Book 1 Chapter 466

"It's been almost a year since I went on a mission with Leo!"

Lil exclaimed happily.

Leo had formed a party at Lil's request when he was tasked with meeting Ignis, the Great Spirit of the Abyss, an ancient dark spirit summoned from Rumern last year.

"And it's a mission related to mysteries! I never knew Leo would have the same hobby as me!"

Lil, with a genuinely happy expression, took something out of her pocket.

"What do you say, Leo? Won't you join our club? There's no law preventing the student council president from participating in club activities."

Leo asked as he looked at Lil, who was handing him a club application.

"We have a mystery club at our school?"

"Yes! It's a club that investigates urban legends and mysterious events in the world! We're also researching many mysteries related to the world of heroes!"

"It doesn't seem like an official club."

"That's because there are only two members!"

Lil said confidently.

Leo replied,

"I'm not particularly interested in mysteries. It's just a request that I found personally intriguing."

"I see."

At his words, Lil's shoulders drooped.

But she quickly regained her spirits.

"By the way, I heard a lot about Leo's achievements during the summer break. Ah, to reach the position of a hero at that age! As a senior, I'm truly proud!"

Leo chuckled as he watched Lil, who was as happy about her junior's success as if it were her own.

"I heard Lil-senpai's achievements are also remarkable."

Lil Luce, the third-year representative.

She was a skilled spirit user, so much so that her seniors called her "Monster Girl" due to her overwhelming power.

Even in her second year, she possessed incredible spirit magic skills, and in her third year, it was as if she had awakened, her abilities soaring.

Lil waved her hand at Leo's words.

"Compared to Leo, I'm really lacking. Moreover, Warreden, my junior in the summoning department, is even more amazing than me."

"Warreden?"

"Yes. He made a contract with the Great Spirit of Earth, didn't he? Ah, I feel so intimidated by my outstanding juniors."

Currently, Warreden was the most famous student in Rumern's summoning department in the eyes of the public.

Leo was already considered beyond the level of a student, so he was treated as an outlier.

Naturally, people's attention was drawn to Warreden, who had contracted with a Great Spirit in his second year.

In Rumern's history, summoners who contracted with the Three Great Mythical Beasts or Great Spirits in their second year were few and far between.

'But if you evaluate it by pure combat power, not by outward flashiness, the story is different.'

Although she had the nickname "Spirit User of Gales," it was just a nickname earned from her frequent use of wind attributes.

Lil had contracted with spirits of all attributes.

'Compared to Warreden, who only wields the four elemental spirits, I can certainly use a more diverse range of attacks.'

In addition, her spirit magic for each attribute was also excellent.

She was an all-rounder who could do anything, from offense, defense, to support.

Her combat power, based on that solid foundation, was immense.

Certainly, Lil lacked flashiness.

It was natural, as she didn't possess overwhelming firepower or unique mana properties.

'But that's what's scary. Even without specialized strengths, everything about her is exceptional, and she has no weaknesses.'

Furthermore, Lil's spirit magic, which had shown promise since her first and second years, had perfectly awakened in her third year, resulting in explosive growth.

Even the professors in the summoning department expected her skills to surpass those of the fourth-year students and be on par with the fifth-years.

[With that level of skill, isn't she third in Rumern?]

At Elsi's words, Laruel tilted her head.

[Not fourth?]

[Leo should be excluded.]

[That's right.]

Listening to the conversation between the Great Spirits of Darkness and Light, Leo also shook his head inwardly.

'She's definitely third.'

In Leo's eyes, Lil's growth rate was tremendous.

'I can't tell if she's excessively humble or just timid.'

While Leo was shaking his head inwardly.

"Leo-student, Lil-student. It's your turn."

A mage managing the warp gate approached and said.

"Shall we head over then?"

As Lil stepped onto the warp gate, Leo followed.

A moment later, with a bright flash of light, the two disappeared.

***

Flash-!

The warp gate emitted a bright light.

Upon exiting the warp gate, Leo looked at the surrounding scenery and tilted his head.

"It's ruins."

"It is."

Lil nodded dismissively at Leo's words and stepped off the warp gate.

'One-way, huh.'

Leo easily realized that the warp gate they had used was not maintained.

Warp gates were not permanently usable once installed.

They required continuous maintenance, and if neglected, they became unusable.

In the case of this warp gate, it was possible to travel here, but impossible to travel elsewhere from this point.

Leo looked around.

It wasn't just the warp gate that had become ruins.

Basically, warp gates were only created in prosperous cities.

The ruined cityscape came into view at once.

Lil's expression vanished.

"It hasn't been long since the war."

Smoke was rising from various parts of the city.

The wreckage of buildings was burning due to unextinguished embers.

It hadn't been long since the fires of war had swept through.

Looking at the tragic scene, Lil took a deep breath to shake off her emotional turmoil.

Then, she looked at Leo and exclaimed,

"As expected, Leo, you're amazing."

"What is?"

"I'm used to this kind of sight, yet my heart is stirred, but Leo shows no such reaction."

"I'm just trying not to be emotionally stirred."

"It seems fundamentally different."

"Is Lil-senpai familiar with battlefields?"

"Yes."

Lil nodded.

Coming from a military family, she had received education related to war from a young age.

"My Luce family is from the Kingdom of Thebern in the southeastern continent. It's a renowned military kingdom on the continent."

Lil said as she walked towards the battlefield.

"Although not as much as here in the northeast, it's a region where wars are frequent. My father believed that as a member of the Luce family, I needed to understand war, so he took me to the battlefield every vacation since I enrolled in Rumern."

At his words, Leo narrowed his eyes.

"Lil-senpai is not the heir, is she?"

"No. But I think my father believed I could assist my older brother. It's also natural for a member of the Luce family."

Lil said expressionlessly.

Leo understood the reason for Lil's soaring skills.

'Combat experience.'

No matter what anyone said, combat experience was the best driving force for growth.

However, the combat Lil had experienced was not against Tartarus, but against humans.

"Does Lil-senpai like that?"

"I don't like it."

"Then you don't have to go to the battlefield."

"I can't do that."

Lil said firmly.

"Heroes are born on the battlefield. Whether it's a fight against Tartarus or a fight against humans."

At her words, Leo stared intently at Lil.

Lil, still with an emotionless face, kept her gaze fixed on the ruins that the fires of war had engulfed.

After a moment, Lil met Leo's eyes.

"Leo, I must become a hero. Not just any hero, but a hero who shines brilliantly like you."

"Why do you want to become a hero?"

"You won't laugh at me, will you?"

"No."

At Leo's words, Lil brought her fist to her mouth and coughed.

"I will bring about world peace."

At her words, Leo stared intently at Lil's face.

As Leo's gaze fell upon her, Lil added,

"I want to create a world without war."

An infinitely grand.

Therefore, Lil, who spoke of her dream that seemed too absurd, was endlessly serious.

She didn't seem to care much about how others reacted to her goal.

Most people would probably have looked at her strangely or responded with laughter.

Therefore, she must have become accustomed to any reaction.

"That's a wonderful dream."

Leo smiled faintly.

At that reaction, Lil, who had been looking up at Leo with a blank expression, widened her eyes slightly.

Lil also knew.

That her dream was absurd.

That's why when she talked about why she wanted to become a hero, people either laughed or thought she was joking.

Even if they didn't deny it, no one affirmed it.

They just offered insincere encouragement to be polite.

Therefore, Lil could tell instantly.

That Leo had 'affirmed' her dream.

"Isn't my dream strange and absurd? Everyone laughed."

"I've laughed at someone else's dream before."

Leo recalled Lisinas, who had declared he would save the world.

"I was saved by that dream I had laughed at. Since then, I vowed never to laugh at another person's dream."

Leo smiled, recalling Lisinas.

"And I think there should be at least one hero who dreams such a dream. Besides, isn't my goal also absurd?"

Lil recalled Leo's goal.

It was already a famous story throughout the school.

'The complete subjugation of Erebus.'

Something that even the Great Hero and the Hero of Creation had failed to achieve.

And Leo had already taken a step closer to that goal.

"In a way, what Lil-senpai is pursuing and my goal can be seen as the same."

Leo had already witnessed it.

The one who led the world to salvation from the brink of destruction.

He had seen a friend who realized an absurd ideal right beside him.

"You know, my heart is pounding."

Seeing Lil, who couldn't contain her joy, Leo unconsciously reached out and stroked her head.

Leo genuinely appreciated Lil, who had a goal to truly protect this world.

'If only Lisinas were alive, he would have been so happy.'

Lil, slightly flustered by Leo's action, touched her cheek.

"You know, if I were treated like this by a junior, I should normally feel bad, shouldn't I?"

From their first meeting, Lil had emphasized that she was Leo's senior and tried to take good care of him.

Lil herself liked taking care of others, but more importantly, she seemed strongly unwilling to lose her dignity as a senior.

"Excuse me."

Leo said as he withdrew his hand, and Lil shook her head.

"It doesn't feel bad. In fact, I like it. It feels like being praised by my older brother."

Lil absently fiddled with her hair and then smiled.

"Well, we can't stay here forever, so shall we depart?"

Leo nodded and took out a map from his pocket.

"Let's figure out our location first. This is the border territory of the Kingdom of Canel, right?"

"That's right. It was originally the territory of the Tibun family, who commissioned the request, but it's currently under invasion by the neighboring Kingdom of Pettiman. First, we need to find the client, Tibun Zakkajak…"

Dong-dong-dong-

As they were discussing future plans, a drumbeat began to echo.

Leo and Lil, who were talking while looking at the map, stopped and raised their heads.

Buuuuuu-!

The sound of a horn began to be heard.

Lil raised her hand.

Wind began to form at her fingertips.

"Oh dear."

Lil's face stiffened.

"What is it?"

"The Pettiman Kingdom's army is invading."

"Rumern students are not allowed to intervene in wars."

"Yes. But the Pettiman Kingdom's army is not targeting the soldiers of the Kingdom of Canel. They are targeting refugees."

At his words, Leo narrowed his eyes and activated his extrasensory perception.

Vast amounts of information about the surrounding area flooded into Leo's mind in an instant.

Rumern students are not allowed to intervene in foreign wars.

But the attack on civilians was a different story.

Screech-

Drawing his sword, Leo said,

"Let's go."

"Yes, Leo."

Leo and Lil swiftly flew towards the location where the battle was taking place.