Book 1 Chapter 322

322

Noble's stronghold.

Kal, who was in charge of defending the base, made a startled expression.

"What? All of Glory's people are just defending?"

For Kal, who had gathered information through various routes and planned the operation, it was a bewildering story.

'Did Chloe notice?'

If it were Chloe, she would be able to change the plan in advance in preparation for information leaks.

Kal made a troubled expression.

"Hey, how about supporting the assault troops with siege weapons for now?"

"Right, if all of Glory's people are just defending, it will be hard to break through with our current strength."

The Noble students remaining at the base talked.

Most of the students left to defend the base were from the magic department.

They were students specialized in support and base defense rather than combat.

It was when the Noble students were planning their base defense.

*Thwack-!*

"Huh?"

Something flew and was embedded in the student's back.

The light on the bracelet showing their life instantly went out.

The Noble student who received a death verdict was forcibly transported to the resurrection spot.

Upon seeing that, the faces of the Noble students stiffened for a moment.

"W-what happened?"

It was when a female student from Noble's magic department was frantically looking around.

"Hello?"

A soft voice was heard.

Kal's face contorted in horror.

"Chen Xia? How did you get in here!"

"I snuck in."

Chen Xia smiled a beautiful smile.

But that smile was like that of a grim reaper.

*Swish-!*

Chen Xia raised her hand.

A throwing dagger was in her hand.

"Run!"

"Kyaaaaaaak!"

"Get away!"

For mages.

Furthermore, for mages specialized in rear support or base defense, close combat with a knight is a very disadvantageous fight.

Especially when the opponent's skill is vastly superior, the situation is even more terrible.

And the opponent is Chen Xia, from the Shadow.

She is a woman specialized in hunting Hero Hunters.

Chen Xia, who was smiling at the sight of the Noble students scattering here and there, chased Kal.

"There are so many others, why are you chasing the weakest one!"

"Kal. Do you know the basics of hunting?"

"How would I know that!"

"It's to eliminate the weakest opponent first!"

"You're from the Knight Department, don't you have any knightly spirit?!"

"I'm from the Shadow."

"Kiiiaaaak!"

Kal let out a scream of sheer terror.

The current situation, being chased by Chen Xia, was itself a nightmare.

It was when Chen Xia was rapidly closing the distance with the fleeing Kal.

*Fwoosh! Kugu-gu-gung!*

A giant fireball flew towards Chen Xia.

Chen Xia, who easily dodged the attack, tilted her head.

"Are you really coming into the heart of the enemy territory without fear?"

"Emio!"

"Emio is back!"

The Noble students' faces lit up.

Although she wasn't called the strongest among the second-years, Emio was a student who could stop Chen Xia.

"Arrogant brat."

As Emio spoke coldly, the ground beneath Chen Xia's feet began to shake.

"Earth Bind."

As soon as the spell was completed, a palm rising from the ground grabbed Chen Xia.

As Emio clenched his fist nervously, immense power was applied to the earth that encased Chen Xia.

*Quaduk-!*

A chilling sound echoed.

Emio scoffed at the sight.

Although it looked like she suddenly appeared and cast magic, it was actually a powerful spell that had been cast for a long time from the moment Chen Xia's presence was confirmed.

'Chen Xia is not someone with overwhelming destructive power like Celiana Duran.'

Within the Knight Department, she was evaluated as being on par with Celia and Duran, but their fields of expertise were clearly different.

'In close combat, a mage is certainly weaker than a knight. But with this much distance, a mage has a significant advantage!'

Especially like Celia and Duran.

The two, who were knights with overwhelming firepower, were extremely difficult opponents for mages as they could perform area attacks.

But Chen Xia was different.

As long as she didn't allow them to approach, she could maintain distance and attack her opponent.

'Leo Flove!'

*Grind grind-*

Emio gritted his teeth.

Although he admitted he was careless, the fact that he, a top student in the magic department, was helplessly defeated in a place where countless people from all over the world gathered was enough to cause immense humiliation.

'Damn it! Shamelessly ambushing…!'

As Emio spat curses at Leo and was about to generate mana.

*Thump-!*

The Earth Bind that had encased Chen Xia distorted like mud.

Emio's face stiffened at the sight.

*Poong-!*

The solid prison exploded like a bomb.

Chen Xia, who was in a punching stance, met Emio's eyes.

Chen Xia, who walked out with light steps, lightly brushed off her clothes and smiled.

"The finish is lacking, Emio."

Emio's face contorted uncontrollably.

But then he curled the corners of his lips.

"Escaping that magic was certainly impressive, but the situation is still in my favor."

Emio did not think that he was significantly inferior to the top students in terms of combat power.

He was the one who learned magic specialized for combat, coming from a military family.

A versatile mage armed with all sorts of practical attack magic.

He was fully prepared for the current combat.

"The place where a mage can exert the strongest combat power is none other than the stronghold."

Emio shouted confidently.

In fact, the strongholds of the dormitories were covered in arrays that enhanced the power of various magic for defense.

"Furthermore, if the specific condition of 'distance' is met, I am even more advantageous."

Emio took out a mana orb from his pocket.

A mana orb, the size of his palm, orbited around Emio.

"Moreover, my family has been eradicating lowlifes like you for generations."

Due to the nature of his family, which had fought numerous wars as a military family, Emio's family was bound to incur many grudges.

As a result, they had suffered threats from 'Shadows' who made assassination their profession.

"I'm used to the fighting style of the Shadow."

Emio said as if spitting it out.

Chen Xia's eyes widened at Emio's words.

"So?"

"What?"

"I understand that the situation is favorable to you, Emio. But…"

Chen Xia tilted her head as if she genuinely didn't understand.

"Is there a problem? I'll win anyway, won't I?"

Emio's face contorted.

"Do you think you are Leo Flove?"

"Even if you're not Lord Leo, I think I can easily defeat someone like Emio?"

"Nonsense."

Emio generated mana.

"I'll crush you!"

A huge amount of mana writhed nervously.

'I never liked it from the start. That a low-life Shadow that hasn't even received the gods' approval can pretend to be a hero candidate.'

Emio's eyes held a look of disgust.

Even with that gaze, Chen Xia smiled.

Word about Chen Xia had already spread among the students.

There were many, regardless of their grade level, who harbored hostility and disgust towards the Shadow.

Therefore, she was used to such gazes.

But… Chen Xia didn't care.

Because the person she thought was the most heroic in the world had acknowledged her.

'You will surely become a hero loved by people.'

From the moment he held my hand with a mature smile.

She vowed not to stop pursuing her dream of becoming a hero.

The light Leo showed was so bright and dazzling that it made her reflect on other people's eyes.

Recalling the boy who affirmed her while holding the Book of Shadows, Chen Xia unleashed her aura.

*Woong-!*

Chen Xia took an aura step towards Emio.

Emio, scoffing at the fierce charge, lightly dodged using Fly magic.

"Crude attack."

After that, Chen Xia's attacks continued.

Emio dodged Chen Xia's attacks and continued to cast magic.

'My mobility is superior, Chen Xia!'

Emio curled the corners of his lips.

'There's no easier enemy to hunt than an impetuous knight!'

Thinking so, Emio continued to rain down attack magic.

"Firebolt."

*Fwoosh-!*

"Wind Cutter."

*Hwooo-!*

"Magic Missile."

Emio, who fused the three spells to set power and targeting, unleashed the magic.

*Kwagagagak-!*

Blades of dozens of flames exploded and engulfed Chen Xia.

Upon seeing that, Chen Xia moved her body gracefully.

As if performing a beautiful dance.

She dodged all of Emio's magic.

Emio's face contorted as he watched Chen Xia dodge attacks like flowing water.

"You brat!"

Just as Emio was about to use a larger spell.

Chen Xia, who jumped into the air, threw a dagger.

"Hmph, do you think I'd get hit by such a crude attack…"

*Flick-!*

At that moment.

Emio felt a stinging sensation in his cheek.

Then, Chen Xia, who was falling to the ground, lightly stood in mid-air as if stepping on an invisible floor.

Emio, his face stiffening, hastily chanted a spell.

"Search."

As mana appeared in his eyes, he confirmed invisible threads spreading like a spiderweb around the area and showed a look of shock.

"When did…!"

"I told you. No matter how advantageous the battlefield is for you, Emio, the outcome won't change."

Chen Xia, standing on the threads, smiled.

"It's possible to charge like Celia or Duran and capture you, Emio, but it doesn't suit my taste. I made a trap."

"Cowardly…"

"You're saying strange things, Emio. I'm the one who broke into the enemy's center. Is there anyone braver and less cowardly than this?"

Chen Xia, with a bright smile, extended her right hand.

*Thwack!*

"Kkuh!"

Invisible threads wrapped around Emio's neck.

"This trap might not have worked on Abad or Chelsea, but…"

"Ridiculous. Do you think you can subdue me with such crude threads…"

For a moment, Emio felt his consciousness grow dim.

"Spiders,"

Chen Xia whispered.

"they catch their prey, inject venom, and then eat them."

Saying so, Chen Xia made a biting gesture in the air and winked one eye.

"Scary, right?"

She looked incredibly innocent and cute, but at this moment, she was more terrifying than anyone else.

"Th-ick!"

Chen Xia, smiling at Emio, whose consciousness was fading, pulled the threads.

At that moment, the light on his bracelet went out and disappeared.

Seeing Chen Xia subdue Emio in the blink of an eye, the magic students who had been watching the situation shouted.

"We're ready to fight too!"

*Kuuuuung-!*

Golems made from Guardians appeared from all over.

"Be prepared!"

"I don't know why you came all this way…! Even if it's you, you won't be unharmed if we all attack at once! Chen Xia!"

Fierce voices were heard from all around.

Chen Xia, who scanned the students one by one, smiled brightly.

"Chloe-yang predicted in advance that Noble and Harmony would launch a joint attack. That's why Leo-doryeong was assigned the mission to intercept enemies attacking the rear."

Chen Xia retracted her aura.

"I was assigned the mission to infiltrate other dormitories and gather information."

This was a strategy possible because Chen Xia was from the Shadow.

"So, about that."

Chen Xia narrowed her eyes.

"I don't see Kal-gun?"

At those words, the faces of the Noble students stiffened for a moment.

Chen Xia's gaze shone sharply.

"Abad-gun really did have an interesting idea."

At Chen Xia's words, a female Noble student retorted, "A-actually, it's not! It's not what you're thinking…"

'Hey, you idiot!'

'Why are you saying that out loud!'

The Noble students screamed, holding their heads.

***

Celia gripped her sword and charged towards Glory's city walls.

*Fwoosh-!*

An unusual flame swirled from Celia's sword.

*Kwagagagagagang-!*

As red lights flashed, blades of flame struck Glory's city walls.

"What kind of knight is that!"

"It's a full-blown siege weapon!"

"Not a mage or anything!"

The Glory students defending against Harmony's attack screamed.

Even though defending from a stronghold is overwhelmingly advantageous, currently, only Chloe was defending Glory's stronghold.

Therefore, the stronghold walls were in danger every time Celia or Abad, the dormitory leaders, attacked.

'Why isn't Warden returning? According to Chelsea, Duran and Eliza from Noble are also not returning?'

Celia furrowed her brows.

'Is he dealing with Leo?'

It was when Celia was lost in thought.

*Fwoosh-! Whoook-!*

Celia's burning flames soon scattered in all directions.

Celia flinched at that, her shoulders trembling.

*Thud- thud-*

Someone emerged, parting the flames.

Upon confirming the opponent's face, Celia showed a surprised expression.

"Leo?"

Celia's expression was wary.

Leo looked at his cousin and said,

"Now that I think about it…"

"……?"

"We've never actually fought seriously, have we?"

Seeing Leo smile maturely, Celia felt goosebumps all over her body.