Though Ves felt uncomfortable, he defended himself as best as possible against Master Willix's inquiries.

He had known from early on that the emergence of expert candidates within the Larkinson Clan would definitely attract attention.

Yet even if the mech pilots under his charge possessed a higher chance of advancement than others, this was not unusual.

Plenty of other groups and organizations that nurtured mech pilots in-house managed to surpass the average.

Just looking at the average rate of advancement to expert candidates in civilized space was not very useful. The individual rate between states, organizations and even mech regiments differed a lot, so much so that a mech pilot in one place was a hundred times likelier to advance than if he went to another place!

Ves put forth two simple arguments to explain why expert candidates seem to pop up like mushrooms under his command.

First, he inherited most of the wisdom and best practices of the Larkinson Family.

The original Larkinson Family was famed for its ability to nurture at least a couple of expert pilots within every generation. Considering the relatively small population size of each age group of Larkinsons, that was a very high rate, though the frequent wars against the Vesia Kingdom helped as well.

It was well-known that once a family or organization boasted a few expert pilots, they were often able to nurture even more! Expert pilots were some of the best teachers imaginable because their skills and understanding towards their profession had reached beyond human levels.

Just like how having a lot of money made it easier to make more money, having a lot of expert pilots often allowed for other expert pilots to emerge!

This was already a powerful defense that Ves believed would deflect most suspicion.

He decided to take it a step further, though. Master Willix was not some faceless MTA snob who could be fobbed off with a single excuse. Ves had to make a more convincing case!

"So what you are saying is that your 'proto-gods' bless your mech pilots…?" She asked in a doubtful tone.

It wasn't often that someone managed to make a Master confused! Even Jovy looked surprised at the gumption displayed by Ves!

"It's very simple." Ves spread his hands and grinned as if he was completely convinced of his theories. "What do all expert pilots have in common? Belief! Conviction! Will! What sustains these beliefs? Emotions! My uncle Ark, a famed expert pilot of the Bright Republic, once told me that emotionless expert pilots don't exist. Those who possess scattered hearts and don't have anything to fight for will never have what it takes to step on the road to godhood. In order to transcend their human nature, mech pilots have to embody it first!"

His statement surprised everyone. Even Master Willix showed some more reaction. "That is an interesting theory. It falls in line what our Association has discovered as well, though we do not phrase it in such a fashion. Human nature…"

"This is part of the reason I developed my current design philosophy. My time growing up among the Larkinsons has given me a very good understanding of mech pilots and what they require. I understood back then that a mech is never devoid from the mech pilot. They are one system, one entity, one partnership! Mech designers who only focus on one but not the other miss the point about mechs!"

"Well said, Ves!" Gloriana cheered and clapped.

Her design philosophy also revolved around this premise! Though Ves and Gloriana disagreed on a lot of matters, it was the few ideas they had in common that allowed them to remain together!

"How does that tie to expert candidates and expert pilots?" Master Willix asked.

"Since I embarked on this career, I have sought a means to help my family members increase their chances of advancing to a greater height. Eventually, I have been fortunate to step onto a path that focuses on empowering both mechs and mech pilots by increasing their symbiosis. After making a lot of progress in my design philosophy, I have eventually made a very important conclusion."

"And that is?"

"Mech pilots aren't the only people who are able to step on the road to godhood!" Ves shouted in his most fanatical act he could muster! "Mechs are able to advance as well!"

Every member of the MTA delegation looked surprised. They did not expect to hear such a radical statement!

Ves didn't care. He continued to spew whatever nonsense that came up in his mind! "I have always believed that mechs are alive. If that is so, then just like mech pilots, mechs can advance and become existences akin to gods as well! For now, I have only been able to create proto-gods and associate them with my mech designs, but that is just the start. As long as they advance step by step, they will eventually reach the heights of ace pilots or god pilots in the future! This is my ultimate ambition! The best way to help mech pilots evolve into gods is to pair them up with mechs that are also capable of becoming gods!"

Though some people such as Master Willix were accustomed to the mention of gods, Jovy looked a lot more confused!

Though the tale spun by Ves sounded strangely compelling, it clashed with the secularists views held by Jovy! As a mech designer who dared to cheat reality itself, he never believed in the existence of supernatural entities with powers beyond human ken.

The questioning did not last much longer. Though Master Willix asked some interesting questions, Ves always returned to the same answers. He deliberately dragged in gods and made exaggerated statements that were essentially unfalsifiable.

This was a very devious debate tactic! Part of the reason why people with faith were so difficult to argue with was because their claims couldn't be proven wrong!

How could you prove that gods did not exist in a scientific manner?

It couldn't be done! Even a great Master Mech Designer like Moira Willix was unable and unwilling to enter this swamp!

Therefore, when Ves kept holding on to this defense, she helplessly stopped inquiring and simply accepted what Ves had said from the onset.

The emergence of expert pilots were correlated by strong beliefs and emotions, and turning mechs into gods was one way to evoke them. LMC mechs were very famed for their ability to affect the moods of others with their glows, and the ones who became affected the most just happened to be their mech pilots!

Now that the duel had come to an end, Master Willix and her entourage soon departed the arena.

"We shall be wrapping up our visit here." She explained. "We have already examined the Little Angel in detail. The two you can expect to receive your latest masterwork certificates within a day. We will look forward to receiving this exquisite masterwork mech in a year. Mr. Armalon, you may spend some time with these young talents if you wish. Despite their origins, they are very remarkable and well worth befriending."

Jovy immediately nodded. "Those are my thoughts as well."

The departure of the serious 'adults' considerably lightened up the mood between the Journeymen. The massive presence of Master Willix no longer loomed over their heads.

This gave Ves a lot of relief! Though Master Willix hadn't departed the Cinach System as of yet, at the very least he didn't need to walk on coals anymore.

"Would you like to head somewhere more comfortable?"

"Certainly."

Ves, Gloriana and Jovy all left the mech arena and headed to a private lounge inside the Larkinson Clan's base.

Along the way, they grew a bit friendlier. While Jovy already built up a considerable amount of respect for Ves, after their design duel, he no longer regarded the winner as an indigenous mech designer.

Ves directly proved that he was not necessarily inferior to his colleagues back at the MTA!

As they entered the lounge and took their seats, Ves could no longer hold in his curiosity.

"Strictly speaking, you didn't have to concede the duel to me. What Master Willix has described is very correct. Why would you take the initiative to forfeit your win?"

The MTA mech designer smiled. "I am genuinely impressed that your mech managed to help a mech pilot reach a higher state. Even if advancement is not a criteria for winning a duel, it is a goal that many mech designers are chasing after. How could I possibly feel as if I bested you when I have yet to achieve this myself? Besides, another win or loss won't affect me all that much. You stand to benefit a lot more than myself. After all, it is not often you hear a local mech designer defeat a representative of the MTA in a fair match."

That answer still didn't satisfy Ves. No one did anything out of the goodness of their heart. He didn't believe that Jovy was as magnanimous as he sounded!

Yet as their conversation continued, Ves began to realize that Jovy truly wasn't putting on airs anymore. The MTA mech designer not only acted very sociable, but also tried to forge a friendship!

It was then that Ves understood Jovy's motivations. The fellow wanted to build up a favorable impression in order to establish a connection with the mech designer who impressed him. Sacrificing a bit of reputation and allowing himself to be used as a stepping stone for someone else might affront others, but people like Jovy easily endured these minor setbacks.

In his mind, befriending the likes of Ves was worth the investment!

This wasn't the first time that Ves met with people who wanted to forge a closer relationship. His fame, reputation and incredible accomplishments had long convinced people such as Calabast and Tristan Wesseling that he was likely destined for greatness!

He did not expect that an elite mech designer like Jovy who would likely have the entire galaxy at his reach in the future would choose the same approach.

Jovy absolutely did not need to reach out to a local mech designer, as he was already in touch with plenty of amazing mech designers in the Association!

"You don't have to sell yourself short, Ves." He spoke. They had already reached first-name basis. "Your design philosophy is both interesting, profound and strong, even if your principles are rather.. strange. Regardless, while you are not the only mech designer who managed to mitigate my specialty to an extent, you are a lot more versatile than those blockheads who only focus on pure defense."

It did not take long for Ves to figure out Jovy's underlying message. "Are you thinking about.. collaborating together?"

A very devious smile appeared on Jovy's face. "Something along those lines. Even though we both possess Class IX design philosophies, I have a feeling that they won't clash. In fact, I am confident we can complement each other! Unfortunately, it's still too early to consider any collaborations at this time. To make it worth it, we need to design a powerful first-class multipurpose mech, and you are far from reaching this point."

This was an amazing offer! Yet the moment Jovy mentioned first-class mechs, the enthusiasm within Ves quickly doused.

"You're right. I'm not ready yet. It will probably take a few decades before I am comfortable with laying my hands on a first-class mech design." Ves modestly responded.

"I'm glad you know your limits. Even so, it would be nice to keep in touch with each other. Even though our classes differ, I believe you are too good to stagnate along the way. The same goes to you, Gloriana. Your Little Angel has already showcased a glimpse of your future ability."

Gloriana imperiously nodded as if that was already a given. "In the future, every mech I make will be a masterwork!"

"Hahaha!" Jovy erupted. "If others make that claim, I usually look down on them. To a masterwork mech designer like you, I have nothing but respect for your ambition. Both of you give me the feeling that the legendary mech touch won't be out of your reach!"