Chapter 9

After discussing the plan, everyone got busy. Ajax focused on tinkering with Alana's mecha, while the rest of the team members called the maintenance team to prepare for the next battle.

A few audience members left their seats; but overall, most were eagerly awaiting the start of the match. Anticipation filled the air, expecting a showdown between Alana and Charles, the male and female Rising Stars of Apollo Academy.

Ajax aimed not only to mislead the audience but also to deceive Charles. His roster, strategically arranged from strong to weak, aimed to secure victories in the first four games, stunning everyone.

However, when the commentator revealed the confirmed list, the audience was left dumbfounded. Alana didn't face Charles; instead, an unknown team member took the stage as the second player.

Charles, equally astonished, felt his intelligence had been insulted. Despite feeling insulted, he was confident that his team would prevail due to their overall strength.

When the match started, Charles took the lead, confronting the weakest team member on Alana's side. Alana's team bombarded Charles with bullets and missiles, forcing him to dodge constantly, displaying a hint of embarrassment at his reckless actions.

After merely 30 seconds, the player signaled to the referee, surrendering and admitting defeat. This was part of Ajax's tactical plan – running out of bullets deliberately to avoid unnecessary losses.

The move puzzled not only the spectators but even the referees. The game had just begun, so why concede so early? Following the rules, the referee announced the end of the game, and Charles's team led 1-0.

Despite the victory, Charles couldn't find joy. His pride took a hit, having shown no strength and facing defeat within 30 seconds. The audience shared a similar sentiment of confusion and disappointment.

The second game commenced, with Alana taking the stage. Similar to the previous match, she adopted an aggressive stance from the start. However, she had no intention of surrendering and aimed to secure a victory.

In front of her Parallax-Class mecha, Charles's team struggled to defend. After lasting only a minute and a half, they succumbed to Alana's relentless attacks.

The audience erupted with excitement, and even Ajax was surprised by Alana's fierce assault. The end of the game exceeded his expectations.

Charles likely anticipated their defeat in this game, so he remained expressionless, instructing his next players to perform well and avoid further losses.

In the third game, the short-haired girl from Alana's team, previously conversing with Ajax, entered the stage. As the second-strongest player, she was well-suited for the midfield.

Charles's team, having lost their second-strongest player in the previous match, struggled against the short-haired girl. After nearly ten minutes, she seized an opening, using rockets to secure a victory with a powerful sword slash.

With each successive game, Charles's frown kept on growing. Having lost their strong players early on, their prospects looked grim.

The fourth and fifth games unfolded quickly, with members of Charles's team succumbing to Alana's team. The 4:1 score on the big screen left Charles trembling with uncontrollable anger and frustration. He finally realized he had been tricked, and the treacherous tactics of Alana's team left him seething.

The audience, witnessing the unexpected turn of events, discussed the surprising outcome. Charles, consumed by anger, harbored a deep resentment towards Ajax, blaming him for such an embarrassing defeat.

Unaware of Charles's growing animosity, Ajax continued assisting Alana and the others in preparing for the upcoming games. The knockout round had two more rounds to go, and facing a formidable team like Charles's took a toll on everyone's mechs, requiring extensive repairs.

With Charles's team upset and eliminated early, the subsequent games held no suspense. As anyone could have guessed due to the score, Alana's team secured victory in the championship of the school competition with consecutive wins.

Standing on the highest podium, they received loud cheers from the audience. The unexpected triumph added a thrilling twist to the event, exceeding the spectators' initial expectations.

Alana, the happiest among them, considered the championship the best gift before their graduation assessment, proof of their strength. She acknowledged that without Ajax's help, they wouldn't have defeated Charles.

However, as Alana looked around for Ajax, she noticed he had left the original preparation area and was walking towards Charles's position. Sensing trouble, she hastily said a few words before stepping down, concerned about Ajax's well-being.

Charles, about to leave, spotted Ajax and stood up, anger was clearly written on his face. He threatened Ajax, accusing him of seeking trouble.

The members of Charles's team surrounded Ajax, their anger palpable. Alana intervened, pushing through the crowd, and confronted them, questioning their intentions.

The commotion attracted the attention of the audience, who stayed behind, curious about the unfolding situation. Ajax remained calm and focused on Charles, pointing to the mecha next to him.

"I bet you wouldn't dare fight me using this mech? It would be embarrassing to, after getting destroyed by an all-female group, you would lose to me, a mere mechanic. So it's ok to say no, wouldn't want your image tarnished more than it already is." Ajax challenged, surprising everyone around. Charles, initially amused, couldn't fathom that Ajax would propose such a confrontation and grew angrier with every word that came out of Ajax's mouth.

"YOU! YOU MOTHERFUCKER, You're not even a pilot yet, yo-you want to fight ME?!" Charles spat in anger. Ajax, undeterred, decided to throw some more jabs and claimed that based on Charles's previous performance, it wouldn't be a problem to wipe the floor with him.

The challenge left everyone in shock, considering Ajax's audacity and feisty words. Charles, angered beyond belief due to the barrage of insults this nobody was throwing at him, now found himself faced with an unexpected proposition.

Charles tried to laugh it off, but Ajax continued to provoke him. The situation perplexed those witnessing it; after all, challenging someone of Charles's caliber without being a pilot seemed idiotic.