Aixili watched the fight while remarking to Luo Wenchuan, “Oh dear, your little mecha engineer is in trouble. His odds against He Haoming are less than 30%, right? And yet he’s bold enough to confront him head-on?”
Ke Lei asked Aixili, “Sharp-tongue, didn’t you beat He Haoming before? Do you think Xingze has no chance?”
“I did win, but I was piloting a Shadow Mecha,” Aixili replied. “He Haoming was already strong last year, I only won because of a surprise ambush. But your junior’s Twin-Star Mecha can’t go invisible like mine.”
“So, in the end, the only way to beat a Storm Mecha is to catch it off guard,” Ke Lei muttered, frowning. “Charging straight at it like Xingze is doing isn’t just futile, it’s dangerous.”
Aixili turned to Luo Wenchuan, who had remained silent. “Big Chuan, didn’t you teach your little mecha engineer anything? Seems like you don’t care much about him.”
Luo Wenchuan still didn’t respond, his gaze fixed intently on the match.
Of course, he was well aware of what Aixili and Ke Lei were saying but Yun Xingze couldn’t possibly be ignorant of it.
If he chose to fight head-on, he must have his own reasons.
The battle had now lasted over four minutes, and Yun Xingze, who had initially taken the offensive, was gradually being forced into a defensive position.
He Haoming’s Storm Mecha could not only raise its shield at any moment to block Yun Xingze’s counterattacks but also swiftly retaliate in close combat. After a few rounds, it seemed he had already gauged Yun Xingze’s combat strength and retracted the Storm Shield.
In other words, He Haoming chose to launch a counterattack against his opponent in less than five minutes.
The spectators were stunned.
“Damn,” Oliar gasped, “He Haoming is counterattacking in under five minutes?”
“Normally, Storm Mecha counterattacks happen after ten minutes because they’re generally not fast. They need to wear down the opponent’s stamina first for the counter to be effective,” Zhuo Feiyue said with a furrowed brow, his tone grave. “But He Haoming is highly skilled and two levels above Xingze. It makes sense he’d choose to counterattack now.”
Lu Ranxu was so nervous that sweat beaded on his forehead, his voice trembling slightly: “They say the moment a Storm Mecha lowers its shield is when the opponent is in the most danger. Xingze will be okay, right?”
As soon as Lu Ranxu finished speaking, Yun Xingze was less than five meters away from the Storm Mecha. In the next second, He Haoming pulled out a long electromagnetic hilt from the mech’s back, which swiftly unfolded into a Storm Electromagnetic Axe!
The axe was enormous, its weight staggering; most other mecha types wouldn’t even be able to lift it with their arms.
The moment the axe appeared, it cast a shadow on the ground, the silver gleam of electromagnetic energy flickering at its edge like sharp, lethal intent.
Without hesitation, He Haoming swung the axe toward Yun Xingze’s mechanical beast!
The crowd gasped. The Storm Electromagnetic Axe moved impossibly fast, like a meteor crashing down from the sky. If it landed, that ugly cat would surely be split in two.
If the scout mech was damaged, Yun Xingze’s mental energy would also suffer severe depletion. The consequences would be unthinkable!
Yet, to everyone’s astonishment, the ugly cat dashed forward with blurring speed and leaped into the air.
The axe swiftly changed direction!
The audience watched, holding their breath, as if witnessing a helpless cat being chased down by a butcher.
“Boom—”
As the cat jumped into the air, its tail decisively fired a smoke grenade at the Storm Mecha’s head.
The shot came just in time, disrupting He Haoming’s judgment and causing the axe’s trajectory to veer off course allowing the ugly cat to narrowly escape!
The crowd collectively exhaled in relief.
“Oh my god, that was close.”
“I thought that ugly cat was about to get shredded. Yun Xingze’s reflexes are insane.”
“Good thing it kept its signature farting move.”
“That fart was way more powerful than the one it used against Kalibo last time.”
“So adorable. I kinda want it to fart on me too.”
“Who wouldn’t want to tease this cute cat into farting?”
Among the crowd, Kalibo’s fiery red hair stood out. At first, he had been sweating bullets over the ugly cat’s narrow escape, but then he frowned, listening to the surrounding chatter. Pressing his lips together, he muttered irritably, “Are these people insane?”
Getting hit by a smoke grenade mid-battle was a real pain.
Kalibo had to admit Yun Xingze’s reflexes were as sharp as ever. But the ugly cat’s “fart” had come earlier than he’d expected.
Lu Ranxu cheered, “That’s Xingze for you! He’s seriously amazing.”
“He actually dodged the Storm Electromagnetic Axe at that speed. Seems Xingze’s reflexes have improved again,” Oliar nodded in agreement.
But Zhuo Feiyue’s expression darkened further as he said gravely, “To be honest, Yun Xingze probably didn’t intend to use the smoke grenade at this moment. That was his trump card against He Haoming.”
The other two froze in surprise.
Lu Ranxu stared at the Storm Mecha that had emerged from the smoke and hesitantly asked, “Professor, are you saying He Haoming deliberately forced Xingze to reveal his smoke grenade?”
Zhuo Feiyue nodded, his eyes filled with concern for Yun Xingze.
“What a pity. He could’ve counterattacked just now,” Aixili mused. “Though I’m also amazed by our junior’s reaction speed, the Storm Electromagnetic Axe’s attack range is too wide. There was no way he could close the distance after throwing the smoke grenade.”
“He Haoming’s own reflexes aren’t that sharp,” Ke Lei frowned. “The smoke grenade was an excellent countermeasure, but now that Xingze has revealed his trump card, his situation will become more dangerous.”
“But if he hadn’t thrown it then, the Scout Mecha would’ve been split in half,” Aixili remarked with admiration. “Regardless of how the match proceeds, our junior’s judgment was decisively correct.”
The match had reached its sixth minute.
Luo Wenchuan observed the situation on the field but remained silent.
At this moment, Chi Yu also finished his match and hurried to Arena A.
Upon reaching the spectator stands, he was nearly frightened into shouting when he saw the Ugly Cat narrowly dodging the axe, his palms breaking out in cold sweat.
Noticing Chi Yu’s arrival, Su Zinan sneered and approached him. “Well, well, Chi Yu. Seems you’re quite concerned about Yun Xingze? Though I heard he’s already clinging to Luo Wenchuan. Those two have something going on, don’t they?”
“Shut your mouth!” Chi Yu, already tense, grew furious at Su Zinan’s words. “Su Zinan, stay away from me!”
“Fine, enjoy the match then,” Su Zinan smirked, a glint of triumph in his eyes. “Watch closely how miserably your ex-fiancé will lose.”
“Su Zinan, why are you so vicious?!” Chi Yu glared at him, gritting his teeth. “How did I never realize what kind of person you were before?”
“What, can’t I even speak now?” Su Zinan crossed his arms, gloating. “Or is it that you also think Yun Xingze will lose, and that’s why you’re so worked up?”
Chi Yu took a deep breath, refusing to engage with someone like Su Zinan.
Just then, the spectators gasped in unison. He Haoming’s Storm Electromagnetic Axe had nearly cleaved through Yun Xingze’s mecha’s head!
Yun Xingze swiftly arched backward, dodging at an incredibly difficult angle.
Chi Yu’s heart nearly stopped from fright.
At that moment, the Ugly Cat, having stealthily climbed to a high point via the protective shield, curled into a spherical shape and launched an attack at the Storm Mecha’s head.
However, Yun Xingze’s “tit-for-tat” move failed. He Haoming simply raised his hand and blocked the strike with a shield.
As if he had predicted it.
Even though Yun Xingze had used this tactic before, the mechanical beast’s counterattack was so imperceptible that even the audience was nearly fooled.
Chi Yu was startled—had He Haoming’s reflexes improved?
“He Haoming’s reflexes are indeed slightly inferior,” Su Zinan said with a smug curl of his lips. “The reason he reacted so quickly just now is because I’ve fought Yun Xingze before. I described every single one of his combat moves to He Haoming in detail and even spent the past few days training with him specifically.”
Chi Yu stared at Su Zinan in astonishment.
Su Zinan continued, “Like that stupid cat’s chain sword and light whip attacks, and that shameless aerial strike move I practiced with He Haoming for days. He’s not afraid of them at all now.”
Chi Yu gritted his teeth and said, “Su Zinan, you’re disgusting.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong. I was just helping He Haoming train,” Su Zinan replied innocently, then suddenly smiled. “But Chi Yu, what right do you have to judge me? Weren’t all those mech parts for He Haoming taken from Yun Xingze by you?”
At these words, Chi Yu froze as if punched in the gut, his breath catching.
In other words, Yun Xingze’s current disadvantage was partly Chi Yu’s fault too.
Watching the match unfold, Chi Yu prayed silently that nothing would happen to Yun Xingze.
The situation on the field was already clear.
By the eight-minute mark, Yun Xingze had exhausted all his techniques, each effortlessly countered by He Haoming.
Some senior Alpha students were already preparing to celebrate He Haoming’s tenth consecutive victory.
A few nearby Omegas glared at them and muttered:
“The match isn’t over yet, why the gloating?” “Exactly, Yun Xingze might still win. The Tempest mech isn’t that fast.” “His skills look solid, it’s still anyone’s game.”
The Alphas sneered dismissively, one deliberately raising his voice: “Yun Xingze should just surrender. The mech arena belongs to Alphas, who dares question that?”
The Omegas fumed silently, knowing Yun Xingze was struggling but powerless to intervene.
That Yun Xingze had lasted over eight minutes was due both to his skill and the Tempest mech’s characteristics.
Its massive frame excelled in close combat and defense, but its acceleration and braking lagged behind standard mechs, making charges and jet jumps clumsier.
Lu Ranxu kept reassuring himself it’s fine, the Tempest can’t even touch Xingze, he can hold out longer.
Just as Lu Ranxu prayed for Yun Xingze, the match took another turn.
Though slow, the Tempest’s attacks covered vast areas. Whether its electromagnetic axe or particle cannon, they lived up to the “Tempest” name leaving nothing standing in their wake.
