Chapter 334: Disciple, Locked On

Deep within the Sky Mechanica, beneath the central spire where three great towers converge, six metallic steles stand in a circle, facing inward like monoliths. Each is etched with a distinct emblem, serving as a silent testament to the identity of its master.

To any scholar of heraldry, these six sigils would reveal a shared, underlying component: the mark of the "Disciple."

The remaining elements of these designs, however, appear in no academic tome, bearing meanings known only to the hands that carved them.

A flicker of light erupts as the emblem on one stele ignites, and a young man’s voice resonates from within.

"The societies under our control have identified more subjects conducting research that meets the criteria. We are processing them now. 'Eye,' continue to locate new targets for them."

"Understood. 'Mouth,' relay the command. Tell them to hasten; we cannot spare the authority to deal with these researchers once they reach the final stages."

"The society whose equipment was overloaded by 'Hand'—the one that suffered a critical failure and the death of key personnel—seems not to have abandoned their work. I must focus all my attention on their movements."

A second stele flares to life, responding to the one addressed as "Mouth" with the steady, composed voice of a middle-aged woman.

"Has the society known as the Truth Oversight Committee not given up? Their research pertains to 'Unbound Magic.' 'Ear' has already estimated the potential of this field; it is sufficient to gain recognition under the rules left by the Mentor, enough to see us replaced."

The gravelly voice of an elderly man rumbles as a third stele lights up.

From this exchange, it is clear they do not address one another by name, but by the body parts—Eye, Mouth, Ear—that serve as their proxies. Their discourse centers on the forbidden magi-tech research of the Truth Oversight Committee.

"They have not stopped. The information storage devices I command show that the committee's nominal president, Icarus of the Winged Folk, just used a transit portal to seek out the researchers I had temporarily delayed. They clearly intend to press on."

Following a flash of light, the stele addressed as "Ear" responds in the voice of a young, delicate girl.

"I can no longer interfere with the Truth Oversight Committee directly. Since the last overload of their machinery, they have rebuilt their facilities. The new laboratory lacks the nodes I need to extend my reach, unless I am granted more authority."

The stele known as "Hand" speaks, its light pulsing as it voices its demand. It seeks greater authority, and though it lacks eyes, it seems to cast its gaze toward the most singular of the six steles.

The other five steles are simple, anchored to the floor and connected only by their bases, their emblems remaining dark when silent.

The central stele is different. A dense web of metallic cables converges from every corner of the chamber to bind it, while fluctuations of magic and other indefinable energies swirl around it.

Even now, it remains mute, its emblem pulsing like a slow, rhythmic breath. It offers no reply to "Hand," standing in stoic, impenetrable silence.

Though the central stele makes no sound, "Hand" seems to interpret the silence as a rejection. Its light flickers with a sudden, irritable intensity.

"Julius, do not forget how we surrendered our authority to you to bypass the Mentor’s rules. While you hold all the authority of the Sky Mechanica in essence, you are nothing without us, your agents."

"If you do not grant me more authority, you will only watch as a new society perfects the research that will replace us. Then, we who have taken these forms to survive will cease to exist."

A torrent of dissatisfied words pours from "Hand," challenging the only one of the six to possess a true name.

"Indeed, Julius. Our current forms are incomplete, deeply flawed. While our lives have been extended, we can no longer conduct any substantive research through our own crippled capabilities."

"Even those abyssal entities we have sealed away, which the outside world can never know of, are beyond our reach to turn into results that satisfy the Mentor’s rules."

"Ear" concurs with "Hand," clearly desiring that Julius relinquish more authority so that "Hand" might permanently extinguish the Truth Oversight Committee’s progress and secure their own position.

"Astartes... very well. It is my oversight. You are correct. I had not considered it. The Machine Soul—even today, we cannot fathom how the Mentor granted a machine a soul. It grows, while we merely rot."

"Astartes and the core rules of the Sky Mechanica have become our chains. They exist to ensure that we, the Disciples who control this city, do not hold power indefinitely. In the end, the Mentor cared more for the advancement of intelligent races than for us, his students."

"Yet, the Mentor placed too much faith in the rigidity of mechanical rules and could not comprehend our terror of death. Rules always have loopholes; that is why we survive even now. This time will be no different."

"Hand" seems to accept Julius’s response, its tone cooling as it apologizes for its own lack of foresight.

It had overlooked Astartes. The authority they spoke of was only fifty percent; the remainder resided within the Machine Soul itself.

"Though it holds fifty percent of the authority, it is largely unrelated to the internal affairs of the Sky Mechanica. Its power lies in the Alchemical Mechanized Legion and the defense systems."

"Furthermore, it is bound by even more constraints than we are. It cannot even communicate the news of a power shift to those above the city. Even if it knew our actions and wished to stop us, it could never let others know."

"It is truly unthinkable. The rules the Mentor created to prevent the societies of the Sky Mechanica from tearing each other apart over the discovery of new research have become Astartes’s shackles and our accomplices."

"Hand" muses to itself, analyzing the unique existence of Astartes and critiquing their shared mentor, Merlin.

"The Mentor was a pure man, an excellent researcher—we cannot compare to him. But he was also too idealistic. The rules he devised to drive academic progress have too many flaws and deficiencies."

"Beyond setting a few obstacles, Astartes can do nothing. Twenty percent control over the Alchemical Mechanized Legion is enough. This force is not something a few legends can withstand."

"It works out perfectly. We only need to mobilize this force within the rules. If we cannot use the legion to attack citizens who abide by the law, we shall simply force them to break the rules. After all, what are a few expendable eyes and ears?"

"Mouth" continues the analysis, methodically arranging their next moves.

"Let it be done. Have our people find an opportunity to strike directly at the Truth Oversight Committee. Once the situation escalates into a conflict between societies and results in sufficient casualties, the Alchemical Mechanized Legion can intervene within the rules to eradicate both sides. That is one option."

With this summary, the intentions of "Mouth" are laid bare.

As their dialogue suggests, for reasons of their own, those who once shared power chose to vest it entirely in Julius.

Stripped of their own authority, they rely on Julius to lend it to them to influence the city. Yet, because they no longer possess official authority, they are free from certain constraints.

By cultivating agents within the Sky Mechanica, they can harm other citizens without ever directly invoking their own power.

"There are no further issues. The priority remains stopping the Truth Oversight Committee. I wonder if their members will realize our presence during the process."

"The power of some legends is truly unreasonable, especially those with 'Inner Potential.' Who knows if such knights might possess the strength to break through our defenses and reach us here?"

"Eye" voices its approval of the plan, yet expresses concern over the threat posed by the committee.

"Oh, true. If you could utilize it now, Julius, we would have nothing to fear. Ha! A loophole regarding Astartes—the very Machine Soul meant to limit us must now be protected by the trump card of the Alchemical Mechanized Legion."

Julius remains silent, yet provides an answer to "Eye’s" doubts. The stele flashes violently, and at the far end of the chamber, footsteps echo. A figure emerges from the darkness, walking toward the six steles.

It is a nude, genderless body. The only difference between it and a true human is a transparent crystal frame set into its chest.

Where a heart should beat, one can see a mechanical sphere composed of countless interlocking parts suspended in the void, rotating and shifting. Arcs of electricity dance around it, pulsing with a ceaseless flow of power to every corner of the frame.

It is no true life, but an alchemical automaton. Like Astartes, it was created by Merlin—one of his three great masterpieces, integrated into the Alchemical Mechanized Legion as its ultimate trump card.

The rarest metals of the dwarves, the cutting-edge technology of the goblins, the runic arts of the elves—the pinnacle of every race’s history was poured into this construct. Its raw power is unimaginable.

Its sheer physical destructive force is such that even a peak legendary knight could not survive a few exchanges. Perhaps the only difference between this thing and those supreme beings is that this automaton lacks any strange or mystical abilities.

Yet, this absolute power is enough for the "Machine God"—the name of this automaton—to ensure that the members of the Central Council, these six steles, cannot be destroyed by any means other than replacement.

...

"Intelligence confirmed. The two who came to check the research records of the Pathfinders Society were from the Truth Oversight Committee. This society is still attempting to complete the research that 'those people' do not want finished."

In the district where the societies of the Sky Mechanica gather, a nondescript figure leans against a wall, watching the Truth Oversight Committee from afar. His lips move slightly, communicating via a special magic-net channel provided by his mysterious employers.

"Well done, Joey. However, new orders have arrived. Find an opportunity to attack the Truth Oversight Committee directly. Create a conflict, and let the Alchemical Mechanized Legion find its chance to intervene."

The reply comes through—the same young man who claimed to be a hireling when Wang Yu visited the Pathfinders Society.

"The Alchemical Mechanized Legion... so, I will die there alongside the people from the Truth Oversight Committee?"

Joey’s voice is flat, devoid of anger or emotion as he speaks of his own potential end.

"..., I believe so. You and I have long since witnessed their cruelty. I only hope they keep their word and fulfill the promises they made."

"As for the rest, Joey, how long has it been since we last worked together?"

The young man fell silent for a few seconds, then offered an affirmative answer, followed by a question.

"..."

Joey replied.

"It has been quite a while, hasn't it? Very well, let it be so; this time I shall accompany you to your death, and it is high time our duo made a reappearance."

The young man’s words carried a trace of a smile as he declared his decision to perish alongside his companion.

"Oh? With you by my side, that doesn't sound half bad. Very well, when do we begin, and who is our first target?"

A curve formed at the corners of Joey’s mouth as he inquired.

"We strike the moment I arrive. Let our first targets be those two who came snooping for information on the Seekers' Society; their identities are mere fabrications, and having seen those files, they may well grow suspicious. Let the deaths of those two be the beginning of everything."