Chapter 345: Zeraphine's Lies

Lanterk was furious and was tempted to destroy Lara and kill the Presider that dared disrespect her. But Zeraphine's words held a lot of mystery.

He was able to deduce that Crostfree was alive, and this alone kept his anger at bay.

Crostfree was a Top-Tier Presider who managed to fight Garenjazz to an equal. Garenjazz was the only Presider on this solar system that Lanterk feared. In Aragar, he already had encounters and crusades against Garenjazz and lost spectacularly.

How Corstfree became one of Garenjazz's equal rivals confused Lanterk to no end.

What also stopped him was the sudden announcement. The Progenitor didn't even hide and even spoke out loud. The masking techs that made it difficult to confirm which of the Presider was talking made Lanterk wonder.

Zeraphine, on the other hand, was very angry. But Lanterk's understanding of why Zeraphine was angry was way off the mark.

Zeraphine had once more made a fool of herself. The more she thought about it, the more she was starting to see the logic and wisdom of her father.

As the group was walking, Zeraphine's head was also spinning with ideas. 

"Is the Progenitor lying, or is this a scheme to put a wedge in between two Presiders?" Zeraphine taught.

"Even a Top-Tier Presider would hesitate to fight two different Presiders with different techs. Although me and Lanterk are considered weak because we have Inherited Techs, our numerous techs are not to be underestimated. I should try to milk this Presider for all he's worth!" Zeraphine recalled some of the common things Harker's soldiers would say whenever they chatted or greeted each other regarding the various missions they have.

"He must be rather proud of himself. And the Progenitor helped me see through his facade with Jane and those two idiots. I have to add more aces up my sleeves! Right now, only my alliance with Straviaa is my secret weapon against this Progenitor, but even she may betray me!" Zeraphine cursed her weakness.

"If I don't break the cycle of being a hostage of this Progenitor, I'll keep staying under his wing! If he's right and Lanterk is stronger than me, then Lanterk can be more useful if I make him form an alliance with me... But how? Should I use my old man? Ugh. I can't believe I'll be doing this." Zeraphine frowned.

The two finally entered the room, and Lanterk continued to wear his angry expression.

Zeraphine immediately activated a certain tech that would mask all forms of sounds without hesitation.

Lanterk was surprised. The tech Zeraphine used would even prevent Presiders who could breach the three dimensions and listen in on others. 

"What are you... doing? Is whatever you have to say to me something so important that you are afraid that Presiders might actually harness and use their energy to listen in on this discussion? You're even using Universe Energy!" Lanterk was stunned. This time, he was so surprised at what Zeraphine did.

"Do you know why my father, Prime Zephirus, sent me here?" Zeraphine immediately asked an important question.

"Prime Zephirus?!" Lanterk was shocked at her words. He didn't expect Zeraphine to immediately bring up something that almost all Presiders believed to be a taboo topic before Zeraphine. Everyone was well aware of how much Zeraphine hated her father.

"Yes. My father. Do you think that I really went to this place just for fun and to prove myself from my father? Do you think everything you think you know about me is true? You ruined my cover, you idiot! You! You! You!" Zeraphine shouted and then suddenly slapped Lanterk one more time.

SLAP!

The barrage of questions was so startling that it made Lanterk rethink everything of what he was doing. And because of this momentary surprise, Zeraphine's slap struck Lanterk once more.

Lanterk flew and bounced on the wall. If it weren't for the strange power that Zeraphine released, the sound would have made a commotion in the entire submarine.

Lanterk raised his face once more and had more teeth knocked off. But instead of anger, he was stunned.

"What?! What's going on?!"

"The Primes wars! That's what's happening! I am here to prepare for the Prime Wars! You idiot! Do you think this mission on Earth is simple? Why do you think the former groups of Presiders went home? What do you think the reason why mysterious entities like the Progenitor and the Lost Primordial are here? This is a Prime Ascension place!" Zeraphine shouted in anger.

"You idiot boy who is so stupid and dumb! You play around and walk from place to place, hanging out with Presiders who would kill each other, and you make it your daily routine! You idiot! You idiot!" Zeraphine attacked again, but this time, the Lanterk defended the slap attack that generated powerful kinetic force that would have sent a tank flying.

Lanterk revealed a powerful shield that absorbed all the energy of the slap through a strange dimensional power.

"Hmm. Blackhole technology. How stupid. You don't even have Phallic techs? Not only don't you have the balls, but you also don't even have the stick to fight in this storm!" Zeraphine complained.

"Phallic techs?"

"You don't even know what it is?! Why are you even here!? You idiot kid! You'd die like a shrimp in this ocean! That is how you can rise to a Prime! Phallic techs will be your foundation! If you follow odd techs that seem powerful, it will get you nowhere!"

"What exactly are Phallic techs? I never heard of any techs, even from my master." Lanterk frowned.

"That's because only those Conquerors know of it! Of all Principals, how many have been dubbed as Conquerors? But here on Earth, we have a few who used it! That's how critical the battle here on Earth is! You probably don't know about the commotion on Earth, right? There were reports of certain adult toys being stolen, and it was even reported by some key-witness accounts that the media have now discredited." Zeraphine kept talking and talking non-stop. She kept bringing up strange news she read after she learned of Phallic techs in the King Naga.

She followed the many media news stations that talked about the odd battle in Africa and how phallic objects were involved and used it to make Lanterk grow more and more confused.

Zeraphine soon sent the interview that she had coincidentally saved in her suit for Lanterk's viewing to prove her point.

Lanterk was watching with a look that was so bewildered he had a dumb expression. And deep inside Lanterk's mind were many confused ideas trying to tie up the so-called Phallic Techs to every tech he knew, which were used by famous Presidents who became Principals.

Meanwhile, Zeraphine was secretly sneering.

"You think you're so smart? Then let's see if you can figure this one out! If you do have an idea of what Phallic techs is, you should soon offer it to me." Zeraphine laughed.

After Lanterk finished watching the odd news report, Zeraphine immediately continued on her rant.

"My father has already given me that legacy. I know what it is! And that's why I was shocked to have found out that the Progenitor has it! How can such weak Presiders have this? Do you know how much stronger I am done you, Lanterk? I could easily kill you with all your toy techs! Phallic techs and Suit Devourers are here, and while I'm trying to play it low-key, you suddenly appear with your stupid, clumsy manner and even tried to kill the people I am trying to get closer with to find out more about what techs they have! Are you an idiot?" Zeraphine raged. 

Lanterk felt very small. He had unknowingly stepped in something he never thought would blow out of proportion. But all the more Lanterk decided not to reveal his real strengths after realizing how Zeraphine hid hers.

"I am a disciple of-"

"stop it! You idiot! Stop it! So what? You don't even have Phallic techs! This ends the conversation! Presider Marrho's Lightning tech seems strong, right? Yet why hasn't he ascended to become a Principal!? Because he realized that it was missing! Maybe your master realized it as well and pursued an odd off-shoot of that tech and created those four horn techs! But ultimately, those techs are not enough when compared to the true power of Phallic weapons!"

"Wha-what can it do?" Lanterk asked.

"Why should I tell you that?"

"I can offer to you foundational techs for anti-gravity in organic bodies! Just tell me what it can do!"

"Ha! Do you think your little idiotic brain can comprehend it? Everything about it will seem mysterious! Just as how important things to Principals seemed strange to us, Primordials have techs that won't make any sense to you even in concept! And why would I agree to reveal such details for stupid techs like anti-gravity in organic entities? Why would I need it when various techs are cheaper and more convenient to create?"

Lanterk gave off a helpless and distressed expression. But deep inside, his heart was cursing.

"What can I offer to get her to say something about this?"

"Fine! I will tell you the foundational mystery of it. It will sound very odd and very simple, but if you can grasp its meaning, it will show your potential as a conqueror! But to do this, not only will you give me anti-gravity, but you will have to announce our alliance publicly! Everything thinks you're an idiot anyway. So if they think that I managed to blackmail you, then it would be alright. But what I want is to search for your suit! Give me your soul so I can have a look at it!" Zeraphine offered.

Lanterk's expression grew ugly.

The real Lanterk was even enraged. If he did this, then most of his secrets would be revealed.

"No! That's my master! I can allow any abuse, but if it's anything related to my master, I won't agree!" Lanterk swiftly disagreed.

"Choosing your masters tech over the chance to understand Phallic techs? Such stupidity! Fine. You won't figure out the mystery of Phallic techs anyway. So I guess I can compromise. An Energy Contract! If you were to renege in our agreement, you would pay me one-forth of your current Universe Energy!"

"What's the agreement?"

"You will aid me in killing one Presider of my choosing! You should already know who it is!"

Lanterk recalled Straviaa and the fight between Zeraphine and her and began to ponder.

"I do intend to hunt a few Presiders. Going after Straviaa will eventually happen anyway... I guess I can agree to this." Lanterk finally decided.

"Alright. Here is my soul. Start the binding. You will promise to tell me what you know about Phallic Techs, and I will help you kill a Presider."

"Are you stupid? I already told you several things about what I know! That alone should already merit payment! How many Presiders here are interested in that strange news report in Africa?"

"..." Lanterk had no answers to this statement.

"Besides, I am confident that you won't understand it any way that you'd accuse me of lying to you! And I don't have time for a Principal to settle a disagreement between our Soul Agreement. So here's my offer! I will add one more sentence for everything that I have already shown you about this tech that you find interesting. Whether or not this can help you is not my problem. But you will agree to help me kill a Presider!" Zeraphine changed the rules.

"Fine." Lanterk immediately agreed.

They shook their hands, and a strange binding between the two suits occurred.

The contract was established.

"Alright, what's the sentence?" Lanterk asked.

"Phallic techs..." Zeraphine began. She had a very serious and even angry emotion on her face.

Lanterk wondered why Zeraphine wore such an expression.

"...can screw you." Zeraphine warned.

"...What?"