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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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The Imperial Academy.
Founded for the purpose of conquering the continent, it embraced elitism. Family, age, social standing, gender – all were disregarded.
Only skill mattered.
Students constantly honed their abilities, driven by the fear of failing to meet the Empire’s standards and tarnishing their family’s reputation.
-Crackle!
Whenever Ed summoned his suit, all eyes turned towards him.
His rivals scrutinized the upgrades, while those aspiring to greatness gazed at him with admiration.
Ed was among the academy’s strongest.
“Hey, hey! He’s summoning it.”
“What’s different this time?”
“Fucking awesome.”
As everyone watched, a black object emerged from a rift in the air and attached itself to Ed’s back.
It was the “High-Speed Carbon Nanotube Injector” he had developed over the weekend.
It encased his body in flexible yet rigid carbon nanotubes, eliminating the vulnerability during suit deployment.
-Whoosh!
Black, latex-like carbon tubes extended from his back, enveloping him in a dark shroud, like a nanotech-infused Iron Man suit.
Black vapor billowed outwards, concealing Ed while he was vulnerable.
“W-What’s happening inside…?”
“Why is my heart racing…?”
The black vapor, acting as a smokescreen, instilled fear in his enemies and anticipation in his allies.
The students listened to the precise whirring and clicking of mechanical parts, their eyes fixed on the black fog surrounding Ed.
Red light pulsed intermittently within the darkness, like the glint of a monster’s eyes. The red ore embedded in the suit created this illusion.
-Swoosh…
The mystical black fog began to dissipate. The students swallowed hard, anticipating Ed’s reveal.
-Click! Whirr! Click! Whizz! Click! Click!
Finally, the vapor cleared and revealed Ed.
He seemed to be running a systems check. The sleek metal armor on his shoulder blades opened, revealing the thrusters.
The palm of his gauntlet glowed red, emitting a high-pitched whine.
The mana stone on his chest pulsed red, channeling mana throughout the suit. The mana distribution system, connected to the mana stone, glowed red.
“······”
Silence fell over the students, even the instructors. Ed stood amidst the lingering black vapor, an otherworldly figure, a being that seemed to transcend humanity.
His suit, refined through countless upgrades and modifications, had evolved.
Its design now evoked a demonic aura, inspiring both awe and fear, even among those unfamiliar with the true form of demons.
“It’s… even more impressive than before.”
“Fucking badass.”
As the last of the vapor dissipated, revealing Ed’s face, the students felt a sense of relief. The relief of knowing that the most formidable force was on their side.
With Edgar Fix, a trusted and respected figure, wielding such power, the demonic imagery became a symbol of awe rather than terror.
It wasn’t scary; it was fucking awesome.
-Whirr… Click.
The suit’s systems check completed, the red glow faded. Ed moved his limbs, testing the new upgrades.
“Not bad.”
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Later, the large screen in the classroom displayed Ed and his team navigating the dungeon. Even for an outdoor class, the instructors had set up a live feed to foster competition.
Humans were inherently self-conscious, constantly comparing themselves to others.
And in this academy, filled with the Empire’s most ambitious talents, witnessing a classmate’s exceptional performance was highly motivating.
Ed’s performance was a prime example. He effortlessly cut through the dungeon’s monsters.
-What the… Just like when he fought Max, he’s just broken.
-The balance is insane. Powerful ranged attacks, high mobility, and a strong defense. There’s no way to approach him.
Ed’s suit combined destructive power, speed, utility, and strategic versatility. It excelled in close combat, ranged combat, and aerial combat.
He effortlessly slaughtered monsters that had challenged previous groups, adapting to any situation.
[Clarice, take the left path at the next fork. Ghost-type monsters appear there, so you’ll have an advantage. Roy, activate the mana barrier in the right corridor. Fire-type monsters…]
Ed wasn’t just showcasing his own abilities.
He assigned tasks to his teammates, giving them opportunities to shine while he coordinated their efforts, providing support when needed.
Unlike other groups, where teammates competed for points, Ed’s team worked in perfect harmony.
“…I should have done that.”
The students who had entered the dungeon earlier regretted their competitive approach.
Their infighting had disrupted their team balance, forcing them to abandon their attempt.
In dungeon raids, cooperation, not individual skill, was key.
The goal wasn’t to impress the instructors but to contribute to the team’s success, no matter how small the task.
‘It should be appearing soon…’
Ed wasn’t leading his team for a good evaluation. He was conserving his energy for the unexpected event that occurred during the first outdoor class.
‘I wonder what will appear this time.’
This event was triggered whenever a player entered a dungeon during their first outdoor class.
The game was designed to introduce the player to the wider world, showcasing their abilities and gaining recognition.
The player would defeat a powerful boss monster, attracting the attention of the main NPCs.
An S-rank in this event would trigger Isabella’s interest, while an A-rank would garner some attention from Enya.
For anyone below B-rank, they were practically just extras—barely worth a minor NPC’s attention. But for Ed, who had such high standards, this miserable result meant he had to restart the game entirely.
‘But the event’s direction might have changed. A stronger monster might appear.’
With Ed deviating from the established storyline, the event’s content and rewards were likely altered.
He already had the attention, and even the affections, of the main NPCs. Isabella and Enya’s interest was no longer a desirable reward.
‘This world is highly volatile. A stronger monster will definitely appear.’
The world’s will, or the game’s algorithm, had likely prepared a greater reward, and with it, a greater risk.
Greater rewards demanded overcoming greater challenges.
[······]
Reaching the end of the dungeon, Ed’s eyes widened. A powerful monster, one that shouldn’t appear for another year, awaited him.
[Crunch! Crunch! Gulp! Slurp! Chomp! Crack! Crunch!]
The instructors and students watching the live feed froze.
A demon.
A grotesque creature, a horrifying hybrid of human and beast, was devouring a mountain of corpses, its appearance triggering primal fear.
[ꊍꊎ··· ꊏꊐ? ꋨ··! ꋩ···!]
The demon muttered in an unknown language, adding to the shock. While some monsters could speak, none had used such a strange, ominous tongue.
[Everyone, get behind me! This is beyond your level!]
The instructor on the scene, sensing the danger, ordered Ed’s team to retreat. He drew his weapon and told them to run. But…
-Thud!
[Gah…?!]
While the instructor was distracted, the demon’s arm, stretching like elastic, pierced his abdomen.
The level 2 instructor, a mid-level Sword Expert, was caught off guard.
[Cough! Gah…?!]
The demon began draining the instructor’s blood and mana through its elongated arm. The instructor’s face contorted in agony.
-Slash!
One of Ed’s teammates drew their sword, attempting to sever the demon’s arm. But the blade cracked against the monster’s flesh. Their panicked attack lacked the necessary mana reinforcement.
[ꉲ···· ꋓꊡꊎ···.]
The demon chuckled, its shoulders shaking, seemingly amused by their fear. Its arm stretched again, reaching for them.
-Boom!
An oval-shaped plasma shield erupted around Ed, protecting him and his teammates. Ed, who had been momentarily frozen, turned to his terrified teammates.
[Sorry. I spaced out for a moment.]
He glanced at the dying instructor. A vision had flashed before his eyes: the Empire in ruins, ravaged by demons.
Just like the day he had embraced Isabella from behind, he had been lost in a superposition of past and present. And because of that, the instructor had been mortally wounded.
[ꇅꇆ···? ꇇꇈ! ꈻꈽ!!! ꈿ···ꉀ.]
The demon looked at its severed arm, muttering something. The arm regenerated, stronger and more deadly than before.
-Whoosh!
The demon lunged, closing the distance in a single bound, and began pounding on the plasma mana shield.
Its hands melted with each blow, but they regenerated, stronger and more resilient, increasing the force of its attacks.
[Listen carefully.]
Ed finally spoke, his voice calm despite the cracking plasma shield.
[The professors are on their way. Our goal is to survive until then. But the shield won’t last much longer. Maybe 30 seconds.]
Thirty seconds.
Not enough time.
They would all be dead before the professors arrived. But Ed’s gaze, fixed on the grinning demon, was unwavering.
[So, I’ll handle this. Clarice, heal the instructor. Roy, activate the mana barrier and protect them. Garnet, cover Roy and intercept any surprise attacks.]
He would face the demon alone. A student, facing a monster that had easily defeated an instructor? But his next actions silenced any doubts.
-Crackle!
A rift appeared in the air.
-Woosh.
Ed retrieved a metal mask.
-Click.
He attached the sleek, black metal mask to his lower face.
He pressed a button, and carbon nanotubes flowed from tiny vents in the mask, covering the sides of his face, his ears, the back of his head, and finally, his crown.
-Whirr… Click! Whizz! Click!
Mechanical parts clicked and whirred, adding intricate details and functionality to the nanotube layer.
The mask transformed into a complete helmet, leaving only his eyes exposed.
-Click.
Ed glanced at the failing plasma shield.
He turned to his teammates, about to offer final words of encouragement.
The locking mechanism on his forehead released, and a metal eye mask covered his eyes, merging seamlessly with the helmet.
-Flash!
Two sharp, angled eyes glowed with a red light. In the darkness of the dungeon, Ed spoke, his voice amplified and distorted by the helmet.
【Don’t worry. This thing is no match for me.】
“······”
Ed’s team members listened to that deep, resonant tone, their expressions blank.
Maybe it was the way his voice echoed inside the helmet, but something about its newfound depth struck them—reverberating in their chests like the voice of a god.
Mesmerized by its almost divine authority, they could do nothing but nod dumbly.
-Bang!
The plasma shield shattered, and the demon lunged at Ed.
-Crack!
A single punch and the demon went flying.
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It’s a good thing that he over prepared instead of being under prepared