The Tyrant’s Last Stand

The space itself seemed to be violently ripped open, a gaping fissure appearing in its wake. From within, two thick, powerful hands brutally wrenched the fissure wider, and a colossal frame then surged forth, hovering defiantly in the open air.

It was a mech, entirely deep blue, suspended effortlessly in the sky. Standing approximately seventeen meters tall, its form was sleek and elongated, with a pair of dark blue wings sprouting from its back. The material of these wings was unknown, yet they exuded an undeniable metallic sheen.

Faint, dazzling glints, reminiscent of gold leaf, shimmered across the mech’s surface. It appeared as a singular, seamless entity, devoid of any visible joints. Upon its emergence, the surrounding air visibly darkened, as though the mech itself were drawing in all ambient light.

A flash of brilliant white light followed, and Xie Jun was instantly drawn into the cockpit.

This marked the first occasion Xie Jun had ever unveiled his ultimate trump card before an audience.

The ‘Tyrant’ was entirely coated in resplendent purple-gold. Deep blue patterns, reminiscent of those adorning blue-and-white porcelain, traversed its entire form, imbuing it with a subtle, medieval aesthetic.

The colossal mech was, in essence, an amplified version of Xie Jun himself. Its entire frame pulsed with a vibrant, aquamarine glow. With a sweeping gesture of its right hand, a massive, jewel-encrusted sword materialized within its grasp.

Top-tier mechs, in contrast to their ordinary counterparts, boast a far more streamlined combat methodology. This simplicity stems from their formidable defensive capabilities, as conventional weaponry, such as quantum laser cannons or nuclear missiles, is almost incapable of inflicting damage upon them.

Consequently, top-tier mechs are predominantly renowned for their robust defense, unparalleled speed, and terrifying close-quarters combat prowess. Their primary mode of engagement is almost exclusively melee, with the true determinant of victory lying solely in the pilot’s mastery of control.

Currently, Su Han was clearly unable to deploy her own mech. However, endowed with the monstrous physique of the Destruction Dragon Clan, engaging in hand-to-hand combat against the mech was not an impossibility for her.

Xie Jun channeled his battle qi into the energy gem located in the central control unit. The ‘Tyrant’s’ feet, devoid of any visible gears, rotated with a sudden surge, yet no flamethrowers provided propulsion. Relying solely on the demonic energy from its crystal core, the mech defied the laws of gravity, soaring into the sky. It then lunged towards the dragon-transformed Su Han.

The mech’s colossal arm swung the jewel-encrusted greatsword, aiming a devastating blow at Su Han’s draconic form. Su Han, in response, splayed her sharp dragon claws, striking the greatsword’s edge. The blade scraped against her talons, erupting in a shower of sizzling sparks.

The impact of the greatsword left Su Han’s dragon claws tingling with numbness. With a surge of power, she forcefully repelled the massive blade. Then, with a powerful flick of her tail, she lashed out, striking the mech’s chest.

The ‘Tyrant’ was utterly blindsided by Su Han’s tail whip. The entire frame tilted precariously backward, plummeting rapidly through the air.

Fortunately, Xie Jun, an experienced Saint-tier Mech Master, did not allow panic to seize him. He swiftly channeled the potent, pure demonic energy from the crystal core, struggling to stabilize the mech’s equilibrium. With a swift backhand, he then brought his sword down upon Su Han’s thrashing dragon tail.

Su Han shrieked in agony, her roar echoing towards the heavens. A deep gash now marred her dragon tail, and dark purple blood, thick as beans, dripped onto the ground.

Enraged, Su Han beat her dark golden wings, lunging fiercely at Xie Jun. A desperate battle for survival ensued, punctuated by her furious roars and snarls.

The ‘Tyrant’ mounted Su Han’s back, its hands raising the greatsword to plunge into her spine. Su Han cried out in pain, violently flinging the ‘Tyrant’ from her back.

A torrent of scorching, destructive dragon’s breath then surged forth, engulfing the ‘Tyrant’. The dragon’s breath incinerated the mech’s outermost insulating barrier, then began to corrode its very frame.

Witnessing his mech on the verge of being consumed, Xie Jun hastily maneuvered the jewel-encrusted greatsword to deflect the infernal breath.

The Destruction Dragon’s breath possessed more than mere scorching heat and corrosive properties; it was imbued with virulent fire poison and the unfathomable laws of destruction itself. Consequently, the ‘Tyrant’s’ jewel-encrusted greatsword disintegrated into a pile of molten scrap in mere moments.

The disarmed ‘Tyrant’ was undeniably at a disadvantage, its imposing aura diminished. Yet, Su Han fared little better, her draconic form marred by countless sword gashes and wounds of varying sizes.

The ‘Tyrant’ seized Su Han’s dragon head in its massive arm. It then swung a colossal fist, smashing it against her forehead. Su Han’s head instantly vibrated with a deafening hum, and blood began to trickle from her enormous eyes.

With a piercing ‘ROAR!’, Su Han wrenched free from the ‘Tyrant’s’ grip. She then opened her cavernous maw, sinking her teeth into the mech’s shoulder. Her razor-sharp fangs ‘crunched’ through the shoulder guard, forged from aquamarine immortal gold, severing half of the mech’s inscription pathways.

Deprived of these vital pathways, the mech’s internal demonic energy could no longer be output, forcing it to rely solely on its alchemical array for stability.

However, the fully prepared Xie Jun had clearly kept a trump card in reserve. From the mech’s five fingers, five sharp, pointed giant claws instantly extended, their material appearing even harder than Wolverine’s adamantium alloy.

The ‘Tyrant’ raised its formidable claws and violently plunged them into Su Han’s abdomen. Then, with both hands, it ripped savagely, and a massive wound immediately tore open across her belly.

White smoke curled upwards from Su Han’s nostrils. Remarkably, the gaping wound on her abdomen began to heal at a visible, rapid pace.

This was ‘Dragon Blood Essence,’ the sole ability she could employ in her transformed state. It allowed her to evaporate her own dragon blood for swift wound regeneration, albeit at the cost of damaging her life essence.

“Impossible! How can this be?!” Xie Jun roared, frantically tearing at his hair inside the cockpit. “How is this happening?! Ahhhhhh!” He had never anticipated that Su Han’s draconic form possessed regenerative capabilities far exceeding his wildest estimations, leaving him utterly helpless.

‘If this is the case, then we shall perish together!’

Unaware of the time limit on Su Han’s dragon transformation, Xie Jun, determined to fulfill Bailuan’s command, poured every ounce of his battle qi into the energy gem. Guided and amplified by the gem, the demonic beast crystal core at the heart of the magical circuit began to glow a furious red.

Its aura grew violently unstable, and the surrounding space became intensely scorching.

‘Hmm? Why is Xie Jun’s aura so unstable?’

Su Han’s lantern-like eyes widened in confusion. Then, perceiving an overwhelming wave of danger rushing towards her, she swiftly attempted to retreat.

But it was too late; the deranged Xie Jun, controlling his mech, seized one of Su Han’s hind claws. With the other, he clamped onto her tail, leaving Su Han utterly ensnared and unable to escape.

‘Sensing the turbulent demonic energy surging within the mech, Su Han knew, with a sinking heart, that disaster was imminent.’

With a deafening “BOOM!”, the entire Cangnan Realm shuddered violently. The surrounding stone pillars swayed precariously, threatening to collapse.

One figure was consumed entirely by the fiery inferno, while the other was flung away by the concussive force of the explosion.

As the tattered figure gradually approached, Ruolin covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes glistening with tears. She sobbed, “It’s Su Han! She… won! She won!”

“Someone’s mischief proved useless, didn’t it?” Michele’s tone was laced with deliberate sarcasm as she jabbed at Bailuan, while Ye Qi remained silently by her side.

‘Useless!’ Bailuan cursed under his breath. ‘Since this won’t work, it seems I’ll have to take action myself!’

The unexpected victor of this match was Su Han, a fact that stunned everyone. Yet, despite their disbelief, they had no choice but to acknowledge Su Han’s strength. Anyone capable of surviving such a terrifying explosion, let alone forcing Xie Jun to his death, was undoubtedly an anomaly of immense power.

“I challenge you!” Bailuan declared, pointing at Su Han with a smile. “I wonder if you dare to accept the challenge?”