There was also another factor that Ves had to take into account.
"How many weapons like the Gray Lotus can you support at the same time?" Ves asked.
"It depends." Helena furrowed her brows. "I really can't say. I have built up a lot of reserves, so I can easily support hundreds of weapons like the Gray Lotus. However, it's impossible for me to sustain their consumption for long if they just keep squandering their energy. I will have to cut off my supply to the weapons that carry my blessing in order to preserve my strength."
"I understand. That is a bit of a disappointment."
This meant that it was not viable to borrow spiritual energy from design spirits such as Helena on a massive scale.
It appeared that Ves wouldn't be able to apply this new design solution to the Eye Project.
His new technique which he decided to refer to as design spirit channeling could only be applied to individual mechs that could most use an additional boost in firepower.
Mechs armed with existing luminar crystal rifles such as the Amaranto, the Everchanger, the Minerva, the Promethea and so on could all be upgraded on an individual basis with the help of his latest innovation.
However, it was out of the question for Ves to spread this boon to the mass production mechs such as the Bright Warriors, the Valkyrie Redeemers, the Transcendent Punishers or even the new Nullifiers employed by the Battle Criers.
Making too many blessed weapons would drain his design spirits and encourage them to stop cooperating with Ves and his clan!
It was better for Ves to reserve this new design solution for a small number of exceptional mechs.
The stronger the design spirits, the more blessings they could support.
"Can you give me advice on how to gain the cooperation of the other design spirits?"
"I can do that, little brother. I can also speak to them on your behalf if you want to make any special arrangements with them. I think it is better if you let me manage your network of 'design spirits', seeing as I am one of them." Helena said.
Ves wasn't so sure whether that was a good idea. Helena may be strong, but a few of his design spirits were difficult to work with. Gaia was a good example of a spiritual entity that had slipped out of his control.
He was willing to give her a shot.
"Can you talk to the Phase King and tell the fish-whale to extend his power to this test weapon? I need him to cooperate more actively with this experiment for me to prove the concept of design spirit channeling. His help is crucial to my effort to develop and introduce more weapons like the Gray Lotus in my clan."
"I will see what I can do, brother."
Helena's manifestation winked out. Several minutes passed by before she returned.
Her expression looked odd, which gave Ves the idea that not everything had gone right.
"Well? What did the fish-whale king say?"
"My talk with him did not entirely go according to plan." Helena reluctantly said. "The Phase King is shrewd and human enough to know that he has leverage. He isn't willing to lend out his power for free when he knows he can demand concessions from you. He even drafted up an entire contract!"
Ves blinked and paused for a second.
It soon dawned on him that he had been looking down on the Phase King way too much.
Not only did the design spirit learn from humans for over five years, but his astounding age and accumulation meant that he was incomparably wise!
He was hardly a mindless beast that knew how to do little else but fight and meet its basic needs.
Ves sighed. "Give me the contract. Let's see what the Phase King wants."
Helena transferred over a spiritual document that contained the ancient fish-whale king's demands.
Surprisingly enough, they weren't as harsh or troublesome as he feared.
The Phase King was mostly concerned with earning a higher share of spiritual feedback and serving as the design spirit for a greater quantity of mechs.
The design spirit also wanted to enjoy a higher rank and status within the hierarchy of design spirits.
More specifically, the Phase King wanted to rebuild a semblance of his old life by ruling over a bunch of weaker fish-whale spirits!
"Crazy!"