Genius Mechanic: Chapter 239

Asta Contaminated Zone(Star Domain Tournament: Start)

239. Tool-Type Stealth

Proofread by Cloud Chip Cake

A pollutant passed by Qingf, and soon another pollutant followed. Due to the unique environment of the mining site, including the conveyor belts and the destabilized environment, the pollutants here were either animal-type or plant-type ones nestled within the mechanical crevices. As KID’s mechas spread out along the mine wall’s transport ports, the previously clustered pollutants were gradually drawn away by the individual mechas. Once dispersed, they wandered around aimlessly, as if losing their targets.

【To the guy just now, thanks for leaving one more chance for me to grab something from KID’s online store.】

【But this is so strange. It doesn’t feel like KID’s usual style to let so many pollutants go.】

“KID isn’t scavenging pollutants anymore…” Zhang Ge noticed the situation in the adjacent livestream.

KID’s resting area was right next to Gale’s. Gale’s head coach, observing the environment of KID’s mining site, commented, “It’s not the right time yet. If they want to stay hidden in there, they can’t expose themselves. The movement patterns of pollutants are the easiest way to reveal hidden coordinates. Look at DAJ—they’re watching.”

While KID was spread out and lying low across the mine, the nearby mecha teams soon began to converge.

The first to arrive was DAJ, a team from the Jiaolong Galaxy in the First Star Domain. Upon reaching the coordinates where KID’s Artillery had previously exposed their traces, they didn’t act immediately. The destabilized environment forced them to land on the sandstone peaks above the mine, with their mechas dispersing to carefully observe the movements of the pollutants below.

“Captain,” DAJ’s Artillery pilot reported, “No targets found through the scope.”

DAJ’s captain scanned the changes among the pollutants below. Some were attracted by their presence, while others wandered aimlessly. “There’s something down there. The pollutants’ movements aren’t consistent.”

The initial coordinate exposure had passed, and they could no longer pinpoint the exact location of KID’s Artillery.

After hesitating for a moment, DAJ’s captain quickly made a decision. “The pollutants haven’t attacked them. They’re still below—they haven’t left.”

The mine was vast, and with the continuously operating conveyor belts and suspended mining equipment, numerous blind spots obstructed the view from above. While those at the bottom could see the top clearly. Anyone trying to locate KID’s mechas from above would be at a disadvantage.

As DAJ began their maneuvers, KID’s mechas hiding below immediately noticed the movement.

“They’re coming,” Huo Yan said.

“What’s the plan now?” Ji Qingfeng asked.

“They haven’t all descended yet. We need to probe them,” Ying Chenlin instructed. “You Ge and Lu Xi, take the long-range approach.”

When DAJ appeared, Ying Chenlin’s mind immediately recalled the pre-match intelligence provided by Jiang Simiao. DAJ was a rare metal-attributed fast-attack type team in the First Star Domain. Their core strength lay in their Guardian and Stealth mechas, whose combined ability in encirclement and breakthroughs were formidable.

In a mine environment with numerous obstacles like this, DAJ were like fish in water… Teams that made it into the Star Domain Tournament weren’t fools. In the mine, the pollutants had dispersed, leaving traces behind in a short time. DAJ weren’t stupid; as long as they notice this, they’ll come down to search for them.

The most suitable for searching would be DAJ’s ace trio: the Guardian, Stealth, and Medical.

Sure enough, DAJ stayed above the mine for less than three minutes before three mechas ran down along the conveyor belts—it was DAJ’s trio.

You Su asked, “To what extent do you want to probe?”

“Weapons, and—” Ying Chenlin said, “Keep a distance. Don’t let them come down.”

In the livestream, fans in DAJ’s perspective had a broader view than the mecha teams on the field. When they saw their team’s mecha pilots heading in KID’s direction, they noticed KID as well. What they didn’t expect was that KID’s hiding spot wasn’t far away, but the issue was that the surrounding pollutants didn’t attack them. Instead, the pollutants passed by them multiple times.

DAJ’s coach analyzed, “They’re using the mine’s energy resources to reduce their own attractiveness. This is a mechanical mine. If the mecha pilots completely withdraw their mental power output and power down, it’s not surprising that the low-level pollutants that have been living here for a long time wouldn’t react.”

“It’s a good method, but they’re underestimating our commander too much.”

【This Dawn Galaxy team actually powered down in the Contaminated Zone to avoid detection.】

【With so many ores they shut down to reduce energy use. They come up with all sorts of crooked ideas.】

In the DAJ livestream, the commentator quickly pointed out a flaw: “I guess KID wanted to avoid being surrounded by DAJ, so they did this and chose to power down, hiding in the mine. But they overlooked one issue—once DAJ enters the mine, KID will face a dilemma.”

Inside the mine, they powered down to lower their energy levels and lower their attractiveness to pollutants, but they overlooked the danger of being in a disadvantaged rear-position. Once they restart their mechas, it won’t just expose the coordinates they’re hiding at; they might also be attacked by pollutants first.

As DAJ’s ace trio descended, viewers in the livestream initially thought KID would continue shrinking back into their safe spot to avoid being discovered. However, to their surprise, two of KID’s long-range mechas activated at the same time. The sudden energy activations alerted the surrounding pollutants, and the energy reaction of an S-Class Artillery mecha suddenly appeared on radar.

【An S-Class Artillery mecha!? Was Dawn’s original Artillery an S-Class mecha?】

Viewers in KID’s livestream were also stunned.

They knew Trace’s data listed an S-Class mecha, but it had been a long time since they’d seen Trace pilot his S-Class mecha.

【Trace’s S-Class?!】

【It appeared once before, in Qiu Jin!】

【Trace actually brought the S-Class mecha.】

In that instant, KID’s Artillery mecha pilot, Trace, positioned at an ultra-low rear spot, fired a Sniper Cannon shot at the high ground.

At the same time, from another angle, Lucy also fired an Enhancement Cannon.

【Our aces are heading down.】

【In this no-fly zone, once KID’s Artillery is discovered by us, it’s basically a one-shot kill.】

【I heard KID is the champion of the Dawn Galaxy Competition; better to be cautious.】

Trace’s Compressed Windstorm and Lucy’s Enhancement Cannon shots collided, instantly unleashing a massive storm that stirred the large amount of floating ore and mining equipment at the center of the mine. In the first moment of this overwhelming destructive force, the three mechas from DAJ positioned above seemed to have anticipated this. The DAJ Medical, originally at the rear, suddenly leaped forward. A special light shield deployed and immediately neutralized the incoming attack, stabilizing it.

“What is that thing!?” Gu Xiaotian exclaimed.

Jiang Simiao’s gaze sharpened. The intelligence they had received did not include this weapon, “A slowing and freezing effect!? That shield shouldn’t be a defensive shield. It’s a special protective light shield capable of slowing and freezing attacks near it.”

【DAJ’s front line isn’t afraid of ranged attacks at all, okay? With their Medical, they’re basically a charge team.】

【The long-range group on the high ground is already locking onto Trace. If they expose themselves, they’ll definitely get targeted.】

【I might have overestimated Dawn. Is this the level of their weaponry?】

Under the protection of the shield, the three DAJ mechas didn’t slow down their movements but quickly charged toward Trace’s exposed position. Pre-match intelligence had informed them about Dawn’s weaponry. Among all the participating mechas from Dawn, KID’s combat readiness was the weakest. The Compressed Windstorm Sniper Cannon and the special Energy-Enhanced Cannon were already in their database. However, they hadn’t expected KID to be so confident as to not update their weapons for the Star Domain Tournament.

Seeing their team gain the upper hand, DAJ’s fans relaxed their previously tense emotions.

They assumed KID’s other mechas would go to support the Artillery, but to their surprise, the other mechas remained motionless.

At that moment, Trace suddenly switched weapons. The weapon changed from a Sniper  annon to an Energy Cannon. The special Energy Cannon locked onto the DAJ mechas running along the high-altitude conveyor belt and fired another shot.

This shot didn’t target the DAJ mechas but instead struck the conveyor belt high above. The massive vibration seemed to penetrate the DAJ Medical’s shield. The DAJ Stealth, positioned at the rear, slipped from the edge of the conveyor belt. In the next second, a grappling-type weapon in his hand latched onto a protruding rock wall in the mine, allowing him to swing quickly back onto the conveyor belt.

Huo Yan observed, “The Stealth brought a Zipline and control-release weapons.”

“Their weapons can block materials with a definite form,” You Su said as he fired another shot and prepared the next one. “It’s impossible to evade strikes against formless attacks.”

While KID was testing DAJ’s weapons, DAJ was also probing KID’s weapons.

However, all of DAJ’s mechas were exposed to KID’s view, while only two of KID’s mechas had appeared. DAJ’s Artillery mecha on the high ground had already locked onto You Su’s position. A calibrated special Tracking Cannon shot penetrated several obstacles and struck the conveyor port where You Su was located. Just as they thought it would hit Trace, the latter agilely landed on an ascending conveyor belt and once again set up his cannon.

DAJ’s Artillery was preparing to aim again, but the Energy Cannon in the mine fired faster. At the extreme limit of his reflexes, he dodged it, nearly falling from the edge of the sandstone due to the power of the Steel Wind Cannon. “That Artillery mecha reacts way too fast!”

DAJ’s captain observed the impact of KID’s weapons and noticed that KID’s overall offensive capabilities seemed stronger than during the Dawn Galaxy Competition. He said, “They’ve upgraded their combat readiness. The excessive damage output comes from the synergy between Trace and Lucy. All three of KID’s ranged mechas are difficult to deal with, but Trace is the core. Take him down, and KID will be easier to handle.”

“Encircle Trace and force KID’s other mechas out.”

Viewers in the live stream noticed the tug-of-war unfolding between KID and DAJ on the conveyor belts. During the back-and-forth, the core weapons of the several long-range mechas were revealed. Ying Chenlin had previously studied DAJ’s weapon reserves. DAJ favored a fast-attack gold-attribute strategy. Their Artillery mecha uses enhanced offensive weapons; the Tracking Cannon had penetration effects, the Sniper Cannon had strong destructive power. Their Control mecha primarily carried enhancement-based weapons. Another weapon was a blinding Flash Cannon for cover.

At that moment, new movement occurred atop the sandstone. Ying Chenlin’s gaze locked onto the high ground. “Other teams have arrived.”

While both sides were testing each other, the other teams heading to the third mine pit in Zone C had also engaged in battle.

Two teams clashed head-on in the sandstone area, while two others reached the third mine pit from different directions. Upon arrival, DAJ’s trio up above immediately became the target of these two teams. However, DAJ’s trio reacted swiftly, pulling back to a safe distance as soon as the other teams arrived. Their excellent tanking and defensive abilities shielded them from harm.

The late-arriving teams gradually began splitting up, with mechas descending from the high ground one after another.

“DAJ’s commander is sharp. The team left on the sandstone has a balanced offense-defense setup with escape capabilities. The trio descending to attack KID is also well-equipped for both offense and defense,” the commentator explained quickly. “This division allows DAJ to operate flexibly. Even if split into two smaller units, the team on the high ground doesn’t fear an ambush from behind, giving DAJ adaptability in their responses.”

In the field, the mechas hiding at various conveyor belt entrances looked upward. Lin Yao, positioned furthest forward, said, “Chenlin, two teams are coming.”

“Did they enter the destabilized zone?” Ying Chenlin locked onto the high ground. “Lure them down.”

The audience in KID’s Dawn Galaxy livestream couldn’t bear to watch anymore. KID’s fans were gripped by the tense atmosphere of the encirclement, and other viewers from the Dawn Galaxy feared that KID might truly get cornered.

【I can’t watch this.】  

【Does the opening have to be this intense?!】  

【DAJ’s trio is closing in!】  

【Don’t ah, Trace don’t let it cool down!】  

Trace and Lucy didn’t immediately move to block the approaching DAJ ace trio. Instead, they used the opportunity to aim their weapons at the edge of the high ground. The top of the mine was composed of sandstone terrain. The Steel Wind Cannon and the Enhanced Cannon struck simultaneously, targeting the edge of the sandstone. The powerful destructive force instantly shattered the foothold.

As the mechas dodged, a large amount of sand and gravel fell from above. Inside the mine, the destabilizing system was functioning normally. Particularly in the most unstable areas, the relatively light sand and gravel didn’t immediately fall to the bottom under gravity. Instead, much of it eerily floated mid-air.

The scattering sand and gravel significantly limited the visibility from above.  

The livestream audience was momentarily stunned.  

—

The perspective in the Star Domain Tournament’s official livestream shifted continuously. Half an hour into the match, battles had already erupted in all four zones.

The group with the fastest outbreak of battle was Group A. In Group A, the Dawn Galaxy mecha teams were Gale and FQJ. Gale’s quick risk assessment allowed them to avoid being cornered by strong teams. However, FQJ wasn’t so fortunate. When their coordinates were exposed in the first round, they were surrounded by other teams and were now in a bitter fight.

【The Dawn Galaxy doesn’t seem that strong after all?】 

【It’s hard to escape a 2v1 scenario, but their reaction speed isn’t as quick as I expected.】  

【I thought they must be strong to secure eight spots, but it seems like they’re at the same level as before.】  

The audience in the First Star Domain had high expectations for the Dawn Galaxy. Seeing such a disadvantaged opening, they couldn’t help but question whether the eight spots they secured were overrated. In contrast, the Aries Galaxy, which also secured eight spots, had even its lowest-ranked team successfully avoid risks in the first round.  

FQJ, on the verge of losing its first mecha under the assault of two strong teams, left fans of the team and the Dawn Galaxy mecha bases feeling disheartened.

The Dawn Galaxy lacked experience. When facing teams with rich experience in the Star Domain Tournament, their tournament experience was insufficient.

“They’ve performed well enough. FQJ losing one mecha under the encirclement of two strong teams is still an effort to turn the situation around,” Black Crow’s coach said. “The teams surrounding them are from the seventh-ranked galaxy in the Star Domain Tournament. FQJ is wise to prioritize escaping and maintaining their ranking as much as possible.”

【FQJ is having a hard time.】  

【The Dawn Galaxy has always struggled in the Star Domain Tournaments. We can’t get cocky just because we secured eight spots.】 

“The unfavorable ranking at the start is due to the fact that Dawn didn’t participate last season, and their previous results weren’t high either. This places our eight teams at the bottom of the rankings in every region. With such results, once the initial rankings are revealed, we’ll become the primary targets for all the strong teams,” the commentator for the Dawn Galaxy continued. “For Dawn to improve its ranking, it must endure the difficulties at the start.”

This situation wasn’t happening for the first time. At the beginning of every Star Domain Tournament, weaker teams always became prime targets.

In the first two days, when all teams were at their peak in terms of energy and strength, the weaker teams’ mechas became the first wave of points.

The eight slots for Dawn were merely tickets to entry. Without achieving a high ranking in this Star Domain Tournament, they’d return to their previous situation next season.

【Look at how bad it is for FQJ.】  

【Haven’t you watched KID’s perspective? KID is surrounded by three teams right now.】 

【I can’t bear to watch. It’s worse in Zone C.】  

【No, KID hasn’t lost anyone. It’s turned into a full-scale melee over there!】  

The official livestream switched from Zone A to Zone C. As soon as the view shifted, it revealed large amounts of floating sand and gravel that had turned the entire third mine pit into a hazy sandstorm-like environment. It looked as if a sandstorm had just swept through, reducing visibility to an extremely low level.

【What’s going on!?】  

【The sand is floating?】  

【The mechas can’t fly, so why can the sand float?!】  

“The mine is in a special destabilized zone. The simplest way to understand destabilization is gravity instability. However, this area is a mining site on Asta. The sand and gravel in the nearby sandstone have developed a special magnetism under the influence of the long-term destabilization system’s magnetic field. Can you see the floating mining devices? That’s caused by the magnetic field disruption from the destabilization.”  

The commentator quickly explained based on the data. “The destabilization system causes more than just a no-fly effect for mechas. At the mine’s center, the area with the greatest destabilization, magnetic forces interact and counteract each other. Objects with relatively low mass are affected by the destabilization and float. The mining devices float for the same reason.”  

The gravity destabilizing system was initially designed to combat pollutants, imposing the greatest restrictions on them.  

Mechas forged from pollutant materials also fall under its influence.  

The effect of this destabilization on the mechas is a complete no-fly restriction. If a mecha attempts to use its flight propulsion system, the magnetic influence would manifest as a change in gravity, potentially causing the mecha to crash directly into the pit’s bottom.  

“KID from Dawn Galaxy is very clever. They must have noticed the arrival of multiple mechas and thus adopted this tactic. The floating sand and gravel obscure visibility from above. Now that a large number of pollutants have gathered, the long-range mechas remaining above will be vulnerable to pollutant attacks and be unable to aim accurately from higher ground.”  

The commentator added, “If the teams want to secure points from their mechas, they’ll have no choice but to enter the mine for close combat.”  

【This Dawn team is so smart.】  

【Turning the situation into a full-scale melee makes it hard for other teams to concentrate fire on them.】 

In the third mine pit, four teams were gathered, with DAJ and KID located below.

Dawn Galaxy’s online viewers, worried for KID, felt relieved when KID executed a counter-ambush. An opening encirclement was too challenging; the best approach was to repel some teams and find a better position for output.

KID’s fans assumed the strong teams would retreat at this point, but contrary to expectations, as soon as the gravel magnetic field formed, the other mechas that had arrived did not retreat immediately. Instead, upon realizing up top was no longer suitable for targeting, they entered the mine pit from different directions one after another.

【Are the other teams not retreating?】  

【Retreat? Why would they? This match is all about getting elimination points.】  

The Star Domain Tournament’s rules are simple: the more mechas a team eliminates, the higher their ranking. Typically, intelligent mecha teams wouldn’t shy away from a large-scale melee. In a one-on-one scenario, the difficulty of an engagement is higher, and there’s always a risk of being sneak-attacked and eliminated.

But a large-scale melee is different. Once a melee starts, it means everyone fights on equal terms, and the number of points that can be gained from eliminations increases significantly.

Looking at the four teams currently present, the strongest was DAJ, ranked sixth in the previous Star Domain Tournament, and the weakest was KID. The other two teams were of similar strength. This sort of chaotic battle was essentially a chance to score points.

The commanders of the three teams that came to surround KID weren’t fools. Seeing the situation, none of them chose to stay at the most conspicuous stop above the mine pit. Instead, they used the gravel as cover to infiltrate the mine pit one after another.

“They’ve entered,” Lu Xi squinted, barely making out the situation above. “Some mechas are stationed at the top as reserves, and the rest have come down.”

Seeing this, Ying Chenlin knew the time had come. “Qingfeng.”

Ji Qingfeng had been waiting for this moment. He emerged from a certain teleportation point, and during his movements, a specialized hook-lock appeared in his left hand. In the next instant, his entire mecha vanished from its original position and swiftly closed in on a specific direction.

As soon as the three teams entered the mine pit, they immediately locked onto the already exposed positions of KID’s Artillery and Control mechas. The two KID mechas were positioned in different directions. DAJ’s leading trio did not slow their pace; the formation of the gravel magnetic field actually facilitated their advance. In the blink of an eye, they were only separated from KID’s Artillery by the height of two conveyor belts.

DAJ’s Stealth used the zipline to leap down, instantly closing the distance with Trace’s position.

You Su caught a glimpse of the mecha descending from above out of the corner of his eye. The Steel Wind Cannon blasted to the side with a sudden roar, and the powerful propulsion instantly moved him to a different position. Without pausing, he continued firing at the sandstone above, causing another round of gravel to cascade down.

DAJ’s Stealth failed in its first strike, surprised by Trace’s rapid reaction. Adjusting his trajectory, the Stealth used the zipline again to close the gap with Trace. At that moment, a sudden artillery shell from above targeted him, striking his position directly. The DAJ Stealth swiftly dodged and looked up, “Did KID’s other mechas come out?” 

“No, no KID mecha signal detected.” DAJ’s captain, a Guardian mecha pilot, was constantly monitoring the surrounding radar coordinates while his teammates attacked Trace. He had not found KID within the visible range. “The one attacking you is from another team.”

DAJ’s Stealth frowned: “My coordinates are completely concealed. How did they detect me?”

The sudden chaos at the bottom of the pit left the viewers watching DAJ’s perspective stunned. When the four teams began their melee, DAJ’s two long-range mechas provided cover while the main assault team ambushed KID. The DAJ ace trio had excellent ambush capabilities, and the remaining three mechas provided solid cover. They had indeed found a blind spot in the sand and gravel magnetic field to launch their surprise attack on KID. Other teams couldn’t possibly detect them from their angle in the blind spot.

DAJ’s Stealth was skeptical and once again locked onto a position, attacking Trace.

This time, the attack from above came from a different direction. DAJ’s Stealth had to dodge again. “Two teams are attacking us?”

“Something’s wrong.” DAJ’s captain realized the issue. “Our positions shouldn’t be exposed. Let’s use stealth to deceive them.”

DAJ’S Stealth hid under the intersection of the conveyor belts for a moment. When he moved again, he noticed the attack from above. The moment the attack was about to land, he suddenly looked up to a higher level and saw a mecha running ahead. It was their team’s Medical mecha.

“Medical, what are you doing up there?!” DAJ’S Stealth stopped.

DAJ’s Medical: “No, I’ve been with the captain all this time.”

“That’s not right.” DAJ’s Stealth looked at the moving figure. Their Medical mecha’s coordinates were outside the four conveyor belts. Who was the mecha up there?! “There’s a special weapon. Artillery, lock onto that mecha’s position.”

DAJ’s Artillery heard the order and switched to the position of their Stealth mecha. The Sniper Cannon aimed at the sound of running amid the gravel. The moment his Sniper Cannon hit, the mecha, which looked almost identical to their Medical mecha, shattered. A red-and-white mecha instantly flashed and disappeared in front of him when the illusion shattered.  

【A red-and-white mecha? KID?】

【The only mechas present that are red and white are KID’s.】

【No radar coordinates, is it KID’s Stealth mecha!?】

DAJ’s fans immediately reacted, and many quickly went to KID’s livestream perspective.

Fans in KID’s livestream were also confused. The main perspective switched from the attacked Artillery mecha to the higher ground, where they saw a red-and-white Stealth mecha running directly above DAJ’s Stealth mecha.

This mecha used a special flash attack hook to avoid their Artillery’s long-range attack. The next second, a special weapon appeared in its hand, attached to a unique silver chain. The tail end of the silver chain was a blue ball emitting transparent mist.

When the mist from the blue ball fully dissipated, a special illusion appeared on the outer layer of the mecha.

It unfolded like a mirage before all the viewers, reflecting a mecha form identical to DAJ’s Stealth.

【…? What the hell!?】

【What is this!?】

【An illusion-type weapon!?】

KID’s Stealth ran quickly at the top, nearly matching the movements of KID’s Artillery, Trace, below. He picked the most obvious position on the conveyor belt, constantly exposing the position of DAJ’s Stealth below.

【Wait?! If the mirror image runs in sync, then the attack will target him first!】

“Has KID used an illusion-type weapon before?” The Dawn commentator hesitated. “Qingf has never used an illusion-type weapon before.”

Before the sentence was finished, another attack from a higher team fell, directly targeting KID’s Stealth. It seemed that KID’s Stealth had already anticipated the attack from above. At the moment of impact, a hook appeared in his left hand. The long-range attack passed through the watery mist’s illusion, and his entire mecha disappeared from its original position, then reappeared at a farther spot.

“KID’s Stealth… isn’t carrying an offensive weapon.”

The commentator, who had captured this scene, was stunned. “KID’s Stealth brought displacement and illusion-type weapons… they’re using the Stealth as a tool man ¹!?”

TN:

No wonder he let all those pollutants pass him by. Da Feng can’t do sht to them😭. Isn’t this subjecting him to torture?!

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Translator Notes

1. In gaming – A character with auxiliary functions. In particular, it refers to a character who is no longer useful after being used to block attacks for the team, provide buffs , or provide debuffs to the opponent , and is forced to leave the game. It is also used for characters whose own performance is not important, and they mainly use system performance (such as giving props to the main players in RPG) without the player’s deliberate training to play a role.[↩]