Chapter 3: The Heart of a Thug – Section 2

Energy weapons are actually a very special type of weapon. They did not appear early in the history of the Xek planet, but once they did show up, they developed at an extremely terrifying pace and were equipped on every magic mecha. By now, they have even become the representative weapons carried by magic mechas.

However, from a practical combat perspective, energy weapons have no significant advantages. Their range is inferior to that of conventional weapons, their durability is weaker, their speed is slower, and their power is also less than that of conventional weapons. The only advantage they possess is their light weight.

Yet it is precisely this light weight that makes them undoubtedly the favorite weapons among magic mecha operators. This is because the engine power of magic mechas is too low. To reduce the mental strain on the operators, the engine power is often compressed to a very limited level—roughly only 50% to 80% of that of mechanical mechas of the same class. After assembling the body parts, very little power remains for the weapons. Under such circumstances, the lightweight advantage of energy weapons becomes immediately significant. Of course, the reduced power is a necessary trade-off.

Yet energy swords are not among the weapons that require such a trade-off. After all, the range of close combat is nowhere near that of shooting, and weapons used in close range naturally consume far less energy. Thus, the charge of the Silver Knight at this moment can truly be described as fierce.

The warehouse of the disassembly factory was filled with various large parts, making the space extremely cramped. It was originally completely unsuitable for a combat mech to charge through. But the enraged Silver Knight, relying on his incredibly powerful energy sword, managed to carve a path through.

With a roar, dust flew into the air. Wherever the purplish-red light passed, the ground rose, and numerous metal parts flew everywhere like bullets, splashing blood among the panicked scavengers fleeing around. Immediately afterward, the massive feet of the magic mecha stomped wildly on the ground, causing intense tremors. As everyone was in shock, the engine cover at the back of the Silver Knight suddenly opened, and a red energy stream gushed out.

“Boom…”

The roar of the engine was almost enough to shatter the scavengers’ eardrums. With the main engine at full power, the Silver Knight became nothing short of a giant cannonball, rushing forward at incredible speed. The immense thrust made his movements unsteady, preventing him from even keeping his feet firmly on the ground. Yet it did nothing to diminish his desire to attack. His massive shield was discarded in an instant. Before anyone could react, he already had swords in both hands, slashing wildly at the rapidly approaching wrecked mech.

The power generated by engines at full throttle was astonishing—even those of magic-powered mechs. With such formidable power, the slashes from his energy swords reached a terrifying intensity. The purplish-red sword light created a beam over four meters long. All steel parts and construction machinery in its path were instantly cut in two. The bursts of sparks and shrill alarms made all the scavengers around think the end of the world had arrived.

Yes, it was the end of that young man with black hair.

“What a shame…”

Inside the cockpit of “Kid,” the corners of his mouth, hidden beneath the partially covering helmet, suddenly curled into a strange smile.

“This guy seems pretty interesting. It’s really a shame.”

With a calm voice, the black-haired man suddenly pulled back his right hand. The engine behind “Kid” let out a deafening roar. The steel cables securing his body snapped instantly. Tilting his body slightly and lifting his right hand, a huge shotgun appeared before everyone’s eyes.

What the hell!?

The scavengers gasped in shock. Was he planning to use a shotgun to fight against an energy sword from such close range? Didn’t he know that a shotgun’s attacks couldn’t even kill the Silver Knight? And with his battered mech’s armor, it couldn’t withstand the force of an energy sword strike at all…

Almost everyone thought the black-haired man was insane or terrified.

“Bang!”

Without wasting time on those useless scavengers, the shotgun fired countless flying steel pellets. But its target wasn’t the enemy at all.

Everyone knew that for mechs already in close combat, the power of firearms was almost completely diminished, rendering them useless. Even if the black-haired man managed to hit his target with a shot, unless it struck the Silver Knight’s cockpit or head, it would be completely ineffective. The mech’s inertia would ensure the energy sword attack continued, and his “Kid” would be doomed.

But what if the target was the ground?

“Boom!!”

Countless steel balls, like hardworking miners, dug a huge pit in the steel ground in front of the “brat” in just an instant. Amidst the smoke and dust, the silver knight’s high-speed charge could not be stopped; he didn’t even have time to take a self-saving action before one of his thighs was deeply trapped, and then, with a chilling crunching sound, it was completely severed into two pieces. A large number of sparks erupted immediately, accompanied by a series of small explosions. His original attacking motion was instantly distorted as his energy sword slashed violently into the ground, creating a long, deep groove.

With just one strike, he halted the silver knight’s seemingly fatal blow. Such a result was almost beyond everyone’s belief! Shouts of shock rang out, and some scavengers even forgot their surroundings and started cheering loudly.

If that were all, it might still be acceptable—after all, a single leg injury wouldn’t disable a mech or prevent it from making another energy sword strike. At that moment, the two mechs were so close, almost touching. Judging from the situation, the silver knight was far from being at his wits’ end.

But they forgot that magic mechs relied on the mind for operation. The fracture of his thigh was instantly transmitted to the pilot’s nerves, and even an experienced mercenary couldn’t help but let out a scream of pain. His vision blurred instantly—how could he launch consecutive attacks right away?

But for the black-haired man, this was a huge flaw. Without even pausing, as an orange-yellow shell flew through the air, the “brat” raised his other hand high and swung down fiercely. Left hand…