Book 1 Chapter 425

“The first semester was quite eventful.”

“It really was. This first semester felt even more hectic than last year.”

Chloe mumbled, and Chen Xia nodded with a slight smile.

Currently, all students of Lumern were gathered in the large training ground, Erec.

The semester concluded after the closing ceremony.

The students received evaluations for their efforts throughout the semester.

The most attention at the closing ceremony was, as expected, on the first-year representative.

“So, in the end, you became the year representative.”

Luke, who had defeated Aina in the quarterfinals, won against Habiden in the finals and ultimately secured the position of year representative.

This accomplishment was achieved amidst a summit conference.

Luke, who became the unexpected hero of this major upset, instantly became a candidate for a globally recognized hero.

“Doesn’t Luke seem to have gained a bit of experience as a year representative?”

At Chen Xia’s words, Chloe looked towards where the first-years were.

Luke and Juwon were talking.

Then, Habiden, Sasha, and Betty joined them and they continued their conversation.

Soon, Juwon and Habiden’s voices rose, as if they were arguing, and Luke, caught in the middle, appeared to be suffering.

“He doesn’t seem like it at all.”

Chloe shook her head and looked to the other side.

There, Celia and Aina were talking.

‘Their relationship has improved again.’

Celia, a top student, was good at taking care of others.

Therefore, Celia did her best for Aina as a senior and a mentor.

However, through Celia, Chloe knew that the two had been having minor issues throughout the first semester.

And their relationship had completely soured during the final exam tournament.

But after Aina’s semi-final match against Luke, Aina sought out Celia again, and their relationship was restored.

‘That’s good.’

Chloe nodded, knowing how worried Celia was about Aina.

“Your Highness! I will serve you until we return to Shan!”

Just then, Jane approached Chen Xia with sparkling eyes.

“Jane, I told you to call me ‘sunbae’ at school.”

“The closing ceremony is over, so I’m not a student anymore! I will now carry out my duty to serve Princess Xia of Shan.”

Saying so, Jane threw off her school uniform.

As her uniform top and skirt flailed in the air, countless gazes instantly fell upon her.

“How did you do that? Is it magic?”

Chloe asked in a dazed voice.

Jane was wearing traditional attire from the eastern part of the continent underneath her uniform.

How had she managed to hide the flowing garments unique to the Shan Empire within her school uniform?

“It’s not magic. As someone who serves the Princess of Shan, the skill of changing clothes is basic.”

Jane smiled faintly.

“Who told you it was okay to just carelessly throw off your uniform?”

“Eek?”

But she shrieked at the terrifying voice from behind.

“Follow me, El Jane.”

Jane, who had been putting on an act, was dragged away by Halind.

In addition, other first and second-year students who had been in mentor-mentee relationships talked together, perhaps having grown fond of each other during the semester.

Many of the first-years were crying.

“I’m sorry, sunbae. Because of me. Sob.”

“No, it’s not your fault. I would have been expelled even without you. Rather, it was because of you that I could stay until the second semester. I’m the one who’s sorry for not being able to help you more.”

Many students were leaving Lumern after this semester, including first and second-years.

Some were remaining as first-years, and others were expelled together.

There were mentors and mentees who didn't even speak to each other, and also students weeping together.

“As expected, I still can’t get used to that.”

Chloe made a sour face.

Quite a few students were expelled from Glory this time as well.

“It can’t be helped. Lumern inevitably has those who stay and those who leave. But even so, aren’t we all walking towards the same goal? Our paths have diverged, but surely we will meet again someday.”

As Chen Xia spoke, Chloe nodded.

“Chloe sunbae! What are your plans after the closing ceremony?”

Betty, Chloe’s mentee, approached her.

“We’re having a get-together with our dorm mates.”

“Then, would it be okay if I visited you after my class’s get-together is over?”

“Sure.”

“Wow!”

Betty beamed with joy, her smile bright.

Other first and second-year students also made plans with their mentors and mentees.

Watching from afar, Lil, the representative of the third-years, mumbled,

“I envy the first and second-years. How close their relationships are.”

“Oh my, aren’t we just as close?”

Elena playfully braided Lil’s hair, giggling.

Lil replied in a dejected voice,

“Elena sunbae, you’re just treating me like a toy.”

“Oh my, would I do such a thing?”

Her eyes widened, but she didn’t stop playing with Lil’s hair.

“I want to tell the juniors in the Summoning Department to have a good break.”

In the Summoning Department, Lil was a well-respected senior.

“But the ungrateful first and second-years aren’t coming to greet you?”

‘I think they’re not coming because they’re scared of you, sunbae, not me.’

Lil grumbled inwardly with a tearful expression but didn’t speak it aloud.

If it were the ill-tempered Elena, she would undoubtedly chase after Lil relentlessly until they went home.

***

Leo looked down at his hands.

He could feel a faint, foreign power, divine power.

‘My divine power has definitely increased.’

After fighting the clone of Hell Kaiser.

The divine power Leo possessed had increased.

Of course, it was a very small amount.

“What do you think happened?”

To Mel’s question, Leo recalled the moment he obtained the divine power.

“It was when I suppressed the calamitous flames emitted by the Necromancer King.”

“Aren’t Leo-nim’s powers the opposite of Erebus’s?”

“That’s right.”

This power, which Risinas named Pure Light, was the only power that could counter Erebus’s unquenchable flames.

With this power, Leo had subjugated Erebus.

“But even in my past life, I only extinguished Erebus’s flames.”

Mel, who had been contemplating Leo’s words, said,

“Didn’t that god, Pibua, describe the fiend Erebus as comparable to a god?”

“Right.”

“And if gods are beings of light, Erebus is a being of darkness.”

“He did.”

“Then, wouldn’t the root of gods and primordial evil be the same?”

“I purified the calamitous flames with my power?”

“Yes.”

At Mel’s conjecture, Leo fell into thought.

“It’s not that I haven’t considered that. But 5,000 years ago, I couldn’t purify or absorb Erebus’s power.”

“Then, perhaps the flames emitted by the Necromancer King were not the calamitous flames?”

“It was the flame that burned the world, burned my comrades, and ultimately burned myself.”

Leo shook his head.

“There’s no way I’m mistaken.”

“Then perhaps it’s an awakening?”

“Awakening.”

“Yes. It’s highly probable. Didn’t Ar also reawaken Arion-nim’s abilities?”

Though only once, Ar transformed other beastmen through howling.

It was one of the miracles Arion had so desperately wished for.

Ar had unlocked new possibilities for his abilities through awakening.

“Hahaha.”

“Why are you laughing?”

“It’s surprising that there’s a way to become even stronger.”

Leo burst into laughter.

“I thought that Risinas, Luna, Deweno, and I had reached the end of our paths.”

Of course, they hadn’t stopped moving forward.

But at the time they embarked on their final journey.

Leo, as well as Risinas, Luna, and Deweno, were beings close to perfection in both power and spirit.

“Well, you must have been able to defeat Erebus after reaching the highest realm.”

Having said that far, Mel suddenly tilted her head.

“But what about Arion-nim?”

They spoke of Leo, Risinas, Luna, and Deweno, but there was no mention of Arion.

To Mel’s question, Leo rested his chin on his hand.

“Arion had shortcomings.”

“Arion-nim has shortcomings? But surely the Hero is the strongest warrior in history?”

Mel looked somewhat surprised at Leo’s bitter smile.

No matter what anyone said, the Hero Arion was the strongest warrior.

“That’s right. If you only consider martial power, he is the strongest. Even though he’s a coward, that fact doesn’t change.”

“Then what are Arion-nim’s shortcomings?”

“The spiritual aspect.”

Leo wore a bitter expression.

“On our final journey, all of us except Arion were ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“Ready to die.”

“…….”

“And ready to let each other go.”

Mel fell silent, watching Leo speak these devastatingly profound words with a placid tone.

“Because our final journey was an impossible one. Of course, no one gave up, but we all knew we wouldn’t all come back alive.”

That’s why the great heroes set out on their journey with the resolve not to stop, even if their most precious friends died.

“But Arion, even though he was prepared to die himself, couldn’t bring himself to watch us die.”

That’s why Arion sacrificed himself first.

“If it weren’t for him, the one who would have died instead… would have been Deweno, who was at the very front.”

“…….”

“Arion was the youngest among us.”

He was the only one born during the Age of Calamity among the great heroes who did not see the blue sky and bright starlight.

In a sense, he was just like Elsi.

“If Arion-nim had made that resolution, would the outcome have changed?”

“It wouldn’t have changed.”

Leo said with a bitter expression.

“But we all regretted it. We had relied too much on his courage. We wished, as friends and comrades, but also as brothers and sisters, that he had comforted us instead.”

He remembered Arion closing his eyes, cursing himself.

“So that’s what happened.”

Mel said in a somber voice.

After a moment of silence, Mel changed the subject and said,

“If you purified the calamitous flames with divine power, won’t you be able to use that power soon?”

“Hmm. It’s a power not originally permitted to beings of the mortal realm, so I’m not sure how to use it.”

The divine power Pibua had lent him previously in a Folium was imbued with Pibua’s will.

But this divine power was different.

It was a power imbued with no one’s will.

“What should I do?”

“A moment to use it will come someday.”

Leo stood up.

“I’m leaving now. If I’m any later, they’ll nag me.”

“Yes. Have a pleasant time.”

Mel bowed with a smile.

“How is the recruitment of the individuals I requested going?”

“It’s going well. I plan to send out the invitations next week.”

“Alright, thank you for your hard work.”

With those words, Leo left Mel’s office.

After seeing Leo off, Mel took out a banner from a corner of her office.

It was a banner to welcome those who would be entering the training camp during the vacation.

[Welcome to the Training Camp.]

Mel tilted her head, looking at the welcoming message written in neat letters.

‘It’s a bit bland.’

Whatever the case, it was sure to be an extraordinary training camp beyond imagination.

The welcoming message felt a bit lacking for such a camp.

After a moment of thought, Mel soon smiled brightly and clapped her hands.

Then she rewrote the banner.

‘This should be appropriate to give the children a sense of tension.’

[Welcome to Hell.]

Erasing ‘Training Camp’ and writing the word ‘Hell’ in red letters.

Mel nodded, seemingly pleased with the banner.