The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL] Chapter 1178: Making Headlines

A particularly explosive signboard, unexpected guests from every corner of the universe, yet another youngster who might very well become one of the Empire of Solaris’ future powerhouses, and the military’s noticeably heightened security all combined to send anticipation for the three-day examination soaring.

The atmosphere inside the arena was already electric as the host finished introducing the long list of master mechanics who’d be judging the exam.

Elsewhere, however...

The excitement was somehow even greater.

Star Net had practically exploded.

The sheer number of discussions, theories, arguments, and live reaction threads was enough to make anyone think the Astral Cup season had started early.

[HOT] WHO ISN’T HERE?! Countless powerhouses, master mechanics, and even socialites spotted in the stands. Is this a licensure exam or a galactic summit?

[DISCUSSION] Which Academy Started the Ticket War First?

[TRENDING] I defeated three classmates in single combat and climbed a mountain just to get my academy’s ticket allocation. Zero regrets.

[DISCUSSION] Are we just going to ignore Kyle Nox wearing a kitchen apron in public? Is this the new standard for husbands? How can we get our hands on the same design?

[THEORY THREAD] A Comprehensive Analysis of Luca Kyros’ Abstract Signboard: Hidden Spiritual Meaning, Tactical Symbolism, and the True Message Behind the Highly Evocative Masterpiece.

[RANT] Where do I sign up to be adopted by House Mylor? Owen gets older siblings who build him custom mechas, while mine only give me opportunities for character development.

Yet among the countless discussions flooding Star Net, the busiest threads were inevitably those dedicated to bets, speculation, and fiercely protective posts.

[ODDS: PLACE YOUR BETS] Will the Mylor heir actually finish his build within three days, or will the pressure claim another victim before the final session?

[SPECULATION] Grade and rarity predictions: Are we about to witness another legendary S-grade miracle, or will the available materials keep him at B-grade?

[DEBATE] Can Ollie Mylor actually rival his best friend? A discussion on whether he can approach the record set by the youngest licensed mechanic in Imperial history.

[POLL] Total failure, basic pass, outstanding success, or historical breakthrough? Cast your vote before the first session begins!

[ANALYSIS] The numbers don’t lie: Why attempting to replicate Luca Kyros’ death-defying two-day construction pace could be the biggest mistake of Ollie Mylor’s career.

[DEBATE] Is three days really enough to build something worthy of a special licensure exam, or are expectations getting completely out of hand?

[RANT] To everyone arguing about what counts as "groundbreaking": when exactly are taking the special licensure exam in front of every master mechanic in the galaxy? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

[ANALYSIS] Let’s be honest. Is any of this even fair? Millions are watching, the Astral Cup has been temporarily postponed, and every major guild is looking for ways to strengthen themselves using whatever DG reveals despite the organization’s already tiny roster.

[DISCUSSION] Aren’t we basically teaching our competitors how to improve? If you spent years developing revolutionary techniques, would you really want to reveal them just to earn a license?

[PREDICTION] Every major mecha manufacturer has to be holding its breath right now. The moment Oliver Mylor unveils something new, they’ll all be racing to recreate the production line before anyone else gets there.

Reading through the endless flood of posts while keeping an eye on public sentiment was Deputy Officer Curtis, who couldn’t help pacing around the arena’s control room.

The more he read, and the longer the wait dragged on, the more restless he became. He was honestly just fortunate that his personal devil was currently sated and was temporarily on his side. Otherwise, Eden would’ve long since asked whether he was planning to wear a groove into the floor with the incessant scraping of his boots.

But really...

If anyone else had been in his position, would they have been any different?

"Sir... is this really okay?"

Marshal Julian kept his eyes on Ollie as the young mechanic walked toward his assigned workstation. He understood exactly where Curtis was coming from. He also understood why Eden had been tirelessly tracking possible information leaks.

The two of them knew more than almost everyone else, but still knew far less than those who’d actually been permitted inside Luca’s dungeon.

Not only had those two witnessed the mechas produced during Luca’s licensure exam, but they had also seen the ones currently piloted by members of House Kyros and DG’s cadets when they fought back in Zone Four.

And admittedly, had he not been privy to secrets they were willing to take to the grave, Marshal Julian was certain he’d be sweating buckets alongside everyone else waiting to see what Oliver Mylor was about to unveil.

Granted, he still didn’t know the specifics of the build Ollie and the rest of them had been working on. He wasn’t a mechanic, and much of the finer technical discussion naturally escaped him.

Still, he trusted those kids. At the very least, his nephew would be very thorough, given his wife’s extremely deep ties to the young blonde.

So yes, he trusted the plans they’d painstakingly put together and would focus on the tasks they wanted him to take on.

That alone was enough to keep him from wearing a path into the floor like his adjutant currently was.

"I certainly hope so," the Empire’s Marshal finally answered. "Which is why we continue monitoring the flow of information."

He turned toward the officers gathered throughout the command room, the enormous projection of the testing grounds stretching across the wall behind them.

"Watch for unusual prompts and lines of inquiry in schematic discussions," he ordered. "Monitor internal communications as well. Any faction that appears overly invested in obtaining the specifications goes on the priority list—"

There were actually more reminders he could’ve given but paused when he eyed the faces in front of him.

Julian frowned.

Curtis looked oddly rigid.

So did everyone else.

But not one of them was actually looking at him.

Instead, every pair of eyes was fixed somewhere behind him.

The Marshal raised a brow before turning around once again.

The moment he did, he understood why silence had swallowed not only the control room, but the arena and even Star Net itself.

Because in all his years serving in the military, it was the first time he’d ever seen a mechanic begin constructing a mecha by holding up something bright and striking it.

Yep.

There he was, in the middle of the grounds, serenely striking an honest-to-goodness gong.

"..."

"..."

Julian stared dumbfounded at the view before him.

"...Was this part of the plan?"