Who wouldn't want to pilot giant robots for a living? The Overdrive Corporation has announced another Selection, the exclusive tryout process for aspiring Fortress Masters. Designing maps for the Mech battling virtual reality RPG is Julian's dream come true, but a brutal defeat against superstar sniper Dynamic has destroyed his confidence. Hoping to find a stronger machine, Julian enters an immensely challenging map that promises ultra-rare Mech frames. During the ill-fated mission, he finally learns what it takes to get better. It's not the strength of the machine that matters most - it's the skill of the pilot. Julian rebuilds his gameplay from the ground up, seeking out the strongest opponents and the most challenging dungeons. He explores the countless aspects of Overdrive that he's inadvertently ignored. Waiting for him is a rematch with the sniper he's never beaten, with a spot in the Selection on the line. The fifth novel from writer Ryan Tang, a veteran of the esports industry and high school sports coach, The Heaven's Boxer will delight fans of LitRPG, sports stories, and mecha anime.

Do the rules even matter? After Julian qualifies for the Selection, he soon discovers the dark underbelly of professional Overdrive. The company CEO is an egotistical bully who eagerly encourages an atmosphere of backbiting and constant surveillance. The Heaven's Boxer resurfaces, but the noble Mech is used to sabotage the player-created training system, driving countless beginners out of the community. The game administration does nothing. They consider the kind-hearted trainer pilots a longstanding embarrassment to the company's inferior tutorial mode. The only way Julian can reclaim the Heaven's Boxer is hacking the server and disguising himself as a beginner. If he succeeds, he'll be able to use the mighty Heaven's Boxer in the Selection tournament. But if he's caught, he'll be permanently banned from the game he loves. Julian accepts the illicit mission, preparing nightly even as he battles through grueling Selection challenges during the day. The exhausted pilot soon realizes he isn't the only person deceiving the game administration. Who is Phillips, and what is the source of the mysterious pilot's psychic powers?

As the Selection draws to a close, Julian's skills are viciously tested. A mysterious new player has entered the competition, claiming to be Julian's friend Emma. It only takes Julian a single match to see the new pilot's skill. The imposter is capable of imitating any pilot, even masters of the game like Vile and Vermillion Angel. Julian had hoped he and his friend could fight side-by-side. Instead, she sold her spot to a competitor. It's the aspiring professional pilot's first taste of the ruthless business world of Overdrive. All the while, the alliance's pawns will do anything to eliminate him, even if it means disqualifying themselves.