Book 1 Chapter 521
521
“You’re Leo Flovro?”
Kaodin looked at Leo, a smirk playing on his lips.
“Do you know that your mother and I are classmates before you spout such nonsense?”
“And if you are classmates with my mother? Does that mean acting like a total scoundrel is excusable?”
“Reina certainly raised her child poorly. If she retired without any notable achievements, she should have at least raised her child properly. Seems like some education is needed, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. I’d like to give you some education, but your level is too low for me to teach.”
Leo retorted Kaodin’s provocation with a sneer.
Seeing Leo, Kaodin’s expression completely changed.
A look as if he would rush at Leo at any moment.
Just then.
“Whoa.”
Chen Xia, who had been attacked by Kaodin and knocked flying, lightly got up.
“My newly tailored uniform is ruined.”
At her calm demeanor, Kaodin’s eyes twitched.
‘She wasn’t hit much, was she?’
Kaodin was a graduate of the Knight Department, but he was an archer class.
Compared to other knight classes skilled in close combat, the power of his melee attacks was noticeably weaker.
But that was only by a hero’s standard.
His attack was powerful enough that a student would find it hard to endure.
Yet, Chen Xia walked over calmly.
“I’ll take this one. It doesn’t concern you two, does it?”
“Why doesn’t it concern me? This human insulted my cousin and aunt. I can’t forgive him. Duran. You have no business here, so step aside.”
“Don’t order me around.”
“These brats don’t know their place. Just because people call you the Golden Generation, you’ve lost your nerve!”
Fizzz-!
Scarlet lightning surged from Kaodin’s body.
Aura emission.
Kwagagagagagagak-!
Chen Xia and Celia quickly moved out of Kaodin’s attack range.
“One of them couldn’t get away in time. That’s why you should pick your fights carefully…”
Fizzz-!
“Is that all the aura a so-called hero possesses?”
A longsword imbued with golden lightning gleamed.
Kwaaaah-!
Embroidering golden light, Duran’s sword aimed for Kaodin’s neck.
Seeing this, Kaodin was startled and quickly used Aura Step to dodge Duran’s sword.
At that moment.
“I’ll pay you back.”
Kwaaaang-!
“Cough!”
Chen Xia, who had approached in an instant, smiled and kicked Kaodin in the stomach.
Contrary to her gentle tone, the power was utterly brutal.
As Kaodin’s body bent into a right angle and his head went towards the floor.
The rapier, still in its sheath, stabbed directly into Kaodin’s face as he fell towards the floor.
Kwaduk-!
“Ugh?!”
He protected his body as much as possible with Aura Armor.
However, Celia’s stab pierced through the Aura Armor.
Its power was reduced, preventing a fatal injury, but his nose bridge collapsed, and he bounced back.
“You sons of bitches!”
Kwagagagagagagagagak-!
Kaodin, with wide-open eyes, once again released his aura.
An aura storm far more powerful than before.
But before the aura storm hit, the three widened their distance.
“You bastards!”
Clutching his collapsing, bleeding nose bridge, Kaodin emitted a fearsome killing intent.
Iliana saw this and gasped.
“Even those three, is it possible to so overwhelmingly defeat a Knight-class hero?”
“It’s possible.”
Claria replied calmly.
“The three of them possess skills that even those who have reached the realm of heroes cannot easily underestimate. Against such knights, that scoundrel… no, Sir Kaodin was careless. It’s not strange for him to be driven into such a defensive position.”
The three moved sharply, continuously pressing Kaodin.
“When facing multiple opponents, once you start getting overwhelmed, it’s hard to regain the initiative. Plus…”
“Not all Knight classes are the same Knight class.”
Leo said, watching the three’s movements.
“Just by looking at the women he leads, you can easily tell how that guy fights on the battlefield.”
Leo glanced at Kaodin’s knights, who looked flustered.
“They are his private knight order, aren’t they?”
“That’s right, Student Leo. They are called Valkyries. A knight order specialized in defense, blocking enemies. You recognized them immediately.”
“I can tell just by looking.”
“What? What? Class Rep. What do you mean?”
When Iliana asked with a puzzled expression, Leo sighed.
“Iliana. You’d get stronger faster if you just carefully observe your opponents and think about countermeasures.”
“Ugh.”
“What would happen if a powerful attack magic user hero, protected by a vanguard, was attacked at close range by excellent knights?”
“Well, they’d be defeated, of course.”
“It’s the same principle. That human is a Knight class, but he has fought like a pure mage. That’s why his ability to cope with melees is terrible.”
“Aha!”
Iliana nodded, as if she understood.
“How did such a human manage to receive the title of Hero?”
‘There are many gods with terrible tastes, after all.’
Leo frowned.
“Valkyries! What are you doing not protecting me!”
Just then, Kaodin’s shout was heard.
At that, the Valkyries hurriedly and quickly escorted Kaodin.
“These bastards…! I won’t let you get away with this!”
Thump-!
Kaodin opened a sub-space and gripped a bow imbued with powerful magic.
Seeing such Kaodin, Duran narrowed his eyes.
“Seeing things like this become heroes… it makes me wonder if the gods truly lack discernment.”
“For once, we agree. I’m starting to feel skeptical about heroes.”
Celia let out a small sigh.
“You arrogant brats! Do you know who I am? How dare you insult me! Your families won’t be safe either….”
“I don’t want to bring up families, but isn’t Jerdinger a little too big for your power to do anything about? And you?”
Celia shot back with a bored expression, then looked at Duran, who also sneered.
“Sounds interesting. Are you going to declare war on the Moira Kingdom?”
“I don’t want to blow things up at school, but if you want, I can show you how strong the Shan Empire is.”
At the three’s backgrounds, Kaodin was silenced.
“Your teamwork was great, wasn’t it? Even though you bicker every day, friends are still friends.”
Just then, Leo appeared from behind the three.
“Who said we’re friends? Leo Flovro.”
“I’ve never been friends with someone with such a messy personality, Leo.”
“Now now, friends should get along well.”
As Duran and Celia bristled, Chen Xia smiled and intervened.
“Of course they would.”
Leo chuckled, and Duran snorted, sheathing his sword and crossing his arms.
Celia and Chen Xia also retracted their auras.
Thump-
“You looked cool getting beaten up by your juniors, didn’t you?”
“You arrogant bastard!”
Kaodin, his anger flaring again at Leo’s taunt, pulled back his bowstring.
Fizzz-!
“Die!”
With a roar, he released the bowstring, and scarlet lightning streaked towards Leo.
Thwack-!
Leo snatched the incoming arrow.
Fizzz-!
“…!”
Kaodin, seeing his attack blocked so simply, widened his eyes.
Crackle-!
As Leo applied force to his hand, the aura arrow scattered as if disappearing.
Everyone present watched, their eyes wide.
Leo slowly approached Kaodin.
“Stop him! Stop that guy!”
Kaodin, seeing this, shouted at the Valkyries.
Seeing that, Leo raised his hand.
Whoosh! Kwa-gang-!
“Gasp?”
“Th-this is…!”
The shadows of the Valkyries began to surge, then restrained the Valkyries themselves.
It was Licinus’s magic.
“C-cowardly magic…!”
“That’s not something someone who hides in a safe place and shoots arrows should say.”
Leo approached with a sneer.
Seeing Leo, Kaodin desperately pulled back his bowstring once more.
Goooooo-!
Killing intent erupted from Leo’s body.
Thump-!
Kaodin, who received the killing intent head-on, dropped his bow.
Clatter-clatter-
Kaodin’s pale jaw trembled.
Seeing this, Leo looked up at the sky and narrowed his eyes.
“Do you guys think this is a hero too?”
“Don’t make me laugh! I am a hero legitimately chosen by the gods! You have no right to question my qualifications as a hero…!”
“Kneel.”
Kwaduk-!
“Argh!”
Leo kicked Kaodin in the shin.
Kaodin, his shin bone shattered, collapsed.
“Certainly, I have no right to question your qualifications as a hero.”
Leo said, stepping on Kaodin’s head.
“But at least not you.”
Squeeze-!
“Aaaaaargh!”
Kaodin screamed under the head-splitting pressure.
Seeing this, several second-year students gasped.
“I would have just watched if possible. It would cause too much trouble if I intervened.”
He knew he had the authority to speak, but he had no intention of abusing it.
“But if people like you are called heroes, then those who truly dedicated themselves to the world will only look ridiculous.”
“Ugh- Ugh-”
As Leo’s killing intent deepened, Kaodin couldn’t even breathe properly.
He trembled as if having a seizure, speaking as if about to suffocate.
‘I’m going to die! I’m really going to die!’
Kaodin was terrified.
“Forgive, forgive me… forgive…!”
“If it’s forgiveness, ask Chen Xia. You’re not trash enough to insult her.”
“F-forgive… Gurgle-!”
Kaodin rolled his eyes back and went limp.
Leo, with an expressionless face, spoke to the Valkyries.
“Clean him up.”
At his words, the Valkyries hurriedly took Kaodin and left.
Leo spoke to Chen Xia, who was approaching him.
“I wanted to make him apologize to you.”
“It’s okay. My feelings wouldn’t improve at all, even if I received an apology from someone like that.”
Chen Xia smiled faintly.
Just then, Duran, who had been quietly observing the situation, spoke.
“Leo Flovro. There’s something I want to ask you.”
“It’s unusual for you to want to ask me something, isn’t it?”
“What is your ideal hero?”
“…?”
At Duran’s question, Leo made a puzzled expression.
“Why do you ask that?”
“The reasons for wanting to be a hero are different for everyone. As such, the ideal hero they want to become is also different.”
Duran wanted to be a hero because he yearned for strength.
In Celia’s case, to elevate her family’s honor.
In Chen Xia’s case, she dreamed of being a hero to help many people.
Each had their own reasons, and their desired paths were different.
“But you had no interest in the position of hero from the start.”
“Did it seem that way?”
“Yes, but you were more heroic than anyone.”
At Duran’s words, everyone, including Leo, was surprised.
It was the first time the proud Duran had so purely acknowledged Leo.
“You had the power to make the impossible possible. As a hero, you were honorable and didn’t hesitate to help people. It’s as if you were born a hero.”
Duran looked Leo directly in the eyes.
“And today, seeing an unheroic hero, you were more enraged than anyone. So I wanted to ask. What is the ideal hero you envision?”
“It’s hard, I’ve never thought about it before.”
Leo, who had been genuinely pondering, opened his mouth.
“Someone who can be courageous for others. Someone who is willing to be a shield for others. Someone who can shine in any situation.”
Recalling Arion, Dweno, and Luna, Leo slowly said.
“Someone who can turn despair into hope. That’s the ideal hero I envision.”
“Wow, that’s exactly Young Master Leo.”
“Not at all.”
“Why? It’s exactly Young Master Leo.”
“I just didn’t give up thanks to people like that.”
“That’s amazing, though.”
Chen Xia made a displeased expression.
“So? Why are you asking that?”
“I just asked because I want to pursue a different path as a hero than yours.”
Duran didn’t give up on following Leo.
Perhaps, no, he might never reach him even if he chased him his whole life.
Still, he had no intention of giving up.
‘Still, I’m reluctant to become the ideal hero he pursues.’
It was a strange rebellious feeling that made him lift his head, not wanting to completely follow in someone else’s footsteps.
‘I think a hero is someone who doesn’t give up.’
He remembered the first time he talked with Leo.
‘Yes, don’t give up. Aiming for that wouldn’t be bad.’
Duran looked down at his hand, then looked back at Leo and said.
“I will never give up on surpassing you. Leo Flovro.”
At those words, Leo’s eyes widened slightly.
“What’s wrong?”
“No, you just remind me of someone.”
“Who?”
‘If I say he resembles me, he’ll cause a fuss again.’
“Kiel, the Hero of Beginnings.”
At those words, Chen Xia’s eyes widened, and she looked back and forth between Leo and Duran.
Whether he noticed her reaction or not, Duran merely snorted.
“You speak as if you know Kiel, the Hero of Beginnings.”
“I heard from Lady Luna.”
At that, Duran lightly frowned.
“Alright, let’s restart the class.”
Claria managed the situation.
Meanwhile, Duran approached Chen Xia.
“You weren’t hurt by that meager attack, were you?”
It was an arrogant remark, but it was Duran’s way of showing concern.
Chen Xia looked up at Duran with a somehow sulky face.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Are you happy? Hearing Young Master Leo say you resemble the Hero of Beginnings.”
“Are you jealous now? I don’t know if this is something to be jealous about.”
“Hmph!”
Chen Xia showed a prim reaction and spun away.
Watching Chen Xia, Duran merely made a puzzled expression.