Chapter 658: Chapter 677: This Outstanding Pilot Must Be Huo Jia
"That maneuvering... and they’re already using a weapon at level one?"
"Even I couldn’t pull off a move that smooth."
"Is this what the teachers call ’man and mecha as one’? Oh my god, it’s less like they’re piloting a Mecha and more like they’re in the fight themselves."
With a running commentary going, the crowd of onlookers grew. Someone who had just been GG’d by Jiang Qiuqiu in the level-one arena took off their helmet and came over. "Damn, this has to be some third-year smurfing. Someone who doesn’t spend much time in the training rooms, so their virtual rank is low."
"They’re inhuman. I was taken down in just a couple of moves."
"That’s unlikely. We have mandatory classes here during our second year, and by then, you have to be in the level-3 arenas."
"Then it must be a second-year. No way they’re a total newbie!"
"Uh, but even for a second-year to have this level of control... that’s still amazing."
"Wait, I just remembered. Didn’t an S-rank freshman named Huo Jia join the first-year Mecha division this year? Huo Jia, from the main family branch... It couldn’t be him, could it?"
If it was him, then such fluid movements in a light Mecha would make perfect sense.
"Right, right! The new generation really is here to make the old one obsolete."
A first-year, and he was already this incredible.
For the next few moments, the crowd was consumed with envy, discussing every aspect of Huo Jia’s background and talent.
"As expected from the heir of an old aristocratic family. He’s the real deal. A first-year who feels like he’s at a third-year’s level..."
"An S-rank spiritual power really makes all the difference. Maybe our paths were set the moment we enrolled, deciding who goes where and does what."
S-ranks get to join a corps and become leaders or commanders, while us garbage A-ranks and scrub B-ranks can only do logistics or switch majors.
"It really all comes down to the talent you’re born with."
"It’s not just talent, his family background has a lot to do with it, right? I heard he’s been around Mechas since he was a kid. I didn’t even know which way the cockpit door opened until I got to school. There’s just no comparison."
The small circle was filled with a mix of sour grapes and genuine admiration.
Of course, while they were all talking, Jiang Qiuqiu had already taken out the level-one opponent she’d been in a fierce battle with. After a brief rest, she stepped back onto the stage.
Although it was a free-for-all stage, 2-v-1 or N-v-1 situations almost never happened. Everyone had a sense of honor, so it was usually 1-v-1 duels.
Jiang Qiuqiu defeated several opponents in a row.
A third-year student watching from below couldn’t help but record a video. She posted it to the Mecha Single Soldier System’s social circle, full of praise for the genius underclassman.
The video quickly went viral, earning heaps of praise. Since the third-year who posted it was extremely online, her account was followed by many students and even some teachers.
One teacher saw the video while preparing a lesson and couldn’t resist sharing it on his own page. He wrote: "Here’s proof that those more talented than you are also working harder. Not even taking a break on the weekend, but fighting in the Virtual Machine Room. Huo is without a doubt a star of tomorrow!"
...
Meanwhile, Huo "Hard-Working-Even-on-Weekends" Jia, the man at the center of the storm, was currently lying on his bed in his dorm room.
After the recent intense training schedule, the sudden lull this week felt strange. He had put in more than enough hours, so he’d decided to give himself the day off.
Unfortunately, his routine was so ingrained that it wasn’t his bedtime yet, and he couldn’t fall asleep even though he was lying down.
Just as his mind was wandering aimlessly, his cousin’s voice suddenly called up from below.
"Huo Jia?"
"You there, little bro?"
"?" Huo Jia was confused. "You can see me perfectly fine. What’s with the question?"
"I’m just laughing at this hilarious situation. HAHAHA." With a flick of his hand, Huo Deng brought up a projection screen. "Look, someone’s saying you’re working your butt off training in the Virtual Machine Room right now."
"???"
’Training? How is that possible?’
