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[Activating Colossal Mech.]

[Confirming Official Contractor.]

[Contractor Ian Ti… Ian Tigre… Error Detected.]

[Error Detected]

[Error Detected]

[Correction]

[Contractor Gilbert Lion Heart Confirmed.]

The front display briefly lit up red, and soon the Colossal Mech activated normally with the voice of the Artificial Spirit. It seemed an unexpected error had occurred, overlapping with the brief moment of awakening the Characteristic Skill.

How did the Characteristic Skill activate? How did that guy make an official contract with the Artificial Spirit? Various thoughts flashed through Gilbert’s head, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on such things.

It was time to enjoy the rare stroke of luck.

Gilbert stood up the Colossal Mech, watching the still-struggling Resistance.

“This is… amazing.”

The moving Colossal Mech was awe-inspiring. It was a sensation he hadn’t felt even when playing as the protagonist, Ian.

Back then, there were limitations of virtual reality, and his Control Skill Stat hadn’t reached 100. Although he had surpassed 100 by activating the Characteristic Skill, Gilbert now had reached the limit of 100 without it.

Despite the penalties, when the S-grade skill “Your Mech is Awesome,” which surpasses Synchronization, activated, the world before his eyes changed.

[If you had just stayed down, it would have been over peacefully!]

Gilbert snapped out of his brief reverie at the voice emanating from the Colossal Mech, presumably the leader of the Resistance.

Did he say he could handle seven Colossal Mechs?

No, now he had to change his words.

There was no need to discuss confidence when dealing with just seven Colossal Mechs.

Gilbert targeted the Resistance leader, who was still spouting lofty words.

[Ugh?! What is this?!]

He initiated a preemptive strike with Multi-shot Fireball.

All weapons were unlocked, but due to Ian’s reckless expenditure, only a little over half remained.

But that wasn’t a problem at all.

In an instant, the barrage of attacks overwhelmed the Resistance’s Colossal Mechs. Gilbert shoved aside a panicked mech with a shoulder charge and infused his sword with Mana.

Unlocking the weapon’s lock meant the Colossal Mech could engage in Mana combat. In other words, an ordinary Iron Sword could become a legendary blade capable of splitting the earth and rivers.

Gilbert’s Mana, honed by Lion Heart, was transmitted through the Artificial Spirit to the Colossal Mech.

Golden Mana surged, enveloping the Iron Sword.

The ordinary Iron Sword of a generic Colossal Mech became a radiant golden blade in that moment.

Without hesitation, Gilbert thrust the sword into the cockpit of the staggering enemy mech.

—Crunch!

The Resistance’s Colossal Mech, perhaps due to poor performance or the pilot’s carelessness, was destroyed in a single strike.

Gilbert shook off the fleeting thought. Unnecessary thoughts during combat only invited danger.

[Leader!]

The remaining six Colossal Mechs shouted in shock at their leader’s defeat. It was hard to believe that the strongest among them had just been defeated by a freshman who had just entered the Academy.

The Resistance, who had been relying on numerical superiority, now grew cautious. They realized that a single misstep could ruin their grand cause.

But now, what they needed to worry about wasn’t their cause.

Gilbert’s Colossal Mech stomped the ground fiercely. Using the Mana Booster for High-Speed Maneuvering, he closed in on a green Colossal Mech that was still disoriented.

The enemy, noticing Gilbert’s approach too late, raised its Iron Sword as a shield, but Gilbert’s mech abruptly lowered its stance as if anticipating the move.

—Swish!

Golden Mana trailed like threads where the blade had passed.

The Resistance member piloting the green Colossal Mech looked puzzled, as no impact had been felt.

Tilt.

But as soon as the mech tried to move, it tilted forward and collapsed. A red alert for leg damage appeared on the front display.

When had he cut it?!

Sweating profusely, the pilot struggled, but with both legs severed, there was nothing the mech could do.

Gilbert gripped the Iron Sword in reverse and slammed it down near the cockpit.

That left five Colossal Mechs.

In the blink of an eye, another comrade fell, and the Resistance members hesitated no longer. They erased the fact that their enemy was a freshman cadet from their minds. The guy before them was unnaturally skilled in Colossal Mech combat and showed no mercy.

The five Colossal Mechs surrounded Gilbert’s mech and attacked simultaneously.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Swords flew from all directions, but Gilbert deflected every strike with fearless movements. The Resistance members were stunned by his near-miraculous reaction speed. His fluid defense, as if he were in a different time stream, was hard to believe even when seen with their own eyes.

[He’s overextending! Fall back and concentrate firepower!]

At the command of what seemed to be the deputy leader, the five Colossal Mechs simultaneously distanced themselves from Gilbert. It was a quick judgment that even with fast reactions, blocking the bombardment of five Colossal Mechs would be impossible for a generic mech.

The five Colossal Mechs unleashed their most powerful Magic Weapon: Explosion.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A barrage of explosions swept the area. The ground was torn apart, and trees were uprooted and shattered. The power of Explosion was enough to obliterate the entire battlefield.

[Dammit, what’s going on?]

The Resistance deputy leader scanned the area with detection magic, but the residual Mana from the Magic Weapons made it impossible to locate the enemy mech. As he anxiously waited for the dust to settle, he suddenly realized something and shouted to his members.

[Evade! He’s still—!]

Swish!

A golden Mana line sliced through the dust and the deputy leader’s Colossal Mech. The mech, cleanly bisected at the cockpit, fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

The Resistance members stared dumbfounded at the fallen mech of their deputy leader.

Thud. Thud.

Gilbert’s Colossal Mech emerged from the dust, far from being in good condition. The external armor was cracked and riddled with holes from the concentrated fire.

But it seemed unimpeded in movement as it began walking toward the remaining members.

[A… a monster…]

Fear crept into the hearts of those who had once claimed they would give their lives for the revolution. The saying that a skilled knight could take on multiple Colossal Mechs came to mind.

They had thought it was just bravado to intimidate… but reality was different.

The four remaining members took slow steps back, looking at Gilbert, who stood like a grim reaper with his Iron Sword. Their will, united under the cause of freedom, was shattered by overwhelming violence.

Gilbert clicked his tongue. Hans, who had taken charge of Ian, had quickly organized the cadets to flee, which proved highly effective. Without Hans, how many casualties would there have been from the earlier bombardment?… He didn’t even want to imagine.

Gilbert decided he needed to end the situation quickly to prevent such a disaster. He pulled the control stick and charged toward the remaining Colossal Mechs.

***

“You’re really doing something incredible. You.”

Angelina, who had quickly grasped the situation after the Resistance’s attack, had gathered the nearby cadets and brought them to a pre-identified Magic Weapon location. After hearing the details from Hans, who had dragged Ian along, she shook her head as she watched Gilbert take down his fourth Colossal Mech.

She had known from the Entrance Mock Battle that his Piloting Skill was exceptional, but she never imagined he could take on seven Colossal Mechs at once. Moreover, what he had shown in the mock battle was just the tip of the iceberg—his current skill was almost miraculous.

Deflecting Multi-shot Fireballs with his sword was basic. He would use the shoulder armor to deflect an Iron Sword aimed at his opening, then close in and tear off the enemy mech’s arm.

The mangled arm eventually couldn’t bear the weight and fell to the ground with a thud. Its combat effectiveness plummeted.

Originally, even with seven Colossal Mechs, Gilbert hadn’t been able to win. Using his specialty, High-Speed Maneuvering, he gradually wore down the remaining mechs until only one was left, successfully taking them all out.

“Now that I think about it, why was Gilbert called a troublemaker?”

Hans, who had laid Ian down in a suitable spot, approached Angelina and asked.

Angelina also wondered.

Could there really be a freshman who could single-handedly take on so many Colossal Mechs in a life-or-death battle?

Angelina knew well that she couldn’t perform such feats.

But Gilbert could. He was proving it right now. She couldn’t tell if calling someone like that a troublemaker was appropriate.

“Angelina, it looks like Gilbert’s mech is nearing its operational limit.”

“Sharp observation. You’re right, Hans. Gilbert’s Colossal Mech is about to reach its limit…”

“…So that’s why you came to the Magic Weapon location? To stop that fleeing Colossal Mech immediately?”

“I don’t like playing the deputy role here, but given the opponent, it’s the right move. Let’s get ready.”

Hans thought Angelina, who had quickly assessed Gilbert’s situation and devised a countermeasure, was no less impressive. While he had been mesmerized by Gilbert’s flashy mech piloting, she had already prepared the support.

“Understood. Give the signal.”

“It should be within the next minute.”

Hearing “within a minute,” Hans quickly gathered the cadets and began operating the Magic Weapon.

Angelina alternated her gaze between Gilbert’s Colossal Mech and Hans, counting down the time. The signal from Hans that preparations were complete came through.

At the same time, Gilbert’s Colossal Mech stopped its High-Speed Maneuvering. It had reached its operational limit.

The remaining enemy Colossal Mech, perhaps intimidated by Gilbert’s overwhelming skill, began to flee without looking back.

“…What are you thinking this time?”

Angelina, about to signal Hans to use the Magic Weapon, paused as she noticed Gilbert’s Colossal Mech making an unusual move.

It gripped the Iron Sword’s guard in reverse and stretched the mech’s arm far back.

***

Gilbert gritted his teeth at the warning lights signaling the operational limit. The protagonist Ian had recklessly wasted Mana, causing the limit to arrive too quickly.

No choice.

Clicking his tongue, Gilbert sighed and aimed at the fleeing Colossal Mech.

It was a bit reluctant to say he had already mastered the technique, but to finish off the fleeing enemy, this was the only way.

He gripped the Iron Sword’s guard in reverse with his right hand and stretched the mech’s arm as far back as possible.

In that moment, golden Mana concentrated entirely on the sword. It was a cold, sharp Mana.

Gilbert took a stance as if drawing a bow, aiming the tip of the Iron Sword at the fleeing enemy Colossal Mech.

But in this state, he needed a bit more time.

Boom!

At that moment, the Fire Cannon engraved on the Magic Weapon roared to life. Fired at the perfect moment, the Fire Cannon mercilessly struck the side of the fleeing Colossal Mech.

Caught off guard, the enemy mech toppled sideways. Though the Mana barrier prevented major damage, the cockpit was violently shaken, preventing it from getting up immediately.

Gilbert looked toward where the Fire Cannon had been fired. There stood Angelina.

‘I knew I could count on you!’

Gilbert cheered inwardly, feeling the timing had perfectly aligned.

The enemy Colossal Mech, having regained its senses, began to rise just as Gilbert was ready.

—Here goes.

In an instant, he held his breath and visualized the technique.

A swordsmanship technique taught by Professor Briana in the game.

Winter Sword – Ice Drill

Pulling his outstretched arm forward, he pushed the guard to the tip of the mech’s hand and fired a golden arrow.

Boom!

The last thing Gilbert saw before his Colossal Mech stopped due to the operational limit was the enemy Colossal Mech, pierced by the golden arrow, exploding.

 

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