In the distance, two large Mecha, each surpassing the ten meter mark, stood tall, facing each other silently.

One was twelve meters tall, a pristine black and yellow paint covering it while it held a sword made out of pure condensed energy.

The second one was nearly twenty meters, an impressive height compared to the first one but its appearance showed that this Mecha had seen far better days. A tall crusader shield was nearly broken in half in one hand while a long saber was held in the other. The primary colors were a menacing mix of red and black.

Ouroboros and The Scorched.

This was a fight with no spectators The two pilots both knew that the only way to end this whole situation was for one of them to die.

[Noah. How many of the others survived?]

The first one to break the silence was Omid. His voice coming from the speakers was low and subdued but one could undeniably hear the rage in his words. As for his question about who survived, it was clear that it was a question about his subordinates on the ship.

Noah could have ignored him but since he was currently connecting to his Mecha, this was a welcome situation.

[Zero.]

[... I see…]

The voice of Omid became dangerously lower and Noah could feel the telltale sign of a bull about to charge.

[I have underestimated you. I should have killed you at our very first meeting.]

[Heheh. Hindsight is always 20/20 don’t you think?]

[Indeed it is. I will live with those regrets all my life but for now. I will have to kill you.]

[Is that so? Then…come and try if you can.]

It was hard to say who started. But soon, the sound of metal crushing the ground resonated as each of them took one step after another.

The first few steps were slow and probing, as if they were only testing the grounds they were walking on. But soon, the two of them were running at each other, covering the distance between them in an instant while crushing everything on their path before finally colliding like two trains.

Noah was smart enough to use what remained of the shield to take on the sword but his detectors were already warning him about the clear drop in durability of his armor.

There was simply no way his shield could hold up long enough and he knew it.

Whoosh!

Activating his thruster, he made a quick movement to the right, escaping the onslaught, and bringing down his sword. But Omid was no slouch and while his reflexes and motor responses were not as high as Noah's, the specs of his Mecha were enough to make such difference useless.

What followed was a frenetic course of flurries and exchanges between the two giants of steel. Moving at high speed, sometimes accelerating, decelerating and even moving slightly up if it was necessary.

It was a showcase of skills from two experienced pilots but Omid found himself slowly getting cornered.

How is this possible!?

As always this was a question anyone would have when fighting Noah but Omid could not be blamed.

Mechas were heavy. Mechas were slow. Mechas were rigid.

This was mostly the unanimous opinion of most pilots when it came to piloting. Even with a pseudo neuro link, the breadth allowed was extremely limited unless one filled their machine with much more expensive combat software to add a reaction to nearly every situation.

Omid had seen enough to know that the Mecha he was facing was not some high-end one. Hell, it couldn’t even be some old-style Mecha. It was a style he had never seen and it seemed beyond outdated.

The Scorched may not be a unique Mecha at its base but it was still a masterpiece born from the technology of a Type Two civilization.

There was only one possible explanation for the movement of this Mecha to be so smooth and so human-like.

“A neuro link?”

Omid shivered. Just what kind of madman was he currently fighting? The Neuro link was a system that had been discovered when the first few Mecha designs of the Old Empire were found in a few ruins.

But soon, this system was entirely banned from the construction of all Mecha as it was simply too counterproductive.

[Crazy bastard!]

[I am the sanest man in the world! Hahaha]

The two Mechas clashed once again. The Ouroboros was starting to falter.In the cockpit, Noah was sweating buckets. Moving a giant of steel as if it was his own body was not easy on the human mind and doing so at the intensity he was doing so currently certainly was not helping.

Noah could not afford to make the slightest mistake for he knew that any mistakes could be fatal.

His face was covered in sweat and his eyes were bloodshot, with traces of blood even leaking slightly. His mind was a little hazy but the twinkle in his eyes was unmistakable.

—Noah!

“Not now! I still have not lost yet!”

His voice was abnormal but Noah spared it no thought. All that mattered for him was the combat in front of him and he was savouring every moment of it.

[Deep Dive 2: Activation]

Noah grunted as the link went in deeper, he was now feeling every limb of the robot as if they were truly his own and he knew how dangerous this was but he did not care.

The fight continued, like a death dance that seemed to have no end, the two fought, dodging, colliding. All this time, Noah knew that he had the advantage but he also knew that he could not stay long like this.

[Reserve of energy: 15%]

Not only was he low on energy but his own body was limited to what it could bring out in the current situation. All he could do was boost his perception with Dark Matter but since his Mecha had no system related to it, there was no way for him to boost it.

I need to create an opening.

For an instant, Ouroboros seemed to slip, losing its balance. The Scorched did not hesitate to capitalize on it.

Bang!

[Do you think you can keep up against me with this piece of crap!?]

A roar sounded as The Scorched started swinging its sword again and again, chipping at the shield until it was about to fail. The shame he felt at the thought of having been nearly bested by a trash Mecha was not something that could be explained in mere words and he needed to wipe out this stain.

In Ouroboros, Noah smiled. He could see that Omid was angry and as angry as he was, he was trying to prove his superiority.

I only have one shot.

He truly missed his spear. The additional reach would have been appreciated but it was alright. He could make do.

Just a little more

He observed, analyzed, even as his shield finally broke, he waited. Finally he it was time.

For the last strike, The Scorched raised its sword high. This was a mistake.

[Self Destruction]

All the pieces of equipment during the war against the Parasites were filled with self-destruct mechanisms. He did not hesitate to use the one in his shield. Fire and smoke filled their vision as shrapnel flew around, damaging even his Mecha. But it was a calculated risk and one he was willing to take.

As the shield exploded, Ouroboros deftly moved to the side, avoiding the sword that fell in its previous position before answering with its own sword.

The oscillating sword was a very powerful weapon.

Sometimes, evolution wasn’t about discarding the old but knowing what to keep and Noah was sure that if his sword could reach the joints of The Scorched, he could do some very nasty damage.

I won!

Noah smiled as the sword reached the place where the cockpit would be even amidst the blinding smoke.

As for Omid, his detector warned him of the incoming attack and he was presented with a difficult choice.

His life or his pride.

In the end, his desire to live won out.

[Shield Activation.]

A soft sound reached him as the oscillating sword seemed to collide against an invisible barrier. Hexagonal waves started to spread in a slow ripple, showing the futility of the attack that landed.

A strange silence settled between the two, as the Mechas stayed in the same position. But the first one to break it was none other than Noah.

[Pfft! Hahahah! I won!]

In his Mecha, Omid gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with rage.

One may wonder why Noah was laughing or if he was completely crazy. But Omid could not deny the reality.

Up to now, the two of them had been fighting using their own skills and the pure spec of their Mecha, and yet, Omid had been nearly killed.

Without his shield, he would have lost.

As a Mecha pilot — Noah had won.

If this was a simple duel, the fight would have ended here and now, and the two would have shaken hands and ended this on an amicable note.

This was not a duel.

This was a fight to the death and now…Omid had no more reason to hold back.

***

The moment Omid steeled his resolve, the pressure in the air changed. Noah noticed immediately.

Ouroboros immediately gained some distance. Since he had no shield now, fighting in close combat against The Scorched would be —

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Noah thought, and immediately stopped as he looked up with surprise,

[Do you know what is the difference between a pilot who can use their Dark Matter and one who cannot?]

Noah could not answer, all he could do was look up at the multiple points of light that started forming all around The Scorched. On a second look, rather than simple light, they were clearly a small ball of fire.

[Conventional weapons are of no use to us.]

<>

Ouroboros increased the energy output to accelerate and escape faster but the Scorched did not care. Like a god raining down punishment on a mere mortal, a rain of fire fell toward Ouroboros, igniting everything on its way mercilessly.

At first, Ouroboros was able to avoid them, but the rain seemed interminable and what should have happened happened. It was only a small mistake but in this situation, there was no escape.

Noah watched as the left arm of his Mecha was covered in flame and started to melt slightly.

Red alerts sounded in the cockpit of Noah’s Mecha, showing that the damage was going beyond what was acceptable.

Fuck. Just how hot is this stuff?

Noah could not deploy his own shield as the energy it would consume would be staggering.

As such,

“I can only rush forward!”

Even though he could not stop the flames, nor could he go past Omid's shield, he knew the shield was not up all the time. He needed to take it down if he wanted to engage Omid.

Noah changed tactics and Ouroboros followed, accelerating in the opposing direction while doing its best to avoid the concentrated fire attack.

[I knew you would do that. Too bad.]

<>

Whoosh!

Even sitting in his own Mecha, Noah could feel a hint of the heat that was suddenly being emitted. It was like facing a small sun, an explosion of light and heat as everything around Omid went on fire.

The fire cloak was one of the most efficient defensive systems for the Djinn as it allied attack and defense all in one. This became even more when they were in their own Mecha as the Core and the Circuits worked as amplifiers and greatly increased the might they had access to.

It could be said that for most Mecha pilots now, piloting skills had little use. All that mattered was a core powerful enough that brought an even better boost.

Boom!

Blinded as he was, Noah had no way of reacting when the fire encased fist of the Scorched connected with the chest of Ouroboros, causing an indent to form and pushing him backward like a cannonball.

In the cockpit, Noah groaned even as Ouroboros was sent flying as if it weighed nothing until it collided against a small mountain.

The fight had only changed for a short moment but he felt like it had been hours. The difference between them was all too clear.

Noah knew it. Even if he refused to accept it, he could not win as he was. This was simply impossible.

—Noah…

His breath was rough. A sweet taste rose in his throat, but his healing factor immediately took care of the wounds.

Holding the controllers, Noah looked up, only to see nothing but a sea of flames seemingly covering the world. Even the lush forest filled with humidity was helpless in the face of this power. In a way, this was almost poetic.

The black smoke was rising high up, the crimson flame covering the visible world, and between all that —

The sound of a Mecha, advancing slowly, one step after another toward him. Each step seemed to be filled with a sense of purpose. A desire to suppress, an absolute confidence born from the clear difference in power.

Finally, the shadow of the Mecha became clear and Noah watched as a flaming sword stopped a few mere inches from the cockpit.

There was no doubt that Omid only needed an instant to pierce Ouroboros and end him.

[Noah. If that is your name. You have been a fierce warrior and as much as I loathe to admit, if you had access to a better Frame, you might have won. But such is the fate of the Battlefield. Do you have any last words?] Omid's voice came out, his mood clearly far better than it was initially.

[Heheh, how magnanimous.]

[Such is the prerogative of the winner.] The sword approached closer, slightly piercing the place where the traces of the earlier punch were. [Now Speak.]

Omid waited, wondering what the man would say. Would he try to fight back even though there was no hope? Would he beg for his life? Or would he ask for a favor?

Omid waited, anticipation rising. He did not know who Noah was. The kid was one filled with mystery but surely this would be the first page of his new legend. A legend where he would shed his identity as a pirate and become a Knight once again.

Any last words, huh..

Noah smiled as he looked at The Scorched. The sounds of alarms were still ringing as the heat from the sword was causing damage.

[Then, tell me. Out of all the Pirates in your group. How high do you rank? Are you the strongest?]

An unexpected question. There was no begging, only such useless questions.

How strong was he? Omid could not give a very accurate answer. The top executives of the Forty Thieves rarely fought against each other even if they could. There was simply no need to do so after all.

But as for being the strongest? The answer was pretty simple.

The picture of a young man flashed in Omid’s mind. Someone who, no matter how much Omid wished to deny it, was worthy of respect and admiration.

[I am not the strongest.]

[I see.]

[If that is all you have to say — Die in peace.]

The sword plunged, ready to reap the life of Noah but Omid felt an unexpected tension stopping him from going further.

Omid instantly understood that something was wrong and while he wished to push forward, his instincts were telling him to retreat.

He listened to them — This was undoubtedly the best choice he made.

[What the hell!]

Backing away immediately, Omid watched with stunned horror as hundreds of tendrils of darkness appeared at the same time. All of them were covered with bloodshot eyes and some of them showed jagged teeths.

He readied himself, thinking that the tendrils would attack him. What followed next made no sense to him.

After all, rather than attacking him — They started eating the Mecha itself.

Crunch!

The sound was frightening and the picture unnerving. He had the distinct feeling that thousands of ants were crawling on his skin. As the tendrils piled on each other, soon they condensed into a round, almost oval form that was more reminiscent of an egg.

Then crimson lines started to form, giving the faint impression that it was drawing something akin to a snake.

A snake eating its own tail.

[Warning: Energy signal growing.]

Omid growled. He did not know what was happening but he would certainly not let this continue.

<>

Rising in the sky, a giant ball made out of fire slowly formed. This was perhaps his strongest and most destructive attack. When used in conjunction with his Mecha, Omid had enough power to wipe entire cities instantly.

He pushed more than half of the remaining energy he had into this attack, well intent on destroying this abject thing.

The fireball was launched, sailing like a bomb toward its target and once it reached it, an explosion of light and heat almost blinded him while pushing his own Mecha backward.

Everything in a 500-meter radius was immediately erased, as Omid had done his best to focus all the power in one point, and a mushroom formed by dust appeared high in the sky.

There was no way for anyone to have survived this attack. Surely this would be the end of that monstrosity.

Well…this was what he thought.

Reality though, had a way of always disappointing, and Omid realized once again this truth when the sound of slurping and suction reached him.

The camera of his Mecha focused and he saw something he would never forget. Something that once again made no sense.

….The fire was being eaten by the giant dark egg…

In but an instant, all the fire in the surroundings was completely out, leaving nothing but a scorched earth and charred trees.

“What…The…Hell…”

Nothing answered Omid.

Nothing except — Crack!

The sound of the eggshell cracking.

***

Sitting in the cockpit of his Mecha, Noah observed the surrounding darkness quietly. From every part of his body, a dark substance flowed out continuously, covering the entirety of the Mecha.

He could feel strong shaking and a feeling of being burned filled his body, making him feel like he was being burnt alive.

—Are you satisfied?

Noah had no words. He simply observed,

—Your recklessness might cost us our lives. Was it worth it to fight a losing battle just to prove you were the better pilot of the two?

“I am the strongest.”

—You are not!

Her voice came out like a screech as if she was tired of listening to Noah.

—I do not understand your obsession with this title but you are not the strongest! Not anymore! Not in this world!

“...”

He closed his eyes and thought back to why he fought Omid. Noah had many reasons he could use as an excuse, but in the end, all it came down to was simple.

He was the strongest.

He needed to be the strongest.

If he was not, then… What use did he have?

Noah ruffled his hair, feeling like he was running in a circle, constantly thinking of things that should not have any influence on him anymore, but there was simply no way for him to escape this reality.

“Say, what do you think a Hero needs the most?”

—Seriously!? This isn’t the time for some introspection!

He ignored her scream and continued, “Many might say it’s a sense of justice or morality and in a way, they aren’t wrong. A hero needs all those things to be a hero but this isn’t the most essential. The most essential thing is pretty simple.”

He smiled, “Strength. Strength is Justice. Even if hundreds of laws were created, justice can not be done if there is no power to implement it. The absence of power to implement will result in tolerance of the intolerable.”

To become a hero, you need to be strong enough to implement your vision of justice. This was the simple reality. This was why the hero in all stories had to be strong.

Even when the hero saved the day by convincing the bad guy to join the side of good, this would always be after an epic fight. Only after that would discussion be possible.

For Noah, all his life, he had been meaning to fulfill the rule of absolute justice. Be it him or the other constellations.

They were nothing but experiments born for the sole goal of assuring the survival of humanity and for that, they needed to be strong.

They needed to be the strongest. If they were not the strongest then, they were nothing but failures.

This was the kind of doctrine Noah had been made to follow all his life and he lived by it. Strength was Power. Strength was Freedom. Strength was Justice.

But ever since he woke up in this new world, he realized one thing…He was not strong anymore.

“If I am struggling to beat Omid now… Then about his boss? What after?”

So many things were changing, too many, too fast. The more he explored this ruin, the more information he received and the more he realized just how little he knew and just how insignificant he was.

If the Earth he went to was not the Earth he knew. What would he do?

If Earth needed his support. Needed his strength. What could he do?

The answer to that question was simple. As he was now….There was nothing he could do.

This clarity about his situation brought insecurity and those insecurities transformed into fear. Fear consumed him and became recklessness.

—...

“Sorry, forget it. Like you said, this is not the time.”

—-You are not the only one worried about the universe. My memories may be blurred, but I have no memories similar to anything even close to this universe. Everything we learn is new.

“Heh…”

—But remember. When we landed on this planet. We were weak. We were at the lowest place in the food chain and what did we do?

“...”

—We survived. We adapted. We grew, We evolved and finally, we became the strongest on this planet.

“Hah…”

—If we could do it once. We can do it again and again. Our potential is infinite and now we have an even greater weapon and our growth will be even faster.

“Once again, being comforted by my old enemy.”

—Do you truly think you are still human?

Noah looked down at his body and could only show a bitter smile. Right now, he could not even call himself human by any means of the word. At the very least, physically speaking, he had nothing human now.

—You understand right? Even though we avoid talking about it. On that day…The two of us perished. Whether you are still Noah and I am still the Parasite Queen is a philosophical question with no clear answer. But if there is one thing clear. The only way for you to get an answer is to win here and now.

“You are right.”

Noah smiled, it was a more light-hearted smile this time and he took out the new core he was given as a reward. It wasn’t as if all his worries and all his troubles vanished instantly with just one speech.

There was no way that such deep-seated trauma could vanish like this. But at the very least, at this moment, all the self-doubts he had were pushed aside and gave way to a more positive outlook.

—What is the plan? The cocoon I created is breaking down and I can feel a big attack incoming. I only managed to slow him because of the shock this sudden transformation must have brought.

As if feeling that Noah was back on his A-game again, the Queen asked and Noah, as always, delivered.

Placing his hand on the place where the chamber for the core was, he asked, “When we entered that last Mecha, I asked you to observe the internal structure. How much were you able to analyze?”

— 80% thanks to the memories of the Cyclops woman we ate. It’s far easier. Don’t tell me…

“You don’t have enough material to create an entire Mecha but this should be possible, right?”

He pushed the new core into his Mecha and immediately…Everything changed. His eyes lit up even more as the line of a snake eating its tail appeared.

“Let’s give Ouroboros one last epic battle!”

[New equipment system detected.]

[Compatibility with Perpetual core: 50%]

[Proceed with the fusion?]

[Y/N]

[Warning: A sudden source of thermal energy was absorbed. The system is not able to handle the initial load. Heightened risk of self-destruction.]

Noah grinned, his eyes blazing with a new fire. It didn’t matter if Ouroboros alone could not support the power.

He could share the burden and so could the Queen. This was not one one-man show. This was a team effort.

This was why Noah decided to go all out even at the risk of his life

❰Full Dive❱