Book 1 Chapter 15
【15】14
“What do you think you are?”
“Excuse me?”
“You are students of Lumen, in other words, hero candidates! Don't you think that if you're in a crisis, the first thing you should do is think about overcoming it yourselves?”
At Ain’s scolding, the students flinched.
At that moment, Leo's movements, without hesitation, caught Ain's eye.
“There’s a proper one.”
The kraken’s surging leg rapidly descended.
Slash-!
Leo drew his sword and cut off the leg.
Splosh-!
Leo kicked the kraken's wriggling tentacle, which had fallen to the ground, pushing it back into the lake, and shouted.
“Don’t be scared by its size! You can handle it with your abilities!”
Leo’s gaze was directed precisely at Celia and Chloe.
“Hmph! Who said I was scared?”
A piqued Chloe scoffed, and Celia also drew her sword as if not to be outdone.
“What do you take me for, Leo?”
Whoosh-!
From her sword, a flame aura, the symbol of Gerdinger, flared up.
“I wouldn’t be scared of a squid like th…! ”
Splaash!
“Kyaaaah!”
Water cannons erupted from the tips of the kraken's tentacles, engulfing Celia.
Although she defended using aura armor, Celia instantly became a drenched mouse.
“It's a kraken's habit. It shoots water cannons in response to heat.”
Leo suppressed his laughter, chuckling, and lightly poked Celia's forehead.
“Looks like you're still lacking experience?”
“Ugh-! You and I are the same age! Don’t talk about experience!”
Celia shouted back, rubbing her reddened forehead.
Meanwhile, the kraken attacked again.
Celia’s eyes narrowed fiercely.
“You damn squid! I'll turn you into dried shredded squid!”
Swish-!
Celia's sword drew a brilliant arc.
Rattle!
Finely sliced kraken tentacles scattered.
Leo smiled at Celia, who looked back with a "How was that!" expression, and swung his sword.
Vwoosh-!
With a tremendous whooshing sound, the kraken's tentacles were sliced even finer than Celia had cut them, scattering everywhere.
“Ugh! As if I'd lose!”
Sparks flew from Celia's eyes, stimulated by the sight.
“Your swordplay is amazing?”
Meanwhile, Chloe raised her magic staff and recited a rune.
Crackkkk-!
“Icicle.”
Ice particles gathered in the air, forming a giant icicle.
As Chloe released the spell, the Icicle flew.
Thud-! Crackkkk-! Clang!
When the magic exploded, the frozen kraken tentacles soon shattered into pieces.
“Hohoho! What's the point of going to the front and sweating like knights? Smartly from the back like this… Eek??!”
Chloe, who had been looking smug, became the kraken's target.
While she was flustered by the kraken's attack, which was faster than imagined, Leo grabbed Chloe by the nape of her neck and pulled her away.
“Mages shouldn't rush to the front.”
Slash-!
Leo swung his sword, cutting off the kraken's tentacle.
“Krakens react to mana, so use magic carefully.”
“Ah, alright.”
The freshmen, who had been in a panic from the attack, also regained their composure and began to counterattack.
The kraken was a high-ranking monster, but Lumen's students were not so easygoing as to be defeated without resistance.
Watching from behind, Ain curled up the corners of his mouth.
'This year's freshmen are very outstanding.'
Professor Ain, who had been scolding the freshmen, was now very satisfied.
This lake is famous for being home to all sorts of aquatic monsters.
As such, attacks by aquatic monsters were almost an annual event.
All students admitted to Lumen possess exceptional talent.
And they had even proven their skills by being admitted to Lumen, the most prestigious academy.
Skill, background, academic achievement.
Freshmen, who felt they were second to none in any of these aspects, were naturally conceited.
'With such a mindset, they can't properly keep up with Lumen's classes.'
The freshmen didn't know.
That they had barely met the minimum standard required to learn at Lumen.
Therefore, it was necessary to instill a sense of caution, and that was why Lumen left the aquatic monster attacks unaddressed.
Of course, they did not let them fight the monsters defenselessly.
As evidence, the destruction of the hull, which could have been the biggest problem when attacked by the kraken, did not occur.
Of course, the freshmen didn't notice this and were busy trying to stop the kraken in front of them.
'As expected, the top students' performances are outstanding.'
As Ain assessed the freshmen's abilities, Leo's figure caught his eye.
'Impressive.'
A peculiar light flickered in Ain's eyes.
It was clean, unembellished swordplay.
Moreover, he was cutting off the kraken's tentacles with light footwork, as if he could perfectly predict its movements.
'I should remember him.'
Judging by his sword handling, he was clearly aspiring to the Knight Department.
Ain smiled contentedly, thinking he had found an excellent student.
***
The freshmen barely managed to defeat the kraken, but aquatic monster attacks continued endlessly thereafter.
The ship party from a little while ago felt like a dream, as a parade of monsters unfolded.
After about an hour, the freshmen were all a mess.
Their uniforms were soaked, their bodies drenched in sweat, and their faces were etched with fatigue.
They were busy fighting frantically against the continuous monster attacks.
“I can’t fight anymore! My magic is drained!”
Chloe, lying sprawled on the floor, shouted.
“Ugh… Anyone have mana potions left?”
Karl looked around and asked, but no one answered.
“Gasp- Gasp-”
Celia panted heavily and glanced at Leo.
'This physical monster!'
Leo was still guarding the waterside, showing no signs of fatigue.
How could he, being the same age, possess such inexhaustible stamina?
“Hmph-!”
Celia gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and stood next to Leo.
That's when it happened.
“I see the dock!”
“This tiresome fight is over!”
“Wahoooooo!”
A cheer erupted from the deck.
For the students exhausted by the long battle, there could be no happier news.
A moment later, the ship docked, and the students disembarked as if fed up.
Waiting for the freshmen at the dock was a petite woman in a suit and glasses.
“Thank goodness! It seems nothing serious happened!”
At her words, the students seethed inwardly.
'Nothing serious happened?! We were attacked by monsters!'
Of course, no student dared to protest impudently.
Because if she came to greet the freshmen, there was a very high probability that she was a professor at Lumen.
“Professor Ain. Thank you for escorting the freshmen! From now on, I will take over the escort.”
“Understood.”
Ain nodded and looked at the freshmen, saying.
“I will be teaching the first-year Knight Studies class this year.”
The students from the Knight Department looked startled.
“Some of the Knight Department students will take my class.”
Ain grinned as he looked at a few students, including Leo.
“Those who wish to reach a higher level, come to my class!”
“Yes!”
“Understood! Professor Ain!”
The Knight Department students answered loudly.
Professor Ain, who had been smiling with satisfaction at their response, showed a meaningful expression.
“And listen carefully to the escorting teacher's words.”
He left after saying those words.
“My name is Artian Niel. I will be teaching the first-year Summoning Arts class.”
Adjusting her glasses, she smiled kindly and introduced herself.
“Artian Niel? I haven't heard that name before?”
Celia tilted her head.
To be a professor at Lumen means being a very famous person in one's field.
But she had never heard the name Artian Niel.
“If it’s Artian Niel, she’s quite famous in the Central Region.”
At that, Karl spoke.
“What kind of person is she?”
“They say she’s a Spirit Medium.”
“A Spirit Medium?”
Celia looked surprised.
Summoning Arts are broadly divided into three fields.
Elementalism, which contracts with spirits.
Beast Summoning, which commands phantom beasts.
And finally, Spirit Summoning, which summons spiritual entities.
Among them, Spirit Summoning, which calls forth fragments of beings called spiritual entities, was a very rare ability.
'It was one of Lyssinus's specialties.'
Spirit Summoning was an innate special ability, so it was an ability that even Kyle, who was an All-Class, couldn't learn.
“Shall we go to the entrance ceremony hall then?”
Artian said with a gentle smile.
Then the students protested.
“Professor! Isn’t there anywhere we can change clothes?”
“That’s right! We can’t attend the entrance ceremony looking like this!”
The students, who had been docile during Professor Ain’s time, now shouted eagerly.
They were all noble students.
During Professor Ian's time, they were intimidated by the name "Knight of the Frozen Sea."
But towards Artian, who was not famous and had a delicate impression, they immediately voiced their complaints.
“Oh, no! I mean, we have to stick to the schedule…”
“Our family would never tolerate us appearing at an important event in such a state!”
“That’s right! We proudly entered Lumen! This treatment is absurd!”
“Right! Right! We will formally protest through our families!”
“E-Everyone?!”
Artian, who was actually gentle-natured, could only flinch, unable to do anything about the students' protests.
At her reaction, the triumphant students raised their voices even more.
“I think we should stop them.”
Celia frowned, and Leo chuckled.
“I don’t think we need to.”
“What?”
Artian lowered her head deeply.
And then…
“You damn bratty bastards! Do you think I'm a pushover just because I've been nice?! Who do you freshman brats think you are, daring to climb all over a professor and acting like this?!”
Artian lifted her head sharply, and a fierce shout erupted from her mouth.
Unlike the calm atmosphere from a moment ago, a chilling light gleamed in her eyes.
The students, who had been shouting, were startled.
One male student, still disoriented, hastily shouted.
“Even if you are a professor, such abusive language is unacceptab—”
“Look at this brat? Still haven't figured out the atmosphere?”
Grab!
“Huh? Uh-oh?”
Artian smiled menacingly and lifted the male student by his collar.
That male student was large, a head taller than the other freshmen.
However, Artian, who held him by the collar, showed no sign of effort.
Instead, a golden aura flowed from her body.
“Gasp? Oh, aura?”
“Dual class?”
The students were terrified.
The male student held by the collar also looked deathly pale.
Artian threw the male student towards the lake.
“Ughaaaaah!”
Splash-! Splosh! Splosh!
The male student who fell into the lake thrashed about.
Artian warned him fiercely.
“If any brat dares to defy me again, I won't let it slide—!”
Before Artian could even finish her sentence, her expression changed.
“This is problematic.”
Now with a cold demeanor, she sighed and lightly waved her hand.
Then, this time, golden magic surged forth.
Artian rescued the student from the water with magic.
The students' eyes widened.
She was clearly a professor of Summoning Arts, but she used aura and magic!
“As I thought.”
“Do you know about that ability?”
Celia, surprised, heard Leo's mumble and hastily asked.
“She has the soul of a spiritual entity residing in her body. The change in personality is due to the contracted souls.”
“Necromancy? That's an ability I've only heard about!”
Celia exclaimed in admiration at such a rare ability even among Spirit Mediums.
Indeed, Professor Ain’s earlier advice to listen well was not for nothing.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. The spiritual entities I’m contracted with tend to be a bit hot-tempered!”
Artian, back to her original personality, apologized in a flustered manner, but the students just looked around nervously.
This was because they immediately realized that the professor in front of them, though lacking fame, was an unrivaled powerhouse.
Amidst this, Artian smiled brightly and said.
“Anyway, everyone! Let’s go to the entrance ceremony!”
“Yes…”
The students merely responded weakly, eyeing her cautiously.