IMAO Chapter 81

Double update so we can all have double blessing as we start the new year! This is also a long chapter because I don’t want to break the battle.

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Federation vs. Hoyt.

Although this was only the semi-finals, more people came to watch today’s match than ever before, including members from the other two teams competing in the other semi-final match.

While there was still some time before the match began, the two commentators were already on air in the livestream room.

“Who did you guys bet on today? Give me some advice!”

“Defending Champion vs. New King Rising~~~”

“No need to think too much, bet on Hoyt!” The Hoyt commentator said with a smile. Although the Federation was showing strong momentum this year, Hoyt’s strength was equally impressive.

Just as he finished speaking, the female commentator from another country said, “No way, I bet on the Federation!”

Neo, the Hoyt commentator, teased, “Haha, Xiao Tian, you’re going to regret this.”

Xiao Tian laughed, “Well, we’ll see about that, hmph!”

—”Hahaha, Tiantian bets against Hoyt in every match because Hoyt sent Orlan packing ^_^”
—”Tiantian is really too cute, but Hoyt was a safe bet in previous matches. Today I’m actually torn about which side to choose, it’s so hard to decide, and the match is about to start.”
—”I’m betting on the New King Rising!”
—”Defending Champion!”

Seeing Xiao Tian clench her fists, Neo smiled faintly, “I have to admit the Federation’s players are strong this year, but Hoyt’s mecha performance is better than Federation’s Thunder Fighter. That’s just a fact. Our country’s technology is simply superior.”

Neo continued with a smile. Their country’s mechas were internationally renowned. Although the Federation had Master Xu Chen, a national treasure, Hoyt had maintained steady development during the last Interstellar War. Their technological advancement surpassed other countries by far, and their superior mecha performance was a universally acknowledged fact across the galaxy.

“Hmph, the Federation will definitely win! They haven’t lost a single match so far!” Xiao Tian snorted.

Neo smiled, knowing why Xiao Tian held such a grudge against Hoyt. The Republic of Orlan drew Hoyt early on and was sent home quickly. “Well, Hoyt remains undefeated too.”

“Alright, let’s take a look at the support rates for both teams.” After the banter, Neo quickly got back to business, pulling up the system’s support rate display.

As the reigning champions, Hoyt commanded sixty percent support! The Federation, this year’s dark horse, held forty percent!

The support rates showed that while the Federation was strong this year, most viewers still backed Hoyt. As the established powerhouse and this year’s host nation, many believed Hoyt would retain the championship.

“I didn’t expect there’s quite a lot of viewers supporting the Federation!” Neo smiled. As a professional commentator who had covered several Interstellar Mecha Championships, he’d never seen Hoyt’s support rate drop below ninety percent.

That’s right, ninety percent.

The remaining few percentage points of support for opponent countries usually came from their own insignificant domestic audience.

The fact that the Federation could garner nearly forty percent support against Hoyt showed that many people were truly anticipating a Federation win!

“Those of you who haven’t placed their bets yet better think carefully, don’t lose everything you own.” Neo reminded with a smile, clearly confident in Hoyt’s victory.

“Maybe you’ll be the one losing everything?” Tiantian retorted.

“Well, we’ll see about that! The results will be out soon.” Neo teased, “Okay, let’s follow tradition and give everyone a brief introduction of the players!”

Obviously, this Hoyt commentator had done his homework. He thoroughly analyzed all the Federation players with comprehensive information and precise commentary.

After briefly introducing the other Federation players, he moved on to Jiang Yuan and Ji Rong, “I don’t think RONG needs much introduction. He’s a typical offensive player with storm-like close combat attacks. Watching his matches gives you an adrenaline rush.

“YUAN’s brilliant performance the other day that eliminated Rick, I’m sure everyone’s familiar with that. But from watching his match recordings, while this Federation player shows decent close combat skills, they probably don’t match RONG’s level.”

Although they were already heading home, Team Rick’s members were still watching the match. Hearing Neo’s explanation, they clenched their fists!

They already left early, yet they were still being dragged out to be flogged!

This commentator was such a jerk!

—”Hahaha, YUAN was really amazing, that godlike move! I was shocked, I really thought it was suicide!”
—”Actually, I’ve always regretted… why didn’t the organizers give Team Rick a post-match interview?”
—”Post-match interview? Brother, that’s too cruel! Don’t Team Rick need to save face?”
—”Aww—”

Team Rick watched the match, their faces turning green with anger. They grew more resentful. This stupid commentator was deliberately stirring things up! Bastard!

After introducing the Federation, Neo moved on to Hoyt’s players. Everyone was familiar with Team Hoyt, most importantly, their other players were quite strong. They were well-balanced in all aspects. Their captain, Lu Yan, was a rare all-rounder who could fill any position in battle.

On the field now, mechas rose from the ground, entering the arena. Today’s match was the most anticipated of the entire tournament!

Because everyone knew the winner of this match would be this year’s champion!

Would the defending champion keep their crown, or would a new king rise?

This match, who would win the championship?

Everyone anticipated what was nominally a semi-final but actually the final match!

Which team would maintain their perfect record?

Everyone wondered.

Unlike the group matches, the finals had only one match. That single battle would determine the winner!

Who would prove superior?

“They’re entering,” Tyson smiled in the stands, talking to his old friend Alfonso, “Who’d have thought the Federation versus Hoyt match would be in the semi-finals rather than the finals.”

Alfonso nodded. Who could have predicted this? He certainly hadn’t expected it either.

Originally, their team was short-handed after some students suddenly disappeared. They had to hastily recruit from First Military Academy, but surprisingly got lucky when these two prodigies appeared among the new students.

He thought the two teams would meet in the finals. Even if they lost to Hoyt, they’d at least secure second place.

Meeting now, of course, he hoped the Federation would win, but it wasn’t just up to his wishes. This year’s Hoyt was even stronger than before, especially with the addition of the all-rounder Lu Yan.

As mentioned in the introduction, Lu Yan was well-balanced in all aspects, excelling in every area. For close combat duels, Hoyt also had Simon, a genius player about Ji Rong’s age.

Without knowing the match terrain beforehand, there was no way to plan in advance. Jiang Yuan sat in his mecha as all units entered the field, and soon the ground began to transform.

Kaikari Grand Canyon!

Everyone got excited when this map appeared!

Kaikari Grand Canyon was a very standard natural map with normal terrain, no special magnetic fields or biological restrictions. It was perfect for showcasing both teams’ true strength!

In other words, this map had no surprises, just pure competition of skill!

Without a doubt, for viewers who had long anticipated this match, this map perfectly met their expectations!

Fight, fight!

A head-on clash of strength!

Battle terrain confirmed!

The mechas appeared at opposite ends of the field, visible to each other even at a distance.

“It’s actually the Grand Canyon. Captain, what should we do now?” Liu Shan frowned. Their team’s strength mainly came from Ji Rong and Jiang Yuan. While the others weren’t exactly dragging the team down in other matches, they were still worried when facing Team Hoyt.

The Canyon map was mostly plains. Enemy mechas were visible from far away. There was no need to scan for them.

“First find good positions, then advance together.”

Both sides’ mechas quickly moved forward. Cyril stayed not far from Jiang Yuan. Before Jiang Yuan joined, he had been the team’s sniper and stayed vigilant at all times.

After Jiang Yuan and others found cover.

Ji Rong’s mecha maxed out its engine and, as usual, charged straight ahead!

On the other side, Lu Yan led Team Hoyt, also moving at high speed.

“RONG really chose a frontal assault,” Simon said.

“Yes, that’s his style. Alright, maintain formation. I’ll block his attacks, Simon, follow the plan!”

Lu Yan said softly, a smile playing on his lips. He was clearly confident.

“Got it, don’t worry, I’ll definitely take care of YUAN. I’m looking forward to facing RONG head-on!”

Simon smiled, maneuvering his mecha to a relatively hidden position instead of directly meeting Ji Rong’s frontal assault.

Lu Yan smiled slightly. Having watched many Federation matches, he acknowledged their strength, but only Jiang Yuan and Ji Rong were truly formidable. Together they were indeed powerful, but if they could quickly eliminate one, the other would be simple!

Soon, both sides reached the combat zone!

Along the way, the two teams seemed to share some unspoken agreement. No one fired, until the instant they drew close, when all mechas attacked simultaneously!

Ji Rong’s mecha was at the front, while Lu Yan’s mecha accelerated. The two units instantly closed the distance.

Thunder 01 didn’t hesitate and directly engaged Hoyt’s White Blade[mfn]I translated it as White Blade based on the characters used, but I found that some MTL used White Radiance and I find it sound prettier TT. Should I keep White Blade, or do you think White Radiance is better?[/mfn]!

White Blade was a humanoid mecha developed by the Hoyt Empire Research Institute, notable for its superior performance, high speed, and great power!

Lu Yan had clearly studied Ji Rong many times, and their mechas clashed head-on!

In that instant of collision, both mechas launched into fierce attacks.

Lu Yan’s title of All-Round King wasn’t just for show. Although his moves weren’t flashy, his prediction ability was strong. He could quickly counter aggressive close-combat fighters like Ji Rong!

Keep in mind Hoyt’s real close-combat specialist wasn’t him, but their youngest genius player ‘Simon’.

While Lu Yan could defend against Ji Rong’s attacks, others weren’t idle, seeking opportunities to strike. The opposing sniper fired occasionally, while Jiang Yuan steadily provided cover for Ji Rong’s charge.

Besides countering the enemy’s shots, Jiang Yuan occasionally took his own shots. Obviously, Hoyt’s sniper was also quite skilled and was capable of ultra-long-range precision shooting.

While clashing with Ji Rong, Lu Yan stayed extremely flexible. After several probing exchanges, his understanding of Ji Rong went beyond just video footage. He began avoiding direct confrontation with Ji Rong’s attacks. Everyone knew Ji Rong’s attacks were fierce. The snipers from both sides were also very skilled, so for the time being, it was difficult to determine the winner.

—”Damn, the All-Round King Lu Yan is actually going toe-to-toe with RONG, RONG’s close combat is really fierce!”
—”Amazing, amazing! They said Hoyt’s captain was all-round skilled, but I didn’t believe it. Damn, he’s actually this good, surviving RONG’s attacks!”
—”The All-Round King title is no joke! Since the tournament began, he’s the first to withstand RONG’s attacks!”
—”Wait, wasn’t Simon supposed to be Hoyt’s best close-combat fighter? I’ve been waiting to see him fight RONG! Where is he?”
—”Yeah, why isn’t Simon joining in the melee?”

This question sparked everyone’s curiosity. Why was Hoyt’s Simon staying back, only engaging occasionally rather than attacking?

Ji Rong noticed this issue from the start. Simon wasn’t attacking. He was aware of this and, having predicted the enemy would target him and Jiang Yuan first, he warned everyone to watch the enemy’s movements while attacking.

So powerful.

Lu Yan suddenly got excited.

Although he respected the Federation, he’d been completely confident in his team’s victory. He thought he could match Ji Rong, but this guy was even more formidable than expected and completely dominated him.

Suddenly, White Blade tried to retreat, drawing the long spear from its back. It was clearly getting serious!

Ji Rong also drew his mechanical blade from his waist, and the two clashed directly!

Fast, so fast!

Their attacks were so quick they became a blur!

The visual impact was stunning. All spectators, whether in the arena or watching the livestream, were glued to their battle, afraid to miss even a beat!

Whoosh!

The long spear blocked the mechanical blade’s attack, the white shaft trembling violently, the vibrations transferring directly to the mecha!

Such force!

Could Thunder Fighter really have such good performance?

No, that wasn’t it.

Lu Yan’s eyes narrowed. The opponent’s force grew increasingly powerful, almost overwhelming his defense. This wasn’t due to Federation’s Thunder Fighter’s strength, but because the opponent was utilizing the mecha’s own gravity and engine thrust while attacking, making each strike stronger and heavier than the last!

Offense is the best defense, and in battle, the brave prevail at the narrow pass!

“Screech—”

Sparks flew!

Lu Yan managed to block the strike, but the violent collision sent White Blade flying back dozens of meters, carving a deep ditch in the ground!

Ji Rong’s moves grew increasingly fierce. Although Lu Yan struggled to defend, he still managed to trade attacks.

—”Damn, Hoyt’s captain is really good, but still not as good as Simon. He’s being pressured by RONG now, seems like he can’t keep up with RONG’s rhythm.”
—”All-Round King, impressive.”

The livestream viewers weren’t wrong. Lu Yan was indeed at a disadvantage, but… this wasn’t a big problem for him, after all, their real target wasn’t Ji Rong.

White Blade suddenly pulled back from Thunder 01. Maintaining this level until now was already quite remarkable.

Boom!

Suddenly White Blade’s engine roared, forcing a turn, violently thrusting forward with its spear in a direct attack!

Ji Rong blocked the spear with his blade. As weapons clashed violently, just as he counter-attacked, White Blade tilted backward. Then, with one hand touching the ground, the entire mecha moved like an agile human, flipping over. As it flipped, its engine roared and instantly created distance from Ji Rong!

—”Holy shit, he dodged it!”
—”Awesome, Hoyt’s two close-combat fighters attacking together! Even God RONG can’t handle this!”
—”Where’s Simon?”

Soon no one was typing in chat anymore. Everyone was too focused on the match, afraid to miss anything!

The two mechas collided again!

War blade.

Spear.

Relentless attacks!

“Bang!”

“Bang bang bang!”

“Bang!”

The gunners on both sides were also engaged in intense combat.

“BOOM—”

Just as everyone was intently watching the match, a sudden thunderous explosion rang out!

A Titan King had somehow appeared behind the Federation’s forces!

The Titan King charged at high speed, heading straight for the Federation’s Thunder 02!

—”Holy crap, when did the Titan King get behind them?”
—”It’s Simon! They’re trying to take out YUAN first! Although YUAN’s close combat isn’t bad, there’s still a gap compared to top fighters like RONG and Simon…”
—”Unless YUAN’s close combat skills are close to Lu Yan’s level, he might survive until RONG comes to help.”

Boom!

Titan King was a typical heavy close-combat mecha. Even without weapons, those fists alone could shatter many mechas!

A cloud of smoke rose.

Although the attack was sudden, Jiang Yuan had obviously already detected the enemy approaching from behind. He quickly fell back, knees slightly bent, rolling sideways to instantly create distance from the enemy.

“Heh, pretty quick reactions.” Simon’s lips curled into a smile, showing his white canines.

But quick wasn’t enough. Once he closed in, besides RONG and the captain, he hadn’t met anyone who could withstand his attacks for even a minute!

Of course, he wasn’t underestimating Jiang Yuan. He would use his fiercest attacks to eliminate him instantly!

BOOM—

Titan King wasted no breath. It drew the mechanical blade from its back, attacking fiercely with its accumulated acceleration and gravity!

Who could withstand such layered force combined with Titan King’s unique mecha characteristics?

Direct resistance would likely snap the mecha’s arms!

RONG might handle it, but YUAN was a sniper. It was undeniable that he was strong at sniping with great prediction ability and decent close combat skills, but facing a top-tier close combat fighter like Simon, even if YUAN could predict the moves, dodging would be impossible!

Yet something incredible happened!

Thunder 02 directly tossed aside its laser gun, drew the battle blade from its waist, and met the attack head-on.

For an instant, everyone froze as Thunder 02 and Titan King’s mechas clashed, sparks flying!

—”He blocked it? How?”
—”Damn, look at YUAN’s blade angle! Fuck! He deflected Titan King’s force with minimal power! Look at the ground! It’s cracked!”

The audience was stunned, all of them gaping in amazement.

They originally thought if YUAN took this hit directly, surviving without elimination would be lucky enough!

Even the commentators were speechless.

Titan King continued its assault, but while Thunder 02’s defense wasn’t aggressive, its battle blade seemed alive, constantly changing angles to deflect Titan King’s attacks!

Once, twice, three times…

After multiple exchanges, Neo swallowed hard. He previously assessed YUAN’s close combat skills as decent but far below top fighters like RONG and Simon. He unconsciously stared at Thunder 02 on screen.

Thunder 02’s attack style differed from RONG and Simon’s. It was less aggressive, but showed the most detailed, powerful control he’d ever seen!

—”All-rounder YUAN! Even this strong in close combat? I’m in love!”
—”I’m shocked!”

On screen, the two mechas continued their fierce battle without pause!

Under everyone’s intense focus, two minutes had passed since Hoyt’s Titan King’s surprise attack from behind!

“What’s happening?” Lu Yan, still holding off Ji Rong, was struggling. Unable to watch Simon and Jiang Yuan’s battle, he could only ask through comms.

“Captain, we underestimated their strength. YUAN must be an all-rounder like you!” Simon took a deep breath.

“I’m going all out!”

As Simon spoke, his Titan King suddenly charged toward Thunder 02, drawing a second mechanical blade from its back, wielding dual blades!

This was his first time using dual blades in a match!

Titan King’s attacks charged forward. Jiang Yuan tried to create distance, but Simon clearly wouldn’t give him the chance, each strike more ferocious than the last!

The force of attacks kept increasing. Jiang Yuan was struggling. Although he dodged his best, he was indeed physically weaker than these Alphas.

Actually, Simon wasn’t faring well either. The dual blade attacks drained him significantly. He had to end this fight immediately because Captain Lu Yan was nearly at his limit!

“Clang.”

Losing pace?

Thunder 02’s movements had slowed.

Everyone noticed this.

Was this it?

Once YUAN was eliminated, Simon and Lu Yan could face RONG together. No matter how strong RONG was, he couldn’t possibly fight both simultaneously!

So this year’s champion would still be Hoyt.

On the battlefield, Simon smiled slightly. He keenly noticed Thunder 02’s sluggishness. Just as he prepared to press his advantage—

Suddenly, a laser beam flew at him!

Not good!

But it was too late.

Titan King’s body took a direct laser hit!

Many noticed this laser came from Federation’s player Gu Bai!

Gu Bai was stunned, never expecting to hit the target. Although Titan King appeared reckless, it had been watching their movements. When Jiang Yuan said he’d lure the opponent into firing range, he didn’t quite believe it…

Every dodge, retreat, and engagement from Jiang Yuan was planned, aiming to make the opponent fall into the perfect attack point while preventing Hoyt’s sniper from helping!

Now the laser gun Jiang Yuan had dropped earlier was at his feet. He fired five more shots at the airborne Titan King!

—”Who fired that shot?! Is Hoyt’s sniper blind?”
—”That landing spot was too perfect! Instant follow-up shots. One hit might’ve been survivable, but getting hit twice, he’s out!”
—”I don’t think it’s coincidence… must be intentional… after all, you know YUAN’s prediction ability…”

Everyone was stunned. This was Federation’s ‘God of Sniping[mfn]Changing God of Guns to God of Sniping. I don’t know what I was thinking when I thought of that godawful title hahaha. I’m too lazy to change previous chapters.[/mfn]’ YUAN!

Who’d have thought close-combat Simon would be defeated by YUAN? Like a fierce beast walking into a hunter’s trap, thinking victory would be easy, only to fall into the hunter’s pre-laid trap!

With Simon’s elimination, the match’s outcome was decided!

Federation’s YUAN was a true all-rounder!

Betas could be strong too!

And this Federation Beta player YUAN was strong enough to make Alphas tremble!

As “Federation Win!” rang out, Alfonso couldn’t help but burst into laughter on the stands.

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