Meanwhile, in the monitoring room of Cabin 12.
"Boss Lin, has the issue with Li Yi not having the ideological imprint been resolved?" someone asked.
"Not yet," Lin Guotao replied. "We need to wait for the final results of Li Yi's second-round matches."
"I don't quite understand," Lou Cheng said. "Didn't you originally say that barely making it into the top ten was part of your plan?"
"The situation has changed," Lin Guotao explained. "His performance has drawn attention, not just from the commander but even the captain."
"So, if the Oversight Department finds any issues with Li Yi, just report it truthfully. At the very least, I'll ensure you retain your first-level access, understood?"
Lou Cheng pondered, "You mean I take the responsibility, but you'll take care of my future?"
"Don't worry. The tide is turning, and better days are ahead."
...
Two days passed in a flash.
During this time, the two revival spots were filled, as expected, by Lin Qin and Liang Xing. Notably, Lin Qin attempted to pilot the Gravity God's Heavy Core mech but failed. Liang Xing chose the Thunder God's Falling Eagle mech.
Ultimately, the finals returned to a ten-person showdown.
"Hope you all become evolved soon and meet the criteria to switch mechs. Then you can choose a divine mech more suited for evolved pilots," Honghulu Fairy AI cheerfully bid them farewell at the elevator.
"I will transport your exclusive divine mechs directly to your battle arenas. Do your best to secure a good support module!"
The group thanked Honghulu Fairy AI. Her guidance over the past two days had undoubtedly saved them time as they familiarized themselves with their divine mechs, effectively integrating their combat and genetic skills with the mech's capabilities.
Entering the elevator, the group fell into silence. Minutes later, the doors opened, and they filed out.
The arena was still in pre-match preparation, dimly lit, casting an eerie ambiance.
"Welcome back," Qingguo Fairy AI projected herself, gently landing on the ground.
"We have 20 minutes until the official start. Feel free to find a quiet spot to rest."
The group dispersed. Li Yi found a bench by a corridor and sat down.
Soon, Zhong Xiufa approached, as cautious as ever, "Brother Yi, may I sit next to you?"
"Of course."
"Thank you, Brother Yi."
Zhong Xiufa sighed in relief and sat down carefully.
"Go ahead, what's on your mind?" Li Yi asked directly.
Zhong Xiufa hesitated briefly before speaking softly, "Brother Yi, why have you been sleeping more than practicing these past two days? Is piloting a D-grade divine mech too taxing?"
Li Yi replied, "Uh... I didn't expect you to notice. Yes, that's it."
He had been pondering how to explain, but Zhong Xiufa had already assumed the reason.
"Everyone's been watching you. They say that while you might not last until the end, you'll aim for quick victories early on. Some have even agreed to drag out their matches to eliminate you early."
Li Yi chuckled, "That might not be the case."
Over the past two days, he had been capturing memory fragments of parallel worlds, mostly related to piloting the Pluto mech. This extended his activity duration to nearly an hour and a half—an impressive improvement.
But for the finals, it still wasn't foolproof. If opponents intentionally prolonged matches, extending the total duration, there wasn't much he could do. Despite improved startup speed, it still took an hour to initiate.
His plan was to extend his real-match time early on, using actual battles to enhance memory absorption efficiency. This way, even if the finals' total time stretched, he could manage to hold on.
"Regardless of your decision, I'll try to shorten my match times," Zhong Xiufa said.
"Thanks," Li Yi replied.
"Well, I'll go warm up. And if we face off, don't hold back against me. I won't mind," Zhong Xiufa said, blushing as she quickly bowed and left.
...
The match order was set. The first round of the ten-person elimination was drawn: Lei Lan vs. Lin Hua, Li Yi vs. Pang Haoren, Zhong Xiufa vs. Liang Shaocong, Liang Xing vs. Xie Zhenye, and Dragon Guanshan vs. Chen Changxiu.
In the second round, a redraw would occur with five remaining competitors, leaving one with a bye. This person would face a challenge from a previous round's loser. If the bye-loser lost, the revival spot would replace them.
The third round would be a final three-person round-robin.
Li Yi's draw wasn't ideal, but not terrible either.
The upsides: If he was first, his slow startup guaranteed an automatic forfeit. Second was just enough time to start the Pluto mech, given the official buffer time and intermissions.
The downside: Starting from the second match meant maintaining activation throughout, effectively spanning the entire finals.
Adding to the pressure, the noble families had chosen divine mechs matching their genetic skills, potentially enhancing their combat effectiveness.
"Good things take time," Li Yi mused, entering the non-spiritual-element insertion pod. Spiritual elements were expensive, reserved for initial divine mech startups.
Click.
The pod plunged into the Pluto mech's rear connection.
...
In the giant arena, two 30-meter divine mechs clashed repeatedly.
Suddenly, the magma mech, deep red with dark patterns, unleashed a powerful punch, sending its opponent flying into the wall, ejecting the insertion pod onto the ground.
"Wow, Lin Hua is strong, ending it in just ten exchanges."
"Next is Li Yi. Let's see if he can replicate his dominant performance from the points match."
Onlookers, including mech pilots and other professionals, gathered to witness the divine mech matches—a spectacle of immense impact within the deep space fleet.
Even those who hadn't watched the virtual reality matches arrived, drawn by the most promising newcomer in points match history.
The scene was unprecedented.
Below, Zhong Xiufa worried, "Lin Hua ended her match quickly, leaving Li Yi with minimal startup time. I hope he's ready."