Mecha Era: Ascending to Godhood Alone

Following Li Yi, Zhong Xiufa also jumped onto the platform. Her movements were graceful and fluid, complementing her slender limbs and elegant physique, making for an aesthetically pleasing sight.

With Honghulu Fairy AI at the front, Li Yi and Zhong Xiufa stood facing each other at the back.

Zhong Xiufa broke the silence, "Hello, Brother Yi, I'm Zhong Xiufa from Base 33. I've been meaning to thank you, and now I finally have the chance. I'm truly grateful."

She spoke with her head slightly lowered, appearing a bit shy.

"Thank me?" Li Yi was puzzled.

"Yes, if it weren't for you eliminating many of the top ten and top twenty seeds, I might not have ranked sixth."

"Well, you should thank me only halfway; the other half goes to Liang Xing."

"Regardless, your help is undeniable. If there's anything you need me for in the future, just ask."

Li Yi looked at Zhong Xiufa, noticing her serious demeanor. She wasn't joking. "Are you the type with strict family upbringing?"

Zhong Xiufa hesitated, "Brother Yi, what do you mean?"

"The way you speak, your expressions, your tone—it's like you're imitating an elder."

She paused, then asked, "Do you really think I'm imitating someone?"

Li Yi smiled slightly, "Haven't you noticed it yourself?"

Zhong Xiufa fell silent.

Meanwhile, the giant gourd carried them up to the rear of the Pluto mech's head.

A large mechanical structure hung at the rear of the Pluto mech's head, featuring a semi-enclosed platform about a meter wide.

"Li Yi, step onto that platform. I'll activate the insertion pod for you," Honghulu Fairy AI instructed, nodding towards the platform.

Li Yi nodded and stepped onto the platform.

"The insertion pod is a one-time use item, very costly. Don't waste your chance. If you're unsure about the resonance, you can choose another mech."

"A one-time use item?"

"Yes, the pod contains a small auxiliary AI to efficiently help you activate the divine mech. Once you succeed, you won't need the pod again. The divine mech's imprint will allow direct entry."

Understanding the limitation on selection attempts, Li Yi confirmed, "I'm ready, Honghulu. Please proceed."

"Alright, starting the insertion pod. Countdown begins!"

"10, 9... 3, 2, 1."

"Insert!"

Boom!

The platform door closed instantly, and a pale red fluid filled the chamber, plunging the entire pod into the connection port at the back of the divine mech's head.

...

Inside the Pluto mech, Li Yi settled in, while Zhong Xiufa entered the Green Dragonfly mech.

After about three minutes, a loud metallic sound echoed through the area.

The 30-meter tall Green Dragonfly mech, adorned in vivid green with six arms and six wings, blinked its compound eyes, which glowed with a crimson light.

"What a fast activation speed!"

"She beat Liang Shaocong's record by three minutes!"

"Faster activation means higher compatibility! Zhong Xiufa's potential is remarkable."

The onlookers buzzed with discussions.

It's worth noting that during Li Yi's one-hour rest, four people successfully activated their mechs, while Lin Qi, ranked fifth, failed and was eliminated from the second round.

"Great job on the activation. Get familiar with it and try to ensure your physical responses fully translate to the mech. If you feel overloaded, stop and eject from the cockpit, understand?" Honghulu Fairy AI circled the Green Dragonfly mech, loudly reminding Zhong Xiufa.

Five minutes later, the Green Dragonfly mech ceased its movements. The insertion pod ejected from the mech's head, bouncing on the ground like a ball to dissipate impact.

"Unexpectedly, Zhong Xiufa's combat skills seemed mediocre, but she managed over five minutes of activity on her first attempt. Her willpower and physique must be decent."

"Zhong Xiufa could be a formidable opponent!"

Some regarded her with newfound caution.

...

Time passed.

Half an hour later, after the last person completed their activation attempt, Li Yi remained inside the Pluto mech, with no visible activity.

If the activation failed, the insertion pod would have been ejected. But with no signs of that, everyone was unsure of Li Yi's status.

Honghulu Fairy AI doodled on her screen, mumbling to herself.

"This session's fastest activation was Zhong Xiufa's three minutes, longest activity was Liang Shaocong's eleven minutes. Dragon Guanshan was decent, with seven minutes activation and six minutes activity. Next was Lin Hua, eight minutes activation, six minutes activity."

"Hmm, the others were average."

"Sadly, all successful activations were E-grade."

"Of the two challenging D-grade mechs, one failed, and one hasn't succeeded yet."

"Troubling results."

Then, a deep boom echoed unexpectedly.

Everyone quickly looked up.

The 43-meter tall, sleek, pitch-black mech slowly opened its cold, abyss-like eyes. A dark light flashed in its gaze.

Witnessing this, everyone felt as though they were plunged into an icy hell, their thoughts nearly frozen. Some sensitive individuals even envisioned a vast, brutal hellscape unfolding before them.

Fortunately, these sensations were fleeting. In an instant, the eerie feelings vanished.

"This is the power of a D-grade divine mech, just from opening its eyes," Liang Shaocong murmured, his eyes flickering.

Zhong Xiufa asked, "Did Brother Yi set a new record again?"

Everyone paused, looking at her.

Feeling self-conscious under their gaze, Zhong Xiufa quickly added, "Isn't it said that, although theoretically, non-evolved individuals can pilot D-grade divine mechs, in practice, very few can?"

"You're right," Dragon Guanshan replied. "As far as I know, it's been over twenty years since someone on the Yaoci has piloted a D-grade mech at the non-evolved stage."

"But Li Yi took nearly an hour and a half to activate it. Is that the slowest record on the Yaoci?" Lin Hua questioned, speaking up for the first time.

"Regardless, successfully activating a D-grade mech is an achievement," Dragon Guanshan said calmly. "Slow activation can be improved with practice. His combat skills are impressive; he can likely train for longer periods than others, eventually improving his activation speed."

"The future is one thing, but with such a slow activation time, he might be out of the second round," Lin Hua remarked softly, a complex look in her eyes.