Book 1 Chapter 263

"Who's next?"

Duran, who had defeated Borgmann, asked in a cold voice.

"This sounds fun?"

"Shall I go next?"

The Azonia students reacted with excitement to Duran's strength.

'They're definitely different from the students at our school.'

Seeing that, Duran smirked.

The Lumern students try to avoid fighting overwhelming strong opponents as much as possible.

If unavoidable, they jump in without hesitation, but they don't deliberately pick fights they're sure to lose.

However, the Azonia students' fighting spirit burned even brighter despite the overwhelming difference in strength.

'Interesting.'

Duran wore a belligerent smile.

At that smile, the Azonia students who had been rushing to fight Duran flinched for a moment.

They were momentarily overwhelmed by Duran's aura.

But just as they were about to stand before Duran again, unable to contain their excitement any further.

"Duran~"

Chen Xia called out to Duran.

"Chloe has escaped on her own. And all the Azonia students who caused the trouble have been turned into frozen humans, so there's no reason to fight Azonia students anymore."

"Hmph. I'm still full of spirit, regardless of that?"

Duran scoffed.

Chen Xia smiled at his words.

"Don't worry about that. The boss cat is coming soon."

"Boss cat?"

*Bang-!*

Duran's question was soon answered.

This was the hotel garden where the Azonia students were staying.

Arga appeared, kicking open the hotel main entrance and glaring with fierce blue eyes.

"Hey you brats! I told you not to cause trouble!"

"Ugh… was I knocked out…?"

Just then, Borgmann, who had regained consciousness, was trying to sit up while clutching his head.

*Thump-thump-thump-* *Thwack-!*

"Ugh?!"

Arga, with narrowed eyes, ran forward and kicked Borgmann in the jaw.

*Crash-!*

Borgmann, barely conscious, rolled his eyes back and fainted again.

Arga rushed into the gathered Azonia students and started hitting them indiscriminately.

"What is this! No matter how much of a class representative you are, you can't just lay hands on students from other factions…"

"Shut up!"

"Ughhhhh!"

Arga, with claws extended, snarled and scratched the face of a protesting student.

Stomping on the heads of students writhing and clutching their faces, Arga shouted fiercely.

"Do you know what you've done?! Kidnapping Lumern students! And fighting with Lumern students who came to find their friends!! Can you take responsibility if this becomes a diplomatic issue!!"

Arga roared, his fangs bared and blue eyes flashing, breathing fire from his mouth.

Arga's voice overwhelmed the crowd.

The Azonia students, terrified, backed away.

Duran shook off Arga's overwhelming aura with his own aura.

'Howling.'

An aura skill unique to beastmen, spread by the ancient hero Arion to the beastmen.

However, even though it's a unique beastman skill, not everyone can use it.

Only a very small number of beastmen can use Howling.

'Those who are innately gifted to be leaders.'

That's why beastmen who can use Howling are special.

'And I heard the abilities differ for each user.'

The basic effect of Howling is to instill fear in the enemy.

It's about intimidating the enemy with a powerful cry.

But there are also individual effects.

It can strengthen one's attack power, defense, or agility.

It's a kind of buff effect.

Duran clenched and unclenched the sword in his hand.

'The strongest in Azonia's second year.'

Duran had heard the rumors about Arga.

'A fearsome monster, they say?'

Duran's golden eyes narrowed.

'And Leo Flove defeated this guy.'

With that thought, Duran spoke.

"Arga Tune."

"Hm?"

At Duran's call, Arga looked at him.

Then, wagging his white tail, he said, "We met during winter break, right? It seems my damn beasts have caused you trouble. As class representative, I apologize…"

"No apology is needed. After all, we've beaten you up quite a bit too."

Before fighting Borgmann, he had beaten up dozens of Azonia students with Celia and Chen Xia.

Moreover, Chloe had escaped on her own.

'Knowing Chloe's personality, she wouldn't have escaped peacefully.'

They had already paid them back enough.

Lumern didn't want a minor incident to escalate into a diplomatic issue.

"Ah, thank you for understanding…"

*Swish-*

"What is this?"

Arga's eyes narrowed as he saw Duran's sword pointed at him.

"I'd like to have a match."

Duran said with a cold smile.

'His belligerence is even more than our school kids… no, it's more than that. He seems like a dangerous guy.'

Arga's lips slowly curled upwards.

*Crack-!*

*ROAR-!*

Arga punched Duran's sword with his fist.

Duran held his sword firm.

'As expected.'

He tightened his grip, feeling a tingle in his hand.

'He's a monster, just as the rumors say.'

Duran smiled ferociously at Arga's sudden change in demeanor.

Seeing Duran, Arga lowered his stance and gave a menacing grin.

"The atmosphere has completely changed."

Celia looked surprised.

Celia had seen Arga several times last winter break.

'Although I didn't have a chance to spar with him.'

The Arga she saw then had a different aura than now.

While not denying his strength, she thought he lacked the charisma of an Azonia class representative.

In fact, Leo often teased him as a 'foolish cat,' and she thought he seemed foolish.

But now, he was like a completely different person.

The chilling atmosphere emanating from him made her feel as if cold sweat was running down her back.

"He's a very scary cat."

Chen Xia said with her usual smiling face, and Rwen, while fiddling with the tail she was sitting on, replied.

"It's understandable. There's a reason she's called the boss cat, even by students outside her faction."

Chen Xia tilted her head at Rwen's words.

"I think 'boss cat' is a rather cute nickname."

"It might sound cute to you. She does look cute on the outside."

Rwen narrowed her eyes.

Unlike the calm and cunning demeanor she had exuded until now, her eyes now held the strong belligerence unique to beastmen.

"However, Azonia students don't easily recognize others as leaders. Especially students from different factions."

Azonia pursues strength.

Therefore, they see stronger individuals as targets to eventually defeat.

Of course, after 2-3 years of shared hardship, they acknowledge them as insurmountable and treat them as leaders, but until then, they constantly challenge them.

Yet, Arga is called 'boss' by the majority of students in the same year in just half a year.

"To me or the leaders of other factions, she appears as a monster cat."

*ROAR-!*

Duran was pushed back by Arga's swung fist.

"He's definitely a monster."

Chen Xia smiled as she saw Arga bristling and hissing.

"And it's a big problem. She's not someone who easily calms down once she's fired up."

"Duran is the same. I want to stop them now, but it doesn't look easy to stop them in that state."

Just as Chen Xia gave a troubled smile.

"Hooop!"

Arga took a breath.

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaw-!"

A ferocious beast's roar echoed from her mouth.

*CRACK-!*

The air was instantly compressed.

"Hmph!"

"H-Howling!"

The Azonia students covered their ears and stumbled.

Celia and Chen Xia also covered their ears and winced.

It was a Howling far more powerful than before.

It was literally a Howling for battle.

"Oh dear."

Rwen covered her mouth with the hem of her uniform and narrowed her eyes.

"She's really going for it now."

'Hmph. Foolish cat. Trying to stop it, she ends up causing a big accident. It would be good for me if she got disciplined for it.'

Just as Rwen smiled with narrowed eyes.

*Thump-!*

"Oh? Are you going to stop them, student council president of Lumern?"

Rwen asked Leo with a bright smile.

"We can't just leave them like this."

"She might get even more excited and attack you if she sees you? That kid is foolish and doesn't discriminate when she's fired up."

Ignoring Rwen's words, Leo intervened between the two.

'Let's see what he's got.'

Rwen's eyes curved.

'I probably don't stand a chance in a sparring match.'

An unprecedented All-Class.

And Lumern's youngest student council president.

Furthermore, he had already conquered the world of the great hero in his first year.

The difference in strength was clearly evident.

'But in a sparring match limited to martial arts, I have a chance.'

Leo's strength is the strength of an All-Class.

The Azonia students thought there was a chance in a pure martial arts sparring match.

'Shall I look for a weakness?'

Rwen stood up, wagging her fox tail, her eyes sparkling.

Watching her back, Chen Xia smiled meaningfully.

Chen Xia saw through Rwen at a glance as a student who was quite cunning, unlike an Azonia student.

'And it seems she's got her eyes on young master Leo.'

If she were to simply ask for a sparring match, she'd let it be, but if she were to scheme…

'I won't let it slide.'

As Chen Xia smiled, Rwen shivered and looked around.

'Did I just feel a chill?'

***

*CRACKLE-!*

As Arga swung his arm, a large claw-shaped scar appeared on the floor.

Duran, who dodged it, activated his aura.

*Fzzt-!*

'Aura Armor.'

Duran, clad in lightning all over his body, gripped his sword.

Aura Armor was usually for defense.

However, Duran could also use Aura Armor as a means of attack.

*ROAR-!*

Duran charged towards Arga.

Arga quickly closed in and clenched his fist.

In close combat, Arga, who uses his fists and feet, had an advantage.

Arga reached out to grab Duran's neck.

Duran grabbed Arga's hand with his ungloved hand.

"Hm?"

"It'll sting quite a bit."

*Fzzt-fzzzt-fzzzt-!*

"Ugh?!"

Arga, electrocuted, bristled.

"Grrrrr-!"

Arga, convulsed by the lightning aura, threw his head back in agony.

*Flash-!*

However, he straightened his head back and glared at Duran with flashing eyes.

*Grab-!*

"It's going to hurt a lot."

With a menacing smile, Arga's other hand flew towards Duran's face.

Duran, without hesitation, created distance between himself and Arga.

*ROAR-!*

But as Arga's fist tore through the air, a huge gust of wind engulfed Duran's body.

'Just the shockwave?!'

Duran's eyes widened, and he was sent flying.

*THUD! CRACKLE- CRACKLE-!*

He dug his sword into the ground to brace himself.

However, unable to withstand the impact, Duran's body was pushed backward.

*THUD-!*

Duran, who barely managed to stop himself by digging his heels in, smirked.

"This is fun."

"I'm having fun too!"

Just as Arga grinned and lowered his stance.

"That's enough."

Leo intervened in the middle.

Arga froze, and Duran scowled.

"It will be problematic if you fight any longer. Outside, our students and Azonia students are fighting all over the place. We need to stop that first, don't you think?"

At Leo's words, Duran rested his sword on his shoulder.

"Since Chloe escaped, I thought they would stop on their own?"

"They probably will. But if you two continue fighting, the situation won't be resolved."

"Hmph. We'll just finish it quickly."

"Then recover your condition and fight."

"What?"

"You're not in your best condition after the previous fight, are you?"

Leo gestured with his chin towards the unconscious Borgmann.

Duran, who had been staring intently at Leo at his words, clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"What I dislike most is your attitude of seeing right through everything, Leo Flove."

Duran stabbed his sword into the ground and left.

"It was getting really interesting, and you're interfering? Black rabbit."

Arga crossed his arms and wore a displeased expression.

But then he grinned.

"Well, I'm still not calmed down. This is perfect. I wanted to fight you during this Smith contract period!"

Arga grinned, baring his fangs.

"The opportunity came sooner than I thought! Fight me! Black rabbit!"

Arga, unable to easily calm his excitement, lowered his stance.

"You're certainly not listening as much as usual."

"Do you think I'm your pet cat! That I'll always obey you! Don't underestimate a wild animal, or you'll get bitten!"

Hissing, Arga lunged at Leo.

Seeing that, the Azonia students cheered with clenched fists.

A fight between Azonia's second-year representative and Lumern's second-year representative!

It was a great spectacle for the Azonia students who enjoyed watching fights as much as fighting them.

Leo smiled at Arga, who had approached right in front of him, and muttered softly.

"Grrr."

"……!"

*Poof-!*

Arga's eyes widened, and he hastily created distance from Leo.

His fur stood on end like a cat, his hindquarters raised, and his upper body lowered with his hands on the floor.

His tail was stiff and straight, and sweat dripped from his chin.

Looking at Arga, Leo chuckled and said to Celia and Chen Xia, who looked puzzled.

"Let's go back."

Leo left the Azonia dormitory.

"That's not like you."

Rwen yawned with a bored expression and entered the dormitory.

Arga, who had straightened up, looked down at her hands.

They were covered in sweat.

For a moment, she saw the shape of a wolf behind Leo.

She had had a similar experience last summer break.

But it was different from then.

And the shock she felt was incomparable to then.

'That was definitely… Howling.'

Arga wiped her hands on her school uniform skirt.

Howling from a human.

An unbelievable story.

But it was true.

Arga looked at Leo's retreating back and tilted her head.

'Black rabbit. What exactly are you?'