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After Winning The Esports Championship I’m Going To Pilot A Mecha: Chapter 161
161. Zuo Quanzong: “?”
After the tsunami swept over the sea, seven massive steel giants stood on the surface. Their towering heights, reminiscent of six great mountains, were visible only by looking up. Shrouded in mist and clouds, even from a distance of thousands of miles, the oppressive aura they emitted was palpable through satellite images.
The six Titans had subtly encircled the Zhu Jiuyin that Ji Mingzhu was piloting. Without the restraints’ control, the humanoid Titans’ bodies slightly hunched, giving them a more beastly appearance.
Ji Mingzhu appeared calm on the surface, but his hand gripping the control stick was slick with a thin layer of sweat.
With a roar, the liberated Ru Shou was the first to strike. A layer of blood and flesh swirled up from his arm, forming a long spear made of flesh and blood, which he hurled toward Zhu Jiuyin!
Ru Shou’s action seemed to signal the start of an attack. The other five Titans also launched their assault simultaneously.
Mech blades, laser cannons, particle weapons… The Titans’ weapons were undoubtedly the most advanced. As all these Titans attacked together, the sheer force was overwhelming, causing the sea beneath to erupt in a tornado-like spectacle, both magnificent and shocking!
Ji Mingzhu’s eyes swept the surroundings.
No matter how strong he was, Ji Mingzhu was only one person, piloting a single Titan. Facing this head-on in such a situation was clearly not feasible.
Vroom—
Zhu Jiuyin emitted a heavy rumble and then moved!
With a deft sidestep to the left, Zhu Jiuyin elegantly avoided the red spear’s tip in front of him. Stepping back, Ji Mingzhu collided with the oncoming Ju Mang, resulting in a loud “bang” as Ju Mang was pushed back two steps.
Although Ju Mang was also a Titan skilled in close combat and generally superior in melee to Zhu Jiuyin, Ji Mingzhu’s precise maneuvering, using techniques beyond level six, had given Ju Mang a significant disadvantage. This was Ji Mingzhu’s only advantage when facing Titans. Although the Titans without restraints had enhanced capabilities, their simple thinking made them far less adept in techniques compared to Ji Mingzhu.
After fending off the attacks of two Titans in succession, Ji Mingzhu did not pause. He drew his blade, and with a crisp snap of the blade gate, the crimson Tang Sword was wielded in his hand, delivering a swift counter strike!
Clang, clang, clang!
The Tang Sword clashed with the heavy blade of Tian Wu, creating dazzling sparks like fireworks in the air. Zhu Jiuyin’s speed was incredibly fast, performing rapid attacks and defenses in a split second. The movements were both graceful and wild, fully demonstrating the violent aesthetics of the steel Titans!
Tian Wu was a heavily armored mech with broad, open moves, but it had no advantage in a close-quarters blade fight against Zhu Jiuyin. Moreover, with Ji Mingzhu piloting Zhu Jiuyin at this level, Tian Wu gained no advantage from the brief encounter and was instead pressured by Zhu Jiuyin.
However, Ji Mingzhu did not have the opportunity to press his advantage because, the next second, Zhu Rong’s solar ray was already blazing directly at him!
The transition from offense to defense happened in the blink of an eye. No one could analyze how Ji Mingzhu executed it; all they could see was the massive Zhu Jiuyin retracting its blade and retreating in an instant. Its towering yet slender frame made its movements appear even more fluid and graceful than a gymnast. If this were a film, Ji Mingzhu could undoubtedly take on the role of a stunt coordinator with ease.
But no one had the time to appreciate this display at the moment. As Ji Mingzhu withdrew, Di Jiang had already raised a golden, transparent shield, slamming it down from above onto Zhu Jiuyin!
In a flash, Zhu Jiuyin’s steel body slightly arched. Others could even see the detailed mechanical torque under the armor rotating and stacking, resembling a swordsman bending over to sheath his blade. The next second, Zhu Jiuyin transformed into a streak of crimson lightning, the Tang Sword striking out in a horizontal block to intercept the descending golden shield!
Counter Overlapping Block Blade!
Flawless.
Only pilots of level five and above could appreciate the skill involved in Ji Mingzhu’s moves. Anyone who tried to imagine themselves in his place would marvel at his talent. Such reflexes and control could only be explained by innate ability; they could not be achieved by mere effort. Ji Mingzhu’s combat intuition and battlefield judgment were impeccable. Looking back at Ji Mingzhu’s previous public battles, most people would assume he was a pilot skilled in aggressive assaults but weak in defense.
But now, it was evident that this was not the case. While attacking is easy, defending is difficult—a nearly ironclad rule for pilots. Yet Ji Mingzhu’s brief clash with the six Titans had fully displayed his defensive prowess. His solid and steady defense, combined with his agile movements, allowed him to withstand the siege of six Titans perfectly, standing firm as a rock!
Despite his formidable defense, Ji Mingzhu struggled to find a way out of the encirclement. The Titans’ offensive grew increasingly intense, aiming to force Ji Mingzhu into a corner. Zhu Jiuyin seemed like a small boat swaying in a storm, on the verge of capsizing, making people worry for him.
This can’t go on…
Zuo Quanzong’s heart sank.
Although Ji Mingzhu’s defense appeared solid, it was not a sustainable strategy. After all, Zhu Jiuyin could not dominate the other Titans in terms of performance. While his extraordinary technique could sustain a brief advantage, if Ji Mingzhu couldn’t find an opportunity to break free soon, he would be in danger…
Sure enough, as Ji Mingzhu turned to evade and strike, Qiang Liang, who had been waiting for the right moment, pulled out a mechanical longbow from behind and aimed it at Zhu Jiuyin’s head!
Whoosh!!
The steel arrows split rapidly in mid-air, turning from a single arrow into a dense barrage of arrows in an instant!
It was as if time itself had frozen. Although the Titans lacked Ji Mingzhu’s extraordinary skill, they had excellent combat instincts. Qiang Liang’s timing was perfect, catching Zhu Jiu Yin during a moment of vulnerability.
Everything seemed to stand still. The “resonance” with the Titans made Ji Mingzhu’s hair stand on end, overwhelmed by the intense threat and sense of danger!
Clang!
The crimson Tang Sword shot up suddenly, like a fleeting bloom!
With a deadly arc, it struck with perfect precision!
The arrows aimed at the cockpit were cleaved away by Zhu Jiu Yin!
“Beautiful!”
Zuo Quanzong breathed a sigh of relief and couldn’t help but applaud Ji Mingzhu.
The deadly arrows aimed at the cockpit were intercepted, but Ji Mingzhu had no time to focus on the other parts. Several steel arrows had already lodged into Zhu Jiu Yin’s shoulder, legs, and chest armor. Although they didn’t cause significant damage, the “resonance” with the Titan made Ji Mingzhu wince with a sharp intake of breath.
Even though the arrows didn’t hit him directly, he could still feel the searing pain of being pierced…
Though there was a slight cost, the opportunity had arrived!
The brief opening Zhu Jiu Yin had shown was clearly intentional, designed to lure Qiang Liang into attacking. With its beast-like intuition and instincts, Qiang Liang had seized the chance, but its limited understanding could not grasp the deeper meaning behind Ji Mingzhu’s apparent flaw.
Predictably, it took the bait…
Boom!!
Ji Mingzhu didn’t wait any longer. With a push of the control stick, Zhu Jiu Yin’s power core hummed to life, and in the next moment, it completed the overclock, charging straight at Qiang Liang!
That’s right—Titans could also be overclocked.
But the higher the mecha model, the more difficult the overclocking became, especially for Titans. At this moment, Zhu Jiu Yin’s form effortlessly broke through the fragile sound barrier, transforming into a streak of lightning. It seemed as though it was tearing through space, instantly reaching Qiang Liang, and with a swing of the Tang Sword, a steel arm flew into the sky!
Boom—
The steel arm holding Qiang Liang’s bow fell into the sea, and only then did the delayed sonic boom reach the air. Ji Mingzhu’s Zhu Jiu Yin successfully broke through the encirclement formed by the six Titans.
“Amazing!”
Li Li was stunned, unable to resist the urge to shout and applaud. Fortunately, she pinched her thigh to calm down. “But…”
You Jia winced in pain. “Why are you pinching my leg!!”
Zhu Jiu Yin breaking out of the encirclement should have been good news, but Li Li’s expression wasn’t cheerful. Similarly, Zuo Quanzong’s face inside the mecha had grown serious.
Indeed, the Titan’s overclocking allowed Zhu Jiu Yin to burst out with overwhelming strength in a short time, helping Ji Mingzhu to break free. However, the cost was also severe.
Many Titan pilots knew how to overclock, but few dared to use it in battle like Ji Mingzhu. Not because they didn’t want to, but because they couldn’t.
Due to the threat of corruption.
It was well-known that piloting a Titan affected the pilot themselves. Depending on the compatibility between the pilot and the Titan, the degree of corruption varied. But once overclocking was initiated, the corruption’s impact would increase exponentially. Even a few seconds of overclocking would be unbearable for the pilot.
Zuo Quanzong knew Ji Mingzhu had a high compatibility with the Titan. The first time he piloted Zhu Jiu Yin without any protective measures, his corruption rate was less than 5%. However, even with such high compatibility, overclocking’s toll was relentless…
Qi Ling had the same realization.
To him, Ji Mingzhu was undeniably a pure human. For a human with mere flesh and blood to pilot a Titan was already overestimating one’s abilities. Ji Mingzhu’s recent overclocking was, in Qi Ling’s eyes, a path to self-destruction.
Moreover, Titans influenced each other. With seven Titans on this battlefield, their force fields amplified the corruption’s impact on the pilots. This was one reason Titans were kept in twelve separate satellite cities and rarely dispatched simultaneously.
Ji Mingzhu…you probably can’t hold on any longer, can you?
Qi Ling squinted slightly.
What kind of monster would you become after corruption, being Ji Qiming’s brother?
Watching Zhu Jiu Yin break out and head towards Sky City, Qi Ling didn’t hesitate. He ordered the six Titans, “Chase after him.”
The reason Zhang Bifang was initially shocked by Qi Ling’s ability to control Titans without Sky City was because Qi Ling, as the spiritual body of an Mother Aberration, was essentially a “mother” figure to the Titans. Titans, once freed from their restraints, would naturally and loyally follow Qi Ling’s commands.
Thud, thud, thud—
The thunderous footsteps behind him signaled that the Titans were catching up, but Ji Mingzhu didn’t stop and continued rushing towards Sky City.
Zuo Quanzong’s voice came through the cockpit, heavy with concern. “Pilot Ji Mingzhu…how are you holding up?”
With the force fields of seven Titans interacting and Ji Mingzhu’s reckless overclocking earlier, a typical pilot would likely have turned into a monster from corruption on the spot. Ji Mingzhu’s high compatibility allowed him to endure longer, but he should still be showing initial symptoms of corruption.
Ji Mingzhu replied, “Feeling quite uncomfortable, Red Guard Commander.”
“What exactly is wrong? Hands? Feet? Consciousness? Can you hear me? Are you still clear-headed?”
Zuo Quanzong bombarded him with a series of anxious questions.
Ji Mingzhu responded seriously, “The seat of Zhu Jiu Yin needs replacing. It’s making my butt hurt.”
Zuo Quanzong: “?”.
TN:
Complaining about your butt while 7 Titans are breathing down your neck is what we call “AURA”. Ji Mingzhu is him.
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