I descended the Academy's grand staircase, my mechanical legs clicking softly against marble steps. Students parted before me, their whispers following in my wake. The skirt of my uniform swished around my legs as I moved with purpose toward the main entrance.

Opening my status window, I reviewed the new entry:

Blade Skill Rank E

Channel mana through a weapon to increase its striking power.

The ability's appearance confirmed what I'd suspected during Annes's training; I had indeed learned the technique. But without the proper alchemical coating, I couldn't channel mana through my mechanical parts or weapons.

Outside, the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the courtyard. Market stalls lined the street beyond the Academy gates, their colorful awnings snapping in the wind. Merchants called out their wares, competing with the general bustle of city life.

I approached a stall displaying bottles of various sizes and colors. The merchant, a weathered man with calloused hands, eyed my porcelain mask warily.

I seek an alchemical base coating, I projected into his mind.

He flinched at the mental contact. "That's specialist stuff. Try the Alchemist's Quarter, three streets east."

I followed his directions, passing through increasingly narrow streets until I reached an area where the air hung thick with strange smells. Here, shops displayed bubbling retorts and glowing crystals in their windows.

The first two alchemists I visited refused to sell to a monster. The third, an elderly woman with clouded eyes, didn't seem to care what I was as long as my coin was good.

"Base coating?" She shuffled through shelves packed with bottles. "You an adventurer or an enchanter? I guess it doesn't matter to me either way. It'll be eight silver for a small vial. Enough in that to coat a sword."

I'll take three. The amount in three vials should be enough to dress all my necessary components in coating. I placed the coins on her counter. Could you demonstrate its application?

She uncorked the vial, letting a drop fall onto a copper rod. The liquid spread evenly across the metal's surface, creating an almost invisible film.

How long does it take to set? I asked, already calculating how I might use Assembly to apply it to my internal components.

"About an hour." She sealed the vials and handed it to me. "Don't waste it. The mixture's tricky to get right."

I stored the three vials in my Depository, already planning how I would analyze its contents. With Assembly, I might be able to reproduce the coating once I understood its composition. The ability to channel mana through my mechanical parts would be worth far more than the twenty-four silver I had spent.

I made my way through the winding streets of the Alchemist's Quarter, searching for someone who dealt in monster materials. Most merchants here focused on herbs and minerals, their shops filled with dried plants and crystalline formations.

After asking several shopkeepers, I found myself directed to a cramped store wedged between two larger establishments. The wooden sign above read "Creature Components" in faded letters.

Inside, shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling, packed with jars containing preserved specimens. The air smelled of salt and other preservatives. Behind a counter covered in scattered scales and bones, a thin man with spectacles looked up from his work.

I have monster parts to sell, I projected, pulling items from my Depository.

His eyes widened as I laid out my collection: Cave Stalker teeth, Vile Roach antennae, Spear Beetle claws, and various other pieces I had no use for in my mechanical designs.

"From the Academy Hellzone?" He adjusted his spectacles, leaning forward to examine a particularly large Cave Stalker fang. "These are quite fresh."

I nodded, noting how his initial wariness had given way to professional interest.

"A War Academy student! Even better." He picked up several pieces, holding them to the light. "These will sell well. Alchemists prefer materials gathered by proper warriors; more reliable than what random scavengers bring in."

He sorted through the pile with practiced efficiency, separating items by type and quality. "I can offer you one hundred and eighty silver for the lot. That's better than market rate, mind you, but I like dealing with Academy students. Means steady business."

Deal, I projected, watching him count out the coins.

The transaction complete, I stored the silver in my Depository. These parts had been taking up valuable space, and now I had more funds for my upcoming alchemical experiments.

I stepped out of the shop, coins safely stored away, when a familiar figure darted up to me. Sven Kallor, one of my C-rank classmates, wrung his hands as he approached.

"Widow, I... can we talk? Somewhere private?" His voice quivered. "It's really important."

I studied him through my porcelain mask. Something felt off about his behavior, but after weeks of training together, I'd come to know him as generally honest.

What's wrong? I projected.

"Not here. Please." He gestured toward a narrow alley between two tall buildings.

I followed him deeper into the shadows, away from the busy street. The walls pressed close on either side, old stone stained with moisture and age.

Tell me what's troubling you, I projected once we were well into the alley.

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Sven turned to face me, his green eyes glistening with coming tears. "I'm so sorry, Widow. They... they threatened me. Said they'd kill me if I didn't help them." His voice cracked.

My mechanical fingers tensed against my side as three figures emerged from the deeper shadows. All wore Academy uniforms with gleaming upper-year pins - two sixth years and one fifth year. Metallic glints revealed weapons at their sides.

I spun to retreat, only to find two more students blocking the alley's entrance. One was a stout dwarf with a heavy axe strapped to his back, the other a tall sapien with a sword at his hip. Both wore sixth-year pins.

I activated Analyze, scanning each of them in turn. The results made what was left of my body run cold:

Theron of Valedor

Level 17 Swordsman

Sapien (Human)

Male

Age: 20

Marcus of Drentwood

Level 16 Aeromancer

Sapien (Human)

Male

Age: 21

Pell of Ironhill

Level 18 Axeman

Dwarf (Human)

Male

Age: 23

Kara of Windcull

Level 16 Swordsman

Sapien (Human)

Female

Age: 21

Victor of Ashfort

Level 17 Spearman

Sapien (Human)

Male

Age: 20

Five upper-year students, all significantly higher level than my claimed level of twelve. And here I stood, unarmed and only wearing my Academy uniform, my combat chassis hidden away in the Academy basement.

The dwarf stepped forward, his uniform boots scraping against the cobblestones. "Get out of here, C-rank. This doesn't concern you anymore."

Sven bolted past the others, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry, Widow! I'm so sorry!" His footsteps faded into the busy street beyond.

What do you want? I projected to the group, my mechanical fingers flexing in preparation for a fight.

Victor's lips curved into a predatory smile. "There's quite a bounty on your head. We're here to collect."

I needed time to think, to find a way out of this trap. How much are they offering?

"Over two gold pieces," Kara answered, her hand resting on her sword hilt.

I didn't bother trying to hide my frown. Two thousand silver; that explained why these upper-year students would risk attacking another Academy member. With that kind of money being offered, every mercenary and bounty hunter in the human kingdoms would soon converge on Kaldos City, waiting for me to venture beyond the Academy's walls.

Won't the Academy punish you for attacking another student? I asked, scanning the narrow alley for any advantage I could find.

Pell let out a harsh laugh. "That rule only applies on school grounds." He patted the massive axe strapped to his back. "Once you step outside the Academy, you're fair game."

The damp walls pressed in around us, leaving little room to maneuver. Five against one, all of them higher level than what they believed me to be. Without my combat chassis or a weapon, my options were severely limited.

Before I could probe further, Kara cut through my stalling. "Enough talk. Let's finish this."

Theron charged forward, his blade whistling through the air. I twisted away from the first swing, my mechanical joints whirring with the motion. The second strike came faster, forcing me to step back.

Victor's spear thrust toward my midsection. I deflected it with my forearm, metal scraping against metal. The impact left a deep scratch in my frame.

Kara joined the assault, her sword a silver arc in the dim light. Now I faced attacks from three directions, my mechanical body straining to keep pace. Their weapons found purchase: a slash across my leg, a thrust that dented my shoulder, a cut that exposed wiring in my arm.

Small damages at first, but they accumulated. Each hit compromised my mobility further, making the next strike harder to avoid. My movements grew jerky, hydraulics struggling against the mounting damage.

"Stand back!" Marcus called out. The three melee fighters immediately retreated.

The air crackled with gathering power. I tried to dodge the incoming spell, but my damaged limbs responded too slowly. Lightning struck my left side, electricity coursing through my metal frame and into the exposed flesh where mechanical parts connected to my organic remnants.

An inhuman shriek tore from what remained of my throat. The sound pierced the air, causing all five attackers to clutch their ears in pain. But the electricity had done its work, seizing the vulnerable red flesh beneath my mechanical shell.

The pain subsided as the spell dissipated, but I had no time to recover. Pell closed the distance, his massive axe already in motion. The blade crashed into my chest with devastating force. While the Academy uniform's enchantments prevented the edge from cutting through, the impact shattered the metal plating underneath.

I collapsed onto the cobblestones, my humanoid frame too damaged to support itself. My limbs twitched from various torn wirings as I lay there, the broken systems in my mechanical shell unable to keep functioning.

Through my cracked porcelain mask, I watched as Kara peered down at me.

"Is it dead?" she asked, prodding my still form with her boot.

Victor knelt beside my head, his fingers reaching out to poke my exposed cheek right below the mask. "No... somehow it's still alive. Fascinating really."

Heavy footsteps approached as Pell moved to kneel between my legs. The dwarf's thick fingers gripped the hem of my Academy skirt, lifting the fabric to peer underneath.

"You're disgusting," Kara sneered.

Pell's laughter echoed off the alley walls. "Come on, aren't you lot curious? How much of this thing is actually flesh and how much is machine?" His eyes gleamed with cruel interest. "I might even have some fun with it if the fleshy bits are any good."

Before the dwarf could act upon his vile threat, a flash of crimson erupted from his chest. Blood sprayed across his companions as they shouted in shock. The serrated blade of a long red spear had pierced straight through him.

At the alley's entrance stood Arctur's massive form, his scaled hand extended. With a simple gesture, the spear wrenched itself free from Pell's corpse and flew through the air, returning to the lizardman's grip.

"Monster!" The remaining four students charged at Arctur with weapons drawn, their faces contorted in hatred. The lizardman met their assault in silence, his crimson spear weaving through their attacks with deadly precision.

Sven appeared beside me, his face etched with concern as he examined my damaged frame. "Don't worry," he whispered, checking the worst of my injuries. "I ran into Arctur when I fled. I convinced him to help." His hands trembled as he tried to assess the extent of the damage.

Relief flooded through me, both at Arctur's timely intervention and the knowledge that Sven hadn't truly betrayed me. He'd run to find help.

I watched through my fractured mask as Arctur methodically dispatched our attackers. His strange red spear moved with terrifying efficiency, finding vital points with each thrust. One by one, the upper-year students fell before him.

I watched as Kara stared down at her fallen companions in horror. Her sword shook as she charged Arctur with a desperate cry. The lizardman deflected her blade with his spear's shaft in one fluid motion, then drove the crimson tip through her throat. She crumpled to the cobblestones, joining the cooling bodies of her friends.

"Did... did you have to kill them?" Sven's voice quivered as he knelt beside me.

"No." Arctur's response was cold and simple, his scaled features betraying no emotion as he stepped over the corpses to tower above my broken form.

"Is it dead?" He peered down at my damaged frame.

"I don't think so..." Sven touched my shoulder gently.

Still alive, I projected. Just damaged.

"We need to get help!" Sven's hands fluttered over my shattered components.

No. Just need to get to my room. I can repair myself.

"Okay, I'll carry you." Sven slipped his arms under my shoulders and knees, attempting to lift me bridal-style. His thin arms strained against my weight, barely raising me an inch off the ground before dropping me back down. "Ugh... you're too heavy." He turned to Arctur. "Could you carry her?"

The lizardman's expression soured, but he gave a curt nod. Instead of picking me up properly, he grabbed a fistful of my long black hair and began dragging me across the cobblestones toward the Academy.

Sven's mouth dropped open in shock. He started to protest, but one dark look from Arctur silenced him immediately.

I let out an annoyed sigh as my broken body scraped along the street. Given that Arctur had just saved my life, I decided not to complain about his rough handling.

We received many stares as we passed through the busy streets of the city, heading in the direction of the War Academy. No one bothered us though, as Arctur's dour glare kept many onlookers from approaching too close.

And that's how my initial venture beyond the Academy's gates concluded. I had a very strong feeling that I would be avoiding any future excursions.

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