Chapter 320: Your Shape Is Familiar
Like most side-scrolling arcade games, the protagonist group is usually composed of a small but elite team, who then rely on their excellent combat skills to fight against enemy forces made up of a large number of cannon fodder and BOSS units guarding each level.
The team from Earth expanded from the original four-person Blood Armor Squad to a total of eight people, forming the Blood Armor Squad and the Chosen Squad.
Moreover, unlike Cheng Tian and his group, who could only choose grunt mechs, the Chosen players from the Earth Federation were directly assigned mechs of the same grade as the Blood Armor Squad.
The mech Eileen is currently using is the same model as the Blood Armor Squad's Ray, originally a standard mech of the Laia Duchy Army. It was captured by the Earth Federation, then modified with additional parts suited to Eileen's abilities and characteristics, and then directly issued.
Since the Repartos Type C Spirit, which Eileen is currently piloting, was originally a standard mech of the Laia Duchy, its appearance differs greatly from most mobile humanoid weapons of the Earth Federation. It is a lightweight type, more inclined towards high-speed combat.
Its drawbacks are its relatively thin armor, poor bulletproofing, and a portion of its power system inevitably exposed, making it extremely vulnerable to critical damage upon impact. It is a mech that demands extremely high situational awareness for maneuvering.
From the mech's rating alone, it's clear that this Spirit is a purple rarity, a full tier higher than Cheng Tian's Gates LB, and its actual combat performance is significantly superior.
Movement Speed 6☆, Attack Range 7☆, Destructive Power 2☆, Ammunition Capacity 1☆, total value 16, roughly double that of the Gates series.
There's no helping it. Even with further enhancements, the Gates could at most barely touch the edge of a "Boss template." It's a relic of the first generation. The Spirit, on the other hand, starts at an "Elite template," belonging to the mature third-generation system. Naturally, their performances are incomparable.
But then again, there are also differences in performance among pilots!
Although Cheng Tian and his group can only pilot grunt mechs among their comrades, with player control and the temporary conversion of matching abilities, even a grunt mech can strike a pose like the Undefeated of the East!
Eileen's Spirit mech, based on her ability inclinations, was fitted with an additional handheld crossbow. The bolts could regenerate continuously with the help of the Spirit Quiver, but only one arrow could be loaded at a time. The mech's ammunition capacity was reduced by 1☆, but its attack range was strengthened by 1☆.
Unlike Cheng Tian and his team's spawn point, Eileen and her group were directly deployed onto a space shuttle, brought from Earth en route to Planet Laia. Although they gained some initial opportunities to get acquainted with their newly assigned teammates, they lost time to acclimate to their mechs and were immediately thrown into live combat.
Mech stats are one thing; how much combat power the pilot can unleash is another.
Continuous gunfire and explosions have already appeared in the outer areas of Gaul City, which are already covered in indelible bullet marks. This is the sound of the Blood Armor Squad destroying the rebel reconnaissance ball, but it also means their whereabouts have been exposed.
At the same time, the yellow-painted Fody mech at the very front of the team suddenly raised its hand and made a fist, and Sarah White's voice simultaneously rang out through the internal communicator.
"This is Siren. Our action of destroying the reconnaissance ball has clearly exposed our whereabouts. The enemy will likely have reinforcements. How should we proceed?"
As Sarah's voice ended, the impassioned voice of the Brodia mech pilot immediately rang out through the communicator.
"This is Burst! Charge with me!"
No sooner had he spoken than the crimson-painted Brodia mech charged forward, giving a strong impression of muscles dominating the brain.
Lieutenant Jeff Perkins, only 22 years old, was demonstrating what it meant to be hot-blooded through his actions.
Jeff was originally stationed on Earth, but by the time he enlisted, the war was already in its later stages. In less than three years, both sides signed a "peace" agreement, which meant that while Jeff possessed a genius piloting ability, he severely lacked practical combat experience and animosity towards the Laia Duchy.
The reason he was assigned such a dangerous frontline mission was entirely because, during his stationing, he couldn't stand his superior's unscrupulous behavior and, with muscles acting faster than his brain, he directly assaulted him. Thus, under the "strong! ly! recom! mend! ation!" of the assaulted Captain Gurhart Boma, Jeff was sent directly to the front lines of the battlefield and tasked with testing experimental mechs.
It is said that the Brodia mech Jeff is currently piloting was painted a conspicuous crimson on the battlefield precisely because it was also tasked with collecting data, aiming for all enemies to spot it immediately and direct their fire at it.
Only a hot-headed kid like Jeff, whose muscles act faster than his brain, could handle it. If it were any pilot with slightly lower piloting ability and combat awareness, the powerful experimental mech would instantly transform into a large, mobile coffin.
No one could stop his charge. Glenn Reed, a 35-year-old veteran with rich combat experience in the same team, could only shake his head helplessly at the sight, increasing the engine output of his heavy mech, the "Gulding," and following suit first.
Having lost all his subordinates and comrades in the last war, he had an almost obsessive, strong motivation to "protect his teammates." Faced with Jeff's reckless charge, as the team leader, he could only choose to follow and clean up the mess.
Although the players each had their own thoughts, since it was the early stage of the instance and no one had gambled on data yet, no one chose to act independently.
Only Eileen, as if sensing something in the dry, wind-swept yellow sand, had already quietly dropped to the very end of the team.
Sure enough, as the team advanced near a building ruin that one glance revealed to be a perfect ambush spot, gunfire erupted decisively, targeting the crimson-painted Brodia mech leading the charge.
"Ambush! Find cover!!!"
As captain, Glenn shouted into the comms channel while simultaneously controlling the Gulding's shoulder-mounted tracking missile pods to return fire and provide cover.
Eileen, who had maintained a sufficient safe distance, had already raised her crossbow, aimed at a cover position, and seized the opportunity to fire an arrow!
In her sight, the rebel Gates was clearly visible, and she chose to aim for the opponent's eye viewfinder!
The kinetic speed of the crossbow bolt was astonishing. Just as it was about to directly pierce the Gates' head, the bolt struck an invisible barrier.
The kinetic energy and fragments transmitted by the exploding bolt vibrated the barrier, revealing its shape—
A perfect cube.
"...Hmm?"
Looking at the familiar shape captured by the camera, Eileen couldn't help but tilt her head.