The National Mecha Pilot Academy is a very good school.
It employs the experiential learning method in teaching its students, and it not only invests a lot of effort and thought in the design of its classes, it also invests a mind boggling amount of resources into executing the lessons.
The insane lesson we were going through was just one of many crazy ideas that the academy actually implemented in the pursuit of a highly relevant education experience for its students.
I dare say, for the most part it succeeded. Only on very, very select and unique circumstances did the academy fail in achieving its learning outcomes.
One of the rare circumstances was of course for the five of us in that particular lesson.
My new found ability to boost my team's power had completely wrecked the academy's intention of wanting to teach us how to deal with being out numbered, out gunned and out maneuvered by out enemies!
While every single first grader was probably experiencing ambush after ambush, tense maneuvers and repositionings, and while every other student were scrambling for their lives and fighting desperately, we were having a relatively fun time!
"The key in successfully pulling off this move lies completely in your sword's position. Most people receive and parry their enemy's overhead swing at around ten centimeters above their head. This makes sense as it allows you to keep the enemy's sword at a relatively safe distance from you, and it also allows you to bring to bear the greatest strength to parry the strike." Margaret began her explanation as the next group of enemies came to view.
It was a large group of approximately thirty mechas.
"However, that position is not at good compared to receiving the enemy's parry at a much higher position.
The standard parry has two critical drawbacks. First, it allows the enemy's strike to come to the fullness of its power as it completes its arc descent towards you.
Although you are able to bring to bear your greatest strength in resisting it, the gain you get compared to parrying the enemy's strike higher would be less than the gain the enemy gets.
Secondly, it places you completely on the defensive with no room to counter attack in that particular sequence.
My instructor at home always say that defense is the planning of an attack. Whenever you defend, defend in such a way that a counter attack could be chained to it.
If you take the enemy's swing at or near your arm's full stretch, you would be removing the momentum and power of his attack. At the same time, your sword will be beneath his sword and above his body.
You would be in the perfect position to attack!
Let me show you. Pay attention now."
Margaret started to jog openly and fearlessly to the group of thirty mechas. She completely did not care which grade the thirty mechas belonged to.
With her mecha at peak power, she could go against sixth grade gifted students and she would definitely still be fine!
"Look, guys! A single mecha is coming towards us. Is that mecha commiting suicide?" A slightly mature voice sounded from the mecha nearest to Margaret.
"Which grade is it from?" A domineering voice called out.
"It has a sky blue band. Third? Fourth grade? Who knows and who cares." Came the careless reply.
"Kill it." The domineering voice sounded once more.
"There are four mechas just standing around a couple hundred meters behind her. Should we kill them too?"
"Yes, you bozo. They will reveal our position! Fat Eagle and Fat Hawk! Go kill the four mechas! Fat Lion, go teach that solo punk a lesson."
"Yes Fat Boss!" Came the answer from three mechas.
The three mechas quickly revealed themselves to be two rifle bearing medium mecha fliers and one sword/shield heavy mecha.
The fliers took to the skies slowly, their medium armor weighing down their ability to move quickly and with great agility, even in the sky.
Medium fliers are basically flying tanks. They can pack a massive punch from the sky.
However, it would require a top end flight system to allow them to be agile in the air, so there weren't many good medium fliers out there.
Most armies only like to equip their medium fliers with cheap flight systems when the war is almost won to allow them to quickly deal the finishing blow to whatever final fortress the enemy has. Even though the risk of them getting shot down was high, the war was almost over anyway.
They could afford the risk for the sake of ending the war as quickly as possible.
It was folly to send out medium flyers with weak flight system to fight against an enemy an equal number of mechas.
The fact that the Fat Boss sent two such mechas to go against the four of us indicated that he was either a dumbass, or he did not take us seriously at all.
It was probably the latter, though.
But we would never know, because at that moment, Margaret burst into action and completely blew our minds away!
As soon as she saw the two mechas slowly rise to the air, Margaret flung her shield towards them!
BA-BAM!!!
Like a frisbee, the shield sailed through the sky and smashed into the first mecha before rebounding and smashing into the second!
Fat Eagle and Fat Hawk were downed before they could even get to the sky!
However, that was merely Margaret saying hi to the Fat Gang.
Margaret was already charging towards the group of twenty eight fearlessly with her right hand gripping her sword horizontally to the right in a display of sheer confidence.
"All units. Go and kill that little punk for me." Fat Boss ordered his troops calmly but rather irrationally.
Who the hell would send all of his units to go against one enemy?
But in his case, it was the right decision. His instinct was actually quite sharp.
Against Margaret and her peak blue mecha, any other order would be folly.