Book 1 Chapter 18

【18】17

Leo and Duran were at the center as the students divided to the left and right.

The atmosphere was filled with excitement for the title match: Freshman Representative vs. Top Entrant.

"Who do you think will win?"

"I'm betting on Duran!"

"Right? He was famous even before entering."

"But he's the Freshman Representative, don't you think he'll show something?"

"Nah. Still, he wasn't first in the exam, right? And from what I heard, he hasn't even mastered the Auror Step yet."

All the first-years predicted Duran's victory.

Amidst this, Celia asked with concern, "Are you going to be okay?"

"You don't trust me?"

"You only learned the Auror Step theoretically just now."

"Don't worry, I'll win."

Duran pointed to a large tree attached to the training ground wall in the distance and said, "The rules are simple. Whoever circles that tree and returns here first wins."

"Understood."

The two stretched before starting.

Leo removed the bracelets and anklets on his wrists and ankles, recalling the Auror Step theory taught by Professor Ain in his mind.

Once the warm-up was over and the two stood at the starting line, the student acting as the referee raised their hand.

"Ready."

Leo tensed his muscles.

"Go!"

The two simultaneously kicked off the ground and sprinted.

Initially, Leo was ahead.

Duran scowled, watching Leo's back.

'He's ridiculously fast.'

"Go! He's fast!"

"Leo Oppa, fighting!"

Kai clenched his fists tightly and shouted, while Chelsea jumped with joy.

However, Celia's expression remained grim.

'Duran hasn't used the Auror Step yet.'

At this point, both were running solely on their physical strength.

Leo's physical capabilities were such that even Celia would have to concede some ground.

So, it was natural for Leo to be faster without using the Auror Step.

But he only had the early advantage.

As Duran activated his Aura, the distance closed in an instant.

*Fzzt-* Golden sparks enveloped Duran's legs.

It was the lightning Aura.

"I'm going ahead, slowpoke."

Duran sneered and surged forward.

Duran, who turned the corner much faster than Leo, sprinted at incredible speed.

To anyone watching, it seemed Leo was defeated.

Just then, Leo accelerated towards the training ground wall as if exploding.

"Auror Step? Didn't they say the grade representative couldn't use the Auror Step?"

"Was that a lie?"

The students murmured, and Celia's eyes widened.

'No, how is that monster learning things so fast!'

While she shrieked inwardly.

Even though the training ground wall was within arm's reach, Leo showed no intention of slowing down.

*Fwosh-fwosh-fwosh-*

"Wait, can't he stop?"

"He's going to crash at this rate!"

The students screamed, watching Leo sprint towards the wall at terrifying speed.

*Pwak-!*

At that moment, Leo concentrated his leg strength and leaped.

Then, with his feet on the wall, he looked up and saw Duran's back.

*Quack-!*

Leo, who leaped with enough force to crack the wall, used that momentum to chase after Duran.

The students were astonished by the sight.

Duran, who looked back at their reaction, stiffened.

He saw Leo coming at him like a cannonball.

'This guy!'

Although surprised by the unexpected pursuit, he quickly regained his composure.

'He lost acceleration when he landed on the ground!'

Duran maintained his speed, so he wasn't worried about being caught.

Leo kicked off the ground again and ran.

With the Auror Step activated, his speed was incomparable to before.

However, the distance to Duran did not close.

Now, about halfway back to the starting line.

"Leo, hang in there!"

"Duran! Run!"

The students cheered them on, divided.

Celia bit her lip slightly.

'No, he can't catch up.'

Leo knew that too.

*Fwoosh-!*

At that moment, flames ignited from Leo's fingertips.

'That's the operating method Professor Ain used when he walked on air earlier.'

He recalled the demonstration Professor Ain had given.

It was impossible to replicate it now.

Leo was merely a beginner in the Auror Step, after all.

However, he could refer to Professor Ain's operating method.

Activating Phoenix Breath, Leo concentrated his Aura at his fingertips.

*Fwarr-!*

And then…

'Kicking off the ground!'

*Pwak-! Pwoong!*

The students flinched at the sudden explosion sound.

Celia's mouth dropped open.

'Phoenix Step? Leo shouldn't have learned that yet!'

*Pwoong-! Pwoong-!*

A series of small explosions were heard.

As a result, Leo began to accelerate at an incredible speed.

Burning away the little Aura he had left in his body, Leo caught up right behind Duran.

"Tsk? This guy!"

"I'm going ahead, slowpoke."

Leo grinned and kicked the ground forcefully.

*Pwoong-!*

"Leo Flove!"

Duran's eyes widened as he shouted and chased Leo closely.

Although the distance didn't widen, he couldn't keep up with Leo, who had truly started accelerating.

Leo's Aura flames and Duran's lightning Aura weaved through the air as they sprinted.

And by a hair's breadth, Leo crossed the starting line first.

"Woooooah!"

"This is crazy! He's so fast!"

The students exclaimed in admiration.

"Hah-! Hah-!"

Duran gasped for breath, glaring at Leo.

Leo also placed his hands on his knees, sweating profusely, and took a deep breath.

"Hey! That was amazing! He was really fast, wasn't he? Duran is supposed to be the fastest among the first-years, and you beat him!"

As Kai exclaimed, Celia said,

"If it were a long-distance race, he couldn't have won."

"Huh?"

"Celia's right. Duran has much more Aura capacity."

Leo nodded at Celia's words.

"Still, I won. See? I told you I'd win, right?"

"Sigh, okay. You're amazing."

Celia shook her head, watching Leo puff out his chest.

"Leo Oppa! Water here!"

"Thanks."

Leo smiled gently as he accepted the water bottle Chelsea handed him.

"Even as a guy, he's cool. He must be popular with girls. Is this what a well-mannered gentleman feels like?"

Kai exclaimed, but Chelsea shook her head.

"He's not a gentleman."

"Huh? Why?"

"He threatened to burn my butt off to get my cooperation during the entrance exam."

Chelsea said sullenly, her face turning grim.

Hearing that, Kai muttered,

"A perverted gentleman, then."

***

"I felt it yesterday too, but it's not for nothing that Professor Albi recommended him as the Freshman Representative."

On the roof overlooking the training ground, Professor Ain muttered.

"Isn't it a professor's duty to stop disputes between students, Professor Ain?"

Assistant Professor Claria pointed out with a deep sigh, and Ain chuckled.

"It's an annual event, isn't it?"

Lumern is where selected students from various cultures around the world gather.

Moreover, their social statuses are vastly different.

Therefore, situations like the one just seen often occur annually at the beginning of admission.

"I think it's more problematic that you didn't stop it even though you knew."

"This year's first-years have many individuals who could become heroes. That's why they're receiving attention from the academy. As such, I thought it necessary to sort the wheat from the chaff from the beginning of the semester."

The professors at Lumern adhere to the principle of equality for all students.

However, as humans, it's inevitable to have favorite students.

Despite his cold exterior, Ain is passionate about his students and receives great respect from them even after graduation.

Ain also took pride in his students.

But there was one regret: none of his students had yet risen to the position of a hero.

"To raise heroes, Claria. You know how much I wish for that, don't you?"

"As if you wouldn't."

Claria sighed and took out a notebook from her pocket, asking, "So, what should we do?"

Even though it was an informal lesson, engaging in a duel without a professor's permission was a violation of school rules.

"They weren't fighting, so let it be."

'He seems to have really taken a liking to student Leo.'

Professor Ain, who valued school rules, overlooked this incident.

Claria burst into laughter watching Leo chat with his friends.

***

After class, Leo sat in the student cafe.

In the meantime, the story of Leo and Duran spread like wildfire throughout the school.

"You're the center of attention from day one!"

As Kai said, raising his thumb, Chelsea, who was drinking fruit juice with a straw in her mouth, said,

"Leo Oppa's performance was certainly impressive."

"Hey, Chelsea Lewalin. I've been noticing, why do you call Leo 'Oppa' but me by my name?"

"It's my choice."

Chelsea stuck out her tongue.

"This!"

"If you don't like that, you can call our older brother 'Oppa' too, what do you say!"

"Just call me by my name comfortably."

Celia gave up cleanly.

"Next is Summoning Studies. Is anyone else taking it?"

Kai asked, checking his timetable.

"I am."

The three looked at Leo with expressions that seemed to say, 'What's the point of taking that?'

Knight classes teach skills, and magic classes can improve magic response abilities.

Therefore, they are popular as electives. In contrast, Summoning Studies is useless for those without talent.

At their reactions, Leo brought the straw to his lips and muttered inwardly,

'I wonder what expressions they'll have if I say I'm taking all three majors.'

After parting with the three, he headed straight for the lecture hall.

As he did so, he recalled the reward he had obtained during the entrance exam.

Normally, worlds of living heroes do not offer rewards even when conquered.

'But I received a reward.'

Something unusual had happened.

Furthermore, there was another question regarding the reward.

'Why, of all things, a pact with the Fairy King?'

The rewards obtainable in the world of heroes are related to the power held by the master of the world.

'Professor Albi is a pure mage.'

Originally, he should have gained magic-related abilities.

However, the reward Leo received was summoning ability.

The last contracted party of the Fairy King recorded in history was none other than Luna.

The pact with the Fairy King, which had been severed after the Age of Calamity, was now vested in Leo.

'But a pact alone cannot form a contract.'

To summon a mythical beast, a catalyst related to the mythical beast is needed.

The catalyst for summoning fairies is the leaves of the World Tree.

The World Tree was completely destroyed by Erebus during the Age of Despair.

To form a contract with fairies now, one would need to go to the Fairy Land where the fairies reside.

'But Fairy Land is the territory of the elves, where humans cannot go. Even if I go, I won't necessarily be able to meet the Fairy King.'

At present, it was a useless reward.

"You're taking Summoning Studies too?"

Someone spoke from behind.

Turning his head with a puzzled look, he saw a female student standing there.

'Let's see… she was the Eastern Representative, wasn't she?'

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