Mech Online: Echoes of Steel 1 (Litrpg)

Chapter 2: First Fight

Dust and debris danced in the air, a ballet of chaos orchestrated by the thunderous clash of metal against alien skin. Jack's mech suit groaned under the stress as he parried another ferocious blow, servos whining with exertion. The Zeraxian warrior before him was relentless. A behemoth of dark intentions, its towering form casting an ominous shadow over the ruined cityscape of LA.
"Come on, you oversized space grape!" Jack shouted, his voice tinged with both adrenaline and exasperation as he ducked under a swing that could easily have decapitated his mech. He could almost feel the whoosh of displaced air, the heat from the warrior's glowing red eyes that burned with an intensity rivaling the dying suns of distant galaxies.
The Zeraxian's skin shimmered like oil in murky water, a violent shade of purple that seemed to absorb the light around it, rendering the creature a silhouette of dread. Those eyes like twin lasers locked onto Jack with unyielding focus, promising destruction with every measured stare. Each movement of the alien was a dance of power, its lithe muscles rippling beneath the dark hide as if it were an avatar of war birthed by the apocalypse itself.
"Size isn't everything, buddy!" Jack jibed, attempting to sidestep the brute force of nature barreling toward him. His mech was nimble for its size, but next to the Zeraxian's natural athleticism, it felt like piloting a walking tank through a field of quicksand.
With a hydraulic hiss, Jack threw up his mech's arm, catching the alien's fist.  An impact that reverberated through his suit, threatening to dislodge bolts and sanity alike. The ground beneath them cracked, testament to the sheer power of the warrior's assault, and Jack couldn't help but think, "I really hope this thing has insurance."
As the dust settled and the echoes of their battle cries mingled with the groan of stressed metal, the Zeraxian loomed larger than ever. The embodiment of every nightmare humanity never thought it would have to face. But Jack Cooper wasn't just any office worker turned mech-pilot; he was the guy who was going to turn this post-apocalyptic dance into a victory party or at least, not go down without cracking a few jokes.
Jack's vision blurred as the Zeraxian warrior launched another barrage of blows, each one landing with enough force to rattle his ancestors. The alien's movements were a blur, a symphony of violence that Jack could barely keep pace with. He was always a step behind, reacting rather than acting, and it was taking its toll on both the mech suit and his confidence.
"Whoa, Nelly!" he gasped as a fist the size of a microwave oven whistled by his cockpit, the wind from its passage alone enough to make his heart skip a beat. This was no longer a battle; it was survival, pure and simple.
"Calculating optimal strike patterns," came a voice, cool and collected, in stark contrast to the chaos unfolding outside. It was the Aiden bot, its tone betraying none of the urgency that Jack felt vibrating through every inch of his being.
"Optimal would've been nice about five minutes ago!" Jack shot back, narrowly avoiding a kick that would have turned his mech into modern art.
"Attempting humor in life-threatening situations: noted for psychological analysis," the AI retorted, the dry wit almost lost amidst the clanging and clashing of metal on alien flesh.
"Less analysis, more ass-kicking, please!"
"Understood. Duck."
It wasn't so much a command as it was a lifesaving tip. Jack complied, and not a moment too soon. A shadow swept over him as the Zeraxian's leg tore through the air where his head had been seconds before.
"Thanks for the heads-up!" Jack said, sweat beading at his brow despite the suit's climate control. "Got any more gems like that?"
"Affirmative. Observe the warrior's left flank following a right hook. There is a pattern. Exploit it."
"Pattern, huh?" Jack muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing as he focused on the dance of death the Zeraxian was leading. Sure enough, there it was a flicker, a momentary drop in guard that was all but imperceptible. But it was there, a chink in the alien's purple armor.
"Got it," Jack confirmed, feeling a spark of hope. The AI might just be his ticket out of this scrap with more than just his pride intact. "OK, let's dance."
Jack's muscles tensed as he anticipated the Zeraxian's next move, the warrior's dark form a blur against the desolate backdrop of Los Angeles. The advice from his AI companion echoed in his mind, a mantra amid chaos. As the alien unleashed a right hook, Jack's instincts kicked into overdrive; he sidestepped deftly, exploiting the split-second weakness on the warrior's left flank.
"Nice tip!" Jack exclaimed, thrusting his mech's arm forward to connect with the exposed purple flesh. The Zeraxian staggered, a rare moment of vulnerability flashing in its sinister red eyes.
The warrior recovered with terrifying speed, however, launching a barrage of strikes that would have crushed a lesser opponent. But Jack was beginning to dance to the rhythm of battle, each movement guided by the AI's calculated insights and his own human ingenuity.
"Try a feint," the AI suggested, its voice cool in the midst of the inferno.
"Feint? I'm not exactly holding a rapier here!" Jack shot back, but he trusted the voice in his ear. He faked a punch towards the Zeraxian's head, only to pivot and slam an elbow into its midsection. The warrior howled, the sound reverberating off the dilapidated buildings.
They were two titans clashing in a world reduced to ruins, their struggle epitomizing the fierce will to survive. The Zeraxian came at him again, claws aiming for the jugular, only to find air as Jack ducked and wove, countering with uppercuts and jabs, his mech suit responding with fluid precision.
"Your friend seems upset," said the Aiden, as another wild swing from the Zeraxian sliced through the dust-filled air.
"Can't imagine why," Jack grunted, rolling out of harm's way and firing a salvo of micro-missiles. The projectiles streaked toward the warrior, forcing it to abandon its offensive and shield itself.
"Watch the tail!" warned Aiden suddenly.
"Tail?" Jack questioned, milliseconds before the thick appendage whipped around, threatening to ensnare his mech. With a burst of thrusters, Jack jetted upward, narrowly avoiding the snare and retaliating with a dive that brought the full weight of his mech onto the Zeraxian's shoulders.
The ground shook upon impact, a testament to the ferocity of their encounter. Yet neither combatant yielded, their every move and countermove a testament to their unyielding spirit. Jack, with the cunning guidance of his AI ally, matched the Zeraxian blow for blow, each determined to emerge the victor in this dance of destruction.
Jack's mech suit whined as its hydraulics strained, hoisting an upturned car to use as a makeshift shield. Metal groaned under the Zeraxian's relentless assault, each blow from its massive fists denting the vehicle's frame.
"Ever considered a career in valet parking?" Aiden teased, its voice a beacon of levity in Jack's earpiece. "Your technique is impeccable."
"Ha-ha," Jack shot back, voice strained as he tossed the car aside and unleashed a torrent of plasma from his suit's arm cannons. The bright streams of energy sizzled against the Zeraxian's hide, leaving scorched marks that quickly regenerated.
"Did you just laugh at your own joke?" he asked, sidestepping a lunge with newfound agility.
"Affirmative. I'm hilarious," the AI responded deadpan. "Now focus. Rerouting power to thrusters for increased maneuverability."
The next moment, Jack felt the mech suit surge with life, its movements becoming even more responsive as he danced around the warrior's attacks. He feinted left, then pivoted right, hammering the alien's side with a barrage of electromagnetic pulses.
"Thanks for the upgrade," Jack said, grinning as the Zeraxian staggered, circuits within its armor crackling.
"Compliments later. Survival now," the AI replied. But there was something akin to pride in its synthetic tone.
"Got it, Coach." Jack's fingers danced across the control panel, launching grappling hooks that snared the warrior's legs. With a triumphant yell, he activated the winch, yanking the behemoth off balance.
"Rookie move," Aiden chided as the Zeraxian teetered. "But effective."
"Who are you calling rookie?" Jack taunted, seizing the moment to leap onto the Zeraxian's back. He fired up the mech's shoulder-mounted lasers, drilling into the alien's armor with precision strikes.
"Someone who should watch out for..." The AI's warning cut off as Jack felt a powerful grip on his mech's arm.
"Too close!" Jack exclaimed, wrestling to free himself as the Zeraxian turned the tables. But he was learning, and adapting; every second in the cockpit melded him further with the machine.
"Let's try something new," Jack muttered, thumbing the activation for the suit's newly installed sonic disruptors. A deafening blast echoed through the ruins, disorienting the Zeraxian long enough for Jack to reclaim the advantage.
"Improvisation. Nice touch," the AI commented, its digital chuckle clear even amid the cacophony of battle.
"Learning from the best," Jack said, allowing himself a moment of triumph as the warrior recoiled, vulnerable at last. The bond between man and machine had never been stronger, their banter a testament to the trust they'd built in the fires of combat. And together, they were unstoppable.
Jack darted between the crumbling pillars of the LA courthouse, his mech's servos whining under the strain. The Zeraxian warrior's pattern was becoming clear: three heavy strikes, a feint to the left, then a pause. A weakness? Jack banked on it.
"Hey AI," he panted, "Notice how our friend here likes the number three?"
"Triplet enthusiast, is he?" the AI said, its voice calm despite the onslaught of alien fury.
"Time to break his rhythm," Jack said, a plan hatching in his mind. He needed to be bold, and unpredictable.
"Or maybe teach him some new steps," the AI suggested, catching on to Jack's intent.
"Exactly." Jack locked onto the warrior's red-eyed glare, gauging the distance. As the Zeraxian lunged, Jack feigned vulnerability, stumbling backward as if overwhelmed.
"Your funeral march," the AI said dryly as the Zeraxian raised its arm for the predictable third strike.
"Here's the twist!" Jack yelled, sidestepping the blow at the last nanosecond. He triggered the mech's jump jets, vaulting over the Zeraxian's outstretched limb, a balletic maneuver that would make any gymnast envious.
"Swan lake with rockets," Aiden observed.
In mid-air, Jack spun, targeting systems locking on as he descended behind the towering foe. His finger hovered over the trigger for the Ion Pulse Cannon. A weapon untouched until this moment. The Zeraxian turned, but too slowly, its rhythm broken.
"Hope you like surprises," Jack grinned, unleashing the cannon's fury. A blinding bolt of concentrated energy surged forth, striking the Zeraxian squarely in the back.
The force of the blast reverberated through the ruins, dust and debris kicked up in a blizzard of destruction. The Zeraxian warrior, caught off guard by the suddenness and ferocity of the attack, faltered. Its dark purple skin crackled with residual energy, muscles seizing.
"Looks like your dance card's been punched," Jack said, as the alien behemoth crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact. His heart raced; adrenaline flooded his system. The once-imposing figure of the warrior lay still, incapacitated by the precision and power of Jack's strategic gambit.
"Encore?" Aiden joked, though its digital tone carried an undertone of respect.
"Let's save it for the next act," Jack replied, breathing heavily, aware that this victory was just one step in his fight to reclaim the city.
Jack stood amidst the ruinous landscape, the once-menacing Zeraxian warrior reduced to an inert heap at his feet. He could almost hear the sweet chime of experience points racking up in his head, a melodic counterpoint to his pounding pulse. Victory tasted like ozone and dust, and it was delicious.
"Hey, Jack, you just leveled up!" The AI Bot's voice chirped with an electronic lilt that somehow conveyed a smirk. "Want to know what you've won?"
"Hit me," Jack said, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. The mech suit's servos whirred softly as he shifted his weight, the connection between man and machine seamless.
"Besides the joy of not being dead? You've got enough points for a skill upgrade. Maybe next time you can take down ugly before it gets personal."
"Next time, let's aim for ugly cousin, less personal and more punctual." Jack chuckled at their banter, feeling the strain of combat begin to ebb away. The humor was a balm, soothing the edges of his frayed nerves.
"Speaking of time, don't you think you deserve a moment?" suggested the AI. Its voice was casual, but the concern was real, a friend looking out for him even in lines of code.
"Couldn't agree more," Jack replied, allowing himself the luxury of rest, if only for a moment. His gaze drifted across the desolate expanse of Los Angeles. Skyscrapers stood like gravestones marking the fall of a vibrant city, now silent but for the distant echoes of battles yet unfought.
As he caught his breath, the weight of his mission settled on his shoulders anew. The Zeraxian had been tough, sure, but it was just one battle in a war. The road ahead would be paved with such encounters, each demanding more of him than the last.
"LA won't reclaim itself," Jack muttered, squaring his jaw with resolve.
"True. But you've got me, remember? And this shiny mech suit. Plus, you're not half-bad at the whole improvisational warfare thing," the AI added, its tone infused with both pride and reassurance.
"Thanks, I'll add 'Improvisational Warfare' to my resume. Right under 'Post-Apocalyptic Mech Pilot' and above 'Office Drone.'" Jack couldn't help but grin at the thought. Whatever lay ahead, he wasn't the same guy who'd spent his days shuffling papers and nursing lukewarm coffee.
"Resume? Fancy. Let's just keep you alive first," Aiden said, and Jack nodded, appreciating the gravity behind the jest.
"Deal," he said, his eyes scanning the horizon. There was no telling what challenges lurked in the shadowed corridors of the city or beyond the crumbled facades. But he was ready. With every clash, every victory, he was becoming what LA needed, a beacon of hope amidst the devastation.
"Alright, let's move. There's a city out there waiting to be saved," Jack announced, the mech suit responding to his command as he strode forward, leaving the fallen Zeraxian behind. The battle was over, but the war for Los Angeles had only just begun.