Book 1 Chapter 182

Everyone murmured, looking back and forth between Leo and Rhys.

Rhys, who was sitting in the stands with the fifth graders, squinted at Leo.

‘Indeed.’

Rhys understood at once why Leo had pointed him out.

‘He intends to prove himself through skill.’

It wasn't a bad idea.

Since Leo was announced as a candidate for student council president, the backlash had been surprisingly small.

However, even so, it was not a situation that could be easily overcome.

The situation was literally the calm before the storm.

Various factors were intertwined, and although no one was talking about it, it was unclear when dissatisfaction might erupt.

Furthermore, there was the thought, ‘Surely a first-year student won’t actually become student council president?’

It was the student council president's prerogative to select candidates for the next student council president.

However, the final approval was given by the principal.

While the student council president’s opinion was respected, excessively absurd candidates were not approved.

Rhys rested his chin on his hand.

‘As for Leo, the principal allowed it.’

When Rhys recommended Leo as the next student council president, the principal readily agreed.

‘Many people are recognizing Leo’s worth.’

If things continued like this, Leo becoming student council president was a foregone conclusion.

But…

‘The students won’t be convinced.’

That’s why Leo had to prove himself in some way.

That he was someone worthy of being student council president.

Rhys thought Leo would do that after becoming student council president.

But surprisingly, before even becoming student council president.

Leo was trying to prove himself in front of all the students.

In a sense, it was bold, but conversely, it could be too reckless.

Since it had come to this, Rhys would absolutely not go easy on Leo.

‘The moment I go easy, I won’t be recognized by anyone.’

Looking at his cousin, who had chosen a frontal assault instead of turning away, Rhys curled the corners of his mouth up.

[Um… Rhys. What are you going to do?]

Cheira, who was hosting the event, asked, holding her breath.

Rhys smiled at Cheira's question.

“Since he’s challenged me like this, it wouldn’t be polite to refuse.”

An unprecedented sparring evaluation between the first-year representative and the fifth-year representative was arranged.

***

Afterward, the first-years began their nominations among themselves.

For the other students, their opponents had been decided in advance, so it proceeded smoothly.

After all the opponents for the fights were decided.

Iliana was astounded to see that someone was set to fight the student council president.

“Wow. Crazy guy. A truly crazy guy.”

Leo was the only one among the first-years who had nominated a senior for this sparring evaluation.

Seeing Iliana say this with a bored expression, Nella asked,

“Will it be okay?”

Nella asked with concern, and Leo smiled.

“We have to clash.”

Seeing Leo remain unfazed despite causing such a huge stir, his classmates were astonished.

Chelsea came over to Leo, clenched her fists, and her eyes sparkled.

“Leo oppa, fighting!”

Chelsea was actively supporting Leo becoming student council president.

Seeing this, Tate said,

“Even so, a first-year student council president is too much.”

“Huh? Are you saying Leo oppa can’t be student council president now? What is that?”

“Ah, no. I was just being realistic… G-get away! What kind of gangster are you?!”

Chelsea kicked Tate viciously with a fierce expression, and Tate quickly ran away.

Meanwhile, two students appeared on the sparring ground that had been created in the middle of the parade ground.

Seeing them, the first-years wore tense expressions.

“It’s because Leo is facing such an unconventional opponent…”

“This match looks formidable too.”

The two students who went up to the parade ground were two girls with black hair.

One was a girl with black hair and striking red eyes, Celia.

And the other was Chen Xia, with black hair and black eyes.

It was a match between the two students who vied for first place in the Knight Academy.

If only looking at attribute matchups, Chen Xia had the advantage.

However, this match was not one that would be decided solely by the superiority of attributes.

As everyone focused on the spar, Cheira, who had come out as the host, said,

[Now! This is the first match for the much-anticipated first-year spar! Celia Zerdinger versus Chen Xia! Wow! As a fifth-year student in the Knight Academy, I was curious about the junior’s match!]

Cheira, standing between the two, sparkled with a cheerful voice.

However, she didn't elaborate further.

In fact, she seemed eager to talk more, but having been reprimanded by Halind earlier, she couldn't.

[Now! Then! The first match of the first-year midterm sparring evaluation! It begins now!]

With those words, Cheira stepped down from the sparring ground.

Facing each other, Celia drew her sword and said,

“This is our first time having a proper match like this, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

Chen Xia smiled faintly and took a stance.

Although they had sparred many times, they had never actually competed against each other.

This was the first time they were formally competing in front of everyone like this.

And having to defeat each other with all their might.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“I am too.”

Chen Xia smiled faintly.

“Celia-yang, you also do personal training with Leo-doryeong, right? I want to see the results.”

At those words, Celia lowered her stance and activated her aura.

“You shouldn’t be so leisurely then?”

*Flames-*!

Celia’s body blazed with aura.

“If you’re not careful, you’ll be defeated in an instant!”

Celia, wrapping her sword in flame aura, rushed at Chen Xia with incredible speed.

Seeing this, Chen Xia opened her palm and conjured water aura.

*Swish-*!

Chen Xia, wrapping a thin veil of water around her entire body like silk, spun around.

‘Celia-yang doesn’t stop.’

Celia’s swordsmanship is very aggressive.

Although one might expect elegant swordsmanship from using a rare spear, contrary to that image, she wielded extremely fierce swordsmanship.

‘Her swordsmanship was quite gentle until the beginning of the first semester.’

Someone had changed Celia’s swordsmanship style.

‘However, that doesn’t mean Celia-yang’s swordsmanship is not refined or rough.’

She uses overwhelming firepower to create openings and relentlessly exploits those gaps.

Even if one tries to find an opening to block her attacks, it’s not easy.

This was proof that she didn’t just rely on brute force.

Therefore, Chen Xia knew too well that trying to block Celia’s attacks head-on was foolish.

While water is certainly a defensive attribute, evasion is even more so.

*Rumble-*!

Chen Xia, with fluid movements like water, deflected Celia’s thrusting attack.

Celia, losing her balance, faltered for a moment.

However, Chen Xia did not exploit that opening.

*Whoosh-*!

Celia, regaining her stance, immediately spread flame aura in all directions.

Aura discharge.

*Sizzle-*!

The flames spreading in all directions evaporated Chen Xia’s water aura.

Flames that seemed to turn everything to ashes.

However, Chen Xia did not retreat and clenched her fist.

And then, she lunged into Celia’s embrace, who was spewing flames.

‘She’s not backing down?’

Celia was flustered by the opponent’s unexpected action.

Celia had expected the match with Chen Xia to be a long one.

But, catching her off guard, Chen Xia rushed to end the match in an instant.

*Thwack-*!

Chen Xia’s fist struck Celia’s chest.

Although she deployed aura armor for a moment, it was too late.

“Kch!”

Celia hastily created distance.

This close-quarters combat was disadvantageous against Chen Xia, whose strength lay in unarmed combat.

Celia retreated to create an angle to swing her sword.

However, Chen Xia did not pursue Celia.

‘What? I thought she would attack more since she had the advantage?’

Celia looked at Chen Xia with a slightly perplexed expression.

Chen Xia smiled faintly at Celia.

Her school uniform was scorched in several places, and her hands had suffered quite severe burns.

If she were someone with a weapon, perhaps.

But for Chen Xia, whose strength was unarmed combat, those burns were clearly a significant blow.

*Thump- thump-*

However, Chen Xia did not seem to care.

She simply let her arms hang down and closed the distance with Celia.

Seeing this, Celia wiped her mouth.

‘This is different from the Chen Xia I know.’

The atmosphere had changed.

The always gentle and soft Chen Xia now felt like a sharpened blade.

Her usual soft smile felt like a cold blade.

‘This is the Chen Xia in actual combat.’

Celia felt a cold sweat and gripped her sword tighter.

‘She’s different from me. No, she’s different from other students in the Knight Academy.’

Chen Xia had gained the advantage in the recent exchange.

If they continued to exchange attacks like this, calculating gains and losses, Celia would be the one to break.

But if that happened, Chen Xia would also have no ‘backup.’

‘It’s fine for a sparring evaluation. But if this were a battlefield?’

This style of attack would lead not only the opponent but also herself to ruin.

Battlefields are where heroes shine.

Places where countless variables can occur.

Therefore, Chen Xia’s fighting style was far from that of a ‘hero.’

Even in the Lumerne Knight Academy, they had never taught such a combat method.

‘What is this girl?’

Celia couldn’t hide her bewilderment at seeing a side of Chen Xia she never knew.

***

*Thump-!*

‘If I stay like this, I’ll lose!’

Celia gritted her teeth.

Chen Xia’s attacks, which precisely calculated the damage to be inflicted and received, were chilling.

Celia, who had never experienced anything like this, was even more perplexed.

However, Celia maintained her composure.

‘Chen Xia’s attacks are so precarious that they could lose balance at any moment.’

Chen Xia, who was gaining small advantages while maintaining a delicate balance, had an attack style that would cause great harm if she slipped up.

But even within that precariousness, Chen Xia maintained her balance well.

‘I have to make her make a mistake.’

Thinking so, Celia gripped her sword.

Seeing this, Chen Xia smiled wryly.

‘She’s made up her mind. As expected, Celia-yang.’

Chen Xia’s attacks are like a swamp.

Once you fall in, you can’t get out.

Celia acknowledged this fact and made her decisive move.

‘Her judgment is fast.’

For Chen Xia, the students of the Knight Academy were all easy to handle.

For Chen Xia, who had learned how to ‘ruin’ people, her classmates, who had only grown up properly, were easy opponents.

‘Of course, Leo-doryeong was different.’

It wasn’t just a difference in skill.

It felt like a difference in the number of battles experienced.

“Celia-yang is… like fire.”

“What?”

“You shine too brightly.”

Chen Xia smiled faintly and conjured her aura.

‘If Celia-yang is going all out, I can’t afford to respond halfway.’

Unlike other students, Celia’s attack power was on a different level.

‘If I respond halfway, I’ll be defeated in an instant.’

If it weren’t a sparring match, she could have handled the battle more advantageously.

She could use all sorts of means.

It might be called cowardly, but Chen Xia had been taught that victory was more valuable than such baseness.

‘But this is sparring.’

And at this moment, she didn’t want to win like that.

Seeing Celia’s flames reminded her of someone.

*Swish-*!

A torrent of water whirled around Chen Xia.

The torrent soon began to take the shape of a dragon.

“Prominence.”

*Flames-*!

Crimson flames surged.

“Water Dragon.”

A giant water dragon opened its mouth and roared.

*WHOOSH! ROAR! SIZZLE-*!

The crimson flames and the water dragon clashed, emitting a massive amount of steam.

As the steam cleared, Celia and Chen Xia were barely standing at the edge of the sparring ground.

“I had a significant advantage.”

Chen Xia smiled wryly, tearing her scorched uniform.

“It became even in a single instant.”

“Grrr-!”

Celia wore a frustrated expression.

Both of them were exhausted.

Seeing the two staggering figures, Cheira ascended to the sparring ground.

[Stop! The professors said to stop! You’ll get seriously hurt if you continue!]

Cheira, who had stepped between the two, exclaimed in admiration.

[You’re both amazing? Not like first-years. Wonderful! The result of the spar is a draw! You both showed a magnificent performance!]

Cheira, clapping, smiled faintly.

[Both of you should go to the medical tent for treatment.]

“Yes.”

Chen Xia smiled faintly and headed towards the medical tent without any lingering regrets.

Meanwhile, Celia gritted her teeth.

‘It doesn’t feel like a draw.’

Her strongest attack hadn’t worked on Chen Xia.

Pulling her aching body along, Celia also headed towards the medical tent.

“What if they had kept fighting?”

“Chen Xia would have won.”

Leo said calmly in response to Chelsea’s question.

Chelsea was surprised by his words.

“Aren’t they about the same?”

“They were close. But Chen Xia had a slight advantage. And Chen Xia would never have lost that advantage.”

“I see.”

“However.”

“However?”

“I can’t guarantee that Chen Xia will win the next time they fight.”

‘Their skills are almost equal. The difference is experience. Celia cannot be defeated in the same way.’

As the students cheered for Celia and Chen Xia, the next match began.

Afterward, several more blockbuster matches like the one between Celia and Chen Xia took place.

The spars of the top-ranked students brought immense interest and excitement.

Amidst this.

After all the students had sparred, only one match remained.

Leo stepped onto the sparring ground, rotating his wrists to warm up.

*Thump- thump-*

Along with that, footsteps were heard.

Everyone held their breath.

Leo smiled and looked at the man before him.

The current strongest among Lumerne students.

Rhys Zerdinger.

“Please take care of me, Leo.”

“Please take care of me, Rhys hyungnim.”

The two exchanged greetings with similar smiles.