Seeing a tall figure clad in metallic armor standing there, Feng Lin’s heart sank. This was actually a mech! Mechs were the pinnacle of interstellar technology—entirely metal mechanical bodies that machine warriors could pilot, unleashing strength far beyond human limits. Ever since humanity’s footprint spread across the stars, mech warriors had been the main combat force in battles against cosmic monsters and alien races.
But unlike those towering behemoths dozens of meters high, the one before Feng Lin was a rare micro-mech, barely larger than a person, resembling an ancient suit of armor draped over a human body. Only the flickering energy core in its chest revealed its true identity as a mech.
“Feng Lin, challenger. I am the sixteenth-floor guardian, HX-212 warrior of the Galactic Fleet’s Star Special Forces. Take this!” The mech’s electronic eyes flashed red, and a mechanical voice rang out.
The next moment, a surge of danger hit Feng Lin.
*Pop!*
The energy core on the mech’s chest suddenly blazed, and a white, scorching ray shot forth.
Light moved at such speed that dodging was impossible the instant it fired.
Yet the moment the core lit up, Feng Lin instinctively sidestepped, the searing beam grazing past him.
A sharp pain flared on his shoulder, burning like fire. Even a mere graze felt like being roasted by flames. The beam struck the ground nearby, leaving a horrifying scorch mark.
He glanced at it, his scalp tingling.
Was the sixteenth floor this absurd? A Star warrior equipped with a micro-mech—this was cheating! How was he supposed to fight?
But there was no time to dwell on it. The mech warrior charged at him with overwhelming force, its feet blazing with light, like a shooting star.
Feng Lin couldn’t evade. He instinctively threw a punch, only to be met with a torrent of immense, mountain-crushing power that sent him flying backward.
For the first time, he was outmatched in strength.
The mech warrior wasn’t unscathed either, spinning and tumbling through the air before barely stabilizing with its heavy weight. Its light jets flared again as it dove back toward him.
Feng Lin’s eyes narrowed, a chill running through him.
This opponent, empowered by the mech, matched his speed and even surpassed him in strength.
In previous levels, his unparalleled speed had always carried him through. Now, for the first time, he faced an adversary who suppressed him in every aspect.
His greatest advantage had become a weakness, plunging him into a dire situation.
Fortunately, he had awakened the Stone Fetus gene and strengthened it to an unprecedented 6 points, granting him stone-like skin and iron bones with immense defensive power.
He didn’t act rashly but responded cautiously. Though battered, he held on for now.
After a long while, he began to discern the opponent’s abilities. They reminded him of a superhero from a past-life comic—Iron Man. The micro-metal shell could fire various rays, and its speed and strength were astonishing.
Unable to find a flaw, Feng Lin was thoroughly on the defensive. Yet the more he struggled, the more he forced himself to stay patient.
Finally, he spotted a clue.
Inertia was one of the universe’s most fundamental physical laws. Even the most advanced technology struggled to overcome it; it could only be adapted to, not reversed.
The mech warrior, with its combined weight of pilot and armor, was incredibly heavy. While its straight-line speed was fast, turning was sluggish.
But that was Feng Lin’s specialty!
Monkeys thrived on cliff faces, where a single misstep meant a fatal fall. Yet they lived nimbly and gracefully, a testament to their agility.
Feng Lin had maxed out his monkey gene, granting him not just speed but extraordinary dexterity.
He suddenly spun like a top, shifting his body unpredictably—left, right, in erratic, small-scale movements.
The mech warrior couldn’t keep up, and the pressure on Feng Lin eased significantly.
“Look at that kid—he’s got real instinct! He found the mech’s weakness!” “Too bad he started too late. Otherwise, he might’ve become a prodigy!” “With such low life force, he’s holding his own against a mech-clad Star warrior. He can’t win, but it’s still impressive!”
This scene was observed by those in the monitoring room.
Though wary of Feng Lin’s potential, even the other class advisors were moved by his performance, offering praise. Yet none believed he could win.
After all, his life force was only 1.5, and he faced a Star warrior in a mech.
These warriors were handpicked combat geniuses from the military, with extraordinary battle prowess.
There was no way this kid could win!
“Keep watching!” The principal, now intrigued, wore a mysterious smile. “He’s stabilized for now, but victory won’t be easy. This isn’t an ordinary mech, you know!”
At that moment, the mech warrior, frustrated by the prolonged fight, seemed to recognize Feng Lin’s tenacity. It suddenly drifted back to create distance, its electronic eyes glowing red as it stared at him. “Feng Lin, you’re strong! Your speed far exceeds your peers, and your combat instincts are formidable. But if you keep dodging, your path ends here!”
It spread its arms, palms aimed at Feng Lin, enveloping him in their aim.
What kind of move was this?
Feng Lin’s wariness peaked. Suddenly, his vision blurred, and the air around him twisted, light itself distorting.
An invisible wave spread out, binding him like intangible ropes, trapping his limbs and freezing him in place.
What ability was this?
He struggled desperately, but the invisible bonds only tightened.
Worse, he noticed the energy core on the mech’s chest growing brighter.
“No!” he cursed inwardly as a beam shot forth.
Bound and unable to dodge, Feng Lin’s face twisted in fury, veins bulging. “Indestructible Diamond!”
He activated the “Vajra Demon-Subduing Fist” to maximize his Stone Fetus gene. Muscles bulged into scale-like ridges, taking on a stony sheen, like a layer of stone armor over his body.
*Boom!*
The beam struck him head-on. Pain exploded in his chest, and he flew backward, crashing heavily to the ground.
That wasn’t the worst of it.
Feng Lin looked down at his chest—it was charred black, as if roasted by fire.
If it had been a real mech’s beam cannon, he’d be nothing but ash by now.
Though this was virtual, the pain, force, and damage were all real.
His face contorted in agony as he struggled to his feet, staring at the mech’s shell. He spoke in a low, heavy voice.
“This isn’t a mech! It’s a gene-armor!”