Go to war

"In harsh conditions, a war of steel bodies, a life-and-death elimination, and a glimpse of freedom... Welcome to the dark web live broadcast of the Death Star flag capture battle on this restful afternoon. I'm your host and commentator, Kenny Brown."

"This program is exclusively sponsored by the 'Galactic Assassin Killer Company,' ensuring your targets can't hide: Are you still fearful of powerful enemies? Are you afraid of being plotted against in the dark? Contact us for framing, assassination, extermination. There's nothing we can't do. For hiring a hitman, the Galactic Assassin is your go-to."

"Dark Night Arms, specializing in super-standard armaments, presents the Death Star flag capture battle broadcast...

"Alright, welcome to the commentator's desk. Without further ado, the players and their mechs are currently undergoing final checks and warm-ups. Let me introduce to you our competitors and their mechs."

In the control room, Thomas found a chair to sit in, resting his feet on the console, and watched Kenny on the screen with interest. He was more familiar with Kenny, the on-screen personality, than Jenna, the behind-the-scenes operator.

If he remembered correctly, Kenny Brown was a professional league commentator seven or eight years ago. With his good looks, magnetic voice, unique insights, and strong empathy, he had more fans than some top professional players. His company even seemed to have plans to groom him as an idol, and he had cameo roles in some movies and TV shows.

Unfortunately, the young and famous Kenny couldn't resist the temptations of the high life, and his career was derailed by multiple scandals at his peak, leading him to vanish from public view. Surprisingly, Jenna had dug him out for the Death Star flag capture battle to serve as the host and commentator... at least it was in his field of expertise.

"Watching Kenny? He's quite a witty guy, just a shame he got involved with too many women," Simon commented as he approached Thomas.

"No," Thomas shook his head, pointing towards the bottom left corner of the screen, "I'm looking at the chat box. It's much more interesting than the commentary."

The chat box?

Simon glanced over. Due to the massive number of online viewers, to protect the server and ensure a good viewing experience, the dark web broadcast of the Death Star had set speaking permissions. Only users of a certain level could comment.

Even so, the rapid scrolling speed of the chat box was dizzying for Simon.

[User4568138513: Come on, if you can comment here, you're at least a level 5 member. Show some swagger.]

[Night Dancer: Didn't Mammoth get severely damaged last time? Is it fixed? I saw it on the odds board, does that mean it's really fixed?]

[Professional Assassin, Undertaking Various Assassinations: Dark web certified, four-star professional killer, undertaking any targets below B-level. Interested parties can DM or email me at my dark web address******. Serious inquiries only.]

[Call Me Princess Nina: Why are there always these kinds of ads everywhere, can you not!]

"This is bold..."

While Simon was overwhelmed, Thomas's ability to capture and process information was clearly quicker. The message about the professional assassin caught his attention. He clicked on the assassin's profile and indeed saw the "four-star killer certification." The fact that they dared to take on targets below B-level indicated that their own level was at least B, possibly even A.

Clearly, this person was a formidable figure.

Thomas's eyes narrowed slightly as he focused on the chat, automatically filtering through the multitude of scrolling messages to keep an eye on the exchanges between the assassin and Princess Nina.

Soon enough, the assassin responded again.

[Professional Assassin, Undertaking Various Assassinations: @Call Me Princess Nina, please retract your words, or I may have to take certain measures.]

[Call Me Princess Nina: Take measures? Who are you trying to scare? What can you possibly do?]

[Professional Assassin: @Princess Nina, you could leave your address and see what I dare to do.]

[Princess Nina: Fine, my address is ****, as if you'd dare to come.]

[Unknown User: @Princess Nina, did you buy your level with money? This is the dark web, do you think you're just watching a live stream somewhere?]

[Jerry Who Loves Cheese: @Princess Nina, brave! Seeing his four-star assassin certification and you still dare to reveal your address, I'm truly impressed.]

After that, various users started @-ing Princess Nina, some warning her, others sarcastically praising her. Princess Nina herself disappeared for a few minutes, perhaps actually checking the assassin's credentials.

A moment later, she reappeared in the chat.

[Princess Nina: ...So what if he's a four-star assassin? I don't believe he'd dare to come and kill me!]

[Unknown User: Wonderful!]

[Professional Assassin: @Princess Nina, don't rush, I'm already on my way.]

[Star Beast Surgeon: Oh my God, this is going to be interesting.]

[Princess Nina: You're just trying to scare me…]

After that statement, Princess Nina disappeared again for a while. Thomas watched for some time, thinking the drama had ended. But just when he was about to shift his attention elsewhere, Princess Nina reappeared.

[Princess Nina: @Star Guard Surgeon @Jerry Who Loves Cheese @Unknown User, it's over, the assassin blocked me in a private message. I tried apologizing but he can't see it. Is he really going to come and kill me? What should I do? Am I really going to die? @Professional Assassin, please, I was wrong, spare me!]

Thomas: …

That's it? What about your pride? Where's your confidence? Didn't you think he was just bluffing? Aren't you Princess Nina? Just scared like that? It's just a four-star assassin, what's there to be afraid of? Stand up to him to the end!

Thomas's reaction reflected the dramatic turn in Princess Nina's attitude. Her initial defiance quickly gave way to panic, a stark contrast that added an almost comical element to the tense situation unfolding in the chat box.

***

In the Carl Star Nation, within the Dorno Star System, lies Mane Star. This star boasts favorable living conditions, abundant resources, and well-developed transportation, making it one of the political and economic centers of the Carl Star Nation. Its status is akin to that of Shanghai in China or New York in the United States.

The most commercially valuable professional mech league in the Carl Star Nation is also hosted on Mane Star. This star is home to some of the most prestigious clubs in the nation.

At this moment, in the training hall of one such club, Rui, having finished her day's training, sat atop her mech, engrossed in the live broadcast of the Death Star battle on her tablet. Unlike Thomas, she wasn't interested in the drama between the ignorant girl and the professional assassin. What mattered to her was the competition itself.

"Rui, what are you watching?"

At this time, a Black girl emerged from the VR training room and climbed up the ladder to join Rui. "Becky, you finished your VR training?"

Rui, without any reservation, shifted her tablet towards her companion, "Death Star flag capture battle live broadcast. Do you want to watch it with me?"

"What's so interesting about that?" Initially curious, Becky's expression quickly turned dismissive upon hearing Rui's explanation, "A bunch of vanguard-class iron manipulators driving soldier-class mechs, isn't that just child's play? What technical content can such a competition have? Rui, are you okay?"

Becky then exaggeratedly reached out to feel Rui's forehead, "We are professional players, piloting dominator-class mechs. You are the best among us, the runner-up of the last solo combat tournament. Why would you want to watch something like this?"

Becky's reaction revealed a common sentiment among professional mech pilots towards lower-tier competitions, highlighting the gap in prestige and technical complexity between them.

"I'm fine," Rui pulled Becky's hand away from her forehead, slightly annoyed, "Kepa told me to watch it."

"Kepa? The same Kepa who defeated you in the final round of the last solo combat tournament?" Becky was surprised.

"Who else could it be?" Rui shrugged.

Like her, Kepa was also a top-tier player in the professional league, playing for a different club. Unlike Rui, who was groomed from a young age to be a professional player, Kepa was originally a soldier, an iron manipulator in the army. For reasons unknown, he retired from the military and later joined the professional league. In his first solo tournament, he made it to the finals and won the championship against Rui.

"I've always wondered why Kepa, whose mech's performance and mechanical synchronization rate are slightly inferior to mine, could beat me. Yesterday, we attended the same party, and he gave me an answer," Rui explained.

"Really? What did he say?" Becky's eyes lit up, eager for the insights of a system champion.

"He said he could defeat me because I've never experienced the threat of death," Rui spread her hands, "He said, professional leagues have extremely high commercial value, the mechs are powerful, and the training facilities are even better than those in the military. The only difference is that our training and competitions are too safe. With various protective measures in place, we know that even in defeat, we won't be harmed. But for him, it's different. On the battlefield, any mistake could lead to death."

"What's the logic in that?" Becky frowned, "According to him, do we have to experience life and death on the battlefield to beat him?"

"That's hard to say..." Rui didn't respond, instead, she lowered her head and continued watching the competition.

Rui's contemplation highlighted the stark contrast between the controlled environment of professional sports and the unpredictable, high-stakes nature of real combat, hinting at a depth of experience that Kepa possessed and which she sought to understand.

Kepa had mentioned to Rui the previous day that a competition like the Death Star event might offer little in terms of technical skills for someone at her level, but it was more about experiencing the harsh reality of flirting with life and death.

As expected, LCH's mech passed the inspection without issues. Although intelligent cores are typically equipped in vanguard-class mechs, they aren't exclusive to them and don't inherently enhance a mech's performance. The modified pseudo-Crimson Python was also not a problem. Such a weapon, with an output level clearly within the soldier-class standard, could easily be verified as compliant with a simple test.

At this point, thirteen mechs had entered the arena, each positioned in different corners of the battlefield. The camera swiftly switched between them, providing close-up shots of each mech before switching to a wide-angle aerial view. Starting from the blue flag, the camera rapidly swept across the entire battlefield, finally hovering at an angle offering an excellent view of the entire scene.

"And now, dear viewers," Kenny's distinctive voice resonated, momentarily capturing everyone's attention. "The sixth Death Star flag capture battle... begins now!"