When five deceleration cannons fired at Yun Xingze simultaneously, everyone thought he would surely be hit.
Yet Yun Xingze leaped into the air, dodging all five shots in a row, each one barely grazing his waist—a heart-stopping sight.
What shocked the audience most was that not only did Yun Xingze evade the deceleration rounds, but the mechanical beast on his back had also, unnoticed, jumped to the ground, nimbly weaving through the barrage before swiftly closing in on Su Zinan’s mech.
“What’s up with that cat? How does Yun Xingze still have the focus to control it?”
“Both his main mech and scout mech are dodging fire—this is unbelievable!”
“I can’t believe that’s a mechanical beast.”
Su Zinan had been certain Yun Xingze would be hit by the deceleration rounds, but seeing them all miss, he couldn’t help but feel irritated. Spotting the “stupid cat” charging toward him, he sneered and aimed his cannons at it. “What kind of trash mech dares to compete?”
But before Su Zinan could fire, the mechanical beast suddenly sprang up, mid-leap hurling out two gleaming chain blades that swiftly wrapped around Su Zinan’s shoulder joints. Using the chains like a slingshot, it yanked itself forward and smashed hard into Su Zinan’s forehead with a resounding crack.
This was a move Yun Xingze had developed in previous matches. He had upgraded the mechanical beast’s chain blades, making them far more powerful ensuring Su Zinan would feel the pain even more intensely.
The impact rattled Su Zinan’s brain. Though the mech absorbed much of the force, the humiliation of being headbutted like this burned. At the same time, his shoulders strained under the brutal pull.
Staggering back a few steps, Su Zinan gritted his teeth and redirected all his firepower toward the mechanical beast.
Seizing the moment Su Zinan’s rhythm was disrupted, Yun Xingze’s main mech dashed toward the Meteor mech, activating its long-range cannons.
His ammunition was limited, so every shot had to count.
Su Zinan, realizing Yun Xingze was about to strike from a distance, kept a sharp eye on his movements, ready to evade at any moment.
Yun Xingze fired a particle blast. Su Zinan, proving his worth as an A+ reserve for the school team, narrowly dodged despite the mechanical beast’s interference.
In the stands, Lu Ranxu clenched his fists, palms sweating, frustrated that Yun Xingze had missed this crucial opportunity.
Once Su Zinan avoided the attack, he immediately launched a second wave of assaults at Yun Xingze.
Yun Xingze, barely catching his breath, was forced back into evasion.
This time, Su Zinan’s barrage was even more relentless than at the start. The audience was convinced Yun Xingze had no tricks left.
Eight minutes into the match, Su Zinan’s attacks grew denser.
Yun Xingze still seemed to be at a disadvantage.
Olly turned nervously to Zhuo Feiyue. “Professor, should Xingze just give up now? What if Su Zinan pulls another stunt like last time.”
“The Twin-Star mech is inherently countered by the Meteor mech,” Zhuo Feiyue said, his gaze fixed on the match. “Because any hit on either mech would deal massive damage. The fact that Xingze has stayed calm under Su Zinan’s relentless assault without taking a single hit so far is already remarkable.”
Lu Ranxu’s fingers curled into tight fists.
Last time he fought Su Zinan, he could feel that his Meteor Mech’s firepower was far inferior to Su Zinan’s.
Su Zinan’s mech configuration was simply too good, allowing him to maintain an unrelenting offensive.
Just then.
Su Zinan seemed to seize an opportunity and fired a smoke grenade at Yun Xingze and that ugly cat. With a “boom,” Yun Xingze was enveloped in smoke.
Lu Ranxu’s heart leapt into his throat.
Oliar and Zhuo Feiyue’s expressions also darkened.
The surrounding spectators unanimously agreed that the match was about to end.
“Yun Xingze is surrounded by smoke, there’s no way he can dodge now, right?”
“Against a Meteor Mech, a mech trapped in smoke is nothing but fish on a chopping board.”
“Look! Su Zinan is about to end the match!”
Taking advantage of Yun Xingze’s obscured vision, Su Zinan maneuvered his Meteor Mech into a high leap, opening all its destructive artillery ports and aiming them downward at Yun Xingze’s mech.
He was ready to turn Yun Xingze into swiss cheese.
The artillery ports began to gather light as dazzling particle cannons prepared to fire at Yun Xingze.
In the spectator stands, Chi Yu’s eyes widened. At this moment, he suddenly regretted helping Su Zinan modify his mech.
What if Xingze got hurt?
Though Luo Wenchuan appeared calm on the surface, he sat up straighter, his back slightly tense, his gaze locked onto the two mechs.
Lu Ranxu swallowed hard, his heart practically jumping out of his throat.
Over a dozen high-energy particle cannons fired like meteors!
Yun Xingze stood still.
The audience collectively held their breath, eyes wide, already envisioning the scene of Yun Xingze being riddled with Su Zinan’s artillery fire.
In the blink of an eye—
Just as the particle cannons fired, the Meteor Mech’s body suddenly jerked, and its artillery ports tilted off-target!
Every single shot struck the protective barrier instead!
Just as the crowd thought this was Su Zinan’s mistake, someone suddenly exclaimed, “It’s that cat again!”
As it turned out, while Yun Xingze’s mech was trapped in the smoke, his mechanical beast had somehow slipped out unnoticed. When Su Zinan took aim, the beast leaped up from behind, using its chainsword to yank at his arms.
At the exact moment Su Zinan’s artillery was about to fire, the mechanical beast activated its acceleration device, dragging Su Zinan’s mechanical arms downward toward the ground behind him.
With its arms forcibly pulled, the Meteor Mech’s artillery naturally veered off course.
In truth, Yun Xingze could have used this move before Su Zinan fired the smoke grenade but he hadn’t.
“Why didn’t he do it earlier?” Oliar exhaled in relief, still shaken. “Wasn’t he afraid of making a mistake and getting hit by the artillery?”
Lu Ranxu, his back drenched in cold sweat, was equally puzzled by Yun Xingze’s risky move. “Was Xingze too nervous?”
Zhuo Feiyue glanced at them and frowned. “Can you two really not see it?”
The two looked at him blankly.
“No matter how powerful the Meteor Mech’s artillery is, its energy is finite—it can’t keep firing indefinitely.” Zhuo Feiyue looked meaningfully at Su Zinan’s mech. “That last attack just wasted over a dozen of his most lethal particle cannons.”
Hearing this, Lu Ranxu and Oliar’s eyes widened in realization.
Was Yun Xingze actually deceiving Su Zinan?!
Su Zinan had clearly sensed that something was amiss.
Though Yun Xingze appeared to be at a disadvantage, he hadn’t been hit by a single shot. He’d even deliberately left a few obvious openings to lull Su Zinan into complacency.
Fifteen minutes into the match, the Meteor Mecha had already expended seventy-five percent of its ammunition.
Only then did Su Zinan realize the gravity of the situation.
Was Yun Xingze trying to bait him into exhausting all his firepower before launching a counterattack?
Understanding Yun Xingze’s strategy, Su Zinan quickly adjusted his tactics.
The audience murmured as they noticed the weakening barrage on the battlefield.
“Is Su Zinan running out of ammo?”
“That last move from the cat was absolutely brilliant, it made Su Zinan waste so many particle cannons.”
“Does that mean Yun Xingze will gain the upper hand now?”
“Wait, look Yun Xingze’s reaction speed has slowed down too.”
On the field, while Su Zinan’s offensive had significantly weakened, Yun Xingze’s movements had also become sluggish in response.
A cold smile curled on Su Zinan’s lips. “How long can someone who failed their fitness test last? Especially during their heat cycle. The remaining twenty-five percent firepower is more than enough to take you down.”
While carefully rationing his shots, Su Zinan pressed forward, searching for any opening in Yun Xingze’s defense.
Yun Xingze and his mechanical beast were forced to the edge of the protective barrier. Scorch marks from near-misses marred the mecha’s surface.
Yun Xingze still seemed to be at a disadvantage.
Zhuo Feiyue frowned. “Has Xingze reached his physical limit?”
“He’s in his heat cycle right now; his stamina has regressed to C-rank,” Lu Ranxu said, his heart aching as he watched Yun Xingze being cornered.
Chi Yu’s emotions had been on a rollercoaster throughout the match. Now tense as a drawn bowstring, his eyes remained fixed on the two mechas. He knew Yun Xingze had always been physically weak; something he’d often mocked him for in the past.
But now, he couldn’t muster even a trace of amusement.
He wanted nothing more than to rush onto the field and stop the match.
Luo Wenchuan’s gaze was complex. Yun Xingze should have taken the inhibitor he’d provided; he shouldn’t be exhausting his stamina like this…
Pushed into the farthest corner of the arena by Su Zinan’s mecha, Yun Xingze found his room to maneuver shrinking rapidly.
Then—
Su Zinan suddenly aimed his cannon at Yun Xingze’s right leg, a triumphant smile spreading across his face.
He was about to humiliate Yun Xingze the same way he’d humiliated Lu Ranxu.
He wanted Yun Xingze to understand that an Omega without strength had no place in mecha competitions.
He would make Chi Yu focus all his attention back on him.
He would reclaim everything Yun Xingze had taken from him.
The audience fell silent.
Every spectator held their breath.
The Meteor Mecha’s cannon opened.
Su Zinan fired his remaining ammunition, determined to blast apart Yun Xingze’s mecha leg.
The crowd gasped.
Just as the shots were about to hit.
Both units of the Twin Star Mecha moved simultaneously!
Yun Xingze leaped forward at an incredible speed, using his mech’s feet to forcefully kick off the protective shield. Harnessing this momentum, he instantly maximized the mech’s acceleration as several artillery shots grazed beneath him, nearly hitting him!
Su Zinan’s eyes widened in shock’ he never expected Yun Xingze could mount such a desperate counterattack!
The main mech charged toward the Meteor mech, whose artillery was nearly depleted. At such blinding speeds, it could no longer aim properly and could only attempt to flee.
But the next second—
“Ah—that cat!!”
“When did it get up there?!”
The mechanical beast swiftly scaled the protective shield and, upon reaching a certain height, pounced directly onto Su Zinan’s mech.
The enormous, ugly cat descended from the heavens.
“Boom!”
—and smashed right into Su Zinan’s head!
