Book 1 Chapter 131

131.

Alby muttered to himself as he watched Leo easily dispel the attacks of his doppelganger.

'He's a monster.'

Three students had defeated the Mirror Force before Leo:

Chelsea, Chloe, and Abad. The reason for their victory was extremely simple.

'Because they understand themselves better than anyone else.'

The factor that allowed the three of them to win was their perfect understanding of themselves.

But Leo surpassed that level.

'It means his mastery of the magic he uses has reached its peak. And he's fifteen years old.'

This wasn't just a matter of talent.

'Ren seems to think Leo Plov is simply 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 deployed his magic.

A massive number of fireballs generated around Leo.

Alby instantly saw through it, realizing they weren't just simple fireballs.

'They're plastered with power amplification formulas.'

Alby's expression became puzzled as he saw the heavily modified fireballs, powerful enough to rival most high-ranking flame magic.

'But even so, they're just fireballs. He must know best that these won't work, right?'

The clone created by Mirror Force had the same specifications as the real thing.

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

Whoosh-!

But the fireballs weren't targeting the clone.

"Gasp!"

Exclamations of shock erupted among the students.

The fireballs were targeting none other than Alby.

"This isn't a duel with a clone, is it, Professor? It's a duel between you and me?"

His words were true.

The students' opponent was none other than Alby.

Alby chuckled at Leo's words.

And he instantly dispelled the fireballs targeting him.

The disappearance of the fireballs was literally instantaneous.

But Leo needed that brief moment.

Leo quickly closed the distance with the clone.

Whoosh-!

The clone created a massive wall of fire with magic.

Seeing that, Leo also quickly deployed his magic.

"Flame Explosion."

Woosh-

A bomb of fire generated in Leo's left hand.

"Wind Storm."

The fire bomb was engulfed in a storm.

While Leo completed his magic, the wall of fire created by the clone engulfed Leo.

Seeing that, Leo released his magic.

Boom-! Whoosh-!

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

Gasps of admiration erupted from all over at the sight.

The combination of magic and magic wasn't a difficult technique for Lumen students.

However, controlling a spell whose power has been amplified by magic combination wasn't easy.

Especially with that level of power, controlling the magic was quite challenging.

But Leo did it with ease.

Ren looked at the scene with a puzzled expression.

'He dispelled even more complex magic without difficulty, so why did he bother to neutralize a simpler Fire Wall with magic?'

At that moment of doubt.

Leo, who had reached the front of the clone, extended his hand.

Alby's eyes twitched at the sight.

He had spotted a dispel spell imbued in Leo's hand.

Alby tried to change the spell structure to counter Leo's dispel.

But Leo's hand reached the Mirror Force faster than that.

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

Ren's eyes widened, and Anna wore a look of shock.

The clone, touched by Leo's hand, instantly dissipated.

"He defeated the clone, didn't he?"

"What kind of magic did he use?"

The students murmured with puzzled faces.

As the Mirror Force disappeared, Alby withdrew his magic.

The duel ended the moment the clone was defeated.

"Do you know about Fairy Magic?"

"Yes."

"Ren has praised your spell analysis ability to no end, so I was aware of it."

Alby glanced at Ren, who was trembling with emotion, and said.

'If he knew about Fairy Magic, dispelling the spell wouldn't be difficult. Even so, to meticulously set up the stage and move to dispel my magic…'

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

Alby narrowed his eyes.

"I felt doubts about you since the entrance exam. Leo Plov, what exactly are you?"

No matter how outstanding someone's talent, there are things that can and cannot be done with talent.

There was something about Leo's ability that was difficult to explain simply by talent.

"Well, what am I?"

Alby gazed at Leo, who answered the sharp question playfully, for a moment, then shook his head.

"I misspoke. Forget the question from a moment ago. My role in this class is over. Go attend Ren's class."

"Yes."

Hearing Alby's words, Leo headed to where Ren was.

Watching his retreating figure, Alby thought.

'I thought he had the makings of a hero… but I can't see his limits.'

Even if one shows potential as a hero, not everyone becomes a hero.

'Even truly outstanding students often fail to reach the status of a hero.'

It was a position, quite literally, for only the chosen few.

But looking at Leo now…

'It's as if he was born to be a hero.'

The unique charisma possessed by those who become heroes.

Leo had it.

'Perhaps… he might even surpass me before he graduates.'

***

"What are you looking at so intently?"

At the top of Lumen's Hero's Tower.

Kallian, sitting in the headmaster's office, asked his old friend.

Looking at Kallian, Lieven replied.

"I'm looking at the first-year students."

The clear image of the first-year students walking in the campus below was visible in Lieven's eyes.

"So, how are the first-year students?"

Lieven answered Kallian's question.

"They are very outstanding students. Among the generations I've met during my time at Lumen, they are exceptional, one of the best."

"See? Didn't I tell you they were outstanding?"

Lieven flicked a note towards Kallian from his pocket.

The paper, unfurled by magic, fluttered and flew towards Kallian.

"This is…?"

"These are clues about hero dungeons that I gathered while traveling the world for the past four years."

Hearing Lieven's words, Kallian looked surprised.

Lumen's vice-headmaster had traditionally been a dragon.

Not just Lumen.

Hero academies of other races had also always had dragons as vice-headmasters.

During the Age of Calamity.

Since Risinas, the King of Wisdom, gathered the great heroes to subjugate Erebus, selecting heroes became a tradition for dragons.

Each hero academy had maintained a close relationship with dragons since its establishment.

Dragons, commanded by the Dragon Lord, were dispatched as vice-headmasters to hero academies to aid in the birth of heroes.

Lieven had also enthusiastically carried out his duty, but at some point, he seemed to have abandoned that task.

Yet, for the past four years, he had consistently been exploring for Lumen.

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

"You're right. Thank you, Lieven."

Kallian smiled at his friend.

Looking at Kallian, Lieven said.

"Kallian."

"Hmm?"

"I know you didn't call me just because of the first-year students."

"Indeed. Tartaros's movements are unusual right now."

A traitor within Lumen.

No, not just Lumen.

Traitors had already emerged within Seirun.

Perhaps Tartaros's tentacles had reached all hero academies.

'After all, hero academies are the biggest obstacle for Tartaros.'

The long-maintained peace was beginning to waver.

The very fact that Tartaros, which had been lurking, was openly showing itself was proof of that.

"I've grown old, too."

The aged hero Kallian let out a deep sigh.

"I ask you, who bear the burden of this 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 whether there was a hero with the same influence as Kallian, no one dared to answer.

He was regarded as the greatest hero because, thanks to him, Tartaros had ceased its external activities for many years.

By his mere existence, he exerted a powerful deterrent against Tartaros.

That deterrent power of the Sword Saint was wavering.

Tartaros also knew that the Sword Saint's era was coming to an end.

That is why the dragon who chose him as a great hero asked.

If he was ready to end his era.

"Not as long as you, but I, too, have watched over the students as Lumen's headmaster for a long time."

Kallian smiled faintly.

"I have always been ready."

"Good. Then I will follow your will."

In the past, the hero who transformed the world and the dragon exchanged meaningful smiles.

***

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

Harlin said.

"Mission training begins today."

At his words, the students of Class 5 began to murmur.

"Mission training?"

"Yes."

Harlin continued with an indifferent expression.

"Mission announcements will be posted on the bulletin board on the first floor of the classroom building."

Heroes were also problem-solvers for issues occurring around the world.

Therefore, places in need of help would request assistance from Lumen Academy.

The upper echelons of Lumen would evaluate requests from various parts of the world and dispatch students if they deemed a place needed help.

In such cases, no commission fee was charged, and the cost of the students' mission performance was paid by the school.

However, if a client made a private request, they had to offer a commission fee and request dispatch.

It cost money, but it had the advantage of Lumen students being dispatched quickly.

Students would stake everything on mission training, where they could gain experience, earn money, and even accumulate academic credits.

Even if midterm or final exam results were poor, grades could vary depending on what mission training was undertaken, so in a way, mission training was as important as exams.

As such, the announcement that mission training was starting inevitably drew the keen attention of the first-year students.

Harlin spoke, looking at the excited students in charge.

"The grade of requests is set. Needless to say, take requests that match your skill. Even saying this, there are always students who overexert themselves every year. Mission training, unlike other academic activities, is real combat."

Harlin's cold gaze turned towards the students in the class.

"You could lose your life."

At his words, the students flinched.

The lively atmosphere cooled down.

Harlin, who had given the students a warning, said.

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

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

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

Harlin tended to let students go early, so Class 5 students were the first to check the mission details.

"Cough! This way we can pick the good missions first, can't we? Professor Harlin definitely has a knack for this!"

Karl smiled contentedly.

"Let's see. Oh! There's a request we can do in Lumeria City?"

At the same time, someone quickly reached out.

"Hey! Iliana! I saw that first!"

"Yup. First come, first served."

Looking at Iliana and Karl squabbling, Teyd wore a look of disdain.

"Does the location matter? The content is what's important."

While the students chattered over the request forms.

Leo reached for a request form that no one was interested in.

Chelsea looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Leo Oppa. That's a total countryside village, are you going there? The mission is to subjugate bandits, so it just seems like you'll have a hard time."

Bandit subjugation.

It was a mission content too insignificant for Leo, the class representative, to undertake.

No, it was obvious that no other student would want to go.

Leo smiled at Chelsea's question.

"I've wanted to visit that area since a long time ago."

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

Even when Iliana and Karl, who had been squabbling, asked with puzzled faces, Leo just kept smiling.

This place Leo wanted to go.

It was where a legendary city, whose exact location was unknown even in historical texts, once stood.

A city that existed here 5000 years ago.

A place that could also be called the Land of Beginnings.

'Gadslon.'

It was the land where Kyle and Risinas met.