Chapter 1909: Torag... The New Beginning.

The next morning, on the second floor, just below the top floor of the Beta Tower, Lackey stood before an entire floor that had been transformed into a workshop.

"Is this enough?" Beta asked curiously as she gestured towards the floor, which was filled with the tools, equipment, and other things he had asked for.

Lackey blinked as he slowly looked around. The arrangement was almost similar to the workshops he had seen in Delta and the Laboratory, with various machines, instruments, tools, and equipment placed throughout the spacious floor.

Somehow, she had managed to prepare everything in a single night.

He looked at her with genuine surprise. "That’s way too fast..." He had honestly expected it to take her at least two or three days to gather everything.

But then he remembered who she was.

The Governor.

The power in her hands was beyond anything an ordinary person could imagine. If she wanted something within Beta City, all she needed to do was snap.

And, thank goodness he had chosen this route.

Otherwise, he would have been shitting himself trying to gather all of this on his own.

Beta merely shrugged at his reaction, as though preparing an entire workshop overnight was hardly worth mentioning. However, a trace of curiosity appeared in her eyes as she asked,

"What exactly are you planning to do with all this? And... are you actually good with technology?"

Lackey smiled gently and tilted his head. "You’ll find out soon enough."

Beta studied his expression for a moment before simply nodding. She then showed a small metallic cube.

"As for the ring you asked for... here."

Lackey looked at the cube as she placed it in his hand.

"Once you press it with your finger, the ring will activate," Beta explained.

"Thank you."

Lackey turned the small cube between his fingers, examining its smooth metallic surface.

However, Beta suddenly spoke again.

"I’m confused. The Ring’s Neural Network wouldn’t work here. So how are you planning to use it?"

Lackey went silent for a moment.

His fingers stopped moving around the cube as his eyes lowered slightly. "It’s alright... I know a way."

Beta watched him for another second but did not press further. Whatever he was planning, she had already accepted that there were things about him she could not understand.

Knowing that he was a God made questioning every strange thing pointless.

"Do you need anything else?" she asked. "I have an urgent meeting, so I should probably leave soon."

"No. You can continue with your work," Lackey replied calmly.

Beta nodded and gave him a slight bow before turning around and leaving the floor.

Once she was gone, Lackey stood alone in the enormous workshop.

The quiet hum of the machines filled the empty space as he slowly looked over everything Beta had provided.

He began checking the tools one by one, testing their functions and examining the equipment. There were several things he understood immediately, while others were far more advanced than anything he had personally worked with before.

He hummed thoughtfully before walking toward the whiteboard.

Picking up a marker, he began writing down the things he needed, followed by a rough timeline.

’Since she brought all this... I don’t think I need twelve days anymore. According to the previous timeline, they waged war against the Naiadae Empire on the twelfth day after I arrived here... and so far, only one day has passed.’

He paused, staring at the numbers he had written.

’Hmm... For the remaining eleven days, two major things happened. Hell’s Gate... where I met Jonathan... and...’

His eyes narrowed slightly as more possibilities began connecting in his mind.

’Okay... okay...’

He continued writing, gradually building an outline of what could happen next. His mind ran through the events he remembered, comparing them against the changes he intended to make.

He did not want to alter the timeline unnecessarily. Every change could create another consequence, and one seemingly insignificant deviation could eventually become something much larger.

After a minute or so, Lackey finally stopped writing. He exhaled quietly and looked over the timetable he had prepared.

"Well, this only works until the next match interrupts everything," he mumbled, a slight trace of concern appearing on his face.

The tournament was another problem. He could not simply ignore it while focusing on everything else. Whatever happened there could interfere with his plans, and he needed to be prepared for that possibility as well.

His gaze eventually shifted back toward the small metallic cube.

’She said it activates outside the Beta Division...’

He knew the Neural Network was unavailable here, which meant RIN would not activate normally. And there was another problem he could not ignore.

He still did not know whether the ring would recognise him.

After all, that Ring belonged to someone else, right?

"But she said that my Origin Card caused her own consciousness and everything..." he murmured, his expression becoming thoughtful.

Lackey summoned his fake Origin Card and held it near the metallic cube. After a brief hesitation, he lightly tapped the cube with the card and waited.

Nothing happened.

He stared at it.

Not even a flicker of light appeared.

Lackey tapped it again.

Still nothing.

He tried once more, slightly harder this time, but the cube remained completely unresponsive.

His expression slowly became more puzzled.

He looked between the cube and the Origin Card before muttering, "Seriously?"

He tapped it again and again... but there was still no reaction.

Lackey sighed. "I guess I need to get outside the Beta Division to test whether this works."

He placed the cube aside and then—

Sshhh!

A portal opened, and—

Tang!

Tang!

Tang!

The things stored inside fell onto the floor: his previously broken Mech-suit, the Twin Eclipse, and a few other items he had stored inside his Umbra Sanctum.

Lackey quietly stared at his Mech-suit for a moment, his expression blank. Then he glanced at the metallic cube before slowly shaking his head.

Without wasting any more time, he picked up his tools and began cutting away the remains of the broken Mech-suit piece by piece. His expression remained serious as he carefully worked through the damaged components, occasionally stopping to examine the mechanisms hidden beneath the ruined armour.

Suddenly, the door parted with a slight hiss.

Lackey lowered his welding goggles and looked up.

Genome Beta was standing there.

"Do you need something?" he asked.

But when Genome Beta stepped aside, Lackey’s eyes widened slightly.

Torag stood behind her.

Yes, the same Torag who had made his weapons in the previous timeline. Lackey had asked her to bring him here as well.

Torag’s face was tense as he looked at Lackey.

The moment his eyes fell upon the tall and muscular figure, he felt a heavy pressure settle over his shoulders. The atmosphere itself seemed to grow heavier, almost as though the air had suddenly become thick.

For a second, a shiver ran down his spine.

It was almost as if he were standing before a wickedly dangerous monster.

Torag swallowed hard. Sweat covered his face as he instinctively took a step backward.

Seeing the same reaction he had received before, Lackey couldn’t help but smile beneath his rabbit mask.

’This guy... he really gets frightened by me so easily.’

There was a faint trace of amusement in his expression as he walked toward Torag.

Torag trembled.

He had only come because the Governor of Beta had called for him. Otherwise, there was no way he would have willingly come to the monster that seemed to be reaching for him.

’That’s it! I’m going to die! What about my family? I haven’t even created my masterpiece yet!’

He cried inwardly as Lackey continued approaching.

With every step Lackey took, the darkness around Torag’s chest seemed to tighten further and further, eventually becoming so oppressive that breathing itself began to feel difficult.

Lackey stopped directly in front of him.

Torag cowered in fear. His body refused to move even an inch, as though some instinct deep within him had already realized that there was no escape from this monster.

It felt as though he had already been trapped inside a cage.

Just as Torag continued trembling, Lackey raised his hand and calmly said,

"Nice to meet you, The famous Torag."

Torag gulped.

His eyes dropped toward the extended hand.

What if the monster decided to kill him because he refused to shake it?

The fear was truly making him panic inside.

With his hand trembling, Torag slowly raised it and grasped Lackey’s hand.

!!

The moment their hands connected, the suffocating darkness around Torag’s chest dispersed instantly.

Instead, a gentle, almost ethereal sensation spread through his chest.

The fear vanished.

It was as though it had never existed.

Torag blinked in confusion.

What just happened?

Only a moment ago, he had been terrified to the point of barely being able to breathe, and now... everything had disappeared without a trace.

"Torag?" Lackey called.

Torag snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him.

Somehow, the man standing before him now seemed entirely different.

He no longer looked like a monster.

Instead, beneath that strange rabbit mask, he somehow felt almost like a harmless puppy radiating an inexplicable sense of warmth.

"H-Hello, S-Sir," Torag stammered awkwardly, still confused by what had just happened.

Looking up at Lackey’s tall and bulky figure only made him more tense. He knew this man was from another world, yet he behaved in a strangely calm manner.

What confused Torag even more was Genome Beta.

She was the Governor of this division, yet she barely seemed affected by Lackey’s presence at all.

Lackey smiled gently. "There’s no need to be tense. Just be yourself."

Torag awkwardly nodded.

"U-Understood. May I know why I was brought here?" he asked, trying to remain as professional as possible.

Lackey smiled and said, "I need your help, Torag."

"My help?"

"Yes."

Lackey released his hand and looked directly at him with a more serious expression.

"Tell me something, Torag. Why do you still make weapons?"

Torag blinked before answering, "Because... I love making them."

"Even after people dismissed them?"

"..."

"Even after they called them impractical?"

Those words hit Torag’s chest.

Lackey continued,

"I need a person who truly loves what he does. In this world, the only person I’ve met who does what he loves without caring about money or anything else... simply for his passion, simply because he loves the work he does..."

As Lackey continued speaking, his words became increasingly sincere.

Torag’s expression slowly changed.

He realised exactly who Lackey was talking about.

And as Lackey continued praising him indirectly, Torag’s face gradually turned red... just how much did Lackey know about him?

"He who does what he loves... he is perfect, Noble. A man whose talent could not be produced by even a thousand years of time," Lackey said with quiet pride.

His gaze remained fixed on Torag for a moment before he continued, his voice becoming slightly softer.

"And yet, what is the value of such a talent if the world never gives it a place to stay?"

Torag’s expression froze.

Lackey slowly turned his head.

"A masterpiece hidden in a dark room is still a masterpiece, I suppose... but nobody knows it exists. Nobody sees the hands that created it. Nobody understands the hours, the failures, the frustration, or the passion that went into making it."

His voice carried no mockery now.

Only understanding.

"I want to support that man and help him reach new heights instead of allowing his efforts to be wasted on people who merely showcase his artwork. I don’t want his creations sitting behind glass, gathering dust while people walk past them without ever understanding what they are looking at."

Lackey looked back at Torag.

"I want to put his creations where they belong."

Torag’s eyes trembled.

The words had struck somewhere far deeper than he expected.

He remembered his weapons.

The countless hours he had spent designing them. The nights he had stayed awake, modifying mechanisms, changing proportions, replacing materials, testing ideas that others had dismissed before he could even finish explaining them.

And after all of that?

They were displayed.

Then forgotten.

His throat tightened.

"M-My weapons..." Torag lowered his gaze. "They weren’t conventional. They were... different."

He gave a bitter smile.

"They were considered weak compared to what others were producing. Their designs were strange, their mechanisms were difficult to understand, and some people even called them impractical."

His fingers slowly tightened.

"Mine just... just never had the chance."

Lackey didn’t immediately answer.

He could see Torag’s expression changing.

So he waited.

Sometimes, the most convincing words were the ones someone was allowed to say to themselves.

Torag shook his head.

"I know what people think. They look at someone else’s weapon and see power. They look at mine and see something that needs an explanation."

His voice became quieter.

"They don’t ask why I made it that way. They don’t ask what it can become. They just see something different and decide that different means inferior."

Just then, Lackey placed a hand gently on Torag’s shoulder.

Behind the rabbit mask, he wore a warm smile.

"Don’t fret, Torag."

His voice was calm.

"I know how it feels."

Lackey slowly clenched his other fist and allowed it to tremble slightly, as though the words had awakened some old wound within himself.

"I know what it means to have something you believe in and still be unable to give it the place it deserves."

What he loved again?

[You love pussy diving.]

’...’

Lackey’s lips twitched beneath the mask.

He completely ignored Log’s comment about his pure, unadulterated love.

Believe him!

Lackey took a slow breath before continuing.

"Anyway... what I’m telling you is that I understand why you stopped expecting people to appreciate your work."

Torag’s eyes widened slightly.

"You stopped expecting anyone to understand because disappointment becomes easier when you expect nothing."

Torag stared at him.

Lackey continued before Torag could respond.

"But that doesn’t mean you stopped loving what you created."

Torag’s lips parted slightly.

"You still look at your weapons when nobody else is around, don’t you?"

Torag froze.

"You still imagine what they could do if someone actually gave them the opportunity."

His eyes slowly widened.

"And somewhere inside you, there is still a part of you that wonders..."

Lackey’s voice dropped into something almost intimate.

"What if someone actually believed in me?"

Torag’s breathing became heavier.

Lackey smiled faintly.

"That is why I came here."

He slowly removed his hand from Torag’s shoulder.

"I don’t need you to convince me that your weapons are good. I don’t need you to explain why they deserve recognition."

Lackey pointed toward the weapons.

"I want to see what they can become."

Torag stared at him.

"Huh?"

"What I mean is..." Lackey tilted his head slightly. "How would it feel if the world could finally see your weapons doing what they were created to do?"

Torag remained silent.

"Not sitting behind glass."

Lackey took one slow step closer.

"Not collecting dust."

Another step.

"Not being judged by people who have never held them in their hands."

He stopped directly before Torag.

"But being used."

Torag’s pupils trembled.

"Being tested against things that ordinary weapons were never designed to face."

Lackey’s eyes began glowing dangerously behind the rabbit mask.

"And if they succeed..."

A faint smile appeared beneath the mask.

"Then nobody would be able to call them toys again."

Torag swallowed.

"B-But..."

His voice faltered.

"It’s impossible."

Lackey didn’t contradict him immediately.

Instead, he calmly asked, "Is it?"

Torag looked at him.

"You’ve already accepted that the world won’t give your weapons a chance. But what if the problem was never your weapons?"

Torag’s breathing stopped for a moment.

"What if the problem was simply that you were showing them to the wrong people?"

Silence.

Lackey watched the thought settle inside him.

Then he continued.

"You spent years trying to make people understand your creations."

He slowly raised his hand.

"Stop doing that."

Torag blinked.

"You don’t need to convince them anymore."

Lackey’s voice became firmer.

"Let the weapons convince them."

Torag’s heart began beating faster.

Lackey smiled.

"Join me, Torag."

His eyes glowed through the darkness of the rabbit mask.

"Give me your weapons."

Torag stared at him.

"And I will give them something they have never had before."

"A chance."

Torag’s lips trembled.

"But it’s impossib—"

Lackey placed his other hand upon Torag’s shoulder.

"I will make it possible."

The words came without hesitation.

"I will make your dreams come true, Torag."

He paused.

Then his voice softened again.

"Our dreams."

Torag’s eyes widened slightly.

"Our dreams?"

"Yes."

Lackey nodded.

"Because I don’t want weapons made merely to decorate a room."

His gaze moved toward the scattered creations.

"I want weapons that can stand beside me when the world becomes dangerous."

He looked back at Torag.

"I want to see how far your talent can actually go when nobody is holding it back."

Torag’s expression slowly changed.

For years, he had been told to be practical.

To make conventional weapons.

To stop wasting time on strange ideas.

To create things that people already understood.

And now this man was telling him the opposite.

He wasn’t asking Torag to become someone else.

He was asking him to become more of himself.

Even though Torag still wasn’t completely certain about this strange man, something inside his chest had begun to shift.

His weapons... Not abandoned... Not covered in dust... Not displayed behind glass?

His eyes slowly moved back toward Lackey.

The rabbit mask hid most of his face, but those glowing eyes remained visible.

They looked dangerous.

Almost predatory.

Yet strangely reassuring.

It was as though the man standing before him wasn’t simply offering him employment.

He was offering him the one thing Torag had wanted for years.

Recognition.

Lackey slowly extended his hand.

"You don’t need to worry about money."

Torag stared at the hand.

"I’ll take care of that."

"You don’t need to worry about finding materials."

"I’ll take care of that too."

"You don’t need to worry about finding people willing to use your weapons."

Lackey’s smile widened slightly.

"I’ll bring them to you."

Torag’s fingers trembled.

"And you don’t need to worry about whether your creations are strong enough."

Lackey leaned slightly closer.

"Because I’ll be the one who tests them."

Torag swallowed.

"What... what would you have me make?"

Lackey’s eyes gleamed.

"Whatever you want."

Torag froze.

"Anything?"

"Anything."

A dangerous silence settled between them.

Then Lackey added softly, "And I will bring you monsters that will force your weapons beyond everything you thought they could become."

Lackey extended his hand a little farther.

"I will bring them to you."

Torag stared at the offered hand.

The logical part of his mind was still screaming that this was too strange.

He didn’t know this man.

He didn’t know where this path would lead.

And yet...

What alternative did he have?

Return to his workshop?

Continue creating weapons that nobody cared about?

Watch his life’s work gather dust while people praised safer, more conventional designs?

Torag’s fingers slowly curled.

No.

He wanted to know.

He wanted to see how far his creations could truly go.

He wanted someone to finally give them a battlefield worthy of them.

The flames burning within Lackey’s eyes slowly ignited something within Torag’s eyes as well.

Like a moth drawn toward a flame.

[+500 AP]

Torag finally reached out and caught Lackey’s hand.

His trembling had disappeared.

"Thank you for the offer," he said with a serious expression.

Lackey firmly shook his hand and inwardly,

’Gotcha~’