[1-200] THE MECH TOUCH

Chapter 39: Luck or Skill

When Ves sent off the newly repaired and modified Kirby, his expression was mixed. The modification Charlotte suggested changed the Kirby in a way that hopefully would come as an unwelcome surprise to Alexander Steel. Michael Dumont must be thinking the same thing. The low-key fourth-ranked mech designer from the qualifications hadn't raised eyebrows like Patricia or Edwin, but he possessed real capabilities to make it this far. The skirmisher's smooth and practically undamaged form was a testament to his repair skills.

The Kirby's heavy, burdened form stepped forward into the arena yet again. Its steps echoed the quiet arena as it beheld its opponent. The medium mech looked as spotless as ever, though it exchanged its twin submachine guns for double kite shields.

"Damn, this is ridiculous." Ves muttered to himself as his eyes widened at the ridiculous loadout.

It wasn't unheard of for mechs to bring double shields to the battlefield. Two shields offered a great amount of protection against ranged damage. Knight type mechs holding a defensive position often made for great defenders for their more vulnerable comrades if they carried two shields for maximum cover. Some savvy manufacturers even got in on the action by selling purpose-built tower shields that weighed like a brick but could withstand incredible punishment.

That was why the notion that Alexander carried a pair of heavy shields for his swift and agile mech sounded ridiculous. Why give up his advantage in mobility to gain an average amount of durability? The shields may prove useful against the Kirby's guns, but their weight turned the skirmisher into a sitting duck, allowing Charlotte to pound Alexander into a pulp before he'd even reach his enemy.

"Could it be that Alexander is carrying another weapon?"

The timer counted down. Plenty of people in the audience took note of this match. Not only did it determine which team entered the finals, it also signified a battle between two unusually modified mechs. The crowd was beginning to come around to the idea behind the Fusion Cup. It not only tested a pilot's judgment and skill, it also involved his partner's craftiness. The mech designer's role might not be as flashy as the pilot's, but his every move affected the battlefield in a way that was no less influential.

Ves feared Michael quite a bit for this reason. The man hid his competence well, for the skirmisher that he fixed up revealed no hints of what lurked beneath its spotless facade.

"Three, two, one, START!"

The match exploded into action as Charlotte fired all her guns without waiting to engage her targeting systems. Her manual aim proved sufficient as pretty much both of its explosive shells detonated squarely against the skirmisher's shields.

Surprisingly, the shield held against the immense assaults. The lasers fired from the Kirby's shoulders merely splashed the shield's surface with ineffectual heat. The second volley of shells from the Kirby's arm cannons failed to deal any substantial damage to the sturdy shields. The skirmisher calmly stepped forward, leaning its posture square against the shields just before Charlotte fired. While the shields contributed much to the Skirmisher's unyielding pace, Alexander's impeccable piloting skill made sure his mech maintained its balance.

"How can this… I don't even…"

Ves tried to parse the sight in front of him. The shields were able to withstand incredible punishment far beyond the materials provided by the organizers should be able to withstand.

"Are they cheating?"

In front of a crowd of millions? Likely not. Such blatant rule breaking threw away all credibility for the Young Tigers Exhibition. Then considering all the state-of-the-art machinery the mech designers had at their disposal, then Michael must have treated an existing pair of shields with a highly advanced composition so far ahead that it must involve some secrets from a second-rate state.