“Damn it!!!”
A typical Level Three or Four would have made a mistake within ten moves and he would have used the opportunity to finish him off, unlike the current situation. While he still had the upper hand in terms of speed, he had no choice but to fight the opponent without any tricks, especially against that hardened arm that had obviously been enhanced through a training method to the point where it rivaled his Level Five body. Both Mechs’ conditions worsened as their battle continued.
With his Mech that was on the verge of breaking, if this continued…
Both of them were fighting to their deaths, and at this point of the battle, the two things that would change the tide of the battle were stronger will and Willpower.
Garen remained expressionless even though one of his Mech’s legs and arms had been torn off and he could only fight with his remaining hand and shield himself with his crippled hand. With his sword-wielding hand, he was able to set up a layer of defense in front of him. Although he was a master in fist technique, he also had some experience in sword techniques. With a sword as an extension of his arm, he could still fight on the same level.
One could say that Willpower resembled the Mech’s internal energy. As both Mechs fought against each other, it increased the hardness Garen’s arm and strength for a short amount of time whereas it increased the Red-White’s speed and stamina.
While it increased their physical capabilities, both of their Willpowers were clashing against each other in its most primitive form.
As Garen’s Willpower was weaker by a Level and didn’t possess the same quality as his opponent, he had to deactivate it within two seconds or else his WIllpower would gradually be reduced. Once his opponent had infiltrated his body, it would spell his defeat.
Clank!!
The dagger and machete from both Mechs clashed against each other as the blades started to chip away slowly. In this high-level battle, even their weapons were unable to withstand the impacts and had started to break down even though they were enhanced with Willpower.
As the Willpower’s Energy Field clashed with radioactive coolness, it formed an absolute isolation barrier within an area of several tens of meters. The frost that had just formed on the ground immediately shattered and the flow of the frost was slowed down by the Energy Field as it was gradually overpowered by it. However, the strange cry of a child wasn’t affected at all.
One of the Red-White Mech’s leg and two of its hands had been unevenly damaged. As it separated from Garen’s Mech, it leaned its back against the wall as panting could be heard from the cockpit.
The Red-White pilot was started seeing illusions as he kept seeing spots of red light resembling Mars moving about in front of him and obstructing his vision. He rubbed at his eyes in an attempt to clear his vision, but the number of red spots was increasing, to the point that it was starting to affect his vision.
After all, he was a Level Four pilot that was boosted to Level Five too quickly. His foundation wasn’t solid enough due to the sudden level up. In addition to that, his Willpower wasn’t strong enough as well. As he was had lived and worked under oppression and fear within White Light, the Cold Chaos had finally found its way into affecting his spirit in this hopeless situation.
“Hehe… Mother… I see you, mother… Where are you? Don’t go…” his consciousness was starting to become muddy as saliva started dripping out of his mouth while it was wide open. Hallucinations started to visualize in front of him as well.
He opened his arms wide as he attempted to hug something though there was nothing there.
Garen walked towards him and stared at the Red-White Mech which had already slumped onto the ground.
“Mother… Don’t leave me behind… Don’t throw me away…” the effect of the Cold Chaos became stronger as the Red-White pilot’s consciousness was thrown into utter chaos. He seemed to have submerged himself into his deepest memories.
“Sob… It’s hot… so hot…”
Garen raised his long sword.
Chop!!
**********
Clint leaped as he maneuvered the Mech to avoid a chain of cannons. Under Red Moon’s instructions, he had managed to escape from a group of Miniature Mechs with his agile mobility.
“Quickly!!!”
Red Moon kept urging him.
“I’m doing my best!!” blood started trickling out from Clint’s eyes, ears and nose as he evaded a sudden ambush with a high-difficulty maneuver. As he kept jumping to run for his life earlier, it had put a serious strain on his body over time. Although his internal organs were protected by a top class training method, Willpower Protection, large areas of his organs had started bleeding profusely after so much exertion.
“I…” as he tried to open his mouth to speak up, a mouthful of blood obstructed his throat and he couldn’t voice out at all.
“You!!” Red Moon could sense how serious the situation was.
Sizzle!!!
The Mech stopped moving abruptly.
The Blackboard Mech eventually caught up to him in front of the alley in front. He stood at the entrance of the alley as he waited for Clint.
Compared to Clint who didn’t have a suspension system, Garen basically flew instead of running on the ground as it was much faster this way.
“It’s over,” Garen threw the head of the Red-White Mech which he was holding onto the ground, and it rolled solidly to the side of Clint’s Mech.
The Miniature Mech’s Pilots slowly stepped back as they only attacked within the shadows. They couldn’t be discovered by everyone else. They had given a valid excuse to the other households that they were helping the Blackboard Region with its public order. They had achieved their objective, which was to delay the pace of Clint’s Mech so that he would slow down. Their objective was never to destroy him as that mission should be completed by Nonosiva himself.
Gradually, signs of activities around the alley cease to exist, leaving only Garen and Clint facing each other.
“The Forbidden Core,” Garen reached out his hand. “Give it to me. You’re still a child, and you shouldn’t be living a life of fleeing every day. You should be in school enjoying your youth, friends, and romance. You’re not supposed to run for your life in a dirty sewer.”
He tried to use his words to affect Clint’s mentality.
He, too, was afraid that Clint would destroy the core out of determination. No one knew if the forbidden core was solid or fragile because no one had really seen the item before. It could be of any shape and state.
However, he knew that his opponent was just a kid as he didn’t cover up his voice while speaking.
“I…” Clint took a step back as the horrifying battle between the Black and Red-White Mech kept replaying in his mind. The opposing party had managed to win against the Red-White Mech and he knew that he couldn’t defend himself against him.
Kachak…
Garen’s Mech moved towards him slowly as he managed to temporarily fix the broken parts with his backup supply to the point where it didn’t affect the Mech’s normal activity. With it functioning perfectly, this had increased the fear and pressure in Clint’s mind so much so that he started shivering.
“Your heart is seriously damaged. You’ll die within two hours if you don’t accept any treatment,” Garen applied more mental pressure to his opponent. He was able to clearly sense the opponent’s concealed heart with his extremely strong senses.
Clint was on the verge of crying… It wasn’t that he didn’t want to hand it over to him, it’s that he would die too if he handed it over.
“Between death and your treasure, are you still confused as to which one is more important? Perhaps the forbidden core had formed a connection with you to the point that you were unable to hand it over to me?” Garen guessed calmly.
Clint shivered as Garen was able to come to a logical conclusion that was closest to the truth by just observing his actions. This terrifying manifestation…
“Is this the strength of a Level Four and Level Five pilot??” he was traumatized.
Boom!!
Within the loud explosion, Garen pounced towards him and punched Clint’s cockpit on the left which sent the Mech flying away. The Mech crashed into the wall on the side. Garen followed tightly and stepped onto Clint’s chest with his foot. He then raised his machete up high as the tip of the blade glistened.
His action was so fast that Clint had not been able to react in time at all. He was still in a mentally shaken state and in addition to that, his body was so seriously injured that he didn’t have any energy left to evade. He could only tell that his vision had immediately turned muddy and the sky had started spinning about. The next thing he knew, he was already down on the ground and the Machete which was held high up and about to pierce down.
His mind was totally blank, as he stared at the sharp edge of the knife.
Tsk!!!
“Brother! No!!”
In that exact moment, a familiar voice shouted at Garen from his side.
However, the sword had already pierced into the cockpit.
Blood was slowly flowing out from the cracks of the cockpit.
A similar Black Pieced-together Mech entered the alley, appearing beside Garen. The cockpit cover opened up slowly, revealing an elegant girl sitting inside it.
Garen looked over. Although he was sure that he heard his brother’s voice…
He moved his lips as he looked at the elegant girl whose face was stained with tears. Although her hair was black and she had a pair of almond-shaped eyes and small lips with a pale skin tone, the mental state was clearly…
“Brother…” the woman cried hysterically as she shouted.
Garen pondered for a while as he finally put together the beautiful girl in front of him and the man he recalled in his memory.
“You… You’re Lon?!”
Baylon bit her lips as she nodded her head.
“Clint, he’s my friend…” for the very first time, she dared to look at Nono in the eye. She had never dared to look her brother in the eyes since young.
However, this time could be the only time in her entire life she had ever done so. Perhaps it was the training method that had changed her, or perhaps it was because she was worried about Clint.
Even Garen didn’t know what to do in this situation.
Clint’s Mech made a ruckus as it rolled about after pulling the sword out of itself. He rolled to the other side of the wall, leaning against it as Clint panted loudly inside the cockpit.
His left thumb had been chopped off and his left leg was almost completely amputated by the machete. He was very fortunate that Red Moon had twisted the trajectory of the machete with his Manipulation Field at the very last second. If he had not done so, he surely would have died to this attack.
However, every sacrifice came with a price; Red Moon had exhausted the very last bit of his energy and had fallen into a coma.
“It’s fortunate that I called Lon here. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Lon’s Willpower is best at healing wounds… I will need about ten days to replenish my energy, so if you don’t have anything to do, go sunbathe or something…” Red Moon parted with his final words as he went into a comatose state.
Garen was still looking at Baylon as she struggled.
Baylon immediately pulled Clint up as she stared at Garen sorrowfully while holding Clint up. She then brought him along and disappeared into the entrance of the sewer with her face dripping with tears.
Garen moved the Machete in his hand but didn’t pursue them any further. The Mech standing still within the shadows was like a sculpture.
A Black Mech then landed just beside Garen.
“Captain! Are you just going to let them go like this? Even if she’s your sister, you…”
Clank!! Buzz…!!
Garen immediately cut the Black Mech in half as he slashed his blade downwards.
Boom!!
The Black Mech immediately exploded and turned into a ball of flame.
The fire bathed Garen’s Mech in red light as he put his blade away. He stared in the direction which Baylon had left and walked away in the opposite direction.