Wendy, this name had echoed in Matthew's heart for eight years. During those eight years, it was like a loyal guardian, accompanying Matthew through one difficult day after another. Although Wendy had become somewhat outdated, it was still his most vital support in Matthew's eyes. Whenever Matthew thought of Wendy, a strange emotion would arise in his heart, as if a warm and benevolent older man was silently guarding him.
At this moment, Matthew felt as if a vast boulder was pressing on his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe. He had only experienced this feeling once before when his father passed away. Was this sadness? Matthew whispered the question to himself but could not find the answer.
He looked towards the distance, wondering if his father was well in the other world. This question lingered in his mind, preventing him from finding peace.
Matthew found a deserted place and spent the day alone. When he returned to the mech pilot consciousness training base, he called for the Dawnbreaker and calmly said, "Dawn, I want to see the training schedule."
Meanwhile, Ava's heart was filled with a different scene. She desperately searched for the elusive MX but to no avail. Although disappointment and frustration constantly welled up in her heart, she still did not give up. She wanted to face failure like MX and draw strength from it.
However, she still has not found any trace of MX today. Ava's mood hit an all-time low, and she sighed helplessly, deciding to go and chat with her cousin. Her cousin should be in the primary training area, she thought.
Her cousin was the daughter of Ava's aunt, and the two had a deep bond since childhood. Recently, her cousin had been struggling with the mech piloting exam, and her aunt hoped that Ava's father, Charles, could guide her. However, Charles was extremely busy, and most guidance fell on Ava's shoulders.
The primary training area was sparsely populated because consciousness training was ineffective for basic training subjects. Instead, the practical operation was more conducive to rapid progress. Additionally, most people had already learned these basics at a young age, so fewer individuals visited this area.
Ava listlessly browsed through the rooms in the primary training area and quickly found her cousin's room. She entered the room directly but saw her cousin struggling to navigate various obstacles, moving slowly and awkwardly.
Ava did not approach her cousin but stood on the viewing platform, silently observing. However, her gaze was suddenly drawn to another black figure.
The figure weaved through the obstacles with astonishing speed. Could someone at this level still need training here? Ava couldn't help but feel puzzled. She looked closely and was shocked to discover that it was MX! MX! Ava was so excited that she almost jumped up! She would never mistake that person! The Blackbird still bore the scar from her inadvertent hit on its left shoulder that day! The scratch on its left rib was also clearly visible!
Could this be a case of hard work paying off? Ava muttered to herself. She had finally found the elusive MX!
Meanwhile, Matthew was frowning as he looked at the statistical data on the Blackbird. He was close yet far from meeting the Dawnbreaker's standards. That tiny gap seemed like an insurmountable chasm despite his numerous attempts.
"Matthew, with your comprehension ability and foundation, completing the basic training should not be difficult," the voice of the Dawnbreaker echoed in Matthew's ears. "But if you only settle for that level, you will never be able to pilot me!"
Matthew's heart stirred as if those words struck a deep chord. He raised his head and looked at the Dawnbreaker with determined eyes. "I understand! I will work hard to improve myself and not let you down!"
The Dawnbreaker nodded slightly and pulled out a detailed set of parameters. "These are the training requirements I have set based on your Blackbird's performance. You should follow these requirements for your future training."
Matthew took the parameters, looked at them deeply, and nodded solemnly. He knew these were the Dawnbreaker's expectations for him and his challenge. He would give it his all and not disappoint anyone!
"Matthew, remember never to believe in the existence of limits!" The voice of the Dawn Breaker echoed in Matthew's ears once again, sounding like a stubborn and sonorous oath.
Matthew eagerly embraced the advice of the Dawn Breaker. Having survived for so long on the wasteland planet, he deeply understood that he could better face future challenges by possessing sufficient strength. However, he had not anticipated that the training goals set by the Dawn Breaker would be so demanding. These target parameters were all at the limit of what the Blackbird mech could achieve, causing him immense struggle during training.
Every day, it felt like he was in a desperate battle with his limits and those of the Blackbird. The high standards set by the Dawn Breaker seemed like an insurmountable gap between Matthew and success. He constantly tried, failed, and tried again, trapped in a never-ending cycle.
His hands ached profoundly from the continuous high-intensity operation, sometimes lacking the strength to lift them.
Despite this, Matthew did not give up. He pushed himself to the limit, training day and night until finally, one day, he completed one of the requirements. At that moment, he was almost moved to tears, feeling a sense of accomplishment. A wave of indescribable joy and pride surged through him, knowing that this moment was earned through his sweat and hard work.
The Dawn Breaker expressed satisfaction with his performance but reminded him of the need for speed. To motivate Matthew further, the Dawn Breaker introduced a reward and punishment system: if Matthew failed to complete a task within a week, he would have to rely solely on organic liquid food for the following week.
Facing this unpleasant condition, Matthew sighed helplessly. He knew he had to rely on the Dawn Breaker for hunting. Otherwise, he would face the threat of hunger. Determined to avoid the organic liquid food he had hated since childhood, he had to redouble his efforts to meet the demands of the Dawn Breaker.
Today was the last day of the week, and Matthew still hadn't completed the final requirement. He was anxious, knowing that if he failed again, he would have to endure a week of organic liquid food. The very sight of the bland, white substance made him feel nauseous, let alone consuming it.
Matthew pondered deeply about the problem. He understood that the Blackbird could achieve these parameters if the Dawn Breaker had proposed them. But why was he always just a little bit off? He fell into a profound contemplation.
Meanwhile, Lily found herself in a precarious situation on the training ground. She nervously sat in the cockpit of the Blackbird mech, her hands tightly gripping the control sticks, her eyes revealing a hint of fear and confusion. Despite her efforts to control the mech and keep it steady in flight, her movements appeared clumsy and unfamiliar.
The Blackbird mech wobbled and rose unsteadily into the air, resembling a fledgling bird struggling to keep its balance. Every slight adjustment Lily made caused the mech to sway and lurch wildly as if performing a thrilling acrobatic display.
Her reaction speed was inconsistent with the mech's dynamic movements. Whenever the mech encountered an unexpected situation, it took her longer to correct and stabilize it. This state made the mech's flight path unpredictable and erratic.
Disaster struck just as she tried to steady the mech's flight attitude. A metal pipe hanging in mid-air suddenly appeared, but her reaction was too slow. The mech collided with the metal pipe at high speed, producing a harsh scraping sound.
The sudden impact terrified Lily, and she uttered a piercing scream of fear and despair. Her hands released the control sticks limply, and her entire body seemed shocked, unable to respond.
Her scream echoed through the room as the mech lost control and plummeted towards the ground.
This scream also caught the attention of Ava, who was focused on MX. She turned around and saw her cousin's mech falling from the sky. An alarm flashed through Ava's mind, and she knew that her cousin, who had always been timid and weak, had a deep fear of mechs. If she was frightened this time, it could not only make her seriously ill but also leave a lasting psychological scar, causing her to fear piloting mechs in the future.
Ava immediately summoned her Phoenix mech, set its speed to the highest setting, and rushed towards her cousin. She hoped to catch her before she hit the ground and mitigate the damage. However, the obstacles in the air were numerous and oddly shaped, significantly slowing her down. Watching her cousin get closer and closer to the ground while she was still far away, Ava's heart was filled with anxiety, and she was on the verge of tears.
Just then, not far away, Matthew was also awakened by the cry. He looked up and saw a Blackbird mech, just like his own, falling from the sky. Without hesitation, Matthew quickly manipulated his Blackbird mech to fly towards the falling one. Perhaps subconsciously, he longed for another of his kind to appear! Seeing another Blackbird mech in danger, he didn't hesitate to lend a helping hand.
Matthew was in the training ground, and the sudden appearance of disorderly obstacles made his heart race as if thrown back into a hunting ground filled with chaotic debris. Each obstacle was like prey or a trap in the hunting ground, requiring him to react precisely and quickly.
However, at this critical moment, the essential moves he had practiced repeatedly over the past week flowed naturally through his mind like water. His hands glided gently over the control sticks, and every subtle movement was precisely calculated and anticipated. His gaze was firm and focused as if he wanted to engrave every obstacle ahead into his retina.
Although his hands moved much slower than usual, the Blackbird mech exhibited fantastic flexibility and agility under his control. It weaved effortlessly through the obstacles like a dark shadow, with each turn and acceleration executed perfectly, without any hindrance or delay.
When the out-of-control Blackbird mech was only three meters above the ground, Matthew maneuvered his mech forward with lightning speed. He accurately judged the relative positions and speeds of the two mechs and scooped up the falling one steadily with his mech's arm.
Then, he began to decelerate, and after sliding for some distance, the Blackbird mech finally landed smoothly on the ground, thanks to Matthew's skilled maneuvering. The entire process was like a well-choreographed dance, with every movement elegant and fluid.
"It's okay, everything's fine now!" Matthew poked his head out of the mech and said calmly, with a faint smile, as if he had just accomplished something trivial. Then, he gently set the Blackbird mech down, allowing it to rest quietly on the ground.
A few seconds later, a Shadow Phoenix-II also flew to the front of the Blackbird mech. Seeing this mech, Matthew felt a slight twinge of envy and guessed that it must be a friend of the person piloting the fallen Blackbird. However, he suddenly realized that this Yingfeng mech looked familiar. After reflection, he realized it was the same mech he had encountered during his first battle here. So he nodded slightly in greeting, acknowledging its presence.
Matthew habitually glanced at his optical brain, but then he suddenly froze!