You Must Leave

Ominous red mist enveloped the black mecha, and a sense of madness emanated from the swirling fog, making the machine resemble a steel beast seeking battle.

By sensing the surrounding esper activity, the mecha quickly focused its attention on Su Lixiao below.

The black mecha swung its power axe heavily toward Su Lixiao’s head.

“Boom!”

The power axe carved a deep trench into the avenue, the force so great it cracked the surrounding ground.

“Lixiao!”

Ye Lan, who had been thrown to the ground, watched in worry for Su Lixiao’s safety.

Su Lixiao had already leapt out of the axe’s range, but the sheer strength the black mecha now displayed caused her to break into a cold sweat.

This level of power exceeded what the mecha had shown when battling the blue mecha.

Her best option was to avoid the fight, but she had to ensure Ye Lan escaped first.

“Lan, go! Now!”

Su Lixiao gripped the hilt of her lightsaber and pressed the button to activate it.

“Shing!”

A golden blade of light shot from the [C-Series | Condensed Light Saber].

As the blade appeared, the surrounding air temperature dropped slightly.

Energy weapons inflict damage through heat, and the [C-Series]—specialized in melee—produces extraordinary weapons that defy conventional logic.

Unlike other series that release heat outward, the restrained golden blade absorbs surrounding heat, containing power beyond ordinary lightsabers.

Although the lightsaber was not her preferred weapon, she now had one and would not hesitate.

With just a glance, Ye Lan understood Su Lixiao’s resolve.

At this moment, he was useless, merely a burden.

He had to leave.

Forcing himself to turn, Ye Lan ran in the opposite direction.

The black mecha detected his movement, but as it prepared to strike, it hesitated for a brief moment, nearly losing balance.

[J-Series | C-90 Micro Stasis Field], a single-use item Ye Lan had purchased.

It looked like a mine and functioned similarly, temporarily pausing units in its radius, commonly used to slow enemy movements.

Its effect on large-mass units was greatly reduced—or negligible—and mechas counted as large-mass units.

Even a one-second pause was enough for Ye Lan to escape its attack range.

That single second also gave Su Lixiao an opening.

She leapt onto the black mecha, slashing her lightsaber across its head.

A surge of golden light engulfed the mecha’s head, but when it dissipated, the red-mist-covered head remained intact.

“This red mist has such properties?”

Su Lixiao was troubled—this mist blocked her lightsaber.

It was not part of the mecha, but an esper ability, belonging to its pilot.

Failing to strike, she leapt off, creating distance.

The black mecha now recognized its main threat and concentrated on Su Lixiao.

From its electronic eyes, Su Lixiao detected no human reason—only vengeful madness and a craving for combat.

She did not understand why the pilot harbored such hatred toward her and Ye Lan, nor why it seemed possessed by rage.

The only certainty: the pilot was an esper.

The power axe swung again toward her head, but Su Lixiao only sidestepped slightly.

“Boom!”

The axe shattered the ground but did not touch her.

Taking advantage of the mecha’s brief stiffness, she climbed its arm and drove her lightsaber into the joint.

“Gurgle~”

The blade sank into the red mist, causing more to surge and momentarily obscure its glow.

The fog, like blood, startled her, and she felt immense resistance from the blade.

To avoid being engulfed, she withdrew and jumped off.

Though the mecha’s attacks were erratic, its sheer strength resolved many problems, and it had more than just the power axe.

Seeing her attempt to distance herself, the mecha deployed a rocket nest on its back.

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Rockets poured out, plowing through the once-intact avenue and leaving devastation in their wake.

When the barrage ceased, only scorched earth remained ahead, and Su Lixiao was nowhere to be seen.

Just as silence returned, the black mecha suddenly kneeled—its right leg impaled by a golden lightsaber.

Su Lixiao had somehow reached beneath it, stabbing the sword into its leg while attempting to cut the armor.

With esper assistance, she could push the blade incrementally.

Everything went smoothly until the red mist gathered around the blade, halting its progress.

Helpless, she withdrew the lightsaber.

Yet she believed she had crippled the mecha; its right leg was half severed and should no longer bear weight.

Unexpectedly, the mecha acted as if nothing had happened, raising its power axe toward her.

Su Lixiao had discovered the mecha lacked shields, assuming her strikes would harm it—but the black mecha seemed indestructible, rising effortlessly for each new attack.

The fight felt endless.

…

Elsewhere, Ye Lan’s retreat was not without strategy.

First, he had sent an emergency distress signal; senior volunteers and academy administrators were rushing in.

Second, he sought a weapon capable of truly damaging the mecha: an armored vehicle equipped with a 120mm smoothbore cannon.

Soon, beneath a collapsed wall, he found a Wolf Spider tank.

Although intact tanks lined the avenue, running to one on foot would take at least half an hour—a luxury he did not have.