Book 1 Chapter 176

176

Combat Class.

Leo was lost in thought during class.

Lysinas had apparently liked him.

'He never showed me that kind of feeling?'

Lysinas, the King of Wisdom.

The leader of the Erebus subjugation force, who had a noble goal of saving the world.

A noble black dragon who rallied great heroes and brought hope to those in despair.

He always showed a flawless image in front of people.

Of course, not in front of his friends.

Especially at the feasts after big battles, he often showed a relaxed side.

Then, they would drink and talk about the future after all disasters were gone.

'But even then, he never showed he liked me specifically? So why is he cursing me for not realizing it?'

Leo, frowning, recalled the past.

***

That day, too, was a day of a grand feast.

They enjoyed the joy of victory in Gardsron's square.

Many people blessed the heroes.

Not only the five great heroes were present.

Other heroes who lived in that era also joined them.

Humans playing music.

Elves dancing joyfully to the melody.

Dwarves cheerfully pouring drinks.

Beastmen cooking food.

Dragons telling heroic tales to children.

The five races gathered and enjoyed, grateful for the peace they had achieved.

For this moment, everyone forgot the era of despair.

Kyle watched that hopeful scene from afar.

When he was alone like that, there were always two people who spoke to him first.

The one who spoke to him that day was Lysinas, who had drunk more than usual.

Lysinas, with a flushed face from the alcohol, approached and sat next to Kyle as if it were familiar.

"Kyle."

"Why."

"What will you do after Erebus is subjugated?"

Lysinas had the goal of saving the world and regaining the light.

Luna, who wanted to make the world bloom with flowers.

Dweono, who wanted to spread beauty to the world.

Unlike Arion, who wanted to create a world where children wouldn't cry, Kyle had no grand goal.

"I'll live wandering aimlessly. I have nowhere to go."

At those words, Lysinas turned his head and looked at Kyle.

"Then."

Lysinas smiled shyly.

"Won't you live with me in the dragon's territory?"

"Dragon's territory? It sounds stuffy, so I don't like it?"

"Then I'll travel the world with you too?"

"That would be nice too. But won't it be difficult?"

"Why?"

"Don't you have to help rebuild the world? Besides…"

"Besides?"

"I feel like you'll keep nagging me if I'm with you. So, for peace of mind, alone…"

Crack-!

Lysinas elbowed Kyle directly in the temple.

"What? What? Lysinas, are you drunk and acting out right now?"

Luna, who had come to dance with Kyle, witnessed the scene with a surprised expression.

"Drunk and acting out?"

"Yeah. Kyle said that. He said you become violent when you drink. I didn't believe it, but it's true?"

"I was right, wasn't I?"

"Yeah."

Luna nodded casually at Kyle's words, who scrunched his face while rubbing his temple.

Lysinas smirked.

"Kyle."

"Yeah? Gulp-!"

And he landed a dropkick directly to Kyle's chest.

"Just die. You damn brat!"

The image of the black dragon grumbling as he stomped on the fallen Kyle was truly ferocious.

Luna, watching the scene, crossed her arms and nodded, "Hmm! Hmm!"

"Violent. Violent."

Lysinas grabbed Luna's hair.

Before they knew it, Lysinas and Luna started fighting, grabbing each other by the hair.

Arion sipped his drink, watching them.

"Why are they fighting again?"

"Leave them be. They're all fools when it comes to that, so what can be done?"

"That way?"

"So, there were four of you."

Dweono clicked his tongue. Kyle approached him.

"Ugh, seriously, what did I do wrong?"

"From what I see, you deserve to be hit."

"What did I do wrong?"

Dweono looked at Kyle with genuine pity.

***

"…"

Leo made a strange expression as he recalled that day.

Thinking back, there were quite a few such instances.

Each time, Dweono would look at Leo with a lukewarm, pitying gaze.

'No. I'm still wronged. If that's how he felt, he should have just said it directly?'

"Student Leo."

"Yes, Professor Sedjen."

"Do you not like my combat class?"

Sedjen's eyes twitched.

Sedjen was passionately teaching combat class in the training ground.

Furthermore, it was a joint class with all ten classes gathered.

Sedjen was chosen as the representative professor for this joint class.

As the midterm exams were approaching, all students were focused on the class, but Leo was lost in other thoughts.

"I was listening intently."

"Oh? Then, try explaining the party composition and role setting as a leader of a 5-person party, which I just explained."

"The composition changes depending on the leader's class. In my case, I'm all-class, so I can perform any role. Therefore…"

Leo explained the content without difficulty.

After hearing all of it, Professor Sedjen took out a handkerchief and bit it.

"Kuh-! Annoying! But so elegant! That makes it even more annoying!"

"Professor. I think you spoke your inner thoughts out loud too."

"Kwooooooo!"

Among the first-year students, Leo was the only one this candid with a professor.

Since he was a student who wasn't intimidated even in front of Halind, Leo's behavior was familiar among the first-years.

After a while, the class continued.

"That's the end of the theoretical class. Today, since it's a joint class, we will have Bastéra."

Bastéra, a traditional sport of combat.

Although they had formed teams by class, they had never mixed classes, so everyone's eyes sparkled.

"Teams from different classes? That sounds fun!"

"I can form the team I've been thinking about!"

The students began to move flexibly.

The most popular were, as expected, those with high academic performance.

Leo's popularity was particularly fervent.

"Leo! Let's team up!"

"No! Team up with me!"

"You guys already have the front line covered. So you don't need Leo?"

"Don't be ridiculous! Leo is all-class! He can handle any position!"

Watching the other class students bickering, Leo sighed lightly.

Thump- Thump-

Chelsea tilted her head, bouncing the Bastéra sphere on the ground.

"Leo-oppa has been a bit strange these past few days?"

"What's strange about Leo-doryeong?"

"Scared me!"

Chelsea was startled by Chen Xia, who suddenly popped her face out.

The two smallest female students among the first-years, being together, were surprisingly noticeable.

"Chen Xia, why are you here?"

Kyle asked. Chen Xia smiled.

"I was thinking of teaming up with Leo-doryeong. By the way, has Leo-doryeong been strange these past few days?"

"He's been a bit spaced out."

"Right. The class president is always flawless, but these days, it seems like there are flaws."

Tade approached, crossing his arms, and Iliana also looked surprised.

Celia and Chloe, who were approaching to team up with Leo, also joined the conversation after hearing that.

"I've felt it recently too. Getting called out during class."

Celia looked at Leo with a displeased expression.

"Is he worried about something?"

Chloe looked slightly worried.

"I don't know! Anyway, now's the chance! Chelsea! Give me the ball!"

Iliana had a playful expression.

"What are you going to do?"

"When else will I get to hit the class president's head with a ball if not now!"

Iliana giggled and crept up behind Leo.

And she threw the ball directly at the back of Leo's head, who was busy with team requests.

Thwack-!

Without even looking at Iliana, Leo caught the ball with one hand.

And still without looking, he accurately hit the ball straight into Iliana's face.

"Puhop?!"

"That idiot."

"Even if he's spaced out, would he fall for something like that?"

Kyle and Tade looked at Iliana, whose face was red from the ball mark, with pity.

"Chelsea! They're calling me an idiot!"

Iliana whined and clung to Chelsea.

"You are an idiot."

"That's too much!"

Iliana looked crestfallen.

"Class 5 is always fun."

Chen Xia smiled brightly, stroking her chin.

"By the way, why is he like that?"

"Well, it's obvious for boys our age."

Kyle nodded, crossing his arms, "Hmm! Hmm!"

"I don't want to think of Leo-oppa and Kyle at the same level… but I'll try to say something."

"It's a woman."

At those words, Chelsea, Chloe, and Chen Xia wore strange expressions.

Celia crossed her arms.

"I don't think he'd space out over that kind of issue?"

"How can a woman understand the heart of a teenage boy?"

"The way he boasts is strangely tempting to hit."

Celia narrowed her brows, watching the smug Kyle.

"I feel like he'd suit an older woman. He's mature. He seems to be hanging out with Senior Elena recently too."

Tade joined the conversation, and Kyle nodded.

"Me too. In that sense…"

Kyle shook his head, looking at Chelsea with apparent pity.

"You, who are like a child, have no hope… Kuhook!"

Chelsea kicked Kyle directly in the side without hesitation.

It was at that noisy moment of team selection.

"For your information."

Professor Sedjen opened his mouth.

"Today is the practical exam for the combat midterm."

For a moment, the atmosphere of all the first-years turned icy cold.

"What?"

"Wait, Professor! A practical exam all of a sudden!"

The entire first-year class looked bewildered by the sudden announcement.

Given that it was exam period, it wasn't strange for a practical exam to be held.

However, such a sudden, unannounced situation was bound to be bewildering.

Sedjen, who usually cherished his students and wore a friendly smile, smirked at the bewildered students.

"You are Lumern. First-year students."

Sedjen crossed his arms.

"If you aim to be a hero, shouldn't you be able to respond to unexpected situations anytime, anywhere?"

Seeing Sedjen's overwhelming presence, completely different from usual, the first-years swallowed dryly.

Warden asked with his characteristic expressionless face.

"So, are the opponents also first-years?"

"Hoo. Student Warden. You are indeed quite elegant."

Sedjen smiled with satisfaction at Warden's attitude of calmly analyzing the situation.

"I have one thing to tell you. This midterm exam, everything except the written test will be 'relative evaluation'."

Sedjen crossed his arms.

"This is the opposite of the first semester of the first year, where there were many absolute evaluation items. Do you know why?"

As the students hesitated, Celia raised her hand.

"Answer, Student Celia."

"Isn't it because the mediocre talents have already been weeded out?"

"Elegant."

Sedjen nodded.

"I apologize to the students who were advised to withdraw in the first semester, but… the first semester was a process of 'filtering' for potential heroes. You all must have felt it? That you are completely different from the first semester. It means only students with great potential among the new students remain."

At those words, everyone looked at each other and nodded.

"If the first semester selected students with growth potential, the second semester evaluates the value of that potential."

"How is potential evaluated?"

This time, Duran asked.

To that question, Sedjen smirked.

"Potential is revealed the moment it faces its limit."

Everyone wore tense expressions.

"If you are a student of Lumern… if you dream of being a hero, you must be able to 'transcend your limits'."

When the school motto came from the professors, it meant a tremendous ordeal awaited them.

"Your Bastéra opponents are not fellow first-years."

"Then?"

Beep-!

Sedjen blew his whistle lightly.

At that, someone appeared on the training ground.

Upon seeing that, the faces of the first-years hardened.

"Haha. N-no way."

"No. It can't be. They're just observing, right?"

They denied it with awkward laughter.

To them, Sedjen cruelly pushed reality.

"Your opponents are 'fifth-years'."

At those words, the first-years looked astonished.

Lyse, at the front, smiled at his juniors.

"Please take care of me."