Mecha Battle: Why Do You Use Body to Destroy Stars?

“Mine is on the cheek, a forced tattoo.”

“Let’s not talk about it, mine’s in the armpit…”

One big shot after another started chatting, awkwardly bragging.

Jiang Chen felt a bit overwhelmed and hurried to check the Abyss Rune information.

Indeed, in addition to the initial options of [Personal Data], [Mecha Attributes], [Abyss Rune Repository], and [Age-Old Shadow],

a new option had emerged: [Civilization Authority].

Upon clicking, a wealth of information appeared before his eyes.

[Civilization: Planet Blue Star]

[Authority: One]

[Hope Bearer: Jiang Chen]

[Civilization Potential: 1]

[Civilization Traits: Deep Diver, Group Diver.]

[Deep Diver: The upper limit of descending into the abyss is raised, the higher the Civilization Potential, the deeper the descent levels.]

[Group Diver: Abyss Runes no longer appear randomly; when members of the civilization reach a certain age, they automatically awaken to Abyss Runes. (The basic trials are no longer mandatory and can be freely initiated.)]

The Civilization Authority section didn’t display a lot of data,

but it contained an enormous amount of information!

What does Hope Bearer mean?

How can Civilization Potential be increased?

What are Civilization Traits?

And what does Civilization Authority represent?

Each term could extend into countless interpretations, leading to wild flights of fancy.

However, what surprised Jiang Chen the most was the Civilization Trait named [Group Diver].

It could make Abyss Runes no longer appear randomly, but instead allow all humans of a certain age to awaken to Abyss Runes directly!

To know, Planet Blue Star currently had over a million mecha pilots who possessed Abyss Runes and had passed the basic trials,

among which there were nine SSS-class evaluations, and nearly a hundred 8th Rank mecha pilots.

If the base number of a million mecha pilots was increased to 10 billion mecha pilots…

what would happen then?

Nine thousand SSS-class geniuses?

A million 8th Rank mecha pilots?

Even though the figures might not be that exaggerated, the number certainly wouldn’t be too low!

To know, a 7th Rank mecha pilot could establish a Mecha Enhancement facility within a star, and an 8th Rank mecha pilot could go to remote planets in space and establish colonies!

Such a massive base of mecha pilots was enough to bring about enormous changes to Planet Blue Star.

From a planetary civilization, it could leap swiftly into the distant stars of the interstellar age!

No…

It wasn’t a leap,

it was more like a collective ascension!

Li Xiao looked at Jiang Chen’s shocked expression, knowing he had seen the [Group Diver] trait, and began to speak.

“The alliance was initially discussing the possibility of interstellar migration.”

“But due to the emergence of abyssal creatures, which would follow any changes to our civilization’s main body, we couldn’t escape by changing planets… If we spread out to two planets, defending them would become more complicated, so it’s been on hold.”

“Now, there’s no need to consider this issue anymore.”

“According to feedback from the alliance, everyone over the age of sixteen on Planet Blue Star has awakened to the power of Abyss Runes.”

“Fortunately, the alliance has been disseminating relevant information over the years, so there hasn’t been too much chaos…”

Jiang Chen looked up at Li Xiao.

This symbol of the alliance was beaming, his eyes passionate and bright, as if they held stars.

“Jiang Chen!”

“Welcome to the era of the mecha pilot!!”

“You are the one who has opened up this new era full of infinite possibilities!!”

“In this era…”

“You are the future!”

Meanwhile,

on Planet Blue Star’s networks, search terms related to [Jiang Chen], [abyss], [mecha pilot talent], [basic trials], [model Zero Mecha], and [General Populace Awakening] were rapidly trending.

In schools, companies, on the streets, at home…

Every person who had received an Abyss Rune was looking up related information—

even though they had seen it many, many times before, and even though they had been through numerous public awareness campaigns, they couldn’t control the excitement they felt in that moment.

A man with a receding hairline stared at the black eye pattern that had appeared on the back of his hand and at the text materializing before him, frozen in place.

The woman beside him, her forearm also marked with the same black eye pattern, nudged the balding middle-aged man.

“Old Jiang, did it just say that the 1st Rank mecha pilot who crossed the abyss is our son?!”

“Of course, it is!”

Father Jiang slapped his thigh.

“Our son is the ninth SSS-class mecha pilot globally, if not him clearing the trial, then who else could it be?!”

“Looks like our ancestors are really smoking now!”

Mother Jiang couldn’t help but say.

“Forget about the ancestors for now, we’ve also awakened to the Abyss Runes, what should we do? You decide”

“What decision can I make?”

Father Jiang shook his head and said calmly.

“Anyway, there’s no need for the basic trials, let’s wait for our son to decide.”

In Shuilan City, at a board game store,

the owner looked at the photo of Jiang Chen that popped up on his phone, couldn’t resist opening his contacts, and started sending frantic messages.

“…you stood me up, and it turns out you went to attempt the abyss, huh?”

“Such a big deal, and you didn’t even tell your bro?!’

“All I’m asking for is a bit of advice, bro! I’ve just awakened my Abyss Rune, and my talent seems a bit weird, give me some pointers, big bro! Boss!”

“Urgent, urgent, urgent, urgent, urgent!”

From the perspective of Xuntian City, Planet Blue Star remained that same azure orb, unchanged in the slightest.

Beautiful, tranquil.

Yet, when the focus narrowed to each individual,

it seemed as though the whole civilization had begun to boil.

Meanwhile.

In the fourth layer of the abyss, the Neverending Storm.

Simon controlled a giant alloy mecha towering over a hundred meters, pouring out a barrage of weapon fire crazily.

Finally drawing out a ship-slicing giant blade, flames erupting behind him, he lunged forward furiously and cleaved the storm’s core center in two!

Time seemed to stand still.

The storm ceased, the planet was calm.

Accompanied by the surging abyss atmosphere, it flowed into the Abyss Rune.

Lines of text appeared before him.

[Slain the Storm Monarch, acquired perfect module: Commanding Storms.]

[Successfully killed the leader, achieved exploration goal.]

[Total time elapsed: 57 minutes 29 seconds.]

[Mission rating: SS.]

[Calculating reward based on trial rating…]

“Phew…”

Inside the mecha, Simon sat in the cockpit and couldn’t help letting out a long sigh of relief.

He was barely within the one-hour limit; had he gone over, his mission rating would have fallen to S-class.

That would have significantly decreased the chances of acquiring the Supercharge Module.

“Looks like I’ve got to take a rest.”

“Exhaustion can affect my synchronization rate with the mecha, making it harder to control and thus lowering efficiency.”

“To get the Supercharge Module, I need to balance work and rest.”

Simon thought of Jiang Chen and shook his head.

Those with physical enhancement talents are truly enviable when it comes to stamina.

Moreover, he’s been grinding at Hell difficulty for so many days now, almost without any rest.

Even among the physically enhanced mecha pilots, few are willing to grind like this.

If initially Simon simply recognized Jiang Chen’s talent,

he now admired Jiang Chen’s perseverance and felt increasingly certain about him.

Although they had never met, he had come to regard Jiang Chen as a true kindred spirit.

“Six months…”

“By then, I can collaborate with you, Jiang Chen.”

“I’m really looking forward to it,”

Simon touched the Abyss Rune near his heart.

“Exit the abyss!”

A rift opened, quickly swallowing the hundred-meter mecha.

On an unknown planet, within its ecosystem.

The hundred-meter mecha crashed down, landing in a jungle.

Simon was about to leave the cockpit when,

perhaps because he had returned to Planet Blue Star, the Abyss Rune suddenly triggered automatically, forming lines of text before his eyes.

[1st Rank mecha pilot Jiang Chen has successfully crossed the abyss, ending the calamity.]

[Civilization Potential has been raised.]

Simon stared hard at this line, having completely forgotten everything else.

1st Rank mecha pilot Jiang Chen has successfully crossed the abyss?

Jiang Chen has really crossed the abyss???!!

Slap!

He smacked his own face.

Feeling the burning pain, he knew he wasn’t dreaming.

Simon’s face instantly reddened, his cheeks grew hot, and steam almost seemed to rise from him.

His voice fell from high to low.

“Jiang… Chen—!!!”

“Six, six, six…”

“Did you mean six days instead of six months??!”

“You planned to solo the abyss in just six days?!!”

He thought back to the invitation he himself had posted online a few days ago.

It was like a boomerang flying back from afar, silently piercing his heart.

Combined with the fatigue from his all-nighters, Simon’s eyes rolled back, and he passed out.

Moments later, the teleportation array formation flickered.

A man in a suit materialized and called out hastily,

“Simon!! Simon!!”

He kept calling out several times but could only see a hundred-meter mecha, with no response to be heard.

The man in the suit looked around bewildered and scratched his head in confusion.

“Huh, where’s Simon?”