Book 1 Chapter 131

131.

Alby muttered to himself as he watched Leo easily dispel his clone's attack.

"A monster."

The three students who had defeated Mirror Force before Leo.

The reason Chelsea, Chloe, and Abad had achieved victory was extremely simple.

"It's because they understand themselves better than anyone else."

The reason the three could win was because they had a perfect understanding of themselves.

But Leo had surpassed that level.

"It means his proficiency in the magic he uses has reached its limit. And he's only fifteen."

This was not simply a matter of talent.

"Ren seems to think Leo Flob is just an incredible genius… but I'm not so sure."

Alby couldn't figure out how to define the first-year student before him.

Meanwhile, Leo unleashed his magic.

An enormous number of fireballs were generated around Leo.

Alby saw at a glance that they were not simple fireballs.

"They're all laced with a power-boosting enchantment."

Alby wore a puzzled expression as he looked at the fireballs, which had been heavily modified to possess power comparable to most high-level fire magic.

"But they're still just fireballs. He should know better than anyone that this won't work?"

The clones created by Mirror Force had the exact same specs as the originals.

Just as Alby thought, the Leo created by Mirror Force instantly dispelled the fireballs.

*Fwoosh-!*

However, the fireballs weren't targeting the clone.

"Gasp!"

Gasps of shock erupted from among the students.

The fireballs were targeting Alby, of all people.

"This isn't a duel with a clone, but a duel with a professor, right?"

It was exactly as he said.

The students' opponent in the duel was none other than Alby.

Alby burst into laughter at Leo's words.

Then, he instantly dispelled the fireballs that were targeting him.

The fireballs vanished in mere moments.

But that short amount of time was all Leo needed.

Leo rapidly closed the distance to the clone.

*Fwoosh-!*

The clone created a giant wall of flames with its magic.

Leo quickly deployed his magic upon seeing it.

"Flame Explosion."

*Fwoosh-*

A bomb of flames formed in Leo's left hand.

"Wind Storm."

The bomb of flames was engulfed by a storm.

While Leo was completing his magic, the wall of flames created by the clone descended upon Leo.

Upon seeing it, Leo unleashed his magic.

*BOOM-! FWOOOOSH-!*

The compressed flame bomb boasted immense destructive power, blowing away the wall of flames.

Cheers erupted from various places as they witnessed the sight.

Combining magic spells was not a difficult technique for Lumern students.

However, controlling spells whose power was amplified by magic combinations was not easy.

Especially at that level of power, it would be extremely difficult to control the magic.

But Leo accomplished it with ease.

Ren wore a puzzled expression as he watched.

"She easily dispelled more complex magic, so why go through the trouble of countering a simpler structure like a fire wall with magic?"

The moment he had this thought.

Leo, who had reached the clone, stretched out his hand.

Alby's eyes twitched as he saw it.

He had discovered a dispelling spell imbued in Leo's hand.

Alby attempted to alter the enchantment structure to counter Leo's dispelling.

But Leo's hand touched Mirror Force faster than that.

The fleeting moment created by the fireballs was a setup for this.

Ren's eyes widened, and Anna looked aghast.

The clone touched by Leo's hand dissolved instantaneously.

"He defeated the clone?"

"What magic did you use?"

The students murmured with bewildered expressions.

As Mirror Force disappeared, Alby withdrew his mana.

The duel ended the moment the clone was defeated.

"Do you know about fairy magic?"

"Yes."

"Ren has praised your spell interpretation skills so much that I already knew."

Alby said, glancing at a visibly moved Ren.

'If he knew fairy magic, then dispelling enchantments wouldn't be difficult. Even so, to meticulously set up and move to dispel my magic…'

"Other professors seem to simply regard you as a genius."

Alby narrowed his eyes.

"I've had doubts about you since the entrance exam. Leo Flob, just what are you?"

No matter how exceptional one's talent, there were things talent could and could not do.

There was something about Leo's abilities that was difficult to explain purely by talent.

"Well, what do you think I am?"

After gazing at Leo, who responded playfully to his sharp question, Alby shook his head.

"I misspoke. Forget the previous question. My role in class ends here. Go and attend Ren's class."

"Yes."

Leo headed towards Ren as instructed by Alby.

Watching his retreating back, Alby thought.

'I thought he had the makings of a hero… but his potential is boundless.'

Even if one showed potential as a hero, not everyone became a hero.

'No matter how outstanding a student is, many do not reach the position of a hero.'

It was a position meant for a select few, literally chosen.

But looking at Leo now…

'He's like someone born to be a hero.'

Heroes possessed a unique charisma.

Leo had it.

'Perhaps… he might surpass me before graduation.'

***

"What are you looking at so intently?"

At the top of Lumern's Tower of Heroes,

Calian, seated in his office, asked his old friend.

Looking at Calian, Riven replied.

"I'm watching the first-year students."

The figures of the first-year students walking through the grounds below were clearly visible in Riven's eyes.

"So, how are the first-years?"

To Calian's question, Riven replied.

"They are extremely outstanding students. Among the generations I've met since being in Lumern, they are exceptionally excellent."

"See, didn't I tell you they were outstanding?"

Riven sent a note from his pocket flying towards Calian.

The paper, unfurled by magic, fluttered towards Calian.

"This is…?"

"These are clues to hero dungeons I've gathered over the past four years traveling the world."

Upon hearing Riven's words, Calian's expression turned surprised.

Lumern's vice principal had always been a dragon.

Not just Lumern.

The vice principals of hero academies of other races had also always been dragons.

During the Age of Calamity,

Ever since King of Wisdom Lisinas gathered the great heroes and defeated Erebus, the selection of heroes had become a tradition for dragons.

Each hero academy had maintained a close relationship with dragons from the time of its founding.

Dragons, under the command of the Dragon Lord, were dispatched as vice principals to hero academies to aid in the birth of heroes.

Riven also passionately carried out his duty, but for some reason, he seemed to have let go of that duty at some point.

Yet, for the past four years, he had been consistently searching for Lumern.

"It's not certain if there are hero dungeons, but sending students wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Indeed. Thank you, Riven."

Calian smiled at his friend.

Looking at Calian, Riven said.

"Calian."

"Yes?"

"I know you didn't call me here solely because of the first-years."

"Yes. The movements of Tartarus are becoming quite disturbing."

A traitor within Lumern.

No, not just Lumern.

Traitors had already appeared within Seirun.

It was likely that Tartarus's reach extended to all hero academies.

'Because hero academies are the biggest obstacle to Tartarus.'

The long-held peace was about to be shaken.

The fact that Tartarus, which had been lying dormant, had openly revealed itself was proof of this.

"I'm getting old, I suppose."

The old hero Calian let out a deep sigh.

"I will ask you, who carries the era."

Eighty years ago, the dragon who chose the young Sword Saint asked seriously.

"Are you ready to entrust the era to the next generation?"

There were many heroes.

But if asked if there was a hero with the same influence as Calian, no one could dare to answer.

The reason he was evaluated as the greatest hero was that because of him, Tartarus had ceased its overt activities for many years.

By his very existence, he exerted a powerful deterrent force against Tartarus.

That Sword Saint's deterrent force was beginning to waver.

Tartarus also knew that the era of the Sword Saint was coming to an end.

That was why the dragon who had chosen him as a great hero was asking.

Was he ready to end his era?

"Although not to the same extent as you, I too have watched over the students as Lumern's principal for a long time."

Calian smiled faintly.

"I was always ready."

"Good. Then I will also follow your will."

The hero and the dragon, who had transformed the world in the past, exchanged meaningful smiles.

***

A week after the start of the second semester, after school.

Halrind said.

"Mission practice begins today."

Upon hearing this, the students of Class 5 began to murmur.

"Mission practice?"

"Yes."

Halrind continued with a nonchalant expression.

"The missions will be posted on the bulletin board on the first floor of the classroom building."

Heroes were also problem solvers for issues that arose around the world.

Therefore, places in need of help requested aid from Lumern Academy.

The Lumern higher-ups would screen the requests that came from various parts of the world and dispatch students if they deemed it necessary to help.

In this case, there was no service fee, and the school covered the students' mission expenses.

However, if the client made a personal request, they had to request dispatch with a service fee.

Although it cost money, there was the advantage that Lumern students would be dispatched quickly.

Students gained experience, earned money, and even earned credits through mission practice, so it was arguably as important as exams.

As such, the announcement that mission practice was starting naturally drew the full attention of the first-years.

Seeing the excited students, Halrind said.

"The missions are graded. Naturally, accept missions that match your abilities. Even so, there are students who push themselves every year. Unlike other academic activities, mission practice is real combat."

Halrind's cold gaze swept over the class.

"You could lose your life."

Upon hearing this, the students flinched.

The excited atmosphere turned chillingly somber.

After giving the students a stern warning, Halrind said.

"That's all for today's announcements. Everyone go and check the mission details."

At his words, the students of Class 5 left the classroom.

And headed towards the central corridor on the first floor of the classroom building.

Halrind was inclined to dismiss students early, so Class 5 students could check the mission details first.

"Cheh! This way, we can grab a good mission first! Professor Halrind definitely has a sense for this!"

Kai smiled with satisfaction.

"Let's see. Oh! There's a mission in Lumera City!"

The moment he said that, someone quickly reached out.

"Hey! Iliana! I saw it first!"

"Yeah, possession is nine-tenths of the law."

Taid wore a look of exasperation as he watched Iliana and Kai bicker.

"Is the location important? The content is important."

While the class students were chattering over the mission requests.

Leo reached for a mission request that no one else showed any interest in.

Chelsea looked puzzled as she saw it.

"Oppa Leo, that's a completely rural village, are you going there? The mission is just bandit suppression, so it seems like you'll just suffer if you go?"

Bandit suppression.

It was a ridiculously insignificant mission for Leo, the class representative.

In fact, it was obvious that no student would choose it.

Leo smiled at Chelsea's question.

"I've always wanted to visit this area."

"Huh? It's just a neutral zone in the southwest of the continent. Why do you want to go there?"

Even though Iliana, who had been bickering with Kai, asked with a confused expression, Leo merely smiled.

This was the place Leo wanted to visit.

A legendary city whose exact location could not be identified even in historical records.

A city that existed 5,000 years ago.

A place that could be called the land of beginnings.

'Gardesron.'

It was the land where Kyle and Lisinas met.