Two hours later, my friends returned from their expedition to find me waiting in my combat chassis. Their eyes immediately fixed on the obvious alteration; where two mechanical arms had once been on my back, a single serpentine tendril composed of auric steel now coiled behind me.

"What happened to your extra arms?" Copelan frowned, studying the new appendage with his usual analytical intensity. "Won't this reduce your combat effectiveness? You can't wield additional weapons anymore."

Watch, I replied through Mind Speech.

The golden tendril uncoiled, extending to its full eight-foot length. With a sharp crack like lightning, it lashed through the air faster than any human arm could move. The golden cables that made up its structure caught the torchlight, creating an almost hypnotic ripple effect.

Sven whistled. "That's... different."

I started by trying to make regular replacement arms, I explained, letting the tendril compress back to a more compact form. But then I wondered: why limit myself to human shapes?

The tendril moved with liquid grace, demonstrating its incredible range of motion. Unlike my previous mechanical arms, which required multiple joint articulations, this new limb could bend at any point along its length. It could coil tight enough to hide behind my back or stretch out to strike targets well beyond normal reach.

"It's beautiful," Patter said softly, reaching out to touch the golden surface. "Like a metal snake."

And just as deadly, I added, letting the tendril weave between my fingers. The auric steel conducts mana perfectly. I can channel power through its entire length simultaneously.

"How strong is it?" Annes asked, her warrior's mind already calculating tactical applications.

In response, I whipped the tendril toward a stack of metal ingots. It wrapped around them like a golden rope, then lifted the entire pile effortlessly. The cables that made up its structure tensed and flexed, displaying their raw power.

"Incredible," Copelan breathed. "The applications for this design... you could create whole new forms of combat techniques."

That's the plan, I agreed, setting down the ingots. This is just the prototype. Once I've tested it thoroughly, I want to rebuild my entire combat chassis using this principle.

The tendril coiled back behind me, settling into a relaxed position. My friends gathered closer, full of questions about the new design. But I noticed they showed no fear or revulsion at this clearly inhuman addition. They accepted it just as they had accepted me.

How was the expedition? I asked, changing the subject. Did Chonsey's sensors pick up anything interesting?

As they began sharing their report, I felt the tendril shift slightly, responding to my unconscious thoughts. It felt more natural than any mechanical limb I'd created before. Perhaps it was because, for the first time, I wasn't trying to imitate humanity. I was a monster, after all, despite whatever past life or memories I had.

"Will you be bringing this new frame to Langdon's class tomorrow?" Copelan asked, still studying the auric steel tendril with intense fascination.

Of course, I replied. It's the perfect opportunity to test its combat capabilities. And I want to see how it performs against whatever Langdon has planned.

"You don't think he'll object?" Patter glanced at the serpentine appendage. "It's quite... distinctive."

He didn't complain about my previous combat chassis. Besides, he specifically said to bring our best equipment.

"True enough." Annes grinned. "And I want to see his face when that thing comes whipping out of nowhere during a fight."

The tendril shifted slightly in response to my amusement. Its movement was so fluid, so natural, like it had always been part of me. I could feel the mana flowing through its golden structure, ready to be channeled into devastating attacks.

I've made a few other modifications too, I added. The entire frame's joint system has been upgraded with auric steel components. Should make the Titan Slaying techniques much more effective.

"Just try not to show off too much," Copelan warned. "We don't want Shawe getting suspicious about your rapid improvements."

I won't, I told him. If there's one thing I've learned in my time at the Academy, it's how to hide a secret. Trust me, I'll be fine.

"Alright then, if you're sure," Copelan said.

I am. Now, you should all head back to your rooms and get some rest. We all need to be ready for Langdon's trip into the Hellzone.

After my friends departed, I spent several hours testing the tendril's capabilities. Each movement felt more natural than the last as I manipulated objects of varying sizes and weights. The auric steel responded perfectly to mana channeling, allowing for precise control down to the smallest motion.

I made minor adjustments to the chassis's other systems, fine-tuning the hydraulics and testing the new joint articulations. The upgraded components gave me unprecedented flexibility, which was perfect for the fluid movements required by Titan Slaying techniques.

Around dawn , a familiar voice echoed in my mind.

Grow stronger.

The voice had become more frequent lately, always carrying the same message. Though I still couldn't identify its source, it no longer startled me as it once had. Instead, it felt almost... encouraging.

I flexed the tendril, watching golden light ripple along its surface as mana flowed through the metal. Whatever challenges Langdon had planned for us in the Hellzone, I would be ready. And perhaps this new form would bring me one step closer to understanding my true nature: both what I had been, and what I was becoming.

"Well, don't all of you look battle ready," Langdon said, stumbling into class with his usual smirk. He was fifteen minutes late, but none of us complained about his tardiness; at least he had shown up.

We stood in full combat gear as instructed. My new chassis felt lighter, more responsive with the auric steel modifications. The golden tendril remained coiled along my back, nearly invisible against my dark armor.

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Langdon's eyes fixed on me. "Got rid of the extra arms, I see."

In response, I unfurled the tendril, letting it rise and wave through the air like a serpent dancing to an unseen melody. The auric steel caught the morning light, sending golden reflections across the room.

"Neat," Langdon laughed, though something in his expression suggested he recognized the technological advancement it represented. "The gold's a bit ostentatious, but who am I to judge?

"Alright then, follow me."

He led us through the Academy's maze-like corridors, down staircases and through archways until we reached the first floor. We passed several security checkpoints, each manned by guards in full plate armor who watched us with stern faces. Their weapons looked well-used rather than ceremonial.

Finally, we arrived at the main entrance to the Academy Hellzone. The massive gate loomed before us, its black steel surface seeming to absorb light rather than reflect it. I'd seen it before, of course, but always from a distance; my own expeditions used the hidden entrance I'd discovered.

White stone walls flanked the gate, covered in intricate relief carvings depicting epic battles. Warriors locked in eternal combat, their faces frozen in expressions of fury and triumph. Monsters fell beneath blessed blades while heroes rose victorious.

Above it all stood the statue of Kaldos, God of War and Change. His massive form dominated the entrance, carved from black marble that matched the gate below. The god's face bore a vicious grin, as if challenging each warrior who passed beneath to prove their worth through blood and steel.

My tendril shifted restlessly against my back, responding to my unease. The others seemed equally affected by the gate's imposing presence. Annes gripped her sword hilt tighter while Copelan muttered what sounded like a prayer.

Only Langdon appeared unfazed. He strode forward with casual confidence, as if this were just another classroom door rather than the entrance to one of the deadliest places in the kingdom. Whatever lay beyond that gate, our instructor clearly knew more about it than he'd been letting on.

The guards began the process of unlocking the massive portal, their movements precise and practiced. As the heavy mechanisms groaned to life, I wondered what other secrets Langdon might be hiding behind his drunken facade.

Before we could proceed inside the gate, a very tall and stern-faced guard approached our group. His eyes zeroed in on Langdon's haggard form, his boots stomping across the stone floor as he came towards us.

The guard's armor gleamed with intricate patterns of silver inlay, marking him as someone of authority. His weathered face bore a network of old scars, testament to years of combat experience. The nameplate on his breastplate read "Captain Marca."

"What do you think you're doing, Langdon?" Marca's voice carried the weight of command.

Langdon's perpetual grin widened. "Taking my cute little students on a field trip, Captain."

"Be serious." Marca's eyes swept over our group, lingering on each face before settling back on Langdon. "These are first-year C ranks. How can you, in good conscience, take them into the Hellzone?"

My tendril coiled tighter against my spine, responding to the tension in the air. The other students shifted uncomfortably, but none spoke up.

"All my reasons are on the entry request." Langdon produced a scroll bearing the headmaster's seal. "Approved by Reins himself."

"I don't give a damn about official reasons." Marca stepped closer to Langdon, his voice dropping lower. "Are you trying to prove something? What happened back then was a tragedy, but taking unprepared students into a Hellzone isn't just foolish, it's cruel."

The change in Langdon was instant. His ever-present smile vanished, replaced by an expression I'd never seen before. The drunk, lazy instructor disappeared, revealing something harder underneath. It was like steel beneath silk.

"They'll be fine, Marca." Langdon's voice carried an edge of old pain. "You have my word. Nothing will happen to my students." His next words came out barely above a whisper: "Never again."

The weight of unspoken history hung between the two men. I caught the slight tremor in Langdon's voice, the way his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

My Analyze ability activated, revealing Marca's level and class: 55 Guardian. Far higher than a simple gate guard should be. Whatever had happened in the past, it had left both men marked by its shadow.

The other students remained silent, but I saw understanding dawn in their eyes. Copelan's earlier research about Langdon started making more sense: the drinking, the apparent apathy, the sudden bursts of real teaching. Something had happened in the Hellzone, something that had transformed a passionate instructor into the man who stood before us now.

Finally, Marca stepped back. "Your word better be good this time, Langdon." He turned to the other guards. "Open the gate."

The massive black portal began to swing inwards with a sound like grinding stone. Beyond it lay absolute darkness, broken only by the occasional flicker of magical torches along distant walls.

Langdon's familiar smirk returned, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Stay close, children. The real education's about to begin."

The difference between these tunnels and my usual hunting grounds struck me immediately. Where my secret passage led to rough-hewn caves thick with monster filth, these Academy-maintained corridors bore smooth walls and evenly-spaced magical torches. Even the air felt different; it was less stagnant, touched by some unseen ventilation system.

My tendril traced the wall's surface as we walked, detecting the subtle patterns of careful stonework. This was no natural formation, but rather the product of skilled engineering. The floor beneath our feet had been ground flat, making it easy for us to maintain proper combat formation as we walked down the tunnel.

A raised platform caught my attention at the first tunnel branch. Runes glowed in intricate patterns across its surface, forming what appeared to be a transportation circle. A mage in traditional robes stood at its center, his posture suggesting hours of tedious duty.

"What's that?" Sven's voice echoed off the stone walls.

My tendril coiled tighter as Langdon's shoulders tensed. "Teleportation field. Most classes use it to skip past these empty levels." He kept walking, forcing us to quicken our pace to keep up. "Advanced students take it down to the deeper floors where the real monsters are."

"Why aren't we-" Annes started.

Langdon spun around so fast that several students stumbled backward. His face had lost all its usual jovial softness. "Listen to me very carefully." His voice carried none of its typical slurred warmth. "You will never use those teleportation fields. Not now, not ever. Understand?"

My Mind Sight detected the slight tremor in his hands. Whatever memories these platforms triggered clearly haunted him deeply.

"But why-" Yulios began.

"PROMISE ME!" Langdon's shout bounced off the walls, making everyone flinch. Even my tendril retracted instinctively at the raw emotion in his voice.

The students exchanged worried glances before mumbling their agreement. I noticed Copelan studying Langdon intently, likely adding this strange behavior to his growing collection of mysteries about our instructor.

Langdon's shoulders slumped as he leaned against the tunnel wall. "You remind me of them sometimes." His voice had gone quiet, almost gentle. "My first class here. Gods, they were magnificent."

The pride in his tone made my tendril curl tighter. I had heard similar warmth in Mallie's voice when she had spoken about her family.

"We had everything back then. Noble-born warriors training alongside street rats who'd fought their way up from nothing. Even had a harpy; beautiful creature, smart as any human." Langdon's hand shook as he reached for his flask, then stopped. "They were unstoppable. Won three inter-class tournaments."

Annes stepped forward. "What happened to them?"

"Shawe happened." The words came out like poison. "He couldn't stand seeing 'lesser beings' outperforming his precious noble students. But he couldn't touch them directly; they were too popular, too successful."

My Mind Sight caught the slight tremor in his jaw. "One day they came down here for independent practice. Used these same teleport fields they'd used a hundred times before." His fist clenched. "Except this time, something went wrong. The field malfunctioned, sent them straight to the deep levels."

Horror rippled through our group. Even I, who regularly hunted in these tunnels, knew the dangers that lurked in the unmapped depths.

"By the time anyone noticed..." Langdon's voice cracked. "I found them myself. What was left of them." He finally took that drink, his hand steadying slightly. "Shawe claimed it was just a tragic accident. Technical malfunction. Nothing could be proven."

The pieces clicked together: his drinking, his apparent laziness, why he taught only remedial classes now. They weren't signs of failure, but wounds that had never healed.

"That's why you're here with us today," Copelan said softly. "You won't let us go alone."

Langdon nodded, pushing himself off the wall. "And why we're taking the long way down." He gestured down the torch-lit tunnel. "I won't lose another class. Not to monsters, not to Shawe, not to anyone."

My tendril twitched, responding to the memories of Mallie's broken body. Loss had a way of changing people; I had seen it in Old Willem's eyes after that night, just as I now saw it in Langdon's haunted gaze.

We should continue, I said through Mind Speech.

Langdon straightened, his familiar easy smile returning, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Right you are, Widow. Everyone in formation; we've got a long walk ahead of us."

As we moved deeper into the tunnels, I kept my tendril ready. Langdon's story had revealed more than just tragedy, it had shown us the true face of our enemy. And I recognized that face all too well.

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