The Mech Touch

As much as Saint Tusa wanted to have it all, it was impossible for his Dark Zephyr to excel in every area.

The closest the living mech could come to performing like a mythical omnimech was the distinctly boring Multipurpose Edition.

Compared to a theoretical omnimech that possessed all of the advantages of every mech archetype with none of the associated weaknesses, the Multipurpose Edition was too lacking in hard power!

Tusa hated the indecisive nature of a multipurpose mech. Every machine that carried 20 different miniaturized modules could seemingly do everything, but never managed to excel in anything.

This was why he rejected the Multipurpose Edition despite how tempting it sounded to possess very little weaknesses. He believed he could do more for his clan if he became overwhelmingly strong in a single function.

He already ruled out the Demolisher Edition as well because it tried too hard in forcing him to become a different ace pilot. As much as he didn't like it, Tusa already accepted the fact that his piloting style would never be good at inflicting mass destruction.

The more concentrated and surgical nature of the Duelist Edition appealed to him a lot more, but the overreliance on Sunder Metal made him hesitate.

It was a powerful resonating alloy for certain. He preferred it over B-30 Shattersteel as Sunder Metal could breach enemy defenses in an instant.

However, he also recognized that the effectiveness of Sunder Metal was heavily reliant on his resonance strength. As a material designed for use by senior ace pilots, Saint Tusa would struggle to use it to its full effect for many years. Activating the associated resonating ability to the fullest extent several times in quick succession would quickly drive him to exhaustion!

While Tusa was still attracted by the powerful long-term prospects of Sunder Metal, he did not consider it appropriate to sacrifice so much immediate combat power to fully make use of its power.

Certainly, Tusa fully believed that as long as he continued to practice and familiarize himself with Sunder Metal over the span over decades, he could one day become so powerful at freeing parts and limbs from his most formidable enemies that even phase whales would run away in terror after encountering his Dark Zephyr on the battlefield!

However, Tusa couldn't wait that long. The Larkinson Clan's position in society was still too precarious. If his Dark Zephyr remained underpowered in the coming years, he wouldn't be able to protect his fellow clansmen during a period where they were lacking in high-end combat power!

"What will happen if I pick the Duelist Edition?" The ace pilot asked.

"The Premier Branch of your clan will depend heavily on your mech to protect its forces against phase leaders and particularly powerful warships in the coming years." Master Benedict answered.

"So I need to be ready to fight as hard as I must, is that what you are saying?"

"First-class mechs are expected to take part in a higher level of warfare than you are accustomed to. The Premier Branch will not be fighting against the rabble that our expeditionary fleet is accustomed to thrashing. The warfleets of the 13 major alien races of the Red Ocean are truly formidable to the point where they can give the Red Two a run for their money. These are the enemies that the first-class mech pilots of your clan are expected to fight. Aside from your Dark Zephyr, the most your clansmen can count upon are the handful of warships your clan is permitted to field."

Tusa frowned. Once his Dark Zephyr got upgraded to a first-class ace mech, he would no longer be allowed to fight alongside the soldiers of the expeditionary fleet.

He didn't like it. These were his brothers and sisters in arms. They could never enjoy enough protection, especially now that the Red War was about to escalate.

Then again, Tusa understood the Larkinson Clan's desire to build up a first-class mech force.

There were too many powerful threats that could destroy the clan if it lost the protection of the Red Association. The Larkinsons suffered betrayal too many times to let others become responsible for their safety.

Only a true first-class mech force was powerful enough to allow the Larkinson Clan to maintain a true foothold in the new frontier!

In addition, Saint Tusa recognized that a powerful ace pilot like himself also served as an additional form of deterrent against the enemies of the clan.

The thing about deterrence was that it should never be based on falsehoods. Tusa needed to possess a degree of combat effectiveness that was high enough to truly make the enemies of the clan back off. If his ace mech struggled to launch powerful attacks, then that would obviously not be enough to scare away the most powerful of adversaries!

"I originally wanted to pick the Duelist Edition, but… if I can't keep up with the likes of the Mars in the following decade, then forget it." Tusa sighed.

Benedict actually looked a bit surprised after he heard this resolute rejection.

"I calculated that there is a high probability that you would have settled for the Duelist Edition. I specifically designed it to address several of your greatest grievances at once. It not only possesses high offensive power, but its growth ceiling is very high. It may take an extended amount of time for your Dark Zephyr to come to power, but your utilization of Sunder Metal will never reach a hard limit until you have become a peak ace pilot. Even if your living mech has not been updated for several decades, you can still rely on your growing resonance strength and your increasing mastery of Sunder Metal to keep up with newer and much more updated ace mechs."

Tusa would be lying if he said he was not interested in this benefit. The Larkinson Clan did not adopt an incremental update strategy like the Cross Clan.

Who knew how long it would take for the busy Ves and Gloriana to finally turn their attention to the Dark Zephyr once again.

The ace pilot understood that barring special circumstances, the upcoming upgrade would be the only one that the Dark Zephyr would enjoy for at least decade if not longer!

This meant that Tusa had to make sure he would remain satisfied for an extended period of time with this upgrade.

He still shook his head. "Be that as it may, I don't think that is enough of a reason to pick the Duelist Edition. It is not as if the other variants are much less useful in the long run."

"That is true. Which one do you prefer, then?"

"I have narrowed down my choices to the Base Edition and the Banisher Edition." The ace pilot answered. "I understand their pros and cons well enough, but I cannot make up my mind on the combat system that I should specialize in. The Base Edition is familiar ground to me, but the Banisher Edition allows me to make a greater impact in large battles."

The Base Edition's combination of Turbulenta and B-30 Shattersteel promised guaranteed performance, yet did not introduce anything drastically new or powerful.

The Banisher Edition's reliance on the new and powerful Erlemin would allow the Dark Zephyr to become a fearsome saboteur and disruptor, but also became a less powerful duelist due to a reduction in offensive and evasion capabilities.

Tusa closed his eyes as he struggled to make a choice that would define his entire career. It was too difficult to commit to a single development route!

Seeing that the ace pilot could not make up his mind, Master Benedict made a suggestion.

Tusa looked relieved. "That… is a good suggestion. I will spend a few days exploring my options."

"Do not be in a hurry to decide right away. Time is of the essence, but it would be terrible if you make a decision that you will eventually come to regret. Perhaps it would help you clarify your opinions if you listen to your friends and family. Ask your fellow Larkinsons what they think. Whether you agree with their standpoints or not, you should eventually gain a clearer idea on which version of the Dark Zephyr fits you best."

Tusa looked relieved. "That… is a good suggestion. I will spend a few days exploring my options."

He truly needed the break. Once he left the Cyclical Engine, he began to contact numerous Larkinsons in person or by remote order to hear what they had to say.

"There are merits to both the Base Edition and the Banisher Edition." Venerable Jannzi Larkinson thoughtfully said. "From the perspective of our clan, the Banisher Edition is much more useful to us. It is not necessarily a configuration that will earn you a lot of personal glory, but it is easier to tip the balance in our favor during pitched battles. We have other high-tier expert pilots that can do frontal combat much better as long as they break through."

Saint Tusa should have known that he would hear this kind of answer from Jannzi.

"What if I go for the Base Edition instead?"

"I would respect your choice, Tusa. You should always choose what is best for you. I am simply telling you what is best for our clan if you care about that. If you want to manipulate the battlefield and ruin the plans of our enemies, then pick the Banisher Edition. If you want to become a versatile high-mobility troubleshooter, then go for the Base Edition. I know what I want, but my goals do not necessarily align with yours."

Jannzi gave Tusa a more measured response than he expected. He felt glad that she would not condemn him if he ended up picking the Base Edition.

Tusa decided he needed to hear an opinion from the opposite side of the spectrum. He knew exactly who to approach.

Venerable Vincent Ricklin scratched his head in confusion.

"I didn't expect that a bigshot ace pilot like yourself can be so indecisive. If you want my honest opinion, I think you are overthinking this issue way too much. Why don't you listen to your heart? Neither the Base Edition nor the Banisher Edition appeals to me, but if I had to make a choice, I would pick the former. You can't go wrong by sticking to the classics. Besides, I know you well enough that you love to duel against powerhouses. The Banisher Edition is much more useful to a team player."

"You think I am unable to be a team player?" Tusa doubtfully asked.

Vincent chuckled. "Tusa, Tusa, Tusa. I am not saying you don't care about the rest of us, but… you're a man. It is in your nature to pursue glory and defeat powerful enemies. Picking the Banisher Edition will only make you suppress your aggression and turn you into a meek pilot that thinks about retreat at the first sign of serious resistance. A real ace pilot shouldn't be like that! A real ace pilot needs to possess the unflinching confidence that they can defeat any enemy no matter how much the odds are stacked against them! Don't be a coward. Be a hero. Make the right choice."

Despite the fact that Vincent was still a 'mere' expert pilot, he had an uncanny ability to inspire Tusa's sense of manhood.

The ace pilot couldn't help but become affected by Vincent's emotional appeal.

What was Tusa's true nature?

Was he a trickster, or was he a saboteur?

Did he prefer to dance on the edge of the knife by dancing around powerful opponents, or would he rather spoil their plans by banishing them or their key war assets into another dimension?

The more Tusa thought about it, the more he came closer to an answer.

He only wanted to seek out one more opinion before he locked in his choice.

"Ves. I need your advice."

The physical projection of the mech designer smiled. "I have heard about your little inquiry. You are indeed facing a big decision. Let's explore what is holding you back."

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