Chapter 5: Entering the Training Base: Matthew's Trial Journey

Since that day, Matthew has been truly immersed in the mysterious and fascinating world out there. This world has everything, no matter what you can imagine, this place can satisfy you. Matthew quickly fell in love with this virtual but lifelike world, and from his initial timidity he gradually became more comfortable with it.

However, the Dawnbreakers are secretive on a daily basis, disappearing without a trace as soon as they enter the virtual network.

Matthew's favorite place to go was a bustling neighborhood called Astark. Not only did this place sell various styles of mechs, there were also many strange accessories. More importantly, this place was home to many mecha enthusiasts, and many people exchanged ideas here every day. Most of the people in the neighborhood were mecha engineers or senior players, and the administrator had also established a medium-sized mecha database, which made Matthew feel ecstatic."

Matthew was deeply immersed in the strong academic atmosphere here, and the people here loved this studious, outspoken and honest boy and cared for him. Under the careful tutelage of these masters, Matthew realized that his own knowledge structure was outdated. It was no wonder, though, that everything he knew had been passed down from his old man, who had been cut off from the outside world for decades. Fortunately, Matthew had a solid foundation, which allowed him to learn new knowledge with half the effort and absorb it quickly. This made the older uncles and grandpas even more impressed with him.

Every time he returned home, Matthew couldn't wait to enter the cockpit of the Dawnbreaker and put on the combat helmet. Although he loved the virtual world, Matthew didn't get addicted to it, because he clearly knew that the dangerous abandoned planet of Ruin Starhill was his true home, and any negligence could be fatal."

As soon as he entered the virtual network, Matthew went straight to the Astark neighborhood. However, before he could catch his breath, the Dawnbreaker's voice suddenly sounded in his mind, "Xiu, follow me."

Matthew was puzzled, the Dawnbreaker was always out of sight and out of mind these days, he didn't know what he was up to. He asked, "Where to?"

The Dawnbreaker said mysteriously, "You'll know if you follow me."

Matthew followed the Dawnbreaker's instructions and turned around seven times, finally coming to a lively building. Curious, he asked, "What is this place?"

The Dawnbreaker explained, "This is the Mecha Master Consciousness Training Base, providing consciousness training for all basic subjects of Mecha Masters as well as a space for sparring. Your techniques are all self-taught and groped out, and there are many irrationalities. Last time I accidentally discovered this place and evaluated all the training content. Although I think that 8.9% of them are not perfect, coming here to train will greatly help you improve your strength."

Confused, Matthew asked, "What's awareness training?"

The Dawnbreaker explained, "Its official name is Neuroconsciousness Reflexivity Training. It allows your nervous system to memorize specified operations. Of course, in order to perform actions that meet the standard in reality, a lot of actual training is needed to bring your body up to the memorization standard. But reasonable awareness training can greatly shorten the training time."

Matthew nodded plausibly, "Oh, so that's it!"However, deep down, he believed that there must be some truth in what the Dawnbreaker said.

This Mechamancer Awareness Training Base was an important facility established by the Forgotten Starfield Mechamancer Association, providing valuable training resources for mechamancers. Matthew stepped into the spacious hall and witnessed the scene of numerous people instantly appearing or disappearing through a burst of light by the pillars.

Now that Matthew was no longer the novice he once was, he calmly walked towards one of the pillars and lightly touched its surface, whereupon a semi-transparent screen appeared before his eyes. The Dawnbreaker explained, "There are three areas on the screen to choose from: the basic training area, the comprehensive training area, and the sparring area. Since this is your first experience, you might as well start with the Versus Zone."

As the Dawnbreaker's words fell, the content on the screen quickly changed, displaying the combat readiness of each room and the number of spectators. Matthew casually chose a room where someone was waiting, and the next moment, he was in the middle of a battle scene.

Before his eyes appeared a black mech, which Matthew immediately recognized as the Blackbird-type mech commonly used by beginners. Due to its easy maneuverability and affordable price, the Blackbird-type mech was loved by beginners. However, its performance was only at the entry level, and the weapons and defense equipment it was equipped with were relatively basic.

The Blackbird mech looks like a large black bird, with wings on both sides to help beginners fly smoothly through the atmosphere. The auxiliary engines underneath the wings are limited in function, but are sufficient for beginners to meet basic flight requirements. The belly of the mech was equipped with a mechanical arm, which could use the magnetic swing blade and alloy dagger for melee attacks, while the hot-wire gun on the head was relatively unimportant due to its low power and Matthew's lack of shooting skills.

Matthew looked at the Blackbird-type mech in front of him with anticipation in his heart. This was the first time he had piloted such an advanced mech, and it was a far cry from the previous Wendy. He couldn't wait to enter the cockpit and prepare for the challenge. However, when he saw his opponent's magnificent Shadow Phoenix mech, his mood became complicated."

The opponent's mecha was like a magnificent phoenix, with smooth lines and brilliant colors, exuding a noble and proud aura. Not only did this mech named Shadow Phoenix have an outstanding appearance, its performance also far exceeded that of the Blackbird-type mech. The Shadow Phoenix was a typical long-range attack mech, known for its speed and advanced firing system. In addition, its beautiful appearance was also loved by female mechs.

However, in Matthew's opinion, the flashy horizontal wings and dazzling appearance of the Shadow Phoenix mech would only become a liability in battle. He didn't have time to think too much before he received the signal for the start of the battle. This seemingly disparate battle was about to kick off.