I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

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“Hey, who the hell is that with their hand out? Aren’t you moving quickly enough?”

The emotions on the battlefield were beginning to boil over.

This was because the difficulty of the monster wave was skyrocketing and the situation was escalating fiercely.

Now, mercenaries’ minds were filled not with hopes of making a fortune, but rather with just the desire to stay alive at this moment.

The monsters blessed by the Grand Duke were now faster, fiercer, and tougher than ever before.

“Retreat to Area A! Fall back!”

Thus, the monsters, surging like a tide, finally reached Area A.

They had breached right to the very front of the defensive line, bypassing all the rodent traps and various weapons.

Time was running short.

“Rangers and spellcasters, gather at your positions!”

The voices of the commanders rang out loud and clear.

The spellcasters and rangers began to converge towards the “Amplifier” where the commanders were stationed.

“Unleash everything! Get those monsters off the wall!”

As the spellcasters positioned themselves within the Amplifier, the commander immediately issued the order.

As the spellcasters cast their ultimate abilities, the Amplifier multiplied their power several times and shot it out towards the monsters.

Flames and ice spells rained down on the heads of the monsters.

– Crululu!

– Kieeeee!

“…”

The power of the Amplifier was beyond belief.

It was the work of Elena.

She had interpreted the ancient spells, a relic from the distant past, and created this incredible device known as the Amplifier.

Its power was so astonishing that even the caster themselves could only stand there in shock.

It was like planning to light a lighter only to unleash a flamethrower.

“What are you doing! Keep pouring it in! From now on, anyone who shows their hand will be punished according to military law!”

Yet this place was a battlefield where life and death hung in the balance.

There was no room for panic or shock.

To reduce the number of enemy forces even by one, they had to unleash spells without a second’s pause.

“…This is a real battlefield…”

And here, Ed’s comrade, Tyler Martin, was also acutely feeling the atmosphere of war.

The stench of blood and sweat mingled with a burning smell wafting through, creating a unique foul odor of the battlefield.

“…Hoo. I can do this.”

Tyler prepared his spells, overcoming the strange fear the scent brought.

The fact that he was also “Ed’s friend” urged him to act.

However, his connection with Ed had only lasted for a single moment.

At the beginning of the Academy, during the “Class Determination Battle.”

It was then that he teamed up with Ed to defeat Team Max—this had been both their first and last connection.

Thanks to Ed’s exceptionally skilled command, they had turned the overwhelming power gap around and won that evaluation match.

Afterward, he had worked tirelessly to become someone who could associate with Ed, who was once mocked as “Bonfire Tyler.”

Though it had been just that one meeting, every time Ed saw him, he acknowledged him and willingly called him a friend.

In short, Tyler’s efforts had been a struggle to get closer to an object of admiration.

As a result, he, once ridiculed as “Bonfire Tyler,” had now evolved into “Flame Tyler,” and finally to “Hellfire Tyler” as of now.

The perennial underachiever had proudly placed his name among the top ranks of Class A.

“I am Ed’s comrade and friend. I can’t fall behind.”

Thus, Tyler became aware of his status as Ed’s friend and prepared his combustion magic.

The bizarre power of the Amplifier made his spells shine even brighter, and his mana surged.

Eventually, runes of combustion began to draw on the ground where the monsters were, and a massive pillar of fire erupted forth.

It was a gigantic flame consuming the chill of the North.

Tyler, hoping that one day this heat would reach Ed, and that the grown-up version of himself would look back, kept unleashing spells.

“…Indeed, is this the generation of Edgar Fix?”

Meanwhile, the Legion Commanders at the main command post were watching the impressive feats of Tyler and the other first-generation academy students.

Their performances were so outstanding that it made the term “students” feel inadequate as they rivaled professional soldiers.

Especially students with even the slightest connection to Ed were showing remarkable performance.

Tyler Martin, continuously conjuring colossal fire pillars.

Pio Bailey, generating shockwaves with a single punch, clearing out swathes of monsters.

And alongside Tyler Martin and Pio Bailey in the class evaluation battle…

“That girl is incredibly amazing.”

Charlotte Verdian.

Once mocked as “the stutterer,” “the gardener,” and “the ugly one from the ruined family,” Charlotte now stood at the center of the battlefield.

Watching her, the instructor added an explanation.

“Charlotte Verdian… Her growth is astonishing to behold, even again. I doubt there will ever be a student with such a transformation in the academy’s history, even after a hundred years.”

Charlotte had once suffered from severe stuttering due to past traumas and her family’s downfall.

But the Charlotte of now was a world apart from her former self.

Her wild, unruly curls were straightened and flowing, and the round glasses that had obscured her pretty eyes were removed, revealing her advantages.

Of course, the change in her looks paled in comparison to the transformation within.

Confidence and boldness.

A desperate desire to become a woman fit to associate with Ed had driven her growth, allowing her to transform into an S-Class student with both skill and intellect.

“…Hoo.”

With that, Charlotte took a deep breath and took out her mask.

A special mask gifted by Ed.

This mask emitted chemicals to rid her of the peculiar frailty and sympathy unique to the Verdian family.

It was transforming the pure and delicate Charlotte into the cruel and harsh “Witch of the Death Garden.”

– Shiiiiiiiiik…

Purple smoke began to pour out from within the mask.

The purple mist infiltrated Charlotte’s lungs, radically changing her neuroplasticity.

Her overwhelming traits of “sympathy” and “tolerance” had vanished entirely.

– Sssssssss…

Eventually, dark circles developed beneath Charlotte’s eyes.

Along with that, her once pure eyes took on a strangely sharp edge, and her expressions turned chilling.

She began to sprint towards the battlefield.

– Taz! Taz! Taz! Taz!

With a lively gait, she ascended to the top layer of the defensive walls.

However, she wasn’t safely inside the wall; she leapt into the middle of the writhing monsters.

Everyone watched in astonishment at her reckless behavior.

– Hwiioooooo!

Charlotte descended from the towering walls, dozens of meters high.

That height meant she faced immense air resistance and gravity hitting her.

– Clank… Clank…

Yet the cold northern winds never breached Charlotte’s form.

As she pressed a button, her ‘chemical suit’ was completed in an instant.

– Thud!

Upon landing on the ground, she observed her surroundings with sharp eyes.

Dozens of monsters surged at her simultaneously.

– Puhwaaaaaaa!

But in that moment, Charlotte stretched out her arms and released something.

A torrent of water surged from her gauntlets.

It was hydrochloric acid.

She had mixed various toxic substances obtainable from nature, processed the worst kinds of hydrochloric acid, and was now unleashing it directly.

– Kieeeeeee!

– Kuwwoooooo!!

And no matter how much enhanced they were, they could not withstand this.

Their tough shells only provided high immunity against physical attacks.

They were utterly powerless against hydrochloric acid which reacted chemically with their skin and melted it away.

– Wooosh! Wooosh!

And Charlotte didn’t stop there.

Small vials were sandwiched between her fingers.

She threw those vials in all directions.

When the vials smashed to the ground, the liquids within reacted with the air, triggering a chemical reaction.

Colorful smoke began to billow out from every direction.

– Kieeeeeee!

Of course, that smoke was lethal to living beings.

Having previously developed various chemical weapons, including white phosphorus grenades, she knew all too well what substances would prove deadly to lifeforms.

“Don’t just stand there, hurry and cling to the walls! That kid is stalling for time all on her own!”

At that moment, while Charlotte was making a grand show of power, the commanders were barking orders and gathering soldiers and medics.

They had to repair the walls while Charlotte bought time.

“Cover fire! Anyone who can cast protective spells, do so!”

While they repaired the crumbling walls, the commander ordered support for Charlotte.

Various protective spells and cover fire began supporting her.

But at that moment…

“Damn it! What the hell is that thing!”

An uncontrollable creature appeared.

The Frost Ogre.

Several high-risk Frost Ogres charged toward Charlotte.

The commander shouted down at Charlotte, who was on the ground.

“Retreat! We need you to fall back! This is beyond you, Lady Verdian!”

The Frost Ogre.

Generally, Ogres are powerful enough to dominate the monster ecosystem, but Frost Ogres are the apex predators that prey on such Ogres.

Having endured the harsh cold of the North, they are much stronger even among their own kind.

“Lady Verdian! Can you not hear me? Fall back immediately!”

Yet, whether the commander’s voice reached her or not, Charlotte continued to dart across the battlefield.

Frustrated, the commander cursed and ordered his subordinate.

“I’ll also head down to the ground! You take charge of command here!”

“…”

“What are you doing? Answer me! We need to rescue Lady Verdian as quickly as possible!”

“Th-that’s not it, Commander. Look over there.”

With a shocked expression, the subordinate pointed to the ground.

The commander turned his head, puzzled.

And upon witnessing the scene below, the commander’s eyes widened, slowly parting his lips.

“What… what in the world…?”

A bizarre sight unfolded on the ground.

It was a “garden.”

The “Death Garden,” capable of inciting primal fear just by being seen.

Charlotte spread her arms wide and exclaimed.

“Let me introduce you to my new garden. The entrance fee is your lives.”