Book 1 Chapter 339

That afternoon.

Leo was preparing for his next class in the Sei Run junior class.

Sei Run, like Lumen, didn't just have major courses.

They also had various general classes.

Among these, the Matuology class was considered the most important.

It was like the Combat Studies class at Lumen.

The difference was that Sei Run, which emphasized the magic of stars, focused on combat utilizing the magic of stars.

The other junior class students also prepared for the class with determined faces.

Even the junior class students who were almost in a state of half-rebellion attended every magic-related class without exception.

Everyone was burning with enthusiasm.

"If they saw them like this, they'd all be top students."

Leo rested his chin on his hand and fell into thought.

"Now, then, how to fix Sei Run."

If Leo were affiliated with Sei Run, he could change it step by step, even if it took time.

But Leo was, after all, an outsider.

"There will be limits to asking Mel."

It was true that the Dragon Lord could exert considerable influence over each hero academy.

However, there were limits to involvement in operations.

"The best way would be to publicly announce that Sei Run's current methods are wrong."

Leo was lost in thought, resting his chin on his hand.

Creak-

The classroom door opened, and Laura rushed in.

"Everyone! Prepare to go out!"

The junior class students' eyes widened at Laura's sudden words.

"We will be having a Matuology practical class today!"

"Really?"

"Can we have class at the Matuology practice grounds?"

The students asked with wide eyes.

"Yes! We finally received permission today!"

"Wow!"

"We're finally going to practice!"

Cheers erupted from various places.

Seeing that, Leo wore a bewildered expression.

"Why are they reacting like this?"

"Rail, you don't know?"

Angr, who was sitting next to Leo, smiled bitterly.

"Our junior class has never had a Matuology practical class before."

"Have you only been studying theory until now?"

"Yes. So I'm really happy! I can finally test the star magic I've studied! As you know, theory alone has its limits!"

Practical experience is essential in magic study and research.

Even if one mastered complex magic formations and devised new attack methods, they needed to know if they were useful in real combat.

And whether they suited oneself or not required practical experience.

And like the Lumen Magic Department.

Simple spells were one thing, but.

Experimenting with serious offensive magic outside of designated school areas was prohibited by school rules.

It was dangerous.

"The deeper I dig, the more discrimination I find."

Leo sighed and got up from his seat.

The junior class students headed to the practice classroom with excited faces.

Outside.

They arrived at the outdoor practice classroom, braving the harsh cold.

The star magic practice classroom was a veritable collection of magic.

Inside the practice classroom, it was as warm as a spring day.

In addition, there were magic scarecrows to test the offensive power of magic and golems to assist in combat.

Everything needed for magic combat was in this place.

"The system looks better than Lumen's."

Leo stroked his chin.

It wasn't just equipped with systems for magic practice.

It was also equipped with systems that would be of great help to knights and summoners.

It was truly the appearance of a hero school where magic was the most developed among the four schools.

The junior class students also couldn't hide their admiration as they looked at the Matuology practice classroom.

"You've arrived, junior class."

"Teacher Otren?"

Laura looked at Otren, the homeroom teacher of Sei Run's first-year upper class, with a surprised expression.

"I inquired at the faculty room, and we were granted permission to use it, so why is the upper class here?"

Otren burst into laughter, seeing Laura's bewildered face.

"Ah. The faculty room must not have announced it. This Matuology practice classroom was originally scheduled for our upper class to use all afternoon. But I felt pity for the junior class students and specially permitted a joint class. Be grateful, junior class students."

Laura's face hardened.

"You are showing such great consideration to our class… I don't know how to thank you. But if our class is here, it will surely interfere with the upper class students' lessons. So, our class will do it next time…"

"What? Teacher Laura! It's a rare opportunity!"

"Can't we do it together?"

Flustered voices were heard from among the junior class students.

The junior class students, who were eager to learn, wanted a proper lesson.

They didn't want to miss the practice opportunity that had finally come.

"Teacher Laura, are you saying you'll just leave when the students want it so badly?"

Laura gritted her teeth.

"His intentions are too obvious."

It was impossible for him, an authoritarian, to show kindness to the junior class.

His intention was singular.

It was to show the junior class students the gap between them and the upper class students.

"Junior class students, let's do this."

Otren stood before the junior class students and spread his arms.

"Today's class will be a duel between you and the upper class students."

At those words, the junior class students' eyes widened.

"If you win! That student is proof of being an excellent student worthy of the upper class! We will assign you directly to the upper class!"

The junior class students' eyes widened at the extraordinary condition.

But soon they clenched their fists.

Although they were in the junior class due to low achievement in star magic, many students in the junior class did not accept that they were in the junior class.

Some students were confident that their overall abilities were superior to those of the upper class students, even if their star magic achievement was lacking.

Angr clenched his fists tightly.

"Upper class…"

"As it is a Matuology class, there is only one rule! A duel using only star magic!"

However, the junior class students' faces turned bewildered at Otren's subsequent words.

"A duel using only star magic?"

"So, it's a magic duel?"

"Indeed?"

"Teacher Otren! My specialty is summoning!"

Verus, a student majoring in summoning in the junior class, raised his hand and spoke.

He was a talented student who led the junior class summoning courses.

At Verus's words, Otren's face turned cold.

"What about it?"

"Huh?"

"If you are a proud student of Sei Run, it's natural that 'star magic' is more important than summoning, isn't it?"

"Th-that…"

"If you consider summoning more important than star magic, is there any reason for you to be at Sei Run?"

Verus fell silent at Otren's statement, which was extremely centered on star magic.

"And, if you are so confident in summoning…"

Otren, with a smirk, pointed at a student.

"I will give you the opportunity to test your skills against Lea, the top student of the first year."

Verus remained silent.

Lea Tingel.

A direct descendant of the Tingel family, who succeeded in communicating with the Fairy King yesterday… a student with the highest skills in both magic and summoning.

As Otren snorted at Verus's silence, Angr spoke.

"Teacher Otren. Then, will you allow us to test our skills against Lea with all our might, not just in magic?"

Otren glanced at Angr, who asked with eyes full of defiance, and scowled.

"How truly impudent. A student, daring to constantly challenge the teacher's authority? Very well. I will allow the duel. However, as a penalty for challenging my authority, you will be expelled immediately if you lose. Will you still do it?"

Angr flinched.

Lea looked surprised.

Angr, who had been clenching his fists and trembling, lowered his head.

"I apologize. I misspoke."

"Hmph. Before assigning duel opponents, then."

Otren smirked.

"I will personally teach you, junior class, what practical application of Matuology is. You, the white-haired junior class student."

Otren pointed at Leo with his finger.

"Me?"

When Leo pointed at himself, Otren smirked.

"Yes. It would be good for you to demonstrate as the representative of the junior class. Step forward."

Otren walked to the center of the dueling arena.

Seeing that, Leo chuckled and asked.

"Is it a duel purely using star magic?"

"Yes."

"Are other magics strictly forbidden?"

"Of course."

'Then you'll regret it.'

***

'I get to see Senior Plov's star magic!'

Lea clasped her hands together and her eyes sparkled.

"Why is Teacher Otren dueling with those low-class juniors? It'll just be a waste of time."

An upper class student frowned annoyedly.

At those words, Lea's eyes widened.

'Who does that guy think he's calling low-class?'

"Don't call your grade mates low-class."

Then, Elix pushed up his glasses and said.

The male student who had been sneering at Elix smirked at him.

"Why? Are you feeling sympathetic because you're also from an insignificant family?"

Elix's eyes turned cold.

"You think you're something just because you're the vice-representative. Let's see if you're still the vice-representative after the midterms… Ugh!"

Thwack-!

The male student who was sneering had his waist bent backward as if broken.

Lea, who had delivered a dropkick precisely to his waist, said with an apologetic face.

"Oh, my apologies. I meant to catch a bug, but…"

"It… it can happen. Cough-!"

"This looks like a trip to the infirmary."

Laura sighed and sent the student writhing in pain to the infirmary.

Seeing Lea, who maintained her usual innocent smile, the upper class students seemed to believe her words about catching a bug.

"But can there be bugs in the practice classroom?"

"There could be."

While a small commotion was occurring.

Otren, standing in the center of the dueling arena, snapped his fingers.

Whoosh-!

Along with it, a hundred Otrens appeared.

Star magic Mirage.

One of the most basic star magics, said to be favored by the progenitor of the nebula.

As they saw Otren's magic, gasps of admiration poured out from various places.

"As expected, even a basic magic is at a different level for a teacher."

"One hundred clones!"

'Leo Plov. Since last year, you've been challenging Sei Run's authority.'

Otren glared at Leo.

Otren already knew Leo's identity.

The reason he proceeded with this class was not only to show the junior class the gap between them and the upper class.

But before that, he intended to step forward personally to crush Leo.

'Just because you can use a little star magic, don't act as if you've mastered all of it. I'll teach you reality.'

Leo, looking at Otren who displayed hostility towards him, muttered expressionlessly.

"Crude."

That mutter was heard only by Otren.

'How dare he utter such nonsense…!'

Otren, gritting his teeth, momentarily met Leo's eyes and flinched.

'Could this guy… have recognized the original?!'

Seeing Otren's shocked expression, Leo raised his hand.

Voom-!

A magic circle appeared.

In a duel using only 'star magic' in this world, no one could defeat Leo.

'Except for one person.'

Remembering a friend, Leo smiled.

Even if Leo's current strength was incomparably weaker than in his great hero days, that fact remained unchanged.

Leo instantly analyzed Otren's magic.

'A fake can never defeat the original.'

Whoosh-!

Otren's magic was instantly dispelled.

Otren's face was filled with shock.

"What did you do?"

"If you perfectly interpret the magic's structure, dispelling it is easy, isn't it?"

"It's impossible to perfectly interpret someone else's magic that quickly…!"

"It's possible, which is why your magic was dispelled so easily."

Leo approached Otren.

Voom-!

Leo's body split into a hundred.

The same Mirage magic.

Everyone watched Leo with shocked faces.

"How is my star magic, Teacher?"

Otren's eyes saw a meticulously crafted magic formation.

"With your esteemed skills, would you evaluate it for me?"