Mechanized Storm

Duang~

Duang~

Duang~~

”Ladies and gentlemen of the Solar System Alliance, the S10 Pan-Solar System Grand Mech Tournament has come to a successful conclusion.
Let us congratulate the brave warriors of the NUP Lunar Federation for winning the team championship with a huge lead of 25,000 points.
The ROM Martians came in second, followed by the USE Earth Federation in third place, and the TAS Titan and Star Space City Joint Autonomous Federation in fourth.
We thank them for their exciting battles. ”

After over a month of fierce competition, this tournament, which is the most watched event in the human world, has finally produced a winner.
The NUP has defended its dominant position and further widened the gap.
As of S10, the NUP has won six championships, the USE has won two, and the ROM has won two.
In the previous tournaments, the three major federations took turns dominating.
However, in recent years, the NUP has shown a trend of dominance.

The final night of the Pan-Solar System Grand Mech Tournament is also known as the Super Starlight Night.
In the highly anticipated S10 tournament, the organizers invited the hottest super idol Arths to perform five songs at the Super Starlight Night.
This has made S10 a classic tournament in the history of Grand Mech Tournaments.

In fact, Arths is not very familiar with mecha, but the organizers spared no effort to invite the most popular idol for the strongest competition.
Finally, they succeeded in convincing Arths, and this grand event with the combination of beautiful heroines and powerful mechs was achieved.

The competition, lasting for a month and a half, drew in over two hundred billion viewers from throughout the solar system.
Whether it was the displayed levels of excellence or Arths' offerings of classic melodies, the event was unparalleled in splendor.

However, the anticipated battle for supremacy between Earth and the Moon devolved into lunar domination, with the victors not only securing the championship, but also widening the gap.
In a surprising turn of events, ROM managed to overtake USE, causing many to be flabbergasted.
The denizens of Mars finally found their own style within the realm of beast-like mechas, and the valor of the Martian soldiers, particularly their unwavering determination to triumph in moments of peril, was displayed to the fullest.

Despite the accolades from outsiders, the Martians themselves were dissatisfied.
Their goal was singular: to become humanity's number one.

At this moment, atop the highest peak in the solar system, Mount Olympus of Mars, a new round of special training had already begun.

In a certain sense, the mecha competition was also a test of comprehensive national strength.
NUP had comprehensively surpassed others in both economics and technology, becoming the de facto leader of the solar system alliance was only a matter of time.
While Mars had made great strides in the past few decades, even TAS had displayed its unique style in this competition.
The ”Giant God of War ” series of mechas appeared to be cumbersome, but their offensive capabilities were fully realized.
On the other hand, USE, once the dominant power within the solar system and determined to win the championship, could only be described as lackluster.

The stage is set for heroes to be forged.

The competition has identified the ”Top Ten Ace Pilots ”, the ”Top Ten Ace Mechas ”, and the ”Top Ten Military Academies in the Solar System ”.
Among the top ten pilots, seven hail from the Moon, earning it the nickname of the new ”Big Dipper ”.

The Alex Stardust Mecha Martial Academy at NUP has won the highest honor, the War God Trophy, as the top military academy in the Solar System this year.

The S10 victory celebration on the Moon marks their second consecutive win and another chance to compete for a third consecutive win.
This competition has brought fame and fortune, while also reaffirming that NUP's lightweight and medium-sized super mechas, ranging from 50 to 60 tons, will become mainstream in the near future.

Meanwhile, in a dormitory in Tianjing, the largest city in Asia on Earth, Marlon couldn't understand the appeal of something that relied solely on mental satisfaction.
He couldn't help but comment on the seemingly pointless obsession of his roommate, Xiaopang, with Arths, who he sees as nothing more than a digital idol.
Xiaopang, on the other hand, is a die-hard fan of Arths and a key member of the Tianjing fan club.
Arths is not only his idol, but also his spiritual support.
Xiaopang is the most amiable person in the dormitory, and he has worked hard this year.
However, anyone who dares to criticize Arths will face his unwavering loyalty.

”You know, it's better to have one bird in hand than a thousand in the woods.
And as a person, one should remain grounded. ” Marlon sneered, avoiding looking at Arths too much – it was addictive and even Marlon, who had been through countless battles, couldn't handle it.

The guy on the far left, lifting weights while watching the awards, had a solidly muscular body and was the top-performing student in the dormitory.
His name was Wu Zang, nicknamed ”the crusher ”, not in the sense of crushing trash, but in the sense of rolling steel.

”I have to admit that NUP's participants have an advantage in understanding mechs, physical fitness, and combat skills, ” Wu Zang said enviously as he watched the Tianxun live broadcast.
”Haoge, you really did guess right.
However, I still think that light mechs have flaws and that this defeat was due to overconfidence.
Things will be different this year. ”

Before the competition began, the other three thought that Earth had a chance to win, but the result was a crushing defeat.
If it weren't for Titan's lack of overall strength, Earth might have come in last.

”The best option is always the most appropriate, ” Marlon shrugged.
”The Ivant gene selection of lunar residents has the highest degree of completion, giving them innate advantages.
The various new models of mechs have a high learning curve and demand a lot from the body, but they also have high performance and a wealth of features.
The moon people have resolved to take the high-end route, leaving others behind. ”

”When are we going to eat? ” Li Hao rubbed his belly.

”It's not mealtime yet.
I'm treating you all today.
Tomorrow is the welcoming ceremony, so I need your help.
If we work together, we'll reap great benefits. ”Ma Long, the president of the photography club, desires to capture youth and beauty.

Dorm 4396 in the Tianjing Machine Military Academy is quite well-known.
As the top-ranked military academy in the Asian region, it naturally attracts elites.
Li Hao, Zuo Xiaotang, Wu Zang, and Ma Long are all from the 87th class.
Among them, Wu Zang is a specially recruited mecha student from a famous martial arts family in Tianjing, and his skill is exceptional.
Last year, he represented the new students of the mecha department to give a speech.

Ma Long is a male with a penchant for females.
Hailing from Longgang City, he is a specially recruited student of the Star Wars Department.
He became famous after performing a song at the freshman party, and within a week, he won the heart of the beautiful senior, Shen Man, who is the president of the dance club and a beauty in the journalism department.
Since then, the two have been inseparable, like a fairy couple, leaving their roommates green with envy.

As for Li Hao and Zuo Xiaotang, they are childhood friends and both born and raised in Tianjing.
Zuo Xiaotang is a bit chubby with a round and cute face, and his combat style is severely biased, mostly being a close-combat fighter with poor skills.
However, he is talented in shooting, especially in sniping.
It is said that when he was admitted, the teachers had some debate about him.

Li Hao is the dormitory leader of 4396 and is the oldest among them.
He applied for the journalism department of Tianjing Machine Military Academy but ended up being assigned to the mecha department.
At first, this caused some disagreement with Wu Zang and Ma Long, as young people are often intolerant of nepotism.
As Ma Long put it, there's nothing wrong with using connections if you have some talent, right?At first, Li Hao was subjected to various forms of discrimination, but he remained unperturbed.
However, after learning from Zuo Xiaotang that Li Hao was an orphan without any connections or privileges, he became more understanding and accepting.
Soon enough, they became inseparable comrades in the trenches.

”Hao Ge, Xiao Pang, you two need to be extra careful this semester.
You do know that we have a new principal, and the Federation is planning some major changes.
General Long Danni is not someone to be trifled with.
You both really need to step up your game.
And Hao Ge, you shouldn't rely solely on the virtual mode for your EMP training.
It may be fun, but it's not effective. ” said Ma Long.

The EMP system was developed by the Solar System Alliance Research Headquarters and encompasses the four major leagues' mecha types.
It is periodically updated and provides two modes: virtual and real.
The virtual mode is open to the public, allowing anyone to enjoy the excitement of piloting a mecha, which is why the Mecha Battle Competition has so many fans.

Professional military academy students or amateur players with a score over 500 and who pass the physical examination can access the real mode.
In the real mode, players experience 70% of the impact and physical strain that results from actual mecha collisions.
It requires a high degree of professionalism.At the outset, the Alliance opened up virtual mode due to budgetary constraints with the aim of raising some funds.
Surprisingly, even without much fanfare, it quickly became an unstoppable phenomenon, and eventually, the Alliance could not bear to relinquish such a significant source of revenue.
Now, it has become an absolute mainstream entertainment mode.
Astonishingly, women account for forty percent of virtual mode participants.

As for the EMP scoring rules, winning in virtual mode earns very low points, with entertainment being the primary objective.
Therefore, the top players can only score up to four or five hundred points at most.
High scores can only be achieved in real mode.

For instance, in the upcoming Pan-Solar System competition, the basic requirement for Asian participants in the selection process is an EMP score of 1200 or above, or an A-level rating in a particular skill.

Among the residents of the 4396 Dormitory, Wu Zang is the highest achiever, with a year-end score of 1296.
He did not make any special efforts to boost his score, yet he feels confident that he will be a divine player with a score of over 2000 this year.
Next in line is Marlon, with a score of 1020.
It is worth noting that Marlon specializes in spacecraft engineering, indicating his high level of proficiency.
He is a typical example of someone who excels in both academics and romance, having hobbies in photography and drama, leading a rich and colorful life.

Li Hao and Zuo Xiaotang had a score of over 800, but the only concern was Li Hao.
In truth, all three of them knew that Li Hao had been extremely diligent throughout the first year and had exhibited remarkable self-discipline.
He would often disappear early in the morning and return with breakfast for everyone.
He played EMP the most, but his score remained around 800, indicating that his winning rate was rather dismal.
Even though they were all roommates, no one felt comfortable asking him about it.

”Fear not.
I will use virtual mode less in the future.
Even for your sake, I cannot leave.
Without me, you would all starve, ” Li Hao chuckled.

”Hao-ge, don't hesitate to ask for our help.
Don't be shy! ” Ma Long patted his chest and said, although he was not a major in mech warfare, he was quite confident in his abilities.

On the other hand, Wu Zang glanced at Li Hao and said nothing.

That night, Ma Long went on a date with his girlfriend, calling it their last supper.
His main goal for the new year was to pursue a younger girl.

As for Zuo Xiaotang, he was a busy bee.
Arhts' performance in the mecha battle competition had brought him to new heights as a devoted fan.
They were thrilled to see her name on the top ten trending news list, with two or three related to Arhts.
Although he appeared to be soft and unassuming in life, once he entered his fangirl mode, he was unstoppable.
No one could match his passion.

Li Hao and Wu Zang went to the EMP building together, a towering structure standing at 18 floors with illuminated lights, which is also one of the iconic buildings of Tianjing's military industry.
The place is frequented by people who enjoy training, and of course, there are those who enjoy ”bullying ” others.

This is what we call a perfect combination of training and entertainment.

”Hao, although Ma Long likes to brag, he was not exaggerating this time.
The defeat in the competition has caused quite a stir among the higher-ups, especially since the Moon people took away some of EMP's records.
Our old principal still had three years left to retire, but he had to leave immediately.
Almost all the major military academies have now been replaced by younger generations.
There is no way for us to compete with the mecha and starship departments…
If you need a sparring partner, I am always ready, ” Wu Zang commented.

Wu Zang is not one who speaks much in the dormitory, but he is very active during training.
If it weren't for his lack of seniority, he could have participated in last year's competition based on his skills.
Of course, by the standards of the competition, he still had some way to go.
This year, with another year of experience, he might achieve something remarkable.

A quick look at ”pawread dot com ” will leave you more fulfilled.

Li Hao patted Wu Zang's shoulder, ”Don't worry, I know… ”

”Hao, I have noticed that you have been to EMP more times than I have, but it's all about the approach.
Especially in virtual mode, it's a no-go.
The more you fail, the more you need to regain your sense of reality.
Our physical conditions are too advantageous.
It may feel good, but there is no benefit.
I have a feeling that Principal Long will ban military academy students from using virtual mode this year.
Any technique that cannot be borne or carried out will be nothing but a waste, ” Wu Zang said seriously.Li Hao tapped his nose and noted that Wu Zang was a straightforward man, never one to mince words.
”Alright, alright, I swear it, I don't need the subjunctive mood.
Study hard and make progress every day! ” he declared.

In truth…
well, it was complicated.
He hadn't used the virtual mode, but at the same time, he had.

Wu Zang chose a computer lab and entered, while Li Hao smiled and suddenly heard a notification from the Sky Message.
Li Hao glanced at it and a hint of curiosity flickered in his eyes, before returning to normal in the next moment.

There was a new anonymous email in Sky Message.