I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

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After the battle on the first day ended.

Leon of the Clendor faction was raising a toast.

It was because they had brutally torn apart the members of Top 20, considered to be the best talents in the Empire.

Thanks to this, Clendor’s side was able to produce quite impressive footage.

Expressions of despair from the academy students, faces filled with rage, scenes of covering their eyes, and hands on their foreheads.

All those reactions were perfectly recorded in the video transmission magic tool.

Moreover, despite their desperate efforts, the elite students who ended up shamefully losing could also be captured very well.

Among them, the most striking moment was when a Top 16 student tried desperately to hold his breath but ultimately ended up gasping for air and going into a fit.

The sight of him struggling to survive was thrilling.

In the end, the Top 16 student was nearly drowning, and a Clendor player saved him, allowing him to barely survive.

Carrying the fainted student out and handing him over to the opposing side was a scene that showcased the Clendor Empire’s generosity perfectly.

“······.”

On the other hand, the academy students looked defeated.

The students selected for Top 20 were the crème de la crème of the academy, and yet, these elite students had been ruthlessly defeated without being able to do anything.

Especially striking was Leon Clendor, who started his speech with a smug expression after the match ended.

This is the difference between you and us. Now, you should follow my command with a learning attitude.

It was practically a public humiliation.

“····Hmmm. It seems your education is lacking. Just look at the hostility still present in your eyes. Very well, we will have the game in the same manner tomorrow. Growth must begin with recognizing your limits, and I will make you aware of your limitations.”

And with those plausible words of humiliation, he simply turned and walked away.

It ended with nothing but them being beaten.

“Ha, he’s really getting on my nerves?”

As Leon walked away, Isabella glared into the air with a fierce look in her eyes.

Black haze began to emanate around her body.

She was outraged by Leon’s continued provocations.

“I have to win no matter what.”

Isabella ground her teeth and clenched her fists.

Usually, she was only interested in drawing out negative emotions from her allies for her ’emotional feeding’, but this time was different.

Her body trembled with the desire to tear her opponent apart.

‘If it’s Isabella, she can do it.’

And Lucas, who was watching Isabella, thought to himself that way.

Isabella was blessed with the ability to use ‘Blue Eye’, allowing her to familiarize herself with Clendor’s mana operation and usage methods completely.

Even without Graham’s unique trait-based magic, Isabella was born with a natural talent for using and applying mana.

Isabella would certainly be able to shred her opponent to pieces.

‘And I can do that too.’

Of course, he was also a genius who awakened the Blue Eye at a young age.

He learned how to operate mana in underwater combat just by watching.

Of course, understanding something with one’s eyes is different from actually performing it, so it would require some practice…

‘It’s possible.’

With his talent, he should be able to master it without a doubt.

He could start rigorous training right away from today.

‘The problem is·····.’

However, at this point, only he and Isabella could use the Blue Eye, making it difficult for the other students to practice underwater combat effectively.

This meant that the other students were doomed to face another humiliating defeat like today.

‘Enya, I wonder if she’ll be alright.’

Thus, Lucas secretly worried about Enya.

Her pride had taken quite a blow from falling to Top 15, and it was hard to imagine the trauma that would come from another devastating defeat in tomorrow’s match.

‘You should be in a position similar to mine.’

It was no wonder that Enya was supposed to be vying with him for Top 2.

Before she became obsessed with sword drawing techniques, she had pressured herself so severely that she couldn’t even form proper spells based on her swift swordplay style.

Moreover, the types of swordsmanship that Enya could use were limitless.

Because of that, she could employ various sword techniques suited to each situation and could flexibly adapt to any circumstance.

She was the student who came closest to being the most complete ‘Enhancer Wizard’.

Once she awakened the Blue Eye, she would even be able to counter Isabella’s trait-based magic.

‘But why····.’

However, for some reason, Enya began to cling to sword drawing techniques while abandoning all her advantages.

As a result, Enya found herself sinking to Top 15, and there was always a possibility that she could fall even further.

‘·····Maybe this could be the turning point.’

So, Lucas inwardly hoped that Enya would abandon sword drawing techniques.

And perhaps that turning point could be the match scheduled for tomorrow.

As Prince Leon said, to grow, one must first recognize their limits.

It was time to acknowledge the limits of sword drawing techniques.

***

The next day.

When it was Enya’s turn for the first underwater battle, surprisingly, she was calm.

Even with several academy students whispering about her.

– It’s probably no different from yesterday. She’ll likely get a worse beating.

– At Enya’s current level, that’s true. They say she won’t even make it to S-class in the next semester’s evaluation?

– She acted all high and mighty before.

The academy students were making all sorts of negative comments about Enya.

The increased amount of criticism directed at her was precisely because Enya had garnered that much popularity.

Just as there is light, there is darkness; those who had been overshadowed by Enya’s genius for a long time found their self-esteem being eroded every time they were compared to her.

– Just you wait. I’ll make sure you’re underneath my feet next semester.

– It’ll be amusing to watch you fall to A-class.

Thus, Enya’s fall was an opportunity for them.

A chance to drag her down and elevate themselves.

Since there were many fools, it was no wonder that more and more students began to echo their statements.

Enya’s personality was quite prickly, so those who tried to get closer and ended up spurned contributed to shaping negative opinions about her.

“All competitors, please head to the top.”

As everyone marked Enya for defeat, she climbed to the top.

At the opposite top of the tank stood a Clendor soldier, warming up with a smug expression.

Soon, he licked his lips and provoked Enya.

“Hehe… You look rather cute. And a fine body too. With someone as cute as you, there’s no need to worry; I’ll take it easy on you.”

“······.”

However, Enya remained unperturbed by the soldier’s taunts.

Her mind and heart were already filled with thoughts of Edgar, leaving no room for external nonsense.

Enya suddenly recalled what Edgar had said long ago.

– I guarantee it. I believe you will succeed without fail. Even if you lose, no matter what anyone around you says, don’t pay any mind. Quantum jumps are immutable laws.

Quantum jump.

The term refers to the phenomenon where particles in physics make discrete transitions.

However, Edgar described his growth as discontinuous.

It wasn’t continuous, as the process of growth doesn’t visibly manifest, and that it would likely cause psychological strain.

His growth was like a quantum jump—one cannot reach the next orbit without gathering a certain level of energy.

‘Edgar believed in me.’

But Edgar assured her.

He said that the quantum jump is a law and encouraged her to steadfastly follow her path.

When everyone—the family, friends, and her admirers—turned their backs on her.

He was the one who supported her by saying that her growth was simply discontinuous.

‘I believe in Edgar.’

Thus, Enya’s heart remained unshakeable.

She had escaped the phase where she doubted, belittled, and became angry with herself, reaching a state of being indifferent regardless of circumstance.

‘Edgar is the truth.’

Because Edgar’s words couldn’t possibly be wrong.

Edgar was an explorer who uncovered the laws of the universe, and the laws of the universe are immutable laws.

“Once the countdown finishes, we will begin. After entering, combat will be free, and you must incapacitate your opponent.”

As she fixated on Edgar and steadied her mind, the Clendor soldier was frowning.

He was frustrated because the Cruel princess was showing no reaction to his provocation.

‘···No response. Prince Leon ordered me to do this····.’

Prince Leon’s order.

It was to provoke Enya Cruel into a state of rage.

To capture the scene of her furious rampage leading to a miserable defeat.

After all, the Cruel Duke House and the Clendor Kingdom had been long-standing rivals.

‘···I have no choice. I’ll move to the next step.’

So, the Clendor soldier decided to move to the next step.

It would be challenging to capture the sight of Enya’s pathetic defeat, but he could toy with her and force her into despair for her loss.

“Let the diving begin!”

At that moment, the announcer declared the start of the match.

Both the soldier and Enya jumped into the water simultaneously.