Book 1 Chapter 224
224
“Four people I haven't caught yet.”
Leo narrowed his eyes.
Shasha, Habiden, Aina, Luke.
They were the students who had encountered Leo and survived so far.
All other students, unable to escape far, were were eliminated by Leo.
Of course, they weren't completely free from Leo's pursuit either.
Plod- Plod-
Leo approached Mount Eddien, the center of the forest, with a somewhat leisurely gait.
Leo's red eyes swept over the tracks left in the forest.
‘All four are escaping to the center of the forest. Not a bad choice.’
Kuaaaaaang-!
Leo swung his sword at the monster that was attacking him.
Buaak-!
The troll, split by Leo's sword, scattered blood and collapsed on the ground.
It was a monster with excellent regenerative abilities, but there was no answer to being defeated like this.
Mount Eddien was a monster-infested area.
And the closer one got to the center of the mountain, the more monsters there were.
Moreover, the forest also became more complex and dense, providing many places to hide.
Therefore, fleeing to the center of the forest to escape Leo's pursuit was the best choice.
‘Well, this is only if they can survive against the monsters… but looking at their skills, it seems possible. ‘Now, the question is what these kids will do from now on.’
Even in Leo's eyes, the four were sufficiently skilled.
Just successfully escaping from Leo alone qualified them for admission to Lumerne.
‘If it were Celliana Abbad, Duran, Warreden, or Eliza, they would have been eliminated without mercy.’
Those thorough individuals would likely have eliminated them without a moment's hesitation.
In Leo's case, he allowed their escape because he was curious to see how they would react.
Apart from those four, everyone else had already been eliminated by Leo.
‘But there won't be a second time.’
If he met them again, he intended to eliminate them without mercy, no matter who it was.
“Hm?”
Leo, who was tracking the traces, paused when he saw those who appeared before him.
The five people he thought would run away appeared before Leo.
***
Luke, who had fled with Aina, shouted.
“Run quickly!”
“First, let go of this.”
“Ah!”
At Aina's words, Luke released her wrist with a flustered expression.
“I'm sorry.”
Aina fiddled with her wrist, looking at Luke, and said.
“Don't mind me; run away alone.”
“Why? You should hurry and run away from that person…”
“Anyway, neither you nor I can escape from that person.”
“Huh? Who is that person?”
“Leo Plov.”
“Gasp!”
At Aina's words, Luke gasped.
Leo Plov.
The most famous hero candidate in the current world.
A legendary figure who, not only was ‘All-Class,’ but also became the first-ever first-year student council president at Lumerne!
The flustered Luke soon calmed down and said.
“Even so, let's run.”
“Didn't you understand what I said? That person is far stronger than you think.”
She said in a resigned voice.
“It's futile.”
“But we should still try our best!”
“You do your best. I have no intention of doing so.”
‘To be acknowledged by that person, I must restart my training tomorrow.’
Aina slightly bowed her head.
‘To be acknowledged by Leo Plov, I'll have no choice but to conquer my grandfather's world and build up my skills.’
The Sword Saint's Hero Record.
Its rightful owner was Aina.
If Aina wished, she could enter the Sword Saint's Hero Record anytime.
‘I must become stronger quickly.’
It was when Aina's eyes darkened.
“You don't want to enroll in Lumerne?”
“That's right.”
For Aina, slaying one more demon was more important than studying at Lumerne.
She also took this exam with the mindset that it didn't matter whether she got in or not.
“Why? It's a waste! With such incredible skill, you would surely be guaranteed admission!”
Aina made a strange expression, looking at Luke, who was genuinely disappointed.
“Why do you want to enter Lumerne?”
“Well… because I want to become a hero.”
“Why?”
At Aina's question, Luke scratched his head.
And he chuckled awkwardly.
“Well, you see. It's a slightly embarrassing reason, but…”
Hwaak-!
Suddenly, Aina grabbed Luke by the collar and pulled him.
Kwaak-!
A flash of light passed through the spot where Luke had been standing.
“Huh?”
Luke wore a flustered expression.
“With such skill, you really thought you could challenge that person?”
Aina shook her head and looked towards where the sniper magic had come from.
“Hwiyu~ What a quick-reacting young lady, eh?”
Pushing through the bushes, a girl appeared, carrying a specialized magic weapon for sniper magic over her shoulder.
Black hair, brown eyes, and healthy, tanned skin.
“She belongs to the Southern Magic Tower.”
Aina muttered, seeing the emblem on her shoulder.
“Correct.”
The girl smiled faintly and aimed her magic weapon at Aina.
“If you're skilled in sniper magic, then Juenn Torbina?”
“You recognize me, after all?”
The girl asked with a combative smile.
“Then, your name?”
“Aina Beidna.”
“The Sword Saint's great-granddaughter? Wow~ That's impressive~”
“Uk?”
Juenn exclaimed in admiration, and Luke also wore a surprised expression.
He never imagined this girl was that famous person.
“But you're traveling with dead weight.”
Juenn smiled faintly, and Luke scratched his head in response.
He didn't refute it because it wasn't wrong.
Aina and Juenn.
Both were test-takers with worldwide reputations as the top prospects for this entrance exam.
“Anyway, to meet an opponent whose skills I've wanted to test at least once. Lucky me.”
“I don't particularly intend to fight you.”
“That's none of my business.”
Juenn looked at Luke and said.
“Run away quickly. If you don't want to get unnecessarily caught up.”
“…More than that, I think we should run away together.”
“Why?”
“We're being chased right now.”
“Chased? By whom?”
“By Mr. Leo Plov.”
At Luke's words, Juenn's face stiffened with a crunch.
“Why are you telling me that now?!”
Juenn tore at her hair.
“I barely escaped after accidentally provoking the Ice Witch once and nearly freezing to death, and now it's that monster?!”
It was when Juenn shivered.
“Why are you following me?”
“Hmph. You're the one following me, aren't you?”
Squabbling voices were heard.
Pushing through the bushes, Shasha and Habiden appeared.
Seeing the three, Shasha and Habiden narrowed their eyes.
“The Sword Saint's great-granddaughter, Aina Beidna. And Juenn Torbina, the daughter of the Southern Magic Tower Master.”
Shasha pulled out a folding fan from his pocket with a tak-!, opened it, and covered his mouth.
“And one person I've never heard of or seen before.”
“Hahaha.”
Luke laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
“Hmph. If it weren't for the situation, I would've defeated them. Lucky them.”
“Hmph. Don't make me laugh. That's what *I* should say, isn't it? We should hurry and leave before the student council president arrives.”
At Juenn's words, Habiden paused.
“Student council president? Are you guys also being chased by Leo sunbae?”
At Habiden's question, Aina said.
“You too?”
Shasha folded his fan tak- and muttered.
“It seems all the freshman representative candidates have become Leo sunbae's targets. What bad luck.”
Shasha shrugged his shoulders.
“Since we're in the same predicament, how about we work together to figure out a way to shake off Leo sunbae?”
“You all do it yourselves. I'm skilled at erasing my presence. As long as it's not area-of-effect magic, I won't get caught.”
“Your kind of skills won't work on Leo sunbae.”
“What?”
“And if it's Leo sunbae, he can easily use area-of-effect magic.”
“Did you see him? There are rumors that Leo Plov's magic abilities are great, but I've never heard that he uses area-of-effect magic.”
“Well,”
Shasha, with his arms crossed, his eyes sparkled.
“Because there's nothing Leo sunbae can't do!”
At Shasha's reaction, Juenn shook her head.
It was then.
“You all, run away.”
Aina opened a subspace and drew a new sword.
“Because I'll fight.”
At those words, Shasha, Habiden, and Juenn frowned.
“Why do such a reckless thing?”
“I don't run away.”
Those words were enough to provoke Shasha, Habiden, and Juenn.
They were thinking of running away first, but Aina, whom they considered their biggest competitor before the exam, was thinking of fighting back.
The childish pride unique to adolescent boys and girls, which had been suppressed by the fear of Leo, began to rear its head.
“Do you think you're the only one with courage? I have it too!”
“Being chased doesn't suit my temperament.”
“Even if it's Leo sunbae, constantly running away also hurts one's pride.”
Juenn, Habiden, and Shasha flared up.
Seeing their reactions, Aina tilted her head.
“You all can run away. That's better.”
“As if!”
Although it was said out of genuine concern, her words successfully provoked the three of them splendidly.
Seeing their reactions, Aina wore an expression of incomprehension.
“Why are they being so stubborn?”
“I think it's because of you, Aina-ssi.”
“Because of me? What did I do?”
Looking at Aina, who was furrowing her brows, Luke burst into an awkward ‘hahaha’ laugh.
“What are you going to do?”
At Habiden's question, Luke hesitated.
Luke was different from these four people.
He wasn't confident he would pass Lumerne's entrance exam either.
He was an ordinary boy who had trained alone in the countryside his entire life.
However…
‘I want to try fighting.’
The youngest student council president in Lumerne's history.
A person who, despite being a first-year, had achieved feats comparable to a hero.
Leo was an object of admiration for Luke.
He had decided to challenge Lumerne's entrance exam after hearing about Leo.
‘Will I ever have another chance to see that person in my entire life, other than today?’
Perhaps this might be his last chance.
If so, he felt like challenging Leo at least once.
“I don't know if I'll be of help, but I'll assist as well.”
***
“Instead of being defeated one by one, you'll join forces to stop me, huh…”
Leo chuckled, looking at the test-takers who were burning with fighting spirit.
“Not a bad choice.”
Shasha, Habiden, and Juenn flinched inwardly.
The three had merely flared up at Aina's actions.
Hearing Leo's words, Luke's eyes sparkling as he looked at the three with admiration.
“Ah, so that was your intention? I just thought you flared up at Aina-ssi's words.”
“O-of course.”
“We're joining forces to fight against sunbae.”
“Absolutely.”
Seeing Luke, whose eyes were shining brightly, the three decided to be brazen.
At that moment, Aina stepped forward.
“Draw your sword.”
At her words, the four lowered their stances with tense expressions.
The moment Leo drew his sword and entered a battle stance.
They had to move according to their respective roles.
Even though it was an improvised party, they had discussed how to deal with Leo.
At Aina's words, Leo chuckled.
“Draw my sword? Why should I do that?”
“Huh?”
Leo raised his hand.
“It doesn't seem like I need to draw my sword to face you all.”
“…!”
If it were 1:1, they would have agreed with that statement.
But now, it was 1:5.
Even if their opponent was Leo Plov, who was regarded as one of Lumerne's most outstanding hero candidates in history.
They, too, were considered representatives of the new students.
“Shouldn't we make him draw it?”
Juenn curled up the corners of her mouth.
“That's true too.”
Cheok-!
Juenn aimed her specialized sniper magic weapon at Leo.
“I'll make you regret it!”
Gooooo-!
Powerful magic surged.
Not a stealthy attack, but an all-out battle.
Naturally, the power of this attack was stronger than suppressing magic to keep it hidden.
Kwaang-!
A sound closer to artillery fire than a sniper shot echoed.
A magic bullet, imbued with powerful magic, flew towards Leo.
Jjeongeu-!
“…!”
Leo, with an expressionless face, imbued his hand with magic and batted away the magic bullet.
Seeing that, Juenn's face stiffened slightly.
“Show me.”
Leo's eyes flashed.
The five people felt goosebumps all over their bodies.
A gaze that clearly looked down on them from an impossibly high place.
They were overwhelmed by that gaze.
“Your worth, that is.”