Book 1 Chapter 262
262
Leo looked down at the dwarf, who was staring up at him with an incredulous expression.
‘A nude model?’
It was absurd.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Who are you?”
“My name is Driana! The greatest artist Dwerronia has ever produced!”
‘It’s Dweno.’
From a dwarf's perspective, being compared to Dweno, the reincarnation of Kyle, the great hero who saved the world with Dweno, could be an honor close to infinite.
However, for Leo, the name Dweno was synonymous with pervert.
It couldn't be helped.
A self-proclaimed admirer who praised beauty.
An eccentric who was exceptionally interested in creating beautiful artworks rather than making weapons.
This dwarf, who introduced herself as Driana, greatly resembled Dweno's disposition.
Driana stretched out both arms, extended her index fingers and thumbs on both hands, and brought them together to form a rectangle.
Then, with one eye open, she looked at Leo through it.
“Hair as white as pure snow. And eyes like rubies. He’s a boy with outstanding looks, but there’s a certain maturity about him.”
Driana wore a satisfied expression.
“If I were to create a masterpiece with you as the model, a truly magnificent work of art would surely be completed.”
Leo, who had nodded after hearing Driana's words, left without hesitation.
It was best not to associate with perverts.
Moreover, if she was a dwarf of the same kind as Dweno, it was clear that communication would be impossible.
At Leo's merciless reaction, Driana rushed to his side.
“Wait, hold on. Of course, I’m not asking you to do it for free.”
Thanks to the height difference between humans and dwarves, as Leo walked briskly, Driana trotted to keep up.
“You’re a student of Lumerne, aren’t you? You must have come to Damian this time for an exclusive smith.”
Driana smiled.
“I’ll be your exclusive blacksmith! Even if I look like this… Whoa! Hey! Stop!”
Driana urgently shouted after Leo, who was running away at full speed.
But Driana's cries merely echoed hollowly.
Leo, having outrun Driana, stopped in the middle of the street and looked back.
‘I’ve gotten involved with a strange one.’
Leo clicked his tongue, recalling Driana’s unusual eyes.
‘Judging by what she said, she seems to be a student of Damian?’
It was questionable what her ability as a smith who made things would be, but judging by the aura she exuded, Driana was clearly a very skilled person.
“She seemed to be around my age. And a dwarf of that age with such skill would clearly be a Damian student.”
Leo, having speculated Driana's identity, was just thinking that he would meet her again at Damian.
“Leo!”
Karl’s urgent voice was heard.
“What’s wrong?”
As Leo made a puzzled expression, Karl shouted with a pale face.
“It’s big trouble! Big trouble! There’s a fight between our school and Azonia right now!”
“What? Why?”
“They kidnapped Chloe!”
At those words, Leo frowned.
“Why would those Azonia guys kidnap Chloe?”
“How would I know that! Anyway, after hearing the news, Celia, Chen Xia, and Duran immediately stormed into the Azonia kids’ temporary lodgings and are going wild!!”
Leo’s eyes narrowed.
Each hero academy has its own rules symbolizing the school.
Lumerne must challenge its limits and overcome them.
Seirun must be nobler and more dignified than anyone else.
Damian possesses an unyielding will like steel.
And finally, Azonia…
‘Struggle.’
To achieve ultimate strength through struggle.
That is Azonia’s school rule.
Ar previously told Leo something like this:
‘Azonia never mocks defeat. Even if you lose, if you fight again, it’s not a defeat. You are praised as a brave warrior.’
Ar folded his arms and snorted, “Hmph—!”
‘Conversely, if you run away from battle after losing once, you are criticized as a coward.’
Having said that, Ar’s eyes sparkled.
‘Because Lord Arion never ran away once!’
‘Though Arion ran away more than anyone else.’
Thinking that far, Leo said,
“First, I think we need to find Chloe.”
“Right. But finding Chloe in this vast Dwerronia is ea—”
Crea-cra-cra-cra-crash—!
At that moment, not far from where Leo and Karl were, a giant pillar of ice shot high into the sky.
Karl, seeing it, gaped.
“Found her.”
Leo chuckled and headed towards the place where the ice pillar had risen.
Numerous crowds had gathered around.
“What in the world is going on?”
“Isn’t this the inn where the beast-folk were coming and going earlier?”
The dwarves wore curious expressions.
Even though magic of this scale was activated in the middle of the city, the onlookers were unperturbed.
“They say this is a place where incidents and accidents never cease due to weapon production every day.”
Karl, who had rushed to the scene, was amazed by the calm reactions of the dwarves.
This floating city, Dwenoria, was also the world's largest producer of magic tools.
Dwarves, regarded as a race of artisans, were always trying new things, so incidents and accidents caused by magic were constant.
‘Professor Len wasn’t begging to go here for nothing.’
Karl thought of Len and pushed through the dwarf crowd.
“Excuse me. Pardon me.”
Pushing through the dwarf crowd, most of whom barely reached his chest, was unexpectedly difficult.
‘No, it’s like walking between boulders.’
Because dwarves naturally possessed considerable innate strength, Karl’s lower body began to ache.
“What are you doing?”
Karl looked up.
And seeing Leo floating with flight magic, he made a gloomy expression.
“Sometimes it makes me sad that Chelsea is right.”
“What do you mean?”
“She always calls me an idiot.”
Karl, with a bitter expression, used flight magic to move to the very front.
Bang— Rustle— Rustle—
Crack—
At that moment, the inn door opened, and Chloe emerged.
“Hmph! Messing around.”
“Are you going to pay for my worry? If I had known this, I wouldn’t have worried.”
As Karl grumbled upon seeing her, Chloe smiled.
“Should I turn you into a frozen human like those guys?”
At Chloe’s question, Karl quickly hid behind Leo.
“I was worried when I heard you were kidnapped, but I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Kidnapped, my foot. I just followed along docilely because I thought it would get noisy for no reason.”
Chloe snorted.
Seeing Chloe like that, Leo smiled.
“Still, I was worried.”
Chloe, seeing Leo’s smile, instantly looked flustered, then turned her head.
And fanned her face.
“Oh? Oh? Our cold Ice Queen has become a shy princess….”
“You want to be frozen, right?”
Crack—
“Ughh! Mercy!”
As terrifying frost gathered in Chloe’s hands, Karl cried out in terror, begging for forgiveness.
Seeing the two of them, Leo said,
“Karl, quickly tell our school kids. Chloe is safe.”
“You?”
“I’ll go to the Azonia guys’ lodgings.”
“No. Leo. While it might be okay for others, it’ll be a big problem if you go towards Azonia school for now.”
“Why?”
“Azonia put a bounty on you.”
“A bounty?”
“Yeah.”
The reason Chloe docilely allowed herself to be caught by Wern was not simply to avoid causing a commotion in the middle of the street, nor to infiltrate their base and clear it out.
‘Those Azonia guys were trying to lure Leo using bait.’
The simple-mindedness of Azonia students was well-known even in Lumerne.
Chloe, too, had heard a lot about Azonia students from her seniors in the magic department and was well aware of their tendencies.
Even if they were simple-minded, trying to capture a representative of the second year as bait was no ordinary problem.
It was a problem that could escalate from a simple student duel to an inter-school conflict.
‘Although the problem had already escalated.’
Chloe looked at the inn where she had been.
‘I’m not at fault.’
She had merely turned those impertinent beast-folk into frozen humans.
‘Yep. Anyone can see this is self-defense.’
Anyway, they were willing to take such risks to fight Leo.
And when Chloe poked Wern lightly, he blabbed everything about why Azonia students were targeting Leo.
“The Azonia principal promised to grant the student who defeats you first the privilege to conquer the ‘World of Heroes’.”
“World of Heroes?”
Karl looked aghast.
“At that point, their interest might be more in you than an exclusive smith contract, don’t you think?”
“I still have to go. Because three people are currently running wild over there. I need to bring them back.”
“Three people?”
Chloe tilted her head.
“Celia, Chen Xia, and Duran have stormed into the Azonia kids’ lodgings to save you.”
“Ah…!”
Chloe looked flustered.
“Then I’ll go!”
“It’s fine. You show your face to our school kids and calm them down first.”
“Are you going alone?”
When Karl asked worriedly, Leo chuckled.
“Don’t worry. I know how to handle beast-folk well.”
“How to handle beast-folk? What is it?”
At Karl’s question, Leo raised his left hand and made a fist.
“Surely…”
“Yes.”
Leo smiled coldly.
“My fist.”
***
Crackling—!
A lightning aura raged around Duran’s body.
Towards Duran, a beast-folk of enormous stature swung a greatsword.
Flash—! Clang-ga-ga-ga-ga-gahng—!
The thunderous lightning emanating from Duran’s longsword electrocuted the Azonia student.
“Oh? For a human, he’s quite spirited! It seems the talk of Lumerne’s Golden Generation isn’t baseless after all!! Hah! This is exciting!”
The tiger beast-folk, whose head was about half again as large as Duran’s, swished his enormous tiger tail.
“But, you know what? It’s a shame. You and I have bad compatibility.”
Borman, 5th in rank among Azonia’s second-years, grinned.
“My aura characteristic is armament.”
Borman’s body turned into steel.
“If it were fire or water, your friends’ aura characteristics, then perhaps, but lightning will simply be absorbed by me.”
Crackling—
Lightning surged around Borman’s greatsword.
Like a lightning rod.
The lightning flowing through Borman’s body gathered in one place.
Borman returned that attack to Duran.
Crackling—!
Golden sparks surged around Duran’s body.
Sizzle—
Smoke rose from Duran’s electrocuted body.
Duran pointed his sword with an expressionless face.
Borman, seeing this, exclaimed in admiration.
“My blood boils for the first time in a while.”
Borman, with his greatsword slung over his shoulder, narrowed his eyes.
“But you’re already at your limit. Plus, your compatibility is bad. Why don’t you leave the rest to your friends?”
“Who says they’re my friends?”
Duran gave his characteristic cynical smile.
“What?”
“Those guys are enemies I must defeat.”
At Duran’s words, Borman made a puzzled expression.
“Is Lumerne also engaging in ‘Struggle’ like us?”
“Hmph. Do you think I’d do something so utterly ignorant?”
Duran sneered.
The Azonia female student, who was watching, said,
“Shouldn’t we stop them?”
The female student, who approached, wagging her fox tail, pulled her fox tail between her legs, brought it to her stomach, and used it as a chair to sit, then groomed the tip of her tail.
“That idiot is simply ignorant. If he gets excited and attacks seriously, that handsome boy with bad aura compatibility will be in danger, won’t he?”
At those words, Celia swept her hair back.
“Well, the simply ignorant ones have met their match.”
“That handsome man doesn’t look like a simply ignorant person, does he?”
At Celia’s words, Luwen tilted her head.
At those words, Chen Xia laughed.
“Duran is the most ignorant among our fellow students in the Knight Department.”
“If the opponent foolishly acts reckless, he should just cut them down and win easily, but he’s acting just as reckless. It’s pathetic.”
Celia snorted.
At those words, Luwen looked at Duran.
Borman, 5th in rank in Azonia.
He was a student with an aura ability that turned his entire body into steel due to his bloodline characteristic.
And for Duran, who wielded lightning, he was quite literally a natural enemy.
‘Where is he being reckless?’
Borman also narrowed his eyes.
“Even if it’s a rival, getting help would be good, wouldn’t it?”
“Hmph. Chen Xia might meddle and help. That guy acts presumptuously like an elder.”
“Oh, but I actually am older than Duran.”
Chen Xia murmured quietly.
“But even if it’s truly dangerous, that guy won’t help me.”
Duran smiled coldly.
“Because my pride won’t allow it.”
“Magnificent.”
Borman exclaimed.
“It’ll be even more satisfying to defeat you. I’m glad to meet a good opponent before facing Leo Flove, aren’t I?”
“Foolish words.”
“What?”
Borman made an astonished expression.
“It seems you guys only have eyes for Leo Flove and no one else.”
Borman only saw Duran as an appetizer before fighting Leo.
Normally, he would have felt offended.
However…
“I understand. He’s worth it.”
Duran didn’t feel offended.
Just…
“That’s why I’m excited.”
With his characteristic arrogant eyes, Duran looked at Borman.
“To see how far into the abyss you guys, who don’t even know about Leo Flove, will fall.”
Duran surveyed the Azonia students.
“Hmph. If he’s a strong opponent of that caliber, then he’s welcome. We are the descendants of the Hero Arion.”
Borman snorted.
“Overwhelming strength is always welcome. But it seems you feel despair towards Leo Flove. For a moment, I held you in high regard, Duran Moira. Thought you might be a warrior like us. But to think you were a coward, intimidated by overwhelming strength. How pathetic!”
Duran felt no offense at Borman’s taunt.
Nor did he flare up.
‘Yes. I did despair.’
Crackling—
‘Because I can see it.’
Crackling, crackling, crackling—
‘I can see it clearly. The more I struggle.’
Flash—!
‘The gap between him and me widens more and more.’
“He’s someone who doesn’t understand reason.”
Grab—!
“…?”
At Borman's taunt, Duran reached out and grabbed his face.
‘I might never be able to surpass him. But.’
Crackling, crackling, crackling, crackling!
‘As if I’d give up.’
“Aaaargh!”
Intense sparks surged from Duran’s body.
His veins stood out clearly.
But Duran smiled.
“It would be exceedingly simple to cut down a fool like you, full of openings due to arrogance. But do you know why I specifically fought you with ‘aura’?”
Duran, looking at the unconscious Borman with rolled-back eyes, said,
“To show you class.”
Thud—! Plop—!
Borman fainted, foaming at the mouth.
If he had fought properly, he wouldn’t have suffered such disgrace.
But Borman had to pay dearly for underestimating his opponent.
“Courage and recklessness are different. Self-proclaimed descendant of a hero.”
It was then that Duran sneered.
“That guy is truly amazing too. He doesn’t know how to give up. He’s persistent.”
Celia snorted, looking at Duran.
“Duran won’t give up. And Miss Celia, you’re the same, you’ll keep chasing, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Chasing means Leo Flove, right?”
Luwen tilted her head.
“Is he really that amazing?”
“Such an expression isn’t enough. If you watch him from the side, you’ll naturally be overwhelmed. It might even be impossible to achieve in a lifetime of effort.”
Chen Xia said with a bright smile.
“Still, not giving up, his will is truly formidable.”
Just by looking at Duran, one could tell.
How strong these people were.
‘Leo Flove seems to be even more of a monster than we imagine.’
“I thought the Hero’s courage was exclusive to the beast-folk, but seeing all of you, it seems that’s not the only case.”
At Luwen’s words, Chen Xia smiled.
“Perhaps our mindset is a little different from courage?”
“Yes.”
“The Hero is the great hero of the beast-folk, isn’t he? I’ve always respected him since I was young, and I still do, but I think there’s someone else we humans should learn from.”
“Ah.”
Luwen realized who Chen Xia was referring to.
“The Hero of Beginnings.”
“Yes. The Founder told us.”
Chen Xia looked at Duran and said,
“When an impossible battle began, Lord Arion was the one who showed the most courage, what could be trusted until the very end in endless battles were Lord Dweno’s divine weapons, what led impossible battlefields to victory was Lord Lysinas’s wisdom, and what turned unfavorable battlefields around was himself.”
Luwen’s eyes widened.
The Founder’s Advent.
A grand event that still stirs the entire continent.
“And.”
Celia glanced back and said teasingly,
“They say Lord Kyle was the one who never gave up. You didn’t hear that then, did you?”
“Luna said that?”
Seeing Leo, who had suddenly appeared, Luwen wore a surprised expression.
‘When did he get here?’
“Yep. We all heard it, didn’t we? Aren’t you jealous?”
Celia giggled, teasing Leo.
At that, Leo gave a wry smile.
‘That fool said something like that?’
“If Azonia’s hero candidates inherit Lord Arion’s will, then our Lumerne’s hero candidates must inherit Lord Kyle’s will.”
Chen Xia turned to Leo and smiled.
“We will never give up. We will follow young master Leo’s lead.”