Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!
Chapter 904 - 904: 637 Vanguard Battle

As expected!

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Victor strode directly toward the Mecha that appeared to have the most balanced design.

After entering the Mecha, Victor saw the map's constraints for the competition and immediately received a notification that he must enter the battle zone within 15 seconds.

During combat, exceeding the battle zone by more than 3 seconds is considered an automatic surrender.

This was a rule everyone knew before the match began.

The towering Mecha emitted a resonating roar, and the primal forest crumbled under the force of advanced technology.

But only just that.

The Mecha strode forward, quickly disappearing into a sea of verdant greenery.

The untouched, wild forest brimmed with untamed growth, and the towering Mecha's passage only caused treetops to sway. In the heavily foliaged gaps, one could occasionally glimpse glints of metal.

The moment the Mecha stepped into the forest, the battle had already begun.

Neither combatant knew which country their opponent represented, nor could they predict the opponent's Mecha model.

Countering and being countered, scouting and hiding—these aspects started from the very first moment.

Optical cloaking, radar detection, and countless other techniques emerged one after another.

Only the external audience watching the overview footage could see the red and blue dots representing the two nations' competitors gradually moving toward one another on the map.

In the split-screen views, only shadows of the Mecha could be seen pushing aside the tendrils of the jungle through aerial shots.

The Mecha's body occasionally jerked, as the jungle proved slippery and entangled with dense vines.

Some clearly self-animated plants even tried using their thick strands to strangle any foreign object that dared invade their "territory."

The massive Mecha moved cautiously, mindful not only of attacks from its opponent but also of environmental dangers.

Familiarizing oneself with the surroundings, minimizing environmental hindrance to oneself while maximizing its impact on the opponent—that was the vanguard's greater responsibility.

Victor silently committed every environmental observation to memory; they could become crucial assets for his teammates to achieve victory later.

Bauhinia natives were born among thorns, and every citizen fighting for their country was obligated to perform flawlessly without error.

Fortunately, this monotonous probing phase didn't last long. Both sides clearly understood their vanguard roles almost identically. Neither of the "All-around" models had much long-distance advantage, so they gradually pinpointed each other's location during the slow exploration.

Through the dense foliage and shadows, the two Mecha simultaneously locked eyes on each other, and instantly, two perfectly humanoid machines clashed fiercely amid the scattering leaves.

Beneath the endless green canopy, the entire forest experienced its first-ever violent tremor in history.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Shells, swords… Cold weapons and hot weapons danced wildly.

Every part of these war machines was capable of unleashing attacks potent enough to annihilate enemies.

However, at the same level of competition, the Spiritual Energy of the pilots significantly enhanced their Mecha's defenses, making it difficult for standard attacks to break through quickly.

Ultimately, whose tactics would prevail depended on who would first reveal a fatal flaw in the heat of battle...

"Swish!"

"Swish!"

Amid the whirlwind of leaves and dirt, swift shadows streaked across the close-up cameras.

The flying gusts caused the footage to violently shake, leaving the audience inside the Drop Pod unable to glean any useful information about the battle's progress.

Fortunately, as the two Mecha engaged in close combat, additional footage appeared for everyone inside the Drop Pod to observe.

In the tangled jungle terrain, the tracking cameras could no longer freely navigate, and the most stable shots consistently came from aerial perspectives.

Yet even these aerial views revealed little information due to the forest canopy's thick shadows.

But for the battle-hardened and seasoned Catherine, just fragmented details were enough for her to determine her opponent's identity—Thunder Dragon Empire.

One of the three major powers that had founded the Peak Alliance, they suppressed Bauhinia Republic the hardest. During their last operation to intercept her return with the Fragment of God, their involvement had undoubtedly been pivotal.

Old rivals meeting again—grievances reignited!

Far quicker than Catherine, Victor instantly recognized his opponent's identity, and his gaze sharpened dramatically.

His already fierce offensive became even more decisive and ruthless, with every move dripping with savage vehemence.

This reckless style caused tension to silently rise in the hearts of all spectators observing the battle; violent tactics often meant the match would quickly reach a conclusion.

Equally focused on this duel, many Thunder Dragon Empire citizens quietly suppressed their concern for their representative while posting comments on social media with smiles.

"These Bauhinia folks are so barbaric—they come out swinging like madmen. Who exactly are they trying to intimidate?"

"If we can endure their initial aggression, we'll easily gain the upper hand, right?"

"Excessive ambition never lasts. Don't these Bauhinia contestants understand this basic principle? How did these crude people even qualify for such a prestigious tournament?"

"Let's not rush to conclusions. After all, they do have two Legendary Mechanics in their formidable nation. Give them a thousand years, and who knows—they might eventually develop to our current level."

"Honestly, their Republic only has that one Legendary Mechanic worth anything. He'd have a better future if he joined our Thunder Dragon Empire sooner rather than later!"

However, as the battle progressed, the laughter on many faces started to fade and ultimately disappear.

The relentless assault on the battlefield had already lasted nearly a whole minute.

Force-controlled bursts at full capacity were notoriously short-lived; no one could endure such a high-intensity pace for extended periods.

Mech pilots who managed to maintain full-force combat for thirty seconds often subjected their opponents of similar skill to immense pressure, but this Bauhinia pilot had sustained his burst for over a full minute… His opponent from Thunder Dragon Empire was likely already exhausted.

After the impossible becomes reality, those who assumed they had victory in hand suddenly had cause for concern.

"Will our pilot hold out?"

"How can these barbaric Bauhinia fighters last so long? Are they doping? I recommend pausing the match immediately for a thorough investigation!"

"Agreed! We demand fairness and justice! No nation or competitor should win using dishonorable tactics!"