Chapter 1167 - 404 - 411

Chapter 404: Aim

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

Manalasuo's recess room was silent. The amazing Manalasuo Empire had actually been eliminated from the IG in such a painful fashion. And their champion had fought the equivalent of the Battle of Waterloo in his first time representing the country. To this stoic but enthusiastic youth, this was a devastating blow indeed.

The door opened, and Lieutenant General Bole entered. Bole waved his hand for everyone else to leave, and the team members quietly filed out. They knew that the general wanted to talk to Vincent. Vincent was the most favored soldier by the military. His talent and effort, as well as his fanatical knowledge of mecha, were all key factors in greatness. Bole saw these in him.

Seeing Bole, Vincent stood up. After simple treatment, his injuries were largely on the mend. "General."

Bole smiled slightly. "Sit."

Looking at Vincent, Bole was still quite satisfied. "Collected yourself?"

"Yes, Sir! They are indeed very strong, but not invulnerable!"

"Failure isn't the end of the world. It's good to suffer some setbacks when you're young. Look at the history of mankind. Only those who went through the worst difficulties truly achieved greatness. This is but a start. All of you are still young, and the important thing is to pick yourself up every time you fall," Bole said. As Manalasuo's Lieutenant General, he could afford to be less picky about things like failure and success. Even if he would suffer all kinds of questioning and criticism once they returned home. Life was just like that.

"General, since we have proven that the Golden Wheel mech can be used, rest assured that I will train in it the moment I return!" Vincent said. Unquestionably, he was a professional. One battle with Wang Zheng had helped him to realize the power of Golden Wheel mech. Although the Radiant Wheel King was supposed to be the evolved form of the Golden Wheel mech, on second thought, it simply used some technological novelties to cover the weaknesses. The Golden Wheel's essential concept was the infinite attacks of the golden wheels. When it came down to it, Radiant Wheel King simply had a similar attack shape. Retrospectively, it was precisely because the attack method changed. The high speed advance and superconductor radiant wheels were technological advancements. This had changed the concept of the mech completely.

You could fool others, but not yourself.

Bole nodded. "Your way of thinking reflects well upon you. I was not too sure at the start, but seeing you now, there's something that you are ready to see."

"Is it that he passed the A-rank test?" Vincent asked. He had reverted to the calm Vincent, his thoughts clear. That he was able to put the whole thing behind him so quickly was because victory and defeat were secondary to him. The most important was the knowledge of mecha. Defeat was hard to swallow, but thinking of the Golden Wheel mech's terrifying power, a new door had opened where there was nothing but walls before. It was agony, yet also an eagerness to try it out.

Bole shook his head slightly. "S-rank."

"S-rank? There's such a rank?"

"It's the highest difficulty. The chances of it are one in a thousand, but he got it. And he passed it."

Bole opened the Skylink. Although it was classified, as long as he did not publicize it, they could afford to close an eye. Such a video before the battle would do no good. But now they had lost, and Manalasuo was about to head home as well. There was a need for Vincent to know his opponent's true strength, because this would be the strongest motivator for him.

As the Skylink bloomed, Bole knew that it was definitely not just him who had secretly procured the footage, just that everybody else had kept it low-key as well.

Time passed. From the start to the very end, Vincent sat completely still. No matter how many times he watched it, the shock was still the same. He simply felt a tinge of pity that such a person was not from Manalasuo.

Vincent's expression was honestly laid out. From shock, to surprise, to horror, and finally… peace.

"Understood?" Bole said.

Vincent stood up, snapping into a sincere salute. "Yes, Sir!"

Bole's expression was inscrutable. "I don't know if it's a good thing or not. The Golden Wheel mech is really an unstoppable killing god, and perhaps our most successful mech to date, but we don't use it ourselves. Isn't that a pity?"

"General, I swear that I will definitely train with the Golden Wheel mech, and also find a way to make it popular."

Bole smiled. "Very well. Set your heart to it and learn as much as you can. This IG has been very interesting. But for the Solar System… I'm afraid the next stage will be nigh impossible to pass."

Vincent was taken aback for a moment. Such a team had the ability to put up a fight against anybody. How… Suddenly, Vincent knew who their next opponent was. It was a team that did not even leave you a window to bring your ability to bear – the Darkness Empire team!

The IG top 16 had now been decided. The strongest 16 teams in the Milky Way. They had been tested in all ways, and were undisputedly strong.

Zone A

Aslan Empire team, Astina Federation team.

As one of the strongest countries among mankind, Aslan had always been the target to chase. Strong in all aspects, and being the host of this IG, they had home ground advantage. Furthermore, they had a genius that was said to come along only once every 50 years. And now there were two, on their home turf. Aslan had their eyes on the prize.

Astina Federation team, an old hand and strong team. This was a federation that loved competition. From life to military, they lived exciting lives, full of ups and downs. Their fluctuations were huge, but this year was a surge, and their members passionate. The Astina Federation's military power was regarded as mid-tier within the Milky Way, but they had brought talented and passionate geniuses this time, and were a peak team.

Zone B

Atlantis team, Sirius Star team.

Atlantis went without saying. They had always been unbeatable. Any member in any other team could have easily become captain, while the Atlantean twin champions were even stronger. The only description for Atlantis was: always mimicked, never surpassed.

Sirius Star Empire. A country with huge attack power and ambitions to match. Their strength was considerable, but they were limited in resources and population, and had until now been unable to reach the peak. But their attack power was nothing to sneeze at. The Sirius Star people's innate abilities were considerable, perhaps because they had taken in some of the local aborigines. When humans combined with other types, they mutated and created many new tributaries. The Sirius Star was one of them, and the Sirius Star's "rest when we die" battle attitude was unique. In their history of battles, they had never been taken captive.

Zone C

Ghana Star team, Darkness Empire team.

Ghana Star, a planet that was a classic multi-tribe mix. Mankind, Naga, and Caucans all lived together, and it had resulted in a unique manner. Because they had always been living in chaos and war, their battle strength was amazing. Raising troops was secondary to training troops, and training troops was secondary to actual war. The Ghana Star's unique beast-type mecha was something that could never be copied.

Darkness Empire team. On their planet, they only had an hour of daylight in a 24 hour period, and the light was weak. But they were booming, a very unique planet. Logically, such a country was very suited for tourism, such as night life. But in reality, the Empire possessed huge ambitions for invasion. Their culture believed that darkness symbolized eternity. The world belonged to darkness, and light was but a decoration. They had once hoped to take a place amongst the likes of Aslan and Arbiter, but had been foiled by Keelung. In the last few decades, their strength had surged, and were now unstoppable. In this team, Sloughberg Bonthe was hailed as the star of Darkness. In their national conversations, he was regarded as capable of leading the Darkness Empire towards glory.

Zone D

Solar System Federation team, Caragal Star System team.

… This was an outcome that nobody would have dreamed of before the competition. That these two teams had actually emerged from Zone D, and the Solar System team had actually beaten Manalasuo and was now regarded as a possible candidate to take the win.

To take the win. A phrase that drew the eye.

Zone E

Arbiter Empire team, Maya Empire team.

The Arbiter Empire team was one of the strongest. Olivios was also hailed as the strongest in this iteration. From their performance to date, Olivios was well favored to obtain the best captain title for this IG. As with Aslan, they too had their eyes on the championship.

Maya Empire team. One of the lost civilizations rediscovered in the Star Voyager era. Maya Empire was strong, but different from Atlantis. The Maya Empire had ambitious dreams for expansion, and were much stronger than humans. The only problem was, they had encountered the second Secret Era of human expansion, and met with an indomitable king. In the end, they were forced to submit. At that time, a human could not actually have hoped to compete with Maya Empire.

Zone F

Lya Sphinx Republic team, Hail Cloud Alliance team.

The Lya Sphinx Republic was one of the permanent governing members of the Milky Way, a strong experienced country. Their foreign relations were cordial, and they held substantial influence in matters both military and economic. Their only fault was that they were a stickler for the rules, but it was precisely because of that that Lya Sphinx Republic were prosperous, and frequently made it to the top 8.

Hail Cloud Alliance team. Hail Cloud Alliance's three planets had been covered in glacial ice for thousands of years. But what was marvelous was that this was extremely beneficial to human existence. The temperature below and above the ice layer was wonderfully suspended. Here, mankind had built a world made of ice that was unparalleled. It was a famous tourist hotspot, and the Hail Cloud beauties were also famous for their frosty beauty and equally warm passion.

Out of their 12 members, they had six female fighters, the highest amount in IG.

Gemini Star team, Immortal Barbarian Star team.

The Gemini Star had very strong gravity. Because of that, their people had a shorter stature, but their constitution was much stronger than those of the Norton Star. This was assumed to be linked to the planet's vitality. They were also a frequent presence in the top 8, an undoubtedly strong force.

The Immortal Barbarian Star was entering the top 16 for the first time as well. It was deemed as an upset that was neither groundbreaking nor expected. In the second round, they had acquitted themselves well. They had restrained the Spaceflight Star well. The Spaceflight Star had been unable to bring their telepathic abilities to bear… who would have thought that the top 32 battles had no group battle?

Zone H

Maacah Republic team, Earthworm Federation team.

The Macaah Republic was also 1 of the 10 permanent governing members. Their national strength had been on the decline in recent years, but a skinny camel was still bigger than a horse. They had still made their way into the top 16 without too much trouble.

The Earthworm Federation team was traditionally a strong team. On their mother planet, Earthworm Star, they had the most fantastic tunnel architecture, a majestic view that stretched from the surface to the mountains. The Earthworm people were also mixed, but not the caste system found on the Ghana Star. Here they lived equitably, a model example of peaceful coexistence between mankind and other alien races.

Chapter 405: Confidence

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

As the top 16 matchups were released, IG also entered a three day rest period. They said it was rest, but it seemed likely that the IG central headquarters were racking their brains to set these geniuses some tough challenges. The sentiment they announced was that too easy a process would not be fulfilling for some, although it was arduous and tricky to change the format now. But Aslan was willing to facilitate this. After all, 1 on 1 fights were not representative of a fighter's best.

In order to keep them occupied, the top 16 match-ups had been released, allowing the teams to prepare. Some were celebrating, while others were brooding.

Ghana Star team vs Caragal Republic team

Gemini Star team vs Sirius Star team

Maya Empire team vs Lya Sphinx team

Aslan Empire team vs Immortal Barbarian Star team

Solar System Federation team vs Darkness Empire team

Arbiter Empire team vs Maacah Republic team

Hail Cloud Alliance team vs Astina Federation team

Atlantis team vs Earthworm Federation team

Clearly, the Immortal Barbarian Star, which had fought hard for their top 16 spot, were unlucky to have met Aslan, where a positive outcome was impossible. Earthworm Federation team had also received the short end of the stick, meeting the Atlantis team that nobody wanted to match up against. This spelled their doom. Although the Earthworm Federation had displayed superb battle power and unique abilities, against Atlantis, they knew their game was up. Nobody thought an upset was possible against the likes of Atlantis.

Because the other teams each had their specialties, the odds were about 40-60 or 30-70. The outcome was still in the air.

These three days would not be peaceful. Once the opponents had been announced, the team members had been galvanized into researching their opponents. Regardless, everybody wanted to reach the top 8. Top 8 had a completely different meaning. Entering the glorious top 8 meant that their name would be remembered. They had already made it to the top 16, and nobody was willing to give up here.

Entering the top 16 battle, the super dark horse Solar System team had surged out of nowhere, turning from a dark horse to a dashing golden stallion. They had an aura of reaching for the skies. Although their reserve capabilities were insufficient, their main force had already reached the top in the Milky Way. Especially Wang Zheng, who was widely researched by all the teams who might face him. The rest had been mostly researched before the start of IG, and all that could be known was known; the rest would have to be discovered on the battlefield. But this Wang Zheng was different. Before the competition, nobody had known his strength, but now nobody could slight him. Anyone who could take down the likes of Vincent with the mecha equivalent of a tricycle deserved respect.

Footages were reviewed, again and again.

The Darkness Empire team was using their recess room as their war room. All the members were watching the Solar System Federation team sweeping Manalasuo. Nobody needed to process this as urgently as they did, as their next opponent. After watching the battle, everybody was silent.

An encounter was more telling than hearsay. Before this, they had heard all sorts of rumors about dark horses, but nobody had an inkling of what they were actually up against. But after watching this competition, the pressure in the room really began to mount.

"Achilles, from the Moon. Academy X member, and the consistent top scorer. As everybody saw, this person likes a controlled win. Solid foundations, a preference for guns. Ability X not known, but probably something to do with strength exertion."

The intelligence analyst from the Darkness Empire retrieved an extremely long form, which recorded numerous behavioral tics of Achilles, as well as his unique attack patterns, such as if he preferred the left or right, or dipped his shoulder. These small movements could very well distinguish victory from defeat.

"Next, Lear. Also a student of Academy X. An Earthling, and a classic Earthling to boot. Sees himself as above everybody, including their leader. The Solar System's internal conflicts have mostly stemmed from this person. He has been slighted in the past by Achilles, and a long-time second place in the Academy. His Ability X is an energy type, but details are unknown. He comes from an ancient, prestigious family. His conceit might be exploitable to our benefit."

The Darkness Empire's analysis was acute. They had viewed the records with a practical eye, and begun an analysis one by one. From each person's past records to their current competition performance, and even some internal matters had been researched. Know yourself, and know thy enemy. The Darkness Empire really believed in this maxim.

Besides these two, Lie Xin and Luo Fei's performance was very unique, and belonged to the second tier in the Solar System. Lie Xin's unique fighting style was also famous in the Milky Way. After all, the Lie family also had an illustrious history. Luo Fei seemed like the dual-personality type. But these two, compared to the first tier, still had a clear difference in ability, and the Solar System as a whole still had a few clear weaknesses. Besides these few, the rest had been mere spectators in the fight for top 8, and at most used as cannon fodder. This needed attention as well. Of course, the battle strategy was decided by the captain. Undoubtedly, Sloughberg Bonthe was a genius in this aspect. The previous fight would have been a bitter fight, but with his fight setting the morale, he had smoothed their path to victory considerably.

"Lastly, Wang Zheng, the Solar System team captain."

At the mention of Wang Zheng, Bo Ning paused. Everyone's expressions changed. "This person came out of nowhere in the Solar System Federation, snatching the attention of rival from both Achilles and Lear. Before the competition, his performance was average. But recently he has been spectacular. The battle analysts' conclusion is that he is their best bet."

As he spoke, the recess room's huge screen played the battle footage. This was the first time that Wang Zheng had used Hercules mecha.

"This was Wang Zheng's battle in the first round. He gives a feeling of someone having strong abilities posing as a miracle soldier. But after multiple detailed analyses, we have discovered that his mastery of mecha is sublime. To achieve this, the pressure that one's fingers have to bear are unimaginable, reaching more than 50 G-force.

The screen flashed. The Radiant Wheel King vs Golden Wheel mecha.

"Everybody is preoccupied with why the Golden Wheel did not retreat. But in my opinion, this is but a trivial question. After all, it is the nature of the mecha's capabilities. Therefore, to beat him, what you must consider is not why he can do what he does, but what he can do… Notice his positioning. He gives the impression of flowing seamlessly, with no pauses. Again, this shows his mastery and control over strength. Although he did not use Ability X, our conjecture is that he specializes in a few auxiliary control-type energy Ability X. Of course, this is just speculation. We still have insufficient information on this person.

Bo Ning had spared no effort in analyzing their information, and the Darkness Empire members were also listening attentively.

The conference lasted a full three hours, and no one called for a break, or lost focus. Some aspects had even been revisited for more discussion.

The Darkness Empire's rise had not simply been a matter of strength, but also of attitude. Looking at them, one did not see the reckless strength of youth, but a mature, enduring strength. This was the most serious lesson of the Darkness Empire, who could have originally created greatness, but had stumbled over some small fry and forced to shoulder centuries of shame. Therefore, the Darkness Empire detested underestimating the enemy and slip-ups. In the Empire, any slip ups were severely punished. This was the lesson of their history.

Sloughberg stood up, and mildly said: "Alright, now everyone has a rough sense of things. If we go up against them head-on, our chances of victory are 50-50, but what I want is 100-0. Wang Zheng is definitely very strong, but we have no need to take him head on. Dropping his match, the others will definitely lose!"

"Captain, but even Wang Zheng would be at his wits' end against your ability. Why not finish him, and bring glory to the nation!"

"Yes, Captain, this kind of guy can't hold a candle to your ability. If you take the field, I'll bet that he'll be finished!"

The Darkness Empire members were full of confidence. Because no matter how strong you were, you would be reduced in the face of the mighty Sloughberg Bonthe.

Sloughberg mulled over it. "We'll see how it goes."

The Darkness Empire members started, then their sober expressions lit up with happiness. They evidently knew Sloughberg's meaning. Only Bo Ning spoke up. "Captain Sloughberg, isn't it too early to show our hand now?"

"To enter the top 8, all cards must be put on the table. The Solar System is no easy opponent. Besides, it is time for us to establish our rightful place."

406 Steel Desolate Beast

Translator:Abyssruler | Editor: Lucas Sloughberg's ambition, after finishing off his old rival, was rearing its head. He was also full of pent up energy he needed to vent. The Solar System was but a small pebble by the side of his path, and no obstacle. But, by crushing this pebble to dust, he could intimidate the huge tiger that was barring his path, and that was a separate matter. He believed that his own ability was invincible, and nobody in this world had a more fearsome power!

The Darkness Empire team's mood had changed. It was time for them to shock the world.

Aslan team recess room…

Similarly, their intelligence analysts were detailing the Solar System.

"Is his turn rate really slow? My sense is that he's controlling the rhythm. If he had followed the Radiant Wheel King's movement and turned, he would have fallen into Vincent's battle rhythm. This little bit of difference could have brought about a completely different result. At the same time, although he did not turn fully, but the Golden Wheel mech's defense did not suffer because of it. Take note of this detail. The Golden Wheel's hands and the Golden Wheel's pre-emptive heat. A pity that Vincent's attacks were too predictable. Although practiced attacks have more offensive power, but they are also easily blocked…"

"Keke, these are all unimportant. Oz, what do you think the answer is to him not retreating?" Aurora asked. Towards a weaker galactic ally, Aslan was quite curious as well.

Before the competition, the Solar System had actually come to greet them, saying something about taking care of them if the opportunity arose. Within Aslan, they had invited some taunts. After so many years, the Solar System Federation still had the same bad habits. Take care? How would one do so? The weak would always remain weak. But the way that things had turned out, the Solar System seemed to be just obligatorily offering greetings.

Oz lazily raised two fingers. Aurora smiled, and the rest pricked up their ears. In truth, even the Aslan people had been shocked by this move. Such a spectacular match was perhaps in part due to the opponent's weaknesses. Thrashing noobs normally made for more entertainment, but Vincent was no noob.

"Movement and finger control. Watch the details. Every time the wheels close, his position, do you see that? This directional adjustment prepares him to receive the wheels. It means that he is utilizing the system of the Golden Wheel mech to judge, and then the re-firing depends on the agility of his hands. Of course, by redirecting the momentum, the recoil of the Golden Wheels is not as strong." Oz smiled. "This guy is a genius, and really does have something about him. I hope to fight him."

But Aurora shook his head. "Not exactly, and I don't blame you. You haven't piloted the Golden Wheel before. I have. Simply depending on the system judgement would not have made it in time. Although Vincent is a little frail, but his ability is still not bad, especially in his attack rate and speed."

"You mean… he judges by eye… no, by feel?" Oz was a little shocked.

Aurora nodded. "If I'm not wrong, this guy is difficult to handle. A pity they are against the Darkness Empire. Against another opponent, they would stand a good chance of entering the top 8.

As for Immortal Barbarian Star… they could not be counted as opponents. They were not even a good warm up.

The Solar System's analysis of the Darkness Empire…

Was similarly ongoing. The Solar System team mood was filled with confidence. The Aslan Federal Resident, Major Zhu Ziling was smiling slightly as well.

The Solar System Federation could take down Manalasuo. Such a phrase, if said a day ago, would have seen the speaker thrashed and laughed at. But now, it was a reality.

Furthermore, after taking down a mountain like Manalasuo, the upcoming Darkness Empire team did not give them a feeling that it would be very difficult.

"Regarding intelligence on the Darkness Empire, what we have collected is quite scant. The main points are their fights in IG. Before that they had been quite low profile. But in the showdown with the Immortal Fairy Star team, they showed quite a lot of their hand. The one who needs special attention is their leader Sloughberg Bonthe. He has the Darkness Screen ability, which is rumored to rob one of their sight, and sink the opponent into darkness…"

Nobody had expected the Solar System to win, and in such a decisive fashion!

Only, such last minute research on their opponent was clearly insufficient time to gather proper intelligence.

The Darkness Empire also trained their troops strictly. Furthermore, they had a more religious color compared to Arbiter. They worshipped the Goddess of Darkness, and believed that the night was eternal. Their team as a whole was very strong, from their reserve strength to individual ability. They were arguably no weaker than Manalasuo, and the key was their leader. This Darkness Screen ability was unbeatable. How could one fight without being able to see?

But even if it was her, she had no answers. There was virtually no way to defend against the opponent's Ability X.

After Zhu Ziling had finished speaking, Meng Ao looked at them. "Wang Zheng, Lear, Achilles, you all speak your minds. If you have any thoughts, or any needs, speak freely!"

Lear's expression was still indifferent. "If we meet him, just leave it to me."

Meng Ao looked at Wang Zheng. He smiled. "I would like to test his Darkness Screen."

Achilles also smiled and shrugged. He did not care one way or the other.

The Aslan military was rushing some secret preparation. The top 8 competitors arrived on schedule, at the base's main training ground. All 16 participating teams had assembled. This time, they would be closely examined in front of all their potential opponents. Only those who were truly strong could endure until the end.

The most forward step of the amphitheater hall was reserved for the competitors. The middle was for the various representative groups, while the furthest were for the Milky Way personnel. Top 8 battles signaled IG's move into a crucial phase.

There would be two battles a day. The first match was between the Ghana Star team against the Caragal Republic team.

Half of the Ghana Star representative group were aliens, exotic and filled with arrogance. The Ghana Star team was raring to go.

For the Caragal Republic team to have come this far was no easy task. The Ghana Star was not especially strong, and they had about 40 percent chance of winning. This was already lucky in the draw. Max hoped to lead his brothers into the top 8, and make history for the Caragal Republic, bringing glory to the closely-knitted nation.

Many of the strong teams were in the same room for the first time: Atlantis team, Arbiter team, Aslan team…

The Atlantis team still drew the most attention. Their appearance had immediately drawn the eye of all the teams. No matter how strong Atlantis was, they could not be regarded as the highest standard of mankind, because they were not human. Whoever managed to defeat Atlantis would win that title instead.

In this iteration, Arbiter, Aslan, and the rest had expressly come for this purpose. They wanted to fight the Atlantis team fair and square.

Among all these stars, the Solar System Federation team, led by Wang Zheng, was not so remarkable anymore. The philosophy of the strong was very simple. All those who lost were weak. Manalasuo was therefore weak, and winning Manalasuo was now no big deal.

In this venue, more than half of the people thought they were the best!

The two teams, as the main characters of the day, stood at the forefront, ready to prepare for battle. Both leaders, Max of Caragal and Adams of Ghana, stepped up. Adams had been chosen for captain because of his human status. After all, this was mankind's IG.

Both sides drew lots. Ghana would start first.

Adams pointed at Gracholas. This was the Ghanaians' point fighter. A ferocious Caucan, also called the rock people. Their ferocity was not just a pretense.

Caragal sent out their point, Rosseau.

Rosseau stepped forward, placing his right hand on his breast. "God provides life. God provides food. God provides strength in battle. For glory!"

"For Glory!"

All those of the Caragal Republic present stood at attention. This seemingly weak nation had wrought a miracle, simply on the basis of unity. Perhaps they were not that talented, but they had amply displayed the advantage of mankind.

Gracholas could not be bothered to wait for his opponent, or consider any battle strategy. He directly selected his mech – Steel Desolate Beast.

This was the Ghana Star's unique mech, built especially for Caucans. It was not too suited for human usage, whereas Caucans could unleash the maximum potential of this mech.

The main practice ground where the top 8 contests took place was outdoors, to give the pilots ample room to maneuver. Of course, the corresponding increase in destructive power had also been considered.

Rosseau chose Caragal's very famous Buddha series, Buddha Gen IV. This was a humanoid-type fighter mech. A standard beam saber, decent capabilities, and suited for both long range and close range fighting.

The two selected mecha were readily delivered. The Steel Desolate Beast was a shade larger. The Buddha Gen IV was a sword-and-shield mech, a titanium shield complementing the beam saber. It would block the Steel Desolate Beast's attack and search for its own opportunity.

The half-beast Steel Desolate Beast was evidently intimidating. The Caucans had always reckoned that humans ruled the Milky Way not because they were particularly strong, but because there were so damned many of them. They reproduced faster than worms, and they did not understand why they reproduced and matured so quickly. On the Ghana Star, Caucans only numbered a little more than 10,000, and only warriors had the right to give birth.

With the starting gun booming, the battle started. Gracholas stared at his opponent, who had turned his full attention to defense, like a dog. He revealed huge teeth the size of boulders, and leaped at the biggest weakness. Rumble…

The Steel Desolate Beast rushed towards the opponent in large bounds. In truth, the Steel Desolate Beast's speed and agility were very average, but the Caucans had a overpowering aura about them. Rosseau's laser gun began firing. He did not want his opponent to get close at all.

The laser hit the Steel Desolate Beast's energy shield, creating ripples. The Steel Desolate Beast was apparently not suited to evasion, or Gracholas was not even bothering to dodge. Mankind was small and wretched, and never dared to face them head on. The majestic and brave Caucans did not care about such ant bites.

Chapter 407: Intolerable Bullying

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

The two mecha were just 20 meters apart. Because the Steel Desolate Beast had made little attempt to evade, the energy shield had already taken severe damage. Even if the shield was thicker, this was simply wasting it. Rosseau loved such straightforward enemies. Come on! I'll definitely beat you into a pulp!

BOOM…

Another shot, and still the Steel Desolate Beast did not dodge…

Were Ghanaians all so silly?

Then, suddenly, the Steel Desolate Beast let loose a bellow. The huge mech shot forward like a cannonball.

This was…

Rosseau watched with eyes wide as the huge mech charged at an incomprehensible speed. He raised his own shield instinctively…

But at this moment he felt so frail.

BOOM…

The earth shook and Rosseau felt like he had been hit by a cannon. Although his energy shields were up, he felt like his insides had been scrambled. Just one blow, and his energy shields had already depleted to 30 percent.

He bit his tongue forcefully to clear his head, but the Steel Desolate Beast had already leapt into the air, grabbing the Buddha Gen IV in midair, and slamming it towards the ground.

BOOM…

KABOOM…

A huge crater appeared on the surface, and debris rained down.

The taunts of the Caucans could be heard "How dare such a weakling join IG. Go home and suckle at your mother's breast, little pup."

Round 1, Ghana win.

The paramedics hurried onsite, but were shocked at what they saw. The Buddha mech had already been smashed to smithereens, and Rosseau was dead. There was nothing left to save.

The Steel Desolate Beast suddenly moved towards the paramedics, who scattered, frightened. From the cockpit, hearty Caucan laughter could be heard. The Ghana team's aliens laughed as well. Humans were so cowardly.

The IG up till now had more injuries than deaths. This was clearly purposeful killing. He had the situation under his control, but still chose to deliver the killing blow.

Adams smiled unconcernedly. Although he was a human, he had been born on Ghana, a cannibalistic place. When you were hungry, you were open to trying other foods as well. Life and death was a natural thing after all, and if these little guys came without such psychological preparation, then it was on them.

"Keke, Caragal Captain, don't get mad now. Anger interferes with clear judgement," Adams said.

Max forced himself to stay calm. "Scott, the second match is yours!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Scott stood up, his eyes filled with fury. He would avenge his brother!

"Stay calm! Do not fall for your opponent's traps!"

"Understood!"

Adams smirked, gesturing towards Leandre, who had been hopping up and down from before. The Naga could never sit still. His huge tail was twitching non-stop. He spat towards Scott, who had already entered the field. Killing interesting prey was the privilege and honor of warriors.

Leandre completely disdained his opponent. The majority of aliens did not care as much as humans. They would rather place their trust in raw power. This was why they saw their opponents as lambs for the slaughter.

Leandre chose the Nagas' specialized Scorpion mech, a beast-type mech… Perhaps because it was an arachnid mech, the shape was unusual. It possessed great mobility, and was adaptable to all sorts of environments. Two specialized pincers that could rip flesh, and also laser guns. The tail was shaped like a whip, capable of both attacking and defending. But only the Nagas could use it, because of their powerful tails.

The match had only gone on for a few minutes, but it was already a one-sided affair. Leandre was a monster toying with its prey, sweeping it down with each pincer. The tail was even more deadly, and Scott could not defend against it. He was beaten down again and again, and all he could hear was the strange yelps that his opponent was producing.

The furious Scott could not hold his anger. Faced with his opponent's insults, he rushed forward angrily. But just as he was halfway through, his chest was completely pierced. The Scorpion mech's tail was completely made of titanium, and directly pierced the cockpit, flinging it away like trash.

Only the strange yelps of Leandre could be heard on the field.

The crowd was silent. The Caragal team was shaking. In a close fight, deaths were sometimes the only resolution, but this was clearly willful. But they could do nothing about it. This was why entering the top 16 was not always seen as a good thing, and being eliminated was not necessarily bad.

One might just lose their life.

Even the Arbitans could not bear to watch further. "They better hope they don't meet me, or I'll make them wish they were never born," Olivios spat.

The Arbitans were never concerned with whether weaklings lived or died, but they hated those who dared to show off in front of them. Didn't they know that showing off was the exclusive domain of the Arbitans?

Consumed by their anger, their morale was shattered. The Ghanaians were definitely strong, not just physically, but also in the effectiveness of their mecha. Caragal was a team. Their will was strong, and their skills were well-rounded. But this was the top 8 qualifiers, and being all-rounded alone was insufficient.

"Looks like Max's luck has finally run out." Achilles let out a long breath.

"Their battle strategy is all wrong. It's too conservative." Wang Zheng agreed. The road to victory was a narrow path.

Against such violent types, the constitution and skills of the Caragal people could not hope to defend themselves. Their best hope was to meet their violence head on.

"Trash." Lear huffed.

They were not sure if he was referring to the Caragal people or the Ghanaians, but the Ghanaians had successfully enraged the humans.

Mercy was something that warriors would never need.

Max took the field for the third round. As the strongest in the Caragal Republic, Max had indeed wrought a miracle, bringing his team to the top 16. But in just two rounds, the team had lost two treasured members.

The Caragal Republic's talents were not as proliferous as the ones from other countries. They had nurtured theirs for many years to produce the current team. They ate together, trained together, and fought together. Even if they were not brothers by blood, they felt as close as kin. That had brought them to where they were today, but the laughter felt like it had died with the yesterdays, and everything was quickly evaporating.

This grudge had to be paid back.

But Adams refused to give Max this chance. He did not go himself. The Ghanaians were unquestionably savage, but he was a human of Ghana. Humans who had been raised and survived in such an unforgiving environment were the most cunning. He had human intellect without the rashness and weakness that accompanied them. That was why he could become the captain of Ghana.

Giving face?

What a joke. That had no meaning.

Max had been assigned a dud. He beat a reserve from the opponents. In hindsight, he should have held himself back, but the deaths of Rosseau and Scott had made him lose his cool.

Perhaps because of Max's lapse, or the Ghanaians' overwhelming strength, the subsequent two matches were easily taken by the Ghanaians. The only cause for celebration was that the Caragal members only sustained grievous wounds but were alive. Adams was clearly starting to stay his hand. They did not kill them because it was simply not time. They had already won this, and there was no need to waste more effort playing with their emotions.

The Caragal team, which had been lucky up till now, had lost 1-4, and lost two of their talented fighters. This was an unbearable loss for the Caragal Republic.

Only, setbacks were inevitable in the growing process. Avoiding battle was not their way.

Their previous victories had caused the Caragal team to be mentally unprepared. They had forgotten the cruel side of the IG. To the Ghana Star team, this was just an insignificant win, and not worth celebrating. Ghana Star was the first to enter the top 8.

But what they did not notice was, like Aslan and Arbiter, the watchful eyes of the Solar System Federation team.

The morning fight was over. The Caragal Republic and Ghana Star relationship was over as well.

After the afternoon break, the afternoon match started. Gemini team against Sirius Star team.

It was thought that Max and his team would leave. After all, nothing but pain remained for them. But besides the injured, the Caragal members were all present.

The pain in their eyes had not subsided, but they had to face it. Only by confronting their failure and suffering could they eventually triumph. This was the foundation which had helped the Caragal Republic rise from a weak country to their modest status today.

They had more endurance than anybody else.

At times, Wang Zheng felt like he was both participant and bystander. He had experienced everything that others had been through before, and then some. This had caused him to become a little bipolar from a young age, but curiously not schizophrenic. Often, he had felt that he had this tendency, but this was, in fact, not the case. Ever since they had entered the second phase, he had become calm. His daily training had not been put to waste, but had become a habit. Not only him, but Lear and the rest as well. This IG had been undoubtedly beneficial to them. They had grown tremendously. Many times, emotional surges were needed. Anger. Longing. Desire. Ambition…. The stronger the better.

To Max, although this defeat had been cruel, it might be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps one day, this experience would be the key to his eventual greatness.

All those present were simply too young. Where there was life, there was hope, and at least he still lived.

Wang Zheng felt somebody looking at him. As he turned around, he saw the Atlantean prince regarding him like a curious child. Wang Zheng smiled slightly, and the prince also smiled dazzlingly.

Wang Zheng did not have much of an opinion on Atlantis. He only knew that they were highly mysterious. He was curious about their King of Mirage mech. Such a hallucination wonderfully brought together man, machine, and ability.

Although in battle power they seemed evenly matched, in truth mankind had a long way to go, and in that regard Aslan led the way.

Gemini team vs Sirius Star team.

On one side… their statures were indeed a little short. The Gemini team, due to higher gravity and other reasons, had evolved drastically over the centuries. Some jokingly called them the aliens among humans. On average, they were about 150 cm, and 160 cm was tall. But the Gemini people had a dense bone structure capable of exerting prodigious strength. They were terrifying, and were considered the evolved form of people from the Norton Star. That was why the Norton Star people were suited to be heavy mech troopers, and the Gemini people were suited to be heavy mech generals.

The Sirius Star was also noble and dignified. Their self-declared wolf blood made them incredibly formidable. The Sirius Star was also one of those countries that nobody dared to mess with. They had a curious battle quality to them. It was evident that they did not have the madness of slaves.

Chapter 408: Victorious War Goddess

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

In this battle, neither was prepared to give an inch. It would be a clash of their wills, to see who could endure until the end.

The Gemini team's leader Ao Ziwei… a girl, that was without question. She was also the tallest in the team at 160 cm, according to official data. Although the girls of Gemini were of a short stature, they were shapely and elegant, unlike the barbaric men. On Gemini, gender was irrelevant in both life and battle – strength was the language spoken. The Gemini people were not cunning people, but direct and straightforward.

Sirius Star Captain, "Dragon Wolf" Wolfau. In his veins ran the blood of the Sirius Star family, and he was the first heir of the Sirius Star family. Indigenous wolf people were not ugly, unlike the strange Caucans. They were exotic, handsome, fierce. Under numerous unions, they now possessed both the intellect of mankind and their own brute strength, to create the powerful Sirius Star people of today. Wolfau was the perfect example.

In this IG, their target was top 4.

In the first round, they had set a new record in the first fight, both sides' point fighters dueling for over an hour. The endurance of Gemini and the persistence of the Sirius Star people were famous in the Milky Way. Sparks always flew when the two teams met, and they fought to the death.

In a close fight at such a high level, they had fought for a full 1 hour 16 minutes before it was concluded. Any other planet's fighter would have long been exhausted. Till the end, both had maintained a relatively high standard. In the end, the Gemini fighter had taken the first battle. The Gemini people were like rocks, solid. No matter what kind of taunts or insults flew their way, they were comfortable in their own rhythm. A solid defense and subduing attacks that were not unexpected. On the other hand, the Sirius Star people were all kinds of savage, fighting with every trick in their book. But the Gemini team would give them no such opportunity to play their dirty tricks.

The first fight determined the pace of the entire battle. The Gemini team was leading 3-0, and every fight was over an hour long. The general feeling was that the Sirius Star team had not been beaten; they had been slowly squeezed to death.

No matter what uncanny moves they threw, they were helpless in the face of the unshakable Gemini people. Once they fell into the stable rhythm controlled by the Gemini people, they would definitely lose.

In the Gemini people's words, battling was an exchange, a game that the Gemini people would always win.

The Gemini people loved to use battles to add cheer to their festivals, of which they had many. Virtually every week was filled with celebration, and every month they had a large scale one. It was why Gemini was called the Happy Planet.

The most important fight was still between Ao Ziwei and Wolfau.

The pearl of Gemini, Ao Ziwei, and the Greedy Wolf Wolfau would meet in what was possibly the final battle.

Ao Ziwei was not ugly, although she was no extraordinary beauty. But on Gemini, she was a goddess, and many in the younger generation secretly held love for her in their hearts.

The moniker of Greedy Wolf was not derogatory, but rather an honorific. The wolf was greedy by nature, and a name like Sirius was not something that Wolfau was ready to take up yet. On Sirius Star, any name that related to the wolf was serious business.

Gemini had already forced the Sirius Star to the brink of defeat. Ao Ziwei could actually drop this match and then secure an easy win. But she chose not to.

Ao Ziwei chose to fight head on. In truth, those that wanted to rule should not shirk battles, but such a view was double-edged. In the end, the winner's view was always right.

Ao Ziwei – Victory Goddess. A high class mech from Gemini. Balanced and sturdy, equipped with beam saber and laser guns. To date it was the Gemini Special Ops' mech.

Wolfau – Sirius V. This was the most famous beast-type mech on the Sirius Star. As the descendant of the Wolf God, Wolfau naturally brought out the best of the mech. To him, there was no backing down now. This was already not a matter of losing, but concerned the dignity of Sirius Star. This round must break the rut that they were in. He was grateful to Ao Ziwei for granting him this chance.

The strong teams were finally beginning to sit up and pay attention. Although the previous battles were not bad, they were not enough to entertain those like Oz and Olivios, who already knew the skill levels at a glance. But this battle perked the audience up. Both Ao Ziwei and Wolfau were experts of the younger generation.

Both mecha appeared on the practice field. Suffering consecutive losses had brought Wolfau to the edge of losing control, and he was at his most dangerous.

As the starting gun rang out, the Sirius V shot out like an arrow from a bow. Regarding the Sirius mech, it was commonly seen in various countries, but few could compare to the Sirius Star's proficiency. They understood it in their bones. With a wolf howl, the entire mech turned into a curious red color, as if it were on fire.

"Is this the Sirius bloodline and the Sirius mech's synergy?"

"Should be. My first time seeing it too, it doesn't look like much though."

The Sirius mech's G material was about three times the average mech's. Only those of the Sirius bloodline could unlock the true power of this mech.

Ao Ziwei's laser shot out, firing shot after shot towards the Sirius V. The opponent's attack was too direct, after all. But what happened next left everybody shocked.

Wolfau did not activate his shields, but the lasers evaporated like steam…

Energy attack ineffective? Or was it long-range attacks that were ineffective?

The red light that had accompanied Wolfau's howl had actually blocked the laser.

In an instant, the Sirius V appeared in front of Ao Ziwei, a frenzied wolf paw clawing out. Whoosh…

Ao Ziwei's Victory Goddess leaped back like lightning. Three deep gouges appeared on the ground.

He had clearly been over a meter away…

Every time Wolfau howled, the red light on the mech's body would glow anew. At this time Wolfau was like Sirius incarnate, an invincible god.

Wolfau had been thoroughly agitated. Their Sirius clan was invincible, their road to victory unstoppable. Once he ripped Ao Ziwei to shreds, his pack juniors could definitely secure the win.

BOOM…

Ao Ziwei's beam saber had finally sliced out, colliding with Wolfau for the first time. In an instant, Wolfau unleashed a blistering attack. Speed, strength, and agility were the strong points of Sirius people, and an amazing constitution. Their bloodline's Ability X was unique, enabling them to fend off energy wounds for short periods of time, and at the same time increase their own strength, speed, and agility to overcome any opponent!

The most fundamental condition was to be savage, and in an instant he had elevated by three levels.

Ao Ziwei was indeed the model example of a Gemini. Stable fighting was their strong point, but now even she could not follow the pace!

BOOM…

Ao Ziwei was thrown back a few meters, but the valiant female fighter did not counter with strength, but absorbed the blow. With another howl, Wolfau's Sirius V leaped forward without pause. Ao Ziwei did not retreat, her beam saber flashing out.

BOOM…

The Sirius V's claw had already snagged the beam saber. Not only had he blocked it, but Wolfau was planning to finish his opponent in one move. He had completely seen through his opponent's attack. His opponent could not keep up with his speed, but the Sirius V mech was inexplicably thrown backwards.

BOOM BOOM BOOM…

Every time Ao Ziwei's Victory Goddess slashed the beam saber at the Sirius V, the Sirius V blocked it, and yet failed to block it… the mech was beaten backwards methodically, and this made the pilot, Wolfau, unbelievably frustrated. Why could he not block it???

What Ability X was this???

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM…

Ao Ziwei's every attack was measured, controlled, and getting faster and more violent. Most crucially, each blow could be blocked, but the mech still suffered a huge hit.

BOOM…

The Sirius V was sent flying. Midair, Wolfau howled. He was covered in blood, and had been driven into a frenzy. Vampiric Wolf Spirit!

KABOOM….

The Sirius V exploded in midair…

Everyone's jaw dropped. Even the strongest fighters took notice. This Ability X had never been seen before, but it made a simple beam saber turn into an unbeatable heavenly sword.

Only now did they realize that the Victory Goddess' beam saber had become twice as long, and was blindingly bright. All the Gemini team members had raised their arms, cheering on their noble Victory Goddess.

Although they were not physically big, their lung power was superb.

"Energy dissipation?"

"Doesn't seem like it. It's amplified, but not exactly that either. The Sirius mech looks like it's been shaken thoroughly. Blocked, but not blocked, and unavoidable. This attack looks like a BUG 1 ."

"No wonder a woman could become the Gemini IG captain. The Sirius team can lose with no regrets."

"I think this tyrant woman has yet to unleash fully. The stability of the Gemini, complemented with such an ability, damn."

"Haha, it's possible that some are actually willing to accept a hard bone like this."

The Gemini team swept the Sirius Star team in a 4-0. It was deemed an upset that was neither unbelievable nor expected. Everybody had judged this to be the closest fight.

Ao Ziwei walked out to a reception of her teammates' cheers. Clearly she had fought this battle well prepared, perhaps using just half her strength.

The first day of top 8 battles was now over. But Ai Ziwei made a bizarre move. She pointed at somebody specific within the Solar System Federation, and made a gesture unique to the Gemini team.

Waiting for you on the battlefield!

Chapter 409: Mayans

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

On the first day of battle, the Victory Goddess of Gemini, Ao Ziwei, together with the Ghana Star's Triple Madness, entered the field of vision of the crowd. Especially for Ao Ziwei, without a doubt, she was going to become the person whom Gemini would focus on grooming. At the same time, she would also be receiving the invitation from the Milky Way Alliance.

The second day of the battle started. Looking at the first day's situation, everyone knew that it would either be a tough fight where everyone put out their special skills. In that case, it would be a worthwhile fight even if defeated. But if not, it would be a battle with large disparity in strengths. It would be important for the one in charge to show off appropriately by fighting with style and vigour.

Maya Empire's Team against Lya Sphinx Republic's Team.

The Maya Empire was also a long lost civilization who had left the Solar System long ago. However, compared to Atlantis, they were less lucky. They were ambitious, but they ran into the absolute powerhouse known as mankind. Following which they were crushed and taught a lesson, then being kidnapped onto the large ship of mankind.

Of course, with the gradual disappearance of Earth's miracles, the chance for the Maya Empire to wipe out their national humiliation and to conspire a revenge came. Gradually, they proved their abilities on a universal stage.

There was one point to note: at any time, the Maya Empire still maintained a friendly relationship with the Solar System. If it weren't for the strong support from the Maya Empire, perhaps the position of the the Solar System as a permanent member would have been long gone. However, it was also not an intimate relationship as the Maya Empire was not willing to provide anything with regards to technological improvements.

Wang Zheng and the rest followed the three generals, Meng Ao, Lie Guang and Drachmach, to observe the battle together with the general representative of the Maya Empire. There were various versions of the legend dictating the complicated relationship between their two empires, and the reason seemed to be related to the hidden era. However, that was a period of history that had been forgotten. There were many records, but they were all as exaggerated as fairy tales and thus unbelievable.

Wang Zheng was curiously sizing up the Maya's delegation representative. It seemed that they were not much different from mankind, just that his skin was more delicate and crystal clear. The most prominent feature of the Mayans was that they wore shining crystals. Also, regardless of male or female, regardless of their rank, including generals, all of them had small braids on their hair, and crystals were also tied to the end of the braids.

At this moment, in the battle, in the preparation area of the Maya Empire, a shining humanoid-type mech rose from the underground transport. This was transported over from the Maya Empire by the Mayans.

Even Aslan did not have every single mech in existence. The main reason was that the Mayans had very tight control over the exports of their mecha. Furthermore, they were also reclusive, all in order to maintain their egoism. Thus, they were not as easy to talk to, unlike the Atlanteans.

Wang Zheng was examining the mecha inquisitively. The outer shell of the mech was embedded with pieces and pieces of crystals by a kind of unique technology. Besides illuminating light, these crystals were also emitting strange wave motions. They possessed their own unique attributes.

The Maya civilization was also known as the Crystal Civilization. The so-called crystals were not those found as ornaments, but were formed from the crystallization of energy. This was the foundation of the Maya civilization. Much like the spiritual runes of the Atlanteans, it formed the backbone of their technological progress.

The Mayans cherished their own treasures. However, mankind's research had never stopped, but they gave up quickly due to their physique. Even though the appearance of Mayans were like mankind, there were great differences in terms of the composition of their bodies' elements. The difference between them was even greater than some other alien races. And even though it was not clear how they did it, it was indeed true that only the bodies of Mayans were able to cause a reaction with the energy crystals. This formed the world of the Mayans. Unless mankind were willing to change themselves, they would not be able to use their technology. However, mankind still seemed fairly satisfied with themselves thus far.

Everyone was looking at these shiny mecha curiously. They seemed to run contrary to the basic doctrine of wars. During battles, the more inconspicuous you were, the better it was. It was practically looking for a fight by being so shiny. Perhaps they were deliberately being low-key by being extra conspicuous, as the Maya Empire could not compete with Atlantis. Yet no one looked down on them.

The people present were all whispering to one another. Clearly they were all pretty interested in such things. As for mech experts like Ye Zisu, it was even more so as her eyes were wide open. This IG was practically the learning opportunity that she had always been yearning for. Through all these young experts, they were able to express the original intentions of the mech designers, and the inspirations that were sent out at this moment enabled her to grow and were of help to her.

Afterwards, the choice of the Lya Sphinx Republic's team was the Ascending Wolf mech, a type of half-beast mech. It was from the super mecha line that was newly-developed by the top mech academy in the Lya Sphinx Republic.

Lya Sphinx was a veteran and powerful country, one of the ten permanent members of the Milky Way Alliance. But unlike the Solar System Federation, Lya Sphinx used its powerful military force to maintain their unshakable position as a permanent member in the Milky Way Alliance.

The first battle was the round that dictated the momentum of the competition. Lya Sphinx sent out their player who was innately gifted at attacking skills and was the most aggressive.

The gunshot to commence the start sounded.

The crystal mech of Maya moved a step forward and then stood still. The twinkling crystals were reflecting light rays and looked as if it were poking fun at the opponent.

Inside the Ascending Wolf mech, Blue Rick was being very cautious. The first round was undoubtedly of utmost importance, if they lost, it would caused their team members who would take the field in the following rounds to lose their momentum. So long as he won, their momentum would be increased greatly, so much so that it could even motivate and inspire the rest of the team. Perhaps even those who might have lost before would now gain the confidence and strength to win previously unthinkable battles.

The reason why Blue Rick was able to be chosen to fight against Maya for the first battle was that besides being good at attacking, he also had a calm and steady mind, which was of utmost importance.

The opponent was poking fun at him, but it did not matter. The Mayans were good at long-distance attacks due to their crystal mecha having strong defensive effects against lasers.

However, the long-distance firepower of the Ascending Wolf mech was extremely violent. Blue Rick was also extremely talented with weapons. Boom…

The Ascending Wolf mech erupted! Large energy lasers swept towards the Mayan mech. It was not a laser gun, but an energy laser cannon attack!

It was an all-out barrage! An effective defense did not mean a complete defense. The Mayans must have expected him to commit completely, but he held back as well. This was just a demonstration of his strength.

"Idiot, it would be best not to use laser weapons against the Mayans."

On the viewing platform, there were people familiar with the Maya Empire shaking their heads.

It was apparent that the people of Lya Sphinx also did not believe that the Mayans were not afraid of laser weapons. Or maybe it should be said that as a country who was likewise situated on the pinnacle, they had never felt that they were disadvantaged in anyway.

The lasers erupted outwards, and the full force of the super mech line was brought to bear.

However, the mech of Maya was actually not dodging nor avoiding the attacks…

It was only standing there, allowing the lines and lines of lasers from the Ascending Wolf to strike its sparking and shiny mech.

It did not explode, and there was also no damage. At this moment, under the encroachment of the lasers, it could be seen even more clearly that the outer shell of Maya's mech had an innate difference from the mecha of mankind and Atlantis. It was unlike an armor plate, but more like… an external skin?

It was especially true for the places that were struck by the lasers, they seemed extremely exquisite.

What was this situation? Was that absorption of energy???

Everyone that was present was stunned. All these years Maya had seemed to keep a particularly low profile. Who would have thought that their mecha had achieved such a technological breakthrough? Originally, the ability to withstand energy was at most around 50%, but now it could completely ignore laser attacks?

"Not withstanding it… it seems to be absorbing…"

Ye Zisu's familiarity with mecha was already at a microscopic level, right down to the smallest details. Her observations were even more meticulous. As the lasers struck the crystal mech, a crystal membrane-like layer emerged on the surface, and it was absorbing…

Blue Rick's face changed. He initially wanted to begin with a show of his strength to his opponent. It did not matter whether he hurt his opponent or not, but at least he hoped the enemy would be intimidated. But who would have thought that this would happen? This was completely different from the pre-battle information!

Could it be that this was a new type of crystal mech by the Mayans? They were completely immune to energy-type weapons?

There was no other choice but to unleash a physical attack!

The Ascending Wolf had a half-beast transformation much like a werewolf. It had a pair of mech wings with sparkling blue lights on its back which served as a propellor. With a sudden flap, blue lights erupted and it spurred the mech to soar into the sky. The speed was extremely fast. This was not flight, but a short-distance burst forward.

Blue Rick had absolute confidence in close distance battle as it was definitely the weak spot of the Mayans!

Once the battle had fallen into his rhythm, even the team leader of Lya Sphinx might not be able to hold him down.

This was him! Blue Rick's attack!

There was a short distance advancement, and in an instant, the distance was shortened. However, the opponent Maya's mech still did not make any move to dodge or avoid; the arm of the mech did not even lift.

Historically, the defeats of the Maya Empire during IG were always due to them being too close to their opponents and losing the advantage of their crystal power.

Did they have an improvement in terms of close combat ability?

No!

As this was not the strong point of the Mayans, no matter how they practiced, it could not be compared to the other countries. However, if they exhibited what they were expert at to the pinnacle, they could also be invincible!

The Mayan mech remained motionless. It was like the pilot had fallen asleep. But all of sudden the crystal mech opened its mouth. The whole mech only did this one action, then…

A surge of energy burst out of the mouth of the mech, just like the roaring of an angry crystal wargod…

Blue Rick's response was limited, but under such a sudden attack, he had to be decisive. It was either the enemy's death or his own death.

His energy shield melted in an instant, just like snow coming into contact with boiling water. Then the energy swept across the abdomen and the areas below the Ascending Wolf mech…

Everything hit was disintegrated. It was just like being hit by the main cannon of a battleship.

At this moment, the energy that erupted hit the protective wall of the battlefield, and the one small area became thoroughly red. Only when the staff of Aslan increased the energy value of the protective shield that the situation stabilized.

The Mayans were very cold-hearted. They were equally powerful, and this seemed to be a signal!

The generals were all discussing with the people around them. In the past, the Mayans had been pretty low-profile, but what had happened this time around? Not only had they exposed their new technology that restrained mankind, they also inflicted serious injury. One must know that in the past, the Mayans used to be very gentleman-like…

The new technology of the Mayans gave everyone who was present a dire premonition.

For the following two rounds, the Mayans did not remain motionless, but rather they followed up the victory and pressed home the attack. They did not give Lya Sphinx any time to adjust their state of mind at all, and also did not give their opponents any chance for close distance attacks. The long-distance attacks of the Mayans were indeed exquisite, and it can be said to be unrivalled. This could also be attributed to the design and material of their mecha, as for the mecha of mankind. Due to their structure, it resulted in slower movements. Especially for long-distance shooting, the Mayans had total dominance, and they were exactly the same, fearless with regard to energy attacks.

It was an easy 3-0. No chance was given to Lya Sphinx. It was simply a listless fight, and this was totally different from information obtained before the battle.

Without a doubt, this type of change aroused the attention of the whole Milky Way Alliance. It might even result in a major redevelopment of mecha as lasers being ineffective was absolutely unacceptable. The key to the problem must be found.

Chapter 410: Chain of Explosions

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

Lya Sphinx was in despair. At the very least they would not be able to decipher how this energy absorption ability of the Mayans worked. For the second and third rounds, they were defeated despite their best abilities. The long-distance combat abilities of the Mayans was not just idle boasting. However, so far, besides the unique characteristic of their mech, they did not show much in terms of technique.

But this did not mean that there was none, rather it was because Lya Sphinx simply did not make the Mayans to exert their full strength at all!

The Mayans were very indifferent. In the fourth round, Lya Sphinx had already reached a desperate state. Their leader, Biel, came up. As a veteran, powerful country, they could not accept such humiliation. No matter what, he would want to win this round. They had already discussed that there were no other ways, and they could only try to charge to the front of the Mayan as fast as possible, as a close combat was their only chance.

Biel chose the assassin-type mech of Lya Sphinx, Floating Shadow Type V. Originally, Biel was good at warrior-type mech, but evidently, in this type of battle, the mobility of warrior-type mech would be inadequate, he was just going to put his all into the fight!

For the Mayan side, their team leader, Verus, also finally appeared. This was a Mayan who was slightly tall. His skin was spotlessly white with the the glow of the color of precious jade. It was lustrous and sparkling, which showed that his life force was extremely strong and blooming, as when the life of a Mayan came to an end, the glow would completely dim down.

It could be seen that in the Maya's team, they respected their team leader a lot with the expressions on their faces when he went up. Usually, the Mayans did not show much expressions and thus these expressions were even more rare to see. Verus himself did not express any feeling about his opponent, and chose his own mech.

The name that the Mayans gave it was the Heavenly Crystal King!

The two mecha appeared in the arena. Having advanced to this stage of the battle, the people of Lya Sphinx already had no way out. At the instant, when the referee sounded the gunshot, Biel dashed out with his full strength.

The tactics were clear. Biel was a player who had electric attributes for his Ability X. The forward motion of his mech showcased his unique skill, Electric Polygonal Steps. This was a move which utilized quick and erratic movements to confuse the opponents. Regardless of long-distance attacks or close combat, it was effective at dodging all of it. It was a super trump card.

However, the team leader of Maya was quiet and motionless; he had no intention to launch a long-distance suppression at all!

Could it be that the Mayans had even resolved their weakness in close combat?

Everyone had this question, but Biel had no time to take all that into consideration. The tyrannical Electric Polygonal steps enabled his Floating Shadow Type V to look like a flash of lightning, so it was very difficult to grasp the trajectory of his attacks or movement.

The beam saber was unsheathed, it was a full-blown attack!

When a person is confronted with the specter of death, he would fight to live!

...

Following a loud roar, the distance between Biel and his bright opponent was down to just five meters. At this moment, Verus' Heavenly Crystal King extended his hand and gave a light push.

A ripple appeared…

A lattice of light appeared in between the two mecha. There was no time at all for Biel to respond before the mech passed through the light screen.

….

To be more exact, it was broken up into countless small pieces.

Exterminated!

After many years of silence, the Mayans had finally made skillful moves. Far or near, it was unfathomable in all ranges!

Or so to say, including the people of Atlantis, Maya, Ghana, etc. The civilizations of all these species who were similar to mankind had started to rise up, it was just by chance that they all chose this same opportunity without prior consultation.

The year was totally not being ruled by mankind, it was ruled by all other races. Even if it was Aslan and Arbiter, they were also not likely to have much of an advantage against such opponents.

The Mayans won victoriously and advanced into the quarterfinals, while the Lya Sphinx's team was defeated badly with a score of 0-4.

For this battle, Lya Sphinx had two deaths and two serious injuries. They were beaten till they were not able to retaliate at all. The faces of Lya Sphinx's generals were as white as paper as this was an extreme tragedy to them.

For the IG, it not only tested the strength of the new generation or the performance of mecha. But more importantly, it was to seize the opportunity to strike a blow on your opponent, and to demonstrate your military force, in order to strive for greater power and status within the Milky Way Alliance.

After several ups and downs, this was the current Milky Way Alliance. And for those countries who had been defeated during the IG, they would still more or less be affected.

Lya Sphinx had been on a slight decline in recent years. It was unlikely that their opponents would let them off easily with this defeat.

In the afternoon, the Aslan Empire's team was against the Immortal Barbarian Star's team. This game was no suspense at all, it was for sure that Aslan would win 4-0, the question was just that how were they going to win.

The opponent from before had demonstrated their military force in another match. So Aslan would demonstrate their might for sure.

However, no one would have thought that the first one to make his appearance would be Sword Magician Oz, who was part of the Twin Gemini of the Aslan's Empire.

Even though Oz did appear earlier, he seemed extra carefree, and he won easily. At this moment, him appearing as the first player was probably going to wreck the momentum.

On the Immortal Barbarian Star's side, after their discussion, they finally made their prudent choice of sending Ella.

It was not a conflicting pair; everyone knew the importance of the first round. Once the opponent's momentum had been halted, anything would be possible. However, if their own momentum was halted, they would likely suffer the following rounds.

Ella had risen up the fastest in this period of time. The reason for this was unclear; it was like she had suddenly been enlightened after playing a game with someone. She had almost reached a state of perfection with her Jungle Scamper.

The goal of this round was very clear: to follow and delay the mech of Sword Magician Oz. As long as she could hold him back, let's not talk about whether she would have an opportunity. She would first blunt the opponent's momentum, and it would be impossible for the opponent to determine the outcome of the battle in just one hit.

Ella – Jungle Scamper.

Oz – Sword Shield Rose III.

The Sword Shield Rose was a very common warrior-type mech of Aslan. There was nothing wrong with Oz choosing this common mech, but would the mobility of this mech be able to catch up with the Jungle Scamper? There was indeed sufficient space for movement in the current battlefield. Facing Oz, Ella obviously did not need to bother much about her reputation, she just needed to run as far as she needed to.

The two mecha appeared, and both were rumbling. It was evident they both were well-prepared and were just waiting for the gunshot by the referee to start taking action.

Ella had an electrical javelin in her hand. Her state of mind was calm. She wanted this kind of harmony, that regardless who her opponent was, she was only focused on the electrical javelin in her hand.

Oz's smile was getting more and more exuberant. He had just heard a rumour that was pretty interesting. It seemed like someone had managed to pass through the S-rank resurrection round. S-rank, it was only heard of as a legend, but unexpectedly, there was still such a person! Not knowing why, Oz felt that he was going to boil over with excitement. It would definitely be interesting to fight against such a person!

It was clear that Oz did not even bother with his opponent. The gunshot sounded, and unexpectedly, both the mecha were rushing towards their opponent at the same time.

In an instant, both players advanced 50 meters. This was already the optimal attack distance for the Jungle Scamper. The beast-type mech stood up instantly, the electrical javelin was fully charged. Ella took a deep breath, her eyes suddenly shut, and she launched an attack with her electrical javelin.

However, at this moment, Oz did not dodge the attack. The beam saber was unsheathed in an instant. It was a quick draw! A sword flashed out in a single breath.

…Was he blind?

There was still around forty meters between them!

As the beam saber flashed, a red ray of light arced out.

Buzz~

The electrical javelin brushed against the shoulder of Sword Shield Rose, and Oz only slightly leaned to one side. Just as everyone thought it was time for the Jungle Scamper to retreat, the Jungle Scamper indeed transformed into a beast-type and started retreating.

But…

God, what was going on?

The way the Jungle Scamper was moving was like it was being possessed, it was slowly "crawling", and Oz had already arrived.

One swat by the sword and the Jungle Scamper fell down onto the ground helplessly.

Out of all the powerful teams, Aslan was probably the most humane. If the sword had sliced through, Ella would have surely died.

Aslan's victory!

Totally unfathomable, there was no solution at all. The disparity was as huge as a gulf, so much so that nobody knew about this new capability of Aslan's mech, or about Oz's Ability X.

Such ability had never, ever been heard of before.

The Immortal Barbarian Star was in absolute silence. Very soon they lost three games in a row. It was gap which they were unable to close, as the people of Aslan reproduced the previous scene. These individuals had no flaws at all.

Chapter 411: Team Leader's Heavenly Battle!

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

The Solar System against the Darkness Empire. It was finally time for the match. Countless people had been waiting for this match. The performances of Wang Zheng, Lear, and Achilles had indeed caught everyone's attention, especially with the circulation of IG nowadays. Apparently, the resurrection round, which Wang Zheng experienced, was not a C or D-rank. It was the legendary S-rank resurrection round.

And his performance with the Golden Wheel was an even more superb work of art. It had defeated Vincent, who was the pride of Manalasuo. This young talent was awesome. What exactly was Wang Zheng's level? Had the Solar System really fostered a true talent? Or was it just a flash in the pan? This round would be a very good test for it.

Strength was a thing that was pretty hard to say. It did not mean that you would be capable as long as you had a strong foundation. To be truly formidable, you had to face all sorts of challenges, some might even be very weird. The Darkness Empire would indeed prove to be one of them.

For those who were led by Sloughberg Bonthe and belonged to the Darkness Empire, they too were also thriving with ambitions. They had already defeated their old enemy in one go and were unstoppable. It should be even clearer that the Solar System Federation's team was not their well-matched opponent.

No one knew where so many people had come from, but the large viewing hall suddenly seemed a little squeezy. There was a sudden increase in the number of older generals, and they evidently had not come for the Darkness Empire, but for the Solar System Federation.

Nobody would be able to ignore the place of origin for mankind. Even if after all these years the Solar System Federation's team had became weaker, the Solar System Federation was still one of the ten permanent member states. And if the Solar System Federation rose up, their influence would be even greater than that of any other country. This was the cultural core of mankind. If one was of mankind, one would never ever be able to forget their own root.

Sloughberg Bonthe was also observing his opponent. He had also received the news, even though it was not very exact, but the idea mentioned was very clear. To defeat Wang Zheng in this round, there was no need to fight face on with him, he only needed to obtain the final victory.

Did that mean to completely ignore his presence?

Sloughberg was dissatisfied. Given his strength, this was the first time his superiors had disregarded him like this. However, it was too bad that the military had no direct jurisdiction against him, as he was the successor of the Bonthe family.

Atlantis, Aslan, Arbiter, and Maya, all these powerful teams and their team members were present. It was obvious that their attention was completely different, they were all chatting zestfully, not knowing how the Solar System team would be dealing with the Darkness Empire.

Both parties drew lots for the battle. For the first round, the Darkness Empire would be up first.

First battle!

The player Darkness Empire sent was Bonthe's cousin, Shaofeng Bonthe. He was the genius scout of the empire, and Sloughberg's right-hand man.

For the pioneer battle, it was of no doubt that the Solar System Federation would either send Lear or Achilles. This was the safest choice as even though Wang Zheng liked to give surprises, it was not possible to play with fire at this time.

This previous time, Achilles had gone up for the first battle, so this round was handed over to Lear.

Lear appeared.

Lear's choice was the Unbounded Sky Chains, as usual.

Shaofeng Bonthe's choice was the ace mech of the Darkness Empire – from the Shadow Charm series – Shadow Charm Reaper. It was a light assassin-type mech and a typical reaper type, and it was no doubt an excellent choice to be used for special surprise attacks.

Both sides were descendants of aristocratic families. Presently, the superiority of Bonthe was possibly slightly higher. And in his eyes, Lear was nothing more than a loser, but this loser actually was especially fond of acting like a pretentious prick. He really thought that the Earth was still like the Earth in the past.

Shaofeng looked over to Sloughberg, and Sloughberg nodded his head lightly. Shaofeng understood, and a smile emerged at the corner of his mouth, it was to abuse his opponent to death.

Looking at the functionality of the mecha, both sides had their own unique characteristics. The people of the Darkness Empire especially had special affinity with assassin mecha. This was particularly true for the children of the Bonthe family. The result would probably depend on the Ability X of the two as up till now the Ability X of both sides were still unknown. But for this round, they would likely have to use it.

The battles between assassin-type mecha with high agility were the most dangerous. The party with better skills would absolutely control the situation.

However, in Lear's eyes, everyone who was not from Earth were like floating clouds or slaves.

The weapon of the Shadow Charm Reaper was a unique type of two-sided reaping sickle. With attack and defense integrated as one, this was the favorite mech of the Darkness Empire, and it could very well restrain all those knives and swords.

Once the gunshot was sounded, Shaofeng immediately attacked. The speed of the Shadow Charm Reaper was really fast. Such swift speed was also the unique characteristic of this type of mech. It could not be so easily judged as compared to ordinary mecha, and the swift speed also meant that it could also maneuver quickly.

The titanium sword of Lear was still hanging down casually. The Shadow Charm Reaper had already arrived, and the titanium sword was suddenly thrown outwards.

The two mecha entered a high-speed battle. In an instant, sparks were flying everywhere. The Bonthe family of the Darkness Empire was also known as a family of assassins. With regards to the research and development of assassin-type mecha, they had invested their hard-earned capital and effort to develop both the mech and the pilot's performance and skills. However, against Lear, no advantage seemed to be obtained.

The Unbounded Sky Chains with a sword in each hand looked absolutely domineering and tyrannical. Yet every attack was very steady. Attack and defense were integrated as one. During attacks, it struck as fast as lightning, and during defense, it was as steady as a rock. But Lear's way of thinking was something rare; he was meticulous and neglected no detail. He did not intend to kill in one hit.

On the contrary, one would want to kill in one hit, because more often than not, you would be giving your opponent the opportunity to kill you in one hit.

"Everyone, please pay more attention. Lear is giving us a chance to examine the sequence of movements of the Darkness Empire," Achilles said. He was the one who understood Lear the most. After all, having competed for so many years, with Lear's character, he was not someone who would be willing to do useless work. However, after the Solar System Federation had won against Manalasuo, their advantage had disappeared. The opponents definitely had already done thorough research on them, and once they were being targeted, they would realize that it would no longer be that easy for them in battles.

It was important to adequately understand the movements of the opponent. And for the Darkness Empire, there was no doubt that their training was standardised, hence their movements would almost be identical.

Bang, bang, bang…

Facing the onslaught attacks by the Shadow Charm Reaper, the Unbounded Sky Chains was unexpectedly steady and calm. It made people unsure of whether this was a warrior-type mech or an assassin-type mech, as it was sometimes fast and sometimes slow.

Very soon, Shaofeng Bonthe was able to sense the intention of his opponent. He was trying to gain insight on his moves?

Boom…

The Shadow Charm Reaper suddenly let out an ear-piercing sound. It immediately released a large number of frantic attacks. It looked like ghosts were surrounding the Unbounded Sky Chains! It was the Shadow Charm Reaper's specialty! The Shadow Charm Tornado Attack!

Making use of the energy of the swift movement of the Shadow Charm Reaper, together with the extremely fast Ability X, the ring-shaped area of effect attack allowed the two-sided reaping sickle to unleash its power. In an instant, sparks were flying everywhere, and the Unbounded Sky Chains was completely suppressed.

However, the Unbounded Sky Chains stubbornly defended meticulously against each attack without any neglect to detail. One sword after another was used to parry without the slightest bit of disorder. There was a type of momentum that was as sturdy as a boulder. It seemed like no one had ever seen Lear being anxious.

This was the momentum of someone wanting to win. Once the violent attack of the Shadow Charm Reaper showed no effect, it would be Lear's chance to counterattack next.

Everyone could see that the sequence of movements for attacks for the Darkness Empire relied mainly on speed. It was the best to act defensively rather than attack to deal with them. Once the offensive power of the opponent weakened, it would be their chance.

However, at this moment, the speed of the Shadow Charm Reaper became even faster. The Ability X of Shaofeng Bonthe fully erupted – Extreme Speed Encirclement!

There were many types of speed-based Ability Xs. However, there were even more categories if you sub-divided them up. Some allowed for straight line acceleration, some allowed others to zip in opposing directions quickly, and for Shaofeng Bonthe, his ability was circular speeding, also known as arc speeding. When he moved within an arc, not only would there be no decrease in speed, but there would even be an increase in speed. Once it started a violent attack, it would not be able to stop.

And for the people of the Darkness Empire, they did not accept losers.

The shadow of the Shadow Charm Reaper had completely enveloped the Unbounded Sky Chains. The frantic attack was happening in all directions, just like a monster who wanted to devour the Unbounded Sky Chains.

So long as he could endure it, he would endure it!

Just at this moment, Sloughberg, who was outside the battlefield, let out a cold sneer, and the pupils of his eyes suddenly disappeared.

Even though the opponent's attacks were frantic, he did not break through Lear's defense. However, everything before everyone's eyes disappeared all of a sudden.

There was darkness everywhere. All of a sudden, the mecha disappeared, the whole arena disappeared. Even people also disappeared. The boundless darkness was going to gobble up both your physical body and your soul, and only fear would remain.

Ability X – Dark Canopy!

There was a trace of confidence within Sloughberg's smile. As long as he was around, even trash could become an unrivalled warrior.

The range of his Dark Canopy abilities was really wide. So long as the enemy was being targeted by his dark imprint, he would be able to launch it in an instant. And once you were being enveloped by the Dark Canopy, not only would you completely lose your field of vision, your Ability X would also be confined, and only fear would remain in you.

The closer the distance, the stronger the effects. Even though this time the distance was slightly far, to accomplish it for even one second, it would have sufficed.

This was truly an unfathomable ability of a leader!

Rumbled…

In a split second, the darkness disappeared. Both mecha were separated by an explosion. They retreated by ten over meters and laid motionless. And immediately after, both mecha started giving off sparks and exploded!

The first-aid staff came pouring in, and they dragged the two pilots out of their mecha promptly.

Sloughberg also froze for a moment. Under such situation, he actually was still able to strike back. Lear's mind was indeed extraordinarily tough.

The slow motion replay appeared. There were two screens, and the other screen showed the dark energy descending. At the most crucial moment of the fight, the Unbounded Sky Chains mech was suddenly enveloped by a black sphere. No matter how skillful Lear was, he would not have expected this. And the most ruthless part was that his Ability X was also confined in that split second, and the opponent had been waiting for this moment all along.

Despite completely losing his field of vision and Ability X, Lear was still able to make an attack. His basic skills were astonishing. He executed a quick and violent horizontal movement even though it was still a little slow, and he did not manage to avoid the hit on his chest, but his attack that followed immediately also caused the Shadow Charm Reaper to suffer a big loss. Shaofeng Bonthe definitely did not expect that anyone would still be able to react in that manner and make such a movement when being attacked by the Dark Canopy.

The result was that the Unbounded Sky Chains suffered six hits, and the Shadow Charm also suffered three sword attacks and one kick.

Both mecha lost their combat ability at the same time.

Everyone was looking at Sloughberg. It was evident that everyone had felt the ripple from his Ability X, it was just that no one would have expected that he would still be able to launch his Ability X even though he was separated by such a great distance. One must know that the Dark Canopy of Sloughberg had already been listed under the important abilities to take note of. The people of the Immortal Fairy Star, their old enemies, had been giving away their information for free everywhere.

The ability of the Dark Canopy was indeed scary. To lose your field of vision in an instant, this was not an attack on the mech, but a direct attack on the pilot. Without the ability to defend, and also this unfathomable ability, together with the effect of fear on the heart and soul, unless one had an extremely strong mind, they would definitely be affected. During a battle between experts, a little mistake would be deadly. The scariest thing was that it was able to confine the Ability X of the opponent, and the length of time of confinement was not clear.

It was just that nobody would have expected that he could launch the Dark Canopy from such a great distance. What about in close distance, how long would his Ability X be able to last???

Suddenly, everyone was feeling a little regretful for the Solar System Federation. Even though Lear had encountered such a power, he was still able to make a counterattack and ended the round in a draw. This was simply unbelievable, and it could only be said that his mind was absolutely scary enough. Basically, he was not affected by fear, and during the time when his Ability X was confined, he relied on his instinct to move horizontally, then he followed his senses to make the counterattack. This was definitely something that only an experienced soldier would be able to do; it was a move to exchange a life with another life.

But what should one do next?

This ability was not an ability that you could defend against just because you knew about it. On the contrary, the more you knew about it, the more terrifying it would be, because if you kept thinking about the opponent who was outside of the battlefield, once you were distracted, you would be crushed. This also meant that for every fight, the Solar System would have to face a situation of one against two, and this included the dark prince, Sloughberg Bonthe.

Both the pilots were injured. Little Bonthe seemed extremely furious. Even a cooked duck could fly away. He really did not expect that a person enveloped by the Dark Canopy would still be able to make a counterattack.

Lear's arm was all bloody. One of the broken fragments had hit his right arm. However, Lear's expression looked particularly gloomy and cold. The admiration of others to him was as worthless as trash. This time, he had given too much thought. He should not have given the opponent any chance, and should have killed him right away.

Having a team was the most harmful. If there were not so many useless people, he would not have had to waste so much effort!

Now the situation was not too encouraging.

Achilles and the rest could not think of any solution. As long as Sloughberg did not board a mech and charged into the battlefield, they were not breaking any rules. Looking at the proud expressions of the Darkness Empire, it seemed like they had expected this to happen.

This type of ability was more terrifying the more one knew about it. No one could stop the Darkness Empire from advancing.

Lear did not receive any in-depth treatment. He just sat down indifferently, and looked at Wang Zheng and Achilles. It was clear that the Solar System Federation had encountered a difficult problem. They were not scared at all to fight face them directly. However, now the opponents that they would be facing were all going to possess two scary types of Ability X. Perhaps Achilles and Wang Zheng would be able to win two rounds, but what would follow after that?

Wang Zheng stood up and walked over to the front of the stage. Looking at the referee he said, "The Solar System Federation is willing to carry out the team leader heavenly battle."

Immediately, the whole audience was in uproar.

The team leader heavenly battle was a very special choice for the IG. Basically, for so many years since IG started, nobody had chosen it. Regardless of whether the game was in its preliminary or final stages, it could still be used.

As this was a choice of one player against the entire opponent's team. It was not just five, but all twelve players.

IG was a military battle, and it was not a choice to completely eliminate the strong, hence that also meant giving a chance for a match for ten thousand enemies. So once the team leader heavenly battle was called for, the opponents would not be able to reject, but the opponent gained the power to kill their counterparts, and this also meant that regardless of life or death, they would be able to play unscrupulously.

What Wang Zheng was doing was basically seeking death…

"Wang Zheng, we have not reached a desperate end. There is no need to do this, we still have a chance!" Achilles immediately tried to stop him.

Lear was also stunned. One against twelve, this was the type of crazy thing to throw away one's life that even he himself would definitely not do. Being the champion of IG was certainly something that he wanted, but to use your own life to exchange for it, it was definitely not worth it. This mental case!

Wang Zheng did not waver, he merely looked over at the people of the Darkness Empire.

They couldn't help but say that Wang Zheng had no choice. The world was so big, and experts had been coming forth in large numbers. This ability of Sloughberg was really unfathomable.

The referee was stunned for a moment. "Are you sure?"

Wang Zheng gave a serious nod, and immediately the whole audience started to flare up. The first team leader heavenly battle in IG history had appeared!

Was he going to carry his whole team forward on his own???