A Chemist's Interstellar Saga

Chapter 246: The Five Countries
Chapter 246: The Five Countries

Sykes observed the way everyone’s faces lit up with sudden understanding, and he nodded in approval.

He went on, ”The leader of the Eden’s mecha team is Blaze. He’s just sixteen, but this kid once used pure strategy to hold off 5,000 elite soldiers from the Empire of Sacred Moonlight all by himself. They say his intelligence is off the charts—literally. So, if you ever find yourself facing the Eden’s team, your top priority is to take HIM down.”

Hearing this, Arix and the rest of the group nodded, their expressions serious, fully grasping the gravity of the situation.

”Now that we’ve covered their leader, let’s move on to his key team members. The Empire of Eden, much like our Alliance, has five admirals. It’s highly likely that their main players this time around will be the children of those admirals, just like on our team...”

Sykes didn’t linger on the other members of Eden’s team like he did with Blaze. After all, at this level, everyone had powerful family ties. Unless someone’s skills really stood out, there wasn’t much point in focusing on them.

”So, those are the ones to keep an eye on from the Empire of Eden. Now, let’s turn our attention to The Empire of Mermen.” When Sykes mentioned The Empire of Mermen, a slight frown crossed his face, showing his obvious dislike for them.

Arix had met some mermen before, but they weren’t from that Empire.

Other students had never actually encountered anyone from the Merman Empire, though they had heard plenty about their looks—apparently, most of them were strikingly beautiful.

This definitely piqued the students’ interest as they leaned in to hear what Admiral Sykes had to say next.

”The Empire of Mermen is split into two factions: the Sirens and the Purebloods. Unfortunately, pureblood Mermen are extremely rare now, so the Sirens hold most of the power. The Sirens are naturally dangerous. Not only are they incredibly strong, but they also use their voices to lure ships to destruction. They’re infamous for causing shipwrecks. If you run into them in the arena, be cautious—not just of their strength, but especially of their singing.” Sykes put extra emphasis on ”singing,” making it clear that he had likely experienced it firsthand.

Hearing this, Arix and the others felt a bit let down. They had pictured Mermen as being sweet and beautiful, like the Disney princess. But now, they were being described more like the witch who poisoned her. It was a tough pill to swallow.

Noticing the sudden shift in mood, Sykes awkwardly scratched his nose, realizing he might have just shattered their childhood fantasies.

He cleared his throat, a little flustered, and, as if to change the subject, said, ”Next, let’s discuss the third nation, which just so happens to be the current champion of the freshman mecha competition: the Empire of Sacred Moonlight’s mecha team.”

As soon as Arix heard the words ”Empire of Sacred Moonlight,” she sat up straighter, her eyes bright with interest. She couldn’t afford to miss anything about Cassian’s team.

Sykes spoke with a serious tone, ”I don’t need to say much about the Empire of Sacred Moonlight. They almost always take first place in the mecha competition every year. Especially their leader, Cassian. You’ve probably all heard of him. Don’t let his noble background fool you—his strength is the real deal. Ever heard of wormholes? The number of insectoids inside a wormhole is comparable to an insectoid wave. Once you’re in, it’s nearly impossible to get out alive. Even seasoned veterans like us might not make it, but Cassian managed to fight his way out on his own. That alone should tell you how powerful he is. And the rest of the werewolf mecha team? They’re not to be underestimated either. So, if you cross paths with them in the arena, my advice is to steer clear if you can. Only engage if you have no other option.”

The students began to feel the weight of his words. It was clear that the Empire of Sacred Moonlight would be their toughest competition, not just for them, but for every other team in the mecha tournament.

Sykes noticed their growing concern and nodded in approval. He was glad to see them taking his warnings seriously. The last thing he wanted was for their youthful recklessness to push them into unnecessary dangers.

”Now, let’s talk about the last nation you need to keep an eye on—the Empire of Kraiton.” When Sykes said this, he gave Arix a meaningful look, which left her puzzled before he continued, ”Kraiton is a nation made up of ordinary people, Sentinels, and Guides. Sentinels are the combatants, while Guides are responsible for calming and grooming the Sentinels’ Psychic Incarnations. Unfortunately, there are very few Guides with strong enough psychic abilities, so the Sentinels on Kraiton’s mecha team often don’t receive the support they need in time. This can cause them to mutate in the arena, leading to significant destruction in the past. They’re the team most likely to get red cards.”

A slight gloat flashed in Sykes’ eyes.

”I’ve heard about that mecha team. In past competitions, they usually finish last,” Drexel remarked, rubbing his chin as he thought it over. Even though only the top five nations got to compete, always ending up at the bottom was still pretty humiliating.

”Seriously, why should we worry about the team that always comes in last?” Elio scoffed. The Alliance mecha team might not be the top-ranked, but they were solidly in second place. Worrying about the team that consistently finished last seemed almost laughable.

The other students exchanged confused looks, not understanding why they should worry about a mecha team known for frequently getting red cards.

Sykes noticed their skepticism and, with a calm demeanor, took a sip of water before continuing, ”You’re right—that’s how it’s been in past years. But this year is different.”

”What’s different? Did they somehow manage to recruit Supergiant-Class Guides?” Drexel speculated, raising an eyebrow.

Sykes shook his head slightly before explaining, ”Not quite. While Sentinels are incredibly powerful, the stronger they are, the higher the risk of them mutating. And once a Sentinel mutates, the result is almost always catastrophic, either fatal or causing severe damage. That’s why, in previous mecha competitions, most teams had an unspoken rule to avoid provoking Kraiton’s mecha team. They knew that if left alone, the team would likely self-destruct, taking themselves out of the competition without any help.”

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