The Undying Mecha Emperor

The battlefield that lay before us was a complete mess.

It was situated in a valley of sorts and stretched for almost as far as the eye could see. Dark silhouettes of what seemed to be mountain sides surrounded us on all sides.

Massive rusted wreckages littered the area and the land was filled with huge craters within craters probably caused by mecha core explosions.

There were several spectacular craters that were probably caused by the explosions of white mechas.

All of us studied the terrain cautiously, preparing our hearts and figuring out the routes that we would take to traverse the valley.

My sharp eyes quickly noticed several suspicious things.

The first was fresh mecha tracks.

On several of the wreckages, there were traces of bright paint where mechas probably accidentally brushed against them.

There was no way the paint would stay bright after so many years. Paint scratched off mechas wouldn't last more than a few days, especially in a place as windy as the valley where the elements beat down very mercilessly on them.

The second was the movements of the small animals in the valley. Thousands of them were scampering about, as if they were in a mass migration.

The two clues instantly told me one thing was for certain.

"Ambush." A mecha near me said softly through its speakers.

I was surprised.

There was someone whose power of observation was as sharp as mine!

"Ambush? What are you talking about?" Another mecha asked nervously.

"You mean this was a site of ambush many years ago?" Another one asked.

But the mecha who spoke up remained silent.

I took note of the mecha who spoke up, and marked him as one of the more capable students.

"If at all possible, I would like to know who he or she is." I thought to myself.

By that time, the lessons of leadership, responsibility and teamwork were starting to sink in on us. So several kids had already taken advantage of the lull before the beginning of the mission to organize each other into groups.

Unlike the previous lessons, the instructors did not actively put us into groups, and merely left us alone.

It was obviously a test for our initiative.

I rose to the challenge and tried my best to lead my schoolmates.

"Friends!" I called out loudly through my personally enhanced speakers.

"I believe that there will be an ambush on the battlefield ahead. Let us get into groups, and prepare to traverse the battlefield in waves so that we can slowly overwhelm the ambushers and maintain a semblance of order!"

An uproar instantly ensued after my announcement.

"Ambush? Bullshit! You just want the majority of us to wait while you charge ahead to victory!"

"Advance in waves so that those in front can absorb the damage while those of you at the back advance safely? You sneaky bastard!"

"Why the hell should we follow you? Who the hell are you?"

"The ambush is there, whether you like it or not! If you think there's no ambush, feel free to go first and be the first wave!" I shouted loudly. "If you think there's an ambush, stay back and be the second wave! But do not forget to charge and help those in the first wave when the ambush strikes!"

"I think there is no ambush! I am charging ahead!"

"Me too! If you think there's an ambush, then move back! If you want to charge ahead first, then come forward!"

"Shut the hell up and stop ordering us about!"

"YOU SHUT UP!" I finally upped the volume on my speakers and roared loudly!

"If you don't want to follow instructions and work together, THEN SHUT THE F*** UP! When have the missions given by the school been as straightforward as reaching the end? The real mission here isn't reaching the end! But teamwork! Scouting! Reacting to emergencies! Overcoming the damn ambush together as a team!"

At my words, the rest were finally stunned into silence. Well, maybe it wasn't due to my words, but due to the fact that I my shout had been ridiculously loud and their ears were ringing loudly.

But whatever the reason, the rest were silent, and the atmosphere turned more cooperative.

"Let us assume that there is an ambush then. If you want to proceed first, then come forward! If not-"

"READY! ON YOUR MARK! GET SET! GO!!" The instructor chose that moment to interrupt my words and galvanize the crowd to action.

But I was determined not to let them mess up the mission!

"WAIT! WE DON'T HAVE TO GO JUST BECAUSE THEY SAID START!" I bellowed right after the instructor finished. "OUR MISSION IS TO GET TO THE END! NOT TO GET THERE FIRST!!"

A few ignored my words and around a hundred mechas leapt ahead to charge into the battlefield.

"I am Victor Long. Listen to me. Let them be the first wave. Long family members, and those willing to listen to me, get ready to support them. We will be the second wave. Step forward and get into position!"

Immediately, around two hundred mechas started to rumble ahead to follow Victor Long into battle.

I sighed in relief.

I could not have organized all five thousand mechas by myself. I needed other voices!

​ "This is Jaden Rushblood. I will lead us in a flanking maneuver to support the second wave. Rushbloods and those willing to follow me, come this way." Jaden Rushblood called out and started to make his way to the right most corner of the battlefield.

Around a hundred mechas lumbered after him.

"Wang girls. Get a thousand mechas each and approach the battlefield in two separate waves far apart from the East and West." Sheera Lin called out lazily.

"Fine. Come this way guys, we'll complete this assignment together!" Elise Wang agreed. She knew that Sheera Lin was a genius, and instantly followed her instructions.

"I need a thousand this way too!" Eliana Wang called out.

For a few minutes, there was mini chaos as the mechas sorted themselves out, but they quickly got into position. The hodge podge frankenstein mechas looking damaged beyond belief were actually quite sturdy.