Li Lin had a hard time brushing off Kassadin's intention of becoming his future father-in-law. To smooth things over, he invited Kassadin to join him and Kai'Sa for an extended stay in Piltover.
Initially, Kassadin was reluctant to visit Piltover. Though he had spent long stretches there while escorting trade caravans in the past, he had little affection for the city, which was dominated by aristocratic families.
Kai'Sa understood her father's aversion well; he had often described Piltover's intoxicating decadence, warning how its false prosperity could ensnare the unwary, ultimately stripping them of everything they held dear.
However, Piltover was no longer the same city.
Kai'Sa explained in detail that Li Lin now held sway over Piltover. Thanks to his efforts, several corrupt councilors had been ousted from power.
Hearing this, Kassadin's perception of Li Lin shifted again.
To avoid further awkward mentions of "strict fatherly duties," Li Lin quickly directed his AI to lock onto the coordinates of the Kiramman estate and initiated the teleportation sequence for their three sets of battle armor.
The setting sun merged with the Conqueror's Sea on the horizon.
Upon learning that Kassadin was Kai'Sa's father, the Kiramman couple greeted him warmly. After a hearty meal, they instructed their staff to prepare a guest room for him.
[That night passed without incident.]
Early the next morning, Li Lin brought Kassadin and Kai'Sa to his workshop, where he handed over the improved versions of the gene-enhancement serum and vitality booster.
Unlike the original versions, which required three separate doses to achieve full effect, the improved formula achieved optimal results with a single dose.
Once the medication took effect, Kai'Sa guided her father to the underground training grounds to help him adapt to his newfound strength.
By the end of the morning, Kassadin had mastered most of his enhanced abilities and expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Li Lin.
These two serums not only enhanced his body but also healed the hidden ailments accumulated from years of hard labor and battle injuries.
It was akin to how Viktor, growing up in Zaun with organs damaged by toxic fumes, had restored his health through body enhancements.
That afternoon, Kai'Sa dragged Kassadin out to explore the city. It had been a long time since he had strolled through Piltover.
A year ago, driven by his thirst for vengeance, he had spent most of his time in Zaun, and his memories of Piltover were stuck in the era when he lived there as part of a merchant convoy.
But with Li Lin's influence, Piltover had undergone dramatic changes in just one year, becoming unrecognizable compared to Kassadin's recollections.
Everywhere they went, bicycles and electric vehicles were common sights. People proudly rolled up their sleeves to showcase their stylish wristwatches. Many carried compact mechanical devices—cell phones—that enabled long-distance communication.
These revolutionary inventions had propelled Piltover into a period of rapid transformation and societal advancement.
Even Li Lin found himself marveling at the current Piltover.
Although the city's architecture and fashion differed significantly from Earth's, the overall vibe felt strikingly similar to a not-yet-fully-modernized society back home.
With six months remaining before their journey to confront Bel'Veth, preparations were underway.
Caitlyn, in particular, had become increasingly dedicated. Aside from her daily training under Sheriff Grayson, she cut down her leisure and detective work, devoting herself entirely to improving her skills in anticipation of the upcoming battle.
However, Li Lin didn't want Caitlyn—or even Kassadin—to join the fight.
Bel'Veth was a being beyond the level of a deity. Even with third-stage body enhancements, which allowed one to crush a fully-powered Nasus in a straight-up fight, going up against the Void Empress would still result in instant death.
Descending via elevator into the Kiramman estate's underground facility, Li Lin entered his sterile biochemical laboratory.
Since reaching Level 80, progress had slowed dramatically. Not only did the experience bar grow painfully long, but unlocking new technologies now required ten levels instead of five.
Even at Level 85, no new technologies had been unlocked. Yet Li Lin had not fully utilized the advancements available at Level 80, such as the genetic ascension branch for individual enhancements, which had introduced an important breakthrough he had yet to put into practice.
The Genetic Chain Unlock—enabling the targeted awakening of specific superhuman abilities.
Contrary to popular belief, having more abilities wasn't always better, especially active ones.
The principle "the more skills, the better" did not apply to genetic chains. Too many abilities could lead to chaos, destabilizing the genetic chain and causing irreversible collapse.
Li Lin initially had several plans for his superhuman abilities, but after research, he realized his favorite choice—gravity manipulation—was unachievable in human physiology.
Reluctantly, he settled for telekinesis, enabling him to control objects, including himself, with his mind, greatly enhancing his mental strength.
Additionally, the technology allowed him to manifest his consciousness into physical form, awakening random abilities suited to him—much like the "Stand Users" from his favorite anime, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
However, this approach came with vulnerabilities. Manifesting one's consciousness meant exposing one's "soul" in battle, and any damage to the Stand would harm the user directly.
After careful consideration, Li Lin decided to pursue magnetic manipulation, aligning it perfectly with his profession.
Along the way, he also planned to upgrade his existing "Steel Body" ability, granting immunity to a broader range of magical effects and even limited resistance to mental attacks.
Returning to the workbench, Li Lin completed the gene chain edits for "Magnetic Manipulation" and seamlessly integrated the upgraded "Steel Body" into the design.
Stripping off his clothes, he lay down on the surgical table. The AI secured him with restraints and injected him with a high-concentration sedative. Specially designed needles then delivered nanobots throughout his body.
The process resembled his previous body enhancements, but editing and modifying the genetic chain subjected him to even greater agony—far exceeding the pain of third-stage body enhancement.
Each second stretched into what felt like an eternity. Li Lin clenched his teeth, drenched in sweat, with veins bulging so prominently they seemed ready to burst through his skin.
There were moments when his nascent abilities spiraled out of control, disrupting the magnetic field and impairing the AI's operations.
Fortunately, the AI had anticipated such disruptions and implemented countermeasures, allowing the genetic editing to proceed.
After more than ten excruciating minutes, the superhuman ability modifications were complete.
Exhausted and barely conscious from the pain, Li Lin finally let his tensed body relax, gasping for air.
[Master, your gene chain encoding is complete. Your gene chain has been unlocked.]
[Your "Steel Body" ability has advanced.]
[You have acquired the "Magnetic Manipulation" ability.]
As the restraint straps loosened, Li Lin, eyes closed, keenly sensed the transformation within his body.
In the next moment, he abruptly opened his eyes and spread his arms wide, inducing a shift in the magnetic fields around him. The fields gently lifted his body off the ground.
However, before he could revel in the moment, his control over the magnetic field faltered, causing him to plummet from a height of two or three meters, landing heavily on the operating table.
[Master, using advanced superpowers requires proficiency. I do not recommend attempting complex applications immediately.]
"Yeah… I figured," Li Lin replied as he climbed off the table, raising a hand to manipulate the clothes hanging on the nearby rack and have them fly toward him.
The garments, made from nanomachine material, could perfectly mimic the texture of fabric but were fundamentally metallic, far from true material transformation.
After donning the attire, Li Lin, itching with excitement, extended his hand once more. He used his magnetic powers to disassemble a portion of his clothing into countless nanomachines, shaping them into various forms based on his imagination.
Yet, this maneuver was only feasible because the Infinite Battle Suit had no defenses activated. Given Li Lin's current proficiency in magnetic manipulation, he couldn't yet affect the armor when its defensive systems or the surrounding force field shield were engaged.
Not that it mattered. Even without magnetic manipulation, Li Lin felt no fear in confronting Rell, the Iron Maiden created by Noxus to combat Mordekaiser, who also wielded metal manipulation.
"With this ability, at least I don't have to worry about Mordekaiser's threats in the material realm. His undead army in the Shadow Isles, though…"
Li Lin furrowed his brow, then quickly shook his head to clear the thought.
It was too early to concern himself with Mordekaiser.
The significant event "Burning Tides," where Bilgewater's bounty hunter Miss Fortune overthrew Gangplank, hadn't even occurred yet. The Black Mist of the Ruination Curse hadn't invaded the world either. Mordekaiser could wait.
First, he needed to deal with the threat of Bel'Veth.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Li Lin looked up at the projection of the AI on the workbench. "AI."
[I'm here, Master.]
"What's Xerath's status?"
[The Arcane Restraint Device has eroded 46.78% of his autonomous consciousness.]
[Due to his fierce resistance, the modification progress has significantly slowed. It is estimated to take another two months to fully transform him into a mindless living weapon.]
"Two months isn't too bad." Li Lin nodded. "As long as it's ready before heading to confront Bel'Veth. Meanwhile, who knows how long Nasus will take to purify Renekton's mind?"
Pondering for a moment, he continued, "With the assets I've absorbed from four council families, combined with the support of Mundo and Vander, along with my collaboration with Silco, I can effectively mobilize all the resources of the Twin Cities."
"It's time to build the Battlecast Urgot, Cho'Gath, Nasus, and Colossus mechs. Once they're operational, I'll be ready to mass-produce Urgot units and deploy the prototype Cho'Gath in Icathia to consume Void creatures. The standard models can wait for now.
"As for Nasus, I'll produce a batch of these mechs. They may not match Malphite in power, but they're mass-producible. If Bel'Veth summons Void creatures—no, that's a given—these mechs will be invaluable.
"The Colossus mech will have its prototype built by me. Once the space station's second phase is complete, including the orbital factory and the giant assembly plant, mass production can begin."
This plan would allow him to gain four more levels, unlocking the new technologies at level 90.
Li Lin silently added this to his mental notes.
While planning, he spent 15 skill points and 1500 orange essence to unlock the Colossus design blueprint. After uploading it to the AI's data terminal, he instructed the AI to prepare all necessary materials.
Once the Battlecast Urgot and Cho'Gath mechs were constructed, completing all the prerequisites for the Battlecast series except Xerath, the Nasus blueprint would be ready for study.
(End of Chapter)
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