Book 1 Chapter 326

Looking at Leo, whose expression had disappeared, Karl made a tense face.

'Leo.'

For Karl, Leo was the first friend he had made after entering Lumerne.

'Meeting you was incredibly fortunate for me.'

Karl barely managed to get into Lumerne by the skin of his teeth.

But he didn't think he would be able to last long in Lumerne.

He knew his limits clearly enough.

In fact, Karl's school life was always a continuous series of limitations.

Pretending to be calm on the outside.

Acting slyly.

But he always deeply felt the difference between himself and the other students.

Amidst all that, Leo was always by his side.

The class representative and an unprecedented all-rounder.

And the youngest student council president in Lumerne's history.

Karl, who had always watched Leo, who was constantly in the spotlight, from the sidelines, knew better than anyone.

How much Leo, who acted as if he had no limits in the eyes of others, pushed himself beyond his limits.

Leo's relentless effort and drive greatly influenced Karl.

Because he had watched Leo like that, Karl knew.

'It's not impossible for you to defeat Leo.'

Karl, who was positioned in the rear, took a deep breath and looked at Leo.

He recalled the memory of fighting the Erebus fragment that had recreated the appearance of Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings, in Dwenoo's world.

"Are you prepared to experience the difference?"

Abard lifted his staff with his characteristic gentle smile.

"Leo, I'm sorry to you, but that difference… I've already felt it to the bone."

Kugugugugugung-!

As Abard swung his staff, the surrounding ground began to shake.

Kugugugugung-!

Rocks from underground rose up.

It wasn't telekinetic magic.

He had controlled the wind to lift the stones.

Weeeing-!

A magic circle appeared in the air.

Abard's unique magic, Tempest, was activated.

Kwaaaaaaaah!

Giant rocks clustered together, forming an enormous pillar.

A pillar of rock accompanied by a gale struck Leo.

Kwaang-!

A massive shockwave spread around the point of direct impact from the rock.

Kugugugugu! Hwaak-!

Cracks began to appear in the rock pillar that had directly hit Leo.

Jjeojeojeojeojeok! Kkwadeuk! Whiooooooh-!

Rocks shattered into fist-sized pieces swirled around Leo.

Leo looked at Abard and smiled, saying,

"I don't need it, so I'll give it back."

Hwarreuk- Kwagagagak-!

A barrage of stones, even on fire, rained down on Abard.

Hwoong-!

At that moment, Eliza, who had summoned a Wind Wyvern, quickly took Abard and soared into the sky.

Leo narrowed his eyes as he saw that.

'Indeed, is he going to focus only on offense as a rear-line dealer?'

The biggest advantage of an all-rounder is their ability to take any position.

They can be active like Chelsea, a battle mage at the front, or like Chloe, an artillery piece firing powerful magic from the very rear.

Or they can move between both, supporting the necessary position.

While close to an all-rounder, they still have a biased tendency.

'Abard is closer to a traditional type, like Chloe.'

The advantage of a traditional type is the overwhelming power of their magic.

But the disadvantage is mobility.

Eliza is assisting Abard to compensate for that weakness.

'Well, Eliza isn't just assisting Abard, though.'

Leo looked at Chelsea and Warreden, who stood before him.

Around them were two people protected by the grace of spirit beasts.

A moment ago.

The situation was different from when they faced Leo with a hastily formed team.

They had definitively concluded that Leo was an enemy to be defeated by combining their strengths, and they had prepared thoroughly accordingly.

The difference between being prepared and unprepared is significant.

Spiritual power coiled around Leo's arm.

"What are you doing?"

As Karl muttered with a flustered face, Warreden replied.

"It's spirit magic."

"Everyone, be careful! If it's spirit magic with that much spiritual power, something huge is definitely coming!"

At Karl's shout, everyone tensed up.

Leo gathered the spiritual power, which had begun to glow blue, at his fingertips and struck the ground.

Hwaak-!

The spiritual power seeped into the ground and soon disappeared without a trace.

"…"

"…"

Chelsea, who had been looking very tense, soon looked at Karl with a deflated expression.

"Nothing's happening?"

"…He summoned something."

Warreden narrowed his eyes.

"What did he summon?"

"I don't know that. But it would be best to defeat Leo Flobe quickly."

Warreden armed himself with Spirit Armor.

Hwarreuk-

A flame spirit resided in Warreden's body like armor.

Seeing that, Chelsea also gripped her staff tighter, lowered her stance, and unleashed the magic she had been preparing.

"Heatwave."

Whioooooooh-!

A fierce wind began to rage around Chelsea.

Leo narrowed his eyes as he saw that.

'Chelsea's unique magic.'

A field magic, similar to Chloe's unique magic, Ice World.

The difference is that Chloe's unique magic is an area-of-effect spell that freezes everything in the surrounding area.

It could attack enemies with powerful cold, slow their movement, and create a favorable battlefield for allies to pressure the opponent.

But Chelsea's Heatwave is different.

By itself, its offensive power is not great.

However, what's troublesome is…

Hwaak-!

Chelsea rapidly charged towards Leo.

Leo summoned Lancea and swung it.

The purpose was to keep Chelsea in check using the spear's long reach.

Wheeik-!

At that moment.

Chelsea's body moved erratically.

Like a fish swimming freely in water.

She dodged Leo's attack with movements different from her usual.

"Wind Sword."

A blade of wind formed at the tip of Chelsea's staff.

Chaeeing-!

The wind sword and the flame-clad spear intersected.

Leo reached out to grab Chelsea.

Hwoong-!

But Chelsea, as expected, evaded with astonishing movements.

Hwoang-!

As Leo tried to chase Chelsea, the wind blew, hindering him.

Heatwave was a magic that dramatically increased Chelsea's combat power in close combat.

Not only that.

The one who had control over the wind in the surrounding area was…

Leo raised his head.

Eliza was controlling the wind using a Wind Wyvern and spirit magic.

A battlefield perfectly advantageous to them.

"Even you, Leo oppa, won't find it easy to win against this combination!"

Chelsea shouted triumphantly.

Hwarreuk-!

Warreden, who had approached right in front of Leo, threw a punch.

Kwaaaaaang-!

Leo blocked Warreden's punch with his hand.

Kwak-!

Leo's foot dug deeply into the ground.

Leo counterattacked by kicking Warreden in the abdomen.

Whiooooh! Kwaang-!

Warreden was sent flying and crashed into the ground.

Kugugugu-

Warreden brushed off the dust and stood up, then cracked his neck a few times.

Dudududuk- Duduk-

Light bone-cracking sounds were heard.

"Are you alright?"

As Karl asked with a fed-up expression, Warreden glanced at Karl.

"Don't worry about me, focus on the command. Your predictions are certainly accurate."

"Alright."

Karl looked at Leo.

'The front line is definitely the biggest unstable factor.'

Chelsea is a battle mage with overwhelming front-line combat abilities.

Warreden's close-range attacks using Spirit Armor are also at a terrifying level.

But even so, compared to Celia or Duran, who could professionally take charge of the front line, they are definitely at a disadvantage.

Even now, they are barely holding Leo in check.

If they make even a slight mistake and one of them falls, the front line will be annihilated.

And Eliza and Abard would immediately become Leo's targets.

'Or I might become the target. No, even just Chelsea, if she falls to Leo, it's over.'

The King of Harmony, Chelsea.

For such a Chelsea to face Leo on the front line was incredibly dangerous.

Karl urgently put his hand to his ear.

Woong-! Communication magic activated.

"Chelsea! Warreden! Leo is going to use magic! Create distance!"

Kwagagang-!

With those words, an explosion erupted around Leo.

"Abard! Now's your chance!"

Abard, riding the Wind Wyvern, raised his staff.

Whioooooooh-!

"Cutter Storm."

As the magic was unleashed, a giant tornado rose and flew towards Leo.

Kiaaaaaaang-!

A chilling sound echoed from the wind.

Sharp blades of wind rotated in every layer of the wind.

It was literally wind whose very existence was like a giant blade.

Hwaak!

Abard's Cutter Storm engulfed Leo.

"That's amazing."

"As long as the wind is on our side. Chelsea and I can become even stronger."

Abard grinned and winked at Eliza.

It was when Eliza scoffed.

Peoreong-!

"…"

With a tremendous piercing sound, the Cutter Storm disappeared.

"…It's shocking that he doesn't have a single scratch."

Abard gave a bitter smile.

"You're still doing well! Leo's weakness is his unavoidable mana capacity! If we endure, we can win!"

Karl's voice came through the communication magic.

"Hmph, Karl. That's your problem."

Eliza scoffed.

"We joined forces even enduring humiliation."

Eliza pulled on the Wind Wyvern's reins.

"Winning by stalling for time? We don't need such a dissatisfying victory. Even if we lose, unless we face Leo Flobe's power head-on… I won't be satisfied."

To Eliza's growling words, Karl said.

"You probably don't need to worry about that."

Kugugugugung-!

A pillar of flame shot up from Leo's body.

Hwarreuk-!

Karl broke out in a cold sweat.

"It's coming."

Hwaak-!

An aura of flame raged.

Chelsea recoiled in alarm, and Warreden acted as her shield.

And with that.

"-!"

A tremendous roar emanated from Leo's mouth.

"Kugh?"

"Hiiik?"

Warreden flinched and backed away upon hearing Leo's voice, and Chelsea trembled for a moment.

"Howling?"

Abard muttered in disbelief.

"What can't that human do?!"

"More than you think."

"…"

A reply came from above to Eliza's shout.

Hwarreuk-

"I can't do everything either."

In the momentary stiffness caused by the howling.

Leo approached with incredible speed and delivered a kick.

The flickering flame aura from Leo's foot caught Abard and Eliza's eyes.

Kwaang-!

At that moment, Warreden swiftly flew in and blocked Leo's kick with his arm.

Whiooooooooh! Kwaang-

Unable to withstand the impact, Warreden fell and crashed into the ground.

Hwarreuk-

Leo gripped Lancea tighter.

"Now that I think about it, both of you were judged dead by Lancea, weren't you?"

"Yes, that spear… I can't stand the sight of it!"

Kiaaaaak!

The Wind Wyvern let out a sharp cry and opened its mouth wide.

Wind Breath engulfed Leo.

In the instant the two created distance.

Pududududuk-!

With the sound of flapping wings, dozens of small birds covered Leo.

Kwagagagak-!

Their needle-sharp beaks seemed as if they would pierce Leo.

"Reflection."

Leo deployed a shield magic.

Peobeobeobeobeobeok-!

The beaks of the birds that had flown in instantly pierced Leo's magic.

"…Wind birds?"

Familiar spirits made from sparrows using magic.

But wind birds have almost no offensive power.

Leo turned his head.

Chelsea stood there.

"They're my familiars."

Chelsea grinned.

"Heatwave magic gives them power."

The wind birds gathered around Chelsea.

"Rest assured, Leo Flobe. We won't fight by stalling for time."

Warreden unleashed his spiritual power.

"We will use our full strength to defeat you."

Abard said, chanting numerous spells.

'Excellent.'

Despite feeling a wall, they confront it without hesitation.

Even knowing the difference, they don't hold back to achieve a definite victory.

They never fear moving forward.

They squeeze out everything and thrust the tip of their blade forward.

"It doesn't really matter if you stall for time."

Leo smiled and raised his palm.

"Before that, I'll win."

Leo's hand swung from top to bottom.

***

'…No matter how much Leo, it's difficult for him to wield the power of the Phoenix and the spirits simultaneously. He might be capable of overwhelmingly powerful combat for a moment, but it won't last long. As long as we know about the existence of the spirits, we have plenty of ways to counter.'

Karl was lost in thought.

He predicted Leo's attack patterns and issued commands.

The reason the four could coordinate perfectly was because Karl was observing Leo's movements from a distance and giving commands.

Thanks to that, they were fighting Leo on equal terms.

But…

'Why… isn't he using summon magic?'

Leo has powerful spirit beasts: the Phoenix and a fairy.

They are probably Leo's strongest cards.

Yet, since the battle began, Leo hadn't used summon magic even once.

'No, he did use it once.'

For a fleeting moment.

He used spirit magic once.

'What was that, exactly…?'

Kugugugugugung-!

The moment Karl felt bewildered.

The earth shook.

Kwaaaaaaaah-!

Along with that, a strange sound was heard.

'…The sound of waves?'

Karl, realizing the nature of the sound, urgently turned his head.

And his mouth dropped open.

"Hey… even so, this is…"

Karl, who had gasped, let out a scream.

"This is too much!"

Kwaaaah!

A giant tsunami engulfed the battlefield.