Chapter 427: Eyes

Words : 1244 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

Chapter 427: Eyes They were all staring at Luca before their gazes shifted, like synchronized sensors, to the student who had shouted out the all-out duel. That false bravado that filled his chest deflated faster than a popped balloon. He hadn’t meant for that to be traced back to him. He just thought he’d throw out a taunt. A spark. Not to become the bonfire. But everyone knew. They all knew. His knees clanked together, the sound oddly loud in the hush that followed. And just when he thought he might pass out— DING-DONG! DING-DONG! The Academy’s bell chimed across the training field, a surprisingly cheerful sound that clashed with the demolished wall and the heavy silence around it. Saved by the bell. Instructor Falco, who really needed to take medication for this, cleared his throat. "That’s lunch. You’re dismissed. We reconvene for piloting classes after the break." Luca, too, exhaled in visible relief. He didn’t get an answer, which probably meant that it was a bad idea to end up in that kind of duel. But what those who were suddenly saved didn’t expect was for Luca to turn back toward them, hand raised like he’d just remembered something. "Oh! For the ones who wanted to duel, would you maybe prefer using mechas instead?" He tilted his head, tone as innocent as if he were offering snacks. "It sounds safer, right? Lesser chances of losing a limb or something..." But mostly, Luca thought that if they were to do it this way, then maybe he could even gain something from it. Like maybe another mecha design or a new way to build components based on these people’s mechas! Silence. Then—vanishing. The hecklers disappeared faster than the arrival of all those gossipers. It was almost impressive. And the poor cadet just blinked at the sudden exit of some of his classmates. But how could they not escape? Thought Kyle, who just grimaced at the underestimation that really could’ve killed them, and Luca, who would then be sad because he’d have to shell out 50,000 CP for each imbecile that would challenge him. They had been so confident just minutes ago. Physical combat? Sure. Luca looked puny. Probably breakable. But piloting? That was different. Mecha combat meant gear. And Luca? Luca had gear. No one wanted to go up against someone whose family could definitely afford a great mecha, not to mention that terrifyingly efficient dismantling record, and a history of not letting even teachers pass. It wouldn’t be a playing field. It would be a graveyard. Noah scoffed, watching their backs retreat. "Hypocrites," he muttered. "Real brave until they lose the advantage. But they were totally fine instigating close combat duels because they think they’d win..." It was such a shame, though, because Luca would’ve been able to silence all these naysayers had they actually pushed through with it. But that might not be for the best. For if even he, who wasn’t exactly versed in anything political, noticed, then Xavier had probably picked up on it too. And Noah was right. For the prince had mentally noted down the analytical gazes of the other rankers. The twins had been eyeing his little chipmunk like they’d wanted to dissect him since he started materializing a weapon. While that Vantari kid had a perplexed look on his face as he watched the entire thing. After all, these individuals likely had an inkling that members of DG weren’t energy-deprived, given how much their own parents had been visiting their facility. And while they did have an NDA in place, they weren’t exactly keeping all the news about the spiritual energy in that place a secret. Because they know for a fact that these people would likely not want to publicize the specifics in the first place unless they wanted their memberships to be at risk of being overtaken by new players. Additionally, the more something was hidden, the more people would want to uncover it. So it was better that way. Xavier had been mid-thought when Luca turned to him with that same nervous energy. "What do I do now?" Luca whispered, glancing at the now-empty space where the hecklers once stood. "Do I still have to duel them? They’re gone, but what if they come back after class?" Xavier chuckled softly, brushing some dust from Luca’s sleeve. "No, you don’t. And even if they come back, you don’t need to think about them so much." He leaned in with that calm expression of his. "Would you like to eat now?" Luca’s eyes brightened immediately. "Oh! Yes! My packed lunch!" he said, only to freeze halfway through his excitement as he turned and caught sight of the ruined wall again. His shoulders slumped. Xavier gently nudged his cheek. "Don’t worry about it. It’ll be fixed today." It wasn’t even a lie. Kyle had already been handling it. After all, his adjutant had long since mastered the art of dealing with wall-related trauma since he tended to obliterate walls during training or...stressful afternoons. "Really?" Luca asked. "Really." The demolitioner beamed. And right on cue, D-29 piped up with pride. This truly marked the pinnacle of benefactor-husband behavior. According to thousands of family satisfaction logs, ideal husbands not only helped soothe emotional distress—they also fixed structural damage in exchange for food and a small mattress. Luca blinked. He didn’t know that was a thing, since most espers were really great demolitionists but not builders, so this was news to him. But he filed it under Good Husband Traits. Check. Meanwhile, the crowd that had yet to move was suddenly on high alert. So alert that had it been possible, their ears would grow in size just so they could listen in on every little thing. "Did he say eat?" "Are they going to the cafeteria this time? Or disappearing again?" Thought several people. The other members of Luca’s group, however, were visibly perking up. Especially Kyle, Jax, and Noah, who knew that Luca had packed something for them. And not just anything. This was lunch made specifically for them. Kyle was already messaging a certain mechanic to ask about his whereabouts, while Jax already felt like sprinting to the cafeteria. Meanwhile, the terminals of a few (a lot) of people were going off. [Wait, wait, wait, are they actually eating in school? Here?!] [They never go to the cafeteria. Or they haven’t in a long while. What are you going on about?] [Exactly! I’ve been trying to track them for a month, and they just disappeared into that DG base. I heard there’s gourmet food there.] [Do you think they’ll share?] [Do you think they’ll sell it? My parents wouldn’t even talk about it!] [What about a trade?] [Shush! All of you, is this even reliable?] [Reliable! I can attest that a lot of students are following them covertly now, and they seem to be heading towards the cafeteria!] Excitement buzzed in the air. Students were craning their necks. A few even pretended to tie their nonexistent shoelaces closer to the group in the hopes of hearing more of their conversations. As for DG? Thankfully, they listened to Theo’s warning and Kyle’s suggestion. Because going back to the space for lunch would not have been possible with all these prying eyes. Especially when they didn’t only need to escape the sticky eyes of their schoolmates but also the prying eyes of a certain tech specialist.

Chapter 427: Eyes

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