As Li Yi piloted the Pluto mech through the long corridor of the side storage, he activated the panoramic sensory view. As he was about to step out, a thought crossed his mind.
"Isn't that the previous face-to-face evaluator in the corner? Why is he here?"
"The people with him are giving some odd looks."
The thought flitted by as the Pluto mech stepped out of the storage to a thunderous cheer from the audience.
...
It had been over half an hour since Li Yi's first match against Pang Haoren. During this time, the matches between Zhong Xiufa vs. Liang Shaocong, Liang Xing vs. Xie Zhenye, and Dragon Guanshan vs. Chen Changxiu had concluded, each going the full three rounds.
Advancing to the next round were Lin Hua, Li Yi, Liang Shaocong, Liang Xing, and Dragon Guanshan.
After an AI draw, the match order was set as Dragon Guanshan vs. Li Yi and Liang Xing vs. Lin Hua.
Liang Shaocong had a bye and would face a challenge from a losing contestant, chosen to be Xie Zhenye.
At this moment, Dragon Guanshan, standing opposite Li Yi in the east storage, piloted his Blaze mech, facing the Pluto mech.
The Blaze mech stood about 35 meters tall, its body a bright orange-red with flame patterns covering its slender limbs. White bone-like shoulder armor adorned its shoulder blades, and three sharp horns crowned its forehead. Its overall appearance was both sinister and striking, making it one of the most eye-catching divine mechs in the tournament.
"Dragon Guanshan is not an opponent to be underestimated."
Under the panoramic sensory view, Li Yi scrutinized the Blaze mech. He planned to use this battle to hone his skills, practicing techniques from the memory fragments. By putting these into practice, he aimed to extend his overall activity duration.
Meanwhile, Qingguo Fairy AI's voice continued to narrate:
"...the Blaze mech should be familiar to everyone. Five years ago, rookie king Zhang Xiu piloted this very mech."
"Now, five years later, Zhang Xiu is active on the alien battlefield, earning the nickname 'Battlefield Explosion King.'"
"Let's see how much of the Blaze mech's prowess its successor can display!"
"Let the match... begin!"
The two divine mechs began moving. The Pluto mech quickly closed the distance, reaching within twenty meters of the Blaze mech in a few strides, nearly face-to-face.
Then, a straightforward jab with no embellishments.
Boom!!!
A shockwave rippled out.
The Blaze mech raised an arm to block successfully, then ducked, following with an uppercut aimed at the Pluto mech's chin.
The Pluto mech sidestepped, delivering a redirected elbow strike to the Blaze mech's shoulder, followed by a front kick that sent it nearly a hundred meters away.
That kick alone, if delivered with sufficient force, could have unbalanced and toppled the Blaze mech. But it quickly regained balance, retreating seven or eight steps to expand the gap between itself and the Pluto mech.
The rapid series of five or six exchanges left the audience dazzled. While giant objects tend to move slowly from a human perspective, the tight, highly mobile exchanges between the mechs appeared deceptively fast.
The two mechs continued trading blows in a similar style, exchanging a dozen or so minor collisions. Sparks flew, and the air was filled with the sound of impacts and successive shockwaves, thrilling the audience.
Yet, some spectators were puzzled:
"Is this the combat skill of the historical points leader? It doesn't look all that impressive."
"Was the first match's dominance merely due to a weak opponent?"
"Dragon Guanshan performed just above average in the points competition. How is he holding his own against Li Yi's D-grade mech with an E-grade mech?"
"Don't forget, Li Yi has to keep his mech active constantly. While others rest and initiate at optimal times, Li Yi has been active for over half an hour."
"True, Li Yi seems to be nearing his limit, and his combat strength is waning."
"Is that all? What a shame."
"I thought Li Yi would at least reach the next round."
"Glad I bet on Liang Shaocong earlier, sure win."
Elsewhere, Qingguo Fairy AI commented dramatically:
"Oh dear, it seems Li Yi's attacks are losing power. What's happening?"
"Meanwhile, Dragon Guanshan is growing stronger. Will our championship favorite falter here?"
"Ah, what a beautiful dodge!"
"Surprisingly, as the Blaze mech takes the offensive, the Pluto mech's evasive maneuvers grow more precise."
"This match still holds suspense!"
The audience noticed that while the Pluto mech appeared weaker, its dodging became more refined. Though not quick, each move's angle, position, and distance were increasingly precise, causing the Blaze mech's aggressive attacks to miss at the last moment, forcing it to recalibrate.
"I get it. Li Yi is using a low-power, low-sensory load strategy to conserve energy for the finals."
"Interesting, this requires fine control."
"Dragon Guanshan isn't weak; his combat skills are top-tier. Li Yi's high-risk strategy could backfire."
"I must say, the Pluto mech's footwork is becoming more agile."
"Phew, that last hit almost had me thinking Li Yi was finished."
The balance held until the final round, with ten seconds remaining.
Inside the Blaze mech, Dragon Guanshan was nearing his physical and mental limits. Sweat poured off him as his blood surged. Without pushing himself to the brink, he knew he couldn't have lasted against Li Yi for so long.
At first, he aimed to stall. But by the end, Li Yi had fully seized control of the battle's rhythm.
"Heh, using me as a practice dummy? No matter how skilled you are, take this!"
Genetic skill: Blaze Explosion!
A massive fireball, at least ten meters in diameter, formed and hurtled toward the Pluto mech like a cannonball.
Boom!!!
A violent explosion!
Flames burst forth, and a colossal shockwave swept toward the stands. Some front-row spectators were knocked over, and lighter individuals flew seven or eight meters back before stopping against higher seats.
"What a destructive genetic skill! It's remarkable for a non-evolved pilot to unleash such a strike."
Qingguo Fairy AI, unaffected by the chaos, continued:
"Clearly, while the Blaze mech still has ample energy reserves, its pilot is at his limit. If this strike incapacitates the Pluto mech, victory goes to the Blaze mech."
"If the Blaze mech enters standby or ejects due to pilot exhaustion, victory goes to the Pluto mech."
As the dust settled, the Pluto mech emerged, arms crossed over its head.
But could it move?
With a creak, the Pluto mech lowered its arms and stood upright. Meanwhile, the Blaze mech's pod ejected with a thud.
The arena fell silent for a moment.
"This battle goes to the Pluto mech! Congratulations to Li Yi for securing his place in the finals!"
The applause was deafening as the Pluto mech exited the arena.
Back in the western storage, just as Li Yi exhaled in relief, a foreign communication came in.