I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

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The power of the ‘click’ is magnificent.

For humans, it only requires a slight press of a finger, generating a feeble amount of energy.

However, the events that unfold from this act encapsulate the entirety of human technological prowess.

The outcome varies significantly depending on the technological skill at hand.

For instance, in modern times, a single ‘click’ can accomplish an incredible multitude of tasks.

You could lie in bed and order chicken.

You could also enjoy the natural landscapes of the world without leaving your home.

Sometimes, when you miss someone, you can look at a photo of that person.

Or you could make a call to hear their voice.

With just a touch, a single click can make what should require immense energy astonishingly simple.

-Click.

And in Ed’s case, with a single click, he could generate the Plasma Mana Shield.

Or he could activate the automatic defense feature using the ‘Baal Combat Pattern’ analysis algorithm that Eve had prepared.

Just like Claire, who would need to refine herself countless times, he could easily perform ‘Mana Transfer’.

The level of technology he had achieved allowed him to accomplish an extraordinary number of tasks.

‘We worked hard to develop it after all.’

However, just because it looks easy doesn’t mean Edgar didn’t put in the effort.

Though it seems like merely a ‘click’, it is the result of an intricately set mechanical engineering design that ensures the correct command executes when the button is pressed.

The transmission of mechanical energy converted into electrical signals falls under electronics and electrical engineering.

Using appropriate materials for efficient electrical transmission pertains to materials science.

Logic devices that receive electrical signals and convert them into digital data.

Logical operations that can appropriately interpret and process data stored in binary.

Software engineering and techniques that display programming languages into natural language – and so on, thousands of technologies come together to create functionality.

-Click.

-Prrrrrrrrr!!!

-Click.

-Wheeeeeeeeeing!!! Whoooooo!!!

-Click.

-Szzzzzz… Sssssssssstt!!!

Thus, Ed was blocking all of Baal’s full assaults with clicks.

Whenever Baal scattered hundreds of magic blades to annihilate this place, Ed would press the ‘click’ button to activate his Plasma Mana Shield.

When Baal tried to break Lucas’s barrier, Ed would transfer ‘energy’ to Lucas to replenish his mana.

Having been deprived of the power of ‘wind’, Baal was left no choice but to fight with a repeatedly stagnant pattern.

In the process, he ended up wasting an immense amount of magic and authority.

【If only this barrier wasn’t here!!】

In short, this battle was an endless war of attrition.

Baal had to kill Ed and his companions to escape this place, but he couldn’t.

Alternatively, he needed to break the barrier, yet he couldn’t even do that.

It was like endlessly banging on an exit made of steel, a hopeless struggle that continued.

-Kwa-zi-ji-jik!

【Kugh!!】

However, he couldn’t stall for time until his allies arrived.

Elena could hit Baal, who had taken on the form of wind using her telekinesis.

To avoid Elena’s one-sided attacks, he had no choice but to counterattack or keep trying different approaches.

【Don’t joke with me!!! I am the pinnacle of the old world!!】

Thus, there was no victory for Baal.

The fight between Ed and Baal transformed into a war of attrition.

In terms of energy consumption efficiency, Baal simply couldn’t compete with Ed.

It’s like if Edgar is rated top-tier in energy efficiency, Baal would be at a pitiable rank of 372.

Another analogy could be that it’s a competition between ‘phone’ and ‘letter’.

To convey news to someone far away, Ed simply

1. Picks up the receiver.
2. Dials the number.
3. Sends “hi”.

At this level, Baal would have had to write a letter, then leave his house, take the subway at Wangsimni Station to Gangbyeon Station, get on a bus at Dong Seoul General Bus Terminal, travel for two and a half hours to the outskirts, navigate to the recipient’s town using a map app, and walk for 20 minutes to arrive at the person’s house to deliver a letter.

To convey a single syllable ‘hi’ written on a piece of paper, he would have had to spend a tremendous amount of energy and time.

Thus, when Edgar made 232 clicks, Baal’s magic and authority had already been depleted.

Originally, a Demon Lord with enough potential to potentially destroy the world on his own.

He had squandered all his power in such a futile manner.

【Still, let’s end this beautifully.】

However, as the Demon Lord of Hell, he couldn’t let it end like this.

Moreover, he couldn’t kill the Demon Lord without the Crucible.

So, Ed turned off ‘automatic hunting’ mode and drew his Crucible.

With a dignified stride, exuding the aura of a protagonist, he approached Baal, who was captured by Elena’s telekinesis, and stood before him.

Baal glared at Ed with a nearly deadpan face.

【Don’t get cocky… If we fought outside this barrier… you would never be my equal…】

…It’s true.

Baal’s ability to manipulate the wind at will was almost like a natural disaster level skill.

If he hadn’t dealt with him here, Ed’s world would have faced destruction.

【But you lost, didn’t you?】

However, that no longer holds significance.

Winning was what mattered, and luck is also skill.

Even if Ed had faced defeat 5742 times, what defines the winner is the final victory.

【Farewell. You pathetic wretch.】

-Poof!

So, Baal, who had a record of 5742 defeats and only one win, had his heart pierced while hearing Ed’s mockery.

The most potential disaster-class Demon Lord Baal began to dissipate, howling with a sense of injustice and rage.

【I, this is aaaahhhhhhh…】

Thus, Baal, who occupied one of the six thrones, became an insignificant breeze and his form scattered.

He, who wielded invincible power, returned to nature as his life faded.

***

Two of the six Great Devils were justly executed.

The witch of the North, Lilith, and the disaster of the gale, Baal, had finally been killed.

Now, only the flickering flame of terror, Karaan, the ruler of nightmares, Izazel, and the yet-to-be-revealed Nergal and Melfirn remained.

‘Melfirn… Now that Baal is dead, what will you do?’

However, it would be foolish to let one’s guard down simply because two out of the six Demon Lords had been slain.

The most wary of them would be the leader, Melfirn.

It’s still too early to relax.

Even after defeating Baal, my sealing probability in Eve’s ‘future simulation’ remains alarmingly at 83.65%.

-Beep beep!

But then, a warning signal indicated an alteration in the future simulation probability.

Suddenly, the figure that had previously been at 83.65% rose to 95.17%.

Alongside that, a connection was established with Eve, who was left in the territory.

-Beep.

[Brother. Some trouble has arisen.]

“…What happened?”

[The river flowing into our defenses has begun to dry up. At the same time… a large quantity of toxic substances was detected in the water quality tests.]

“They are tampering with our drinking water.”

[Yeah. Since our defensive line hasn’t been breached, it seems they are looking for alternative methods.]

A cunning scheme unbefitting a Demon Lord.

…This must have come from Melfirn’s thoughts.

He’s not one to care about appearances or protocols to achieve his goals.

Essentially, he can be seen as the very embodiment of the will representing the Demon Lords.

“Let’s talk when we arrive. We’re almost there.”

[…Okay. I’ll gather the troops in advance. We’ll hold a meeting, right?]

“Yeah. We need to discuss countermeasures.”

[Got it. I’ll be ready.]

-Beep.

On my way back after dealing with Baal.

Having now disposed of Baal, following Lilith, I felt incredibly satisfied, yet I was filled with worries again.

They precisely knew our weaknesses and targeted us.

If the crucial drinking water dried up, chaos would soon ensue inside my shelter.

‘Well, it’s not like I did not prepare at all.’

However, I predicted every crisis and prepared some countermeasures.

While I wouldn’t be able to draw water from a large river cutting through the Empire, I had already installed a dam to store a significant amount of water.

Or I could produce drinking water using a ‘solar steam evaporation device’.

In other words, I could utilize a device that evaporates seawater through sunlight to extract pure water for drinking.

‘I could devise countermeasures with Eve.’

With this, my mind has concocted certain preparative measures.

Talking together might lead to better solutions.

I increased the output of the fast warship, aiming to discuss this issue as soon as possible.

***

The meeting’s outcome was as expected.

Even though the river was drying up, we concluded that the stored drinking water plus the solar steam evaporation device would be sufficient to hold out.

Thus, Eve and I continued to lock the doors of the shelter, luring them into a war of attrition.

The devils honestly ended up falling into our trap.

Once cut off from drinking water, there was no reaction, and they turned to straightforward methods instead.

[Brother! Clendor is under attack!]

However, about two months after the war of attrition, the Demon Lords began to approach us through another method.

With no answers from the surface, they shifted their focus to the sea.

Their first target was Clendor, which served as the Empire’s breakwater.

“…It’s impossible to defend the land of Clendor itself. We must evacuate the people as planned.”

[…… Okay. I’ll relay that.]

We began moving the citizens of Clendor to the Empire.

Even though the relationship between the countries had soured for a while due to the misdeeds of Prince Leon the First, since Princess Bianca became the next ruler, we could accept Clendor.

“The problem is… the sea is now unprotected.”

However, as Clendor fell, our rear was also exposed.

We could now be attacked from both the land and the sea.

‘The solar steam evaporation device is also a problem…’

Above all, the greatest issue was that I couldn’t operate the ‘solar steam evaporation device’, which needed to be situated closely by the sea.

It wasn’t surprising since I had set up a defensive line slightly inland to block any routes of intrusion from the ocean.

Thus, due to the very nature of the ‘solar steam evaporation device’, which must be adjacent to the sea to operate, continuing its function was no longer viable.

There would be a significant disruption in the water supply.

‘In the end, it seems we will have to go with Plan A.’

…Therefore, the conclusion was set.

Though I wondered if other variables would emerge from dispatching Baal, it seemed to be heading straight for Plan A.

In short, it was highly likely that I would need to be sealed by the Demon Lord.

“…Eve, let’s get ready as planned.”

“Okay.”

Thus, I decided to go out and fight.

But since I was going out to battle anyway.

I planned to prepare thoroughly.

Specifically, by equipping the ‘Doom Buster’, which could be considered the final tech of my suit.