The "Pan-Solar System Mecha Martial Arts Tournament

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Solar System Alliance, the S10 Pan-Solar System Mecha Martial Arts Tournament has successfully concluded! Let us congratulate the warriors of the NUP Lunar Federation, who have won the team championship with an overwhelming total score of 25,000 points. The runner-up is the ROM Martian Federation, followed by the Earth Federation USE in third place, and the Titan and Starry Sky Autonomous Union (TAS) in fourth. We thank all of them for the spectacular battles they've brought to us."

After more than a month of fierce competition, the most watched event in the human world has finally reached its conclusion. NUP has defended its dominant position and even widened the gap. As of S10, NUP now holds six championships, USE two, and ROM two. In previous tournaments, the three major federations had taken turns claiming the throne, but recently, NUP has demonstrated an increasingly monopolistic stance.

The final night of the Solar System Mecha Martial Arts Tournament is also known as "Superstar Night." At the highly anticipated S10, the organizers invited the hottest super idol, Arths, who performed five consecutive songs, making S10 one of the most memorable tournaments ever.

In fact, Arths didn't know much about mechas, but the organizers, in their determination, convinced her to come. After all, the most competitive tournament needs the most popular idol to match its grandeur. Arths' performance, combining beauty and heroism, became a perfect pairing.

Over one and a half months, the tournament attracted more than 20 billion viewers across the Solar System. Whether it was the displayed high level of competition or the classic songs performed by Arths, the event was an unprecedented spectacle.

However, the anticipated duel between Earth and the Moon turned into a one-sided show with the Moon dominating. Not only did they win the championship, but they also widened the gap. Even more surprisingly, ROM overtook USE, shocking many people. The Martians finally found their style in the direction of Beast Armor mechas, displaying their bravery and the spirit to take risks at crucial moments to the fullest.

In contrast to the outside world's praise, the Martians were not satisfied. They had only one goal: to become the number one in humanity.

At this moment, on Mars, the highest peak in the Solar System, Olympus Mons, has begun a new round of special training.

From a certain perspective, the Mecha Martial Arts Tournament is also a competition of comprehensive national strength. NUP has already taken the lead in both economy and technology, and it's only a matter of time before they become the de facto leaders of the Solar System Alliance. Meanwhile, Mars has made significant progress in the past few decades of silent endurance, and even TAS showcased their unique style in this tournament. The "Giant God Soldier" series mechas, although seemingly cumbersome, proved to have tremendous attack power. As for USE, which was once determined to win the championship, there is only one way to describe it—utterly unremarkable.

The stage creates heroes.

This year's tournament awarded the titles of "Top Ten Ace Pilots," "Top Ten Ace Mechas," and "Top Ten Solar System Military Academies." Among the top ten pilots, seven were from the Moon, hailed as the new "Seven Stars of Beidou."

The Ares Cup, symbolizing supreme honor, went to NUP's Alex Starlight Mecha Academy, crowned the Solar System's number one military academy of the year.

S10 was a celebration for the Moon. They completed their second consecutive win and once again had the opportunity to strive for a third consecutive championship.

As the tournament concluded, both fame and fortune were achieved, once again proving that the lightweight to medium super mechas, weighing between 50 to 60 tons, defined by NUP, will remain the mainstream for some time.

Meanwhile, on Earth, in a dormitory in Tianjing, the largest city in Asia:

"D*mn, Xiaotang, your eyeballs are about to pop out! I don't get you—what's the point of ogling something you can't touch?" Marlon, dressed in a stylish white shirt and light-colored jeans, couldn't help but tease. He really couldn't understand how anyone could be satisfied with mere fantasies.

"Marlon, you don't understand. Arths is my goddess!" Zuo Xiaotang stared at the screen without blinking, unwilling even to blink as he admired his idol. He's a die-hard fan of Arths and a deputy leader of her fan club in Tianjing. Not only is Arths his idol, but she's also his spiritual support. Xiaotang is the nicest guy in the dorm, always helpful throughout the year, but he's quick to sever ties if anyone dares to criticize Arths.

"You, my friend, would do well to appreciate the bird in your hand rather than the thousands in the bush," Marlon smirked. "Arths is dangerous. The more you watch her, the more addicted you'll become. Even a battle-hardened guy like me can't handle it."

The boy on the far left, watching the awards ceremony while playing with a dumbbell, was Musashi. Muscular and fit, he's the best student in the dorm, nicknamed "Crusher," but not in a bad way—it's a name that means he's as tough as steel.

"I have to admit, NUP's players have an edge in mecha understanding, physical fitness, and combat skills," Musashi said, watching the live broadcast with admiration. "Hao, you were right after all. But I still think there are flaws in lightweight mechas. This year will be different."

Before the tournament began, the other three thought Earth stood a chance, but the result was a crushing defeat. If not for Titan's weaker overall strength, Earth might have ended up at the bottom.

"What's suitable is what's best," Marlon shrugged. "Lunar people have the highest completion rate in their natural genetic selection. They have an innate advantage. The new mechas have a high difficulty level and require excellent physical conditions, but their performance ceiling is also high, making the Lunar people determined to pursue a high-end route, leaving everyone else behind."

"When's dinner?" Li Hao rubbed his stomach.

"It's not time yet. Tonight's my treat. Tomorrow is the freshmen's welcome party; you all have to come and help me out. Together, we're invincible!"

Marlon is the president of the photography club, and his dream is to capture youth and beauty.

Dorm 4396 has a bit of a reputation at Tianjing A-Level Military Academy. As the top-ranked military academy in Asia, it's filled with elites. Li Hao, Zuo Xiaotang, Musashi, and Marlon are all in the 87th class. Musashi is a special recruit in the Mecha Department; his family, known as the Wu Clan, is famous for its martial arts not only in Tianjing but also across Asia. Last year, he represented the freshmen of the Mecha Department in a speech.

Marlon, male, interested in women, hails from Longgang City and is a special recruit in the Starship Department. He became famous at the freshmen's party with a single song and managed to woo senior Sheng Man, the dance club president and a beauty in the journalism department, within a week. Since then, the two have been inseparable, constantly showing off their love, much to the annoyance of their dormmates.

As for Li Hao and Zuo Xiaotang, they are childhood friends, both born and raised in Tianjing. Zuo Xiaotang is a bit chubby, with a round face that's cute and harmless. His combat style is heavily biased; he's terrible in close combat but has a talent for shooting, especially sniping. It's said that the teachers debated over his admission.

Li Hao, the dorm leader of 4396, is... the oldest. He applied for the journalism department of Tianjing's Military Academy but was somehow transferred to the Mecha Department. Initially, this annoyed Musashi and Marlon; young people are especially intolerant of any backdoor dealings. As Marlon put it, "It's fine to have connections, but at least show some skills! Where are the skills?"

At first, they were constantly giving him a hard time, but Li Hao didn't get angry. Later, they learned from Zuo Xiaotang that Li Hao was an orphan with no connections, and even he was baffled about how he ended up in the Mecha Department. Eventually, they came around, and soon they were all in the same trench, fighting together.

"Hao, Xiaotang, you two really need to be careful this semester. You know we've got a new principal, right? The Federation is planning a major overhaul. Major General Long Dani is not someone to mess with. You two really need to put in more effort. Hao, stop using the virtual mode for your EMP training—it's only good for fun, nothing else." Marlon advised.

The EMP system was developed by the Solar System Alliance's Research Headquarters, covering the four major federations' mecha types, and it gets updated regularly. It has two modes: virtual and real. The virtual mode is open to everyone, allowing anyone to enjoy the thrill of mecha, and it's one of the main reasons for the Mecha Martial Arts Tournament's popularity.

Professional military school students or amateur players with a score of over 500 and who pass a physical exam can access the real mode.

The real mode simulates 70% of the impact and physical burden caused by real mecha collisions and requires professionalism.

Originally, the alliance opened the virtual mode due to budget issues, hoping to raise some funds. Unexpectedly, it became explosively popular, so much so that even the alliance couldn't bear to give up this huge source of income. Now, it has become the absolute mainstream entertainment mode,