Book 1 Chapter 184

184

"No way!"

"Is that even possible?"

Shocked voices erupted from the 3rd and 4th graders.

As for the 1st and 2nd graders, the brief exchange between Leo and Lis was overwhelming, and they couldn't comprehend the incredible movements the two displayed at all.

However, the top students of the 1st-year Knight Department clenched their fists.

Meanwhile, from the 5th-year spectator stands, Jamua mumbled while eating popcorn.

"Was it that much? That's beyond amazing, it's grotesque."

In response to Jamua's astonishment, Torua, who was writing something nearby, glanced at the sparring arena and said.

"That's probably why Lis recommended her for student council president."

"That's true. By the way, Torua. What have you been writing for the past few days?"

"A graduation deferment application."

"……"

Jamua wore a dumbfounded expression at Torua's words.

"I've already been rejected ten times."

Torua, who had already completed his graduation thesis, submitted an unprecedented application, causing the professors of the Magic Department to clutch their necks in disbelief.

The reason was none other than magic research.

"Let's see."

At Jamua's words, Torua handed over the graduation deferment application.

"Graduation Deferment Application. I wish to study at Lumerne for another year. Reason: Magic Research. Specific research plan. Analysis of Leo Flob's 'Bible' magic incantation and focused observation of Leo Flob?"

Looking at the graduation deferment application, Jamua said.

"Do you really think this will work?"

"Hmm… Focused observation might be an invasion of privacy, so perhaps I should remove it?"

Seeing Torua's serious expression, Jamua sighed.

Even though he was known as the smartest friend in school, he became foolish when it came to magic.

Breaking his focus on his friend, Jamua turned his gaze back to the sparring arena.

'Now, what will you do, Leo?'

In the technical duel, Leo surprisingly gained the upper hand.

But combat power is not solely determined by technique.

Especially since Leo was challenging Lis Zerdinger, the strongest student.

'That won't be enough to hold out against the current Lis.'

***

Leo gripped his sword as he saw the vortex of flames flying towards him.

'This isn't Zerdinger's flame.'

Zerdinger's flame was the flame of a phoenix.

Therefore, its power and feel were different from ordinary flames.

'It's a technique using a hero skill.'

Quickly analyzing the attack, Leo chuckled.

'Is he testing me?'

Thinking so, Leo awakened the flame dormant within him.

Gooooooo! Fwoooooosh-!

Burning crimson flames shimmered on the spear Leo held.

*Clang-*

Adjusting his grip on the spear, Leo assumed a throwing stance.

Kwagagagag-!

Leo's flame was sucked into the spear.

As all the flames were absorbed, Leo gritted his teeth.

"Huuup-!"

Fwoooong-!

Leo threw the spear towards the vortex of flames Lis had conjured.

Fwaaaaak-!

The spear flew towards the vortex of flames with incredible speed.

Kwoooang-!

For a moment, Leo's spear and Lis's vortex of flames collided.

Goooooooo-!

For an instant, the phoenix's flame erupted from Leo's spear like an explosion, engulfing Lis's flames.

Even though they were both flames, their caliber was different.

The flame of the phoenix, called the strongest flame, consumed everything.

It wasn't for nothing that Zerdinger and Lundaga were called the strongest among the heroic families who wielded flames.

'Even so, I can't believe he blocked it so easily.'

Lis marveled.

The flame Lis had used just a moment ago was the flame of Itarian, the great fire spirit that had vanished 1000 years ago.

It was a reward obtained through the Hero's World, and although it wasn't the complete flame of the great spirit, it was by no means a weak flame.

'To devour that flame…'

Lis smiled as he looked at Leo's spear flying directly towards him.

'His ability to wield flames is also remarkable.'

*Thump-*

Kwoooang! Fwoooooosh-!

The moment Lis snatched Leo's thrown spear, a massive fiery inferno swept through the sparring arena.

Everyone in the spectator stands looked astonished.

Protective magic had been cast in the sparring arena to prevent damage to the spectators.

The heat from Leo's flames was so intense that it felt like the skin would cook, even penetrating the protective magic.

But Leo's attack wasn't over yet.

He unleashed all the magic he had prepared.

*Flash!* Kwagagagag-!

As if a bombardment was pouring down.

Powerful fire magic rained down on where Lis stood.

It was literally the maximum attack Leo could unleash with his aura and magic, poured onto Lis.

The older students wore expressions of disbelief.

Of course, Lis had allowed Leo to prepare thoroughly.

But even so, this was beyond reasonable.

No matter how much he inherited the flame of the Zerdinger family, specialized in offense, Leo's current attack power was astonishing.

Surprisingly, the 1st graders were unfazed.

As everyone focused on where Lis stood.

Gasps of admiration erupted as Lis emerged from the flames.

Despite Leo's fierce attack, Lis emerged from the flames unscathed.

"As expected of Senior Lis."

"To block an attack of that magnitude with such ease!"

Exclamations of admiration burst from the students.

Meanwhile, the professors looked at Lis as if it were natural.

"Even so, not even the hem of his clothes is burnt. That's amazing."

Anna, the vice professor of Len, shook her head. Len crossed his arms.

"Indeed, student Leo's magic and aura attack power is astonishing. But his opponent is Lis Zerdinger."

Len narrowed his eyes.

"He is known as the Phoenix Knight, the strongest student. Not only in Lumerne, but among the current hero candidates, he is the best in Seirun, Azonia, and Demian combined, and when it comes to flame users, there are few in the world superior to Lis Zerdinger."

Lis was the heir of the heroic family, Zerdinger, and a man whose flame abilities had reached global recognition as a knight.

"With student Leo's current level, a fight using flames against student Lis is tantamount to suicide."

"Did student Leo not know that?"

"He likely knew."

Len's lips curled upwards.

"However, it is a challenge."

"A challenge?"

"Yes. He is challenging to see how much his flame will affect Lis."

"But isn't that too reckless?"

"Hoohoohoo! Vice Professor Anna! That's why student Leo is amazing!"

Len's mouth stretched into a grin.

"Student Leo is 'testing' how great student Lis is! What a bold student! That nerve to test the strongest of the 5th graders! This is proof that he is a student worthy of the Magic Department!"

"Ah, yes."

Anna reacted listlessly.

Lately, whenever it came to Leo, Len seemed to try to connect it to the Magic Department.

The other day, when she heard he succeeded in implementing the Bible, Anna had to hit him on the back of the head with a thick grimoire to knock him out and calm him down.

'Should I really stop?'

Anna let out a deep sigh at her superior's escalating outbursts.

'Indeed.'

Leo exclaimed in admiration as he saw Lis block his attack without significant damage.

'Even during the Age of Cataclysm, no knight at that age had accumulated such skill.'

Even with techniques refined and developed over 5000 years and the means of the Hero's World, it was still an extraordinary level.

'His ability to wield flames is the best, both in his past and present life.'

Leo gripped his sword.

Of course, Leo could now unleash flames of equal caliber to Lis.

However, that was a flame he could only obtain by embracing burns himself.

Moreover, even if he produced flames of equal power, it was clear they wouldn't reach Lis if their power was the same.

"With your current strength, you cannot wound me, Leo."

"That's probably true."

Leo nodded at Lis's words.

"It's impossible to counter your flames with aura and magic, Brother Lis."

Seeing Leo readily admit it, Lis smiled.

"Then what will you do?"

"It's simple."

Leo smiled.

"Isn't the most effective way to counter force with force?"

"Force?"

Lis looked puzzled.

A moment ago, Leo admitted he couldn't counter Lis's flames.

'It would be the same even if he used another attribute. Yet, he has a method?'

Leo's other aura.

Even using Kyle's gray aura, he couldn't counter Lis.

It was literally a reckless fight with different weight classes.

Yet he said he would counter with force.

'What is he thinking?'

Lis's eyes narrowed.

Seeing Lis like that, Leo's lips curled upwards.

***

"It's over."

Among the older students, there was a reaction of "as expected."

At first, when Leo landed a hit on Lis, it was surprising, but that was it.

Lis fought Leo without holding back.

It was clear the duel would end in an instant.

"Still, isn't that amazing for a 1st grader?"

"Hmph! For a '1st grader'! He's nowhere near student council president!"

Boos and complaints flowed from everywhere.

The 1st graders had similar reactions.

"It was interesting, but this is the end."

Eliza muttered, tidying her fingertips.

"You should have fought me instead of the student council president."

"Eliza. Do you know you sometimes act like you have a crush on the class president of Class 5?"

"Do I?"

"Gasp! Gasp!"

"Is this the mouth that says such insolent things?"

"My, my mouth! Gasp! My mouth is wrong! Cough! I'll hit my mouth- cough, why are you strangling my neck… Cough!"

Eliza, who had quickly broken free and was gasping for air with her hands around her neck, laughed brightly.

The female student, struggling to breathe, grumbled.

"Anyway, the duel is over. A 1st-year student council president. That's absurd, isn't it?"

"That's right. A 1st-year student council president is absurd."

It was when Eliza wore a bored expression.

*Swoosh-*

Leo raised his hand.

*Vrooom-!*

"Summoning?"

Eliza looked amused.

'Come to think of it, Leo Flob has never used summoning in any important battle so far, has he? He was said to be all-class, but his summoning ability was definitely inferior to his aura and magic.'

Of course, Leo's summoning wasn't absolutely lacking.

He just didn't have powerful summoned beasts. Leo's skill in handling familiars and spirits was so impressive that even Eliza marveled at it.

'But summoning won't change the situation now.'

Eliza rested her chin on her hand.

'What you absolutely lack right now is power. You must know that skills are useless when the power gap is this wide, right?'

Others had similar thoughts.

At the same time, there was also curiosity about what summoned beast Leo would summon in this situation.

*Fwoosh-*

Flames ignited in Leo's palm.

*Poof-*

*Peep-*

And everyone was momentarily dumbfounded at the sight of a small red chick that appeared.

The suddenly summoned red chick looked bewildered at the fact that countless people were paying attention to it.

But it soon flapped its wings elegantly, spread its wings on Leo's palm, and puffed out its chest.

And it lifted its head as if it were a magnificent familiar.

"Cute, it's so cute!"

"What is that! I want it!"

Exclamations of delight at the out-of-place cuteness erupted from various places.

Meanwhile, the 1st-year Summoning Department students looked bewildered.

"Hey, isn't that the chick Leo contracted on the first day of class?"

"That's right."

"Why did he bring that out in this situation?"

As the Summoning Department students whispered, Eliza's face turned slightly red.

'Even then, I felt it, what a lovely familiar! But what does he plan to do with that thing?'

There were also reactions of disbelief from the 5th-year spectators.

"What on earth is he going to do with that familiar?"

"Perhaps he's trying to weaken Lis's heart with cuteness?"

It was when Jamua and Torua reacted with bewilderment.

"It's good to watch carefully."

Ultar, who had been quietly observing the match, curled his lips upwards.

Jamua and Torua looked at Ultar with puzzled faces.

"The true evaluation of the duel will begin now."

***

*Peep-*

Lis scratched his cheek as he looked at Fiora, who was warbling and flapping her wings aggressively towards him.

"Hey, Leo. Even so, if you bring out such a cute familiar, I feel a bit reluctant to touch it."

"Don't worry."

Leo smiled and generated spiritual energy.

"……?"

Fwoooooosh-

One by one, Fiora's feathers began to burn.

"In a little while, it won't feel cute at all."

Fwoooooosh-!

Unusual flames began to flicker around Leo.

Seeing that, Lis's face hardened.

Gooooooo-!

The flames began to gather around Fiora.

Fiora's body, transformed into a single flame, began to burn fiercely.

*Whoosh-*

For a moment, the burning flames stopped.

And then…

Peaaaaaaak-!

Kwagagagag-!

With Fiora's roar, heat spread out in all directions.

"Kkkh!"

Lis felt his head ringing and staggered.

'Fia?'

Lis, who was astonished at being overwhelmed by a mere Fia, straightened his posture.

And then he gaped as he saw a beautiful firebird perched on Leo's forearm.

Lis instantly recognized the identity of the firebird.

A being that evoked awe in its viewers.

The source of the flame he wielded.

"Phoenix?"