Provoked by Lin Ran, Adam Hammer's emotions indeed became more agitated.
He let out a couple of roars and then continued to swing his sword.
However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't accurately land his sword on Lin Ran's Susanoo.
Instead, Lin Ran could always use the Yata Mirror to block his ranged attacks and reflect them, then use the Totsuka Blade to sever his body.
Although using the Ope Ope no Mi's manipulation to forcibly deflect Adam Hammer's greatsword consumed considerable energy, draining nearly a third of Lin Ran's capacity.
However, the absorption from the Totsuka Blade could instantly compensate for this loss, so it was of little concern.
For someone with such varied methods of absorption, fighting to sustain himself was his forte, and he felt no panic whatsoever.
Facing someone like Adam Hammer, a walking, talking self-service buffet, he was practically invincible!
Your eternal crystal's infinite energy, when rounded up, was equivalent to my infinite energy too!
The audience and contestants watching the two mechs meticulously engage in sword and shield combat were somewhat stunned.
"This, this... is this returning to the basics?"
"Is it that the highest level of combat is often presented with the most rudimentary techniques?"
"Uh... it's probably that both of them are significantly affected in terms of agility in their respective transformed states..."
"Looking at their massive sizes, their speed definitely isn't what it was before."
"Exactly, perhaps it's not so clear for Lin Ran, but it's obvious for Adam Hammer."
"While his strength has indeed reached extreme levels, even with the mecha's jet thrusters, he appears rather sluggish—at least compared to before."
"Lin Ran seems to be fighting right up close to Adam Hammer, so his speed limit hasn't been fully revealed yet."
"I have to say, Lin Ran has a significant advantage on the field right now! He's relentlessly pressing Adam Hammer..."
"All of Adam Hammer's attacks are being dodged by him, and he's continuously being pierced and melted by that strange sword..."
"If he didn't have the eternal crystal, he'd probably be riddled with holes by now!"
"But he does have the eternal crystal... under such conditions of infinite restoration and repair, how will Lin Ran win?"
"I reckon he'll probably fight slowly and steadily, getting a complete understanding of Adam Hammer's giant mecha..."
"Then find an opportunity to strike at the heart, targeting the eternal crystal itself."
"Although it sounds incredibly difficult, there's still a chance and possibility..."
"And if you say it's hard to win, isn't Adam Hammer in an even more awkward position?"
"Being constantly treated as a power bank by someone else, he seems to be in a tougher spot!"
"..."
Seeing the two engaged in a stalemate, they began to discuss more profound questions.
Meanwhile, Adam Hammer on the field also started to realize that the situation was not right.
After all, the frustration of exerting effort in vain and being repeatedly beaten, being held by the throat and unable to do anything, was truly unpleasant.
Moreover, his opponent was Lin Ran, who had mocked him countless times!
Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!
Gritting his teeth, Adam Hammer once again increased his offensive rhythm, launching seven consecutive strikes at different parts of Lin Ran's Susanoo.
But nothing changed; these blows, as always, missed their mark.
On the contrary, his reckless assault made it easier for Lin Ran to counterattack. The continuous thrusts of the Totsuka Blade almost flattened Adam Hammer's entire mecha, even threatening the eternal crystal within its core.
"What, didn't you eat? If you didn't, I suggest you go home and eat your fill before coming back..."
"Otherwise, with this efficiency of just grazing the edges, you wouldn't even be able to chop down a tree!"
"If I had to suggest something, I'd recommend you go peel fruit; that should be quite suitable for you."
"Oh! My apologies! That probably won't work either!"
"To peel fruit, you at least need to touch the skin, but you're completely missing!"
"In that case, I'm really not sure what I should recommend you do..."
Having achieved a delicate balance, Lin Ran had entered a state of effortless control and, naturally, didn't let his mouth go idle, continuing his verbal onslaught.
Adam Hammer initially didn't want to pay him any mind, but after so many consecutive attacks yielded no results, and he was being toyed with by the flaming sword in Lin Ran's hand, he became increasingly irritable and enraged.
Furthermore, being a person who valued his reputation immensely, he could imagine what outsiders would be gossiping about seeing this scene.
How could he tolerate this?
After several more rounds of failed assaults, Adam Hammer finally exhausted the last shred of patience in his mind.
"Very well, mortal, you have finally thoroughly angered me..."
"The terror you are about to experience is far beyond what you can bear!"
With that, Adam Hammer withdrew his sword, melting it back into his body, and assumed a solemn posture as if in prayer.
Lin Ran chuckled:
"Oh? But all you've shown so far, besides a tough mouth, is nothing!"
"Now that you've realized you can't do anything to me, you're resorting to these empty theatrics?"
"I truly wonder if the deity you worship will respond to the prayers of a robot like you?"
Adam Hammer did not respond to Lin Ran's taunts this time, standing motionless in place, presenting an appearance of being at Lin Ran's mercy.
However, this time Lin Ran did not take advantage of the situation. He simply stood there, smiling calmly, watching what Adam Hammer was about to do.
Not only him, but even the audience outside realized that the atmosphere was somewhat strange and off. They all stopped their chatter and fell into a silent observance.
As for Adam Hammer, the focus of the entire arena, he looked utterly devout.
Although externally, Adam Hammer appeared unchanged from the moment he began his prayer until now...
However, for Lin Ran, who possessed the Eternal Kaleidoscope, discerning his actions was not difficult.
The most noticeable characteristic was the skyrocketing core usage rate of Adam Hammer!
99.1%!
99.2%!
99.3%!
...
99.8%!
99.9%!
Until... 100%!