Chapter 84 Chapter 82: Step by Step into the Abyss_1

Translator: 549690339

The final boss at the Abyss difficulty level did not factor in skill strength or talent strength.

Based solely on attributes, it was over twice as tough as the Hell difficulty level.

Jiang Chen’s attributes in Stage 3 [Limitation Unlock] just happened to also be twice that of Stage 2 [Mecha Soul Fusion].

That is to say…

When Jiang Chen could defeat the boss of the Hell difficulty level by relying solely on Mecha Soul Fusion, without needing Stage 3,

his attribute values would be able to reach the threshold to transcend the abyss.

“In other words, it’s all about relentless grinding!”

“As a member of the primates, the family of Homo, the species of relentless grinding king, what I have in abundance is the ability to grind!”

Clothed in his primeval mecha, Jiang Chen immersed himself in the old shadow of Machine Rampage, challenging the Uncontrollable Titan over and over.

The pace of passing the level was slightly slower than the seven consecutive runs through the Eternal Frost Magic Realm.

After all, he was speed farming for materials at that time.

This time it was to accumulate attributes.

Each successful pass required an additional three to four hours to repair his own mecha.

Even so, other mecha pilots who saw Jiang Chen’s completion records for Machine Rampage were equally astounded.

It seemed that Jiang Chen, the alliance’s own, had turned Hell into his home. Is he literally living there?

He’s just too good at grinding!

By comparison, Simon of the Ark,

who had also cleared the Hell difficulty level, had ceased all activity after managing five single passes through the Abyss Level 4 Materials within two days.

In terms of speed and stamina, he wasn’t even close to being on the same level.

Of course, the mecha pilots were also aware that Jiang Chen’s super talent was probably in physical enhancement, which explained his boundless energy.

After marveling at his achievements, there was no denigration of Simon.

Instead, Simon himself, witnessing Jiang Chen’s progress record, was profoundly unsettled.

“Truly a kindred soul,”

he thought. “To fulfill our pact of June, he’s willing to put in so much effort!

I certainly won’t disappoint you either!”

Simon picked up a bottle of specially concocted energy potion and downed it in one gulp.

His mecha pilot talent demanded that he put in extra effort and time when enhancing a mecha.

This type of energy potion was what he used to maintain his condition during enhancements.

Now, in an effort to clear the Hell difficulty level of the abyss copy, he had even resorted to using such energy boosters!

His goal was crystal clear.

[Supercharge Module]

Clearing the Hell difficulty level would significantly increase the odds of obtaining a supercharge module.

Even though such drops were still exceedingly rare, as long as he was willing to grind through the Hell difficulty level over the six months, he might just obtain one.

If luck was on his side and he obtained a supercharged core module,

then he would be able to consistently create a new high-quality mecha!

Combined with the special effects of his talent—the higher the quality of the mecha, the more it could be enhanced and the higher the potential limit,

as well as the top-tier nascent form mecha he received during the ascension trial from the 3rd Rank to the 4th Rank,

it would be enough for Simon’s fifth mecha to grow far beyond his main battle mecha!

His strength would surge like a tidal wave!

When the time comes, he would be able to complement Jiang Chen perfectly, and together they would transcend the despairing abyss!

“On Planet Blue Star, the only mecha pilots capable of crossing the abyss and breaking the shackles of civilization are you and me!”

Planet Blue Star, Mirror World.

Li Xiao piloted his mecha, stepping on the fading carcass of an abyssal creature, as a voice reached his ears.

“Boss, the rookie really can grind, day in and day out without a break,”

“Too bad he’s still just grinding the Hell difficulty level, with no movement at the Abyss difficulty level.”

“Maybe he has already failed?”

“And here I was thinking he might actually clear it…”

“…You really think so?”

Li Xiao laughed wryly.

More than a decade ago, he made multiple attempts to challenge the Abyss difficulty level.

Although he failed every time, he gained a profound sense of how terrifying the Abyss difficulty level was.

Especially the overwhelming presence of those abyss lords…

They must have something more special about them, it just hadn’t been shown yet.

After all, as the entities measuring the [Civilization Potential], they couldn’t possibly be just about attributes.

For this reason, he believed that Jiang Chen and Simon joining forces had a better chance of clearing it.

Speaking of Jiang Chen, Li Xiao remembered something.

“Have all the major organizations responded?”

The voice answered.

“The leader of the Deep Thought Faction seems to be tied up with something, can’t get in touch for now.”

“All the other organizations have agreed.”

After Jiang Chen completed Hell difficulty level seven times in a row, his status once again shifted.

Originally, as a “ninth SSS-class rookie,” although he was infinitely talented, he was not completely irreplaceable—

Especially at the lower ranks, some exceptionally talented S-class geniuses, working as a team, could barely clear the Hell difficulty level.

As long as one could clear it, regardless of the evaluation, the output was the same.

It was just a matter of differing probabilities.

Thus, for high ranking mecha pilots, those of the 6th, 7th, or 8th Rank, even if they required some special materials, they didn’t necessarily have to seek out Jiang Chen.

Everything was completely different now.

By successfully navigating the Hell difficulty level, one could drop some additional top-notch materials!

These top materials might be used to improve schematics and pathways, enhancing the attributes and potential of mechas.

And only Jiang Chen could obtain them!

Even Simon could only produce “Abyss Level 4 Materials,” unable to produce “Abyss Level 1 Materials.”

Therefore, at this point, Jiang Chen had become downright irresistible to those high-rank mecha pilots who wanted to craft brand new mechas.

Even mecha pilots outside the alliance were scouring everywhere for his contact information, hoping to commission him to clear the Hell difficulty level to obtain the corresponding materials.

This was, in itself, a good thing.

Just as Jiang Chen had traded with Lyle and thus obtained the premium attribute [Mechanical Soul] from the sixth layer of the abyss.

The higher levels of the abyss also produced many top materials, attributes, and modules.

Jiang Chen could preemptively acquire some special resources through such trades, resources that only high ranks could obtain.

But…

With so many high-rank mecha pilots on Planet Blue Star, with so many requests and commissions…

If not controlled, these could easily overwhelm Jiang Chen.

He might tacitly become a gold-farming machine, worn out by fulfilling commissions.

This could delay his growth.

To avoid even a hint of this possibility—

Li Xiao, acting on behalf of the alliance, drew a clear line for the high-rank mecha pilots within various organizations.

“Only allow Jiang Chen to issue commissions, trading for the high-rank outputs he wants to obtain.”

“Prohibit high-rank mecha pilots from actively contacting Jiang Chen, enticing him with benefits to clear the Age-Old Shadow.”

“Absolutely forbidden: Investigating Jiang Chen’s whereabouts.”

At this moment, Li Xiao heard a voice through the communicator and spoke up.

“Can’t get in touch with him?”

“Just as well, I’ve resolved the issues here, and I’ll go visit him.”

A few dozen minutes later.

At the extraterrestrial base, the leader of the Deep Thought Faction sent Li Xiao out, sweating coldly.

Thankfully, he had merely turned off his communication during rest.

He had come perilously close to chilling through.

Because of the red line drawn by the Symbol of the Alliance.

Not a single high-rank mecha pilot dared to reach out to Jiang Chen to discuss abyss commissions.

And because of this.

Jiang Chen was not wrapped up in the storms of the outside world and could freely explore the Age-Old Shadow, consolidating his attributes to grow rapidly.

Starting from 4931 strength at Stage 3 and 2646 strength at Stage 2.

Jiang Chen, piloting the primeval mecha, once again challenged the Uncontrollable Titan, still to no avail.

The gap in attributes was too wide; even if he withstood the long-range firepower, he had a hard time avoiding the blows from the Titan’s immense frame.

After all, its size was so vast that each attack was a wide-range AOE.

If Jiang Chen put some distance between them, it could activate its turret machine guns for suppressive fire.

In the end, Jiang Chen was forced to activate Stage 3 and end the match.

“Although the stacked Thorns Overgrowth Module provides high growth in both damage and vampiric effects…”

“The mecha’s frame is still too small, limiting the effect of the reflected damage when facing an enemy of immense size.”

“Area-of-effect counter-attack is imperative!”

A wave of growth.

2646+270 (180*3/2), reaching 2916 strength in Stage 2.

The primeval mecha launched another challenge.

This time, Jiang Chen chose to use the small frame advantage, burrowing inside the Uncontrollable Titan to seek its intelligence core.

But this was not a simple task either.

The Uncontrollable Titan was intelligent.

It could constantly alter its form to move the core around, keeping the core at a safe distance from the mecha.

And it could continually create weapons inside its body to cause sustained damage to the mecha.

Although the primeval mecha’s defenses had improved.

Along with excellent recovery abilities and the vampiric nature of Thorns Overgrowth, these weapons’ damage could be endured.

But then, the duration of Stage 2 expired.

Mecha Soul Fusion ended, and the Life Force Energy dissipated.

The primeval mecha shattered on the spot.

2916+270, Stage 2 strength reached 3186.

“Intelligence core, Life Force Core…”

“Whether it’s the Uncontrollable Titan or the Transcenders, these bosses’ cores are each more difficult to locate than the last.”

“Not just them; there are likely to be many abyss leaders with a weakness in their heart or some core within their body.”

“To pass the Abyss difficulty level, it’s best to absorb another ability related to reconnaissance.”

“It could save a great deal of time.”

Attributes are just one part of growth.

While challenging abyss leaders, Jiang Chen continued to trial and error, contemplating how to compensate for his own shortcomings and deficiencies.

Step by step, calmly and steadily, he advanced toward the Abyss difficulty level.