Chapter 70: Director of the Hextech Institute—Heimerdinger

“Hm, it seems I still need to adjust the adaptation parameters. Otherwise, flying off the planet every time is such a waste of time.”

From the dissipating chaotic storm, a peculiar figure stood up—less than a meter tall, yet his head was more than half a meter wide.

Tony, freed from danger, was momentarily speechless. Who was this person, popping up from nowhere and surviving that kind of attack without a scratch?

The strongest solo fighter Tony had known was Captain America, but in recent years, people even stronger had emerged one after another, repeatedly redefining Tony’s understanding of individual combat prowess.

“Mentor!” Jayce and Viktor shouted in unison.

Mentor?

Tony landed some distance away, watching curiously.

“Ah, little Jay, little Vik, long time no see.” Heimerdinger smiled as he spoke, the dirt atop his head falling off with his movements, making him look nothing like a scientist.

Jayce, without a word, quietly hid the shrunken Mercury Hammer behind his back, like a child trying to cover up a mistake.

“Mentor... weren’t you on assignment elsewhere?” Jayce spoke, unsure what expression to wear.

“Hmm... How could I not come back? I remember giving you my access card so you could apply for materials, not so you could use it to snatch tasks on the Ouroboros platform.”

Heimerdinger’s expression turned stern. Jayce had indeed gone too far, using his card’s high-level clearance to push out Jernomi’s teammate, and even altering some mission descriptions.

Jayce lowered his head, as if the pebbles on the rooftop contained the highest scientific truths, utterly captivating his attention.

“And who gave you permission to cut off another lab’s power supply at will? Did you learn nothing from the safety regulations?! Go back and copy the safety regulations ten thousand times! By hand! No shortcuts!”

Heimerdinger thundered, scolding Jayce relentlessly.

“Ah...” Jayce was despairing. The safety regulations were a thick tome; copying them ten thousand times, when would he ever finish?

Viktor nearly burst out laughing at Jayce’s misfortune, but feared being scolded himself and forced himself to hold back.

“Hmm?” Heimerdinger turned to Viktor. “You dare laugh?”

Viktor immediately lowered his gaze, acting the part of a model student.

“I ask you! It was Jayce who broke the rules, so why did you go along with him?!” Heimerdinger demanded, his head bobbing as he spoke, always giving the impression it might topple to the ground.

“It was Jayce who said...” Viktor tried to defend himself.

“Nonsense! You just believe whatever he says? There are so many veterans in the institute and you didn’t ask a single one. Just because you have a ‘genius’ label you think you’re untouchable? Come talk to me when you’ve earned the Morningstar title!”

“And before you joined, you were a mage, right? Among mages, there are plenty of liches and self-modifiers. What, you think my institute isn’t open-minded enough?”

Heimerdinger was furious. These two youngsters had brought him nothing but trouble since he met them. His head had grown even larger, all from anger!

“And in class, what did I tell you? You must view things dialectically. ‘Mechanics above all’? Why not just ascend mechanically, then?! Hmm? And I said your Singularity Generator was still immature, but you never listen, do you?!”

Viktor tucked his right hand behind his back, silent.

Indeed, when it came to challenging basic human concepts, the Necromancy and Spiritual Arts academies were no less radical than his mechanical modifications. Those academies were thriving, and their admission standards rose every year.

“Do you admit your mistake?” Heimerdinger asked.

Viktor nodded.

“Then there’s hope. Go back and copy the safety regulations with Jayce.”

“Huh? Mentor, I’m the victim here...”

“Any objections?”

“...No.”

Viktor wilted, and Heimerdinger suddenly remembered something, quickly adding, “Oh, and since your right hand is modified, you’ll copy with your left.”

Pfft~

Jayce couldn’t help but laugh. Copying with his left hand—Viktor was right-handed, this was worse than his own punishment.

Viktor glared at the schadenfreude Jayce, as if saying, ‘Just wait till we get back!’

Jayce lifted his chin, refusing to meet his gaze. Hey, as long as I don’t look at you, you’re not glaring at me.

“Enough! If you want to play these eye games, do it back at the lab!” Heimerdinger said, extending his right hand. The device on his hand drew the two of them to his side.

“Always causing me trouble. Do you know what Blitz thinks? He’s requested a new researcher, claiming you two are leading his fledgling AI astray!”

Jayce rubbed his nose; he was one of the lead researchers on the Blitz project.

Then Heimerdinger looked toward Tony, who was standing at a distance. “You, my friend, come here a moment.”

Tony hesitated for a second, then flew over. He was quite curious about the man who could teach Jayce and Viktor.

“Hmm... Your solo armor and those two adaptive suits... hmm...” Heimerdinger searched for words in his mind. “The concept is good, very innovative, and rather extravagant.”

Tony’s face darkened. This sounded just like the old ‘the future belongs to you’ platitude—praise with a hint of condescension.

He knew the tone well; his father used to say the same to young researchers.

“It’s like this. On my way here, I happened to subdue a few squads of soldiers. Later, I’ll need you to release them. As for the damage these two caused, the Hextech Institute will contact you after an assessment. Here’s my card. Thank you in advance.”

Heimerdinger was polite to outsiders.

Tony took the card and examined it; intricate patterns etched onto it directly affected both him and Jarvis, delivering information simultaneously to human and AI.

Heimerdinger, Head of the Hextech Institute.

Tony nodded, indicating he would help, sensing this was a good opportunity to connect with the other side’s world.

Heimerdinger smiled, then glared at Jayce and Viktor again. “Come on, let’s go apologize to Mage Kieran.”

“What? Mage Kieran is here too?” Jayce was timid, like a student being marched to the principal’s office by a parent.

Viktor said nothing, but his nerves surpassed Jayce’s—after all, he’d once been a mage.

“Mage Kieran left a projection here. Otherwise, who do you think notified me? Now you’re scared, huh? Keep causing trouble, why don’t you!”

Heimerdinger bobbed his head as he led Jayce and Viktor, vanishing from Tony’s sight.

As Tony prepared to leave, he noticed a strange mechanical device left where Heimerdinger had disappeared.

The device activated, and the devastated buildings and environment around began to rapidly restore themselves. In the blink of an eye, everything was almost exactly as it had been.