The Academy’s Weapon Replicator

Bonus chapter thanks to @Alan and @Wordsmith from Ko-fi!

The gelatinous monster's face, an imitation of a human's, was crude.

Its features, unable to find their proper place – or rather, unaware of where they belonged – floated about its face, shifting positions.

"Hmph!"

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Despite its bizarre appearance, its combat sense and murderous intent were undeniable. It expertly parried Frondier's flurry of blows, its eyes fixated on Bartello the entire time.

'Can it truly see Bartello with those eyes?'

When the creature initially attacked, it lacked a face. Frondier had assumed its current features were merely a superficial mimicry, but its gaze remained locked on Bartello.

'Let's test it.'

Frondier manipulated his bracer. Obsidian gathered behind the monster, forming a sharp dagger.

Swish—

Clang!

Despite the attack coming from a perfect blind spot, the gelatinous monster extended a claw to block it, its eyes never leaving Bartello.

'It doesn't perceive its surroundings through sight. Hearing... or perhaps touch?'

It effortlessly blocked a surprise attack from behind, its eyes unwavering.

Though its eyes seemed to be watching Bartello, they likely served as a secondary sensory organ for the creature.

"You beast!"

As the standoff continued, Imperial knights, weapons drawn, charged towards the gelatinous monster.

"Buu—"

The creature let out another strange sound and retreated. Its movements were as swift as its attacks, but they were far from human.

"Chase it!"

At someone's command, the knights surged forward, intent on slaying the monster.

Swish!

The monster leaped into the air, soaring through the sky, before—

"What, what?!"

"It vanished!"

It literally disappeared into thin air.

This was no illusion or a case of it moving too fast for the eye to follow. It had simply become invisible.

'Invisibility!'

The murderous aura that had been so thick moments ago vanished entirely, along with any trace of mana or sound.

Azier, who had been observing, narrowed his eyes.

'This isn't magic. There's not even the faintest scent of mana. Is this the monster's own ability?'

It hadn't used invisibility magic; it had truly become transparent. Furthermore, with its mana and killing intent concealed, this was closer to complete concealment than mere invisibility.

'This ability is how it got close to the Emperor.'

Tracking the creature under these circumstances would be impossible. The Emperor's safety was the priority.

Seemingly sharing the same thought, one of the knights addressed Frondier.

"We are deeply grateful for your assistance. From now on, we will—"

The knight's words were cut short.

Thud!

Frondier, who had been scanning the surroundings with his peculiar eyes, suddenly leaped from the ground.

Swish!

Thwack!

His sword slashed through the air, and the vanished monster reappeared in that exact spot.

It crashed to the ground, Frondier's blade embedded in its back, his body pinning it down.

"Did you think you could escape after pulling such a stunt, you half-baked freak?"

Everyone stared in astonishment. Enfer, Azier, all of them.

The same thought ran through their minds.

'How did he find it?'

Even Azier, unable to detect the monster's perfect concealment, had prioritized the Emperor's safety. The knights who had been pursuing the creature moments ago had also sensed nothing.

Everyone had deemed it the optimal decision to abandon the pursuit and protect the Emperor.

Of all the people present, only Frondier had located the creature.

While they marveled at his detection ability, Frondier, still pinning the monster down, pondered.

'Even if it turns invisible, it becomes visible again when attacked.'

The principle behind it was unclear, but the monster's invisibility was dispelled upon taking damage.

Moreover, the blow he had just landed on its back had been met with little resistance, despite the creature's previous defensive prowess.

'It seems maintaining its invisibility requires its full concentration.'

It was an ability that concealed its form, killing intent, and mana. If it could attack while invisible, it wouldn't have revealed itself in the first place.

"Br, brb, brrr...."

The monster remained still for a few seconds after being pinned down by Frondier, as if unable to comprehend its situation.

And now, it was squirming, attempting to break free from Frondier's grasp.

'Does this thing not feel pain?'

The monster currently had Frondier's sword piercing through its back, the blade pinning it to the ground.

It should be physically impossible for it to escape without removing the sword. In fact, a normal person would be in too much pain to even move.

'There's no blood either, so it doesn't even feel real that I stabbed it.'

True to its gelatinous appearance, not a single drop of blood oozed from its pierced back. Did its lack of blood mean it also lacked the ability to feel pain? Was that why it could still struggle and try to break free in this state?

'...No, then why did it block my attacks? If it doesn't feel pain or bleed, it could have ignored them and gone straight for Bartello—'

As if swallowing Frondier's rising question,

"—Kee,"

The creature, with a mouth that barely resembled one, let out a scream.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!!!"

Several seconds after Frondier's blade had pierced its back.

'What is this? A sound-based attack? Some kind of curse?'

Frondier tensed, but he felt no ill effects. Glancing around, he saw people covering their ears from the shriek, but no one seemed particularly affected.

In other words, it was just a scream.

'What the hell is this thing?'

Meanwhile, the Imperial knights approached him.

Judging that Frondier had successfully subdued the creature, they brought out a monster restraint device.

"We will restrain it."

"Yes."

Frondier stepped back, and the knights expertly subdued the monster with practiced movements, rendering it immobile.

Frondier watched as the creature was confined within the restraint device. It was the first time he had encountered this type of monster, so there was a chance it could resist even the restraint.

...However, the creature was trapped without much resistance.

After observing it for a while, Frondier slowly deactivated his weapon.

"Frondier."

Azier approached him.

"How did you know where it was?"

Azier's question was one that everyone present was curious about. How had he managed to locate the completely concealed monster so quickly and accurately?

Frondier bit his lip slightly at his question.

"...As I suspected."

His eyes darted to the lower right, as if contemplating something.

"That creature cannot be detected by normal means."

"What do you mean, Frondier?"

Frondier had located the monster using his sixth sense.

His power, which allowed him to sense all things supernatural, had pinpointed the location of the concealed creature.

He had initially considered this sixth sense to be similar to the detection abilities possessed by other skilled individuals. And indeed, it wasn't that different under normal circumstances.

However, if neither Azier nor Enfer could detect the monster, and only Frondier could...

There was only one conclusion he could draw.

"That monster is a being from another world."

Frondier, who had acquired the mana of Helheim.

If he was the only one who could sense it, then the creature couldn't be a monster of this world.