Tempest of the Stellar War - Chapter 211

Chapter 211: Awakening Ability X

"Stop . "

Meng Tian was stumped . In the instant that Zhuo Mu drew back, she moved reflexively to attack . When she realised it was a feint, it was too late . Against the Demon Wolf's agility, the only way for the Hunter Type III to maintain its distance was to predict the opponent's movements and move pre-emptively to respond .

Even more crucially, when the Demon Wolf had closed in for the kill, she tried to stave it off with her guns instead of switching to her titanium blades .

Zhuo Mu smiled . "Meng Tian did well . If only she had been more decisive, she might not have lost . No matter how good one's long range capabilities are, enemies will always target the weak points in battle . One should never depend too heavily on one's forte . "

The onlookers nodded . To be all-rounded was a necessity . A forte was useful for the offense, but being a balanced fighter might save your life .

Zhang Shan realised it as well . Although Meng Tian had seemingly spotted her chance, it was actually Zhuo Mu's trap . He had lulled Meng Tian into relying on her long-range weapons, and his sudden advance had surprised her into forgetting about switching to her titanium blades for the defence .

Purpose…

Meng Tian's close combat skills were actually satisfactory . If she had fought, she could've dealt excessive damage to mech .

"That's too stingy!"

Luomu smacked her head . "What do you know? This kind of lesson leaves the deepest memories . Anyway, it's not stingy . In the end, we can't keep the mecha undamaged, but this is not the time to wreck them . "

Since everybody was just beginning to test out mech fighting, the key was to practice combinations, to gain as much experience as possible . To do their four mecha justice, they should only risk further irreparable damage when they were fully trained .

Zhang Runan burrowed into her mech with a rumble . Her balanced Bata Type V looked formidable .

Zhuo Mu coughed . "Zhang Runan, today you will continue to practice control over your concentration . "

Zhuo Mu could take no more . He knew his students' standards were paltry, but his hands had already started to become sore . The last two matches had been showy . Zhang Shan's ability had brought the Beast Type III to its full potential . Although he had gone easy, the stress of using the Demon Wolf Type V was unbelievably huge . Furthermore, to unnerve Meng Tian's calm demeanour required every trick he knew in his prime…

In short, this bunch of kids were good seeds . Although they seemed lackluster at first, Zhuo Mu desired to train them . Those highly born lauded what they had . Even if he had to sacrifice everything, he swore to unhorse them . It was just… he needed to rest and conserve his energy for tomorrow .

Zhang Runan nodded . Although she was itching to go, she stood at one side and commenced her control training .

Zhang Shan opened his newly added shield and walked his newly-repaired Beast Type III into the training arena . He watched Zhang Runan's control training .

To use a mech to hold a chicken egg…

"Formidable Sister Nan, I've tried it too . It is impossible," Zhang Shan said .

Meng Tian smiled . "After you become experienced, you must do this training as well . "

"Even without Ability X?" Zhang Shan was wide-eyed with surprise .

Paff! Luomu, who had just finished maintenance on the Hunter mech, had come over to slap Zhang Shan heartily on the back . "Haven't you heard the proverb that 'stupid birds had better fly first'? What are you doing, still mucking about here . Have you accomplished today's goals? Meng Tian, your mech is ready . "

Meng Tian nodded . She also wanted to begin Ability X control training and attain comparable power to Zhang Runan . The power of frost, the ability to use G materials… Yet there were upsides and downsides . Transmitting power through a mech led to a great expenditure of energy . A normal human body could emit 10 minutes worth of Ability X . On a mech, this became 30 seconds . Conversely, 10 minutes of forceful control outside of the mech translated to a much longer time inside .

Zhang Shan expressed indifference, but he felt envious . Unfortunately, one's Ability X was innate . If you had it, you had it . If you did not, no amount of prayer would get you any . All Zhang Shan could do was think of his idol, Dide, the strongest mech pilot without Ability X .

Actually, Wang Zheng had no Ability X either . He immediately felt better .

At this time, Zhang Shan actually missed Wang Zheng a little . He missed his sharp insights which had always bettered his performance substantially .

Zhang Shan was always hard on himself . When a person achieved singular focus on something, they should charge for the summit and stop only when they were done . Hunger? Hungry people were motivated people .

If one's actions were too obvious, then finer control should be trained . The Beast advanced swiftly in small stutter-steps . One easily got lost in one's footwork during battle . Lighter mecha used a butterfly step, but in the hands of a novice it looked like an elephant learning ballet . Nevertheless, Zhang Shan was slowly beginning to find his rhythm .

Once Zhuo Mu left, Zhang Shan could sit still no longer . He would challenge… Sister Zhang Runan .

Real men were strongest when they battled!

"Come at me then, Mountain Maiden," Zhang Runan beckoned .

"'Brother Nan', will you call me 'Brother Shan' if I win?" Zhang Runan was undoubtedly stronger than himself, but Zhang Shan was looking for a little extra motivation .

"We'll talk about it if you ever win . "

"Alright! Here I come!"

With a deafening rumble, Zhang Shan went in guns blazing . Five minutes later, he was on his back .

Zhang Shan struggled for clarity amidst the chaos . "Damn it, you can't play like that, it's against the rules!"

Clearly, Zhang Runan had used her Ability X in that instant . No matter how formidable the Bata Type V was, it could not possibly have withstood the brunt of a full-speed charge from the Hunter Type III .

Zhang Runan's voice drifted down from the mech above . "Why can't I use power that I have? IG is not a place that cares about 'fairness' . I'm just teaching you this earlier for your own good . "

This pompous reasoning was so outrageous that it left Zhang Shan speechless . Yet in the second phase of IG, those who had Ability X clearly would not hold back .

The corner of Meng Tian's mouth twitched in a rare smile .

"Wait a moment . It can't be just me that gains such a good experience . Meng Tian should try it as well . I can also observe what a battle between Ability X users looks like . "

A cool observer's gaze saw clearer than one engaged in the heat of battle . Zhang Shan understood this . To defeat an enemy, one had to understand them better than themselves . "

"It's doable . But you had best clear the arena and observe from the viewing platform," Zhang Runan said . The two had planned to clash anyway .

"Alright . " Zhang Shan moved his mech into the depot and handed it back over to Luomu for repairs and recharging, then he ascended the adjacent viewing platform .

Meng Tian smiled slightly . In truth, she too wanted to test her own ability . The Hunter charged onto the arena .

Zhang Runan took on a more ready stance, unlike the relaxed posture she had against Zhang Shan .

Meng Tian's Hunter was abnormally calm . Her gun barrels drooped ever so slightly . Suddenly, they rose and fired!

A quick succession of three aimed shots in the shape of a triangle .

Zhang Runan dodged from side to side . She bent at the waist to reduce her stature, predicting Meng Tian's firing volume and aim . Only one burst grazed her energy shield, depleting three percent of its energy .

Zhang Runan no longer hid her high frequency butterfly step . She had dedicated the last few days to practicing this surprising footwork and had brought it to bear now . Bang! The Bata Type V danced like a butterfly in the hail of bullets . Although the energy shields were depleted, only grazes were sustained, and the damage taken was minimal .

When her energy had fallen by close to 20 percent, the Bata Type V suddenly leaped up, closing in on Meng Tian with titanium blades glinting .

Forcing her into close combat, Meng Tian's weakness…

But with a flash of lightning and sparks, Meng Tian calmly threw down her railgun and drew her own titanium blades . Although she was more used to long range weapons, she could hold her own with a blade .

Her Frost ability was equally good in close combat .

Zhang Ruan's power was the genuine thing . Neither party was looking to show off, but were simply curious as to the outcome when Ability X users clashed .

The titanium blades clashed deafeningly . Zhang Runan felt a wave of chill sweep over her and numb her body slightly . She could not hold back a shiver . Meng Tian, on the other hand, had to deal with a huge surge of energy coming her way .

Both titanium blades lost control simultaneously, flying away…

But Zhang Runan's strength was prodigious . After being hit with a blast of Frost ability, she lost her aim .

One titanium blade flew towards the entrance . At this very moment, Zhang Shan ran out from the viewing room .

Zhang Shan felt that he would get a better view and feel for the battle .

Eyes widening, he saw a huge blade flying towards him . Damn! This could instantly turn him into paste .

He tried to respond, but the huge titanium blade flew with a vicious wind that paralysed him with fear .

Zhang Shan!

Zhang Runan and Meng Tian screamed in unison . They would never have even dreamed that such a situation would occur, and it was too late to intervene .

Kablam! The huge titanium knife gouged a huge streak and was embedded in the wall .

Crash! Rubble rained onto the floor .

Zhang Runan and Meng Tian jumped out of their mecha . "Zhang Shan!"

Luomu came running from behind as well, face ashen . How could such a thing have happened?

Meng Tian and Zhang Runan were white as a sheets as well . Their eyes were red, and they were on the verge of rushing over .

From the side, a voice came . "Fuck! Almost peed my pants there . "

Zhang Shan…

Was standing five meters to the right of the door with a sour expression on his face . His legs were quivering uncontrollably, and he had to hold the wall to support himself upright .

This . . . How could this be possible!?!?!

What on earth had just happened?

Meng Tian and Zhang Runan exchanged glances . Ability X!

How was this possible?

Zhang Shan pinched his face, then slapped himself vehemently to calm himself .

He had never thought about death seriously before . But in that moment of life and death, with death in front of his eyes, his feet were rooted to the ground . .

"Could we have been mistaken?" Zhang Runan frowned .

"Zhang Shan, you . . . how did you do it?" Meng Tian's look was filled with shock .

"Do? Do what?" Zhang Shan's entire body felt weak as cotton . So much for laughing at death . Damn it, he wanted to become a mecha pilot, but he wanted to be a hero, not a martyr .

"I remember you were clearly just standing at the entrance, how could you have reached the side in a flash?"

"Did I? Beats me . I thought I was dead . . . Could it have been a hallucination?"

Luomu was shocked speechless as well . "Let's view the recording . "

In the control room, all four were anxious and impatient . Could they have seen wrongly? What had happened?

In the video, it was clear . After the clash, the titanium blade had flown towards Zhang Shan . In its trajectory, Zhang Shan was dead without doubt .

The titanium blade reached right in front of Zhang Shan . It had just begun to slice his forehead when Zhang Shan actually disappeared .