Shi Lang and the team suited up and they were taken to a ring. This was the arena for their group battle stage. They sat in a room overlooking the arena ground. From this room, they could even enter the pilot cockpit of their mechas with ease. They did not have any barriers around them except for a magnetic field that will come down after the battle has ended.
For whatever it mattered, a medical team was always standing by to help the contenders in perilous conditions. However, they could only enter the field when the battle has ended, if the hurt contender could not say the three magical words, ‘I admit defeat’ in time, and the opponent killed him then it was all done for.
Shi Lang had decided to keep his position flexible. He will enter the battle depending on the situation. The other thing was the technical consoles placed inside the observation room. This was for the team to monitor the situation of the mecha during the battle.
The arena had a huge viewer accommodation space. The people from all over the planet were paying attention to the competition and they could come over to watch the mecha battles at a marginal price. Who among the tourists will ignore such an event?
Shi Lang gazed out of the room and saw a large number of people cheering and mingling in the viewer room. He said, “Jack, be calm during the exchange. If you feel like you are about to lose and might die, then give up the battle. Your primary directive is to ensure your survival. Do you understand?”
The team replied, “Yes, sir.”
They still had a few minutes before the battle began. The people in the arena were still pouring in. Jane said, “The arena is big, at least a few thousand people would have no problem in sitting here. But why is the audience so scarce?”
Lucas looked at her and said, “Wife, why does your smart brain regresses to a beautiful brain at times?”
Jane glared at him and asked, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, that we are not the seeded team, and neither are we in the higher tiers, so why will there be a crowd to fawn over us?”, replied Lucas.
Jane could not answer to defy his reason and in frustration, she said, “Stay in your room from now till the end of the competition.”
Lucas was left speechless. She dared to punish him so cruelly, while the rest of the people laughed at this misery. They were not children and facing life and death together had not left many walls between them.
Shi Lang shook his head and mumbled, “I miss my wife.”
The mood of the room became light. Suddenly an announcement took them by surprise, “Attention contenders, please board the mechas and be ready to battle.”
Jack and Steel put on their visors with Shi lang and they moved to board the cockpits. The team stood up and said, “Godspeed.”, in unison.
The three people walked over to what seemed like the end of the viewing room, and jumped off from the edge, directly landing on the shoulders of the mechs. The cockpit was located in the chest, and the entrance was a small hatch that was designed meticulously with degrading the defense level of the mecha.
Shi Lang and the others got inside the cockpit and the scene from the outside appeared in front of them. This was the immersive display they had designed in Novus camp. The mecha of the federation was no more generic. The outside color was recorded from a camera probe flying behind the mecha, but the surrounding map was constructed with the help of sonar systems.
So, even if the camera probe or the on-body camera was destroyed in the battle the visual will not be affected in the slightest. Shi Lang used his ability to sense things around him as the base model in this program.
Jane said, “This is the monitoring station, confirm communication.”
A monitoring station was set up to keep the data of the damage taken, and the performance output of the mech. This data will be then used to improve the tech. Another function of the monitoring station was to guide the pilot through the steps of mecha driving. Although the pilots were trained, they still had to complete a basic checklist of tests before they are given a green light, and for security reasons, such tests could only be conducted from the inside of the mech.
Would you not want anyone to mess with your car from the outside and sabotage it? The same thing applied here.
The three pilots replied to different monitoring stations, respectively, they all had a dedicated station. Shi Lang said, “Patch me with Stone and Sword.”
Stone was the code name Jack had selected, as he mainly was a stone, calm and quiet, unaffected by anything around him. While Steel had picked up the sword as his codename, he was rigid and steadfast, cruel to the enemy, and decisive.
“Acknowledged, patching up.”, replied Jane.
In a blink, the three mechs were connected to each other and they had small talk. Soon a lady in slightly exposing clothing came down on a hoverboard in the center of the arena.
She said, “Hello, ladies and gentlemen, I am your host, Arianta. Welcome to the Mecha battles of the galactic showdown. Well, I would have loved to speak a lot more, but the contenders might feel stuffy in their cockpits. So, without any delay, allow me to introduce you to our esteemed mecha experts and commentators for the match.
Miss Xenon, has been an analyst for the galactic council and has seen a lot of mechas from all over the galaxy. She will be explaining the working schematics of the mecha used by both sides.
Now, please put your hands together for the strike force mecha trainer, Loweasky Shunta. His name and deeds in the strike forces are highly recognized and he will be our guide about the battle progression.”
That said, two more people appeared in the arena on hover disks. Steel said, “Boss, they really put up a show.”
Shi Lang hummed and said, “Focus on the battle. Jack will go first, make sure to observe the enemy better.”
His eyes were fixed on the mecha standing opposite them at a distance of five hundred meters. The space was not small but was enough to provide a six-meter-tall heap of metal to move around without restriction.
Arianta said, “The commentators are seated, and it is time for the battle to begin. Please give a huge round of applause to the two teams. Team Leo-sun. They hail from the Feline system and are known for their bravery. Hardly ever have they been seen withdrawing in face of danger and peril.
They will be facing the meticulous Terrans, hailing from the Federation. Their last performance had put them in the highlights, let’s see if they are as good with mecha as they are with their bodies.”
Shi Lang said, “The enemy is a well-known team.”
The two other people nodded, they have expected this when they reviewed the data on their screens earlier. The host proceeded, “Now, both teams please send off your first contenders.”
Jack controlled his mecha and moved forward smoothly. He saw the other party also move forward. They stood twenty meters apart from each other. Arianta glanced at the two mechs and said, “May the best, wins.”
Jack flexed his neck slowly, as he watched the opponent raise his hand to signal him with a thumb down. He realized something about the personality of the enemy. This guy was an aggressive person, the reason he was sent first was to intimidate them. However, they were fools, Terrans may not be the strongest or the smartest in the galaxy, but they weren’t stupid either.
Shi Lang’s voice sounded in the cockpit, “Godspeed.”
This was not for luck, but a signal that he could act as he liked. Jack, stood motionless. A honk sounded and the enemy approached him. The opposite mecha looked like a humanoid, with a lion’s head. It had sharp pointy fingers for hand, and a battle axe was hanging behind the back. The enemy attacked Jack with the sharp end of his fingers at a high speed.
The intention was to catch him off-guard and use the sudden thrust to attack him critically. However, Jack turned around, and ducked slightly, letting the arms fly past his shoulder, and then he clasped the arm with his palms. The enemy did not expect this, well, thanks to the jade spirit chip that Shi Lang had installed in the suit, the reaction was faster and reflexive.
Jack bend his legs, even more, lowered his center of gravity and then he yanked the enemy forward, the weight of the enemy mech was still in kinetic force, and the force used by Jack, made him fly in a beautiful arc over the shoulder and land on its back at the ground with a loud thud.
As if that was not shocking enough for everyone, Jack raised his fist and bombed it down on the head of the lion.
Clang!!! Clang!!! Clang!!!