Matthew completed his training unconsciously, leaving him puzzled. He tried to restart the training several times, and each time he met the requirements, yet he still didn't understand how he managed to do it. However, Matthew didn't dwell on this question too much. As long as his strength improved, he was satisfied. More importantly, he wouldn't have to eat those organic liquid foods next week.
Without further ado, Matthew exited the virtual network, as he had steel ball training waiting for him. Since Winnie was injured, the steel ball training had been put back on the schedule by Xiao. Through this training, Matthew also learned a lesson: speed wasn't the deciding factor.
Meanwhile, Ava was softly comforting the pale-faced Lily. She felt grateful to MX for catching Lily and avoiding possible serious consequences. But the thought of MX being faster than her despite being farther away filled her with dread. However, this fear was quickly overshadowed by her intense curiosity. She couldn't help but wonder how MX's strength had improved so rapidly. Did he really hide his strength last time?
Lily's slightly frightened eyes, delicate and beautiful face devoid of color, her shoulder-length black hair slightly disheveled, and her slender body trembling slightly made her look like a delicate flower bud struggling in the cold wind, evoking sympathy. Ava tenderly smoothed Lily's hair, and Lily couldn't help but burst into tears and bury herself in Ava's embrace. Ava gently stroked Lily's shoulder, silently comforting her. Despite being only a little over ten days younger than Ava, Lily had always been dependent on her due to her timid nature. Even after their families separated two years ago, Lily still relied heavily on her sister in her heart.
"Don't cry, let's go home," Ava whispered to Lily. Lily nodded obediently. With a lingering glance, Ava hugged Lily and exited the room. She couldn't help but ask herself: Did he recognize me? Was he nodding at me? Ava felt a little restless, but she couldn't pinpoint the reason why.
The next day, Matthew began his new training. As it was the first day, his movements were still clumsy, but he was fully focused on the training. However, he didn't notice that two uninvited guests had entered the room and been observing him for quite some time.
Ava was shocked to see the clumsy figure on the training ground. She couldn't believe that this was the same MX who had intimidated her yesterday. If seeing him train in the basic training area had surprised her, watching him meticulously perform the training she had done when she was only eight or nine years old, and with such clumsy movements as if it were his first time, left her even more astonished!
Had he never learned the basic subjects? If he had, why was he still doing this basic training here? And why were his movements so clumsy? If he hadn't, how could he have possibly completed that high-difficulty Chaos Wave Jump? Was it just a fluke?
The only thing Ava could be certain of was that MX was truly a strange guy! Meanwhile, Lily stared blankly at the black bird buried in training, lost in thought. The two of them continued to gaze at the meticulous figure on the field for a long time.
After a while, Ava came to her senses and noticed that Lily was still standing beside her, unmoving. She asked curiously, "Lily, why are you still here? Aren't you going to train today?" She noticed that Lily's face was slightly flushed, like a delicate flower that had just been picked, and her usually clear eyes now seemed a bit flustered and vacant.
Ava then teased, "Were you too scared to train today after what happened yesterday?" Her words seemed to hit a nerve in Lily, who blushed even more, her cheeks turning as red as a ripe apple. She stuttered in response, "Uh...oh...I...I...will start now!" With that, she stumbled towards the training ground, piloting her black bird.
Watching Lily's back, Ava couldn't help but feel amused. She knew that Lily was a timid and shy girl, and yesterday's experience must have been quite a shock to her. However, Ava also believed that with enough time and encouragement, Lily would be able to overcome her fears and become an excellent trainer.
At this moment, Lily felt like her mind was a complete blank, as if she had forgotten everything she had practiced yesterday. She piloted her black bird, swaying unsteadily in the air like a lost little bird. Her heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. She kept telling herself to calm down and be brave, but her body couldn't help but tremble.
Seeing this, Ava couldn't help but rub her forehead in exasperation, feeling like she was about to faint. She knew that what Lily needed now was encouragement and support, not ridicule and sarcasm. So, she quickly walked towards the training ground, ready to lend a helping hand when Lily needed it the most.
Matthew was so engrossed in his own struggle for food that he didn't notice two figures entering the room. If Ava and Lily moved closer, they would surely hear his muttered words: "I want meat... I want meat..." He was well aware of the demanding requirements of the Dawn Breaker, and this was definitely the ultimate challenge his Blackbird could achieve.
Time passed unnoticed as Matthew repeated the tedious training, until the Dawn Breaker reminded him that the time was up. Only then did he realize how hungry he was, with his stomach growling loudly. He immediately exited the training, leaving Ava and Lily standing there in surprise. From that day on, every day, there were two figures watching him from afar in his training ground, and he gradually got used to this silent companionship.
Matthew was not completely unaware of their presence. His survival instincts kept him alert at all times. However, since the two mechs just stood there quietly observing and never interrupting his training, he didn't pay much attention to them. He wondered why they would be so fascinated by his training, which was not profound but rather boring.
However, this was not something he could control. Matthew told himself that if he didn't give it his all, he would end up with tasteless organic liquid food like mud. So, he continued with his daily training, and Ava and Lily also showed up every day as if by habit. A tacit understanding seemed to have formed between them, where they respected each other's space and only occasionally nodded in acknowledgment.
Matthew's training in reality had also made significant progress. He could now endure one and a half hours of training with ten steel balls, and his physical fitness had reached a new level. He deeply felt the improvement in his strength, with his running speed increasing by three times, his strength enhancing by six times, and the speed of his hands multiplying by ten. Amazingly, his weight had not increased significantly, which even impressed the Dawn Breaker.
Now, even without piloting a mech, Matthew could easily hunt some low-level mutated creatures, showing how strong his body had become. He held a sharp blade in his right hand and a fragrant roasted rat leg in his left. With a slight flick of his wrist, he sliced off a piece of meat as thin as a cicada's wing. As soon as the meat separated from the leg, it automatically rolled up. Matthew skillfully flicked it with the tip of his knife, sending it flying straight into his mouth. As his movements became faster, the meat rolls continuously shot into his mouth like bullets from a machine gun, and he wore a look of pure enjoyment.
Matthew had discovered by accident that if the meat was sliced extremely thin, it not only retained the rich aroma of the roast but also melted in the mouth with a lingering aftertaste. The meat leg gradually shrank in his hand until only a clean bone remained, as if it had been carefully cleaned.
Matthew let out a long sigh of satisfaction, casually tossing the bone aside and stretching his arms. "Xiao, I finished all my basic training yesterday. What should I do today?" he asked. Although the hard life of these days had been somewhat monotonous, he had gradually grown accustomed to this fulfilling feeling. Now that he had lost his goal, he felt a bit lost and overwhelmed.
Suddenly, he thought of the Shadow Phoenix and Blackbird who had been silently watching his training all this time. They had never exchanged a word, only occasionally nodding in acknowledgment. He wondered if he would ever see these two strange yet familiar friends again. Matthew suddenly missed them. He had originally planned to tell them tomorrow that he wouldn't be going to the training room anymore, but then he dismissed the idea. Friends? Maybe it was just a one-sided wishful thinking on his part. They didn't belong to the same world, so leaving like this might be a good choice. If he ever had the chance to leave the garbage planet, perhaps they could become real friends. Matthew couldn't help but indulge in these thoughts until the Dawn Breaker's soft voice interrupted his reverie: "Let's begin actual combat. Gain some practical experience, and then learn advanced techniques."
A glint of excitement sparked in Matthew's eyes. "Actual combat? That's great! I love actual combat! Training all day is so boring!" His earlier emotions vanished, replaced by anticipation and excitement for the upcoming battle. He had practiced for so long and finally had the chance to show his skills! This couldn't help but fill him with tremendous excitement and anticipation!