I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chapter 682: Mad Scientist (1)

"I'm counting on you!"

Seridan instantly disassembled the railgun through the magnetic cube.

-Swoosh!

The scattered parts in midair rotated around the powered armor like electrons around an atomic nucleus due to magnetic force.

When the powered armor raised one hand, the parts gathered in one place and formed a large shield.

It was a shield large enough to cover the massive bulk of the powered armor.

Alchemy combination [Scrap metal shield]

"Yeaaah!"

Seridan pulled the lever forward and maximized the output of the powered armor.

A blue light glowed softly around the powered armor, and then intense magical energy erupted from its back.

-Vrooom!

The powered armor charging with the shield toward the automatons firing magic looked like a heavily armored cavalry crossing the enemy lines in war.

The magic fired with enough force to destroy the machine was blocked by the scrap metal shield and had no effect.

Of course, physical impact was also delivered to the powered armor through the shield, but Seridan's powered armor didn't collapse from such impacts.

The ivory automaton eventually had to make a different choice.

-Clink!

The automatons drew blades from the backs of both hands.

A bluish aura formed over the blades.

It was slightly inferior compared to the sharp cutting aura of a real knight, but an aura is still an aura.

No matter how sturdy the scrap metal shield was, it would be cut the moment it touched those swords.

The ivory automatons rushed in.

Some were hit by Seridan's approaching shield, but instead of bouncing off, they clung tenaciously to the shield and swung their aura-infused blades.

-Clang! Clang! Scratch!

Sparks flew, and a large corner of the shield was cut off.

As five automatons swung their blades frantically, the durability of the large and sturdy shield plummeted instantly.

At this point, she should have discarded the shield, recollected the parts with magnetic force, and created a new weapon to respond.

But Seridan instead increased the machine's output and moved forward head-on.

Her role was to open and create a path.

Even if this machine collapsed, she absolutely must not stop.

It was an extreme choice she could make because she trusted Arpa.

-Crack!

The shield that had barely held up finally shattered.

The automatons that came over the shield clung to the powered armor like insects.

Seridan confirmed this sight, closed her eyes tightly, and shouted.

"Argh! I didn't want to do this!"

Seridan pressed the emergency escape button.

The rear part of the powered armor opened with a clanking sound, and her small figure was shot out backward.

And before the automatons could react, the magnetic cube exceeded the critical output level and caused a magnificent explosion.

-Boom!

A massive explosion using the powered armor itself as a sacrifice.

Despite maintaining sufficient distance, Seridan was caught in the explosion's aftermath and rolled backward several times.

Seridan, sprawled on the floor, murmured.

"The path is open."

"Thank you."

Arpa leaped over Seridan like a gust of wind and approached the black automaton.

At that moment, red pupils appeared on the smooth visor helmet of the black automaton.

It had finally begun to operate.

When the black automaton extended its left hand, magnetic force imbued it, and metal fragments from the surroundings gathered to form a sword.

It was implementing Leslie's magic by exactly imitating it.

In addition, a dark red aura infused the black automaton's sword.

This aura was similar to the power possessed by Knight Verom's Living Armor.

Victor, unable to contain his joy at this successful sight, roared.

"Ohhoho! Look at this! My masterpiece! My beautiful creation! This ultimate automaton was created by scraping the characteristics of the First Orders from my former workplace, the Black Dawn Society!"

The black automaton that Victor had put his heart and soul into creating was commonly known as Black Order.

The Black Order raised its right hand, which wasn't holding a sword, toward Arpa.

A flame the size of a lighter bloomed above the wide-open smooth black palm.

-Whoosh.

The flame instantly expanded, and a giant with a terrifying face emerged from inside.

-Kuooooo!

The giant made of flames roared at Arpa with its mouth wide open.

High-temperature flames spewed out with the roar.

The flames engulfed Arpa's body before he could even react.

No matter how sturdy Arpa was as an automaton, he couldn't possibly be intact in such heat.

The Black Order's attack didn't stop there.

The steel sword infused with dark red aura swung, shooting crescent-shaped slashes in succession, intent on finishing off Arpa, who was melting in the flames.

Seridan and Bellaruna could only watch with round eyes because a blue flash erupted from the crimson flames.

A chilly coldness vertically split the giant's breath, shattering the approaching crescent blade attacks beyond.

That wasn't all.

The blue flash continued forward without stopping, vertically splitting the fire giant from its forehead down.

Sparkling blue powder filled the surroundings.

The scattered powder washed away the heat and made the surroundings chilly.

Seeing this, Seridan murmured in disbelief.

"That's... magic?"

High-temperature flames that could melt even steel.

Arpa, who appeared from within those flames in pristine condition, was holding a sword in one hand.

It was a great sword made of ice.

Victor, seeing the great sword that was clearly made by magic, exclaimed in shock.

"Wh-what?! What was that just now?!"

Though he was making a fuss, Victor's insight immediately grasped what Arpa had done.

"An automaton using magic! That's impossible!"

Arpa used magic and at his own will, no less.

The magic used by the automatons Victor created wasn't in that orthodox way.

Like scrolls or artifacts, they simply engraved inscriptions onto the automaton itself and quickly activated magic with the magical power of magic stones.

As a result, its power was inferior compared to that used by real wizards.

But Arpa was different.

He manipulated magical power himself and used formulas to manifest magic.

Just like a real person.

Whether Victor was surprised or not, Arpa stared silently at the ice great sword in his hand.

-Arpa.

-Yes, teacher.

The conversation with Rudger before the holy war began vividly came to mind.

-To be honest, I don't want you to get involved in this fight.

-What? Why? I'm also a proud member of Owens!

-Because you're still a child.

-For me, an automaton...

-Not anymore. You know that too, don't you?

-...

Arpa couldn't say anything.

Rudger's words were true. After the Dreamland incident, Arpa had realized what the essence of his soul was.

-Teacher. I still want to fight.

Arpa looked down at his empty palm.

It looked exactly like a human hand, but inside it was full of clockwork mechanisms with no warmth whatsoever.

-I've become stronger. It wasn't what I wanted, but I still want to fight with this power. To help you, teacher.

-There's no lie in those words?

-No.

Arpa answered while looking at Rudger with pure eyes.

Rudger stared at Arpa for a moment, then shook his head as if he had no choice.

-At this point, I can't force your actions. But you should clearly know. The upcoming battles will be overwhelming even for your sturdy body.

-I'm fully prepared for that.

-That said, I can't just ask for your help as is, so I'll also teach you a way to become stronger.

-A way to become stronger? Is there such a thing?

-Yes. It's certainly possible for you now that you're aware of who you are.

What Rudger said to Arpa was quite shocking.

-From now on, learn how to use magic.

-Magic? But I'm an automaton, I can't use magic.

-That's true for your body. But not for your soul and mind.

Rudger created a bluish pattern above his palm using magical power.

-How can humans use magic? They can accumulate it in their bodies through the mana floating in the atmosphere. But this mana isn't exclusively for humans.

Beasts that absorb a lot of mana become spirit beasts.

In environments rich with mana, even plants evolve into different forms.

Arpa knew this because he had seen such changes with his own eyes in the Kasar Basin.

-Steam golems and various machines use magic stones as ingredients. They operate with the power of magic stones, the magical power dwelling within them. So here's a question. Is the magical power handled by steam golems different from that handled by humans?

-Th-that...

-Well?

-...they must be the same. After all, it's power originating from nature's mana.

-Right. Humans, beasts, plants, machines. All can use mana. The difference between humans and machines is whether they use it with their own will or not.

Rudger's blue eyes gazed at Arpa.

-Arpa. Are you a machine? Or are you human?

That alone was enough to convey Rudger's intent.

-B-but I can't accumulate magical power, and I don't know how to create formulas.

-Why do you think you don't know?

-Because I've never learned.

-Right. You've never learned. But you've seen it many times, haven't you?

-...

-You can remember everything you see with your eyes. So you must know. How many spells did you see that day in the Kasar Basin?

Arpa looked down at his hand again.

In his smooth hand without a single callus, a great sword was once again gripped.

That's right.

Arpa remembered everything.

The formulas used by wizards in that battle.

The art of people drawing beautiful pictures in the air using magical power as lines.

The boy who, when he was human, wanted to learn and imitate it.

Finally, he could grasp what he had yearned for to be of help to someone and protect his comrades.

Arpa stretched out his left hand.

Flames formed around his wide-open hand, and soon a staff made of flames appeared.

"Grandpa Limrei. Let me borrow your strength for a moment."

Arpa held the flame staff, thinking of the kindly smiling sage Limrei, and swung it wide horizontally.

Seridan and Bellaruna, watching this scene, felt an illusion of an old man's figure appearing behind Arpa.

-Whoosh!

A tidal wave of flames rippled and engulfed the Black Order.

"Eek! Don't lose! Black Order!"

At Victor's command, the Black Order emitted red light from its eyes and manifested magic.

Ice-attribute magic embedded through artifacts and magic stones activated in succession.

Although its power was inferior compared to magic used by actual wizards, the number that could be used at once was much greater.

From 1st tier to 4th tier, ice-attribute magic was fired like a machine gun.

Ice petals spread, chilling winds swept through, sharp spears made of ice flew, and hail poured from the ceiling.

But they were all useless before Arpa's flame staff.

All the ice magic was penetrated, flames struck the Black Order's black body.

However, the Black Order withstood the flames.

As befitting an automaton that Victor had created with utmost care, it naturally possessed resistance to ordinary flames.

But it couldn't resist the great sword that followed.

-Slash!

The ice great sword lodged diagonally into the Black Order's shoulder.

It stopped at about the collarbone due to the sturdy body, but even that was a tremendous blow.

Arpa released the great sword from his hand, and this time created and swung a purple lightning sword.

Following that, a water whip, a rock spear, and a wind blade successively pierced the Black Order's body.

-Crash!

The Black Order's body was dismembered and scattered in all directions.

"This cannot be. My, my finest automaton defeated!"

Victor's wide eyes beyond his goggles glared at Arpa.

"I-I see! I finally understand! You! You breathed a soul into the automaton! That's why you could use magic! But how? When a soul is transferred to a steel machine, it gets damaged and can't even remember being human!"

Victor threw off his white coat.

"Whatever the case, it doesn't matter! Rather, since I've discovered such a rare experimental subject, I'll have to capture and study you piece by piece!"

"Do you think you can capture me?"

"Ohhoho. You seem to underestimate me too much."

Without his coat, Victor's body appeared small and shabby like a scientist.

But when Victor began to exert force, his body gradually swelled enormously.

"Do you think I prepared for all these situations by just making machines?"

Surprisingly, Victor had also performed physical procedures on his own body.

"A true scientist should not spare even his own body!"

"I knew it."

The one who answered instead was Bellaruna.

Simultaneously, with a soft sound, Victor felt a stinging sensation in his thigh.

"What?"

Looking down, Bellaruna had already approached and inserted an injection into his now log-thick thigh.

Bellaruna looked up at Victor and smiled loosely.

"I thought a mad scientist would naturally modify his own body too."