Chapter 395: For Victory
Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas
At this point in the competition, everyone was clear that each round counted for a lot . Many doors would open if they advanced, but the difficulty now was raised considerably . The top 16 battles needed four wins out of seven matches, and the team's substitute strength would be needed .
The Solar System team was not overly panicky . Everyone had started to realize that they were calm thanks to Wang Zheng . He had not even gone up himself despite making it so far . Once he showed his hand, only then would they reach their 100% potential?
That was definitely daydreaming . In the previous fights, everyone was clear of their relative strength, win or lose, and adjust accordingly . To take the win, one must first understand oneself .
Going up against Manalasuo was undoubtedly going to be a tough fight . Perhaps it did not mean much to Manalasuo, but to the Solar System, they had not fought a worthy battle in a long time . More accurately, they had not found the chance to fight a team of such caliber .
Friendly contest? Nobody had been interested .
The Solar System Federation Council had sent some encouraging words as well . On one hand, they congratulated the Solar System team for coming further than ever before . At the same time, they hoped for the team to continue striving, and defeat Manalasuo .
At night, the members were gathered . "This is what our people have gathered of the Manalasuo members' battle footage, for your reference . Manalasuo's strength is undisputed, but there is no need for anybody to undervalue yourself . That we've made it this far is testament to our strength . Wang Zheng, we leave the rest up to you . "
Because they had never gone up against Manalasuo before, they had expended considerable effort in gathering intelligence .
Meng Ao clapped Wang Zheng on the shoulder . This was all he could do now . Against a team like Manalasuo, it really boiled down to one's own effort, and luck . This battle would decide the fate of the Solar System team – whether they would be called lucky or strong .
The female official on stage was Major Zhu Ziling, the emissary from the Solar System Federation to Aslan . "Manalasuo is among the top 10 in this iteration of IG, and a frequent presence in the IG top 8 . In terms of mecha, they have one of the most advanced techniques, and have their own unique style in training mech pilots as well . They are the main rivals of the Aslan Empire, but in their rivalry, both have ceaselessly and rapidly improved as well . Let me first introduce a few noteworthy personnel . "
On the screen, a burly, bearded warrior appeared . "Manalasuo's main strength and point fighter, Gelun . Although he looks old, he just developed early . 20 years of age . Originally a conscript, his battle talent was discovered, and he was sent to Manalasuo's Abyss Military School for further development . His battle experience is prolific, and he has the qualities of a strong fighter . What we currently know is that he is a double Ability X user of strength and speed, a high-class D ranker . "
As she finished speaking, Zhu Ziling stepped aside to show Gelun's battle footage . It was only a little more than 10 minutes, because his opponents could not even stand five minutes against him . His fighting style was like a hurricane, a frenzied assault that did not let up until his opponent was finished . Using his strength ability and speeding up his dispatching moves, it was virtually unbeatable .
In a mecha battle, mastery of speed and strength was everything .
"Next up, Raslei . Originally designated team captain, but later made the vice-captain . A well-rounded fighter, suitable for any position . Made it to the last IG as a member, and strongest in balanced fighter mecha . A military student at Manalasuo this year, with high expectations . He has secured 58 consecutive victories this year, and is at present undefeated . "
What followed was Raslei's fight . It did not reveal much . No Ability X was revealed . His battle foundations and nature suppressed his opponents . He made his opponents look like little children .
Following that, Zhu Ziling introduced the other members one by one, detailing their battle training and performance in international practice matches .
A person with an icy gaze appeared on the screen . "This is Vincent, the Manalasuo captain . But at the start, he was not the captain . More accurately, he was an addition close to the start of the IG itself, but was quickly delegated the role of captain . We only managed to acquire two videos of his fights . "
Everyone was stunned . Sniper type mecha were notoriously bad in 1 on 1 matchups, especially in closed-off practice arenas . The screen played both of Vincent's fights, and everybody gasped a little . This was a sniper who dared to fight close combat!
Precision shooting tactics!
Anybody knew that railguns immediately became burdens once close combat ensued, especially when the defensive energy shields were up . Therefore, once the mecha closed in, they would change to close combat mode . But this Vincent met his opponent up close, defeating them with one shot after the other .
Zhu Ziling did not add her own analysis . Her role was strictly to introduce . Although these youths were no older than herself, their understanding of the battle was much better than hers .
Vincent was clearly toying around on the battlefield . His movement and confidence was unbelievable, even calculating the feedback from the railgun's impact, and dodging it . He gave the impression of perfect control .
After the broadcast ended, Wang Zheng and the rest were quiet . Meng Tian was a sniper, and watching Vincent's performance made her feel hopelessly outclassed .
A marksman unafraid of close combat . This was the limit . Furthermore, Vincent used no Ability X, defeating his opponents easily .
But everybody knew that their potential did not stop there . This was merely practice footage . They would at most have showed 50 or 60 percent of their true strength .
But for Meng Ao to have secured such intelligence was already no mean feat . At least they could familiarize themselves . In the last round, Manalasuo had easily won 3-0 . They had revealed little, although the crowd had watched closely . In the finer details, one could see their character show .
To effortlessly put out such a level of performance, their opponents' level this time around was a cut higher than in previous fights .
Zhu Ziling looked at the team . Logically they should have been feeling the pressure, but in fact, Wang Zheng and a few others looked composed . Major Zhu Ziling was also the intelligence analyst . From their performance so far, although Manalasuo was a formidable presence, and far outstripped the Solar System's level, she wanted to remind them not to be cocky that they had come this far . If they put their lives on the line and contested hard, there was still a chance .
Actually, the council's meaning was that failure was acceptable, but not by too large a margin .
After the video ended, nobody tarried for too long, leaving quickly . Zhu Ziling called Wang Zheng back .
"Captain Wang Zheng, is there anything else you need help with?"
Wang Zheng smiled slightly . "Thank you for your efforts . Nothing much else, really . We'll see after the battle tomorrow . "
… Zhu Ziling was speechless . Was this it? Shouldn't he be more concerned about his opponents, about how Vincent had evolved from a nameless grunt to Manalasuo's captain? This was a fairly earth-shaking development, did he not care about how it had come about?
Over at the Manalasuo side, Vice Captain Raslei was watching the Solar System team's footage with his team . They had fought many battles previously, and everybody's performance was clear to see .
Although Vincent was absent, the members did not particularly mind his absence . In Manalasuo, the strong were given leeway . Although he was a last minute pick as captain, nobody had any objections .
"This iteration of the Solar System is divided into two clear types . One group of them have solid foundations, the other has unique abilities . For example, this Zhang Shan's translocation is not bad, although his foundations are somewhat lacking . In a 1 on 1, his utility is not that high, although in a group battle he might have noteworthy performance . "
"The Solar System's strongest point…"
"Their strongest point is that their chicks look good, haha!"
But after seeing Kong Zhan's match, Raslei harbored some doubts . He was familiar with Kong Zhan . The boy was a rising star, and his ability was certainly strong . Yet he had surrendered without even a fight . Something was fishy here .
Some dirty tricks?
Could this be to secure the Solar System's advance?
What a joke . Raslei was also doubtful, although he found Zhang Runan appealing . A woman with character and noticeable features . Her gunwork was interesting as well .
"Gelun, how about if this girl was left to you?" Raslei offered .
Gelun smiled openly . "This wench has character and strength . I like her . Raslei, I'll say it first . Although I'll beat her, I won't hurt her . "
"Up till now, the others don't look like much of a threat . Their strengths and weaknesses are very clear, and can easily be dealt with . "
After going through it once, they lost interest in the Solar System . As for their rotating shovel…
It was too foolhardy . The weaknesses were apparent, and the movement sluggish . Everything depended on that technical attack . Would every opponent be so foolish to risk their lives and go hard?
In the current meta of fast-paced battles, this type of flowery trick was not popular .
In the fight for the top 16, zone D's first match was Caragal team against Morgan Locke team .
Max led his dark horse team to the field . They had been regarded as an unexpected contender, just like the Solar System . Besides, on the whole, Caragal's performance was seen to be more stable and better than the Solar System's .
Although labelled as dark horses, Caragal's emergence was not too surprising . Caragal was a former colony of commerce which gained independence as the Caragal Republic . Their population was modest, and not particularly affluent . Their citizens were mostly Jewish, an ancient civilization that was considerably united . After long wars, peace had gradually returned to the Caragal Republic, but till date, they continued to practice conscription for the entire nation . While this system was also implemented in other countries, in terms of execution, there were few who could stand up to Caragal . In the Caragal Republic, becoming a soldier was an honor . Although they were not as fanatical as Arbiter, they outshone them in their independence .
For example, if you were a soldier, waving your hand on any street in Caragal would see taxis and even private cars stop for you, delivering you free of charge to your destination without exception .
Therefore, in this peaceful period, the Caragal Republic's rate of improvement was ferocious . Although the Republic's national strength could not compare to larger countries, their national service was of a high caliber . Besides, in the Caragal Republic, all female citizens – unless for reasons of faith, pregnancy, or criminal record – similarly served two years . Therefore, in the Caragal Republic, pretty women soldiers were a draw, and they were not simply pretty faces either .
In this regard, quite a few countries also had female officials, but in the case of troopers, they had no equal .
On the platform, besides the two team representative groups, the Solar System Federation team and Manalasuo team had arrived as well . Once this contest ended, it would be their turn .
In group D, only two teams could make it to the top 16 .
Max waved to Wang Zheng, who was on the platform, giving him a thumbs-up . Clearly the Caragal team was feeling good .
Chapter 395: For Victory. Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas At this point in the competition, everyone was clear that each round counted for a lot . Many doors would open if they advanced, but the difficulty now was raised considerably . The top 16 battles needed four wins out of seven matches, and the teams substitute strength would be needed . The Solar System team was not overly panicky . Everyone had started to realize that they were calm thanks to Wang Zheng . He had not even gone up himself despite making it so far . Once he showed his hand, only then would they reach their 100% potential? That was definitely daydreaming . In the previous fights, everyone was clear of their relative strength, win or lose, and adjust accordingly . To take the win, one must first understand oneself . Going up against Manalasuo was undoubtedly going to be a tough fight . Perhaps it did not mean much to Manalasuo, but to the Solar System, they had not fought a worthy battle in a long time . More accurately, they had not found the chance to fight a team of such caliber . Friendly contest? Nobody had been interested . The Solar System Federation Council had sent some encouraging words as well . On one hand, they congratulated the Solar System team for coming further than ever before . At the same time, they hoped for the team to continue striving, and defeat Manalasuo . At night, the members were gathered . This is what our people have gathered of the Manalasuo members battle footage, for your reference . Manalasuos strength is undisputed, but there is no need for anybody to undervalue yourself . That weve made it this far is testament to our strength . Wang Zheng, we leave the rest up to you . Because they had never gone up against Manalasuo before, they had expended considerable effort in gathering intelligence . Meng Ao clapped Wang Zheng on the shoulder . This was all he could do now . Against a team like Manalasuo, it really boiled down to ones own effort, and luck . This battle would decide the fate of the Solar System team – whether they would be called lucky or strong . The female official on stage was Major Zhu Ziling, the emissary from the Solar System Federation to Aslan . Manalasuo is among the top 10 in this iteration of IG, and a frequent presence in the IG top 8 . In terms of mecha, they have one of the most advanced techniques, and have their own unique style in training mech pilots as well . They are the main rivals of the Aslan Empire, but in their rivalry, both have ceaselessly and rapidly improved as well . Let me first introduce a few noteworthy personnel . On the screen, a burly, bearded warrior appeared . Manalasuos main strength and point fighter, Gelun . Although he looks old, he just developed early . 20 years of age . Originally a conscript, his battle talent was discovered, and he was sent to Manalasuos Abyss Military School for further development . His battle experience is prolific, and he has the qualities of a strong fighter . What we currently know is that he is a double Ability X user of strength and speed, a high-class D ranker . As she finished speaking, Zhu Ziling stepped aside to show Geluns battle footage . It was only a little more than 10 minutes, because his opponents could not even stand five minutes against him . His fighting style was like a hurricane, a frenzied assault that did not let up until his opponent was finished . Using his strength ability and speeding up his dispatching moves, it was virtually unbeatable . In a mecha battle, mastery of speed and strength was everything . Next up, Raslei . Originally designated team captain, but later made the vice-captain . A well-rounded fighter, suitable for any position . Made it to the last IG as a member, and strongest in balanced fighter mecha . A military student at Manalasuo this year, with high expectations . He has secured 58 consecutive victories this year, and is at present undefeated . What followed was Rasleis fight . It did not reveal much . No Ability X was revealed . His battle foundations and nature suppressed his opponents . He made his opponents look like little children . Following that, Zhu Ziling introduced the other members one by one, detailing their battle training and performance in international practice matches . A person with an icy gaze appeared on the screen . This is Vincent, the Manalasuo captain . But at the start, he was not the captain . More accurately, he was an addition close to the start of the IG itself, but was quickly delegated the role of captain . We only managed to acquire two videos of his fights . Everyone was stunned . Sniper type mecha were notoriously bad in 1 on 1 matchups, especially in closed-off practice arenas . The screen played both of Vincents fights, and everybody gasped a little . This was a sniper who dared to fight close combat! Precision shooting tactics! Anybody knew that railguns immediately became burdens once close combat ensued, especially when the defensive energy shields were up . Therefore, once the mecha closed in, they would change to close combat mode . But this Vincent met his opponent up close, defeating them with one shot after the other . Zhu Ziling did not add her own analysis . Her role was strictly to introduce . Although these youths were no older than herself, their understanding of the battle was much better than hers . Vincent was clearly toying around on the battlefield . His movement and confidence was unbelievable, even calculating the feedback from the railguns impact, and dodging it . He gave the impression of perfect control . After the broadcast ended, Wang Zheng and the rest were quiet . Meng Tian was a sniper, and watching Vincents performance made her feel hopelessly outclassed . A marksman unafraid of close combat . This was the limit . Furthermore, Vincent used no Ability X, defeating his opponents easily . But everybody knew that their potential did not stop there . This was merely practice footage . They would at most have showed 50 or 60 percent of their true strength . But for Meng Ao to have secured such intelligence was already no mean feat . At least they could familiarize themselves . In the last round, Manalasuo had easily won 3-0 . They had revealed little, although the crowd had watched closely . In the finer details, one could see their character show . To effortlessly put out such a level of performance, their opponents level this time around was a cut higher than in previous fights . Zhu Ziling looked at the team . Logically they should have been feeling the pressure, but in fact, Wang Zheng and a few others looked composed . Major Zhu Ziling was also the intelligence analyst . From their performance so far, although Manalasuo was a formidable presence, and far outstripped the Solar Systems level, she wanted to remind them not to be cocky that they had come this far . If they put their lives on the line and contested hard, there was still a chance . Actually, the councils meaning was that failure was acceptable, but not by too large a margin . After the video ended, nobody tarried for too long, leaving quickly . Zhu Ziling called Wang Zheng back . Captain Wang Zheng, is there anything else you need help with? Wang Zheng smiled slightly . Thank you for your efforts . Nothing much else, really . Well see after the battle tomorrow . … Zhu Ziling was speechless . Was this it? Shouldnt he be more concerned about his opponents, about how Vincent had evolved from a nameless grunt to Manalasuos captain? This was a fairly earth-shaking development, did he not care about how it had come about? Over at the Manalasuo side, Vice Captain Raslei was watching the Solar System teams footage with his team . They had fought many battles previously, and everybodys performance was clear to see . Although Vincent was absent, the members did not particularly mind his absence . In Manalasuo, the strong were given leeway . Although he was a last minute pick as captain, nobody had any objections . This iteration of the Solar System is divided into two clear types . One group of them have solid foundations, the other has unique abilities . For example, this Zhang Shans translocation is not bad, although his foundations are somewhat lacking . In a 1 on 1, his utility is not that high, although in a group battle he might have noteworthy performance . The Solar Systems strongest point… Their strongest point is that their chicks look good, haha! But after seeing Kong Zhans match, Raslei harbored some doubts . He was familiar with Kong Zhan . The boy was a rising star, and his ability was certainly strong . Yet he had surrendered without even a fight . Something was fishy here . Some dirty tricks? Could this be to secure the Solar Systems advance? What a joke . Raslei was also doubtful, although he found Zhang Runan appealing . A woman with character and noticeable features . Her gunwork was interesting as well . Gelun, how about if this girl was left to you? Raslei offered . Gelun smiled openly . This wench has character and strength . I like her . Raslei, Ill say it first . Although Ill beat her, I wont hurt her . Up till now, the others dont look like much of a threat . Their strengths and weaknesses are very clear, and can easily be dealt with . After going through it once, they lost interest in the Solar System . As for their rotating shovel… It was too foolhardy . The weaknesses were apparent, and the movement sluggish . Everything depended on that technical attack . Would every opponent be so foolish to risk their lives and go hard? In the current meta of fast-paced battles, this type of flowery trick was not popular . In the fight for the top 16, zone Ds first match was Caragal team against Morgan Locke team . Max led his dark horse team to the field . They had been regarded as an unexpected contender, just like the Solar System . Besides, on the whole, Caragals performance was seen to be more stable and better than the Solar Systems . Although labelled as dark horses, Caragals emergence was not too surprising . Caragal was a former colony of commerce which gained independence as the Caragal Republic . Their population was modest, and not particularly affluent . Their citizens were mostly Jewish, an ancient civilization that was considerably united . After long wars, peace had gradually returned to the Caragal Republic, but till date, they continued to practice conscription for the entire nation . While this system was also implemented in other countries, in terms of execution, there were few who could stand up to Caragal . In the Caragal Republic, becoming a soldier was an honor . Although they were not as fanatical as Arbiter, they outshone them in their independence . For example, if you were a soldier, waving your hand on any street in Caragal would see taxis and even private cars stop for you, delivering you free of charge to your destination without exception . Therefore, in this peaceful period, the Caragal Republics rate of improvement was ferocious . Although the Republics national strength could not compare to larger countries, their national service was of a high caliber . Besides, in the Caragal Republic, all female citizens – unless for reasons of faith, pregnancy, or criminal record – similarly served two years . Therefore, in the Caragal Republic, pretty women soldiers were a draw, and they were not simply pretty faces either . In this regard, quite a few countries also had female officials, but in the case of troopers, they had no equal . On the platform, besides the two team representative groups, the Solar System Federation team and Manalasuo team had arrived as well . Once this contest ended, it would be their turn . In group D, only two teams could make it to the top 16 . Max waved to Wang Zheng, who was on the platform, giving him a thumbs-up . Clearly the Caragal team was feeling good .