The Academy’s Weapon Replicator - Chapter 146

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Academy Weapon Replicator Episode 146
Chapter 46: Doubt and Suspicion
The meeting place for Indus this time was a villa deep in the woods.
The villa was Kraken’s private residence, and the reason for selecting it was straightforward—her Portal was set to this location.
Kraken had extracted Renzo from Obsidian using the Portal, and the place beyond that gateway was here.
So the two of them merely had to wait for the remaining members to arrive.
“They’re late.”
Kraken said, glancing at her watch.
Kraken alone was supposed to act independently, while the rest were to execute the plan in Cropol.
They should have carried it out yesterday at the earliest, or certainly by today, and sent word.
But no message had come yet.
“You think they got swept up?”
Renzo laughed softly. Kraken’s brow furrowed. That couldn’t be. Above all, the Zodiac Heldrei was on standby at all times. If something had happened, he would have handled it himself.
It was at that moment. Kraken and Renzo’s eyes shifted to the same point simultaneously. A flicker of relief crossed Kraken’s gaze. Renzo caught it for just an instant.
‘……Is this creature really a Monster?’
When he’d first heard the full story from Kraken, he’d assumed she’d merely joined forces with the organization called Indus temporarily for her purposes.
Monsters could never walk the same path as humans. Perhaps cooperation was possible while their aims aligned, but only briefly. Kraken herself was likely conscious of that fact.
Yet that momentary expression she’d just shown—an unguarded glimpse of her true feelings.
Had Kraken been worried about the members who hadn’t arrived, and was she just now relieved?
‘This is worth testing.’
Renzo’s lips twisted in the darkness.
Ding-dong—
The villa’s doorbell chimed, and Kraken headed toward the entrance.
She opened the door to find, as expected, members of Indus. Kian, Thompson, and Skyler.
“You’re all late—wait, what happened to you? Those wounds…?”
“…….”
Kian was relatively unscathed, but Thompson and Skyler bore considerable injuries across their bodies.
Thompson was covered in small cuts all over, and bandages were visible beneath his clothes, suggesting he still needed treatment.
Skyler, being a specter by nature, bore no visible wounds, but Kraken could sense his damage. Skyler was also close to being a Monster, after all.
Yet all three wore hard expressions in response to Kraken’s question. When their eyes met hers, they held hostility.
“……Why? What’s wrong?”
“Let’s get inside first.”
Thompson spoke first, and the three passed Kraken, stepping into the villa.
They faced Renzo, who stood with his arms crossed, then looked back at Kraken.
“This man—is he the one you brought in, giving up a heart for him?”
“That’s right. You all know who he is, don’t you? He’ll be a great asset to the Revolution.”
Kraken answered Thompson’s question.
Of course they knew. Few in the Underworld were unfamiliar with Renzo.
An absurdly powerful force. The madness that seemed proportional to it.
“…….”
The three watched Renzo with heightened tension.
Kraken thought their wariness was natural. Renzo was undeniably dangerous. But once they exchanged situation reports, things would settle down.
Even if Renzo was acting strong, Kraken was certainly in a position to kill him whenever she wished.
“Then shall we proceed with the situation report? Let’s confirm the progress of the Revolution.”
At Kraken’s words, the three’s eyes turned toward her. The same hostility they’d shown Renzo.
Even if Renzo deserved it, why were they directing hostility at her too? Kraken couldn’t understand.
But after hearing the full report, she would come to understand.
“……Betrayal?”
Kraken’s eyes narrowed as she asked for clarification.
“That’s right. There’s someone inside Indus leaking information.”
Thompson said.
“You’re certain of this?”
Kraken’s question was met with Thompson’s nod. The other two did the same.
“They already knew we wouldn’t blow up the train. The very word ‘Revolution’ was compromised. Frontdier knew my face, my name, my abilities—everything.”
Kian spoke.
Kraken’s eyes narrowed to slits.
Frontdier had known the entire plan and acted separately from the other Constellation Academy students. The members of Indus had fallen into his trap.
If minor details were leaking from Indus, that would be one thing. But the whole scope of the Revolution’s plan and Kian’s information had been compromised. Only a very few people inside Indus knew that.
Strictly speaking, aside from Heldrei, everyone present here was it.
“……I see.”
Kraken, having reached a conclusion, spoke.
“So you doubt me?”
The three of them said nothing. Their silence was answer enough.
Thompson scratched his head vigorously, then sighed before speaking. “Skyler and I took considerable injuries from Frontdier’s Firecracker. We could’ve died. Kian’s life was threatened by Frontdier, and Heldrei’s both arms were shattered. The only one who came out unscathed is you—the only one who didn’t participate in the operation. Kraken.”

Kraken fell silent for a moment.
The smirk that usually played at his lips faded.
Killing intent blazed in his half-lidded eyes.
“Aren’t you fortunate to be alive at all?”
“What did you say?”
“You know as well as I do—I died once. For the Revolution. While you all were bleeding, I was dead.”
“You have spare lives. You can’t call that dying. You’re a Monster, for gods’ sake.”
“A Monster?”
Kraken’s and Thompson’s eyes flashed with lethal intent, their gazes tearing at one another.
Kraken spoke as though chewing the very air.
“Because I have spare lives, does that mean the agony of my death is less than yours? Don’t you dare speak such drivel. You whined like a child when you lost that one arm, you pathetic wretch—and now you belittle my resolve? My willingness to die?”
“Don’t you dare sully my arm with such filth. You octopus.”
The two of them clashed with such violent intensity they seemed ready to strike at any moment.
“Enough.”
A voice cut between them like a blade. Skyler.
The aura emanating from within his armor was composed and steady, even now. It was this that allowed Kraken and Thompson to regain some semblance of restraint.
Thompson clicked his tongue and spoke. “So you insist on that individual operation, and what do you bring back? Renzo? Bringing in someone that dangerous—”
“Huh?”
Renzo cut him off and responded.
Renzo slowly approached Thompson.
“Dangerous, you say. Specifically, what am I?”
“Renzo, stop!”
Kraken tried to restrain him. But Renzo ignored him. He drew close enough to look Thompson in the eye, and the two stared each other down.
Renzo’s mouth twisted into a grin.
“Tell me. What exactly am I? What makes me so dangerous?”
“Specifically? You’re insane. Nothing but a madman drunk on his own pleasure. How could we work with someone who doesn’t understand the cause of Revolution?”
Renzo went silent at that. Then his mouth twisted upward.
And then—
“Wait!”
Kraken shouted.
But Renzo had already seized Thompson’s shoulder. The speed was beyond Thompson’s ability to block or evade—though Thompson was still injured, even accounting for that, the velocity was terrifying.
Crack-snap!
“Aaaaaahhhhh!!!”
Renzo tore off Thompson’s Prosthetic Arm as easily as ripping paper.
Thompson dropped to his knees, agony flooding through him. He lifted his head, eyes blazing with murderous intent as he stared at Renzo. Blood pooled in his pupils.
Renzo looked down at him with a mocking gaze, tilting his head.
“Whining so much over a fake arm. Kraken was right about you. When you still had your real one, you must’ve wailed just like a child.”
“You insane bastard!”
Thompson cried out. The villa was already reeling from the shock of Renzo’s outburst.
Skyler’s voice rang out.
“Kraken! Weren’t you supposed to be able to handle Renzo? If you can’t control him, you shouldn’t have brought him out of Obsidian!”
“…….”
Kraken bit his lip and said nothing.
Thompson’s bloodshot eyes blazed with rage. “Enough of this! The octopus is a traitor! Look at the situation! That Monster bitch doesn’t care about Revolution or anything else! We should never have trusted a Monster in the first place!”
Even as Thompson spoke, Kraken only clenched both fists and trembled.
Clearly, he’d brought Renzo out thinking he could control him. But.
“How is it, Kraken? I just tore off your comrade’s arm. That should be reason enough to kill me.”
“……Madman.”
“Kha-ha-ha-ha!”
Renzo laughed brazenly even as he faced Kraken, who held his very life in his hands.
Renzo chuckled and spoke. “But let me explain. The reason you won’t kill me now is because I’m too valuable. You believe that if you wanted to, you could end me—and that this threat alone would let you control me. But in reality? You have your lines, your principles. And you won’t cross them. You need me for your plan to succeed. That’s why you won’t kill me.”

Renzo is walking a tightrope right now—and that tightrope is his own lifeline.
Kraken had never imagined a person could be driven this far into madness.
As long as Renzo remained useful to the plan, as long as his value outweighed his danger, Kraken would not kill him. No—would not be able to kill him.
In this moment, Renzo had gauged the precise line of profit and loss that existed in Kraken’s mind. He had bet his own life on it.
‘No doubt about it. Kraken really does think of these people as comrades.’
Kraken didn’t know it, but Renzo had one more hidden purpose: to confirm Kraken’s true feelings.
Kraken hadn’t killed Renzo yet, but the fury burning in his eyes made everything clear.
If Kraken removed the core he’d planted in Renzo’s body and killed him, what would that death actually look like? Would it be instantaneous, like his head simply flying clean off?
No. That couldn’t be right. Kraken’s core was serving as Renzo’s heart. Which meant while death was inevitable, there would be time before it came. If the conditions were right, there would be enough time to take someone with him.
‘I could use these people as hostages if things go south.’
His thoughts settled, Renzo looked down at Thompson, still on his knees, and spoke.
“Ah, I’m sorry about you. Truth is, I wasn’t really angry with you. I just wanted what he had.”
Renzo held up the Prosthetic Arm he’d torn away.
“You, you madman. A Magical Prosthetic Arm is custom-fitted to the individual. Everyone’s nerves, blood vessels, and bones are different shapes. If you attach just any Prosthetic Arm, rejection occurs! Especially if it’s been mangled like the one you’re holding now—the shock when you attach it would be so severe you’d die from the pain alone!”
“Ah, is that so.”
Renzo’s eyes lit up as though he’d just learned something fascinating.
Whether or not he was truly listening to Thompson’s explanation, Renzo began testing the Prosthetic Arm against his own empty socket.
“That sounds entertaining.”
Crack!
Renzo drove the Prosthetic Arm into the stump of his severed limb. Blood cascaded down, soaking the metal, dripping steadily onto the floor. Everyone’s mouths fell open in horror.
“Hgh—hngh!”
Renzo’s face twisted. Cold sweat poured down as his jaw clenched hard. He was forcing something foreign into his body, deliberately awakening his nerves and binding them to it. It was like forcing the assembly components of two entirely different machines to mesh together.
The pain was immense. Exactly as Thompson had described—severe enough that dying from it would be no surprise.
And yet.
“…This shouldn’t be possible.”
Thompson, watching, let out a voice he didn’t even know he was making. The Prosthetic Arm’s thumb twitched—just barely, for just an instant. It had connected to Renzo’s nerves. Nerves that absolutely should not have connected.
“Hnn! No, not that way! I moved my index finger!”
Crack-crack!
Renzo did something even more grotesque. He twisted the Prosthetic Arm inside his socket—the one he’d already driven in. To align his nerves properly, he was deliberately inflicting shock-level pain on himself again.
“Thumb, thumb, that’s it. Index finger, good. Wrist is—no, not that! That’s not it!”
Thud, thud-thud.
Several more crude adjustments followed. Pushing it deeper, twisting it, pounding the joint with his fist. Each time, blood poured out, spreading across the floor. The Prosthetic Arm was now completely dark with blood.
At last.
“Mm. Good. That should do it.”
Renzo lifted the Prosthetic Arm and worked it—thumb through pinky. Each finger moved smoothly, every joint perfect.
Renzo grinned wickedly. Watching him, Kraken thought:
─This is a Monster. This is not human.
More than any Monster Kraken had ever encountered beyond the Territories, he smelled it on Renzo now.
Renzo looked at Thompson, still frozen in shock, and spoke.
“Let’s get along from now on, One-arm.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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