Chapter 458 – Wind Demon… Berserker Axe Flow!

Lu Feng stared blankly at the towering Mecha in front of him, the silence around him as tranquil as water, only disturbed by the rustling of the night wind through the trees.

After a moment, Lu Feng’s expression returned to calm, his eyes gradually becoming icy and hard.

“You’re not Lu Qiyuan.”

Lu Feng looked at Lu Yuan, his spatial device in hand starting to glow, emitting ripples like transparent waves.

Quickly, his figure was obscured by a bright light.

When the light dispersed, the place where Lu Feng had been standing was now occupied by a black Mecha.

This Mecha, sleek in form with disproportionately long arms and legs, did not appear fragile; instead, it exuded an aura of strength and explosive power.

At the top of the Mecha’s head was a short, sharp spiral horn, and its eyes emitted a faint red glow in the darkness, with Dual Swords crossed behind its back.

The impression it gave was that of a cold and somber knight of the dark night.

This Mecha, in both size and appearance, seemed far more advanced than the Blue Falcon Type 4.

Supported by Lu Feng’s Level 5 mental power force field, its presence completely overwhelmed the Blue Falcon Type 4 Mecha facing it.

“Speak, who are you really? What is your purpose? And where is the real Lu Qiyuan now?”

Lu Feng stared down at the Blue Falcon Type 4, which was shorter than him, while slowly drawing the Dual Swords from his back and speaking coldly.

He was almost certain that the person hidden inside the Mecha in front of him was not the real Lu Qiyuan.

The recent exchange had given him the impression of a Grandmaster who had spent years perfecting his martial arts skills to reach the peak.

The sophistication of the moves used to attack him was something he had never encountered before.

It was impossible that this could be Lu Qiyuan, from the third-rank baron Lu family, known for his frivolous reputation.

Oh no.

To be precise, it was even unlikely for someone of Lu Qiyuan’s age to have achieved such prowess.

Yet facing his questions, the mysterious youth inside seemed completely unresponsive.

Instead, the gaze of the Blue Falcon Type 4, from top to bottom, appraised him, emitting a series of admiring clicks.

“The Level 5 Storm Chaser Swordsman… indeed looks much cooler than the Blue Falcon…”

As the words fell, Lu Feng suddenly lost track of the opponent’s figure in his mental power sensing.

With a slight start, Lu Feng immediately raised the Dual Swords in his hands, adopting a stance ready for both offense and defense.

Yet, he did not panic.

After all, the Mecha controlled by his opponent was only a Level 1.

Moreover, from their recent close combat encounter, it seemed that the opponent’s mental power wasn’t particularly strong either.

His Level 5 mental power combined with a Level 5 Mecha, with these two advantages alone, he should easily overpower the opponent.

Just as he thought this-

“Boom!”

A sonic boom roared as a figure burst through the layers of airwaves, suddenly appearing in front of Lu Feng.

Lu Feng narrowed his eyes, the dark red energy bands on the black Dual Swords lit up, his tremendous mental power wrapping around the energy, flowing like dark red blood channels.

He crossed his swords and slashed out, employing a move from the Lu family’s Wind Spirit Sword Shadow Style.

The red-glowing long sword tore through the night, cunningly and fiercely aiming for the upper arm of the Blue Falcon Type 4 Mecha.

Indeed.

This guy was piloting a Level 1 Mecha against his Level 5 Mecha and had chosen to attack bare-handed.

Lu Feng couldn’t fathom where his courage came from.

Did he really think Mecha combat was the same as close-quarters martial arts?

Even if you are a Grandmaster expert in the realm of hand-to-hand combat, such a significant hardware disparity leaves no room for making a splash.

Some things can’t just be compensated for with skill alone!

Lu Feng’s eyes flashed sharply, his sword momentum cut through half, pushed by his mental power.

The already swift sword light suddenly increased in speed several times over, the blades of the dark red long swords almost momentarily disappearing in the air.

When they reappeared―

It was like the ferocious fangs of a Blood Wolf, viciously “biting” into the opponent’s arm.

“Break!”

Lu Feng twisted his Dual Swords, but the next second, he felt as if his sure-win strike had slashed against something extremely slippery.

“Sizzling―”

A flurry of sparks erupted in the night.

When Lu Feng came to his senses, the Dual Swords in his hands had already parted. The Blue Falcon Type 4, which should have had one arm cleanly severed by his strike, was somehow back in its original position.

It was as if it was a person, slowly limbering and stretching the arm that had just been “bitten.”

“Pretty impressive… almost took off your arm there…”

The voice from within the Blue Falcon Type 4 Mecha remained calm.

At this moment, Lu Feng’s attention was completely drawn to the “injured” arm.

Beneath the large gashes torn open by his sword light, he saw dark metal undulating like flesh and blood beneath the battered arm.

In just the time it took to breathe, the arm was completely restored.

“This isn’t the Blue Falcon?”

Lu Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The mistake from before seemed more excusable now.

“Hmm…”

The Blue Falcon Type 4 swung its arm and then stepped toward Lu Feng again, speaking casually.

“Consider it… Blue Falcon Type 4 +1?”

Blue Falcon Type 4 +1?

Lu Feng puzzled over the meaning of this term when a whooshing sound suddenly broke the silence, and the Blue Falcon Type 4’s figure vanished from sight again.

“Hmph!”

Lu Feng snorted coldly, his Level 5 mental power radiating strongly, with the golden core of wind in his mind spinning faster.

Locking onto the landing spot of his opponent before him, he swiftly moved forward, his Dual Swords blocking all escape routes left and right.

However, the Blue Falcon Type 4 seemed to have anticipated his move.

Instead of retreating, it advanced, facing his Dual Swords barehanded.

“Think I’d let you escape a second time in the same situation?”

Murderous intent flowed in Lu Feng’s eyes as the Storm Chaser Swordsman engine roared. In less than a second, he unleashed dozens, if not hundreds, of strikes.

The long sword, shimmering with a dark red glow, vibrated at a high frequency, weaving a dazzling dark red net of swords in the air, completely enveloping the Blue Falcon Type 4.

“Blood Wind Shadow!”

A flicker of light danced in Lu Feng’s eyes and a faint glow appeared on his forehead, a sign of his mental power reaching a heightened state of excitement.

Just as the Blue Falcon Type 4 was completely obscured by the splendid sword net, the next second…

Lu Feng was taken aback as a massive explosion erupted, shattering the dazzling web of intersecting sword blades that he had woven with his Dual Swords.

“What?!” His expression froze, his sword movement halting for a fraction of a second. By the time he regained his composure, an overwhelming force was already bearing down on him through his swords.

In his field of vision, through the myriad of shattered red glow, an imposing Mecha figure charged towards him with unmatched dominance.

What caused Lu Feng’s pupils to contract sharply was the sight of the Blue Falcon Type 4 Mecha’s fist, aiming straight for his face-its arm had expanded several times its original size!

The deep blue alloy arm was lined with bizarre, menacing black tubing, resembling overcharged veins. The gargantuan fist, almost as large as the Storm Chaser Swordsman Mecha’s two heads combined, was terrifyingly intimidating.

It smashed through the air between them, generating a series of deep, oppressive “whoo-whoo” sounds. Even with the thick Protective layers of the Mecha surrounding him, and himself nestled within Special Modulation Liquid, Lu Feng felt a terrifying pressure that made his scalp tingle.

It was as if a massive beast, far larger than the Storm Chaser Swordsman, was about to stomp down on his head with its giant hoof.

“Divine Elephant… Battering Ram!”

With no time to think, Lu Feng instinctively crossed his Dual Swords in a defensive position. In the next instant, the enormous alloy fist struck him, sending him flying backward like a rag doll.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!…” The seven-meter-tall Storm Chaser Swordsman Mecha tumbled awkwardly through the forest, crashing through ancient trees. A swarm of glowing green light spots was dislodged, whirling around like startled fireflies.

Under the starlit night sky, the scene took on a strangely romantic and ethereal beauty.

The Blue Falcon Type 4 Mecha, having just punched the Storm Chaser Swordsman away, seemed captivated by this dreamlike spectacle. It paused, raising its head to quietly admire the myriad of glowing orbs dancing in the air.

Lu Feng coughed lightly, his face grim as he got up from the ground. Glancing down, he checked his Dual Swords. The once sleek and streamlined pair of Storm Chaser long swords now showed a slight bend along the spine.

These swords were crafted from level 5 standard Mecha alloy, designed to withstand even level 5 energy cannon blasts without sustaining damage. And yet, they had been bent by a Level 1 Mecha with a bare-handed strike. It was unbelievable, almost too absurd to tell anyone.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Feng calmed his agitated mind. His gaze fixed on the Blue Falcon Type 4 Mecha, which was still lost in the spectacle of swirling “fireflies”. Any lingering underestimation in his heart vanished completely.

“A custom-tailored Mecha,” he mused. The opponent’s Mecha, which closely resembled the Blue Falcon Type 4, was undoubtedly a custom model. Features like auto-repairing damage and its peculiar ability to expand were not attributes of a standard Mecha.

Given the opponent’s mastery in the domain of martial arts, certain pieces quickly fell into place for Lu Feng. “It’s clearly made for hand-to-hand combat, custom-built for close-quarter battles. However, its overall defense level isn’t too high since my attacks can still break through.”

“It’s just that its methods are unusual and unexpected, which initially caught me off guard. But as long as I adapt to his fighting style, there’s nothing to fear.”

With determination in his eyes, Lu Feng steadied his mind. He raised his Dual Swords and began advancing towards his opponent, employing a peculiar footwork style.

Under this movement, the large body of the Storm Chaser Swordsman seemingly melded with its shadow. Despite moving in a straight line, Lu Feng appeared elusive and unpredictable.

Wind Spirit Sword Shadow Style-Shadow Step.

“Ready now?” The Blue Falcon Type 4, noticing Lu Feng’s approach, finally snapped out of its trance of lightspot admiration. Lu Feng felt its gaze land on his feet, clearly intrigued by his new movement technique.

“Not bad,” came the approving voice from the Blue Falcon Type 4 Mecha, accompanied by a light clap. “Finally showing something worthwhile.”

Lu Feng squinted, a blade-like killing intent spilling from his eyes. But before he could use the subtlety of his Shadow Step to close in for an attack, he saw the Blue Falcon Type 4 execute a peculiar motion.

It raised both hands, reaching behind its back. Then, it slowly drew out two giant axes, astonishing in size and shaped like door panels.

“Clang! Clang!” The Blue Falcon Type 4 tapped the two pitch-black axes-crafted from some unknown material-in front of it, creating a sharp, metallic ringing. Then, abruptly, it lunged forward, charging like a wild beast.

“Weaponry?! Dual Axes Style?!” Lu Feng’s heart jolted. He was about to counter with his Shadow Step when his view filled with the looming shadows of the massive axes.

Wielding axes that seemed disproportionate to its frame, the Blue Falcon Type 4 swung them fiercely at Lu Feng. Even before the axes arrived, the forest battlefield erupted in a powerful hurricane, rattling the surrounding trees and foliage.

“Get back!” Lu Feng gritted his teeth. Instead of retreating, he advanced, thrusting his Dual Swords forward. His level 5 mental power surged, unleashed without reservation.

In an instant, a visible transparent ripple burst out from the Storm Chaser Swordsman Mecha, momentarily suppressing the whirlwind and the axes’ momentum. Then, an unprecedented, dazzling scarlet sword light erupted forth.

“Boom!” The two Mechas collided violently, like colossal beasts clashing without finesse. The impact created a massive crater, several tens of meters in diameter, beneath them. Dirt, rocks, and vegetation exploded outward, scattered and shredded by the shockwave.

“Boom!”

Controlling the Storm Chaser Swordsman, Lu Feng executed a graceful arc in mid-air, finishing with a perfect backflip and landing steadily. The mech’s arms, holding Dual Swords, dropped naturally, with intricate patterns of light flickering across the surface.

“Mental power is your Achilles’ heel,” Lu Feng said coldly, advancing step by step, his expression unyielding. “Between pilots, the battle ultimately hinges on mental power. Yours… can’t even be level three, can it?”

In front of him was the Blue Falcon Type 4, half-kneeling with Dual Axes grounded, head bowed. A mocking, icy smile played on Lu Feng’s lips.

His mental power was level 5, while the opponent’s was barely below level three. A gap of more than two levels in mental power meant that even a minimal mental assault from him could leave the enemy incapacitated, if not mortally wounded, through a severe cerebral shock.

This is the greatest advantage a high-level pilot has over a low-level one: the ability to attack the pilot’s consciousness directly through the Mecha’s defenses. Unless a Mecha is equipped with rare protective materials or the pilot wears special mental protection gear, they are vulnerable to this “mental clash” attack.

That’s why, short of mass self-destruction, low-level pilots seldom pose a significant threat to high-level ones.

As Lu Feng, with Dual Swords ready, approached within twenty meters of the Blue Falcon Type 4, the seemingly dazed Mecha suddenly rose, grabbing its giant axes and standing again.

“Not bad,” the Blue Falcon Type 4 said, shaking its head, “you finally resemble a genuine level 5 pilot.”

“Uh…” Lu Feng was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. Judging by the Blue Falcon Type 4’s earlier state, it should have definitely been rattled by his mental assault.

But how could it recover so quickly from a mental clash with over two level difference?

Why didn’t it seem affected in the slightest?!

Just as Lu Feng stood in confused disbelief, the Blue Falcon Type 4 charged at him again, axes raised high.

This time, the surrounding windstorm was even fiercer. It swept up loose dirt, rocks, and leaves, forming a massive black Whirlwind of almost visible intensity.

“Wind Spirit Sword Shadow Style?” the voice taunted. “Too soft.”

“How about trying this…”

“Wind Demon Frenzied Axe Style!”

In that moment, through the layers of Mecha armor before him, Lu Feng seemed to perceive the Blue Falcon Type 4’s pilot. A young, handsome boy with wild, flowing black hair laughed boldly and exuberantly as he lunged forward.