Book 1 Chapter 323

323

Ku-gu-gu-gu-gung-!

A pillar of flame shot up as if to pierce the sky.

Chwaaaak-!

Celia, who had been flung back, urgently slammed Flame Storm into the ground to regain her balance.

Seeing Leo approach, gripping Lanchea, Celia gritted her teeth.

'It hasn't been long since he received Lanchea…'

Artifacts with great power are difficult to wield.

One might be swayed by the artifact if one makes a mistake.

It took Celia a long time to properly handle Flame Storm as well.

'But Leo did it in just a few days…'

Kuuuk-

Celia tightened her grip on her sword.

'Come to think of it… Leo was like that from the first time we met.'

His swordsmanship, which overwhelmed Celia.

His powerful physical abilities.

Even his sense to master aura in the blink of an eye and use Zerdinger's flames.

In a way, she had spent the longest time with Leo among the second-year students.

'We spent a lot of time training together.'

That's why Celia was the one who knew the gap between herself and Leo better than anyone.

Celia gritted her teeth.

'I've never once thought I wanted to properly fight Leo.'

Because she always became aware of the gap.

The more she tried to close it, the more painfully she felt it.

Except for their first meeting, she had never fueled her competitive spirit.

Though she never gave up chasing him.

On the other hand, she was already intimidated in front of Leo.

She was an honor student befitting her family's name.

But that was all.

In that situation.

In front of many people.

Leo was the first to seriously challenge her to a fight.

'I can't back down.'

Hwaryeuk-

Flames rose from Celia's body.

Flames flickered at the tip of her rapier-shaped sword.

'Prominence.'

From the start, Celia brought out the maximum firepower she could unleash.

Flame Storm spewed powerful flames.

It was Zerdinger's heirloom, containing the will of the Phoenix, a storm of fire.

As long as the user's will burned, it was a sword that would never break, rust, or chip.

Shwik-!

A sharp sound of the sword piercing the air rang out.

With it, a blade of fire flew to pierce Leo.

Seeing this, Leo spun Lanchea.

Hoong-! Hoong hoong hoong hoong hoong! Kwaaaak!

Lanchea, spinning at tremendous speed, enveloped Celia's flames.

Hwaryeureuk-!

Lanchea burned even more intensely.

Celia's face hardened at the sight.

'My maximum firepower…!'

"Flames are bound to be consumed by stronger flames, Celia."

Celia gritted her teeth.

"Especially if you're wielding the 'same' flame."

Wielding Zerdinger's flame.

Moreover, she was a covenant holder of the 'Phoenix,' which could be called the origin of that flame.

As Leo approached, Celia stepped back.

"Well, the biggest reason is…"

Hwaryeuk-

Flames rose from Leo's body.

"I think the biggest reason is thinking, 'I can't win'."

"Eek! Shut up! I'm not!"

Celia, provoked, gripped her sword tightly and lunged at Leo.

Shwiik-!

Celia pulled out a small dagger from her clothes.

A parrying dagger.

It was the artifact Celia chose as a secondary weapon.

Celia, a knight with powerful firepower, was already a student with a strong advantage in area attacks.

What Leo recommended to Celia was a parrying dagger that could enhance her close-quarters swordsmanship.

Chae-eng-!

Celia parried Leo's spear, which was aimed at her, with the parrying dagger and aimed for Leo's neck.

Hwak-!

Leo charged forward, evaded Celia's thrust, and closed in.

Chae-eng-!

Leo pulled out a parrying dagger from his clothes.

Small daggers crossed in close quarters.

"Kuk?"

Celia, who had allowed Leo to get close, gritted her teeth and gripped her rapier tighter.

Leo let go of Lanchea and grabbed Celia's wrist, which held the rapier.

"Giving up easily isn't like you."

"Who said I gave up?"

Celia snapped back, releasing her aura.

Leo was flung back by the aura, released at maximum output in an instant.

Suddenly, a blade of wind flew towards Leo.

Leo, with aura manifesting at his fingertips, spun his body.

Kwagagagagagagak-!

The blade of wind hit Leo's hand and bounced off in all directions.

Hwaak-!

Leo stopped spinning and looked back.

Tak-!

"Wow! Wow! As expected of Leo oppa! Amazing!"

Chelsea let out a series of exclamations.

Seeing Chelsea, Celia gritted her teeth and shouted.

"Chelsea! This is not the time to face Leo lightly! This is an exam!"

At Celia's words, Chelsea, flustered, protested.

"I-I've never faced Leo oppa lightly, you know?"

"Then take it seriously! That shallow magic won't work on Leo!"

"What? Sh-shallow? This is…!"

It was then that Chelsea, seeing Celia much more irritable than usual, was provoked.

Swoosh-!

Leo's fingertips pointed at Chelsea.

Woong-!

Powerful magic was unleashed.

Hooaaahhhng!

"Ugh?!"

Chelsea's eyes squeezed shut as a powerful wind suddenly blew.

'Wind magic!'

It was when Chelsea was urgently trying to counter Leo's magic.

Kwagagagagagaga-!

A whirlwind raged around Chelsea.

"Wind Storm."

Chelsea felt goosebumps all over her body, seeing Leo complete the magic in an instant.

'High-speed incantation!'

High-speed incantation was Chelsea's specialty.

Moreover, the completed spell was also a high-tier magic.

Chelsea urgently recited a dispel magic, then flew into the sky, escaping Leo's magic.

"Chelsea!"

Celia, pale, urgently called Chelsea.

"…!"

Chelsea, too, turned pale, looking at Leo in front of her.

Leo immediately launched a kick towards Chelsea.

"Wi-Wind Shield!"

Peong-!

Wind and wind clashed, and a piercing sound of rupture echoed.

Hwaaaak-!

The surrounding blades of grass were flattened in the opposite direction by the shockwave that arose from the center of Leo and Chelsea's collision.

The earth's surface was overturned and blown away.

"Aaahhh!"

"What was that!"

Students who had been attacking the Glory fortress walls for some time screamed at the sudden storm.

Kwang-!

"What flew in!"

"Is it artillery? What is it?"

Then, when something flew towards the fortress wall, they showed confusion.

The thick dust cloud cleared.

Chelsea, embedded in the fortress wall, was visible.

"Huk!"

"Che-Chelsea!"

Harmony students urgently helped Chelsea up.

At that moment.

"Kweeeek!"

"Leo's coming!"

Everyone gasped in horror, spotting Leo flying towards Chelsea at incredible speed.

It was then.

Shwiik-!

A spear that flew with a sharp sound stopped Leo.

"Howl!"

Howl Naif, a high-ranking student in the Knight Department, blocked Leo's path.

Howl, using Poison Aura, threatened Leo with his unique snake-like spearmanship.

Seeing Howl, Leo smiled.

"Impressive, aren't you? Like a knight guarding a king."

Howl's expression hardened as he swung his spear.

Hwiriririk-!

"Celia is quite a strategist, you know."

Literary and martial arts combined.

This was Celia's motto as an honor student befitting the direct lineage of Zerdinger, which she aspired to.

"Chloe told me."

Leo smiled faintly.

"Celia would have chosen Chelsea as king, as she has the best mobility among the second-year students and can escape even chaotic battles."

The reason for sending Chelsea to the front was to hide that fact.

"Judging by your reaction, it seems to be true."

Leo chuckled and swung Lanchea behind him.

Chae-eng-!

Flame Storm and Lanchea crossed, spewing flames.

Using that gap, Howl swung his spear towards Leo.

Shwiik-!

Like a snake biting its prey.

Howl's spear aimed at Leo, moving unpredictably.

Kwaang-!

Leo kicked Howl's spear.

"Kuk?"

Howl was flung back.

At the same time, Leo used his free hand to punch Celia in the abdomen.

Kwaang!

"Kuk?"

Celia's body bent and flew back from the punch imbued with flame aura.

Leo's gaze turned to Chelsea.

The Harmony students supporting Chelsea shrieked, "Heeik-!"

"Run! Run!"

"Protect Chelsea!"

"Chelsea! Escape!"

The moment the king dies, Harmony is eliminated.

Ordinary students lunged at Leo.

Celia, staggering back to her feet, gritted her teeth.

'To be on the defensive from the start of the exam.'

Normally, even if Chelsea was discovered to be the king, they wouldn't be cornered into such a crisis.

The reason Chelsea was made king was as Leo explained.

Mobility that doesn't easily get pushed onto the defensive.

And even if a crisis arises, the speed and combat ability to break through it all.

Even if Waren and Celia cooperated, it wasn't easy to catch Chelsea.

That's why Chelsea was made king.

But…

'Just what is he!'

Celia gritted her teeth.

Leo's ability, far beyond expectations.

'He thinks I can't win?'

Celia's hands trembled.

'No! I've never thought that… never…'

It was when Celia's eyes wavered.

"Celia!"

Howl urgently called Celia.

At that, Celia startled and regained her composure.

"Leo is chasing Chelsea! We have to stop him!"

"Understood!"

Shaking off the pain in her abdomen, Celia urgently got up and chased after Leo.

The Harmony students who rushed at Leo to protect Chelsea were being swept away.

Chelsea, seeing Leo chasing her, gritted her teeth and summoned her magic power.

'Am I facing Leo oppa lightly?! No! I just… So…'

Chelsea, who was internally rebelling against Celia's words, was swept away by the storm.

Leo was completely overwhelming Chelsea with wind magic.

Chelsea, who had been rolling on the ground, looked at Leo.

Chelsea felt goosebumps all over her body, seeing Leo's expressionless face approaching, with his spear slung over his shoulder.

She realized what Celia had meant by 'lightheartedly'.

Along with that, Harland's words came to mind.

'Will you chase after their backs? Or will you forge your own path?'

Harland's words came to mind.

Kwagagagagagak-!

Once again, a storm raged before Chelsea's eyes.

Chelsea, who barely avoided it, looked at Leo approaching her with emotionless eyes.

Seeing the object of her admiration looking at her as someone to be defeated, Chelsea gritted her teeth.

Except for their first meeting, she had never once seen Leo as a rival or someone to defeat.

Just an object of admiration, like a hero from a fairy tale…

She just thought of him as someone she wanted to watch.

Without wishing to walk beside him or stand behind him.

Just like a girl vaguely reading a fairy tale.

Chelsea, who had wished to watch his exploits with a pounding heart, felt the distance between Leo and herself for the first time today.

She didn't think she could win.

Because Chelsea was someone who knew the gap between herself and Leo as well as Celia.

She thought she could be satisfied just watching from afar, but…

'I can't see it.'

She realized it now.

That he had become so distant that even if she stretched out her hand, she couldn't reach him.

'What should I do…?'

Chelsea's eyes trembled.

"Chelsea?"

Then, a familiar voice was heard.

"Brother."

She looked at another object of admiration.

Seeing Chelsea looking at him with eyes that somehow sought help, Abbad's expression hardened, and he summoned his magic power.

Kwagagagagak!

Abbad, who blew away Leo's magic, shouted.

"Celia!"

Celia, who had already reached behind Leo, was generating flame aura.

"I don't like joining forces with you, but…"

Flames sparked in Celia's eyes.

"For now, this is the only way!"

Hwaryeureuk-!

Fire and wind.

Among the second-year students.

The combination that could produce the most powerful force joined hands.

"Prominence."

"Tempest."

Celia's aura and Abbad's magic power fused, creating a massive storm of fire.

Celia raised her sword and shouted.

"Be prepared, Leo!"

Seeing that, Leo generated aura and magic power.

Hwaryeureuk! Whiooooo!

A storm of fire was also created in Leo's hands.

"Haaaahhh!"

Celia let out a battle cry and swung Flame Storm towards Leo.

Kwaaaang-!

The storm of fire collided, sweeping the surrounding area.

***

The flames cleared.

Chelsea stared blankly ahead.

"Chelsea."

Abbad smiled bitterly and reached out to stroke his sister's head.

"Brother…"

"Now… isn't it time for you to soar?"

Abbad, who smiled bitterly, received a death judgment and disappeared.

Pook-!

Lanchea, which had been embedded in Abbad's back, was stuck in the ground.

Celia's hands, which had squeezed out all her strength, trembled.

She looked at her hands, which firmly held the blades of Flame Storm in both hands.

Blood flowed from her hands, and they were burned.

But those hands were firmly blocking Celia's attack.

"You said you never thought you couldn't win, didn't you?"

Leo tightened his grip.

A sword that remains unyielding as long as the owner's will burns.

Kwajik-! Hwaryeuk-

The broken blade of Flame Storm, shattered by Leo, dispersed into flames.

Celia's face distorted.

"Even now?"

At Leo's cruel question, the battered Celia stepped back.

The light on her bracelet, indicating her life, went out.

"Chelsea."

Celia looked back at Chelsea.

"Run."

Hwaak-!

Celia also received a death judgment and was transferred.