Tech Hero in Another World

Velna and Erick's footsteps pounded urgently against the dark forest path. Branches snapped beneath their weight, leaves rustled violently under the breath of the night wind. Their breathing came ragged, chests rising and falling as though about to burst. Neither dared to look back, even as the monstrous roars from the bridge echoed through the night, making every hair on their bodies stand on end.

"Don't stop!" Erick barked, his voice strained between gasps. His hand occasionally shot out, tugging Velna's arm so she wouldn't stumble and fall behind.

Though her body was bruised and battered from the earlier battle, Velna forced herself to keep pace with him. Her legs felt unbearably heavy, as if iron weights were shackled to her ankles. But she knew—if she stopped, death would be upon her instantly.

And then… something unnatural tore through the darkness.

Wuuuung!

The shrill hum of energy split the air. Erick's instincts flared. "WATCH OUT!" He yanked Velna to the side and slammed his staff against the ground. In an instant, a wall of earth shot upward, shielding them just as a magic projectile crashed into it.

BOOM!

The explosion shook the ground, scattering dirt and rock. Velna staggered back, her heart hammering wildly. "W-What… what was that!?"

Erick narrowed his eyes. From within the smoke, a silhouette descended gracefully, seated atop a flying broom. Her entire figure was wrapped in a black cloak, a hood casting deep shadows over her face. Only the faint curve of a thin smile was visible beneath the darkness.

"Who are you!?" Erick stepped forward, placing himself firmly between Velna and the stranger. His arm stretched out to the side, barring Velna from moving past him.

The woman chuckled, low and velvety, her voice soft yet sharp, like a needle piercing flesh. "Fufufufu… amusing. A child dares raise his voice at me." She tilted her head, ignoring his question altogether. "What a shame. My mission tonight doesn't leave me much time to play. But… I suppose I can indulge myself a little."

With a flick of her wrist, a small fireball arced through the air. Erick raised another earthen shield, but the blast struck with far more force than expected.

BAM!

The shockwave rattled their bones. Velna collapsed onto the ground, her body trembling, weakness creeping deeper with every passing second. Erick gritted his teeth, his expression hardening. "Don't touch her!"

"Ohh?" the hooded sorceress cooed, her voice mocking as her eyes glimmered within the shadow of her hood. "Talented, for just a student. Quick on your feet… but still, only a student."

Her hand lifted, weaving a more intricate spell. The air vibrated, dry leaves whipping about as a torrent of magical energy gathered. Erick's jaw tightened. He knew ordinary defenses wouldn't hold this time.

"Velna, get back!" Erick leapt forward, raising a thicker barrier of earth. But when the woman's magic struck—BOOOOM!—the wall shattered instantly, sending Erick crashing to the ground in a brutal roll.

"Aaagh!" Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Erick!" Velna cried, struggling to her feet though her legs shook beneath her.

The woman only laughed, her voice echoing eerily beneath the moonlight. "Fufufufu… so fragile. If not for my mission, perhaps you could've been my favorite toy."

Her gaze shifted, sharp and unrelenting, straight at Velna. "But tonight, I only need that woman."

Velna froze. Her heart pounded violently, her breath caught in her throat. That gaze stripped away her humanity, leaving her feeling like nothing more than a specimen.

"VELNA, RUN!" Erick shouted, dragging himself upright with the last of his strength. His body trembled, but his eyes burned with determination.

"B-But what about you!?" Velna's voice cracked, torn between fear and desperation.

"Don't worry about me!" Erick spat blood, clenching his fists. "The only thing that matters now is warning the academy before it's too late! If you fall here, everything is wasted!"

"…!" Velna bit down on her lip, tears threatening to spill.

"NOW! RUN!" Erick roared, summoning what magic he could muster, his hands glowing faintly as he braced himself once again.

The sorceress sighed, her tone losing its playfulness, now sharp and resolute. "Haa… the theatrics of sacrifice. Interesting, but it grows dull quickly. No matter—I won't drag this out."

Magic flared in her palm, condensing into a spear of violet light. Its aura radiated pure annihilation, capable of tearing apart anything in its path.

Erick gave a crooked smile, even as his body screamed in pain. "If I'm going down… I might as well look cool doing it." Flames and stone lit up around him, swirling into a desperate final stand.

Velna turned once more, choking back her sobs, then forced herself to run. Every step tore at her heart, every stride felt like a sin she could never undo—leaving someone behind in the dark.

Behind her, the clash of magic thundered through the forest. Violet and crimson light clashed, flooding the trees with unearthly radiance. The air split with the mingled cries of pain and manic laughter, a nightmarish chorus under the moon.

Velna did not stop. She dared not look back. All she could do was run, toward the academy gates, clutching to the fragile hope that Erick—just one student among thousands—might endure long enough.

***

The stone bridge spanning the river thundered with blow after blow. The night was dark, lit only by the pale glow of the moon that cast its light over two figures: Kiriya, clad in a gleaming blue-black mechanical suit, and the grotesque creature born of forbidden experiments—its body sewn together with crude stitches, its flesh peeled back to reveal swollen muscle, its left arm warped into a massive, glinting pincer.

The abomination growled, each heavy step shaking the bridge beneath it. Kiriya stood firm, his body shrouded in the faint aura of the suit activated by his mysterious belt. The optics in his helmet rotated slowly, locking onto his foe with a chilling precision.

The giant raised its pincer and swept it at Kiriya—a strike that, under normal circumstances, would shatter human bones instantly.

CLANG!

The claw passed straight through Kiriya's body—or so it seemed. Only a ripple of blue light splashed outward like disturbed water, while Kiriya himself remained intact. He shifted half a step, then countered with a punch to the creature's gut.

DOOM!

Metal and flesh collided, the monster staggering back several paces.

Behind the helmet, Kiriya frowned. "So this is how it feels… this suit really does utilize the Quantum Tunnel principle. I can feel the impact, but the damage passes through like a shadow."

His gaze flicked around. This bridge was the only eastern route into Starford Academy. If the battle dragged on too brutally, the entire structure could collapse. That wouldn't just endanger civilians—it would complicate matters for him. His ownership of such technology could not be exposed.

The monster roared, leaping forward. Its massive body crashed downward with startling speed, blotting out the moonlight.

Kiriya ducked, his body twisting smoothly as the suit auto-adjusted his movements, avoiding a fatal blow. Once again, the claw passed through him, leaving only a burst of blue sparks.

"Interesting," Kiriya muttered, thrusting his palm forward. From his gauntlet, orange light surged. A blade of solid energy extended outward, vibrating with a sharp mechanical hum.

VRRRMMM!

The blade sliced across the monster's chest, tearing through the crude stitches. Thick black blood gushed out, mixed with a foul green fluid that reeked.

The beast bellowed, its roar shaking the bridge, but it didn't fall. If anything, it grew more frenzied. Its half-rotted eyes blazed red with hatred.

Kiriya leapt back, cold sweat beading despite the suit's stabilizers. "Unbelievable resilience… even tier-three fire magic couldn't penetrate, and now even this suit can't deliver a fatal strike in one blow."

The creature tore a chunk of stone from the bridge's edge and hurled it. The boulder, weighing hundreds of kilos, shot through the air like a cannonball.

BOOOM!

The explosion behind Kiriya sent fragments scattering. He glanced over his shoulder. Each new crack in the bridge pressed on his mind. He needed to end this quickly—before the structure collapsed.

He triggered another module on his belt. The suit's chest glowed, a pulsating hexagonal pattern flaring bright.

[Mode: Burst Initiated.]

Energy surged, amplifying his strikes and speed. In a blink, he vanished—reappearing point-blank before the monster.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

A barrage of blows hammered its chest and jaw, snapping its head back. Yet even battered and broken, the monster refused to fall. It swept its claw in a wide arc, the force blasting air like a cannon shot.

Kiriya was hurled back, skidding across the bridge's surface.

"Ugh… The suit absorbs the damage, but momentum still hits me… feels just like getting slammed by a truck," he hissed, forcing himself upright.

The beast slammed its limbs to the ground, then charged forward on all fours like some grotesque predator. Black blood dripped in its wake, but it showed no regard for its wounds.

"Fine…" Kiriya raised his hand to the side. From the suit, a small mechanical sphere disengaged, hovering in the air. "Let's try another approach."

He snapped his fingers. The sphere shot forward, latching onto the monster's chest.

BEEP—BEEP—

A red light flashed across its surface.

The monster paused, glancing down. Just as it reached for it—

BOOOOM!

A directed blast tore into its torso, blasting it backward into the bridge's stone railing. Chunks of debris collapsed into the river below.

Smoke blanketed the scene.

Kiriya stood tall, his chest heaving. "If I can push it into the river… that's safer than destroying the bridge outright."

But as the smoke cleared, the creature still stood. Half its body was charred, yet its exposed muscles pulsed grotesquely, knitting themselves back together. Its glowing red eyes locked on Kiriya, brimming with malice.

Kiriya clicked his tongue. "Of course… a high-level experiment won't go down that easily."

He reignited the energy blade, blue sparks flickering along the suit.

"Come on, you bastard. You're not the first thing that's tried to kill me… but tonight, I'll make sure you're the one who falls."

The monster howled again, a guttural roar that echoed across the forest and into the city beyond. Neither of them realized it yet, but that roar marked the beginning of a tragedy that would soon shake all of Starford Academy.