Rebirth: The Universe's Hidden Heiress-Chapter 43: Fighting Together

According to the introduction, there were two key metrics for measuring compatibility with a mecha. The first was the level of psychic power; the second was the proficiency in piloting the mecha.

As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. Thus, even those with lower psychic power could achieve high compatibility with a mecha if they have enough skill.

Mecha in reality differed significantly from those in virtual training. In virtual training, summoning and entering the cockpit of a mecha was just a click away. In reality, if a mental connection with the mecha wasn’t established beforehand, pilots had to climb a small wooden ladder next to the mecha to jump into the cockpit.

Once seated, they closed the protective barrier to control the mecha.

This particular mecha for Yuri had been used by many before, leaving a strange smell in the cockpit.

Yuka smoothly established a mental connection with the mecha and then checked the gun ports, confirming that the three short cannons were missing.

She poked a man in a black vest next to her with the mecha’s mechanical hand and asked, "Why are there no cannon shells? Aren’t we provided with weapons?"

Blackvest retorted, "Because people may blow up the whole arena, you want that?"

Yuka didn’t hide her thoughts; she kind of did want to.

"You’ll find short cannons and a selection of weapons on the fifth floor. Here, we only have bullets," Blackvest explained. "If you’re not comfortable, you can take them off."

"No need," Yuka replied, knowing her accuracy with bullets wasn’t great. They would be more of a burden than a help in her actions.

She hopped in place to check the mecha’s parts, ensuring it was in good condition and functioning normally before swiftly heading to the arena, followed by Ayoi and Alex, also in their mechas.

"We have two chances to lose," Yuka said, turning to them. "If we can’t win, jump off the stage. Don’t push it; these two chances are for us to get used to each other and save ourselves."

Ayoi and Alex nodded in agreement.

The third-floor audience wasn’t as crowded or frenzied as the first floor, but their eyes were just as eager and wolf-like, ready to relish a bloody duel.

Yuka led the way onto the stage, with Ayoi and Alex on either side.

Snakehead, standing below the stage, squeezed to the front row and shouted up at Yuka, "Go for it!"

Blackvest, with a cold demeanor, blew the whistle to start the match.

At the sound of the whistle, Yuka had already charged forward. She kicked the nearest opponent with such force that he was sent flying off the stage, narrowly missing the spectators.

The crowd gasped and stepped back, then looked up.

Ayoi, reacting as Yuka kicked, had already aimed at another opponent, firing repeatedly at the same spot on the opponent’s cockpit, about to break through the barrier.

In panic, the opponent clumsily tried to block with his mechanical hand, failing to notice Yuka approaching. She delivered a powerful punch, sending him flying out of the arena.

The last opponent, seizing what seemed like an easy target during Ayoi’s shooting, charged at Alex while firing. However, his aim was as poor as Yuka’s, and Alex’s mecha only suffered minor scratches.

Mirroring Yuka’s tactics, Alex extended his leg at the crucial moment, tipping his foot upward to trip the attacker, sending him tumbling out of the arena.

With the opposing team completely defeated in less than a minute, the clean and swift victory stunned the audience into silence, forgetting even to cheer or scream.

As Yuka and her team exited the arena, Snakehead rushed towards them, showering them with lavish praise using every word he knew.

Blackvest, momentarily stunned, pulled out three black coins from his pocket and handed them over with a thoughtful expression.

Yuka, jumping down from the cockpit, took the black coins from Blackvest.

Reflecting, she said to Ayoi and Alex, "I feel like I’ve worked with you in the underground arena before..."

After a brief silence, Alex asked, "Was it the Mountain Marshes map? Was I player number 3?"

Ayoi added, "I was number 2."

Yuka: "I was number 1."

They fell into silence again, then burst into laughter together, marveling at their extraordinary connection.

As they were about to leave with Snakehead, Blackvest called them back. He put his communicator back in his pocket and said, "The boss wants you three to go up."

He paused, then added, "Directly to the fifth floor."

The trio exchanged glances.

Yuka turned back to Blackvest, "We’ll head up now."

Blackvest immediately used his communicator to describe Yuka and her companions to the fifth floor, instructing his colleagues to let them in for the competition.

Snakehead, excitedly trembling on the way to the elevator, danced around, exclaiming, "We must be the fastest ever to make it to the fifth floor! No one before us could have done it! You guys are really amazing!"

Yuka glanced at him and stepped out of the elevator.

If the third floor was a regular arena, then the fifth floor was akin to the underground arena’s standards. Weapons for the players to choose from, including artillery and cold steel, were placed on the other side of the mechas, guarded by a dozen Blackvests who coldly eyed the spectators around the arena.

The fifth floor was quieter, reserved for those who had made it this far. The audience was big enough, comprising not just those who came for entertainment but also those scouting their future opponents.

As Yuka and her team entered the fifth floor, they immediately drew the intense gaze of the audience. Like rabbits walking into a den of wolves, yet the "rabbits" showed no signs of fear. They approached Blackvest to request a match.

Blackvest stated, "There are no opponents to challenge right now..."

"I’ll take them on," a voice announced. Three men emerged from the crowd, the leader marked by a long scar on his face. He laughed as he approached Snakehead, slapping his shoulder and mockingly pointing at Yuka’s team, "Is this your backup? Can she even withstand one punch from me? Hahaha..."

His companions roared with laughter, tears nearly streaming down Scarface’s cheeks. But then, Yuka, spoke, "So stupid."

Scarface paused, his laughter ceasing as he asked Yuka fiercely, "What did you just say?"

"I said," Yuka replied with a hooked lip, enunciating each word, "You, are, so, stupid."

To reach the fifth level, even those who appeared weak must be skilled. Scarface’s overconfidence in overpowering his opponents was laugh stock in other people’s eyes.

In reality, Scarface lacked brains. He got to his current position through sheer brute force, his punches were ruthless, and he never left survivors.

Blackvest intervened as Scarface swung at Yuka, firmly stating, "In the Grand Coliseum, fighting is forbidden off-stage. Take it to the arena!"

"Fine," Scarface shrugged off his hand, "You messed up with the wrong guy."

Before entering his mecha, Scarface threw a final taunt at Yuka’s team, "Prepare to die, little bunnies!"

Snakehead, anxiously, warned Yuka, "This guy is brutal, enjoys torturing his opponents on stage. You guys..."

Yuka shrugged, "Got it."

She, Ayoi, and Alex entered their mechas and selected their weapons. Yuka chose melee weapons this time, having witnessed Ayoi’s firepower, which could compensate for her shortcomings. Ayoi opted for heavy artillery, while Alex chose a balanced mix of melee weapons and firepower, ready to fill any gaps in the team.

Their opponents laughed harder upon seeing their weapon choices.

Once both teams were on the stage, Blackvest blew the whistle to start the match.

BOOM—

Scarface opened fire first, followed by his teammates, hoping to disorient their opponents before shattering their cockpits.

But before the smoke from the cannon cleared, Scarface saw a silver mecha flash before him.

"She’s here!" the crowd yelled to warn Scarface. "She’s swinging her sword at your cockpit!" novelbuddy.cσ๓

Snakehead turned sharply, glaring at the person who had warned Scarface. The audience’s reaction was typical for them; alerting their favored fighters was a common practice, and no rules prohibited it here.

Startled by Yuka’s sudden approach, Scarface stepped back. Hearing the crowd’s warning, he spun around, attempting to shield his cockpit.

But Yuka, hearing the same warning, swiftly changed her attack. With a flick of her wrist, she redirected her long sword upwards, powerfully cleaving off one of Scarface’s mechanical arms that hadn’t been retracted in time.

Meanwhile, Ayoi’s mecha leg was hit by a cannon shot. She quickly dropped to the ground and fired back at Scarface’s approaching teammate, hitting his cockpit squarely. The impact nearly shattered his protective barrier, leaving him dazed and struggling to stand up.

Seizing the moment, Alex kicked him out of the arena.

After severing Scarface’s mechanical arm, Yuka anticipated his counterattack. As he aimed a kick at her cockpit, she deftly blocked with her sword and, taking advantage of his momentary instability, landed a heavy punch on the head of his mecha.

The other opponent approached Ayoi, shielding his cockpit with a mechanical arm and aiming to kick her out of the arena.

Ayoi dodged swiftly, continuously firing at the joint where the man’s mechanical arm met his shoulder. Alex, coming to her aid, grabbed the opponent’s mechanical arm, hacking at the mecha’s legs with his sword to prevent any counterattacks.

The audience, initially roaring as one mecha was kicked out of the arena, started to quiet down as the tide of the battle turned.

The man, breaking free from Alex’s grasp, fired a cannon shot behind him. Ayoi seized the opportunity to barrage his cockpit, while Alex plunged his knight’s sword into the joint of the man’s leg, toppling him.

The man’s cannon shot, however, was aimed straight at Yuka.

"Watch your back!" Snakehead shouted.

Spectators sneered, believing it impossible for Yuka to evade at such a close range and from behind. But Yuka bent her mecha in an almost impossible curve, supporting herself on her hands while her mechanical legs split apart in a wide ’V’ shape at the last moment.

The cannonball flew between her legs, missing her narrowly and crashing into the ground beyond the arena. The impact shattered the tiled floor, sending fragments flying, causing the onlookers to hastily dodge.

In the next instant, Yuka straightened her left arm for support, swept her left leg to the right, spinning her body and kicking up both legs to hit Scarface on the shoulder, causing him to lose balance.

After completing her spin, she pushed off the ground with both hands, thrust her waist forward, and leaped into a forward flip, landing perfectly in front of Scarface. She then delivered a punch to his cockpit, sending him flying out of the arena with a thunderous crash.

In the silent audience, only Snakehead was loudly cheering, "You guys are amazing! Insane! Absolutely killed it!"

Scarface, limp and clearly with broken bones, was dragged out of his cockpit by the Blackvest and dumped on the floor.

Yuka jumped out of her mecha, asking Ayoi, "Are you okay?"

Ayoi shook her head, "Just a bit numb from the impact on the leg, I’m fine."

The difference between real combat and virtual arenas was evident. In virtual arenas, they wouldn’t feel dizziness or pain.

Yuka took three more black coins from Blackvest. This time, they weren’t directed to continue competing upstairs but were advised, "Going beyond the fifth floor is tough. You might want to go out and see other people on the fifth floor now; they are your potential opponents."

Blackvest then handed her a card, saying, "This is a pass card for the fifth floor, don’t lose it."

Yuka smiled in gratitude, "Thanks."

She led Ayoi and Alex out, with Snakehead quickly following and asking, "Where are we going now?"

Yuka replied, "Let’s go out and take a look."

There was no guard at the exit of the fifth floor, just a thick door. Yuka inserted the pass card into a slot beside it, and after a beep, the door slowly opened, closing immediately after they exited.

Stepping out from the Grand Coliseum’s internal arena to the fifth floor of the Coliseum, Yuka glanced back at the entrance not far from the exit, still guarded by two doormen.

The environment here was noticeably better than the first floor, and the shops even had signboards. Yuka turned to Snakehead, "Who runs these shops?"

Snakehead explained, "They were competitors in the Grand Coliseum too. But after winning enough black coins, they traded them for a spot here and materials to open shops, opting not to compete anymore."

Yuka nodded in understanding.

"By the way," Snakehead suddenly tensed up, "although fighting is not allowed inside the Grand Coliseum, it is allowed outside here. People here only recognize black coins and don’t care how they’re obtained."

Just as they walked, more than a handful of people were sizing up Yuka and her companions, eyeing the black coins they might rob from them. Yuka ignored these glances and continued to question Snakehead, "Where’s the best place to gather information?"

Snakehead pondered for a moment before suggesting, "There’s a bar here where the entry fee is one black coin. It’s usually crowded."

Yuka then turned to Ayoi and Alex, "Let’s check out the bar first."

Meanwhile, twenty minutes earlier, Kenji had arrived at this unnamed planet. After landing, he quickly packed up his Lev and cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

A robber tried to steal his space button, but he was intimidated because Kenji had a gun. At last, the robber ended up briefing Kenji about the local situation.

Kenji, with a frown, pondered for a moment, then swapped his military gear for a hooded sweatshirt, concealing his exoskeleton, and made his way to the Colosseum. The gatekeeper stopped him, "Remove any foreign objects, that’s the rule."

Kenji drew his gun, aiming at the gatekeeper’s forehead. The gatekeeper, sweating bullets, said, "No guns allowed. Keep the space button if you want."

Narrowing his eyes, Kenji watched as the gatekeeper’s hand hovered over the emergency signal, but he eventually lowered his gun and entered with his space button on.

The gatekeeper sighed in relief and spoke into the communicator, "Guys, we’ve got a tough one today. If he pulls out his gun again, take him down."

Inside the Grand Coliseum, Kenji quickly grabbed someone to ask about the rules and then jumped onto the fighting stage. His combat skills were impeccable; in just ten minutes, he had fought his way up to the third floor.

Hearing whispers in the crowd about a team of three who easily conquered the fifth floor and even broke Scarface’s bones, Kenji inquired, "Is one of them a very beautiful woman with long, black curly hair?"

The person replied, taken aback, "Yes, you know them?"

More than just knowing them. Without another word, Kenji nodded and stepped back into the arena.

On the fourth floor, he was momentarily staggered by a blast but quickly retaliated, making it to the fifth floor.

After another solo match, Kenji touched his feverish forehead, a sign of his genetic illness acting up. However, since his adulthood, these episodes had become rarer, and this fever, like the others, would likely pass soon.

Blackvest handed Kenji a pass card, echoing the same words as before.

Kenji asked, "Why not go further up?"

"Any higher and you’d meet the boss himself," Blackvest replied. "Take a break for now. Even if you keep fighting, the boss won’t see you today."

Kenji then turned and left the Grand Coliseum. He circled the fifth floor and handed a black coin to the person blocking his way, stepping into the bustling bar.

The bar was dimly lit, with colorful lights slowly rotating.

The bartender, wiping a glass, asked, "What would you like, sir? We offer a free bottle of fruit wine to start. If you have any other requests..."

"Just the fruit wine," Kenji answered.

He took the whole bottle of fruit wine from the bartender and began to cautiously navigate through the bar. Most people here were competitors, viewing each other as potential rivals, so he was greeted by many unfriendly looks.

When Kenji reached the less crowded end of the bar, a sudden sharp pain shot through his brain. His vision blurred, and he instinctively held onto the bar, feeling a fine pain rising in his body. He knew this was just the beginning of a genetic illness flare-up. ’Why now?!’ he thought.

Kenji’s unusual behavior caught the attention of a few people who started walking towards him. As their footsteps neared, Kenji, gritting his teeth, struggled to stand, reaching for a glass on the bar, ready to fight back.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder. "It’s me," Yuka said, sitting on the high stool next to him, subtly pulling him up to lean against her so he wouldn’t fall.

Kenji, leaning heavily against Yuka, felt a softness amidst his continuous pain. But when he realized what it was, his face quickly reddened from his ears, and he jerked his hand, dropping the bottle of fruit wine, which shattered with a crisp sound.

The once noisy bar fell silent instantly, all eyes turning towards the source of the sound. In the bar, a broken bottle usually signaled the start of a brawl.

Under everyone’s gaze, Yuka extended her slender, delicate finger, gently touching Kenji’s cheek, and chuckled lightly at the crowd staring at them, "What’s the matter, never seen someone play with a man before?"