Venerable Joshua was another hopeful who sought to accomplish a breakthrough today.
Though he held no animosity towards Tusa, Casella and the other ace pilots, he couldn't help but feel that he was falling increasingly further behind the longer he lingered at his current rank.
Of course, Joshua shouldn't complain considering that he managed to beco a peak expert pilot so quickly with the help of those expensive general cultivation elixirs.
It used to be normal for expert pilots to fight and train for multiple decades until they were finally ready to seek their breakthroughs starting from their sixth, seventh or eighth decade of life.
Patriarch Reginald was an example of such an ace pilot. Back then, his breakthrough in the old galaxy was considered early by the standards of the ti.
The earlier, the better. There were many expert pilots who only hit their limits when they were about to fall from their pri when they celebrated their hundredth birthday, causing their breakthrough chances to plunge.
Joshua wanted to avoid this outco at all cost!
The battles going forward were only becoming larger and more difficult. Red humanity appeared to be doing fine at the mont, but that was only because the frontlines were still relatively intact.
Once the fourth defensive band fell and the fifth defensive band ca under siege, the native aliens would probably begin to send their raiding fleets around the final defensive line and begin to terrorize the industrial star systems that suddenly beca a lot more vulnerable!
That would probably put red humanity on the backfoot and exacerbate the shortage of resources and war materiel.
Though Joshua was only one pilot among many, becoming a saint could do much to alleviate the pressure. The more the people living in the star systems behind the defensive lines ca under threat, the more he felt responsible for doing what he could to spare them from the threat posed by the aliens.
This was why this battle that was destined to end in a withdrawal for red humanity beca so important to Joshua.
He did not really care for Viola Magnifica per se. What he cared about was that this was shaping up to beco a battle where the threat posed by the incoming phase lords were great, but not to the point where resistance beca pointless.
Saint Linda Cross and Saint Commander Casella Ingvar would have struggled to hold
back the two greater phase whales by themselves, let alone 4 additional lesser phase lords.
However, Saint Dise's surprising breakthrough slightly tilted the balance back in favor of the defenders just enough to significantly increase the success rate of this defensive action.
Venerable Joshua judged that the situation was still manageable enough that he could do his part and display enough courage and heroism to break through.
He could not do it alone, of course.
"Are you ready for action, Joshua?" His beloved wife asked over the communication channel.
"I am, though I would feel a lot more reassured when deploying into the field if you board one of the evacuation ships that is on the way out of this star system."
Ketis shook her head. "No, I need to be here. I am a warrior and the holder of the Heavensword no less. My honor as a swordmaster does not permit to miss this fight. I have advised multiple expert pilots such as you on how to use my new theories to figure out how you can raise your breakthrough chances. It is only fair for to stand by their side and express my confidence in my own judgnt. I at least want to show solidarity to all of the hopefuls. There is a real chance that not all of them will return with their lives intact once they have deployed."
According to the strategic value of Viola Magnifica, this was not yet a battle that needed to be fought to the death.
However, it was hard for expert pilots to show a lot of restraint, especially when they were working towards their next major breakthrough!
Trying to tell the likes of Venerable Rosa Orfan and Venerable Vincent Ricklin to rein in their urges, take less risks and withdraw sooner rather than later would probably fall on flat ears!
"At least tell the kids aren't aboard the Spirit of Bentheim anymore."
"Don't worry, Joshua, I have already sent Kirian and Mayra away. It is not their ti yet to prove their ttle."
Joshua smiled when he thought back on his children, One of the reasons why he felt the need to step up was because he wanted to fight for the future of his son and daughter.
If red humanity fell, so would his clan and family!
The Red Ocean might not be native to humans, but if Joshua was willing to fight hard to turn it into a reality!
"Everchanger."
"YES. JOSHUA?"
"I will be approaching this fight differently than the last few tis. I need you to cooperate with more extensively than ever."
"THAT IS A HARD REQUEST TO ET CONSIDERING THAT OUR COOPERATION ALREADY RANKS AT THE TOP AMONG THIRD-ORDER LIVING CHS. THE ONLY MACHINE THAT CAN SURPASS OUR TEAMWORK IS JANNZI AND THE BASTION. IT IS TOO LATE FOR YOU TO REQUEST VES TO INSTALL A CARMINE SYSTEM INTO THE COCKPIT.
"I wasn't talking about that." Joshua shook his head. "I need you to help cope with our latest 'team mber! I haven't had enough ti to practice with the Bitter Scimitar. The 'D-arm' is really powerful, but the personality that is hiding inside the weapon still remains awful. The fact that we have to store the blade in a separate shielded container says much about the safety and reliability of this new weapon." "ARE YOU EXPECTING THE BITTER SCIMITAR TO SABOTAGE YOU DURING THE FIGHT?"
"Maybe, but that not my main concern. I will be attempting to establish greater cooperation with the Bitter Scimitar. I am hoping that once the fight begins, the battle will make an impression on the violent weapon. Even if it still doesn't accept as a partner and a wielder, I still hope that the D-arm will stop kicking up a fuss while we are surrounded by enemies."
"THAT SOUNDS TOO MUCH LIKE WISHFUL THINKING, BUT... MAYBE YOU CAN MAKE IT WORK. THE BITTER SCIMITAR RESENTS YOU, BUT IT LIKES TO SHED BLOOD AND INFLICT HARM ON OTHERS. MAYBE YOU CAN CO TO AN ACCORD WITH THE WEAPON WHERE IT WILL COOPERATE WITH YOU IN EXCHANGE FOR MAKING A PHASE LORD SCREAM"
Venerable Joshua montarily shuddered. "I am not sure that recklessly indulging in the Bitter Scimitar's lust for blood is a good way to develop a healthy relationship with
the D-arm."
"FORGET ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. A WEAPON THAT IS STEEPED IN SO MUCH EVIL AND SIN AS THE BITTER SCIMITAR IS DYSFUNCTIONAL DOWN TO THE VERY CORE. IF YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE A BREAKTHROUGH, THEN YOU NEED TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE IN CHARGE. YOU EITHER MAKE THE SCIMITAR SURRENDER TO YOU, OR YOU WILL BE THE ONE TO BOW TO THE D-ARM."
The everchanger was right to voice his doubts and concerns. The third-order living ch had plenty of 'scuffles' with the Bitter Scimitar as well.
The gift presented by Ketis and Ves was a taphorical double-edged sword. Joshua could not bring himself to reject the imnse power offered by the blade, but the constant resistance was inhibiting his attempts to use the new D-arm to the fullest. "One way or another, I will solve the problem posed by the Bitter Scimitar." Joshua spoke with determination. "I cannot afford to let the weapon fight against when I am doing my best to fight and survive in a confrontation against a phase lord." "Just to be sure, you will be challenging a lesser phase lord, right?" Ketis asked over the communication channel.
Joshua nodded. "I am not suicidal. I will leave the greater phase lords to the ace pilots who are left and whatever warships and chs that are willing to offer fire support. I will be taking the fight to the lesser phase lords. They are still dangerous, but my
Everchanger can take a beating."
"THAT'S RIGHT."
"Do you have a target in mind already? I hope you are targeting one of the erudite
lesser phase lords. I don't want you to fight against a martial lesser phase lord. One of the reasons why your D-arm cos in the form of a scimitar is that it is simpler to wield than a straight sword. You only need to perform slashes. Even so, your bladesmanship is still woefully inadequate if you are ever fighting against a true
martial warrior."
Joshua's self-esteem took a hit, but he was able to take it. "I am not fighting one of the alien tough guys. My more enthusiastic colleagues such as Orfan and Vincent have already set their eyes on Zren-Divar and the Fatedriver. I will probably go for the Eight Lord of Takansha or Khaso Leiyen. The intelligence reports don't really have much information about them aside from figuring out that they like to keep their distance and manipulate space from afar."
"They are both orven native gods. The orvens sure have a lot of them." Ketis mused. "If
I look at the images of the Eight Lord and Khaso Leiyen, I have the impression that the
Eight Lord of Takansha may be trickier than the other. Khaso Leiyen cos across as a more aggressive, emotional and straightforward enemy. His fighting thods are likely simpler and more direct."
"So do you think I should test my ttle against Khaso Leiyen?"
Ketis paused for a mont. "It depends on how strong they are and what abilities they have. From what little intelligence that we have on hand, I think it is better for you to
challenge the Eight Lord of Takansha."
"Reason."
"You struggle against enemies with more pronounced strengths." Ketis said. "Before
you say anything, I know that you have improved and made up for a part of your shortcomings. That still does not invalidate my point. You are piloting an expert hero ch. Your Everchanger is incredibly versatile, but perfect versatility is an impossibility. Compared to enemies with extre mobility or other pronounced strengths, your Everchanger is still limited by how much he can keep up. My intuition tells that Khaso Leiyen may break your limits to such an extent that he will not
give you enough ti to recover."
...
Though Joshua accepted Ketis' logic and agreed with it, his willpower did not allow
him to shy away from a lesser phase lord just because the enemy had the potential to exploit one of his weak points.
The expert pilot was tired of losing due to the inherent limitations of piloting a hero
ch.
Perfect versatility may not exist in reality, but Joshua beca increasingly more determined to co close to it as possible!
If he always abided by his limitations, then he wouldn't have been able to break
through in the first place!
"Ketis."
"What is it, Joshua?"
"I love you, but I don't agree with you. Sotis, a man has to do what is right. If this
Khaso Leiyen fellow poses a greater threat to our forces than the other lesser phase
lord, then I feel obliged to challenge him even if the matchup is not ideal. I am a hero. The Everchanger is a hero ch. Both of us are made to challenge the strong." "... At least you sound like a hero." Ketis sighed. "Whatever. Do what you want. Just rember that you are not only fighting for yourself. Our children and I do not want to see you return in a coffin. The upcoming battle is a final act of resistance before we depart. This is not a fight to the death. That cos later"
"I know. You don't need to remind . I will definitely find a way to stay alive long enough to participate in the next battle, and the ones that co after"
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