The Wizard Has A Biochip

Chapter 43: Yes, I am Iron Man! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Thirty-seven minutes passed in absolute silence.

Suddenly, a notification appeared before my eyes.

[Bip!]

[Project Complete.]

[Model: Explosive Fire Crystal Ballistic Launcher]

The holographic interface expanded into the air.

A three-dimensional image materialized before me.

It rotated slowly, allowing me to examine every detail.

My eyes swept across the entire design.

It wasn’t an ordinary rifle.

Much less a cannon.

It was a weapon specifically designed to be mounted onto the arm of the powered armor.

Its shape perfectly followed the contour of the mechanical forearm.

Along the top was a long metal casing that protected all the internal mechanisms.

The barrel measured just over sixty centimeters in length.

Directly behind it was the combustion chamber.

A cylindrical compartment reinforced by four containment rings.

That was where the crystal would be inserted before firing.

On the right side was a tubular magazine.

It could hold eight Explosive Fire Crystals.

An automatic feeding mechanism used a series of synchronized gears to push a new crystal into the chamber every time the previous shot was completed.

It would practically become an extension of my own arm.

I liked the weapon.

Right afterward, my eyes wandered around the laboratory.

Shelves.

Crates.

Workbenches.

Little by little, I realized something.

I already possessed practically all the materials I needed.

Steel bars.

Copper plates.

Gears.

Precision screws.

Stabilizing crystals.

Even the small heat-resistant quartz tubes were stored in a nearby box.

That would save me an enormous amount of magic crystals.

Without wasting any time, I rolled up my sleeves.

Time to work.

.

.

.

.

.

Several days passed.

Every free hour was devoted to the laboratory.

Adjustments.

Tests.

Failures.

Corrections.

Until, finally...

I stepped back a few paces from the workbench.

Standing before me, secured to the massive reinforced metal frame, was the result of all that work.

My first combat armor.

I took a deep breath.

For several seconds, I simply stared at it.

The cold sheen of the metal reflected the laboratory lights.

It wasn’t a work of art.

It was a machine.

A machine built to survive.

Without a doubt, it was a masterpiece of engineering... by the standards of an Acolyte.

I smiled to myself.

No Mage would waste time developing something like this.

To them, armor like this would probably be reduced to molten metal by a single offensive spell.

But...

They weren’t my benchmark.

I had built it for myself.

I slowly approached it.

My eyes traced every detail.

The metallic frame perfectly matched human anatomy.

The outer plates protected the vital areas without restricting movement.

The joints remained partially exposed, covered only by overlapping plates that allowed a full range of motion.

On the right arm...

A retractable circular saw was mounted to the forearm.

Its metal teeth gleamed beneath the laboratory lights.

Powered by the central engine, it could spin at high speed, tearing through wood, leather, bone, and even softer metals.

On the left arm...

Was the ballistic launcher.

Its tubular magazine was fully loaded with Explosive Fire Crystals.

The automatic feeding system remained locked, waiting only for the first shot.

At the center of the chest...

Behind the heavy breastplate...

The magical engine pulsed slowly.

A soft blue light shone through the tiny gaps in the armor plating.

It looked like an artificial heart.

With every pulse, the internal gears rotated a few millimeters.

The entire structure breathed mechanically.

I had also reserved space for survival.

Hidden compartments along the waist and back stored several recovery potions.

If I were injured during a mission...

All I’d have to do was activate an internal mechanism to retrieve one.

As long as my body remained intact...

I would keep fighting.

I nodded in satisfaction.

Enough looking at it.

It was time to wear it.

I slowly stepped onto the small metal platform installed in front of the support frame.

The locks disengaged.

I began by fitting the leg pieces.

Then the torso.

Next came the arms.

Finally...

The helmet.

Click...

Clack...

Clink...

One lock after another sealed itself around my body.

The plates adjusted automatically.

The joints aligned perfectly with my movements.

It was like putting on a second skin.

A skin made of steel.

Then I picked up a Magic Crystal.

I carefully opened the compartment behind the armor’s chest.

Inserted the crystal.

Closed the cover.

Locked the latch.

And waited.

For several seconds...

Nothing happened.

Then...

FWOOOOOSH!!

A powerful burst of steam vented through the valves near the shoulders.

The engine awakened.

The gears began turning.

Vrummm...

Internal cables vibrated.

Small pistons compressed.

The servomechanisms were active.

I slowly flexed my fingers.

They responded instantly.

I moved my arms.

Perfect.

I turned my neck.

No resistance.

It was far better than I had imagined.

I took my first step.

Clang...

The laboratory floor trembled slightly.

Then another.

Clang...

Every movement was accompanied by the steady rumble of the engine.

Despite the armor’s tremendous weight...

I felt almost no strain.

The servomechanisms did nearly all the work.

I began walking around the laboratory.

The responses were smooth.

Precise.

No delay.

No gears jamming.

I smiled inside the helmet.

It worked.

It really worked.

But as I walked...

Another concern surfaced.

...This is going to attract attention.

A lot of attention.

The Acolytes had never seen anything like this before.

To them...

Armor was nothing more than a collection of metal plates.

Not a living machine powered by a magical engine.

They would probably be frightened.

Or fascinated.

Perhaps both.

As for the Mages...

I smiled faintly.

They would probably destroy my armor with ease.

But that didn’t bother me.

I hadn’t built this machine to fight Mages.

Not yet.

I built it to survive.

The forests surrounding the Tower.

The magical creatures.

Bandits.

Monsters.

Those were my true enemies.

I turned around.

Enough testing.

I slowly pushed open the laboratory door.

Vrrrrrrmmmm...

The moment I stepped into the corridor...

The deep growl of the engine spread through the hallway.

Pistons pumped rhythmically.

Gears spun continuously.

Clang...

Clang...

Just ahead...

The door to an alchemy laboratory opened.

A group of Acolytes walked out, chatting excitedly.

Each of them carried small glass vials.

— We did it!

— We finally did it!

A brown-haired young man raised a golden vial with a huge grin.

— A Magical Energy Potion!

Another was practically jumping with excitement.

— This is worth a fortune!

— Even some Mages would buy one of these!

— We’ll never have to accept suicide missions again!

I smiled faintly.

It was good to see them happy.

But...

They didn’t even get to finish their conversation.

Vrrrrrrrrmmmm...

The roar of the engine caught their attention.

Everyone turned at the same time.

Silence fell over the corridor.

One of them opened his eyes so wide that he dropped his vial.

By pure reflex, he caught it before it hit the floor.

— Wh...

He blinked several times.

— What...

Another took two steps backward.

— What the hell... is that?

— Is that armor?

— No...

Another shook his head.

— Armor doesn’t make that kind of noise...

— Is that thing... breathing?

I observed their expressions through the narrow visor of my helmet.

That kind of technology simply wasn’t part of their everyday lives.

I kept walking.

Clang...

Clang...

Vrummm...

None of them dared approach.

I walked past the group without saying a single word.

And continued onward.

The farther I advanced through the corridors...

The more attention I attracted.

Acolytes interrupted their conversations.

Some even stepped out of classrooms just to watch.

Even third-level students stood frozen, clearly impressed.

But then...

I crossed paths with two Mages.

Their magical presence was so dense that the air around them seemed heavier.

They glanced briefly in my direction.

Only for a moment.

Then continued walking as though I were just another ordinary Acolyte.

No comments.

No curiosity.

No interest.

I smiled faintly.

Perfect.

That was exactly what I wanted.

To a true Mage...

My armor was still nothing more than a metal toy.

And as long as they continued to think that...

I could continue evolving in peace.

I maintained the same pace until I finally arrived at the spacious mission hall of the Tower.

...

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