Chapter 564: The Answer
But who knows? After all, they asked someone who doesn’t just open doors. He opens gates and claims them as his own.
So, instead of looking nervous, Luca smiled. Softly.
"Ah. About that," he said. "It was also my biggest concern. So I decided to implement a few safeguards and ways to mitigate the damage."
He gestured to the display, calling attention to the mecha’s glossy surface and distinct paneling.
"For one, both the exterior and interior were designed to mimic the best trait of manual mechas—that is, the ability to pass off as energy-free. Although in this case, it’s more because I’ve sealed it away."
Someone inhaled sharply.
Luca continued like he didn’t notice.
"This mecha actually uses a smaller and reversed energy grid, similar to the one I made for the Marshal. It’s meant to conserve power and, more importantly, reduce the number of places where energy might leak."
A few mechanics started scribbling notes furiously.
"But," Luca added, "because it’s only a decrease, not full prevention, I chose to seal the remaining leak points using energy canister materials. Essentially, it’s actually as if there are two layers of armor."
There was a beat of stunned silence.
Then—
"!!!"
Master Allan shot to his feet.
"You’re saying it doesn’t leak spiritual energy?!"
"In most cases, yes," Luca replied, nodding. "Which is also why it doesn’t appear on most radars, Master."
Several heads turned. A few jaws dropped. Someone made a sound reminiscent of a wailing chick.
But apparently, Luca wasn’t done.
"Still, just in case, I coated the entire mecha in Ghostvine resin. It offers another layer of protection—against corruption, and even sentient enemies who might be tracking energy fluctuations or visual movement."
There was a collective intake of breath.
"But," Luca added reluctantly, "there’s a drawback. Since the mecha doesn’t register well on sensors, pilots have to coordinate closely with their teams. And when it comes to rescuing others..."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"The rescued pilot has to be fully inside the resin-coated compartment. Otherwise, they stick out. Literally. Like a sore thumb just floating in midair."
Someone snorted. A younger officer near the front stifled a laugh.
Luca grimaced.
"I tried so hard to find a workaround. I really did. But anything not covered in resin just stands out like a beacon. Not exactly ideal for stealth."
He looked genuinely frustrated. But no one else was focused on that part.
They were too busy staring at him like he’d grown a second head.
Or perhaps descended from a different universe.
Because if they hadn’t seen the mecha in action themselves, they would’ve thought he was completely mad.
But they had seen it.
And now?
Now they were quiet for a whole new reason.
Because the answer was brilliant.
It wasn’t even complicated. That’s what made it worse. Or better. Depending on who you asked.
It had been standing right in front of them the entire time.
And yet no one had thought of it.
Master Allan looked dazed. Like he’d missed the most obvious answer in the world.
He slowly sat back down.
And for the first time in a very long while, he didn’t have a single thing to criticize.
Amazingly enough, the newly licensed mechanic wasn’t finished.
He turned back to the crowd and continued, as if casually talking about the weather.
"Well, those are just the preventive measures. But when contamination has already taken root, I figured there are still ways to increase the chances of survival."
"!!!"
What?!
People leaned forward.
More than one mechanic held their breath.
"For one," Luca explained, "corruption festers, but not instantly. So if caught early enough, tools like an equipped flamethrower or a cryo gun could be effective."
"Flamethrowers can burn off corruption that hasn’t fully taken hold," he said, pointing at one of the diagrams projected behind him. "And cryo guns could drastically slow down the spread. It won’t cleanse, but ideally it should buy time."
There was a collective silence.
Then a horrified noise escaped Marshal Julian, who was now clutching his face with both hands like he was experiencing a vision.
Because this?
This was so obvious.
Painfully obvious.
And yet no one had ever considered it seriously.
Everyone had been so focused on complex solutions—cleansing agents, energy purifiers, spectral isolators—that something as straightforward as fire and ice had been shelved in favor of high theory. In fact, these were already things they used, but not for battle.
Then Luca laughed, shyly.
"Actually, Marshal Julian... I got the idea from when you froze the entire port where the contaminated goods were stored. I figured... if that worked on items, maybe it could work on mechas in battle."
He rubbed his arm sheepishly.
"Sorry about that. I should’ve probably asked before adapting it..."
The Marshal slowly turned his head and accidentally made eye contact with Xavier.
He didn’t really know how to react.
But it wasn’t like he’d be able to get anything from a man who also had no idea.
"No, no, it’s all good," Marshal Julian managed, sitting up straighter. "For things like that, go ahead and do what you think is right. I’m just grateful you thought of something I missed."
And he meant it.
It wasn’t that no one had ever tried things like this. They had. But the problem had always been what came after.
They had always hit a wall. And experimenting wasn’t actually free. And for an empire with human and material scarcity, they didn’t really want to risk it.
But Luca?
Luca saw the next step.
"Thank you, Marshal!" Luca replied brightly. "Well, after using either method, the pilot could decide the next step depending on the situation. The key is, they’ve bought time. That’s what matters."
He pointed to the chart beside him.
"For parts that are easy to replace, they could just remove the contaminated component and swap it out before the corruption spreads."
"But if that’s not possible, or if the damage is too deep, the cockpit can be extracted entirely. Then rescue can proceed safely without risking the rest of the mecha or the team."
He paused for a moment.
"On the surface, I know this might sound like a big investment, especially considering the preparation needed for advanced parts. But I believe it’s worth it."
"If we can save more pilots this way, isn’t that a good tradeoff?"
"And if only parts of a mecha are replaced, rather than the whole thing, and we still retain the ability to fight in the same zone, wouldn’t that count as a tactical advantage?"
He said all this in the same calm tone he’d used earlier. Like it was all just a matter of fact.
But the masters in the room didn’t move.
They stared at him, silent and solemn.
Because Luca spoke like he still wasn’t satisfied. Like the mecha could be even better.
But for the others, this wasn’t just a breakthrough.
This was a revelation.
As if they’d been banging their heads against the same wall for so long, they forgot they could step around it.
Maybe it was perspective.
That was what Xavier thought as he watched from the side.
Because mecha pilots weren’t always aware of what could be improved.
And mechanics weren’t always aware of what it was like to bleed inside those machines.
Those who did know both sides often gave up early on. Because eventually, they realized the corruption was feeding off their effort. Every failure strengthened the thing they were trying to destroy.
That kind of realization ruined people.
It was one reason the Imperial Prince had heard of masters walking away from their craft entirely.
They couldn’t bear it anymore.
But then there was Luca.
A boy with fresh hands and wide eyes, who hadn’t given up—because no one had told him to.
A boy who still thought it was possible.
A boy who had offered them a different path.
And none of them even knew...
That he could purify corruption.