Counterfeit Hero

”Colonel!” Cosmo had tried to mimic Fatty’s movements on the simulation console nearly a dozen times, but the mecha on the screen always stopped after turning. The side spin couldn’t be executed, making the counter kick look like a series of awkward stationary movements. Feeling lost and red-faced, he asked, ”Could you explain it again?”

”Of course!” Fatty patted Cosmo’s shoulder and then turned to address the hundreds of mech knights around him, saying, ”Remember, this is your first lesson, and it’s also the first lesson in the Bandit Army Mecha Martial Arts, regardless of faction—continuity of control! Let’s break down the technique... Look, my back-step is to guide my side spin, and my side spin is seamless... Yes, all it needs is a Level 1 standardized finger technique starting from the A2 key... See it clearly? There’s no need to forcibly boost the engine power at this moment, utilizing the spiral inertia from the spin is enough to get the maximum speed out of the kick... With fewer complex controls and the continuity of the moves, we can improve the execution speed of this basic technique by more than a second!”

Spitting with enthusiasm, Fatty explained while slowing down to demonstrate the breakdown.

In no time, Cosmo, who sat next to Fatty, was the first to master the technique. Cosmo’s success immediately invigorated the mech knights. Dozens of simulation pods were queued up and rotated repeatedly. Since they all had a solid foundation, once they grasped the key points, they quickly got the hang of it. As their proficiency increased, their control over the kick’s angle and power became more precise. The training room frequently echoed with the delighted shouts of mech knights successfully completing the move.

Once everyone had roughly grasped the essentials, Fatty chuckled and asked, ”Who had the fastest kick just now?”

After some murmuring among the mech knights, Weiseler, who completed the move in just 1.257 seconds, was brought forward. Fatty nodded. He often paid attention to this usually taciturn disciple of Weii Jianshan. Back at the Tai Sect Puluo Branch, Weiseler ranked second after Monroe due to his quick hands.

Fatty asked Weiseler, ”1.257 seconds is already a very fast speed. In your opinion, how fast can this technique be compressed to?”

Weiseler thought for a moment and shook his head, saying, ”Besides the differences in hand speed and talent, this move has already been simplified to the extreme. For me, further improvement would take about a second. However, the control over the angle and strength of the move can be more precise.”

”Hmm!” Fatty chuckled and asked the others, ”What about the rest of you? Can anyone do it faster? Any method will do, just as long as the move is completed!”

Any method will do? The mech knights exchanged glances and pondered hard.

The training room fell silent. Fatty’s back itched as he idly scratched it against the chair’s armrest. After a futile effort that caused him to grimace, he finally gave up and continued scratching his back awkwardly.

The mech knights calculated for a long time but couldn’t think of any way to improve the control speed, causing them to shake their heads one by one. Meanwhile, Fatty, happily scratching himself like he was pole dancing on the chair, looked smug and said, ”If I told you I could complete this move in under 0.6 seconds, would you believe me?”

”0.6 seconds!” The training room filled with the sound of gasping breaths. Half of it was due to Fatty’s claim, while the other half was astonished by how indecently Fatty scratched himself. As for whether what Fatty said was true, few doubted it. After all, everyone was used to Fatty’s prowess by now.

Fatty blinked expectantly at everyone, waiting for someone to shout, ”Impossible!” Then, he could display his skills and leave everyone in awe.

Disappointingly, despite waiting for a long time, the mech knights, mouths agape and eyes wide-eyed, all nodded in unison with disbelief, strongly expressing their unwavering trust in Fatty. Damn, they had no personality at all!

”First move of the Leaf-Sweeping Leg Skill!” Fatty moved the left-hand control lever back and forth, while his right hand performed the standardized ”Jump Point Finger” followed by the ”Three Rolls Finger” on the virtual keyboard like splashing water. As his hands moved swiftly, the mecha on the virtual screen sprang up and delivered a fiercely powerful side kick.

Fatty’s hands didn’t stop, and he continued speaking, ”This is the legendary ancient skill of Peach Blossom Island! Together with the Falling Petal Divine Sword Palm, they are known as the Gale Extreme Skill! Damn it, explaining it to you is pointless.”

On the virtual screen, the mecha’s movements became faster and faster. Its punches struck with chaotic ferocity like thunder, and its legs swept through the air like a sudden whirlwind from the south and north.

”Remember, the continuity of mecha martial arts doesn’t just emphasize the seamlessness of one move, but the acceleration of subsequent moves initiated by the previous one, utilizing positioning, footwork, inertia, balance, and power to make every move connect seamlessly from start to finish!”

Fatty went berserk. With a hand speed of seventy-two moves per second like a seizure, the mecha on the virtual screen transformed into a lightning-fast Mad Dragon. Amidst a burst of violent sounds, the computer-simulated opposing mecha was reduced to scrap metal in an instant from the barrage of punches and kicks.

In the dead silence, the virtual screen emitted a beeping electronic sound as the statistical data flashed red. ”Back-step Side-Spinning Counter Kick” was listed as the seventh segment of this first move of the Leaf-Sweeping Leg Skill, with the segment time recorded as—0.58 seconds!