Book 1 Chapter 401

401.

Clang-!

Chloe showed a slightly startled expression at the unexpected appearance of a person.

The other students were also the same.

It was none other than Luke who blocked the blade of darkness.

A magic circle was floating on Luke's body.

The mana that had been suppressed by Leo's magic began to stir.

'Swing your sword.'

Luke swung his sword.

This stage might not be allowed for him.

He was the weakest student in Lumen.

If he made a single mistake, he could lose his life in the blink of an eye.

'Don't break! Raise your emotions!'

Luke's mana amplifies with the tremor of his emotions.

He can't stand on the same stage.

But he can at least be of help.

The magic circle drawn on Luke's body emitted an even brighter light.

"This could be useful."

"I agree with what big brother Leo said."

The evaluation given by Leo and Chelsea after seeing his magic.

Luke had no talent as a magician who could weave magic spells.

So he thought of a magic that suited him.

It was the strengthening of the body.

Simple, but he wove a magic spell by referencing his mana characteristics.

And what was completed was a magic that drew out power beyond limits.

Strength, speed, reaction, even dynamic visual acuity.

It raises everything beyond its limits.

Of course, it's not omnipotent.

There are side effects just as significant.

Overheat, which comes as a result of squeezing the body beyond its limits.

Moreover, the magic Luke created becomes stronger the more intense Luke's emotions become.

If his emotions become so intense that he can't control them, his power could rampage and destroy his body.

***

"Even so, making this kind of magic means you were prepared for it, right?"

"Yes. This is the only way I can become a hero."

"What's your reason for wanting to be a hero so badly?"

The day he showed Leo his magic.

Leo asked.

"You want to be a hero to help many people, right?"

"Yes."

"You could still help others even if you don't become a hero?"

"If I become a hero, I can help even more people. I want to create a better world. A world where many people can be a little happier than now."

"Why do you go so far?"

"Because the heroes in fairy tales looked happy when they saved people. I respected them and said I wanted to be like them."

"A fairy tale is just a fairy tale."

"Yes, I know. But there are also those who saved the world for no reason, aren't there? Of course, I might not be able to be like the great heroes, but."

Luke smiled faintly.

"If I can make the world they left behind even a little better and pass it on to future generations, I think it would be very rewarding."

It was true.

Lisinas, Luna, Arwon, Dweno.

They didn't save the world expecting anything in return.

They saved the world simply because they wanted to protect the world they loved.

Luke was no different.

"Alright, if that's what you wish for. Whenever you use that magic, always remember what you want to do. Remember the person you want to become. Then that magic will make you."

Leo smiled.

"It will help you get one step closer to the ideal you envision."

***

'Unique magic, Transcendence.'

Whoosh-!

Luke's sword moved rapidly.

Chae-jae-jae-jae-jae-jae-jae-jaeng!

A silver flash blocked the blade of darkness.

Everyone showed surprised expressions at the amazing sight of the weakest first-year student.

Aina opened her eyes wide and stared at Luke.

For a very brief moment.

Luke's swordsmanship surpassed Aina's.

"Excellent."

Chloe smiled.

The magic was complete.

"Fimbulvetr."

Her unique magic.

Absolute freezing covered the darkness.

Crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-!

The darkness was trapped in ice and frozen.

Crunch! Thud! Thud-thud-thud!

Soon, the darkness shattered and collapsed.

Whoosh-!

The main body disappeared as if sinking into the floor.

***

"Damn it! Damn it! Still just mere youngsters!"

Delean cursed.

While the Shadow Lord was away.

He succeeded in infiltrating the Shadow Underground Labyrinth and usurping the power within.

He had obtained the overwhelming magic power of the dragon race, but he was furious that the power was that of darkness.

Soon, when he realized that this power was Lisinas's, he felt a thrill.

He had inherited the power of the King of Wisdom.

And soon, he received a telegram stating that an unusual situation had occurred in Dovella, and he came here.

He hadn't yet gathered Lisinas's rampaging magic power, but it didn't matter.

After dealing with all the suckling youngsters with this power, he could take his time to control the power.

And with this power, if he punished the demons of Tartaros who had dealt with him.

He would officially become the successor to the Great Hero.

The world's order, which had flowed mainly around Lumen and the Hero Academy for a long time, would now flow around him.

He had dreamed such ambitions.

But he was defeated by mere second-year students.

'It's because I couldn't properly handle the power!'

Delean shouted inwardly, as if screaming.

From his perspective, it was a tremendous humiliation.

He, a graduate of Lumen.

He, who had already graduated and cultivated his power for several years. He retreated, unable to subdue not even high-grade students, but mere first and second-grade students.

He even obtained Lisinas's power.

Yet he was defeated.

'No! I didn't lose! It's just a tactical retreat!'

It was absolutely unacceptable.

'Lumen is wrong! It's not right! Is it even possible for me to lose to these youngsters who grew up that way!'

He denied the current situation.

'Yes! If only I could properly handle this power…'

"Look at you, running away."

Hesitate-!

Delean, who was moving through the alleys of Dovella, stopped at the voice from in front of him.

Step- Step-

Leo walked out from around the corner.

Seeing Leo, Delean curled up the corners of his mouth.

"Oh, my. Isn't this the youngest student council president of Lumen, a great junior? No. Is he not a junior?"

Disgust filled Delean's eyes.

"Just a dirty shadow mimicking a hero."

Leo chuckled at Delean's words.

"At least that's not something a dirty turncoat who's allied with Tartaros should be saying, don't you think?"

"Hmph, I'm just using those incredibly foolish Tartaros."

At that, Leo sighed.

"I'm tired of those worthless excuses."

"You speak as if you've heard it many times."

"Yes, I've heard it so annoyingly for 5000 years."

"I don't know what nonsense you're spouting, but… I am different."

Delean's eyes gleamed.

"I! I was meant to be a hero! I was meant to graduate from Lumen! And conquer many hero worlds to engrave my name in the Hero Record!"

Delean shouted in excitement.

"But! Lumen didn't give me the chance to conquer hero worlds!"

"Lumen would give even graduates a chance to conquer the Hero Record."

"I'm not interested in such low-grade hero records! What I want is the record of the top-tier heroes!"

At that, Leo narrowed his eyes.

"You don't know your place."

"What did you say?"

"Conquering hero worlds and inheriting heroic power doesn't mean you can engrave your name in the Hero Record."

Thump- Thump-

Leo approached Delean.

"Inheriting the power of a mighty hero doesn't make you as strong as those heroes. Isn't that the most basic of basics?"

A killing intent emanated from Leo's body.

"You're just unable to overcome your own limits. You're just a loser who blames others."

Leo's eyes grew cold.

"Who are you to insult heroes who achieved feats recognized by the gods?"

"Shut up! Haven't dirty shadows like you also enjoyed the glory of conquering the Great Hero's world! What do you mean by the youngest student council president? What do you mean by a great hero! You're just lucky enough to have conquered the worlds of great heroes!"

Whoosh-!

Blades of darkness shot out from Delean's body.

That was the unique magic of the black dragon sealed by Lisinas.

A ferocious and cruel magic.

Therefore, a magic not passed down to later generations.

Even Rodia, encountering this magic, deemed it dangerous and chose to seal it.

Thud-!

A blade of darkness pierced Leo's body.

Seeing that, Delean scoffed.

"Acting cocky like that will get you killed early. It would have been better if you knew your place."

"You can say that again."

"…!"

Delean's eyes widened.

Leo, impaled by the blade of darkness, trudged towards Delean.

"If you had known your place, you wouldn't be in such a terrible state."

Sliiiiide-!

The blade of darkness seeped into Leo's body.

Delean watched it with a horrified expression.

"H-how! How did you block it!"

Crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-!

Once again, blades covered Leo.

Thud! Thud! Thud-thud-thud!

Blades stabbed Leo from all directions.

But not a single scratch appeared on Leo.

Sliiiide-

They were merely sucked into and absorbed by Leo.

"What trickery are you playing!"

"Lisinas's power cannot harm me."

Lisinas's power was Lisinas's.

And as long as Lisinas did not exist, that power was Leo's, who had accepted everything about her.

Trying to kill Leo using Lisinas's power was the same as trying to kill Leo with Leo's own power.

"So? Is there anything else?"

"Eek!"

The moment Delean reached out his hand to draw mana.

Slam-! Splat-!

"Uwaaaaaaah!"

The blade of darkness that erupted from Delean's body blew off his wrist.

His wrist fell to the floor, and blood gushed out.

Delean, clutching his wrist and screaming desperately, saw Leo approaching him and hurriedly turned around and ran.

He would die if he stayed here.

Just as Delean thought that and was about to run.

Crunch-!

"Kyahhh!"

Lisinas's power, which Delean thought he controlled, crushed his leg.

Thud-!

Leo slowly approached Delean, who lay on the floor struggling.

Sliiiide-!

Leo exerted his will over Lisinas's magic, which was imbued in Delean's power.

His body was forcibly raised.

"S-save me! Please!"

Fear was etched on Delean's face.

Leo looked at Delean and said indifferently.

"Don't struggle shamefully, just die."

"I'm your senior! A senior from the Hero Academy! You're going to brutally kill such a senior! And you still call yourself a hero candidate who dreams of being a hero!"

Delean screamed.

Leo burst into laughter, looking at Delean.

"I'm sorry, but."

Leo flicked his hand.

The darkness wrapped around Delean slowly began to tighten around him.

"You called me a shadow just a moment ago."

"Ugh! Ugh ugh!"

Squish! Crunch-!

The shadow covered Delean's mouth and tightened even more forcefully.

"A shadow's job is to kill traitors."

Leo smiled calmly and turned around.

"And I never had a senior like you."

"Uwoooh!"

Thwack-!

His body was crushed, and then an exploding sound echoed.

Thud-thud-thud-

The sound of bones, flesh, and blood gushing out was heard.

Lisinas's magic, which Delean had mistakenly thought he obtained, was sucked into Leo's shadow.

Leo leaped to a height where all of Dovella could be seen.

He saw the hero candidates who stood firm against danger.

Watching them, Leo smiled.

'These children are truly the future of the world.'

Lisinas's legacy from the past still shines in the world.

'Don't worry too much, Lisinas.'