In terms of physique, the No. 1 experimental mech bore a resemblance to the Hulkbuster armor, though it was slightly smaller. Its paint job was a cold, silvery white, and its weaponry included small rockets, a shoulder-mounted auto-tracking heavy machine gun, arc pulse cannons in its palms and chest, and a single-use laser weapon capable of cutting through anything for a short duration. It also featured retractable chainsaws on its arms, granting it formidable close-combat capabilities.
Regarding its magical enhancements, the chainsaw used in close combat was adorned with magical runes that could damage most magical creatures, and its optical equipment was fitted with magical lenses that provided anti-stealth detection.
The only drawback was that the No. 1 experimental mech lacked advanced artificial intelligence like Jarvis; it was equipped with only a basic AI designed to assist the pilot in combat.
However, this was sufficient in Bai Qi's opinion. After all, it was a mass-produced model, not a bespoke mech meant for a single user like Tony Stark's.
Judging from the No. 1 experimental mech's performance against Manni, it had performed exceptionally well, with only a few minor areas needing slight adjustments.
"Holy One! Where are you! Come out!"
Trapped in the hall, Tara continuously bombarded his surroundings with psychic energy. He now realized he had fallen into a trap and desperately wanted to break free and escape. However, the more he tried, the less focused he became, and consequently, his psychic powers weakened.
"Are you looking for me, Tara?"
A voice echoed, not loud, but seemingly emanating from the deepest abyss, causing Tara to tremble.
A figure appeared, one he least wished to see: the Holy One.
"So, everything that has happened today was your scheme, all to lure me into a trap."
Upon seeing Bai Qi, Tara surprisingly calmed down.
"Indeed," Bai Qi nodded. "I was wondering how I could get you to take the bait, but you actually helped me out."
Tara had truly shot himself in the foot this time. Not only had he failed to cause Bai Qi significant trouble, but it looked like he was about to be trapped himself.
"Holy One, you must know that in my current state, you cannot kill me. At most, you can seal me again, and I will return someday. Why don't we put aside our differences, join forces, and rule this world together?"
Tara understood that the opponent had clearly made ample preparations for him to fall into the trap. He was undoubtedly caught today and would not escape. Even if he used all his might, he wouldn't die but would be sealed again, and who knew when he would next be revived.
Tara's mind worked quickly, and he was not a stubborn person. Rather than be sealed again, he decided to set aside his hatred and cooperate with the other party, especially since his Shadowkhan army could be of great use to Bai Qi.
"Hahahaha........."
Bai Qi erupted in laughter after hearing Tara's proposal.
"Who gave you the courage to believe you could rule the world? You're just a little fellow who has never even left Japan, stirring up trouble now that magic is in decline. In my era, there were plenty of sorcerers and dark wizards who could have easily defeated you. What right do you have to cooperate with me?"
Seeing that negotiation had failed, Tara wasted no time and struck first, concentrating his psychic energy to attack Bai Qi.
The two forces collided, and the resulting shockwave churned the entire hall into chaos.
In terms of psychic power, they were evenly matched. However, one must not forget that Tara's only offensive ability was psychic power, while Bai Qi possessed multiple attack methods.
With their psychic powers neutralized, Bai Qi immediately unleashed his laser eyes.
With these two tactics combined, Tara was instantly at a disadvantage.
Then, a blast of dragon breath followed.
With these three attacks working in concert, Tara's hope of victory evaporated, and he was heavily slammed to the ground by Bai Qi.
Lying on the ground, Tara gasped for air. The immense exertion had blurred his once-prominent head.
"Holy One, even if you defeat me and seal me, I will return someday. Who wins or loses then remains to be seen."
Seeing Tara's defiant expression, Bai Qi shook his head and said, "Tara, you have no more chances."
Bai Qi gently clapped his hands, and secret doors opened in the four corners of the hall. From each door emerged a dark wizard clad in a black robe.
"How did you find them!"
Tara became even more panicked upon seeing the dark wizards emerge. The aura of the four individuals indicated that none of them were weak; each was at the level of a high-tier mage. Although three of them had only recently ascended from the mid-tier mage level, their qi was still unstable, and they were only days away from reaching the high-tier. The fourth was still some distance from becoming a master mage. However, one must remember that the Era of Magic had only just ended.
During the Era of Magic, most sorcerers and dark wizards, both righteous and dark, chose to go into seclusion to protect themselves, living in remote mountains for self-preservation. Finding a mid-tier mage was difficult, let alone a high-tier mage.
Yet, the Holy One had not only found them but had conjured four at once. Even Tara had to be astonished.
After all, ever since he was resurrected by the Kingpin, he had been searching for usable sorcerers, regardless of whether they practiced dark or righteous magic. However, the result was that after a long search, he had found only low-tier sorcerers or mere apprentices who had barely grasped the basics, making them utterly useless.
Compared to Tara, Bai Qi's advantage was far more apparent.
Firstly, Bai Qi had been searching for a longer time than Tara.
From the moment Bai Qi first arrived in this world, when he was still a rock, he had dispatched some of his Shadow Ninjas to search for dark wizards hidden in the mountains. Furthermore, Bai Qi himself commanded immense respect. As one of the eight original demons, the Demon of Fire, ruler of ancient Asia, a demonic sorcerer, and the progenitor of all dark wizards, these titles, combined with numerous other advantages, were beyond the reach of a mere local demon from Japan like Tara.
More importantly, Tara, unfamiliar with modern technology, had blindly dispatched a few ninjas from his legions to search. He failed to realize that powerful sorcerers and wizards, to remain undetected, would often erect magical barriers or seals around their residences, which the Shadow Ninjas could not penetrate.
Bai Qi, on the other hand, used Umbrella Corporation as a cover. He mobilized satellites for comprehensive, three-dimensional investigations, employing various advanced search methods. Then, based on the feedback, he conducted more detailed searches, naturally yielding significant results.
Take these four high-tier wizards for example.
When they were found, three of them were only mid-tier wizards. If invited by anyone else, the three would have refused to emerge, continuing to gather strength in the mountains to break through to the high-tier wizard level.