"Alright, we can see that contestant Hook—piloting the Red Dragon—has abandoned his attack on contestant Dyson. It seems he's also realized that Dyson is a tough nut to crack.""Tactically speaking, this is a wise choice. The match has only just begun; there's no need for the Red Dragon to waste large amounts of energy on the Mammoth. And for Dyson, who pilots the Mammoth? He needs to conserve resources even more. As a mech outclassed in every stat, if he wants to win, he must ensure he has enough energy left to compete for the flag in the final stages of the battle.""At this stage, avoiding combat or engaging with long-range weapons is undoubtedly the best option."In the studio, Kenny watched the live stream and commented on the match at a rapid pace. Just then, the camera followed Curly Hair—hiding behind the meteorite—and zoomed in for a close-up of the energy rifle. Its gray-white barrel was over two meters long, and a sizeable energy core glowed with faint green light at the gun's base."No wonder Dyson is the highest-ranked contestant here. He clearly recognizes his predicament and is preparing to launch long-range harassment attacks," Kenny continued."We can see he's wielding a heavy energy rifle. These weapons typically fall into two categories: those with independent energy supplies and those powered by the mech's main core. The rifle in Dyson's hands is a 5th-generation basic model produced by Mark Corporation—an independent energy type.""Compared to traditional solid-ammunition rifles for field mechs, this energy rifle has both advantages and disadvantages. Its strengths lie in its high rate of fire, stable trajectory with minimal bullet drop, and ammunition drawn directly from its energy core—no need to carry extra physical bullets, which subtly reduces the mech's load. However, unlike solid bullets, energy projectiles suffer greater resistance and dissipation from air resistance. This means energy rifles generally have shorter effective ranges and lower firepower.""Against field mechs that weigh tons, even a basic energy rifle can still pin down enemies or damage external structures. But under normal circumstances, it can barely pierce a field mech's outer armor—let alone threaten the Pilot inside…"Truly, no one's success is by accident… Lin Jie sat in the monitoring room, listening to Kenny's commentary and nodding slightly in approval. Kenny clearly had solid professional knowledge—his analysis of both tactics and equipment was thorough, logical, and on point. Most impressively, he'd even identified the original model of the energy rifle Curly Hair was using, despite its modifications.That rifle had been sitting in the junk pile for years; its brand and serial number were so worn down that even Lin Jie couldn't name its original make.Just then, the camera cut away to the central battle zone. Lin Jie turned his gaze to the other monitor, switching angles to keep an eye on Curly Hair, still hidden behind the meteorite.Boom! Boom! Boom!On the battlefield, missiles, energy shields, and alloy blades clashed ceaselessly. The steel giants collided, creating a blood-pumping symphony of destruction. The core of the battle was still dominated by the three top-tier mechs: two military models and one racing model. With their clear advantages in specs, they'd seized favorable positions and were now engaging several other mechs.Clang!Hook piloted the Red Dragon, weaving past an enemy mech. Their massive alloy blades scraped against each other, showering sparks, and when they landed, they kicked up clouds of dust."Rocket Fist ready!" Hook's eyes flashed. The Red Dragon's arms folded, exposing thrusters at its elbows. The next second, the engines roared like a furious beast, spewing pale blue flames. As the Red Dragon spun sharply, its steel fist—over 80 centimeters in diameter—slammed into the enemy mech's back.Boom!With a deafening crash, the enemy mech's back armor crumpled violently, and the Red Dragon's fist sank straight into it. The mech froze, its indicator lights flickered a few times, then went dark. Like a person knocked unconscious with a heavy blow, it toppled over rigidly."This is a fight to the death," Hook glanced at the downed mech once, then turned and continued toward the top of the warship wreckage. As a professional Pilot, he didn't even need to confirm whether the enemy mech was truly out of commission. With its back armor deformed that severely, the cockpit must have caved in too—the Pilot inside, even if alive, would be completely immobilized.If only I were piloting that mech… Lin Jie was right. The boss's luck is really terrible… Curly Hair watched this scene from a distance, a flicker of envy in his eyes. In terms of overall skill, he was the strongest among all the Pilots—but he was stuck in nearly the weakest mech."Focus," Lin Jie's voice suddenly cut through his thoughts. "Someone's noticed you."Someone?Lin Jie's warning was timely. Curly Hair snapped back to attention, and soon spotted a mech striding toward him from the side. It was also humanoid, roughly six meters tall, with dark gray outer armor, a broad frame, and thick mechanical limbs. Even from the vibrations it sent through the ground as it ran, it was clear this mech was extremely heavy."Shit!" Curly Hair cursed, quickly switching the energy rifle to Normal Mode and swinging the barrel around.Having fought in five Flag Capture Battles already, he'd memorized every mech in the arena—and this one was no exception. The big black mech was called the Gladiator; its Pilot was a Black man. If categorized, the Gladiator was, like Curly Hair's Mammoth, an entertainment-grade mech. But even within the "entertainment" category, there was a world of difference.Unlike the Mammoth—built purely to satisfy ordinary people's mech fantasies—the Gladiator had once been a racing mech. It wasn't a high-end racing model, but it had genuinely competed in Private-class tournaments. Only after it became obsolete (due to design flaws that couldn't keep up with tournament intensity) did another mechanic refit it to entertainment-grade standards.This mech still had a robust energy reserve, plus heavy weight, thick armor, and high energy output. On paper, the Gladiator was only slightly inferior to the three top-tier mechs in the center of the battlefield. Logically, it should have been a favorite to win. Yet it had never ranked well on the odds lists—and the reason was a fatal flaw: it lacked weaponry.Beyond a basic energy shield, it had no long-range capabilities whatsoever. In combat, it relied solely on its weight and brute strength. This clumsy fighting style made the Gladiator look like a bumbling fool, often tricked and outmaneuvered by other mechs. Compared to those agile opponents, Curly Hair's mech seemed like an easy target."Dyson! Don't run if you've got the guts!" the Black Pilot sneered, his face twisting into a grin.Run?Curly Hair raised an eyebrow, a cold smile tugging at his lips. You? You think I'd run from you?As the Gladiator drew closer, Curly Hair waited until it was almost within range—then 猛地 pulled the trigger. The rifle's energy core hummed, warming up for half a second. The next instant—Rat-tat-tat-tat!The distinctive sound of the energy rifle echoed out. Curly Hair's "fake Red Python" unleashed a veritable hailstorm of energy projectiles at an almost absurd rate, all slamming into the Gladiator's armor.For a moment, the clatter of bullets hitting metal filled the air, and sparks exploded everywhere. In the blink of an eye, the Gladiator's armor was dented and cracked."That's impossible!"Red warning lights flashed in the cockpit, shocking the Black Pilot. He scrambled into a roll, diving behind cover, his eyes wide with disbelief. He'd chosen to target Curly Hair largely because energy weapons were supposedly weak—he'd thought the Gladiator could tank the firepower easily.Yet in just a split second, dozens of shots had pierced parts of his armor. The damage was almost on par with Li Zhe's mounted machine gun. The Black Pilot's expression turned even more stunned.Is that really an energy rifle he's using?
