Chapter 26: 5 Days to Build a God
`0800 - Day 1 After Round 1`
`Workshop 2-B`
The smell of burnt metal filled the workshop.
`[TRASH SYSTEM: UPGRADE MODE ACTIVE]`
`[Project: [Scrap - Mark II]]`
`[Time Until Round 2: 5 Days]`
`[Construction Progress: 0%]`
Kael hadn’t slept.
24 hours passed and he was still analyzing Team 03’s fight footage. The A-Rank Champions.
3 screens on the table.
1. *The Mage*: Fires `Fireball + Ice Lance` from range. Relies on Mana Shield.
2. *The Swordsman*: Insane speed. Dual blades. Cuts through steel like paper.
3. *The Tank*: 2.5 meters. Tower shield. Job is to protect the other two and break anything.
`[Analysis Complete]`
`[Threat Level: CRITICAL]`
`[Team 03 Weakness: Mana Dependent. Poor Mobility.]`
Kael slammed his hand on the table.
"We break the tank. We suffocate the mage. And we leave the swordsman to Lira."
`KNOCK KNOCK`
Lira walked in. Carrying a big crate.
Ren followed behind her. Coffee and 4 pizzas in hand.
"Morning, mad engineer," Ren said. "Brought materials."
Lira set the crate down.
`[High-Density Mana Core Shard x2]`
`[Tungsten Alloy Plates x10]`
`[Plasma Conduit x1]`
"Stole them," she said flatly. "From the A-Rank storage."
Kael looked at the materials and his eyes lit up.
"Perfect. We’re building a cannon."
_Day 1-2: The Frame_
First thing: size.
Scrap Mark I was 3.1 meters. Too big. Too slow.
`[Design Goal: Mark II = 2.4m. Faster. Denser Armor.]`
Kael cut 40% off the old Scrap.
Melted it down.
`MELTING. FORGING. WELDING.`
`WHIRRR.`
The `Auto-Scrap Arm Lv.2` worked 18 hours straight.
`[Mental Load: 91%]`
`[Status: Exhausted]`
Ren kept bringing scrap and laughing.
"You’re building a god. Literally. A god made of trash."
Lira tested every weld.
"Weak here. Redo it."
"Weight distribution’s off. Add more here."
By the end of Day 2, the frame was done.
2.4 meters. Leaner. Broader shoulders.
The armor was now `Tungsten Alloy`. Not just scrap.
`[Scrap Mark II - Frame: 100%]`
`[Weight: -30%. Defense: +60%]`
_Day 3: The Weapon_
The problem: range.
Team 03 would stay back and cast magic.
The solution: a cannon.
Kael took the `Plasma Conduit` and linked it to the 2 `High-Density Mana Cores`.
Crazy idea: the cannon fires any metal object as ammo.
`[Weapon System: [Scrap Cannon]]`
`[Ammo: Any Metal Object]`
`[Range: 200m]`
`[Cooldown: 30s]`
First test blew half the workshop.
`BOOOOM.`
`[Scrap Cannon: UNSTABLE]`
Kael stood in the smoke. Face black. And laughing.
"We need recoil dampeners!"
They spent 12 hours adding `Hydraulic Stabilizers` to the shoulders and legs.
Second test:
Kael gave the command.
`[Fire Scrap Cannon]`
`THOOOM!`
A ball of nails and metal shot out and vaporized a training target 150 meters away.
Nothing was left.
`[Scrap Cannon: STABLE]`
`[Damage: A-Rank+]`
Ren whistled. "Yeah. The Academy’s gonna ban cannons after this."
_Day 4: The Link Upgrade_
Biggest problem with Mark I: time.
7 minutes only.
Solution: permanent link.
Kael ripped out the old port from his arm.
Installed a new one. Bigger. With 3 cables instead of 1.
`[WARNING: SURGERY IN PROGRESS]`
`[Risk of Nerve Damage: 61%]`
Lira was holding his arm down.
"If you die, I’m killing you."
Her voice was calm but there was a threat in it.
Kael bit down on a piece of wood and connected the wires.
`ZZZZT.`
The pain was hell.
`[Direct Neural Link: ESTABLISHED]`
`[Mana Efficiency: +200%]`
`[Sync Cap: 95%]`
When he opened his eyes, Scrap Mark II was standing in front of him.
And it moved the second he moved.
No commands. No delay.
`[Scrap Mark II: ONLINE]`
`[AI Assist: Basic Combat Protocols Installed]`
Kael smiled. Blood dripping from his nose.
"Welcome to the world, monster."
_Day 5: Final Test - 0200_
The yard was empty. Off limits.
Team 47 was all there.
"Final test," Kael said. "Simulation vs Team 03."
Lira raised her spear. "I’m the mage."
Ren grabbed a training shield. "I’m the tank."
A training bot was the "swordsman".
`[SIMULATION START]`
The bot attacked. Fast.
Scrap blocked with its arm. `CLANG!`
Sparks flew.
Lira "the mage" fired 3 fireballs.
Scrap raised its hand.
`[Debris Shield]`
The scrap on its body formed a shield and blocked everything.
Ren "the tank" charged.
Scrap didn’t back down.
`[Heavy Stomp]`
`BOOM.`
The ground shattered and Ren fell.
"Enough!" Kael said.
`[Fire Scrap Cannon]`
`THOOOM!`
The training dummy was erased.
Silence.
Then Ren started clapping. "Oh my god. We’re gonna win this."
Lira walked to Kael. Looked him in the eyes.
Dark circles. Blood. But his back was straight.
"You okay?" she asked.
Kael shrugged. "Got 6 hours to sleep. Enough."
Lira didn’t answer. Just handed him a cloth.
"Wipe the blood. You look like a monster."
_Day 5: 0600 - Eve of Round 2_
`Bulletin Board.`
The whole Academy was watching.
`TEAM 47 vs TEAM 03`
`[Odds Updated: 0.1% -> 8%]`
`[Betting Suspended]`
8%. Up from 0.1% in 24 hours.
The whispers changed.
"Heard about his cannon?"
"They say the Golem moves on its own now."
"Team 03 looks scared."
Kael stood in front of the list. Scrap behind him.
2.4 meters. Black. With blue mana lines.
Silent. Lethal.
Ren next to him, eating. "8%? We’re taking that to 100% today."
Lira stood on the other side.
Team 03 was across from them.
The 3 of them in gold. Laughing.
Their captain, the A-Rank Mage, looked at Kael and made a throat-slitting motion.
Kael didn’t move.
He just put his hand on Scrap’s chest.
`[Direct Link: STANDBY]`
And he felt it.
The anger. The hunger. The loyalty.
`[ANNOUNCER VOICE]`
`[LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! ROUND 2!]`
`[TEAM 47: THE TRASH ARTISAN AND HIS GOLEM!]`
`[VS]`
`[TEAM 03: THE REIGNING CHAMPIONS!]`
`[ENTER THE ARENA!]`
The doors opened.
Bright light hit their faces.
50,000 spectators. All standing.
Lira stepped forward. Spear gleaming.
Ren stepped forward. Laughing, dual sabers out.
Kael stepped forward. And Scrap’s blue eyes glowed with his.
They stopped in the center of the arena.
The golden team was across from them. Confident. Laughing.
The referee raised his hand.
`[BEGIN IN 3... 2... 1...]`
Kael took a breath.
`[Mana: 100%]`
`[Synchronization: 94%]`
And he remembered everything.
The Dump.
The bread.
The 200 pieces of trash.
Lira saying "Someone should have."
Ren saying "I like you. You’re crazy."
He opened his eyes.
"Scrap," he whispered.
`[BEGIN!]`
`BOOM.`
Scrap vanished.
And appeared in front of Team 03’s Mage.
Before the man could even cast...
A 2.4 meter tungsten fist s
lammed into his chest.
`CRUNCH.`
The Arena Barrier shook.
And the whole world went silent.
To Be Continued...
Thanks for reading!
If you’re enjoying the story, please consider adding it to your Library and giving it a Power Stone. Your support helps the novel grow. Thank you!