Chapter 129: Upgrading the Convoy
"What do you think you're doing?" Jet spoke, as she stopped the military PTV.
Hugo had assumed his Upgrade form, becoming truly inhuman.
"I'm upgrading this place. Ah, you might want to signal a command that I'm not a Nightmare Creature or something."
The government Master seemed hesitant about this, after all this could mess up the entire operation.
But she seemed to trust the you g master, after all his ideas in the past never failed...
"...If something goes wrong I might actually kill you."
Soul Reaper grabbed her communicator and spoke to the central command center, telling everyone to stop what they were doing for a moment.
Using that opportunity, Hugo used his Terror core, becoming an Ascended Terror Galvanic Mechamorph.
He drew upon his Tyrant and Terror abilities, first creating dozens of Awakened minions and then using his Terror ability to influence technology.
Influence was the main ability of terrors and upgrade's allowed him to influence technology.
Hugo melted into the floor, becoming a part of the ship itself, just like he did with the crimson spire all those years ago. At the same time, his minions spread towards the various other technologies such as the exoskeletons, the PTVs, the military guns, the Rhinos, and more.
Every part of the ship became covered in black and blue lines, causing mass panic among the workers.
"Calm down!" Jet shouted as every piece of technology on the ship was upgraded in real time. "It's one of our Masters using their Aspects to upgrade the technology."
The process of enhancing the technology was both simple and complex. Hugo had to spread his essence through them, become one with them, and upgrade them in real time.
It was a delicate process, requiring both focus and energy.
The ship, being the largest, was handled by Hugo himself as that was the most complex one, while the other various parts of technology on the ship were handled by his minions.
He had to upgrade the plates, the internal systems of the ship, and the battery, enhancing them to their maximum potential and beyond.
He would've liked to transform them into Galvan technology but that would take ages, not to mention a ton of soul essence.
He was already expending much of his soul essence like this, so he could not afford to do otherwise.
'Just a little more...'
Expending more essence, Hugo was finally done.
He retracted back near Jet and Sunny, exhausted beyond belief. Still transformed, he looked at the ship.
Its walls were sturdier than diamond now, with the internal mechanisms of the ship having been upgraded as well, further increasing the fluidity of the controls. They could now hold more storage, take more damage, and their unleash more damage as well.
His minions had done their job as well, upgrading the exoskeletons into terrifying mech suits that were both agile and strong, making them capable of damaging the less powerful Awakened rank abominations.
The military guns, vehicles, and drones were enhanced beyond measure as well.
Jet's expression was one of shock... The entire crew ship was like that as well, with their awe and shock evident on their faces as they examined their new upgraded machines.
Hugo laughed in his Upgrade form.
"Hoho! I told you that I knew what I was doing..."
Soul Reaper looked at him with a dubious expression, then back at Sunny, seeing that the youth was not reacting at all.
"You could do this the whole time and never said anything?"
Hugo's suddenly shoulders slumped.
"Ah... Well, I actually was going to start doing it in the government regularly but I postponed it because I thought we had time... I had no idea the Antarctica campaign was going to happen, so I wasn't in a rush."
Soul Reaper simply sighed.
"Right... Hey, I know this might seem like too much, but is there anywhere you could do what you just did for the rest of the other ships too?"
"You mean if I can upgrade thirty-nine more gargantuan ships and weapons while I'm currently exhausted and out of essence?"
"..."
"Well, of course I can do that! Why didn't you ask earlier?"
***
What followed in the next two days was a massive display that changed the flow of the entire operation.
Hugo had used the Lifeform Lock function and remained transformed as Upgrade, staying as an Ascended Terror and using his minions to upgrade each ship.
On each ship, they upgraded the weapons, suits, and every single machine onboard.
Of course, this operation was not smooth as they had to inform the crew members and the higher-ups of what was happening, receive permission, and then continue.
Naturally, Hugo couldn't use his abilities so many times as he had a limited amount of soul essence even when he was in the Lifeform Lock mode. He had to rest between each upgrade and wait for his essence to rejuvenate.
Even his minions had to do the same.
As a Terror, his minions could generate a type of spirit essence that empowered Hugo and made his essence regeneration better, but that was not as powerful as it seemed.
It was a good ability, but as an Ascended, Hugo couldn't harness its full power. He had no doubt that it would shine when he becomes a Saint, but for now, it was only a minor increase.
By the time he was done, all forty of the colossal metallic vessels were improved and upgraded, with their previous scars and damages becoming a part of the past.
It was as if they had been reborn, becoming more powerful, more durable, and infinitely more versatile.
Sadly, he could not do something crazy like making them fly, but he could upgrade their innate qualities, increasing the already existing capabilities of the ships.
He had even upgraded the communication devices which would definitely prove useful in the Antarctica campaign.
The operation that happened in those two days was named "Operation Blue Alien."
Laying on one of the ships, detransformed and tired, Hugo sighed.
He had reabsorbed his minions into his body which felt... Cruel, to say the least.
The minions' spirits was not like the spirits of other beings, and their desires were unlike that of beings created by the gods. They had only one purpose, which was to devote themselves to their creator, nothing more, nothing less.
Hugo, despite everything, did not like this.
Still... Thanks to them, hundreds, if not thousands, of people would live in the upcoming war against the Nightmare Creatures.
Sprawled on the ground, Hugo simply kept looking at the sun with a distant expression.
Suddenly, something blocked the sunlight... It was a gaunt man of imposing presence.
"...Took you long enough to show up, old man."
Saint Cor looked at him with a judging expression, then sighed.
"I don't recall us being close enough for you to call me that."
Hugo rolled over, getting up and stretched.
"Ah well, Soul Reaper does it so I figured I'd hop on that boat as well... Get it?. because we're on a ship right now."
The old Saint ignored his terrible joke and looked around, gazing upon the new upgraded ships, then he stared back at Hugo, looking specifically at his Omnitrix.
"You have done the government, and the entire world, a great favor today. You should be proud of yourself, young man."
Hugo looked at the Saint as if he had just grown a second head and backed away.
"Did you get replaced by a Nightmare Creature?"
"...Credits and contribution points from the government have already been transferred to your account. Make sure that you survive the Antarctica campaign to use them."
With that, the Saint disappeared into a myriad of crows, leaving Hugo alone on the deck.
'...He's like a grumpy grandpa... Hmmm, I wonder if he's actually a grandfather actually...'
Who knew, perhaps Jet was his actual daughter?
Hugo's attention shifted as he felt the titanic vessel he was in finally move, its upgraded speed already making them cross a considerable distance.
Looking at the sight, he looked back at NQSC for a moment and smiled.
"Goodbye, NQSC... Don't change too much when I come back."
That is, of course, if he comes back.
***
The next course of actions that occurred after the ships set sail to Antarctica was simple. It was an introduction to the Irregulars and the company captains leading them.
There was Master Winter, Master Randall, Master Dale, Master Davis, Master Jess. All of them were skilled Awakened who had risen to the rank of Ascended, holding a well of experience and knowledge.
They, alongside Sunny, were the captains of the First Irregulars Company.
Soul reaper jet was a general, rather then a captain.
Naturally, Hugo and Sunny stuck out like sore thumbs as they themselves were the youngest Masters there, Hugo has drawn more eyes due to the bizarre history behind him.
What made the perception of the captais of him even was the fact that, during the meeting, he had suggested something insane, making every Master there, alongside Jet and Sunny, stare at him like he was a madman.
"What?!" Master Randall was the first to speak. "Boy, are you insane? You want to march into Antarctica alone with no cohort?"
Hugo nodded, looking at the room of Masters, before showing them his Omnitrix.
"My abilities are most suited for combat and killing hordes of Nightmare Creatures. I could help with the evacuation efforts, but my talents would be wasted like that—heavily so. Especially with a team of Awakened for me to protect."
"Those awakened soldiers aren't there for you to protect." this time it was Master Winter that spoke. "They are there to help you in battle using their aspects. no matter how powerful you think you are, you are not a Saint."
Looking at the unconvinced Masters, then back at Sunny, he sighed.
Sunny's eyes widened, as he had an idea of what Hugo was about to do.
"As you know, I'm not a regular Master... I'm an Ascended who wields a Divine Aspect—the first in history, perhaps. That allows me to form extra cores just like Nightmare Creatures, and just like Nightmare Creatures, I can go up in classes, gaining the abilities of Tyrants, Terrors, and Titans."
Each and every single Master there froze, shocked by this revelation.
The idea of a Divine Aspect wielder was insane, but it was not out of the realm of possibility... But the fact that he possessed the powers of a Titan... That was insanity for them.
Hugo had also lied about him being the first divine aspect wielder, making sure to protect Sunny, Nephis—and unintentionally, Mordret—secrets of being other Divine Aspect wielders.
Jet looked at Hugo for a while. Unlike the Masters, she seemed to be much more open to this idea.
"So let's say we throw you at Antarctica... Can you become an Ascended Titan?"
Hugo nodded.
"Yes, I would be equal in power to a Fallen Titan, which means no Corrupted creatures below the Tyrant class can stand up to me. Not only that, I can also spread my minions through the continent, killing as many creatures as possible."
"You can't be seriously thinking about approving this lunacy, Reaper." Master Dale said. "The boy would die out there..."
"Don't know about that... I have seen him drill a Corrupted Tyrant from space into Earth recently..." Jet sighed and turned to face Hugo. "You have permission to fight as many Nightmare Creatures as you want once we reach Antarctica. However, there are a few conditions. First, you must go to whatever area we assign you, as we'll use you to clear Gate-infested zones. Second, you must avoid collateral damage to Falcon Scott, Erebus Field, LO49, and all other human settlements. Understood?"
Hugo looked at Master Jet, then smiled.
"Loud and clear."
"Now that's finished, let's go back into the meeting."
The other Masters were still shocked that Soul Reaper, who was known for her rationality and realism, had agreed to such an outlandish plan.
But the circumstances were too dire for them to focus on Hugo, after all he was not the center of the world. They needed to plan their missions in Antarctica, choose their military cohorts, and prepare a proper assault plan against the Nightmare Creatures.
Hugo himself had a part in this, but it was larlgy decided by the captains, so he simply sat there thinking about the future.
He had joined this operation to save people, yes... But he knew that by killing as many nightmare creatures as possible, he would be saving more lives than if he had used his powers to evacuate. He could be a siege breaker, attracting the attention of the Nightmare Creatures while the rest of the evacuation army left.
His soul was practically a beacon of divinity, simply due to the fact that he was a Titan, and his shadow was Shadow God's heir as well.
During the campaign, Hugo had a plan in his mind.
Him and his shadow would turn into different aliens, and the shadow would spread his minions through the continent as a terror, slowly but steadily. At the same time, he himself would be waging war against the nightmare creatures as a Titan, making sure to unleash his full Titanic power.
As a Titan, Hugo was incapable of spawning minions. Not because he lost the tyrant and terror abilities but simply because they became too internal and he became too vast while being a Titan.
The power he wielded as a Titan was nothing short of catastrophic.
He had not spent long honing his powers, but he should be able to keep them under control.
As for his Spirit Body, its task was simple. It was to evacuate the people of Antarctica and guard the ships against underwater threats alongside the house of night.
Looking at his Omnitrix, Hugo sighed deeply.
If he was honest with himself, he was terrified. He did not want to jump into a continent infested by Nightmare Creatures just two months after returning from the hell that was the Second Nightmare.
It would be like the Forgotten Shore, Ariel's Hell, and the Beast Realm all over again...
But he was still going anyway.
After all, it was the right thing to do.