The Mech Touch

rt 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! ”

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