Counterfeit Hero

”Mars, 2063 Mecha Fighting Arena, first round matchup list...

Level 1 Mechanical Knight Costa from Boiling Mecha Hall versus Level 1 Mechanical Knight Jordan from Red Mountain Mecha Hall.

Level 1 Mechanical Knight Kruzer from Heavenly Mechanical Pavilion versus Level 1 Mechanical Knight Beardsley from Tornado Flow........”

As the host’s voice rang out, the matchup list produced by the lottery immediately appeared on the massive virtual screen in the center of the venue. Subsequently, the knights listed drove their respective Combat Mechas through specialized passages towards the central fighting arena.

The central fighting arena’s automatic lifting platforms, after the opening performance, swiftly split into sixteen spreading arenas. Each arena was divided by retractable metal walls measuring three meters thick and twenty meters high.

Looking down from the control center at the highest point of the venue, two hundred sixty meters high, the mechas entering the arena resembled ants. Even though the trapezoidal stands around extended significantly towards the center and the giant virtual screen hung in the center, the arena’s area was vast enough for these mechas, ranging in height from four to eight meters, to leap and move freely.

Since it was a close combat match and for safety reasons, all long-range weapons on the mechas were strictly prohibited.

Regarding this point, the Fei Alliance Guard Force showed no leniency; any mecha attempting to enter the central commercial area with devices that could cause misunderstanding would end up as a pile of scrap metal at best.

However, modifications to enhance mechas’ close combat performance were not restricted. This was inherently the thrilling part of mecha competitions, as long as the rules prohibiting long-range weaponry were not violated, mechas could be modified in any way.

There are hundreds of sects in the Mars Free World. Even though each sect had only four spots, the total number of participants reached over three thousand. Thus, when setting the competition format, Cheng Zhixuan imposed restrictions. Knights and above directly entered the main tournament, while those below underwent preliminary rounds to compete for the remaining five hundred spots.

The tournament lasted only one day. These thousand participants fought according to the schedule, with matches held simultaneously in seven sections. The main pavilion hosted matches for knights and above. The top four from each section would compete for the sixteen spots in which, aside from the two reserved for Tai Sect and Absolute Kill Stream, the remaining fourteen would be contested.

Absolute Kill Stream and Tai Sect were the first to pledge allegiance to the Feiyang Republic, and being the ruling sects of the former Free Port, they enjoyed such special treatment, which was entirely understandable. Everyone knew this was the Fei Alliance setting an example for all sects, while also demonstrating to the Sect Mutual Aid Alliance that still refused to comply.

The message from the Feiyang people was clear—here, the Feiyang people were in charge. Otherwise, no matter who you were, no matter how famous, don’t expect any fair treatment, including the bandit army led by Leray people, who independently took over the entire Mars Free Port! Now it’s only the seed selection qualification for entering the top sixteen in the Mecha Tournament; what comes next is unknown!

While holding the competition list, spectators marveled at Feiyang’s dominance, and discussions were rife.

For this tournament, Absolute Kill Stream’s seed entry into the top sixteen was Kirburn, who was both the sect master and the highest-ranked War God among Mars mech knights, leaving no room for doubt. However, Tai Sect surprisingly let Nakagawa Daiki and two other Mechanical Commanders compete for top sixteen spots, giving seed selection qualification to an unknown knight named Utherred Ammon, which left everyone astonished.

Many people inquired about this knight named Ammon but, other than being speculated as a Tai Sect’s secret weapon, they couldn’t find any other answer. People knew nothing about this individual.

Even many spectators who were or had been Tai Sect disciples had never heard of this person. His appearance, age, rank, the mecha he piloted, and his abilities were unknown. Almost instantaneously, this individual became a topic of conversation amongst all spectators. Regardless of any speculations, only after four p.m., when the top sixteen emerged, would the answer come to light!

Currently, the knights who made it into the list of a thousand contestants represented the highest level of mecha fighting on this planet. The more than three hundred knights and over a hundred commanders who directly qualified by reputation, plus the five hundred winners of the preliminary rounds who stood out from thousands, all displayed exceptional prowess.

The Sect War paused the mechanical knight rank assessment for a long period. These knights, although without the title of mechanical knight, many among them even hold the qualification to challenge mechanical commanders. Mars Free Channel was indeed home to many hidden talents.

Cheng Zhixuan was naturally pleased with this outcome. Besides lavishly wooing these winning knights who entered the main tournament, he also prepared registered rosters for the defeated knights. The ground forces dispatched by the Feiyang Republic’s Mars Front Army included only one regular armored division, the 107th, whose combat power was evidently insufficient. The newly established Mars 3rd Armored Division was in need of these individuals’ joining.

For Feiyang, weaponry and equipment were insignificant. Exchanging a batch of mechas for an armored division was evidently a substantial bargain. For Cheng Zhixuan, these individuals were the best tools to rival the bandit army in Mars Free World and eventually marginalize the Sect Mutual Aid Alliance, then swallow it whole.