"Ro Feng," Mechanist 8's voice was deeper and more mechanical than before. "According to battle data analysis, you have a 73.4% probability of failure in the upcoming exchanges. Surrender is advised."
Ro Feng did not respond. He drew a deep breath and adjusted his grip on the black-patterned blade. He wore a lightweight combat armor, predominantly black with silver accents, exuding a sharp, commanding presence. Sweat slid down his forehead, dampening his slightly disheveled short hair. Though barely in his early twenties, his eyes reflected a calm and decisively mature focus far beyond his years.
In the arena stands, tens of thousands of spectators from across multiple star systems held their breath. The second round of the Virtual Universe Company Challenge had reached a critical stage; every match could determine whether a contestant advanced. Real-time status displays projected on the virtual screens showed Ro Feng's stamina had dropped to 60%, while Mechanist 8, despite enduring a lethal strike, had activated its backup systems, boosting its combat power to 120%.
Without any further delay, Mechanist 8's back suddenly split open, revealing two thrusters. With a roar of engines, it surged toward Ro Feng like a cannonball, leaving a blurred silver streak in its wake.
Ro Feng instinctively rolled aside, narrowly avoiding the mechanist's fist, which scraped his shoulder plate with a shrill metallic screech. Seizing the moment, he swung his black-patterned blade in a sweeping arc, aiming for the connection point at the back of Mechanist 8's neck.
Ding!
To Ro Feng's surprise, the collision did not produce the expected slicing sound but a sharp metallic clang. Mechanist 8's armor had instantaneously hardened, its material adapting in real time.
"Physical defense system upgrade complete," Mechanist 8 announced, tinged with mechanical pride. "Your weapon can no longer inflict meaningful damage."
Ro Feng immediately stepped back, alarm bells ringing in his mind. The odds were clearly turning against him, but surrender was never an option. He had to find a new way to break through.
In the stands, Rowan stood abruptly, eyes fixed on every movement in the arena. "Mechanist 8 has activated an adaptive defense system. It's restructuring itself in real time to counter Ro Feng's attack patterns."
"Then what should Feng do?" Thor asked anxiously, his broad features etched with concern.
Rowan paused thoughtfully. "Conventional attacks are ineffective now. He needs to change his approach." His gaze lingered on Ro Feng, standing firm against the mechanist, a hint of pride in his voice. "But I believe he will find a way."
In the arena, Ro Feng and Mechanist 8 entered a brief stalemate. His chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, sweat soaking through his inner layer of armor, yet his eyes remained unshakably resolute.
"Analysis complete," Mechanist 8 suddenly announced. "Your combat patterns have been fully decoded. I will now terminate this battle."
At once, multiple weapon compartments across its body opened simultaneously, unleashing a barrage of energy and physical weapons aimed directly at Ro Feng. The crowd gasped at the display.
"This is ridiculous!" Thor bellowed, unable to contain himself. "This isn't an ordinary mechanist it's a full-blown arsenal!"
Rowan's expression darkened. "This exceeds normal mechanist specifications. The company clearly wanted to surprise the contestants this time."
Just as Mechanist 8 prepared for an all-out assault, Ro Feng performed an unexpected maneuver. He sheathed his black-patterned blade, closed his eyes, and raised both hands to chest height, forming an unusual gesture.
Even Mechanist 8 appeared momentarily perplexed, its attack momentarily pausing as it recalculated.
That brief window was all Ro Feng needed. When he opened his eyes again, they blazed with unprecedented focus and sharpness. He thrust his hands forward, releasing a force that seemed invisible yet tangible.
No one could see exactly what happened, but Mechanist 8's movements slowed as though caught in an unseen resistance field. Its weapons still fired energy cannons, missiles but each projectile veered off course, failing to strike Ro Feng.
"Psychic power!" Rowan exclaimed, astonishment and delight mixing in his voice. "He's finally using psychic ability in real combat!"
Hong allowed himself a rare smile. "It seems the special training wasn't in vain."
Ro Feng's face bore a faint grimace; controlling psychic energy was taxing, but he did not relent. He increased the output, and Mechanist 8's movements slowed further, as if sinking into quicksand.
Seizing the opportunity, Ro Feng drew his black-patterned blade again and darted toward Mechanist 8 with lightning speed. This time, his target was not the impenetrable armor but the exposed thrusters on the mechanist's back.
The blade slid precisely into a seam of the thruster. Ro Feng twisted it sharply, eliciting the sound of metal splintering from within. He withdrew swiftly and repeated the maneuver at other critical connection points.
Mechanist 8's movements became erratic. It struggled against the psychic restraint, but system malfunctions spread throughout its body. After a violent convulsion, the red sensor strip gradually dimmed, and the massive mechanist collapsed to the ground, its functions completely offline.
"Winner: Ro Feng!" The system's announcement sounded again, this time without any surprises.
The arena erupted with thunderous applause. Ro Feng sheathed his blade and exhaled deeply. His expression was not one of triumph but of contemplation. The battle had revealed his shortcomings. Without the timely use of psychic power, the outcome could have been entirely different.
Rowan, Hong, and Thor quickly rose and moved to the arena's rest area. As Ro Feng entered, Thor bounded forward and pounded his shoulder energetically.
"Incredible, Feng! You're a monster! That final move was amazing!" Thor's grin was wide, almost shaking the ceiling with his voice.
Ro Feng offered a tired smile, but his brow remained furrowed. "Brother Rowan, I still haven't mastered psychic control. If Mechanist 8 hadn't paused at that crucial moment, I might have lost."
Rowan nodded, a mixture of relief and thoughtfulness in his eyes. "You did very well. Using psychic power in actual combat is a huge step forward. But you're right the precision and control still need refinement."
The rest area was spacious and semi-enclosed, walls projecting real-time footage of ongoing matches. Comfortable chairs surrounded a central holographic table displaying rankings and progress. A supply corner held neatly arranged energy drinks and restorative potions.
Ro Feng grabbed a blue restorative drink and drank it in one gulp. A faint mint aroma filled his senses, icy at first but quickly warming from within, restoring his exhausted strength and spirit.
Hong approached with a towel. "You didn't just rely on brute force. You used psychic power to manipulate Mechanist 8 and target its weak points. That was the correct strategy."
Ro Feng wiped the sweat from his face. "Thank you, but I still reacted too slowly. If I had thought to use psychic power earlier, I might not have been so passive."
Rowan activated the holographic replay of the battle. "Let's analyze it together." He froze the moment when Mechanist 8 activated its backup system.
"See here," Rowan pointed to a small interface on Mechanist 8's back. "This is its emergency power port. Ordinary attacks would rarely notice it. If you had targeted it immediately when it first fell, you could have prevented its backup activation."
Ro Feng leaned closer, realization dawning. "I see! I was too focused on frontal attacks and missed these details."
Rowan continued. "Your timing with psychic power was good, but your control needs improvement. Here, you wasted energy on irrelevant parts instead of focusing on critical systems."
Thor, observing, added his insights. "Feng, try maintaining your movement while controlling the opponent. You won't have time to stand still in real battles."
Ro Feng practiced moving and maintaining psychic control simultaneously. Initially, he struggled, but with repeated effort, he gradually gained a sense of balance.
"It's like multi-threaded thinking," he remarked, sweat soaking his armor again. "Dividing attention into multiple tasks at once."
Hong nodded approvingly. "Exactly. Managing distractions in battle is crucial, especially against multiple opponents or in complex environments."
After nearly an hour of training, Ro Feng's progress was evident. He could now control multiple points on a moving virtual opponent while executing basic attacks.
"Next, we'll practice integrating weapon use with psychic power," Rowan said, adjusting the virtual opponent to be more aggressive. "Ideally, your black-patterned blade and psychic abilities should complement each other, not act independently."