Book 1 Chapter 125
“That’s so out of the blue?”
“What can we do? Is it the first time our school has pushed students out of the blue?”
“True.”
Kalis shrugged at Ted’s grumbling.
Hearing that, Ted also became convinced.
While the first-year students were flustered by the sudden situation until the first semester, they were all calm now.
Everyone was so used to unexpected situations that they accepted this much with indifference.
No, rather, the dominant reaction was that they had expected this much.
“Then.”
The students’ gazes turned to Riben.
“Begin.”
As soon as Riben finished speaking, the entire first-year class simultaneously dashed towards Rumern.
Seeing that, Riben stroked his chin.
‘Everyone’s reacting well. Is this quick movement due to the difference in experience?’
This year’s first-year students all experienced a crisis during the department competition.
‘Cellia, Sia, Duran, Abad, Chloe, Chelsea, Warden, Eliza. And Leo. These nine were the ones who defeated Gigantes at the time. The world only pays attention to them, but…’
Other students also fought monsters.
That experience was making this cohort special.
‘Sometimes, there are generations like this.’
Generations where heroes, who would normally appear one in a hundred, appear multiple times.
‘The current fifth-year students were like this too.’
The fifth-year students were also a generation that attracted attention due to the many outstanding talents.
But Riben had no motivation to teach the first-year students.
‘In the past few hundred years, have there been any heroes from Rumern who achieved remarkable results? No. Not just Rumern, but other hero academies too.’
Many heroes were born over a long time.
Becoming a hero meant overcoming great trials.
Therefore, most heroes were content with achieving the status of hero.
‘But that alone is not enough.’
The reason the gods gifted Hero Records to the mortal realm.
It was to completely subjugate Erebus and Tartarus.
‘It seems like the ultimate goal has become ‘hero’ now.’
Riben had lived as a professor at Rumern for many years.
Few within Rumern knew he was a dragon.
100 years ago, he became a professor at Rumern after being ordered by the Dragon Lord to guide Rumern’s students.
Dragons have a lifespan of approximately 300 years.
Riben had spent a significant portion of his lifespan as a professor at Rumern.
After the Age of Calamity.
Carrying on the will of Lysinas, the King of Wisdom, dragons had a tradition of choosing and supporting heroes.
Perhaps because of this, heroes recognized by dragons achieved even greater feats.
Riben was also enthusiastic at first.
He firmly believed that in the near future, a hero would be born to carry on the will of great heroes and defeat Erebus and Tartarus.
However, the world situation had not changed much for hundreds of years.
They continued to fight Tartarus endlessly, but the situation was also stagnant.
‘There are few children in this era who look beyond the ideal of being a hero.’
That’s why he lacked motivation.
‘I’m getting old too.’
Watching the students disappear in an instant, Riben looked up at the sky.
A world that had not changed for a long time was enough to tire out dragons.
‘Is it time to retire?’
***
On Lake Rumelia, vast enough to be mistaken for the sea, there are several islands.
On the large island in the center stands the vast Rumern Academy.
‘Come to think of it, this wasn’t a lake before the Age of Calamity, was it?’
The center of the world.
Now it is where Rumern Academy is located, but it was originally the land of dragons.
‘Was it said to be the first land attacked when Erebus appeared?’
Even in his past life, it was a childhood memory, so Leo’s memory was hazy.
Even when he traveled the world to defeat Erebus, he had never come near the area where Rumelia City is now.
As Leo recalled the past, he suddenly lifted his head.
“Prepare yourself! Leo Flov!”
Crackling sparks flew out, and a golden lightning aura flashed.
CRACKLE-BOOM-!
CRASH-!
“Aaaaak! Dodge!”
“Get away from there!”
Startled by the sudden attack, the students scattered in all directions in panic.
They defended against the lightning that swirled around them with their own means.
“You dodged.”
Duran, standing on the water with his Aura Step, looked at Leo with a cold smile.
Seeing that, Leo crossed his arms.
“We’re not competing with each other right now, so why did you attack me?”
“There was no order to compete, but there was no order not to compete either.”
A strong fighting spirit surged in Duran’s eyes.
“Then there’s no reason not to fight. I’ve been training during the break to defeat you. Attack me, Leo Flov.”
*Crackling*
Duran’s body was engulfed in a lightning aura.
Seeing that, Leo scratched his head.
“Ah, I don’t want to exert myself on the first day of school.”
“Hmph. Cocky brat. That complacency will soon disappear……”
“You were there! Leo Flov!”
An shrill voice cut between the two.
*FWOOSH-*
Eliza, riding a Delfinus, a top-tier mythical beast, was charging with her eyes wide open.
“Prepare yourself!”
The Delfinus created a splash of water.
“Gasp! Eliza Hergin too?!”
“Dodge! Dodge!”
“If you get caught between them, you’ll be broken to bits! Fall back!”
As Eliza, another top-tier fighter who attacked without regard for her surroundings, appeared, the students quickly distanced themselves from Leo and Eliza.
However, they did not flee.
Duran and Eliza.
Both were top-tier students of this cohort and shared the common trait of having strong personalities.
Moreover, they wanted to defeat Leo more than anyone else.
So they were both constantly looking for an opportunity.
Other students also aimed for the class representative position, but these two were particularly belligerent.
‘I can’t miss this interesting spectacle!’
‘It’s fun from the first day of school~’
Isn’t fighting one of the most fun spectacles in the world?
The students watched the duel between the three students with sparkling eyes.
Leo sighed as he looked at the wave engulfing him and raised his mana.
“Freezing.”
*CRACKLE-CRACKLE-*
The giant wave that was about to engulf Leo instantly froze.
But as if expecting it, Eliza prepared her next attack.
Empowered by Eliza’s spiritual energy, the Delfinus opened its mouth and let out a roar.
*CAAAAWWWW-*
The ice was instantly shattered by the powerful sonic attack.
Leo felt his head throb for a moment and raised his aura to resist the sonic attack.
Duran, who was caught in it, also scrunched up his face.
Unlike the two who withstood the sonic attack head-on, some of the students who were indirectly affected and had low resistance frothed at the mouth and fainted.
The students who had retreated to watch swallowed nervously.
‘If I’m not careful watching, something big could happen?’
As everyone tensed, Duran’s sharp gaze turned to Eliza.
*CRACKLE-*
Duran approached Eliza with incredible speed using Aura Step and raised his sword.
*QUAGAGAGAGAG-*
As a lightning-like sword strike descended, Eliza grimaced and raised her spiritual energy.
“Ruri! Move!”
The Delfinus, empowered by Eliza’s spiritual energy, dived straight down.
Duran smiled a deadly smile at the sight.
“Do you think you can escape by diving deep into the water?”
*CRACKLE-*
As thunder echoed from Duran’s sword, the faces of the watching students turned pale.
“Hey! Hey! Run! It’s an area attack!”
“Ughhhhhhh!”
“I don’t want to be roasted by lightning on the first day of school!”
As Duran swung his sword, a storm of lightning swept across the surrounding area.
The students who narrowly escaped the attack’s range looked at Leo, who had defended against Duran’s attack, with expressions of weariness.
Even though he was not the direct target of the attack, Leo’s composure despite being caught in such an attack was astonishing.
“As expected, you don’t even bat an eye at such an attack.”
As Duran’s lips curled up watching Leo, it was at that moment.
*Goooooddddddddddd-*
An unusual presence was felt from underwater.
*PHWAHAHAHAHAHAH-*
The students’ faces were filled with horror as they saw the creatures breaking through the surface.
“Aqua Gorgos!”
It was a water serpent-like monster, difficult to deal with in water.
Five Aqua Gorgos rushed towards Duran as if angry.
It was one of Delfinus’s abilities, the power of domination.
Seeing the Aqua Gorgos, Duran snorted and swung his sword.
*FLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!*
As a golden flash flickered, incredibly fast sword strikes severed the Aqua Gorgos.
It was at the moment when the heads of the Aqua Gorgos fell with those clean sword strikes.
*CHAAAAAAAAAAAK-*
A vortex of water engulfed Duran.
Duran, scowling, swung his sword.
*CHAK-*
He succeeded in cutting through the vortex of water, but was thrown back by the shockwave.
Killing intent flashed on Duran’s face.
“Hmph!”
Eliza, who had also surfaced, snorted and glared at Duran.
“You want to die, disturbing me.”
“You’re the one who should stop disturbing me.”
Eliza fiercely retorted to Duran’s cold voice.
As the two students glared at each other, deadly smiles appeared on their lips.
“You two are full of energy from the first day of school?”
Leo said with a sigh, and the two turned their gazes to Leo.
“An opportunity has come to finish this quickly.”
“I will take the class representative position this time.”
“So, are you two going to gank me?”
“Don’t worry, we won’t do such a despicable thing, Leo Flov.”
“I have no reason to combine forces with this human, nor would it be worth anything to defeat you that way.”
“Then decide who attacks first.”
“Obviously, me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s me first.”
Another spark flared between the two.
Seeing that, Leo said.
“Then let’s do this. You two fight first, and the winner will compete with me. That’s fair, isn’t it?”
Upon hearing Leo’s words, Duran’s lips curled up.
“It’s concise and I like it. Attack, Eliza Hergin.”
“As I wished. Duran Moira.”
The two, known for their foul tempers, glared at each other and then an incredible fight began.
One of the other students, who was watching the splendid fight of the top-tier students of the year with a vacant stare, suddenly asked Leo.
“Where are you going? Didn’t you say you’d compete with one of them?”
“Yeah. But I didn’t say I’d compete right now.”
“What?”
“Then I’m leaving first.”
Leo waved his hand and left.
Duran and Eliza, engrossed in defeating each other, didn’t even realize Leo had left.
The students watching from the sidelines looked at Duran and Eliza with pity.
‘Hey, you guys got played by Leo.’
‘Sigh. How dejected will they be when they realize Leo is gone?’
As they thought that, one student mumbled.
“Hey. If they get angry and take it out on their surroundings when they realize Leo left first, won’t that be a big problem for all of us?”
“……”
The students looked at each other.
Thinking about it, there was no reason why it wouldn’t happen.
Casting glances, the students slowly moved away.
A moment later.
Duran and Eliza, who realized they were the only ones left around, stopped fighting.
And the two, realizing Leo had also disappeared, were filled with immense anger.
“Leo Flov! You bastard!”
“You reallyyyyyyyy!”
Realizing they had been tricked by Leo, their futile rage spread in all directions.
But Leo was already far ahead, in a position where they couldn’t catch up.