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Chapter 323: The Fantastic Five
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
However unpredictable the opponents' power might be, there were five combatants whose victory was always guaranteed, as long as they were not fighting each other. They were Patroclus Dower, Li Shiming, Michaux Odin, Lie Jian, and Heidi.
Unlike the ancient time when the sons and daughters of the extremely rich and powerful would quickly turn to debauchery, all of the current great houses' children were forces to be reckoned with. About to inherit their family's power, they were in the heat of competition with each other, trying to carve out more influence for their reign in the future. Although Li Zhedao had established some measure of dominance over the other families, without the support of the Ma, the Li's influence would shrink significantly. Patroclus's father, the current lord of house of Dower, had been out of the game since he could never finish the Tactics of the Deva King. Meanwhile, although Lie Jian's father was competent and smart, he was not able to overcome the combined force of Li and the Ma. Therefore, the lords of the great houses hoped their children would carry on the unfinished battle and be able to fulfill their dream of dominance.
Patroclus was the one who was most likely to complete his father's unfinished business. It had been a sensational news when the public heard that he had finished the Tactics of the Deva King. Until recently, the Dower family had been the dominating power since General Li had passed away. Although everyone admired General Li Feng's power, people knew that there would never be another Li Feng.
Although the Dower family mostly kept things to themselves, they were a powerful and ambitious household. Many Ivantians believed that Patroclus would be able to quickly subdue any opponent across the human world, just like how his ancestor, Rilangalos, had once obliterated the entire armada of the confederate with ease.
Among the five great houses, the Dower was the quietest, but also the most feared.
Some famous mystics had predicted that the world was on the brink of drastic changes. It was indeed hard to turn a blind eye to the sudden outburst of talented individuals. These gifted warriors not only came from the great houses, but they also rise from their grassroot origins. Many of these talents were still hidden among the ordinary people, waiting to be discovered. For those hidden talents, the METAL tournament was the best stage to promote themselves.
The Ivantian host changed the advertisement banner for the Fleet combat hanging at the gate of the arena with a larger one that showcased the five incredible warriors: Patroclus, Li Shiming, Lie Jian, Michaux, and Princess Heidi.
The five represented the pinnacle of power, and they were the idol of the public, destined to carry on the legend of their forefathers.
On the banner, Lie Jian was shown to be covered in flame; his expression was sharp and belligerent.
Michaux was wrapped in a plain gray monk robe. The holy book of the Divine master he held in his hand seemed to have adsorbed the expression from the face as he stared into the distance indifferently.
Li Shiming was shown in a formal military attire with the legendary sword of the Wind God— Vayu, as resolution shone through his eyes.
Patroclus was shown standing beside Li Shiming, wielding the legendary silver lance of Rilangalos.
The four formed a circle, and in the middle of the ring stood a beautiful girl. She was the princess of the Kaedeians, Princess Heidi.
Underneath the five warriors, a line read, "Defeat them, and you will be the legend!"
The words and the picture evoked the sublime enthusiasm of the young warriors and made their blood boil.
The audiences were also excited at the promise of seeing the fight between Li Shiming and Rilangalos. The perfect successor of Rilangalos against the most well-rounded heir of Li Feng, who would prevail?
The unprecedented attendance of Michaux and Heidi had added more fuel the audiences' enthusiasm.
With the appearance of the "Fantastic Five," this year's tournament had the largest cast as compared to any of the previous ones.
In addition to the players from the three major factions, many other warriors who hailed from other planets would also attend this year's tournament.
Wang Tong was greeted as a hero upon his return to Ayrlarng. Even the politicians from the city of Shang Jin had attended his welcoming ceremony. As one of Ayrlarng's most prominent patron, the governor of the City of Shang Jin was delighted to see that the school was finally brought back on the right track. Ayrlarng's successful revitalization would evidently attract more talents to the city, and therefore, help its growth. As the leading figure in ushering in a new era for Ayrlarng, Wang Tong had caught the attention of many city authorities.
Only after the welcoming ceremony did the three students realize that they had become extremely popular on earth. Zhou Sisi had received letters from the navy that expressed their interest in grooming her into a future fleet officer. Due to women's inert ability to remain calm under pressure, female graduates made up most of the officers in a fleet. Also, Zhou Sisi was much more well-rounded than Karl and Wang Tong, as her grades in other subjects were much higher. Therefore, the military also included her into the list of future high-ranking officers.
After the celebrations, Wang Tong and Zhou Sisi returned to his dorm. Perhaps it was the sudden quietness in the room, or maybe it was the champagne, Wang Tong felt dizzy as if he was living in a dream. He had never felt so happy before.
Seeing that the dust had started to settle on the desk, Zhou Sisi began to clean the room instinctively.
"There's no need to clean it; it's going to get dirty anyway." Wang Tong smiled, as an uncertainty flickered in his eyes.
"You are an important person now. I need to make sure your living space is up to the snuff." Zhou Sisi cracked a smile. She knew that when Wang Tong got Karl's revenge on KKK, he also did it for her. Zhou Sisi knew that Wang Tong liked to keep things to himself even when he had done others a favor. Even though she wasn't bothered by her defeat, as she knew that defeat was part of fighters life, Wang Tong had won her trust by protecting her confidence and self-esteem.
"Haha, looks like the S club would be very helpful to many people! I think I need to work harder as a club leader."
"Well, I'm glad we are finally on the same page! The club was invaluable to not only Ayrlarng, but also other academies." The growth speed of the S club had even caught Zhou Sisi off guard, and the victory of its three members had pushed the club's fame to a new height. In addition to the three that attended the tournament, Cao Yi had also earned a name for himself as the most proficient analyst. His notebook containing information of fighters from all over the galaxy was the holy grail to most cultivation trainers. Cao Yi shared his invaluable study notes with all members of the S club to help them improve their abilities.
"Haha! I would never think that I would be famous and important one day!" Wang Tong blurted as he spread himself on the bed. He was comfortable with Zhou Sisi's presence, and felt that he could talk about anything with her.
"Hey! May I remind you that you still have a long way to go? One moment of slacking up would make you fall behind other competitors. Me, for example! "
"That would be nice, being taken care of by a competent female warrior had always been one of my dreams! Haha."
Zhou Sisi laughed with him, knowing that Wang Tong would be the last man on earth who would like to be dependent on others.
"Anyhow, your room is cleaned up. I hope it will last more than three days." Zhou Sisi announced as she surveyed the room, as if admiring her work.
"Thank you! See you tomorrow!"
"Adios!"
After Zhou Sisi was gone, Wang Tong started to marvel his recent good fortune. Not only had he snatched the title of champion of the fleet combat, but he had also met Ma Xiaoru in person. Starting tomorrow, he would devote all of his time on training for the METAL combat. The thought of Old Fart tugged at his heartstrings. Somehow, he was convinced that Old Fart would show up during the METAL tournament, and he would have answers to Wang Tong's many questions. Despite the trouble he had caused for Wang Tong, Wang Tong smiled broadly at the thought of reuniting with Old Fart.
Ma Xiaoru and Li Ruoer had also returned to earth. Although Ma Xiaoru didn't spend too much time with Wang Tong, she could feel his genuine efforts to prove himself to her parents. Their different social class didn't deter Wang Tong. Instead, the challenges only made him more determined in his course. His bravery and conviction had deeply moved Ma Xiaoru, and convinced her that he was a keeper.
Ma Xiaoru knew that to make their relationship work, she needed to be stronger and offload some of Wang Tong's burden for him. Therefore, Ma Xiaoru made up her mind to be more active in following up with her doctor to speed up her recovery.
Li Ruoer had quickly picked up the subtle changes in Ma Xiaoru's mind. However positive and welcoming the changes might be, Li Ruoer was convinced that Ma Xiaoru's new found determination was a product of infatuation, and therefore, it would fade away quickly like a spark on a cold day.
Both Li Ruoer and her brother believed that Ma Xiaoru would eventually lose interest in Wang Tong, and it was this belief that led to their seemingly considerate gesture of allowing Ma Xiaoru and her lover's meeting. That being said, they merely loosened the noose but not the rope, as everything was still under the Li's control.
Wang Tong's victory in the fleet combat was not entirely a bad thing, since the higher the Li allowed him to rise, the more painful would be when he fell.
As for the fact that Wang Tong was able to overcome her Tactics of the Enchantress, Li Ruoer had kept it a secret, fearing that it would make her look weak. Even mentioning of the word "weak" was frowned upon in House Li.
Thanks to Wang Tong, Li Ruoer had breached the critical bottleneck in her cultivation, and therefore, she was confident that she would be able to avenge her defeat with the new power.
She wanted to prove to the world that a woman could be as powerful as a man.
Chapter 324: New Hope
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
As the starting day for the tournament drew near, participants of the METAL combat started the final preparations for the qualification matches. Everyone, including the "Fantastic Five," would have to go through the qualification process. This would provide a few lucky combatants with the precious opportunities to experience the most potent tactics first hand.
Meanwhile, the advertisement for the METAL tournament had reached every corner of the street. The tournament had gained support from both the military as well as many politicians, since it was not only able to encourage more people in the confederation to take up a career as a soldier, but it was also a check up on the average combat strength of youth in different factions. Therefore, the tournament provided a reliable assessment of the future recruits to the military.
What had added more hype to this year's tournament was the special award offered by the Templar's court. No one outside of the inner court had ever been allowed into the Hall of Valhalla, not even members of the House of Li, since the Templar believed that only the chosen ones favored by their god—the Blade Warrior—would have the right of entering the sacred grounds.
Rumors had it that the real intention behind the unprecedented decision of the court was to find the chosen one that would become the Master of the Templar. The Templar's augur had seen war and turmoil in their dreams, and therefore, they needed to get ready and find the heir of the Blade Warrior as soon as possible.
But who and how would they choose among the qualified combatants?
Regardless of the unanswered questions, the thought of becoming the leader of the Templar was tempting enough for all the participants of the tournament.
The Templar always had been a force to be reckoned with, and therefore, all families were eager to have the Templar's power on their side. The other four houses knew that once House of Li had gained the support of the Templar, they would quickly dominate the different factions. Therefore, preventing Li Shiming from entering the Hall of Valhalla had become the priority for fighters from the other four houses. It had been a comforting thought for the members of the other houses that the Templar's court had never offered the House of Li any special treatment. From the Templar's point of view, Blade Warrior's blessing belonged to the entire humanity.
Wang Tong was determined to enter the Hall and try to find out the real answer to Mr. Wannabe's confinement. Therefore, the award for the tournament was an opportunity he could not pass up.
Karl had taken over the businesses of the S club after the Fleet Combat tournament, so that Wang Tong would be able to focus on his preparation for the qualifications.
To defeat the strongest fighters in the world, he needed to become much stronger. However, Wang Tong started to become restless as he felt the lack of a practice partner around him. He had learned a lot from practicing with Mr. Wannabe, but he wanted more than that, as he thought that he was far from reaching his full potential.
Thanks to the space crystal, Wang Tong had plenty of time to spend on training. However tedious the exercise was, Wang Tong never once felt he was bored. Instead, he cherished every extra second he had, because he knew that while he was training, so were his opponents. Wang Tong knew that behind every splendid victory were countless hours of work and sweat.
Wang Tong not only had the crystal to help him with the cultivation, Samantha had also ordered a new set of equipment for the students who would partake in the tournament to strengthen their physical condition.
Wang Tong had gained access to the most advanced equipment at school, and no one felt that Samantha was playing favorites. Wang Tong had become the synonym of Ayrlarng, and almost all the students called him by his nickname: Boss.
Although Wang Tong had won the champion title at the Fleet battle tournament, everyone from Ayrlarng and Bernabeu knew that Wang Tong's real interest was in METAL combat.
Although there would be the treacherous road ahead of Wang Tong, no one had lost their hope in him, as they believed that Wang Tong would eventually become the strongest fighter in the world.
The S club had two managers, one was Zhou Sis who was in charge of the fleet combat, and the other was Cao Yi, who was reprehensible for matters related to METAL combat.
Cao Yi was one of Wang Tong's practice partner. After countless defeats, no one, including himself, knew what his level of power was any longer.
Hu Yangxuan had disappeared, as he had decided to enter an extended period of close-door cultivation—an extremely intense form of cultivation that often yielded surprising results. Seeing that even Karl had made a name for himself, Hu Yangxuan felt the urge to become stronger. Since the Templar's Court had announced the participation of the Inner Court Templars, many of whom were friends with Hu Yangxuan, he felt the sense of urgency as he feared that he might lose face in front of his old friends.
Despite their eagerness to improve themselves, they quickly conceded that they wouldn't improve much if they didn't have a pool of competent practice partners. Even Apache had disappeared with only one note left to Wang Tong, "Be Careful."
Wang Tong had set an excellent example for the other students, as he had shown everyone the importance of making small steps every day. Therefore, everyone dared not slack up, and the students had quickly formed a very positive and competitive environment, with everyone training with a newfound enthusiasm.
Despite Samantha's busy schedule, she managed to persuade Massa to offer a boot camp session for the tournament participants.
These students would be representing the earth confederate, and therefore, helping them was not against the interest of the TNN. Plus, Massa confessed that he liked working with students.
TNN was full of powerful fighters, and therefore, Wang Tong was elated by the opportunity to spar with them.
Wang Tong had been training day and night nonstop, slowly gathering strength inside his sea of consciousness. He had also been testing one of the secret weapons he had learned from the fight with Li Ruoer.
Meanwhile in Capth…
Wang Ben had disappeared from school and cocooned himself in his private training chamber. His dedication to his training sometimes made his mother's tears stream from her eyes.
Unlike his father, Wang Ben's mother was the much more tender caregiver. Although she had been sad when Wang Ben failed his mind opening operation, she conceded that it might be a good thing since her son would finally drop the idea of becoming a soldier and risk his life every day.
After Wang Ben's successful second operation, his mother accepted the reality and supported him wholeheartedly. From her son's determined eyes, she knew that Wang Ben was happiest whenever he was fighting.
Wang Ben punched at the practice dummy with the Fist of Racing Tiger. The tactics sent a wave of roar throughout the training room, and the fist made a large indentation on the metal dummy.
"Is this the Fist of Pussycat?" A cold voice rose behind Wang Ben.
Wang Ben turned around and wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Sorry, father."
"Punch me with all you got. Think of me as your enemy…no, your nemesis." General Hu Ben announced.
Wang Ben drew a large gulp of air and started charging his soul energy. When it was charged up, he punched at his father as his fist roared in the air.
Konng!
Wang Ben crashed into the wall behind him, and blood spilled out from his mouth.
"If you want to attend the tournament, you need to do better than. Otherwise, you might as well stay home with your mom!"
Hu Ben walked away after leaving his son a cold and hard advice.
After General Hu Ben was out of his son's sight, he wiped away a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled approvingly. Although he was pleased with his son's power, he knew that his son still had a long way to go to compete with the heirs of the great houses.
Chapter 325: Playing Dumb
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Inside the gym of the Starry Sky Academy, a dozen students, including Miao Xiu, collapsed on the ground. These were the top students of the academy, but their opponent was Patroclus.
Since the Starry Sky Academy suffered a catastrophic defeat during the fleet combat tournament, their principal had requested Patroclus to train with the rest of the students to quickly improve their abilities.
Although the public's attention was only on the few famous players, the confederation's interest was broader, and they would use the tournament to assess the overall quality of academies.
Patroclus was instructed to spar with his classmates once every three days, but so far, no one had been able to even land a blow on him.
This was the power of the Deva King!
"Let's change it to once every week," Patroclus said calmly without any contempt in his voice. He had realized that his classmates were unable to make any progress in three days. Therefore, he might as well give them more time to reflect on their techniques.
After about ten minutes, Miao Xiu was the first one to be able to stand up. All the while, he lamented that he was unable to even scratch Patroclus, much less landing a solid blow.
"Let's not give up yet. It had taken him twice as much time to defeat us than last time." Erro said.
"That's right! I will make him regret that he even sparred with us next time." Miao Xiu stood up and then announced. Right after he had spoken, the sharp pain in his leg made him sat down again. No one laughed at Miao Xiu, since none of them were in any better shape.
Although they knew that they were out of Patroclus's league, and they shouldn't let their defeat bother them. They had been the top students, and they found it hard to adjust to the fact that Patroclus was able to defeat their combined force with ease.
When they first received the order for the special training with Patroclus, they had hoped that they would be able to prove to Patroclus that fighters from outside of the great houses could be as potent as him.
The Ivantians were no less competitive than the Earthlings, although they were less likely to express their feelings outwardly.
All of these students had been confident that they would impress the world with their power. However, these students felt their hopes were just wishful thinking right after the first session of training with Patroclus. Some of them felt so devastated that they had even dropped out of the tournament altogether.
The ones that remained decided to combine their forces to overcome their opponent. Although Patroclus was their prince, they still felt indignant about their constant defeat, and strived to overcome him as a team.
The Ivantians held an advantage over the Earthlings and the Martians thanks to their enhanced genes. However, this advantage seemed to have turned into a double-edged blade, since it had given the Ivantian students a sense of superiority, which gradually festered into contempt. After a while, the Ivantians started to slack up, and their training intensity was no match for that of students from Mars or Earth.
Despite the inevitable deterioration of students' enthusiasm, the elites on the moon had remained astute, and were fully aware of the problem. They believed that a defeat in the tournament was not entirely a bad thing, since it would be able to remind the Ivantians that their opponent's hard work would eventually pay off and help them catch up with them.
No race had survived the history without a sense of urgency.
This year's tournament not only had a great turnout, but it had also ignited the human's fighting spirit. It had become evident that the overall fighting ability of the human race would be greatly improved after the tournament.
Princess Heidi had brought a convoy of fighters with her to the tournament. It would be an excellent opportunity for the humans to take a sneak peek at the female warrior's mysterious way of commanding the soul energy.
Since the Kaedeians had always acted alone during military missions, the Zergs would probably know more about the Kaedeian's soul energy than humans.
The Kaedeians had always eluded their real power from the humans. However, once Princess Heidi and her elite guards entered the tournament, they would no longer be able to do so. Everyone wondered what had made the Kaedeians break their tradition.
Some people thought that it was due to the pressure from the other three factions, and others were convinced that the Kaedeians and the Confederation had reached some kind of a deal. Although no one was certain in their conjecture, they all agreed that the Kaedeians were a welcome sight at the tournament.
Wang Tong, Cao Yi, and Hu Yangxuan were on a train to an unknown destination. Although the exact location was classified, the three boys knew that it would be a military base for the TNN. Based on TNN's reputation, they knew there was a rough time ahead of them, and somehow, it made them feel light-hearted.
Ever since the three factions had united their force after TNN had proposed the Norton Project, TNN was no longer involved in the operation, since it was out of their jurisdiction.
With more free time on his hand, Massa was more than happy to see how much Wang Tong had improved.
When he first heard the news of Wang Tong's soul energy depletion, Massa was sad and felt pity that such a great talent was wasted.
The TNN was a unique department of the Confederation, in the sense that they didn't swear an oath to any particular faction within the human society. Instead, their loyalty laid in the confederation, and protecting peace on earth was their only goal. Despite its far-reaching influence, the number of core members of the department was small. However, every member of the TNN was a force to be reckoned with.
Although TNN usually wouldn't invite outsiders to train with them, Massa's interest in Wang Tong had driven him to make an exception to the rules and accepted Samantha's request.
The windows of the train were covered, but Wang Tong could still hear the whirl as the train passed through buildings—they were inside a city. But after a while, the soft whirl become intermittent, and then eventually disappeared.
"You have arrived." The train engineer announced.
As soon as the three walked out of the train, they found themselves standing in front of a large and heavy door. The stuffiness in the air told Wang Tong that they were underground.
A big red circle was etched into the door, and within the circle were three bold letters: TNN
"What an ugly gate!" Hu Yangxuan laughed. "I could teach the TNN some proper graffiti art."
"Then you would never leave this place." Massa's voice boomed.
"Instructor Massa!" The three quickly straighten their backs and solute.
Massa waved his hand disapprovingly, "You are in a military camp, call me Sir."
"Yes, Sir!"
"Follow me, and don't touch the gate."
As the heavy gate shut slowly behind them, the three had officially started their boot camp training.
Massa gave Wang Tong a side way glace as surprise flashed in his eyes. Wang Tong didn't seem to be injured at all, and his soul energy was powerful. Massa could feel its pulse as they walked down the corridor.
'This is...interesting!'
Judging by Wang Tong's performance in fleet combat, Massa had suspected that Wang Tong's recovery was quick and well. However, the boy's current state had caught him off guard. Perhaps, Massa reasoned, the nuclear blast was a blessing in disguise after all.
After the four had passed a few checkpoints, they arrived at a big hall. The workers here were bustling about their own business, and didn't seem to notice the three boys.
"This is the central control room, and your training room is downstairs."
The four walked to the end of the hall and then took an elevator down. After five minutes, the elevator door finally slid open to a hallway. The boys could hear painful shrieks coming from the other end.
"Cao Yi, Hu Yangxuan, you two would join the junior camp, and this is your instructor. I am sure you are all familiar with each other."
As the three boys heard the familiar metallic footsteps, they were shocked—It was Gansus.
"What? Didn't expect me ?"
"You jerk! You had been playing dumb all the while!"
"Haha, he was not dumb at all. His nickname is Tiger." Massa cracked a smile.
"Hu Yangxuan and Cao Yi, follow me!" Gansus announced.
"What about Wang Tong?" Hu Yangxuan asked. He thought they would be training together.
"I will be in charge of this little prick. He has improved a lot, and I better give him the hospitality he deserves." Massa's words made Wang Tong's hair stand on their ends.
"Sir, we would like your hospitality as well!" Hu Yangxuan urged. He didn't want to be treated differently.
"Well, you have to pass me first!" Gansus didn't give Hu Yangxuan a chance to retort as he picked up the two boys by their collars and dragged them down the hallway.
Gansus seemed to have changed into an entirely different person. At TNN, Gansus's voice was no longer ear deafeningly loud like it was at school. But somehow, it carried more power and authority.
Chapter 326: Hidden Power
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
After the two other students walked away with Gansus, Massa threw Wang Tong a glance and then said, "Follow me, I want to show you something."
The two filed into Massa's office, and then he turned on the monitor. Wang Tong saw his old comrades on the screen alive and well.
Eyes glued to the screen, Wang Tong watched as his old friends fought against Zergs, and he was surprised to find out that their skills had improved significantly. The scene in front of Wang Tong was drastically different from what Wang Tong used to see while he was on Norton. Jansining's right arm had been replaced with a cyborg's arm, which was powerful and nimble enough for dealing with any Zergs. Meanwhile, Third's cyborg eye had also lent him the incredible ability to detect hidden Zergs. Big O's soul energy was able to surround his body and form an impenetrable protection layer—an ability that might have been triggered by losing his brother.
"This was their latest video feed. I know you were eager to know how they are doing. By the way, they wanted me to tell you that they still look forward to fighting with you. " Massa smiled as he turned the monitor off.
Wang Tong cracked a smile and felt relieved after seeing that his old comrades were doing well. It was clear then that the military didn't give up on their recovery.
"Sir, I have started to feel more excited about the training now."
"Don't be too confident just yet. I have to warn you that so far, only a few were able to complete my training program." Massa smirked expectantly.
Without taking a rest, the three started their training right away.
Massa and Gansus stood on one side of a glass panel, watching their students on the other side.
The first training course was soul energy attack—the most basic training for elite fighters. As high-level fighters, knowing how to attack with soul energy was critical, since it very often dictated the outcome of the match.
"Tiger, they are your students, so I will let you choose the number." Massa grinned.
The "number" that Massa referred to was the strength of the soul wave that was simulated inside the training room. This was the first test every TNN soldier had to endure.
"Cao Yi, one hundred sol, Hu Yangxuan, one hundred twenty, and Wang Tong... start with two hundred."
The workers at TNN were shocked by Gansus's decision. Two hundred sol could be a deadly force, and if Wang Tong was not as strong as Gansus had expected, he was as good as dead.
"Haha, you have lots of confidence in this boy. Well, we will have it your way! " Massa announced without any hesitation.
Meanwhile, inside the training room, the three looked at each other, unsure of what would happen next.
Suddenly, they felt a wave of soul energy surround them, and the sudden force caught them off guard. Since it came invisibly, it was harder to prepare for ahead of time than fighting against a physical assault.
Cao Yi and Hu Yangxuan's faces quickly became bleak at the sudden and belligerent force. Although challenging, Hu Yangxuan was able to hold his ground. He had experienced this kind of training before while he was training at the Templar's Court. However, the training at the Court was carried out in a much larger space instead of the confined training chamber. As the soul energy reflected off from the walls, it seemed to have gained more intensity. The two quickly readied their soul energy for defense.
The two students had performed well so far, as they had much exceeded the average performance of students, and even according to TNN's standards, would be considered solid fighters.
Although the soul energy wave in Wang Tong's chamber had started from two hundred, Wang Tong didn't seem to be affected by it the slightest, as he acted as nothing had happened to him.
Massa and Gansus looked at each other and then smiled knowingly. "We had underestimated him after all. He didn't even flinch."
"His power has reached at least that of a mid-tier TNN soldier. It is clear to me that his soul energy depletion was a blessing in disguise after all… And a blessing to us as well." Massa said as he nodded.
"Cao Yi, one hundred and fifty, Hu Yangxuan, one hundred and seventy. Stabilize the waves. Wang Tong, crank it up to three hundred. Let's see how long he can last." Gansus announced to the workers.
The dial on Wang Tong's training chamber suddenly jumped up, indicating the soul energy inside had reached an abnormally high value. Since depletion of soul energy would hinder the output of GN force, most fighters would choose not to squander their soul energy in such large quantities. Therefore, such a high-level soul energy attack was not commonly seen in a normal battle. In a real-life battle, only seventy percent of the soul energy attack would eventually land on their opponents, since defensive measures would dampen the rest thirty percent. However, inside the simulation tank, it was impossible for the students to adequately defend against the attack, since it came from all direction.
Hu Yangxuan and Cao Yi conceded that the only thing they would do then was to be calm and try to spend their soul energy as conservatively as possible without crippling their defense. Keeping a cool head was half the battle, since the more soul energy they poured into their defense, the more likely their mind would be eroded by illusions.
Although the test was unspeakably cruel, it reflected the style of the TNN truthfully. Unlike the academies that had chosen to focus on a steady progression when it came down to the students' training, TNN was well known for its extreme methods to achieve a sudden breakthrough. Although TNN's method was less popular, it was no less efficient.
As the two instructors looked through the large window, they saw that Wang Tong still acted as if the violent soul energy attack was nothing. The two instructors both had the suspicion that Wang Tong's training chamber was broken, as they ordered the workers to double check the connections.
"Sir, all output lines are hot. His vital signs are normal as well. There is no apparent increase in heart rate, and his soul energy output is rock steady, but just enough to cancel the attack waves."
Inside the training chamber, Wang Tong cracked a knowing smile at Massa and Gansus.
The equipment at TNN was much more advanced than even those in the S Class academies. However, its soul energy output fell short under comparison with that of Einherjar Wannabe, whom Wang Tong had been training with. The three hundred sol seemed to be a piece of cake. Also, Mr. Wannabe was much more cunning and methodical in the delivery of his attacks than the machines.
Although it might seem to be a great idea to release large amount of soul energy inside a confined area mechanically, the predictability made it too easy to defend for a high-level fighter such as Wang Tong.
"What should we do next?"
"He seemed to be more eager to test his limit than us. I say we crank it up to four hundred. What do you think?"
"I say four fifty. "
Massa waved his hand at the worker as the latter cranked up the dial to four hundred and fifty excitedly.
"Turn off the other two; they have reached their limit."
"Yes, sir!"
After their test was over, Cao Yi and Hu Yangxuan were exhausted and drenched in sweat. Unable to pick themselves up to their feet, they both laid on the floor as they watched Wang Tong smile at them nonchalantly.
"I have to give credit to these two as well, they have trained hard. " Massa nodded approvingly. He reckoned that without intense training, the two would not have lasted this long.
As Massa looked to the other side of the room, he found that the soul energy attack still seemed not to affect Wang Tong.
The development stirred both instructors, as they knew that that much soul energy would make even a fifth level fighter's stomach churn.
Thanks to the gruesome training Wang Tong had to endure in the crystal space, not only he was able to withstand the powerful wave of soul energy, he had done it with ease.
"Marvelous! What a genius!"
"I bet this lad is going to pull the rug from under the Great Houses."
"Golden Hawk must be pleased."
"I know that you wanted to recruit him into TNN. Otherwise, you wouldn't agree to Samantha's request. However, I think it's better if you forget about it. This kid is a genius and a perfect material for a general. He would only become a lunatic if he stayed in TNN, like us." Gansus gave Massa a sidelong glance as he spoke.
"The Great House and the Golden Hawk has controlled the council; you know more than me that we need him. Plus, he needs our protection." Massa said.
"He has done well so far without our protection, hasn't he? I don't think the discrete lifestyle here at TNN suits his bearings. " Gansus shook his head.
"Tiger, I would hold on to my opinion. We cannot afford to pass up a talent like Wang Tong. He would do well in TNN, I can see that even now."
"He would rise to power no matter where he stays. I am afraid that the TNN's shrewd methods might go against the grain with his kindhearted nature. The military would be a much better place for him."
"Hehe… Well, I guess there is no point in arguing about it between us. It all comes down to his own decision."
Chapter 327: The Bloody Bats
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Although Massa was the head of TNN, he was extremely polite while talking to Gansus. There were many members of the TNN such as Gansus who were anonymous to the world, but were feared by even the most powerful.
After seeing that Wang Tong was unaffected by the machine's soul energy attack, the two had finally caught a glimpse of the real power of Wang Tong. At full capacity, the machine was capable of cranking out five hundred sols of soul energy, and at that point, if the tester were still unchallenged, the test would be pointless.
Everyone marveled at the fact that Wang Tong was able to level up to level six at the age of seventeen, as well as his incredible ability to hide his real power for so long.
"Tiger, should I leave his training to you? To tell you the truth, I can already feel the itch in my bones." Massa said with a playful smile.
"I am but an old and crippled cat nowadays. It's all on you now!"
"Haha, don't be modest, it feels weird! Fine. I will take the first crack at it. I have seen many people with strange powers at TNN, but no one interests me more than this boy." Massa said as he rolled up his sleeves.
Massa was not only the head of the TNN, but the 5th deadliest soldier of TNN.
The only criteria that constituted a level six fighter was soul energy of at least five hundred sols, and Massa was without any doubt a sixth-level fighter.
Although sixth level fighters were uncommon, it was considered by many experts the standard of human's fighting capability. It was wildly excepted that it was harder to reach the next level—the Einherjar—than it was from level one to six combined.
However powerful a level six fighter was, he or she would never be able to overcome an Einherjar, since Einherjar's power came from an entirely different realm, and they had possessed knowledge that went beyond any ordinary person's comprehension.
Legend had it that when Li Feng and Rilangalos had reached the peak of career, their cultivation had both went even further than Einherjar, as they had achieved a state of so-called "super-Einherjar." It was said that the only person who was stronger than the two was the Blade Warrior, since the mystical warrior was considered immortal.
Despite the difficulties, all level six fighters dreamed of becoming the Einherjar one day. Once they did, they would possess a power that was unbridled by the human body's physical limits. Likewise, all the Einherjars throughout the history had never stopped improving themselves to transcend above their current level as Li Feng and Rilangalos did. The world and the people in it hadn't seen a super Einherjar for centuries, and therefore, whoever was the first to reach the state of super Einherjar would become the new overlord of the entire human world.
Wang Tong's drastic improvement had given Massa some measure of hope in breaking the Great Houses' monopoly over the titles of Einherjar. The newfound hope spurred Massa's desire to test Wang Tong's power himself.
Massa would rightfully represent the best of the level six fighters, as he possessed both an unrivaled soul energy and experience.
After Wang Tong felt that the soul energy force had waned, Wang Tong knew that he had caught Massa's attention. That was on his agenda, to practice with the top fighters of the TNN. Although Mr. Wannabe's training was effective in improving Wang Tong's power, Wang Tong believed that it would also be helpful to practice with someone whose power was similar to his.
Ever since Wang Tong saw how effective Mr. Wannabe's training had proven to be, Wang Tong wagered that his opponents such as Li Shiming and Lie Jian would possess greater power than he had imagined, since they, too, were likely having been trained by Einherjars.
In addition to the Li and the Lie, Michaux Odin would also pose a significant threat to Wang Tong, thanks to his mysterious ability to control the soul energy. General Li Feng used to jest with Rilangalos that the only person in the world who had possessed deeper understanding regarding soul energy than him was the sect leader of the Divine Master Sect at that time.
Although the Divine Master died on the battlefield, his method of training had been passed down through generations. Part of the reason that contributed to Michaux's indifferent demeanor was the fact that he was able to peer through the worldly matters and see things clearer than anyone else, at a higher state of existence.
As for Wang Tong's opponents from Kaedeian, Wang Tong wagered that they would also pose a significant threat due to their inborn ability to be in tune with the soul energy, thereby granting them higher damage output and control. Wang Tong gritted his teeth and conceded that he needed to become much stronger to fulfill his promise to Ma Xiaoru and her father.
Massa had removed his jacket, and was about walk into the training room as a wave of bright laughter erupted from behind him. "Boss, no need to bother yourself for a student. Let us have some fun too!"
Without the TNN emblem on their uniform, anyone would take the group of TNN fighters for a group of misfits. The leader of the group was a busty woman, the curves of her body were accentuated by the tight latex that she wore like a second layer of skin. The second member's head was cleanly shaven and shiny, as if it were oiled, and the third had a bright green Afro, and was wearing a pair of dirty, over-sized pants.
Massa turned around toward the three, "Your mission is done already?"
"Don't underestimate the power of the Bloody Bats Squad. The mission was a piece of cake." One of the members threw a round object in a bag at Massa, its size and the way it rolled around on the floor eerily resembling a human head.
"They are the Bloody Bats Squad. They formed about two years ago" Massa turned to Gansus and cracked a smile." They are quite efficient when fighting as a team."
"Boss, who is that cripple?" The Skin Head asked, all the while chewing a piece of gum in his mouth like an insolent high school student. As an organization, TNN was somewhere in between military and an insane asylum. Therefore, the rules could not be as strict as they were in the actual military.
"Hey, cripple! Why are you standing side by side with our boss? Come down here and let me teach you some respect!"
Upon hearing the challenge, both Massa and Gansus burst out laughing. Gansus lamented that fewer and fewer people would recognize him after he had left TNN for so many years.
"Hey, old man! Haven't you heard of us? We are the Bloody Bats! The A-unit of the TNN! "
"It is nice to be young. Well, since they are so interested, why don't we let them help Wang Tong warm up?"
"Hehe, good call. That would teach them to shut their traps."
As the leader of the Bloody Bats, Liva was not only the strongest, but also the most observant. She had noticed a strange tattoo on Gansus's arm that resembled the head of a tiger.
Everyone knew that the top ten fighters of the TNN all had their unique tattoos. Massa was ranked number 5, and his symbol was a flaming stallion. But which one was the tiger?
Suddenly, Liva's face turned pale as she remembered that the owner of the tiger tattoo was the number three fighter, nicknamed 'Furious Tiger.'
Once a TNN, always a TNN. Under emergency situations, Gansus would need to answer the call even though he had detached from the organization and had adopted a new life.
"What's up, captain?"
"No...Nothing. Shut up, will you? Be respectful to the elderly! " The female captain bawled out at his skinhead teammate.
"Elderly? Respect him?" Skin Head was still oblivious to Gansus's identity, since he had not detected any trace of power from him. However, he had forgotten that the most potent fighters were also the best at hiding their real power.
Massa clapped his hands to attract the team's attention. "I have arranged an opponent for you. As long as you could finish off the boy inside the training room, I will let you guys handle S-level missions. "
"Shit! Are you sure? You always complained that we are under-qualified for that!" The skinhead scratched his shiny head and asked incredulously.
"We have a deal! I will take you up on that, Boss!"
"Since when have I failed to fulfill my promise? But mind you, you guys only have one shot. You can go all out; I don't care how you do it." Massa gave Gansus a knowing smile. Many unspoken memories of their youth spent together at TNN were hidden behind their curled lips.
Missions in TNN were categorized based on their difficulties into three classes, B, A, and S. Although being able to carry out A-class missions at such young age was already a feat that the Bloody Bats should be proud of, the young and reckless team would not be satisfied until they had been proven worthy of the highest level missions. Then, they would persistently challenge the S class missions regardless of how difficult and dangerous they were.
"Well, since Boss has put it that way, we might as well go in to fight him together." Liva pulled back some of her teammates who had already step forward towards the training room. Liva and her teammates had requested countless times to access the S class missions, and all their requests had been turned down. She registered that the boy in the training room was a tough nut to crack. Otherwise, Massa would not agree to play such a high stake game.
"Go now." Massa nodded approvingly at Liva's discernment.
"Would the five fledglings make the cut? Although Wang Tong is much younger, he is as experienced as you and me." Gansus asked.
"The Bloody Bats is not a team to be trifled with. You will see."
The three members of the Bloody Bats, Liva, Afro, and the Skin Head, filed into the training room.
"Hey kiddo, I don't care who you are, you are going to get owned today!" Skin Head gave Wang Tong a stink eye.
"Wang Tong, this will be your second test. They are the A class units of TNN. I hope you could learn a thing or two from them." Massa's voice rang across the training room.
Chapter 328: Eye-Opener
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Wang Tong shrugged as he scanned the three opponents. His attention was drawn immediately by three prominent features: two big bosoms, a bold shiny head, and a fearsome Afro.
"Hey kiddo, are you ready?"
The three were slightly disappointed after seeing how young their opponent was, as they doubted that the boy would be as powerful as they thought.
Wang Tong stared at the skinhead curiously, as if he were trying to refrain from asking him a question. After a brief pause, Wang Tong broke the silence, "Your head is so... bright and ...shiny! How did you do it?"
The skinhead was not impressed by Wang Tong's question, and he took it as a taunt. "Captain, let me go first. I want to teach him some respect."
Seeing Liva nod, Skin Head cranked up his soul energy and drew out the GN force. Judging by the soul energy, Wang Tong could tell that the Skin Head was a fifth level fighter.
The Bloody Bats' over-the-top behavior was hinged on their superior abilities. Unlike the age of power suites when dark horses constantly challenged the positions of their higher tire counterparts, the METAL suits ushered in an era of absolute dominance of a few geniuses. The relative stability had lent conceit to the powerful, and encouraged ostentatious behavior.
Although Skin Head looked like he was only in his early twenties, he had already reached a high level of soul energy. Furthermore, his real-life combat experience ought to make him deadlier than any academy graduate. He threw himself at Wang Tong with abandon, bashing his opponent with his bold and shiny head. The heavy weight of his body made him look like a charging tank.
Wang Tong side-stepped swiftly and the skinhead, carried by his momentum, was about to crash straight into the wall. However, right before Skin Head was about to kiss the wall, he suddenly changed his pace, and as if by magic, he walked onto the wall and then to the ceiling. In a blink of eyes, Skin Head was already right above Wang Tong's head, boring his fist down onto Wang Tong as he fell.
Wang Tong watched as Skin Head finished the entire sequence in one go, and realized that his opponent had archived this stunt by altering the gravity around him using his GN force.
As Skin Head thought he was about to finish off his opponent with a deadly punch, Wang Tong suddenly yanked his right arm up and unleashed a wave of unseen force that sent the descending Skin Head back up to the ceiling. The impact created many cracks "under" Skin Head's body, on the ceiling.
A faint smile hung on Wang Tong's face. He had seen this trick before, and had countered it many times while fighting against the Pirate King Zackery. So difficult was the fight in the crystal against Mr. Wannabe's imagined persona that Wang Tong had seen and exhausted all the tricks one could perform with the GN force and soul energy. Therefore, when he saw Skin Head's iteration of the trick which Wang Tong had already learned by rote, Wang Tong merely acted out of instinct and resolved the attack in an instant.
Being pinned upside down on the ceiling, Skin Head wiggled his body, trying to break free from his opponent's GN force. However, regardless of how hard he had tried, his body remained on the ceiling as if he were glued to it.
Seeing his teammate in trouble, Green Afro jumped into the fight and punched at Wang Tong with a fist imbued with explosive GN force.
Sensing the incoming danger on his side, Wang Tong threw a glance at the attacker and hurled a fist to greet him.
The two fists collided with a loud blast. Green Afro was sent flying backward by the force of Wang Tong's punch, as a flurry of plasters and dust fell from the cracked ceiling. Before the dust settled onto the ground, Wang Tong registered Liva attacking him with a stream of soul energy from the corner of his eyes. As an expert at using soul energy, Liva had many methods to turn the soul energy into a lethal weapon at her disposal. This time, she had chosen a technique called "pinpoint explosion." The purpose of the pinpoint explosion technique was to disrupt Wang Tong's movements by applying soul energy at pivotal joins on Wang Tong's body, where movements were hinged upon. The disruption to Wang Tong's movement would give the Bloody Bats some time to join forces. Then, they might have a chance of winning this fight.
A sharp thread of soul energy darted across the air and reached its destination on Wang Tong's body. However, Liva watched in surprise as her victim smiled at her, seemingly unaffected by her attack.
Green Afro finally picked himself up, but his defeat still disheveled him. His explosive GN force had been invincible until now. The force in his opponent's punch had made him realize that his power was mere child's play compared to that of Wang Tong.
Wang Tong turned his head over towards the two instructors on the other side of the giant glass pane and then asked, "Are you two going to join us or not?"
"Haha! You were right! These youngsters are no match for Wang Tong." Gansus smiled wryly. He really liked Wang Tong, and if not because he knew what was best for Wang Tong, he too would recruit Wang Tong into TNN as Massa suggested. After many years of service at the school, Gansus had changed his view on many things, and was no longer the brutal and merciless Tiger that he used to be. The positive change in him came with a hefty price—his leg.
Massa shook his head and smiled, "We got too caught up with his young age."
"This lad is going to grow up to be one of the toughest son of a gun in the Confederation. We should count ourselves lucky to be able to witness his growth."
"Among the three major factions, the Earthlings need the fresh blood like him the most."
"Earth is the origin of all humans in the known universe. It should also be where the new legend is born."
Massa threw away his jacket and heaved open the door to the training room. "You three are done here. Get out now."
Skin Head thudded back on to the ground after Wang Tong released him, and Liva also managed to gather herself after Wang Tong untangled her soul energy from his.
Dumbfounded, the Bloody Bats walked out of the training room while they were still trying to come to terms with their defeat.
Gansus waved at them to join him in watching the fight.
Liva plodded towards Gansus. The defeat had taken the wind out of her sail. She could sense that the opponent was much stronger than the three of them combined.
"Sir, may I ask who that boy is?" Liva asked curiously. The catastrophic defeat still shook her voice.
As Gansus smiled away the question, Liva suddenly felt the ground trembling underneath her feet. She knew right away that Wang Tong and Massa had started fighting.
The two hurled fist at each other and both were staggered back a few steps by the impact.
Skin Head rubbed his light bulb-like head and watched incredulously as Wang Tong managed to hold his ground against Massa.
"Well done lad! I have never thought that you could achieve such great power so quickly. I will no longer hold back my soul energy, so be careful!" Massa announced. He was exceedingly pleased to see how powerful Wang Tong had gotten.
"We shall see!" Wang Tong shouted. He had been waiting for this fight for too long; all his previous opponents were either overpowered or too weak.
The two fighters exchanged a few rounds of attacks. The impact of their GN forces filled the room with blaring noises like the drumbeat on the battlefield. Seeing that Massa had improved his ability in his absence, Gansus nodded approvingly.
As Gansus nodded again and again following Massa's every excellent execution, the three teenagers were shocked by the power at display.
Although Massa had subconsciously cranked up his soul energy until it reached level six, Wang Tong did not even flinch as he fended off the attack with only a level five soul energy. This had really impressed his audiences.
The two combatants were thoroughly engrossed in the visceral combat, and had forgotten that they were in the training room. Massa seemed to have gained an edge in terms of skill and magnitude of soul energy, but Wang Tong's quick reflexes and efficient movements made him look like a battle-hardened warrior. He was able to prevent his stronger opponent from gaining any tangible advantages.
Gansus was well aware of Massa's strength, and he registered that Massa didn't go all out in the fight. Most TNN's top fighters, including Massa, excelled at extremely deadly attacks. But Gansus could tell that Massa's moves were far from posing any real danger to Wang Tong, since he had used only seventy percent of his power. Despite that, Gansus was surprised to find out that Wang Tong appeared to be able to fend off Massa's attack with ease.
Gansus knew that Wang Tong would be a force to be reckoned with the first time he saw him. But after a year, Gansus conceded that he had underestimated this boy after all.
Green Afro's jaw almost dropped to the floor as he watched the two's fight incredulously. He would have never thought that anyone under twenty would be able to stand against Massa. Green Afro was not alone in his surprise, as all his teammates were in awe towards Wang Tong's incredible power at such a young age, and conceded that the fight was a real eye-opener. They had finally learned what was required to take on the S class missions.
As the audiences were steeped in awe with Wang Tong's power, the fight carried out without any clear winner for a while, until the two finally decided to give up, fearing that the reckless force would destroy the training room if they continued.
Exhausted but pleased, Wang Tong sat down on the floor. This fight had offered him a precious opportunity for self-evaluation.
On the other hand, Massa conceded that he had to re-evaluate his training plan, since he doubted that he would be able to efficiently train Wang Tong after seeing how powerful he had gotten. Only a half year ago, Massa was still confident in taking on the role of Wang Tong's coach. However, right then, he was not so sure any longer.
"Lad, your special training has finished. While you wait for your friends, do you mind hanging around here at TNN?" Massa said as he picked up Wang Tong to his feet.
"Yes, Sir!"
"No need to call me sir anymore, call me Old Ma. Gansus was against the idea of recruiting you into TNN as a formal member. He said it would limit your future, and I agree with him. That being said, I think it would be helpful for you to gain some understanding of TNN. " Massa said earnestly. He had already treated Wang Tong as one of his close friends, after the young boy had reminded him so much of his youth.
"No problem. I'm sure I would like it here."
Chapter 329: Boot Camp Training
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Although neither Wang Tong nor Massa had executed their attacks with the intention to kill, they had both gotten a number on each other's power. Massa reckoned that Wang Tong had already reached such a high level that the training he could offer to Wang Tong would be unnecessary. The only areas that Wang Tong could still improve, Massa reasoned, was his soul energy cultivation and battle experience.
Massa knew that the best way for Wang Tong to improve was to partake in more combat. He could have ordered the elite TNN fighters to fight with Wang Tong, but since it was against the TNN rules, Massa had refrained himself from doing so.
Massa conceded that from then on, it would be up to Wang Tong himself to actively seek the opportunity for training, since it would become harder to find an opponent as Wang Tong leveled up.
Wang Tong was well aware of this problem, and he didn't expect anyone in TNN to assign him a training routine that would magically solve his problem for him. He counted himself lucky that he would have the opportunity to spar with Massa, since otherwise, it would be a waste of time coming to the TNN's facility.
The Bloody Bats quietly watched as Massa and Wang Tong walked out of the training room, their eyes devoid of conceit.
"Massa, I think you need to dust your skills off!" Gansus laughed. He found it entertaining to see Massa being forced into a draw by a young boy.
"Buzz off! You can try it for yourself." Gansus rolled his eyes.
"You three, get about your business."
"Yes, boss!"
Wang Tong felt Liva's gaze rest on him, and when he looked at her, he saw her bat her long and curvy eyelashes at him, followed by a wink. Wang Tong's heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
Truth be told, Wang Tong had rarely experienced the blatant seduction of the opposite sex. There were plenty beautiful teenage girls around him, but no one had ever seduced Wang Tong as Liva did.
Although Wang Tong was relatively inexperienced in dealing with the lust of a woman, he was able to maintain his composure and was unmoved by the lure.
Gansus and Massa had been watching the subtle development, and they nodded after seeing Wang Tong's incredible self-control.
After the workers led the boys out of the training room, the two instructors stayed to reflect on the fight.
"I say, he is the best among the youngsters. How much power did you hold back?"
"I used over 60% of my real power, but I have a feeling that Wang Tong had been holding back his power as well. It is hard to get a number on him."
"His cultivation is built on a solid foundation. I can tell that he is almost as experienced as you and me. The only thing about him that I am still unsure of is the exact level of his soul energy. What's your take on his ability compared to the other five from the Great Houses? "
The words "Great Houses" made Massa heave a sigh as he said, "It's hard to tell. But one thing I know for sure is that the tournament would be a fascinating one to watch. We have been working our a*s off trying to weaken the influence of the great houses. However, seeing that their children were getting stronger, I suppose that we would be disappointed again."
"Hmmm...Sounds like you had exchanged a few moves with Li Shiming already?"
"There was no need; he is one of the best hands down. One thing that makes him even more potent than his father is his ability to bide his time for the delayed reward."
"Do you suppose that Wang Tong could be helpful for the Golden Hawk to balance out the power?"
"Tiger, you know better than anyone that no one could stop the wheel of history. Although powerful, Wang Tong is no match to the House of Li by a long chalk. To tell you the truth, compared to Li Shiming, I am more afraid of Patroclus from the Dower."
"Ah...The Ivantians have been quietly biding their time for a while, and I suppose it is about time for them to flex their muscles again."
"After lying on the firewood and tasting gall for so many years, they have finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel after Patroclus finished the Tactics of the Deva King. The Dowers have always been an astute lot. They figured that it would be pointless to sit on a throne when there was no need for a king, but they had sensed something terrible was coming. The world is about to change, and they have also become restless."
"Li Shiming would be their strongest competitor in climbing the ladder of power. But, I am not sure if the Li alone would be able to stop them. Power and influences aside, the Li had isolated themselves from the people of Earth after many years of mismanagement. Li Shiming would have a work cut out for him, that's for sure."
"Hehe, sounds like you like the Li boy?"
"Very much so, haha! He is one of my favorite among all the other from the Great Houses. Lie Jian seemed like the most unimpressive contestant in the game. He fell short not only in terms of his fighting skills, but also because of the hasty and reckless manner he used to handle situations. That being said though, there were two wild cards at the Martians' disposal—the Sect of the Divine Master and the Kaedeians."
"Agreed! We shouldn't have so hastily offloaded the Kaedeian insurgence to the Martians."
"We didn't have much choice back then. Anyhow, we better be prudent during this year's tournament. I can see the dark clouds gathering."
"I'm aware of that. The stage is already set, but there are still too many moving parts. It could get hairy at any time."
To most ordinary people, the tournament was nothing but a visceral enjoyment. However, to some special organizations such as TNN, they had to be constantly vigilant, in case the situation escalated quickly into a mess. Under the splendid facade of the tournament, sinister dark currents moved about, ready to lash out at any moment. The involvement of the Templar and the Kaedeians only added more uncertainty to the already convoluted web of powers that were about to entangle with each other.
"Have we got any information on Einherjar Wannabe?"
"No dice. We are short staffed. Doesn't matter though, he is going to show up at the tournament. So, we have ample opportunity to observe him." Massa answered. He had been investing most of the department's resources on the current battle with the Zerg.
"I haven't seen so much action going on at one time for years," Gansus said as he heaved a deep sigh. A whim of nostalgia came over him, and for the first time in a long time, Gansus felt wary for the uncertainty in the future of human race.
On the second day of the students' arrival at TNN, Cao Yi and Hu Yangxuan had officially started their training with a few TNN members chosen by Massa himself.
Instead of training with his friends, Wang Tong stood on the side and studied the training methods of TNN to see if he could learn a thing or two. Massa seemed to have disappeared since the first day. Wang Tong had been his priority, and therefore, after he realized that Wang Tong no longer needed his guidance, he decided to leave the rest of the training to himself.
Gansus was in full charge of Cao Yi and Hu Yangxuan's training, making sure that Hu Yangxuan's laziness would not get the better of him. Although Hu Yangxuan had improved his attitude by leaps and bounds ever since he arrived the TNN's training camp, he still carried an air of casualness that Gansus had been trying hard to help him get rid of. On the contrary, Cao Yi required Gansus's minimal attention, as he always executed his instructor's order to the letter. Also, Cao Yi held a much more positive attitude than Hu Yangxuan. He would return to his training with renewed determination after failure, and never complained that training was too painful.
Gansus had become even more stringent and unforgiving than while he was at the Academy. Meanwhile, Cao Yi and Hu Yangxuan had also enjoyed being surrounded by competent opponents. Liva and her team members saw to it that their desire for sparring was met, and the Bloody Bats were also very interested in knowing more about Wang Tong's power, as they sparred with him whenever the opportunity presented.
Wang Tong conceded that even TNN's training camp was not adequate for him at his current level. Although there were many strong fighters in TNN, they were scattered around the world. Without being an official member of the TNN, Massa found it hard pressed to summon them back to the training camp for no legitimate reasons other than practice with an academy student.
That being said, Wang Tong was delighted when Gansus granted him access to TNN's data vault. The vault contained precious records and analysis on various tactics. Although some of the documents were classified, the sheer volume of the information meant that Wang Tong was bound to find something useful. Although the tactics and techniques recorded in the vault were considered useless by many, they provided an excellent source of inspiration for Wang Tong to draw from.
Wang Tong wasn't born in a prestigious family, neither was he jealous of the great houses' renowned tactics. His heart was in the techniques that seemed ordinary yet unique in their own ways, much like himself.
Despite the huge amount of information, Wang Tong was determined to complete watching all records in the vault. Therefore, he had spent most of his time in the vault by himself, studying the records with extreme patience.
TNN had taken care of his food and accommodation, so that Wang Tong could go on with his study undisturbed.
Even his friends seemed to have forgotten about him after every day's dreadful training under the supervision of Gansus.
Although Massa and Gansus had reserved opinions about Wang Tong's obsession in the vault records, fearing that it would just be a waste of time, the two instructors left Wang Tong to his own device and didn't intervene. They knew that at this stage, Wang Tong would know better than anyone else about the ways of improving himself.
After spending half a month in the TNN training facility, the three students finally packed up their bags and returned the school to get ready for the tournament in a few days.
Chapter 330: Back To School
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Although the three students had improved in different areas after spending half a month at the TNN training facility, they all left with one thing in common: confidence.
At the transit terminal where Cao Yi and the other two were about to part ways, Cao Yi turned to his Ayrlarng friends and said, "Thank you for the great time we had spent together."
"Thank you too! I will see you on the Moon!" Hu Yangxuan replied.
"Yea! Time to show them the results of our secret training." Wang Tong said with a broad smile.
"Cheers!" Cao Yi waved his hands and soon disappeared in the throng of people at the transit station.
Although Hu Yangxuan had worked hard to improve himself, he felt that Wang Tong was the main reason why he was able to pick up the slack. Hu Yangxuan had a good family background, and he had also trained in the Templar. But, this head start wouldn't carry him too far without the constant encouragement of Wang Tong.
After the half month of training at the TNN, Hu Yangxuan had gotten rid of his bad habits, and was then more devoted to his training than ever.
After the two returned to Ayrlarng, they were surprised to find out that their school had also changed a lot. A brand new building was erected at the place where Wang Tong and his gang used to hang out all the time, and they found out that this new building was filled to the brim with new and advanced equipment. Due to Ayrlarng's recent outstanding performance, the school board had received increasingly generous donations. After spending much time investigating Ayrlarng's success at the tournament against Bernabeu, and subsequently, Capth, the investors were confident that Ayrlarng would prevail at the coming pan solar tournament.
It was common knowledge that unlike the local tournaments, the stage at the pan-solar tournament belonged to the great houses. But, the competition went beyond the battlefield, as the cooperation also fought against each other to carve out their share of the profit.
The final matches would be held at the legendary Sky Arena, and the rest of the matches would be taken place at twelve different cities across the moon.
As a sport, METAL combat enjoyed greater popularity than Fleet combat, since the ability of the METAL warriors was tied directly to the fate of human race. It was in everyone's interest to not only enjoy watching the fight, but also assess the likelihood of their survival in a Zerg attack based on the performance of their soldiers.
Every planet had received a quota for participants based on their population and the results of previous participation. Considering the unprecedented amount of applications the committee had received, the tournament hosting committee had decided to increase the quota to meet the demand. Although the minimum requirement for the applicant's soul energy was level four, the committee had set up a special application stream to process the applicants who were lower than level four but possessed much higher damage output.
The public academy students had made up the bulk of the applicants. The tournament was an opportunity for students to showcase their ability and be recognized by future employers. However, there were also participants from private schools. Driven by the promise of increasing their fame, many private schools had set aside heft prizes for the combatants they had sent to the tournament should they prevail.
Thanks to the new investments, Wang Tong was assigned a new living quarter. Although the living standards were much higher here in the new building, Wang Tong missed his old dormitory beside the girls' apartment.
Wang Tong found out that he had somehow become the center of his schoolmates' attention after he had defeated so many formidable opponents for Ayrlarng. He was no longer the "Caretaker Wang". Instead, he had become a hero, especially to the girls, and his presence inspired respect rather than snickers.
Due to Wang Tong's grassroots origin, most students at Ayrlarng felt Wang Tong relatable. Therefore, Wang Tong enjoyed wholehearted support from his male schoolmates, as no one seemed to be jealous of his sudden rise to fame.
Wang Tong laid in his large and soft bed, trying to view himself in light of his new fame. However, didn't find it particularly enjoyable. Wang Tong was not bothered by his lack of enjoyment for being adored. He knew too clearly why people liked him, and was too cool to care. He was Wang Tong, and Wang Tong never cared about what other people thought of him.
Wang Tong's train of thoughts were disturbed by approaching heavy footsteps towards his door. Wang Tong smiled knowingly, his friends were here.
"Mowhahah! Boss, you are home, finally! Common, give a fist-pump! Holy sh*t! The rumor is true!" Karl was the first one who rushed into the room, and he stared at Wang Tong's new room in disbelief. Lumi, Zhou Sisi, Tita, and Zhen Zhong followed suit.
"What does the rumor say? How did you guys know that I am back?"
"Principal Samantha definitely played favorite! They said that your room was the best, and it was true! Look at this! They said Samantha herself had seen to the renovation of your room." Karl smiled broadly.
"Your room was the second best, if not the same, Karl. Would you like to exchange room with me?" Tita jested.
The positive study environment at Ayrlarng had encouraged the students more than any instructor would. When all the students were engrossed in a friendly competition, they seldom felt that their tedious school work was unbearable, since the burden was shared by everyone. As time passed, the students would have unwittingly improved themselves.
Thus, most of Wang Tong's friends had already seen the rewards for their hard work. In addition to Karl, who had made a name for himself at the fleet combat tournament, Lumi had also snatched a gold medal at an information warfare competition. Skittish as she had always been, Lumi had somehow taken away the gold medal like a boss. Due to Lumi's petty size stature, everyone had taken care of her like a younger sister. With Lumi in the group, the S club felt more like a family than a student group. One would be hard-pressed to find any drama within the group, since the students were all focused on fighting for a common goal. Although the group might seem immature or idealistic, their youthful energy was admirable.
Wang Tong was delighted to see the faces of his friends again. The weight on Wang Tong's shoulder meant that it was almost impossible for him to take a break and relax. His only source of outlet for venting the stress was spending quality time with his friends. In addition to that, ever since his destiny was revealed to him by general Li Feng, he could feel like a normal human only when he was with his friends.
Sisi kept her quietness as always when she was hanging out with Wang Tong in a group. She quietly studied Wang Tong's face, trying to discern even the smallest change since she saw him last time. Although she didn't speak a word, she had never felt so content before.
"Stop ogling, your eyeballs are going to fall out!" Lumi quietly reminded Zhou Sisi.
"Hey, I am not ogling!" Zhou Sisi retorted.
"Fine, fine, whatever you say. " Lumi pulled a naughty face at Zhou Sisi.
"Is it just me or you are really bold today? "
"Haha, i am emboldened by our Boss's return, and finally, someone else other than you would be calling the shots," Lumi said with her hands on her hips.
"Sisi would always be the one calling the shots, haha. Don't cause me any trouble, please." Wang Tong said with a smile.
"Boss, tell us what happened at the TNN boot camp!"
"Ah-ha, I have prepared something for you guys. Here, look!" Wang Tong turned on the skynet and sent a file to everyone. "This is what I managed to get out of TNN's vault. It contains the most updated technical analysis. Don't forward the files to just anyone. We can only share it among ourselves."
Everyone fumbled in their crystal to find the Skynet terminal, and started reading the material that was relevant to their major.
"Boss! I found information regarding the new RFF system. This is awesome! Not even the Zhang Brothers could get their hands on it! " Lumi exclaimed, her face beaming from side to side.
"The martians' heavy METAL assembly instruction! Cool! Thanks, boss!"
"I am glad you guys find it useful." Wang Tong nodded. He had spent a lot of time in compiling the material. Since all the information in the file were harmless research material, Ma Sa had made an exception and allowed Wang Tong to bring them out of TNN. Gansus had also requested a copy, as he intended to use it in his class.
"Gosh! This is a lot of information. Boss, you are awesome!"
Zhou Sisi was also engrossed in the sea of information. From fleet combat to METAL combat, many topics in the compiled file had caught her attention. Dabbling in almost all subjects, Zhou Sisi was a master of none, but the broad knowledge base was critical to a fleet commander, since familiarity in all subjects would help her maintain a clear mind and make the right decision at the right time.
She firmly believed that all the hard work that was beyond the requirement of her current curriculum would eventually pay off one day.
Chapter 331: Tournament Start!
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Somewhere in Europe, far away from Shangjin, Ma Xiaoru was training as hard as her friends. To return to her friends, she would have to prove to her parents that she had recovered from her ailment.
All the while, Li Ruoer had greatly pleased Ma Dutian by keeping her daughter company. Ma Dutian was confident that with the company of another Enchantress, his daughter's soul energy would replenish much faster.
The Ma and the Li were inextricably connected, and their tight relationship seemed to have blurred the boundary of many terms. Intrigue was only half a step away from an alliance, and infighting in the morning could quickly turn into a pleasant lunch by the noon.
By then, the Li had focused entirely on the pan solar system tournament, as they considered it as important as the marriage with the Ma, if not even more so.
Li Shiming reckoned that the marriage and the pan solar tournament were not mutually exclusive. As long as Li Shiming was able to prove himself at the tournament, the Li would have the upper hand in negotiating the terms of the marriage. Li Shiming was confident that once Ma Xiaoru saw his gallant victory, she would fall in love with him helplessly in a heartbeat.
To the Li, the success of their master plan seemed to hinge entirely on the outcome of the METAL tournament.
At the onset of the summer break, the stage of the METAL tournament finally drew back its curtain; a fantastic show was about to get started.
To get to the final stage on the Moon, all participants, regardless of their levels, would have to undergo the qualification matches on their home planet.
The qualification match had attracted the media's attention. On the first day of the qualification match, both Li Shiming and Patroclus had fought their matches on their home planet. Although Li Shiming's victory was already in the bag, the appearance of Li Shiming had driven many people rushing to the arena to watch the fight.
There were over twenty qualification matches taking place at the same time on the earth. The METAL combat was not only the most popular form of entertainment, but it also helped to secure victory against the Zergs by strengthening the public's bodies and sharpening their minds.
Under Wang Tong's lead, the students at Ayrlarng had also started the first round of qualification match. Although Wang Tong was the champion of the fleet combat, no one had paid any attention to him, since all of the media's attention was on Li Shiming.
In addition to Li Shiming, Li Ruoer had also joined the tournament. She had quickly become another hot topic, because it had been a while since an Enchantress had partaken in the sport.
Despite a large number of matches, the media could only focus on a very few to broadcast. Li Shiming's fight was not just the Earth media's top pick, but also that of other planets, since fighters on the other planets had treated Li Shiming as one of their toughest competitors.
Li Shiming's opponent was a nobody from an A-class academy whom no one had paid any attention to.
As Li Shiming appeared inside the arena, the audiences boiled over, and their shouts and cheers were laced with respect.
This was not the first time that Li Shiming ever felt the glory of his family. But this time, he felt an impending inevitability in the grace of his ancestors for the first time. He knew then that the deeds of his ancestors would, and should, never be forgotten. It was his duty to carry on the flame, protecting it so that its light would never wane.
"LI SHIMING!-LI SHIMING!-LI SHIMING!"
The shout of the audiences was intoxicating. When he younger, Shiming might have flushed in a fit of self-indulgence. But, he had grown up, and had become custom to the frenzied crowd. Li Shiming masked his face with a faint and aloof smile, then he bowed to the audiences. Li Shiming's natural and unaffected manner struck a chord with the audiences, as a wave of blaring applause erupted in the arena.
"What's up with the hype?" Karl said indignantly.
"Don't be jealous. When you are as powerful as him, you would be popular as well."
"It's hard. He holds an advantage in the tactics he uses. We are born to serve the prince on his high horse."
"Hey, don't be so pessimistic!" Karl shouted. Karl had dabbled himself in METAL combat before he switched to Fleet combat. Therefore, he knew the importance of tactics to a fighter's power. Although he wanted to see his friends remain hopeful in their victory, he conceded that the power gap between his friends and Li Shiming was huge, despite the fact that he still saw a sliver of hope in Wang Tong.
The fight had begun. Li Shiming's opponent, Dong Liang, shouted a battle cry and then hacked at Li Shiming with a blade. He knew that the odds were against him, but the hopeless situation seemed to have spurred his courage and lent him mettle.
Li Shiming was a good fighter, and an even better showman. He waited until the tip of the blade was only an inch away from his neck, then he suddenly snatched the blade with two fingers— a familiar troupe in many movies. Dong Liang struggled to get the blade out from in between Li Shiming's index and middle fingers, but the clamp was iron-tight. All the while, Li Shiming stood still and did not attack his opponent, nor did he take away the blade. Dong Liang's face flushed red and finally let go of the blade handle. He stepped back and bowed to his opponent, "I submit. You have won."
Dong Liang had realized that the gap between his power and that of Li Shiming was unbridgeable, and continuing the fight would be pointless, especially when Li Shiming had already given him face and didn't humiliate him in front of the crowd.
A wave of cheers rose from the audience. Although everyone had expected Li Shiming's victory, they praised his consideration for the dignity of the weak.
Li Shiming bowed to the audiences again before he retreated to the backstage. He had won not only a fight, but also the hearts of his viewers. Li Shiming knew that to he needed the public's opinion on his side to sit on the throne of the world. He reckoned that there was nowhere better than the stage of the tournament for him to perform PR stunts.
Meanwhile, on the Moon, the Ivantian Prince, Patroclus, had also shown up at his qualification match. Even the Ivantians were excited by the rare opportunity to take a glimpse at Patroclus's power. All the Ivantians believed that the title of champion of the tournament belonged to Patroclus, and even Li Shiming was no match for their prince.
Patroclus's opponent was a second-year student at the Starry Sky academy. Like many participants of his age, he was a fourth level METAL fighter. Knowing that it was hopeless to win the fight, the boy wanted to give up the match before it even started. However, neither the organizing committee nor the audience would allow him to spoil their show. After a while, the young boy plodded into the arena with a solemn face.
As desperation festered inside the Ivantian boy, he charged up his soul energy and hurled himself at Patroclus like a religious martyr. Before the tip of the boy's sword found its target, Patroclus suddenly disappeared into thin air. Seized by despair and hopelessness, the boy was not able to stop his movement, and he crashed into the wall behind Patroclus. The blade bounced off the wall, and the back of blade hit the poor boy in the face and knocked him out.
Game over.
Zhang Jin watched the short and almost comical ending of Patroclus's first fight, and she fell into deep thought. Just like Rilangalos, Patroclus was perfect, not only in combat, but also in anything that could lead him to more power. What was hidden under his power frightened Zhang Jin. She knew that no one would be able to stop Patroclus once the beast inside him finally woke up.
Chapter 332: Kaedeian's Livelihood
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Although the gene modification program was prevalent among Ivantians, Patroclus was an exception even among those who claimed to have altered their genes to the perfect state.
Despite being the exemplars of perfect humans as they were, both Patroclus and Rilangalos conceded that they carried the burden of their ever-growing ambition. Therefore, Patroclus had devoted his life to suppressing his inner desires, so that he won't bring disaster to the world.
Patroclus envied Rilangalos for having a worthy opponent who could offer the opportunity to safely release his power. The thought always brought a question to his mind, 'Who would be my Li Feng? Would it be Li Shiming or Wang Tong?'
Zhang Jin could tell that Patroclus was ready for a change that was extraordinary and terrible, the change that would be ushered in by his destined adversary who had yet to reveal himself. However, she also wondered if either Wang Tong or Li Shiming would be powerful enough to prevent Patroclus from becoming a monster. Genius and madman were merely two sides of the same coin.
Zhang Jin made a mental note that she should spend more time on observing Wang Tong. She had been too busy piecing the information together regarding the new battery technology. Data from all sources told the same story: FFC had already possessed about 80% of the core technology, and was only a few steps away from completing the project. However, the progress of the remaining 20% had been extremely slow.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Wang Tong had defeated his first opponent as everyone had expected. All of his friends had also prevailed in their first matches.
The students from Bernabeu, especially Apache, had done an excellent job in the qualification matches. After disappearing for a while, Apache's power seemed to have become even more potent.
This tournament was not much less of a test to the academy students than it was to others, as many people like Apache, who had already graduated, had also joined the matches. Although the graduates were less in number, they posed a serious threat to those who were still at school due to their much mature experience.
The decision of including older teenagers into the tournament had gone under scrutiny before the organizing committee officially accepted it. In the end, everyone on the committee agreed that challenges were not a bad thing to students. After all, a calm sea wouldn't make good sailors.
There had been no big surprises so far in the outcomes of the qualification matches. Since the outcome of the METAL combat was dictated by the combatants' soul energy, it was very rare to see a dark horse in the tournament. Plus, every contestant had been cautious in their moves, to make sure that they wouldn't slip up.
On Mars, Lie Jian had finished his match with ease. In addition to Lie Jian, Michaux had caught everyone's attention because of his attack using pure soul energy. So overbearing was the attack that his opponent didn't even have a chance to defend himself.
It was evident that the members of the sect possessed a much deeper understanding of soul energy than an ordinary fighter. While the entire world was obsessed with new methods of turning one's soul energy into GN force, the sect of Divine Masters had looked to the old ways, as they believed that soul energy attacks were the purest and the most effective form of attack, while GN force was merely a trick of the desperate. However, the Sect of the Divine Masters seemed to be alone so far in their belief.
One should never mistake the sect as a group of passive monastic hermits, because all members of the sect were fearsome warriors, who were not afraid of standing up for themselves. They had been the vanguard of the Martian regiment during the Zerg invasion. Only a few people had witnessed the Sect's unique coup de grace that had been passed down through generations, and all accounts of witnesses suggested that the sect's understanding of soul energy had allowed them to unleash a tremendous power.
On the first day of the tournament, the title for the most popular fighter went to Princess Heidi. Although most of the human world had already adopted a democratic system based on the concept of civil contract, the Kaedeian society was still a monarchy. The queen held absolute power over all matters of Kaedeian life. Although many people viewed it as a blatant assault on the democratic world, the servile nature of human race drove them to admire and romanticize the Kaedeian Monarch.
Dubbed as the most elegant lady in the civilized world, Princess Heidi sauntered into the Arena. The strict caste system had decreed that whenever a Kaedeian partook in a tournament, the princess was not allowed to fight with her subjects. The organizing committee had made an exception to accommodate the Kaedeian's custom; they would agree to anything as long as the Kaedeians were willing to stay in the tournament.
Heidi had finished off her first opponent with elegance and ease. Her opponent was too weak, and the fight ended in mere seconds. Eyes glued on the princess, the audiences lamented the incompetency of her opponent, who was unable to drag out the game just a bit longer so that they could enjoy the view of the graceful princess.
The Kaedeian girls all had small but exquisite features on their face. The proportion of their bodies and faces were even more pleasing to the eyes than the Ivantians. The Kaedeian's mere presence would evoke earthly desires in a man's heart, and spun misogynistic fantasies in their minds. Sadly, Kaedeian royals were forbidden to marry a human, despite the rumors that General Li Feng had once broken that rule and asked for the hand of a Kaedeian royalty.
As the Kaedeian's neighbor, the Martians desired their beauty more so than Earthlings or Ivantians. The Martian mainstream media had been working industriously in coxing the public to envision a marriage alliance between Lie Jian and Heidi. Lie Jian had also ostentatiously shown up at Heidi's first match; he cheered for Heidi while ogling at her tantalizing features like a hungry carrion. Lie Jian's intention hardly escaped the public's watchful eyes, as tales about Li Jian's lavish parties to entertain the Kaedeian princess filled every corner of the martian street. However, so far, Lie Jian's flamboyant personality had been a hindrance than a help for his pursuit.
After the fight, Heidi quickly returned to her castle. She was agitated not because of the fight, but because of what the augur had told her about the return of the chosen one, that marked the sacrifice of a Kaedeian Princess.
The Kaedeians revered the Blade Warrior as a god, not because of his mercy, but for his godly destructive power. To the earthlings and the Ivantians, Blade Warrior was their benevolent savior, but to the Kaedeians, he meant war and destruction. However impenetrable the royal Kaedeian navy had been, it was decimated by the Blade Warrior within seconds, and that was the first time the Kaedeians felt small and helpless. Eventually, they bent their knees to their new god.
They had since come to terms with the fact that their survival was hinged upon their servitude to their new god. The recent technology breakthrough didn't lend them conceit. Instead, it had redoubled their reverence, as they looked through the lenses of science and discovered that the power of their god was even greater than they had initially thought.
Kaedeians knew that the number of Zergs that human was currently fighting was only a tip of an iceberg compared to its actual size. Otherwise, the Zergs wouldn't be able to devour highly advanced civilizations along their destructive path. The bulk of the Zerg army, Kaedeians believed, was stopped in its track by the Blade Warrior. However, even the Blade Warrior could only stop them instead of eliminating them, and one day, the scourge of the Zerg would return with renewed intensity. Already, the Kaedeian augurs had been dreaming destruction and fire. Heidi's instinct told her that a bloody storm was returning, and so was the Blade Warrior.