Chapter 45: Teaching Teacher
Several weeks had passed since the duel with Lyman, Barkatus, and Walters. The atmosphere around me had shifted. Students who once taunted or glared now stepped aside, their eyes wide with something resembling respect, or perhaps fear. I noticed it most in the halls of the Academy, where whispers often trailed in my wake.
"Look, it’s Widow," one would say, while another would add, "Did you see that fight? Unbelievable!"
Surprisingly, s...
2025-05-11 00:28:55 +0000 UTC
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Primordial Enmity
I slashed through another red-shelled monstrosity, my enchanted steel blade cutting deep into its chitinous armor. The creature's death scream joined the cacophony of battle that surrounded us. All around me, the proud soldiers of humanity clashed with Borosmemnok's crab-like horrors on blood-slicked black soil.
Our enemy looked like men in red armor from afar, but upon closer inspection their inhuman traits were revealed. Though they shared our general ...
2025-05-11 00:26:31 +0000 UTC
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Interlude 3
From my perch in the crowded stands, I watched the farce unfold below. The monster, Widow, had stepped into the arena alone, declining support from her companions. Three against one. My fingers dug into the wooden bench beneath me.
A week ago, I might have felt differently. The unfairness shown to Widow by Professor Shawe and others had stirred my sense of justice. But after my meeting with Headmaster Reins, bile rose in my throat at the sight of her. This mec...
2025-05-10 17:02:27 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 44: Team Deathmatch
We gathered in room 401, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows through the windows. My companions had rushed over after hearing about the team duel challenge. Their faces showed varying degrees of concern and anger.
"Why didn't you just refuse?" Genta asked, her green skin flushed with frustration. "Academy rules state they can't challenge you twice. It's to prevent harassment through repeated challenges."
I... didn't know that....
2025-05-09 21:21:48 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 43: Golden Opportunity
I sat cross-legged on the floor, numerous mechanical parts spread around me as I adjusted the wiring on my combat chassis. Genta and Eyarna kept me company, both occupied with their own separate tasks. The basement storeroom had become our sanctuary over the past weeks, a place where we could practice our magical studies without judgment or interference. Also, it was much more spacious than room 401 was. Not to mention that the junk down here woul...
2025-05-08 23:11:51 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 42: Friend's Message
I watched through Scout Spider 13's crystals as Annes parried a Cave Stalker's claws. Her movements had grown sharper, more precise since our first expedition weeks ago. Beside her, Patter's spear found the sweet spot between the creature's armor plates. The monster collapsed with barely a sound.
My friends had taken to the Hellzone like they were born for it. Even Copelan, who still froze during sudden attacks, contributed by planning our rou...
2025-05-07 21:59:38 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 41: Babies Everywhere
It was around midnight when the basement door creaked open as Annes, Copelan, Genta, and Yulios filed into my workshop. They stopped short at the sight before them: dozens of mechanical constructs scattered across tables and shelves. Scout spiders skittered along the walls while smaller clockwork creatures perched on various surfaces.
"You've been busy," Genta said, yellow eyes wide as she took in the mechanical menagerie.
Annes stepped...
2025-05-06 18:09:15 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 40: First Descendant
I hurried through the Academy's west wing, following the directions from Copelan's messenger. The storage area sprawled across the ground floor, a maze of rooms filled with student supplies and deliveries.
Copelan waited by one of the side doors, his usual scowl softened slightly when he saw me approach. Without a word, he produced a key and led me inside.
I stopped dead in my tracks. The room was packed floor to ceiling with crates. Not...
2025-05-06 06:05:51 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 39: Group Hunt
I descended the Academy's basement stairs at midnight, my footsteps echoing in the empty corridors. The storeroom door gleamed with its new lock of my own design, crafted through Assembly. Each member of our group now carried an identical key.
Mine clicked smoothly in the mechanism. Inside, I found Patter's tall frame looming in the dim light. She was dressed in leather armor, ready for battle. But I hadn't expected to see Copelan there, his serious...
2025-05-06 06:02:01 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 38: Truth Telling
...and that's how I came to be here, at the Academy, I finished, my Mind Speech falling silent in the room.
The quiet stretched, broken only by the soft whisper of wind through the tower windows. My companions sat still, processing everything I'd shared.
Copelan cleared his throat. "That's quite a story."
You don't believe me.
"I didn't say that." He shifted against the windowsill. "It's unbelievable, yes-"
...
2025-05-06 05:59:31 +0000 UTC
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Primordial Prestidigitation
I marked another entry in my journal, documenting our latest losses to Omadzaburik's deceptions. The ink smeared as my hand trembled with rage. Two thousand three hundred and forty-seven soldiers lost in the past month alone. Good men and women, swallowed by quicksand or dashed upon rocks hidden by illusions.
"My King, another fairy nest spotted ahead." Captain Deren's voice pulled me from my dark thoughts.
I looked up from my writing des...
2025-05-06 05:55:49 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 37: True Friendship
I watched members of House Dragon descend from the stands, their black uniforms stark against the arena's sandy floor. They gathered around Barkatus's broken form, carefully lifting him for transport to the infirmary.
"Are you alright?" Genta's voice cut through my daze. She knelt beside my ruined frame, her yellow eyes wide with concern. Loland and Eyarna flanked her, their faces tight with worry.
Been better, I replied through ...
2025-05-06 05:52:38 +0000 UTC
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Since I love money, I'm adding another membership tier. This one is called Revolver Girl, and with it you can read 15 chapters ahead of where the story is at on Royal Road and other sites! That's five more chapters than the Tactical Critter tier.
What's more is that I am working to bring this number up to 20 chapters ahead of RR, so expect to read more chapters soon! I'm taking a break from work to make this happen, and it should be up by around next week or so.
Thanks for your su...
2025-05-06 05:51:03 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 36: the Fittest
The roar of the crowd filled my ears as Barkatus and I clashed again. My sword-lance sparked against his burning blade, the impact sending tremors through my damaged frame. The spectators had grown more bloodthirsty as our duel dragged on, their shouts becoming a cacophony of demands for violence.
"Kill the monster!" someone screamed from the stands.
"Tear him apart!" another voice countered.
Through my peripheral sight, I caught glimps...
2025-05-05 18:16:52 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 35: Survival of
Dawn crept through the arena's high windows as I tested each joint of my defensive frame for the hundredth time. The six legs moved in perfect synchronization, hydraulics humming quietly. I'd spent half the night reinforcing weak points and upgrading the armor with salvaged Scorn Spider chitin.
My original combat chassis would have been faster, more agile. But against someone like Barkatus, speed wouldn't matter. He'd tear through the lighter armor...
2025-05-05 00:12:17 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 34: Another Challenger
I sat cross-legged on the floor of room 401, watching Genta's eyes dart around in wonder. Her yellow irises flickered from person to person as she tested her newly acquired Analyze ability.
"This is amazing!" She bounced in place, her orange-spotted nose wrinkling with delight. "I can see everyone's names floating above their heads like little blue signs!"
Keep practicing, I instructed through Mind Speech. If you do, you s...
2025-05-03 16:36:36 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 33: Test Run
My defensive frame skittered through the dark tunnels, six legs moving in perfect synchronization across the damp stone. The rotating shield panels on my back shifted constantly, ready to defend against attacks from any angle. But tonight wasn't about defense.
I paused at an intersection, analyzing the traces of monster ichor that stained the ground. Fresh. Something big had passed through recently. Perfect.
A chittering echoed through the tunne...
2025-05-02 22:50:41 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 32: Second Assessment
I stood among my classmates in the southern arena, my mechanical frame concealed beneath a layer of borrowed leather armor. Weeks of nightly Hellzone expeditions had pushed me to level 22, though I'd maintained the appearance of mediocre progress during daylight hours.
Three whole months had passed since the combat assessments took place, and now we were back in the southern arena to take the rank reassessments. Today we would be judged on ou...
2025-05-02 01:03:39 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 31: Study Group
I sat cross-legged on the floor of room 401, watching Genta's demonstration with keen interest. My porcelain fingers traced the diagrams in the elementary magic textbook spread before me.
"Look at this." Genta cupped her hands, summoning a perfect sphere of fire that cast dancing shadows across her green skin. The flame reflected in her yellow eyes before she quickly extinguished it. "And they still won't let me take anything beyond Basic Spell Cra...
2025-04-30 23:04:55 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 30: Self Education
I stood back and watched as Annes guided Copelan's hands on the practice sword's hilt. A week had passed since my victory over Lyman, yet the other C-rank students treated me no differently. If anything, they seemed more at ease around me now.
"No, no. Your grip is too tight." Annes adjusted Copelan's fingers. "You're strangling the poor thing. Be much looser. Loose enough to move, yet firm enough to control."
"But my father always said-"<...
2025-04-29 22:48:02 +0000 UTC
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Interlude 2
I shifted in the uncomfortable wooden chair outside Headmaster Reins' office, my royal posture slipping for just a moment. The stone walls of the Academy loomed around me, a far cry from my palace's warmth. A wry smile crossed my face; here I was, Queen of Morne, waiting like a common student.
The sounds of training echoed through the halls as steel struck steel, incantations cast. In just these few weeks, I'd already gained a level and reached level 15. Back ...
2025-04-28 17:03:07 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 29: Parting Words
I watched as Lyman's companions lifted his unconscious form from the sand. Blood still dripped from his nose as they rushed him toward the infirmary wing. The crowd's mixed reactions died down, replaced by the excited chatter of students discussing the fight.
Footsteps pounded down the stone steps as Genta, Eyarna, and Loland rushed to meet me. Their faces beamed with excitement.
"That was amazing!" Genta's yellow eyes sparkled. "The way yo...
2025-04-27 21:53:29 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 28: The Duel
The morning sun cast long shadows across the arena floor as preparations for the duel continued. As Lyman's cronies finished putting his armor together, I checked my status.
Name: Widow
Level: 17
Species: Dirtborn [MONSTER]
Gender: N/A
Age: 1
Titles: Original, Vanquisher...
2025-04-26 21:22:08 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 27: Nighttime Preparations
Students parted like waves as Arctur dragged me through the Academy halls, my damaged frame scraping against the polished stone floor. Their faces ranged from horror to disgust to morbid fascination at the sight of my battered mechanical body. Sven hurried alongside us, wringing his hands with nervous energy.
My gaze fixed on the collapsed spear at Arctur's belt. Despite my current predicament, I couldn't help but admire its ingenious de...
2025-04-25 23:55:39 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 26: Outside Jaunt
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.
2025-04-24 22:18:51 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 25: Teaching Experience
The next few days fell into a steady rhythm. During daylight hours, I moved through the Academy's halls flanked by my newfound allies. Genta's small form walked confidently beside me to Basic Swordplay, her orange-spotted nose held high despite the whispers that followed us. Eyarna's massive frame drew stares in Elementary Magic Theory, but having her there made the other students keep their distance.
Loland joined us for meals, his copper ...
2025-04-23 17:10:46 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 24: Gaining Allies
I climbed the worn stone steps of the southwestern tower, my footsteps echoing in the empty stairwell. Dust motes danced in shafts of afternoon light that filtered through narrow windows. The administrative offices on the lower floors had given way to abandoned storage rooms and empty chambers.
The deserted fourth floor corridor stretched before me, lined with closed doors. Their brass numbers had tarnished with age, but I could still make out 4...
2025-04-22 20:53:33 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 23: Training Arc
The Spear Beetle's projectile crashed against my shield, the impact reverberating through the chassis but leaving the steel-chitin construction unmarred. I thrust upward with the massive sword gripped in my right hand, the blade crushing the insect into the cavern ceiling. Black ichor dripped down as the creature's carapace split.
My new combat chassis, which I had taken to calling the defensive frame, performed beyond expectations in the dark tun...
2025-04-21 20:39:38 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 22: The Challenge
I stepped out of the lecture hall, my mechanical legs whirring softly beneath my uniform skirts. Professor Howlett's voice still rang in my ears, droning on about humanity's divine right to rule over the world. The tales seemed to grow more absurd each class: today he'd claimed the gods themselves had granted humans dominion over all other races and how it was mankind's duty to "civilize" the intelligent monsters and to show them the proper path.
2025-04-20 22:00:55 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 21: Magical Study
I sat among the non-combat students in Elementary Magic Studies, trying not to draw attention to myself. Professor Kilnei stood at the front of the class, his youthful face making him look more like a student than an instructor. I was still jarred by the fact that I had an elf professor still in his teens. But I suppose it made sense, seeing as how elves apparently lived such short lifespans.
"Foci are essential tools for any practicing mage," Ki...
2025-04-19 15:29:43 +0000 UTC
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