Reborn as a Mechanist with a God-Tier System-Chapter 298: Questions [3]
"Will you support me?"
It was a simple question but in this context, it was a question that had a lot of far-reaching consequences and immediately, silence reigned in the luxurious office room of the General.
Instead of answering immediately, Ren Nora leaned forward as he picked the expensive bottle of wine before pouring more into his glass cup.
As he poured, he finally broke the silence. "131 years ago, I was blind and naïve, desperate to realize my idea of freedom".
"I just wanted to become a C Rank Ascended as fast and as soon as possible to get the power to oppose the rule of the Omnicore Federation".
"But now, I know more".
"Now, I know the consequences of power". He looked at Leon. "I don’t know, no one knows, but grooming a 9th C Rank Ascended in the world may be what finally tips the ADE density balance of our world past the tipping point".
His face was solemn as he continued. "Grooming a 9th C Rank Ascended may be what leads to the world’s very first Category 5 Neon Beast Tide".
He leaned back on his luxurious office chair. "Such an event can no longer be classified as a disaster, it is a cataclysm".
"Just like C Rank Ascended go through a qualitative change that changes their very form of existence, the same metamorphosis takes place with C Rank Neon Beasts, granting them such esoteric powers that they can be unstoppable".
"A single C Rank Neon Beast if left unchecked can end the world as we know it today," he exhaled. "And a Category 5 Neon Beast Tide may likely have more than 1 C Rank Neon Beast leading it".
He looked Leon in the eye. "Do you understand what I’m trying to say?"
Leon didn’t avert his gaze as he also looked the General in the eye as his lips curled up in a faint smile, the atmosphere between them seemed to crackle with negative ions as he said. "What are you trying to say?"
Ren Nora sighed. "What I’m trying to say is that supporting you may push us to the end of time..."
"But," his emerald eyes gleamed slightly then he chuckled. "You’re my friend, and what are friends for?"
"Friends are people who’re ready to rain hell and damn all the consequences in the world just to help you even if it means becoming the enemy of the whole world".
"Friends are people who stand by you in life or death".
"Friends are people who you can trust to always have your back".
Ren Nora grinned. "131 years ago, you became my friend and rendered a help to me that none of my friends have matched till date".
"You made me". He spread his arms. "You protected me when I was most vulnerable, you literally pushed me to become the ’Glitch’."
"And all of that was despite knowing me for just a few days".
He laughed. "So yes Leon, I’m willing to support you".
Bzzz!
His eyes gleamed as his ADE leaked out slightly, instantly filling the room with static electricity. "I’m afraid of no one, not even Epsilon. And today, I pledge to rain hell to support your C Rank Trial when it’s time".
"Nothing else matters".
"If a Category 5 Neon Beast Tide comes, I’ll kill the C Rank Neon Beasts". He declared arrogantly.
"If the other C Rank Ascended in the world mobilize to eliminate you, I’ll fight them all and show them what it means to be the ’Glitch’." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"And if a Category 6 Neon Beast Tide comes," he laughed. "I’ll fight it".
"And if that’s the last thing I ever do, I’ll want the world to remember me as the man who died protecting his friend".
For a long time after Ren Nora was done talking, Leon stayed quiet as he didn’t know what to say.
After a while, he chuckled. "For a moment there, I thought you were going to refuse my call for help".
The General laughed. "Kai will be writhing in his grave if his spirit ever learned that I had an opportunity to help you but refused".
His face turned serious. "The reason I said all of that was so that you could know the full consequences of deciding to challenge the C Rank Trial".
"Unlike all your previous Ascended Trials before now, it’s not just a Trial, it’s a fight against the rest of the world".
"You attempting the C Rank Trial may lead to the first major civil war in Neo-Tokara since the Synth Order broke off".
"So when you make the decision, you have to be resolute about it because it may lead to the death of tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands and even millions".
"So Leon, I will ask you one final time, do you want to challenge the C Rank Trial?"
"Yes". Leon answered without hesitation.
Ren Nora nodded. "That’s all I need".
"But I have to warn you," his face turned solemn again. "Just like I was looking for you over the years, a few persons have also been looking for you for over a century".
Leon smirked. "Sylvari?"
Ren Nora nodded. "It’s been 131 years, but the humiliation of being trapped by an E Rank Ascended have never quite evaporated".
"It scarred him for life".
"And unlike me, he’s even more desperate".
"Whenever I hack into his past, it’s clear that every year that passes without him finding you seems to drive him more into insanity".
"It doesn’t help that Murphy keeps on rubbing salt on his old wounds".
He continued in a serious voice. "Murphy is also looking for you, but unlike Sylvari, his reasons are not for revenge but just to quest his thirst for amusement and to be at the forefront to watch when Sylvari eventually confronts you".
"He wants to meet the Mechanist that humiliated Sylvari again, he’s still intrigued by the guts you displayed in front of him that night".
"The Director-Prime himself has also been searching for you though unlike the other two, his means are not as obvious".
"I believe the reason why he’s searching for you is different from the other two, it’s likely similar to one of my reasons. I believe it’s because just like me, he simply can’t wrap his head around the fact that apart from those few days that you spent in Iron Reef 131 years ago, you left no footprint in history".
"It was like you never even existed and to a man as controlling as the Director-Prime, that may have seriously unsettled him".
"It didn’t make sense, and it was one of the few things in the world that the all-knowing Director-Prime didn’t know. This is likely why he’s also been searching for you".
"But now, it’s different". His emerald eyes gleamed.
"The events in Leviathan Quay brought you back to the limelight, and I was not the only one who noticed. The others noticed too".
"The only reason why Sylvari didn’t come after you immediately was because I intercepted his movement".
"But I can’t always move to stop him".
"Afterall, I am the only C Rank Ascended protecting the Freegrid territories while the Omnicore Federation have 3 C Rank Ascended".
"Me leaving leaves my territory exposed to a C Rank invasion, but the Federation doesn’t have to worry about this".
"They’ll likely use this element against us, you especially" he looked at Leon. "So from now on, you have to be careful about your future movements".
"I know". Leon nodded seriously.
Ren Nora leaned back on his chair and asked. "Do you have a concrete plan to align yourself with your Class Specialization and get ready for the Trial?"
Though Ren Nora used different terms, Leon understood that he was referring to the Ascended Counter immediately.
"No," he shook his head. "This is part of the reason why I came to Iron Reef, I want to ask for guidance on how I should go about my preparations for the Trial".
"Do you have any advice?"
