Book 1 Chapter 561

“Wow…”

“Amazing!”

Chelsea and Ar were walking down the street with sparkling eyes.

They walked along the wide avenue that stretched out after passing through the entrance of Dragonia.

There were temples along the avenue.

These were buildings that housed gods 5,000 years ago; they were now empty and no dragons lived there.

The dragons lived in the main castle visible in the distance.

And the main castle of Dragonia, the city of dragons, gave off a more mystical feeling than the architecture of any other race.

The world had undergone countless transformations over 5,000 years.

In the process, various cultures had blossomed and developed to reach their current state.

All races have different inclinations.

Humans, who pursue change.

Elves, who value harmony.

Beastmen, who pursue tradition.

Dwarves, who pursue efficiency.

Therefore, the cultures of the four races had developed in different directions.

However, even with their differences, many similarities could be found between the cultures of the four races.

The reason for finding various commonalities in the cultures of the four races, with their different inclinations and characteristics, was simple.

'Guardstone.'

This was because the cultures of all four races were rooted in Guardstone.

The current world was a world rebuilt from ashes after experiencing an era of disaster.

Therefore, most of the cultures of each race that existed in the past were destroyed.

Eventually, various races gathered in the last city, and their cultures mixed.

When the era of disaster ended, the traditions of each race had faded and mixed, and they had developed the mixed cultures in their own ways.

However, there was one race that deviated from such cultures: dragons.

“I heard that dragons maintain their culture from the Age of Gods, and seeing this, I finally understand.”

Chelsea exclaimed, "Hooh! Hooh!" in admiration.

As the very foundation of their cultures was different, their architectural styles were also completely different.

It was then.

Fwoosh-!

Three dragons flew overhead.

A strong wind blew, ruffling their hair.

“Leo oppa! Look at that! It’s a dragon!”

“Ooh! Black Rabbit! Look at that! Isn’t it cool?!”

Chelsea and Ar shook Leo violently from either side.

The two girls were incredibly excited, watching the dragons fly in formation.

“Hooh?”

It seemed to be an interesting sight even for Dorveman, a 5th-year student of Azonia, as his eyes sparkled.

“They look strong.”

Then, perhaps feeling challenged, he asked Leo.

“Leo, I know you have had various experiences. Have you ever fought a dragon?”

‘If you ask if I’ve fought them, I’ve fought them many times. And that too with the strongest dragons in history.’

There were times they fought for training, and a few times they fought because the opponent got angry.

But he couldn’t say that straightforwardly.

In the first place, it was rare to fight dragons in this era.

“No.”

“As expected.”

Dorveman clenched and unclenched his fists, then looked up at the sky and muttered.

“Dragons are strong, aren’t they? They would surely be worth fighting.”

At his muttering, Chelsea and Ar, who had been exclaiming "Wow! Wow!", stopped.

“Dorveman-senpai, I’m asking just in case, but… are you perhaps thinking of fighting a dragon now that you’re in Dragonia? You’re not thinking that, are you?”

“I am.”

“Stop that thinking! You fighting dog with nothing but fights in your head, Aaargh!”

Ar grabbed Dorveman by the collar and shook him violently.

It was not the behavior a junior student would show to a senior, but Dorveman didn’t care at all.

“Hmm. Your wrists are as flimsy and delicate as ever.”

Instead, he looked at Ar’s arms with great displeasure.

“Ar, you are destined to become the proud student council president of Azonia after me. As I’ve told you countless times, you cannot lead the rough beastmen of Azonia with such a fragile body.”

“I think those simple muscle-brains who think muscles are everything have already been thoroughly taught a lesson.”

Chelsea, overhearing their conversation, tilted her head.

“Ar, are you the next student council president of Azonia?”

“Heh, that’s right. Little kid.”

At Ar’s words, Chelsea bristled.

Ar, unaware that he had provoked Chelsea, continued to boast.

“After all, dignity doesn’t come from size! Look at this slender and elegant figure! Although it might look delicate at first glance! A wild beast lies dormant within! It’s by no means frail!”

Ar placed his hands on his hips and proudly puffed out his chest.

Chelsea stared intently at Ar.

“You? Where are you looking?”

Ar narrowed his eyes and asked, and Chelsea let out a snicker.

“You’re frail like a complete child.”

“Who are you calling a kid, you, who’s even more frail than that kid?”

Bristled, Ar tried to grab Chelsea, but Chelsea stuck out her tongue and quickly ran away.

Ar, glaring at Chelsea, tried to chase her.

Snap-!

“Ugh?!”

Leo grabbed Ar’s tail.

“I told you! Don’t pull my tail!”

Ar, his face bright red, tugged at his tail, which was held by Leo’s hand.

“If you’re going to be the student council president, shouldn’t you show a little more maturity?”

“Ugh.”

At Leo’s words, Ar made a choked expression and nodded.

“Alright, Black Rabbit.”

“Indeed, what impressive presence. To think Ar would obey so readily.”

Dorveman took something out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth.

Seeing this, Chelsea asked.

“What are you eating?”

“It’s meat that helps build muscle. Would you like some?”

Chelsea sniffed the piece of meat Dorveman offered and shook her head.

“I’ll pass.”

“Hoo. If you’re a picky eater, you won’t grow tall.”

‘Do the people of Azonia have a talent for teasing people without malice?’

It was when Chelsea was seriously contemplating this.

“By the way, when did you become the next student council president of Azonia?”

“I won the Struggle Festival that was held not long ago!”

Ar snorted, “Hmph-!”

The Struggle Festival.

It was a ritual held once a year to determine the strongest in Azonia.

It was an Azonian tradition where the last person standing was determined through a survival free-for-all.

The student who won this Struggle Festival was appointed to the position of the next student council president of Azonia.

“Anyone can participate in the Struggle Festival! The chance to be the school’s strongest is open to everyone! Of course, it’s very rare for a student council president to come from outside the 5th year!”

“That’s amazing!”

Leo exclaimed, and Ar’s ears perked up, his tail wagging.

But then he shook his head vigorously.

“No! I’m still far from it!”

Ar said with a determined expression.

“I can’t be satisfied with just this! I have to stand on the stage where Arion-nim stood! I have to keep trying so that Arion-nim can rest assured.”

At his words, Leo looked at the broken sword hanging at Ar’s waist.

It was the broken Braveheart that Arion had left for Ar when he descended to the mortal realm previously.

‘It remained as a raid reward.’

He hadn’t conquered Arion’s world.

But at that time, Arion had wanted to pass down this sword to Ar.

A sword gifted by Dwenog, which had always given him courage.

Even though it was just scrap metal now, its symbolism alone was priceless.

‘That sword is the symbol of Arion’s courage.’

Although they had only been apart for a few months, Ar had become stronger.

“Arion would surely be happy if he saw you now.”

“I’m not good enough.”

Ar scoffed and turned his head sharply, but the corners of his mouth kept twitching.

Given his boastful nature, Leo’s praise had made him very happy.

“Indeed! I earned the student council president position with my own strength! Unlike that parachute mob from Seirun!”

Ar crossed his arms with a triumphant expression and raised his head.

“Black Rabbit, you think so too……”

Snap-

“Who are you calling a parachute mob now, you idiot cat.”

A foot shot out from behind and shoved Ar’s back unceremoniously.

Lunia was glaring at Ar with a crooked expression.

“You’re here?”

“Yes.”

At Leo’s words, Lunia nodded and swept her hair back.

“Lunia, this is a place with countless dragons. Please behave properly as the student council president of Seirun.”

Haddin, the vice student council president of Seirun, standing behind Lunia, adjusted his glasses and said.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Lunia answered perfunctorily, but she straightened her back and put on a gentle smile.

Seeing Lunia instantly transform into a diligent, top-student elf, Chelsea was impressed.

“The student council president of Seirun seems to be getting better at acting.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Lunia smiled faintly and tilted her head.

“Are we just waiting for Demian now?”

At her words, Leo looked down.

“Demian is already here.”

“Huh?”

As he spoke, the ground rumbled, and something emerged.

When someone suddenly poked their head out from underground, Lunia, Ar, and Chelsea recoiled in shock.

It was a female dwarf wearing goggles.

“There. Dorveman, Haddin… and Leo? Was it? And Lunia, the student council president of Seirun. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you all.”

Thump- thump-

The dwarf woman, who had completely dug herself out of the ground, slung her pickaxe over her shoulder.

“There.”

“Demian’s student council president! What were you doing?”

Ar asked, bewildered after calming his racing heart. The student council president of Demian, Marigold, replied with a serious expression.

“It’s basic to understand the geological characteristics of a new place as a miner.”

“You still haven’t corrected that habit, Marigold.”

At Dorveman’s words, Marigold proudly took out a fist-sized ore from her pocket.

“But look. Can’t I find rare ores?”

“I heard Demian’s student council president was a bit eccentric, but I didn’t expect someone like this.”

At Chelsea’s muttering, Lunia sighed.

“The real eccentric of Demian is someone else. Did Dryana not come?”

“Dryana is over there. I brought her because she’s also a candidate for the next student council president.”

Marigold pointed to the distance with her finger.

Far away, a dwarf girl was sketching the architectural style of the dragons.

Leo approached Dryana.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh! Leo! It’s been a while!”

Dryana smiled brightly and stood up.

“Actually, I arrived here at dawn. But seeing the dragons’ architectural style with my own eyes, I got a great inspiration! I was sketching!”

The current location is the road connecting the entrance of Dragonia to the main castle.

There are temples scattered everywhere, but they are unused.

To actually see the dragons, one must go to the main castle, and this is in the middle of the road to the main castle.

These two students, who came as representatives of Demian, arrived at dawn and, instead of going to the main castle, dug tunnels and drew pictures.

“She’s always been weird.”

“I know, right.”

Lunia and Ar shook their heads.

“I don’t want to hear that from the elf thug and the idiot cat.”

“Hah? Did you just call me a thug?”

“You called me an idiot? You perverted dwarf!”

Lunia and Ar growled at each other.

Chelsea, watching the three people bickering as soon as they met, asked the higher-grade students from other schools.

“Aren’t you worried about entrusting the student council to those three?”

At her question, the three student council presidents had no choice but to remain silent.

It was true that they were undoubtedly the most talented individuals in the history of Hero Academy.

However, they were also three people that one would be ashamed to introduce anywhere.