Within the arena that was projected by a gigantic Battleship
Bouts of cheers and screams rang out and echoed throughout the competition arena continuously as the crowd yelled excitedly. Large blimps floated across the sky above the arena while rows of new data constantly appeared on the display screen on the side of the blimp.
‘Grade A, first place Nicotine Kate, second place Carlos, third place Minda.’
‘Grade B, first place Kanda, second place Ruth Tribune, third place Marie.’
‘Grade C, first place Merseus, second place Bally, third place Caus.’
The data on the blimp’s display screen clearly showed the results of the three strongest individuals in the arena according to their grade. These rankings were not based on just their current individual results. If they had similar achievements, the results would also depend on their rankings in their respective grades to determine their positions.
More than a hundred classes were assigned to their respective boxes in the arena. The boxes resembled little honeycomb boxes and were filled with contestants and instructors from various classes who were constantly discussing the finals that were about to start today.
Unlike the roaring crowds at the side of the arena, most of the elite contestants inside these boxes had calm looks on their faces. Their expressions were composed as if they were not affected by the enthusiastic atmosphere at all.
Contestants who displayed abnormal behaviors after being affected by these matters would have been eliminated by this stage already. Only those whose abilities and qualities improved throughout all aspects had remained.
Inside a black box on the left side of the arena.
Garen, Fervale, and Sara were listening to Instructor Hamm’s warnings quietly.
“Today’s arena is unlike yesterday’s. When you proceed, you must remember to stay calm and collected while displaying all of your strength. Don’t leave any regrets even if you lose.”
“Understood,” it seemed as though Fervale had readjusted himself and regained his previous composure. His gaze occasionally drifted in a different direction towards another box.
Sara spoke beside Garen’s ear softly.
“Fervale met the competitor from his family’s opposing clan yesterday. It seemed as though his opponent had said something to provoke him.”
Garen glanced over in the direction of Fervale’s gaze and coincidentally noticed a girl with light green hair who was grimacing at Fervale and running her finger across her throat. The girl with short hair looked extremely fierce and had a robust figure. There was a scar at the corner of her brow and her pure white school uniform gave off a clean and nimble disposition.
He noticed that Fervale had begun to tighten his fist slightly.
“Really…” Garen heard Sara sigh and shake her head beside him as if she was already aware of certain ulterior motives.
However, he was too lazy to ask because it was almost his turn to step forward.
‘Nonosiva of Class C5 vs Enzo of C14.’
While the mechanical announcer’s voice rang out, Garen entered the Mech in the passageway quickly.
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A bakery in the southern part of the city
“It’s Lon’s big brother! Come and look quickly!”
the shop assistant Shirley was yelling loudly.
Suddenly, everyone else inside the shop glanced over, including a couple of customers who were busy choosing cakes.
“Stop yelling,” Lon rushed over with an embarrassed look on his face and pulled Shirley away while his cheeks continued to blush.
On the television screen, two Mech Pilots were displayed on separate screens while they were getting into their respective machines. In front of half of a white Mech that was shown, a black-haired young man who had just sat inside his Mech had attracted the attention of everyone inside the shop immediately. When Shirley pointed at him, everyone discovered that he was Lon’s older brother Nonosiva.
The black-haired young man on the screen had a calm expression on his face. Both of his eyes were deep blue valleys that gave off cool dispositions. His blue and white Blackboard Academy uniform hugged his well-built figure tightly.
When he sat upright inside the Mech, a black helmet above him lowered itself automatically and covered the youth’s average-looking face. Next, numerous electronic display screens around him began to light up progressively in succession before the blue and white fluorescent lights illuminated the interior of the Mech.
‘Currently broadcasting live is the first match of the Winners Bracket of Grade C. Enzo from class C14 is here to challenge Nonosiva of class C5. Both of these participants are new elite students who have only entered Blackboard Academy for a year. Within the short span of a year, both of them achieved considerable progress. Compared to Nonosiva’s impressive record of consecutive victories, student Enzo encountered the current first ranked competitor Merseus halfway and unfortunately lost…’
The scene on the television screen moved to the two seated announcers suddenly. A beautiful female announcer and a white-haired old man sat side by side while facing the audience. They were currently introducing the achievements and identities of the two individuals on screen who were about to face off.
“So cool!”
A young male shop assistant who stood beside Lon could not help but exclaim softly.
These were the sentiments that most of the other people inside the shop shared as well. On the left, Enzo was a young woman with long white hair. A composed expression was plastered on her beautiful face. Meanwhile, Nonosiva on the right gave off a cold and emotionless air.
“Are these Mech Pilots?” beside the shop owner with long pink hair, a black-haired boy stared at the two people on screen with a look of faint admiration in his glimmering eyes. “How cool!” he murmured.
“You must study hard so that you’ll have a chance to be like them in the future!” the shop owner laughed happily and slapped her palm against the boy’s head.
“Ouch! Sis, why did you hit me again?!”
“I’m just encouraging you!” “What kind of encouragement is this?!”
Lon stood on the side silently and watched in awe at the black-haired boy who was now covering his head and running around. Although he was currently balancing his life between working and studying with much difficulty, it was inevitable that this situation would affect his studies. Therefore, his results had started to deteriorate gradually.
“Perhaps I could properly learn some pastry making skills in the future to become a normal but dependable person…” he raised his head and looked at his older brother on screen who was currently waiting to begin his battle while a strange glimmer flashed in his eyes.
“Lon!” someone clapped his shoulder gently at once.
Lon returned to his senses immediately before noticing that the black-haired boy was already standing in front of him now.
“Don’t worry, you’ll have a chance next time as well!” the boy smiled at him shyly.
“You are not your older brother; you are you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want a cold older brother like him because we’ll be your siblings in the future!” beside him, Shirley bounced over with the shop assistant Daisy.
In the shop, Lon was sincere, honest and hardworking. He displayed natural talents when learning pastry making techniques and was also a kind person who constantly helped others whenever he could and would never refuse them. This had won him the friendship of his co-workers.
When he saw the crowd that gathered around him, Lon’s heart was unusually touched.
“I…”
“The competition has begun!” suddenly, noises that indicated that the match had started echoing from the television.
*******************
The moment the words begin to drift off, two white laser beams shot out suddenly from the white Mech that Garen was controlling. The strong force from the laser cannons resembled two sharp swords that were piercing towards the chest of the black Mech. However, they were speedily evaded by their agile opponent.
At this moment, Garen had apparently discarded the Laser Cannons that he held in his hands earlier. Instead, he placed his hand behind his back and removed a hidden Gaussian Electromagnetic Gun. When his opponent was dodging the laser cannons, he was able to level the barrel of the Electromagnetic Gun properly.
The thick black barrel was aimed precisely at the black Mech.
Bang!
The black bomb passed through a distance of more than ten meters instantly and hit the transparent screen behind the black Mech directly before rebounding and hitting the jet engine behind it.
Boom!!
The black Mech lost all movement and stumbled a few steps forward before collapsing on the ground.
It was hit with another bomb before the top of the Mech exploded, causing the fight to end.
“This is… Rebound Interference!!”
Outside the arena, Instructor Hamm stood up in disbelief while a look of incredible surprise appeared on his face, “Another Level 2 technique!!”
Loud cheers exploded throughout the crowd outside the arena. Rebound Interference, a Level 2 technique was a Level 2 technique used by Mech Pilots. It was one of the three fighting techniques that did not require Willpower. It used various judgments and calculations from the outside world and used long-range weapons to form rebounds or refraction effects from shooting.
By using Rebound Interference and his integrated Laser Cannons from earlier, Nonosiva had already displayed two powerful techniques that did not need to be combined with Willpower.
Garen kept his Gaussian Guns and turned to walk out of the passageway without even glancing back at the black Mech on the ground.
On the other side, Fervale was using a different black Mech to fight frantically. The intensity of this fight was far fiercer than the one over here. Meanwhile, Sara had yet to step into the field but had already entered the waiting passage.
The three lowest ranked competitors of the Winners Bracket from each class had already been matched with their opponents.
Happy and prideful expressions appeared on both Aier and Mina’s faces when they watched the competition that had ended within moments. The ability to exhibit displays of strength and achievements like these so easily despite reaching such advanced stages undoubtedly showed Garen’s incomparably powerful innate strength.
Meanwhile, on the seats behind them, a few composed-looking students nodded faintly when they witnessed Garen’s performance while hints of astonishment flashed in their eyes.
***********************
The bakery
“He actually used the Rebound Interference technique! I really cannot believe that this technique would be displayed by a first-year student who just entered the school!” the announcer exclaimed quietly and covered her little mouth while looking at the fight on the display screen.
“Although we’ve previously already seen the first-rate techniques such as short-range bursts and victories that were won by spears of electric currents, I’m still amazed to see skills of such difficulty being displayed by youths despite their young ages,” the old man that was speaking shook his head in admiration. “When we compare our elderly selves to these young people, it seems as if we have simply wasted our years. They are truly the geniuses of Blackboard Academy.”
“That’s right. Young geniuses will always emerge during Blackboard Academy’s Elite Qualifier Matches every year. Moreover, they will always exhibit amazing performances,” nodded the other announcer.
“Indeed, since he is already able to use Level 2 techniques with ease, as long as he continues to train in actual combat, this young man will be able to reach the standard of a captain who can lead the Mech Pilots to fight on the battlefield. Furthermore, he’s not even eighteen years old yet,” praised the old man.
“He is truly amazing… The students of Blackboard Academy are really first-class geniuses…” the black-haired youth began to exclaim unconsciously again. When he noticed Lon staring blankly in a daze from the corner of his eye, the youth involuntarily stroked the little item that he had picked up not long ago.
“But I won’t fall behind either. With this, I will be able to become an excellent Mech Pilot as well!”
“Don’t touch my pure body as you please!” a voice that was both feminine and masculine entered his mind suddenly.
“Oh… I’m sorry. That was unintentional,” the black-haired youth immediately apologized in his head.
“Don’t worry, the future you long for will not be bleak. Although you are merely a piece of garbage without the slightest hint of aptitude, there are still certain types of garbage that can be useful,” the voice spoke in a lofty tone without concealing its disdain at all.
“Is my aptitude really that terrible…? Don’t tell me I’m actually less than average?” said the youth helplessly.