Reiko's understanding of defense had nearly reached an insurmountable level. Compared to her defense, her offense needed improvement, though this was relative to those of the same level. Precisely because of this, the Weibang competition zone had always been lukewarm.

One could say Reiko was unlucky to have encountered an ace pilot, but also fortunate, for it was the first time Reiko had showcased her defensive skills to the world. She remained unshaken regardless of how her opponent attacked, as if it were second nature to her. As a result, after fighting for a few minutes, Reiko herself was hardly affected, while her opponent was already gasping for air, even their steps unsteady, as if they had become enervated.

Reiko didn't even make any counterattacking moves, just casually defended, making it seem even simpler than a regular training session.

Reiko pressed on step by step, while her opponent kept retreating. People noticed that this scene seemed oddly familiar; wasn't this just like the trending video of Zana from a while back? They particularly remembered Vladimir's embarrassed face, as he swung his fists while steadily moving backward, it was just priceless. Was this style of fighting becoming a trend?

Of course not. Vladimir couldn't land a hit on Mengdie not because of her agility and the deceptive speed of her movements that created an optical illusion.

But a mecha couldn't possibly achieve that extent. Firstly, the chassis itself couldn't withstand such rapid changes in gravity, and secondly, there was no such aberrant engine to speak of. Reiko was simply dismantling each move as it came at her, winning without even having a specific technique.

Cornered, the pilot began to tremble with fear... To think there was such a defensive opponent in the world. Rather than this, he'd be better off going all out and put up a fight; after all, weren't they both aces? Didn't he have any pride? Unexpectedly, the opponent was waiting to counter, such an affront to him! Seething inwardly, he decided to opt for a triple-threat: no, no, no, he decided to go for a horizontal slash, followed by a vertical one and then a jumping slash—three moves in quick succession that would leave anyone, no matter how quick their reflexes, in complete disarray.

With this thought in mind, the engine roared, and a titanium alloy blade whizzed by...

Reiko's movement was extremely light, just stepping back slightly, and the tip of the blade missed the mecha by a mere 20 centimeters—a very extreme operation in close combat.

The man thought he saw an opening, turning around and swinging down another chopping strike with a fierce wind...

Whirr... The wind howled as the blade's cold light was fully revealed. He put his back into this strike, but just as his move was about to take shape, Reiko effortlessly blocked and deflected the blow with the mecha, dissipating the fully charged attack that had taken all his strength to build.

One could say that if the opponent had managed to fully execute the attack, using the inherent disadvantage in strength that women typically have, it would have been difficult to withstand the blow; the one at a disadvantage would certainly have been herself. Yet Reiko managed to precisely interrupt the move in the nick of time, just as the opponent was exerting his energy, thereby breaking it entirely.

It was somewhat akin to the principle of a lever; if your opponent exerts full strength and is just beginning to power up, you, expending only a fraction of the energy, can effortlessly redirect their force, instantly throwing back that momentum.

The opponent was completely dumbstruck, not knowing what to do... Hey, is that even allowed? It felt as though you were chopping at someone with a kitchen knife and you put all your strength into it, only to find out at the crucial moment that it has no follow-through.

No more fighting, this was just self-torture. It must be said that aces have their pride, especially those born from smaller nations, who have even higher airs. They couldn't stand such frustration, and tragically, the poor contestant announced the end of this battle with an extremely humiliating concession.

The live commentators found themselves in an awkward position for a moment. They were all professional but, facing such a situation, could only lament their bad luck, as anyone up against Reiko wouldn't fare any better than the last.

Reiko, however, appeared carefree and elegant. She turned around, stood at attention, then the mecha saluted with its sword. Accompanied by warm applause from the audience, she walked gracefully out of the ring.

The Revenge Shadow Rider competition zone's first battle had been delayed in starting. Now, only the last stretch of time remained. This was entirely due to the organizers' consideration of Revenge Shadow Rider's special status; the first round of eliminations would take place in the central competition zone.

After all, Shadow Rider's status is too special. Just by using common sense, everyone knows that once Revenge Shadow Rider engages in battle with other competitors, the viewership of other regions and even the onsite popularity will face a massive blow. This is an aspect that all countries must take seriously.

The most crucial events are, of course, saved for last, so having Revenge Shadow Rider as the finale of the opening battle is also what people are most looking forward to seeing.

It is evident that Revenge Shadow Rider's popularity has reached a level that other competitors can only dream of. He is just standing there, simply standing, and even before the battle has begun, the central region's stands are already packed to the brim, with the crowd taking photos on stage non-stop.

The arena host clearly knows what everyone wants to see and specially switches the camera to Revenge Shadow Rider, scanning his entire body...

From armor to weapons, from gaze to wings, the deeply impressive visuals had already set off wave after wave of cheers and thunderous applause from the audience, a scene far more electrifying than the World Cup.

Feng Yi inside the Mecha finds the public enthusiasm rather absurd. "I'm not a national treasure," he thought, somewhat at a loss for words. If not for the battles themselves, he would not have participated in the competition at all, certainly not in response to the public's clamor.

The battles in other regions had ended, and now it was time to enter the stage of selecting opponents for Revenge Shadow Rider. The organizers had already passed the buck to the major powers.

In fact, there is a clear treaty: Saudi leases out venues to various countries at a low price, but conversely, since Revenge Shadow Rider is an uncontrollable factor, decisions such as the choice of the first opponent and other issues will be made by their respective powers.

To some extent, battling with Revenge Shadow Rider is an honor; one can indirectly showcase oneself on a grand stage. But if one loses too disgracefully, it is like slapping one's own face.

This news had already spread throughout the venue. The noisy stadium was abuzz with everyone discussing who the opponent of Revenge Shadow Rider would be, with several professional commentators also engaged in a low discussion at this time.

The Federal region was solely managed by General Greedy Wolf, and fighting with Revenge Shadow Rider would always have a taste of internal strife. He wouldn't make this choice, as the people would not approve of it. Besides, Greedy Wolf believed that aside from Desert Storm and Sky Shadow, no one else could fight as impressively against Revenge Shadow Rider. These two were the core combat forces of the Federation and could not be eliminated in this battle.

Therefore, the Federation directly gave up the option. They would not fight for this spotlight nor would they lose face; this was undoubtedly the most conservative and neutral choice.

The atmosphere in the Hell's Gate region's room was particularly tense. General Cast had convened six individuals, namely the Heavenly Kings alongside Mirami and Roland. His expression was calm, but his tone was quite stern. "Revenge Shadow Rider's opening battle contestants are to be nominated by the various alliances themselves. We have the opportunity to participate. This is a chance to showcase ourselves, but it is also a hot potato. All of you only know that Revenge Shadow Rider is strong, but you don't have a clear understanding of how strong he really is—according to Roland's estimation, that man's Flame Dual Slash can actually burst out hand speeds of over 2K, even approaching 3K."

3K, which is 3000 APMs, Mirami covered her lips, "That guy must be a monster. Do we stand a chance?"

General Cast obviously hadn't finished speaking. He continued, "I believe that there is no real chance of defeating him, but that doesn't mean we cannot fight. Even if we lose, we must lose gracefully. That's the reason I called you all here. Does anyone wish to fight?"

The Heavenly Kings and Mirami were momentarily silent. If it came to fighting, Mirami was the one who most wished to face Revenge Shadow Rider, but this was no longer just a simple battle; it also concerned the face of the entire Hell's Gate.

"More than these concerns, I want to know how Jialong is doing," Mirami asked with a rare hint of worry in her tone.

"His condition is worrying. Over 80% of his body has severe burns, and multiple organs are at risk of failure at any moment—Mirami, I don't want to blame anyone, but perhaps it's time for you to grow up a bit."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.