No. 3 Starship Duel Zone · Duel Arbitration Area
This was a small space hub, specifically responsible for the arbitration of the No. 3 Starship Duel Zone, and also the first spectator area. The number of people was less than a hundred, but today's audience had the most beautiful scenery.
Because the three famous beauties of North Starship Military Academy were all present.
"Your brother is really coming?" A playful loli, less than 1.5 meters tall, with twin ponytails, covered her mouth and said in surprise.
Wendy Chase's expression was complex: "He has no other special qualities—it's just that his personality is particularly stubborn."
"Is that the starship you mentioned before that your brother assembled himself? It can actually still move?"
Beside her, a tall, ice-cold beauty with waist-length hair, her arms crossed, said indifferently: "Assembling three old starships into one starship in a month, and it can still start and sail smoothly—your brother is quite good at starship engineering."
Wendy looked at the ice-cold beauty, biting her red lips lightly: "Sister Suzanne, if… my brother really loses… could I trouble you to talk to… that Victor Hargrove then, to withdraw the bet…"
These two were her good friends.
The twin-tailed loli was her classmate, Lily Xue.
The ice-cold beauty in front of her was her senior, Suzanne Lane.
Suzanne's background was quite prominent; it was said that even the dean in the academy had to give her some face.
"If it was before the duel, it might be easier. But if it's after the duel…" Suzanne frowned slightly, seeing Wendy's pleading face, feeling a bit distressed. She said helplessly: "It should be fine not to expel your brother, but he will inevitably be humiliated by that Victor then."
"As long as he's not expelled! As long as he's not expelled!" Wendy nodded repeatedly, happily holding Suzanne's arm: "I knew you were the best, Sister Suzanne."
"Wendy, your brother hasn't even fought yet. How do you know he lost? What if he wins?" The twin-tailed loli beside her muttered.
Wendy said: "How could he possibly win? What kind of starship is my brother's, and what kind is Victor's! A T2 Bald Eagle-class Light Interstellar Cruiser worth seven million star coins. Among the starships owned by students in our academy, in terms of one-on-one combat capability, it's a type that can rank in the top ten."
She looked at the assembled starship with a complex gaze. She also hoped her brother could win, but… it was simply impossible.
Just then, the arbitration team had already begun to contact the captains of the two starships, and two video screens appeared before the arbitration team.
On one side was the Bridge image of the T2 Bald Eagle. Victor Hargrove, dressed in a lavish military uniform, sat in the Captain's chair. It wasn't a regular military uniform; it was likely an outfit Victor had gotten from somewhere. Beside him stood a middle-aged man of forty or fifty, whose demeanor indicated he was a retired military officer.
The Bridge scene on the other side appeared much shabbier. Zachary Chase sat in an old Captain's chair, with a faint smile. Behind him was a white-haired half-orc girl, with visible, hideous scars on her face and a cold expression.
"Is that a half-orc?" The twin-tailed loli exclaimed.
Wendy covered her face, saying helplessly: "After my brother assembled this starship, he didn't have much funds left, so he could only buy a batch of half-orc slaves to serve as his crew."
"Half-orc crew?" Suzanne frowned slightly, now feeling increasingly that her good friend's brother was truly unreliable.
"The duel participants are Victor Hargrove, a student from Class 2 of the third year, and Zachary Chase, a student from Class 8 of the third year.
"Aside from not being allowed to leave the duel area, the rules are unrestricted dueling.
"The outcome of the battle is determined by one side's starship surrendering, or the starship losing its combat capability, or the arbitration team declaring a loss.
"Once the arbitration team announces the final result, the battle ends immediately, and no further attacks of any kind are permitted.
"Do both duel participants understand clearly?" A middle-aged male chief referee announced.
"Understood." Victor said with a sneer. He could now see Zachary in the video window opposite him. He hadn't expected this guy to actually dare to appear before him—and driving such a dilapidated starship. He was sure to win this duel.
"Understood." Zachary, however, was calm and composed, even taking a moment to yawn, as if the impending events were of no importance to him.
"The arbitration team will randomly select a 'spawn point' for both starships in the duel starfield. You must arrive at the spawn point within ten minutes, at which point the arbitration team will announce the start of the battle."
After the chief referee finished speaking, he pressed a device.
Soon, two circles—one blue and one red—appeared on the star map of the duel area. These were the spawn points for both sides. Both starships also received this location information and began to sail toward the designated area.
At this moment, Victor mocked Zachary through the video window. He clapped his hands and said, "Zachary, I admire your courage. I didn't expect you to actually dare to come.
"Where did you dig up this dilapidated starship? Its hull armor looks like it would shatter with a touch. Would it be a bit cruel if I blew up your starship with one cannon shot then?"
A sinister smile appeared on Victor's face: "After all, killing the opponent in a starship duel does not violate the rules."
Zachary stretched and picked his ear: "Are you done talking? If you're done, you can consider booking a flight home."
Victor's mouth twitched. He pointed at Zachary: "You really won't shed tears until you see the coffin. Good! I will soon let you taste what the difference in strength is. You, Zachary, are just a useless Baron, while I am someone who will become a Viscount, or even an Earl!"
The video windows for both sides were cut off by the arbitration team at this point.
Victor looked at the vice captain—Cheng Wang, the crew member his father had arranged for him: "Vice Captain Wang, I want you to play with that guy's starship until it dies, like playing with a mouse!"
Cheng Wang was the vice captain hired by Victor's father, a former starship captain in the Imperial Army. He raised his head and said confidently: "Young Master Victor, please rest assured. I guarantee you, that dilapidated starship won't be returning to port."
The starship he commanded was a T2 Bald Eagle, a top-tier high-speed starship among T2 starships. Although it had significant flaws in an interstellar battlefield, in a starship duel like this, against a mere academy student and a dilapidated starship, he had a myriad of ways to play with it until it died.
On the other side, the Bridge of the Blizzard Zero.
Zachary looked at his vice captain, Charlotte: "Charlotte, do you have confidence?"
"The battle will end in ten minutes. If it takes one more minute, I'll take your surname," Charlotte said indifferently.
Her expression was as if she had no interest in this battle at all.
Zachary, however, was a little excited. He touched the somewhat antique armrest of the Captain's chair. This would be his first starship battle!