Book 1 Chapter 164

Leo's words made Pegasus, Ati, narrow his eyes.

"Who are you? We haven't even made a contract yet, how did you exert influence over me?"

Returning to her original form from the polymorph state was not her will, but Leo's power.

A summoner can exert some influence over their summoned beast.

But that's only after a contract has been made.

Leo had summoned Ati through the summoning circle Sasha created, but it was merely a summoning.

Not a contract.

Ati was still a Pegasus of the Rodren Imperial Family.

Yet, Leo had forcibly intervened in the contract and brought with him the right to command.

A situation where a being other than the contractor was manipulating him.

For a high-ranking summoned beast like a Pegasus, it could be an unpleasant situation.

However, for Ati, curiosity outweighed such emotions.

"There's a gap in the preliminary contract, isn't there? I just exploited that gap."

"It's not impossible, but… I can't believe a mere 10-year-old human boy managed it?"

"It's because I'm that outstanding."

Leo shrugged.

Seeing his gesture, Ati, who had been squinting, nodded.

"Well, experiencing something unusual isn't bad. Sasha, could you lend this boy your power for a moment… Sasha?"

Ati looked at Sasha with a confused face, then her expression turned to surprise.

Leo's face also hardened.

Sasha was frozen with a look of surprise.

Leo, examining Sasha, who was frozen as if time had stopped, muttered,

"It's a curse."

Even for Leo, who had encountered all sorts of curses while navigating the Age of Calamity, it was a form of curse he had never seen before.

'Is it a newly created curse?'

Narrowing his eyes, Leo rushed to Ati.

And without hesitation, he mounted Ati's saddle.

"Excuse me."

"Wait! Who told you to ride me so freely…!"

"The situation is urgent. I apologize for the discomfort, but please understand for now."

Leo reached out and gently stroked Ati's neck.

"Huuuuh?"

Ati flinched for a moment.

"Ah, sorry. Carelessly."

As Leo, who had contracted with a Pegasus in his previous life as Kyle, once again found himself on a Pegasus's back, he felt inexplicably emotional.

"To carelessly stroke a lady's body."

"Sorry."

Ati was slightly surprised by Leo's hand naturally gripping the reins.

"Have you handled a Pegasus before?"

His touch was very familiar, as he had ridden with Pegasus through countless battlefields in his past life.

"This is my first time in this life."

"Then why is it so familiar?"

Surprised, Ati introduced herself.

"Let me finish my introduction. My name is Ati, and you are?"

"Leo Plov."

"Nice to meet you, Leo Plov. For a short while, it seems like an emergency, so I'll lend you my power."

Ati whinnied and impatiently stamped her front hoof on the ground.

"So? Who is the enemy? Looking at Sasha's condition, it seems like Tartarus?"

"That's right. They've infiltrated Lumerne's Grand Library right now."

"In Lumerne? That must be a formidable demon."

Ati curled the corners of her mouth.

"Good. But, brat. Riding on my back and fighting is fine, but can you handle me? I don't like entrusting my body to a clumsy rider?"

Ati asked, spreading her wings, and Leo smiled.

"Once you get used to me, you won't be able to ride anyone else."

"Hmm? You're so confident. The only one who satisfied me was the first Emperor of Rodren."

Ati giggled.

"Well, it's not bad to carry a cocky, ambitious kid. Alright, here I go!"

Whoosh-!

Crackling sparks-!

As Ati fully spread her wings, a strong white spark whirled around.

Kuang-!

At the same time, Ati broke through the door and exited the room.

Crackling sparks-!

Simultaneously, gray sparks whirled from Leo's hand.

"Lightning Aura?"

Ati was surprised.

"You use Aura too, and you summoned me at that age? Not bad!"

Even though she was summoned through the summoning circle opened by Sasha, a summoning was a summoning.

Furthermore, as far as Ati could gauge, Leo's spiritual power was far less than Sasha's.

And on top of that, he used Aura.

"You wield lightning attribute freely. This should be a good match?"

Ati, who had lightly admired, ascended to the top of the Grand Library under Leo's control.

Reaching the very end of the towering Grand Library's ceiling, Leo squinted and looked down.

'It's similar to the Curse of Severance.'

The Grand Library itself was cut off from the outside.

But it was slightly different.

'The space itself is different.'

Similar to the Hero's World.

Of course, fundamentally, it was different.

The Hero's World created an entire world, whereas this merely separated this space from the outside.

'Is it a two-dimensional concept?'

A technique to create a small new dimension within the original world.

It couldn't affect the original dimension, but it was the most discreet way to traverse between spaces.

Originally, only the caster could enter this space, but Leo was now in this space.

'More precisely, it's structured so that anyone who recognizes the nature of the curse can enter, not just the caster.'

If Leo hadn't recognized it, he wouldn't have known such a space existed, cursed as he was.

'I understand the principle. But anyone who can use a curse of this high concept would be quite troublesome.'

As Leo scanned the frozen interior of the Grand Library with tension, it happened.

Flash-!

From behind a desk at the bottom of the Grand Library, several dark red lights split apart.

Recognizing them, Leo pulled on the reins.

Kwagagagagag-!

A projectile of dark red mana flew towards Leo and Ati.

Whoosh-!

Ati sprinted through the Grand Library at incredible speed.

The speed of a Pegasus, the fastest among all existing summoned beasts, was literally like lightning.

Crackling sparks-!

Ati, enveloped in lightning and illuminating the darkness, was a magnificent sight.

Whoosh-!

She evaded all the mana projectiles.

However, the mana projectiles that Leo and Ati evaded changed direction and pursued Leo.

'It has a pursuit function.'

Leo glanced back, then looked ahead.

Whoosh-!

A tall bookshelf appeared before them.

Leo easily leaped over the bookshelf.

Kwaga-!

However, the mana projectiles ignored it and pierced through the bookshelf, continuing their pursuit.

Seeing that, Leo said,

"Increase the speed."

"What? Then we'll crash into something. I don't care, but you'll get hurt."

"It doesn't matter. Move as I command."

"Alright, understood. Don't regret it later."

Ati sighed and increased her speed further.

The pressure of the formidable wind could be felt.

Obstacles ahead seemed to approach at an unimaginable speed.

Leo controlled Ati using the reins.

As Ati moved according to Leo's command, her eyes widened in astonishment.

'His reaction speed is immense!'

She never imagined that a rider could give perfect commands even at this speed.

'Is his ability as a rider superior to the first Rodren? What kind of kid is this?'

Leo, his red eyes gleaming, tracked the demon's movements within the complex Grand Library.

Given the power of the curse, the enemy's strength was immense and stealthy.

However, Leo easily grasped the enemy's location.

Crackling sparks-!

Suddenly, a magic circle unfolded from Leo's hand.

Seeing that, Ati let out a scream of shock.

"Magic? Weren't you a Beast Knight?!"

Ati, who had seen Leo using Aura earlier and assumed he was a Beast Knight who handled Aura and summoned beasts, could only scream in shock upon seeing him using magic as well.

"No, I'm an all-class."

"All-class?!"

As Ati showed a shocked expression, Leo cast the completed spell on Ati's horn.

"Chain Lightning!"

Crackling sparks-!

Intense sparks flew.

Seeing that, Ati's eyes widened.

'He fused spiritual power and magic?'

This would undoubtedly amplify the spell's power significantly.

'This cocky brat is using me as a magic amplifier?'

While letting out a wry laugh, Ati fired Chain Lightning towards the rear.

Kwaga-!

The Chain Lightning, transformed with immense power, destroyed the pursuing dark magic.

"It's over there!"

"Got it!"

Ati increased her speed further and pursued the enemy.

At that moment, a giant summoning circle appeared in the air, and a blood-red golem was formed.

"Blood Golem? How audacious! You think you can stop me with this mere lump of blood?"

With a look of contempt, Ati spread her wings wide.

Crackling sparks! Kwaga-!

Intense sparks began to fly from the armor she wore.

The young Fiora.

And unlike Kirian, who had lost his wings, Ati was a complete top-tier summoned beast.

Unlike the two summoned beasts who needed Leo's assistance, Ati was a powerful summoned beast with immense strength on her own.

However, in response to Ati's power, giant bones began to form inside the Blood Golem.

Along with them, flesh grew all over its body.

'Fusion.'

It was a fusion of a base Golem, a bone golem, and a flesh golem.

'The materials used for the fusion… are from Gigantes?'

Leo evoked spiritual power upon the golem, created from the corpse of the strongest beast.

Crackling sparks-!

Whoosh-!

Ati's wings suddenly grew larger.

Seeing that, Ati's eyes widened.

'This brat…? He awakened my latent potential?'

Awakening the latent potential of an already adult summoned beast.

Unlike simply bringing out the potential of a growing summoned beast, it was a powerful and difficult technique that brought out hidden strength even the summoned beast itself was unaware of.

It was truly impossible without overwhelming ability as a Beast Summoner.

Kwaga-!

Drawing a trajectory of white light, Ati punched a hole in the golem's chest and charged towards the enemy's back.

At that moment.

Whoosh-!

The demon vanished.

Kwaga-!

Along with it, the curse was lifted, and a clamorous sound echoed through the Grand Library.

"What is going on!"

"Who is causing a disturbance in the Grand Library!"

The fierce voices of the librarians could be heard.

"What is your true identity…"

"Let's talk about it later."

Sensing people approaching, Leo sent Ati back to where she belonged.

It would be troublesome if it became known that Leo had summoned a Pegasus for no reason.

After sending Ati back, Leo raised his head.

And he squinted at the door before him.

'Where is this…?'

***

Having used his abilities in the Grand Library in the middle of the night, Leo was escorted to the Tower of Heroes.

Using abilities in the Grand Library was not a simple violation of school rules.

It was an act that could easily lead to expulsion if done carelessly.

Fortunately, that night, only Leo and Sasha were studying in the Grand Library at night.

Sasha accompanied Leo to the Tower of Heroes as a witness.

"Please enter, student Leo Plov."

Elena, the principal's secretary, said in a cold voice.

Leo looked at Elena for a moment before entering the principal's office.

Sasha tried to follow Leo.

"Princess Sasha, please wait outside."

Despite Elena's objection, Sasha showed a displeased expression, but then nodded.

She too understood the seriousness of the matter.

'This is serious. Did he summon a Pegasus and cause a rampage? But then it disappeared and was outside?'

Sasha was also feeling a lot of confusion.

Leo entered the principal's office.

There were three people inside the principal's office.

Principal Kalian, Vice Principal Liben.

And the professor in charge of Lumerne's Grand Library, known for his strictness.

Brian was there.

"Explain yourself, Leo Plov! Why did you commit such a serious offense by breaking school rules in the sacred Grand Library!"

Brian shouted in an excited voice, stroking his white beard.

Seeing that, Leo scratched his cheek.

"It was a mistake."

"A mistake? A mistake!"

Brian's eyes flared with anger.

It was when the excited Brian was about to yell.

"Please calm down for a moment, Professor Brian."

"P-Principal!"

"I understand why you are angry, but the Vice Principal and I will speak with student Leo first. After that, we will determine the disciplinary measures."

At those words, Brian nodded and left the principal's office.

And he inwardly clicked his tongue.

'He's the class representative, I don't know what he's thinking. It will be a big blow if he gets disciplined.'

Brian thought that this incident, whether intentional or accidental, could not be overlooked.

After he left, leaving the three of them, Kalian stroked his beard and said,

"There's no need for preamble between us. I'll ask directly, student Leo."

Kalian narrowed his eyes.

"Is it Tartarus?"

"Yes."

"Did you find out their objective?"

"I couldn't ascertain their objective, but it seems certain that the Hero's World was their target."

"The Hero's World?"

"Yes. They seemed to be aiming for the Hall of Heroes."