[1-200] THE MECH TOUCH

Chapter 7: Queen of the Skies

Only snipers and heavy mechs posed a threat to him. Their advantage in firepower or armor was so decisive that they had the Seraphim in the palm of their hands.

The next match proved to be the most exciting one of the day for TheSeventhSnake. His opponent surprisingly piloted another flying mech.

—Player Profile—

Nickname: Dire_Wolf

League: Bronze

Wins / Losses / Draws: 524 / 360 / 3

Equipped Mech: Lost Constellations Model VF-5 (Custom)

Weight Classification: Medium

——

"Damn, this is a scary opponent. What is up with that insane win ratio. I've never seen a ratio that high in the Bronze League."

TheSevenSnake was sweating in his seat. The Mech model also caused him to raise his vigilance. The Lost Constellations company was one of the more mysterious mech manufacturers even way back then at the start of the Age of Mechs. They adhered to a different design philosophy and were the first to introduce animal-shaped mechs in the battlefield.

The famed Model VF had been designed like a vulture. It traded speed for power and endurance. Though slow to catch up to any light mechs, it pumped out powerful shells from its cannons that could even shred heavy armor as long as it fired long enough. Though its ammunition was prone to run in extended battles, the Model VF was still able to pose a threat in melee range with its powerful reinforced claw and beak attacks.

The VF-5 his opponent piloted was undoubtedly a customized variant. Anything could be different from its stock model. TheSeventhSnake had no way of guessing what his opponent preferred, and simply reserved his judgment.

The battlefield finally loaded, revealing an empty urban environment. The map consisted entirely of a densely packed downtown city. Metal skyscrapers blocked the views of both players while also diminishing the effectiveness of their sensors.

"I could get ambushed easily by the VF if I blunder around. It's best to wait for my opponent to come to me." TheSeventhSnake deduced.

He chose to ascend straight up and chose a random, mid-sized skyscraper to land upon. The roof offered plenty of space but very little cover. The Seraphim turned off its wings before extending its hair sensors.

This time TheSeventhSnake maintained a passive scan. Essentially he just extended his mech's ears and hoped to catch a sound made by the enemy. This time he wanted to get a drop on his enemy. If he could take the time to make his first shot, he might be able to cripple the VF's wings.

He stayed patient as five minutes passed. The time limit for a solo battle was 30 minutes so he had plenty of time to spare. He was prepared to stand there and wait 25 minutes if necessary. He really couldn't relax against an opponent with such an impressive win record.

The sweat trickled down the back of his neck as he continued waiting patiently. The alarm at the thirteenth minute almost threw him off the seat.

"Finally, you moved."

The Seraphim retracted its sensors, turned around and carefully approached the edge of the roof in the direction of the opponent. He spotted the VF-5 hovering at a generous pace, reserving its speed but making sure to keep up a juking pattern in its flight.

"He's trying to draw me out. And he doesn't know my Fantasia is sporting a flight system."

The enemy was aware the Fantasia boasted a considerable sensor range. Instead of fruitlessly trying to search the Seraphim, he instead flew around seemingly lazily. The VF-5's flight appeared slow, but it held considerable power in reserves. The VF-5 hid a number of short-range boosters underneath its wings to assist with dodging and carrying out swooping attacks.