This was strange as well. Zhou Yu was famous and powerful. Although Vincent had just entered the college, his reputation was bigger. After all, there were not many people who still retained the title of genius upon entering Elite Academy.
"It's not Vincent, it's Saruman Snake's team leader Wang Zheng, he discovered the way to use the Gold Wheel during IG."
La Tu laughed.
An Earthling had revived the Gold Wheel?
The Gold Wheel mech was now very popular. Everybody knew that, and a great number had just found out that the one responsible for all this was an Earthling.
And this Earthling was at Elite Academy, and a team leader.
That Lear's ability had just been shown to the world. Some might have forgotten his nationality in awe of his ability, but who would have thought the other sounded just as awesome.
"Comrades, do you hear that? That Wang Zheng is our Wang Zheng! Your senior, the mecha department Wang Zheng, the physics department Wang Zheng, the university science contribution prizewinner, and also IG Solar System captain!"
Yao Ailun shouted. The whole school was impassioned. Truly, some people were hearing it for the first time, that Ares College actually had such awesome alumni. Everybody only knew Xiao Fei, or perhaps Ye Zisu. To think that there was an even more horrifying existence. Suddenly they affirmed that Ares College truly was a military school.
Of course, this was only a passing topic. The main focus now was Asura team against Eagle team.
Lear and the rest were watching the events below with light hearts, the opposite of Star Lya team. Nobody wanted to lose, especially these proud people. But every battle was a zero-sum game.
On the battlefield, Asura team and Eagle team had already begun.
"From the way things stand, seems like both parties chose to clash in a line after all," Xue Yue said.
"This is after all the Greatest King competition's first round of match-ups. Each team is filled with confidence, and there probably won't be any line changes," Ka Tao said.
Line changes meant using tactics like Tianji's Horse Racing [TL Note: pitting your weakest against the strongest to win all other matchups].
This was also one way of winning team battles, only now the 8 teams were all brimming with confidence. Nobody was willing to show weakness before even testing out the waters. This would lower the team morale. Deep down, nobody was willing to back down.
Besides, from the way the lineup looked, Arbiter and Malalasuo looked to be evenly matched. In the strongest position, Olivios – although he was strong, but he did not have much of an advantage against Dendi. Slayer was unquestionably suited for the offensive battle. But now with Gold Wheel reviving, it felt like it might be making a comeback. Ultimately, who was the middle distance king of battle? It still had to be decided in battle.
As for the tank position, this was the hardest for a clear battle result. But all tank mechanists, regardless of their offensive power, had excellent defensive and resistive abilities, including protection against Ability X. Otherwise, they would not be deserving to be tanks of Elite Academy.
Scouts were the easiest battle to be decided. Sweeney, as a girl in the position of a scout, was rarely seen. But Arbiters definitely fought for positions with power. The Soul Reaper was also named for its agility and speed, but this mecha was an unconventional gambit. It was too fragile, and her counterpart Bebeto was the previous leader of Eagle team. The free fighter should take on the scout position. This went without saying.
It seemed like this battle would again be decided by the scouts. Soul Reaper was that kind of violent scout mecha where someone would definitely go down.
This mecha's casualty rate was also the highest in battle. Many countries harbored a love-hate relationship for Arbiter's mecha. They were especially fresh, so much so that they were cruel sometimes. They were unconventional designs.
But to the pros, Arbiter's mecha were well received.
10 mecha fighters entered the battle stance amidst countless cheers. Arbiter and Manalasuo were perhaps the two countries whose styles were most similar, and their military approach was about the same as well.
No backing down, just go!
The moment the 5 lines contacted, an intense crossfire began. They were even fiercer than the first match. These two teams' members were the kind that were unafraid of direct clashes, going steel on steel.
The two heavy mechas immediately charged at each other head-on 5 times… This had nothing to do with skill. It was about discomfort that the body could endure. It also spoke of a problem. At a certain standard, both understood that this method was in fact the most direct. Of course, it meant that both were of that standard.
Manalasuo's foremost tank against Arbiter's foremost tank. Who was stronger?
Both tanks charged forward like berserk beasts. They consecutively activated the necessary energy needed for charging, which left the crowd gasping in amazement. Especially Manalasuo's Ox Demon mech. Although he was just a tank, but clearly this person's movements were faster and more agile.
Beo was a loyal follower of Olivios. He had been a fighter position, but had now changed to be a tank position. His considerable physique and superhuman tank skills was undoubted. But the opponent was Roybad, who was the model tank, in his natural element. Although Beo's small tricks were a little better, and he could fight off 10 normal opponents, but a tank's core lay in dependable tactics, in order to achieve the greatest team contribution.
On this point, Roybad's understanding was excellent.
For the scouts, Sweeney and Bebeto were fighting evenly matched. Both were agile types, with savage attacks. But their weaknesses were the same. If scouts fought alone, they could go full offensive. But this was a team battle. The previous match's Star Lya team had been a warning, and in this match Sweeney and Bebeto were being extra cautious. Bebeto was the former leader, and had taken some time to adjust to the change to scout position. Although his ability was definitely stronger, but he did not have much of an advantage against Sweeney. Besides, he dared not go all out. Leaving himself no exit in a team fight was fairly dangerous. During their testing, he had already discovered that these advantages were not able to finish his opponent.
Simba and Cassia the two snipers were also even in skill. Because of the constructed terrain's cover, it was actually the safest to stick close to each other, although distance might provide an illusion of safety. By hounding the other closely, nobody could help the other teammates.
Olivios' Overlord and Dendi's Dragon God mecha had clashed as well. One was a well-reputed senior and pro, the other the representative king of a new generation. Their fight was marked with sparks flying. Olivios' rushes were full of power, and Slayer used the full attack mode. Dendi was defending and countering, but you could see that Dragon God mecha's pacing was very even. Olivios' attacks were savage, but could not put Dendi off balance at all. Dendi's concentration was still divided to keep an eye on the overall picture.
Team battles were not individual fights. When one focused too closely on individual victory, you could put the whole team into danger.
But Olivios' situation was good. He was going full out only to prolong the offense. Repressing the opponent was always better than being suppressed.
The real push came in the offensive fighter position.
Briston's Slayer and Zhou Yu's Gold Wheel were clashing with sparks flying. Both were very absorbed.
Slayer and Gold Wheel mecha were now the two most popular offensive tactical choices. Briston went without saying. As an Arbiter, he completely did not treat his opponent seriously. While Zhou Yu had been played out by Vincent and was in a dark mood. He had been waiting for a chance to prove himself. Both were middle distance berserk offensive types. It was really the kind of intensity like when a comet hit.
Slayer's attacking frequency was higher. The mech's positioning was more agile. But Gold Wheel's attacks were more threatening. The killing power was higher.
And neither… favored the energy shields. This was a naked face-off.
If their attack just faltered for one move, they would not even have the chance to activate shields. Of course, the construction around them was in for a bad day. It was being destroyed noisily.
Vincent was closely observing Zhou Yu's footwork. The Gold Wheel was indeed being used well, but Vincent's mouth still smirked with a hint of arrogance.
"Vincent, between you and Zhou Yu, who's stronger?" Ai Xiaolu asked smilingly.
"I am!" Vincent answered without hesitation.
Those who heard him laughed. As a spectating team, they were not as heated as the audience.
Zhou Yu's Gold Wheel was being used smoothly, but the smoothness was all it had. Its maneuvers were not tight, and his maintenance of the distance suppression on the Slayer spoke of his lack of confidence. Gold Wheel's close distance fighting was even stronger. Of course, this was more dangerous for the mecha itself.
If it was Vincent, he would definitely have risked his life to go in.
As a spectating competitor, such a lineup was just a testing of the waters, to suss out the opponent's weakness, or a weakness in the lineup. But to the galaxy's military school students, they were already mind-blown.
Could offensive fighting positions be done this way?
Just one wrong move meant it would be over. Against such a dangerous Gold Wheel, Slayer actually dared to do such close-distance evasions. If the trajectory was predicted wrongly, it would die immediately. And against Slayer's penetrative attacks, Gold Wheel was maneuvering in a small boundary as well, simultaneously using the gold wheels to suppress. Both parties' judgment speeds were lightning quick.
Olivios was using his powers now. He was clearly not someone who relied on his team. He would find a gap with Dendi. Who cared if the opponent was an established pro like Dendi? In Olivios' eyes, there was no difference.
The spear in Overlord's hand flew into the air. A dense attack fell like rain. Dendi's Dragon God mecha could only engage full defense. Such a horrifying attack forced Dragon God mecha back step by step. Arbiter looked indomitable.
But perceptive people could tell that although Overlord's attack looked intimidating, but the opponent was Dendi. Regardless of physical strength or Ability X, he was not inferior to Olivios, and he had more battle experience. His defense was merely waiting for Olivios to falter.
But Olivios' suppressive power was extraordinary. His Ability X rained down even more ferociously, aweing the crowd. Once Olivios seized the initiative, it was not easy to take it back, even for someone like Dendi.
"What is Dendi doing. If he continues to defend like that he will die. Olivios' physical strength definitely will have no problems," Ka Tao said suspiciously.
"I think Senior Dendi still has tricks up his sleeves."