Chapter 11-20

Chapter 11: Against a God
Ye Chong stared at the mech before him, thoughts racing through his mind. Here was a ten-meter tall humanoid mech, armed with a silver shield on its left shoulder that glistened like mercury under the soft interior lighting. The fire sabre wielded by its right hand was a flame shaped into a weapon. Its grey body was elegant, and the golden ornaments on its forehead were a stunning addition to its appearance.
This was obviously a modified mech. Its dual axle shield functions at above average compared to other accessories, but his Raven’s magnetic sword would barely be able to scratch it. Although the fire sabre was a medium level weapon, it would probably only take a few hits to cleave the Raven in half – a strike on a weak point of his mech would be fatal. The mech’s body structure was well designed for defending against attacks, and its good weight distribution avoided overloading the mech’s engine. There were also a few weapons for long range attacks.
This was a brilliant creation! Ye Chong realized as he examined the mech thoroughly.
If Ye Chong were to judge this mech, he would summarize it in one word – graceful! Despite being equipped with various mid-level accessories, a well-rounded pilot could do plenty of damage with it.
Ye Chong believed its engine was probably either a Parham or a Swordfish-IV, for only these two engine models could bring out the best of the mech and its accessories.
A mech that could do well in both attack and defense which was also armed with long-ranged and short-ranged attacks would be a formidable opponent. Ye Chong found it hard to believe that he would meet such a strong opponent in his first battle.
However, Ye Chong was not troubled by negative emotions such as fear and worry. Life on the trash planet made him realize that the types of enemies he battled was beyond his control. There was only one concern – how to defeat the enemy!
Ye Chong wanted to use his ray guns but even a direct hit would hardly be a threat to the enemy.
What about alloy daggers? Oh dear, the daggers would surely yield under the opponent’s sturdy structure. He thought to himself.
Fortunately, all hope was not lost, for his magnetic sword could withstand some damages though it would take three strikes on the same spot to break the mech’s armor; which would be a great difficulty.
Ye Chong mused at the thought.
Ye Chong analyzed the mech for its weaknesses. He had learned from experience that no adversary was perfect; a well-aimed strike at the most vulnerable spot would tip the scales in battle, and that was the key to winning against stronger opponents.
Undoubtedly, the throat was the most vulnerable spot in the majority of humanoid mechs due to the presence of high density of photon nodes. Even a little damage could cause the mech to malfunction, and the neck’s extremely bulky armor greatly reduced its flexibility. Others would find the throat an awkward position to defend against with the exception of heavily armed mechs. However, that was common knowledge amongst mech pilots, therefore it would be expected to find the throat carefully guarded.
Ye Chong eventually dismissed this approach.
As for the pilot’s cabin, it will be a no-brainer that pilots would not leave themselves exposed! Unlike the throat, a humanoid mech’s pilot cabin is located at its chest area where the armor is thickest. Even if Ye Chong managed to burst through the cabin area with his magnetic sword, it would take at least a dozen strikes to damage the armor. The odds of him surviving so many close range attacks with the fire sabre wielded by his opponentdid not look promising.
What now? Ye Chong grew desperate in planning his strategies.
But time waits for no man – with the soft ring of the bell, the battle began!
Ye Chong cleared his mind and focused on his opponent.
Jeb sat casually in his mech, smiling mesmerizingly under his aquiline nose; his golden hair was naturally wavy, much like a prince from a fairy tale. His posture was elegant, and his movements majestic. His intense brown eyes studied the Raven with a hint of sneer.
Jeb scoffed,
Truly, one does not learn to fear what one does not understand! How dare you challenge my dear Apollo with a Raven? Ah, looks like yours truly will have to teach you a lesson!
The scorn in his tone was apparent.
Jeb decided to give Ye Chong a little
lecture
. When the countdown of the battle ended, he charged straight for the Raven with his prized Apollo. He did not bother to activate the mech’s shooting systems, or his dual axle shield.
The Raven remained static as though surrendering to its faith awaiting for a fatal blow.

Ah, what a poor and unlucky fellow! A battle with yours truly was your greatest misfortune!
Jeb mocked. These days, Jeb was not feeling exactly cheery, and this battle served as an opportunity to vent off his displeasures. I shouldn’t finish him off so soon, Jeb snickered darkly.
As both opponents closed in on one another, Jeb whipped out his fire sabre; the flames flickering menacingly, as it yearns for damage.
Jeb anticipated for his opponent to be outright panicking and flustering. As the Raven’s wings received a heavy blow from his attack, the game of cat and mouse finally commenced. Jeb smiled wickedly, delighted with the destruction.
The game has only just begun! Jeb thought pleasingly.
There was no shooting involved despite being the fastest and safest strategy against his Raven which confuses Ye Chong.
Jeb’s mech closed in slowly, and Ye Chong thought it was odd. If his opponent chose a close-ranged battle, why not take advantage of the mech’s speed?
As the mech’s fire sabre attacked his left wing, Ye Chong was even more confused. Why ignore vulnerable spots of the Raven to unnecessarily strike at a left wing? Even the dual axle shield was not utilized, leaving its chest defenseless. The fire sabre’s attack was also more style than substance – the quivering flames only for show; the attack itself weak and badly angled. Thoughts raced through his mind as he contemplated about reasons behind these forms of attack.
Ye Chong was bewildered thinking that a pilot armed with such marvels was making absurd ambushes!
Regardless, Ye Chong was presented with a golden opportunity, and he would not miss it!
The Raven instantaneously accelerated reaching its maximum speed as Ye Chong sidestepped, dodging the fire sabre effortlessly. His magnetic sword hooked upwards at an angle and scraped past the enemy; leaving a gash of five-centimeters deep and was about one meter long across the enemy’s hull. The gash stood out like a condescending smirk. Before the enemy could retaliate, the Raven took advantage of its momentum and aimed its left wing at the opponent’s chest.
The two mechs met at high speed, and with a loud BANG they clashed and bounced off each other awkwardly to the sides.
Ye Chong was prepared for the high speed collision, and maneuvered away with ease. His basic training had taught him how to handle collisions, and Mu Shang’s strict coaching regimen allowed him to decide where to land right when the current collision occurred.
Ye Chong adjusted the controls with astounding swiftness, and the Raven’s twelve secondary engines located along its sides roared to life like music to his ears, angling the mech with precision. He managed to power up in split seconds.
All twelve secondary engines rumbled in sync – the Raven, now twenty centimeters from the ground, paused slightly in mid-air – as the claws on its right limb flexed out and its wings angled accordingly. The Raven sprang off the ground like a graceful raptor, and headed back for the skies.
The black mech flew along a graceful arc, and at the peak of its parabolic trajectory was the Apollo, still recovering from the collision.
Even as an entry level mech, the Raven’s maximum speed was not to be underestimated. In a blink of an eye, the Raven was already at Apollo’s tail.
Jeb was still dazed and unresponsive from the collision, and Apollo was left without its pilot.
Its throat came into view, and Ye Chong locked in on his opponent’s most vulnerable spot like a predator ready to pounce on its prey.
Ye Chong howled in anticipation, and thrust his magnetic sword with breathtaking speed into Apollo’s throat – much like a knight of ancient times charging with his lance at full speed towards the enemy’s throat. The force of the lunge greatly exceeded Ye Chong’s expectations as the Apollo was flung far across the battlefield like a puppet; its thickset neck now barely intact, and the photon circuits all jumbled up.
The seemingly impossible victory was overcome almost by instinct.
Ye Chong had won!
Comments (11)


KARBONZ Lol too bad his opponent was an idiot


Warwalker Haha well deserved, never underestimate your opponent


DaoistGiraffe I guess this guy will be the antagonist ?

VIEW ALL COMMENTS Rate this chapter Vote with Power Stone Chapter 12: Onwards and Upwards
His opponent asked for a rematch, but Ye Chong ignored him. The way he saw it, the deliberate mistakes committed by his adversary would have cost his life a dozen times, and what Ye Chong needed was an expert that could sharpen his skills to grow stronger, not a brazen fool like him.
Mu Shang swiftly appeared by his side.
Hmm, not a bad performance, but the opponent was pathetic!

Ye Chong nodded in agreement.
Mu Shang asked,
However, it seems that the Raven can no longer keep up with your battle skills. Hmm, are you interested in using another mech?

Ye Chong beamed at Mu Shang’s suggestions.
A new mech? What model?


What are your thoughts on the Apollo?
Mu Shang inquired.
Ye Chong speculated before replying,
It’s alright! It’s pretty agile with thoughtful modifications!


You win points for every victory in battle, and these points can be traded for new mechs or accessories at the maintenance hub, as mech modifications are allowed here. Of course, I advise that you refrain from using modified mechs for now even though you are not entirely new to it. My suggestion would be for you to get familiar with various mechs before exploring the options offered by modifications.
Mu Shang explained.
Mu Shang barely finished his little speech before Ye Chong headed straight for the maintenance hub. The spacious main hall exhibited a great variety of mechs, and Ye Chong eyed the displays like an eagle as he wandered around the displayed mechs, occasionally petting or caressing the machines, unable to hide his excitement.
Ye Chong instantly realized that every mech was labelled with the amount of points required for redemption. He fumbled with his phone scrolling through his incoming messages and finally found what he was looking for – a thousand points under his name. Ye Chong heaved a sigh of relief – fortunately, the Green Wolf mech offered two models, and each only cost three hundred points. Looks like I have quite a number of points. Ye Chong thought gleefully.
Ye Chong decided to heed Mu Shang’s advice as Mu was never one for thoughtless opinions.
Even though he eyed the other mechs longingly, his decision was finalized – he decided on a sophisticated Green Wolf-I.
The Green Wolf was a quadruped; built very much like a wolf, with a double-bladed light sabre held in its mouth – both sides of the weapon are capable of activating laser sabers of half a meter long. The Green Wolf model was a classic mech for land battles although it lacked the Raven’s wings; rendering flight impossible, and its engines were not designed for optimum performance in space. On land, however, the mech’s powerful drive, agile movements and commensurate speed made it a popular model.
Compared to the Raven, the Green Wolf came with quite a few upgrades.
Mu Shang appeared like a spirit before Ye Chong, and threw a quick glance at the Green Wolf behind him before commenting in earnest,
Tis’ an alliance between beasts!

Ye Chong glared back at Mu Shang.
You dare compare me to a beast?!

Mu Shang replied lazily,
Are you not one?


Of course I’m not!
Ye Chong defiantly sulked.

Then what are you?
Mu Shang retorted.
Ye Chong declared shamelessly,
I am the king of beasts!

Mu Shang was flabbergasted, and couldn’t help but surrender and roll its eyes.
Definitely like a beast!

Ye Chong stood proudly with his arms akimbo, and the background music began to play the roar of a thousand beasts. The music changed abruptly replaced by the raucous cries of beasts having sex. Ye Chong felt goose bumps all over him, and immediately begged Mu Shang for mercy.
Mu Shang chuckled, and reasoned languidly,
But you are the King–– of–– Beasts––!

Ye Chong pulled a face.
Mu Shang tossed a name list to Ye Chong.
The names recorded here are those who have a winning rate of over 90%, and had registered for training here within the last three months. You should challenge them one at a time. Oh, and do remember to start from the last one on the list.

Sun Xuelin and Xiu stared at the empty training ground in dismay.
Xiu announced flatly,
Xuelin, he’s not here.
Inside the Raven’s cabin, tears began to flow down her delicate contour.
Xuelin was enraged.
That bastard, he’s crossed the line, we’ve known each other for so long how can he just upped and left without so much as a goodbye? This is too much. I’m going to give him a real beating the next time we meet!
She had completely forgotten her losing track record against Ye Chong.

Let’s check out the battle grounds!
Xuelin said as she grabbed Xiu by the arm.
They searched the battle areas one by one, but there was neither a sight of the Raven, nor the one who piloted it.
They were not aware of Ye Chong replacing the Raven for another mech, and were also ignorant of the fact that he had left the battle area for Gutista right before their arrival on the battle grounds.

Hey! Young man, what’re you up to these days? Haven’t seen you in a while!
An elderly man greeted Ye Chong as he was on his way to Gutista.
Ye Chong gave a slight bow.
Grandpa Xu, how do you do? My schedule’s a little hectic with training these days, hence the absence.
The elderly named Xu was someone Ye Chong respected dearly, for he was an old engineer who was generous with his teachings, and Ye Chong had benefited much from the old man.
Grandpa Xu chortled,
This old man is doing quite well, and this young man here is still as polite as always! What a nice lad, them old folks must be happy to see you there! Well then, I must be off, you enjoy yourself young man!

Ye Chong smiled bashfully.
I will, have a good day Grandpa Xu!

Ye Chong visited the central hub of an association in Gutista called Aurora. The association was infamous; its members consisting mainly of retired mech engineers and pilots of high stature with great knowledge on all things mech. The conglomeration of these individuals was a force to reckon with. Many existing companies consulted with them for their renowned expertise. The eccentricities of the association’s members were also well known where each member offered a unique set of skills and experience. The fact that the members retired with enviable pensions made financial rewards ineffective as a means of gaining their assistance. If they find someone amenable, they would offer help even if unasked for; if one is unpleasant, even a shipload of gold would not change their minds. Their disregard for money was always a cause of concern by various companies.
However, the stakes were high, so the superiors have to lower their sights and dance to the members’ peculiar tunes, while secretly cursing them for their humiliation. It did not help that most Aurora members were well-versed in the art of politics and negotiations – the company executives who were used to taking advantage of others had found their match!
Comments (11)


Daoist_KenBoCole Ha, some MC’s have a grandpa to train them, This MC is going to have an entire city of grandpas and grandmas!


Leyira I’m sad he decided not to say goodbye to them in the end. (Not that I think it will be the actual end of their interactions or else it would have been a waste to introduce them, but still…)


Agniwolf im amazed that within a entire year no one made a zoids comment till now

VIEW ALL COMMENTS Rate this chapter Vote with Power Stone Chapter 13: A Kind of Peace
Ye Chong was the only Aurora member under the age of fifty.
His membership was the result of an accident. In one of his early days in the virtual world, Ye Chong entered the Aurora’s central hub by accident. However, none of the members paid him any attention, as they were either engrossed in some group discussion or conducting their own research. Ye Chong, driven by curiosity, approached the noisiest group in the room, and was surprised to find that they were discussing the piping designs for mech engines. Ye Chong was very much interested, and soon became absorbed with the discussion at hand.
There were two old men who proposed two different design solutions, and both were stubbornly defending their own positions.
Ye Chong was reminded of Mu Shang’s engine schematics, and inadvertently spoke up, suggesting an entirely new approach. Suddenly, the group went very quiet. The two factions were speechless, as they stared in surprise at the young newcomer that appeared out of the blue!
Ye Chong gulped.
That was how Ye Chong was introduced to the elderly group, and one of them eventually came up with the idea of accepting Ye Chong as a member of Aurora. This won the immediate approval from almost everyone, and Ye Chong did not get a chance to say anything before being taken into their fold.
And so, Ye Chong unexpectedly became a member of Aurora.
Ye Chong was not entirely happy with the outcome. He had always thought that he had inherited most of his Papa’s skill and knowledge, and was somewhat confident with his expertise in mechanical modifications; but here in Aurora, everyone was at least a few levels above him, and that was a hard fact to swallow.
Unwilling to lag behind, Ye Chong upped his game and began the long and hard journey of further educating himself.
No matter which field he studied, these old timers had ensured that it was thoroughly explored and well researched, leaving a large gap for him to catch up. Fortunately for Ye Chong, who had a solid foundation in these fields, could absorb and adapt the resources around him like a hungry whirlpool.
In time, Ye Chong’s innate talent, impeccable learning skills, and solid foundation were noticed by the other members.
These old men have had their moments of glory, enjoying prestigious reputations in their own expertise, but many of them were without a predecessor of choice, because a good student was hard to come by!
Over time, they grew interested in Ye Chong, as if he was the one they were all waiting for. They welcomed his questions, and let him in on many of their latest findings, further adding to the list of things Ye Chong had to catch up with. However, Ye Chong continued his studies with unhindered curiosity, and this gained the approval of his seniors.
In the end, Ye Chong became Aurora’s one and only apprentice, and a shared one at that.
He entered into the hub, and the old timers all came up to him.

Ah, isn’t this our young lad? Haven’t seen you in a few days, did you get to understand the formula I taught you last time? You didn’t? No matter, we can still look at it from a different perspective, for example –

The voice was interrupted by another angry one.
You old fool, don’t keep annoying our young lad with questions, if you drive him nuts, I’ll hold you accountable!
The same voice continued,
Hey young lad, come on here, let me see if you’ve grown taller. Oh, still the same old, eh? Nothing to worry about, the human body is only flesh and bones, but it’s your character and knowledge that matters most! I have a few papers here that I’ve been working on these past few years, you can have a look at them when you’re free!


Huh, old Du, what an ingenious approach! How could I have not thought of that? I should start compiling my own work too!

The elderly named Du was smiling with delight, exceedingly pleased with himself. Ye Chong, however, stood amongst the elderly, with the info chip from Du in hand, thrown off by the conversational exchanges.
Inside, there was an extravagantly decorated dwelling room.
Jeb’s handsome facial features wore a twisted expression, as though a noble and graceful lord had transformed into a horrifying demon.
Damn it, today’s loss was completely unexpected. Jeb recalled how his gloating act must seem like a clown’s clumsy performance in the eyes of his opponent, and his anger stoked into a flaming rage.
The series of unfortunate events that befell him these past few days had stretched his endurance to the maximum, and Jeb could not take it anymore – he flung his virtual world hyperlink into the intricately patterned carpet, breaking the device into pieces.
Just the thought of the imposter made Jeb see red. How he cursed and cursed the damned bastard.
This is not the end! Definitely not! Jeb howled inaudibly in his mind.
I, the magnificent Jeb, cannot possibly lose to a scum like that. I will make him pay for this, I’ll kill him, that’s right! I’ll kill him! By then, Jeb was far from rational, his eyes bloodshot from his manic state. Jeb could not help but laugh as he imagined his opponent begging for mercy under his sword.
A few minutes later, Jeb finally cooled down and regained his composure and grace. He grabbed the comms device from the table and imperiously summoned,
Butler Qiu, get over here!

A professional looking man gave a fist wrapping salute and a slight bow before Jeb – this was his family’s butler, Qiu.
Jeb spoke through gritted teeth,
Butler Qiu, find out everything about the NR Training Center’s pilot registered under the name YC. I want to know everything about him, understand? Everything!

The butler’s lowered eyes darkened for a moment – whoever this YC is, they must have angered the reckless young master. He knew well enough that his young master was good only in his looks, as he was always uninterested in learning, frequently engaged with idle sport and had the bitter peculiarity of never leaving insults unavenged. Those who offended him never end up well, and many have suffered as a result.
Qiu sighed deeply – someone will suffer again this time!
But superficially, he exaggerated an obedient
Yes, sir,
and accepted his orders with due courtesy, for he would not dare to offend the young master for fear of losing his job. Moreover, the current situation was an opportunity for him, if appropriately handled.
It’s not too hard to please someone like Jeb – simply acting like the perfect servant would keep him happy, unlike dealing with his elder brother, the eldest young master. Qiu suppressed a shiver from thinking about the cunning man and his impenetrable thoughts.
Jeb was satisfied with his butler’s response, for he derived his sense of superiority from those of lower stature. Contented, he waved the butler away with pretentious grace.
Hehehe, you little fool, I’ll get to you yet, and let you realize the horrible consequences of offending yours truly!
Jeb tipped his wine glass and sipped on three-centuries-old naturally brewed red wine. He studied the glass intently, his thoughts unknown to anyone, safe for himself. The crimson drink glowed softly under the dim lighting, radiating an ominous, bloody aroma that promised certain death.
Comments (17)


DaoistGiraffe I very much am like our friend jeb here .. When i lose a matchup on the top lane , i curse and swear my opponent in rage . After that i take a hammer and smash my PC to shreds . I take out my phone , search for the IP of the guy who won against me , and i make my way IRL to stab that morherer to DEATH ! How dare he ! Not obbediently let himself get killed by me fking trash !


Buster Are you serious he has issues it was only a vr fight


Leyira LOL What cute oldies 🙂 And how fun (and exhausting) to be their little darling hehe

VIEW ALL COMMENTS Rate this chapter Vote with Power Stone Chapter 14: Unravelling Secrets
Angel evaded the seemingly random traps and the wandering electrically-activated mines very carefully.
Hmph, so what if they’re the MPA? He managed to slip into their internal system after all, as if the place was left unguarded. Angel was secretly pleased with himself.
Today, photon processors offered more and more capabilities for mechs – one could even say that it was the mech’s most important component. The MPA may give the impression of consisting mainly of mech pilots, but the association had enlisted a wide range of other experts related to mechs. Amongst the ranks, the Mavericks number quite a few.
While Angel was generally capable, entering the MPA’s interior ground was still a feat he was quite proud of.
However, it would not do to be careless here, for dangers lurked around every possible corner, and if his presence alerted the Mavericks who served as guards for the area, escape will be more than difficult!
This was a crucial job – if he succeeded, the pay will be enough to support his spending spree for a good while. Angel knew that there were other Mavericks who received the same offer, and that made him eager to prove himself to be a cut above the rest.
The portal before Angel emitted a bright rainbow colored spectrum; steam escaped through the cracks, as though the portal would lead to a fairyland.
Angel suspiciously eyed the portal. As a Maverick with more than a few years under his belt, Angel came to realize that a dazzling appearance was often a cover for a potentially fatal trap.
Angel bent down to reach for the floor with his right hand, and closed his eyes – and an almost faint ripple spread out from where he stood.
This was one of Angel’s two unique skills, called the Ripple. Every Maverick had their own unique skills, and these skills represent the Maverick’s attainment and achievement in their respective fields. Ripple was Angel’s – it was used to scan the surroundings without triggering sensors or traps, and could even be undetectable by other Mavericks. The skill was a complementary addition to his trap setting expertise, and his skillset made him an excellent choice for clandestine jobs. Other Mavericks may have attributed his past successes to his excellent intuition on traps and their locations, but it was all a cover for his true skill.
His other unique skill would be Epiphyte – like the eponymous group of organisms, Epiphyte would not harm its target, but once activated, it would cling on tightly to the target till Angel allowed otherwise. It was a very reliable skill, and efficient for tracking. Angel’s reputation was largely built on these two skills.
…
Angel focused on the feedback from his Ripple.
One, two… Angel counted silently to eight. Eight tiers! What stroke of luck, to have an eight-tiered security barrier!
Angel did a double take on the situation, sensing something was possibly amiss.
Without absolute certainty, Angel did not dare to make his next move. Instead, he went through his memories meticulously.
That’s not right! He finally figured out what gave rise to his uneasiness. On his way in, he would not have avoided all those concealed traps without his Ripple! The MPA’s hired Mavericks were good, so it would be illogical for the security barrier to be easier to break than the earlier security measures.
An eight-tiered security barrier may not be simple to hack, but for a Maverick who could venture this far into the MPA’s domain, it would seem like child’s play! Angel concluded decisively – there must be some other hidden trick! Right! That must be it.
Angel closed his eyes and activated Ripple again, calmly analyzing the feedback with care.
It took thirty minutes, but Angel finally re-opened his eyes and exhaled slowly in relief.
What astonishing programming! While the barrier appeared to eight-tiered, each tier was connected to the others based on some intricate principles, effectively creating an extra tier of security – which meant, there were actually nine tiers! If one had hacked through the barriers through usual means, it would surely have triggered a trap.
Astounding! What an astounding way of linking between security tiers! His first ever encounter with such mechanism, and he had nearly fell for it! He thanked his lucky stars for being extra careful!
While the security barrier was complex, Angel had managed a good grasp of its inner workings, and felt reasonably confident. However, as he began hacking, a green shadow flashed past his vision, catching him off guard!
What was that? Angel, who was very much surprised, stopped his hacking. The portal before him was still glowing brightly, painting a rainbow hue over his surroundings.
Was the green flicker an illusion? Angel wasn’t certain. As he studied his surroundings carefully with the hopes of finding the source of that green flash, the portal’s bright, colorful glow greatly inhibited his search. In the end, he found nothing.
Perhaps it was really an illusion? Angel was unsure. If only the portal would stop glowing –
Angel started. That’s right, why is the portal glowing? Could it be… Could it be… a means to hide something?

Angel thought it through and began to see the sense in his reasoning. He avoided making sudden movements, and merely scanned his surroundings.
And there it was! Angel nearly went blind with the searching, but he could now see the dim green flash – it was a thin sliver of green light, concealed by the portal’s brighter glow.
It was concealed, even after using his Ripple detection. It was a first for Angel, and he could not help admiring the masterpiece! However, since he had found it, then…
Angel gave the mysterious portal another look – in his eyes, which mirrored a fair maiden’s pair, beckoning him with open arms.
Butler Qiu began respectfully,
Second young master, regarding your orders last time, there have been some developments!

Jeb was overjoyed.
Really? Where’s he from? His real name? Haha, he will not get away this time!
He sobered, and continued ruthlessly.
Hehe, your offense against me has doomed you!

Qiu had more to say, but was obviously hesitant.
Jeb noticed and frowned, displeased.
Come on, just spill it! Could it be that he is from a family of high standing?

The butler bowed a little.
That’s not it, it’s just that… Well…

Jeb grew impatient.
Just tell it as it is, none of this nonsense!

Qiu grew nervous.
Young master, after you ordered for this information, I had hired a few capable Mavericks to investigate. While the training center’s security was commendable, they still managed to bypass it and access and information archives. It’s just that… It’s just that, the whole thing looks suspicious!


Suspicious?
Jeb inquired.
Qiu grew increasingly edgy, as he knew that the second young master before him was quite temperamental. With the current delicate balance within the family, he must always be on his guard, for any error on his part would have disastrous consequences. If the matter at hand was not satisfyingly handled, the second young master might throw a tantrum, and that would spell punishment, or even his expulsion from the Luo Family. Qiu, who was careful in nature, dreaded the possibilities ahead.
He replied shortly,
Yes, in the information archives, we searched through all of the ID’s, but could not find this YC character, not even one with a similar name.

Jeb was stunned.
Not even one? That’s impossible! I saw it, clear as day! It must be right!

Qiu maneuvered through the conversation smoothly.
Of course, this servant believes in the young master’s sharp eyes, you could not have possibly seen it wrong!
Seeing Jeb preening as expected, he continued,
But that’s what’s so suspicious about this, why would there be no records of him in the archives? Access to the virtual world requires identification of some sort, it would have been impossible otherwise!

Jeb began to realize the situation clearly.
That’s it, this is impossible!

Qiu continued,
This servant was thinking, perhaps YC is a Maverick too?

Jeb beamed and followed his logic.
That’s right! Hah! That must be it! Only Mavericks could do something like this!

Mavericks were people who could bypass limitations set in the virtual world through their skills in using photon processors. They were talented specialists of these processors, and so had an unimaginable advantage over the average person in the virtual world.
Qiu continued,
And so this servant thought, one would need to fight fire with fire. This servant has entrusted a few Mavericks associated with the Luo family to investigate his background!

Jeb prodded impatiently.
And what have you found about his background?

The butler’s expression grew even stranger.
Translator’s note: MPA stands for Mech Pilot’s Association.
Comments (10)


Sephiroth_Naruto Bloody aroma from the wine??? Is Jeb a vampire or is that just a figure of speech or something?


Kshatria so, a hacker… btw i though angel is female sigh…


SirVic Thanks for the chapter and translation

VIEW ALL COMMENTS Rate this chapter Vote with Power Stone Chapter 15: Mavericks
Angel was disturbed.
The last mission went perfectly well, considering that out of the five Mavericks that were sent, he alone managed to deliver, while the others failed with the final portal. Just the thought of solving that remarkable trap brightened Angel’s mood, and the edges of his mouth lifted a little.
The mission was, honestly, quite a challenge, but Angel found the reward too high to resist. Such a high pay; besides, this was not the first time he served the Luo family, and they had been reliable clients. Most importantly, the job was practically made for someone like him.
The Luo family was interested in someone, and with such a lucrative reward, Angel could only imagine the person to be someone of high standing, or a skillful mech pilot they might be considering to hire. While he had a few good guesses, nothing prepared him for the truth.
There were no records whatsoever on the so-called YC character in the information archive. If he had not copied some of the records to show the Luo family, they might not even believe that he made it into the system!
When Angel accepted the fact that the archives had nothing on YC, he felt a sense of fear.
What if YC was also a Maverick?
The thought had haunted Angel ever since the mission.
While Mavericks were just like any other person in the real world, they became obvious outcasts in the virtual world. Here, they were not bound by the same rules that govern the average user; instead, they were powerful, and in the eyes of others, almost invincible.
But was that indeed so?
Angel smiled ironically as he thought of those rumors. There were many unwritten rules for Mavericks, placing a huge restriction on most of them. This was even more so for independent Mavericks who had no specific allegiance, and Angel was one such Maverick.
One of the rules that Angel observed strictly was to avoid taking on missions that involve other Mavericks.
There was no real way to compare the strength between Mavericks, as each had their own field of specialty. Even within the same field, a beginner with remarkable ingenuity might best an experienced opponent. After all, creativity could work miracles.
Angel was not interested in battles between Mavericks. Usually, a user is hyperlinked to the virtual world via electromagnetic wave stimulation of neural signals in the brain, which creates a resonance between the brainwaves and the virtual world. While hacking into the hyperlink device proves difficult, it was not entirely impossible.
Angel once witnessed a rival pair of exceptional Mavericks engage in a fierce battle, and it ended with the loser braindead. This was the first time he realized the extent of a Maverick’s capabilities and the harshness of the virtual world.
Fortunately, Mavericks who could push past this final barrier were few and far between, and represented the cream of the crop. Most of them understood the weight of their powers and would not use them carelessly. They even took the extra step of binding each other to a set of rules far stricter than for the average Maverick to curb atrocities in the virtual world.
Never offend a Maverick, however weak one may seem to be.
Perusing the facilities of the NR Training Centre without proper registration did not seem like the acts of a lesser Maverick, if he or she was indeed one.
Angel felt fear spreading deep within, for he dreaded enraging another Maverick, and possibly one that was much stronger than him.
But the matter was not over.
The Luo Family had entrusted him with another mission – to find out YC’s true history. It could be anything, like an address, or a name. The mission came with the expected extravagant price tag offered by his client.
All things said, Angel felt that he should not refuse the offer. The Luo family had been his main client, and they had gotten familiar with each other. Besides, this offer was similarly suitable for a Maverick of his skill, and the return was more than acceptable – it was the highest price he had ever been offered.
But Angel was still hesitant.
What if the opponent was in fact the most powerful Maverick?
Angel knew himself very well – he was like a mole, quick to identify hidden traps, but disadvantaged in a direct encounter. If this YC character was a Maverick, he would have to prepare for the possibility of being a target of revenge.
If the last mission was a small offense, this mission would cross the line. The greatest fear of a Maverick was to have one’s real identity exposed. In the real world, a Maverick is as vulnerable as anyone else – without the ability to defend oneself, losing anonymity would inevitably lead to losing one’s freedom, and possibly, one’s life.
Angel dared not accept the current mission lightly. His mind was still clear, not too affected by the Luo family’s excessiveness. He understood that accepting it might lead to a struggle with a powerful Maverick that would only end with death, or even a joint attack by other Mavericks, considering the fact that what he was about to do was a huge taboo for their kind!
But still he could not decide, the sky-high financial reward was very, very persuasive – just this one mission would support him comfortably for the next decade. Angel had a 70% confidence level of doing what needed to be done without the target noticing, for his Epiphyte had never failed him before.

This mission is really giving me a headache.
Angel sighed as he massaged his temples. He should refuse it, but the money, the temptation! He should accept it, but what if he could not live long enough to enjoy his reward?
Suddenly, Angel had an epiphany – why not meet this YC character and assess his mettle before deciding?
Based on intel from the Luo family, Angel arrived at the NR Training Center, disguised as a tourist.
Once there, he found his target shortly – YC.
YC seemed to be just finished with a battle, heading outwards with his mech. Angel began to trail him, interested to know who this YC actually was.
Amongst the passersby, YC seemed to blend in.
Suddenly, Angel noticed something, and did a double take!
Mavericks!
The people who just passed by YC, they were all Mavericks! Angel could feel the cogwheels in his head turning – it must be that some other Mavericks had accepted the job! The Luo family had always preferred to hire a few Mavericks for tougher missions. Based on the aura of those few, they certainly must be!
Are they planning to do something here and now?
Angel decided to stay aside and observe. After all, he should take the opportunity of investigating YC without getting personally involved.
Angel focused silently, and his Ripple began to spread outwards, informing him of all the details of his surroundings in great clarity.
Well done! They’re indeed masters of their trade, picking the perfect opening, and moving almost imperceptibly in the background. Angel felt great admiration towards these Mavericks! They were experts, and worked together seamlessly like second nature – the sight was one to behold!
But what happened next made Angel’s blood froze – that moment was one that would stick with him forever!
Comments (13)


LaoTze these rich families seem to specialize in raising sociopaths


PreHIZtoricDevil really? all this just for revenge?


PythonN18 I want the next chapter damn that cliffhanger 💔💔💔💔

VIEW ALL COMMENTS Rate this chapter Vote with Power Stone Chapter 16: Abyssal Rule
Ye Chong exited the battlefield on his knees in exhaustion. Man that was one annoying guy! Are there even cubs in the jungle? Why was everyone on the list prepared by Mu felt like they were on steroids or something? They were so tough that one couldn’t win without losing a tooth or two. While Ye Chong was consumed in his thoughts of his battle, something was brewing.

Ye! Look out!
Mu Shang’s voice rang in Ye Chong’s head, like a bell.
What is it?!
He looked around, tensed.
There are four Mavericks identified nearby! One located at the corner, identity unknown.
A hologram of an overview of the area appeared before Ye Chong with locations of the unknown individuals marked by Mu Shang

Mavericks? What is that?
Ye Chong questioned in curiosity.

Currently it is not possible to make a clear and concise explanation here. We will talk about this when we get back. We are not aware of their intentions too!
Stealthily, the Mavericks surrounded Ye Chong. He could not tell if they did it intentionally or not and as he lifted his leg slowly stepping to the right, they moved in sync as well; maintaining a circular orbit around him. Ye Chong’s brows furrowed and sighed in frustration as he put his fingers down on the control panel, ready to launch an attack anytime,
Ye! We are under attack! Do we strike back?
beeped Mu Shang.
Even though Ye Chong could not see Mu Shang from the cabin, he still rolled his eyes and snorted,
Duh! Of course we are striking back! What else are we going to do? Even rats would counterattack with their fangs, so are we waiting here to rot away with time?


Oh.
Mu Shang flatly responded,
I see.

…
Angel’s eyes glistened in anticipation, scrutinizing every detail surrounding her. Waves crashing in a unique rhythm; Angel’s acute sense of sight picks up surrounding features such as the needle on clock at the lobby that struck at a quarter past nine and 32 seconds.
Oblivious of what was happening, YC made no moves since he was not able to sense any apparent danger. On the other hand, an expert with keen eyes like Angel was aware of the situation YC was in; it was evident that the Mavericks had placed a surge seeker on YC. It only needed a few seconds for the device to link with the system of the target and by then it would be too late for them to discover and eliminate it. Everyone in the galaxy would have access to YC’s database! The only effective way to tackle the surge seeker is to avoid it but as soon as it is attached on you, the fun begins!
The debate here would be; could YC be just another commoner?
Angel scoffed in disgust at a ridiculous pay by the Luo family to effortlessly wipe out a commoner like YC. Tension rumbled at the pit of Angel’s stomach with regret. While he could have finish YC off with a few strikes and receive that handsome pay, he decided to monitor the victim from afar. He was certain that even his bone eater would outperform the outdated surge seeker easily. Just when Angel started to drown in remorse, the situation changed dramatically on the battlefield!
A screeching cry can be heard that brings chill down your spine. Angel’s lips were moving inarticulately but no words could be heard. A formless pressure crushed Angel; his body was locked and stuck as if imprisoned in a grip by an invisible hand. No limbs can be moved except for his befuddled thoughts! Angel could not budge as all eyes were fixed on YC.
Time seemed to have frozen in place like a three-dimensional projected hologram, a one-of-a-kind disturbing stillness. Angel struggled as he choked out words but failed as the space had turned into a vacuum with no medium but dead silence. Angel’s pupils filled with the deepest fear; his mind thrashing like dark vines creeping up all over one’s body.
YC made no further moves, other than a cold stare plastered on his face.
Angel’s heart felt colder than an iceberg and a snowfield! He panicked as realization sunk into him that YC was looking right into his soul; he moaned internally at his awaited doom. YC’s stare impaled the heart like a glacial spike, breaking through the fragile sense of security, obliterating all hopes in sheer coldness. Angel closed his eyes as he begged for mercy. Please!
In a blink of an eye, the field changed again!
A black hole was formed as it swallowed YC into an abyss that could bring forth the darkest fear of any individuals. Slowly, it engulfed everything nearby. Soon, Angel too was mercilessly sucked in by this dark force. The eyes detected nothing but darkness as Angel lost consciousness.
…
Angel gently peeled open his eyes.
He sat up thunderstruck by the encounter just awhile ago. It felt like it was a dream that only lasted a brief second and he’s back to reality. Was the abyss part of the dream or was it something else? Angel questioned but dared not figure it out.
He glanced at the clock; a quarter past nine 35 seconds! It has only been 3 seconds?!
Recollecting the sequence of events, YC had already vanished into thin air but it was only 3 seconds and he had already escaped. Angel was absolutely sure that YC was there. There was no way a man could run that fast!
Angel walked away and instantaneously he saw the four mavericks from before who had been there in the same posture and position much like a sculpture.
Something was not right, Angel held his steps as the waves wavered in his hands spread between them, but no anomaly was found. After a few hours, the mavericks still remained as sculpture-like; no words were uttered while a passerby was amazed by such lively looking sculptures in the area. Angel wanted to have a closer look so he blended in with the pedestrians and walked towards the sculptures.
Pale and lifeless. Those were the words Angel thought upon seeing their faces. A frantic sharp ringing in his head made Angel anxious.
A face of such kind was not new to him. This is the second time he had experienced this particular symptom. The first time was during the aftermath of two defeated ultimate mavericks in a battle; their souls were completely drained due to brain neural damage. It was the exact kind of face he saw!
He shuddered and trembled in fear, feeling the chills up his spine as he choked on his saliva; the drought in his throat froze his movements.
It… It …. It was not a dream….
Ever-expanding black hole, constant coldness, deafening silence; everything came crashing down and circulating through his mind as he picked up the pieces. The feeling was disturbing and frightening. Angel could not endure it any longer as he let out a shriek and disconnected right after.
…

So…


Mu, what is this maverick you had been mumbling about? How is it that I had never heard of it?


Mavericks are the experts in utilizing processors at the virtual world with special abilities. They are known as the ones in the gray area for they stand between life and death, the black and white, could be both benign and malignant. Hence, the name. Mavericks denote the field they hold expertise in so much it felt like a walk in the park.

Ye Chong had lost his interests at the mention of processors.
Eh, is it? I don’t really care about some processor professor in the field, so what happened to them anyway?


Permanent neurological brain damage.


Permanent neurological… what? What do you mean?


It’s the state that would eventually lead to either death or dementia.

Ye Chong raised his brows,
Oh, very well. Then they will be obedient as ever!
At Trash Planet-12, if a man showed mercy to his enemies, he would be as good as the skeletons on the floor. He would be nothing more than bones on the ground. Ye Chong had already gotten used to a life of fight or perish so death was nothing new to him!

Oh wait!
He turned to Mu Shang.

Isn’t there another guy in the corner?

Comments (19)


Crews8er Blame both… The change over between characters is jarring to say the least and Angel is identified as a girl and a guy. I believe it is Mu who is a Maverick rather than Ye. At this point there seems to be much more to Mu than being an advanced AI


Daoist_KenBoCole Apathetic and murderous MC, I like.


PythonN18 I only understood like 0.1℅ percent of chapter, don’t know whether to blame the translator or more like the author

VIEW ALL COMMENTS Rate this chapter Vote with Power Stone Chapter 17: That YC Guy
Mu Shang sneered,
You’ll know by then.

This fight was no other than a walk in the park; like a stone skimming across the water, one ripple after another with no huge impact. On a more important note, Ye Chong had fallen in love with the life he had gotten which was filled with entertainment and adventure. He had never felt so accomplished before! It was like he was born ready to battle with various classes of people with different mechs. The contentment of his life made him giddy with excitement.
Ye Chong would head to the streets of Gudista for a stroll and talk to the elders there to pass his free time. Besides that, he would also carry on with his ever-changing courses of training after he has finished his virtual world punching session on a daily basis. Compared to the days occupied by scavenging for food and defeating mutants on Trash Planet-12, the current way of life is more fitting for an active and healthy teenager like Ye Chong.
As for the trainings on the list Mu gave, he had already crossed out more than half of them by now!
Ye Chong never knew how prominent his image was throughout the galaxy for a hermit he once was. YC the fighter, who never rest on his laurels, had defeated one opponent after another. It had become the talk of the town among the NR trainees at the FMPA ever since his glorious battle with the Shield of Thorns.
Shield of Thorns was known as the one whom piloted mech
Lorcupine
which was ranked at 82 in the FMPA offensive forces; notorious for possessing both skills and strength, and had gained tons of fans with his distinctive style of fighting. The battle ring was always flooded with spectators if he was in the battlefield.
A man so great was in the end defeated by Ye Chong with a final blow to the head.
Despite the impressive triumph, everyone thought there was nothing extraordinary about the battle. Any individual would have to face defeat one day with no exceptions to the top fighter in EMPA, the Son of Light, who averagely gets knocked out around 10 times a year. Therefore, the Shield of Thorns must have some breaks in his consecutive victories.
What was astounding was the fact that Ye Chong’s mech was only a Lacherl.
Lacherl, namely the soldier major is a humanoid mech with low specification and built with a sturdy shell; providing an astronomical defense compared to other mechs of the same level. Additionally, it also has a mediocre or even unbearable speed and mobility, inferring it to be more of a threatening defensive niche in the field. It was especially threatening when the high speed ranged shooting technique became a trend among the fighters; which just happened to be the biggest counter towards its guard, thus killing the population of Lacherl users close to extinction.
Spectators booed at Ye Chong continuously upon seeing him maneuvering a Lacherl into the battlefield. Lordcupine, categorized under OU (Overused) for its premium quality and high ranking in offensive forces would have crashed this wall easily in one blow.
Ye Chong found such expertise absolutely unnecessary and tediously lengthy in mastering the skills. It was too complex for a mere child who had never been through much like him to understand. But frankly speaking, he likes the Lacherl because not only was she the first humanoid model he piloted in the training field, she also looked quite similar to Winnie; in spite of her weight, she moves considerably faster than good old Winnie.
A premium model dueling with a novice model can be compared to an armored warrior fighting a naked farmer.
Nothing much can be expected from the result seeing that there would be no dramatic twist or the what-ifs. The spectators watched in agreement that the Shield of Thorns’ effortless victory would be justifiable from the model of Ye Chong’s mech. It was a wrong model to begin with but the unforeseen circumstances before the audiences had them gawping in awe and surprise.
Lacherl swoops down and struck its opponent. It took the Shield of Thorns by surprise as he sneers in discontentment. How badly does she want to taste death? Spectators booed in disbelief at YC, a hero of the zeroes. Suddenly, the room was filled with silence as everyone stared at next spectacle with wide eyes.
Judging from their reactions, everyone had the same thought; how does a heavy machine like Lacherl move this fast?
Jaws dropped as they continued to observe the battle. Lacherl circled Lorcupine swiftly and every swing of the sword confused the Shield of Thorns. At times when he thought to have gotten the sequence of the attack, Lacher1 managed to pull a different trick. In the end, he failed to even land an attack on the highness, Lacherl.
Lorcupine was dazed in confusion; he was the one who owned a premium mech but was struck down by a novice mech. It dawned on him that the Lacher1 looks different as if it was upgraded into a brand new model.
Could it be that the Lacherl have been modified? Did he replace the engine? How could Lorcupine not land a single strike even if Lacher1 was modified with marvelous craftsman skills? Are you freaking kidding me?!
Thoughts raced through his mind in frustration.
Still, that was the reality even if it was unbelievable. The Lacherl piloted by Ye Chong had the upper-hand throughout the fight. However, Shield of Thorns was not a weak one either; he is well-rounded in offensiveness and defensiveness. He is like a sword as good as it’s a shield, the traditional combination worked wonders in his hands, with various kinds of defense techniques – blocking, cancelling, grinding and breaking. Holding up against Lacherl impeccably with the occasional glow of his sword coming from his sequence of defense, a prime manifestation of Lord Porcupine himself; in the shield of the thorns, one prick and you’ll pay for it.
Ye Chong was ignorant as he did not produce the opportunity for a strike back and he calmly carried on his inputs.
Such a rare scene indeed! The fight was so overwhelming it had everyone on the edge of their seats amazed by the tension of the battle. They immediately whipped out their hologram recorders to capture this precious fight. Right after the fight ended, the scenes were posted into a discussion forum which attracted enough attention to be crowned as the top news on the site.
Fans had gone through the visuals and were astounded by the skillfulness of YC as they all agreed from their discovery that the Lacherl was an original, unmodified model and that her speed was already at its maximum. The difference was however, YC piloted her in a fair set of movement with sharp turning points rapidly done between each step and by the time Mr. Shield of Thorns could land an attack, YC would have placed her at a safer point; an illusion created that the Lacherl outsped the Lorcupine.
In addition, the heftiness of Lacherl was an advantage YC utilized. According to the analysis based on the visuals, the direction of the sword was aligned with the direction of impulse from Lacherl herself in every strike. To put it simply, every attack made had an enormous amount of kinetic energy under the highest speed of the mech, making Lacherl into a killer machine; brandishing to land a strike. Without a doubt, Lacher1 was an intimidating opponent.
Regardless of the mech’s model, be it a fighting type or the shooting type, the core would always be the speed of control. When the speed of mech is high, maintaining the accuracy of inputs would have been highly difficult even with the aid of a powerful processor. Technically, when the mech reaches a velocity that passes the highest capacity by more than 70%, the struggle to maintain an accurate input would steeply increase. While YC broke the speed cap and was still able to glide like a bird, the other pilots who were watching couldn’t help but to salute him out of deep respect.
To think that those outcomes of the investigation were already astonishing, there’s more. One attentive pilot calculated YC’s movements; in 3 seconds, within a distance of mere 100 meters, YC had already executed sharp low-angled turnings eight times! When the results were posted on the site, the pressure was exerted and the anxiety brewed!
Such technique was called the Low Angled Turning, the most practical and yet the most challenging technique to perform by the speedy models. Well, almost all pilots knew the trick but it was still the hardest one to play out. The sharp turnings while traveling at maximum speed would constantly bring discomfort to the pilot’s body which would heighten as the speed increases.
Eight continuous Low Angled Turnings in three seconds was a baffling accomplishment. It was almost as if YC was a mutated ape from another galaxy.
The community thought that is was preposterous and started doubting if the calculation was done correctly or not. The network was a virtual reality. If he couldn’t do it outside the virtual world, he could never do it here. The system would have prompted him about ‘system failure’ right away!
Questions filled the air about a man achieving the unachievable. Could a mortal’s body be this durable?
Anyone that knew about the mysterious YC started to monitor him as fans awaited more mind-boggling matches to test the limits of their hearts.
Comments (18)


Chaoscycle He’s more of ape-like from another planet lol


Meowhead Is this machine translated now? It got so bad i might have to drop it 🙁


Virilitas Ugh. It’s just like skyfire avenue where the author thinks a system would have better performance of you just jam in more commands. As if we would build nexus to have rts style controls and micro manage the whole thing with your huge apm

VIEW ALL COMMENTS Rate this chapter Vote with Power Stone Chapter 18: Turn in Events
YC is like a never-ending cave of treasure where one will not see the end because there’s always a new trick up his sleeves that constantly caught everyone by surprise.
Skills ranged from the Thomas’ Spin to the Wavy Step were classic moves that were like bread and butter to the pilots. As fundamental as they were, the skills became something that was extraordinary when executed by YC at the same time deadly as well. Moreover, his emergence shattered the dogma of how advanced techniques would win them all, and the superstitions of how a premium mech would determine victory in the general public. The trends have evolved into a new era where basic moves were in the spotlight once again.
There were even some who identified and compiled every set of moves used by YC in the visuals available as new references in the textbooks.
Not once did YC ever comment about his reputation. He had unfailingly challenged three pilots a day and vanished right after. No one could tell who he was and no one would know where he came from. He would always remain a mystery among the community which had initiated a cult of his fandom; those that crazed for his appearance and craved for his flaunt of skills.
Contrary to the habits of the pilots, YC had never operated only one particular kind of mech. Instead, he changed them regularly and all of them also happened to be the pre-made models. Pre-made models were more of the majority than modified models in the field. These models were mostly used of commoners like YC due to the fact that they could not afford to modify their mechs which would cost them a fortune. Plus, these standard models have stark disadvantages compared to the modified models but despite that, YC brought life into them. Every single ounce of the mechs’ capacity had been utilized, their wills were resuscitated and the continuous episode of the weak surpassing the strong replayed on the battlefield.
Whenever YC piloted a different type of mech, a brand new variation of strategies would get showcased and it would be beyond everyone else’s imagination! The ending of his moves could hardly be predicted like the master among the experts, every input was under his control and anything under his vicinity could be killing weaponry. Once the champion fighter, the Son of Light commented,
If he were to pilot a mech of the same level as mine, I’m not even sure whether I could take him down!

The visuals of YC’s battles were the hottest items in the virtual world.
YC could be seen as rather impulsive fighter to the other world, but he could not care less. Ye Chong was not concerned about whoever that sang for his victories and thirsted for his fights; his life would not be altered by them. The battles that he partook up until now was to sharpen his ability and to improvise the chance of survival on this dying planet of trash.
Without a doubt his mentor Mu Shang was amazed.
Hmm, this is a good trick. You could think about keeping it.
Mu Shang praised as he watched Ye Chong performed a Low Angled Turning.
Later in the days, Ye Chong had a new daily task at hand which is to pilot Mu Shang! Wow, Mu actually pulled off a significant low angled turning about 20 times in three seconds! That is scary! Ye Chong mumbled to himself.
The first ride ended up as quite a horrifying experience to Ye Chong. He had to drag his feet out of the cabin with his face drained of color and his legs trembled. Before he could even utter a word, he threw up drastically and was forced to take a break for the next few days despite having a strong physique.

Dammit Mu! How could you do this to me! You actually shut down the cabin pressure buffering system?
Ye Chong muttered in complain as he flopped on the bed while shooting a glare at Mu who was smirking at the side. Hmph!

The side effect does not seem too bad. Hmmm, we could still increase intensity!
Ye Chong was exasperated but with a final blow, he was knocked out!
Mu was definitely not joking around and as expected, he really did raise the intensity by turning it up a notch!
Fortunately, Ye Chong too was not a typical fighter. With buffed up muscles like a mutated ape, he made it through the first few days of piloting Mu and as time passed, such training had become the easiest part of his day.
…
Jeb shrieked,
What?! We had lost contact?

Butler Chew responded,
Yes! I too have not the slightest idea on what’s going on, but we had indeed lost contact with the four mavericks we sent. They seemed to have disappeared… I suspect…


What do you suspect?

Butler Chew glanced at his master,
I sus…suspect.. they could be in grave danger!


Grave danger? What do you mean?


I had heard from Sir Luo that the mavericks hold the ability to disrupt the neurological system of a man’s brain through the network of the virtual world, given they were strong enough… I speculated… were these happened to be…


For real?!
Jeb was fuming in disbelief.
Why does a man like me have never heard of such story? Are you pulling my legs?


No sire. There’s no way I would dare to offend your greatness.
The butler quickly begged for forgiveness,
I shall fulfill all the orders by your greatness, whatever it take, on my own. I would and only would do it by myself. If it’s for your greatness, how would I dare to be negligent and let others take over?


Of course you wouldn’t dare!
Jeb snorted. He hesitated for a moment,
Is this the end of the whole episode?
Jeb knew very well ever since he was born into a big family like this about the dangers of making enemies in the field; especially those who lurk in darkness whom he couldn’t see.
Butler Chew exhaled in relief knowing that he would be the last one to die even in the worst case scenario.
Master is such a decisive and forgiving leader!
At the same time, he did not forget to butter up to Jeb. Jeb snickered at his compliment and felt overjoyed.
It has been three days since Angel had vaporized from the virtual world!
Day by day he feared and regretted of what he had done and wondered why he would be so impulsive as to accept that foolish request! The nightmare haunted him like a skeleton in the closet, clouding his mind.
He was furious! For a maverick like him, being forbidden to go on virtual web was like a bird losing its wings to fly! Regardless, he dared not oppose his own will; if virtual web was his wings, he would rather not to lose his life over it. For three days he curled up in the gloomy cottage, feeling a little insecure.
The fifth day came and the former glory gleam on his face was long gone. Now, all that was left were the horrors which prevailed from the torture he had been through.
On the eighth day, he snapped!
His wrinkled hands reached out to the helmet at the corner. If he were to die, an instant death was always better than suffering in pain.
Well, what am I even thinking? Maybe the guy didn’t even recognize me at all. I’m just overthinking. Why would he care!?
His fingers gently caressed the round surface of the helmet. The expression plastered on his face was like one in a trance as he thought to himself; to go or not to go? The decisions drummed in his head. He still could not come to a decision.
At last, biting his teeth, he put on his helmet and logged in!
He became calm as he stood in a moving crowd and looked upon the virtual world.
He walked for few hours yet nothing had happened but a wave of relief washed over him. Apparently, it was indeed him overthinking things.
Tranquility started filling his heart as he began to hum and strolled towards a gathering spot for mavericks to get some info because there were still doubts that nagged in him.
Who was this YC? I had never heard of a maverick of such kind? He queried and would absolutely like to find out more about this guy.
And out of a sudden, the world shook!
Comments (12)


immortal_corrupt Nice this novel takes things quick. No long chapters about him slowly finishing all his moves xD


Izhar5 thank you for the chapter


Daoist_KenBoCole I’ve been seeing a trend of comments like this from diffrent people from different novels, have the chapters been edited since the time of these comments or are my standards really low? I haven’t really been seeing any problems with these translations other than the annoying
and&
stuff!

VIEW ALL COMMENTS Rate this chapter Vote with Power Stone Chapter 19: Sudden Attack
The ground shook and Angel felt sunken, as he was pulled beyond his own weight. He could barely react in time as he lost control of his body. It might be happening in the virtual world yet his body was soaked with cold sweat. A mystical voice boomed into his ears,
You have finally come! I have waited long enough!

Angel replied in a trembled voice,
Who… Who are you?
He acted frankly, for it was perhaps the last day or the last moment of his life. The reason being that he would really want to know the identity of this man among the Mavericks, not with vengeance, but with admiration. YC had earned his respect during the battle before for his outstanding performance in any aspect of the field that Angel could not compete. Like an alpine mountain in his career, steep and craggy, YC became the idol in his mind. If he were to be dead afterwards, due to YC, Angel would be fine and have no complaint with that fact. He was prepared for the consequences, knowing the fact that YC could have been a member of the Mavericks all this while.
Angel froze alone in a distorted posture in place. There wasn’t anybody around.
A fading voice flashed before him,
Keke, haven’t you done your research? How could you still not know who I am?
The question had Angel pale and frightened,
I know I am impotent to you. But why the trickery? It’s not funny.

… A moment of silence struck the place.
The voice lingered apologetically,
I’m sorry for what I’ve done just now!
And it dramatically turned into a blood-thirsty voice,
But I know. You are certain of why I am here. Aren’t you?

Angel shuddered. I knew it! What’s coming to him would arrive in the end. Well, there wouldn’t be a need for him to keep hiding anymore. Angel then confessed everything, from how he got his deal, to how he hacked into the core of the training ground, without holding back.
He was ready for death as he closed his eyes, with his mouth shut tightly immediately after the confession.
…
… He awaited his death, but nothing occurred. And by the time he had realized it, his body regained its mobility.

If you want to kill me, just do it already!

His shaking voice trailed off in the street where a few pedestrians had their eyes fixed on Angel in deep pity, as if seeing an idiot in his own melodrama.
Did he… let go of me… for real? He was in disbelief. He tried lifting himself up from his feet. The unforgettable voice from the previous oblivion was not ringing in his ears anymore. Angel, who held back his flooding tears, slammed the logout button at light speed!
At Luo’s Research Center.
The manager rested in his cozy armchair, setting his eyes upon the view of the outside world through the highly transparent glass window. He watched the people below hurry by, as a feeling of serenity surged through his body, for he knew that this very research institute is the heart of the Luo family and is significant to what kept their family going strong. Due to Luo’s authority, the existence of this institute had been safely protected in secret. The strength of this research center! It would be among the first few in the entire Fal galaxy. The lord of this family entrusted him with this center. What faith in his capability! He had thought so, as he snickered. An outsider earning this much of trust from the lord, this is more than a mere achievement.
But well, I heard there was a dispute between the young master and the lord… wonder if it’s true… Sigh… every family has their own difficulty, not even the great lord, wise and decisive, could prevent this. Still, this was very strange. The young master had always been known for his gentle and humble nature, a genuine man, and a likeable character to the lord. Then why the dispute? Almost everyone in the house presumed the young master was to be the successor to the Luo family, even the lord himself claimed in a few occasions that the young master could take his legacy and become the next prominent figure in the family. Does that mean he is now keener towards the younger master? It couldn’t be! That young man only knew how to spend his rotten life wallowing in his gambling and prostitution! There was not once he caused problem without raising the name of the Luo family. Oh, all the nonsense he had done! The people hate him! Even the lord hates him to the bone! The lord couldn’t have been this dim-witted, could he?
The fiasco panicked everyone under the roof. There hadn’t been good news coming from the authority and nobody wanted to know the details, for it would cost their head if they knew about it!
His pondering was interrupted by the alarm that came wailing.
Luo Renhuo jumped up from his chair and rushed to the lobby, upholding his nature of responsibility, always being in the frontline, as complimented by his lord.
The institute had descended into chaos. The researchers scurried around in fear.
He scowled and shouted,
What’s with the panic! Everyone, get back into your positions! Mo Lianfu, what’s going on?
His steadiness influenced the men and the situation became under control. His reputation among the men had pacified the institute!
A slender man quickly reported,
Manager, we have been attacked! Our processor was damaged and we have lost control! What should we do? We are doomed at this rate!


Lost control?
His head was bombarded by bewilderment for a while, with his eyes reflecting the horrified look of Mo Lianfu awaiting for further commands.
Luo Ren was finally conscious, surely he could not go wrong at this stage, if not, everything else would go wrong!
They sprinted to the processor control room, where the usually empty room was crowded by people by then. None of the crowd were tranquil.
An aged researcher waved at them.

Elder Mo, how’s the situation? Could we retrieve control?
Manager’s tone was somber, but he tried maintaining respect towards Elder Mo,for he was Mo Lianfu’s grandfather, who also happened to be the senior researcher in the institute. Even the lord would address him as Elder Mo.
Elder Mo shook his head,
It’s really, really bad. The attacker might have been a Maverick, who snuck in stealthily into our institute. Ohh… how could we have not notice! The shame!
Elder Mo felt sorry for his helplessness.

Is there really no way to resolve this?
Manager Luo nervously asked.
Elder Mo pointed his fingers towards ten men in helmets,
Well we would have to depend on them. They are the experts among the Mavericks we could find, hopefully they could at least trace the attacker in the virtual network.
He pondered,
It would be best if you inform the lord right away and call for aid!

Manager Luo went to connect with the communicator on the spot, as the research institute held great significance, all the reporting goes to the master, directly!
Connection failed. Connection failed. Connection failed. He tried connecting for sometime but all of them failed. The manager’s face further drained. An intuition pulsed within him that something bad had happened. What if the lord was attacked too? His heart skipped a beat. This is a planned attack! Everything was well chained and well guarded! And they could only passively stay. Who in the world is this brilliant attacker?
He whispered,
Elder Mo, stay here and watch over everybody. I’ll go get backup from the lord.
And he jumped right through the window.
Wait! This is the 80th floor of the building! Manager!
As he fell freely in the air, his right pointing finger and middle finger fondled the mech warping button and in an instant, a blazing red humanoid mech appeared before him. He grabbed the right arm swiftly and slid into the cabin.
All engines on! Full speed due northwest!
Comments (9)


Daoist_KenBoCole I suspect he was just waiting for a chance to superman out the window in front of everyone to show off.


Crews8er That’s some bada$$ loyalty from Mr Manager


Izhar5 lol he found the right time to do so, it would have looked bad if something malfunction and he fell to his death

VIEW ALL COMMENTS Rate this chapter Vote with Power Stone Chapter 20: Aftermath
When Manager Luo made his arrival at Luo’s HQ, he finally realized how serious the situation had turned out.
The Luos suffered immense loss this time! It is beyond calculation! When he saw the lord, he couldn’t believe his eyes. The sulky man in his elderly was the wisest leader of the family for the past 200 years. The confidence, grace and exerting pride were no longer seen by then. The lord before him was merely an elder in despair. There wasn’t much for him to do anymore, thus the manager backed away.
This time, the resultant attack caused an estimated loss that everyone in the house feared. A fatal blow in the record of the Luo’s reign. If it wasn’t for the young master who took over the place straightaway after the raid, the chaos would not have ended just yet.
The raid’s source was inferred to have come from the virtual world as all units that made direct connection to the virtual world were involved in the attack. Moreover though, in this raid the attacker had also applied indirect attacks with external forces, meaning the inputs were too from the network. After some analysis made by Luo’s own technicians, these attacks were believed to be done singlehandedly. That means, there could only be one man on the other side!
If it’s so, it would be terrorizing! One man? One man who could perform such detailed planning with such complicated calculation, instantaneously on all units? Does he have shadow partners or something? At this point, everyone showed disbelief.
The attacker did not leave any form of trail, not even his input calculations. Statistics depicted that right at the first moment of the attack, there had already been 89 Mavericks and more than 200 technicians at an attempt to stop the coming attack in the virtual network. The figure showed a steep increase to 152 mavericks and about 400 technicians online. The manpower of the Luo’s was so powerful, even the Ji family, the expert of the experts for the processor that would not be easy to take on, yet they failed to even identify the attacker. The attack could not be stopped. They could only watch everything that was happening before them.
Who is this attacker? Why is he attacking the Luo? Revenge? Anger? Other kinds of motive? The questions puzzled the young master who had just taken over. Luo Heng was disturbed. If he could not find out who the attacker was, then he would have to bear the upcoming attacks unknowingly. This is really bad for the family! This would be equivalent to being choked by the attacker as all the business running under the institute had connections with the virtual world!
People around speculated that this could be done purposely by other competing families in Fal, as it seemed they could be the only suspects. But only Luo Heng was well aware that it could never be them. The 4 major families that held the veins of technological development in Fal, the Luo, the Yuan, the Gu and the Ji families. They all shared similar strengths. Even if the second strongest Ji families could not have wounded the Luo this hard. Plus, the connections between the families were more than just complications. There had been various occasions where they had cross-family marriages, balancing out the mutuality among them carefully. He believed that such kind of attack would not benefit any of them in the long run and none of the family would be this short-sighted.
Out of the blue, the communicator buzzed on the desk.
He knotted his brows briefly. Haven’t I told them that I do not want to be disturbed at the moment?
He pressed the accept button, a partially translucent interface showed up before him. Oddly enough, there wasn’t anything on the screen and a dubious voice came from the other side,
Greetings. It was such a pity that I could not appear to celebrate this occasion. Oh, I almost forgot! Congratulations on becoming the successor of the family!

You have finally showed up huh! Luo Heng almost could not hold his agitation,
Who are you! And why are you attacking the Luo! What has the Luo family done to you?

The voice replied teasingly,
Well for that, you have to ask your own brother! To avoid any unnecessary inconvenience, I decided to demonstrate a little bit of my capability, just enough to warn you all!

Jeb! Luo Heng roared in his heart,
Very well then, how would you like to end this?
Luo Heng acknowledged the difference between them, thus he put them aside inferiorly.
The person tittered in the communicator,
I’ve already said, this is merely a forewarning. If you all could leave me alone, perhaps I could save some more time and not waste it on things like this! So, my recommendation would be, you all should abort any kinds of actions against me. Of course, this is only my two-cents. If you have confidence in your men, you could just disregard it and let it slip by like a winter breeze. But, you better be prepared for my next attack!

What a blatant threat! Dammit! The young master cursed in his mind, but there’s nothing else better than this for things to end. The Luo currently needed time more than anything else, to rebuild forces. He weakly responded,
Are you sincere in your words?


Certainly. Honesty is always my virtue!


Alright then! We have a deal!

A knock on the door resounded from the other side of the room,

Hmm, looks like it is time for me to leave. Good bye!
The screen darkened as the call was hung up.

Come in!

His assistance walked in and humbly reminded,
Master, your break time is over, next on the schedule would be …


Go get Jeb right now!

At the Fal Mech-Pilot Association (FMPA), the shortie was chatting with the tallie.
The tallie laughed,
Did you check out that match with YC?


I did!
The shortie nodded.

How was it?


He has very firm foundation in his skills. Not many men could be better in this regard!

The tallie was a bit surprised,
Oh, that means you think that he is underperforming in everything else than the basic moves?


Yes, I do agree the fact that he still needs some tweaks in other aspects of piloting, but I must say, he sure had some shocking growth over time!

The tallie agreed,
Right! His talent is beyond expertise! A bright future lies ahead of him!


Yeahhh!


What’s your count on him?

Shortie was proud,
In 3 years, he would still not even be my opponent!

The tallie giggled,
What about 3 years after?


Well it would have to depend on his rate of improvement! But at this point, there’s a high chance he could easily surpass me in 3 years…

The tallie lowered his voice,
I guess they had started to notice him, haven’t they?


Such talent, with such a grand debut he made in the battlefield, how he could expect they would not notice?


Do you think he would be chosen?

The shortie asserted,
Of course he would!


Are you sure?

The shortie was serious in his tone,
That man was as if he was born for mech!


But… the FMPA says they don’t even have a profile for him!


Well then, just let them be bothered with that, we watch our match!

The tallie chuckled,
Right!