The Mech Touch

"I do not think you understand the significance of hunting down a Barrugan Acid Spitter. It usually takes a full squad of well-equipped mechs piloted by experienced hunters to take it down. Almost every hunt involving this acid-spitting beast usually causes at least three or four of the hunting mechs to break down from a combination of acid and physical damage. Fatalities are not unheard of either as these beasts are smart enough to know that our mechs are piloted by humans."

"I see..."

This species was strong enough to overcome the defenses of a second-class mech and render it inoperable with remarkable speed.

Combined with intelligence that was on the higher end as far as exobeasts went, it shouldn't be surprising that the hunting community recognized it as one of the most dangerous huge beasts that roamed the most dangerous continent!

"Part of the reason why your store sees so much traffic is because its store manager has bravely entered the Chasseur Continent by herself with only a single mech." President Tarich continued to elaborate. "She personally tracked down this exobeast and beheaded it in single combat, which is a feat that has rarely been replicated since. This is not only proof of your store manager's hunting prowess, but it is also a strong endorsement of the mech model that she has chosen to complete her hunt."

"Wow!" Andraste perked up when she heard this tale. "I know! The hunter should be a Swordmaiden, right?!"

"That is correct, little lady. The Swordmaidens and those other swordsmen of your clan maintain a constant presence on this planet. They are known as one of the strongest and fiercest hunters on Ocanon VI. Not even the most unruly members of our community dare to provoke the fanatic sword wielders of your clan. They are known as the kings and queens of melee hunters on our planet. If not for the fact that they disdain to use ranged weapons, they would have provoked a lot more challenges."

Ves had no idea that the Swordmaidens and the Heavensworders managed to establish such a strong reputation on this planet.

They had to be side branch members of the clan, because the main branch members were almost exclusively stationed within the expeditionary fleet.

While it was not that important for the Larkinson Clan to establish a strong presence on a single planet in the Red Ocean, Ves still felt it a sense of accomplishment that his clansmen had successfully spread their influence over a wider area.

"I want to go inside!" Marvaine eagerly asked.

"Me too!" Andraste echoed.

"You don't need to beg any further. I am curious to see how this business of ours is faring as well."

The group crossed the street and approached the storefront.

It was only after they came closer that they experienced a much greater appreciation of the large exobeast skull that had been expertly mounted above the entrance of the LMC store!

Ves could vividly feel the strong vitality and threat that the Barrugan Acid Spitter once possessed.

Even though it had been hunted down in the final years of the Age of Mechs, its aura was no less intimidating and oppressive as an actual mutated beast.

Exotic radiation strengthened everything in different measures. Even the bones of dead creatures inexplicably grew stronger!

As soon as the group entered the store, the employees had already cleared a space in the busy showroom.

"HAIL PATRIARCH VES OF THE LARKINSON CLAN!"

Around two-dozen Swordmaidens and Heavensworders stood neatly in their ranks and showed their respect towards the arrival of their patriarch!

Ves looked quite impressed, and so did the customers who were looking to inquire about the mechs sold by the store.

He waved at the soldiers. "At ease. Do not let my presence interrupt your duties or anything. This is not a formal visit, so just go on as normal."

It was impossible for the customers and personnel to go back to normal, but they no longer behaved as if nothing mattered anymore.

Ves ignored all of the staring eyes and studied the interior of the store. Many smaller hunting trophies had been proudly mounted on the wall. Each of them gave a more savage air to the warm interior. It resembled a tall and relatively high-tech hunting lodge. All of the swords mounted on another wall added an even more martial vibe to the space, especially when their former wielders had not even bothered to wipe away the dried blood from their blades!

The sight of all of these hunting trophies and authentic hunting weapons stirred the blood of any prospective hunter.

Many people would undoubtedly gain even more enthusiasm to pick up a weapon and dive into a hunting ground!

It did not miss his notice that the LMC store also happened to sell a large range of infantry gear. Several Swordmaidens were actually responsible for selling different varieties of swords full-time!

Ves would not be surprised if this store happened to be one of the greatest sources of tax revenue of Tixe City. No wonder that President Tarich was so willing to accompany him and his family for an entire week.

The famed store manager of this particular venue strode forward with strong and precise steps. She introduced herself to her patriarch with a strong but measured voice.

"I am Captain Gheri, formerly of the Swordmaiden Mech Legion, now a member of the Ocanon VI Branch of the Larkinson Clan. It is an honor to receive you at our store. As you can see, our sales are doing good, although we only really sell three different mech models on this planet."

"Pleased to meet you, captain."

Captain Gheri did not possess the sensitivity and refinement of a proper businesswoman, but there was no need for her to turn herself into one. The hunting community respected strength and hunting accomplishments over everything else. The veteran Swordmaiden mech officer had both in spades, so she was the most suitable figurehead to watch over this store!

The Swordmaiden officer led the group straight to the three most prominent display mechs that represented the main machines that got sold in this venue.

"The Huntmaster is several years old, but it has been a hit within the hunting community since its release." The woman introduced. "Its performance is balanced. It has a good set of legs that are good for dodging and maneuvering uneven terrain. Its armor system is not the thickest, but it makes every armor plate count. Its endurance is one its strongest points. No one else but other hunters recognize the importance of staying power in long hunts. Its ability to stab its spear is good enough to penetrate the tough hides and scales of most large exobeasts. It is frankly overkill to equip them with transphasic spears. Doing so will make a hunt invalid."

President Tarich nodded in agreement. "Ocanon VI is a planet that has very few deposits of phasewater. Ordinary mechs are already sufficient to challenge all of the large exobeasts of our hunting grounds. The Hunting Association's current policy is to withhold recognition of any hunt that involves the use of transphasic mechs. This is good because it keeps everything affordable."

That was understandable. Transphasic mechs were almost exclusively reserved for strong military mech armies or highly prized private forces.

It would be a waste to squander so much phasewater to empower the hunting community!

Ves looked up at the silent copy of the Huntmaster. It was coated in camouflage green, enabling it to blend better into the heavily forested regions of the Chasseur Continent. The mech was alive but also dormant due to months of being put on display. The mech retained a solid connection to Zeigra, though the store had dialed down its glow so that it was only disturbing at very close range.

He recalled that Dulo and Sara Voiken had been responsible for designing most aspects of the Huntmaster design. Ves had only made the mech alive and bestowed it with a design spirit.

Though his involvement had been light, his contribution added the crucial elements that made the Huntmaster far more popular than any other spearman mech that catered to the hunting community!

"Glows are one of the strongest selling points of our mechs." Captain Gheri smiled. "Many of the top hunting teams have made sure to include at least one Huntmaster in their limited mech rosters. This is not just because the Huntmaster is a capable and reliable fighting machine. The main reason why it is so desired on this planet as well as other hunting planets is because its glow is just too useful in provoking the beasts into a fight. Every hunting mech pilot has grown to appreciate Zeigra for being so damn good at luring exobeasts into standing their ground. Without the Huntmaster, the smarter and more cunning beasts tend to run more often than not. This makes the process of hunting far more exhausting and time-consuming."

The president of the local branch of the Hunting Association also had a word or two to say about this topic.

"The utility of glows in hunts has provoked many debates within our halls. Their use has either provoked dangerous reactions among many of the beasts that are subject to them, or alters the behavior of many exobeasts to such an extent that it trivializes the hunting process. We have ultimately decided to ban many of your products from participating in official hunts. The Ferocious Piranha and the Pacifier are particularly problematic to us. The Huntmaster is a border case, but given that it does not weaken the lethality posed by the dangerous prey, we have continued to permit its use. Too many of our hunters are bound to protest if we attempt to prohibit it from participating in valid hunts."

That was interesting. Hunting needed to remain a challenge, so the hunters were not allowed to make use of mechs and equipment that tilted the hunt too far in their favor.

Of course, this only applied for hunts that could increase the ranking of the participants.

"To be honest, I do not think that glows matter as much as before." The tall and muscular store manager gave her opinion. "Ever since exotic radiation is mutating so many exobeasts, we have noticed in our most recent hunts that these creatures are getting stronger on both a physical and mental level. The species that we have become accustomed to hunting in the past few years have become noticeably harder to fool. They are becoming smarter and more able to resist the emotions generated by exposure to our glows."

That sounded like a concerning development. "Do you think that will lead to a decline in sales of our popular Huntmaster model?"

"I am not too worried, sir. Zeigra can still provoke those beasts into standing their ground. We are dealing with completely wild beasts that are still controlled by their instincts. Even if the Huntmasters cannot induce them into fights, their mech pilots have come to appreciate the glow. They fight with greater confidence and are considerably more willing to challenge themselves. Sometimes, that is all it takes to turn a good hunter into a great hunter."

"Or a dead one." Ves astutely said.

Captain Gheri curled her lips. "Quite. At least we completed the sales beforehand. We do not sell our products on credit. The time and expenses needed to claw the remaining balance from the estates or the relatives of those dead losers are not worth the gains."

"Understandable."

"Anyway, let me show you our second-most popular mech model. The Monster Slayer is my personal favorite for obvious reasons. Ketis has done a perfect job. Many people mistakenly believe that she designed this mech model to excel in both the mech arena, but those who truly know her understand that she has sought to design the best hunting mech for Swordmaidens such as myself. Although the Monster Slayer can be an acquired taste among other hunters, its popularity has risen every day."

"Thanks in no part due to the stellar performance of you and the rest of your Swordmaidens." President Tarich added. "Your repeated successes have convinced more mech pilots within our community to bring swordsman mechs into their hunting trips. It has also contributed to the rise of casualties among those very same hunters."

Captain Gheri showed no remorse at all. "They should have stuck to their rifles and spears if they were so incompetent. Every good hunter must have a sober assessment of their qualifications. It is no fault of ours if they are too weak and stupid to challenge prey that they couldn't handle. I will not allow any of these foolish hunters to blame their Monster Slayers for their own incompetence. If anything, it is the responsibility of your Hunting Association to teach them how to hunt properly."

The branch president let out a sigh. "We have tried. Trust me. Humility is a rare trait among many hunters, particularly the newcomers who have arrived only recently."