witnessed the slow process of forming the initial mass of substitute ASMAS with a mixed expression.

He had the feeling he was looking at a potential future direction of mech production. If smart metal technology ever matured to the point where they could compete with conventionally-produced mechs, then it may become more in vogue, thereby making huge mech manufacturing complexes redundant!

\"Well, that's unlikely. Materialization technology is already making some strides, so that will probably achieve universality first.\"

He quickly centered his mind and rid himself of all distractions. This was a period where he had to devote his utmost into fabricating the Devil Tiger. Even though the use of ASMAS took a lot of work on his hands, there were plenty of parts that still had to be built conventionally.

With a focused mind, he began to activate the 3D printer and other production equipment and proceeded to churn out various parts. The power reactor, the mech engine, the cockpit, portions of the internal frame as well as other miscellaneous components quickly flew out of the production machines.

His passion and enthusiasm for his project caused him to enter into a strange state of tranquility. While he didn't burn with as much passion as he did when he fabricated the Transcendent Messengers, he nonetheless believed he was doing a better job than before.

The parts of the Devil Tiger slowly accumulated. Though Ves had not put them all together yet, he already sensed the potency hidden within.

With the exceptional amount of care and attention Ves directed to his work, practically everything went flawlessly. Even as Ves triple-checked the freshly-fabricated parts by subjecting them to scans, he hardly found any discrepancies!

His belief in his Devil Tiger grew. With such exceptionally flawless parts, Ves wanted to do everything possible to turn his latest mech into something exceptional!

His pride as a craftsman demanded no less!

Chapter 1437

The Devil Tiger design represented several milestones of progress in his design career.

It was his first smart metal mech.

It was his first true bestial mech.

It was his first mech which utilized a complete spiritual entity as its design spirit.

It was his first mech where he used an involuntary design spirit.

It was his first mech that utilized a much more unrestrained neural interface.

If his Devil Tiger only encompassed one of those firsts, then the mech did not merit such weight.

Yet because his design pioneered so many aspects in a single mech frame, it gained greater significance in his eyes.

Though he was proud of his Aurora Titan and Transcendent Messenger designs, he considered the Devil Tiger to be his first true inaugural work since becoming a Journeyman.

His design seed matured enough that it provided a great amount of assistance in his latest design project. It not only accelerated his design work, but also led him to develop many small but ingenious innovations.

In addition, conducting exchanges with numerous Journeyman polished his design work even further. Even if the lessons he learned did not pertain directly to his specialty or his interests, he still found it useful to acquire a perspective on how his Devil Tiger stood among the immense spectrum of mech designs.

From a commercial standpoint, the value of the Devil Tiger looked dubious. Though it performed better than third-class mechs, it did not match up to the standards of a second-class mech. Yet its cost firmly pushed it up to the latter anyway due to its expensive ASMAS.

A product like this was a huge commercial failure.

In truth, the businessman within Ves found the Devil Tiger to be highly repellent.

Its price-performance ratio was abysmal and he wasn't even sure if any demand for this type of mech even existed.

Its whole mech concept went against the established grain on the rare terrestrial battlefields of the Nyxian Gap.

Yet for all of these impracticalities, the artist and craftsman side of Ves viewed his Devil Tiger design in a completely different light!

Aside from the innovations he incorporated as experiments, the Devil Tiger also represented a sharp divergence from established convention.

It was the first 'living' mech designed by Ves that extensively embraced the path of life.

Its high autonomy, its self-dependence and its ability to help or hinder its mech pilot to a much more extensive degree led to great implications.

Ves believed it to be the first living mech to shift the power balance between mech and mech pilots!

Mechs should always be under the control of their mech pilots. This was one of the fundamental principles that defined mechs for hundreds of years.

The mech community did not have a good opinion of mechs aided by AIs and heavy automation. Mech pilots ought to express their genuine skill and spontaneity rather than leave most of the decision-making to rigid, static processors.

Yet the Devil Tiger might be the first mech that broke this convention but suffer none of the usual downsides.

Empowering his Devil Tiger with Zeigra's spirituality did not mean the mech pilot could sit back and let the deceased Crown Cat do all of the work.

No. The mech pilot still had to pitch in. Only through combining the strengths of the mech and mech pilots in a symbiotic relationship would they both be able to achieve an astounding level of performance!

\"My Devil Tiger will surely live up to its promises!\"

One of the most central aspects about his Devil Tiger was that while it may not be too impressive right now, it possessed the greatest potential of growth than any other mech he designed.

In both a spiritual and physical aspect, the Devil Tiger was still in its infancy. As long as the mech was not fully destroyed, it could always bounce back greater and stronger than before!

Theoretically, there was no upper boundary to its growth! As long as Zeigra's spirituality kept growing and the mech kept digesting more powerful exotics, it might one day be capable of rivalling first-class mechs!

This was not an empty boast. Back when he occupied Axelar Streon's mind during one of his Mastery experiences, he learned that first-class mechs did not differ all that much from third-class mechs.

Sure, their tech and amazing materials granted them amazing strength, but underneath the hood they all shared common roots to the most humblest mechs.

Since the Devil Tiger shared the same roots as well, theoretically the mech might be capable of surpassing the Ouroboros, the first-class hero mech that he designed for Axelar!

\"It requires both time and investment, but.. I believe in the Devil Tiger. Its urge to survive and thrive will see it through.\"

Imparting it with Zeigra's spirituality may not have been his original intention, but Ves believed it to be a real boon for his Devil Tiger. Their qualities and inclinations matched too well with each other.

\"It's like the Devil Tiger is tailor-made to accommodate the spirituality of a metal-eating Crown Cat from the start!\"

The fabrication of the mech proceeded in a different fashion than before.

The production of substitute ASMAS that constituted the bulk of the frame of his mech required little intervention. The only problem was that the process happened a bit slowly.

However, this left Ves with much less fabrication work than normal. He took great advantage of his reduced workload by spending much more attention on the fabrication of conventional components.

Nothing contained any notable flaws. Ves demanded the utmost from each and every part, even if his design could tolerate a lot more imperfections.

He only had one shot at making the Devil Tiger. There would never be a second copy of its design.

\"My Devil Tiger has to start off on the best footing possible!\"

The immense significance of the Devil Tiger to his artistic and philosophical progression drove Ves to enter in a peculiar state of mind.

Rather than burning hot with passion or being driven by momentum, Ves entered an altered state where his focus had become razor sharp.

His normally-jumbled and chaotic mind grew incredibly quiet. His focus reached a degree where it became a sharp that cut through all of the distractions conjured up by his overactive imagination.

The absolute focus helped him enormously in maintaining an extreme but incredibly consistent quality level during his work. He became extremely meticulous but not too inefficient. It was as if he always came up with the right solutions at the right time.

No problem confounded him! Even if he worked with old, worn production equipment, he effortlessly compensated for their quirks and idiosyncrasies!

Once he finished fabricating and inspecting all of the parts, he returned to the site where he let the ASMAS work on its own.

Ves found it to be a bit discordant for him to be so detached from the fabrication of the bulk of the mech. While the pure ASMAS did its work wonderfully, he found it a bit jarring because of its heartless and overly-inhuman replication process.

Even though Ves extensively programmed the pure ASMAS during the design process, he did not possess a strong sense of ownership towards both types of ASMAS.

\"It lacks.. a human touch.\"

He always emphasized the importance of involving humans in the creation of mechs. This was especially so for custom mechs!

While the pure ASMAS went on its merry way to churn out more and more substitute ASMAS, Ves decided he had to do something to correct its inadequacies.

He called up his design in his mind and tried to impress it on the ASMAS.

The substitute ASMAS took it on surprisingly well. The pure ASMAS less so because Ves hadn't originally produced it himself, but in time it gained a spiritual quality that conformed to the design.

He still sensed a lingering discrepancy, though.

Ves spontaneously invested a small portion of his spiritual energy into the ASMAS. This decision quickly caused the ASMAS to take on a more personal feel, as if Ves had crafted each and every single nanomachine by hand!

\"That's better!\" He smiled.

A sudden realization struck him immediately after he did this. He even paused his state of absolute focus over this amazing development!

He invented another new spiritual technique!

This new technique which he came up with to address a glaring deficiency addressed a problem that long hindered Ves.

The fabrication of his gold label mechs consumed too much time. While its value was undeniable, it did not make sense to remain stuck in the Mech Nursery for years on end just so that he could churn out a gold label mech every three days.

He'd deprive himself of too much time that he could spend on more productive activities such as designing a new mech or studying new knowledge!

Yet the new technique served as a possible means to liberate himself from this time-consuming activity.

\"If I'm right.. I can essentially upgrade a silver label mech into a gold label mech!\"

He decided to call it spiritual imprinting. This was because he essentially imprinted a mech with his spiritual energy in a way that made it as if he crafted it by hand!

The only downside of this technique was that the imprinting required him to invest his spiritual energy. Perhaps he might not care too much if he did it once, but if he continually performed this technique several times a day, then he would quickly be sapping his strength!

His dreams of converting all of his silver label mechs into gold label mechs were dashed.

Everything had a price. The only way he could make it more bearable was to grow his Spirituality. If he became ten times or a hundred times more formidable, then the amount of mechs he could spiritually imprint became vastly more!

In fact, considering its limitations, Ves largely reserved the technique to the mechs of the Avatars of Myth. Only a portion of his personal force piloted LMC mechs, and of those mechs only a fraction actually consisted of gold label mechs.

As Ves wanted to turn his Avatars into a glorious example of a mech force that consisted fully of LMC mechs, they deserved as many gold label mechs as possible!

\"Previously, I've always been limited by my lack of time, but now that I can substitute that with spiritual energy, it's much easier!\"

Time was a finite resource, while his spiritual energy always regenerated over time.

The stronger he grew, the more his spiritual energy regeneration sped up. Since he was still a Journeyman, he had plenty of room to grow in this aspect!

He did not linger about the implications of his new technique for long. He highly prized the strange state of absolute focus he had previously immersed himself in. The longer he paused his work, the more it started to fade from his mind!

\"I can't afford to lose my groove!\"

Ves proceeded to the assembly phase. He gradually reentered his inspired focused state as he obsessively pieced his mech together.

Portions of the internal frame along with its critical parts were put into place. Hints of the Devil Tiger's feline form already emerged. Due to the scarcity of fixed parts, Ves finished his work quickly.

He found himself forced to wait until the pure ASMAS finished replicating all of the substitute ASMAS necessary to constitute a complete mech frame.

He sat patiently on a stool as he watched the amorphous, mercury-like pools of ASMAS continually dwindle the stock of materials.

Once the ASMAS completely consumed the available stock, he directed it to engulf the partially-assembled mech frame that Ves had prepared.

It was time to put some meat on the bones of his Devil Tiger.

With rapt attention, he watched as the pure ASMAS and substitute ASMAS crawled over the workshop floor. They neared the assembly system where the incomplete Devil Tiger awaited the arrival of its other half.

The moment of completion was at hand!

Chapter 1438

Ves dreamt of this moment for months. Ever since he conceived of the Devil Tiger, he imagined many ways he could complete his mech.

Witnessing the ASMAS crawl from one section of the workshop to another section of the workshop under his instructions seemed surreal to him. The strange and unconventional way the Devil Tiger came together emphasized how different it was from his prior works.

A sense of anticipation welled up in his mind. He would finally be able to see the results of the ludicrous amount of resources and effort he put into the Devil Tiger.

After several days of working on the mech, he already believed the sole copy of his Devil Tiger design surpassed all of his fabrication attempts! The focus, care and attention he put into its creation exceeded the investment he put in his other great works such as the Transcendent Messengers or the Shield of Samar!

Perhaps a part of Ves found it to be an enormous waste of energy and potential to invest so much in a non-commercial, experimental mech. Yet now that the Devil Tiger finally came into being, he held no regrets!

As the ASMAS slowly arrived at the skeletal mech frame, it began to take its place.

The pure ASMAS moved first. It climbed up to the center of the mech and rested in the belly and lower chest of the tiger mech. This was the deepest and most well-protected section of the mech.

The Devil Tiger couldn't afford to lose its pure ASMAS! It had to be preserved at all costs!

Considering its extreme importance to the mech, the pure ASMAS settled into its place without consuming too much time.

Next, Ves transmitted another command that caused the substitute ASMAS to crawl over the outer portions of the mech frame. Like adding meat to bones, the much larger quantity of substitute ASMAS began to shift into support structures, conduits, artificial musculature bundles and most significantly armor plating.

This did not take much time either. Once the Devil Tiger looked complete, the grey exterior shifted in color until it took on a dark reddish coating with a black tiger stripe pattern emphasizing its feline nature.

This momentous visual change finally turned the Devil Tiger into the astonishing and exceptional mech that Ves envisioned!

The Devil Tiger emanated an extraordinary powerful splendor that momentarily washed over Ves like a tide!

The mere appearance of the mech already suggested that it was a menace to be taken seriously! Even if the machine lacked the distinctive aura that resulted from its exceptional X-Factor, the mech looked notable in ways that made a mech designer like Ves ecstatic!

Still... as he saw the words DEVIL TIGER forming on the flank of his creation, he started feeling a bit uncomfortable at the sight.

As much as the Devil Tiger already inspired admiration in him, Ves felt it had fallen just short of reaching its height.

His design seed churned and seethed with excitement again, hinting at him that the Devil Tiger was on the cusp of greatness!

\"What is it missing? Why do I feel as if it is close to reaching a certain threshold?\"

Instead of thinking too much over it, he let his instincts as a mech designer lead the way. An impulse prompted him to retrieve a very special pouch in the inside pocket of his disguised outfit.

As he opened the pouch, he observed the small collection of exceptional gems.

They were some of Lucky's best gems to date.

Produced after consuming an entire CFA shuttle among other valuable equipment, the gems possessed remarkable names and even more remarkable effects.

Each of them bore marks from his Anonymizing Stamp to eliminate their presence from sensors and scanners.

Even so, Ves still perceived their inner qualities.

He already used one of the gems in this collection on the Shield of Samar. The Ardent Wish empowered the mech gifted to Jannzi by increasing its spiritual feedback by a whopping 40 percent.

He wasn't quite sure what that meant, but Ves suspected that the Ardent Wish heavily assisted Jannzi in breaking through to expert candidate!

\"Should I embed one of these precious gems to the Devil Tiger?\"

He should have taken the question seriously. He already invested so much in the Devil Tiger that adding anything more to it was extremely unwise. How much more did he have to sacrifice in order to satisfy his artisanal urges?

It made no logical sense to impart the Devil Tiger with a rare gem!

Yet... Ves didn't listen to the rational part of his mind. In truth, he already sidelined it ever since he embarked on the project.

The artist and craftsman within him took primacy this time. His design seed fully resonated with him as he approached the Devil Tiger with a gem in hand.

Ves briefly studied the gem he had chosen to impart to his latest creation.

[Sin of Altruism]

The valor of a great sacrifice by an alien warrior is housed within this gem. Increases the damage resistance of external armor plating by 20 percent.

Ves still questioned its description. He inspected the Sin of Altruism with his spiritual senses over and over again and detected no trace of this so-called 'valor'!

Despite his brief doubts about the gem, he considered its properties to be especially suitable to the Devil Tiger.

In fact, Ves also considered using the Furnace of Regret instead. The gem boosted the output of the power reactor by 30 percent.

The Devil Tiger consumed a constant amount of energy during its operation. The ASMAS constantly required at least some power in order to hold itself together.

When the mech sustained heavy damage and lost a huge chunk of substitute ASMAS, then the pure ASMAS required both energy and materials to replenish the losses.

If the mech possessed a greater energy output, then it was much more capable regenerating itself on the field!

Though the choice tempted him for a moment, he eventually affirmed his choice to use the Sin of Altruism.

Part of the reason was because it addressed the most acute weakness of his mech. The Devil Tiger's heavy dependence on smart metal meant that it was much less durable than comparable mechs of the same cost. This was the number one reason why his Devil Tiger failed to meet the standard of a second-class mech.

Boosting the durability of its admittedly sub-standard armor meant that its most acute discrepancy received a very welcome reinforcement. The distance between the Devil Tiger and a second-class mech narrowed by a considerable margin with this addition.

Ves did not hesitate any further. Despite the extremely questionable wisdom of empowering a mech meant to be piloted by pirates or other scum, his pride of a mech designer demanded he do his utmost to transform the Devil Tiger into his best work to date!

\"This is what must be done! No matter what practical value my Devil Tiger brings, its creative value must be unsurpassed!\"

The state of absolute focus returned to him as he stepped all the way to one of the hind limbs of the dormant Devil Tiger. He craned his head upwards and faintly read the words DEVIL TIGER on its flank once again.

He could scarcely believe he made it this far. He overcame numerous challenges as he recklessly indulged in feature creep.

Though he demanded increasingly more out of his design project, all of his efforts were about to come into fruition at this pivotal moment!

\"This is.. the final touch.\"

A solemn moment descended as Ves stretched out his arm. He brushed his fingers against the solid surface of the Devil Tiger's hind limb. A small scratching sound echoed as the gem he held within his fingers dragged over the surface of the armor.

Though from outward appearances the surface looked like a solid mass of armor, in truth it consisted of an innumerable amount of nanomachines too small to be observed by the naked eye.

The armor revealed its true nature by morphing like a liquid surface. It began to catch hold of the gem while ignoring his fingers. Following its programming, the substitute ASMAS absorbed the gem and tried to figure out how it could best put it to use.

\"Ah. I almost forgot. It needs a little help. I doubt it knows what to do with the Sin of Altruism.\"

Ves raised his comm and withdrew a small wire from it before slotting it through the semi-fluid armor plating of his mech. He activated an interface and quickly began to program some additional instructions to the ASMAS.

A few minutes later, he completed the update and closed his comm. As Ves looked upwards again, the mech already started to take on a distinctly different quality.

It felt as if Ves had given the mech a pivotal push that raised it to a height it yearned to reach!

As Ves stepped back in order to behold the mech in its entirety, he attempted to determine his increasingly stronger affection for his Devil Tiger.

Suddenly, two things happened.

First, realization swept through his mind!

Second, his design seed metaphorically exploded in euphoria!

\"The Devil Tiger.. has become a masterwork!\"

Masterwork!

Ves could scarcely believe this claim. Yet as he observed the Devil Tiger more closely, his certainty only grew stronger.

He never expected to fabricate his first masterwork mech at this instance!

The definition of a masterwork was rather subjective and imprecise. However, Ves learned in his classes that competent mech designers possessed an innate sense to determine whether a mech had reached this fabled height!

A masterwork mech was not the most perfect specimen of a design. If that was the case, then the innumerable amounts of mechs produced through atomic materialization processes should have been declared masterworks!

A general description of a masterwork varied a lot. To Ves, a mech that was so coherently put together that its quality in every possible aspect surpassed the theoretical limits of its design!

Not only that, but its strengthened aspects melded and reinforced each other so well that the whole exceeded the sum of its parts!

When judging his newly-completed Devil Tiger, Ves became increasingly convinced that it fully embodied this definition!

Ves abruptly erupted in jubilation, startling both Nitaa and Lucky! \"A masterwork! I created a masterwork! My first one! Hahahaha!\"

He had reason to celebrate! The formation of a masterwork mech was a product of both skill and serendipity! It was highly sought after by every serious mech designer, but few ever got to experience the glory of producing one!

It was impossible to fabricate a masterwork mech on demand!

Only Seniors or higher were good enough to create a Masterwork, but even then a large proportion of them lived through their entire careers without making this accomplishment!

While exceptions existed where Journeymen managed to create a Masterwork, they were extremely rare!

A masterwork mech only came into being if the mech designer personally fabricated the mech! While others could assist them in their work, they still needed to exert their personal direction and control over the fabrication process!

Mech designers who thought that fabricating a mech in person was beneath them never got to enjoy the unsurpassed glory of creating a masterwork!

This was the reason why even Seniors or Masters achieved amazing feats but never produced a single masterwork mech in their lives!

\"I'm different from them! I'm not just an architect, but also a craftsman!\"

Every artisanal crafting profession opened a door for masterworks. Even the original Amastendira was a masterwork laser pistol!

On average, a Senior fabricated just five masterwork mechs over the course of their entire careers! This figure was higher for Masters, but even then the count varied wildly between different individuals.

Still, one general guideline was that if a mech designer created a masterwork once, then they were surely able to create one again!

It might take decades or even a century depending on chance and circumstances, but someone like Ves would surely be able to achieve this height again in the future!

Chapter 1439

Ves grinned so widely that Lucky and Nitaa became afraid that he would break his jaw!

\"Meow?\"

\"It's a masterwork! Don't you see, Lucky! Just look at it! Don't you feel jealous of it's magnificent form?\"

\"Meow!\"

Lucky angrily phased out of his arms. Who was a masterwork! A magnificent gem cat like him was already a masterwork!

\"Hahaha!\"

Ves brushed off his cat's reaction and continued to admire the subtle but unmistakable presence of a masterwork in his latest mech!

All of the money, time, effort, resources and favors he expended to make it to this point had all been worth it! He had no doubts about this entire venture anymore! In fact, due to the amazing value of this accomplishment, he wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice the LMC and almost all of his entire network in order to form another masterwork!

Even now, his design seed underwent a small but seemingly pivotal evolution. Though Ves had no idea what it was doing, he nonetheless sensed that its transformation would doubtlessly strengthen it further in a certain direction!

Ves suspected that this change was related to what happened to mech designers once they created their first masterwork mechs.

Once they made this achievement, their affinity for fabrication mechs had grown! This resulted in a comprehensive improvement to any mechs they personally crafted!

To Ves, this meant that he could produce genuine gold label mechs with a much higher average quality level than before!

Another way of putting it was that the gap between his high-quality mechs and another masterwork mech had narrowed!

The reason why a mech designer who produced at least one masterwork mech would eventually be able to produce another was due to this very reason! They required a little bit less effort in order to repeat this accomplishment!

For this reason, Ves considered the creation of his first masterwork mech to be a seminal moment in his life!

A new door opened up for him now that he had surpassed this crafting threshold!

An immense sensation of pride washed over him as he lovingly admired his Devil Tiger over and over again. Through his exceptional efforts and his wondrous state during the fabrication process, Ves elevated its menacing form and its powerful capabilities to a higher standard, completely surpassing the potential of its original design!

Ves rubbed his chin as a question came to his mind. \"Is the Sin of Altruism responsible for turning my Devil Tiger into a masterwork?\"

The discrepancy that disturbed him a short while ago must be due to his subconscious perception that his Devil Tiger fell just short of becoming a masterwork. Only after he added the Sin of Altruism did he manage to get his Devil Tiger over the line!

Ves derived two conclusions from this deduction.

First, without the Sin of Altruism, his Devil Tiger almost met the standard of a masterwork mech through his own efforts.

His skill, experience, principles and personal inclinations all led him to attach great importance to adopting a craftsman's approach to his works.

Second, he could not depend on Lucky's gems alone to turn another into a masterwork.

If this was the case, then the Shield of Samar should have turned into his first masterwork mech when he added in the Ardent Wish!

He sighed. \"It's not so easy for mech designers to produce masterworks.\"

A masterwork mech was the culmination of a mech designer's dedication to their craft from a practical approach.

Pure theory had nothing to do with it. A masterwork never emerged by mech designers who purely relied on their brains.

It was the application that mattered. The more romantic mech designers described the creation of a masterwork mech as infusing their love and devotion into the crafting process.

In a way, whenever Ves personally fabricated a mech, he already did this without the intention to create a masterwork mech. He just cared a lot, and it was this unconditional affection for mechs that led him to this threshold.

\"Even so, only a tiny number of Journeymen ever get to create a masterwork at this stage in their careers!\"

Generally, only Seniors started producing masterworks. While exceptions existed where a minute number of Journeymen managed to achieve the same feat, they were almost always very advanced in their careers!

\"If you aren't over a century years old, you can forget about it! It can't be done!\"

Yet Ves stupendously managed to produce a masterwork just a short time after he advanced to Journeyman! The circumstances boggled his mind, but the Devil Tiger did not lie!

Any Journeyman, not just Ves, could instinctively tell that the Devil Tiger was definitely a masterwork!

Ves clapped both of his cheeks with his palms as if he wanted to wake up from this dream.

The Devil Tiger was still there!

It was still the same!

\"This is unbelievable!\"

In truth, Ves already admitted to himself that he did not produce a masterwork mech through legitimate means.

He cheated.

The Sin of Altruism that strengthened the Devil Tiger's armor by a substantial degree addressed the only deficient factor that prevented the mech from becoming a masterwork!

How many mech designers possessed the same privilege of using such a reality-defying gem? As far as Ves knew, Lucky was unique! No one could buy another gem cat like him no matter how much money they were willing to offer!

He sighed. His professional integrity forced him to admit that he did not deserve to be counted among the ranks of mech designers who went above and beyond to produce their own masterwork mechs.

\"If I don't have the luxury of using one of Lucky's best gems, then it might have taken many decades before I'm able to surpass the masterwork threshold through my own capabilities.\"

Frankly, he disrespected the accomplishments of other mech designers by counting himself amongst their ranks.

Yet... did he feel guilty for taking a shortcut where others poured blood, sweat and tears to reach the same height?

Nope.

\"Who cares how I got to this point! The important part is that I've reached it! Every mech I fabricate from now on will forever benefit from the gains of this project!\"

Ves successfully concluded the Devil Tiger project with numerous gains. Not only did he develop a multitude of new spiritual techniques, he also progressed his career by creating his first masterwork!

Though the costs were high, the benefits he accrued absolutely surpassed his wildest expectations!

However, once his jubilation and euphoria mellowed out, a very obvious practical problem popped up in his mind.

\"I can't submit the Devil Tiger to the MTA to get my masterwork certificate. I'll turn into a fugitive if I do so!\"

There was no way he could ever let himself be tied to the Devil Tiger, masterwork or not! The exceeding amount of discretion he employed in securing the materials and the mech workshop already demonstrated his extreme concern in his role in designing and creating the smart metal tiger mech.

Even now, Ves shuddered at the thought should a mech pilot begin to interface with his creation. Its exceptional quality did not make any difference concerning its lethality to its very own users!

Ves bopped his head with his palm in frustration!

\"In the end, no one will recognize my achievement!\"

More than that, Ves also felt frustrated at the reality that he wouldn't be able to sell his Devil Tiger to someone deserving enough to pilot such a grand machine.

If he had a choice, then he would not hesitate to bestow the mech to the Larkinsons!

He considered the Avatars of Myth as well, but it was too selfish to keep his masterwork mech to himself.

As long as the Larkinsons had a mech pilot who was proficient in piloting tiger mechs, then the Devil Tiger would have been a perfect fit!

Sadly, it was not to be. He had to stick to his original plan and find a way to sell his Devil Tiger to some scummy pirate commander who would doubtlessly use the masterwork mech for deplorable ends.

\"I suppose I can overhaul the Devil Tiger to take out its controversial parts, but it won't be the same mech anymore.\" He muttered morosely.

It was immensely difficult to create a masterwork mech, but incredibly easy to ruin them. Each time Ves attempted to upgrade or modify the Devil Tiger, he risked breaking the qualities that turned it into a masterwork.

Of course, now that Ves had reached this point, he became very sensitive to what he should or shouldn't do in order to retain the Devil Tiger's masterwork standard.

This was why he quickly concluded that the expensive overhaul plan he formed in his mind was way too intrusive to keep the Devil Tiger exceptional.

Ves shook his head. \"I don't want to change my mech anyway.\"

The Devil Tiger partially became a Masterwork because he poured his love into its design and creation. How could he betray his love by butchering and mutilating his own child?

\"No matter what kind of nasty properties it possesses, it's still my work!\"

He was even tempted to call his Devil Tiger a perfect mech, but he thought better of it. He wasn't Gloriana!

\"She'd probably be ecstatic when I show off my mech to her!\"

Sadly, he wouldn't be able to show off his Devil Tiger to her up close. The most he could do was to make detailed recordings of his mech so that she'd be able to enjoy at least some of its grandeur in high-fidelity projections.

\"There's no way the Devil Tiger can remain in my possession for long. I have to get rid of it as soon as possible!\"

He called up Nitaa, who had been observing Ves getting absorbed over his amazing accomplishment by himself.

\"Is your new mech really that good, sir?\" She asked.

\"Yes. It's a genuine masterwork mech!\"

She scratched her head. \"I can't see that. It's just a mech to me. Are you really sure about your judgement?\"

\"My judgement is always right when it comes to mechs! Trust me, I'm a mech designer! I know my craft!\"

It did not surprise him that a laywoman like Nitaa failed to recognize the splendor of his masterwork mech. In truth, most low-ranking mech pilots and mech designers would fail to see its exceptional quality as well.

Only the more perceptive and dedicated insiders in the mech community were capable of recognizing the Devil Tiger's true charm.

This was also what the MTA's masterwork certificate aimed to address. As the ultimate arbiters of everything related to mechs, their judgement was inviolable. If they stated that a mech was a masterwork mech, then no one held any doubts.

As for his Devil Tiger... Ves could only hope that the mech appraisers of the Circle of Mota would be able to recognize its true value when he submitted it for exchange or auction.

That reminded him of his next step. He still needed to pass his mech to a customer in order to complete the System's Upgrade Missions!

\"How are you in your attempts to gain entry in the Circle of Mota?\" He asked his bodyguard.

\"I've already made a lot of headway, sir. I've used the credentials given to Lady Miralix to contact a middleman with ties to the Circle of Mota. It's been difficult to gain his trust despite Lady Miralix vouching for us. Because you wanted our identities to remain hidden, it's taken a very long time to get his agreement.\"

\"Are there any hold-ups?\"

She shook her head. \"I had Gavin pass on a message to Lady Miralix to explain our difficulties. She recently intervened to sort out the middleman's issues. There's no problem now. We can depart to the temporary marketplace the Circle of Mota has set up whenever you want.\"

\"That's great! Where is this clandestine site located?\"

\"Cinach VIII. A lot of shipments of classified goods enter and exit the planet due to its many research and educational institutions. It's also a trade hub for high-value goods.\"

That made a lot of sense, though Ves suspected that the Cinach authorities weren't completely blind to the smuggling that went on. How securely would he be able to smuggle his Devil Tiger to the surface of Cinach VIII?

Chapter 1440

Once Ves completed the Devil Tiger and finished celebrating the creation of his first masterwork mech, he moved out of the rented workshop.

He loaded the precious new masterwork mech into a large, specialized mech container laced with a scanner-dampening layer. A rented transport operated by the Battle Criers transported the container out of the premises through an underground tunnel network before being passed to a series of other rented transports.

Eventually, the transport deposited the container in a small, empty warehouse rented for the purpose. Bringing the container from the surface of Cinach XII was a bit troublesome, as the local authorities inspected every piece of cargo.

They could still try to smuggle out the container, but they needed some assistance from one of the local underground organizations. Nitaa already booked a slot aboard a discreet large transport that mostly carried legitimate cargo, but they had to wait a few days before they got their turn.

\"How troublesome.\" Ves grumbled.

\"We can't help it, sir.\" She shrugged. \"As anonymous outsiders, we've been placed on the back of the waiting list. The only way to get priority is if you flash your identity to the smugglers.\"

\"That would defeat the point of all of this subterfuge.\"

He would rather wait than leaving any trail behind. Masterwork mech or not, designing and fabricating an illegal mech would still land him in big trouble with the MTA!

\"Stupid hypocrites.\" He muttered. \"They persecute anyone who crosses the line while they're happily allowed to get away with their murky experiments.\"

The difference between the two was that he was just a solitary mech designer while the MTA possessed the power to dictate and enforce its rules whenever they wished!

Who wouldn't want to cut themselves some slack if they could get away with it? The MTA was no different from any other selfish organization in that regard!

After spending half a day travelling back and forth in disguise, Ves, Lucky and Nitaa finally sneaked their way back into the hotel.

They returned to safety!

Ves let down his guard and relaxed. Once the decoy who pretended to be him shed the Pride of Dusk and put the articles back in a closet, the hotel room had turned back into normal.

\"Did you succeed?\" Gavin asked.

\"Beyond my wildest dreams, Benny. As long as we can send my package from Cinach XII to Cinach VIII, I can hopefully get it in the right hands.\"

\"So we're heading to Cinach VIII next?\"

\"Yup. That will be our final stop before we depart the star system. Hopefully the overhauls to the Barracuda is complete by the time we are done.\"

After discussing some more routine arrangements, Ves finally dismissed his assistant. With only Nitaa and Lucky left in the bedroom, he made sure that enough jamming was in place before materializing his System comm.

Fabricating a masterwork mech was a massive accomplishment. Ves believed the System would definitely have something to say about his latest achievement!

Once he activated its interface, he received a small number of irrelevant messages. He only paid attention to those related to the Devil Tiger.

[Design Evaluation: Devil Tiger TG-Z]

Model name: Devil Tiger TG-Z

Original Manufacturer: Ves Larkinson

Weight Classification: Medium

Recommended Role: Offensive Tiger Mech

Armor: A

Carrying Capacity: E

Aesthetics: A

Endurance: B+

Energy Efficiency: C

Flexibility: D+

Firepower: B

Integrity: B+

Mobility: A

Spotting: B

X-Factor: A

Cost efficiency: F

Project involvement: 100%

Original component composition: 9%

Overall evaluation: The Devil Tiger is a tiger mech suited for long term skirmishing and survival. Its distinctive, augmented ASMAS grants the Devil Tiger the capacity to repair and upgrade its mech frame without outside assistance. Combined with its excellent mobility and armor durability, the Devil Tiger possesses the potential for infinite growth and strengthening. The only complicating factor is its volatile design spirit, who can exert considerable influence in aiding or hindering its mech pilot. The Devil Tiger's X-Factor is tied to Zeigra, the Mech Cruncher, a former genetic product and Crown Cat native to Felixia I.

[You have received 1000 Design Points for completing an original design that has no other equivalent.]

[You have received 50,000 Design Points for designing a mech with a high presence of X-Factor.]

Ves immediately noted that the grades swung very wildly.

\"How did you come up with these grades?\" Ves puzzlingly asked. \"What are the measuring standards, and how relative are the grades to comparable mech designs?\"

Of course, the System didn't deign to answer this question.

Though Ves personally disagreed with some of the grades, he had to admit that the Devil Tiger was not a well-rounded mech. It lacked both flight and ranged weapon capabilities, its energy efficiency was pretty decent until it started to consume and process new materials, it couldn't carry any significant amounts of cargo, and so on.

This meant that while Ves designed the mech to operate by itself in the field if need be, the Devil Tiger truly excelled if a mech commander built a team of assisting mechs around its use.

\"If its users have any sense, they'll utilize my Devil Tiger as a flanking mech!\"

This was asking a bit much. Ves did not have much faith in the competence of pirates to be able to utilize his Devil Tiger with military-style tactics and coordination.

\"Those stupid degenerates will probably put the Devil Tiger at the head of their swarm of mechs!\"

It was a good thing that Ves added the Sin of Altruism to the sole physical copy of its design. The considerable upgrade to the armor of the mech essentially provided it with an added buffer against the many errors their pilots likely made over the course of its use.

Having spent a considerable amount of time in the frontier, Ves fully witnessed the low standards of the average pirates. More elite pirate outfits such as the Swordmaidens and the pirate alliances partially broke the mold, but even they fell short compared to the well-organized military mech regiments.

He turned to one of the most important grades of his mech design.

\"So the X-Factor has reached an A. I never expected to reach this height again so soon!\"

His first mech design with a solid A-grade X-Factor was the Aurora Titan. Back then, Ves predicted that it might take many years before he could design a mech of comparable strength in this area.

The Aurora Titan only got this far because of Qilanxo's donation of a precious spiritual fragment!

There was no way he could replicate this feat! Just finding a powerful exobeast with the spirituality equivalent to an ace pilot or a centuries-old Sacred God was nearly impossible! Trying to negotiate a spiritual fragment out of them was unthinkable!

As for trying to steal a fragment from them, Ves could think of better ways to commit suicide!

Therefore, Ves did not actually expect that he managed to make it this far just by utilizing a mostly-whole spiritual entity as his Devil Tiger's design spirit!

\"In the end, there's a considerable gulf in strength between a fragment and a complete entity!\"

The System essentially confirmed to him that using an expert pilot-level spiritual entity brought the same degree of benefits as an ace-level spiritual fragment.

Considering the scarcity and immense difficulty of securing the latter, Ves vastly preferred the former! Going on a Crown Hunt may have been rather perilous to Ves, but at least he had a realistic chance of success!

In fact, now that he confirmed the viability of harvesting usable spiritual entities from exobeasts who weren't as rare and exceptional as Sacred Gods, Ves even began to consider farming them.

\"Why should I go out and risk my life on an arduous Crown Hunt when I can just buy a huge cat from the company who develops and sells their species?\"

House Laterna's research institutions cooked up a lot of experimental huge cats and released them into the Asco Continent to record their performance. However, facilitating huge game hunting was not their principal source of business.

Instead, they derived a greater portion of their income from selling the best-performing huge cats to customers!

Though the occurrence of spiritual potential in the huge cats was minute, as long as Ves made a careful selection, he could potentially obtain a specimen as strong as Zeigra as long as he bought a batch of likely candidates!

\"This is how a mech designer ought to handle this issue! To us, any problem can be solved as long as we throw enough money at it! There's no need for us to do all of the heavy lifting ourselves!\"

In hindsight, he shouldn't have participated in the Crown Hunt to begin with! Though he didn't regret accepting Lady Miralix's offer since the challenges he faced stimulated him into developing several new spiritual techniques, he couldn't keep wasting his time on needlessly-dangerous hunts.

He had better things to do with his time!

Since Ves did not suffer from any money problems lately, he could easily afford to go for the most expensive but convenient option.

\"House Laterna isn't the only organization who develops genetic products. There's a huge market for powerful beasts!\"

The idea had a lot of merit. As long as he set up a large-scale private preserve on some rural planet he could collect as many weird exobeasts and genetic products as he wanted!

Other people would probably dismiss this new preoccupation as yet another weird quirk of his, which was completely fine to Ves. As long as a handful of his collected beasts possessed spirituality, then it was more than worth it as each of them made another mech design with an A-grade X-Factor possible!

The entire arrangement introduced some much-needed structure, consistency and efficiency in his efforts to obtain powerful spiritual fragments and entities He would no longer have to get his hands dirty by stealing highly-valued relics or hunt down a dangerous beast in person to harvest its spirituality upon its death!

\"It would be even better if I own a research institution myself!\"

Ves quickly shook his head. That was going a bit too far. The research and development of genetic products was an extremely difficult market to get into. A lot of companies who had been in the business for decades or centuries accumulated strong advantages by excelling in their specialties.

Starting a biotech research institution from scratch could get very expensive as it needed decades to ramp up to the point where it started to break even.

As a mech designer, Ves mainly wanted to focus his business activities around mechs. Trying to branch off in other sectors sounded like a good way to get distracted and slow down his career progression.

\"I'll have to form some proper plans when I get back to the Bright Republic.\" He rubbed his chin in thought. \"Considering the benefits I can accrue, it's still worth it for me to dip my toes in this sector.\"

For now, Ves wanted to move on and see what the System had to say about his masterwork mech. Once he dismissed the evaluation for his design, he finally received his anticipated announcements.

[You have personally assembled a masterwork mech based on your own Devil Tiger design!]

[Congratulations for assembling your first masterwork mech! As a mech designer, to create a masterwork mech is a grand achievement. Only mech designers and fabricators who thoroughly understand and develop a strong intuition for mechs are capable of creating mechs that holistically surpass the intent of the original design. Now that you have formed the first mech that passes this standard, your ability to produce mechs has undergone a holistic baptism that provides substantial benefits to your future works. Please work harder to replicate this feat to improve your affinity for mechs even further!]

[You have acquired Masterwork Mech Assembly I! Create more masterwork mechs to upgrade this Sub-Skill!]

[You have been awarded with one radiant lottery ticket! Create more masterwork mechs to receive more radiant lottery tickets!]

Ves immediately focused on the last announcement.

\"What the heck is a radiant lottery ticket?\"

Chapter 1441

Ves once asked the System to explain its rating system. Copper, bronze, silver and gold already spoke for themselves, but the weirder names threw him for a loop.

He eventually learned that the aforementioned ratings were collectively grouped in the plainest category of ratings.

An additional category of ratings existed beyond gold and proceeded as followed:

Exceptional

Radiant

Supreme

An even greater category of ratings existed above that, but Ves was far from reaching a level of strength and capability where he could receive something so great!

At his current level, Ves already started slobbering his mouth at the thought of winning ten golden lottery tickets if he completed one of the System's insanely difficult Supply Missions!

\"I'm too much of a pauper to think that far.\" He ruefully chuckled.

Right now, Ves only possessed two objects from the System rated beyond gold.

While Lucky started off with a lower rating, his constant upgrades and assimilation of valuable exotics elevated him to the point where the System regarded him as exceptional!

Yet even Lucky still fell short against his copy of Amastendira, which received an immensely-high rating of supreme!

Ves won the Amastendira from an extremely lucky pull from a golden lottery ticket. Since the 'jackpot' of a golden lottery ticket already reached this high, how much better was the jackpot of radiant lottery ticket?

\"I'd probably be able to win something grand if I make a lucky pull!\"

In reality, Ves did not think much of his odds of striking it rich. He knew the System well enough that most of its lottery tickets only yielded minimal prizes.

This was the entire reason why he insisted upon gaining a multitude of golden lottery tickets upon completing the System's Supply Missions! Perhaps he wouldn't strike it rich with a single ticket, but when he had up to fifty chances to do so, he'd definitely win at least a handful of extremely valuable prizes!

Yet the appearance of this radiant lottery ticket suggested that Ves had another way of winning a fantastic prize.

\"I don't believe this lottery ticket will give me nothing but a consolation message if I don't get lucky! I should at least receive a prize rated as exceptional!\"

He deserved it for fabricating his first masterwork mech. As he reread the System's message, he understood its significance.

The System really loved it when he created a masterwork mech! It always urged him to become a better mech designer. The more he progressed, the more he met the System's expectations!

A grand reward such as a radiant lottery ticket essentially signaled to him that the System was not opposed to giving him another treat if he created another masterwork mech!

Ves always felt like a puppy performing tricks for his master ever since he received the System. Its latest message and reward only reinforced their ongoing transactional relationship.

The radiant lottery ticket was not only a reward, but also a bribe!

Despite his misgivings over the Systems and its motives for fattening him up, for now he needed its assistance to grow stronger. Only until he became powerful enough to hinder the Five Scrolls Compact would he be able to fulfill his long-standing goals and ambitions.

\"I shouldn't complain about receiving a radiant lottery ticket. Anything that brings me closer to achieving my goals is helpful!\"

He knew that given the circumstances, it remained immensely difficult for him to craft another masterwork mech. The stars had to align and all kinds of conditions had to be favorable in order for him to reach this height again.

Receiving the Masterwork Mech Assembly I Sub-Skill helped lower the difficulty, but it could not replace all of the personal effort and sacrifice he put into the Devil Tiger. The more he invested in the mech, the more it gained significance to his design sensibilities.

One thing about the System's message did hint at something important, though. Just like he learned, the System stated that creating a masterwork mech increased a mech designer's affinity towards mechs!

What was the exact meaning behind this phrase? Ves immediately formed a guess and began to concentrate his mind in order to inspect his own Spirituality.

He immediately discovered a change!

His muddy and mixed spiritual energy looked the same as always, but with one key difference. The attribute related to mechs had undergone a small evolution! It became stronger and more pronounced!

Other than that, his design seed had also gone through a subtle improvement. Though Ves found it hard to determine what had actually changed, he knew that whatever changed occurred improved both his design and fabrication capabilities!

While the creation of a masterwork mech mainly related to the assembly of mechs, his improved affinity for them also meant he would make less mistakes when he designed a mech.

\"It's as if my intuition for mechs has improved. That will help me out in many mech-related aspects.\"

His improved affinity affected a broad swathe of activities, from appraising mechs to modifying them. No matter what he did with mechs, he would always be a little bit better at it than someone who possessed the same Attributes and Skills as him! Masterwork Mech Assembly I was not a Sub-Skill that he could buy from the System's Skill Tree!

\"It is as if I increased my 'talent' for mech design!\"

Even now, he deeply wanted to put his improved capabilities to the test by designing a new mech!

However, he quickly shelved aside this urge. This was not the time for him to indulge in a future design.

He still had a lottery ticket to redeem!

However, he quickly paused for a moment. Right now, he wasn't alone, and the hotel room itself might not be completely secure.

\"I'll be heading to the bathroom for a moment.\"

Nitaa nodded. \"I'll stand guard outside.\"

Ves grabbed Lucky who was comfortably lounging on the bed and brought his cat with him to the expansive bathroom attached to the main bedroom. Once he dumped Lucky onto the sink, he sat down at the closed toilet bowl and engaged his Privacy Shield.

If this lottery ticket was like any of his other great prize draws, then it would definitely conjure up a spectacle!

Once he became absolutely sure that no one except Lucky was snooping in on him, Ves diverted to his Inventory and finally used his radiant lottery ticket.

His entire surroundings shifted. It was as if a vast illusionary projection transformed the entire bathroom!

An alien environment greeted him. Green skies, yellow clouds and multiple moons stretched above his head. Closer to the ground, Ves observed that he was sitting on a rock placed at a raised plateau overlooking a vast, alien prairie!

Though the grasses were still green, the soil and rock stood out with their distinctly purple tint! Nothing about the environment suggested that it had been adapted or terraformed for humans!

He could even smell the wild and untamed alien wilderness! The scents and smells that assaulted his nose reinforced the impression that he'd been brought to an alien planet.

However, the air pressure, gravity and other factors remained the same as when he was back in his backroom. He was still on Cinach XII and the illusion the System conjured up was just another one of its fancy prize draw methods.

\"After spinning a wheel and opening up a pagoda, this is what you've come up with, System?\"

Nothing answered him. He looked around and tried to see how he could draw his prize from the empty clearing at the top of the mountain.

Eventually, he encountered a modest pool of water in the very center of the plateau. Dozens of small, finger-sized fish leisurely swam beneath its clear surface.

The fish all differed in appearances and inclinations.

Some possessed scales that featured every color of the rainbow while others appeared as black as charcoal.

Some of the fish possessed long, trailing whiskers while others possessed extra fins.

Ves deduced the intent of this pool. \"Am I supposed to catch a fish to determine my prize?\"

This method of prize drawing differed substantially from his previous lottery prize draws.

The System granted him much more agency this time! Rather than subjecting himself to the whims of chance and luck, now the System gave him greater power to decide his own winnings!

He'd be able to maximize his gains from his radiant lottery ticket as long as he caught the right fish!

\"However... which fish is the best?\" He frowned.

Ves had the feeling that the prize draw also served as a test. By giving him the power to decide his own catch, the burden of securing the best possible prize fell solely onto his shoulders.

He wouldn't be able to blame the System's miserly nature or his inconsistent luck if he ended up with a consolation prize!

\"Damnit! It's much simpler if I just spin a wheel again!\"

He studied the disparate fish. Aside from their varying appearances and behavior, none of them seemed to be difficult for him to catch. Even if he hadn't upgraded his Dexterity Attribute by a heap, he would still be able to catch one of the leisurely-swimming fish.

He did notice that certain fish tended to linger at the edge while other fish lounged closer to the center of the pool. Some fish lingered deeper while others playfully leapt into the air at times.

Ves believed that the traits exhibited by the fish carried at least some profound meaning. The flashy, rainbow fish might contain an extravagant object. However, it might also contain a useless cosmetic item!

The fluorescently-glowing green fish may be carrying an infinitely-replenishable energy source. It might also give him a highly radioactive exotic!

He really hated puzzling out the meaning of the fish with his mind. He was a mech designer, not a fish breeder! Why the hell did the Mech Designer System serve such a dumb test? He just wanted to obtain a good prize from his radiant lottery ticket!

\"Well, there's no use complaining.\" He sighed.

He began to inspect the fish carefully. After observing them for a few minutes with his eyes, he acted on a hunch and began to employ his spiritual senses and spiritual vision.

\"Nothing.\"

It was an illusion, after all.

It seemed as if the System did not intend to test his spiritual perception this time.

He frowned and scratched his head. \"What is the nature of this test?\"

Another thought arose in his mind. \"The way I see it, it's mainly a test of judgement. The more conventional way of solving it is to form assumptions and utilize my logic to deduce the most worthwhile fish to catch.\"

There was a problem with that. How could Ves possibly form the right assumptions when he knew absolutely nothing about fish? It was ridiculous for the System to expect him to be able to distinguish good from bad!

This was why Ves suspected that the System instead expected him to rely on another form of judgement to catch a good fish.

\"The answer is intuition!\"

Intuition! The ability to instinctively understand something without relying on conscious reasoning formed an important pillar of strength for high-ranking mech designers. Intuition distinguished mech designers from artificial intelligences that had been programmed to replicate their capabilities.

Even the most sophisticated AIs never succeeded in replicating the unique strengths of intuition which every sentient being possessed!

As soon as he made this realization, he began to look at the fish like he looked at mechs. If he ignored their surface traits and instead tried to get a feel of them, he immediately obtained some results!

\"It's working! These fish are really similar to mechs!\"

When he utilized his intuition towards the flashy rainbow fish, he no longer viewed it as the grand prize of this lottery draw.

Instead, all he saw was an overly-exaggerated mech designed purely to show off! Ves found very little substance beneath its bombastic appearance!

If Ves hadn't utilized his intuition, then he may have fallen for the System's trap and secured the most useless prize out of the radiant lottery ticket's prize pool!

Chapter 1442

At least half of the fish in the illusionary pool of the projected environment consisted of duds. That was his conclusion after brushing through most of the fish in the pool with his intuition.

Of course, his intuition might be mistaken, but he had a good feeling that his odds of drawing a consolation prize was truly fifty percent.

\"If I didn't rely on any judgement and just caught a random fish, then my chances of catching a better fish is small!\"

A considerable amount of fish that fell outside the dud category didn't appear much better. They looked fairly plain and gave Ves the impression of basic and serviceable mechs.

They did the job, but that was it. They didn't excel too strongly in their categories and they didn't bring anything remarkable to the table.

Removing them from consideration narrowed the pool of eligible further even further.

Of the fish that remained, Ves did not spot any major quality differences between them. All of the fish exhibited something remarkable. This suggested that he either failed to spot the grand prize or it didn't exist in this prize draw in the first place.

\"Maybe it's invisible or buried underneath the soil or something.\"

He didn't spot anything that suggested that he missed a fish. Ves experimentally dipped his hand into the pool, but couldn't reach further past a certain depth. He couldn't inspect the underlying soil.

\"Whatever.\"

If he couldn't find a fish that slipped through his detection, then so be it. Ves just wanted to move on and obtain his prize quickly.

\"Let's see. Which fish is the best?\"

If his suspicion was right, then no fish among those that remained in his consideration possessed a clear advantage over the other. It was just like how different mechs of radically different mech types and configurations were all for sale at the same price level.

Their valuation may be the same, but their actual value differed according to the needs of the customer.

For example, if Ves wanted to form a scouting unit, then he would rather procure a bunch of light mechs instead of a clunky heavy mech!

No matter how expensive the latter one sold for, it was virtually worthless for scouting purposes!

If Ves applied this perspective to his current situation, then he may be able to determine the nature of his own prize.

For example, the brown, thick-scaled fish might offer him an object with defensive capabilities. The slimmer fish with the most fins perhaps represented an object that enhanced his mobility.

The question that followed was which fish suited his purposes better than the other fishes?

He frowned. \"What do I need?\"

He needed a lot of things. Too much, in fact.

He wanted to strengthen his design capabilities. He wanted to grow his spiritual strength. He wanted to increase his ability to hide himself from his enemies. He wanted to find some way to screw over the Five Scrolls Compact. He wanted to progress faster than Gloriana.

He found it difficult to decide what he wanted the most!

\"Even if I pick a priority, there's no guarantee that the fish that I've picked will truly address my need.\"

An element of uncertainty still remained. His intuition towards mechs might be strong, but it was not invincible! Trying to shoehorn his intuition towards mechs towards fish of all things doubtlessly resulted in many interpretation problems!

All in all, Ves had to manage his expectations.

\"Lotteries are inherently fraught with uncertainty.\" He muttered. \"Even if my intuition gives me the illusion of choice, absolute certainty doesn't exist! I'd only be deluding myself if I believe too much in my own judgement!\"

He began to pull back from his obsessive need to overanalyze his selection of fish. Though it sounded like a bad idea, why not just narrow his selection to a bunch of fish that appeared useful to him and rely on his gut feeling to make the final choice?

\"Whatever prize I'll draw through this method, I will not have any regrets!\"

He calmly began to consider his needs and selected the most acute ones he wanted to address. Once he drew up a list of priorities, he began to study the eligible fish and noted ten that conformed to his demands.

Once he finished his selection of fish, he began to shift his gaze back and forth. All of them looked great for his situation. No matter which of the ten fish he caught, he shouldn't have much to complain about. A radiant lottery ticket was not for show!

\"I've wasted enough time. I should just grab a fish.\"

He did not think any further on his choice and just stretched out his hand towards the pool of water. He randomly hovered his hand across the surface until it came close to one of the fishes in his selection.

Splash!

His hand instantly darted beneath the surface and grabbed hold of his targeted fish. As soon as he squeezed the slippery fellow in his fingers, he quickly pulled back his arm and put some distance between him and the pool in case he dropped the fish!

Soon after, he found out that his precaution wasn't needed as the fish instantly turned docile in his grasp. When he unfolded his fingers, he studied the fish he caught.

The fish resembled a small and slim herring. It glistened with a grayish reflective exterior but generally did not possess any large fins.

Ves licked his lips. \"I wonder how it tastes. Can it be eaten raw?\"

The fish abruptly exploded in a whoosh of confetti and festive smoke! In place of the herring-like fish, he instead held a vial containing a glowing liquid.

As he studied the object, he did not even notice his illusionary surroundings fading away. Now that he completed his prize draw, the System automatically deposited hm back to the bathroom.

Lucky, who treated the washbowl like his bed, perked up a bit and glanced at Ves.

\"Meow?\"

Ves did not hear what his cat had meowed. His full attention was transfixed on the reward he received after the fish he caught had disappeared.

\"...radiant lottery tickets are completely worth pursuing!\"

If radiant lottery tickets continued to provide him with the opportunity to win prizes like these, then Ves eagerly wished to obtain more!

\"System, will I win another radiant lottery ticket if I craft another masterwork mech?\"

This time, the System answered immediately.

[Yes.]

Anytime the System responded to his inquiries, Ves knew it was important! The uncharacteristic lack of reserve on its part signified that the System strongly desired him to create more masterwork mechs!

The more he repeated his latest feat, the more he strengthened his affinity for mechs!

Still, that was asking a bit much from him. Despite turning his Devil Tiger into a masterwork mech, Ves did not delude himself that he'd be able to craft another masterwork mech on demand.

At the very least, he had to go above and beyond again and rely on serendipity to put him in the right condition to create another masterwork copy of his own designs.

He did realize one basic factor that affected his probability of forming another masterwork mech and thereby winning another radiant lottery ticket.

\"The more I fabricate, the higher my chances that one of my mech becomes another masterwork.\"

In rare instances, professional fabricators who personally fabricated the same mech over and over again to the point where they knew its parameters by heart managed to form a masterwork mech.

Even if they hadn't been involved in designing the mech in the first place, they still entered this magical moment where they became unprecedentedly good!

These masterwork fabricators were highly sought after by every mech manufacturing company!

Ves reread the system description of the vial for the umpteenth time.

[Grand Dynamo Elixir]

Rank: Supreme

This ingestible elixir is a powerful substance that enhances the production rate of mental energy. This increase in production does not come with additional burdens, costs or negative repercussions aside from introducing a foreign substance in the mind.

Its name is derived from its effect. Upon consuming the elixir, the substance will accumulate in the mind and form a dynamo that is slightly sensitive to the vast forces being exerted by the closest galaxy.

If no galaxies are physically in proximity to the Grand Dynamo, it will cease all production.

\"How powerful! Worthy of a supreme-ranked prize!\"

The herring-like fish delivered something that suited one of his needs exceptionally well!

His most important priority right now was growing stronger. In order to do this, he had to design a lot of mechs.

However, as he thought about all of the new spiritual techniques he invented, he winced at the costs that some of them demanded. Some techniques such as spiritual restoration only worked if Ves invested at least some of his precious spiritual energy.

He might be able to bear the price if he designed a mech once every six months or something. If he wanted to be more productive, then he would likely bump into a very awful problem.

His turgid spiritual energy regenerated at the pace of a snail! His mind could only convert so much of his thoughts, emotions and other mind matter into spiritual energy!

Spiritual restoration was not the only technique he utilized over the course of his career.

Perhaps he wanted to empower an image with a substantial amount of spiritual energy in order to give it a lot of strength.

Perhaps he insisted on invading the spiritual presence of a notable creature or individual in the imaginary realm at all costs.

Perhaps he desired to form an incredibly strong spiritual barrier that could mask an enormously-powerful spiritual entity from detection!

\"And this isn't all! The more spiritual techniques I come up with, the more I have to stretch my supply of spiritual energy!\"

If he wanted to take advantage of all of his spiritual techniques, then he would quickly drain his mind until he turned into a bot in human skin! Yet if he waited until his lazy mind made up for his previous losses, months would have already passed!

To a mech designer who wanted to make the most of his time, this sluggish regeneration rate was unacceptable!

Before he won the Grand Dynamo Elixir, Ves only came up with one possible solution to increase his regeneration rate.

\"Ordinarily, I should focus on raising my Spirituality Attribute, and the only way to do that is to progress my career and develop my design philosophy further.\"

However, a chicken-and-egg situation occurred where he wouldn't be able to progress his career quickly unless he designed more mechs.

To design more mechs, he needed to spend more spiritual energy.

To increase his budget of spiritual energy, he had to design more mechs.

While there was nothing improper about furthering this cycle by making the best out of his current circumstances, it was far too slow to his liking!

The more he delved into the possibilities his Spirituality opened up, the greater his greed. He had so many ideas in his mind, yet far too little spiritual energy to address more than a couple of them at a time!

The Grand Dynamo Elixir was like a welcome flood of rain after an enduring drought. It addressed one of his greatest shortcomings in a sustainable way.

\"Unlike the Amastendira, the benefits of this elixir will remain with me in perpetuity!\"

The two were both rated as supreme, but one was an object with a finite lifespan, while the other improved one of the most important functions of his mind.

The benefits of the Grand Dynamo Elixir couldn't be lost, broken or stolen! Unless someone invaded his mind and messed it up somehow, the spiritual dynamo would always serve as the goose that laid the golden eggs!

His grin grew wider. \"I can't wait any longer! Bottom's up!\"

Ves removed the stopper and instantly raised the open vial to his lips. A searing liquid poured along his tongue and dropped through his throat before entering the insides of his stomach!

As Ves tried his best not to spit out the contents of the vial due to its acid, burning taste, his stomach quickly transmitted a bloating sensation.

The elixir was taking effect!

Chapter 1443

\"Meow!\"

Ves momentarily collapsed on the toilet bowl seat. A searing heat churned in his stomach before the Grand Dynamo Elixir gradually blurred and phased through his stomach.

Then, it began to move upwards!

Within seconds, it had reached straight towards the edge of his mindspace.

Surprisingly, the barrier protecting his mind caused it to stop. Since the elixir kept searing his brains as it lingered in his head, Ves quickly lowered the defenses of his mind, allowing the elixir to enter without any hindrance.

The heat slowly faded as Ves no longer physically experienced the elixir.

\"Who made this elixir?! Can't they make it easier?!\"

As Ves recovered from the searing sensations branded onto his flesh, the Grand Dynamo Elixir began to settle into his mindspace. It occupied a space close to the center, not too far away from his design seed.

Already, the two began to interact in a strange fashion. The glowing hot elixir began to warp into a peculiar shape that reminded Ves of a machine in the form of glowing energy particles.

\"This must be the dynamo!\"

He noted that the dynamo and his design seed exchanged with each other. The meaning of this interaction quickly became evident as the dynamo started to assimilate some of his spiritual energy!

Parts of the dynamo's structure began to expand with the influx, making Ves feel as if the dynamo belonged to his mind!

His eyes widened!

\"This.. the Grand Dynamo Elixir is a spiritual product!\"

Not only that, but its complexity and sophistication vastly exceeded that of his own rudimentary attempt at creating a spiritual product!

He had blundered his way through the creation of Vescas from the ruins of the Dragon Cat's spirituality. His lack of knowledge and his dearth of theory prevented him from programming any aspects about his artificial spiritual entity.

If Ves was just a first year mech design student who had taken his first class on mech design, then the creator of the Grand Dynamo Elixir must have been the equivalent of a Master Mech Designer!

The disparity between their application of spiritual energy was just too vast!

An incredible insight struck him as he saw the dynamo starting to become more active.

\"Spiritual energy can be manipulated just like any other matter or energy. Even though it abides by different rules, structure and order can still be imposed!\"

Seeing the obvious mechanisms taking shape made it clear to Ves that the dynamo adopted its shape because it had been designed to do so! Someone or something deliberately developed the dynamo to serve a specific purpose.

Ves coined another term. A narrow glimpse of what was possible suddenly expanded into an open sea! He knew now that ever since he started developing his spiritual toolbox, he had already embarked on the road he now referred to as spiritual engineering!

\"Just like physics, mechanics and mathematics, spiritual engineering is another field of science that I can utilize to design my mechs!\"

The existence of the Grand Dynamo Elixir hinted to Ves that he was not the first individual to embark on the road of spiritual engineering.

Just like how Ves lived in a reality where Seniors, Masters and Star Designers loomed over his shoulders, there might be spiritual engineers out there whose applications were much more formidable!

As Ves began to consider which organization most likely harbored spiritual engineers, his face began to sour.

The System and everything it knew and possessed originally belonged to the only organization the galaxy that actively toyed with spirituality.

\"The Five Scrolls Compact.\"

The more Ves delved into the secrets of spirituality, the more cult kept intertwining itself into his life. It made him feel as if Nitaa's sense of worship towards him became more and more justified when he progressed his application of spirituality further.

While Ves firmly considered himself a mech designer, his design philosophy was deeply intertwined with spiritual engineering. At this stage in his career, there was no way he could divest himself from this entanglement!

\"It's like.. I'm tugging back and forth between the MTA and the Compact!\"

He had a very clear idea on where he stood. He never possessed a strong sense of belonging to the MTA to begin with, and as he began to harbor more secrets, he diverged more and more from their principles and aims.

Instead, as uncomfortable as it sounded, he slowly aligned himself with the Compact.

Oh, he didn't delude himself that he would ever become a full-blown card-carrying brother of the Compact. However, he was faintly aware that some of his attitudes and approaches weren't very unusual among their kind.

Ves had something in common with both organizations, but because he dabbled with each other's archenemies, he never fully belonged to one or the other.

A rueful laugh escaped from his mouth as the dynamo in his mind began to become more active.

\"I'm both a mech designer and a Holy Son. Yet I can never trust the MTA nor the Compact!\"

He stood completely alone!

If either of them realized the extent of his secrets, they would not hesitate to deprive him of his advantages!

However, this was the road he had chosen for himself. Even if the actions of his parents and the proddings of the System pushed him into it, Ves fully embraced the direction he had taken in his life.

There was no turning back!

At this time of contemplation, the dynamo finally assimilated and shaped his spiritual energy into its structure.

As its mechanisms removed the final restraints, the supreme-quality spiritual product began to fulfill its function.

\"A dynamo is a generator of energy. It converts one form of energy into another form of energy.\"

Though simple and primitive, that did not detract from its utility. Numerous engineers still applied dynamos in all kinds of energy-conversion applications.

Ves could easily build a basic dynamo that converted the energy from a spinning wheel into a weak electric current.

When he compared the basic dynamo he imagined in his mind to the Grand Dynamo that fully took shape in his mind, the differences were too vast, yet their fundamental principles still remained the same!

The Grand Dynamo slowly started to unleash a trickle of spiritual energy.

That trickle quickly turned into a stream, then ramped up into a flood in a matter of minutes!

The most remarkable aspect about the output of the Grand Dynamo was that the spiritual energy it churned out completely conformed to his attributes!

It was as if the output of the Grand Dynamo was an intrinsic part of his mind! No sense of foreignness emanated from it at all, as its entire structure bore his spiritual imprint from top to bottom!

The flood of spiritual energy the Grand Dynamo generated became more and more alarming to Ves. Its output vastly outpaced his natural spiritual energy regeneration!

\"What force is acting on it to produce all of this spiritual energy?!\"

He recalled the description of the Grand Dynamo Elixir. Though he did not sense any hint of it, he never had the sense that the System lied about anything.

It withheld information, yes, but when it spoke, it always strove to be accurate!

\"Is the Grand Dynamo truly being powered by the forces of the galaxy?\" He breathed deeply.

He could not even begin to understand the engineering behind it all! The biggest spinning wheel in the galaxy was the galaxy itself! As an enormous disk of gasses, stars, black holes and other astral junk, the forces keeping it spinning was incredibly humongous!

For the Grand Dynamo to siphon an extremely miniscule portion of these vast forces and convert them into usable spiritual energy was incredible! Only the equivalent of a Master or a Star Designer in spiritual engineering could have conceived of such an amazing application!

Ves became inspired after witnessing the supreme spiritual product fulfill its purpose!

\"This is what the highest minds are engaged in! Their abilities are lofty, but their vision is loftier! Grand designs are the summit of a creator's work!\"

Those at the very top of their professions were capable of performing unimaginable feats! They frequently engineered miracles on demand!

Only now did Ves fully appreciate the worth of the Grand Dynamo Elixir. The supreme-ranked reward did not disgrace its eminent classification!

The System was generous to its owner as long as he continued to excel in his profession!

After ten more minutes of ramping up and other adjustments, the Grand Dynamo finally achieved stability. Its output no longer fluctuated or sputtered but instead formed a stable river of spiritual energy.

The modest deficit of spiritual energy in his mind was being rapidly filled up! As Ves studied the output of the Grand Dynamo and tracked how fast his mental capacity began to fill up, he quickly estimated his new rate of replenishment.

His eyes widened at his estimated results.

\"Before.. it would have taken an entire year for me to replenish my entire spiritual energy reserves. Now, I just need twenty days to fill up my entire tank!\"

The Grand Dynamo's output greatly surpassed what he imagined! The sheer difference between the natural regeneration of his mind and the Grand Dynamo's workings was far too vast!

\"The difference in production is as vast as the different in might between a human and a mech!\"

A human could never beat a mech in single combat! Ves knew this lesson very well!

As for the Grand Dynamo, Ves in his current state wasn't able to match its enormous output!

However... what about the future? How powerful was the mind of a Senior? Or a Master?

Those who just broke through the extraordinary threshold were only at the starting point of a very long climb. Those who advanced higher became exponentially stronger.

\"It's not ludicrous to imagine that a Master or a Star Designer can easily match or exceed the output of my Grand Dynamo!\"

The value of the Grand Dynamo was proportional to the spiritual strength of its user. To someone who only recently became a Journeyman like Ves, the supreme spiritual product was a godsend!

As for those who stood at the summit of the galaxy, the Grand Dynamo was just a supplement at best.

Ves shrugged. \"Even if the Grand Dynamo isn't as useful a century from now, that is in the future. Right now, this is exactly what I need to supercharge my progression!\"

The abundance of spiritual energy welling in his mind made him incredibly excited! He could do so much with a deluge of spiritual energy!

\"Spiritual energy is like a currency that I can spend on improving my mech designs! The greater my income, the more I can afford to spend!\"

Even now, his mind quickly reached its saturation point! It could no longer accommodate any more spiritual energy!

Ves keenly watched what happened next. Upon finding out that his mind was chock-full of spiritual energy, the Grand Dynamo abruptly cut off its output! Some kind of internal mechanism completely disconnected its conversion mechanisms from the forces of the galaxy.

The instant reaction made Ves relieved. For a moment, he was afraid that he might leak out his excess spiritual energy from his mind or cause it to compress into a dangerously explosive concentration!

However, seeing the Grand Dynamo becoming inert quickly began to chafe at Ves. Letting this extremely valuable spiritual energy generator go to sleep was a massive waste!

He had to kick it back to work!

\"Come on, Lucky!\"

Ves grabbed his cat from the wash bowl and quickly exited the bathroom. As he reentered the bedroom, he grabbed the box that stored his first P-stone.

He did something that he never would have imagined doing before. He quickly dumped a fifth of his entire spiritual energy reserves into his P-stone!

\"Yes! Suck it all in! Be a good little rock and accept your fate as my piggy bank!\"

Upon absorbing so much of his spiritual energy, the grey P-stone to gain a lot more spiritual weight in his senses! He determined that his P-stone had not come close to reaching its capacity yet, which was good news! The more excess spiritual energy he stored, the more he could spend at critical moments!

It was as if Ves had started off as a spiritual pauper, but suddenly landed a job that elevated him into a spiritual millionaire! The sudden promotion made him dizzy with all of the potential ways he could spend his new riches!

Chapter 1444

While Ves wanted to celebrate his new gains even further, he had better things to do with his time.

\"I have to keep moving forward.\" Ves patted his cheeks as if to arouse himself from his excessive gloating. \"Indulging in celebration before the race is over is a cardinal sin!\"

Recognizing his small successes raised his morale and strengthened his motivation. Yet they seemed trivial compared to the daunting challenges he faced in the future.

He was nowhere close to fulfilling any of his major goals!

Once he fully reined in his excitement and sobered himself up, he began to take stock of his current agenda.

Soon, he and his followers would depart to Cinach XIII, where he planned to enter a hidden marketplace set up by the mysterious Circle of Mota.

There, Ves hoped to find a customer for his Devil Tiger. As a masterwork mech, there was no way for his tiger mech to remain obscure!

\"If their mech appraisers have any sense, they'll treat my mech with utmost importance!\"

He knew that if he arrived at the Circle with a genuine masterwork mech on offer, he would doubtlessly receive generous treatment! Perhaps the Circle would even be willing to change his temporary access pass into a permanent access pass!

\"I might even be able to sell the Devil Tiger at a profit!\"

The allure of masterwork mechs were simply that immense! Many Seniors were only capable of fabricating five masterwork mechs at most over the course of their centuries-long life. This fully emphasized the rarity of such masterpieces!

In addition, the selling price of a masterwork mech shot up drastically according to the strength of its performance.

After all, if some fabricator somehow managed to turn a cheap frontline mech into a masterwork copy, then its value still did not impress. At most, it might be sold for ten times its original cost, which would still make it cheaper than a typical Blackbeak!

It was a completely different story when it came to premium mechs or custom mechs.

The performance of the Devil Tiger may not have caught up with its prohibitive cost, but it still stood far above the level of most third-class mechs!

Now that it became a masterwork mech, its actual value may have even exceeded the price of a typical second-class mech!

Ves saw hope in recouping a substantial portion of the monetary investment he put into realizing the mech. He always felt uncomfortable about the fact that he had to beg an expensive favor from his girlfriend.

While Gloriana did not make a big deal about the pure ASMAS she gifted to him, Ves knew that she must have made a substantial sacrifice to get her hands on something that expensive.

There was no way that Gloriana had reached the point where she could easily afford to purchase a batch of pure ASMAS out of her own pocket!

Even if Ves was unable to earn back the total worth of the pure ASMAS from selling the Devil Tiger, he could at least ease his guilt by paying back what he could to Gloriana after he completed the transaction.

\"As for the rest... I can slowly whittle that sum down in the future.\"

He knew that Gloriana did not necessarily expect him to repay her. Yet Ves still insisted on doing so. He suspected that the main reason why Gloriana was so generous was due to her Hexer upbringing.

To her, men needed to be coddled! Men couldn't take care of themselves! Men were supposed to be dependent on women!

Ves hated being treated like a manchild!

He furiously held up Lucky in front of his face. \"I can take care of myself, right!?\"

\"Meow.\"

\"What do you mean? That's not true! I can be independent! I can stand up for myself just fine! Just you wait, Lucky! Next time I meet Gloriana, I'll show her what a true man looks like!\"

\"Meow!\"

Though his cat expressed some doubts, Ves paid no mind to them. Now that he augmented his spiritual engineering capabilities with the Grand Dynamo, he felt much more confident that he could surpass Gloriana and advance to Senior faster!

\"She better watch out because I'm not going to slow down!\"

His progression depended on the availability of at least five scarce resources.

Time.

Money.

Materials.

Tech.

Spiritual energy.

Every mech designer depended on each of these five resources, though they probably called the last one psionic energy or something.

The point was that mech designers had two ways of increasing their productivity. They could make more efficient use of the resources they already had access to, or expand their supply of resources!

Why did mech designers work so hard to earn the merits to redeem expensive life-prolonging treatments from the MTA? It was all about expanding the amount of time they had at their disposal!

The more years they lived, the more mechs they designed and the more research they conducted!

Ves stood out from other mech designers in that he made much more vigorous use of his spirituality.

So far, he suspected that most mech designers weren't able to observe or manipulate their psionic power as extensively as him. As a result, they never utilized their psionic energy as extensively either!

Only Ves was capable of spending his spiritual energy in such a profligate manner!

Unfortunately, the biggest downside to this was that Ves suffered a problem that most mech designers didn't have to deal with, which was that he was spending his spiritual energy way too quickly!

He already suffered the drawbacks from a dearth of spiritual energy in his mind, and he did not wish to repeat this deprivation.

This was why he valued the Grand Dynamo so much. Its prodigious production rate, seemingly without any cost to his own physical or mental health, conveniently solved his greatest bottleneck that prevented him from designing more fantastic mechs!

In fact, Ves lamented the Grand Dynamo's incredible output because he didn't have enough P-stones to store all of the excess spiritual energy!

It was as if he was celebrating the arrival of a torrent of rain, but only possessed two buckets to store the water for later!

If he wanted to make efficient use of his Grand Dynamo, then he needed to find some sort of spiritual energy sink in which he could convert unneeded spiritual energy into something useful.

\"I have plenty of time to figure something out.\" He muttered. \"I've experienced enough excitement for one day.\"

He decided to call it a day and sleep over it. He always regained a clearer mind after he enjoyed a good rest.

After checking in with Nitaa to reassure her that he hadn't gone mad or anything with his abnormal behavior, he changed to his pajamas and settled comfortably in his bed.

He hugged Lucky against his chest and quickly dozed off despite the rush of activity taking place in his mind.

Whether he was awake or asleep, the Grand Dynamo kept churning out more spiritual energy, all of which fully bore his imprint as well as his unique mixture of spiritual attributes!

As Ves woke up, he realized that the morning hadn't dawned as of yet on Cinach XII.

The bedroom was still as dark as ever, with just a sliver of night from the city glowing from the windows that had taken on an opaque tint.

Lucky wasn't anywhere near his body either. He knew his cat liked to wake in the middle of the night and rummage around, but he would never be too far away.

\"Lucky?\"

A faint pressure started pressing onto his mind and Spirituality. The sensation faintly reminded him of something. As Ves swiveled his head toward the direction of the pressure, it quickly grew stronger.

\"Lucky! What are you doing!?\"

Ves could faintly make out his pet being petted by a translucent figure! The intruder, for the person was far too short to be Nitaa, affectionately scratched Lucky's cheeks.

There were several women he could think of who treated Lucky in this fashion.

He doubted that Ketis left the Bright Republic and traveled all the way to the Sentinel Kingdom in order to pamper Lucky.

The only other alternative was...

\"Mother!\" He hissed in alarm! \"What are you doing here?!\"

The ghostly form that bore a very familiar face directed a motherly smile at him. The spirituality that Ves sensed from the incorporeal intruder flared with happiness as well!

\"Ves.\" She spoke, her voice so achingly familiar to his childhood memories. \"I missed you, you know. Your father misses you as well. When I found out that you were passing through the Sentinel Kingdom, I couldn't resist sneaking in to pay you a visit! I deeply regret missing your birthday, so I'm making it up to you today!\"

Ves pressed his lips and shuffled back on his bed as his mother gazed at him with an unnerving stare.

\"You didn't have to. I'm grown-up now. I have my own life. I think you're better off staying wherever you disappeared to. Wait a minute.. what are you doing? Stay back! Don't come closer!\"

His mother stopped petting Lucky and began to drift closer to Ves. The pressure exerting upon Ves grew greater as she did so, so much so that Ves now widened his eyes in alarm at the realization why it felt so familiar!

His mother was draining him again! He could feel a trickle of his spiritual energy already bleeding out of his mind and entering his mother's ghostly form!

Worse yet, as the distance grew smaller, the drain on his spiritual energy increased!

\"What are you doing! What kind of mother sucks his own son's energy?!\"

His mother responded with an intrigued smile. \"Mommy needs a little pick-me-up. Now that you're a grown-up, you wouldn't be so petty as to deprive the person who raised you some assistance, would you?\"

\"That wasn't what I meant! Stop stealing my spiritual energy!\"

She ignored his complaints. \"You've grown, Ves. It was just a short time ago when you were just in your infancy. Now, not only did you turn into a handsome Journeyman Mech Designer, but you've also managed to earn the appreciation of your father's gift. I can sense a powerful source inside your mind. Be a good dear and share some of your bounty!\"

His mother's face turned rapturous as she unilaterally yanked half of his current spiritual energy in her ghostly body! It visibly grew stronger and more defined!

As for Ves, the drain was so sudden and abrupt that Ves suffered a disconcerting loss of strength! His body almost flopped down onto his bed as he struggled to adjust to the changes!

\"Give it back, mother!\" He squeezed out through his gritted teeth. \"It's mine! You have no right to take my energy!\"

As his mother came off her vampiric high, she smiled contently at Ves. \"Don't be selfish, boy. Do you think I borrowed your strength because I am greedy for power? No! All this time, I've stayed at the side of your father in the Nyxian Gap, helping him navigate the murky, pirate-infested environment! It's difficult, you know. If not for my help, I doubt your father would have been able to thrive so much!\"

The mention of his father startled Ves. \"Dad is still alive and okay?\"

\"Yes. He misses you so much, you know. While your father is capable enough to stay a step ahead from his pursuers in the Nyxian Gap, with my help he was able to grasp some power and secure more solid footing for himself! The reason why I've been able to do so is because of your help. Each time you strengthen me, you are helping out your father even further! Do you feel so upset about my actions now?\"

Though Ves still felt cross, he also believed her words.

\"You could have explained all of that before you started taking my spiritual energy, you know.\" He grumpily responded.

His mother was insufferable!

Chapter 1445

Before his mother continued to talk, her translucent body began to shift and compress in on itself.

Ves finally noted the miniature, hand-sized body floating within the center of her ghostly form.

That was the crystal builder leader's body! It was something his mother had seized from his possession several years ago!

Though his mother had molded its crystalline makeup into a vague feminine shape that conformed to her own appearance, she couldn't do anything about its diminutive stature.

She made the best out of her situation by donning it with a colorful red robe. Its traditional fashion greatly enhanced her elegance and added some much needed stature to her tiny form.

Once his mother fully retracted her exposed spirituality into the crystalline body, the pressure around her disappeared. Like a closed box, the crystal builder leader's body fully restrained her aura and other side effects from her unusual spiritual form!

\"Ah, that's better!\" She sighed in pleasure. \"Since you've grown to this point, I'm sure you know that taking on my form is unsustainable. I'm truly thankful for this container you've managed to scrounge up. I wouldn't nearly have been able to exert as much help to your father without such a suitable body!\"

Ves grimaced at her words. Each time his mother mentioned something about helping his father, he no longer dared to raise his voice in protest.

He really cared about his father! He did not want to mess up by resisting his mother's attempts at grabbing his stuff, even if he hated it every step of the way!

\"Is this all?\" He asked with a sulk.

The tiny crystalline form offered another motherly smile to Ves. \"Oh, not at all! I told you that I came to celebrate your birthday, and I meant it! Your father and I even pooled together to prepare your birthday gift!\"

\"A birthday gift? For me? Really?\"

It was as if Ves couldn't fathom his mother giving anything to him. Most of the time, it was him who passed on his stuff to her! To find out that her mother actually wanted to gift him for once sounded alien!

\"Our situation is a bit better now.\" She said, as if reading his thoughts from his troubled expression. \"Whatever you think of us, we are still your parents. We love you and we wish you the best.\"

Though Ves always maintained a sliver of doubt whether she was actually his mother or not, his intuition told him that she spoke the truth. She hadn't uttered any lies since she appeared!

He shoved aside his doubts about her identity and just accepted that the ghost that occupied the crystal builder leader's body was truly her mother. By now, he didn't want to contemplate the alternative.

He sighed. \"Alright. What did you get for me, mom?\"

Once he recovered from his abrupt loss of spiritual energy, he stabilized his mood. In any case, it wasn't as if his mother had taken something indispensable. He estimated he could easily replenish what he lost within a couple of weeks.

Knowing his mother, it was pointless to do anything else except to go along with her arrangements.

Her body floated over to a nearby table, where she picked up a box tied with a colorful ribbon bowtie the size of her own body. Once she lifted it up, she floated towards Ves and dropped it in her hands.

\"Here you go! Open it up!\"

His mother grinned with anticipation and the excitement of a teenager as Ves tentatively pulled the ribbon and opened his present.

\"These are.. a pair of rings?\"

\"Yes! As you've said, you've grown up, Ves. You're at the point in your life where you should seek to share your life with someone else. When I caught up on what you were up to these days, I heard the loveliest piece of news. Is it true that you have a girlfriend now?!\"

\"...Yes?\"

\"Wonderful! Gloriana sounds like a good catch. Whether you want to tie the knot with her or not, I support your choice. I just hope you have some consideration for your poor old parents marry someone before we grow old and senile! I want to hold my grandkids one day!\"

Oh, god. Not her too. Ves palmed his face in exasperation. \"Gloriana and I just know each other. It's way too soon to think of marriage!\"

\"You don't have to use our gift immediately! The rings are special. Just save them up for when you are sure you want to spend the rest of your life with the woman you love. If your tastes run different and you have a liking for men or something, I won't mind. I'm open-minded and with all of the procreation tech these days—\"

\"—AHEM.\" Ves loudly interrupted his caught-up mother. \"You don't have to worry about which direction I swing. Besides, these rings.. no offense, mom, but don't they look a little bit plain?\"

Traditional wedding rings usually consisted of platinum on the cheaper end and varying grades of exotics at the more expensive end.

While Ves failed to recognize the materials of the pair of rings that his mother had gifted him, their matte black appearance looked extremely underwhelming. In fact, they differed from something made of cheap carbon!

\"As I've stated, Ves, they're special.\" She smiled intriguingly at him. \"I'll leave it up to you to discover its secrets. Know that it carries the love of both your father and I. Besides, the rings are plain for a reason. Since you're a mech designer, I'm sure you can decorate it according to your tastes. Don't you think it's great if you add in your own design to the physical proof of your bond with one another?\"

He had to admit, that sounded very appealing to Ves. Not that he contemplated proposing to Gloriana or anyone else anytime soon. He had time to wait, his mother's urging be damned.

\"Thank you.. mother. Your present is very thoughtful.\"

Lucky climbed up on the bed and stared up at the tiny form of his mother. Despite being large enough to bite his mother's crystalline body in half if he pounced on her, the cat mewled like a kitten in her presence.

Ves looked scandalized at his pet. Lucky never acted to subservient to him! Who was his true owner here?!

\"Lucky! Come over here, buddy!\"

His cat acted like he didn't exist! The cat comfortably curled up below his mother's floating miniature form.

His mother snapped her tiny fingers. \"My time is short, Ves. As much as I'd like to stay, I have to leave soon.\"

\"Why?\" He whined, even though a part of him already celebrated at the thought of his mother's departure!

\"I'm being hunted. I think you know who.\"

\"The Compact?\"

\"Don't mention that name!\" She furiously hissed. \"You are dabbling with forces you cannot possibly fathom!\"

Ves crossed his arms across his chest. \"I think you owe me some answers, mom. I've already brushed with the Compact several times. I've also learned some very explosive details.\"

Her tiny face soured. \"I never wanted you to get entangled with your ilk. Your father didn't want you to get involved either. It's why he dropped everything in the Bright Republic and went into hiding. He wanted to minimize any possibility that you'd enter their view..\"

\"I think it's too late for that. Please answer me. Is the System my father gifted me the so-called Metal Scroll? Are you tied to the Five Scrolls Compact in any way?\"

The air between them grew incredibly grave once he asked his questions. He noted that his mother emanated a subtle field that reminded him of a jamming field ever since she appeared, so he did not hold his curiosity back.

\"Ves.. you are asking questions that I can't answer.\" She shook her head. \"Some things just aren't meant to be spoken aloud.\"

Ves narrowed his eyes in suspicion. \"Are you under a compulsion or something?\"

Her lack of answer was an answer in itself. Ves understood that she'd been subjected to some sort of restriction that limited what she could do. Whether she truly couldn't say anything or simply wanted to keep Ves in the dark, he couldn't make up his mind.

He had the feeling that his mother wanted him to know as little as possible, and that frustrated him a lot!

\"Do you know about the envoy of the Ruined Temple secretly making his way to the Five Scrolls Compact branch hidden in the Nyxian Gap?\"

This time, she lost her composure. She genuinely looked alarmed! \"What?! Where did you hear this? How reliable is your information?!\"

Ves pointed towards the crumpled heap of his bodyguard resting at the opposite side of the room. His mother probably knocked Nitaa unconscious with one of her tricks.

\"My bodyguard used to be a former member of one of the Compact's splinter organizations. Though she only heard some rumors, I think she is definitely on to something. Supposedly, the high dignitary from the Ruined Temple has been underway for a while and will arrive at the Nyxian Gap in a decade or so. I'm not too sure!\"

The news really shocked his mother. A short pause ensued as she processed the new information. Her face scrunched up in determination.

\"I see. I'll perform my own investigations. What you've claimed is extremely important! If it turns out to be true, then the forewarning you've passed on is extremely crucial! What are your plans in the event it's true?\"

\"I already came up with a plan, and even got my girlfriend on board...\"

Ves briefly explained his intentions to go on a grand expedition. His mother listened with rapt attention and eventually nodded.

\"That's very wise. Even if your precaution turns out to be excessive, it's still a good idea to stay as far away from anyone who claims to be from that accursed Temple!\"

\"What about my father and you? What will the two of you do?\"

\"Don't worry about us. We are more than capable of taking care of ourselves. We don't want to entangle you any further in our difficulties. Our burdens are our own to bear. The best way you can make us happy is to live a good life and start a family. We don't want any further help from you. The more you try to help us, the more you risk getting caught up in our problems.\"

Ves argued a bit with his mother about this. He really did not feel comfortable living a blissful, ignorant life while knowing that his parents might be drowning in the Nyxian Gap.

However, his mother strongly insisted on drawing a very firm line between them. The sins of the parents should start and end with them! Ves ought to keep his nose out of their problems.

\"Look, even if you want to help us, there is nothing you can do.\" His mother shook her head as she placed her tiny hands against her hips. \"I have to go, Ves. The longer I linger, the greater the risk of exposure. I'm constantly being tracked. It's the main reason I don't dare to spend more time with you, even though I miss you immensely.\"

Both his mother and Ves looked sad at that. He still had so many more questions to ask. How many more years did he have to live in ignorance of what his parents had done to obtain the Mech Designer System and provoke the Compact?

\"Can you leave me a comm address or something so that I can continue to talk to you? It's really frustrating to me that I haven't spoken to my dad in five years!\"

The tiny form shook her head. \"I'm sorry, Ves. The galactic net is one of the least secure means of communications. Any method of communication presents a risk. We only have to slip up once for us to meet our ends. I can't subject you to the risk of such a disaster!\"

For a moment, Ves felt a bit weird. Did he get his paranoia from his mother? Because that sounded exactly like something he would say!

In the end, after a brief chat where his mother continued to say little of substance, she finally bid farewell and phased out of his hotel room.

Ves had no idea when he would be able to talk or meet with his mother again, and that realization saddened him in a very profound way.

\"Will I ever obtain the answers I want?\"

Chapter 1446

After his mother disappeared, Ves fell silent for a time.

Eventually, he directed his attention to Lucky, who appeared completely relaxed as he snoozed without a care in the world.

\"You're so unreliable. Who do you really look up to, me or my mother?\"

He knew there was no use putting some sense in his cat, so he instead climbed out of his bed and moved over to the collapsed form of his bodyguard.

Though it unnerved him a bit to sleep while she remained on guard within his room, he felt better if there was someone in the room to react against unauthorized intrusions.

His mother's casual intrusion into his hotel room vindicated his decision. Yet her very appearance also proved that two of his most trusted guards, namely Nitaa and Lucky, weren't capable of fending off against every intruder!

Ves kicked Nitaa's body. She remained out cold. \"How did mother manage to do this?\"

The more he met his mother, the more it became clear that she possessed a much greater mastery of spiritual techniques. He would have loved to learn how to prod someone unconscious by leveraging his Spirituality in a certain way.

\"That's another thing my mother didn't teach me.\" He grimaced.

Rather than gift him a pair of incomplete wedding rings, he would rather receive a manual on spiritual power! Why didn't she give him that instead?! Was she afraid of the Five Scrolls Compact's copyright police or something?!

Above all else, his was anything but forthcoming about her past, her difficulties and her secrets. Her silence on the questions simmering in his mind frustrated him to no end!

Ves also realized that he and his mother had more things in common than he thought. It wasn't as if he'd been generous with his secrets towards his closest companions either, and he didn't plan to change that anytime soon.

Nitaa and Calabast may know a bit more about him than he was comfortable with, but that was because they found out his secrets outside of his control.

\"Secrets... they're great if you can keep them, but awful if someone else withholds them from you.\" He depressingly mused. \"I hate being on the other end.\"

If his mother was anything like himself, then he shouldn't be surprised that she would want to keep him out of her orbit. At his current state, he could hardly be of assistance to her besides from acting as her spiritual energy battery.

\"What is up with that?\" He frowned.

He tried observing her with his spiritual senses and spiritual vision. He encountered nothing but walls that hindered him assessing her true spiritual state.

Yet normally, mothers didn't drain the vigor of their sons. So what compelled her to steal his spiritual energy as if he was a smoothie?

\"Is there a problem with her spiritual state?\"

If Ves assumed that his mother truly died but managed to retain a sliver of life as a ghost or something, then she may not have come back to life unscathed.

The evidence strongly pointed towards a deficiency of some sorts. Perhaps she lost her capability to replenish her spiritual energy, thereby making her dependent on external sources to maintain a healthy level of spiritual strength.

\"There's always a price.\" He whispered. \"The greater the benefit, the greater the price. I'd imagine clawing yourself out of the maws of death must be a very expensive price indeed.\"

He became a bit concerned about her dependence on the crystal builder leader's body. Though she made his body her own, he doubted that the crystalline body provided her with the right conditions to bring her back to life.

Ves wondered if he could give her a better body by designing one on his own. Human size, of course.

\"I doubt my mother wants to become a mech in her second life.\" He muttered.

All of this was largely moot since his mother did not wish to impose on him. She abundantly made it clear that she wished him to live his own life away from the entanglements that continued to tie down his father and his mother.

For now, he had no choice but to go along with their arrangements. Hopefully, that would be different one day, but that was very far away.

\"She really has a point.\" He closed his eyes. \"The best way for me to go forward is to keep my head down and progress in the background. I'll only endanger myself if I try to get involved.\"

Ves had the sense that his parents were even willing to die in some forgotten place in the Nyxian Gap if that was what it took to cut off further pursuit! This was their true love towards him. They unhesitatingly placed his own wellbeing above their own!

Once dawn began to break, Nitaa slowly awoke from her forced sleep. She immediately realized that she'd been taken out!

If not for Ves leisurely enjoying his breakfast in his room, she would have gone crazy!

\"My apologies, sir! I was derelict with my duties!\"

\"It's not a big deal, Nitaa. The person who came into my room was.. not easy to deal with. She's friendly though, so nothing happened to me. I still have Lucky to protect me, so I was never completely left alone.\"

Nothing serious happened to him except for losing half of his spiritual energy reserves. Ves had already retrieved the excess spiritual energy he previously dumped into his P-stone, but he still felt a bit lethargic and in no mood to design a mech anytime soon!

Fortunately, with his Grand Dynamo working at full tilt, the temporary shortfall no longer weighed on him as much as it used to. Where he previously needed months or years to recover his losses, now he'd be as good as new in less than two weeks.

\"Sir.. it was still unforgivable of me to fail you in such an abject way.\"

\"As I've said, it's not your fault. You can't defend against the method of attack the guest employed. We are but humans, and humans have failings.\"

\"It's unacceptable!\"

It took some time for him to stop Nitaa from apologizing to him. She really took her failings seriously, and even if she no longer expressed her regret, her eyes still looked troubled.

Ves decided to throw her a bone in order to drag her out of her cycle of self-blame.

\"Look, if you want to do better, then focus on training your mind. I know you spend a lot of effort on keeping your body fit, but you shouldn't neglect the growth of your mind. If you develop a strong will and unswervingly follow a set of principles, then I doubt you'd be as susceptible to the attack that knocked you out.\"

She looked doubtful at him. \"Will that really help?\"

\"Expert pilots are regularly known for these qualities. They are exceptional mainly because of their strong mental conviction and resilience.\"

That put her to thought, as Ves intended to. Unlike most people, Nitaa possessed spiritual potential.

Even if she wasn't a mech pilot or mech designer, Ves still believed that she would acquire something useful if she somehow managed to develop her spiritual potential to the point where she broke through the extraordinary threshold.

He even believed that this might be the key to unlocking the full potential of her experimental nose. The Five Scrolls Compact must have their reasons to pour their research into such an odd augmentation.

With all the excitement that went on, Ves welcomed a return to normality when Gavin made his daily report on his business operations.

\"How are the Avatars of Myth faring these days?\"

\"Quite well, boss. Nothing serious of note has happened. Commander Melkor sounds increasingly more confident about the readiness of the Avatars under his command. The cadre that he focused on nurturing first are completely integrated by now. They're loyal, skilled and committed to the Avatars. This opens up your mech troop for faster expansion, because as long as there is a sufficient amount of cadre in place in the new units, we don't have to fear any disloyalty.\"

\"How many mechs can we currently field?\"

\"Commander Melkor assured me that he can immediately field two landbound and two spaceborn mech companies. There are an abundant number of spare mech pilots on hand to ensure that all 160 mechs are ready to deploy at any moment. Though the budget of the Avatars has ballooned as well, for now the LMC can easily bear the burden.\"

That was good news. The growth of the Avatars had been far too slow for his liking. Hearing that they possessed more leeway now that they formed a strong core of loyalists eased his worries for his private mech force.

\"This only counts for our mech companies, right? What about our guard infantry and virtual security contingents?\"

\"They've shapen up as well under the lead of Captain Coyin Larkinson. In order to accelerate the growth of the guard infantry companies and the virtual security department, Coyin has reached out to other Larkinsons as well as their extensive list of contacts. A considerable number of military veterans have bolstered their ranks.\"

This did not sound as good to Ves. When he embarked on his grand expedition, he wanted to bring an adequate number of Avatars with him in for protection.

If most Avatars consisted of veterans with a strong attachment to the Bright Republic, then Ves doubted that more than twenty percent of them would agree to leaving their home state!

In fact, the same problem applied to the mech contingent as well. So long as they remained attached to the Bright Republic and their families who resided there, there was no way for Ves to employ them as freely as he wished!

Ves began to develop some ideas to address this problem, but he would wait until he finished his current tour before discussing them with Melkor.

\"How is the LMC?\" He asked, changing the topic.

\"The same. The LMC's considerable growth over the last few months has slowed down by now. While we are still selling more and more mechs, this is mostly due to expanding our reach into more distant markets. In the Bright Republic, our sales have completely plateaued. All of the side projects you've spent your time on lately hasn't done the LMC's mech catalog any favors. In addition, the controversy that has developed around your mech models has really started to pick up steam.\"

\"Ah, yes. The controversy.\" Ves grimaced. \"Have the LMC's attempts to deflect the criticism been effective.\"

\"No.\" He said. \"We don't really have a dependable spokesperson who can speak to the public on the company's behalf. While Professor Ventag has spoken up in your favor, the Ansel guys are doing everything they can to foster the rumors about the potentially dangerous effects of your mechs.\"

BANG!

\"My mechs aren't brainwashing anyone!\" Ves slammed his fist against the table. \"These rumors are ridiculous! My customers just love my products when they begin to use them, that's all!\"

\"We all believe you. The conspiracy theories completely neglect the fact that the MTA always certifies our mechs! If the LMC's products truly pose a threat to the minds of our customers, then we would have never been allowed to bring them to market! There's no way we can argue against those who aren't open to facts and logic!\"

Ves understood that his business rivals finally found a way to impair his business success. It got to the point where their chosen attack strategy seriously posed a threat to his reputation and the reputation of his company.

\"What can we do to halt the rumors?\"

\"For a start, you could return home and address the concerns of the public. There's not much you can do besides that. Haters are always going to hate. Don't forget that the LMC has developed a small but dedicated fanbase. Word of mouth has always been favorable for us. Our growth may be hampered, but we aren't in any risk of dropping off from the face of the galaxy.\"

That sounded far from ideal, but Ves understood that barring some exceptional circumstances, this might become the new normal.

The only way he could break this deadlock was if he came up with something explosive that forcibly rearranged the current landscape of his company.

Publishing a number of fantastic new mech designs ought to do the job.

Chapter 1447

Once Ves finished his morning routine, he was ready to depart from the planet. Gavin already booked transit to Cinach VIII.

He mainly intended to go there to gain entry to the temporary marketplace set up by the Circle of Mota.

However, it would be rather inconspicuous if he traveled all the way to Cinach VIII only to spend his time in a hotel all the time.

For this reason, he added another goal to his trip. He intended to visit one of the Sentinel Kingdom's renowned mech universities and see if he could fish some benefits.

\"Benny.\" He spoke as he got ready by donning the Pride of Dusk's overcoat over his casual business attire. There was no need for him to try too hard in dressing himself up for a simple interplanetary transit ride. \"Have any of the mech design universities responded to our request to visit their premises as a guest?\"

\"The responses have been quite good, boss. A number of them are even willing to host you and show you some of their research in exchange for giving a guest lecture.\"

Ves frowned as he placed his soft, fluffy decorative cat ears over his head. Because why not?

\"Guest lecture?\"

\"Yeah. The professors want you to speak in front of a class of mech design students for at least two hours.\"

\"What do they want me to talk about?\"

\"As far as I know, they want you to impart some of your experiences to the students. In particular, they want the students to get a more practical impression of the life of a mech designer who leads their own business. Personally, I think you'd do great. You should consider the offers. I think they are really sincere since they value you for your rapid advancement to Journeyman. You're an example to all of the students.\"

Though Ves felt flattered by the praise, he knew that the only reason he shot up so quickly was due to his hidden advantages. There was no way he could set himself up as a responsible role role model to the impressionable mech design students.

He shook his head. \"I'm thankful for the offers, but I respectfully decline. I don't think I'm suitable to lecture about my career trajectory to the students.\"

\"Why not?\" Gavin frowned. \"You're a great mech designer! Sure, your life is anything but normal, but that's what makes it so exciting! In addition, guest lecturing will do wonders for your personal and professional brands. By accepting you as a guest lecturer for a day, the university in question essentially lends some of their credibility to you. That's vital in painting your reputation in a better light and rub away some of the stains it acquired!\"

That put Ves to pause. He and his company did suffer quite a bit from the accusations that their products brainwashed their customers.

Giving a guest lecture or two did not do anything to lessen the spread of rumors, but it would doubtlessly help in blunting the negativity.

Building up his credibility as a mech designer essentially granted him an invisible suit of armor that was exceptionally suitable to deflect these kinds of attacks.

\"Give me a list of offers.\" Ves stretched out his hand. \"I want to see which institutions value me to such an extent that they're willing to put me in front of a class of promising students.\"

Cinach VIII hosted a lot of universities and educational institutions. Not all of them taught mech design. Only four universities sent him an offer to give a guest lecture, and only a single one of them was highly acclaimed.

\"The Rawlings University is one of the best mech design universities in the Sentinel Kingdom, right?\"

\"They're in the top ten. How they rank within the top ten is a matter of intense debate. None of the noble houses who sponsor their universities are willing to give ground.\" Gavin shrugged. \"Rawlings is definitely the best on Cinach VIII, so I highly recommend you accept their offer. All the other mech design universities aren't worth your time.\"

Ves briefly frowned at Gavin's dismissive words towards the other universities. He personally attended one of the 'lesser universities', and he had nothing to complain about.

Sure, if he had a choice, he would have rather attended a more prestigious institution such as the Ansel University of Mech Design, but his alma mater was not that bad.

Still, in terms of reputation and credibility, Rawlings beat out all the other local institutions. If Ves wanted to maximize his benefits, then he really had no other alternative.

Ves sighed. \"Okay then, Benny. Reach out to Rawlings and tell them that I'm willing to give a guest lecture. Please ask if I can give my guest lecture on short notice, preferably within the week. I don't want to linger in the Cinach System any longer.\"

\"Great! I'll get on it right away! You made the right choice, boss!\"

As the enthused Gavin went on to hammer out the arrangements, Nitaa suddenly arrived in front of him with a deeply concerned expression.

\"Sir, I've just received some alarming news! We need to speak in private!\"

Ves dropped all joviality and led her to the hotel bathroom. Once he activated his jammer, she began to reveal what she learned.

\"It's about the mech you recently built. When you finished it, we packed it into a secure container and shifted it to an empty warehouse to await further transport. When the smugglers arrived at the warehouse to bring the container off-planet, they reported that they haven't found any cargo containers inside!\"

\"What?!\" Ves became alarmed. \"It's missing?!\"

\"Yes! The smugglers weren't able to fulfill the commission because there is nothing for them to sneak past customs!\"

\"Did they lie to us?!\"

Nitaa shook her head. \"No, that's not the case. I've arranged some monitoring and nothing suggests that the smugglers have lied to us. They genuinely arrived this morning without encountering any cargo containers!\"

\"Then how can the container that stores my Devil Tiger be missing?!\"

\"The smugglers haven't found any containers, but they did find something strange in its place. I.. I think we should visit the warehouse in person.\"

\"Then let's go right away! We need to get to the bottom of this! The Devil Tiger is my first masterwork! No one steals it from under my nose and gets away with it! No one!\"

Ves stewed in fury and rage as he brought his entire entourage aboard a shuttle. While he did command them to take an obfuscating route in order to cover some of their tracks, he was too impatient to dance around for half a day.

Soon enough, they arrived at the dilapidated-looking warehouse. The warehouse sat squarely in the middle of a manufacturing district that had fallen on hard times. Almost no one frequented the place other than the gangs that held on to the ruins that remained and tried to eke out the last bit of money they could earn from the worthless facilities.

As Ves entered the warehouse, he encountered a completely empty, dusty space. He could spot a lot of disturbances in the dust from the recent movements.

As Nitaa went on to check some of the monitoring devices installed in the warehouse, Ves walked up all the way to the middle of the massive hall. Lucky perched up his shoulder as usual and gazed in every direction as if trying to find some clues of what had happened.

A small toy figurine of a mech had been left in the space occupied by the cargo container. The large, rectangle-sized disturbance in the dust noted the complete absence of what should have rested here!

When Ves approached the mech figurine, he began to sense something strange in the surrounding air. It made him feel as if it was a really bad idea to bring his hand closer to the toy.

He frowned. \"This is not a normal toy.\"

Despite the unusual sensation, his intuition didn't warn him of anything dangerous. He even whipped out his Vulcaneye and scanned the toy and found nothing explosive or toxic.

\"Strange.\"

Due to his impatience for answers, he decided to press ahead and pick up the toy.

The instant he touched the figurine, a strange impulse suddenly shot out from the figurine and shot at his mind, passing straight through the defenses of his mind!

His perception momentarily changed! He no longer saw anything, but could still feel his body! In addition, a very familiar voice started whispering in his ears.

\"I snooped around before I left this star system. Imagine my surprise when I discover this remarkable mech of yours! Although it is rather more feral than I like, I'm sure your father would love it! Please don't mind if I bring it back to him so he can suppress his rivals with this fine machine. Your present is appreciated!\"

The strange experience quickly ended, leaving him with nothing but a cheap mech figurine like the ones he played with in the past.

A tense pause ensued as Ves took in his mother's message, because there was no doubt who took his Devil Tiger!

\"MOTHER!\" He burst out in rage!

He violently threw the mech figurine against the ground, the force of its fall breaking its cheap composite components apart from each other!

He wanted to scream and rage! This was outrageous! How did she know about his Devil Tiger?! What possessed her to decide it would be a lovely mech for his father to pilot?!

Didn't she realize what an immense risk the mech posed to its mech pilot?!

Ves designed the Devil Tiger as an outlet for his repressed desire to experiment! He planned to treat the scumbag pirates of the Nyxian pirates as his test subjects for his dangerous mech!

He never intended for his Devil Tiger to be piloted by someone he cared about! His father would be putting himself in immense danger if he actually went through and piloted his smart metal tiger mech!

Nothing about the Devil Tiger deliberately warned its mech pilots of the risks they incurred if they piloted his mech! Ves didn't wish to scare away any potential mech pilots after all, so the Devil Tiger did not openly broadcast its risk factors!

Once he calmed down a bit, he realized the worst might not necessarily happen. As far as he knew, his father only piloted humanoid mechs. It shouldn't be easy for someone to adjust to a bestial mech.

\"If he's smart, he'll assign a subordinate who specializes in piloting bestial mechs to pilot the Devil Tiger.\"

Would that truly happen? Ves hoped so. If anything dangerous happened, then his father would just lose a single subordinate.

Yet... his mother's words left open the possibility that his father might pilot the Devil Tiger in person! Due to the lack of disclosure on his part, they would never know what kind of a disaster they invited!

Even if his mother sounded as if she might be able to keep Zeigra's spirituality under control, that did not detract from the Devil Tiger's other dangers!

The hostile design spirit represented only one facet of the Devil Tiger's double-edged nature. What Ves worried about more was the illicit neural interface model he incorporated in the cockpit of his masterwork mech!

The words of Old Man Terrence came to his mind. The specialist in neural interfaces spoke quite vigorously about the dangers of neural interfaces with looser restrictions.

The greater immersion and feedback they provided may strengthen the mech pilot's performance, but also exposed them to potentially greater brain damage when a battle went awry!

This was a problem inherent in the hardware of his Devil Tiger! No matter what kind of spiritual sorceress his mother turned out to be, there was no way she possessed any idea what kind of threat its neural interface posed!

Ves couldn't rely on any of the mech technicians or mech designers under his father's employ either. In order to prevent others from rummaging through his neural interface and finding out the truth, he implemented a lot of measures to camouflage its true nature!

Unless a Journeyman or higher manually inspected the neural interface in person, no one would know the ugly truth!

Neither his mother or father would be able to realize that the Devil Tiger's strength came with an even greater price!

Ves wanted to warn his parents, but his secretive mother hadn't left him with any means to contact her! He had no way of disclosing the full extent of the risks of piloting his Devil Tiger!

\"AAAAARRRGGGGHH!\"

Chapter 1448

During the interplanetary transit ride to Cinach VIII, Ves constantly glowered. Not even Lucky's playful antics could lift him from his tempestuous mood.

The hostile air around him did not do him any favors. Along with the pressure exerted by his Pride of Dusk, hardly anyone could stand to be in his presence!

Fortunately, they booked a private suite aboard a larger passenger transport, so Ves had the entire compartment to himself and his followers.

Nitaa and Gavin both knew that Ves lost one of his precious mechs again. While they were a bit confused upon who actually took the Devil Tiger, there was no doubt that Ves took its absence poorly!

\"Boss.. if you really care about that mech so much, why not stay behind in Cinach XII? As long as he can find out who's responsible for the theft, we can still get it back!\"

Ves shook his head. \"We won't be able to find it. I know who took it and I know I won't get it back. All of the investigation we did in the late morning didn't result in any useful findings, and I don't think we'll be able to find anything considering how careful the thief is in covering her tracks.\"

He didn't even know how his mother managed to make the huge container disappear. Did she bring lackeys with her to the Cinach System who took care of the transport of the mech container, or did she whisk it away in an alternate dimension with her spiritual sorcery?

Whatever the case, his mother's extreme measures to keep her presence hidden meant that Ves had no chance in hell in tracking her down!

His mother had no idea what she was dealing with when she made off with the Devil Tiger! Ves really regretted adding no warning about at least some of the threat his mech posed to the health of its mech pilots!

He really hoped his father didn't pilot the Devil Tiger personally! In fact, he shouldn't since he didn't specialize in piloting bestial mechs!

This realization made him feel a little bit better. His mother may want to put the Devil Tiger to use, but his father should know better!

\"Dad used to serve in the Mech Corps.\" Ves softly muttered. \"He should know what is proper and what is not. Piloting a mech type that you don't have any proficiency in is a big taboo in the service.\"

What would his father want to do with a landbound tiger mech anyway? Most battles in the Nyxian Gap took place in space. His father originally specialized in piloting landbound melee mechs, though like any Larkinson he diverted enough training to raise his spaceborn combat proficiency to at least a basic level of competency.

If his dad had any sense, he would have probably focused on raising his spaceborn mech piloting skills even further. Otherwise, how could he ever keep himself space in the predominantly spaceborn fighting environment of the Nyxian Gap?

Splitting up his precious training time by learning how to pilot a tiger mech from scratch made absolutely no sense!

His father should possess enough logic to realize what a monumental bad idea it was for him to learn how to pilot a bestial mech well past his mech academy days!

At his age, learning how to pilot a completely new mech type was a waste of his father's time.

Ves silently sent a prayer hoping that his father hadn't forgotten all of his Larkinson and Mech Corps training while he slummed it out in the Nyxian Gap.

As Ves cast his eyes downwards, they swept across the fabric of his overcoat.

His eyes suddenly shone!

Perhaps he still had a way of contacting his parents! Two ways, even!

His Pride of Dusk's overcoat still contained a separated fragment of Zeigra's spirituality. The latter in turn inhabited both the Devil Tiger's design and its physical masterwork copy!

He began to concentrate his mind and cast it towards his design. He immediately sensed the main body of Zeigra's spirituality. As Ves went on to brush his Spirituality against it, he immediately encountered a hostile reaction!

\"Ouch!\"

Zeigra blindly lashed out at Ves as soon as the Crown Cat recognized one of the people responsible for killing his organic body!

\"Stupid cat! Behave!\"

\"Meow?!\" Lucky raised his head from Ves' lap in alarm.

As Ves attempted to make contact with Zeigra's Spirituality several times, the intelligent but very feral huge cat spirit only grew more vicious and unwilling!

There was no way Ves could get through to Zeigra!

Ves tried to do the same towards Zeigra's spiritual fragment locked inside his overcoat, but its connection to the Crown Cat's main spirituality meant that he encountered the exact same response!

\"You're weaker, though!\"

The critical difference between the fragment and the whole spiritual entity was their strength. Ves easily managed to push his Spirituality past the defenses of the fragment, but he had little to go on from there.

Because the fragment only possessed a loose connection to its main spirituality, Ves had no way of ascertaining the state of the Devil Tiger mech through its design spirit!

This method turned out to be a bust as well!

Without turning Zeigra friendly, Ves saw no way in convincing the stubborn spiritual entity into passing on a message to the Devil Tiger mech!

However, this was not his only recourse now that he thought about it. He also left open a means for him to retrieve logs from the Devil Tiger and upload some new instructions to the mech through the galactic net.

Ves could still warn his parents of the incredible danger surrounding the Devil Tiger's use! For example, he could upload a change in programming that would plainly project a giant message in the cockpit that explicitly detailed all of the risk factors of the mech in question!

He could even go a step further! The programming of the Devil Tiger was like an incredibly complicated virtual machine with many interlocking components. As long as Ves uploaded a software update that purposely sabotaged some key coding in its programming, his mech would no longer be able to fight!

In fact, Ves could even program the pure ASMAS to destroy the entire Devil Tiger from within! In that way, he could eliminate the chance his father would endanger himself by piloting the smart metal tiger mech!

As Ves began to figure out the programming required to turn the Devil Tiger into an inert pile of broken materials and nanomachines, he realized one crucial precondition.

The Devil Tiger had to gain access to the galactic net in order to upload its status and download his software updates!

All of the wonderful programming that Ves planned to prepare might remain unused and forgotten in an obscure corner of the galactic net so long as his father never connected to it!

\"Do the pirates of the Nyxian Gap connect to the galactic net?\" Ves asked all of a sudden.

\"No idea.\" Gavin shrugged.

\"As far as I know, they rarely do so.\" Nitaa spoke. \"The Nyxian Gap is well-known for its prevalent spatial anomalies. I don't understand the science of it all, but I've heard that most quantum entanglement nodes no longer work right when they are brought to this turbulent region of space.\"

\"You're right.\" Ves palmed his face in despair. \"The Nyxian Gap might as well be a separate realm from the main plane of reality!\"

As someone versed in the sciences, Ves understood more about the effect the anomalies had on the Nyxian Gap.

Nitaa was correct that most of the space in the Nyxian Gap was too turbulent to connect to the galactic net.

There were exceptions, though. In some rare regions of space, the spatial fluctuations were less severe, allowing for limited connections to the galactic net.

However, even if his father entered such a space, would he ever patch into the galactic net, knowing that he was under constant pursuit?

If his father and mother truly insisted on hiding themselves, they would never allow an insecure connection to the galactic net to give themselves away!

Ves assumed that most pirates and dark mercenaries were too sloppy to care too much about virtual security, yet he knew his parents would never be that stupid!

\"Damnit! I really hope they aren't as paranoid as I think they are! Who can live without the galactic net these days?\"

He continued to groan into his palms for a while until he recovered. Regardless of whether his worst fears might come true, he still maintained hope that his father would see sense or that he would check in onto the galactic net once a while!

\"I have nothing but hope to go on!\"

Ves immediately summoned a small interface from his comm and rapidly programmed some preliminary coding. He laid out an outline of what he wanted to implement in the software update for his Devil Tiger and planned to flesh them out over the course of the next few days as he waited for his various appointments to arrive.

He also realized that Zeigra presented another avenue for him to ascertain the state of the Devil Tiger. As long as Zeigra did not exhibit any changes, the Devil Tiger was probably fine.

Ves could even use the huge cat spirit as a middleman to communicate a message to his parents.

Unfortunately, trying to make friends with Zeigra was a nearly impossible challenge! Who would ever want to forgive their killer?

For a short moment, Ves contemplated breaking Zeigra apart or removing him from his position as the Devil Tiger's design spirit.

Ves could not predict what would happen if he acted rashly.

He had a feeling that he would only be breaking the bond between the intangible design and its only physical copy.

In fact, his intuition hinted to him that Zeigra's spirituality might even cut itself off from the design and reside solely in the masterwork mech in order to escape Ves' reach!

Zeigra might even cut off all ties to its spiritual fragment that Ves held hostage in his overcoat!

\"I should reduce his hostility towards me.\" Ves grimaced as he looked down on his coat. Turning some of Zeigra's remains into an outfit and a mounted display piece didn't sound like a good idea anymore. \"I can only work at it slowly.\"

Time healed all wounds. As long as enough time had passed for Zeigra to forget his old life and his traumatic death, Ves might have a chance to earn its friendship.

\"Well, let's see what I can do for now.\"

The passenger transport eventually brought them to the surface of Cinach XII. Once there, they checked in an upscale hotel where Ves holed up in his room. He held a small programming marathon session where he programmed a thorough, multi-layered software update that if applied to the Devil Tiger would certainly render it inert or warn its mech pilots of its dangers!

Ves encrypted the coding and discreetly uploaded it onto a very specific address in the galactic net.

\"This is all I can do for now!\" He sighed.

As much as Ves wanted to agonize and beat himself up for unwittingly handing over an extremely dangerous mech to his father, he couldn't ignore his other responsibilities.

Ves emerged outside of his hotel room like a recluse who hadn't seen daylight in years.

\"Are you back to normal, boss?\" Gavin cautiously asked.

\"Yeah.\" Ves rubbed his tired face. \"What's on the agenda?\"

\"Nitaa managed to arrange the time and date of your pickup for your more.. delicate appointment. It's in two days. As for the guest lecture at Rawlings, you're still expected tomorrow. Are you well enough to speak in front of a class? I heard that news of your guest lecture has led to a large explosion of interest among the student body. Rawlings already notified me that they decided to shift the guest lecture to a larger auditorium in order to accommodate all of the students who want to listen to your tales!\"

Ves looked surprised. \"Am I really that popular?\"

\"Why not?\" Gavin smirked. \"You're a prodigy and a star to the students! Aside from that, your record is filled with adventure! All of those adolescents at Rawlings are in love with all of the excitement you've lived through! I told you, Ves. You're a role model to the students!\"

Ves seriously questioned the wisdom of treating him as a role model in his profession.

Chapter 1449

Many states had a tendency to concentrate some of their universities on a single planet. The theory was that the academic environment and easy collaborations fostered at these locations led to greater innovation.

Having visited the fantastic Leemar System, Ves could see why this might be true. However, he also thought that isolating students on a planet that revolved entirely around their needs might not be the best way to prepare themselves for the challenges they faced in the future.

Spending just a brief amount of time in the idyllic, paradise planet of Cinach VIII firmly gave him the impression of an elaborate greenhouse. The comfort of the students mattered just as much as how much knowledge they absorbed during their time of learning.

Frankly, Ves favored the harsh but highly realistic learning method of the Leemar University of Technology. Useless mech design students who weren't able to keep up never made it to their second year of their courses.

Still, that was an unfair comparison to make. While Rawlings ranked in the top ten universities for mech design in the Sentinel Kingdom, Leemar was considered as one of the top universities in the entire Komodo Star Sector!

Not only that, but Leemar also generously opened its doors a bit to foreign students from third-rate states. The inflow of smart, talented and ambitious students beggared the mind. If the LIT did not implement a cutthroat regime to filter out the ones who fell short of their exacting standards, it would have buckled under the sheer crush of numbers!

That said, Rawlings still attracted an immense amount of applicants from all over the Sentinel Kingdom. Because most of its students came from domestic schools, Rawlings possessed much greater access to the academic records of their applicants. This allowed the university to select those they desired and those who were highly likely to keep up with the course loads.

\"The average excellence of our students is the main reason why our graduation rates are high.\" Professor Rachel Nxi calmly explained as he guided Ves across the green and verdant campus of Rawlings. \"Rawlings has produced some of the most brilliant mech designers in the Sentinel Kingdom, and that has continued to attract ambitious students. By picking the brightest among them, our institution is able to maintain a virtuous circle where our graduates continue to set an example.\"

Ves listened respectfully while he walked side by side with the Senior Mech Designer. Gavin was off to take care of some business while Nitaa respectfully followed him from behind with Lucky clinging to her shoulder like a wet towel.

While Ves wore his full Pride of Dusk regalia to his visit to Rawlings, this was no time for posturing. He raised the spiritual barrier blocking the aura of his overcoat to such a degree that the Professor Nxi only sensed a subconscious pressure, which she easily ignored due to her own mental fortitude.

Right now, it was enough to distinguish his appearance from that of an average student. While his face had matured a bit, he was still young enough that he could easily be mistaken as a student! How could he possibly earn the respect of the class he was about to lecture if he dressed no different from a bro?

\"Sounds like Rawlings has it pretty good.\" Ves answered with some admiration. Rawlings had it really good once they set up this so-called virtuous cycle! \"I take that there are still some points where your school wishes to improve, right?\"

The middle-aged woman smiled. \"There is always room for improvement. Everyone knows Rawlings is among the top ten universities for mech design. However, why are we not among the top five or the top three?\"

\"Because the rankings place you in the sixth to tenth rank?\"

\"As painful as it is for us to admit, that is indeed the case. Ranking in the top ten is an accomplishment, but it is nothing to celebrate about in my eyes.\" Professor Nxi appeared downcast.

\"That is still a great accomplishment. Rawlings stands head and shoulders above hundreds of other institutions in the Sentinel Kingdom. Your university has much to be proud of. Even Ansel, my home state's best mech design university, seems pale compared to this fine school!\"

Professor Nxi ruefully chuckled. \"Come now, Mr. Larkinson. Mech designers such as us base our decisions around facts and logic. If you ignore all of the hype, then our situation is much less impressive than it seems. The competition in the Sentinel Kingdom is immense. Despite our advantages, breaking into the top five is difficult for us because we are weighed down by one disappointing criteria. You've already seen a glimpse of what our school offers to our students. Can you guess the answer?\"

As the Dean of the Mech Mechanics Department, she possessed a vested interest in the standing of Rawlings. For her to be unsatisfied with a top ten ranking meant she took it very personally.

After a brief moment of thought, Ves responded with his best guess. \"While the conditions in Rawlings look great, I don't think the students who graduate are sufficiently prepared to pursue their dream careers.\"

\"That's a good guess. It's very close to the truth.\" The professor looked impressed. \"To be more precise, most of our graduates end up pursuing career prospects. The military, noble houses, Peacekeepers, mech companies and many others rate our Rawlings mech designers highly, because they do well when they are working in an existing structure.\"

That was a peculiar way of describing the success of Rawlings graduates. Ves immediately recognized the category that had been left out by Professor Nxi's deliberate wording.

\"What about the Rawlings graduates who decide to strike it on their own and start their own businesses? Are they doing just as well?\"

The professor replied with a blunt answer. \"No. Frankly, they are not. Despite the financial backing they possess as nobles or the raw ability they possess as prodigies, the mech market cannot accommodate all of them. The competition here is also intense, and only the best startups have a chance of surviving more than five years.\"

The universities that ranked higher in the Sentinel Kingdom evidently did better in this regard. A higher proportion of their graduates managed to achieve success when starting their own business.

This was a very important metric because mech designers who founded and led their own mech companies enjoyed the highest regard in the mech industry!

Every mech designer dreamt of being in charge of their own mech design projects! Those who worked for the military or another mech company simply didn't have the power to set the parameters of their next mech designs!

For this reason, those who worked for themselves also progressed the fastest!

That said, there was nothing wrong with being a dependent mech designer who worked for others.

Some simply didn't have the connections, charisma or ability to attract start-up capital. Most commoners of the Sentinel Kingdom suffered from this problem.

Others might possess a high affinity for mechs but a poor affinity for business. Putting such types in charge was just a disaster in the making. Even noble scions weren't exempt from this problem.

Noble houses that threw in good money after bad were just wasting their money trying to lift off the poor business prospects of these financially-inept mech designers!

Ves found something strange, though. \"Since you seem to recognize this problem, professor, why haven't you done something about it? Surely you must have some ideas in mind to improve the business prospects of your graduates.\"

\"Rawlings University is very large. Even though I am a dean of one of its faculties, my right to speak is not as great as you think it is. Every institution on Cinach VIII, including Rawlings, answers solely to House Gin Tefa. Our esteemed noble masters have their own ideas on how all of the universities on their soil should be run, and have maintained the same policies for centuries, with good results.\"

It sounded as if House Gin Tefa applied a one-size-fits-all solution to every university. No matter if they educated exobiologists, businessmen, psychologists or starship engineers, it was a lot easier to run their schools if they all followed similar templates!

Professor Nxi essentially admitted that her hands were tied on this matter.

\"I see. Surely you must be able to do something within your power, right?\"

\"That's where guest lecturers like you come on.\" She smiled at him with renewed interest. \"I may not be able to steer our curriculum in a different direction, but what I can do is invite independent mech designers to expose my students to those who have struggled through all of the challenges and managed to find their footing in the private mech market. Reading about people like you in a textbook is one thing, but listening to your lessons and words of wisdom in person is another thing!\"

Ves momentarily blinked. Now that he thought about it, that was a great idea. While a couple of guest lectures was unlikely to exert a major influence in the future direction of the students, the added exposure to the problems and practicalities of starting a mech company might raise the chances of success by a few percentage points.

This difference might sound miniscule, but raising just ten or so successful independent mech designers a year was enough to enhance the standing of their school!

\"I understand, professor. You want me to focus on the business side of mech design, is that right?\"

\"Correct. I want those who aim to become an entrepreneur and those who are thinking of working for entrepreneurs to gain a realistic impression of the highly competitive mech market. No matter how much our business courses emphasize the difficulty of achieving success in the private sector, the heads of our students are too stuffed with pride to take them to heart.\"

\"I know the type.\" Ves snorted. He instantly thought back of the spoiled and pampered Ansel brats he once babysitted for Flashlight. \"While they might claim they have learned the lessons, secretly they think they are too exceptional to be counted among the failures, right? Even if only five percent of graduates following the independent route achieve success, none of them will ever admit that it's more likely that they will suffer the fate of the other ninety-five percent!\"

To Ves, it sounded as idiotic as a hundred lottery ticket holders each believing that they were destined to win the jackpot!

\"Ambition is to be cherished, and failure is one of the greatest lessons our graduates can learn. That said, I would really like it if you focus your lecture on raising the business acumen of my students. Will you need more time to prepare your presentation?\"

\"No.\" Ves shook his head. \"It's just two hours, right? I can fill an entire day if you want.\"

\"Our students have other classes to attend.\" The professor smiled. \"I appreciate your enthusiasm. Your confidence is encouraging. I'm sure you will be an enlightening figure to our classes and set a great example for our future mech designers.\"

Compared to addressing the entire Ylvaine Protectorate during a farcical trial that decided the fate of his life, conducting a presentation in front of a class of mech design students was a walk in the park! Ves did not exhibit any trepidation at all!

\"Is there anything else you'd like me to address, professor?\"

\"In fact, there is. I'm sure you know all about our contentious relationship with the Nyxian Gap. It's sad of me to acknowledge this, but there are a number of bad apples among our graduates who failed to achieve the success they dreamt about. Laden with debt and abandoned by their backers, most of them rein in their ambition and become dependent mech designers. However...\"

\"Some can't accept that they've lost. They believe they are winners. They're willing to do everything to prove that they are special.\"

\"It sounds like you already have a good idea of what I'm referring to, Mr. Larkinson.\"

Ves smirked. \"I know the type. There are probably several Rawlings mech designers who run off to the Nyxian Gap in order to obtain a second chance among the pirates, right?\"

\"They are a stain upon the reputation of the Rawlings University! Each year, at least a handful of our mech designers go pirate! While we have done our best to instill our students with the proper values, some of them are too deaf to realize that the road to evil is a dead end!\"

\"So.. you want me to discourage the students from thinking about working for pirates?\"

\"Yes! As an orthodox mech designer who achieved great success, you must set a moral example! Teach them that the only correct path is the righteous path!\"

Ves briefly hesitated a bit. A moral example? Him?

Nonetheless, he did not wish to disappoint the professor's expectation.

\"Have no fear, professor. Morality is one of my strong points! I'll make sure they follow the right path!\"

Chapter 1450

Despite the short notice of his guest lecture, a lot of students wanted to attend it. Originally, Professor Nxi only wanted Ves to lecture a single class of senior students.

Yet as soon as word broke out that a prodigal Journeyman with a colorful track record was about to speak in front of a class, many more students wanted to attend!

The demand became so high that Professor Nxi gained the leverage to shift the lecture towards one of their larger speaking venues.

At one of the larger auditoriums of Rawlings, a crowd numbering almost ten-thousand mech design students eagerly took their place on one of the many comfortable padded red seats.

While Ves knew that Rawlings educated even more students, he could scarcely fathom the consequences of releasing so many new mech designers into Sentinel's already bountiful mech industry!

Rawlings was not the only university who pumped out mech designers! Other institutions in the top ten each educated enormous numbers of mech designers as well, and many lesser schools also released a tsunami of badly-prepared mech designers into the wild every year!

No matter how many employment opportunities the Sentinel Kingdom and the Komodo Star Sector offered to freshly-graduated mech designers, there was no way it could accommodate that many!

Ves already knew that the vast majority of mech designers would face disappointment and failure and be forced to transition into lesser technical jobs.

Though Ves lamented the waste, he knew why the MTA pushed for this absurd policy from the top.

They wanted to cast a wide net in order to provide opportunities to as many people with psionic potential as possible!

The MTA also wished to foster a competitive environment to stimulate every ambitious mech designer. Some of those who survived and thrived in such difficult market environments often went on to become the next generation of Seniors and Masters.

Though Ves understood the logic of this policy, witnessing the sheer amount of students who all wanted to join his profession hit home the human cost of educating so many mech designers.

\"Too many of them are set up for failure.\" He whispered.

Right now, Ves stood in an enclosure in the rear area of the auditorium.

No props were being prepared. Though Professor Nxi offered him the opportunity to call up some mechs to use as props, he declined the offer. If he couldn't show off one of his own mechs, he would rather resort to projections than someone else's products.

\"It's too bad the Sentinel Kingdom is too far from the Bright Republic.\" He sighed.

It would take weeks or months to import one of his existing mechs to Cinach VIII. That took way too much time, and Ves didn't see the need to wait for such a long time just because he wanted to impress his audience.

He was confident enough that he could do so without the use of this aid.

\"I used to be one of those students, you know.\" Ves told his bodyguard, gesturing towards the growing audience. \"Seeing them brings back memories. I never left the Bright Republic. My monthly allowance was but a miniscule fraction of the money I had at my disposal.\"

Nitaa directed a skeptical glance at him. \"Surely you must have thought yourself greater than your classmates, right?\"

He knew what she was talking about. He decided to be honest and shook his head.

\"I'm not as exceptional as you think I am. Back then, I was just an average kid who naively thought that my mediocre academic record gave me a shot at success. I was wrong. Very, very wrong.\"

\"Then.. how come you are.. as great as you are today?\"

\"I have my parents to thank for that. They are greater than you can ever realize. I'm just the one who reaped the benefits of their sacrifice and hard work.\"

He let Nitaa process his words by herself as Professor Nxi walked over to him. She eyed his Pride of Dusk once again. The distinct badge of the Galactic Hunting Club looked very distinctive on the breast of his overcoat.

\"Commanding the attention of so many students isn't easy, but I'm sure your current appearance will go a long way in making the more conceited fellows honest.\"

Ves decided to make a dignified impression. He left his decorative cat ears in his pockets. He also decided to leave Lucky with Nitaa.

\"Is there anything you'd like me to take note of, professor?\"

\"This will mostly be your show. While a number of professors like myself will be sitting in the front seats, it is up to you to engage the students. Also, I'd like to remind you that your guest lecture will also be recorded and broadcasted through our channels in the Sentinel Kingdom and beyond.\"

\"I am aware. That's all in the contract we've signed.\"

Both sides sought to benefit from each other.

Ves wanted to borrow Rawlings University's credibility.

In turn, Rawlings University to borrow Ves' prestige and halo of success.

For this reason, Ves handed over most of the rights to his guest lecture for Rawlings to use as they wished. They secured the right to slap their logo over the footage and market their institution to the Sentinel Kingdom by using snippets of his own lecture as promotional material.

Ten more minutes passed by until the entrances to the auditorium finally closed. Soon, Ves received the signal to start the lecture.

\"Good luck, Mr. Larkinson. Our staff will support you as best as we can.\" The professor said before she stepped towards the front row of seats.

The guest lecture began in earnest when the vast majority of the large and empty podium began to light up as a massive projection came online.

No sound originated from the footage that Ves selected, but the crowd of mech design students instantly fell silent.

When the professor gave Ves the option to choose the footage he wanted to start with, he declined to show off his mech designs or his participation in the recent Crown Hunt.

Ves wanted to set a certain tone for his lecture. Puffing himself up had its time and place, but the last thing he wanted to do was to come across as a braggart whose mouth was bigger than his accomplishments.

He already enjoyed a nasty reputation due to his hateful Devil Tongue moniker!

Therefore, the soundless footage did not depict the glorious Aurora Titan. It did not depict the radiant Transcendent Messenger either. In fact, neither Ves nor any of his products could be found in any of the clips that Ves selected in the montage.

Instead, Ves opted to project snapshots of some of the bloodiest battles of the Bright-Vesia Wars.

There was nothing glorious about the battles. The worn-out Brighter mechs, whether splattered by mud or leaking air in space, fought desperately against their Vesian adversaries!

In some cases, the mechs of the Mech Corps barely prevailed, but at the cost of most of their mechs and mech pilots. In other cases, the Mech Legion brutally crushed the opposition, paving the way for further bloody incursions!

Amidst all of this eerily silent collage of battle footage, Ves moved out onto the podium and gradually stepped to the middle.

While Ves had been given the option to speak behind a lectern, he needed no notes to speak from his heart. He also wanted his Pride of Dusk to be visible to everyone in the audience!

The distracting footage caused most of the students to become enraptured by the desperate struggles of the forces of the Mech Corps. Hardly anyone took notice of Ves at the start.

However, as Ves neared the center, he began to weaken the spiritual barrier holding the aura of his Pride of Dusk in check.

The invisible aura around him began to strengthen. Though those who sat closest to the front noticed the sensation first, soon enough the aura grew strong enough to encompass the entire auditorium!

With the help of his overcoat, Ves silently managed to command the attention of tens of thousands of mech design students! Even the dozens of professors who decided to attend his guest lecture out of curiosity or boredom no longer dismissed him as a flash-in-the-pan sensation!

His boots echoed against the surface of the podium with one last crack as he reached the very center. He cast his gaze at the entire audience, sweeping from left to right. His heavy presence, enhanced by Zeigra's unrelenting range and pride, forced everyone to acknowledge his existence.

If any of the students sat too far away to makeout his face, then the side projections of a close-up of his entire body made sure that even the one sitting in the very back viewed him clearly!

No one chatted. No one shared jokes with each other. No one played games on their comms.

At this moment, Ves captured the complete attention of each and every person present.

Ves gestured his arm towards the battle footage continuing running in the background.

\"I am not a Sentinel. I am a Brighter. This is the reality that I have grown up in. The Bright-Vesia Wars that has marked my home state has influenced our mech culture as strongly as the Nyxian Gap has influenced yours.\"

His voice conveyed a lot of weight. Amplified by the auditorium's speakers, his deceptively-calm voice pressured the formerly-jovial mech design students even further.

\"War has dominated every facet of the Bright Republic. Mech designers like me are not exempt from contributing to the war effort. Though there is plenty of glory and honor to be earned in war, let me tell you, if you're stationed at the frontlines, most of the time you're more preoccupied with surviving the next battle than dreaming about the next medal you can pin on your chest!\"

Ves believed he managed to convey the severity of the wars that had plagued the Bright Republic to the students.

\"There is a reason why I showed you a taste of what our wars are like. It is to remind you of the role we serve. In the future, some of you will go on to help the brave Sentinel mech pilots survive their coming battles. Whether your mechs will be put to use against the Nyxian pirates or some hostile state, know that the responsibility you bear is greater than you think. The fate of not only your customers, but the innocents who they protect all depend on your work!\"

His words caused the people present to feel a lot more solemn about their profession than before! With how self-centered mech designers tended to be about their careers, it was difficult for them to think through the consequences of their actions!

\"Many of you dream of becoming a mech designer of renown. Perhaps you heard about me and decided to become like me. However, ask yourselves, is it easy to follow in my footsteps?\"

Silence ensued. No one dared to speak up at this tense and solemn moment.

\"Come now, don't be shy.\" He smiled in a wicked fashion. \"Let me make it easier and pose a simple request. Please raise your hands if you believe you will become a Master Mech Designer in your lifetime!\"

For a moment, only a handful dared to raise their hands. The professors hesitated least of all. They either decisively raised their hands or kept them lowered in an honest assessment of their capabilities.

As for the students, Ves still sensed a lot of hesitation among the crowd.

\"Have I visited the wrong university? Am I speaking in front of Rawlings students or not?! Come now! Where is your ambition! Raise your hands if you believe in yourself! Don't be shy!\"

Under his encouragement, around thirty percent of the students eventually raised their hands.

\"What an impressive amount of ambition!\" Ves dramatically gasped. \"If each and you are able to fulfill your dreams, then the Sentinel Kingdom would probably be home to more Masters than the amount of Masters in the Bright Republic and the Hexadric Hegemony combined!\"

That was an absurd statement! Everyone knew the chances of advancing to Masters. The odds of advancing to Masters from those who emerged from third-rate states was microscopically small!

In fact, it was pretty much unheard of in the Komodo Star Sector!

Ves exagerattingly shook his head. \"Only about a third of you raised your hand. I'm disappointed.\"

He abruptly thumped his fist against his palm before pointing his finger at the audience in an accusatory manner. \"I'm disappointed, but not at those who raised their hands and thought they have what it takes to become a Master! Instead, I'm let down by the rest of you who didn't have the guts to set your sights higher!\"

The moods of every student and professor suddenly experienced turmoil! What kind of guest lecture was this?! Didn't Ves know the awful odds that any of them could ever advance to Master one day?!