Book 1 Chapter 327

327

Hwa-reureuk-!

Flames soared from Celia's sword.

Chloe watched Celia and swung her staff.

Whee-ing-!

The blue orb at the end of the staff emitted a sharp light.

"Ice Storm."

An icy wind howled.

The icy wind emanating from the staff offset Celia's flames.

Peo-beo-beo-beong-!

Along with that, the magic cannons on the barrier spat fire.

Celia quickly took an Aura Step.

Hwaak-!

Flames flickered at her feet.

Each time she stepped into the air, a fiery afterimage remained, as if a phoenix was flapping its wings.

Phoenix Step.

It was one of the representative Aura Steps of the Zerdinger family.

An enormous amount of magic artillery fire struck where Celia had retreated.

Currently, Harmony and Noble were attacking Glory's stronghold, with Celia and Duran at the forefront.

Glory was suffering from a numerical disadvantage.

Even if they poured all their strength into defending the stronghold, Harmony and Noble were also pouring all their strength into attacking Glory's stronghold.

"Magic cannons ready to fire!"

"Ready!"

"Fire!"

Whee-ee-eeng-! Kwaang!

Harmony and Noble magic department students were even producing siege magic weapons to try and breach Glory's barrier.

Even as students, they were all students of the Hero Academy.

If it were anywhere else but Lumern, it would be a powerful enough force to easily dismantle the walls of a typical fortress.

If it weren't for other Lumern students defending, such a barrier would have collapsed in an instant.

"If we just break the barrier, we win!"

"That's right! If we just go inside the stronghold and fight…"

Beonjjeok-!

At that moment, a blue light flashed in the sky.

"Chloe's Ice Breath! Everyone, dodge! Retreat!"

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gak-!

Cold, icy smoke poured out from a magic circle generated in the air.

A male student from Noble's magic department, who was commanding the magic cannons, urgently shouted.

Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jeong-!

"You told them to dodge, but what's the point if you don't dodge yourself!"

"Healer! Healeeeeer!"

Other students shouted, looking at the frozen male magic student.

At that moment, Nella approached and deployed her aura.

Woo-ung-!

Nella's healing aura enveloped the student, but he was soon declared defeated and returned to the stronghold.

"He's dead."

"Keuk!"

"That wicked ice witch!"

"Ugh… I won't let your death be in vain!"

Harmony and Noble's magic department students staged a role-play as if their comrade had truly died.

Nella looked at them with a curious expression.

"The magic department students are having fun."

Even as she said that, she looked at Chloe on the barrier with a serious face.

"As long as Chloe holds out, I don't think we can cross the wall."

Having said that, Nella turned her gaze to Celia.

It wasn't just Nella.

Celia was the only student here who could face Chloe.

Duran had already engaged in a 1-on-1 battle with Chen Xia a long time ago.

The fighting spirit and aura emanating from the two were so intense that other students couldn't rashly approach.

As the students' gazes gathered on her, Celia gripped her hand.

"I'll try something."

Cheers erupted from various places at her words.

"As expected of the top student in the Knight Department!"

"Celia's flames can overwhelm Chloe's ice magic! She's the best flame among our classmates, isn't she?"

The real reason Kal put Celia in charge of attacking Glory's stronghold was because Celia had a clear advantage in terms of compatibility.

However, Celia smiled self-deprecatingly at the students' shouts.

'… The best flame.'

Celia had already been defeated by Leo's flames once.

'Will my flames… work against Chloe?'

Celia gritted her teeth and approached the wall.

'Right now… I have no choice but to clash.'

Paa-at-!

Celia kicked off the ground and charged towards the wall.

"It's Celia!"

"Celia's coming!"

Glory students spotted Celia charging, enveloped in a fiery aura, and urgently shouted.

"Keep Celia in check!"

"If we make a mistake, the barrier might be breached in one go!" Artillery fire from magic cannons and spells from magic department students poured down on Celia.

Phantom beasts and spirits also concentrated their attacks on Celia.

Hwa-reuk-!

Kwa-deuk-!

Celia deployed her Aura Step and powerfully struck the ground.

Beonjjeok! Hwa-reu-reu-reu-reuk-!

Celia left a fiery trail and charged like a flash towards the wall.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang-!

Celia dodged all the attacks that blocked her path.

"Fa-fast!"

"Can a top student in the Knight Department move like that?"

Movements close to divine skill.

She deflected all unavoidable attacks with her sword.

Chloe, who was watching her, chanted a spell.

Woo-ung-!

Ice particles formed in the sky.

Soon, the ice particles became sharp icicles and poured down on Celia all at once.

Celia's red eyes flashed.

"Crimson Wing."

A crimson wing-shaped aura formed on the tip of Celia's sword.

As she swung her sword, a giant wave of flame evaporated the ice icicles.

Hwa-reuk-!

Tak-!

Celia, who had even blown away Chloe's attack, stepped onto the wall.

She immediately began to sprint upwards along the wall.

"Uwaaaah!"

"Isn't that practically cheating!"

Glory students defending the wall grabbed their heads and screamed at Celia's movements.

Hwaak-!

Celia, who had run along the wall, reached right in front of Chloe on the barrier.

"Prepare yourself, Chloe."

Celia shouted sharply and swung her sword.

Just as the flame-wrapped sword was about to target Chloe.

Beonjjeok-! Chae-eng!

A longsword blocked Celia's sword simultaneously with a white flash.

"Hoo-hoo-hoot, you can't touch our Ice Queen so easily, can you?"

Illiana, who had blocked Celia's sword, smirked.

"The Light Magic Swordsman protecting Her Majesty! Illiana has appeared! Everyone, bow to this body!"

Glory's Knight Department students, who were stationed to protect Chloe, gasped in admiration.

"Oooooh!"

"Illiana!"

"She's simple and ignorant, but reliable in times like these!"

"Who just called me simple and ignorant!"

Illiana, who had shouted angrily, looked at Celia and smiled.

"As long as I'm here, you can't even touch a hair on Chloe's… Hiiiiiik!"

Celia put strength into the sword she was holding, pushing Illiana back.

Hwa-reu-reu-reuk-!

Flames erupting from Celia's body blazed threateningly, and Illiana urgently shouted.

"Guys! Help!"

"Ugh! I was a fool to trust her!"

"Form a formation! Protect Chloe!"

Glory's Knight Department students attacked Celia.

Taking advantage of the gap, Illiana, who had slipped away, chanted a spell.

The true value of a magic swordsman lies in the harmony of aura and magic.

If Illiana attacked with her full power, she was a skilled opponent whom Celia couldn't easily defeat, but if she only attacked with swordsmanship, it was a different story.

"I'll show you my secret weapon."

Illiana grinned and summoned a shield from a subspace.

For the Knight Department's midterm exam, the 'sub-weapon' Illiana chose was none other than a shield.

"A shield is your secret weapon?"

When Celia asked with a puzzled expression, Illiana made a significant expression.

"Of course not!"

As Celia narrowed her brows, Illiana puffed out her chest.

"This shield is an 'ego weapon' created based on my personality. In other words, a familiar."

Illiana grinned.

"I've embedded a function to assist my magic chanting! This means I can chant spells faster!"

The Knight Department students looked surprised at Illiana's words.

"She can create such a complicated-looking familiar?"

"No way!"

"Hoo-hoo! Be as amazed as you want!"

Illiana said proudly.

"She wasn't a fool!"

"Do you think a fool can use magic?"

"She was a smart fool!"

"What's a smart fool!"

Illiana glared and shouted angrily.

Hwa-reu-reu-reuk-!

At that moment, flames flickered from Celia's body.

"Because you're in the way."

Celia narrowed her eyes.

"Get out of the way."

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang-!

A pillar of flame soared above the wall.

Celia's red eyes, which had turned the surroundings into a sea of fire, searched for prey.

All the surrounding students were declared defeated.

Illiana, who had barely survived, stood in front of Chloe.

Ta-at-!

As Celia charged towards Chloe, Illiana, holding up her shield, charged back at Celia.

Chae-eng-! Ka-ga-ga-gak-!

"Keuk!"

Illiana's body swayed as she took Celia's attack.

'Close combat is too disadvantageous for me!'

As a magic swordsman, it was advantageous for Illiana to maintain distance from Celia.

But in the position of protecting Chloe, she couldn't do that.

"Haat!"

Illiana urgently swung.

Hwaak-!

The moment she thought she had cut Celia.

The afterglow of the flames scattered.

The moment Illiana gritted her teeth and was about to swing her shield backwards.

Seo-geok-!

Celia's sword cut Illiana's back.

"Kkeueo-eo-eo-eok!"

Illiana rolled on the ground.

At that moment.

Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jeong-!

Chloe, who had completed her magic, unleashed it.

"Eut?!"

Celia urgently created distance.

Chloe, who had frozen the entire surrounding area, smiled faintly at Celia.

Celia watched Chloe and re-gripped her sword.

"Haap!"

Hwa-reu-reu-reuk-!

A sword aura of flames enveloped Chloe.

Seeing this, Chloe struck the ground with her staff.

Hoo-wak-!

Then, a wall of cold air blew away Celia's flames.

'She didn't seem to be chanting?'

Celia's eyes twitched.

"Is that your familiar?"

"Yes. It's a slime specialized in defense that protects me."

As Chloe extended her hand, chunks of ice formed at her fingertips.

Seeing this, Celia gritted her teeth, then re-gripped her sword and began to unleash a fiery aura.

Hwa-reu-reu-reuk-!

Chloe chanted a spell.

Hwa-reuk-!

Celia quickly closed the distance with Chloe.

Kwa-deu-deu-deuk-!

"It's useless!"

Icicles that soared from the ground blocked Celia's path, but the icicles melted away with a single strike.

"Ice Bolt."

Chloe instantly created hundreds of Ice Bolts and aimed them at Celia.

Celia's eyes flashed.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gang-!

Flames soared.

Celia, who had blown away all of Chloe's magic, thrust her sword towards Chloe.

'Got it…'

Kwa-deuk-!

Celia's sword pierced Chloe's chest.

At that moment.

Chloe, who smiled faintly, grabbed Celia's hand.

'Ah, right! Ice Clone!'

One of Chloe's specialties, an ice clone, exploded and then froze Celia's body.

'I was fooled…'

Celia hung her head low.

Chloe, who was looking at her, spoke.

"Aren't you going to take out Flame Storm?"

The sword Celia was currently holding was a normal rapier, not Flame Storm.

Of course, this too was a renowned sword born from a craftsman's touch, but it couldn't compare to her beloved sword, Flame Storm.

Celia gritted her teeth.

"You're not like the Celia I know."

"What?"

"The Celia I know was always confident and never gave in to any hardship."

Chloe smiled gently.

"She was mature, reliable, and a friend I respected, even though she was a friend. As class president, I tried not to be ashamed of you."

Celia bit her lip.

"What do you want to say?"

"Was losing to Leo such a big shock?"

Celia hung her head low.

It was easy to defeat a mentally shaken Celia.

But Chloe didn't want to do that.

In her first year, when things were tough after the first semester midterm, Celia was a dependable friend.

Even if they were in the same dormitory and in a competitive relationship.

That fact didn't change.

'Now, I want to lift her up.'

A year ago, after the first semester midterm, Chloe might have collapsed if Celia hadn't been there.

Even though they were in a relationship where they had to defeat each other.

'We're still students.'

As a close friend, she didn't want to leave Celia in despair.

Having experienced deep despair about Leo's existence, she understood her feelings all the more.

"Celia. You have your own…"

"Aha! What? I thought you seemed different than usual, but you were just scared of the class president?"

At that moment, Illiana, who had barely avoided a defeat declaration, sprang up from her seat.

And she nodded, "Eum-eum-!" as if she understood.

"I'm not intimidated by the class president at all! But Celia gets scared!"

Illiana placed her hands on her hips and burst out laughing, "Um-hah-hah-hah!"

"It can't be helped! Even the mighty Celia is equal before the class president! Still, to be scared… Puh-hoop! Even the perfect top student in everything had a cute side?"

Illiana chattered as usual.

"Well! In that state, it'll be a perfect victory for our Glory!"

Heh-heng! Celia hung her head low, watching Illiana snort.

"Who… called me a coward?"

"Huh?"

Red eyes gleamed dangerously from her shadowed face.

Hwa-reu-reu-reuk-!

"I've never… been scared of anything!"

A tremendous heat poured from the indignant Celia's body.

"Hiiiik?"

Illiana gasped in fright.

Celia, with a flushed face, drew Flame Storm from its scabbard.

Hwa-reu-reu-reu-reuk!

Seeing Flame Storm reignite, Illiana hid behind Chloe.

"Wh-what's with her suddenly!"

"… Well done. It's not what I intended, but she seems to have cheered up."

Chloe let out a wry laugh, watching Illiana, who had successfully provoked Celia.

"Prominence!"

Celia deployed her aura with all her might.

Seeing this, Chloe's face became slightly serious.

"The problem is that she seems to have cheered up too much."

Celia was usually a calm and collected top student, but Chloe, knowing that once her temper flared, she wouldn't hold back, made a troubled expression and pushed Illiana, who was behind her, forward.

"Huh? Huh?"

"Please, Illiana?"

"What?"

"Friend Shield."

It was then that Illiana made a tearful face, looking at Chloe, who was smiling like a witch.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-!

"What is that again!"

Illiana was startled as a tsunami approached.

Glory students defending the stronghold, too.

Other students who were fiercely attacking also looked astonished.

"Keuk? If there's someone who would do something like this…"

As Celia gritted her teeth, Chloe sighed.

"Is there anyone else?"

Too-kwa-ga-ga-ga-gak-!

A massive tsunami instantly engulfed the battlefield.

***

Eliza frowned, looking at the battlefield, which had turned into a sea of water after being engulfed by the tsunami.

'He really is a monster.'

As a summoner, she could tell how absurd the spirit magic Leo used was.

It was when Eliza was wary of Leo. Leo raised his hand.

At that, the four people looked tense.

Pa-ji-jik-!

Pure white sparks flew from Leo's fingertips.

Pure white sparks.

Eliza, realizing what it was, let out a hollow laugh.

"If it's a nightmare… please let me wake up."

Beonjjeok! Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gang-!

A lightning bolt struck above Leo's hand.

The pure white flash cleared.

A pure white horse appeared.

Leo, mounted on Artis, said.

"Shall we begin Phase 2?"