Book 1 Chapter 12

Leo let down his polearm and approached Thalatunia.

'He's a swordsman, can he handle a weapon like that?'

Chelsea, who was preparing to assist Leo with magic from afar, wore a worried expression.

Even to Chelsea, Leo's swordsmanship was incredible.

But if the weapon changes, it's a different story.

'It would be better to borrow someone else's sword…'

While Chelsea was worrying.

Hwoong- Hwoong- Hwoong-

As Leo approached Thalatunia, he twirled his fingers, rotating the polearm.

A considerable sense of weight could be felt.

It was an item difficult for someone Leo's age to handle without the help of aura.

However, for Leo, who had trained beyond his physical limits since childhood, it was no obstacle.

No, rather, this weight became a weapon for Leo.

Hwoong-! Hwoong-! Hwoong-hwoong-hwoong-hwoong-hwoong-!

The lightly rotating polearm began to spin at a terrifying speed.

Thalatunia opened its maw wide and charged.

Wham-!

Leo, gathering centrifugal force, let the polearm slide from his hand and grabbed the end of the handle.

And he swung it powerfully with one hand.

Thwack-! Splat!

Kiiyaaaaaaaak!

The axe head of the polearm, swung in a full swing, plunged into Thalatunia's head.

The polearm's weight and the force gained from its rotational motion became destructive physical power, instantly shattering Thalatunia's head.

While everyone was aghast.

Leo, who retrieved the polearm, jumped straight up.

And he plunged the axe into its back as if striking down with both hands.

Crack-!

Kyaaaak!

A ear-splitting scream.

Thalatunia struck its own back with its long front paws.

Swoosh-!

Leo, who dodged the attack quickly by leaping, lightly took a step.

'I can't use this for long.'

He quickly checked the weapon's condition.

He succeeded in landing an effective blow, but the weapon was damaged with just one attack.

Aura not only enhances a weapon's attack power but also preserves its durability.

"Chelsea!"

"Uh, yes?"

"Use wind magic to send other examinees' weapons to me!"

Leo shouted, dodging Thalatunia's attack.

"Delicate control is impossible in such fast-moving situations! You might get hurt if you're not careful!"

"Just send them quickly, I'll catch them!"

"Which, which weapon?"

"Any weapon is fine! Hurry!"

At Leo's urging, Chelsea received the examinees' weapons and sent them flying with wind magic.

Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-!

A sharp scimitar and a heavy bastard sword flew towards Leo.

"Use whichever one is comfortable!"

Thwack-! Clang!

The axe blade of the polearm that struck Thalatunia's head broke.

Leo threw the handle part back and stepped away, reaching out his hand.

'If I listen to the sound, is it a scimitar and a bastard sword?'

He accurately identified the types of weapons by the sound of them flying.

Kyaaaak!

Thalatunia tried to stab Leo with both front paws.

Leo jumped and spun in the air, dodging the attack.

Clack! Clack!

At the same time, he accurately caught both weapons.

A scimitar in his left hand, a bastard sword in his right.

Leo blocked Thalatunia's front paw, which was targeting his body, with the flat of the bastard sword's blade.

Clang-!

A tremendous shock reverberated through his body.

"Ugh!"

Leo suppressed a groan and flung himself back, swinging his left hand.

Slash-!

Kyaaa!

In that brief moment, Leo, who had cut off one of Thalatunia's front paws, was flung back and regained his posture.

And he charged without hesitation.

Thalatunia's defense itself wasn't high.

It was at a level where it could be cut with mere strength, even by weapons not imbued with aura.

Yet, the reason other examinees' attacks didn't work was simple.

Its recovery speed was faster than the speed at which it sustained injuries.

'Was the Ring of Life such an annoying item?'

Leo let out a hollow laugh and quickly moved his feet.

He squeezed every ounce of strength from his body, pushing himself to the limit.

Having continuously surpassed his limits during the past time, his entire body responded to Leo's will.

Although he didn't use aura, Leo's movements were miraculous in themselves.

Watching this, the other examinees' jaws dropped.

Polearm.

Scimitar and Bastard sword.

Claymore.

Dagger.

Longsword.

Spear.

Battleaxe.

Every time a weapon broke, Leo used other examinees' weapons one after another.

And he handled the weapons with uncanny skill.

The sight itself was thrilling.

Regardless of the type of weapon, he showed movements close to divine skill.

As if he could wield every weapon in the world.

He faced Thalatunia without the slightest hesitation.

The sight was reminiscent of a god of war.

'He's only our age, but how is he capable of fighting like that with such a variety of weapons?'

'What on earth is that guy's true identity?'

The eyes of the examinees aiming to become knights widened.

Chelsea, who was assisting Leo, also wore an expression of disbelief.

At first, she thought about helping with magic.

But Leo moved too fast.

A chaotic battle continued where magic couldn't be used carelessly.

So she was anxious.

But those worries were meaningless as Leo single-handedly confronted that terrifying monster.

The Great Hero.

The hidden power of the man who, with the [Brave] Arion, had led impossible battles to victory on the front lines countless times, was enough to captivate people's eyes.

Even in a battle where a small mistake led directly to death, Leo was fearless.

Rather, he felt at ease.

'I worried after fifteen years, but this sensation hasn't disappeared.'

His breath caught in his throat.

Yet, he laughed.

He pressed Thalatunia relentlessly.

In the middle, an attack grazed him, tearing his flesh.

Still, he didn't stop.

'Forward! Forward!'

Trial? Wasn't every moment a trial in the past?

'If I can't even stop a bug like this, those guys will be laughing in the afterlife!'

This isn't even a trial!

Crack-

"Tch!"

He heard the sound of the longsword he was holding cracking.

The weapon had already reached its limit.

In just 5 short minutes, dozens of weapons had already broken.

It was when Leo was about to ask Chelsea for the next weapon.

"Leo! I'm ready!"

Leo grinned at Celia's shout in his ear.

"Hup!"

And he leaped with all his might, moving away from Thalatunia.

Whoosh-! Goooooooh-!

And with that, as if to switch.

Celia, holding up a Flame Storm imbued with maddening heat, leaped.

Suppressing the heat was a powerful wind.

"Stop! Die! You bug!"

Kwaaaaah!

As she swung her sword, a storm of scorching heat was unleashed.

The powerful storm tore Thalatunia's body to shreds.

The suffocating heat relentlessly burned Thalatunia's body.

Thalatunia thrashed.

The power of the Ring of Life granted the spider infinite life.

But soon, the power of destruction surpassed the power of recovery.

Whoosh-!

The flames died down, and Thalatunia disappeared, turning into ashes.

Thud-!

A golden ring fell to the ground.

[Alby's World: Prologue - Monster Forest has been cleared.]

A message appeared before his eyes.

Celia plopped down in her seat.

"I-it's over."

Celia, who leaned her head back and let out a deep sigh, looked at Leo.

Leo, covered in wounds all over his body, stood panting.

'He really held off that monster for 5 minutes.'

It was astounding.

Moreover, despite suffering the most, he stood proudly.

Celia, who struggled to get up, smiled and approached Leo.

"Leo! You worked hard…"

"Amazing! Truly amazing! You were like a hero from a heroic tale!"

Chelsea came up to Leo, throwing her hands up and jumping excitedly.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I'm aspiring to be a battle mage, so I need to practice close combat. If I get into Rumerne, would you teach me?"

Chelsea, having shed the ill feelings from the exam after watching Leo's combat, was busy chattering excitedly.

Celia, who approached her side, said.

"There's no skill to teach to a Rwalin woman. Shoo-shoo-"

"Why is Jerdinger interfering?"

Celia and Chelsea had a small argument.

Ignoring them, Leo moved his body.

His whole body screamed, but he ignored it and picked up the ring Thalatunia dropped.

Then, a small golden light burst from the ring.

Along with it, a fairy appeared.

Leo's eyes wavered.

A familiar fairy.

It was Shilrod, the successor to the Fairy King.

He looked up at Leo silently.

"Hey… Shilrod. Do you remember me?"

Leo asked in a slightly trembling voice.

It was the first time they met since Luna died.

But Shilrod just smiled once without answering and vanished.

"…"

Leo smiled bitterly.

This was the Hero's World.

The Shilrod who appeared now was fake.

'It seems he safely became the Fairy King.'

Alby must have obtained the Magic Eye from Shilrod in exchange for defeating Thalatunia and retrieving the Fairy King's treasure.

Leo looked around.

Cracks were already starting to appear in the world.

The cleared Hero's World was disappearing.

'Anyway, it's over.'

Leo took a deep breath.

Soon, the world collapsed with a brilliant light.

In that fleeting moment.

[Clear Reward: Fairy King's Pact]

"What?"

A reward that shouldn't have been given was bestowed.

***

Central Continent.

Rumeria City, the central city of the world.

A historical city that has been with Rumerne for 3000 years.

At the top of that city, an old man stroked his chin.

"Hoh. It seems the Western Region exam is over."

"Indeed, Lord Alby. It seems to be over already."

"That friend is quick at his work."

Hahaha- the old man laughed.

He was well over a hundred years old, but no one in this world could ignore him.

Kallian Beiduan, the Sword Saint (劍星).

He was a hero among heroes who reached the pinnacle with his sword.

"Let's see. Hoh? He picked quite a few!"

"Really? That's unlike Lord Alby! How many?"

"Forty people."

"…"

Kallian said calmly.

At his words, the woman's eyes trembled slightly.

"Is that… a lot?"

"Of course. It's a lot. I expected about ten."

Elena clutched her head.

Forty entrants from the Western Region.

While other regions admit a hundred, the Western Region only has forty.

It was obvious that protests would pour in from all the families in the Western Region.

"Don't worry too much. Isn't it better than ten?"

"Well, yes. It is better than ten. Hahaha."

Elena, the secretary to the Headmaster of Rumerne, smiled through gritted teeth.

"Who took first place, Celia or Abard?"

"They are joint first."

"Joint?"

"Yes. Celia and Abard are joint first. They say it was impossible to determine a superior."

"Indeed."

Elena's eyes sparkled.

"And one more thing."

"One more?"

"There's a recommended candidate for the freshman representative."

"Lord Alby, you mean?"

For Alby, who was usually critical of others, to recommend a freshman representative was naturally surprising to Elena.

"Is it Celia Jerdinger or Abard Rwalin?"

Usually, the freshman representative recommendation comes from among the top students.

Kallian answered Elena, who asked with interest.

"They say his name is Leo Plov."

"Not Celia and Abard, but someone else?"

Kallian smiled faintly, looking at Elena's bewildered expression, and then looked down at the report.

Name: Leo Plov (15)

Subject: Knight Studies.

Reason: A hero in the making.

'For Alby to specifically call him a hero in the making. I wonder what kind of student he is.'

Kallian stroked his beard and laughed heartily.