[Assembly complete.]
"Begin scanning and checking circuits."
[Checking line connections... Check complete. Output rate 95%~100%. Range is normal.]
"Check power source."
[Checking power source. Core: Hephaestus. Operation normal. Output rate stable.]
"Scan the entire unit again. Confirm mainframe status."
[Scanning mainframe. Connections normal. Power normal. Equipment normal. Damage rate 0%. Transformation function normal. Intelligent AI not yet set. Check complete.]
Sitting in a cockpit-like environment, Aslan nodded as text and data graphics, projected by a combination of technology and magic, continuously appeared before him. Aslan wasn't a scientist in his previous life, so it was impossible for him to complete his greatest masterpiece using purely technological means. Magic was the main component. Therefore, to give his supreme masterpiece capabilities matching a highly intelligent machine or artificial intelligence, Aslan needed to do one last thing. He took out the White Dragon's Soul, which he had held onto since his time in Great Britain, from his Mystic Code. He then gently placed it into a special instrument in the cockpit.
Using the White Dragon's Soul as the wisdom core for the entire masterpiece, as long as he nurtured it slowly, there would come a day when his creation could take special actions in an emergency even without his direct command. The core of the masterpiece was the only relatively complete Machine God core he had found—the core of Hephaestus, the god of fire and forge. Through special methods combined with Faerie Letters, this core was finally transformed into a special energy source sufficient to power the Machine God for movement and combat. It was also thanks to it being the core of Hephaestus; if it were the core of another god, turning it into a power hub would not have been so simple. If there ever came a day when he had to self-destruct his masterpiece, its power would not be something a small Gundam could compare to. However, the remaining materials did indeed allow Aslan to create some equipment with explosive power comparable to the Tsar Bomba.
"Integrate White Dragon's Soul. Check compatibility."
[Fusing Dragon Soul... Fusion complete. Compatibility matching finished.]
[Hello, Pilot. Supreme Masterpiece—Justice, at your service.]
Hearing the intelligent butler of his masterpiece, whose voice now had a distinctly more human feel, Aslan's lips curled into a smile. Excellent. With this, the wisdom and consciousness of the entire masterpiece were complete.
"Prepare for pilot information registration!"
[Understood. Preparing for pilot information registration.]
Aslan casually took a small dagger from his storage space, made a cut on his hand, and let the blood drip onto the special control panel in front of him. The panel then emitted a brilliant light and began to absorb the dripping blood, registering Aslan's DNA. Not only that, but Aslan also continuously infused magical energy into the console. His blood combined with his magical energy fluctuations was enough to bind him to the perfect masterpiece he had created. Unless someone could clone him and, in the process, give the clone his unique magical habits, no one else could activate this masterpiece.
Several days had already passed since Lucius returned to the west to resist King Arthur's eastern expedition. Because both the Huns and the Romans had left, the assembly process, which had originally been rushed, was slowed down by Aslan, who strove for perfection. To be honest, Aslan hadn't even noticed that time had progressed to the end of the Arthurian legend. If it weren't for Lucius's hasty retreat, Aslan really wouldn't have been able to confirm the specific timeline of the story's development.
He opened his personal notebook and continued to write a sentence in it.
[My supreme masterpiece is complete. Next, I will go to handle the final curtain call, to witness the final end of that Roman Emperor, and at the same time, return to my homeland to witness a King's final choice, and try to see if I can change that King's ending.
This travelogue ends here. Penned by Holy Knight: Aslan.]
He took out a disposable product made during flight capability tests, placed the travelogue inside this flying device, and sent it off. As for whether this book could be passed down and become a Holy Relic, that would be up to fate.
Aslan opened the door of his cockpit and then waved with a smile at Melusine, who was standing to the side. His face was filled with unconcealable excitement. "It's finished, Melusine! This time, it's my turn to give you a ride!"
Melusine easily leaped into the cockpit, looking with great interest at the interior space, which wasn't large but was more than enough for two people. As she observed, Melusine seemed to think of something. She gently licked her lips. It seemed she and Aslan had one more special place where they could enjoy pleasure.
Aslan didn't notice Melusine's expression. He pointed to the seat in the back specifically reserved for her. Of course, it wasn't just for Melusine. If, in the future, he was summoned as a Heroic Spirit, this back seat could also allow his Master to join him on the battlefield. It was just debatable at that point whether he would be taking his Master onto the battlefield or protecting his Master.
What boy doesn't love giant robots? Even if they aren't that interested, they must have yearned for or been curious about them at some point. For Aslan, he had, in a world of magic and sorcery, personally built a large robot in the Middle Ages. And it was a masterpiece completed using the body of a former god, combined with the techniques he had researched and developed himself. Even if it were to be considered a New God, his supreme masterpiece was fully worthy of the title.
"Melusine, get ready! Justice, close the cockpit hatch! Full power activation!"
[Understood. Mainframe activation complete.]
"Well then... Aslan Pendragon, in Supreme Masterpiece, Justice. Launching!"
Inside the massive mountain, a giant mecha, red and silvery-white in color, resembling a Gundam but with a sharper feel, lifted its head. Its green eyes flashed with a glint of light. The power wings on its back unfolded. The Hephaestus core began operating at full power. Vast amounts of magical ether spewed from the thrusters, carrying the entire mecha soaring into the sky.
Although it didn't reach faster-than-light speeds, surpassing the speed of sound was no problem. A red stream of light shot straight into the sky. The air let out one sonic boom after another, leaving behind an expanding trail in the sky.
The next moment, the clouds in the sky were broken through, and the red mecha stood above the cloud layer like a celestial god!