The high-frequency vibrating blade on the right arm of the Purple Shadow mecha snapped out with a metallic ring, while the charging ring of the soul-guided cannon on its left arm glowed with a blood-red light. Gu La gently pushed the control stick, and the propulsion wings on the mecha's back fully extended, casting a massive shadow over the desert.
Boom!
The shockwave from the sudden advance whipped up a vortex of sand and dust. The first enemy mech didn't even have time to raise its weapon before the vibrating blade pierced its cockpit. With a flick of his wrist, Gu La swung the blade horizontally, cutting through three mechas like they were made of paper.
At the same time, the soul-guided cannon on the left arm finished charging, unleashing a fan-shaped beam that exploded into a chain of fireballs among the enemy ranks.
"Action delay of 0.05 seconds…"
Gu La frowned, his spiritual power flowing through the neural interface network into every joint of the mecha. As his wave-force began enveloping the metal frame, the entire machine suddenly became as responsive as an extension of his own body.
The previously noticeable mechanical stiffness disappeared entirely, as if this steel frame had grown muscles and nerves of its own.
A piercing charging sound came from afar. Three purple mechas had appeared unnoticed on three high points, their massive cannons gathering dangerous red light.
Gu La's combat instincts screamed warnings—this was the classic triangular kill formation.
"Perfect timing to test that." A dangerous smirk curved his lips.
The high-frequency vibrating blade in the mecha's right hand began to hum, distorting the air around the blade. Gu La poured the simulated sword intent of his wave-force into it, causing a half-meter-long cyan flame to flare around the blade. Inside the cockpit, warning lights flashed frantically:
[Warning! Soul-guided core overload!]
[Current load: 187%]
"Override safety limits," Gu La commanded, pushing the control stick to its maximum.
The thrusters on the Purple Shadow erupted with near-white flames, and the entire machine transformed into a streak of purple lightning. The air along the path of the vibrating blade began to crackle with fine black fissures.
The first enemy mech's cannon had just reached critical charge when it—and half of its body—was sliced diagonally in two. Gu La spun fluidly, and the blade's arc blossomed like a full moon, instantly vaporizing the cockpit of the second mech. But the last enemy mech's main cannon had already completed charging, and a crimson beam engulfed the Purple Shadow.
Gu La's control flowed like water, as if the mecha were an extension of his own body. His spiritual power ensured every movement was precise, even allowing him to predict the trajectories of enemy attacks.
"Ssss!"
The grating sound of metal against energy echoed as the vibrating blade clashed head-on with the energy beam. Gu La felt immense pressure surge through the control stick, and the outer armor of the mecha's right arm began to melt.
At this critical moment, he suddenly released his left hand, firing the soul-guided cannon at the sandy ground beneath. The recoil propelled the mecha sideways at an awkward angle, and the beam narrowly missed the cockpit.
"Fine Snow." Gu La activated his martial soul inside the cockpit. The Fine Snow technique unleashed countless ice crystals through the internal conduits, flooding toward the overheated soul-guided core. Steam spewed from the exhaust ports all over the mecha.
This was the downside of mechas—they lacked the sentience of spirit-forged alloys. Even thousand-forged metals could create purple mechas comparable to Soul Sages, but under intense combat, both materials and energy cores easily became limitations.
Gu La mused that building a red mecha with celestial-forged metal would bankrupt him and his two teachers several times over.
"The Spirit Pagoda is vast and powerful, and there's only one Divine Craftsman on Douluo Star. They probably wouldn't go bankrupt even once…"
As Gu La contemplated his teachers' wealth, he continued slicing through enemies, finishing the training session.
Three minutes later, all the mechanical beasts were annihilated.
[Battle Ended]*
[Eliminations: 37]
[Mecha Damage Rate: 12%]
[Evaluation Rank: 10]
---
In the external monitoring room, the assistant instructor's recording tablet clattered to the floor.
In the holographic projection, the Purple Shadow was smoothly retracting its vibrating blade into its arm armor, the motion as fluid as a true swordsman sheathing their blade. Several upperclassmen who had gathered for contribution points stared at the data panel in disbelief.
"Is this really his first time piloting?" someone swallowed nervously. "That sword strike just now… it definitely exceeded the mecha's limits, reaching destruction levels comparable to a Soul Sage…"
The assistant picked up the tablet and heavily marked Gu La's course record: "Recommend direct participation in advanced mecha pilot qualification exams." After a moment's thought, he added, "Special supervision may be required—to prevent him from tearing down the training field."
After exiting the simulation pod, Gu La stretched his slightly stiff fingers, his eyes gleaming with contemplation. Through multiple simulations, he had already sketched out the blueprint for his ideal mecha in his mind.
"I remember completing association tasks and assessments rewards contribution points and special resource shares, right?" Gu La turned to the assistant beside him, his voice calm yet commanding.
The assistant, busy organizing data, paused and quickly pulled up the operation interface. "Ah, yes! Not only did you surpass the purple-rank mecha training level, but you also broke the purple mecha control record. You're eligible for cumulative rewards."
His fingers swiped rapidly across the screen. "A total of thirteen thousand five hundred contribution points. For resources, you can enjoy a 30% discount on customizing standard association mechas or purchase rare metals at a 10% discount."
Gu La nodded, his long fingers rhythmically tapping the console. After a moment, he spoke: "No need for a customized mecha for now. However…"
He paused, a glint flashing in his eyes. "Can I buy related blueprints?"
While at the Spirit Pagoda, he had noticed that their research on cutting-edge mechas wasn't nearly as advanced as Shrek's.
The Spirit Pagoda's focus was on soul spirits, with mechas relegated to peripheral defensive technology. Core leadership consisted of battle armor masters who wouldn't bother studying mechas beyond what was functional.
What Gu La truly needed was Shrek's mecha technology, particularly the integration of soul-guided devices with mechas.
The assistant pulled up the permissions list: "It's possible, but according to regulations, students can only purchase blueprints for purple-rank mechas and below. Black-rank mechas require teacher authorization, or…" He lowered his voice. "If you can get special approval from a dean, you can purchase them."
"No need for black-rank mechas." Gu La cut in decisively; he only needed them for research.
Checking his contribution point balance, Gu La selected carefully: "First, give me the latest blueprint for a fifth-level soul-guided core power reactor—with energy compression technology."
"For the primary weapon, I need a detachable soul-guided spear design compatible with both high-frequency vibration and soul force infusion modes. For the secondary weapon, I want a concealed wrist-mounted soul-guided ray gun, preferably with triple-shot capability…"
The assistant scrambled to take notes, sweat beading on his forehead. When Gu La mentioned wanting "an alloy formula capable of slowly repairing the mecha body," he finally couldn't help but look up. "That… that's the association's confidential formula. It's not for sale."
Really?
"Never mind, forget I said it."
Gu La abruptly changed the subject, as if struck by a new idea. "Then replace it with the latest operating system data optimized for direct mental connection mode to reduce operational delays."
The more the assistant listened, the more alarmed he became, his pen trembling in his hand. "These modifications… they're approaching black-rank mecha standards. Brother, you're only a first-year student. There's no need to rush. Why not proceed step by step?"
He wiped his sweat and cautiously reminded, "Just these blueprints will cost eight hundred thousand contribution points—enough to buy a standard yellow-rank mecha. Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"
"Budget isn't an issue." Gu La remained composed. Ordinary mechas he could manufacture himself; what he needed was top-tier mecha technology.
As for payment, he still had plenty of spirit-forged metals saved up from the past three years, including god alloys with over 90% fusion rates—more than enough to cover the costs.
After selling the metals, Gu La watched as contribution points steadily accumulated, soon nearing seven digits.
With the completion of the transaction notification, Gu La looked at the file transfer progress bar with satisfaction. These blueprints would become crucial pieces in crafting his exclusive mecha.
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