The Mech Touch

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?

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