Currently, Starsea Military Academy had won the first individual match, while Gikot Military Academy took the first team match, making the score temporarily 1:2.
Before stepping onto the field, He Haoming glanced back at Yun Xingze, his gaze filled with complex emotions.
Previously, for Su Zinan’s sake, he had treated Yun Xingze like a mortal enemy in the arena. Yet Yun Xingze was willing to stand as a teammate and point out the flaws in his mech.
This matter had been like a thorn lodged in He Haoming’s heart.
He Haoming’s opponent in the individual match was named Liao Jiayan, an S-rank pilot specializing in Shadow-type mechs.
After exchanging greetings, compared to He Haoming’s visible tension, Liao Jiayan remained calm and smirked, asking, “I heard you lost to an Omega in the mech tournament?”
“Yeah, so what?” He Haoming replied coldly, staring at Liao Jiayan. “Mech battles have always been about skill. Since when did gender matter?”
“But I also heard that Omega was only B-rank.” Liao Jiayan’s tone was mild but laced with mockery. “He Haoming, your S+ rating seems a bit inflated. No, more like drowning in an ocean of exaggeration.”
He Haoming scoffed. “We’ll see soon enough whether it’s inflated or not.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll defeat you within fifteen minutes,” Liao Jiayan said with a smug smile. “And of course, we’ll win the team match too. After all, your academy let that Omega join the team.”
“Enough talk,” He Haoming frowned. “Worry about yourself first.”
Soon, both entered their mechs.
[The second individual match will begin in three minutes!]
The battle commenced shortly after.
He Haoming, being the stronger fighter, quickly gained the upper hand.
No matter how Liao Jiayan attacked, He Haoming effortlessly blocked each strike, showcasing the perfect defensive capabilities of his S+ Tempest mech.
When He Haoming deflected Liao Jiayan’s long-range electromagnetic interference, he decisively countered with his electromagnetic axe, intensifying the fight.
Liao Jiayan was forced into retreat.
Just as Starsea’s students thought He Haoming would secure victory with his overwhelming pressure, the tides turned again.
He Haoming was hit by one of Liao Jiayan’s smoke bombs. Combined with the Shadow mech’s stealth, he became lost in the haze, shifting from offense to defense.
Aixili held her breath, murmuring, “His reaction time has improved, but it’s still his weakness.”
For a moment, no one could predict the winner.
Meanwhile, Yun Xingze arrived at the team match venue via the organizer’s transport, alongside his teammates.
At the starting line of the speed track, a broadcast screen displayed the ongoing individual match.
The Shadow and Tempest mechs were locked in a fierce duel.
Yun Xingze noticed that He Haoming must have modified his mech at least his shield movements were noticeably smoother.
But Tempest mechs were at a severe disadvantage against Shadow types, and He Haoming’s reaction speed remained inadequate. Liao Jiayan exploited this, relentlessly disrupting him.
The battle dragged on.
Finally, at the twenty-five-minute mark, Liao Jiayan seized an opening. He ensnared He Haoming’s mech arm with shadow chains and weakened his electromagnetic axe using interference traps.
With the addition of shadow mines on the ground restricting movement, He Haoming’s mech was practically immobilized.
According to NCLM regulations, if a mech loses combat capability for over ten seconds even without being knocked down it’s considered a loss.
As the countdown ended, Gikot First Military Academy secured another round.
He Haoming struggled desperately against the shadow chains, nearly grinding his teeth to dust, but still failed to break free before time ran out.
He swallowed hard; his heart filled with regret.
After the match, Liao Jiayan emerged from his mech drenched in sweat. He hadn’t expected the fight to last this long. He Haoming’s mech was clearly much stronger than before, though he couldn’t tell what modifications had been made.
“You’re not bad,” Liao Jiayan said, reassessing He Haoming slightly. “Not as weak as I thought. But I was just better sorry about that.”
He Haoming pressed his lips together tightly.
Wiping sweat from his brow, Liao Jiayan continued, “But now, your teammates are under a lot more pressure…”
A confident smirk curled at his lips, his eyes gleaming with certainty of victory.
The scoreboard now read 1:3, putting Gikot at match point.
In other words, just one more win would secure Gikot First Military Academy the first round of the group stage.
In the stands, Gikot’s students and fans waved their flags, already celebrating.
“Gikot will win!”
“Two more rounds! Two more rounds!”
“Our goal is to crush Star Ocean!”
“Don’t lower Gikot’s standards. Our goal isn’t just beating Star Ocean, it’s the championship!”
“Gikot forever!”
Star Ocean Military Academy’s supporters naturally refused to back down, rallying for their team, but with Gikot at match point, their voices were quickly drowned out.
After leaving the arena, He Haoming arrived at the waiting area, closing his eyes briefly before looking at his teammates. His voice was hoarse as he said, “I’m sorry…”
“I told you before your reflexes still need work. Shadow mechs are your weakness,” Richard sighed, frustration lacing his tone. “Losing to Aixili last time wasn’t enough of a lesson?”
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Guilt flashed in He Haoming’s eyes, his fists clenched.
Oliver bit his lip and couldn’t help interjecting, “Coach, we still have a chance to win.”
Richard didn’t press the issue further.
Just then, the second team match was about to begin.
Richard glanced up at the virtual broadcast screen, his brow furrowing slightly.
If Caleb and Chi Yuchao performed exceptionally, and if Hebrew made coordination mistakes, there might still be a sliver of hope.
“Let’s just hope Yun Xingze doesn’t drag them down,” Richard muttered, taking a slow sip of water.
“Star Ocean must be regretting recruiting an Omega into their team,” Gikot’s coach smirked, clearly pleased. “Today’s victory is guaranteed by a landslide.”
Cheng Jun chuckled, his handsome face brimming with confidence. “Relax. Unless Hebrew zones out mid-match, those three opponents won’t stand a chance against him alone.”
“That kid may usually act childish, but his mindset in a fight doesn’t lose to anyone,” Coach Gikot remarked. “The outside world thinks he’s just a reckless young calf, unaware that he’s actually a versatile ace performing exceptionally well in both team and individual matches.”
Seeing the score reach Gikot’s match point, Caleb and Chi Yu’s expressions turned serious.
Yun Xingze, however, remained indifferent. To him, this was his first team match, and regardless of the outcome, it was a valuable opportunity. In his previous life, he couldn’t pilot a mech, let alone experience the feeling of fighting alongside comrades. Though he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his teammates, he would still take it seriously.
As soon as the individual matches ended, the referee called the three to gather at the starting line of the speed track. The five-kilometer course wasn’t long, but it was packed with obstacles—fog, mechanical beasts, star beasts, traps, electromagnetic interference. Essentially, every disruptive weapon seen in interstellar battles could be found on this track.
During the Starsea Military Academy’s mech selection trials, Yun Xingze and his teammates had relied on tacit coordination to win, though back then, his abilities were lacking, forcing him to resort to opportunistic strategies. But now, as the starting signal sounded, Yun Xingze’s gaze sharpened, and he charged forward with unstoppable momentum.
“Take the lead, not a second late,” Yun Xingze’s voice, cold and unyielding, came through the wireless comms, startling Caleb and Chi Yu for half a second.
“Roger,” they responded in unison before following him into the fray.
Yun Xingze’s mechanical beast truly lived up to its role as a “scout mech” on the speed track, probing traps ahead. While most scout mechs would retreat after reconnaissance, his could not only detect but also counterattack.
“X
“This can’t be! Hebrew is the genius of the mecha class, maybe he hasn’t even started trying yet.”
“Exactly, Gikot First Military Academy must have reached the convergence point earlier than Starsea Military Academy.”
At the other end of the track, Hebrew led his teammates Anna and Dane, advancing at breakneck speed.
Anna was an Alpha female, ranked S-class, while Dane was a Beta male, ranked A+.
From an overall perspective, Gikot First Military Academy held a massive advantage. After all, Starsea Military Academy’s team didn’t even have a single S-class member and even included an Omega.
As Hebrew and his team arrived near the convergence battlefield, he couldn’t help but smirk, a hint of pride in his voice as he said, “We only took twelve minutes.”
In the previous round, the stronger team led by Correy from Starsea Military Academy had taken fifteen minutes to reach the convergence battlefield.
So, Hebrew naturally assumed that Yun Xingze’s group would take even longer possibly even twenty minutes.
But before he could finish his sentence, his words caught in his throat, and his eyes widened in shock.
When Hebrew and his team were still a hundred meters away from the convergence battlefield.
Three battle lamps around the arena lit up one after another.
Brilliant blue beams shot straight into the sky.
The shield emblem symbolizing the glory of Starsea Military Academy shimmered brilliantly between the beams.
