[As we have never faced a human champion before, the weaponry rules will be rxed by this match, but all other rules will stand. No cockpit hits, no attempting to kill the champion, and stop when the opposing Hunting Suit is disabled.] The announcer dered, bringing a fresh round of cheering from the audience.


    [Normally, they only duel with built-in weapons and melee weapons, no handheld heavy weapons.] The Illithid informed Max.


    That was all that Shattered Pride used anyhow, as the Disruptors were built into the forearms, and each hand currently held a de.


    "Agreed," Nico informed the Hunters and gave a slight bow, crossing her upper des in front of her chest.


    "Agreed. Now, hurry along. I want to fight." Huntress Khan told the announcer, eagerness clear in her voice as she face Nico''s Mecha.


    [In that case. Begin.] The announcer shouted, nearly drowned out by the audience as the two Mecha lurched into motion.


    The spear of the Huntress thrust forward with the distinctive crackle of a sonic boom as Nico stalked forward, swaying on her feet and knocking the spear away with an upper de as her lower arms Disruptors burnt the torso armor of the opposing Mecha.


    The crowd cheered the first blow as Huntress Khan disengaged, reassessing Shattered Pride now that she knew those very ordinary-looking protrusions on its forearms were actually very dangerous weapons.


    The fact that her Suit hadn''t been torn apart or rendered inoperable by the point-nk st by the Disruptors was a testament to the advanced technology, but Max could see that the waist controls weren''t working right, where Nico''s attack had damaged the biomechanical muscles.


    Nico''s des took three rapid hits from Huntress Khan''s own forearm-mountedsers before the champion growled and took a step back.


    [When I learn how you managed to parry my attacks, you will go down to a crushing defeat, human.] The Huntress taunted, annoyed by Nico''s ability to block what shouldn''t be blocked.


    In truth, Nico had just interfaced with her Hunter''s Suit and brought up the enemy''s targeting data on her own disys so that she would know where thesers were pointed. It was a dirty trick but less insulting than many of the things that Max had expected her to do.


    [Less talking, more stabbing.] Nicoughed as the four des of Shattered Pride rained blows upon the mighty form of Dominus, pushing Huntress Khan back across the arena floor.


    The Hunters were loving it. They had never fought a mechanized enemy whose machines could move so fast. The pilots'' minds and bodies were too slow topete with the Hunters in their own specialty, so once they got in closebat, like in the arena, the battles were inevitably lopsided.


    Dominus managed tond a blow on Nico''s lower right arm, cutting the main control rod and rendering it limp, though it was still holding the de, dragging it across the floor with a soft scraping noise that made the stalking motion of the four armed Mecha sound as ominous as it looked.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    If Dominus was the proud and noble Hunter, Shattered Pride was a predator, raw and feral, stalking it around the ring as des met spear, and energy sts were exchanged in both directions.


    Nico had an uncanny ability to avoid getting hit anywhere sensitive, while Huntress Khan wielded her spear with such skill that very few des were making it past her guard to damage her Mecha.


    It wasn''t going well for the Hunter champion, though, and with an unexpected side shift, Nico managed to cross her des on the shaft of the spear and tear it from the grip of Huntress Khan, who immediately charged to Grab the wrists of Nico''s Mecha, forcing her arms up so she couldn''t sh at Dominus while it was vulnerable.


    With a kick to the back of a knee and a quick twist, Nico threw Dominus over the shoulder of Shattered Pride, sending the Mecha skidding across the floor with an ear-shattering screech.


    Huntress Khan took the chance to activate her Mecha''s thrusters, moving to grab her spear and regaining her feet just in time to parry Nico''s follow-up blows before taking a st from a Disruptor on her lower arm to the Mecha''s face, ckening many of its sensors, and turning Huntress Khan''s movements sluggish for a moment before a portion of the chest armor turned transparent, and she resumed the fight under her own senses.


    The butt of her spear shed up against the side of Shattered Pride''s knee, sending the Mecha to the ground before the point of the spear pinned the mecha to the floor just as two des sunk deep into the torso of Dominus.


    For a moment, everyone waited in breathless anticipation as the two Mecha stood motionless over each other. Then, both cockpit doors opened, and two smiling women, one massively muscr with sandy skin and long ck dreadlocks, one petite with shining ck curls, faced each other.


    "It seems we havee to a draw, Huntress Khan. Both suits have powered down due to damage." Nico chuckled while her opponent surveyed the carnage to her Mecha, as well as to the ring, from their battle.


    "I did not expect such a glorious duel from the humans. Tell me, Tarith Rage, are you the greatest of Humanity''s champions?" Huntress Khan asked.


    "I could only wish for that title. I am not even the greatest champion aboard Terminus, only the greatest of the females. You see, our men are therger of our species, and my Commander is both stronger and faster, with better Mechabat skills and a more powerful Mecha than mine." Nico replied.


    Huntress Khan''s eyes lit up with joy at that announcement, and Nico frowned.


    "No stealing my man."


    The assembled crowd of Hunters burst intoughter, hundreds of thousands of voices joining the thousands aboard Terminus in mirth over Nico''s im over Max.


    [It seems your future is decided for you. Congrattions.] The Illithid congratted Max as one, not bothering to hide their amusement at the unusual circumstances or the look on his face.