I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

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The Empire Academy.

Established for the purpose of annihilating the Abyss, this place advocates elitism by disregarding lineage, age, social status, and gender differences, evaluating an individual’s worth solely based on skill.

Whether one is young or old, from a high-ranking family or a lowly background, the only priority is skill, which means students must constantly train themselves.

Otherwise, they will fail to qualify as the ultra-elites desired by the Empire, which would ruin both their personal reputations and their family’s honor.

– *Crackle!*

Thus, every time Edgar summoned his suit, the simultaneous gazes directed at him was a natural phenomenon.

Those who considered Ed as a rival couldn’t help but be conscious of how much his suit had been upgraded, and those aiming for strength looked at Ed, who had risen to the pinnacle of the Academy, with adoration.

“Hey, hey! Summoning.”

“I wonder what’s changed this time.”

“Awesome!”

As everyone’s attention was focused, a black object flew from the rift in the air and attached itself to Ed’s back.

And that black object was none other than the ‘Ultra-Fast Carbon Nanotube Injector’ that Ed had developed over the weekend.

To prevent a lapse in defense while equipping the suit, he enveloped his entire body in carbon nanotubes possessing both elasticity and stiffness.

– *Shwooosh!*

Black latex-like carbon tubes began to stretch out from his back.

The carbon tubes, akin to Iron Man’s suit enhanced with nanotechnology, wrapped around his body in an instant, emitting black vapor as a byproduct.

The black vapor served as a perfect cover for Ed, who was vulnerable during the suit-mounting process.

At the same time—

“Ah, what’s happening inside…”

“Why is my heart racing…”

By hiding himself in black vapor, he instilled fear in his enemies while giving his allies a sense of anticipation.

Thus, the Academy students listened to the sound of mechanical components interlocking as they gazed into the black mist where Ed was.

In that mist, intermittent flashes of red light emerged like a monster scattering its gaze.

It was the red gemstones attached to the suit that created such an illusion.

– *Shooosh…*

Eventually, the enigmatic vapor began to dissipate.

The students swallowed hard, eagerly awaiting the reveal of Ed’s figure.

– *Clonk! Whoosh… Clonk! Whee—! Clonk!*

Finally.

As the black vapor cleared, Ed’s figure was revealed.

Ed seemed to have finished equipping the suit and was now checking it.

The sleek metal armor attached to his scapula opened wide as he inspected the propulsion device, while the palm section of the gauntlet glowed red, emitting a *Ki—iiing!*

Simultaneously, the mana stone embedded in his chest shone red and supplied mana throughout his body, connecting to the mana emission device, which began to unleash a red glow all over him.

“………”

The students watched in silence.

Even the instructors were rendered speechless as they looked at Ed.

Standing amidst the still somewhat lingering black vapor, Ed appeared as though he had transcended the human race.

After numerous upgrades and modifications, Ed’s suit had now evolved to a design that intuitively felt emblematic of a ‘demon’.

Even those from the Empire, who still didn’t fully understand what a demon looked like, could feel awe and fear merely by gazing at it.

“Th-this is even more… incredible than before.”

“It’s so cool!”

However, as the vapor cleared and Ed’s face came into view, the students felt a wave of relief.

The sense of relief when the most feared enemy turned into an ally.

If such an overwhelming presence equipped such a suit could be trusted and recognized as Edgar Fix, the shape of the demon became something to be revered rather than feared.

In simpler terms, it was no longer something to be feared but something that was simply awesome.

– *Zzzziiiing… Whee—… Clonk.*

As the checks on the suit were finished, it extinguished the red light that flooded over him.

Ed started to move his body and shared his thoughts on the newly revamped suit.

“Not bad at all.”

***

A short while later.

On the giant screen ahead, footage of Ed and his party engaging in a dungeon was being played back.

Even though it was an outdoor class, a projector was set up to live-stream his classmates’ adventures.

This, however, was a setup by the professors to fuel competition.

After all, humans are usually self-aware of how they appear to others, and they are spurred on by seeing their peers’ performances.

Especially in a place like this, filled with the Empire’s top talents, prideful students could not help but be stimulated by the exceptional feats of their classmates, particularly Ed, who was sweeping through monsters in the dungeon.

– “What’s that… I felt it when Max was hit, this is just hopeless, right?”

– “The balance is insane. Ranged attacks are super strong, but with that equipment, getting close isn’t exactly easy, and even if you do, there’s that powerful shield blocking everything.”

Ed’s suit possessed destructive force, speed, utility, and strategic finesse.

Thus, Ed’s Devil Suit did not discriminate between close-quarters combat, ranged warfare, or aerial battles.

No matter what kind of monster emerged from the dungeon, it could be countered, and it overlorded them with its overwhelming utility and destruction.

Monsters that other students had labored to capture with great difficulty were slaughtered effortlessly by him.

[Clarice, take the left at the next split. It’s a ghost-type monster, so you’ll have an easier time dealing with it. Roy, activate the mana shield on the right passage. Fire-type monsters are….]

Moreover, Ed did not monopolize the spotlight.

He assigned appropriate tasks to his teammates, allowing them to showcase their skills while he coordinated the operation and provided support only when necessary.

Unlike other teams that resorted to competing among themselves for points.

“…I should’ve done that too.”

Previously entering students felt remorse over the ideal party dynamics they witnessed.

They failed to clear the dungeon because their competition among teammates disrupted the balance of their party.

In group missions like dungeon raids, what mattered was not individual prowess but teamwork.

The key to this dungeon raid assessment wasn’t about showing off your impressive moves to impress the instructors but completing even smaller tasks perfectly to contribute to the party’s success.

‘It should be time for it to show up soon…’

However, Ed leading his party through the dungeon wasn’t merely to gain a good assessment.

It was because of unexpected events that occurred during outdoor classes.

Such events might occur at any moment, and he needed to conserve his strength as much as possible.

‘What kind of monster will show up this time?’

Outdoor class surprise event.

This event was designed to emerge during the player’s first outdoor class when entering the dungeon, aiming for the player to make an impressive showing.

In other words, the game was set up for the player, who was previously out of everyone’s spotlight, to suddenly slay a boss monster and capture the attention of the main heroine NPC.

Thus, receiving an S-rank in this event would intrigue Isabella, while merely getting an A-rank would only garner a slight interest from Enya.

Anything below a B-rank would barely attract the attention of an extra-level NPC, meaning Ed’s situation was one where he’d effectively be forced to restart the game.

In simpler terms, he would have to “reset” it.

‘But the event’s direction should have changed by now. Perhaps even more formidable monsters will appear.’

Though Ed no longer adhered to the fixed story, it was likely that the event’s contents and rewards would entirely differ.

At this point, where he had monopolized the NPCs’ attention to the degree that they developed one-sided feelings, he didn’t need Isabella or Enya’s interest at all.

‘This world is highly volatile. A stronger monster will definitely emerge.’

Thus, it was likely that the game’s algorithm, or the world’s will, prepared an even greater reward than what the main NPCs could provide.

And typically, such larger rewards came with correspondingly greater dangers.

To gain a bigger reward, one must overcome significant challenges.

[………]

When Ed finally reached the dungeon’s climax, he found himself doubting his eyes.

A powerful monster that was supposed to appear in a year was waiting for him at the end of the dungeon.

[Wugok! Wugok! Wugok! Krewing! Kruluk! Craaak! Wugok! Wugok! Quap! Quadrak! Pu-dak! Wugok! Wugok!]

Moreover, the instructors and students watching from outside the giant screen were frozen in place.

The Demon Species.

A sighting of the Demon Species for the first time, feasting upon a mountain of corpses.

Its grotesque appearance, akin to a half-human half-monster hybrid, triggered an instinctive fear from those who beheld it.

[ꊍꊎ… ꊏꊐ? ꋨ…! ꋩ…!]

Additionally, the creature mumbled incomprehensible demonic words while looking at Ed and his party, shocking everyone once again.

While there were indeed monsters that could speak, never had there been one that used such bizarre and ominous language.

[Everyone get behind me! This is not a level you can handle!]

Just then, sensing the impending crisis, an instructor pulled Ed’s party behind him.

He then brandished his weapon and urged everyone to flee.

But—

– *Crack!*

[Ku-ck!?]

While the instructor turned around, an arm of the demon species, stretched like a rubber band, pierced through the instructor’s abdomen.

The instructor, only a mid-level Sword Expert, had fallen prey to the demon’s surprise attack.

[Ugh! Kugh!?]

The demon began ripping open the instructor’s abdomen, sucking in blood and mana.

Through the rubber-like arm, the instructor’s blood and mana were being rapidly drained, twisting his expression grotesquely.

– *Craack!*

At that moment, one of the party members hurriedly drew his sword.

He aimed to slice off the demon’s arm as it drained the instructor’s blood, but instead, the sword merely cracked against the monster’s rubbery limb.

Panic-stricken and hurriedly swung, he failed to channel proper mana into his strike.

[ꉲ… ꋓꊡꊎ…]

The demon resumed muttering incomprehensible demonic speech, shaking its shoulders in delight at how terrified Ed’s party was.

– *Craaaak!*

Just as its deformed arm lashed out again—

– *Wham!*

Suddenly, an oval-shaped plasma expanded around Ed.

The high-temperature plasma mana shield protected Ed and his allies.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Ed turned to his terrified teammates, saying,

[Sorry. I was a bit distracted for a moment.]

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the half-dead instructor.

The reason Ed hadn’t jumped in until the instructor reached this state was that, for a brief moment, a vision had unfolded before his eyes.

A vision of the Empire’s annihilation at the hands of demons.

Yet Ed could not comprehend why.

Just like that day when he embraced Isabella from behind and put her to sleep, today too, he wore a dazed expression as he blended past and present.

And that was how the instructor had sustained such a grievous wound.

[ꇅꇆ…? ꇇꇈ! ꈻꈽ!!! ꈿ… ꉀ.]

The demon murmured something while looking at its severed arm, thanks to the high-temperature plasma shield.

It had been sliced off, but the severed arm began to regrow as though it had never been cut.

Now stronger and more lethal than before.

– *Whoosh!*

Before long, the demon species leaped forward, rapidly closing the distance while continuously striking the plasma mana shield.

Each hit melted parts of its hand due to the extreme heat, yet the regrown limbs were sturdier and more powerful, increasing their destructive capacity with every blow.

[Everyone, listen closely.]

At that moment, Ed, who had remained silent with the plasma mana shield active, finally spoke up.

As the demon rained down punches, causing the mana shield to shake precariously, Ed uttered his next words.

[The professor is on their way. Our goal is to survive until then. But I think the mana shield is about to break. We can only hold out for about the next 30 seconds.]

Only 30 seconds remained.

It was an exceedingly tight timeline.

That was more than enough time for the monstrous creature to annihilate everyone before the professor arrived.

However, Ed’s gaze remained unwavering as he glared at the eerily grinning demon.

He then uttered words that none could believe.

[So I’ll take care of it. Clarice, heal the instructor’s wounds, and Roy, activate the mana barrier to protect both of them. Gannet, support Roy by fending off any surprise attacks from the demon.]

Ed was going to face the creature alone.

Would a mere student confront a being that had easily dispatched an instructor?

Yet, as he proceeded with his actions, all could only nod in agreement.

That was because Ed—

– *Crackle!*

Created a rift in the air,

– *Swipe.*

And grasped the metallic mask that emerged from it.

– *Clonk.*

After affixing the sleek, pitch-black metallic mask onto his jaw,

– *Twitch.*

Ed pressed a button on the black mask, and carbon nanotubes began to emerge from a tiny outlet.

The expelled jet-black carbon nanotubes swiftly enveloped the sides of his face, covering both ears, before entirely coating the back of his head and vertex.

– *Whee—… Clonk. Whoosh… Zzzring… Click.*

But it wasn’t just a simple face covering.

Once the black carbon nanotubes enveloped his face, intricate mechanical components aligned, enhancing the mask’s detailed design and functionality.

– *Clonk.*

Thus, the mask affixed to Ed’s jaw was completed in an instant, firing the carbon nanotubes and internal metal parts to form the helmet’s design.

Now only Ed’s glaring eyes, which were fixated on the demon species, remained.

– *Swipe.*

Ed confirmed the status of the plasma mana shield that was nearly at the breaking point.

He turned to his teammates, leaving them with final instructions.

And at that moment, the locking mechanism on his forehead was released, pulling down the metallic eye mask to cover Ed’s eyes, a sound of mechanical components interlocking followed as the eye mask combined with the helmet.

Then—

– *Whoosh!*

Bright light illuminated Ed’s razor-sharp eyes.

In the dark cave, Ed, scattering red light from his gaze, spoke to his allies.

【Don’t worry. It won’t be able to handle me.】

“………”

Ed’s voice slightly transformed.

His teammates, hearing that deep tone, could only nod with blank expressions.

Perhaps because his voice was now enveloped in the helmet, Ed’s deep voice resonated like that of a deity, sending chills down their spines.

– *Whaam!*

And that heart-pounding voice and presence were no mere mirages.

In the next instant, the demon species plowed through the last remnants of the plasma mana shield and charged at Ed,

– *Crack!*

Only to be sent flying away with a single punch directed at it.