Book 1 Chapter 108
【108】107.
“There are many energetic ones this year too.”
Berga, a beastman with cat ears and a tail, checked the documents and said.
Normally, the Cat Clan was known as a beautiful beastman tribe with delicate features.
But Berga was different.
His height reached 2 meters, and his build was also large and burly.
He was so large that one would believe he was a bear beastman, not a cat beastman.
His face was also very grim, and the scar on his left eye made his impression even more terrifying.
“I-I’ll immediately punish those guys severely! Instructor Berga!”
Arjeya, the cat beastman assistant instructor who had come to report that there had been a fight among the admission candidates, perked up her ears and tail and shouted loudly.
Berga was an object of fear not only among students but also among assistant instructors.
“Why should I punish them?”
“Huh?”
Berga Tune.
Having become an instructor three years ago at Azonia’s request, he was a hero whose name was listed in the Hero Record.
He pursued only one value in education.
Strength.
That’s why he was a man respected by countless Azonia students.
Berga, having risen from his seat, approached the window.
*Flung open—!*
*Whooooaah—!*
As he opened the window, a roar that had been blocked by soundproofing magic poured in.
Listening to that, Berga curled the corners of his mouth.
“Struggle is precisely the direction our Azonia should pursue!”
At Berga’s words, Arjeya gulped.
‘As expected, Instructor Berga! The instructor who best suits Azonia!’
The Colosseum was packed with spectators.
And in the middle of it, admission candidates were entering.
A moment later, the iron bars in the arena opened, and Tartarus’s magical beast, a Mammoth, appeared.
It was a magical beast captured alive by Azonia.
Upon seeing the Mammoth, the admission candidates quickly dispersed.
And holding their respective weapons, they began hunting the Mammoth.
Showing off their individual skills, they cornered the Mammoth.
Every time a flashy skill erupted, the spectators let out cheers.
*Thump—!*
Eventually, having seen the Mammoth fall, Berga asked.
“How long did it take to defeat it?”
“It took 36 minutes!”
“What are the grades of the ten free lecture students now?”
“All of them are in the upper-middle ranks!”
“I’m not satisfied.”
“Huh? 36 minutes is a respectable score, isn’t it?”
“Hmph. That’s a general statement. Assistant Instructor Arjeya, haven’t you also heard the story of this year’s Lumerne first-years?”
At Berga’s words, Arjeya fell silent.
The fact that Lumerne first-years succeeded in the Gigantes Raid was already a famous issue.
Probably, if it hadn’t been an official event, no matter if it was Lumerne, people wouldn’t have easily believed it.
It was such an outrageous major incident.
“Furthermore, Seyrun is also formidable. Especially that Alan guy’s daughter, Lunia, wasn’t it? The rumors are widespread that she’s extremely outstanding.”
Recalling an elf hero of the same generation with whom he had competed for a long time, Berga snorted.
“Therefore, there must be many outstanding ones among our new students this time!”
As the pride of their race was at stake, the hero academies had no choice but to have a strong sense of rivalry toward each other.
Listening to Berga’s words, Arjeya nodded her head.
“Certainly, this generation, Lumerne definitely has the leading atmosphere! But our candidates are also splendid! Especially this time!”
*Whooooaah—!*
“Instructor Berga’s daughter is also attending, isn’t she!”
At Arjeya’s words, Berga snorted.
“Naturally!”
Even in Berga’s eyes, his daughter, Ar, was a martial artist with qualities that surpassed his own.
‘If it’s that child, she’ll easily manage something like a class representative!’
As Berga proudly looked at his daughter, a black-haired rabbit beastman boy, who was the last to enter, caught his eye.
The moment he saw that boy, Berga unconsciously gasped.
“Instructor?”
“Arjeya. Do you know anything about the mixed-blood boy who entered last?”
“Huh? Um… it’s a face I’ve never seen before?”
Arjeya, with a flustered expression, rummaged through the list of admission candidates.
She had already identified the faces and names of candidates with a certain level of skill.
If it was a student Arjeya didn’t know, they were either in the lower ranks not receiving much attention or had only an admission recommendation.
As Arjeya frantically searched through the list.
Berga narrowed his eyes, watching the boy.
‘Those eyes resemble Reina’s!’
School days.
Recalling Lumerne’s class representative, the woman he had set as his goal, Berga thought.
‘Come to think of it, Reina received a recommendation letter for Azonia’s admission.’
Berga’s eyes widened greatly as he recalled a forgotten old memory.
‘Is he really Reina’s son?!’
***
“Whoooaah!”
“I’m looking forward to it!”
“Show us something great!”
Leo, who entered the arena, wore a puzzled expression as he looked at the beastmen shouting cheers.
Leo, leaning against the wall, wore a puzzled expression.
‘Is this also part of the entrance ceremony? Wasn’t Azonia’s entrance ceremony just a desert-crossing marathon?’’
Looking at the other candidates, they were busy showing off in front of the spectators.
Some were showing off their weapons and brandishing them flashily, while others were showing off their sharp claws and boasting of their strength.
Among them, there were familiar faces.
‘The guys who picked a fight with me earlier are here too.’
The three beastmen who had picked a fight earlier were boasting of their strength.
Of course, besides them, there were familiar faces.
It was the cat girl, Ar, who was eliciting gasps of admiration from the spectators with her light movements.
Ar, who was hopping around, upon finding Leo leaning against the wall, wore a welcoming expression.
“How did we end up in the same group?!”
“Is this also Azonia’s entrance ceremony?”
“Uh, what are you talking about?”
“Wasn’t the entrance ceremony just a desert-crossing marathon?”
Listening to Leo’s words, Ar wore an incredulous expression.
“This isn’t an entrance ceremony! It’s the Magical Beast Carnival!”
“Magical Beast Carnival?”
“You don’t know the Magical Beast Carnival? Are you really a beastman?”
“I’m mixed-blood, so I mainly lived in human society. That’s why I don’t know much about beastman culture.”
“Azonia’s entrance ceremony isn’t just a simple entrance ceremony! It’s one of the biggest festivals.”
“Cat big sister! I’m looking forward to your great performance!”
As the boy cheered energetically, Ar, who smiled with a ‘Hmph—!’, clenched her fist and punched towards the wall.
*Boom—!*
“Whooooaah—!”
“That girl is no joke, is she?”
“She’s the successor of the Tune family!”
“As expected!”
Watching Ar, who smashed the wall with her fist, the spectators shouted even louder cheers.
“Every year, a tremendous number of beastmen visit Azrek to see the entrance ceremony! This is one of the festivals to entertain those visitors!”
*Thudding—!*
“And while it’s a festival for them, for us admission candidates, it’s also a ritual!”
“A ritual?”
“Yes! Tartarus’s threat is continuing! So, at this entrance ceremony, we shout to our kin!”
With her hands on her hips and chest puffed out, Ar shouted proudly.
“‘We have come!’”
“Oho?”
Leo let out an exclamation of admiration.
Just then, *Thump—! Thump—!*
The ground trembled.
The candidates who had been showing off to the spectators wore tense expressions.
Ar also, with a ‘Hmph—!’ smile, took a battle stance.
*Rumble! Clang—!*
*Roooooar!*
The iron bars opened, and a 3-meter-tall magical beast with orange skin burst out.
“Cyclops! This will be fun!”
Ar, who wore a belligerent smile, pressed Leo’s nose.
“*Boop!* Don’t be scared like before, go and fight well! Black Rabbit!”
Winking one eye, Ar charged at the Cyclops.
“‘We have come,’ huh.”
Leo smirked.
‘I don’t need to stand out, so maybe I’ll step back and just observe the skills of Azonia’s admission candidates?’
If it wasn't the entrance ceremony, there was no need to deliberately step forward.
The reason Leo attended Azonia’s entrance ceremony was because he wanted to see hero candidates of other races with his own eyes.
‘I also need to find someone worthy of inheriting Arion’s skills.’
Leo’s goal was the complete annihilation of Erebus.
To achieve that goal, he needed comrades.
Kyle certainly succeeded in subjugating Erebus as the last Great Hero.
But that was only possible because he inherited the essence of power left by his comrades.
Moreover, even at that time, dividing Erebus into several pieces and sealing it was the best option.
No matter how much Leo recovered the power of his Kyle days, it would be too much for him to completely annihilate Erebus alone.
‘New Great Heroes are needed.’
To do that, people worthy of inheriting the power of the friends Leo knew were needed.
In a sense, Leo was the Great Hero ‘s’ himself.
Leo quietly watched the nine Azonia admission candidates fighting the Cyclops.
Carefully observing the movements of the Azonia admission candidates, Leo tilted his head.
‘Their skill is equal to Lumerne kids’.’
These were the ones who survived the elective courses conducted in Azonia during the past half year.
It was no exaggeration to say that they had practically received a similar level of education to Lumerne first-years.
‘And that one definitely has a different level.’
Leo’s eyes lit up.
She infused aura into the tip of her sharp claws and cut the Cyclops.
‘She’s still not displaying her proper skill.’
Ar was skilled enough to face the Cyclops even alone.
Moreover, since there was even numerical superiority, it was almost like she was toying with it.
Every time she swung her hand, the Cyclops’s tough skin was mangled.
Its bones weren’t severed, but if it wasn’t a high-grade magical beast with tenacious vitality, it might have died long ago.
It was when Leo was leisurely watching the fight.
*Whizz—!*
Something flew towards Leo.
As he turned his head, jeers poured out from among the spectators.
“What are you doing?!”
“The other kids are fighting hard, why are you just watching?!”
“You cowardly rabbit bastard!”
All nine of them were busy dealing with the Cyclops, but Leo alone was just staring blankly, so the spectators’ dissatisfaction exploded.
This was because beastmen who pursued strength hated cowardice more than anyone else.
It was when Leo was scratching his head at their reaction.
*Groooaaar!*
Suddenly, the Cyclops charged towards Leo.
The Cyclops, which reached Leo, raised its thick palm.
Leo, seeing that, let out a light sigh and conjured an aura.
***
‘That rabbit bastard!’
*Glare—!*
Ar, standing at the front, glared at Leo, who was behind her.
It was the same for the other admission candidates as well.
In their eyes, Leo, calmly watching the fight as if it had nothing to do with him, was certainly not going to be seen favorably.
‘What a complete disappointment!’
Ar, who had quite liked Leo, drooped her cat ears.
Other candidates also felt the same annoyance toward Leo.
“That cowardly bastard! I don’t like him!”
“Let’s teach him a good lesson!”
Some beastmen wore malicious expressions.
And then, they forcibly pushed the Cyclops towards Leo, who was watching defenselessly.
The Cyclops, which had been unilaterally hunted by nine people, upon discovering Leo alone, charged without hesitation.
*Groooaaar!*
A deep killing intent appeared in the eyes of the Cyclops, which had only been unilaterally attacked.
*Swoosh—!*
The Cyclops, which reached Leo, raised its hand.
Ar, seeing that, urgently leaped.
‘What? Dodge or counterattack! Otherwise, you’ll get hurt….’
*Boom—!*
The spectators and the other admission candidates wore shocked expressions.
As Leo swung his fist, the Cyclops’s arm was not just crushed but exploded.
Leo’s appearance, having instantly killed the Cyclops in just one blow, was truly awe-inspiring.
“Ooooh…!”
“Wooowwwwww!”
A deafening roar burst out.
Ar also opened her eyes wide.
It wasn’t because Leo defeated the Cyclops in a single blow.
Ar could also do that much, so there was nothing to be surprised about.
The reason she was surprised.
‘Just now…!’
That was because of a change that occurred in Leo’s body, which only Ar, who was directly in front of him, could notice.
Ar, wearing an incredulous expression, urgently looked at Leo, who covered his right eye.
‘It’s clear… just now, that guy underwent beast transformation!’