Olivia thought for a moment, recalling that during her descent, something had indeed impacted her Void Shields. Although she hadn't felt any immediate threat, she didn't question Zhang Ge's command and simply nodded in response.
"Understood."
The two exhaust ports on her back expanded slowly, and the central components glowed bright orange before turning to white-hot plasma. Finally, two scorching jets of plasma erupted forth with a resonant roar.
The brilliant blue light not only stung the eyes but also caused the entire hall to become unbearably warm. The base directly in contact with the exhaust melted and vaporized, while the remnants of blood and flesh had already turned to ash.
In the end, Olivia lifted off the ground and began to rise through the opening above, leaving the hall behind.
As Zhang Ge watched the surroundings dim with the fall of the Knight, he didn't leave immediately. Instead, he approached the fallen head of the Knight, placing his hand on the damaged plate of armor and speaking solemnly:
"May you be purified."
Setting aside Zhang Ge's curiosity about any lingering dangers, he recognized that while it had been corrupted, maintaining loyalty for thousands of years was another issue. Deciding to destroy its physical form didn't mean denying its past.
Although there were other priests present, it felt appropriate for Zhang Ge to undertake this process himself, especially since it was the Titan he had brought that had crushed the Knight.
At the moment his hand touched the Knight's head, a flicker of spectral images composed of previous pilots flashed before his eyes, followed by a surge of intense emotions rushing forth, enveloping him in the life stories of countless personalities.
Zhang Ge felt a shock, wanting to withdraw his hand, but even removing it didn't stop the unusual developments from continuing.
Moreover, time seemed to slow down around him, making even the control of his own body feel sluggish... No, time wasn't truly slowing.
Instead, his thought process had accelerated dramatically, while his nervous system and muscles couldn't keep pace with such rapid thinking.
What was happening? Was this the Throne Mechanicum Rite? But wasn't that performed while seated in the machine throne? Had he triggered a death requiem instead?
His mind raced as he realized he had no means to halt this phenomenon.
But then, his mental clarity returned.
Wait, why should he stop it? Isn't this precisely what they hoped for?
A single phrase began to form in his mind:
"Do you wish to..."
"No."
Zhang Ge answered firmly.
The entity became enraged.
"All that is required is..."
"No."
"What I mean is..."
When the voice insisted on continuing, Zhang Ge hesitated before recalling the content of the Throne Mechanicum Rite... If he remembered correctly, these composite personalities belonged to every pilot who had ever piloted this Knight. They should be part of the Titan's soul.
In other words, their most profound insult would be...:
"Daemon, get out of my mind!"
Unexpectedly, as soon as this phrase escaped his lips, the suspected machine soul began to be expelled.
Before Zhang Ge could process this development, it was already cast out from his consciousness.
An awkward silence fell in the wake of the rejection.
Wait, that was just a joke! Can you come back?
Clearly, at that moment, the machine soul ceased to hear him.
However, this did not mean the situation had ended. Opposite Zhang Ge, the Knight's electronic eye flickered one last time, and then the power sword hanging at his side suddenly activated on its own, the powerful Power Field smashing the entire scabbard.
Zhang Ge reached to draw the sword, watching as a line of gold lettering slowly materialized along the blade's spine:
"May the Proud Knight Errant keep his oath."
Once the inscription fully appeared, the Power Field on the sword turned off automatically. However, intricate patterns began to spread from the handguard along the length of the blade, depicting the battles, histories, and lives of generations of Knights.
These decorations reached the tip of the blade, remaining exquisitely detailed, but once they reached the highest point, they simplified into the image of a faceless male figure alongside his mount.
That mount was not a typical horse but a dragon with outstretched wings, bound by reins.
The first to reach Zhang Ge's side was Amilia, who had long become accustomed to the bizarre, so her expression didn't change much, only asking routinely:
"Are you feeling any discomfort?"
Sometimes, enhancements in certain areas don't immediately translate into increased combat effectiveness; adjusting to such boosts could lead to bodily anomalies.
"… No, not really. Amilia, could I borrow your sword for a moment?"
She didn't question why; she merely drew her longsword and held it diagonally in front of herself.
Zhang Ge struck down with his sword, creating sparks as metal clashed, sending a rumble through the air.
Upon bringing the contact point up to examine it, he found no damage or chips on the blade, not even a single scratch.
Alright then.
His grip tightened around the sword.
I was trying to be considerate and follow through, and this is how you repay me?
Zhang Ge's character was not prone to dramatic emotional swings. His body rarely produced hormones that significantly affected his mood.
Nonetheless, the two surprising incidents that had occurred in such a short time inside this hall compelled him, even with his stoic nature, to take a moment to steady himself.
Focusing on past events was pointless; one must look forward... look forward.
As he attempted to reassure himself, Zhang Ge maintained a composed expression and addressed the approaching team:
"I'm not certain what exactly just happened. I'll undergo a check when we return. For now, let's proceed toward the bridge."
A check, a never-ending check.
He could only continue hoping for this somewhat elusive future; with so many anomalies occurring within a single individual, surely they would uncover something?
Could it truly be all mere coincidences?
Zhang Ge was starting to doubt.
The other members of his squad were also aware that this wasn't the place for long discussions.
Though they were filled with either curiosity or determination, they composed themselves and reformed their ranks, heading toward the bridge.
As they advanced, the corruption began visibly waning at an alarming rate.
With the core lost, the Warp Energy was deprived of its source, weakening under some influence deep beneath this planet, separating it from the material realm.
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