Rebirth: The Universe's Hidden Heiress-Chapter 21: Fight!

"Feel free to customize your mecha," the guidance system announced, pulling up the mecha crafting interface. Yuka glanced over it and started by picking out the color for her mecha.

"Black, please," Yuka commanded aloud.

But her butler had other ideas. "Pink! It’s gotta be pink!" it insisted, throwing a digital tantrum in Yuka’s mind, almost as if it would burst into tears if she didn’t agree.

Yuka sighed. Arguing with an AI was pointless.

With a reluctant swipe, Yuka switched the mecha’s color to pink and then opted for a smaller model. When it came to weaponry, she hesitated before installing firepower on the right arm.

The left arm, she left mostly unaltered. After all, with Oniyon’s psychic power control, it could morph into any weapon she desired. But to throw off any potential enemies, she picked a metallic whip from the arsenal and then hopped into the mecha’s cockpit, selecting the "Arena Match" option.

"Matchmaking in progress... Match found. Current ranking: 166430."

Suddenly, Yuka found herself on a stark white square arena, facing a rough, basic model mecha.

"15 seconds to match start. Reminder: attacking before the start will lead to automatic disqualification and a three-day ban," the guidance’s voice echoed in her ear.

Yuka tilted her head, waiting for the countdown.

As soon as the start command was issued, Yuka sprang into action. She whipped up her left hand, the crack of the whip splitting the air. Before her opponent could react, the whip had already entangled its upper body.

The enemy pilot, stunned, tried to break free, only to find their mecha soaring high and then crashing out of the arena.

"Congratulations on winning the match. Current ranking: 165340. Continue?"

Yuka nodded, "Keep going."

Given her current ranking, she was mostly up against beginners. Some had never even seen a mecha before, just there for the excitement, with zero points. So Yuka won match after match with a single whip strike, her ranking skyrocketing.

This rapid ascent caught the attention of some, including ’Rokujou Saltyfish,’ a small-time streamer with thousands of followers. Not famous enough for the underground arena’s live commentary gigs, he stood in the lobby, holding his equipment, live-streaming and commenting on the side.

The screens for the top 100 matches were swamped with other streamers, leaving Rokujou no chance to break into the spotlight. He turned to a smaller screen, scouting for promising rookies among the newbies.

Picking out promising rookies and commentating on their rise to the top 100 was known in the industry as "nurturing". This was a task that required a mix of luck and keen insight.

Making it to the top 100 was a rare feat, and finding such a gem among newcomers was like searching for a needle in a haystack. For a streamer like Rokujou Saltyfish, it was a high-risk, low-return gamble.

Just as Rokujou was about to turn away from the small screen, a certain pink mecha caught his eye. "Huh..." he stroked his chin, intrigued, "That player’s weapon is pretty unique. Whoa, did she just toss the opponent out like that?"

After watching a few more matches, Rokujou was impressed by the pink mecha’s whip technique - almost every strike guaranteed victory. He made up his mind to take a gamble on this newcomer.

Turning on his streaming device, he greeted his followers, "Hey everyone, let’s switch things up today. Forget the popular players; I’ve spotted a rookie with serious potential. She’s already on a winning streak of over ten matches."

The chat was a mix of greetings and curiosity: [Good evening, Saltyfish.], [A pink mecha? Who macho guy is driving that?], [Did anyone notice the weapon? It looks like an ancient whip. I think it’s a first in the arena.]

Meanwhile, in the arena, Yuka’s rank had climbed to 77436. She was finally facing a formidable opponent.

As the countdown to the match began, Yuka studied the black mecha across from her. Its dual arm cannons indicated a preference for firepower.

Yuka wasn’t particularly skilled in firearms; she had only basic training, enough to hit large, close-range targets, like the control panel of a space pirate ship.

After a brief moment of thought, Yuka decided to challenge herself and start with a firepower attack.

Rokujou was thoughtfully rubbing his chin and commenting, "Let’s call our player ’Pinky’ for now. We can see her weapon is a long whip. I just did a quick search on the interstellar net, and it turns out the whip is mainly used for crowd control, suitable for long-range combat. Pinky’s right arm is equipped with a long cannon, also for long-range attacks. So, let’s make a bold guess..."

"Pinky is a long-range fighter," Rokujou declared confidently.

Suddenly, his expression changed, "It’s starting."

In the arena, Yuka raised her right arm at the match’s start and fired at the black mecha. The recoil pushed her back a half step. Yuka steadied her numb right arm, watching her cannon fire, curious about its destructive power.

The fiery blast soared across the arena, whizzed past the middle ground, over the black mecha’s head... and off the platform...

Yuka: ?

Opponent’s mecha: ??

Rokujou: ???

The chat erupted in laughter: [LMAF, so much for long-range attacks], [Miss Long-range (×), Missed shots (√)], [I can’t stop laughing. Did you see Roukujou’s face?], [Please let’s keep watching Pinky the whole time.]

Reacting, the black mecha fired back at Yuka. She slid to the right, smoothly dodging the incoming fire.

Undeterred, Yuka raised her arm again, firing another shot at the black mecha.

The shell whizzed past its right arm.

Yuka: ...

Black mecha: ...

Rokujou: ...

Then, Yuka and the black mecha began a chase around the arena, each firing and missing in turns.

Minutes later, after three full laps, Yuka had not landed a single shot.

The chat continued to tease: [Thanks to Saltyfish for introducing the legendary shooter ever.], [LMAF, how bad can you be to miss every shot?]

Rokujou wiped his face, almost on the verge of tears, thinking about his bad luck in choosing such a newbie to nurture.

The black mecha, losing patience, deliberately paused, ran a few extra steps to allow its arms to cool down, then raised both arms, intending to finish off the pink mecha.

Yuka was waiting for this moment.

As the black mecha raised its arms, Yuka unleashed her whip. The silver-gleaming metallic whip coiled around the black mecha’s arms, locking them tightly. The next second, Yuka yanked upwards with her left hand, lifting the upper body of the black mecha. Its arm cannons were now aimed at the ceiling.

The black mecha tried to cease its attack, but it was too late.

The twin cannon blasts shot out, exploding on contact with the virtual ceiling, sending sparks and debris raining down on the two mechas below. Yuka dodged a flying piece of metal, then pulled back on her whip, causing the black mecha to stumble.

Continuing to pull, Yuka drew the black mecha towards her and kicked its waist, sending it flying out of the arena. This sequence was executed with flawless fluidity, all within five seconds. Before Rokujou could even comment, the pink mecha had won the battle.

[Aaah, Pinky was so cool just now! I’m so hyped!], [How did she do that?], [I just looked away for a second, and it’s over? What happened?]

Then, a comment in the chat echoed everyone’s thoughts: [So, why did a close-combat fighter choose a long-range strategy?]

Someone replied: [Pinky should stick to mecha training for a few more years. At least aim the cannon properly, come on!]

Rokujou ignored the lively chat. He wiped his face, grinning with excitement. He had made the right bet on this newbie. Her previous attacks must have been a tactic to confuse her opponent and lower their guard. It couldn’t possibly be because she was bad at long-range attacks!

If Pinky didn’t mess up in future matches, she might just make it into the top 100. Rokujou decided to exclusively stream Pinky’s matches from now on.

Meanwhile, Yuka’s ranking had climbed to 63556. She silently exited the match, returning to the mecha customization screen, where she replaced the long cannon on her right arm with a Gatling gun. She refused to believe she couldn’t hit her target with that!

The butler, noticing Yuka’s mood, wisely chose to remain silent. ’Individuals should face appropriate challenges during their growth,’ it thought.

Yuka took a final glance at her ranking before leaving the holographic pod and stepping out of the room.

She returned to the lobby and chose a quiet spot to watch the matches.

The screens here were smaller, the vibe far less grand than the top 100 matches. There were no commentators, no betting.

Yuka noticed a handsome young man talking to himself while holding a camera-like device. She walked past him, observing the sharpshooters among the competitors.

The vibe in Rokujou’s live stream suddenly shifted:

[Saltyfish, switch the camera! I want to see that beautiful girl!]

[It was just a glimpse, but I know she’s the one for me.]

[Wake up! She’s clearly my wife.]

Rokujou waved his hands dismissively, "Come on, guys, it’s not cool to spy on people. Let’s get back to the matches. Look here, there’s a player who’s a real sharpshooter with guns, and also a newcomer, almost never misses."

Yuka also noticed this newcomer, a brown mecha armed with cannons on both arms. The brown mecha stood still, unleashing a barrage of bullets, leaving its opponent helpless. The protective barrier of the opponent’s cockpit shattered easily, the pilot was taken out, and the match ended swiftly.

Yuka watched for a while but felt she couldn’t replicate that level of accuracy. She turned her attention to other players and was drawn to one piloting a gold mecha, navigating a rarely chosen map mode.

The gold mecha, positioned on a hillside, used the terrain to its advantage, luring its opponent into a pitfall trap and then releasing a pre-set huge rock to crush the enemy’s mecha. freёwebnoѵel.com

It was clear that the gold mecha’s movements were a bit stiff, likely a beginner, but the pilot smartly played to their strengths, using cunning over brute force to win.

Soon after, Ayoi and Alex emerged from their rooms. Seeing Yuka in the lobby, they excitedly ran over. "Yuka, how did your match go?"

Yuka paused for two seconds, reflecting on her frustrating experience of not hitting a single shot. She replied, "Not great."

Ayoi and Alex exchanged glances and comforted her, "Don’t worry, we’ve just started learning mecha too. It’s normal not to win against those who’ve been playing for a long time. It’s okay."

After a moment, Ayoi shared her current rank: "Yuka, I’m ranked 68378 now. How about we team up? I can lead you!"

Alex quickly added, "I’m at 67996, close to Ayoi. The three of us could form a team. Remember, team points are split evenly."

Having won dozens of consecutive matches, Alex’s usual timid demeanor was gone. His confidence had surged, standing taller and speaking more assertively, his blond hair glimmering in the light.

Alex went on: "Oh, I remember Toru mentioned that the top ten, or even the top hundred, solo players in the underground arena can directly join the military if they can prove their ranking to the Alliance Army recruitment center."

Ayoi’s eyes sparkled. "Can they join the First Legion?"

"I’m not sure," Alex shook his head, "But with less than four months left in this year’s competition, we can’t match those who’ve been competing for years, nor do we stand a chance to enter the military. Let’s treat this year as practice and accumulate points."

Alex shrugged, his tone relaxed, "Who knows, we might have great synergy. We could even land in the top hundred in team matches."

Both Alex and Ayoi looked expectantly at Yuka, awaiting her response.

Yuka pondered for a moment before replying, "How about we team up next year? Let’s focus on gaining individual experience this year."

Alex and Ayoi didn’t seem disappointed, responding cheerfully, "Sure!"

Yuka internally touched her non-existent conscience, thinking that once she switched to the History Department next year, she wouldn’t need to hide her skills anymore. Then she could lead them straight into the top ten with ease. Yes, she was that confident.

Yuka asked, "What are your plans next?"

"I’m going home this weekend. My brother and his schoolmates are coming back too," Ayoi replied.

Alex’s smile faded slightly, "I have to return to the palace."

"Take care on your way," Yuka advised. "Contact me via opticomputer if needed. I plan to stay here and play a bit more, probably the entire weekend."

Ayoi and Alex nodded, "You too, stay safe."

Yuka watched them leave and asked the butler to book a hotel near Central Square. Then she left the underground arena.