"Supreme Guide, the tests have been a complete success thanks to your adjustments," declared a man in a white coat.
A week had passed since the meeting between the think tanks within the Red Ribbon Army, now called the Millennium.
During this short period of time, the organization had undergone qualitative changes, though nothing major for now.
The most important among these changes was undoubtedly the extremely high activity level of the population in the criminal organization's base.
Since the chief of staff had requisitioned or mobilized all civilian and military personnel in order to accelerate the reform.
Apart from this aspect, the Millennium had begun conducting an aggressive recruitment policy without worrying about the budget because of Gorou's power.
That's why the new workforce within the Millennium army had increased by a quarter in 7 days.
Gorou didn't have very high criteria for selecting an individual, as he planned to increase their value slowly.
However, he prioritized the training of orphans and poor teenagers.
An action suggested by Black, as Gorou judged these latter ones more easily indoctrinable into his way.
As for the fate of these adult recruits, they ended up as labor force with the robots to accelerate infrastructure or in the Schola Progenium.
For the moment, the most important department was undoubtedly the Mechanicus.
Unfortunately, it wasn't completed like the Schola Progenium.
The former needed factories and more servants (cyborgs) to create more weapons and elements necessary for war, while the latter just needed robots instructing recruits in a proper building.
Currently, Gorou was located in a tower within the Millennium base.
This tower was part of the Mechanicus department.
"Supreme Guide? Haha, you're calling me like a dictator ruling over your lives."
Apart from the title of supreme general, which the military used to designate Gorou, the scientists had started calling him "Supreme Guide."
This reminded Gorou of a certain Asian from his past life, but the scientists didn't want to call him anything else.
"Yet, your knowledge is like a beacon guiding humble ones like us," the woman bowed after pronouncing these words.
Gorou looked at her attentively for a moment, before letting out a sigh of resignation.
The woman with green hair and round glasses was named Nancy. She had once been a homeless teenager for years, since childhood.
Fortunately for her, Gorou's reforms had technically saved her from hunger and cold.
Apart from this saving gesture from Gorou, she had been able to benefit from an experimental pill different from the other scientists and military personnel.
Nancy had consumed an Animorphaline pill based on Gero and Brief.
(Image)
'She calls me Supreme Guide, but at this rate...'
Gorou was perfectly aware that Nancy would surpass him sooner or later intellectually.
A somewhat alarming situation, since he had wanted to add Bulma's DNA and that of Doctor Gero's deceased wife, aka Vomi, at the time.
'Fortunately I didn't do it.'
She had already learned all the basics of Stanford Pines' technology, except dimensional travel and the time chamber.
Yet, the woman had only been with Gorou for 5 days.
A frightening situation.
The only reason that had prevented Gorou from eliminating the young girl was her personality.
Nancy was a good person by nature.
"Never mind, lead me to the test zone."
Nancy nodded, before taking the lead during the walk toward the test zone.
During the route, Gorou sketched a smile while observing his environment.
'This place is really more suitable than my base in the DxD universe.'
Several people were visible through glass walls in the white corridor, which allowed observing the interior of the rooms.
Nancy and he could see their actions, while they couldn't.
A method used by Gorou to prevent a scientist from conducting secret and potentially dangerous research, but also to keep them focused.
"Look, sir!" The woman handed Gorou a 4-star crystal ball, before indicating a metal door with an excited smile.
The time chamber had been successfully created.
"Thank you Nancy, you've been a great help," he said while caressing the woman's green hair, as the scientist's eyes never left the crystal ball.
"I just followed your instructions~"
Even though she remained humble, the teenager rubbed her head against his palm.
A gesture reminding Gorou of a small dog.
"Yet, it's still not an easy thing."
Gorou wasn't lying.
No scientist born through Animorphaline in the Millennium was capable of understanding Gorou's experimental technology.
They were still at the stage of creating electric gloves or blasters, but they hadn't reached the level of studying extraterrestrial vessels.
The only exception to this rule currently were two people, and one of them was in front of him.
'It's a shame that Gero hasn't finished modifying and miniaturizing this invention of Ford's yet.'
The technology mentioned here by Gorou was: Project Mentem.
This was the technology used by him to protect Miki's mind from hypnosis and other mental intrusions, as this machine literally encrypted the user's mind.
Why entrust a machine capable of eliminating the effect of hypnosis to Gero?
There were three reasons for that.
First, Gorou didn't have time to handle all projects personally.
The other reason was a test.
Gorou wanted to know if Gero would steal his technology, after having such an easy and tempting opportunity.
That's why he was being monitored through small spider-sized drones.
As for the last reason, he wanted to know if a genius like Gero could improve Ford's invention.
What element did Gorou want to improve in Project Mentem?
Brainwashing and information transfer.
Ford Pines' Project Mentem consisted of: scanning a person's mind and bioelectrically encrypting it.
All this in order to prevent Bill Cipher from having access to it.
Now, imagine if the encryption not only protected but altered the content of thoughts and memory?
Not only that, if Gero could transfer the memory or thoughts stored within Project Mentem?
That's exactly what Gero was currently studying.
Only a genius with a black heart like him could work on such an invention, which could frighten anyone.
If Gero succeeded without playing a dirty trick, then his loyalty to Gorou would be assured.
On the other hand, an attempt at cheating would sign an end worse than death.
"Excuse me, Supreme Guide, but..." Nancy seemed to hesitate temporarily, after opening her mouth.
"Go ahead, express your opinion without fear," he said in a calm voice to put the teenager at ease.
"Why did the stone that General Blue brought have this appearance after 1 year within the time chamber?"
A question asked with eyes similar to those of a child waiting for an answer from a parent.
'She's just curious about this stone.'
Gorou didn't take this curiosity badly.
"You see Nancy, this stone was created by the strongest entity active on Earth..."
It took Gorou about ten seconds to explain a small summary of the crystal balls legend.
Why hadn't he hidden anything? The girl in front of him was too curious anyway, and even Bulma had been able to obtain information about it.
Gorou had preferred to inform her himself, so she couldn't misunderstand certain things.
"Oh... does the Supreme Guide have a particular wish?" she said with growing curiosity, before shortening the distance between her and Gorou.
'If... if I gather the Dragon Balls, then I could help the Supreme Guide see his dearest wish fulfilled.'
Strange ideas, which could blind a priest after reading them, had germinated in Nancy's mind.
If someone entered the experimentation zone, they would see a 1.81m tall man with a 1.64m woman almost glued to him.
However, Gorou didn't really take his apprentice's bold act or her dreamy facial expression to heart.
He just attributed it to a desire to be spoiled by him.
"Indeed, I want to change this world..."
'Because it's the only way to accelerate the evolution of the Yuuki model.'
The second part, he didn't say out loud.
Yet, the teenager's fanatical eyes flamed even more.
Author's note: The bonus was late because I forgot to activate the scheduled publishing… sorry about that.