Book 1 Chapter 185

185

*Whoosh-*

Piora flapped her wings and floated into the air.

Liss, who had been astonished by the sudden appearance of the Phoenix, came to his senses upon seeing it.

He then concentrated and unleashed his aura.

*Whoosh-!*

Flames identical to those Piora was emitting flared around Liss's sword.

"Piora."

*Cheep-*

"Go wild, do whatever you want."

*Cheep- cheep-*

At those words, Piora flapped her wings rapidly as if delighted, then shot high into the air.

*Whoosh-!*

The power of the flames Piora was emitting grew even stronger.

Leo was continuously drawing out Piora's latent abilities using his spirit power.

*Thud-!*

Piora's movement, soaring high in the air, abruptly stopped.

*Whoosh-!*

And then she descended towards Liss at tremendous speed.

*Groooan-!*

The space around her seemed distorted by the flames Piora was emitting.

'Stay calm.'

Liss took a stance, watching Piora.

'No matter how great a phantom beast the Phoenix is, if I look at its appearance from a moment ago, it's still a young phantom beast. This current form must be Leo drawing out its latent abilities.'

Because he had Ulta, with whom he had competed for the class representative position for five years, Liss knew very well how much spirit power was consumed to draw out and maintain the latent abilities of a high-ranking phantom beast.

*Whoosh-!*

*Cheep!*

*Kwagagagagang-!*

As Piora flapped her wings powerfully, a massive wave of flames swept across the entire training ground.

Liss, who had defended against the attack by swinging his sword, looked up at Piora, who had shot back into the sky, and muttered.

"This isn't a level where I can just casually endure."

Liss looked at his cousin with slightly exasperated eyes.

Meanwhile, everyone in the audience was also aghast.

"Unbelievable!"

"A Phoenix! A Phoenix! He's just a first-year!"

"No! It's not a matter of being a first-year or anything! Do you think you can contract with one of the Three Great Phantom Beasts just because you become an upperclassman?!"

Both first-years and upperclassmen alike shrieked in astonishment.

The reaction from the Department of Summoning Arts was especially fervent.

Even the professors found it hard to believe the situation unfolding before their eyes.

Of course, only one professor was cheering enthusiastically.

"That's right! Finally, you're summoning the Phoenix!"

Yura, who had been sitting in the stands with the other professors, sprang to her feet and shouted.

For Yura, it was a moment she had long awaited.

Leo revealing the Phoenix in front of everyone!

'Now no one will be able to deny that Leo belongs to the Department of Summoning Arts!'

Just as Yura was celebrating,

"Sit down, you're a distraction."

Ain, who had barely managed to compose himself, said with a frown.

Yura looked down at Ain with a triumphant expression.

"You see, Ain *sunbae*? That's why Leo is a child suited for the Department of Summoning Arts!"

"The Phoenix is indeed impressive. But do you think it's easy to overpower Liss with martial arts?"

"It's not as good as the Phoenix."

"Oh dear, oh dear. You two are talking nonsense again."

Ren, who approached shaking his head as if exasperated, said.

"Student Leo is from the Department of Magic. Student Leo's Bible. That is a miraculous magic, akin to an ideal for mages. It's unprecedented magic. Yes. It's a great magic comparable to the Star Magic created by the progenitor of the nebula. To try and take such a talent just because he uses some martial arts and summons a Phoenix… You have no conscience."

As the three gathered, their associate professors, Claria, Carlo, and Anna, began to show uneasy expressions.

"Department of Knights."

"I told you, Summoning Arts!"

"Magic!"

Seeing the three shouting, Halind, who was observing and scoring the sparring evaluation from a corner, said to Sera next to him.

"Sera. Bring those three rascals before me right now."

At his words, Sera scurried over and called the three.

And they had to kneel before Halind with their hands raised.

Halind didn't even glance at his former students, now his junior colleagues and professors, instead looking at Leo standing in the arena.

Even Halind, rarely moved by emotion, looked at his student this time with an expression of exasperation.

'What exactly is that guy's limit?'

***

Liss let out a hollow laugh, watching Piora flapping her wings before him.

"I can't believe he actually contracted with a Phoenix."

He couldn't believe it even after seeing it firsthand.

Had anyone in Lumen's history ever contracted with one of the Three Great Phantom Beasts in their first year?

As far as Liss knew, Leo was the only one.

Liss gazed at the Phoenix with eyes full of wonder.

The Phoenix was the source of power for the Gerdinger family.

From Liss's perspective, his gaze towards Piora couldn't help but be extraordinary.

Sensing Liss's gaze, Piora proudly lifted her chin.

*Cheep-*

And she cried out as majestically as possible.

Of course, to Liss, it sounded nothing more than a chick's chirping.

"I heard the Phoenix's cry was very beautiful…"

"It is beautiful. However, this one is still young. Its cry is like a chick's."

At the mention of "chick," Piora pecked Leo's head in annoyance.

Ignoring Piora, Leo said.

"Shall we start fighting seriously then?"

"Was that last attack not serious?"

"Brother Liss. You're overreacting."

"Hmph."

Leo's words were true.

Despite the formidable attack just moments ago, Liss's clothes hadn't even been singed.

He had neutralized the Phoenix's flames.

'Even if I summoned Piora, I can't defeat Liss.'

The current Leo had merely gained offensive power equal to Liss.

Just as Liss predicted, Leo had a limit to how much he could draw out and maintain Piora's abilities.

'Furthermore, if Liss targets me in this situation, it will be troublesome.'

Piora could only be used for offense.

Of course, Leo also had the other two of the Three Great Phantom Beasts: a fairy and a Pegasus.

But right now, simply summoning Piora and enhancing her abilities was already a struggle.

It wasn't a situation where he could summon Kirian and Arti as well.

Moreover, even if he had the energy to summon them, Kirian and Arti were not cards to be carelessly revealed.

'I shouldn't reveal any more cards than this.'

All of Tartarus's spies within Lumen had already been identified.

But there was still a public image to consider.

Leo was already a target of caution for Tartarus.

Only a few in the school knew that Leo was a Phoenix contractor.

Perhaps Tartarus also knew that fact.

But no one knew he was also a contractor for a fairy and a Pegasus.

'I can't attract their attention any further.'

The only cards he could reveal here were Piora, whose existence was already known, and Elsie, whose true identity was known only to the Lich King apart from Leo himself in this world.

Meanwhile, Liss also watched Leo carefully.

'He's not to be taken lightly.'

He knew that the Phoenix before him was still young.

If so, even if it was the Phoenix, renowned as the strongest phantom beast, there was a limit to the power it could unleash while young.

But he rarely showed any openings.

If there were a time limit, one would naturally feel impatient.

But there was no such sign from Leo.

This sparring match was simply to prove that he was capable enough to be student council president, so in a way, that fact might have been proven the moment he summoned the Phoenix.

'But if that were the case, he wouldn't have bothered to spar with me in front of everyone like this.'

He would have simply gathered people and announced that he was a Phoenix contractor.

'Leo is genuinely trying to defeat me.'

He felt that will.

And Leo's power was threatening Liss.

'Haha. What a truly fearsome cousin.'

Liss let out a bitter laugh.

Of course, he had no intention of simply losing.

'The key to victory will be how much of the Phoenix's power Leo can draw out.'

If he dragged it into a prolonged battle, Liss would surely win.

*Thump-!*

But Liss gripped his sword and pointed it at Leo.

A first-year was putting everything on the line to defeat him.

'But if a fifth-year avoids a direct confrontation, that would be disgraceful.'

Liss curled up the corners of his mouth.

*Whoooosh-!*

A crimson flame began to rage around his body.

The Gerdinger family's secret technique.

'Prominence.'

*Whoosh-*

Flames began to rage around his sword.

Liss raised his sword.

*Gooooooh-!*

It was different from Celia's Prominence.

'If Celia's was a thrust, then this must be a slash.'

Seeing that, Leo said.

"Piora, get ready."

*Cheep-!*

With those words, a crimson flame began to form around Piora's body.

Liss's eyes widened when he saw that.

'Prominence?'

The same crimson aura as Liss.

But Leo draped that crimson aura around Piora.

And with the flames Piora was emitting, the fire grew even fiercer.

"This will be interesting."

*Thump-!*

*Kwagagak-!*

As Leo gripped his sword with both hands, the flames raged even more fiercely.

Piora curled her body.

*Whoosh-!*

From top to bottom.

Leo brought his sword down.

A massive crimson blade flew towards Leo and Piora.

*Cheeeep!*

Piora spread her wings wide.

Crimson blades extending from both wings flew towards the incoming blade and clashed.

*Kwagagagagagang-!*

A world of red flames unfolded.

"Ugh!"

"Th-the aftermath is this intense?"

The flames pierced through the training ground and enveloped the stands.

Of course, the Lumen professors and students blocked the flames without much difficulty.

But the fact that it had such an impact, piercing through the training ground's shield magic and reaching the stands, was astonishing.

The flames all subsided.

*Poof-!*

Piora returned to her original form with a small puff of smoke and fell to the floor.

*Thud-!* *Roll! Roll!*

*Cheep! Cheep!*

Piora, having fallen without being able to balance, rolled a few times on the floor and then chirped in annoyance.

Liss's eyes twitched as he looked at Leo.

"Still… something left?"

Around Leo, a spherical, pitch-black curtain was spread.

Of course, his form wasn't visible.

The pitch-black darkness showed absolutely nothing of Leo's appearance.

'…A spirit?'

Liss narrowed his eyes.

At that moment.

*Sliiiide-*

The darkness squirmed, then was quickly absorbed into Leo's shadow.

'To withstand the aftermath of that attack head-on. A monster truly is a monster.'

Even for a fire aura user, it was astonishing to withstand such a clash of intensely hot flames bare-bodied.

If he hadn't squeezed out his remaining spirit power to summon Elsie, Leo wouldn't have been able to stand.

'My aura and magic power are already completely exhausted. All that's left is spirit power. But it's not enough to draw out Piora's latent abilities.'

Piora looked up at Leo, spreading her wings as if wanting to fight more, but it was her limit.

Elsie, who was subservient to Leo, could use power commensurate with Leo's spirit power.

'What kind of spirit is it? It's definitely a dark-attributed spirit.'

Meanwhile, Liss did not lower his guard, watching Leo's shadow.

Leo had always far surpassed expectations.

How many times had he exceeded expectations in this sparring evaluation alone?

'I must assume he has no limits and proceed with the battle.'

Liss tightened his grip on his sword.

At that moment.

*Whoosh-!*

"……!"

Leo's shadow extended towards Liss at tremendous speed.

*Kwagagagak-!*

Liss swung his sword, altering the trajectory of the shadow blade.

'Spirit Armored?'

A technique of spirit magic.

It was high-level spirit magic where a spirit was wrapped around the body like armor.

But Leo had used it.

'His spirit magic is also this good?'

He truly felt that there might be nothing Leo couldn't do.

He could genuinely be called an 'all-rounder' without exaggeration.

Leo raised his hand.

*Goooooh-!*

Darkness gathered around Leo.

Just as Liss watched Leo and tried to adjust his grip on his sword.

*Crack-!*

A crack appeared in Liss's sword.

Leo and Liss paused, seeing that.

*Snap-!*

Liss's sword could not endure and soon broke.

"Hmm."

Liss let out a light sigh.

"I still have a long way to go."

The sword he used today was Liss's practice sword.

Of course, as it was used by the heir of Gerdinger, it was a considerable fine blade, but it wasn't a sword used in actual combat.

So, it wasn't strange that it couldn't withstand Liss's powerful aura.

Of course, a knight of Liss's caliber could still fight without a sword.

But this was a sparring evaluation, not real combat.

For a student using a weapon, the loss of their weapon is considered a defeat.

Liss, clicking his tongue, gave a bitter laugh.

"I lost, Leo."

Reactions of disbelief erupted from all around.

Leo dismissed Elsie, picked up Piora, placed her on his shoulder, and said.

"This kind of result… I can't quite accept it."

"Still, a win is a win."

Liss approached Leo and patted his shoulder.

"You are fully qualified to be the student council president. You proved that yourself."

Liss smiled at Leo.

"Please take care of Lumen after me, Leo."