Ch.26026. Teacher Yan

Every game has a barrier to entry where players must learn the game system and rules.

These barriers include systems with high complexity requiring extensive knowledge, or competitive action games where newcomers get slaughtered by veterans before they can even learn the basics.

Console games were no different, with what were known as “gatekeeper bosses.”

These typically appear after the tutorial ends and players have gained a general understanding of the game.

With distinctly different patterns or significantly higher damage output compared to previous encounters, they act as gatekeepers preventing novice players from progressing to the next stage.

Many users frequently quit games after being blocked by such gatekeeper bosses.

Tactical Combat had such a gatekeeper too, and it was none other than Gilbert’s opponent, the young master of the baronial Scott family, Cook Yan Scott.

While the tutorial entrance mock battle was a team event, allowing beginners to progress by essentially getting “carried” by their team, the one-on-one battle against Cook Yan Scott was not easy for novices to overcome.

If MMORPG games are fundamentally about leveling up and growing through stats and farming good items, games without levels rely on what’s commonly called “user level”—the improvement of the player’s own skills.

Tactical Combat had no levels, but it incorporated MMORPG elements where you had to increase your stats through training or items.

However, in the early stages of the game like now, there wasn’t enough time for sufficient training, and item farming had its limitations.

In other words, to win the practice battle against Cook Yan Scott, improving one’s skills as a gamer to raise the “user level” was the correct answer.

In that sense, Cook Yan Scott was an excellent teaching tool. His giant mech piloting skills were neither extraordinarily good nor bad, making him the perfect practice opponent.

Among Tactical Combat users, defeating Cook Yan Scott was described as “shedding the beginner’s label” in Tactical Combat.

For this reason, since his middle name was the same as a monster that served as a gatekeeper in a famous hunting game, gamers affectionately called him “Teacher Yan.”

Gilbert looked at the familiar structure of the practice arena guarded by “Teacher Yan” and instantly formed a temporary contract with the artificial spirit.

[Cadet Gilbert Lion Hart recognized. Temporary contract successfully established.]

Ignoring the artificial spirit’s rigid words, he moved his giant mech with fluid grace.

Assigned the role of data thief according to Professor Alexander’s practice mission, Gilbert contemplated where Teacher Yan might be hiding.

The duel with Teacher Yan could be approached in two ways. The first was to overwhelm him with superior skill, destroy his mech, and steal the data. The second was to infiltrate enemy territory using the artificial spirit’s autonomous function, as Professor Alexander had mentioned.

Either approach would achieve the objective, but Gilbert decided to adopt the second method.

Having played Tactical Combat countless times, Gilbert was highly proficient in both methods.

However, he judged that the protagonist Ian probably hadn’t properly experienced the second method, so it would be good to demonstrate it and open his eyes.

Though Ian’s skills were considered good compared to other cadets, objectively speaking, he was benefiting greatly from his trait skills.

If he were to duel Seraphina right now, there was a high probability that Ian would lose without being able to do anything.

That’s how unrefined Ian’s current skills were—like an uncut gem.

Before beginning the practice in earnest, Gilbert briefly surveyed the infiltration route.

Teacher Yan had properly concealed himself in the practice arena configured for this exercise theme, as his large mech was nowhere to be seen.

The arena seemed designed with infiltration in mind, with large structures and various cover points set up throughout, making it look almost like modern urban warfare.

“Execute autonomous function. Open cockpit hatch.”

[Command recognized. Executing autonomous function.]

The artificial spirit of the Academy’s standard mech wasn’t the current generation, so it had the inconvenience of requiring detailed commands from the pilot.

This was why Gilbert had requested a prototype artificial spirit from Professor Horizon.

The reason Colossus was rated as the best mech in Tactical Combat was due to the support of its integrated artificial spirit.

But since he had decided to hand over the Colossus to Ian, Gilbert had chosen the prototype artificial spirit that would go to the enemy as his alternative.

“Use structures for concealment, advance toward the central building in search mode, and if encountered by an enemy mech, prioritize stalling for time.”

[Command recognized.]

No sooner had the artificial spirit’s monotone response ended than the cockpit door opened and the exit hatch was released.

Needless to say, he disembarked from the mech while hiding behind a large structure to avoid being detected by Teacher Yan.

As Gilbert got out, the hatch closed, and the mech in autonomous mode began to advance cautiously.

Watching this, he activated Lion Heart, spreading mana throughout his body. The exhilarating sensation of enhanced physical abilities began to stimulate his peripheral nerves.

‘Let’s go.’

The mech advancing slowly while searching would soon be discovered by Teacher Yan.

Despite the structures and the surprisingly large practice arena, there were limits.

Considering the size of the mechs, the arena wasn’t that spacious, so a decisive battle with Teacher Yan would surely begin soon.

Gilbert’s goal was to seize the target and escape before that happened, so he needed to approach the target as stealthily and quickly as possible.

Of course, this would be extremely dangerous for an ordinary soldier. Charging through a battlefield where giant mechs were fighting at close range would be insane.

But Gilbert and the other Academy cadets weren’t ordinary soldiers—they were knights who could manipulate mana.

Currently, pilots who operated mechs were called knights, but before the era of mechs, knights were superhuman.

Tap-tap!

The Lion King’s mana cultivation technique from ancient times was now being reproduced in Gilbert’s body.

Lion Heart, excellent in compression and release, granted him the power to move at the limits of human capability.

[There you are!]

Teacher Yan’s voice was heard through the external communication magic channel. Gilbert, weaving between structures, chuckled at Teacher Yan’s attention-seeking behavior. It was fortunate that this aspect was no different from the game.

Clang!

With the sound of clashing steel swords as background, Gilbert’s movements became more dynamic.

As he jumped over intertwined structures and ran along slanted walls, his three-dimensional maneuver skill automatically activated, making his movements more stable.

Physical abilities at 90 points, a mana cultivation technique that could turn an ordinary human into a superhuman, and a skill that corrected movements defying physical laws—with these three effects concentrated on him, Gilbert could move toward the central building at a speed and agility beyond human limits.

[That level of skill won’t be enough against me!]

Perhaps not expecting someone to infiltrate enemy territory on foot during a mech operation exercise, Teacher Yan seemed quite excited as he pressed the autonomously moving mech.

After confirming with a sidelong glance that Teacher Yan had pushed back the mech with a large sword swing, Gilbert immediately infiltrated the central building and seized the item to be stolen.

It would have been possible to retreat now, leaving behind Teacher Yan who was elated at gaining the upper hand, but all these exercises ultimately resulted in an evaluation.

Abandoning the mech, which concentrated a nation’s technology, would be a deduction point.

For a perfect finish, he exited the central building and gave an order to the artificial spirit connected through the temporary contract.

“Request mech boarding.”

[Command recognized. Moving to allow Cadet Gilbert Lion Hart to board the mech.]

The mech, which had been helplessly taking consecutive attacks from Teacher Yan, created a large collision to gain distance from Teacher Yan’s mech in order to pick up Gilbert again.

[Ha! Think I’ll let you escape?]

Still not having discovered Gilbert, Teacher Yan, seemingly self-absorbed in his own skill, laughed mockingly and chased after Gilbert’s mech.

“Open cockpit hatch!”

[Warning! Enemy mech nearby. Board quickly.]

Gilbert assessed the position of the approaching mech, instantly drew up mana, and climbed several meters up the structure’s outer wall in a flash.

Confirming that the cockpit hatch was opening, Gilbert, with maximum assistance from his three-dimensional maneuver skill, successfully boarded. Simultaneously, the autonomous function terminated, and control authority returned to him.

Detecting Teacher Yan’s mech that had followed almost right behind him, Gilbert instantly rotated his mech to face him.

Though it was difficult to react at such close range, Gilbert had a veteran technique to overcome this situation.

As he pulled the control stick, he activated the bound skill “Back Tumbling” from the entrance mock battle in its active form.

Though it was a critical moment, the predetermined active skill was forcibly activated, and the timing was exquisite as Teacher Yan arrived right in front of him.

Gilbert executed additional controls using the forcibly activated Back Tumbling state. As his mech rotated while pushing off the ground, its leg extended and drew a crescent from bottom to top.

Unprepared for such an irregular attack, Teacher Yan’s cockpit was struck by Gilbert’s mech’s right leg.

Crash!

The momentum of the charge converted into massive physical force that shook the mech, sending it flying far away.

Gilbert grinned as the veteran technique he hadn’t used in a long time worked perfectly.

It was a flawless execution of the Somersault Kick.