Following the intermission, Li Yi's opponent, Pang Haoren, took the stage piloting the Electric Wave mech. Standing at about 28 meters tall, it appeared noticeably smaller compared to other mechs. Its indigo hue and the large fleshy hump on its back gave it a hybrid look of biology and steel. As it emerged, the air crackled with the sound of electricity, making a grand entrance.
Qingguo Fairy AI hovered above the arena, providing commentary on the mech's history:
"The Electric Wave mech, with its storied past on the Yaoci, has had seven pilots over the past century. One of them has ascended to a high-ranking mech pilot and is currently stationed at the 79th Interstellar Defense Line of the Star Federation."
"This is a divine mech with a proud legacy."
"Let's look forward to the performance of the new Electric Wave pilot, Pang Haoren!"
"Now, let's turn our attention to the western storage area."
"There, for the first time in 17 years on the Yaoci, we have a non-evolved individual successfully piloting a D-grade divine mech. Li Yi, who made history by achieving first place in the points competition, earning the title of the strongest rookie fighter!"
"Today, he will introduce the Pluto mech, which has never had a pilot since its excavation, to the audience."
"Let's see what kind of spectacle the strongest rookie fighter will bring with the D-grade Pluto mech!"
Qingguo Fairy AI's voice started out serene and melodic but grew more enthusiastic as audience excitement mounted.
However, after the introduction, there was an awkward pause as the Pluto mech failed to appear from the storage area.
Qingguo Fairy AI encouraged the audience:
"Let's give a warm welcome to the first D-grade divine mech in the martial arts tournament in 17 years!"
The applause was thunderous, but after a minute, impatience grew as the mech still hadn't emerged.
What was happening? Was this some kind of no-show?
Qingguo Fairy AI appeared to listen intently, then announced:
"I'm sorry to inform you that according to the storage area monitoring, the Pluto mech is experiencing startup issues and hasn't successfully initiated."
Her announcement drew boos from the crowd.
"Why isn't it started yet? Didn't Li Yi prepare in advance?" someone shouted from the stands.
The crowd's discontent grew, with some questioning his preparedness.
Qingguo Fairy AI explained:
"As we all know, a beginner piloting a divine mech can take several minutes to over ten minutes to start up. Perhaps the previous battle ended too quickly, and Li Yi hasn't completed the startup process."
"According to tournament rules, Li Yi has three more minutes of buffer time. If he doesn't succeed within this time, he will be eliminated."
This further fueled audience dissatisfaction. Many had come specifically to see the historic points leader, only to be told he might not compete at all.
"Overconfident youth, underestimating his opponent and failing to plan his startup time properly. Li Yi might be strong, but he lacks foresight," someone commented.
"Probably didn't take Pang Haoren, with his meager points, seriously," another added.
Amid the murmurs, some of Li Yi's die-hard fans tried to defend him, but their voices were drowned out. The crowd consisted mostly of curious onlookers, and the delay was testing their patience.
Unbeknownst to them, only Honghulu Fairy AI and the other competitors knew that Li Yi required over an hour to start up.
"Please, remain calm. Let's give this historic rookie a bit more patience. Despite his combat prowess, he's younger than many of you and less experienced. Mistakes are inevitable," Qingguo Fairy AI urged.
Boom!!!
Suddenly, a deep thud reverberated from the western storage, resonating like a sledgehammer against the audience's hearts.
Boom!!!
Another thud followed, altering the crowd's mood.
Such overwhelming power!
Had the Pluto mech successfully started?
Known for its multitude of divine mechs, the deep space fleet's citizens were no strangers to these formidable machines. D-grade, even C-grade and B-grade mechs were familiar sights. Yet, the Pluto mech's sheer intimidating presence ranked among the top five they had ever seen.
With these booms, the audience's discontent dissipated, replaced by heightened anticipation as they eagerly watched the western storage area.
A minute later, as some strained their necks and eyes, the towering 43-meter tall mech, jet-black and imposing, emerged with its muscular limbs.
An indescribable chill swept the arena, evoking awe akin to witnessing a god's descent.
In the stands, Zhong Xiufa covered her mouth in astonishment, "Is this a sign of the divine awakening?"
Elsewhere, Liang Shaocong shook his head, "No comparison, truly unmatched."
Qingguo Fairy AI interjected:
"An amazing surprise! Although Li Yi's startup was slow, his deep understanding of the Pluto mech is undeniable. Otherwise, he wouldn't have inadvertently tapped into its divine nature during its movement."
"Even subtle hints of divinity signal that Li Yi leads the way in divine activation."
The crowd erupted in cheers, their earlier frustrations forgotten. Spectators, often straightforward, rewarded expectations exceeded with applause and enthusiasm.
"With both mechs now in the arena, the match between Electric Wave and Pluto officially begins!"
...
Inside the cockpit, Li Yi exhaled deeply. Lin Hua's swift KO had cost him five crucial minutes of buffer time. Had she not won so quickly, at least three effective rounds would have been necessary.
These five minutes were critical, aligning with Li Yi's precise one-hour startup timeline.
To expedite the process, he took a risk, forcibly meditating on numerous memory fragments. He focused only on the essential piloting memories of Pluto, leaving much extraneous data unprocessed.
This approach strained his brain but yielded unexpected benefits.
Not only did he start the Pluto mech ahead of schedule, but the simultaneous processing of extensive memory fragments briefly expanded his soul, allowing him to sense the omnipresent divinity within the Pluto mech.
This accident led to the divine resonance that stunned the audience, providing a glimpse into the mech's true potential.
"Serendipitous, this method of rapid divine activation will expedite my evolution," Li Yi thought, shifting his focus.
The two divine mechs collided fiercely.
Boom!!!
A massive shockwave roared outward.
The Electric Wave mech, half the size of Pluto, was sent flying into the wall!
Even Qingguo Fairy AI was taken aback:
"What just happened?"