In the northern district of Grayport, there was a fighting arena, a place where mercenaries and pirates could settle any dispute. Enmity between mercenaries and pirates had simmered for years, rooted in generations of bloodshed, ensuring the arena saw frequent use.

On this particular day, two factions arrived, preparing for a fight to the death.

The stands were already packed with an eager crowd. They inhabited Grayport, a place steeped in violence, and were infected by it; whenever the arena opened for business, they flocked here as if possessed.

A lean middle-aged man entered the uppermost private box and found a man in a Tang suit already inside, savoring a glass of red wine.

The lean middle-aged man offered a greeting: "I didn't expect Commander Xie to be here."

"But Commander Dennis has free time too, doesn't he? Besides, with the arena opening and one side being that old goat Herman, how could I possibly miss it?" Commander Xie replied in a level tone.

"Commander Xie, who do you think will win today? Herman, or those newcomers?" Dennis asked, feigning indifference.

"Commander Dennis, calling them 'newcomers'—are you looking down on the warriors of the Terran Mercenary Group? Or are you merely putting on a show for me, pretending not to care about them?" Commander Xie narrowed his eyes, sweeping a quick glance over Dennis, catching the subtle shift in his expression.

Dennis snorted coldly, offering no reply.

"A while back, Herman sent quite a few people to stir up trouble on the street outside the Terran Mercenary Group's compound. But yesterday, Mr. Robin sent twenty mercenaries in power armor to chase them for five city blocks. Herman thought he could lure them past the five-block mark into an ambush and be done with it, but those twenty young mercenaries smashed right through the trap, resulting in losses of at least fifty men for Herman. Furthermore, the two hundred men sent to intercept reinforcements were largely slaughtered by the relief force, which was only half their number. Only two managed to survive long enough to see Herman, and they were spared only because the Terran Mercenary Group needed someone to deliver a message," Commander Xie shook his head. "Truly ruthless. Commander Dennis, don't you have any thoughts on the matter?"

"Hmph. Making such a splash right after arriving, it's no wonder Herman proposed a challenge match. Don't they know that to maintain Grayport's neutrality, the troop strengths of the mercenary and pirate factions must remain balanced? Or maybe they know, but choose to deliberately break the rules! These Terran Mercenary Group people completely disregard balance; their deployed forces in Grayport exceed the quota assigned by the Grayport City Government. They must pay the price!" Dennis shouted, his tone rigid.

"If they had stuck to the numbers assigned to them, Herman would have devoured them long ago," Commander Xie said dismissively. "These quotas are utter nonsense. What fool actually adheres to them? You and I know perfectly well: who in Grayport doesn't maintain covert forces? Take your Wildfire Mercenary Group, for instance. You publicly field three thousand men, but at your command, another three thousand could appear without issue," Commander Xie added in a tone of veiled flattery.

"Heh heh, the feeling is mutual," Dennis retorted, shooting Commander Xie a sharp look.

Just then, a loud uproar erupted from the arena floor. The contest had begun. Commander Xie turned his gaze downward, thinking: Dennis seems extremely displeased with the Terran Mercenary Group. Could this be directed by Isaac? Is Isaac unhappy with the Terran Mercenary Group? Or is this old fox putting on an act for my benefit, trying to mislead me?

This arena covered one square kilometer. The spectator stands were on the south side, offering ten thousand seats and ten private boxes. The power structure in Grayport was incredibly complex; even two mercenary commanders could only secure one box between them.

At this moment, the two factions entered the combat zone, one from the left side of the stands and the other from the right.

The group from the left consisted of over fifty pirates, all clad in pitch-black power armor. A single long horn jutted from the forehead plate of their helmets. They kept their face shields retracted, exposing their features, revealing the impatient nature of these pirates. As soon as they emerged, they began shouting loudly toward the audience seats, using exaggerated gestures to ignite the crowd’s fervor and absorb their cheers. Bloodthirsty smiles stretched across their faces, sending chills down the spine.

The group from the right was composed of fifty warriors in solid red power armor—the machine gunners of the Terran Mercenary Group. They marched with perfectly synchronized steps, appearing calm, confident, and disciplined.

From the stands, a referee spoke into a microphone: "The arena opens again today due to the conflict between Mr. Herman and the Terran Mercenary Group. Mr. Herman claims the Terran forces exceed their permitted numbers and demands sanctions from the Grayport City Government. Conversely, the Terran Mercenary Group asserts that Mr. Herman initiated unprovoked attacks against them yesterday and also demands sanctions. With the dispute deadlocked, the City Government has decided to settle the matter via an arena contest. Whoever wins is deemed correct!"

The arena erupted, the audience applauding wildly.

After the noise subsided, the referee coughed and continued: "Mr. Herman's Devil Squad is the reigning champion of this arena. Previously, they used the Mark II Devil power armor, but now they are upgraded to the Mark III—one of the newest power armors from the Earth Federation. Their primary weapon is a plasma cannon; their formidable strength goes without saying. As for the Terran Mercenary Group, they are utilizing self-manufactured power armor equipped with Gauss weaponry, known for its extremely high penetration power. Judging by yesterday’s battle record, they are not lacking in capability either! Perhaps today we will witness a true clash of titans!"

As the referee’s voice grew more animated, the crowd responded with renewed excitement.

"Excellent! Time is precious, so I won't elaborate further. The match now enters the preparation phase—it begins in ten seconds!" the referee shouted, his voice echoing across the venue.

Both sides in the arena began to prepare. The Devil Squad pulled down their face shields and took cover behind obstacles. The machine gunners raised their weapons and also positioned themselves behind cover.

The battlefield was littered with various obstacles, creating a complex terrain.

At this moment, Yang Ying was watching the live broadcast in a base far away; indeed, everyone available in the base was glued to the feed.

The command center looked brand new, scarcely different from before.

Kaliya was also present in the command center, providing commentary for Yang Ying: "Robin anticipated this day long before the operation. He is fully confident."

Yang Ying nodded. "I find that as my perspective broadens, clowns like Herman no longer warrant my personal attention. From now on, Robin will handle Grayport matters. The base will simply serve as his backup."

As the ten seconds expired, with the referee’s shout of 'Begin!', the air immediately filled with the sound of gunfire and cannon blasts.