Ash seethed with frustration, his chest still heavy with the sting of his most recent failure. His mind raced to retrace the missteps that had led to his defeat.
The ambush had been meticulously planned. His opponent, known as "Invincible Barrage," had outwitted him by laying an expansive field of sensor mines amidst the dense forest. The earlier explosions that had drawn Ash into the clearing were nothing but a trap. Surrounding the clearing lay a deadly minefield, designed to leave no escape. When Ash unknowingly triggered the mines, the subsequent chain explosions turned the area into a fiery inferno, obliterating his mech in a blinding instant.
The spectators of Aurora were left in awe of Invincible Barrage's precision. Not only had he expertly avoided triggering a single mine when clearing the area, but he had also locked onto Ash's position at the exact moment the mines detonated. Even more shocking, his eight artillery strikes had simultaneously hit Ash, despite the dense cover of three massive trees between them. The feat elevated Invincible Barrage’s reputation, establishing him as a tactical genius and a nightmare for melee-focused mechs like Ash’s Shadow.
Ash let out a heavy sigh, his frustration palpable as he leaned against a virtual training pod. He had yet to find a counter to Invincible Barrage's strategy, which felt like a death sentence for any close-combat specialist. As he brooded over his defeat, the scenery around him shifted without warning.
Suddenly, Ash found himself standing in a bustling plaza hall, a massive news board flickering before him. His surroundings were no accident—Rune's voice broke the silence, uncharacteristically panicked.
“Ash, check news code 020242985,” Rune urged. His usual composed demeanour was replaced by a tense urgency.
Ash frowned, uneasy. “What’s going on, Rune?”
“Just read it!” Rune’s tone left no room for hesitation.
Ash quickly input the code. The headline that appeared turned his face ashen.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
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Far from the chaos Ash was facing, Lily had been staying with Sarah's family for some time now. Her parents, who were posted to the distant Taro System, had entrusted her care to Victor Sun and his wife. The Suns treated Lily with affection, and Sarah, in particular, had taken her under her wing.
During dinner, Victor casually brought up an unexpected topic. “Lily, I heard your new school is having mech piloting exams soon?”
Lily, unfamiliar with the school’s curriculum, turned her bright, curious eyes to Sarah for confirmation.
Sarah nodded. “Yes, it’s part of the term assessments.”
Lily pouted, clearly displeased with the idea of exams but still managed to look charmingly adorable.
Victor’s wife smiled fondly and added, “You should let Sarah tutor you. Didn’t you both spend time at the consciousness training centre recently? How did it go?”
The mention of the training centre darkened Lily’s expression, and she quickly looked down at her plate. Sarah, equally uncomfortable, busied herself with her meal.
Victor’s wife noticed the change in atmosphere. “Sarah, are you eating fennel? I thought you hated it?”
Sarah blushed furiously and shoved more food into her mouth, mumbling incoherently. Her embarrassment, however, made Lily giggle, breaking the tension.
Unaware of their discomfort, Victor changed the subject. “Speaking of mechs, didn’t you mention a pilot named YC recently? The one who mastered chaotic waveform jumps with his Blackbird mech?”
Both Sarah and Lily froze. “What about him?” Sarah blurted, her voice filled with urgency.
Victor smirked, clearly enjoying the attention. “Oh, nothing much. It’s just that his matches have been trending online. His new mech and tactics are quite impressive.”
Before he could elaborate, Sarah flipped the large serving bowl of sweet-and-sour fish onto his plate with expert precision. Lily gasped in shock while Victor’s wife chuckled, clearly accustomed to their antics.
Victor, undeterred, continued between bites of fish. “This YC—oh, Ash, I think his new matches show an incredible leap in skill…”
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Meanwhile, Sarah and Lily had retreated to Sarah’s room, where they eagerly logged into the virtual net to watch Ash's latest match recordings.
For Lily, the battles were a spectacle of grace and power. But for Sarah, every movement Ash made spoke volumes of his growth. She was captivated by his ingenuity and skill, marvelling at how far he had come.
“Lily, let’s go watch his next match tomorrow!” Sarah exclaimed, her enthusiasm infectious.
Lily nodded vigorously. “Yes, let’s!”
Little did they know, Ash was far from the triumphant figure they admired. In a distant corner of the Farr Quadrant, he was preparing to face the most dangerous challenge of his life.