The Fist Technique 'Bone Shatter' was known for its explosive burst of power. It utilized a concussive force that could bypass armor and muscle, directly shattering the bones within. Now, Ethan had used it against this evidently mutated python, pulverizing its entire skeletal structure with a single strike, a testament to its potency.
After a moment, Ethan cleared a space and started a fire. He skinned the python, carved its flesh, washed it with spring water, and skewered it on sticks to roast over the flames. Soon, the better part of the python had been consumed, satisfying his hunger.
Feeling full and refreshed, Ethan cleaned up the remains of the snake and the fire. He then nestled himself among the flowers near the 'Primordial Stone' to spend the night. Whether it was due to his breakthrough or the nourishing snake meat, he woke up the next day feeling much recovered from his injuries.
After a while, Ethan used the hanging vines to climb out of the cave through the opening above. "Next," he thought, "I need to head to the gorge entrance to regroup." He looked around; the area was dense with trees and bizarre rocks, giving no indication of his location. After some thought, he climbed a towering fir tree, which took considerable time even with his advanced physical abilities.
From the treetop, most of the forest lay below his line of sight. He noted a solitary peak to the northeast, sharp as a blade against the sky—Ethan memorized this landmark for future reference to retrieve the 'Yuan Gathering Flowers' and 'Primordial Stone.' After surveying the area, he spotted the entrance to the gorge.
Just as Ethan confirmed his bearings, a roar and explosions erupted to his left. Looking in that direction, he saw trees falling and burning fiercely. A Behemoth collapsed, and a black mech fell to its knees—'Black Thunder,' the mech piloted by a third-year student!
Ethan pinpointed the direction and quickly descended the fir tree, sprinting towards the commotion. Before long, he heard gunfire. He stopped and concealed himself behind a bush, using his 'Barrier-Breaking Eye' to observe. Not far from 'Black Thunder,' there was a cluster of living grey lights, including several human silhouettes and a swarm of parasites. The group of students, relying on the terrain of a small mound, had organized a defensive line against the onslaught of parasites.
Ethan circled to the rear of the 'battlefield' and climbed a large tree, hiding in the canopy. From this vantage point, without needing the 'Barrier-Breaking Eye,' he could see five academy freshmen fighting in an orderly manner against a swarm of 'Decay Flies.' Among them, he recognized two 'familiar' faces—Eliot and Cedricl.
At that moment, Eliot seemed to be acting as the commander, coordinating the students' rotations in battle. In no time, they had taken down nearly a hundred of the Decay Flies. When there was a lull in the fighting, Ethan approached the mound and called out to avoid any misunderstandings, "Cedricl."
Hearing Ethan's voice, Cedricl looked up with joy, exclaiming, "Ethan, you're alive! That's great!" His reaction seemed genuine, genuinely happy for Ethan's well-being. Ethan felt a warmth in his heart but merely nodded slightly in response before sliding down the slope.
Eliot nodded at him, "When did you get here?" "Just now," Ethan replied succinctly. "You were busy, so I didn't want to disturb."
A student nearby scoffed, "Shows up but doesn't help, just here to take advantage." Ethan didn't bother to defend himself; he had no firearms, how could he assist? Engage in hand-to-hand combat with the 'Decay Flies'? And not just one or two, but a swarm? He wasn't looking to die.
Eliot intervened, "We're all classmates, let's not be like this. Besides, Ethan doesn't have a gun." He looked at Ethan with respect. Without a gun, yet surviving in the forbidden land, and alone at that—this was the mark of a true warrior.
Unfortunately, not everyone had Eliot's insight. Though the other students stopped their verbal complaints, their eyes still held dissatisfaction. Ethan didn't let this minor issue bother him and turned his attention to 'Black Thunder.' "What happened?"
Eliot explained, "We ran into Cedricl nearby yesterday. We planned to head to the gathering point together this morning, but we ran into Behemoths. We thought we were done for, but luckily senior He Hao arrived in time. However..."
Eliot's brow furrowed, then he exclaimed, "Damn, senior He Hao hasn't come out yet. He might be injured." He rushed toward the mech, with Ethan following in silence.
'Black Thunder' lay on the ground, providing plenty of handholds and leverage. They quickly reached the head of the mech, where the cockpit and the hatch were located at the back of the head. Eliot knocked on the hatch, "Senior He, how are you? Can you hear me?"
After several calls with no response, Ethan said gravely, "He might be unconscious." He searched around the hatch. Emar, their 'Mech Knowledge' teacher, had mentioned a manual device near the cockpit that could forcibly open the hatch for rescuing unconscious pilots.
Before long, Ethan found the device and slapped it hard. With a hiss, the hatch balanced the internal and external pressure and opened, revealing the cockpit. They were familiar with the cockpit from their 'Simulated Piloting' classes and entered to find He Hao slumped over in his seat, still connected to the mech with neural link wires—the interface of the 'Sympathy System' that connected the pilot to the mech.
Ethan and Eliot quickly disconnected the neural link wires from the interface drivers and carried He Hao out of the mech. Once on the ground, Eliot removed his helmet and activated the life detection system on his combat suit. The system eventually showed that He Hao was only temporarily unconscious and not in any life-threatening danger, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.
Suddenly, another roar echoed in the distance, near the fallen Behemoth. Another 'Tanuki Power' was charging towards them, its hooves thundering through the forest, causing the ground to tremble. The students panicked; they could handle parasites, but a Behemoth was beyond their capabilities.
"Run, let's run," some suggested. "What about senior He Hao?" "Let's hide him and find a teacher, then send a rescue team," another proposed. "By then, senior He will have ascended to heaven," came a retort. "Then what do you suggest?"
As the Behemoth drew closer, Eliot stood up decisively, "Quick, help me take off senior He's combat suit. I'll try to pilot 'Black Thunder.'"
Cedricl was startled, "Can you do it? Have you ever piloted a mech?" "I haven't," Eliot said gravely, "but we have no better option." Cedricl and the others nodded, looking at Eliot with admiration, then hurriedly began to remove He Hao's combat suit.
At that moment, they heard the cockpit door closing. Eliot paused and looked towards 'Black Thunder.' Indeed, the cockpit hatch had closed. "Who went in?" Eliot asked in surprise.
Cedricl looked around, then shouted, "Ethan, where's Ethan?" His expression turned to one of shock as he stared at 'Black Thunder,' "Ethan didn't go into the cockpit, did he? He's not trying to pilot the mech, is he?"