The Mech Touch

Now that Ketis made a decision, she announced her intentions for ther Swordmaidens. "For now, the Swordmaidens as well as the Heavensworders within our clan should practice the Preparatory Sword Adept Auxiliary Qi and Body Cultivation Method. Different from the other ones, this method not only seeks to improve a practitioner's affinity to the metal attribute, but also seeks to strengthen her fitness. A strong body often results in better swordsmanship. We have made sure it is compatible with most of the people that aspire to become better Swordmaidens of Heavensworders, but it works out better if they already possess an existing talent in the metal element."

"Why is it a preparatory method?" Commander Melkor curiously asked.

"The word 'preparatory' is included to make it clear that this is only a rudimentary method. I do not want my people to have any misunderstandings about that. Its ceiling is low and the improvement in power is relatively limited. I tried hard to improve the aspects that can increase the chances of achieving a breakthrough in willpower as opposed to the alternatives."

"Does that mean that if the Swordmaidens or Heavensworders who practice it will not be able to make any significant attainments if they fail to break through?"

"That is correct." Ketis said. "Ideally, I would like the Swordmaidens to commit to this approach. Many sisters will not be able to breakthrough despite the harsh training and sacrifices they endured, but... life isn't fair. I would rather have 10 of my sisters turn into powerful expert pilots and gain the power to protect the rest of us than have 1,000 Swordmaidens break through as sword-wielding qi cultivators. I feel we firmly need to stick to the elite approach for our sisters. What do you think, Sendra?"

The Swordmaiden Commander made a firm nod and adopted a firm if almost cruel expression.

"Your thoughts coincide with mine. Before we joined the Larkinson Clan, we endured many greater hardships than now. We have it so much easier these days, but that is not an excuse to grow soft. We cannot allow the name of the Swordmaidens to degrade. Every true sister must work hard to break their limits. There should be no complaints from them about accepting the toughest and riskiest field assignments. Whether a breakthrough occurs or not, we must not let the possibility of dying deter us from becoming stronger. As long as we commit to this course, we will eventually be able to produce enough breakthroughs to make this effort worthwhile."

This was a risky approach, but one that could pay off well. The Swordmaidens did not have as much interest in giving every sister an equal opportunity to grow stronger. They instead chose to commit to the development of future champions.

"The Preparatory Sword Adept Auxiliary Qi and Body Cultivation Method is ultimately supposed to serve as a precursor to willpower cultivation." Ketis emphasized. "There is no good reason to practice it anymore if a Swordmaiden has chosen to forgo the chance

To become an expert pilot and become a qi cultivator instead. I think it would be appropriate to transfer the sister in question to the Heavensword Mech Legion."

Commander Valerie Chancy looked intrigued. "Have you finally decided to organize the Heavensworders into a formal mech legion as opposed to letting them run around in small mech units?"

The swordmaster nodded. "They deserve to have their own mech legion long ago. I have not been in a hurry to raise it because I wanted to do it right. Previously, there was not that much that set the Swordmaidens and Heavensworders apart. These days, I think that can be changed. The Heavensword Mech Legion should be positioned as a broader and more accessible club for sword wielders. There will be a small measure of overlap with the Living Sentinels, but I do not think it should pose too much of a problem. The Heavensworders should still be fairly serious about swordsmanship."

Everyone grew thoughtful at that. This was a big step. The addition of a new mech legion demanded a lot of administrative work as well as shifting of assets and resources.

It wasn't difficult to create a new mech legion in the past, but that was because the Larkinson Clan was a lot smaller at the time.

Now that it had grown so much, every change involved a lot of work. It couldn't be helped. One of the reasons why Ketis pushed to organize the Heavensworders under a formal mech legion was because it would become even more troublesome to implement it in the future.

"Is it necessary for us to maintain two dedicated mech legions based on pure swordsmanship?" Commander Sorral Larkinson asked. "It is not as if the Avatars of Myth or my own Living Sentinels reject the recruitment of serious swordsman mech specialists. We have already absorbed a fair number of Heavensworders who cannot join the Swordmaiden Mech legion due to their gender."

"You are correct about that, Sorrel, but I can see the merits in organizing them in a single cohesive mech legion." Commander Sendra retorted. "Mech legions like yours have adopted broad and versatile mech doctrines where swordsman mechs are merely treated as offensive tools. It is different in the case of my Swordmaidens. We can do so much more with our swordsman mechs because we know them best and drill more complicated and effective tactics. Once the Heavensworders grow much more powerful with the help of qi cultivation methods, they can pull off even more stunts. To keep them within the Avatars of the Living Sentinels will only constrain them from using their best swordsmanship to the fullest. That will not happen within this new mech legion." That was a powerful argument in favor of Ketis' proposal, but it did not convince everyone.

The conference room began to play host to a mild argument and discussions about the pros and cons of forming a new mech legion.

The Avatar Commander suddenly recalled an important piece of information.

"Ketis, did you decide to push for the creation of the Heavensword Mech Legion

Because of the strange self-animated sword that carved its way out of that metal sphere?"

The swordmaster glanced over at Melkor. "That is an astute observation. I was working on this proposal longer than that. Seeing the Heavensword smuggle its way into the Red Ocean has made me decide that it is better to do it now than later. I do not want to give that bossy weapon an excuse to complain that I have been dragging my feet or neglecting the former citizens of the Heavensword Association."

"I see. Will we... will we have to prepare for the arrival of the Heavensword?" Ketis paused for a few seconds as she tried to decide how to formulate her answer. "I do not wish to sound vain or arrogant, but I am almost 100 percent certain that the Heavensword is on its way for a reunion with me." She slowly stated. "I don't know why the sword chose to enter the Red Ocean at this time when it has always been content to remain in the galactic rim of the Milky Way. Whatever its motivations, as long as it does not hold any ill intentions towards us, having this weapon by our side will probably do more good than harm. It was already powerful in the Milky Way. Now that it has entered a galaxy that can feed it with F. energy every minute of the day, it is probably growing even more powerful as we speak. We may be able to take advantage of that by borrowing its power to defeat tough opponents, but I am afraid that it will try to push its own ideas onto us. No matter what, we cannot allow ourselves to become its slaves, no matter how benevolent it may appear."

The surprise transfer of the Heavensword caught Ketis off-guard and unprepared. She truly did not know how to handle this soon-to-be-developing situation.

Perhaps other people might become ecstatic at the thought of being able to stay in the same room as an impressive grand work. They would even be willing to kill their own parents just to wield such a mighty relic!

Ketis was not one of those people.

She only recognized the arrival of trouble. The Heavensword possessed a mind of its own. It was impossible for a mere swordmaster to control it in any way. Fortunately, the sword was not a complete wildcard to her. Ketis had the pleasure of wielding it or a phantom version of it years ago. That brief moment of contact and cooperation had given her a good insight into what the ancient and respectable weapon

Was like.

Ketis recalled that she had become impressed by its former wielder's swordsmanship and the swordsmith's craftsmanship.

Just the thought of the Heavensword trying to impose its own ideas onto her and her fellow Larkinsons made her concerned. What if the sword wanted more from Ketis and the Larkinsons? What if it overreached and tried to take over her mech legions? Powerful relic or not, Ketis would not allow her fellow Swordmaidens and Larkinsons to become completely subservient to the intelligent sword!

"Let us leave aside the Heavensword for a different meeting. We do not know what it intends to do, why it is heading in our direction and whether it will stay with us." The swordmaster calmly said. "For now, we need to plan the adoption of systematic cultivation for every mech legion. Now that you know what your subordinates will be practicing in the future, do you have any suggestions?"

Commander Melkor raised his arm. "I do. Since there are auxiliary qi cultivation methods, there should also be proper qi cultivation methods. How much of the latter is

Available?"

"Not much, to be honest." Ketis replied. "Most are still in the works. The T Institute prioritized the development of the auxiliary qi cultivation methods because of the need to enhance the combat power of all of our mech pilots first. If you, your companion spirit or anyone else wants to become a full-time qi cultivator, our clan will gradually release more and more certified qi cultivation methods. If you are not patient enough to wait for that, you are free to spend your war merits on exchanging a premium curated cultivation method in the RC's Repository. We cannot guarantee that you can switch to practicing a Larkinson-exclusive method afterwards, though. There is a chance that you will build an irreversible foundation that cannot be removed without suffering massive consequences. Choose carefully."

That caused Melkor to frown. During the meeting, he had become more and more impressed with the possibilities offered by qi cultivation. It might not sound as powerful and absolute as becoming a high-ranking mech pilot, but he could exercise much more control by selecting which qi cultivation methods he wanted to practice.

Since Melkor happened to possess a companion spirit, he was not locked with a single

Choice!

He could practice 2 qi cultivation methods at the same time in the hopes of producing impressive synergies!

Alternatively, he could also choose to have his companion spirit become a full-time qi cultivator while leaving his main self open in the hopes of breaking through one day. Even if that day never came, his powerful companion spirit might be able to make him powerful enough to satisfy his need for power, if only barely!

Other legion commanders made similar calculations. Their command responsibilities often meant that their ability to step onto the path of godhood had crashed.

For example, Swordmaiden Commander Sendra had become a lot more mellow and less eager to blindly charge forward now that she married Venerable Brutus Larkinson and became a mother.

For mech pilots and mech commanders like that, the stabler and less demanding requirements of qi cultivation was a much better fit for their current lifestyles and

Outlook.

"By the way, what does our patriarch think about all of this? Does he plan on pushing Carmine mechs onto us as well?"

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