Book 1 Chapter 574

Lea clenched her fists, looking at Aina who blocked her path.

'Aina Badeuna.'

It was a name she had heard countless times since entering Seyrun.

'They whispered that she was of the bloodline of the Sword Saint. Just like me.'

Just like herself, who had been burdened with the expectations of her race as the heir to the Tinggel family.

Aina must have been in the same position.

That's why she couldn't help but be conscious of her.

That remained the same even after she learned that Luke was Leo's mentee.

An opponent she absolutely had to defeat.

From the moment they entered school, countless people around them watched Lea defeat Aina.

'It seems this person is no different. Judging by the fact that she came to face me.'

Lea smirked.

"It must be bothersome for both of us. To have someone around expecting us to be defeated."

"What?"

Aina looked bewildered by her words.

"Aren't you here to defeat me?"

"No."

"……."

For a moment, Lea's expression was stunned.

"Didn't you just say your opponent was me?"

"Yes."

"Then you came to defeat me, right?"

"No."

Lea was speechless as she watched Aina shake her head.

"I just want to protect Luke from you. You've been obsessively fixated on Luke for a while now."

"Are you acting as Luke Elda's bodyguard?"

"Yes."

Screech-!

Aina swung her sword.

Sword energy scattered around Lea.

"Luke must not fall to anyone."

Aina's eyes gleamed like a blade.

"Until they fall to me."

Lea could feel Aina's obsession with Luke, no less than her own.

'Indeed, Luke Elda is worth defeating.'

When Lea first learned of Luke's existence, she became interested because he was Leo's mentee.

Her feelings towards him were closer to competitive spirit than jealousy.

And at the end of the first semester.

Luke's appearance at the World Summit was astonishing.

'He continued to grow even while fighting Aina Badeuna.'

Luke's image, constantly challenging his limits and surpassing them, was vivid in her mind.

It was then that she understood why Leo had chosen Luke.

'He was amazing during the training camp too.'

So, it was understandable that Aina, as a rival from the same school, was strongly conscious of Luke.

'But… but you see…'

Lea's shoulders trembled.

"It's one thing to be ignored! What is that attitude of yours, as if I don't even exist in your eyes!"

An unusual amount of mana surged from Lea's body in a fit of emotion.

Crackling-!

Numerous cracks appeared on the ground Lea stood on.

"I'll make you remember me by defeating you!"

Mana gathered in both of Lea's hands.

"If you want to defeat Luke Elda, you have to defeat me first!"

"As long as I'm here, you won't be able to touch a single hair of Luke's! I will defeat Luke!"

ROOOOAR-!

Explosive mana and sharp sword energy clashed, intertwined.

***

Luke broke out in a cold sweat at the chilling collision sound from behind.

"Why is my name being mentioned when those two are fighting?"

"Heh. It seems they are fiercely fighting to win you over."

"I'll pass on that kind of winning."

Luke pouted.

As a sword mage, Luke keenly felt how terrifying Aina's swordsmanship was and how destructive Lea's magic was.

It wasn't a welcome thought that those swords and magic were targeting him.

'Already, Juen, Sasha, and Harvey are all after me these days.'

They weren't on bad terms.

In fact, they were on good terms.

However, the predatory gaze of his friends always made Luke tense.

Now, with Aina and Lea, who had been hostile towards him since their first meeting, joining in, Luke was at his wit's end.

'And this person too.'

Luke swallowed dryly as he looked at Medvez, the first-year representative from Azonia.

His overwhelming physique and bulging muscles.

Of course, being big didn't automatically mean being strong.

But Medvez wasn't just big.

'He's strong.'

Whenever his muscles twitched, he couldn't help but feel tense.

As Luke lowered his posture, Medvez said.

"You look like a herbivore."

"Pardon?"

"Aren't you trembling at all watching those two fight?"

"I am trembling."

Just thinking about those deadly attacks directed at him made him tremble.

"That's not how you should speak."

Medvez looked at Luke with displeasure.

"Those two strong individuals are doing their best to earn the right to defeat you. And yet, you, a man, are just trembling. Pathetic, truly pathetic."

Luke took a deep breath at Medvez's words.

'At least this person seems to be losing interest in me.'

He had no intention of avoiding a fight that came his way.

However, what Luke needed to focus on now wasn't defeating strong opponents.

'Lumen's victory.'

Lea, Aina, and Medvez all seemed to have forgotten that objective slightly.

A team battle of 100 people.

Moreover, they were selected first-years.

'It's impossible to turn the tide of the battle alone.'

Coldly thinking about it, expending energy now would be a waste.

It wouldn't be bad for Luke if Medvez lost interest in him.

'It wouldn't be bad, but…'

Luke glanced up at the sky.

There was Leo, who had announced the opening match.

'Senior Leo shook the battlefield alone.'

The image of Leo, exuding overwhelming power during the second-year dormitory competition, flashed through his mind.

'It's ridiculous to compare someone like me to Senior Leo, but…'

That intense image wouldn't leave his mind.

Just then.

BOOM-!

The ground began to vibrate.

The small tremors soon intensified, as if an earthquake had struck.

"Wh-what is it?"

The first-years, who were in formation and attacking other schools, looked bewildered.

ROOOOAR-!

Lava began to erupt from the ground.

The first-years looked horrified upon seeing it.

"The land is shrinking due to the lava!"

"Those who can fight in the air, quickly get airborne…"

Bubbling, ROOOOAR-!

A giant monster rose from the lava.

"Lava Golem?!"

Screams of shock erupted among the first-years.

The giant Lava Golem began to wildly swing its arms at the students flying in the air.

Simultaneously, lava falling from its arms rained down.

"It's dangerous in the air!"

"Guh! Do we have to worry about the Lava Golem while fighting them?!"

"And that's not all! The fighting space is shrinking due to the lava!"

Panicked voices erupted from all over.

It became difficult to build defenses and hunt enemies.

Given the situation, a strategy to quickly create a chaotic battle and defeat the enemy became favorable.

"Everyone attack!"

"Guh!"

"Try not to engage the Lava Golem if possible! It will drain our strength!"

"Hmm, if I stay here, I'll get caught in the Lava Golem's attack."

"Tch! This is problematic."

"Luke, let's get out of here quickly."

Medvez, Lea, and Aina, who were near the summoning of the Lava Golem, tried to quickly leave the area.

Then, Aina briefly saw Luke's face and her lips parted slightly.

'He's smiling?'

***

"The Seyrun first-year representative is exactly like that rowdy elf."

Ahr muttered while watching the match.

Then he looked at his juniors.

"Good movement."

In such a chaotic situation, the Azonia students, with their overwhelming physical abilities, had a significant advantage.

This was because such chaotic battles were frequent in Azonia, where fights were constant.

"The variable is indeed the Lava Golem."

Ahr, with his arms crossed, narrowed his eyes.

It rampaged indiscriminately, causing damage to all four schools.

'There's no particular benefit to defeating it.'

On the contrary, it would clearly drain their strength.

'What would I have done?'

Ahr tilted his head and soon came to a simple conclusion.

'I would have defeated the Lava Golem first.'

There was no other reason.

It was a threat to all four schools.

And if they won in that state, the element of 'luck' would inevitably be involved.

'The indiscriminately rampaging Lava Golem is literally an unpredictable variable.'

Even if they won, Ahr wouldn't be able to shake off a sense of unease.

Even if they defeated the Lava Golem, he had confidence in winning against the enemy.

Even if they lost, it wouldn't be as unpleasant as winning.

'A victory won by luck. It's worthless. I'd rather lose.'

Ahr looked around.

It seemed that Ahr wasn't the only one thinking that.

The Azonia students were the same.

Not just the Azonia students.

It seemed the students from other Hero Academies were the same.

They all had pride in being the best.

In the end, they had to overcome all adversity and prove they were the best.

The Lava Golem was threatening, but it wasn't impossible for someone of 'top-tier year' to defeat it alone.

They just didn't engage it due to the high risk.

'How wicked, Black Rabbit.'

Ahr, having grasped Leo's intentions, pursed his lips as he looked at Leo in the sky.

***

"Leo is sometimes incredibly ruthless."

Karl shook his head.

"Hmm? What is it?"

Chelsea looked puzzled.

"He's subtly created a situation where the first-years can't defeat the Lava Golem."

"Yes. But is there a problem with that?"

Karl chuckled.

"Winning without taking risks is ideal. But the Hero Festival is not only a competition between hero academies but also a place for celebration and harmony."

Karl looked at the first-years, busy pushing the Lava Golem onto each other, and said.

"The whole world is watching."

"Yes. And?"

"This is why heroes don't understand the hearts of ordinary people."

Karl let out a hollow laugh and said.

"People want heroes."

Karl looked at Leo.

"They want heroes who believe in themselves, pursue possibilities, move forward, and overcome their limits."

Karl turned his gaze from Leo to Chelsea and said.

"What would you have done in that situation?"

"I would have believed in myself and my colleagues and defeated the Lava Golem."

"Yes. That's what people want to see. But the first-years are still inexperienced. So, it's hard for them to move rashly like that."

Karl narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Lava Golem.

"Leo is testing them. To see if there are any promising talents among the first-years. If there are those who deserve to be on the same stage as you."

"Ah…"

Chelsea nodded, as if she understood.

"But it's you guys, not us?"

Chelsea tilted her head.

Karl shrugged at Chelsea's words.

"Don't put a commoner like me in the same category as you guys."

"What category are you talking about?"

"Monsters."

Chelsea punched Karl in the side.

Chelsea looked down at Karl, who was clutching his side and fallen on the ground, and said.

"…Have you given up on advancing to the third year?"

"Urgh."

At the question, Karl brushed himself off and stood up.

"Given up? Hell no. I'll struggle until the end. But you know…"

Karl chuckled.

"Not everything can be achieved through effort, right? No matter how much you overcome your limits, some things just can't be done. I know myself best."

"……."

"This is my limit, Chelsea."

"Karl…"

"Still, I'll do my best as a supporting character, so keep using my products! You'll definitely become a hero in the future. Having a hero as a regular customer will have a huge promotional effect!"

"You damn bastard."

Chelsea let out a small sigh as she looked at Karl, who raised his thumb and smiled.

"Oh?"

At that moment, Karl let out an exclamation of admiration.

"Luke, he's attacking the Lava Golem?"