Chapter 302: custommade weapons

“You know I’m a Captain now, right? Why can’t you give me some respect? I still had to pass through that shitty entry mechanism. Don’t let anyone deceive you, you’re a real pervert”.

Ignoring the out-of-place question that the Professor asked on seeing him, Clark lashed out about the treatment that he had to pass through before getting here.

Professor M.H smiled. “Just a 3rd rank high-grade soldier and you see yourself as a bigshot already. Who are you when even the Commander has to bend to my will in my domain?”

“Wha, what? Even the Commander has to do that…, Uhm, that thing?” Clark stuttered, his face an expression of shock.

“Kid, this is my Monkey feet workshop, not some dueling arena or a battleground. In here, I make the rules”. The Professor smiled brighter on seeing the shocked expression on Clark’s face.

“Ok, let’s get to business. What brought you here?”

Clark did not answer, instead, he turned his head to take a better look at the workshop while trying to hide the shock on his face.

He thought he already knew this man, but it seemed that he only touched the periphery of the weird personality of the great Monkey Hands. Not only did he give himself a weird name, but his personality was also even weirder.

“You made some changes here?” Clark was a little surprised. He only intended to hide his awkwardness by looking around, he didn’t expect to detect changes here.

“Yeah, the army recently increased my monthly research budget”.

Hiding his envy at that, Clark observed the changes intently. It seems that the Professor was right because the change was vast compared to his first time here.

Compared to the other mechanic’s workshops, Monkey Hand’s was smaller and more compact, but its quality was significantly higher than all the others combined.

Very few spare parts could be seen, most of the things occupying the space in the workshop were already finished products.

At the very end of the workshop, Clark saw 2 exotic military scout speedboats. Both speedboats had an extremely streamlined appearance, making them seem like a giant pointed arrow.

Only 2 chairs were built in each of them for scouts, with loads of control modules in front of them to drive the boats.

2 kinetic energy-powered engines and a shield generator were attached to their backsides. At the front stood the big guns, an elongated kinetic particle launcher stood menacingly at its tip.

At the sides of the boat sat rotating exotic spears. They were arranged in a way that as the boat was moving, they would be rotating and slicing opponents to bits if there was one.

These were the only outside modules. Though Clark could not see inside it, he guessed that even more weapon armaments were stuffed in its streamlined frame.

These 2 speedboats looked stunning but they were not the most eye-catching construct in the workshop.

Clark was shocked to see an incomplete exotic car that was still under construction. Compared to a speedboat or weapon, the complications in creating an exotic car were on a whole other level.

“Was the Monkey bastard already so competent?”

Suppressing his shock at seeing this, he took a sweeping glance at the other constructs in the workshop. Of course, most of the things in the workshop were exotic weapons that were more normal to him.

At another corner of the room, he saw exotic bikes like the one Albert used against him a few months ago. After doing this short tour, he finally turned his face back to the Professor.

“Are you done admiring my genius work?” The Professor smirked.

Clark did not retort this time. “You can create an exotic car now?”

“Yeah, I recently mastered the technique around it after practicing for decades. I’m currently working and creating a brand-new set of harassing gadgets for the republic’s use in battle situations”.

“The army is strong in heavy battles because we have the machines to engage in such battles, but our glaring weakness for years has always been our stagnancy when it comes to swift machines for harassing strategies”.

“Through the new budget signed to me, I plan on creating a brand-new line of swift machines. Exotic cars, bikes, speedboats, name it, they are all part of my ambition”.

“I call it, the Cheetah set!”

That was shameless, it was cool but pretty much just shameless boasting. Clark did not care about that at this moment though. “Please, I’m placing my exotic car in your hands”.

“What?”

“You advised me some time ago to upgrade my car, I’m ready to do it now. I intended to go outside the republic to look for the perfect place before, but now I think you can do it”. Clark looked on hopefully.

“Oh! Is that what brought you here?”

“Mostly yes, but I still have a lot of other reasons”.

The Professor finally removed the gloves from his hands, motioned for the mechanical chair nearby to hover next to him. After getting close enough, he plopped down on the chair.

Placing his right hand on his chin, he looked at Clark intently. “If you want the best quality upgrade that your car can handle, it’s expensive”.

Clark slowed down a bit. “Very expensive?”

“Yes, and no. I don’t know what very expensive means in your dictionary”. Professor M.H shrugged.

“Ok, how much are we talking about?”

“Approximately 50 million Spartan credits”. The Professor raised 5 fingers, showing them with a smile on his face.

Hearing the outrageous amount that was just called, Clark almost coughed blood. After calming himself, he asked softly. “Can’t it be any lower?”

The Professor sneered. “You’re too petty, take it or leave it”.

Clark held back his urge to haul a punch at the Professor. “Ok, should I send the money now?”

“You’re not sending the money to me. I’ll give you a list, then you go to the weapons specialist town that I showed you to get the materials needed for the upgrade”.

Clark frowned. “Can’t you do everything?”

“If you say so, yes I can, but the money requirements will experience a slight increase that way”.

“How much?”

“The total will now be 55 million Spartan credits, cheap right?”

“F*ck yo…, me. That’s a scam, what will you do that validates a whole 5 million jump? That’s absolutely fraud-stick!”

“What will I do?” The Professor smiled.

“If you go there alone, they may scam you with substandard parts. If I go there on your behalf, I can get a bargain for you, get even higher quality parts than intended, I can even make your car look like a new one for you”.

“That’s the difference between you and me. You’re a soldier, I’m a mechanic. Kid, give my profession some respect”.

After having a fierce mental struggle, Clark finally deflated. “Fine!”

“Good! You made a good choice. Is that all? You said other things brought you here, what are they kid?” The Professor’s tone was now abnormally soft, sounding weird to Clark.

Shrugging the feeling of, Clark replied. “I just want to get some custom-made weapons. I hope you’re not too occupied with other matters”.

“Not at all; do you have an exotic metal with you or do I need to purchase that too?”

Hearing this, a genuine smile finally planted Clark’s face for the first time since he came here. “Don’t worry about that, I have more than enough exotic metal to cover all my needs”.

20 seconds later.

“Holy shit! Kid, where did you steal so much Arcanite metal from?”

Seeing the Professor shocked, a triumphant feeling filled Clark’s heart. He replied nonchalantly. “None of your business”.

The Professor suddenly smirked. “Do you think I really don’t know? Do you think any exotic leaves the reserves of the army without my knowledge?”

“Stop acting so full of yourself with the bonus gift given to you due to the success of your last mission. I was the one who approved it, or you would have been given something much more substandard than that”.

“…” Now Clark was hurt for real.

For the next few minutes, he became a good boy, only answering questions without retorting like a meek boy which was a contrast to his usual personality.

From the look on the Professor’s face, he was enjoying this but Clark was just too hurt to lash out at him. He felt imaginary tears streaking down his cheeks, which bastard gave this mad man so much authority in the army?

After 10 minutes of question and answers session, the Professor finally laid down a list of what he could do with all the Arcanite metal.

“With this kilogram of the metal, I can create 20 different weapons for you. Before you give me the face, compare what I said with what other mechanics can promise you. I’m already giving you my best here”.

“And if you decide to choose a gun, it will take 2 slots from the 20 available”.

The Professor was just overthinking, Clark had no other thought for this evaluation but amazement. 20 different weapons, and all of high-grade country standards.

Damn, he was satisfied.

“Choose what you want fast, I have a lot of things to do kid”.

“Ok, please give me a moment”.

Under the guidance of the Professor, Clark finally gave down a list of 20 weapons that he wanted.

He decided on a pair of exotic spears, a pair of swords, a pair of 2-form guns, a pair of sniper rifles, a box of magnetically controlled throwing knives, an exotic armguard with spikes, an exotic axe, 2 ultra-sharp long daggers, a multi-purpose pistol, and an electric kneepad.

“I can create them for you, but as you know, the only limitation is money”.

Clark waved his hands. “You already scammed me once, it’s not like you can’t do it again. Forget about it, I’ll pay”.

He hesitated a bit before continuing. “And, please can you create them all in 2 weeks. I need them urgently”.

“That will increase the cost by another 20 million”.

“F*ck!!”

Clark felt his chest heave up and down. “Fine!”

In another 10 minutes, everything that was needed was finally extracted from him. As he turned to go, he remembered something. Turning, he asked the Professor hesitantly.

“Professor, do you know any mechanic who can create a mech?”

“What do you need a mech for?”

“Never mind!” He left before the Professor could say more.

The diligent apprentice mechanic who stood rigidly and kept quiet like a statue throughout their conversation finally stirred after Clark moved. He led Clark back to the exit of the workshop.

Getting out, Clark noticed that his exotic car was already towed inside the workshop. Now he had to take public transport back home.

As he set out on his way home, he thought back to his encounter with the Professor. Though Professor M.H acted crazy at times, his ability as a genius was evident to everyone.

He was not wrong when he said Commander Rashford had to bend to his will inside his workshop, that was how revered he was in the army.

During his first encounter with the Professor, he didn’t notice it then but during the past few minutes, he noticed it. He’s not met the Professor anywhere else before, but the man was showing clear favoritism to him.

It was a known fact in the army that the Professor selects who gets to meet him. When he was leaving the workshop, he recognized one of the soldiers who was being attended to by the subordinate mechanics.

To his shock, he recognized one of them as a General.

If the Professor felt too big to host a General personally, then what did he find in him that made him welcome him personally even during the first time that he visited the workshop.

He felt suspicious but, in the end, he attributed it to his luck.

[Sorry for the late release. I don't have any excuse to give today. I admit it, I've been distracted lately.]