Langdon stood in the training yard's center, his practice sword catching the morning light. For once, his hair was combed and his uniform bore no visible stains. The change in his appearance matched the sharp focus in his eyes.

"Gather round," he called. "Today's lesson builds on what you've learned of Titan Slaying."

We formed a loose circle around him. Even Patter, who usually hung back, pressed forward with interest.

"Watch carefully." Langdon held his sword horizontally. Blue light flickered along the blade as he channeled mana into the alchemical mixture coating the metal. The energy coalesced into a translucent shell that made the practice sword look almost ethereal. "This is Mana Shell."

My Mana Manipulation ability activated automatically, analyzing the technique's structure. The mana formed distinct layers, each reinforcing the next in a complex lattice.

"With this," Langdon continued, "a wooden practice sword could split plate armor like paper." He swung the blade in a lazy arc, leaving trails of blue light. "But there's a catch."

He let the shell fade. Sweat beaded on his forehead from just that brief demonstration. "The mana drain is brutal. Hold it too long and you'll collapse. Best to save it for finishing moves, quick strikes when you need that extra punch."

Annes raised her hand. "How long does it take to form?"

"At first? Forever." Langdon chuckled. "You'll be dead three times over before getting it up in combat. Need to reach at least rank C before it's battle-ready."

I studied the lingering traces of mana around his blade, comparing them to my own experiments with mythril. The principle seemed similar, using mana to reinforce physical material. But where my attempts focused on permanent enhancement, this technique created temporary but more powerful effects.

"Widow." Langdon tossed me his sword. "Give it a try."

I caught the weapon and channeled mana through the alchemical coating. The energy dispersed uselessly, refusing to form the shell structure I'd observed.

"No, no." Langdon adjusted my grip. "You're pushing too hard. Think of it like building a wall, one brick at a time."

I slowed the mana flow, trying to layer it as he described. A faint blue shimmer appeared along the edge, but collapsed immediately.

"Better." He nodded. "But you're still thinking like a machine. Mana responds to intent as much as control. What are you trying to achieve?"

Protection. Enhancement. I focused on those concepts while channeling the energy. This time, a weak shell formed and held for two heartbeats before dissolving.

"There you go!" Langdon clapped. "Now everyone pair up and practice. Remember! Slow and steady wins this race."

As the others spread out to train, I examined my status screen. A new entry had appeared:

Mana Shell Rank E

You can coat a weapon's blade in mana, forming a hard shell that increases the weapon's strength and damage.

Another tool for my arsenal, if I could master it. Perhaps combining this technique with mythril components would yield interesting results.

As the hours passed, I watched the others attempt Mana Shell with varying success. Annes managed a flicker of blue, while Copelan's practice sword remained stubbornly inert despite his intense concentration.

"Excellent progress, all of you." Langdon's voice carried a note of surprise. "Almost suspiciously good, if I'm being honest. You may be the best C-rank students I've ever taught."

Annes lowered her sword. "That's not saying much, considering you haven't taught us anything until now."

Langdon's face flushed. "Yes, well..." He tugged at his collar. "I intend to make up for lost time. Speaking of which! Tomorrow, bring your combat gear. Full armor, real weapons, the works."

Copelan frowned. "Why would we need that for practice?"

A sly grin spread across Langdon's face. "Because we're going into the Hellzone."

My mechanical fingers tightened on the practice sword. The others exchanged worried glances.

But C-rank students aren't allowed in the Hellzone until third year, I said, carefully keeping my voice neutral.

"As an instructor, I have some discretion in these matters." Langdon waved his hand dismissively. "If I say you're ready, you're ready."

My mind raced through possibilities. Would he notice our familiarity with the tunnel layouts? The practiced way we handled monsters? The experience we'd gained from weeks of secret training?

Looking at our tense expressions, Langdon laughed. "What's wrong with you lot? My last class was jumping for joy when I announced this."

"You've taken another class into the Hellzone?" Sven asked.

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The smile vanished from Langdon's face. All color drained from his cheeks. "I… uh, yes. Alright." He sputtered several words for a moment before regaining his composure.

"Right then," he said quickly. "Tomorrow morning, bright and early. Don't be late."

We watched him hurry away, his usual swagger replaced by stiff, rushed steps.

"Well," Patter muttered, "that was strange."

"More than strange," Copelan said. "Did you see his face when Sven asked about the other class?"

I nodded, recalling the flash of guilt and fear in Langdon's eyes. Something happened to them.

"Maybe we should skip tomorrow," Yulios suggested.

No. I sheathed the practice sword. We need to go. It would look suspicious if we didn't show up for the Hellzone. Any other C-rank students would be jumping for joy at a chance to finally head down there.

"Besides," Annes added with a grim smile, "we probably know those tunnels better than he does by now."

We agreed to meet early and discuss strategy before Langdon arrived. As the others left, I remained behind, studying the spot where our instructor had stood. What was Langdon hiding? And more importantly, what was he planning to do with us in the Hellzone?

Rolly bumped against my leg, its spherical form spinning in place as it tried to navigate around me. I picked up the construct and placed it on a higher crate, where it immediately rolled off and crashed into three of its siblings playing tag.

Careful, I chided through our mental link. The constructs responded with bursts of childish glee, their simple minds focused solely on movement.

I turned back to my work, running my fingers over the smooth surface of the latest ingot. The metal felt warm to my touch, almost alive with potential. I had settled on a three to one mixture of mythril to gold, creating an alloy that met and exceeded my best expectations. My Assembly ability had reached new heights working with these materials, each failure teaching me more about metallurgy than any book could.

Scout Spider Eight, or "Chonsey" as Annes insisted on calling it, descended from the ceiling on a thin wire. I set the spider down next to the ingots, comparing their golden hue to Chonsey's painted iron frame. Perhaps it was time to upgrade my children. The mythril-gold alloy would make them faster, stronger, lighter, and more capable of channeling mana. But resources were limited; Copelan's funds weren't infinite, and I'd already spent a small fortune on materials.

A quiet grinding sound drew my attention to the far corner. Three of my spider constructs had managed to pry loose a stone from the wall and were attempting to peek through the gap. I quickly sealed it with Assembly before they could venture into unknown territory.

No exploring without me, I transmitted. They skittered back, radiating disappointment.

The incident reminded me of tomorrow's Hellzone excursion with Langdon. Something about his behavior bothered me. The way he'd reacted to questions about previous classes... I'd seen that kind of guilt before, in the faces of Weath's villagers after Mallie's death.

I activated Assembly, feeling the familiar rush of power flow through my mechanical frame. The golden ingots melted at my thought, their surface rippling like liquid sunlight. My ability guided the molten metal into shape, forming a elegant short sword with clean lines and perfect balance.

Steel flowed next, creating the guard and pommel. Each component locked into place with mathematical precision. I wrapped the grip in leather, testing the balance one final time before looking up at the sound of footsteps.

Annes and Copelan entered, both wearing their combat gear for tonight's Hellzone expedition. I held out the newly forged sword to Annes. Her eyes widened as she took it, the blade catching the lamplight.

"It's so light," she marveled, giving it an experimental swing.

Copelan's perpetual frown deepened. "Why waste so much gold on a sword? The metal's too soft for combat."

Strike it, I said, gesturing to the golden blade. See for yourself.

His scowl intensified, but he drew his steel sword. Annes held the golden blade steady as Copelan swung. The clash rang out, and his steel blade slid off without leaving a mark.

Try channeling mana into it, I instructed Annes.

She closed her eyes in concentration. Then they flew open in shock. "The mana... it's flowing through the whole blade, not just coating it. I've never felt anything like this."

She executed a Blade Skill maneuver, the golden sword leaving trails of blue light in its wake. "The power... with this much material to channel through, it hits so much harder. And faster too."

"What sorcery is this?" Copelan demanded. "Gold doesn't behave like this."

Not sorcery. Metallurgy. I picked up another ingot, letting it catch the light. I created a new alloy. Four times stronger than steel, but it channels mana as effectively as pure gold. I'm calling it auric steel.

"This... this is revolutionary." Annes was still staring at the sword in wonder. "The weapons you could make..."

"The fortune we could make," Copelan corrected, his frown finally giving way to calculation. "Do you realize what this is worth? Every noble house would pay a king's ransom for weapons like these."

My mechanical spiders skittered closer, curious about the new creation. One attempted to climb the blade before I shooed it away. I had greater plans for this alloy than mere profit, but for now, I let them speculate about wealth and fame.

Sven slipped through the door first, followed by Patter's towering form. Both were already geared up for tonight's expedition.

"Ready to map some new tunnels?" Sven twirled his daggers with practiced ease.

Patter leaned her spear against the wall. "As long as we're back before dawn. I don't fancy falling asleep during Langdon's first real class."

We'll keep it short tonight, I agreed through Mind Speech. Just focus on scouting the eastern passages. No heroics.

"Speaking of heroics..." Sven eyed the golden sword in Annes' hands. "That's new."

I gestured to Chonsey, who obediently scuttled over to Patter. The spider's pink paint had somewhat chipped away, revealing iron underneath. Your usual scout will accompany you.

They gathered their gear and headed toward the hidden entrance. I watched through Chonsey's sensors as they descended into darkness, their forms illuminated by the torch Copelan had brought. The tunnel swallowed them whole, leaving me alone with my thoughts and my remaining constructs.

I turned back to the workbench where several auric steel ingots gleamed. Earlier experiments with a thin golden wire had shown remarkable mana conductivity. I'd made it dance and writhe like a living thing with just the barest touch of power. But this alloy... this was something else entirely.

Picking up an ingot, I channeled mana through it. The response was immediate, with power flowing through the metal faster than thought. My current mechanical parts felt sluggish in comparison. Integration barely kept up with my commands, and mana had to fight its way through steel and iron whenever I channeled it through the coated parts of my body.

But with auric steel...

I could rebuild myself. Not just repairs or upgrades, but a complete redesign. Auric steel limbs would react three times faster than my current ones. The enhanced mana conductivity would let me channel power through my entire frame simultaneously, rather than having to focus on individual components.

My mind raced with possibilities. Telescoping arms with variable reach. Legs with integrated thrust systems. Spinal columns that could bend and flex like liquid metal. Each design I came up with became more ambitious than the last.

One of my smaller constructs climbed onto the workbench, attracted by the shimmering metal. It poked at one of the ingots with curious mechanical fingers.

Soon, I promised it. You'll all be upgraded.

The construct clicked happily and skittered away to join its siblings. I watched it go, remembering how each new "child" strengthened me through Ancestor Might. With auric steel versions...

I shook away the thought. One step at a time. First, I needed to test the alloy's limits. Starting small would be wise.

I began shaping a single finger joint, watching golden metal flow into precise geometric forms.

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