Chapter 219: Cat-Mouse-Dog Mech!
The Cat-Mouse-Dog War Machine suddenly split in half from the middle, dividing into front and rear sections. The bottom chassis of both sections folded rapidly.
Upon folding, the two sides split open again, revealing appendages resembling arms. These appendages extended upwards, akin to a French military salute. Simultaneously, rocket thrusters situated below due to the folding sprayed an unknown yellow gas toward the ground.
As for the specifics of the gas, don't ask. In short, after the propulsion, the war machine, which could no longer be described as a mere vehicle, executed a vertical jump from a stationary position. It didn't take off; instead, it performed a 180-degree somersault, causing the appendages that were initially raised to point downward, while the vehicle's front and rear ends, facing the sky due to the folding, were aimed at the ground.
A "snap" resounded as the thrust disappeared, and the war machine's "arms" propped firmly on the ground. At this point, the Cat-Mouse-Dog War Machine was finally ready to transform. Well... it hadn't truly transformed just yet. This was because the transformation required lifting off the ground, and this peculiar competition forbade takeoff.
Hence, the Cat-Mouse-Dog War Machine could only initiate its first transformation in this odd inverted stance.
Bai Song, Tom, Jerry, and the human passengers sat inside the cockpits, which were covered by glass canopies similar to fighter jet cockpits. Safety belts held them in place, so they experienced only minor dizziness during the folding process.
Spike the dog, however, perched on the rocket thrusters on the exterior of the war machine's body, was feeling a bit more uncomfortable. He not only had to endure the centrifugal force from the rolling vehicle but also had to lift his backside slightly to prevent roasting it due to the rocket thrusters' heat emission.
"Transformation, initiate!" Seeing the war machine in its inverted state, Bai Song decisively issued the command and pressed the transformation button together with Tom and Jerry.
"Beep!"
"Beep!"
"Beep!"
Following the three beeping sounds, the Cat-Mouse-Dog War Machine, suspended in its inverted position, finally... began its transformation!
With the transformation underway, Bai Song decisively pressed the "Head," "Torso," and "Arms" buttons. Then he shouted, "I'll form the head!"
After pressing the button, Bai Song's cockpit rapidly shifted to the uppermost section of the war machine. Simultaneously, the cockpit underwent deformation and was covered with a layer of crimson metal. Soon, Bai Song's cockpit transformed into a shape resembling the head of Emperor Taizu. Unfortunately, this war machine wasn't a large truck but an ordinary F1 car.
Jerry, without a doubt, chose the arm positions. The reason was simple: Jerry's name appeared on the right arm.
As for Tom, he didn't get a choice. Due to his slow reaction speed, he failed to seize the arm positions from Jerry and had to settle for the torso position.
Earlier, the ammunition compartments prepared by Tom and Jerry had also shifted to the left shoulder, becoming a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher.
After a few short seconds of transformation, the Cat-Mouse-Dog War Machine successfully transformed into an upper body of a mech that was comparable in size to Optimus Prime... Well, only the upper body of the mech was completed due to the war machine's smaller size compared to a truck.
Yes, that's right. Due to the war machine's smaller size, all the components were used to form the upper body, leaving the lower body nonexistent—effectively amputating it. But that's not a big issue!
Don't forget, the Cat-Mouse-Dog War Machine still had a rocket thruster. Just stick this contraption to the mech's posterior. It would serve as both the mech's propulsion system and support, resolving the lack of legs problem quite effectively. Moreover, thanks to this "rocket thruster"... oh, no, this contraption, the mech's hands, which couldn't hang vertically before, were now able to do so, although they barely reached the ground.
Though slightly awkward for a rocket thruster turned special weapon, it could always be utilized as a weapon if the need arose.
"With a clang~!!!"
With a voiceover seemingly appearing out of thin air, the Cat-Mouse-Dog War Machine... or rather, the Cat-Mouse-Dog Mech, completed its transformation!
Fujimaru Ritsuka on the side watched the entire transformation process of the Cat-Mouse-Dog Mech with astonishment. He said, "This... this is?"
He was ready for another run, but he hadn't expected Bai Song's vehicle to transform like a Transformers robot!
Gudako, who had been thrown to the ground not far away, was equally astonished. After struggling to get back up, Gudako and Mashu exchanged shocked glances, both looking in Bai Song's direction.
She had initially wanted to stand up and angrily shout at the Sphinx, "How dare you hit my horse?!"
However, before she could fully get up, she saw the Cat-Mouse-Dog War Machine, driven by Bai Song, start to transform, much like a Transformers robot!
"It's transforming?!"
It was evident that the mech, which had been transformed from an F1-style vehicle, stood at a height of about six to seven meters. If it had legs, it could easily reach a height of around ten meters, surpassing the current Sphinx.
However, there were no spare parts for the legs.
With a snap of its fingers, the Cat-Mouse-Dog Mech pointed its right index finger at the Sphinx and attempted to taunt it in a mocking tone.
"Sow~ Count your sins!" The Cat-Mouse-Dog Mech taunted.
"May I assume you're ready?" Sphinx calmly remarked as it watched the completed transformation of the Cat-Mouse-Dog Mech.
It had been waiting for Bai Song to answer the next question for a while now. The previous question had been intended for Bai Song, but unfortunately, Gudako had preempted it and failed to answer correctly. Thus, Sphinx had dealt a blow to Gudako.
However, Bai Song hadn't answered yet, so Sphinx had held off and was waiting for Bai Song to respond to his question.
"Of course!"
"Then, be prepared..." Sphinx began to ask the next question.
However, before Sphinx could finish the sentence "be prepared to face the next question," the posterior of the Cat-Mouse-Dog Mech suddenly emitted an orange-yellow gas. Simultaneously, the entire mech, driven by Bai Song, leaped into the air due to the thrust from the gas emission, its fist swinging towards Sphinx's face.
"Ah, attack!!!!!!"