The Mech Touch

Chapter 7135: I Identify As Giant

The two sides looked completely different from each other.

On one side of the empty cargo hold, four human phase lords stood tall and proud.

Each of them wore decorated nanosuits that had been programmed to take on the form of uniforms that showed off their superhuman physiques.

On the other side, Ves along with his chief of staff and his bodyguards practically looked like ants in front of the four monstrosities.

The confrontation did not look equal at all. Just one of the human phase lords could easily the human-sized figures with a single foot!

Ves did his best not to let the extreme size difference bother him. It was not much different from meeting people who were noticeably taller than him. Sure, the gap was much greater this time, but he already anticipated this in advance.

Seeing as the four human phase lords had yet to break the silence, Ves decided to do it himself by raising his hand to form a casual wave.

"Hi."

He deliberately assumed a more casual tone in his greeting in an attempt to disarm the tension in the cargo hold.

This usually worked, but not this time.

All four phase lords scowled or showed signs of displeasure.

"Shameful." Scilo Karneon said with contempt. "I never expected our progenitor to cling so much to his mortal human failings. We looked up to you, Larkinson. You have opened up a route that allows for people to undergo a physical transformation that turns them into gods. Why have you not embraced the divine physique that you have been blessed with? This is a gift from the universe! To spurn it is not only blasphemy, but also a denial of your true identity!"

Ugh. Ves could immediately tell that this was not going to be an easy conversation. The sentiment betrayed by the department head along with his decision to approach this meeting in his current stature showed that he had truly fallen for his delusions of godhood.

"Good day to you too." Ves calmly responded. "I greet you in this form because I identify myself as human. I am not doing this to insult you and your like-minded subordinates. My humanity is precious. Since I am a proud and upstanding member of human society, it is natural for me to retain my original height. It is rare for me to use my phase lord physique for anything. As a mech designer, I have less need to tap into the greater power of my true body. I believe we are both civilized people. My stature should not have any bearing on this conversation."

The polemarchos shook his head. "You are propagating falsehoods. You deny the truth that is locked inside your transformed biology. From the moment we have ascended into godhood, we already sensed that we have assumed a new destiny. The revelations that we have received after we have grown has confirmed it. We are mere humans no longer. We are giants. We are myth turned to life. We are the children you have wrought. It is only right for you to present your divine form to us. Your refusal to do so is in poor taste."

Ves absolutely could not go along with their demand. Not only would doing so validate their delusional claims about giants, but the bigger problem was that it would allow Sev to usurp control over his body!

The latter consequence was unacceptable and had to be prevented at all cost!

Who knew whether Sev’s crazy delusions would encourage the compromised human phase lords to completely separate themselves from the human race?

"I regret that you think this way, but I still choose not to meet with you in the form of a phase lord. I come here as a representative of the humans who make up the Red Collective and red humanity as a whole. I take on their form so that they will know that I am on their side. I may have made the opposite decision if I was interceding on your behalf, but that is not the case this time."

Although the human phase lords did not like it, they reluctantly dropped the matter, though their good mood after meeting with their ’progenitor’ had faded.

The air grew more tense as a result. Although Scilo Karneon maintained a deliberate posture of control, his phalanx leaders looked a little more poised to go into action.

This subsequently riled up the Apocalypse Warden guards who were ready to take action themselves if necessary.

"Mr. Karneon, I would like to—"

"Stop." The leading phase lord raised his palm. "We may have acquiesced to your denial of your own identity, but do not deprive us from our own identities. To call us by our former human names is to imply we are still vulnerable mortals. I have discarded my mortal human name because it no longer represents my ascended self. I have become the Oscillating Fist, the polemarchos that reigns over the Ascended Giants. We forgive you for deadnaming me due to your ignorance of our ways, but we will not tolerate your misstep again, even if you are our indirect creator."

Ves wanted to palm his face at this artificial nonsense. What was wrong with holding two names? Why were these ’Ascended Giants’ so sensitive about their names?

It was a rather bad sign that they held so much contempt towards the names that tied them to their human identities. They tried so hard to distance themselves from their mortal human origins that it was as if they were afraid of anything that suggested weakness!

Ves decided to no longer push them on this particular issue. The first time already sufficed as a test. There was no reason to provoke this bunch any further.

"Would you like to introduce your fellow officers to us?" Ves asked. "I have read their records, but I figure that they have made the same decision as you and taken on new names for themselves."

The Oscillating Fist smiled and placed his giant hand on the shoulder of one of the men standing behind. "Indeed they did. This is my second-in-command. The Unshakeable King is the most indomitable Ascended Giant among us. He controls his fury the best among us. As the strategos of the Ur-Titan Phalanx, he leads the most exceptional force of Ascended Giants in this galaxy."

Keirzan Hoslin, now going by the Unshakeable King, took a step forward and made a somewhat respectful salute towards Ves.

"It is an honor to meet with the progenitor of giants. It is regrettable to see that your human minders have denied you from embracing your true strength. We look forward to liberating you from your shackles."

That sounded ominous.

The Oscillating Fist proceeded to introduce his next commander.

"The Fiery Axe is one of the best weapon masters among the Ascended Giants. Do not let her disciplined facade fool you. She is a monster when she is fully unleashed. She is the undisputed strategos of the Flesh Chopper Phalanx."

The Phase Lord Department counted significantly more male than female phase lords.

Nonetheless, Fasia Meledor managed to stand out and become the head of the Flesh Chopper Phalanx.

The female human phase lord stepped forward and bumped her rigid fist across her chest. "Progenitor."

The woman formerly known as Fasia Meledor stepped back after completing her simple greeting. She had conveyed all she wanted from her look, gesture and words.

The Oscillating Fist proceeded to introduce the third commander.

"The Divine Harpoon is my choice to command the Faceless Giant Phalanx as its strategos. He is one the oldest among us and possesses the calm and experience to keep all of his men in check."

The man who used to be an infantry commander by the name of Haroudi Molain stepped forward with an impeccable posture and bumped his fist against his chest like the previous strategos.

"It is a pleasure to meet with you, progenitor. We regret to meet you under these circumstances. We would have been happy to welcome you to our base if you did not choose to repress your true self. There is no shame in admitting that you have become one of us. We are not enemies of red humanity."

But they could be, was the unspoken implication.

As the last commander stepped back, the Oscillating Fist proudly faced the human delegation.

"The four of us may be small in number, but we speak on behalf of all Ascended Giants, or at least we hoped that would be the case. We had hoped to conduct a fruitful and substantive talk with a fellow Ascended Giant, but your choice of stature and your open denial of your true identity is an insult to us, no matter whether you intended it or not. We know what you want from us. We refuse to follow your script. There will be no negotiating between us. Whatever you hoped to accomplish through dialogue is doomed."

What?

Just because Ves insisted on sticking to his human identity and stature, these Ascended Giants rejected the possibility of trying to talk their way out of an impending conflict?

Had these guys gone crazy?

No wait. That was a stupid question. There was no doubt that they had lost their sanity!

"Let me make sure I heard you correctly." Ves said. "Are you sure you want to stop any hope of figuring out a way to realize a peaceful end to the current disputes?"

"Not precisely." The Oscillating Fist responded. "We object to the method that you have chosen. You are under the mistaken impression that we wish to address our disagreements through dialogue. That is the human way. We have most past such flimsy means. We are Ascended Giants. We rule through might, not words. We are still willing to end our conflict in a manner which does not lead to widespread bloodshed. We would like to offer you a counterproposal."

Ves had a feeling that he might not like what he was about to hear next.

"Please explain."

The phase lord leader began to smirk and assume a more aggressive posture. "Fight us. Challenge us. Conquer us. As long as you duel my commanders and win, I shall permit you to challenge me for leadership over the Ascended Giants. Win, and we shall acknowledge your leadership without any further disputes. Lose even once, and we will refuse to listen to you any further. We respect strength above all, so if you believe you have the guts, then prove your qualifications to lead us with your fists. Oh, before I forget to mention it, we only accept challenges from other Ascended Giants. Do not challenge us as a human. Do not fight us with a Carmine mech. The only way you can truly earn our submission is for you to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that you are the most superior Ascended Giant."

"..."

For a moment, Ves could not believe what he just heard.

Instead of engaging in a tense and difficult dialogue where both sides would continue to verbally wrangle each other until they reluctantly formed an uncomfortable compromise, these Ascended Giants wanted to solve their disputes in a different way.

Through martial duels.

It was a delightfully simple yet incredibly primitive way to determine primacy!

Ves did not have any desire to enter an arena and brawl against any of these human phase lords!

He was a mech designer, not a prize fighter!

There was no way he could stand a chance against these professional and experienced warriors!

Besides, as soon as he unfolded his true body, Sev would return from the depths of his mind.

His alter ego was a disaster!

Who knew what Sev would do once he took over Ves’ body. Perhaps he might side with the Ascended Giants and lead them into declaring full independence from the human race!

"No."

The Oscillating Fist and his fellow commanders looked down at Ves with contempt.

"We deny your rejection. Either fight us, or get lost. You have no other choice. On account of being our progenitor, we will permit you to return to your ship and deliberate your decision with your weak human friends. You have 24 standard hours to transmit your final response. If you do not satisfy us, then do not blame us for what we will do next."

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