The Battle Ax

Yu Xiao hadn't wasted a single piece of material.

While Xingtian was fusing with the other two mechs, Yu Xiao had already decided to make him inherit all their strengths.

The two variable-frequency nuclear reactors were used to fill Xingtian's existing reactor, doubling its overall output.

The venomous chemical wrist blades on Cobra and the Slayer wrist blades Xingtian came with were both dismantled. Combined with the surplus molecular memory alloy, they were reforged into an incredibly durable long-handled battle axe.

The Black Blood corrosive energy rifle was compressed proportionally and fitted inside Xingtian's left arm, with its barrel concealed underneath. The surplus metal was used to build Xingtian's skeletal frame. The tradeoff for scaling it down was a smaller caliber and drastically reduced destructive power.

Xingtian inherited the Sting corrosive missiles and mounted them on his shoulders. The Giant Pincer thermal accelerator cannon went on his right arm, while the Scorpion Tail modular heavy-force metal chain sword was moved from his spine to his chest. It could also extend through the bones of his arm and emerge from his wrist.

Xingtian fitted Demon Scorpion's prized heavy armor directly onto the outside of his body, while Cobra's lightweight anti-energy armor became an inner layer covering his skeletal frame.

After the fusion, Xingtian had nearly reached the pinnacle of third-generation mechs!

But there was a price. Having inherited both mechs' strengths, Xingtian now weighed a terrifying 18,000 tons!

Even Molten, with heavy weapons covering its entire body, weighed only 16,500 tons.

And Xingtian's weight didn't even include any long-range ammunition. Before the fusion, the other two mechs had already used up all their ammo.

Although Xingtian had lost quite a bit of mobility, his massive weight made it easier for him to gain the upper hand in close combat!

For example, right now.

When Yu Xiao swung his second axe with all his strength, he could even see the air around him trembling!

The unstoppable battle axe carved another black arc through the air. Its sharp, heavy blade effortlessly crushed the monsters' flesh and bones as if chopping vegetables!

But before Xingtian could pull back his axe, an unusually large Hammerhead beast charged straight at his reactor!

Clang!

After a deafening crash, the Hammerhead beast stopped moving.

Xingtian remained exactly where he was, completely unmoved.

Viscous green blood splattered across the demonic-mask armor on Xingtian's chest. The Hammerhead beast's shattered skull slowly slid off his body and thudded to the ground.

Yu Xiao hadn't even heard the system issue an armor-damage warning.

All he heard was the sound of evolution points adding themselves to his balance.

"My turn!"

This time, Xingtian charged forward, swinging his giant axe as he forced his way upstream through the surging tide of beasts!

Once! Twice!

As Xingtian advanced, he used the giant axe to clear away every obstacle in his path!

Each turn of the black axe sent countless chunks of flesh flying and produced a deafening boom that made the air tremble!

Whenever there was an opening in Xingtian's attack, countless monsters tried to seize the chance to tear him apart!

But all that awaited them were snapped pincers, shattered skulls, and the next sweep of the giant axe, crushing them to pulp!

Xingtian swung tirelessly, one step at a time, trampling over countless nauseating corpses as he steadily drove the surging tide of beasts back to where it had begun!

Aboard the Truth, everyone stared in stunned disbelief at the spectacle. Alone, armed with nothing but a black battle axe, Xingtian was holding off the entire tide of beasts!

He wasn't injured or afraid. Even every swing of his axe remained at its rated power, turning countless monsters into souls beneath his blade!

"How is he doing that?!"

"Did he 'absorb' Demon Scorpion and Cobra?"

"Can a mech really be this powerful...?"

"And Xingtian isn't even being controlled by a pilot right now!"

Yuan Zhen listened to the people aboard the ship chattering back and forth, and a smile slowly curled her lips.

Xingtian's performance had far exceeded her expectations, but that wasn't a bad thing for her.

The more mysterious and powerful he was, the more valuable he became!

In fact, the people on the ground in Molten and those aboard the Truth in the sky weren't the only ones shocked.

Every legion nearing the Silent Graveyard had witnessed this scene, which could only be called "absurd"!

"If all our mechs were like this, the monsters would've been driven off this planet long ago!"

"I heard Xingtian can operate autonomously. Does that mean it doesn't even need a pilot?"

"Doctor Yuan designed Xingtian. Maybe this is Omega's latest technology!"

"Even the Xingtian from back then couldn't have been this powerful..."

Yu Xiao couldn't hear their amazement, but he could feel himself, as a mech soul, growing at an incredible rate!

His processing power was increasing, and his available memory was expanding.

With every step forward, his synchronization with Xingtian increased!

With every swing of the battle axe, his control over Xingtian's movements grew more natural!

Yu Xiao could even hear a beautiful ringing deep inside the reactor—the sound of countless heavy atoms undergoing fission.

It was the sound of his heart beating!

When Xingtian swung the battle axe across his body for the thirty-second time, the entire tide of beasts had become lifeless flesh beneath his feet.

And from the Truth's viewpoint, the straight path Xingtian had carved was like a sharp blade, cutting straight through countless corpses and a sea of blood!

"Roar!"

Thunderclap let out its most bloodcurdling roar!

But this time, the only one to answer was Thunderclap itself!

Thunderclap slowly lowered its body, aligning its massive head with its savage tail in a straight line.

The next second, it moved!

The howling gale was its breath, the splashing waves its footprints. The charging Thunderclap had turned its whole body into the sharpest weapon!

It was moving faster than anything of its size should have been able to!

Even if Xingtian stripped off all its equipment and fitted five more rocket thrusters on its back, Yu Xiao wouldn't dare claim he could catch up with Thunderclap!

It was too fast!

Almost the instant Yu Xiao decided to be on guard, the impossibly fast Thunderclap was already face-to-face with him!

Before he could even make out Thunderclap's movements, a massive, muscular claw shot straight toward Xingtian's head!

Boom!

Yu Xiao instinctively raised the battle axe in front of him, blocking the savage, ferocious blow!

The impact sent a fifty-meter-high wave surging across the sea. The clash of metal and claws rang through the heavens and earth like thunder, echoing long after!

The red eye on Xingtian's head blazed brighter!

Yu Xiao knew he had found an opponent.