[Fatal mistake, you say. As if a toy like that could possibly change anyth—hm?]While he was in the middle of talking to Loen, Meyer felt an unfamiliar, off-kilter flow of mana.Vwooom……For some unknown reason, the output from the mana cores suddenly began to drop.‘What is this.’Frowning, Meyer checked the mana gauge attached to the inside of his helmet.The numbers clearly showed the mana of Elegance No. 2 decreasing.Fssshh-.The raging haze of mana and steam that had been billowing out scattered weakly, and the gauge that had been filled all the way up into the red slowly shifted back toward blue.“Kh.”Meyer frantically worked the buttons and levers inside the Magic Armor to try to resolve the problem, but his efforts were meaningless— the output just kept dropping.Before long—Blink-.The mana cores attached to each joint began to shut down one by one, and soon, even the main power source that moved the armor completely lost its light.Elegance No. 2 halted all motion and fell silent where it stood.“……”Meyer calmly ran through the situation in his head.‘Could that toy he used have the ability to cut off the cores’ signal?’If it didn’t, there was no way to explain why all the cores had stopped operating at once.The cores’ power sources were organically linked. Even if one core malfunctioned, the others had been designed to step in and compensate for its lost output.He’d stalled for time until he’d activated every core, and then the guy had cut off all their signals at once.‘This isn’t some lucky fluke. He clearly set this up.’Trusting in a single suit and repeatedly dodging or blocking the Magic Armor’s attacks, pin-pointing the exact timing to disable the mana cannon—All of it had been to provoke him into drawing out Elegance No. 2’s full power.‘What a terrifying bastard…’Swallowing hard, Meyer stared at Loen beyond his helmet.As Meyer sat inside the now completely silent armor and chewed over his blunder, Loen spoke up.“Are you going to forfeit? Or come out and fight? Decide.”“……”Meyer quietly clenched his fist inside the armor.Right now, Loen was in a state where his combat power was considerable, wrapped in a custom suit capable of even blocking the Magic Armor’s fists and decked out with a bunch of artifacts.Even if Meyer came out now, his chances of victory weren’t high.But—‘I can’t just cower inside the shell like a coward.’The Magic Armor was certainly an incredible tool, but it didn’t represent the entirety of who he was.Meyer activated the manual escape device he’d installed just in case.Crank, crank-.He spun the manual handle on the side, and the chest of the armor gradually opened, creating a gap large enough for him to climb out.“Phew.”Stepping out, Meyer blew out a breath and huffed at his tousled blond hair to get it out of his face.Looking at him, Loen spoke.“You’ve at least got some backbone. I’ll give you that, not surrendering while hiding inside the armor.”Forcing himself to calm down, Meyer looked at the device in Loen’s hand and asked,“…Impressive. What kind of Magi-Engineering tool is that? Cutting off all the cores’ signals… I never even imagined such a thing.”“I’ll tell you after this match is over.”“Will you really?”Meyer asked, half in doubt. It was hard to believe he’d reveal such advanced tech so easily.“Yeah. I’m also willing to exchange information on the next-generation cores.”“N-next-generation cores?”Meyer asked back in shock.The whole reason he had crammed dozens of current-generation cores into the armor was their lack of output. If there were cores from a new process, he wouldn’t need such an inefficient approach.With higher output, lower heat, and better mana efficiency, he could integrate all sorts of new and varied technologies into the Magic Armor— it was practically the tech of his dreams.‘It’s hard to believe Loen really knows anything about next-generation cores, but…’Seeing how confidently he was talking, it did seem like he knew something.On top of that, Loen had just turned the dozens of cores installed in his Magic Armor into dead weight.The tech he’d used here might well be related to those next-generation cores.Loen spoke again.“Yeah. But it’s not free. You’ll have to share your Magic Armor manufacturing tech with me. And the right to use your workshop.”“……”After a moment’s thought, Meyer nodded readily.“Well, that’s fine with me. We can hammer out the detailed terms of the exchange later.”Magic Armor manufacturing tech wasn’t something you could reproduce just because someone told you about it.Even if Loen tried to copy it somehow, Meyer’s skills and talent were far superior. He’d never be caught up to in his lifetime.He’d get next-generation core information in exchange for something the other guy couldn’t even put to use.He’d hand over tech the other party couldn’t really exploit and take the profit for himself.There was nothing for Meyer to lose in this deal.Nodding, Loen urged him to surrender.“Good. Then forfeit. I’d rather not have to lay a hand on you. It’s not like I have any real grudge against you.”“…I appreciate the offer, but do I look like the type to surrender?”Fwoosh-.Flames burst forth in Meyer’s hand as he stoked his last fighting spirit.He’d devoted his life to Magi-Engineering, so it wasn’t exactly his specialty, but he could still cast a few elemental attack spells.As a pure-blood mage, his mana quality was quite high as well, so he had a sliver of confidence he might be able to overpower Loen with magic.Meyer continued.“Even if the outcome is already decided, fighting to the very end is a noble’s virtue. Come at me.”“If that’s how you want it, then. I’ll make it quick.”Swish-.Loen slid one foot forward and took his stance.Meyer knew, at least, that Loen’s physical abilities were heavily boosted by artifacts and potions.Even so, if he focused, he should at least be able to track his movements.When the guy got close, he’d plant his spell on him—“……”With that in mind, Meyer glared and tried to follow Loen’s movement with his eyes.Thwack-.Without even enough time to react, a sharp pain exploded at the tip of his chin.‘Huh?’Loen had somehow already closed the distance and smashed a fist into his jaw.At the same time, his vision spun and then went dark.He didn’t know exactly what was going on, but one thing was clear.That final strike of Loen’s… was unmistakably the handiwork of a technician who knew exactly how to knock a person out with a single blow.***Thud-.With a light ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) tap to the chin, Meyer collapsed onto the floorboards like a marionette with its strings cut.Seeing him drop in one hit, I felt that all the effort I’d put into beating up Dandol and learning how to knock people out had finally paid off.I hadn’t hit him that hard. He’d wake up soon enough.“Well? Referee? Meyer’s in a combat-unfit state.”The announcer, who’d been staring blankly at Meyer sprawled on the floor, came to his senses and declared my victory.“Th-the winner is Loen Dvralis! Student Council President Loen Dvralis!”At the announcement, I silently raised my clenched fist in the air.Ooooh-.It wasn’t the thunderous cheer I might have hoped for, but the students murmured and offered their… congratulations on my victory.At the same time—Clatter-.The numbers on the central scoreboard in the Great Hall shifted.Ting-.They soon stopped at a ranking of 278.By winning a Competition Battle against Meyer, who’d been somewhere around 70th place, I’d leapt from 953rd straight to 278th.Considering how hard it was to move up even a single rank once you were inside the top 1,000, it was a tremendous jump.While Meyer’s followers were busy helping him to his feet and carrying him off, I quietly left the center of the hall and walked over to Ciel.“How was my match?”Still looking at the now completely silent Magic Armor, Ciel spoke softly.“You really took the easy way out.”“Winning without fighting is the best strategy. I’ll take that as a compliment.”Someone had said that once. I couldn’t quite remember who.“At any rate, since I’ve won, why don’t we go out to eat? Are you free?”“Yes. There’s a pasta place I frequent. I made a reservation in advance.”“A reservation?”“……”Avoiding my eyes like she’d just misspoken, Ciel fell silent.Her words were cold, but it seemed she’d anticipated my victory and booked the restaurant.‘Pasta, huh.’Carbs were fine and all, but on a day as pleasant as this, you had to eat meat.“They’ve got steak there too, right?”“Of course.”“Good. Today’s on me.”I took my school jacket back from Ciel and left the Great Hall with a light step.***A few days later. Near the Black Forest.Friday evening, in the middle of my smooth climb up the Competition Battle rankings.“Is everyone here?”With darkness settled over the area, I took a look around at the party members who’d be joining me on the Ether Dungeon expedition.First, my reliable bodyguard Ciel, and Chloe from the News and Broadcasting Club, who would be recording the dungeon run.Those were the original members, and this time, four new party members had been added.The mage party led by Beatrice, Yulina and Bell.And the eldest of the dwarf triplets, Melga.The exploration party heading out to find the blueprints for the next-generation core was composed of these seven.The basic formation would likely be Ciel and Melga at the front, with the mages supporting from the rear.Ciel was a universal position who could respond flexibly in any situation, and Melga had the knowledge suited to exploring dwarven mechanical ruins.“This area is a restricted zone.”After pushing our way through the darkness for some time, we stopped in front of a barbed-wire fence surrounding the area.The zone around the “Lake of Rage” inside the forest had been designated off-limits.Due to elemental imbalance, the surrounding environment changed wildly, and the water repeatedly flooded and receded, making it a very dangerous area.I looked at the warning sign hung on the fence and thought,‘One of Union’s Seven Great Mysteries, the Lake of Rage.’There was a legend that long ago, when the lake’s spirit was killed by humans, it laid an elemental curse and turned the lake into what it was now.In reality, though, it was due to the Ether Dungeon beneath the lake, inside an underwater cave.The power sources of the dungeon keepers, each bearing the power of one of the five elements, went berserk at regular intervals, and the effects spilled through the dungeon into the lake above.“Is it really okay for us to go in when it’s blocked off like this?”To Chloe’s question, I stepped forward and answered.“It’s fine. There isn’t a place inside Union that I can’t go.”Swish-.I held up my Union Key Card, and the barbed-wire gate opened on its own.Beatrice watched and muttered quietly,“A Union Key Card. The only function among the Student Council President’s privileges I actually envy.”“Oh? Interested in the position?”“…I wouldn’t take it even if you gave it to me.”We passed through the fence and entered the lakeside area, pushing forward through the underbrush with our flashlights.After advancing for some time, we reached the shore of the lake.The lake was unusually drained.Given its original size, it was almost completely dried up, with only a few wide ponds worth of water remaining here and there.Even so, it would be difficult to swim all the way down into the underwater cave from here, so we’d borrow Beatrice’s power.“We’re going into the lake, Beatrice.”“Yes.”She closed her eyes for a moment and silently began to cast.Vwoom-.A bubble-like barrier formed around each of us.It was a barrier spell made by appropriately combining water and wind attributes.With this, we’d be able to breathe underwater and move around without much resistance.Shining her flashlight over the puddle at the bottom of the lake, Yulina asked,“Is there really a dungeon in here?”“Yeah. Do you want to go first?”“That’s a little scary…”It was already evening, long after sunset.Taking the lead and stepping into the pitch-black water surface to head down was understandably frightening.Just as Yulina protested, looking uneasy—“I’ll go first.”Melga strode confidently ahead into the lake.He pushed through the exposed sediment and thick black mud at the bottom of the drained lake.Thanks to the bubble barriers, his feet didn’t sink deeply, and his shoes didn’t get wet.Once Melga bravely opened the way, Ciel, myself, and the rest of the party followed him down into the lake.Due to the extreme environmental fluctuations, almost no flora survived in the Lake of Rage.There were no fish and not even a single common aquatic plant to be found on the lakebed.Strong winds and lightning struck from time to time, and the water repeatedly flooded and receded— in such a fickle environment, nothing could really live.Following the slope of the lakebed downward for a while, we eventually reached one of the remaining ponds.Splash-.Trusting in the bubble barrier, Melga stepped right into the dark water without hesitation.Seeing that he was fine, I followed after him.As I walked under the surface, the lake water crashed against the outer side of the bubble barrier.Being able to simply walk down under the water like this was a strange experience.Of course, it was the middle of the night, so we couldn’t see anything at all, and even if we could, with no plant life in the lake, the scenery would have been pretty barren anyway.We continued down under the lake for some time when—Slip-.Melga, who had been leading the way down the slope, suddenly vanished as if he’d dropped straight through a hole.He’d entered the underwater cave beneath the lake.I followed right after him into the cave.Whoosh-.As I moved along behind Melga, a pulling force suddenly yanked me from below, and I dropped down to the true bottom beneath the lake.Splat-.“Mm.”Landing on the floor, I stood up without incident.It wasn’t far enough of a fall to cause injuries, and the bubble barrier had helped protect me as well.‘Ho.’Dusting off my hands, I looked around.Curiously, there wasn’t a drop of water to be found inside the cave.It seemed to be completely separated into a different dimension from the outside lake.That was how it had been portrayed in the game too.When I swept my flashlight around, massive stalactites like the pillars of some grand temple loomed around us.“Heh. To think there was such a massive cave beneath the lake.”Melga, too, was staring up at the majestic sight in a daze.As we were taking in the overwhelming natural scenery—“Wahh!”Splat-.Yulina, Ciel, Bell, Beatrice, and Chloe all landed one after another.After confirming that everyone had arrived in one piece, I pointed toward the gaping maw of the cave interior.“Good. Everyone’s here. From here on, we begin our real exploration.”

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