Chapter 462 - 450: The Finals
Chapter 462: Chapter 450: The Finals
Azure Sky Wings Base, the giant arena.
A roar like a tsunami surged through the crowd, almost powerful enough to blast the clouds from the sky.
All one hundred thousand seats were filled, and every pair of eyes in the stadium burned with a wild fervor.
The Spiritcom Network broadcasted this passion—intense enough to melt steel—to every corner of the kingdom.
But high above the arena, a luxurious private box remained as quiet as another world.
Allen, draped in a simple black robe, stood silently before the window, like a shadow that had existed there since time immemorial.
The moment he appeared, the ministers in the middle of their reports fell silent, as if choked by an invisible hand.
King William immediately dismissed his attendants and hurried forward, addressing the figure’s back. "Lord Wesley."
"No need for formalities."
Allen didn’t turn around, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "I’m just here for the show."
His gaze was fixed on the massive entrance tunnel below.
Simultaneously, the [Allen Network] spread out like an invisible, giant web, instantly taking control of the entire arena. Countless environmental parameters, fluctuations in the crowd’s emotions, equipment operating frequencies...
A massive torrent of information flooded his Sea of Spirit, where it was sorted and modeled by Jarvis.
He hadn’t come here just to watch a duel.
But it was also a convenient opportunity to collect the fervent emotions generated under the extreme pressure of a life-or-death duel. The union of mortal and machine might just offer him a surprise.
BOOM—RUMBLE—
The heavy hydraulic gates slowly rose. Under the gazes of the entire stadium, two behemoths stepped into the center of the field, which was lit as bright as snow by the searchlights.
Both were eighteen-meter-tall Zakus, with the same standard paint job, the same Tower Shields, and the same Thermic Axes stowed on their backs.
On the left, the pilot: Lance Haywood. Of noble birth, a former squadron leader in the Royal Capital Knight Order, with a total of three hundred and twenty hours of simulator training and the best performance on record.
On the right, the pilot: Yak. From the slums, a mechanic’s apprentice, with a total of seventy-five hours of simulator training and exceptionally high ratings in physical and mental fortitude.
Both pilots were Level 3 Spirit Mages—a classic matchup of the elite versus the underdog.
King William returned to his throne, his voice booming across the entire arena through the amplification system: "I declare the finals of the First Aiselan Steel Knight Tournament—"
"Begin!"
BLARE—
A piercing siren blared across the sky!
Almost simultaneously, the two hundred-ton Steel Giants revved their engines to the absolute limit, the ground cracking beneath their feet!
No probing attacks, no evasive maneuvers!
The two multi-ton Thermic Axes slammed into each other, their impact heralded by a piercing, air-rending shriek!
CLANG—!!!!
It was like two iron mountains colliding. The deafening crash transformed into a visible shockwave that swept across the entire arena.
Spectators in the front rows could even feel the violent gust of wind that blasted toward them.
Lance demonstrated exceptional tactical prowess. The Zaku he piloted moved with precision and grace, like a battle-hardened warrior.
The shield in its left hand always appeared in the most critical spots at just the right moment to block and deflect, while the Thermic Axe in its right would immediately strike from a cunning angle, aimed straight for the weaker points of Yak’s cockpit.
It was a textbook display of dominance!
"Pathetic!"
Lance saw a perfect opportunity. He cut power to the right arm, letting the recoil send the mecha sliding to the left.
Following the motion, he slammed the shield on his left arm forward, striking the knee joint of the Yak Zaku with pinpoint accuracy.
Yak’s mecha lost its balance and staggered forward.
Lance didn’t let the opening pass.
He slammed the control stick forward. Crimson Runes instantly lit up the axe blade, its intense heat distorting the air.
He delivered a devastating horizontal slash.
Yak pulled back on the controls purely on instinct, forcing the mecha to lurch backward.
The Thermic Axe scraped past the edge of the cockpit and sliced deep into the Yak Zaku’s left shoulder.
A shower of blinding sparks erupted. The armor plating melted under the intense heat, exposing the internal drive mechanisms and cables, which were promptly severed.
The left arm of Yak’s Zaku went completely dead, hanging limply at its side.
The crowd erupted in an uproar.
Less than a minute into the match, the people’s champion had already lost an arm.
Lance gave no quarter, pressing his advantage relentlessly. With his shield held before him and his Thermic Axe raised high, he advanced step by step, each slash aimed at a vital point on Yak’s mecha.
Yak could only desperately parry with his Thermic Axe in his one good arm.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The deafening sound of metal striking metal was staggering.
Yak’s mecha was forced back again and again, its armor dented as multiple red warning lights flashed wildly across its frame.
He was forced to the edge of the arena, with nowhere left to retreat.
「In the private box.」
William watched Yak taking a one-sided beating below and shook his head slightly.
"Ultimately, there’s just too big a gap in their foundations."
William sighed. "A commoner’s grit isn’t enough to overcome superior technique and resources. There’s no wasted movement in Lance’s actions. Yak won’t last another thirty seconds."
Allen’s gaze remained locked on the arena.
"I wouldn’t be so sure."
The moment the words left his lips, the situation on the battlefield below changed abruptly!
Forced into a desperate corner, Yak’s eyes turned crimson and bloodshot. The threat of death and his desperate longing for victory were like two white-hot branding irons seared deep into his soul.
"ARGHHHHHHHHH—!!!"
An inhuman roar erupted from his throat.
Beside his heart, the Spirit Core that had only been faintly glowing suddenly erupted with a blinding, dazzling light!
The Spirit Core was evolving!
A massive stream of information washed over his brain! In his perception, the world seemed to slow to a crawl, as if someone had pressed a slow-motion button!
Yak’s vision became incredibly sharp and clear.
The trajectory of Lance’s descending Thermic Axe, the sparks flying through the air, even the subtle whir of the mecha’s hydraulic pistons—everything was imprinted on his mind with perfect clarity.
New Spirit Art awakened: Neural Overclock.
Empowered by this new Spirit Art, Yak’s will surged through the Spiritual Energy Conductor, forcibly bypassing the central processor’s safety limiters to seize direct, low-level control of the mecha.
The response lag was cut by a full 0.2 seconds.
’Now’s my chance!’
Yak’s hands became a blur across the control console. As he worked the sticks and pedals, his mind seemed to merge with the Spiritual Driving Cabin, becoming one with the machine.
GROAN—!
The Zaku’s frame emitted a mournful groan, unable to bear the strain as its performance was pushed to the absolute limit!
The battle-scarred Zaku, in a completely unbelievable maneuver, executed a sliding sidestep, dodging Lance’s descending Thermic Axe by a mere millimeter!
The entire crowd, including Lance himself, was stunned.
And Yak had been waiting for that single moment of shock!
Instead of drawing the Thermic Axe from his back, he channeled all the engine’s power into the mecha’s right arm and leg thrusters!
The stocky Zaku adopted a ferocious stance, dropping into a low crouch before launching itself skyward!
It was an incredibly ferocious "Rising Dragon Fist"!
CRASH—!!!
The giant iron fist, devoid of any finesse, smashed squarely upward into the chin of Lance’s Zaku!
The immense impact caused most of the screens in Lance’s cockpit to go black. The massive g-forces slammed him back into his seat; his vision went dark, and he nearly blacked out.
His Zaku, like a toy swatted aside by a giant, lost its balance and crashed backward, throwing up a massive cloud of dust and smoke!
Victory was decided in an instant!
Yak gave his opponent no chance to recover.
His Zaku landed steadily. It strode forward, drew the Thermic Axe from its back, and with a low hum, pressed the searing-hot blade against the hatch of the other mecha’s cockpit.
An incredible reversal! The entire arena fell deathly silent.
One second, two seconds...
Only when the referee raised his arm and announced the end of the match did the entire Azure Sky Wings base seem to awaken from a frozen moment in time.
"YAK!!!"
"YAK!!!"
"YAK!!!"
A thunderous, tsunami-like roar coalesced into the name of the ordinary apprentice. Countless people leaped to their feet, arms raised in triumph, tears streaming down their faces.
The commoner had overthrown the noble!
William looked from the soaring public approval ratings on the Spiritcom screen to the indomitable Zaku standing in the center of the arena, his face a mask of utter astonishment.
At that moment, however, Allen stepped out from the shadows.
For the first time, the sunlight from the window illuminated his completely expressionless face.
"An excellent performance," he commented.