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After Winning The Esports Championship I’m Going To Pilot A Mecha: Chapter 104
104. Celestial Empress
Ji Mingzhu and Axiu shared an unspoken understanding. Since the moment Ji Mingzhu opened his eyes, Axiu had always been by his side. Initially, Ji Mingzhu had been wary of the AI implanted in his body, but now, he had long since come to trust Axiu completely.
Clang—!!
The blade of Undying Slash leapt like a dragon, cutting a dazzling arc through the air, resembling a crimson moon under the night sky. Whether it was the mech units still fighting on the battlefield or the countless citizens watching through satellite broadcasts, their eyes were glued to Phoenix Redeemer’s every move.
Closer, closer…
With the assistance of Li Li’s Smoky Blue Shower, Phoenix Redeemer seemed to gain the ability to fly, surging towards the sky at incredible speed and creating several visible sonic booms in the air. Though the description may seem slow, in reality, it all happened in an instant—Phoenix Redeemer had already reached Zhu Rong!
Even through the satellite feed, everyone could feel the oppressive aura emanating from Zhu Rong, like a demonic god.
Ji Mingzhu’s micro-movements had reached an incredible level of precision. The complex instrument panels flickered rapidly, every movement, every subtle change of the mech was under his control.
Phoenix Redeemer adjusted the angle of Undying Slash, holding it horizontally in front while the mech slightly crouched, resembling a drawn bow ready to unleash a volcanic force.
Buzz… Boom!!
This pose lasted only for a moment. In the next instant, the core roared like thunder, and Phoenix instantly accelerated, reaching Mach 16 in a fraction of a second. Air ripples formed around the mech, as if it had traversed a temporal barrier, disappearing from everyone’s sight, too fast even for the satellite to capture!
Zhu Rong’s red eyes flashed, its arm armor revealing intertwined flesh and a deep abyss-like cannon emerging from the gaps.
The solar ray burst forth!
Zhu Rong’s Titan-level firepower locking system was formidable. Though Phoenix Redeemer was fast and agile, it was still insufficient against Zhu Rong.
This was the overwhelming power of a Titan.
However, Ji Mingzhu didn’t hesitate. In mid-air, Phoenix Redeemer, under his control, abruptly stomped, stepping swiftly on Zhu Rong, then suddenly side-stepping!
A familiar maneuver.
Was it the Rapid Shadow Kaiser’s Lateral Kill Technique?
Li Li’s eyes widened.
No, not entirely. It incorporated the Transverse Rotational Step, combined with a 190-degree military-style twirl…
Even a seasoned Titan pilot like Li Li couldn’t discern how many advanced techniques Ji Mingzhu had used in that single moment.
The solar ray burst forth, like a roar from the heavens and earth, a nearly tangible beam of light whistling towards Phoenix Redeemer, its scorching heat almost evaporating every drop of moisture in the air.
Ji Mingzhu’s eyes narrowed sharply as he swiftly pulled back the control stick. Phoenix Redeemer executed another high-difficulty warp tilt, Undying Slash spread horizontally, tracing up along Zhu Rong’s arm!
The sound of the blade piercing flesh echoed. Zhu Rong’s blood-covered armor was sliced open, and Undying Slash scraped against the underlying armor, leaving a trail of sparks!
It was an exclusive performance by Ji Mingzhu!!
Extreme danger, extreme operation—only by perfecting every operational detail could such a blade-dancing spectacle be achieved. Facing a Titan with the oppressive presence of a mountain, Phoenix Redeemer displayed unparalleled agility.
Witnessing this, not only the mech units of the Calamity Control Bureau but everyone watching the battle scene through satellite broadcasts were left slack-jawed, eyes filled with shock.
Yao Mingkai, Anman, and others were utterly stunned, their scalps tingling with disbelief.
They knew “Tian Nan” was an expert, but they couldn’t have imagined what level of expert. In the face of real mech combat, titles like the top five hundred of Battlefall or professional players seemed laughably insignificant. This extraordinary balance and operational ability would leave any pilot disoriented, but Ji Mingzhu not only executed these unprecedented top-level micro-operations but did so with such fluidity and smoothness, it was like art.
It was simply…
A deity in the realm of pilots!
“Don’t just stand there!”
Li Li was the first to react, her shout snapping the other dumbfounded pilots back to reality: “All mech squads, provide cover!”
If not for the inappropriate time and place, Li Li would have loved to thoroughly admire Ji Mingzhu’s operations. Compared to before in Shangjing City, Ji Mingzhu seemed to have improved… Li Li knew she couldn’t pull off such maneuvers. No, not just her, even the former strongest Titan pilot, Zuo Quanzong, couldn’t either.
With Li Li’s timely reminder, the mech units quickly responded, matching Ji Mingzhu’s rhythm and beginning to use laser cannons for cover.
Phoenix Redeemer moved like a top-tier ranger weaving through the city, dodging Zhu Rong’s attacks and firepower with agile maneuvers. Phoenix’s instantaneous acceleration made it ghost-like; even with Titan-level firepower locking systems, Zhu Rong couldn’t pin down Ji Mingzhu’s position.
A meteor shower of laser cannons and artillery shells rained down, providing cover for Ji Mingzhu, continuously exploding on Zhu Rong and adding to its frustration. The red light in Zhu Rong’s eyes visibly intensified.
Finally, seconds later, Ji Mingzhu reached Zhu Rong’s cockpit area.
Zhu Rong seemed to realize something and its movements became more frantic! The entire city, ravaged by solar rays, had turned into a hellish furnace, countless skyscrapers collapsing into rubble, yet Zhu Rong still couldn’t catch a glimpse of Phoenix Redeemer.
The Thunder Division Minister’s eyes brightened as he observed this scene.
Titans had a structure similar to humans, albeit on a massive scale. But as long as Ji Mingzhu continued to hold Zhu Rong’s attack angles in check, he could ensure he wouldn’t be hit by the solar rays.
Although it sounded easy, accomplishing this was a devilish test of the pilot’s skills. Every detail had to be flawless, every move and attack rhythm of the mech had to be perfect, or else a single mistake could result in being directly melted by the solar ray!
Ji Mingzhu, able to pull this off, deserved to be called the strongest Titan pilot, shining even brighter than Zuo Quanzong, the former Red Guard Chief.
In mid-air, Ji Mingzhu had successfully closed in on Zhu Rong’s cockpit. The cockpit area was now covered by thick layers of blood-vines, like an impenetrable red armor.
Taking a deep breath, Ji Mingzhu deftly dodged Zhu Rong’s arm attacking from the side, then reactivated Phoenix Speed!
Clang!!
One slash, two slashes, three slashes…
The terrifying power of the S-class mech burst forth instantly. Ji Mingzhu continuously executed high-difficulty Level-2 military blade techniques, causing an eruption of crimson blood from Zhu Rong’s cockpit area. The layers of flesh covering the cockpit were torn open repeatedly, only to heal and be torn open again!
“Roar!!”
Zhu Rong finally panicked. Its mountainous body spun wildly, the solar ray sweeping in all directions. Yet, Ji Mingzhu’s Phoenix Redeemer remained firmly anchored at the cockpit.
Finally, the outer layer of flesh armor was completely cleaved open, revealing Zhu Rong’s restrainer—the cockpit!
“Boom, boom—”
Laser cannons and artillery shells attacked simultaneously. Smoky Blue Shower, piloted by Li Li, unleashed its full firepower without hesitation. Terrifying laser beams and energy bursts roared towards Zhu Rong!
There was only one chance!!
The explosive shockwave also impacted Phoenix Redeemer. At the moment Zhu Rong’s Titan force field was broken, Phoenix Redeemer’s S-class force field dissipated instantly. Undying Slash was wedged tightly into the cockpit’s crevice, and the entire mech swayed like a boat in a storm. Even the sturdy S-class armor started to crack under the bombardment!
“Axiu!”
Ji Mingzhu’s eyes blazed: “Begin the invasion!!”
“Received.”
Axiu’s voice responded. In the unseen dimension, during the brief moment when Zhu Rong’s Titan force field cracked, a vast stream of data surged forward, attacking Zhu Rong’s cockpit.
【Pilot system under unidentified data attack, initiating emergency firewall】
【Warning! Firewall breached!】
【Firewall failure, requesting Calamity Control Bureau network assistance!】
The firewall inside the Titan’s cockpit was connected to the Calamity Control Bureau’s internal network. Once breached, the Bureau’s defense network would immediately attempt repairs.
Under normal circumstances, the Thunder Division’s tech department would immediately reroute the data to the Calamity Control Bureau’s light brain to combat abnormal data intrusions. But now, the automatic support requests from the Titan were directly ignored.
Every eye in the Thunder Division’s tech department was fixed on Zhu Rong. Never before had they hoped so fervently for a Titan to be successfully invaded!
“Invasion progress 40%, 65%, 88%…”
Axiu’s voice was exceptionally calm, almost imbued with a soothing power: “Connection successful, entering Thunder Division’s key.”
“Acquiring Celestial Empress Orbital Penetrating Cannon launch permissions…”
“Acquisition successful, permissions granted for Celestial Empress Orbital Penetrating Cannon.”
For some reason, Ji Mingzhu felt that Axiu’s voice changed slightly at the moment of successful connection and invasion. It was still the youthful tone, but the inflection was different.
A familiar sensation stirred within Ji Mingzhu, as if something in his memory was being awakened.
“We did it!!”
Li Li’s voice came through the comms, filled with obvious excitement and joy.
“Well done!!”
The Thunder Division Minister also shouted, his voice nearly breaking with relief.
Although Ji Mingzhu’s ability to invade a Titan warranted investigation—indicating he possessed hacking skills far beyond the Calamity Control Bureau’s intelligence—this was not the concern of anyone at that moment.
They only knew that Yangyuan City was saved!
“All mech units, all combat personnel, evacuate the battlefield immediately!”
The Thunder Division Minister yelled over the public comms: “Immediately, now!!”
Everyone instantly halted their attacks and faithfully executed the Thunder Division Minister’s order.
The Celestial Empress Orbital Penetrating Cannon, Zhu Rong’s exclusive city-destroying weapon, had only been deployed a handful of times in human history. No one could have predicted that this time, the target would not be an Aberration but a Titan itself.
The Thunder Division’s remaining active mech units had swiftly evacuated. The Minister had just started to relax when Li Li’s alarmed voice cut through the comms.
“Mingzhu… Ji Mingzhu hasn’t evacuated yet!!”
Yao Guang and Tian Ji both froze, scanning their surroundings. Indeed, amidst the severely damaged mech units, the distinctive fiery red was nowhere to be seen.
“F*ck!”
Yao Guang snapped out of it and instinctively tried to rush back into the battlefield, only to be held back by Tian Ji.
The previously dense barrage of attacks ceased abruptly, leaving Zhu Rong, who had been in a state of rage and frenzy, momentarily stunned.
Having just awakened, all its actions were instinctual—instinctual rage, instinctual destruction of all perceived threats, and instinctual devastation of its surroundings. Its limited cognitive abilities couldn’t comprehend the current situation.
However, Zhu Rong sensed an unusual threat, an immense danger looming.
It assumed a defensive posture, every cannon on its body extending as it warily scanned its surroundings.
Moments later, it lifted its head in confusion, looking toward the sky.
In the vast night sky, with the sparse stars and a few bright stars, a light began to shine, more brilliant than the stars, more radiant than the moon.
Beyond the atmosphere, the Celestial Empress Orbital Penetrating Cannon slowly rotated, its muzzle gathering a surging white light.
TN:
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