BATTLE FOR STARS

Max advanced step by step, the flying hammer spinning steadily, closing in on Eve. Lina had already seen through Jennifer’s intention. She could retreat quickly and escape this position—but Jennifer would simply continue pressing forward.

Constant retreat was not Lina’s style. Yet she also couldn’t allow Max to gain a dominant position. So before Max could force her too far back, Eve moved to meet it head-on.

There was a reason Lina preferred to attack proactively. When avoiding the flying hammer, movement was actually safer than standing still. Acceleration took time, and remaining stationary offered no real advantage. Using the moment of evasion to close distance and initiate close combat—that was her true objective. Waiting passively was never her approach.

This time, both mechs charged toward each other. For Jennifer, movement made it harder for Lina to close in precisely—but at the same time, it also reduced the accuracy of the flying hammer.

Eve successfully avoided the hammer’s direct strike and closed the distance. With a sudden engine burst, she instantly appeared on Max’s left side and drove her blade toward the joint of its left leg.

Max’s left arm housed its most powerful impact weapon. Attacking from the rear-left angle meant that its devastating punch could not reach Eve.

The high-frequency blade targeted the connection between thigh and calf. If struck cleanly, it could cripple the leg entirely—or at the very least severely reduce mobility. In a match like this, losing a leg was nearly equivalent to defeat.

Max shifted its leg slightly, avoiding the most critical joint. Still, the blade struck the upper thigh above the knee. Eve’s weapon pierced the outer armor—just a bit more force, and the alloy would split, exposing and damaging the internal structure.

At that exact moment, a sharp warning flared in Lina’s mind.

This attack… was too smooth.

Far too smooth.

Her opponent had barely attempted to evade. The reactions didn’t match someone of equal caliber. Earlier, Max had consistently avoided her attacks—so why had this one been so easy?

Lina didn’t hesitate.

She triggered another engine burst, pulling Eve away from Max in an instant. Just as her mech disengaged, a flying hammer suddenly shot out from beneath Max’s left arm, slicing through the exact space Eve had just occupied—missing her by a fraction.

Lina guided Eve into a series of quick leaps, repositioning nearby. Her heart pounded violently, cold sweat streaming down her forehead.

That earlier “opportunity” hadn’t been real.

Max had deliberately allowed her to strike.

Even if it meant sacrificing a leg, as long as the hammer could catch Eve, the follow-up would have been inevitable—a locked target, followed by a crushing left-arm blow.

Losing a leg wouldn’t have stopped Max from delivering that attack. And once it landed, Eve would almost certainly lose the match.

“So close…” Lina thought.

Her combat instincts, honed over years, had saved her from defeat. She hadn’t expected Jennifer to use such a ruthless tactic—baiting with self-damage.

As expected, every opponent in the tournament was formidable. This first match alone was already far more difficult than any she had faced before. A single lapse in judgment had nearly cost her everything.

Lina glanced at her energy levels.

Engine bursts consumed a massive amount of power. In ordinary matches, this wasn’t an issue—her opponents were weaker, and a few bursts were enough to secure victory. But in a match of this level, finding a decisive opening with such techniques was far more difficult. Her opponent’s reactions were equally sharp.

Although Eve was lighter, Lina had already expended more energy through movement and repeated bursts than Jennifer. If the battle continued in this stalemate, she might run out of energy before landing a decisive blow.

In the past, Lina rarely worried about energy consumption.

Now, she had no choice but to consider it.

Of course, her most powerful technique—“Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens”—had yet to be used. But even if it created an opening, she wasn’t certain it could truly cripple Max.

Max’s armor was not only thick, but Jennifer’s reactions were fast. If the result was only superficial damage at the cost of massive energy expenditure, it would be a losing trade.

Lina stared at Max in the distance, the flying hammer already spinning again, preparing for the next assault.

Suddenly, a plan formed in her mind.

It startled even her.

It was extremely risky.

If it failed, it would mean instant defeat.

Her thoughts raced, calculating the risks and rewards. Should she really take the gamble? So far, neither side had gained a clear advantage.

But there was no time.

Max was already charging again.

Eve barely dodged the incoming hammer and rushed forward, then carefully avoided the returning strike as she closed in once more. But this time, Max did not allow her to engage at close range. Before Eve could fully approach, Max retreated swiftly.

After dodging another thrown hammer, Eve leapt forward again, forcing Max to use an engine burst to widen the distance. Eve was fast—but without using her own burst, she couldn’t catch up.

This time, Lina chose not to pursue.

After evading the hammer, she withdrew to a slightly farther position.

Now she fully understood Jennifer’s strategy.

At first, Jennifer had attempted to lure her in and trap her with the hammer—but that had failed. Now she had shifted tactics. She attacked head-on, but whenever Lina closed in, she would immediately create distance, refusing to engage in close combat.

Without proximity, Eve’s high-frequency blade was useless.

All Jennifer needed was a single successful capture with the hammer.

That would be enough to win.

This approach put Lina in a difficult position. To get close, she had to take significant risks—but even then, she couldn’t guarantee meaningful damage. Max’s armor was simply too strong.

In theory, Jennifer only needed one successful hit.

The question was whether Lina could inflict enough damage before that moment came.