Chapter 20 of the Academy's Weapon Replicator

Chapter 6: Golem (1)

After the joint mission ended.

"Huh."

While heading to the training room as usual after class, I saw someone approaching from far down the corridor.

A woman with long brown hair. Her soft eyes have a calming effect on those who look at her.

The woman approached me with a gentle pace,

and then passed by me.

'...Strange person.'

Until now, the number of students who have passed by me without incident can be counted on one hand.

Due to my bad reputation and fame, it's impossible for people to just let it go.

But this woman treated me with complete indifference.

No, it wasn't the kind of indifference that's easy to understand. It was more like... I didn't even enter her field of awareness.

'...Ah.'

When I thought about it, I recognized her.

A memory came to mind.

Once I figured out who she was, a hollow laugh escaped me.

I felt like a fool.

"It's Elin."

Aster Evans' sister, Elin Evans.

She wasn't indifferent or calm.

She was just asleep.

I scratched my head and headed towards the training room.

Ding-

While taking a short break, my smartwatch beeped.

A quest notification.

I guessed the timing and knew what this quest was about.

But I hoped it wasn't this. Hoping it wasn't, I opened my smartwatch, but,

[Main Quest: Raid]

- A large-scale raid by monsters will occur in Constel. Be prepared.

- If the response is inadequate, there is a possibility of losing named characters.

"Is this what they call a quest?"

The quest description was as concise as it gets. But the reality is far from simple.

Constel's main quest, the Raid.

It's exactly what it sounds like. An event where monsters suddenly surge like a tide.

Etius always demands the player's choice.

The event itself is just an incident that occurs, and the response to it is up to the player.

The same goes for this raid.

You can kill the monsters indiscriminately, target only the important ones, or even just watch.

You can even leave Constel entirely during the event if you really want to.

But you'll have to pay a high price for that.

The quest explicitly mentions the possibility of losing named characters.

"Ultimately, I need to get stronger."

When I fought the Red Bear, I was lucky. Or should I even call it a fight?

I knew the Red Bear's habits, could see its movements before it acted, and knew it would roar. I managed to throw a dagger and hit the bear's eye, but that was it.

If I had been alone, I would have died after that.

I can't rely on such impromptu responses every time.

While crafting is important, I need to gain experience in combat itself.

"...Sigh."

A sigh escaped me.

In fact, I know how to solve this. But I don't really want to.

However, there's only one solution, and it's worth a try.

"...Let's go."

I stood up.

* * *

At that moment, in Professor Vinkis' laboratory.

In the dark corridor with no lights, someone was crouching in front of the laboratory.

The person, with a hood covering their face, looked around familiarly and used 'Divine Power' to unlock the lock.

To him, who was favored by Hephaestus, the metal lock was no different from an open door.

Once inside, he lit the lantern he brought. A soft hiss was heard as the air was gently consumed, and the surroundings brightened.

The person removed his hood, revealing Edwin.

Edwin slowly walked over to where he intended to go and placed the lantern there.

"...Amazing."

There was a golem. Professor Vinkis' creation, the Metal Golem.

Kneeling on one knee and holding a spear, it looked like a sturdy knight.

Edwin, who had observed as Professor Vinkis' assistant, knew that this golem was complete.

He swallowed hard.

Edwin's eyes penetrated the entire structure of the Metal Golem. Just as before, the owner's seat was still vacant.

Edwin extended his hand as if drunk and poured in mana.

'...Of course, there's a password.'

Just because the owner's seat was empty doesn't mean security was lax.

To gain that authority, one had to pass through all sorts of security and passwords known only to Professor Vinkis.

Edwin hesitated for the first time. Up to this point, he could have just claimed it was simple curiosity, but once he touched the security, there would be no turning back.

However, his hesitation was brief, and his eyes shone even brighter.

The structure of this golem created by Vinkis was meticulous, complex, and intricate.

To Edwin, it was simply beautiful.

If I could make this golem mine...

'...Well, I'll just try it. What can I do, anyway?'

Edwin began to disable the security. As if defusing a time bomb, he was cautious and precise. The speed and accuracy were beyond what even Vinkis could have predicted.

But to penetrate the security, he needed more than just skill.

No matter how accurately he understood the structure, to force his way through the security, he had to pass a series of choices, each with only one correct answer.

If he failed, the security would lock down completely, and a signal would be sent to Professor Vinkis.

An impossible difficulty, avoiding all the traps while accurately understanding the structure and guessing the correct answers for everything.

──But is this the work of a god?

"Done."

Edwin's hand stopped.

Surprisingly, he had successfully gained the owner's authority over the golem.

"...Stand up."

At his command, the golem's eyes glowed red.

It straightened its knee and faced Edwin with a dignified presence.

Edwin's hands trembled.

The golem's knight-like appearance was so beautiful, and the way its structure operated, as interpreted by Edwin's eyes, was almost mesmerizing.

"Try handling the spear."

The golem took the spear and wielded it as if it were a feather, with complete freedom.

Equipped with the unique durability of metal and imbued with the golem's loyalty, it was an ideal soldier.

"Alright, go back to your original position."

The golem obediently returned to its initial position, kneeling on one knee.

Its appearance was unchanged from before it was activated.

"Deactivate."

The light in the golem's eyes disappeared, and the laboratory returned to complete silence.

Edwin's face, illuminated by the lantern, had a red flush.

* * *

I am now experiencing the most tense atmosphere in the mansion in the past few days.

In front of me, Ajie was looking at me with an unhappy expression.

Perhaps it was because I suddenly came to his room without any warning. But what's the point of giving notice to my brother's room?

"Do you want to learn how to fight?"

Ajie's stern voice made the maids around him tense up.

That warning from Father. Was it about making it into the top 10 overall rankings?

That's important, but the 'Raid' is even more critical and urgent.

"Go back. I have nothing to teach you. Take responsibility for your lazy life."

After saying this, Ajie crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

He doesn't seem to have any intention of moving until I leave.

Ajie definitely doesn't like me.

Ajie has talent, but he has worked harder than anyone to catch up to Father. His current skills were not easily obtained.

So, he doesn't like a lazy younger brother. I understand.

But I don't like Ajie either.

It feels like I'm doing someone else's piled-up homework. Or like a new employee cleaning up the mess left by a predecessor who quit in a hurry.

"...Then how about this?"

There are only two things a new employee can do in such a situation.

Either quit the company like the predecessor.

"Let's spar. If I can land a single hit, will you teach me?"

Or prove that I'm better than the predecessor.

Ajie opened his eyes.

Just that made the room's temperature drop even further.

The maid beside him was really trembling.

"What do I gain from that, Phrondear?"

"I know I'm a thorn in your side, Brother."

"Watch your words."

"Anyway, if I don't make it into the top 10, I'll be expelled. So,"

I took a deep breath.

"If I can't land a single hit, I'll leave on my own."

I came out to the backyard of the mansion with Ajie. I had all the servants retreat.

In the silent surroundings, Ajie and I faced each other.

Ajie held a mock spear, a staff, and looked at me coldly.

His eyes were filled with displeasure.

"Your arrogance pierces the heavens, Phrondear."

Arrogance. The challenge to land a single hit is considered arrogance.

But Ajie's evaluation is correct.

Even if I brought an average student from Constel, they wouldn't be able to touch a single hair on Ajie.

The only advantage I have is that I'm not the real Phrondear.

The lack of information about me is my only chance.

'Just once.'

I adjusted the mock daggers in both my hands.

I can't drag this out. If I do, I'll definitely lose.

I've never faced Ajie in the game, so I only know about him from information I've heard from other players. His specialties, habits, and patterns.

But Ajie isn't a monster. He's human. I can't expect a fixed pattern.

So, what I can do is force him into a pattern.

"Come at me. I'll let you have the first move-"

Before Ajie could finish his sentence, I threw a dagger.

Ajie's hand, holding the staff, moved reflexively.

Thud, my dagger was easily blocked.

I had already charged towards Ajie after throwing the dagger.

I had one more dagger.

"Ah!"

While deflecting the dagger Ajie threw, I lunged with the second dagger.

In that brief moment, I heard something, though not clearly.

"...Sigh."

It sounded like Ajie's bored sigh.

Ajie's unique spear technique

Lakjang (落張)

The moment my dagger and the tip of Ajie's staff met,

there was no sound.

Ajie's perfect control of force had silently attached both weapons together.

Immediately after, a dry sound was heard,

and my dagger flew away.

This is Ajie's technique, Lakjang.

A mysterious skill that makes the opponent drop their weapon.

"Disgusting, Phrondear."

Ajie casually swung his staff and placed the tip below his left side.

Ajie's specialty, 'Diagonal Slash,' is coming.

Ajie's basic spear technique

Chapter 3

Diagonal Slash

At that moment, having lost both daggers, I was completely unarmed.

Even if I knew the attack, there would be no way to counter it.

──But Ajie thought so.

My move worked.

The moment Ajie raised his staff diagonally.

Thud.

My 'single hit' landed on Ajie's head.

He stopped.

At the same time, Ajie's staff halted, right next to my temple.

"...?"

Ajie stopped his staff because he had been hit on the head.

But it seemed he couldn't understand why he had allowed me to land a hit.

Rolling to the side, my 'single hit' was a dagger. The third mock dagger.

"I win."