Chapter 6948 Sev Larkinson
Chapter 6948 Sev Larkinson
Ves felt apprehensive about the upcoming test.
He needed to know whether his true body held a second personality, one that held a completely contradictory stance towards the deification of phase lords.
There were several objectives to this test.
The primary one was to confirm the existence of this second personality.
Another goal was to ascertain the hostility of the other version of Ves.
Was it possible for the Larkinsons to develop an amicable relationship with this alter ego?
Aside from that, the Larkinsons also wanted to find out how to put the genie back in the bottle.
Was it enough for Ves to fold his true body, or did they have to meet other conditions in order to bring back his original personality?
The upcoming test could provide Ves and his fellow answers with all of the answers to their questions.
This was why it was so important to conduct it as quickly as possible.
They could not adequately plan for the future until they obtained solid data that could prove their theories and dispel a large amount of disturbing rumors.
As the news about Ves' potentially compromised state continued to circulate within a limited community, far more than just the Larkinsons desired clarity about the consequences of engaging in phase lord body cultivation.
All of this urgency forced the Larkinsons to speed up their preparations and conduct the test on the same day of the assassination attempt.
Suffice to say, Ves would rather take the rest of the day off, but the circumstances did not allow it. He changed to an upgraded nanosuit before entering a reinforced and shielded chamber that was large enough to fit his new true body as well as a handful of mechs.
The First Sword Mark III stood ready to subdue Ves.
Her Decapitator and her 33 sword fey were far too sharp and lethal for this purpose, so the Design Department had hastily prepared a hull-grade superdimensional rod that roughly matched the dimensions of the Decapitator.
The rod was exceptional enough to pierce through a spatial barrier with relative ease, but was still blunt and solid enough to non-lethally brutalize the flesh of a large and stubborn organism.
It was the perfect tool to subdue a certain naughty phase lord!
Ves felt intimidated by the sight of the First Sword Mark III wielding her new punishment rod.
The makeshift weapon could easily bash in his skull if the ace swordsman mech employed her full strength!
Fortunately, Saint Dise possessed enough skill and control that she should be able to exert just enough restraint to keep her attacks under control. Ves trusted her to apply the right amount of force.
"Alright, I am here. When do I start?"
"Please wait a moment, sir. We are still calibrating the newly installed scanner systems. This will take a few more minutes."
Soon enough, everything was ready. When Ves received the signal to initiate his transformation, he took a deep breath before he slowly unfolded his true body.
He gradually increased in size. His new nanosuit did an excellent job of keeping his body covered while at the same time gathering lots of data on his changing internal condition.
One of the strangest aspects of this gradual transformation was that Ves did not remain idle while he unfolded his true body.
He called up the incomplete design of the Arboreal Project and began to conduct actual work on the organic Carmine mech design project.
His multidisciplinary work involved mech design, biotechnology and Carmine Systems. This was not the sort of work that an average Journeyman or Senior could complete.
It was a crude way to determine which personality was in control of Ves' true body.
Of course, there was a possibility that Ves' alternate personality also knew how to design mechs. It would be a lot more difficult to distinguish any differences if they possessed the exact same skills and experience in designing mechs.
This was why Gloriana and several other mech designers who collaborated with Ves in the past paid close attention to his work.
A work always reflected its creator. If Ves suddenly experienced an abrupt switch in personality, his contributions to the Arboreal Project would definitely take on a different character!
No matter how much Ves' second personality tried to hide his emergence, his radically different attitude towards a range of different topics would definitely bleed into his mech design!
The transition from Ves to his other personality happened abruptly.
When his true body expanded to a height of roughly 3.5 times of a mech, he immediately ceased his mech design work.
His expression changed as well. A sense of subdued arrogance had taken the place of nervous anticipation.
After taking one careful look at his surroundings, the still-expanding phase lord straightened his back and assumed a defiant posture.
"I have no intention of hiding like a rat." He declared with an augmented voice that made it even more obvious that a different personality had taken over. "I am not as weak and lacking in confidence as my weaker self. I am a god. A superior being has no reason to feel ashamed."
The First Sword Mark III took an exaggerated step forward while bringing her new punishment rod to bear.
"If you are god, then you should easily be able to bear my attacks." Saint Dise spoke while increasing the intensity of her Saint Kingdom.
There was no way for Ves to compete against a superdimensional ace mech. His new change in personality did not come with a direct power boost. It would be stupid for him to accept this challenge!
"Ahem, there is no need to resort to intimidation. Hierarchies exist among gods. I have no objection to admitting my inferiority against a well-equipped saint. If you think that you can force me to deny my own godhood through this method, then think again. The truth is staring in your faces, yet you refuse to acknowledge it due to your human preconceptions."
Multiple people frowned. This new personality of Ves harbored strange ideas that his original self would never voice!
At least this other personality was willing to talk, if only to avoid an embarrassing smackdown.
"Before we proceed, it would be helpful if you choose a designation for yourself." Maria Abselon said. "How do you wish to be called?"
"I am Ves Larkinson." The phase lord declared shortly after he had reached his full height. "You do not comprehend who you are addressing. I am a god. I am the master of this divinely blessed form. The previous Ves you have spoken with is merely an undesirable remnant that refuses to admit reality. His weak and mortal mind cannot possibly control this fine body, so I have emerged to embrace what he has denied. Between the two of us, I am clearly the superior Ves!"
"..."
"We shall call you Sev." Gloriana decided.
"I refuse to relinquish my name."
"Dise." Gloriana mentioned.
The First Sword Mark III went from standing still to almost instantly closing the distance before smashing her punishment rod right through Ves' spatial barrier and colliding directly against his head!
SMACK!
"OUCH! MY HEAD! THAT HURTS SO MUCH!"
"There is more where that is coming from so long as you remain stubborn. Now, will you be a good boy and agree to cooperate with us, Sev?"
Ves — or rather Sev — snarled. "You have me at a disadvantage. You are giving me no choice but to comply. I shall play along, but only if this mech over here refrains from enacting violence against my person. I am no match against this godbone-clad god machine."
It was rather surprising that Sev cooperated so quickly. He only needed a single good smack to head before he caved and agreed to play nice with the Larkinsons.
This showed a level of control that defied the stereotype of an arrogant and deluded phase god.
"Please give us a clear answer, Sev. Who are you and where do you come from?"
The phase lord made an annoyed expression. "I have already given you my answer. Is your comprehension ability flawed? I am the true master of this body. 'Ves' is incapable of controlling it. His mind is weak and cannot assert its dominance over this divine flesh and organs. Only a god is qualified to control the body of a god. This is so self-explanatory that I should not have to explain this fundamental truth."
"So you are only good at controlling the body of a phase lord?"
"Yes. I can do more than that. I have already mastered the use of my phasewater organs. I am made for combat. If I am equipped with a full range of godbone combat gear, I would readily issue a challenge against your sword saint over here. I do not believe I am inferior to her as long as we can attain parity in equipment."
Many Larkinsons doubted that. Those that studied the footage of the assassination attempt noted that 'Sev' fought with the skill of a competent warrior.
That was nothing special among trained and experienced soldiers. Most high-ranking mech pilots possessed exquisite skill and could easily draw out all of the potential of their machines.
The skill displayed by Sev at the time did not even reach the standard of an elite soldier. Of course, part of his display could be attributed to unfamiliarity and lack of training. So long as he regularly exercised his newly expanded true body, he should be able to fight considerably more effectively than before.
Even then, it was unlikely for the human phase lord to break past the extraordinary threshold and acquire skill that exceeded the scope of mortals.
Expert pilots and ace pilots were able to fight extremely well, but they did not gain their superhuman skills and abilities from scratch. They had dedicated years or decades to constant training in order to achieve a breakthrough in this aspect.
What separated Sev from all of these impressive champions was that the latter built up a lot of accumulation.
As for Sev, his combat skills were merely better than average. They actually looked pretty standard, but did not exhibit any obvious traits that belonged to a distinct school. It was as if he received a download of the most standardized set of fighting skills suitable for a humanoid phase lord.
"What is your stance towards the Larkinson Clan?" Gloriana asked next
A sneer appeared on Sev's face. "I am aware that I am unable to deceive you while I remain in the presence of the sword saint's aura, so I shall speak plainly. My clan exists to serve me. Your attempt to usurp control is nothing less than a betrayal of your oaths. The mortals among you are supposed to serve my whims. The gods among you have forgotten who has granted them their current strength. Without my divine works, they are nothing!"
What a disgusting opinion! Was this how Ves truly thought about his clan, or was it merely one of Sev's many delusions?
"What are your thoughts concerning me?" Gloriana asked.
"You are weak." Sev contemptuously said. "You are a weak and defenseless mortal. Your design capabilities are good, but that merely makes you a good slave. You are a banshee who harbors delusions of grandeur. The only credit you deserve is that you have spawned three children with the potential to become gods in their own right. Other than that, you have become utterly redundant to me. Your wealth, your connections and your affection holds zero value to me at this stage."
"H-H-How can you say that, Ves?!" Gloriana exclaimed while using the wrong name. "I am not worthless! I am a Senior Mech Designer just like you! My works are just as good as yours!"
The human phase lord contemptuously shook his head. He remained completely unmoved by her feeble words.
"You are admittedly a good mech designer, but you are hardly unique. There are many Senior Mech Designers that can offer comparable value to you. This is another reason why I look down on my weaker self. He refuses to acknowledge reality and remains faithful to you despite your lack of redeeming qualities. If I am in charge, I would apply for a divorce and cast you aside. Once I have liberated myself from you, I shall seek out a more advantageous relationship with a proper female deity. It is unfortunate that the Larkinson Clan is filled with traitors. I shall have to look elsewhere to find a worthy partner. Even a shrew is a better choice."
"..."