Tempest of the Stellar War

BOOM!

A violent slash, speedy and accurate, and backed with fearsome power was unleashed

DONG...

The Avalon lifted its titanium blade to block, and the entire mech was sent flying.

In the preparation area of the Solar System tea, Lie Xin’s eyes flashed. “Material Manipulation is a rare Ability X, I didn’t think it could be useful in battle!”

The Titan V was a heavy mech among heavy mecha. Even a strength-type Ability X strongman would be hard pressed to pilot it in close combat. In most situations, the heavy firepower of the Titan V would be used for both attack and defense.

But Qi Yan’s Material Manipulation could utilize the full potential of the Titan V through G material feedback. Even without a strength-type Ability X user, the Titan V’s innate power was sufficient. Even without speed, Material Manipulation could enable the Titan V to execute the perfect attack at the most opportune moment. From the looks of it, it could sustain for 5 seconds or so, although she might have been holding back. Under these circumstances, Fatty’s situation did not look good.

BOOM BOOM BOOM...

The heavy gunnery system, under the control of Material Manipulation, had finished cooling, and was armed within a second. It aimed directly at the Avalon II and fired!

Ping ping ping ping ping!

Although Fatty tried his best to avoid them, he could not break free from the opponent’s arc of fire. Furthermore, the Titan mech was advancing step by step. It almost felt like a game of cat and mouse. The continuous hits would soon break his energy shield.

Qi Yan was even more direct, lashing out punishingly. The cleaver bore down, finishing it!

This...

Was no mock battle!

The knife’s gleam grew larger in Fatty’s field of view.

The platform was silent. Everybody could see that the Titan V firmly held the upper hand. Its energy shield was still full.

“The Solar System has been amusing. It’s about time to surrender.”

“Keke, Qi Yan is indeed not bad. Material Manipulation was originally only a repairing type ability. To think that she would use it to wield a heavy type mech.”

Controlling a heavy type mech had always been unwieldy because its rhythm was difficult for pilot operation to follow, and the theoretical speed limit was never reached.

“Not everybody could do it either. Material Manipulation abilities often only work on small objects. Mech application was devised by Qi Yan herself, and she’s been through her fair share of failures.

The Silver Snake Coalition team allowed themselves smiles. It was apparent that this match was in the bag. The Solar System had sent out Fatty as a free point.

Lear’s expression was still sour. In battles at this level, Lear was still confident.

Wang Zheng was of the same mind on this point. Although Fatty had been sniveling, his abilities were undisputable. Wang Zheng had no intention of training soldiers, but aimed to decisively take the battle.

Luo Fei smelled something...

Death!

He would die. He really would die. This was a real execution, with no room for retreat. Live or die.

BOOM...

A cluster of fiery light leaped from Luo Fei’s eyes. It was no reflection; his eyes were actually glowing.

Qi Yan intended to end it. She had no doubts, and was aiming to blow him up promptly. This was war. Furthermore, she was even more careful towards the finish, eyeing the Avalon II’s every move. She would not make the same mistake as Priest Tang, and would cut them no slack.

The huge cleaver was only about 10cm away from the Avalon II. But at this moment, the Titan mech’s movements suddenly stopped.

The Avalon II gunned its engines, the titanium blade sweeping aside the cleaver. It shifted its position and began to execute a combination of attacks towards the Titan mech. The scout’s speed was brought to bear, and all Qi Yan could do was engage her energy shield.

... Weakening Ability X.

For a full three or four seconds, Qi Yan felt her body go weak, and the Titan mech’s energy shield was also cut to pieces by the relentless attacks of her opponent. In the moment of life and death, Qi Yan demonstrated a cruel determination beyond most men. Faced with Luo Fei’s attack, she purposely let it cut into her left shoulder and used the Titan mech’s left arm to capture the Avalon’s titanium blade. The huge cleaver swept towards the Avalon mech.

The Avalon mech suddenly lowered its head, a sharp blade emerging from the head. The titanium blade followed the cut, sliding downwards. The engines gunned with enough power to slice the opponent’s cockpit open.

Qi Yan had a look of terror, overwhelmed by the intensity of the situation and the piercing alarm warning in her ear. Fatty saw it too. Just one more second...

Inexplicably, the titanium blade actually paused at the crucial moment, and the Titan mech’s foot lashed out punishingly, an instinctive move by Qi Yan that used all her strength.

BOOM...

The Avalon mech was sent flying like a toy, flying over 10 meters, sparks flying...

For a scout mech to be kicked thus by a heavy mech, one almost feared that his brain fluids had been spattered.

Nobody had expected the turns of this battle. Qi Yan breathed a huge sigh of relief, staring at the disabled Avalon mech, gaping. Fatty panicked. Although that blow had scrambled his insides, his strength was in endurance, and his additional layer of meat was another layer of defense. Picturing Lear’s disapproving face, he frantically piloted his mech, but the mech only made a few chittering sounds and collapsed.

Round 2, Silver Snake team win!

The Silver Snake team leaped up as one, their limbs flailing wildly in celebration. Although Qi Yan’s ability was not considered to be the strongest, and they did not understand why their leader had chose her, it was clear now. He was too awesome. Kong Zhan’s specialty lay in the power of observation, and he was also a genius in psychology. Although Fatty’s power was unknown, a distinctive characteristic could be told from the look in his eyes – that Fatty was soft at heart, and possibly an otaku.

This was not uncommon. For example, those that could not bear to hit women.

Although Luo Fei was not at that kind of level, for him to kill a woman... in the end he could not bring himself to do so.

Compared to their opponents’ celebrations, the Solar System team’s side was in deathly silence. Fatty clearly had a winning opportunity, but had faltered at the crucial point.

What had happened? Had the opponent used Ability X?

Luo Fei ascended back, with a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I was too...”

SMACK...

A crisp slap hushed the whole crowd. Lear had slapped Luo Fei, whose right cheek was beginning to swell.

Even the opponents were uncertain of how to react. What was going on? Internal strife?

Fatty was still smiling after he had been slapped. “Boss, I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”

Lear’s cold gaze seemed to pierce Fatty’s fat layers, and this was because they were in public. If they had been back on Earth, Fatty would probably shed a few layers of skin, or worse.

A draw at 1 to 1.

The third match became even more crucial. Fatty hung his head in the corner, and nobody spoke. The relationship between Luo Fei and Lear was known, but nobody expected it to come to this. It was almost as if Fatty was Lear’s slave. Zhang Shan felt a little indignant, but said nothing.

Wang Zheng smiled and shook his head slightly. He had predicted that, given Luo Fei’s ability, the chances of winning were high unless he matched against their opponent’s leader. Who would have known he would face such a problem?

For the third match, the Silver Snake team had made their choice. Kong Zhan, as the leader, should have held himself in reserve, but they did not expect the Solar System team to be this strong. This third match was decisive, and he wanted to secure it.

If one had Wang Zheng’s ability, they would not have chosen him in the previous match but place him at a crucial interval such as now.

As expected, Lear had already stood up. The opponents had chosen, and he clearly felt that there was nothing wrong with himself being chosen. More importantly, he wanted to save the decision error that Wang Zheng had made. “This match...”

Wang Zheng smiled. “Lear, no rush. Leave this one to me.”

Lear seemed like he was about to say something, but was reminded that Wang Zheng was the leader. He slowly sat back down.

Wang Zheng was up. This leader had not left a particularly deep impression. From the start, he had been rather carefree.

Some of the lounging spectators were suddenly jerked back to alertness. This was their purpose for coming, to bring back news of Wang Zheng. Although they were unsure why, their superiors had ordered thus, and they complied.

“Where does this punk Wang Zheng get such confidence from? Have you noticed? He’s not nervous at all. I wonder if that’s a good thing,” Lie Wuqing said irritatedly.

Nerves did not necessarily indicate fear. Sometimes it also represented prudence and focus. And composure could also mean a lack of responsibility. Could he actually think that he had already accomplished his mission thus?

A soldier with no ambition to be general was not a good soldier. A warrior with no desire to push for more was not a good soldier.

Drachmach eyed Meng Ao, who looked calm. When had Meng Ao become so calm? He used to be different.

“Hey, Old Ao, are you hiding something from us?”

“Eh? What do I have to hide from you? You know everything there is to know. I just feel like since we decided on Wang Zheng as leader, we have to believe in him. At the same time, we don’t need to humble ourselves. This iteration of the Solar System team is very strong!”

Meng Ao spoke with confidence, but left Drachmach and Lie Wuqing staring at each other. What the hell was going on? Two days ago, he was the very picture of worry. What had changed?

When he saw Lear stand up, Kong Zhan had been secretly overjoyed. His judgement had been entirely accurate. The strong were so predictable.

But he was wrong on one thing. Wang Zheng was not fond of playing his cards conventionally.

Below, the slapped Fatty was full of frustration. He was not frustrated at being slapped, but at the plan not moving accordingly. Before going up, he had seen Lear’s signal.

If Lear had suggested for him to go, he had to win. If Wang Zheng commanded him to go, he had to lose. That way, Lear could follow up with a win. This would demonstrate Lear’s ability, and also undermine Wang Zheng’s error in judgement. After all, this was the only place where Wang Zheng could be made to look bad. The slap just now was also part of the performance. Among soldiers, such a small matter was nothing to think about, and Meng Ao and the rest would admire Lear’s decisiveness and leadership... But who would have thought Wang Zheng would be so anxious to go himself? This... was not at all like a general.

Seeing Wang Zheng advance stride by stride, Kong Zhan felt like his own pores were shrinking in fear. His palms began to sweat. The opponent’s smile looked like a devil’s smile. Vicious was no longer enough to describe such a person. Only something that crawled out of hell could smile so peacefully.

Going up against such a person would leave inerasable psychological trauma, even death.

What to do?

What to do?

To fight, or not to fight?

Fight. He had to fight. He was the leader, and represented the Silver Snake team. He must have courage!

No. He could not fight. He would definitely lose, and badly. This person was unbeatable. He had such a bright future ahead of him!

Kong Zhan felt as though everybody was looking at him. His body was afire. The Aslan people, Manalasuo people, them being here was no coincidence. They had to be here to see Wang Zheng, and how he would finish him!

The generals could not directly express anything. Given their position and status, they had their honor to uphold. Besides, saying it directly was also pathetic. However, they could use certain methods to hint things, such as asking the watching teams to observe the Solar System Federation team more closely, especially those that they might go up against.

What mech to choose?

Kong Zhan’s hands were shaking. Since Kong Zhan had come up first, Wang Zheng had to choose his mech first.

Wang Zheng had not hesitated over much, choosing the Manalasuo’s Golden Wheel Battle King mech. The Hercules was not too well suited for such a fight, and Fatty Luo had just lost a round, which meant this was a must-win.

Kong Zhan’s heart was hammering, his sweat pouring down. The entire arena was noisy with discussion, including the Solar System team, who were looking on with suspicious faces. What was he playing at?

The Golden Wheel mech? Had he lost his mind???

Even Zhang Shan’s eyes widened. If not for the fact that he was used to Wang Zheng’s odd ways of thinking, he would have been the first to cry out.

Luo Fei was even more stunned. Lear liked to play with fire, and apparently Wang Zheng did too. What crazy people. Luckily, he did not need to think too much. He was just a loyal dog.

Yet, at this moment, they could not afford to be discouraged, and repressed the doubt in their hearts.

The Golden Wheel was an abandoned mech. Wang Zheng had actually chosen this mech at such a crucial time. Furthermore, wasn’t he from Earth?

Some people were beginning to notice Kong Zhan. This... what was wrong with the Silver Snake team leader? His face was white as a sheet, and his forehead beaded with sweat. His legs were even shaking...

That berserk shadow seemed to be right in front of his eyes, growing larger and larger, a bloody, golden wheel that stretched from horizon to horizon flying towards him...