Book 1 Chapter 433

433.

Early morning.

As the sun began to rise, the second-year students started to groggily wake up from their sleep.

"I want to wash up."

"Ugh… I'm hungry."

"I couldn't sleep properly."

Groans and complaints echoed from all around.

The hero candidates, who had attended the training camp with excited hearts after receiving an invitation from the Dragon Lord, were reduced to ragged appearances after just one day.

"This is like a refugee camp."

"Even refugees wouldn't be this pathetic. This is a complete hovel, a hovel."

Kal, who had slept soundly for a short time, had a face that looked much more energetic than before.

Kal yawned widely and grumbled.

In fact, they hadn't looked this miserable when they went to sleep the night before.

Each hero academy conducted survival training in the wild.

Second-year students at hero academies were expected to have acquired the skills to survive even if thrown into the middle of a desert or the ocean.

The reason why only the exceptionally outstanding students selected from among these students had ended up like this at this training camp was singular.

It was due to Melina's bizarre guardian legion.

Not only were the guardians that had harassed the mage students yesterday vulnerable to physical attacks, but guardians with formidable physical defense had also appeared.

It was natural that they would end up in such a state after enduring difficult training and insufficient sleep and meals the previous day.

As Leo clicked his tongue.

Rustle~

"Huh? What's this?"

A piece of paper flew towards Leo and Kal.

When Kal unfolded the paper, a short message was written in small, neat, beautiful handwriting.

"Student Kal, please come to the west of the forest, avoiding the attention of other students. The Dragon Lord?"

Gasp-! Kal took a sharp breath.

Leo had the same message written on his.

"Leo, is yours the same?"

"Yeah."

"Wow, what in the world is going on?"

"Let's just go and see."

Leo, who knew what was happening, calmly followed Melina to the place she had called them to, along with an excited Kal.

As they left the other students and approached the bushes in the west, Lunia, Eiran, Ar, and Dryana were also there.

"Gasp?! Le, Lord Leo?"

Upon seeing Leo, Eiran shrieked and hastily hid behind Lunia.

"What's wrong?"

Lunia asked with a puzzled look, and Eiran replied.

"I'm too ashamed to show Lord Leo this state."

"You've already shown Lord Leo all sorts of embarrassing things."

"When did I ever show Lord Leo such shamefulness?"

"Like that bizarre delusion runaway."

"D-Don't say it!"

Eiran tried to cover Lunia's mouth with a tearful face.

"Did the Dragon Lord call you all here too?"

"Yeah. Seeing us like this, it's like we're the members of Lord Deweno's world conquest team, isn't it?"

Kal tilted his head.

Ar, who was trying his best to tidy his messy hair with his hands, said.

"Are they planning to give us special training?"

Ar scowled as his hair refused to be neatly arranged.

"Whatever it is, I just want to wash up quickly."

The cat beastfolk were known for their cleanliness among beastfolk.

Seeing Ar like that, Kal said.

"You're a cat, so can't you just wash yourself like a cat?"

"Are you teasing me now? Do you think I, the heir of the Tune family, would just dab some water on my face and call it a day? Besides, you need water for any kind of washing, don't you?"

"No, not washing with water. Why? Do you call it grooming? You tidy your fur with your saliva. Cough?!"

As Kal spoke with a chuckle, Ar's fist landed in his side.

It was a simple punch, but it felt like Chelsea had delivered a dropkick.

As Kal rolled on the ground, Ar snorted.

"Everyone, did you sleep well last night?"

At the voice from behind, everyone except Leo tensed up.

Thump- thump-

Kal gaped as Melina appeared with a radiant smile.

Her face was veiled, but Melina's presence was overwhelming.

"It's the first time I'm speaking with you, Student Eiran and Student Kal, separately, isn't it? Nice to meet you. I am Melina, the Dragon Lord."

"Ah, hello. Great Lord of the Dragon Tribe. I am Eiran Ersar."

"Heh, you don't need to be so nervous."

Eiran blushed slightly as Melina smiled gently.

Eiran, who loved heroic tales, was well aware of the Silent Dragon's feats.

It was natural for her to be nervous in the presence of the person considered the greatest hero of the current era.

"I am Kal Thomas, Lord."

"Nice to meet you, Kal."

Beneath the veil, Melina's lips curved into a gentle smile.

Seeing that, Kal, who had been nervous, faltered and cautiously asked.

"Lord… have we met somewhere before?"

"Heh. Are you trying to flirt with me now?"

"No, that's not it."

Kal, who had asked out of a sense of unfamiliar familiarity, wore a bewildered expression.

After greeting Kal playfully, Melina said.

"I've called you here because I have something to tell you."

"Something to tell me?"

"Yes, soon I will be introducing the instructors who will be training you during this training camp. Please do not get excited at all during that time. Understand?"

"What's there to get excited about?"

"Understood? Student Ar?"

Melina leaned her smiling face close to Ar, who looked bewildered, and emphasized.

"Yes."

Ar nodded with a slightly timid face, and Melina nodded.

"Good, then please return to where your friends are. We will see each other shortly."

At Melina's words, the group returned to the campsite with expressions of "Is that all?"

-Why did you say it in such an indirect way?

Leo asked, using magic so only Melina could hear.

-Surprise events are always fun, aren't they?

Seeing Melina answer with a bright voice, Leo let out a hollow laugh.

"How could you even think of trying to flirt with the Dragon Lord?"

"No, I just genuinely felt like I'd met her somewhere."

Lunia said to Kal with an exasperated tone, and Kal crossed his arms and said in a serious voice.

"Leo! Didn't you feel like you'd met her too?"

"Hmm."

Leo shook his head, stifling a laugh inwardly.

'She's really sharp.'

If there was one thing Kal excelled at, it was his observation skills, which were second to none.

They returned to the campsite with uneasy faces.

There, they were lined up by school.

In front of them were familiar faces.

"Wow, not only Senior Lis, but Senior Uilta and Senior Jamua too."

Kal exclaimed in admiration as he saw the seniors who had shown the best performance among last year's graduates.

"Student Lunia! Senior Lienia is here too!"

"There's no way that senior would miss an event like this. Ugh, but what's with that outfit? Sunglasses and a cap pulled down?"

Unlike Eiran, who was genuinely happy, Lunia felt mixed emotions about seeing Lienia, last year's student council president, who was familiar but not entirely welcome.

She was famous for her impulsive behavior.

During last year's Luze match, she had provoked Leo with the championship trophy, only to be provoked by Folium instead.

This time, too, her peculiar attire, arms crossed, and head bowed deeply, suggested something was amiss.

The faces of other Seirun graduates were also visible.

On the Azonia side, there were graduates, led by last year's student council president, Vanir.

"What on earth is there to get excited about?"

Ar asked, her cat tail swaying, with a look of confusion.

Dryana also tilted her head as she looked at the graduates.

"As you said, there's nothing particularly special."

Just as the students were gathering.

"Look at their movements, their movements! What are you all dawdling for!"

Suddenly, Lienia lifted her head and yelled.

The students flinched at the sudden situation.

"Run at once!"

At the sudden outburst, the students began to move in a panic.

"Line up properly! Is this all you hero candidates can do!"

As Lienia shouted, veins bulging in her neck, a female student from Seirun said tearfully.

"S-Senior, you're scary. What's wrong?"

She seemed frightened by the terrifying demeanor of the former student council president, who, though eccentric, was always kind.

"Who is a senior! I am an instructor sent to train you trainees. From now on, you will call us instructors. Do you understand?"

"S-Senior."

The Seirun female student shed tears at Lienia's voice, colder than the cold north wind of Seirun.

"Tirena trainee. Forward."

"Y-Yes?"

"Come forward."

Tirena hesitantly stepped forward.

"Get down on your stomach."

"What? This is just the bare ground!"

"I won't say it a third time. Get down."

Tirena gasped and got down.

"Roll left. Roll right."

The student named Tirena, who had inexplicably shed tears, rolled on the ground without knowing why.

Seeing that, students from all schools wore expressions of disgust.

"How dare you shed tears here! You're not focused!"

Lienia yelled with an even angrier face.

"I'm sorry!"

Tirena, being badgered by Lienia, quickly wiped her tears and shouted.

Torua, watching the scene, asked a Seirun graduate he knew.

"Why is she so agitated alone?"

"I don't know. She's been reading a lot of strange books for the past few days and said she's become a perfect instructor, so she's been happy about it."

Lienia's peer replied with a bewildered expression.

"Hmm? Should we do that too? It looks kind of fun?"

Torua's eyes sparkled.

Meanwhile, Lienia, having rolled her junior enough, stood before the students and said.

"This instructor is not a bad person. Depending on your actions, this training camp can become hell or heaven. Do you understand?!"

"Yes."

"Your voices are too quiet!"

"Yeees!"

Lunia let out a deep sigh at Lienia's terrifying demeanor.

"I knew it would be like this."

"Your senior is scary."

"I don't know anyone like that."

Ar said, and Lunia flatly denied it.

Leo also let out a hollow laugh at Lienia's appearance.

'As I felt before, she's a very peculiar girl.'

Thus, a terrifying atmosphere descended upon the campsite.

"Hello everyone."

Melina appeared.

Upon the Dragon Lord's appearance, the entire second-year class let out a collective gasp of "Ooh!", but they quickly snapped to attention under Lienia's menacing presence.

Melina tilted her head, observing their reaction, and began her usual lecture.

"It makes me very happy to see such promising hero candidates. I hope you all gain a lot from this training camp."

After the yawn-inducing speech, Melina said.

"Before we begin the full training camp, we have invited a special instructor."

At Melina's words, the graduates looked puzzled.

The students' eyes sparkled at the mention of a special instructor.

Thump- thump-

And then, all eyes turned to a beastfolk youth who appeared.

"This is our specially invited instructor, Mr. Akan."

"N-Nice to meet you. Everyone."

Kal, who had been holding back a yawn, faltered as he saw the special instructor who had suddenly appeared.

"Gasp?"

"Huh? What's wrong?"

As Kal gasped, Taeid, who was in front of him, asked with a puzzled look.

Lunia and Eiran also gaped.

Dryana rubbed her eyes several times.

The beastfolk youth, walking cautiously next to Melina with a somewhat stiff movement, as if intimidated.

Everyone looked bewildered.

"Doesn't he seem very lacking in presence?"

"If it's an instructor invited by the Dragon Lord, there must be something amazing about him."

While they wore expressions of confusion.

"Hoo-hoo-!"

Ar let out ragged breaths.

Her ears perked up, and her eyes widened like a cat's.

Her entire body tensed as if ready to pounce.

As Ar's tail swayed.

Snap-!

"Meow?!"

Leo had suddenly appeared behind Ar and yanked her tail hard.

"What are you doing! Black Rabbit!"

Ar glared at Leo, who had quickly returned to his spot after pulling her tail, and shouted.

At the same time, Lienia's stern command rang out.

"Who is it! The Lord is speaking!"

"Th-This is the Black Rabbit!"

Ar protested indignantly, but Lienia was resolute.

"Come out!"

"Just you wait, Black Rabbit!"

As she was dragged away by Lienia, Ar shouted with a voice filled with resentment.

Arion looked at Ar being dragged away with a slightly frightened expression.

Leo, who had been feigning innocence while watching, clicked his tongue as he saw Ar being dragged and rolling on the ground by Lienia.

'I have a lot to learn from Arion.'

But the very person who should be teaching, Arion, was afraid of Ar.

'Still a long way to go.'

Leo shook his head with a hollow laugh.