Book 1 Chapter 408

408.

After the 1:1 tournament was announced as the first-year final exam assignment.

All attention turned to the first-years.

"This time, apart from the first-years, there are no presentation exams to show to outsiders, right?"

During break time in a second-year Summoning Department practical class.

The second-years were gathered together, chatting.

In their eyes, they saw the first-year juniors from the Summoning Department undergoing combat training to prepare for the tournament.

Since the announcement of the tournament battles, the first-years had been engrossed in training all day long.

"The opponent for the first round has already been decided, right?"

"Who's your mentee's opponent for the first round?"

"I heard it's some mid-tier guy from the Knight Department."

"Lucky you."

"What's so lucky about it? My mentee's grades are in the lower-middle tier."

Second-years also had their fate of staying or leaving the school determined by the results of their mentee students.

Of course, it was also influenced by their own second-year final exam grades, but it was an incredibly unfair situation to pass their own second-year grades only to be unable to remain at school because of a first-year mentee, so they couldn't help but be on edge.

"That's not it!"

"Is that all you can do?!"

"Do it properly! Did you forget that if you get expelled, I get expelled too?"

Loud shouts erupted among the second-years who were taking time during their class breaks to guide their mentees.

The first-year mentees flinched and hung their heads low.

The previously good senior-junior relationships were also showing cracks.

As a result, the pressure of this final exam was immense for both the first-years and the second-years.

"The atmosphere is unusual."

"Of course it is."

As Chen Xia muttered softly while observing the situation, Eliza snorted.

"Whether they're first-years or second-years, haven't they spent the first semester comfortably without the pressure of expulsion until now?"

Eliza, with her characteristic condescending smile curling her lips, looked at the second-years raising their voices and the first-years intimidated by them.

"They're paying the price for that now."

Lumern's system, which expelled students with poor grades, was always a factor that pressured students.

Of course, Lumern's academic schedule itself was so rigorous, and it was not uncommon to lose one's life if something went wrong, so keeping students without ability in school was even more irresponsible.

From the third year, when students pass through the first and second years and become somewhat skilled as hero candidates, the number of expelled students significantly decreases.

However, first and second-year students, even those with mid-tier grades, could be expelled if they made a mistake.

The pressure of expulsion, in a sense, always pushed students, becoming a driving force for growth.

However, it was also true that with the introduction of the mentor system, students attended school comfortably for the first semester without worrying about expulsion.

But cracks had begun to appear in that peace.

In particular, the first-years' pressure was even greater.

Unlike the second-years, who had experienced the struggle with expulsion for the past year, this was the first time the first-years were feeling such pressure.

"You look amused."

"Oh my, did I look that way?"

Eliza smiled faintly at Chen Xia's words.

For her, with her twisted side, the current situation was highly amusing.

"Actually, I did think there was a problem with this system. I thought Lumern's continuously competitive academic system had become soft."

Eliza tidied her nails.

"But seeing them now, it doesn't seem to be the case. They're getting all the pressure at once, after all."

"It was probably intentional."

"Kyaaaah?!"

At a voice suddenly heard right behind her, Eliza shrieked and clung to Chen Xia.

"You were surprised, were you scared, Miss Eliza?"

Chen Xia patted Eliza's head with a gentle, adult-like smile.

"Don't treat me like a child!"

Eliza, her face beet-red, glared at Leo with narrowed eyes.

"Don't startle people! Leo Flobe!"

Leo chuckled at Eliza's reaction.

Infuriated by Leo's reaction, Eliza reached for her whip, but Chen Xia's restraint held her back.

Taking a deep breath, Eliza crossed her arms.

"What do you mean 'intentional'?"

"For the past semester, first-years and second-years were essentially guaranteed autonomous growth within Lumern. I think the school introduced the mentor system to test which was more efficient: when coercive measures disappeared, or when they were pressured by coercive measures."

Leo looked at the first-years.

"Since they've been comfortable for so long, they now have to bear the responsibility all at once, so the pressure will be even greater."

"Hmm. So it wasn't simply a comfortable school life, then."

"That's right. There must be first-years and second-years who struggled and felt despair."

No matter how much one struggles, limits undeniably exist, and one is the first to feel them.

'They're testing whether they can overcome those limits or not.'

Leo narrowed his eyes.

Seeing Leo like that, Eliza spoke.

"Hmph. Anyway, are you going to be okay, Leo Flobe?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your chosen mentee is the lowest-ranked first-year, isn't he?"

Eliza narrowed her eyes.

"Well, since it's a first-year chosen by someone as cunning as you, I suppose there must be some hidden card."

"Do I seem cunning?"

"You do have a somewhat 'old man' quality about you. It's Miss Eliza's compliment that you look like an adult."

Leo asked Chen Xia at Eliza's words, and Chen Xia replied with a faint smile.

"That's not what I meant, you know?"

Eliza frowned and retorted immediately.

"Well, it's nice to hear you're worried about me."

"Why should I worry about you?"

Eliza snorted.

Leo gave a slight laugh as he watched Eliza.

"There's no need to worry about Luke. He won't be eliminated even if he loses in the first round anyway."

"Hmph?"

Eliza curled her lips.

"It's fine because there's a loser's bracket? That's an uncharacteristically complacent thought from you."

Leo smiled strangely at Eliza's words.

Seeing Leo's expression, Eliza made a disgruntled face.

"What's with that look?"

Perhaps for Leo, this first-year final exam might have been the most dangerous moment.

Leo had overcome many difficulties until now, but this was something he couldn't control with his own strength.

Yet, Leo maintained his usual expression.

'What on earth did this person do to that first-year?'

Such a thought naturally came to Eliza.

***

After school.

The training ground was filled with first and second-years.

The second-years had brought their first-year mentees out for training.

"What will you do if you can't even dodge that?"

"Try harder!"

Irritated voices erupted among the second-years.

Suffering under such sensitive second-years, the first-years couldn't help but look dejected.

Meanwhile, Emio, a top-ranked second-year student from the Magic Department, snorted.

"Hmph, look at them scrambling only when the fire is at their feet."

Beside him, Remment Morlak, the 3rd-ranked first-year from the Magic Department, answered the openly scoffing Emio.

"They only look like they're struggling unattractively."

"They probably have to struggle like that, don't they?"

Emio, walking across the training ground, spotted one side of it and grinned broadly.

In fact, Emio didn't need to use the training ground.

He came from a renowned military family.

When it came to combat magic, he was considered one of the top experts among the second-years.

As such, Emio had been teaching magic combat to his mentee, Remment, since the beginning of the semester.

That's why he was confident about this tournament.

And when he heard about his first-round opponent, he inwardly rejoiced.

The reason he came to the training ground today was to mock that opponent.

"As expected, the student council president is a model student. It wouldn't be hard to rent a private training ground, yet he's training with these other losers."

At his words, not only Leo, who was overseeing Luke's training, but also the surrounding students looked at him.

"Emio. I believe you haven't submitted an application to use the training ground?"

"No, I haven't. I just came to watch the struggling losers."

"Hey, Emio Luce. Watch your mouth."

"Who are you to call us losers or whatever so carelessly?"

The second-years retorted fiercely.

Seeing them, Emio let out a snicker.

"Don't talk back."

"What did you say?"

"You must be mistaking me for being on the same level as you, just because you were lucky enough not to be expelled during the first semester. If it weren't for the mentor system, you wouldn't even be scrambling here, you riff-raff."

"What did you say?"

Most of the second-years currently guiding the first-years on the training ground were students whose grades would have originally led to expulsion or put them at risk of it.

This was because when the second-years chose mentees, they naturally picked first-years of a similar skill level to themselves.

Teams with an extreme disparity in grades between mentor and mentee were, at most, Leo and Luke.

And none other than Kal and Juen.

"If you know your place, shut up and stay put. Don't try to climb above yourself."

"You bastard!"

At Emio's words, a menacing atmosphere spread among the second-years.

Seeing this, Leo spoke.

"Stop making disparaging remarks about your peers and be quiet, Emio."

"Oh? Is the student council president looking out for his classmates?"

"It's *you* who needs to know your place."

"What did you say?"

Emio's face hardened, and Leo gave a cold smile.

"Just as you said, not all second-years are the same. I'm the student council president, Emio Luce. So don't try to climb above yourself, shut up and stay put."

Sparks flew from Emio's eyes.

Then he curled his lips.

"How long do you think you'll be student council president? No. Do you think you'll even be able to remain at Lumern?"

Emio's gaze turned to Luke.

"Your mentee. He'll probably be expelled this time, won't he? If that happens, you'll be expelled too, Leo Flobe. You're not actually thinking of using your power as student council president, are you?"

Emio's words were true.

From a common-sense perspective, Luke was the lowest-ranked student.

And almost no student believed that Luke, who hadn't grown at all since enrollment, could get through the tournament and remain at Lumern for the next semester.

Leo let out a chuckle at Emio's words.

"I won't be using my student council president power."

"Heh. So you're saying you'll just quietly accept expulsion?"

"No."

Leo looked directly at Emio and said.

"He's going to win them all."

"What did you say?"

"My mentee's goal is an undefeated record."

At Leo's words, everyone instantly doubted their ears.

The lowest-ranked student's goal is what?

"What nonsense are you talking…?"

"Luke's first match is against your mentee, Remment, isn't it?"

Leo smiled faintly.

"Luke will win, I think."

At that, Remment said.

"President. I respect you as a senior, but I cannot tolerate that remark."

Remment looked down at Luke, who was shorter than him, and said.

"I cannot imagine losing to Luke Elda."

"Then you can look forward to it. And you'd better do your best."

Leo smiled faintly.

"Because you're going to see something incredible."