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After the initial familiarization, Xu Yuan began performing increasingly complex maneuvers with the mecha, coordinating its movements with his controls.
His adaptation speed was remarkable.
He quickly mastered the corresponding actions of the mecha's fingers, completed the calibration of how his soul power stimulated the soul-guided formations based on force input, and seamlessly applied this knowledge to actual control.
In general, a mecha isn't an extension of one's own limbs. Moreover, its operation requires a layer of conversion programming, making it extremely difficult to control.
It's like playing a video game. Even though there are specific buttons for controlling the character, very few players can achieve complete synchronization between their intentions and the hero's actions, allowing them to control movements with perfect fluidity.
Even with prolonged practice, most players only become proficient with basic in-game heroes. However, those "god-tier" heroes that require absolute mental and physical unity to operate aren't something one can master through mere familiarity. Even if repetitive practice allows someone to execute advanced techniques, they may still fail to seize optimal opportunities during real matches or push their skills to the limit.
Mecha control is no different.
Without innate talent, even with practice, one might only be able to perform simple, repetitive actions. Mastering certain advanced techniques would merely be superficial, unable to uncover opportunities in real combat or fully unleash the mecha's potential.
This is precisely why mech pilots were gradually phased out from the upper echelons of soul masters.
Such talent is rarer than pure combat talent and harder to cultivate. It adds another layer of restriction on top of existing requirements: not only must one possess exceptional natural gifts and excel in auxiliary professions, but they also need the so-called aptitude for mecha control. These combined conditions make it exceedingly rare for soul masters to achieve top-tier mech pilot status. Additionally, mech piloting is expensive, and external factors—like the scarcity of divine craftsmen leading to insufficient supplies of heavenly-forged metals—further exacerbate the issue.
All these factors together caused mech pilots to decline over time.
In popular understanding, mech pilots were replaced by battle armor masters because the top-tier soul masters sought to maintain their dominance by developing the concept of battle armor.
However, in reality, it's simply because battle armor consumes fewer resources, has lower requirements, and currently boasts a higher ceiling.
Otherwise, if there were truly enough heavenly-forged metals, and a god-level mecha—entirely crafted from such materials with core formations reaching Level 10 or even Level 11 in soul-guided tool standards—were created, the status of mech pilots would absolutely not be what it is today.
Even with just a slim chance, countless fanatical soul masters would undoubtedly pursue that god-level mecha!
Absolutely.
Especially the monstrous geniuses who excel in every aspect.
And Shrek Academy happens to be a gathering place for such prodigies. If a god-level mecha were to appear, the atmosphere among mech pilots here wouldn't be as stagnant as it is now.
Feeling that he had already expended 10% of his soul power, Xu Yuan finally stopped his attempts.
In just ten short minutes, Xu Yuan had consumed 10% of his soul power.
And this was merely warming up, not actual combat.
Simply maneuvering the mecha normally for ten minutes cost him 10% of his soul power. Had he been engaged in intense combat, the consumption during that same timeframe could easily have reached 30%, or even 40% in more fierce confrontations.
If the mecha were equipped with soul-guided tools powered by soul energy, the consumption would only increase further.
"This is likely due to the disproportionately high ratio of my soul power in the energy drive."
Though in this operation, Xu Yuan wasn't solely relying on his own soul power but rather activating the energy already stored within the mecha, he mixed his soul power with the stored energy to achieve finer control while operating the soul-guided formations.
This ratio wasn't low.
Xu Yuan was adjusting the proportions of the two energy sources.
A fixed stimulation of the formations by energy could quantitatively adjust the force output of the mecha's joints. This fixed stimulation required precise control. While Xu Yuan's mastery of his soul power allowed him to manipulate its stimulation of the formations according to his will, blending his soul power with external energy to stimulate the formations simultaneously was much harder to manage.
Thanks to his experience in manipulating ambient energy and his mature techniques for guiding external energy, he quickly found a suitable ratio for himself, adjusting the proportion of his soul power to the mecha's stored energy to 1:3.
This was the optimal ratio he used when wielding his Tianyuan Brush martial soul to channel ambient energy.
"How was it? Did you notice the soul power consumption?" Xing Yu approached, smiling at Xu Yuan.
Though his face was beaming, Xing Yu's mind was racing.
This junior's talent for learning mecha control was extraordinary—he seemed born to pilot mechas.
If he continued to persevere, he might well become a legendary mech master in the future!
While deeply moved and excited inside, Xing Yu maintained the composure of a mentor on the surface. He feared that showing too much enthusiasm might cause Xu Yuan to grow arrogant and neglect serious study in class.
"Yes, Senior. The energy consumption of a mecha is enormous," Xu Yuan replied.
Without considering the vast amounts of rare metals consumed in constructing the mecha's massive body, even recharging its energy reserves was a significant expense.
Of course, compared to the costs of building the mecha, the energy expenditure was relatively manageable. After all, soul masters could recharge the mecha during their free time. The mecha's energy storage system held a type of energy similar to soul power, referred to as pseudo-soul power, which could also store electricity. However, during operation, the mecha's internal structure converted electricity into pseudo-soul power, allowing soul masters to guide this energy more easily using their own soul power.
With advancements in soul-guided technology, electricity had long been utilized. Pseudo-soul power could be generated from electricity, which could be converted externally during charging without requiring additional conversion devices inside the mecha, thereby reducing its burden. Therefore, most mechas stored pseudo-soul power.
Some soul masters, however, had superior control over electricity and could directly use it as an energy source without external conversion devices, opting to store electricity in the mecha's energy reserves.
Additionally, soul masters' own soul power could also be stored alongside pseudo-soul power in the energy storage system.
Xu Yuan nodded in agreement.
"It's only been ten minutes, and I've already consumed 10% of my soul power." Xu Yuan was visibly serious.
Xing Yu's expression stiffened.
How much?
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