I’m feeling a bit under the weather, so I’ll need to finish this up quickly and get a shot.
Gu Ya’s excitement reached its peak, a sense of masochistic pleasure and secret delight flooding his mind.
The academy’s confidential information database clearly stated in its recruitment channels that the students here were top-tier recruits drawn from various war zones and official mecha pilot academies.
Upon enrollment, the academy would tailor-make a personalized mecha for each student according to their preferences.
Some students favored close-combat mechas, others preferred medium-sized, versatile mechas, while some opted for long-range offensive powerhouses.
The advanced training students who made it here were the most elite mecha pilots in Xianxia.
This was practically paradise!!!
An excellent training base!
A perfect place to grind experience points!
Gu Ya couldn’t suppress his surging excitement. He took two steps at a time, rushing into the underground pedestrian elevator, which quickly transported him to the training ground hangar.
The underground pedestrian elevator was a vehicle similar to a subway. As long as one inputted any location within the academy, the backend system would automatically match a route and deliver the person to their desired destination.
Upon arriving at the hangar, he saw a group of people in dark blue uniforms standing in three neat rows in the distance, listening to a man speaking in front. This man was likely the coach.
Gu Ya strode over confidently and took his place at the back of the line.
The coach noticed Gu Ya and asked, “Where are you from?”
Gu Ya replied very naturally, “Report! I am a new student!”
“New?” The coach skeptically raised his wristband and scanned Gu Ya. Sure enough, his information appeared.
“Your name is Zhan Yan?”
“Yes!” Gu Ya replied loudly. Zhan Yan was the new name he had chosen for himself.
He definitely couldn’t use his real name here.
“Where is your mecha?” the coach asked.
Gu Ya smiled slightly and said, “Report! I arrived in a hurry, and the academy hasn’t assigned me one yet!”
The coach nodded. “For now, you’ll use a standard instructor mecha for training.”
This was exactly what Gu Ya wanted.
After the coach gave a few brief instructions, the students began to find their respective mechas.
Only Gu Ya remained standing still.
The coach walked up, sized him up, and asked, “Zhan Yan, do you have any issues?”
“I want to use the worst instructor mecha,” Gu Ya stated seriously and firmly.
The coach’s gaze shifted, looking at Gu Ya as if he were a patient, and he said with a half-smile, “Alright, no problem. We’ll have regular one-on-one combat later. If you’re that confident in your skills, I mean…”
“Coach, please proceed. Even if I lose, it’s still experience gained. I’m here to identify and bridge any gaps,” Gu Ya said seriously, looking ahead with determination.
The coach’s smile widened. He nodded and made a note on his wristband.
Shortly after, a rust-eaten, miniature close-combat mecha was brought over by an aerial conveyor belt and slowly lowered in front of Gu Ya.
“This is the most dilapidated mecha we could find. Have fun,” the coach said with a light laugh, then he headed towards his own mecha.
Gu Ya gazed at the mecha, which showed its age, a mix of excitement and trepidation stirring within him.
“It doesn’t matter. Even if I fail, I will try. And I will climb upwards, little by little!”
…
Twenty minutes later, all twenty mechas from the class had arrived in the training grounds.
It resembled a miniature stadium, only half the size of a football field.
The area was enclosed by massive transparent shields, separating it from the outside.
Outside, streams of suspended vehicles flowed by, alongside dazzling holographic advertisements.
As evening approached, even without the training ground’s lights, the external light illuminated the area brightly.
“One-on-one combat. It’s getting late! Don’t hold back, let’s finish this quickly! First group!”
Two identical light close-combat mechas moved forward, their mechanical parts and joints emitting “kaka” sounds.
They stabilized themselves in the center of the training ground, assumed an offensive stance, and awaited the command.
At the coach’s order, the two mechas suddenly ignited their thrusters and charged at each other.
Mid-flight, they both drew their beam sabers, their movements remarkably synchronized, a testament to their shared training.
Upon contact, the four beam sabers clashed, emitting bright sparks.
Immediately after, the two mechas sidestepped, simultaneously attacking each other’s lower bodies.
The four beam sabers collided again below, creating more sparks.
The movements and speed of the two pilots were identical, making it virtually impossible to discern any differences. They moved like dancers who had trained for years.
Following that, both mechas surged past each other, heading behind their opponents.
Gu Ya found their combat rather dull. Identical moves, identical finishing blows, completely lacking any sense of fierce engagement.
In such situations, it all came down to the pilots’ psychological fortitude and the mechas’ performance differences.
At this moment, the coach sent a communication request. His avatar appeared on the display screen. “Zhan Yan, you’ll fight Amber in the next match.”
Gu Ya nodded. Amber was likely the mecha’s name. Who would name a mecha so casually?
On the combat arena, the two mechas were locked in a fierce struggle, their actions still eerily similar, making it difficult to determine a winner.
“Beep—” a stirring electronic sound signaled the end of the engagement. Both sides ceased their movements.
The coach said coldly, “Both trainees have passed the training. Next match!”
That was it!? Gu Ya was surprised and confused. They hadn't even determined a winner! Shouldn’t they have fought to the death?
As Gu Ya was about to inquire about the training rules, a medium-sized amber close-combat mecha had already moved to the center of the combat arena.
“Coach! Are the combat rules 'to the point of stopping'?” Gu Ya asked.
The coach’s side did not respond.
Gu Ya had no choice but to brace himself. Regardless, he had to try first. After all, it was his first time. Even if he lost… no! Gu Ya’s nerves suddenly tensed. How could he allow himself to have an escape route?
If he was going to fight, he would fight with all his might, to the bitter end!
Gu Ya controlled his mecha and steadily advanced to the center of the combat arena.
As soon as both mechas were in position, Amber’s rear thrusters erupted with explosive force, and it charged directly at Gu Ya.
“This… these are not the combat maneuvers of those two mechas from before at all!” Gu Ya exclaimed in his mind.
By now, the opponent had already closed the distance.
[Active Mind] instantly activated automatically.
“Damn, a skill triggered. This is a big taboo in self-training!” Gu Ya suppressed the timing of the skill, and only at the last 0.01 second did he control his mecha to continuously retreat.
Coincidentally, this mecha’s leg joint was stuck fast, making any backward defensive movement impossible!
“Since that’s the case!”
Gu Ya’s eyes hardened. He suddenly pushed the control stick and the energy lever forward, his mecha’s thrusters instantly erupting with a brownish-red aura as it charged towards Amber.
He suddenly recalled Wang Shangmeng’s ten consecutive thrusts attack. His gaze steadied, and his fingers rapidly tapped the buttons on the control panel.
However, without skill enhancement, his tapping speed was nowhere near enough.
Amber’s red beam saber was about to pierce Gu Ya’s mecha’s head.
Gu Ya instantly drew his beam saber and thrust it forward, intending to clash head-on.
Amber’s pilot clearly hadn’t expected Gu Ya to confront him head-on. He swung his beam saber horizontally, meeting Gu Ya’s saber firmly.
“Ssszzz—”
Countless beam sparks scattered into the air.
Gu Ya’s eyes remained calm, his fingers continuing their previous movements.
The dilapidated mecha seemed to have awakened powerful hidden skills, instantly darting past Amber’s body and delivering several thrusts to its rear thrusters.
The opponent was clearly no pushover. He drew a second beam saber, blocking from behind, firmly protecting his thrusters and halting Gu Ya’s assault.
Simultaneously, he leaped forward a distance, immediately turning his mecha to charge at Gu Ya.
“So fast!” Gu Ya began to panic.
If he had utilized his skills, he could have instantly identified the opponent’s weakness and delivered a killing blow.
But now, Gu Ya, who had self-imposed limitations, was completely unable to block the incoming assault!
The red beam saber slashed rapidly, directly piercing Gu Ya’s mecha’s waist.
Gu Ya’s eyes glinted coldly. He drew his second beam saber and thrust it violently towards the opponent’s head from the sides.
Amber quickly blocked one beam saber while its head dodged the other.
Just as Gu Ya was preparing to attack again,
Amber forcefully rotated the beam saber embedded in Gu Ya’s mecha. With a few “clanging” sounds,
Gu Ya’s mecha’s waist mechanism was shattered by the beam saber. With a loud “boom,”
the mecha completely lost power and, like a dead person, slumped limply.
Amber quickly withdrew its sword and performed a stylish sheathing motion.
Gu Ya’s mecha slowly knelt to the ground, unable to rise again.
Gu Ya sighed. His first combat match since arriving here had ended in defeat.
“It’s alright. Failure is normal, given the difference in piloting skills and mecha performance.”
“The most important thing is to analyze, summarize the reasons for failure, and bridge those gaps to improve step by step.”
“There’s still plenty of time. I will definitely win.”
The coach then called out, “Amber passes the training. Zhan Yan receives one demerit. Alright, next match!”