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The center of the second round in Obitus began to revolve around the sudden clash between Gilbert and Horizon’s Colossal Mechs.

Horizon’s Colossal Mech, which already looked extraordinary, displayed performance far superior to any other Colossal Mech on the Obitus plains.

Even without using the Mana Booster for high-speed movement or sudden direction changes, the mech’s body showed almost no shaking.

This indicated the high stability of the mech itself, proving that Horizon’s Colossal Mech was a next-generation model incorporating new technology.

While the outcome of a Colossal Mech battle often depended on the piloting skills of the knight, this was only possible when the mechs’ performances were not significantly different.

In battles between Colossal Mech knights of a certain level, the performance of the mech itself became a crucial factor in determining victory or defeat.

Horizon was both a Grand Mage and an exceptional Colossal Mech knight.

He had honed his Colossal Mech Piloting Technique with the sole determination to inherit the Lion King’s legacy, and his long years of experience were embedded in his piloting skills.

Thus, Horizon had never once thought that anyone could surpass his Colossal Mech Piloting Technique.

In fact, he had never lost in the monthly simulated Colossal Mech battles he conducted to maintain his combat senses.

Moreover, his Colossal Mech was a model that integrated the latest technology, wasn’t it?

With these conditions, Horizon believed he could secure an overwhelming victory in his decisive battle with Gilbert.

No matter how naturally talented Gilbert was, Horizon’s accumulated experience and seniority could not be ignored.

However, he realized this was a huge misconception just one minute into the battle.

Gilbert, whom he had considered the biggest variable and planned to eliminate, was not someone who could be judged by ordinary standards.

Clearly, Horizon held the advantage in mech performance. The power and speed when the Colossal Mechs clashed were incomparable.

But ironically, despite the significant difference in mech performance, Gilbert was not being pushed back.

His movements, as if foreseeing the future, rendered the mech’s performance difference meaningless.

Ultimately, the performance difference only mattered when the Colossal Mech was hit. With Gilbert dodging or deflecting every attack, it seemed impossible to win based on performance alone.

“Nonsense!”

In Colossal Mech battles, performance differences were never a condition that could be ignored.

No matter how skilled a Colossal Mech knight was, they couldn’t overturn the inherent performance of the mech itself.

That was the general understanding and common sense. Since they were piloting massive magical weapons rather than moving their own bodies, the difference was even more pronounced.

Miracles simply couldn’t happen. The performance gap was like an insurmountable wall.

But now, something beyond common sense was happening. Horizon’s Colossal Mech, built with technology at least two generations ahead, couldn’t overpower Gilbert’s Colossal Mech.

Instead, as time passed, Gilbert began to block Horizon’s Colossal Mech more easily, as if he had finished analyzing it.

This drove Horizon mad.

“How can this be? Me, the future Lion King, being understood by such a brat? Unthinkable!”

Horizon felt an unbearable sense of humiliation and disgrace.

“This can’t be!”

Horizon’s sword, infused with a massive amount of mana, slashed down as if to split the ground.

The excessive mana concentration distorted the space, similar to the technique Gilbert and Brynhild had demonstrated the previous day.

But it wasn’t efficient. While the two had used a method of resonating mana to avoid excessive consumption, Horizon poured an enormous amount of mana to create spatial distortion single-handedly.

Although the latest Magic Engineering had significantly reduced the mana consumption compared to older models, it was still a massive drain.

Horizon smiled confidently as he saw the crescent-shaped sword energy shooting out. He had closed the distance to push Gilbert back.

Even with his natural talent, Gilbert couldn’t defy the laws of physics. Horizon was certain that at such close range, Gilbert couldn’t dodge this attack without taking damage.

As expected, Gilbert didn’t attempt to dodge but instead positioned his iron sword horizontally, preparing to deflect the attack.

“Foolish. Do you think you can deflect that with an outdated Colossal Mech?”

Horizon sneered and opened the focusing mana cannon ports on his shoulders for the next attack.

*Whoosh!*

“What, what the?”

The sword energy that had been distorting space vanished instantly. The cause was clearly the Colossal Mech stabbing its sword.

At that moment, something flashed through Horizon’s mind.

“A parry?!”

Horizon shuddered.

He had never imagined that someone could parry such a mana-infused sword strike.

At first glance, parrying seemed like a universal technique that could even cut through magic. Indeed, some lower-ranked knights thought so, but the reality was slightly different.

The parrying technique itself was extremely difficult, and only a few knights could use it. Of those, even fewer could apply it in real combat.

That was just the number of knights who could perform parries with their own bodies. The number of those who could execute such techniques while piloting a Colossal Mech was halved again.

Moreover, the number of people who could parry such compressed sword energy without taking damage could be counted on one hand.

And now, such an impossible technique was being performed right in front of Horizon.

“I can’t accept this! I can’t accept it!”

Screaming through the magic channel, Horizon unleashed a barrage of focused mana bullets. Without clear targeting, the mana bullets ricocheted, striking the green plains.

He fired madly, as if trying to obliterate everything in his line of sight, only stopping when the dust completely obscured his vision.

“This… this can’t be!”

Horizon’s eyes were still fixed on the signal of the still-active Colossal Mech, unable to swallow his anger as he repeatedly slammed the controls.

When the dust finally settled, the Colossal Mech stood unharmed, just as it had at the beginning.

***

Gilbert, who had parried all of Horizon’s sword strikes and focused mana bullets, exhaled as if sighing. The intense concentration had left him mentally drained.

That had been close for Gilbert.

The red Colossal Mech was a state-of-the-art model, several generations ahead of the one Gilbert was piloting, equipped with the latest magical technology.

The basic output of Gilbert’s Colossal Mech and Horizon’s was vastly different. The mana concentration was incomparable.

If Gilbert had been an ordinary Colossal Mech knight, regardless of his piloting skills, he would have been lost without a chance to act.

Horizon’s red Colossal Mech was one of the best in performance, second only to the ancient Colossal Mech Fafnir of the Sigurd clan.

But who was Gilbert?

A veteran who had spent his life mastering Tactical Combat.

All the crazy things he had done to achieve numerous in-game achievements had become part of his experience. Horizon had thought of him as a novice, but the reality was different.

Although his life was only once, the time he had spent in the game contained countless lifetimes.

The result was this.

A fully-fledged Colossal Mech knight who could single-handedly face a Colossal Mech several generations ahead.

That was Gilbert.

Of course, he had blocked Horizon’s onslaught without taking damage, but it wasn’t without cost. The difference in basic output meant Gilbert had to pour not only his Mana Barrier but also his own mana reserves.

Even though his mana stat had recently increased, it was still ridiculously low compared to his piloting skills.

Compared to Ian, who was still growing, Gilbert’s mana was only half.

“I need to get some potions.”

Until now, he had managed with his piloting skills, but he now keenly felt the lack of mana. He was on the verge of collapsing from mana depletion before the mech reached its operational limits.

After this situation was resolved, he planned to immediately take some potions. For Gilbert, who had never taken a potion before, nothing was better for increasing mana.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Gilbert became wary of Horizon’s Colossal Mech, which had suddenly stopped moving. Even Gilbert, who had cleared all achievements in Tactical Combat, was facing Horizon in battle for the first time.

Horizon was an NPC who gave sub-quests and rarely appeared on the front lines. He usually maintained a friendly relationship with players, so the revelation that Horizon was the mastermind was somewhat shocking to Gilbert.

However, some of the questions that had arisen in Tactical Combat were being answered. The reason why the heavily guarded Demia Empire Academy had been attacked was finally becoming clear.

There had been suspicions of an insider, but Tactical Combat had left it as a MacGuffin, never fully revealing the truth.

The community had been rife with speculation, and the theory of Horizon being the mastermind had been proposed, but it was quickly buried due to many unanswered questions.

And now, Gilbert had learned the truth through possession.

Although the cost had been great.

Gilbert’s expression hardened as he recalled the two cheerful team leaders. He was reminded of the reason why he absolutely could not lose.

[What on earth are you? I never imagined something like this was possible…]

Fressia sounded exasperated, but her tone couldn’t hide her admiration and excitement. Meeting a Colossal Mech knight who could fully utilize her abilities had clearly energized her.

“The battle’s still on.”

[I know. I’m already checking, so don’t worry.]

Her tone, as if telling him to trust only himself, made Gilbert smile slightly.

Even when he was playing the game, he often bickered with Fressia like this.

So, fighting like this now made him feel like he was playing Tactical Combat again.

“How much battery is left?”

[Battery level is at 40%.]

At CT-777’s words, Gilbert clicked his tongue.

He had used parrying to deflect the mana bullets earlier, but the continuous precise movements had drained the battery more than he had expected.

He knew that this was the limit for current-generation Colossal Mechs, but given the prolonged nature of the battle, it was a problem that needed to be resolved quickly.

First, he had to defeat Horizon.

Gilbert glared at the red Colossal Mech, which had stopped moving after a barrage.

[I commend you for holding out this far. But I won’t allow you to go any further.]

The voice, filled with suppressed anger, made Gilbert sharpen his focus. Although he had the upper hand so far, the difference in mech output was still significant.

With the mana battery level steadily dropping, he needed to finish the battle quickly.

[You arrogant brat!]

Horizon’s Colossal Mech charged like a raging tide, its iron sword slashing in a precise arc towards Gilbert.

**Lion’s Sword – Roar**

A mana field formed around the sword’s blade, intending to cleave through space itself. Watching this, Gilbert realized something.

The sword technique Horizon was using was one Gilbert knew very well.

A sword technique that could only be obtained by clearing numerous sub-scenarios.

The Lion’s Sword.

[How on earth did you learn the Lion’s Sword?]

“The red Colossal Mech is piloted by Horizon. He’s a descendant of the Lion King, so it’s not impossible for him to use it.”

Gilbert answered Fressia’s question succinctly and thrust his sword into the predicted path.

The Lion’s Sword, imbued with the essence of heavy and counter swords, gave the opponent a sense of being overwhelmed. If one carelessly clashed swords, they would lose their rhythm and end up being dragged along.

[Gilbert, listen carefully. The Lion’s Sword is…]

“I know.”

Cutting off Fressia’s advice, Gilbert sharply thrust his sword into the next path of the Lion’s Sword. The way to counter the Lion’s Sword, which invaded territory and led with its own flow, was to cut off the path before it could establish its domain.

If Gilbert had been playing Tactical Combat, he would have used Ian’s special technique to disrupt the sword’s flow, but he had been personally taught swordsmanship by a Swordmaster.

Having made a significant leap in swordsmanship, Gilbert could now counter the Lion’s Sword more efficiently.

**Winter Sword – North Wind**

Following the golden sword energy, a cold sword energy tore through the Lion’s Sword’s domain.

Without occupying space, the heavy sword was just a slow sword.

The pace had shifted back to Gilbert.

As the situation rapidly changed, Horizon began to feel anxious for the first time since the battle started. Gilbert, whom he had thought he could control, was now starting to exceed his expectations.

Unlike Ian, who grew through battle, Gilbert was already near-perfect in both piloting and swordsmanship, beginning to surpass Horizon, who had piloted Colossal Mechs for many years.

[This is impossible! Absolutely impossible!]

Losing his composure, his movements became erratic, and openings began to appear in his Colossal Mech.

Gilbert calmly exploited these openings, thrusting his sword or firing guided mana bullets to steadily push Horizon back.

Fressia, while supporting Gilbert, couldn’t help but be amazed at how accurately he understood the Lion’s Sword.

As far as she knew, Gilbert was the heir to the Four Seasons’ weapon techniques, having mastered the Winter Sword. How he had grasped the intricacies of the Lion’s Sword was beyond her understanding.

But her confusion was brief.

They were in the middle of a battle, and there were many things about Gilbert she didn’t understand.

Somehow, it felt natural that Gilbert would know, which was both baffling and reassuring. Her job now was to support him.

After dozens of exchanges, Gilbert’s mana battery finally dropped below 20%.

Hiding the fact that the battery was almost depleted, Gilbert watched for the right moment to finish off the increasingly anxious Horizon.

As the sword came down, followed by a barrage of focused mana bullets and magical armaments, Gilbert’s eyes gleamed.

**Winter Sword – Iceberg**

Pouring more than half of his remaining mana into his sword, Gilbert slashed down.

The widely spread mana was highly compressed. Horizon, seeing only a part of it, raised his sword to block, but it was a fatal mistake.

The compressed mana exploded the moment the swords clashed, creating an enormous destructive force.

*Boom!*

An intense explosion, unlike anything heard from a sword clash.

The moment Horizon realized he had been hit, Gilbert’s iron sword slashed upwards from below.

*Slash!*

The smooth follow-up severed the red Colossal Mech’s arm. The clean cut alone showed the precision of Gilbert’s piloting.

[Damn you, brat!]

Finally, a vulgar curse escaped Horizon’s lips, breaking his usual dignified tone.

Gilbert’s iron sword didn’t miss the opening created by the explosion, cleanly severing the right arm that had been holding the greatsword.

Seizing the perfect opportunity, Gilbert shouted.

“Deploy all remaining magical armaments!”

[Leave it to me!]

With Fressia’s cry, all remaining ammunition and magical armaments on Gilbert’s Colossal Mech activated, targeting Horizon.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Thanks to Fressia and CT-777’s coordination, not a single shot missed, raining down on the red Colossal Mech like a storm. The successive barrages shattered the red Colossal Mech’s Mana Barrier and inflicted direct damage to its torso.

After the barrage, the red Colossal Mech was almost completely destroyed, except for the cockpit.

Gilbert, seeing the dangerously low battery level, quickly approached the red Colossal Mech and tore open the cockpit door.

“Too late…”

[He used an emergency escape teleportation spell in that short time.]

Fressia blamed herself for not stopping it, but Gilbert, as if saying this was enough, gently stroked Fressia’s spirit core.

[Don’t touch a lady’s body so casually!!]

It was the first time he’d heard her refer to her core as a body, but he didn’t ask and quietly removed his hand. If he spent any more time with her, he might really turn into a Golden Sun.

*Beep beep*

The red warning light indicated the mana battery was almost depleted.

Gilbert quickly thought of what he needed to do next and opened a public magic channel, declaring boldly.

“Princess Seraphina’s sword, Gilbert Lion Heart, has defeated the rebel leader Horizon!”

That declaration completely shattered the morale of the New Resistance.

Now, only one thing remained.

The mop-up operation.

 

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