Book 1 Chapter 317
317
“What?”
Avad, upon hearing news from the rear detached force through magical communication, stiffened his expression.
“Leo appeared there? How many people other than Leo?”
-It’s just Leo! Emio has already been defeated!
Avad, having heard the communication, fell into thought.
‘Why did Leo, the strike team member who was supposed to attack other dorms, appear at the rear of the base?’
“What’s the probability that Kal Thomas’s information was wrong?”
Avad shook his head at Duran’s question, who was listening nearby.
“No. That’s impossible. I watched Kal’s information gathering process. The information was accurate.”
“It might be that information about our movements was leaked in reverse…”
Duran’s eyes sharpened as he replied.
Flash-! Zzzzzt!
As Duran drew his sword, an intense golden flash erupted.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang!
Along with a thunderous sound, golden sparks burst from the sword, decorating the sky.
Pa-ba-ba-ba-ba-bat-!
An aura of lightning, spread as dense as a net, struck the incoming ice spikes.
The intense heat emanating from the lightning evaporated the ice spikes.
The male students of Noble who witnessed it exclaimed in admiration.
“As expected of Duran.”
“It’s completely the power of an area-of-effect spell, isn’t it?”
“Kyaaaah!”
“Duran is so cool!”
Duran’s figure, wreathed in a lightning aura, was certainly impressive.
But Duran’s movements didn’t end there.
Zzzzt-!
Golden electricity wrapped around Duran’s feet.
Duran, using Aura Step, sprinted through the air at an incredible speed.
“Don’t you think it’s dangerous for a wizard to be on the front lines like this?”
Duran raised his sword and curled the corners of his lips as he looked at the platinum-haired girl.
“Chloe.”
Flash-
Duran’s lightning aura raged.
Chloe’s blue eyes followed the trajectory of Duran’s sword.
Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeong-!
An ice barrier instantly unfurled.
Duran’s eyes twitched.
‘Did Chloe know how to use such magic? If she’s using magic with this much defensive power, there should have been a sign?’
He didn’t feel any movement of magic power at all.
‘Is it the familiar the magic department guys said they were making this time?’
The moment he thought that.
Kiiiing-!
Chloe’s magic power surged.
“Frost Nova.”
As soon as the spell was complete, a cold icy wind roared.
Just before Duran was swept away by the wind.
Kyao-oh-oh-oh!
A Wind Wyvern grabbed Duran’s arm and ascended into the sky.
Duran used the recoil to quickly mount the Wind Wyvern’s back.
Zzzzzzzzt-!
Duran raised his hand.
‘A greatsword?’
In Duran’s hand was a massive two-handed sword.
‘I heard that the knight students use auxiliary weapons… Duran uses a greatsword, though.’
Even though they belong to the same category of swords, a longsword and a two-handed sword are handled completely differently.
‘The characteristic of a two-handed sword is.’
Chloe concentrated her magic power.
‘Superior destructive power compared to a longsword.’
Flash-! Zzzzzzzzzzt-!
As Duran raised the two-handed sword, lightning struck the sword from the sky.
A wave of golden electricity surged.
Seeing that, Chloe unleashed her magic power.
Wooong-!
Complex runes were embroidered in the air.
“Ice World.”
Zzzzt-!
Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeok!
As soon as Chloe’s incantation ended, absolute zero cold covered Duran.
Whoosh-!
Duran frowned and retracted his attack.
Other Noble students also recoiled in terror, moving out of Chloe’s spell’s area of effect.
Along with that, the magic department students chanted spells for a counterattack.
But faster than that, Chloe quickly retreated from the battlefield.
“Surprise attacks are indeed fearsome.”
Avad clucked his tongue.
Then Avad spread his palm.
A magic circle then unfurled.
“Instant Contract.”
As soon as the magic spell was recited, powerful magic power burst forth across the surrounding area.
“What kind of magic is that? It looks like a contract spell.”
“Familiar contract magic.”
“Familiar contract magic?”
“It’s a spell that creates a wide-area familiar contract with animals in the surrounding area.”
It was also a spell created as a presentation assignment in the Magic Department this time.
The creation of familiars using magical artificial engineering, as instructed by Len.
Avad, with advice from Len and Tina, prepared a spell as an assignment that modified the magic normally granted to familiars, temporarily bestowing its effects upon nearby animals.
It wasn't the creation of familiars, but a spell that arbitrarily commanded hundreds of familiars.
Avad, being an all-rounder, could provide powerful firepower support from the rear like Chloe, and could also engage in front-line combat like Chelsea.
At first glance, it seemed versatile, but in reality, most all-rounder mages often ended up being mediocre.
However, Avad, with his overwhelming talent, literally grew into an ideal all-rounder mage without flaws.
Therefore, he believed that preliminary information gathering was necessary to gain an advantage in combat.
Thus, the ‘Instant Contract’ magic, which could artificially create large-scale familiars in the vicinity, was developed.
‘What a covetable spell.’
Eliza’s eyes sparkled.
Various ways to apply this magic to summoning studies came to Eliza’s mind, a student of the Summoning Department.
It was as Eliza was making such an intrigued expression.
“…All the Glory kids are at the base.”
Noble students looked surprised at Avad’s words.
“Was Kal’s information wrong?”
“No. The information is probably correct. It’s just that Glory probably anticipated a leak and planned their strategy accordingly.”
“Then what about Leo Flove? Isn’t he defending the base?”
Eliza furrowed her beautiful brows.
In response, Avad said,
“Currently, among the Glory students, Leo is the only one fighting other dorm students outside.”
At that, all the Noble students widened their eyes.
“Leo was given the mission to hunt other students by himself. We’ve been completely outmaneuvered.”
“Ah, even if it’s Leo, does it make sense for him to generally hunt dozens of other students by himself?”
As one Noble student asked in a flustered voice, Duran, who had returned, spoke.
“…Excluding the dorm leaders or top-ranked students, who could possibly stop Leo Flove?”
The Noble students widened their eyes.
“It seems you all are mistaken, so know this now.”
Sparks flew from Duran’s body.
“That guy isn’t simply someone who has the abilities of all classes.”
Eliza scoffed and summoned a phantom beast, mounting it.
“He’s a flawless monster who perfectly understands and uses the abilities of all classes. Trusting in numbers and challenging him will only make you sacrifices. There’s only one way to stop him.”
Zzzzzzt! Whoosh!
“Overwhelming strength!”
Duran dashed out, and simultaneously, Eliza’s Wind Wyvern also sprinted.
***
“Kal probably saw through all of our strategies.”
Before the exam began.
Chloe gathered all the Glory students and said,
“So, we will all defend the base.”
Chloe looked at Leo.
“So Leo, you get the kill points against the other dorm kids.”
Chloe smiled broadly and said,
“The more you rampage alone, the more the other dorm kids will think you’re not the king. Of course, Waredeun, Duran, or Eliza will be targeting you, but…”
Chloe’s strategy was one that could only be achieved with trust.
“You won’t be defeated by them.”
Trust in their strongest card.
***
Clang-! Whoosh-!
Nella blocked Leo’s sword.
Other students didn’t even dare to stand in Leo’s way.
Those chosen for the detached force were mainly mid-ranking students with good mobility and the ability to act covertly.
Most of the top-ranked students had gone to the front of the Glory dorm to attack head-on with the dorm leaders.
Emio, one of the skilled individuals who could respond to Leo’s attacks, was caught off guard and had already been declared defeated and returned.
In other words, Nella was the only one skilled enough to somewhat deter Leo here.
But most of the students were all aghast.
“There are no openings!”
“Even so, we’re all second-years…!”
Among the second-years, no student doubted that Leo was the strongest second-year.
But not many students thought the gap between Leo and ordinary students would be this wide.
It was literally a one-sided massacre.
Nor was there any chance to exploit an opening.
Overwhelming strength.
The second-years shuddered, feeling as if they were facing fourth or fifth-year students.
“This is… the youngest student council president.”
A student muttered, being swept away by Leo’s flames.
Clang-!
Nella gritted her teeth, engulfed in Leo’s flames.
“Is this the first time we’ve fought like this?”
“Indeed… In our first year, we were class president and vice-president, so any fights were just light sparring.”
Nella, who answered with difficulty, unleashed her aura.
Whoosh-
Leo’s flames covered Nella.
But Nella deliberately leaped into Leo’s flames.
Her healing-attribute aura recovered the damage she sustained from Leo’s attack.
Seeing that, Leo said,
“That’s not a good choice.”
“What?”
Leo quickly reacted to Nella’s sudden suicidal attack.
Leo had faced countless enemies attempting self-destruction.
This trait was especially pronounced in enemies with excellent regenerative abilities.
It was when Leo was about to finish off Nella, who was gritting her teeth.
Kugugugugung-!
The ground shook.
Leo distanced himself from Nella.
And looked up at the sky.
“You’re the first one here.”
Leo smiled broadly.
Seeing that, his opponent descended to the ground.
Thud-
Landing on the ground, he opened his mouth.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment, Leo Flove.”
Waredeun’s eyes gleamed.
***
The first-year students, having finished their exam schedule, quickly headed to the first-year assigned spectator stands.
Seated by class, all the first-years wore expressions of relief.
As it was their first exam at Lumerne, they had prepared their best.
And regardless of the results, they were enjoying the sense of liberation that the exam was finally over.
Meanwhile.
The exam venue was quickly tidied up, and a magical screen appeared, visible from the spectator stands.
Foreign guests in the spectator stands exclaimed in admiration upon seeing it.
“I’ll be able to vividly see my child in action.”
“They’ll uphold the family’s honor!”
Second-year parents spoke in excited voices.
Cutting through the crowd, a black-haired woman was heading to the front row.
Some people narrowed their eyes as they saw her.
“Oh my, coming alone without an attendant.”
“She must be from an unremarkable family.”
“There are no seats here, if she came late, she should sit in the back. Why is she even here?”
Amidst the murmuring, a woman who appeared to be the madam of a noble family, passing by the black-haired woman, covered her mouth with a fan and spoke.
“The front row is not a seat one can casually take. It’s a seat only for Lumerne graduates.”
At that, the black-haired woman gave a gentle smile.
“Yes, I know.”
“What did you say?”
It was when the middle-aged woman’s eyes twitched.
“…Senior Reina?”
A cautious voice calling from behind was heard.
Reina turned her head and smiled brightly, seeing a face she hadn't seen in decades.
“Len! It’s been so long!”
“It really was Senior Reina!”
Len smiled brightly and approached Reina.
At his reaction, those around them looked flustered.
“Why didn’t you come earlier to cheer on student Leo?”
“You know him. He’s not cute. Even if I cheer for him, he’s not the type to really exert himself.”
Reina smiled broadly.
Len smiled back at Reina and escorted her.
“Come, let’s go. I have something important to discuss with Senior Reina, as student Leo’s mother, for his future.”
Hearing their conversation, the surrounding parents gasped and hurriedly averted their gazes.
They had carelessly whispered about the mother of the unprecedented All-Class and youngest Lumerne Student Council President, so they couldn’t help but feel awkward.
Of course, Reina didn’t pay much attention to their reactions.
“Hey, Len. The spectator stands are over there.”
“I have something important to tell Senior Reina in a quiet place where no one else is around.”
“Are you trying to take a married woman to a secluded place right now?”
“It’s that important of a conversation.”
It was when Reina wore an exasperated expression.
“What kind of trickery is this?”
Yura, who appeared from behind, choked Len’s neck with her arm.
“Oh, Yura, it’s been a while.”
“Long time no see, Senior Reina.”
Len struggled to shake off Yura’s arm and said,
“Let go of this gorilla-like arm! As a professor, I need to have a very important interview with Senior Reina, who is a parent!”
“…Go ahead and choke to death on that gorilla-like arm!”
“You two are still the same.”
Reina chuckled and clapped her hands, as if accustomed to the fierce squabble between her two juniors.
It was the distinct air of composure that only Lumerne graduates possessed, completely opposite to the surrounding parents who were anxious about a fight breaking out.
Just then.
“…Reina Gerdinger?”
“Oh my. Ain?”
Reina’s eyes lit up as she spotted Ain, her peer.
“It’s really been a long time!”
“…I just remembered an urgent matter.”
Ain tried to leave without looking back.
“Hey! Are you going to ignore a peer you haven’t seen in ages and just leave?”
“Let go.”
Ain, whose nape was grabbed by Reina, broke out in a cold sweat.
Reina, with half-closed eyes, looked at Ain and said,
“If you keep acting cold, I’ll tell them what happened after the first-year first-semester midterms, you know?”
Ain glared at Reina, and Yura and Len, who had been engrossed in their fight, instantly stopped moving.
“…You’re truly a woman who suits the nickname ‘Witch of Flames,’ Reina Gerdinger.”
“It’s been a while since I heard that nickname.”
Reina smiled sweetly as she looked at Ain, who let out a deep sigh.
Just then.
At that moment, Leo’s image was zoomed in on the scoreboard.
Ain narrowed his eyes, seeing Waredeun standing opposite Leo.
“It’s a big match.”