New Game+

Chapter 244 - The Grand Plan

Pridgeon stood and laughed at the scattered ashes of Crostfree. 

"Crostfree had one thing right. He always knew how to keep it low-key. But his second mistake is not being low-key enough. Learn this important lesson, all you Pioneers." 

Around him stood the many Pioneers who once served Crostfree. Everyone was silent. Their expressions were not of horror or fear. It looked as if they just meant business. 

"As you can see, even the Presiders are confused about this situation. I have met the Lost Primordial. And if I fulfill my end of this mission, I will acquire technology from them as well. While this Earth has advanced greatly, imagine what it would be if it falls into our hands?" 

The Pioneers were slowly gathering. These were all the Pioneers that had severed under Crostfree. 

"Ever since Crostfree took you in, you barely left this place. But just as I promised, I can help you all!" Pridgeon laughed. 

Pridgeon continued to lay out his plans and revealed the many benefits that all the Pioneers would receive. 

When the Solarium cannon of the Harker's Armor erupted, Pridgeon willingly acted slowly. He moved just slow enough to allow more than half of his body to be charred. This forced Crostfree to heal him. 

But what he didn't know was that Pridgeon's self-recuperating technology was far more powerful than he thought it would be. 

Unlike the previous explosion that Pridgeon suffered, he was ready to launch his defensive mechanisms to counter-act the explosion. 

On China, Pridgeon made a mistake to carefully observe the body of the Pioneer Lander to see why the bomb did not explode. As such, he was at a very vulnerable state. But the true power of Pridgeon's Body-Recovering Tech was something that could have instantly healed him had he made the right preparations and brought enough energy. 

This time, when the Solarium Bomb exploded, he readied his technology in a way that, when he was brought into Crostfree's dimension, he was immediately conscious even though his body was in terrible shape. 

In that dimension, Pridgeon was able to take advantage of the mysterious space around him that surpassed the four dimensions and activated the most recent Judges Claim he had. 

Once more, this was another technology that very few Presiders took. The reason being, this device was just an effective communication tool. For Presiders, they did not need this. Among Principals, this becomes necessary for those who have a large army, especially during war. 

But of all the technology that Pridgeon used, he chose this Judge Claim. It was deemed useless by Presiders, as Principals usually allowed them to carry a device that allows them to do this. The only advantage of making this claim was since it became one of the necessary tools, those who selected this would have a more comprehensive legacy than most sciences. It wasn't a foundational science, but it was already at the level of Working Science. 

This tool made it possible to communicate with others using the user's thoughts directly. If Seeker saw this, he would be amazed at how this science bore great similarities to the Thought Transmitter. 

Pridgeon communicated to all the Pioneers and gave them an offer they could not refuse. The science of Crostfree far exceeded Pridgeon's expectation. But a series of events happened that allowed him to enter the very pocket dimension of Crostfree. He was surprised. Crostfree had only a few Pioneers that accompanied him on Earth. These were now based in Australia. But when he was brought into this dimension, it finally made sense. 

Crostfree has been hiding his Pioneers in his pocket dimension. If Pridgeon had not heard of this, then he knew these Pioneers were being locked up in here. As such, with the offer of freedom and going out on the world and get the chance to fulfill their deepest desires, they immediately agreed to betray them. 

The truth was, Pridgeon's suit had enough power to heal itself. But he wanted to use the excess energy just in case Corstfree could retaliate. 

And so, when he was "healed," he began to make the reports. And then, the chance presented itself. 

Crostfree, who had been very cautious his entire life, made a grave mistake of underestimating Pridgeon. 

This was the one place where he knew he was safe. The energy he sent to Pridgeon was only just enough to heal him to speak. But Pridgeon used his own stored energy to heal himself and used his techs to move quickly and stab his Crostfree's throat with a condensed flame. 

This was rather basic science. But Corstfree's suit was damaged and was in a state that was focused on recovering itself. Most of it's sensory, and auto-attacks were shut down or was damaged. 

And thus, Pridgeon's attack succeeded and killed Crostfree. 

Now free from their master's control, all the Pioneers began to take the necessary actions that Pridgeon discussed to them. They caused the entire ship to make fake alerts and create a ruckus that perfectly played out the whole scene that the Presiders believed. 

"Crostfree sure was very smart. He kept up the video distorting energy just long enough even to hide his Bolt of Heaven. Pangea only managed to capture the video feeds of his pocket dimension. And even they would report it. They would only think it was a powerful beam attack! What a man your former leader was!" Pridgeon admired the plots and how Crostfree fooled and manipulated everyone. 

"To think that he even managed to fool Garenjazz!" 

"Presider. What was that bolt that appeared after? Crostfree claimed that it was weaker, but I have studied his bolt long enough to know that the bolt that attacked Pangea was different." 

"I will answer that question in a few moments." Pridgeon laughed. 

"Suit Devour!' Pridgeon finally displayed one of the technologies that he was hiding. 

His suit began to devour Crostfree's suit. 

"What technology is that?!" One of the Pioneer exclaimed. She was a very attractive woman with light yellow hair. 

"Who are you? If you are surprised by this technology, then it seems you have been under Crostfree's command since you rose to a Pioneer." 

"I am Pioneer Liajean. Presider Crostfree made me a Pioneer. I have served him during his many wars back at home. I've seen many techs from Presiders and evens aw those for Principals. Yet that technology you have is something I have never seen before." She stated. 

"No one who has this technology will show it. Because if those who have it reveal it, many Presiders will try to kill him. This is the path of a devil. But the great limitation of this is that it's too useless! It's not a science but an ability. My suit is equipped with it." Pridgeon sneered as he could see the many commands that Crostfree had in his suit emerging to his own. 

"Amazing! Amazing! So this is a Top Tier Presider! Ha Ha Ha!" Pridgeon laughed as he began to assimilate with the technology of Presider. 

The Pioneers all felt it. The various bombs in their heart had a new owner. 

"I see. This suit allows me to know if any of you harbor intent to kill me. But since it was me who planned to kill him, he was not alerted. He picked the wrong tech path for making Programmed Slaves. Whoever gave Lourca Oviili's Programmed Slave tech had it right. Happiness was the best way." Pridgeon laughed. 

It was then that the bombs in their hearts suddenly were destroyed. 

The Pioneers were amazed. 

"I keep my promises. You will undergo a different Programmed Slave tech. But no bombs. But it will make you far more obedient than you were with Crostfree." Pridgeon laughed. 

"Make the necessary preparations. Move us to the coordinates of where Crostfree's base is. I can open a dimensional portal. I need to report to them soon." Pridgeon's laugh continued. 

And as Pridgeon laughed and laughed in great euphoria, a more shocking scene was occurring deep in the ocean. 

Half of the Pangean army was decimated. The Kraken had sunk. And the Atlantis mysteriously vanished. 

Or so the world was led to believe. 

When the Bolt of Heaven came crashing down, the Empress and the Emperor thought they were finished. 

But something strange happened. 

A figure moved right in front of it and allowed the lightning energy to pass by. 

When it did, the lightning continuously struck the large Great Old One. It passed through the Titan and began to course through the Kraken. 

But the energy did no harm! 

Several explosions occurred as the energy exploded upwards. 

"Cancel your Invoking and pretend you're dead." The command of Lennox coursed through the Emperor's Titan and communicated with the Rules inside. 

The same command was sent towards the Kraken. It was weird as the voice seemed to have come out of the lightning and communicated to the right persons deep inside the Command Center. 

Lennox stood and took in all the Bolt of Heaven and used his amazing Path to Convert the energy. Presider Marrho had the Bolt of Heaven. What Crostfree had was only the foundational science of it. It would take him hundreds of years to get half of what Presider Marrho had shown on the previous war against the many scattered tribes on their planet. 

But Lennox received the true Bolt of Heaven. The roots of his science came from the Lost Primordial itself. And with Seeker's many explanations about the future, Lennox was able to master it finally. 

None of his thought processes were playing games anymore. It took in the large bolt of lightning and began to use his newly developed Realm to counter the Presider's Domain. The result was a total takeover. 

The explosions occurred, and immediately, the Empress, the Emperor, and the Kraken began to cancel the energies that it was creating and allowed itself to sink. 

The Rule was shut down, and the pair used their Exoskeletons to communicate. They were out of the range from the scanners of the WGP. 

When Lennox's lighting was sent out to strike them, the Emperors immediately followed on the advice and made it appear that the Rule was destroyed. 

The battle continued above the seas, but the Kraken continued to sink. 

"Who was that?" The Emperor finally asked. They had forced their way out their Rules and allowed their bodies to sink. 

"From now on, we are dead. Just obey my command. We would have died fighting. These people are our allies." 

"What exactly is going on? What happened to the Atlantis?" 

"I don't know. Their leader contacted me during the battle and explained everything. Those who attacked us at the start weren't trying to destroy us. But to save us." 

"Save? Everyone in the Kraken will soon die! We can't save everyone!" 

"The people in the Kraken is safe. We gave them enough time. Though they were battle-ready, the battle's time allowed them to prepare for the possibility of sinking. Haven't you noticed? The Lightning energy was forces most parts of the Kraken that no longer had the power to move on its own! The doors have already closed! So don't worry. The enemy I fought claimed that he could save the Kraken." The Empress laughed. 

"What? Save it? Without your Invoking, how can you save them? What power can push away the deep sea?! Many may survive, but they are locked inside their rooms, and who knows if they are slowly drowning!" 

"Relax. And here I thought Emperors would be calmer than this." A voice was heard as a strange man appeared with parts of his body emitting unfathomable lightning. In fact, it looked like his arms were made of lightning. 

"Who are you?" The Emperor asked in amazement. 

"Empress. You better tell the Atlantis to follow your command." The man answered stoically and pointed. 

Below them, it finally appeared. 

A blue figure appeared underwater. It gave off a weak light, and in the pitch darkness, it was very noticeable. 

It was a woman who moved with incredible speed. 

"Amazing. She can do what my Invoking can do!" 

"Who is that?" The Emperor was stunned. 

"Our allies. It seems that the mystery of the Atlantis is finally solved." The Empress could not imagine what power this man had to have taken control of the Kraken. 

"Where is Emperor Odinsbane?" 

"Critically wounded but alive. He is being treated in the Atlantis." Lennox answered back. 

The Atlantis was under the control of Lennox. He had brought the nearly dead figure of the Emperor and made them follow his orders. But his orders were also something that they wanted to do. 

They were ordered to catch the sinking Kraken. 

The world didn't know that the Kraken and the Atlantis were actually two separate mobile bases that could become one. 

When the Kraken rests on Atlantis, the Leviathan awakens. 

The protocol was launched, and the sinking Kraken was on sight. 

The Atlantis began the complex protocols of shooting various devices to slow down the Kraken descent, and the Atlantis began to move to slowly attach itself to it. 

"Is that my daughter's Atlantis?" The Empress asked Lennox. 

Lennox nodded and gave a curious look at the Empress. 

"Your daughter is the one who blackmailed Lowengren, correct?" Lennox asked. 

The Empress gave a curious nod. She had already heard of this as implied by Seeker. 

"I, too, have a daughter who is in deep darkness." Lennox immediately sped off towards the sea above. 

The Empress was starting to get worried. Why would someone as powerful as that man say something so cryptic? 

Using the energy he received from the Presider, Lennox channeled the remaining energy and changed its form. It now looked like his own energy. One bolt suddenly fell into the Reactor of the Kraken. 

"Empress! He's trying to destroy the Kraken!" 

"Relax. He isn't let's just watch what he's up to." 

"Yeah, Emperor. Relax. We already succeeded in making that guy retreat. As you can see, Empress, we have thought things through." Seeker finally appeared. He was with Meng, who was now wearing a thick armor. Behind him was a group of soldiers wearing strange ninja-like attires save for one who had a strange wound. 

"It's you! Seeker Carlean!" The Empress was shocked. The group seemed to be unaffected by the water as if they were inside an air bubble. 

"We'll talk later. Let's head down to the Atlantis. It looks like they're all arriving." Seeker smiled as he glanced to the west. 

"Hm? Impressive. Another Hero." Meng nodded. 

The Lightning of Lennox struck the area where the Reactor was, and suddenly his energy changed. 

Several oval balls made of pure metal appeared as a strange small submarine released them. 

"As expected of Lennox. It looks like he already managed to grasps the foundation of this science." Seeker laughed. 

The oval metal objects were struck with the lightning, and it began to rise to the surface at an incredible speed. 

"What exactly is he doing?" The Emperor asked Seeker. 

"He's going to attack half of the Pangean army." 

"What?" 

"How else can we hide half of our armies in the Leviathan ?" Seeker laughed. 

"This was their plan all along. They weren't trying to kill us. They wanted to take the Kraken and the Atlantis." 

"Take the Kraken and the Atlantis?" 

"What's better than building an army? Stealing one!" Seeker laughed. Seeker then took out a comm device. 

"Congratulations, everyone! Mission accomplished! We now have a Leviathan!"