Chapter 111: Warhammer: Lord of the Endless Monster Horde [111]

Salome nodded and began inspecting the power armor on the ground, furrowing her brows as she did so. "Master, are these... these things antiques? Or prehistoric relics? This most well-crafted power armor... it's a product from ten thousand years ago?" Salome looked at Rhodes with an expression as if she had seen a ghost. Is this a joke? This should be a museum-grade antique, right? Rhodes spoke up, "Well, how should I put it? The one you're holding is a model from the Great Crusade, called the Terminator Armour. It's the oldest, but also the best among this batch of armor." The black market power armor Rhodes had purchased was mostly old models. Some were captured from Chaos Space Marines, while others were taken from Imperial Chapters. For ten thousand years, Space Marine power armor had not seen any major upgrades, so they were indeed all ancient relics. Among them was even a piece of Terminator Armor! While it was the best in terms of performance, it was still an old relic. This Terminator Armor was a model from the Great Crusade era, ten thousand years ago. In the present-day Human Empire, many models of Terminator power armor were already discontinued. Only a few models were still in production, and even then, the production numbers were shockingly low. Even the newly founded Space Marine Chapters couldn't fully equip their Terminator squads, and only veteran soldiers in the First Company could receive them. "Armor from ten thousand years ago... now I'm a little curious. Master, I'm also an expert in power armor manufacturing. Can I take a look at these?" Suddenly, Zett standing nearby spoke up. Rhodes asked, "Sure, have you participated in power armor design before?" Receiving Rhodes' permission, Zett immediately stepped forward and began examining these ancient Space Marine power armors. "Haha, Master, you underestimate me. I'm a top expert in this field, the chief advisor of the Earth's Special Forces (Kotetsu Team). I helped humans develop many power armors: the Bemular Armor, the first-generation model, the Seven model, the Jack model, the Taro model, and the Zoffy model. But of course, the one I'm most proud of is my masterpiece—the Zetton Armor." Zett stood up, shrugged, and said, "Honestly, Master, you might as well send these to a junkyard! Or see if any scrap collectors want them." The quality of these armors was beyond his expectations—they all belonged in a scrapyard. Was the mighty Galactic Empire seriously using this junk? Rhodes frowned and asked, "You've worked with humans before? You were with the Kotetsu Team?" Zett, dressed in a black suit like a mafia boss, looked oddly familiar to Rhodes. Wait a minute—wasn't this the same Zettonian from Earth's Kotetsu Team? The antagonist from Ultraman: The Animated Series Season 3, who summoned a giant Zetton to attack Earth? In the end, he was defeated by the protagonist team and later donned the Zetton Armor to fight them again—only to be ultimately defeated by the overpowered son of Hayata. Rhodes had thought he was just some random extra, but it turned out he was an actual plot character. Well, for 100,000 gold coins, they couldn't have given him just some nobody, right? Balt looked at his new colleague in surprise and asked, "You worked for humans?" Zett rubbed his chin and replied, "Yeah! Back in my time, Earth had signed peace treaties with many civilizations across the galaxy. I worked there as a technical support specialist, conducting scientific exchanges and serving as their science advisor." "Though, in the end, I did betray the Earthlings, summoning a giant Zetton to attack Earth again... and even donned my perfected Zetton Armor. But I still got defeated. That's a painful memory, so I'd rather not talk about it." Rhodes then asked, "So, can you still make those mechanical suits? The Ultraman battle armors you designed for the Kotetsu Team?" In Ultraman: The Animated Series, those Ultraman battle armors were insanely powerful. They were like Iron Man suits on steroids—capable of flight, extreme mobility, and even firing various Ultraman energy beams. Their combat capabilities were off the charts. Not only that, but they were also incredibly portable—a simple watch, badge, or ring was all that was needed to carry them. Zett chuckled and said, "Oh, so Master, you know about my past? Well, to be honest, as long as I have the right equipment, I can make them." "But... are you sure anyone can wear these Ultraman battle armor? The requirements for wearing them are extremely high, or else Earth would have mass-produced them long ago." Rhodes smirked and responded, "You don't have to worry about their physical fitness. Their bodies are at least 10 to 20 times stronger than an average human—possibly even stronger. On top of that, their average height is around 3 meters, their builds are insanely muscular, and their average weight is around 500–600 kg." Zett shook his head. "Heh, Master, I wasn't just talking about physical fitness—though that is a strict requirement too! I was referring to the Genetic Energy of Light. Only those with the genetic energy of light can fully control those armors." Ultraman battle armor wasn't something just anyone could wear. These suits were extremely picky about their users. Rhodes raised an eyebrow and asked, "Didn't you make yourself a Zetton Armor? Don't tell me you also have Ultraman's Light Energy?" Zett laughed. "Hahaha! Master, nothing escapes your notice. But my Zetton Armor was an extremely complex piece of craftsmanship." "And the cost is extremely high. Making one of these Zetton Armors could even create three brand-new Zettons. Master, are you sure you want me to make it?" His own Zetton Armor, although a smaller model, was much stronger than an ordinary Zetton. Even the latest weapon-equipped Zettons couldn't defeat the Zetton Armor. "I am also an expert in mechanics, so I think I can help you improve that so-called Ultra Mobile Armor. As for the Light Bond you mentioned, I don't think it's necessary at all. I've studied those Ultra Warriors myself. I've even created substitutes for them, and their combat power is completely on par with the originals," Salome said. She felt like her spotlight was being stolen by this guy when the master had assigned the task to her. "Hey, hey! Lady, are you from the race that was defeated by Seven? Salomeans, the Seven you created may look similar to Ultraseven, but it's nowhere near the real thing," Zett sneered. "Hmph! That's ancient history from a thousand years ago! The new Ultra Warriors I developed are so powerful you can't even imagine. One of them almost killed Seven's son, Ultraman Zero," Salome snorted coldly. The defeat of the Salomeans by Ultraseven was old news from a millennium ago! In her era, humanity had long since ventured out of Earth and into the galaxy, becoming a cosmic civilization. "It looks like our timelines don't match. On my side, the Ultramen have only been gone for thirty years," Zett said. Salome proudly stated, "That so-called Light Bond is just the light energy those Ultra Warriors possess. I've already analyzed the light within their bodies. The Ultra Warriors I create can use all the beam techniques of the Ultraman." The folks from the Land of Light only evolved because of the Plasma Spark Tower, right? In the end, it's just another form of scientific technology. She had already perfectly replicated the Ultra Brothers. "Hah! You're such an arrogant woman," Zett scoffed. "You two, stop arguing. I'm not asking you to make a full-fledged Zetton Armor. I'm talking about designing a powered armor specifically for those three-meter-tall brutes—a stripped-down version will do. No need to add high-mobility flight capabilities. It just has to be better than the armor currently on the ground," Rhodes said. "They have something called Black Carapace on their bodies, which can help link up with the powered armor," Balt explained to the two. "That's not a problem, but I need to see what those three-meter-tall brutes look like first. At the very least, it's best to make custom fits after their new modification surgeries are complete," Zett said. "I can start making it right now," Salome said defiantly. "Alright! While Zetton Armor can't be mass-produced, I want you both to make a custom one for me. Zett, you and Salome will work together. By the way, my body is much stronger than that light-blooded boy you encountered, so don't worry—just make it for me," Rhodes said. Those big guys didn't need something as advanced as the Ultra Mobile Armor, but he sure could use it! Rhodes was still wearing a Pedan Captain's uniform. It was about time for an upgrade! "That's no problem! Master, I will personally create the most advanced Ultra Battle Armor for you, incorporating the powers of all Ultra Warriors," Salome declared. "Hey, hey! Master meant to create a Zetton Armor," Zett interjected. "Why would I work with you? Do you think I need your help? We'll work separately—you make the Zetton Armor, and I'll make the Ultra Armor. We'll each make one for the master," Salome huffed. Once I finish my powerful Ultra Warrior Armor, you'll see that your skills are nothing compared to mine. Hearing this, Zett shrugged helplessly. Women are just impossible to reason with! "Fine, do whatever you want. I can make one on my own," Zett said. "You two will each create one—one will make the Ultra Mobile Armor, and the other will make the Zetton Mobile Armor. I'll take care of the Light Bond issue," Rhodes said. Rhodes planned to experiment with using the Emperor's Holy Psionic Light to power the Ultra Armor.