At this stage of the battle, everyone was very clear about what every match meant. Taking a step forward was very likely to open up a whole new world. Now, the difficulty level had also greatly increased. The top 16 battles required four wins out of seven, and the team needed to have a considerable depth of substitutes.
The Solar System team was not particularly nervous. Suddenly, everyone realized that the reason they could be so calm was thanks to Wang Zheng. If they had fought till now and did not even have to go on stage, what if when they needed to go on stage, they could immediately display 100% of their strength?
That would be a dream. In the preliminaries, step by step, regardless of victory or defeat, everyone had a clear understanding of themselves, and could adjust accordingly. To achieve victory, they had to first understand themselves.
The final battle against Manalasuo was undoubtedly a tough battle. Perhaps it was nothing to Manalasuo, but it had been a long time since the Solar System had a true victory. More accurately … it had been a long time since they had a chance to face such a high standard team.
Exchange match? They were not interested at all.
The Solar System Federation Council also sent a message of encouragement. On one hand, they congratulated the Solar System Federation team on their historic progress, and at the same time, they hoped that the entire team would continue to work hard and defeat Manalasuo.
At night, the team members were gathered. "These are some of the battle videos of the Manalasuo members that the staff has collected. For your reference. Manalasuo's strength is unquestionable, but do not belittle yourselves. Since we have reached this position, we have the strength to fight. Wang Zheng, I'll leave the rest to you."
As Manalasuo had not fought directly before, the staff had also expended some effort.
Meng Ao patted Wang Zheng on the shoulder. This was the only thing he could do. Facing a team like Manalasuo, besides hard work, the rest was really up to luck. This battle would determine the fate of the Solar System Federation team. Would they rely on luck all the way, or would they rely on strength to overcome this obstacle?
The female officer on stage was Major Zhu Ziling of the Solar System Federation living in the Aslan Empire. "Manalasuo is one of the top ten teams in this year's IG, and a frequent participant in the top eight. Manalasuo has advanced mecha technology, and has its own unique way of nurturing pilots. They are currently Aslan's main competitor, but these two countries are also developing rapidly in the midst of constant competition. First, let me introduce you to a few people to watch out for."
On the screen, a rugged, bearded warrior appeared. "Manalasuo's main vanguard, Gelun. He looks old, but he's just a bit short on growth. 20 years old. He was originally a conscript, but his talent for battle was discovered, and he was sent to Manalasuo's Abyss Military College for further training. He has rich battle experience, and is currently known to be a strength and speed Ability X user, probably above D-rank."
After saying that, Zhu Ziling moved to the side, and a video of Gelun's battle appeared. It was only a short ten minutes or so, because his opponent had never lasted more than five minutes against him. Gelun's attacks were like a torrential storm, completely suppressing his opponent until he exploded. Relying on his superior strength and sudden acceleration during the killing, he was almost unbeatable.
In a mecha battle, mastering strength and speed was all that mattered.
"The second person, Raslei. He was originally supposed to be the captain, but became the vice-captain. An all-rounded warrior, suitable for any position. He was a member of the previous IG, and is best at balanced warrior-type mecha. This year's Manalasuo Military Academy Student of the Year has a high reputation in Manalasuo. This person has maintained a 58-match winning streak this year, without a single loss."
Next was Raslei's battle. There was not much to see. He did not display his Ability X, but his battle fundamentals and training were overwhelming. His opponent was like a child before him.
Following that, Wang Ziling introduced the other members one by one. They were all about their performance in Manalasuo's battle practice and in some international exchanges.
A young man with cold eyes appeared on the screen. "This person is called Vincent, Manalasuo's team leader. But at the start, he was not the team leader. More accurately speaking, he joined at the last minute when the IG was about to be confirmed, but was quickly appointed as the team leader. We only have two videos of his battles here."
Everyone was stunned. Sniper type mecha were very unsuitable for one-on-one battles, especially in the enclosed training ground. The screen showed Vincent's two battles, and everyone sucked in a breath of cold air. This was a sniper who dared to engage in close combat!
Precision shooting footwork!
Everyone knew that once a mecha entered close combat, the laser gun would become a burden, especially with the protection of an energy shield. Therefore, once a mecha entered close combat, it would be the quickest to switch to close combat mode. But this Vincent waited until his opponent was right in front of him, then destroyed them one shot at a time.
Wang Ziling did not add her own analysis. Her job was to introduce. Although the young people present were not as old as she was, their battle foresight was much stronger than hers.
Vincent was clearly toying with them. His footwork and confidence were heaven-defying. He had even calculated the braking force from the collision of the lasers to dodge. This was the feeling of complete control.
After the video ended, Wang Zheng and the rest were still quiet. Meng Tian was a sniper, and seeing Vincent's performance, her only feeling was that he was unfathomable.
A sharpshooter who was not afraid of close combat. This was already the limit. And Vincent had not even used his Ability X to easily defeat his opponent.
But everyone knew that this group's ability was not just that. These were just training videos of their opponents. It would be impressive if they could reflect 50 to 60 percent of their abilities.
But it had not been easy for Meng Ao to gather this information. At least it would allow everyone to familiarize themselves. In the previous round, Manalasuo had easily won 3-0. There was no point in using it for reference. Everyone watched very seriously, and could see some style from the minute details.
To have such a performance under very casual circumstances, the opponent's ability must be a level higher than before.
Zhu Ziling looked at this group of people. Logically, they should be feeling the pressure, but Wang Zheng and the others were watching very calmly. Major Zhu Ziling was also an intelligence analyst. Just based on this performance, Manalasuo's strength was frighteningly strong, far beyond the Solar System's level. This was to remind them not to be careless just because they had won so far. If they put their lives on the line, there might still be hope.
Actually, the council's meaning was that defeat was acceptable, as long as it was not too tragic.
The video ended, and no one lingered for a moment before it flashed. Zhu Ziling called out to Wang Zheng.
"Captain Wang Zheng, is there anything else you need help with?"
Wang Zheng smiled slightly. "You've worked hard. Nothing else. We'll know tomorrow."
… Zhu Ziling was speechless. That was it. Did he not want to show more concern for his opponent? Vincent had gone from a nameless junior to Manalasuo's captain. This was a rather heaven-defying achievement. Did he not want to know why?
On Manalasuo's side, vice-captain Raslei led the team to watch the Solar System team's video. They had fought quite a few matches before, and everyone's performance was clear.
Vincent was not there, but the team members did not mind his absence. In Manalasuo, the strong had special privileges. Although he was the temporary captain, everyone was convinced.
"This time, the Solar System is divided into two groups. One group has a solid foundation, while the other has a unique ability. Like this Zhang Shan's warp is not bad, but his fundamentals are lacking. He won't be of much use in a one-on-one, but he'll do well in a team battle."
"The Solar System's greatest strength …"
"The greatest strength is that the chick is not bad, haha!"
But after seeing Kong Zhan's performance, Raslei was still suspicious. He was no stranger to Kong Zhan. The kid had risen very quickly, and he was indeed very strong. But for him to admit defeat without even putting up a fight, that was too strange.
Shady dealings?
Could it be to guarantee the Solar System's promotion?
What a joke. Raslei was a little baffled. But that Zhang Runan was to his liking. She was a woman with character, pretty good looks, and interesting marksmanship.
"Gelun, how about I leave this girl to you?" Raslei laughed.
Gelun laughed heartily. "This girl has character and ability. I like it. Raslei, I've said it before. Although I'll beat her, I won't hurt her."
"The others don't seem to be much of a threat so far. Their strengths and weaknesses are obvious, and easy to target."
After watching once, everyone lost interest in the Solar System team. As for the spinning shovel …
It was too stupid. The weaknesses were too obvious. Slow movement, and all that technical attack. Would every opponent be so stupid as to risk their lives to take it head-on?
In today's fast-paced era, such fancy fighting techniques were not popular.
The top 16 battles began. The first match in Zone D was between the Caragal team and the Morgan Locke team.
Max led Caragal into the arena as a dark horse. Just like the Solar System, they had been a dark horse all the way here. Overall, Caragal's performance was more stable and better than the Solar System's.
Although it looked like a dark horse, Caragal's rise was not too surprising. The Caragal Republic had once been a commercial colony planet, and had later rebelled to form the Republic of Caragal. In fact, the population of this republic was not large, and it had once been very tight. The citizens of the Caragal planet were mostly Jewish. They were also an ancient ethnic group, and rather united. After a long period of war, the Republic of Caragal had gradually restored peace. But in this era, the country still had a national military service system. The system was not the main point. Many countries had such systems, but in terms of execution, not many could compare to Caragal. In the Republic of Caragal, being a soldier was a kind of honor. They were not as crazy as Arbiter, but they had a higher degree of autonomy.
For example, if you were a soldier, you could just wave your hand on the streets of Caragal, and a taxi or even a private car would stop and send you to your destination for free, without exception.
That was why, in these years of peace, the Republic of Caragal had developed rapidly. Although its overall national strength could not compare to some of the larger countries, its citizens were all soldiers, and of high quality. Also, in the Republic of Caragal, all female citizens, unless they were religious, pregnant, or had a criminal record, had to serve for two years. That was why in the Republic of Caragal, beautiful female soldiers were a beautiful sight, and they were not just pretty.
In this regard, many countries had female officers, but the ratio in the army was completely incomparable.
In the stands, besides the representatives of the two teams, the Solar System Federation team and the Manalasuo team had also arrived. It would be their turn after this match.
Only two teams from Group D would enter the top 16.
Max waved at Wang Zheng in the stands, giving him a thumbs up. He could see that the Caragal team was in a good mood.
(Weekend, taking half a day off. I wish everyone a happy weekend, and a happy birthday to myself. It's my 11th birthday at Starting Point. Thank you ^ _ ^)
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
