After they left, I found myself with nothing particularly urgent to do. The evening's events had been draining in their own way, and with Issei's situation temporarily resolved, I had a rare moment of quiet.
I decided to check my Celestial Workshop.
Closing my eyes, I reached inward and felt the familiar sensation of the starry void opening around me. The Workshop materialized in all its cosmic glory—workbenches floating in space, tools drifting in organized chaos, and the soft glow of distant stars providing an otherworldly ambiance.
E.V.E. and the Sacred Gear Extractor were gone, their manifestation slots now available for new projects. But I'd already started something else during a moment of inspiration earlier in the week.
[Modified Asauchi: 38 days remaining]
Asauchi. A nameless Zanpakutō from the Bleach universe, but this one had been heavily modified by the Workshop's capabilities. Unlike the original, it wouldn't require Reiatsu to function and could run on any energy source and that includes my own mana.
The concept fascinated me. A weapon that would literally connect to my soul, transforming to match my nature and powers. It could become anything—a katana, a different weapon entirely, or even something unconventional. The Asauchi would adopt aspects of my soul and abilities, potentially even manifesting its own consciousness.
And once it fully transformed into a proper Zanpakutō.
I found myself wondering what kind of Zanpakutō I would end up with. Would it reflect my Celestial Workshop? My draconic nature? The magical powers I'd been developing from my grimoire? Or perhaps something entirely unexpected that represented the core of who I really was?
The uncertainty was both thrilling and slightly nerve-wracking. A weapon born from one's soul could reveal truths about yourself that you might not be ready to face.
I turned my attention to the other project.
[Dimensional Cube: 46 days remaining]
I opted for this cube design instead of the portal gun as it was more efficient and sleek-looking for my taste.
The portal gun would have been more iconic—there was something undeniably cool about Rick Sanchez's interdimensional travel device. But practically speaking, the cube was superior in almost every way. Compact, discrete, and far less likely to draw unwanted attention when I needed to use it.
A gun-shaped device would immediately scream "weapon" to anyone who saw it, which could complicate diplomatic situations in other dimensions. The cube, on the other hand, could easily be mistaken for some kind of puzzle box or technological device—mysterious but not inherently threatening.
And as its name suggested, it would allow me to travel to various different worlds. The manifestation time was only 50 days—surprisingly short for something so powerful. Why so short? Of course, I'd reduced its capabilities significantly from the original design.
This version had a recharge time of three months between each use, which was a considerable limitation. The original Dimensional Cube I'd first conceptualized had a manifestation time of 150 days but could be used much more frequently and I simply couldn't wait that long.
The reasoning was simple: I wanted to travel to other dimensions to gain more power and abilities. There were countless worlds out there with unique power systems, advanced technologies, and training methods that could enhance my capabilities far beyond what this world offered.
Imagine learning magic from the Harry Potter universe, training with Saiyans in Dragon Ball, or studying under the greatest masters in various martial arts dimensions. Each world would offer new perspectives, new abilities to acquire, and new ways to grow stronger.
The three-month cooldown was annoying, but it was a worthwhile trade-off for getting the device earlier. Besides, three months would give me plenty of time to fully explore and learn from each world I visited before moving on to the next.
I was already making mental lists of which dimensions to visit first as the possibilities were endless.
At the same time, there was a nagging doubt in the back of my mind. Would I even be able to use their power systems? Haki from One Piece, chakra from Naruto, ki from Dragon Ball—these were often tied to the specific biology or metaphysical laws of their respective universes.
What if I traveled to the One Piece world only to discover that Haki required some specific genetic trait or spiritual foundation that I simply didn't possess? Or worse, what if attempting to use foreign power systems actively interfered with my existing abilities?
But I pushed that concern to the back of my mind. After all, if there were compatibility issues, I could simply design something in the Workshop to allow me to use those power systems.
The workshop is broken like that.
I also checked my last project—the Virgo Hektos. There were still almost three weeks before it was finished. After Virgo would come Aquarius, specifically designed for Sona.
Having confirmed the status of all my current projects, I exited the Celestial Workshop. The familiar sensation of returning to normal reality washed over me as the starry void faded away, leaving me back in my mansion's living room.
I settled back into my chair and reached for my wine glass, taking another sip of the wine as I considered what else needed my attention tonight.
"E.V.E., give me updates on the reverse engineering progress for the phone," I said, addressing the AI.
Her orb of light pulsed gently as she responded in her characteristic neutral tone. "Reverse engineering is 78% complete. I estimate full technological breakdown and production-ready specifications will be available within 6 days. The manufacturing process can then be scaled for mass production and integration into other Mishima Corporation projects."
I'd manifested a phone a few days ago. The phone had taken only a day to create—a sleek piece of technology decades ahead of anything currently available. Holographic displays, quantum processors, energy storage that could last months, and communication capabilities that could reach across dimensions.
That was the beauty of having E.V.E. handle the technological side of things. Rather than having to manifest each individual device through the Workshop I could create one perfect prototype and have her reverse engineer it for conventional production.
"What about the other projects?"
"Virtual reality development is proceeding ahead of schedule. The new VR system will offer full sensory immersion with haptic feedback indistinguishable from reality. Additionally, the renewable energy source project has achieved a breakthrough—the energy conversion efficiency is now at 97.3%, far exceeding current global standards."
I nodded approvingly. With E.V.E.'s capabilities handling the technological development, she was saving me countless hours that would have been spent manifesting individual items. She was in charge of all the technological side of things while Mishima Corporation served as the legitimate front for introducing these revolutionary advances to the world.
With Mishima's vast resources and global connections, implementing these technologies became significantly easier. The corporation's established manufacturing facilities, distribution networks, and political influence meant I could introduce world-changing innovations without raising too many suspicions about their origin.
"Keep me updated on the timelines," I said.
"Understood, Leon."
I finished the last of my wine and set the glass aside, feeling the day's events finally settling into perspective. Canon had officially begun, but with significant deviations already in play.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges but I was as prepared as I could be.
I stood and stretched, making my way toward the stairs. The next few days were going to be very interesting indeed.
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