I Became the Academy’s Kibitz Villain

I hammered out various items from 10 kg of gold, which I didn’t just pilfer but earned through legitimate labor, using the Goblin Bat.

The essence was the transformation of magical power.

The principle behind this transformative alchemy was based on using the Goblin Bat to change its form, fitting mana into a new mold, thereby altering the gold to change its form along with it.

The giant lump of gold that appeared before us was actually moving in very fine particles, as small as grains of sand, changing its form.

Although I couldn’t manipulate it with the ease of all seasons like the ancestors did, if I could precisely envision a set shape, I could change the gold as much as I wanted.

“Manager Do, what is this now?”

“I just made it.”

Before us stood a bipedal Tyranno robot, its short arms pointing forward.

I took some design elements from the Mechtyranno we saw in a movie with Baek Seol-hee, but fundamentally, it felt like this golden Tyranno could transform at any moment.

“Manager Do, it feels like watching a kid in elementary school play with clay, making various things.”

“That’s fine to say. It actually feels like that.”

Yun Hye-ra made her remark with a slightly sour face, but how fun is was to be able to create whatever I wanted?

“What will you make next? A Gold Saint?”

“Creating armor would need to be custom-fit to the person’s body, which is a headache to think about, so let’s skip that. It’s much easier to weave directly with mana.”

“So you’re making another uniquely shaped weapon?”

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be unique.”

I struck the gold again with the Goblin Bat.

“Do you know this one?”

“Blue Dragon Crescent Blade?”

“Since it’s made of gold, it should be called the Golden Dragon Crescent Blade.”

Putting aside whether the Blue Dragon Crescent Blade actually existed, the weapon was widely recognized in media, and I had succeeded in forging it in gold.

“10 kg should be no big burden to wield as a weapon, right?”

“It would be fun if there were an ability user who took it as their concept. For physical enhancement-type ability users, the weapon becomes their identity. Hey, Serin, want to try holding the Blue Dragon Crescent Blade?”

“I’m not a blue dragon, why should I use it?”

Hyeon Se-rin grumbled as she spooned a big bite of yogurt in the kitchen.

“How about the White Tiger Crescent Blade?”

“It feels like a knock-off of the Blue Dragon Crescent Blade. I hate it. If you really want to give it away, send it to Do Cheol.”

“She’s not close-combat or physically enhanced.”

“…Over here.”

Yumir, sipping coffee on the sofa, cautiously raised her hand.

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“Does the concept have to match exactly?”

“Oh?”

“Look at this.”

The innocent question from Yumir led Yun Hye-ra and Hyeon Se-rin to sit next to her, poking her mana pouch playfully and squishing her from the side.

“For an ability user, the concept is as important as their identity. It’s mixed up because of Manager Do, but concept is verrry important.”

“To lose one’s concept as an ability user is to die, and it could be a step towards becoming a demon.”

“…….”

Yumir seemed unconvinced by their words.

“Is it that important…?”

For Yumir, who had changed concepts from a knight in golden armor to a magical girl, to a black suit agent, and now to the archangel Gwang Ik Gong, it was just a matter of tilting her head in confusion.

“A concept, just change it to fit the times, right? Like a teacher.”

“Hey. Even goblins have their own uniqueness.”

“The Sephiroth Knights might not have all come out yet, but once all ten are filled, do you think more will come? No. Those ten are it. Once a concept is set, it should continue.”

“Umm…”

Yumir tilted her head, puzzled.

“Yumir. Those who have cannot understand those who don’t.”

“What?”

“You can become anything, use any ability, and hold any concept, but most must stick to one concept based on their ability.”

Yumir and others were quite different.

“You can always take on a new form as you wish, so there’s no strong aversion to abandoning a concept.”

“Remember before? FakeRider. He seriously believed he was a Rider, but when that concept was denied a patent, he immediately became a demon. What Serin said wasn’t just a joke or a throwaway line.”

“To lose a concept means death?”

“Yes.”

In this world, that statement was no joke.

“Not just physically enhanced ability users, but they put their own ‘uniqueness’ into it. Cheonma is a prime example.”

Was there a being with overwhelmingly strong physicality?

That being proveD their individuality by expressing their costume as their own.

This was the age of abilities.

Lack of uniqueness and personality only led to extinction.

“Even demons who came from outer space created characters obsessed with national pride, and when those characters collapsed, they died.”

Duoexini died the moment he abandoned national pride.

Laplace’s demon died the moment it failed to know everything.

“Whether you set your ability based on your concept or lead your ability in the direction of your concept, there’s a difference in sequence for everyone, but if you have this, setting a concept shouldn’t be difficult.”

I aimed the Goblin Bat at the Golden Dragon Crescent Blade and transformed it into a new form.

“Simply changing it like this, what do you think it would feel like?”

“…Like a warrior friend of a fish that just leaped out of the deep sea?”

“Yes. A trident signifies a warrior of the sea.”

If one imagined a trident shining in golden light, it felt as if the costume should also include a tight suit with scales.

“Spear fighting can be learned anyhow, and just mimic the combat styles of spear-wielding characters from movies or comics. Now, think about this.”

I returned the gold to its original lump form.

“I’m just an ability user whose specialty is magic release. I haven’t decided on a costume yet, and it’s tricky to pin down a concept. But now, right in front of me, there’s this very stylish weapon made of gold?”

Click.

I changed it into a new form.

On top of the sword handle, a golden skull fiercely grinned, and magical power leaked from a double-edged sword engraved with runes.

“But what if using that weapon was part of a really cool character? What would be the best approach then?”

“…Match the weapon to your own concept?”

“Exactly. It becomes very easy. Especially if the weapon isn’t something that easily breaks or gets damaged, and it’s made of a mineral like magic stone that is imbued with mana.”

Right now, I’ve only made a sword, but I feel like making a helmet to press onto my head immediately.

These three didn’t know, but if someone knowledgeable saw this, they’d think that the Gold King always had to exist and everyone would want to follow suit.

“It’s not cosplay…”

“That’s right.”

The age of abilities.

And an era where the abilities of characters from creative works became reality.

“Imitating the media from creative works is indeed the easiest way to become strong in this world. Whether it’s opera, legends, myths, or even actual history.”

After checking the data once more on the Taeguk Watch, I hammered the gold with the Goblin Bat to create another weapon.

“…Wow.”

Yumir marveled.

Hyeon Se-rin’s eyes sparkled as she adjusted her posture, and Yun Hye-ra licked her lips and swallowed.

The gold naturally became two swords in front of me.

Not just ordinary swords, but if one were to exaggerate a bit, they were longswords reaching a true length of 2m—from the tip to the end of the handle.

Normally, a sword split in half would symbolize defeat.

But this sword was different.

“Yumir, what is this?”

“Just a pair of really long swords…?”

“Ah!”

Yun Hye-ra pinched Yumir’s cheek.

“How dare you say that! Haven’t you studied Korean history?”

“I have a Grade 1 in Korean history, though!”

“Then how do you not know this? You just studied online courses and certification books, didn’t you?”

“…It wasn’t on the exam?”

“That’s serious, very serious.”

Even Hyeon Se-rin joined in scolding Yumir.

“You said you’d become a Korean bride, but it seems you’re still Canadian.”

“Uh, uhh… what is it?”

“A national treasure designated by the Cultural Heritage Administration.”

“…It wasn’t on the exam.”

Yumir’s eyes began to wobble.

It must have felt unjust to be ganged up on by the three Koreans, but if she knew what these two longswords were, Yumir would immediately bow her head.

“This is the Samcheok Seocheon Mountain Undercolor, and this is the Ilhwi Sotang Blood Flame Mountain Under.”

“…What?”

She must have heard it somewhere.

“That, perhaps, maybe…?”

Yes.

Since they shine in gold, it’s hard to recognize due to the different color.

The characters are written in Chinese characters, not Hangul.

“General…?”

“It’s Admiral Yi’s sword.”

Yumir blushed and bowed her head deeply.

“Though it’s a ceremonial longsword, what would happen if an S-class ability user wielded it?”

“If swung once, it would dye mountains and rivers with blood.”

“That’s right.”

And what if mana was imbued in the weapon?

Gold from the Korean Peninsula, a metal capable of holding mana.

“If you imbue it with thunder and swing it, that becomes the Thunder Breath; if you imbue it with a wind blade and strike down, that becomes the Qi Gong Cannon.”