Twenty years!
He was reborn into this world with Machine Girls for a full twenty years, and this was the first time he sat in a Machine Girl's cockpit.
Only after sitting inside did he realize how simple the academy's cockpits were.
The cockpit was entirely lined with red leather. The texture looked somewhat similar to the tight leather suit Lightning wore. On the left control panel, five rows of buttons also emitted a red light. On the right side was a joystick with a red handle.
Below his feet, there were four pedals on each side, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.
Looking at Lightning, who was half-crouching in front of him as if riding a motorcycle, Su Li swallowed and sat in the Pilot's seat.
The Pilot's seat was extremely comfortable, warm like sitting in a young girl's embrace.
He glanced at Lightning in front of him; the distance between them was no more than a fist. It was his first time being so intimately close to someone of the opposite sex, and he couldn't help but squirm awkwardly.
Lightning beneath him trembled slightly, and only then did he remember that the Mecha was connected to the Machine Girl's five senses.
This texture was much softer than the hard plastic in the academy. Just for this cushioning performance, he was confident enough to drive Lightning and directly ram the stands! No wonder the Pilot who just got out was unharmed. It was clear that Lightning, to some extent, had enhanced the cockpit's protection.
In his previous world, there were also Mecha. But those were hard-edged war machines, purely born for slaughter! They only had basic AI and were functionally not on the same level as the Machine Girls of this world. Yet, he had operated those clunky behemoths for twenty years.
Until he was abandoned in the vast starry sea during an interstellar battle.
The control modes of the two types of Mecha were different, but as an ace Pilot, he was long accustomed to frequently switching Mecha. Familiarizing himself with the operating system was just a matter of a few minutes for him. Moreover, he had practiced the operation methods of many old-style Machine Girls of this era on the academy's simulator.
The only thing that made him feel a bit awkward was the cockpit in this world.
To start and operate the Mecha, he could only be in close contact with the Machine Girl like this to step on the control panels at his feet. It must be said, the designers of this Mechanical Island had some tricks up their sleeves.
Feeling the warmth of her body, Su Li's face involuntarily turned red. Fortunately, the helmet covered it, so it wasn't visible from the outside.
Inside the helmet, the external view began to synchronize. He raised his hand to turn on the controller switch, and the panel, along with the joystick, slid directly into a position within reach.
A slight tremor came, and he slowly closed his eyes.
The engine's roar was far from deafening as it was outside. In his mind, his own system was quietly detecting the current state of the Machine Girl.
"Detected A-Class Machine Girl lightning r5. Current Machine Girl status is abnormal, left leg lower armor suspension is abnormal, waist and abdomen power module is damaged, right forearm weapon system is destroyed, main power module energy circuit is abnormal, usable power is reduced to eighty percent."
Su Li felt quite uneasy; Lightning's own condition was not good. It was clear that many of her injuries were old ones. It was likely that she hadn't been maintained or serviced since leaving the factory.
The power circuit was abnormal, only able to release eighty percent of its power. Even so, the previous Pilot still controlled Lightning to directly crash into the stands. Such terrible skill, in his world, wouldn't even qualify one to be cannon fodder.
He saw clearly that the damage to Lightning's right arm weapon system was caused by that recent crash.
"You must be in a lot of pain!"
Lightning, caught off guard by Su Li's question, froze on the spot. She had been with many Pilots, but not a single one had ever asked if she was in pain.
"Your condition is very bad. After the Mecha trial is finished, you can come with me to the school for a regular inspection and maintenance. Now, relax your mind and body, and just leave everything to me."
Lightning didn't reply; she just silently focused her mind, ready to intervene in the operation at any time. She knew her own situation best. Since leaving the factory, she had been with no less than ten Pilots, all skilled members of clubs, yet none of them could control her.
Let alone this student who hadn't even graduated yet.
He was the first person to care about her. Regardless, she wanted to help him fulfill his dream of becoming a Pilot. She just hoped he wouldn't lose his drive to improve because she was difficult to control.
Before she could finish thinking, Su Li stepped on the controller in the cockpit. He didn't even give her time to react.
He saw his left hand turn into a blur, sending commands directly to her control core via the keyboard. With a pull of the joystick in his right hand, the enormous red Mecha's front thrusters shot out several streams of hot air, and the entire massive crimson figure instantly stood upright, tilting its body backward and rapidly retreating.
"No, too fast..."
Lightning only managed to issue a warning; her entire being was overwhelmed by the rapid-fire commands. She had never received such dense instructions, causing her mind to go blank for a moment, and she subconsciously released her control over the Mecha itself.
The red Mecha's thrusters around its body fired continuously; not only did the originally tilted body instantly straighten, but the Mecha itself also abruptly made a sharp turn and sped towards the center of the field.
The acceleration of 101 was clearly very powerful.
In just three seconds, the Mecha's speed had already reached one hundred eighty.
Su Li watched the rapidly changing scenery outside the cockpit, and a hint of admiration couldn't help but well up in his heart. The Machine Girls of this world, in terms of advanced technology, truly surpassed the bulky machines of his former world by more than a little.
Just speaking of the speed of command reception, it was more than three times faster, with almost no delay.
A wave of ecstasy surged in his heart.
For a veteran Pilot, a good Mecha was absolutely crucial. Its importance even surpassed the Pilot himself! You know, in his previous life's world, he spent most of his salary on his Mecha, even eating plain steamed buns for years just for one module.
Lightning's eyes widened in shock; her thoughts were still stuck on the sharp turn at the beginning.
She had never imagined such smooth and continuous movements would occur to her. By the time she came back to her senses, her speed had already increased.
A trace of panic flashed within Lightning. She had never experienced the current speed before.
The stands in front were getting closer and closer; at her current speed, she would crash head-on into the stands in less than three seconds. She could clearly feel Su Li behind her, slightly trembling with excitement.
No! Not like this!
She subconsciously retracted energy, giving up the protection of her own Mecha body. She enveloped Su Li's body with an energy shield. She herself, resigned to her fate, closed her eyes, ready to face the violent impact.
Su Li stared at the approaching stands outside, his fingers dancing wildly again. He ignored Lightning's unauthorized actions. Because it simply didn't matter.
Strong confidence made him step on the control pedal again.
Brakes failing?
Who says operating a Mecha must have brakes?
The crimson Mecha transformed into a red flash of light, suddenly turning sideways as it approached the stands. The thrusters' blue flames surged, and as air currents sprayed, the thrusters at its feet also began to exert force.
She was like a figure skater, supporting herself on one leg and completing the turn in a crouched position. Along the edge of the stands, she sped away like a red wind.
The heavy sword carried on her back swept past the edge of the stands, sending up a trail of sparks.
The anticipated collision did not come.
Lightning opened her eyes in confusion, only to find that her speed had not only not slowed down but was getting faster and faster under Su Li's control!
For the first time in her life, she felt such fierce wind.
So, she wasn't a defective product.
So, she could also race like the wind in the arena.
No! In Su Li's hands, she had already surpassed the wind!
The red Mecha drew the greatsword from its back with a backhand motion.
The sword blade struck the ground, creating brilliant sparks. The thrusters at her feet fired multiple times in less than a second, and as her body spun, the greatsword swung out with inertia.
Wielding the greatsword in her hand, she spun in the field like a top.
A glint of crystal slid from the corner of her eye.
Five years. This was the first time she had drawn her greatsword in the arena.