Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 269 The Combination of Weapons and Telekinesis!

“Contestant Luo Feng,” the voice of Mechanic #8 was deeper and more mechanical than before, “based on combat data analysis, you have a 73.4% chance of losing the next round. I suggest you concede.”

Luo Feng didn't answer. He took a deep breath and adjusted his grip on the knife. He wore a set of light combat armor, the black body adorned with silver lines, making him look imposing. Sweat dripped from his forehead, dampening his slightly messy short hair. Although only in his early twenties, his eyes revealed a calmness and decisiveness far beyond his years.

In the stands surrounding the arena, tens of thousands of spectators from different galaxies held their breath. The second round of the Virtual Universe Company's challenge was in full swing, with each match determining whether a participant could advance. The virtual screen displayed real-time status data for both sides. Luo Feng's stamina had dropped to 60%, while Mechanic No. 8, despite having just survived a fatal attack, had seen her combat power boosted to 120% thanks to the activation of her backup system.

Without another word, Mechanic 8's back suddenly opened, revealing two thrusters. With a roar of its engine, it shot towards Luo Feng like a cannonball. Its speed was so great that it left a blurry silver trail in the air.

Almost instinctively, Luo Feng dodged to the side. Mechanic No. 8's fist grazed his shoulder armor, producing a piercing metallic scraping sound. Taking advantage of the moment, Luo Feng swung his blade, the black-patterned blade drawing a graceful arc in the air, aiming straight for the Mechanic's neck joint.

"Ding!"

To Luo Feng's surprise, the sound of the blade colliding with metal was not the expected cutting sound, but a crisp metallic clang. The outer shell of the Mechanic No. 8 seemed to have changed instantly, becoming even harder.

"Physical defense system upgrade complete," Mechanic No. 8's voice carried a hint of mechanical smugness. "Your weapons can no longer inflict effective damage on me."

Luo Feng quickly created distance, alarm bells ringing in his mind. He knew he was in a disadvantageous position, but surrender was never an option for him. He needed to find a new way out.

Rowan, sitting in the audience, suddenly stood up, his eyes glued to every move in the arena. "Mechanic 8 has activated its adaptive defense system; it's adjusting its structure in real time based on Luo Feng's attack patterns."

"What should we do with Fengzi?" Thor asked anxiously, his rugged face full of worry.

Rowan pondered for a moment. "Conventional attacks are ineffective; he needs to change his strategy." His gaze shifted to the young figure confronting the machine in the arena, a hint of pride in his voice. "However, I believe he can find a way."

On the field, Luo Feng and Mechanic No. 8 were locked in a brief stalemate. Luo Feng's chest heaved with rapid breathing, his inner shirt soaked with sweat, but his eyes remained resolute.

"Analysis complete," Mechanic #8 suddenly spoke. "Your combat pattern has been fully analyzed. Now, I will end this battle."

As soon as he finished speaking, more than a dozen small weapon bays opened simultaneously from various parts of Mechanic 8's body, and various energy and physical weapons were aimed at Luo Feng. This scene drew gasps from the audience.

"This is outrageous!" Thor couldn't help but curse. "This isn't just an ordinary mechanic; it's practically a mini armory!"

Rowan's expression also turned serious. "This exceeds the standard mechanic requirements. It seems the company wants to give the contestants a big surprise."

Just as Mechanic No. 8 was about to launch a full-scale attack, Luo Feng made a move that surprised everyone. He sheathed the Black Pattern Blade, then closed his eyes, raised his hands to his chest, and made a strange gesture.

Mechanic 8 seemed to be confused by this move as its attack paused for a moment, as if it were reassessing the situation.

This brief pause gave Luo Feng an opportunity. When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with unprecedented focus and sharpness. His hands thrust forward sharply, as if some invisible force was being released from the air.

No one could see what happened, but the Mechanic 8's movements suddenly slowed, as if it had been trapped in some invisible resistance field. Its weapon systems were still functioning, with energy cannons and missiles firing in succession, but all the attacks deviated from their original trajectories in mid-air, and none hit Luo Feng.

"Psychic power!" A hint of surprise and joy flashed in Rowan's eyes. "He's finally using psychic power in actual combat!"

Hong also revealed a rare smile, "It seems your special training paid off."

In the arena, Luo Feng's face showed a trace of pain; clearly, using telekinesis was still a significant burden for him. But he didn't give up; instead, he increased his telekinetic output. Mechanic No. 8's movements became increasingly slow, as if he were stuck in quagmire.

Seizing the opportunity, Luo Feng drew his black-patterned blade again and charged towards Mechanic 8 with lightning speed. This time, his target wasn't the indestructible outer shell, but the thrusters protruding from the Mechanic's back.

The black-patterned blade accurately pierced the gap in the thruster, and then Luo Feng twisted it forcefully, producing a sound of metal shattering inside the thruster. Immediately afterward, he swiftly withdrew the blade and plunged it into several other key joints on the mechanic's body.

Mechanic 8's movements began to become uncoordinated as it tried to break free from the control of telekinesis, but malfunctions occurred one after another throughout its body. Finally, after a violent shudder, the red light gradually dimmed, and the massive mechanical body crashed to the ground, this time truly losing all its functions.

"The winner is Luo Feng!" The system's voice rang out again, and this time there were no surprises.

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the audience. Luo Feng slowly sheathed his sword and exhaled deeply. His face showed no joy of victory, but rather a deep contemplation. This battle made him realize his shortcomings; if he hadn't used his telekinesis at the last moment, the outcome might have been completely different.

Rowan, Hong, and Thor quickly got up and used the teleportation portal to reach the arena's rest area. As soon as Luo Feng entered the rest area, Thor rushed forward and patted him hard on the shoulder.

"That was amazing, Fengzi! You're a monster! That last move was so cool!" Thor's face was beaming with excitement, and his voice was so loud it almost shook the roof.

Luo Feng forced a smile, but his brows remained furrowed. He looked at Luo Wen, "Brother, my use of telekinesis is still not skilled enough. If the mechanic hadn't paused at the crucial moment, I might have already lost."

Rowan nodded slightly, his gaze showing both satisfaction and thoughtfulness. "You've done very well. Being able to use telekinesis in actual combat is a huge improvement. However, you're right, your telekinesis skills still need further refinement." The rest area was a spacious, semi-enclosed space, with real-time footage of the various competition arenas projected onto the walls. Several comfortable chairs surrounded a central holographic projection table, displaying the current rankings and progress of the matches. A supply station was set up in one corner of the room, with various energy drinks and recovery potions neatly arranged.

Luo Feng walked to the supply station, picked up a bottle of blue recovery fluid, and drank it all in one gulp. The liquid had a faint minty aroma and was icy cold when it entered his mouth, but it quickly turned into a warm current in his body, rapidly repairing the physical and mental strength he had lost in the battle.

Hong walked over to Luo Feng and handed him a towel. "Your strategy of using telekinesis to control the mechanic's movements and attack its weaknesses at the last moment, instead of just blindly fighting, was correct."

Luo Feng took the towel and wiped the sweat from his face. "Thank you, but I feel my reaction was too slow. If I had thought of using my telekinesis sooner, I might not have been so passive."

Rowan walked to the holographic projection table and pulled up the replay of the battle they had just fought. "Come on, let's analyze this battle together." He lightly slid his finger across the projection, freezing the image at the moment when Mechanic No. 8 activated the backup system.

“Look here,” Rowan pointed to a small port on the back of the Mechanic 8, “this is its emergency power input. It’s a detail that’s hard to notice in a typical attack. But if you can spot it beforehand, you can attack this location directly when it first falls, preventing it from restarting.”

Luo Feng leaned closer, observing carefully. He suddenly realized, "So that's it! I was too focused on its direct attack and overlooked these details."

“Furthermore,” Rowan continued, sliding his finger to another screen, “your timing for using your telekinesis is indeed good, but your control over the force needs improvement. Look here, you're wasting too much mental energy on unimportant areas, while your control over the crucial weapon systems is insufficient.”

Thor also joined in, watching the analysis with great interest. Although he preferred direct physical confrontation, he also understood the importance of skill and strategy.

"Then how should I improve?" Luo Feng asked humbly.

Rowan pondered for a moment. "The key to telekinesis lies in precision and control, not just strength. You need to learn to use telekinesis as nimbly as using your fingers, precisely controlling the distribution of every bit of power." He glanced at the time. "We still have two hours of rest time. We can find a training room for some targeted practice."

Hong nodded. "I also have some advice regarding weapon use. You use your black-patterned knife very well, but sometimes you rely too much on its sharpness and neglect the application of technique."

Luo Feng looked at the three gratefully, "Thank you. I know I still have many shortcomings, and I hope to do better in the upcoming matches."

Thor patted Luo Feng on the shoulder. "Don't be so serious. You've already won! Shouldn't we at least celebrate?" He grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "I saw some nice juice at the supply depot. We can have a drink first, and then start training."

Rowan smiled slightly, "Thor is right, some relaxation is necessary."

The group arrived at the supply station and each chose a drink. Thor picked up a red energy drink, Rowan and Hong opted for a lighter green juice, and Luo Feng took a blue recovery drink.

"Come on, let's toast to Luo Feng's victory!" Thor raised his glass and laughed heartily.

Everyone clinked glasses, and Luo Feng finally showed a relaxed smile. The joy of victory and the anticipation for the future made him temporarily forget his fatigue.

After resting for a while, Rowan checked the time. "Alright, let's go to the training room now. Time is limited, so we need to focus on strengthening a few key areas."

The training room, located on the lower level of the rest area, is a private space specifically prepared for the participants. At the center of the room is a spacious combat area, surrounded by various training equipment and virtual simulation systems. Multiple holographic projection devices are embedded in the walls, capable of simulating various combat scenarios and opponents.

Rowan walked to the console and entered a series of commands. The holographic projection was activated, and a simplified virtual opponent, similar to Mechanic No. 8, appeared in the center of the combat area.

“First, let’s practice precise control of our telekinesis,” Rowan said, pointing to several marked points on the virtual opponent. “These are key weaknesses. You need to concentrate your telekinesis to precisely control these areas, rather than vaguely covering the entire opponent.”

Luo Feng nodded and walked to the center of the combat area. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and slowly raised his hands. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was unusually focused.

At first, Luo Feng's telekinetic control was still quite rough; only one or two markers on his virtual opponent changed color, indicating successful control. But under Luo Wen's guidance, he continuously adjusted his mindset and intensity, and gradually, he successfully controlled more and more markers.

“Very good,” Rowan encouraged. “Telekinesis is like an extension of your body; you need to feel it, guide it, not force it. Imagine you're gently pressing those points with your fingers, not punching them.”

Thor, watching from the sidelines, occasionally offered his insights. Although he wasn't skilled in telekinesis, he had a unique understanding of combat. "Mineko," he said, "I think you could try controlling your opponent while maintaining your own movement. In a real fight, you don't have time to stand still and concentrate your telekinesis."

Luo Feng tried to move while maintaining mental control. This was a huge challenge for him; at first, he could barely do both at the same time. But after repeated attempts, he gradually got the hang of it.

“It’s a bit like multithreaded thinking,” Luo Feng described, his clothes soaked with sweat again. “It requires dividing your attention into several parts and handling different tasks simultaneously.”

Hong nodded in affirmation, "A precise description. The ability to concentrate during combat is crucial, especially when facing multiple opponents or complex environments."

The training lasted for nearly an hour, and Luo Feng's progress was clearly visible. He was now able to accurately control multiple markers on his virtual opponent while moving quickly, and even perform simple attack actions while controlling them.

“Next, we’ll practice the coordination of weaponry and telekinesis,” Rowan adjusted the settings of the virtual opponent, making it initiate an attack. “Ideally, your Black-Patterned Blade and telekinesis should complement each other, rather than fight independently.”

(End of this chapter)