Chapter 31: The Devil’s Gift, Section 4

Time passed slowly, and the Death Star grew increasingly powerful. Perhaps sensing the tense atmosphere of an impending battle, research and production of military equipment proceeded at an astonishing speed. With Blackhair’s approval, all factories in the 31st Star Region shifted their focus. Instead of producing the previous elite mechs, they devoted themselves entirely to manufacturing Blood Moon and Sunset models along with their supporting equipment. Deep underground, mechs were rapidly assembled and tested. Sparks flew along the assembly lines, and the busy figures of alien workers could be seen everywhere.

In less than a month, the first batch of Blood Moon and Sunset mechs was equipped for the Blood Wolf Pirates. Though only a thousand in number, they immediately became the talk of all residents in the 31st Star Region. With their clean exteriors and sleek designs, and without any accompanying weapons, the Blood Moon and Sunset models appeared merely as ordinary, bare mechs. Though tidy, they failed to win over the Blood Wolf Pirates, who even voiced some complaints at first. Many pirates were dissatisfied with Blackhair’s decision, as they believed these new mechs were clearly not as formidable as the previous elite models. Their overly clean designs also made them seem fragile, leaving them puzzled as to why Captain Blackhair liked them so much.

However, such complaints didn’t last long. When the supporting equipment that followed the Blood Moon and Sunset models arrived, all opposition silenced.
What was that? An fully armed fighter aircraft in the atmosphere? And that… oh, my God, it was a high-speed land vehicle! What was the purpose of such equipment? Were they supposed to fight using these things?

Staring at those massive and brand-new weapons, all the pirates were stunned. Because they saw that after the Black Prison faction adjusted them a few times, those things they thought were fighters and vehicles actually began to transform. They were then installed one by one onto the previously underappreciated Blood Moon and Sunset mechs. The once smooth surfaces of the mechs became thicker and more robust after being equipped with these transformed fighters and vehicles. Thick, menacing gun barrels protruded from the external equipment, reflecting a cold glow under the light. The unique ammunition belts of these hybrid weapons extended from the gun barrels all the way to the backpacks on their backs.

“Listen to me carefully,” said a young man with a serious expression as he stepped forward among the pirates. The pirates recognized him—he was one of the Black Prison gang. Faced with this “god” who controlled their equipment, everyone immediately became serious; even the most cynical among them dared not speak at that moment.

“I didn’t want to say much, you damned bastards. But I’m afraid if I don’t explain clearly, you won’t know how to use what’s been given to you.” The young man spoke with pride, his chest puffed out like that of a fighting rooster. Yet no one dared laugh at him.

“Some of you may have seen these mechs before and thought they were the same as the old ones. But let me tell you—you’re wrong, completely wrong!!” The young man stared coldly at the restless pirates below, his expression grim. “Because the mechs assigned to you this time are fundamentally different from the previous ones! If before you were piloting elite mechs reserved only for captains, then this time, it’s the King-class mechs!”

A murmur arose among the pirates, their whispered conversations blending together, causing the young man to frown. But he remained patient, waiting for them to calm down before speaking again.

“Some of you might ask what a King-class mech is. Or you might compare it to the Killing Emperor piloted by our leader, the Dark-Haired Lord. Very well—I like your straightforward nature. So today, I’m here to give you the answer!” With that, the young man walked over to a Blood Moon mech that had just been equipped with fighter-like components and patted its hull.

“It’s a Blood Moon basic model, with the Griffon series added this time. It belongs to the atmospheric air combat category. In addition to its built-in multi-element reactor, the Griffon components also feature antimatter engines. As components designed specifically for atmospheric air combat, they come with six-sided, aerodynamically optimized wings! Don’t underestimate these six-sided wings—only in actual combat will you realize the advantages they bring. It’s beyond what you can imagine now! Even under the most conservative estimates, its mobility is 23 times greater than that of regular mechs and four times that of your current elite mechs!”

The whispering grew louder, and almost all the pirates stared in astonishment.

As those who were constantly in battle, how could they possibly not understand the meaning of the numbers spoken by the young man just now? In an era where the firepower of warships was becoming increasingly powerful, mobility could be considered the most crucial factor for survival in mechs. Mechs with high speed and agility naturally had a greater chance of dodging gunfire—this was an undisputed fact.

But… mobility twenty-three times that of conventional mechs? Wasn’t this just a dream?

Seeing the pirates’ increasingly astonished expressions, the young man smiled—a proud smile. “This is a fact. There’s no need for you to be surprised. With the Griffon components installed, this Blood Moon now possesses SSS-level adaptability for aerial combat within the atmosphere. In this area, its performance is unmatched by any mech! Not even the Killing Emperor of the Black-Haired Lord…”

“…can compare.”

“Wow…” Hearing the young man’s last words, all the pirates couldn’t hold back their reactions. Their stunned expressions and wide-open mouths revealed their inner thoughts, instantly causing a stir among them.

A mech that could surpass even the Killing Emperor? Really? If it were equipped on us? The young man’s simple words were like a thunderclap, leaving the pirates stunned. After all, for those who had followed the Black-Haired Lord from the beginning, if there was anything that could excite them more than liquor and beauties, it was undoubtedly their beloved mechs. That’s why the Black-Haired Lord’s Killing Emperor had once become the dream lover of all pirates. Some pirates even made models of the Killing Emperor and carried them even while sleeping.

Yet now, this young man from Black Prison claimed that Blood Moon could surpass their idol in aerial combat?

Seeing the pirates’ dazed looks, the warriors from the five major noble families who had also received new equipment grew displeased. No, not just displeased—they were so jealous their eyes turned red! Among them, the temperamental Dark Realm warriors were so angry their mouths almost twisted. These burly men crossed their arms and stared intently at the Blood Wolf pirates beside them, ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

Seeing their reactions, how could the young man not understand their thoughts? He smiled lightly, walked over to these burly men, ignored their hostile gazes, and casually touched the boxes in front of them.

“The Dark Realm noble families, right? Are you feeling a bit jealous? If you say so, maybe I can give you a way to vent it.”

“We’re not jealous; we just feel it’s unfair! Why can they get new equipment while we have to use the old ones!?” A burly man, unable to contain his anger, snapped his companion’s arm away and shouted loudly.
“I know they’re part of the Black-Haired Leader’s original team. But we also swore loyalty! Ever since we left our family clans, we received orders from the clan elders—since then, we’re no longer part of those clans. We’re just subordinates of the Black-Haired Lord. Why treat us differently now? Do we only need to wave flags and cheer from behind during battles?”
“Shut up! You bear, don’t dare insult our captain!” The Blood Wolf Pirates, still in high spirits, became furious upon hearing dissatisfaction with their leader and shouted in anger. The Abyss and Dark Realm warriors, who already disapproved of them, refused to back down as well. Both groups were made up of burly men who immediately raised their fists at each other.
Seeing this, the young man suddenly smiled.
“When did I say there should be a difference? Isn’t the box in front of you the newly issued equipment? Why not open it and take a look?”
“Oh, huh?” The enraged Abyss warrior was stunned. He pointed at the box, less than a meter long and resembling a backpack, with his mouth wide open. Before he could speak, his men quickly tore off the packaging.
A backpack-like object appeared before them. The young man saw the confusion in their eyes and smiled. He stepped forward and pressed a protrusion on the corner of the backpack.
“Bang!” With a muffled sound, a large amount of cold air exploded out like mist, freezing everyone around and turning everything white, making it impossible to see anything. When the mist cleared, they were shocked to find that it wasn’t a backpack at all—it was a massive mech, just as huge as the Blood Moon equipped by the Blood Wolf Pirates, but even more imposing. Instead of Thunder Eagle components for air combat, it had a strange, eight-clawed structure that no one had ever seen before. Even from over ten meters away, everyone could feel the sharpness of its claws.
“It’s the Setting Sun equipped with the Tiger components, designed for ground combat. Are you satisfied now?” The young man smiled triumphantly, a sly glint in his eyes.