"Well, I am sure you know about the tension between the Federation and the European Empire, right?" Jack Yang said.

"Of course. Russel Whitefrost massacred their High Embassy. It was crazy!" Roland Hu replied instantly.

"I heard a rumor that the Europeans plan to send a golden mecha to "visit" the Federation to investigate the case! And because the Europeans are sending in a golden mecha, the Americans would be doing the same thing too! If that's the case, then there would actually be two golden mechas in the Federation soon. And if they are here, then merely catching a sight of them wouldn't be a problem." Jack Yang said.

My eyes gleamed at his words.

Not one, but two golden mechas??

Jackpot!!

Now, if I could somehow devour them both, and make it look like the other party somehow stole each other's mechas...

My mind started to race as scheme after scheme, plan after plan, and scenario after scenario ran through my mind.

"How did you hear of that? I thought that was actually classified information. My dad said not to tell anybody about that." Barrick Rui then chuckled at his own words when he heard how it actually sounds.

"Yeah. As if "don't tell anyone that" actually means anything in this time and age." Jack Yang laughed.

"Oh well. I guess there's no harm telling you that the golden mechas will arrive sometime this week. Both would be arriving together in the same ship. In fact, it would be a completely joint investigation led by the American Goldie "to keep things objective"." Barrick Rui said.

My ears perked up at those words.

"By ship? What ship? Which port? When exactly?" Roland Hu once again read my mind and asked the exact questions I wanted to ask.

"Of course I wasn't told the details. Do I look like an important member of the Federation's welcoming party to you?" Barrick Rui replied while rolling his eyes at Roland. "But it isn't hard to figure out that the mechas would arrive in the Shanghai Port. That's the only port big enough to accomodate the two mechas."

"So we just need to look out for a humongous ship big enough to fit two golden mechas, and we will have a chance to catch a glimpse of them when they leave the ship?" Roland Hu asked excitedly.

"More or less. If you're a homeless streetrat of Shanghai, you might be able to do that. Too bad for you, you're a student of the glorious National Mecha Pilot Academy, and you would be thousands of miles away buried in schoolwork when the mechas arrive. Woe to you." Barrick Rui said in his trademark dry voice.

"Oh bummer. Lucky street rats." Roland Hu grumbled and sighed deeply as he laid down on his bed.

After that, the conversations sort of died down as each of us slowly got lost in our own thoughts. Well, for three of us, at least. Barrick Rui was lost in his dreams within minutes.

Two golden mechas.historical

It is extremely difficult to explain the allure that the two golden mechas had on me.

They were the very definition of power, and I had the ability to take them and make them a part of me.

It was like looking at a video of highly skilled martial artists, and knowing that if you are able to just get close to them, you would be able to absorb all of their powers.

Something like that, just scaled up a billion times.

Or maybe it was like a master thief looking at news about the most expensive set of jewelry ever created, full of fist sized diamonds and emeralds and rubies set upon pure, unblemished gold, and knowing that if he was able to find out where the jewelry was located, he would definitely be able to steal it, one way or another.

I was hungry for the golden mechas.

Starving, in fact.

I spent the whole night planning and scheming how I could get my hands on the golden mechas.

And when dawn broke the next day, I had turned into a grumpy, mentally exhausted little kid without a wink of sleep after a ferociously exciting and tiring first day of school.

True, physically I was actually fine. I was brimming with my red energy and the power of many, many blue mecha cores and a white mecha cores swirled in their dormant states within me, ready to instantly respond to my will.

But my mind was tired.

And because of that, I was very, very irritable.

And no, I am not making excuses for what happened that day.

I am merely stating facts about my mental condition.

Straight facts, unblemished.

"Good morning guys!" Roland Hu shouted loudly as soon as our central alarm rang loudly. "It's our second day of school, and first day of official lessons! Let's not be late!"

"Gah!! Central alarm! If I had known they had central alarm systems in here, I wouldn't have agreed to come! Damn it! Damn it all!" Barrick Rui cursed his parents vehemently and buried his head under his pillow.

"I heard breakfast is first come first served. I think we shoul-"

SLAM!!

Jack Yang hadn't even finished his sentence when Barrick Rui and I somehow got to our room door, slammed it open and dashed towards the common cafetaria!

"Damn it all! Why is our room so far away from the Central Commons!!" Barrick Rui shouted as we ran at top speed, neck and neck towards the cafeteria.

"Damn it all! Look at that! At least five room doors are open! We need to hurry before all the good stuff gets taken!" I shouted in near panic.

"You're right! Faster! Faster!!" Barrick Rui shouted as his eyes gleamed maniacally. He increased his running speed and incredibly, began to edge forward ahead of me!!

I was 60 kilograms, physically boosted by a bunch of mecha cores.

He was 120 kilograms, unboosted.

That damned fatty must be starving!