I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

---

I was good at exactly two things.

One was mechanical engineering.

The other was El Pandor Runtera.

But now, one of those two things was about to disappear.

The game I had played for the last 11 years, ‘El Pandor Runtera,’ announced its shutdown.

[El Pandor Runtera, Restart Burning! New Character Creation Event!]

But even if it’s ending, I thought I’d go out in style until the very end.

There were 60 days left until the shutdown.

For the remaining 60 days, a ‘New Character Creation’ event would be held for all the dedicated players still clinging onto this game.

And the event’s details stated that if I dismantled my main account, the value of that account would be transferred as special abilities and items to the new character.

It was heartbreaking to dismantle my account, which was like my own child, but I had no reason to refuse the chance for new classes and items.

As a user who loved this game, I wanted to challenge myself with something new until the very end.

And then, boldly deciding to dismantle my main account’s character—

Ding!

[Congratulations! You have obtained an entry ticket for the ‘El Pandor Runtera’ official server!]

[You have dismantled the ‘Immortal’ grade set equipment and received ‘[Eternal] Creator’s Hammer’!]

[You dismantled the rank 1 account ‘Gikong Gateway’ and obtained ‘[Eternal] Mechanic’s Blueprint’!]

The results were nothing short of spectacular.

My account was the rank 1 ‘Gikong Gateway’ in El Pandor Runtera.

Being rank 1 meant the rewards I could receive were outrageous.

I acquired not one, but two items of the [Eternal] grade, which no one else had managed to obtain so far.

I hummed happily as I transferred all the items to my new account.

Now, my new account to run for 60 days would start with two unique items.

“By the way, what is that?”

However, there was also a strange item included.

An entry ticket for the ‘El Pandor Runtera’ official server?

What on earth was that supposed to be?

This game only had one server.

As curiosity struck, I used the item.

“Whoa!”

And just like that, I found myself possessed.

*

Two months had passed since I got possessed.

During that time, I was able to uncover several facts.

Firstly, this place I found myself in was ‘El Pandor Runtera.’

And I had possessed the character in the early game, known as the ‘Academy Part.’

“Ed! Are we there yet?”

I also realized I had possessed a third-rate extra who had never appeared even once in the game’s storyline.

The extra’s name was ‘Edgar Fix’,

Commonly referred to as ‘Ed’ for short.

Now, having been possessed for two months, I was somewhat accustomed to being called ‘Ed.’

“Yes! Father! Almost done!”

Father.

Edgar had a blacksmith for a father.

His name was ‘James.’

At first, it felt really awkward calling ‘James’ my father, but as I tried to adapt to this world, it became easier to say.

Well, I personally thought of him more like a teacher, but still, I was adjusting quite well.

“Haha! Are you trying to make your dad anxious? I’m dying to see my son’s masterpiece!”

However, over these past two months,

James had turned into a doting father.

The Edgar who had never once set foot in the smithy suddenly took an interest in equipment crafting, and in just a month, he displayed exceptional talent.

“Of course, that’s all because I possess the knowledge.”

It was indeed all thanks to my possession.

I had the ‘Creator’s Hammer’ and ‘Mechanic’s Blueprint’ obtained from dismantling my main account, and in exchange for those unique-grade items, I gained an extraordinary talent for equipment crafting.

[Incomplete Creator’s Hammer]

▶Description

: This is the hammer used by the creation god and creator while molding the world. Currently sealed.

▶Effects

: Lv.2 Handicraft [Hidden]

: Lv.2 Engineering Thought [Hidden]

: Lv.1 Magic Engineering [Hidden]

▶Usage Effect

: The more items you use to create equipment, the more the sub-skill levels of ‘▶Effects’ will increase. As the skill level increases, the seal on the ‘Creator’s Hammer’ will be released.

The item that guided me to become a genius in equipment crafting: the Creator’s Hammer.

It has a whopping three hidden-grade binding effects.

And all of them were related to equipment crafting.

It’s no wonder even Edgar, who had never swung a hammer in his life, could quickly become a prodigy at crafting.

Well, James seemed to think it was all because I inherited the blacksmith’s blood.

Ding!

[[Rare] ‘Gauntlet imbued with Wave Spell’ has been created!]

[Successful equipment creation increases ‘Lv.2 Handicraft’ experience by 35XP.]

[Successful equipment creation increases ‘Lv.2 Engineering Thought’ experience by 25XP.]

[Successful equipment creation increases ‘Lv.1 Magic Engineering’ experience by 30XP.]

Phew!

Anyway, the equipment I had been working hard on for the past week was finally complete.

This marked the birth of my third ‘Rare’ grade equipment.

Suddenly, I was reminded of the first time I crafted rare-grade equipment.

As the message about level increase appeared, the ‘Sealed Creator’s Hammer’ upgraded to ‘Incomplete Creator’s Hammer.’

At the same time, a new skill ‘Lv.1 Magic Engineering’ was added.

This skill allowed adding magic to equipment to produce special effects.

Click.

And this gauntlet was the first gauntlet I enchanted with magic.

I inscribed the spell using a low-grade magic scroll brought by James.

However, enchanting equipment with magic isn’t something just anyone can do.

Even a seasoned blacksmith can’t enchant equipment without an understanding of mana.

But I managed to achieve it in just two months.

Swinging the gauntlet lightly, the effect of the ‘low-grade wave’ I had inscribed was activated.

Winds erupted from the end of the gauntlet, causing all sorts of parts on the table to tumble to the ground.

“Son! Did you finally finish it!”

With a loud crash from the falling objects, James burst into the workshop, swinging the door open.

He approached me, smiling a triumphant grin while examining the gauntlet on my hand.

“Ooohhhh!!!! You are the pride of the Fix family! How did you manage to create such advanced equipment in just two months!!”

Advanced equipment, eh.

From my perspective, this was merely practice gear.

At present, I couldn’t even create the most basic items from the [Mechanic’s Blueprint].

So, I decided to look at the [Mechanic’s Blueprint] so I wouldn’t get too puffed up over just making this one thing.

A holographic screen appeared in the air.

[Shattered lower fragment of [Eternal] Mechanic’s Blueprint – 3]

──Top-tier Synthesis──

“Plasma Beam Titanium Alloy Gauntlet’ Synthesis”

: Mana Storage Device [Lv.4]

: Mana Accelerator [Lv.3]

: Purified Gold-Titanium Alloy x 5

: Mana ↔ Energy Conversion Spell [Lv.1]

Ah.

I certainly had a long way to go.

I still couldn’t craft a Mana Storage Device, but I couldn’t be satisfied with just making a rare-grade gauntlet.

Now my goal was the Plasma Beam Titanium Alloy Gauntlet.

That sleek-looking gauntlet that resembles Iron Man’s!

Not this shabby rare-grade gauntlet.

“Hahaha! Ed! You will become the best smith in the Empire!”

Well, James seemed satisfied with my current level.

“By the way, Father. Shouldn’t we get ready now? Today is an important day.”

An important day.

Right, today was crucial for James.

It was the day of the bidding competition for training equipment at the newly established ‘Empire Academy.’

“Haha! I’ve already got everything prepared!”

And this day was important for me too.

Because the ‘Empire Academy’ is where the main story of ‘El Pandor Runtera’ unfolds.

To prepare for the ‘Destruction’ scenario that would occur in the distant future, I also needed to grow my power there.

Even if it meant going through the backdoor.

“Are you ready, son?”

“Yes, I don’t have much to prepare anyway.”

“Haha! Then let’s go.”

“Yes!”

The Empire Academy training equipment bidding competition.

Many renowned blacksmiths from the Empire would be flocking, but I didn’t think I would lose.

Because my mentor, James, who is Ed’s father, was the only blacksmith NPC at the Empire Academy.

Barring any huge turn of events, his products would surely be awarded.

‘And I, as his apprentice, would go into the Academy.’

In the forge inside the Academy.

I planned to assist James with his work while staying there.

Of course, my main purpose would be to take advantage of my free time to secretly pursue my own goals…

Regardless, I intended to attend ‘Fundamentals of Mana’ taught by the Empire’s strongest magician, ‘Elena’.

Once I master Mana, it would significantly ease the process of equipment crafting.

‘Well then, let’s head out.’

And today was the day I would take the first step toward achieving all that.