Tech Hero in Another World-Chapter 198: [197]

The kick landed squarely against the chest of the experimental creature. A deafening boom rang out, like thunder exploding over the bridge. The monster's body was lifted off its feet, hurled backward, while the explosive energy of the Vulcan Kick coursed through its chest, rattling its very bones. Stones from the bridge shattered and scattered, while the rushing river below churned violently as though struck by a storm.

The monster roared in agony, its body convulsing uncontrollably before it crashed into one of the bridge's pillars with an ear-splitting crack. A burst of orange light erupted, scorching the night air, engulfing the beast in a blazing explosion.

Kiriya landed on one knee, thin trails of smoke rising from his suit. His breathing came heavy, his expression taut, yet his eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

"…That ridiculous kick finally came in handy."

But the euphoria didn't last. The indicator light on his belt glowed red. In an instant, the radiance of the suit dimmed, fragmenting into mechanical shards that dissolved into the air. The suit's power relied on a specialized battery, and its reserves were now spent. Kiriya was left in his ordinary clothes, his body weighed down by an overwhelming fatigue.

He tried to step away—but then his eyes caught a shadow through the thick smoke. "What…!?"

The monster he thought destroyed was still standing. Its body was charred, nearly broken apart, one arm gone, its jaw hanging half-dislocated. And yet, it still moved. With what little strength remained, it turned its hollow gaze toward Kiriya—before finally staggering sideways and plunging into the raging river beneath the bridge.

"Haaah… that was too close. If I'd forced one more strike… it would've been a waste." Kiriya let out a breath of relief. He removed the transformation belt, shrinking it back into a small sphere, and tucked it into his pocket.

But his calm did not last. From deep within the forest, a brilliant light erupted, illuminating the night sky. His eyes narrowed in surprise. "That… what's happening over there?"

He tried to move, but his entire body screamed in pain. The burning ache tore through bone and muscle alike, as though every fiber within him rebelled. "Urgh… the recoil really is brutal…" Kiriya hissed, collapsing onto the bridge floor.

Ironically, a part of him found the situation advantageous. If the Academy's forces arrived to find him unconscious, he could fabricate a story—far easier than having to explain the truth of what had really happened. With his body refusing to move any further, he closed his eyes.

"Yeah… this works too…" he murmured softly.

That night, long and dark, swallowed him in exhaustion.

---

The following day, reports of the incident spread like wildfire throughout the academy. Both Kiriya and Erick were now being treated in the infirmary. For the time being, neither of them could attend classes.

Kiriya lay in bed, his ribs wrapped in bandages. Even with healing magic, internal wounds did not simply vanish. The process was more like stitching a large gash—magic only hastened it, but the body still had to mend itself naturally. Each movement brought stabbing pain, though he could still endure it.

Erick was in worse shape. His body was weak, his skin pale, his breathing shallow. A high fever wracked him, not only from his injuries but also from his own reckless act—the attempt to shatter his Mana Core in order to cast an impossible sixth-tier spell.

"Hey," Kiriya's voice rasped, "are you insane?"

Even while bedridden, Erick managed a snort. "Hah? And you think you're in any position to lecture me? That's rich."

"Whatever…" Kiriya sighed. "By the way, what happened after that?"

Slowly, Erick recounted everything. About the mysterious woman who had intercepted them, the sorceress who had targeted Velna, and how the battle had ended with the sudden arrival of the Headmistress herself. Kiriya listened in silence, his mind racing to piece together the fragments.

"Something about this… doesn't add up," Kiriya muttered.

"You're right," Erick agreed. "It's as if Velna was the target from the very beginning. And Leonis… I think he knows something."

The name hung in the air. Both of them stared up at the infirmary ceiling, their thoughts heavy with suspicion toward the domineering student council president.

Their conversation was cut short when the door opened. Footsteps entered—steady, composed, yet heavy with authority. A petite woman with long, silvery-white hair and crimson eyes stepped inside. The density of her magical aura made the very air in the room feel tense. There was no mistaking her—Olivia Lumina Blanche, Headmistress of Starford Academy.

But she was not alone. Behind Olivia walked someone they both knew—Velna, fidgeting nervously as she followed.

Kiriya forced himself upright, wincing as pain stabbed his ribs, then managed a faint grin. "How are you holding up?"

Olivia's crimson gaze swept over both of them, sharp as blood-forged gemstones. Her face betrayed no emotion, but her voice carried a weight that pressed down on the room.

"You two are fools," she said coldly, flatly, yet with undeniable force. "But at least… you're alive."

Silence followed, filled only by the ticking of the wall clock and the faint breeze slipping through the half-open window.

Despite his battered state, Kiriya let out a small chuckle. He covered his face with one hand and muttered, "Urgh… well, at least this gets me out of classes."

Erick sighed heavily, as if already used to Kiriya's insufferable nonchalance. Meanwhile, Velna, standing beside Olivia, lowered her head. Her delicate hands clutched at her skirt, her face flushed with nervousness.

"T… thank you!!" she blurted out at last, her voice trembling.

Both boys turned their heads at once. Kiriya lifted a hand lazily in a small wave, while Erick followed with a tired but faint smile.

"Don't worry about it," Kiriya said.

"Yeah, it's no big deal," Erick added. "We just happened to be there."

Velna nodded quickly, though her composure was clearly fragile. With awkward care, she set a small basket of fresh fruit on the table between their beds. Her movements were tentative, almost like she was offering tribute to her saviors.

"I… I brought this for you. Please accept it as a token of my gratitude," she murmured.

Kiriya merely raised a brow, while Erick gave a polite nod in return.

Yet the warm atmosphere was soon cut short when Olivia, who had been sitting quietly in the chair nearby, finally spoke again.

"That incident was… unforeseen," her voice was flat, yet tinged with bitterness that was hard to miss. "As Headmistress, I am ashamed—deeply ashamed—that I failed to sense the danger before it struck."

Velna turned quickly, as if to deny those words. But it was Kiriya who responded first.

"Yeah… it was unexpected. You don't need to blame yourself too much," he said softly, but firmly. His gaze was steady, without hesitation. "No one can protect everyone, all the time."

His words made Velna glance at him in surprise. Even Erick blinked, confused at first, before slowly nodding in agreement.

"Kiriya's right," Erick rasped, his throat dry but his voice steady. "Even if it's your responsibility as Headmistress… we also have a duty to try. At the very least, we bought time—enough for you to arrive."

Olivia fell silent. Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly as she regarded the two battered boys before her. For a brief moment, something flickered behind her cold stare—whether it was respect, curiosity, or mere calculation, it was impossible to tell.

For Olivia, their words struck deep. She was one of the strongest witches on the continent, famed for her legendary mana perception. Normally, she could sense even the faintest ripple of danger long before it surfaced. But last night had been different. The attack had come so suddenly, cloaked in a haze that dulled even her senses. The fact that two relatively new students had to risk their lives to hold the threat at bay was a blow she could not easily dismiss.

"Interesting," Olivia murmured at last, her voice low.

Velna, still tense, finally dared to lift her head. She gripped the fruit basket tightly, her eyes shimmering with raw emotion as she looked at Erick and Kiriya. "I… I don't know how I could ever repay this. If not for you two… I would have—"

"Already been a corpse on that bridge?" Kiriya cut in lightly, making Erick slap his own forehead at the blunt remark.

Velna froze, then nodded faintly, her face burning red again. "Y… yes…"

Olivia glanced at Kiriya, then closed her eyes with a sigh. "This boy truly has no sense of manners." Yet her tone was no longer as sharp as before, almost as if she had let go of some of the weight on her shoulders.

Erick sank back into his pillow, trying to steady his heartbeat. The hollow emptiness within him—remnants of his nearly shattered Mana Core—still burned with every breath. And yet, he remained steadfast. Deep down, he knew one thing: their choice to fight had not been in vain.

Kiriya, on the other hand, masked his own pain with a lopsided grin. In his mind, he knew what had happened last night was only the beginning. Something far larger was stirring behind the scenes. The mysterious assailant, the experimental monster, and Velna, who appeared to be the true target of it all.

Pieces of a puzzle still shrouded in darkness.