Chapter 9: New Forces, Section 7

Black Hair’s physique had not yet reached its peak, so if these mechs tried to use firearms against him, he would be at a disadvantage. But what about close combat?
A joke. After all, Black Hair’s body had long been trained to be as strong as steel.
“Bang!”
Pale fragments of armor exploded in the air like fireworks. The mech at the back didn’t even have time to react before being thrust skyward by that immense force. Blood sprayed everywhere as its head armor shattered instantly, revealing the dark red muscle tissue beneath.
But this was just the beginning. Since Black Hair had decided to launch a surprise attack, how could he possibly stop now?
Before the knee strike could land, Black Hair, still in mid-air, suddenly reached out and grabbed the airborne mech. Then, using his waist strength and a low growl, he spun like a giant python through the air. With a shake of his wrist, he harnessed the terrifying centrifugal force to pull the mech back and slam it forward.
From the attack to now, it had only taken the time of a single breath. The two mechs at the front had already reacted.
They turned, raised their arms, and their sharp blade edges gleamed with a cold light. Just as the red eyes unique to those bio-mechs spotted the spinning figure in the air, a massive object rushed toward them with a fierce wind howl.
“Boom!!”
It was as if a heavy hammer had struck their heads. The two mechs at the front were instantly hit by the wreckage of their companion. Their tall frames staggered backward as if drunk, unable to maintain their balance anymore.
After all, they were just the lowest-grade mech guards—failed experiments. How could they withstand Black Hair’s almost despicable surprise attack? Their once-prideful strength turned into disaster in an instant. Their red eyes flashed frantically, but nothing could change the fact that they were now in a stalemate. At the same time, Black Hair, swift as a black panther, leaped forward and suddenly appeared in front of the left mech.
Compared to the three-meter-tall mech, Black Hair was small in stature. Yet, he was agile and full of strength. With explosive power in his muscles, he lifted the mech by hooking his heels. Immediately afterward, his left fist flashed and slammed into the mech’s waist at close range.

It’s complicated to explain, but it actually takes just an instant. Dull thudding sounds resounded once again in the pitch-black corridor, along with those pale fragments flying out like explosions. Unlike mechs driven by mere beastly instincts, Kurokami knew that in combat, what truly matters isn’t causing damage but control. As long as you disrupt your enemy’s balance, it’s not hard to defeat a stronger opponent. Even the toughest armor has its weaknesses—all he needed to do was find that weakness.

In the context of mechs, aside from the head, the waist area, designed as both the cockpit and the power conversion center, has always been one of the fatal weaknesses.

“Bang!!” As shards of armor flew everywhere, Kurokami’s left fist had already penetrated deep inside. A large amount of green liquid mixed with viscous secretions sprayed out like a fountain, splashing all over his head and face. The slippery sensation against his skin made his face turn pale, and his stomach churned violently.

But there was no time for further consideration now. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the other mech had regained its balance and was rushing toward him at high speed. Its two sharp arm blades, like the scythes of death, arrived at his head in an instant. Kurokami could even feel the cutting sensation as the blades sliced through the air at high speed.

With a cold glint in his eyes, Kurokami completely abandoned the idea of dodging. His left arm muscles bulged as he increased the force, ignoring the resistance of those tough muscles. His entire left arm plunged into the center of the mech. With a twist of his wrist, he grasped a round object— the mech’s control core. Delighted, he knew he had found what he wanted. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and pulled it out forcefully, then rolled away without even looking back.

“Clang!!” The two massive arm blades slammed down where Kurokami had just been. Their sharp edges immediately carved two deep grooves in the hard alloy floor, sending sparks flying and debris scattering. What formidable weapons. Kurokami’s pupils contracted sharply, as if he had witnessed something incredible.

After all, this ambush wasn’t a hasty move—it was the result of Kurokami’s careful planning. The seemingly simple process of hiding and attacking had been rehearsed countless times in his mind. After instantly breaking through a mech’s defenses, he had gained some understanding of these strange biological weapons.

In his view, these bio-mechanical suits were clearly outdated relics—weak in defense, slow in speed, and dull in senses. Rather than being called mechs, they were more like giant beasts. It was precisely because of this that he could succeed in his attacks time and again, destroying as many as two enemies in an instant.

Yet he never expected that such an outdated mech could possess such formidable weapons. The floor of the corridor was made of alloy, which under normal circumstances wouldn’t be damaged by anything other than firearms. But in front of that mech’s arm blades, it was cut apart as easily as tofu—nothing short of an impossible miracle.

Was this the characteristic of bio-mechanical suits? Black Hair’s expression immediately turned grave.

A myriad of thoughts flashed through his mind. Before he could regain his balance after tumbling, those two terrifying arm blades swept down at him again with a fierce whistling sound. The sharp edges left icy trails even in the air.

“Hmph!” A hint of anger flashed in Black Hair’s eyes. As he tumbled, he suddenly stretched out a foot and firmly planted it against the base of the wall. With a surge of strength, he launched himself forward like a cheetah ready to pounce. The sharp arm blades passed right in front of him, only snatching away a strand of his hair.

Yet with that momentum, his body slid instantly to the feet of the last mech.

A great opportunity!

Seeing that the mech was unable to move immediately due to its attacking stance, Black Hair didn’t hesitate. He kicked hard at its knee joint. The white mech lost its balance and immediately knelt down.

Tumble, rise. Black Hair had already reached behind the mech. With it kneeling, its defenseless neck was right in front of him. Before it could stabilize itself, his palms plunged deep into the gaps in the mech’s neck.

“Hah!!”

A deep growl. The muscles in Black Hair’s arms swelled instantly. Terrifying, superhuman strength surged through his arms. With a shrill cracking sound, he managed to lift the mech’s head shell, revealing the underlying muscle tissue and pale skull. Immediately afterward, his right hand formed a blade-like shape and slashed across!

“Pfft…”

Deep green streams of blood surged through the sky. The massive, headless body shook a few times before crashing heavily to the ground. An ugly, shell-less head was held in Black Hair’s hands, gradually turning around. Behind him, the remnants of three mechs twisted in grotesque shapes, creating a bloody scene that resembled a nightmare from the depths of hell.

“Hmph!” A cold smirk appeared on his resolute face. Black Hair tossed the head aside and swiftly disappeared into the darkness of the passage, his figure fading away…

Of course, he had no idea that everything that had just happened had already been observed by many beings in another realm.

“A weak physique, agile movements, sharp reflexes. Core, is this the proof you want us to see?” A rather plump fleshball wriggled as it voiced its doubt.

“If that’s the case, respected Core, we still cannot agree with your decision. Those three broken pieces mean nothing. Compared to us, this human is far too weak. He’s not even worthy of being your carrier.”

“Yes, yes. Core, you should reconsider. This lifeform is too weak.”

“That’s right. I’m afraid he’s not even on par with the qualities of a Lan Giant. Core’s decision is too hasty.”

The fleshballs discussed eagerly, but Number Three fell into deep thought.

“Silence,” the Core’s voice rang out at just the right moment, instantly silencing the entire space.

“My children, have you only noticed his physical strength? That’s truly disappointing of you. If I were to follow your advice, I might as well choose a Star Devourer as my carrier—wouldn’t that be absurd?” The Core scolded slowly, yet his voice was filled with authority.

“Number Three. Only you haven’t spoken yet. Now tell me your opinion.”

“Yes, Core,” the fleshball named Number Three trembled slightly before answering respectfully.

“This human’s physical strength is average. But his mind is very special. From the battle just now, it seems he’s quite adept at overcoming the stronger. Moreover, his ability to burst through adversity far exceeds our expectations. From this perspective, he should not pose any problems as your carrier. After all, what our warriors lack is precisely that kind of explosive power.”

“Good. You’ve finally seen something.” The Core’s voice sounded satisfied, and his wriggling speed increased slightly.

“But what I really want you to understand isn’t that. It’s his personality.”

“Personality?” The fleshballs were instantly confused.

“Yes, personality,” the Core emphasized firmly.

“In my opinion, this human has a special kind of personality. If described in human terms, it would be…”
“Cruel!”