Book 1 Chapter 621

"Magnificent. Indeed. Uncontainable confidence is a privilege of youth."

Joraga nodded as he watched Leo declare himself, pointing his sword at himself.

His hardened face had regained its composure.

"Especially for an unprecedented hero like you. I believe you are fully deserving of it. But it wouldn't hurt to show you how vast the world is."

Joraga smiled and looked at Leo.

"I will make you even more perfect than you are now…"

*Thwack!*

Leo, who had approached Joraga in an instant, tripped Joraga’s leg.

Normally, he would have lost his balance and fallen.

But with Leo’s kick, Joraga’s lower legs were shattered.

"No."

Leo said indifferently.

*Thump-*

With his lower legs gone, Joraga unknowingly knelt, looking up at Leo.

"You are not qualified to look at anyone while standing."

Leo looked down at Joraga with eyes that seemed to be looking at a worthless insect.

"Insects should crawl on the ground like insects."

*Thwack!*

Leo stomped on Joraga’s head, crushing it.

Although he was in Reina’s form, there was no hesitation in his actions.

*Swoosh-*

Joraga’s body turned to dust and scattered, eventually becoming a skeleton.

"Your attack is rough. Is it a release of anger?"

"Anger?"

Leo made a puzzled expression.

"It’s far from such a romantic emotion."

*Whoosh!*

Leo closed the distance to Joraga.

Flames exploded from Leo’s sword.

Seeing the flames, which seemed to swallow him whole, Joraga unleashed his magic.

*Crack!*

Ice magic swirled and enveloped Leo.

The flames extinguished, and Leo was trapped in ice.

*Swoosh-*

Frost spread thickly due to the rapidly dropping temperature.

Joraga looked at Leo trapped in the ice and said,

"You can't win by attacking so recklessly."

It was when Joraga grinned.

*Crack!*

Cracks appeared in the ice.

Seeing that, Joraga’s expression changed drastically.

'What is it? I didn't sense any magic or summoning being used?'

*CRUNCH!*

Leo broke free from the ice and stood on the ground with a calm expression.

Leo casually glanced at the magic that had trapped him.

"Ice Curse. Is it a star magic created by Seirune?"

"Yes. I reinterpreted and strengthened the unique magic of the Comet Mage. Do you still doubt my abilities?"

"Crude. The magic collapsed just by severing one link of mana."

"What?"

Leo's indifferent gaze turned to Joraga.

"Are you incompetent at anything other than ruining what others have created?"

Joraga's face stiffened.

"I'll teach you kindly."

Leo smiled wryly.

"How much your stolen abilities are rotting thanks to you."

***

"Hup!"

Jamua held his breath.

A massive flame surged towards Jamua.

*KABOOM!*

The magic exploded.

It was when the villagers of Plove screamed and fled.

"—!"

A beautiful singing voice, unfitting for the urgent situation, could be heard.

*WHOOSH!*

Powerful winds swirled around the area.

But the winds, as if having a will, gently enveloped the villagers who were about to be swept away by the flames.

The winds gently saved the people from the flames.

Seeing that, Jamua marveled.

"Magnificent!"

The winds saved more than just the people from the explosion.

Buildings collapsed due to the fierce battle.

And many were buried within them.

The winds cleared all the debris and rescued people from the ruins.

Chelsea literally commanded the winds in the surrounding area.

'When did she grow this much?'

Jamua marveled as he looked at Chelsea.

She wasn't this strong even until the winter break of her second year.

She had grown unbelievably since he last saw her.

'Is it Leo's influence?'

Jamua recalled who was leading the third-year students of Lumern and chuckled.

It was then.

*ROOOAR!*

An ogre roared and picked up building debris.

*GGOOOO!*

A dark red aura began to flicker around the massive boulder.

Jamua's eyes twitched upon seeing that.

'Aura?'

Jamua's eyes twitched.

The power used by monsters.

It was definitely an aura.

Demons, demonic beasts, and monsters are all cursed creatures born from Tartarus.

Demons are residents of Tartarus, and monsters are their deformed livestock.

And demonic beasts are higher life forms of monsters.

And the source of their power is demonic energy.

While humans process mana into aura, magic power, and spiritual power to use it, the creatures of Tartarus process demonic energy.

Naturally, the power they emit is fundamentally different.

'But that ogre used aura just now.'

It wasn't the dark aura used by demons.

It was pure aura, the same as what he uses.

It wasn't the power a monster should use.

Jamua felt a fleeting moment of doubt, but his actions were swift.

Normal mass attacks wouldn't reach Chelsea, who now commanded the surrounding winds.

But that would be different with a projectile attack using aura.

*Smack!*

*KA-BOOM!*

As Jamua leaped, the ogre threw the aura-wrapped debris at Chelsea.

"HRRRRAAAAP!"

Jamua roared, enveloping himself in aura.

*KABOOM!*

Jamua blocked the attack and was pushed back.

*CRUNCH-* *CRUNCH-*

The pressure from the massive debris weighed down on his entire body.

*Thwack!*

As he was pushed back, Jamua put strength into his feet and dug them into the ground.

"URAAAHHHHH!"

Jamua lifted the pile of debris upwards.

*WHOOSH-*

The building debris, which soared into the sky at incredible speed, disappeared without a trace.

Jamua snorted and shrugged his shoulders, saying,

"I got a good workout after a long time."

Despite blocking an attack that could tear through even powerful defensive magic like paper with his bare body, Jamua was remarkably calm.

Although his armor was tattered, his robust body was unharmed.

Jamua looked at the ogre and licked his upper lip with his tongue.

Chelsea, watching him from behind, said,

"Senior Jamua."

"Why do you call?"

"Can't you just block it with something like a shield?"

"A shield is just a hindrance. If the shield breaks and fragments fly everywhere, the damage could worsen."

"No… even so, isn't it too dangerous?"

"Heh."

Jamua puffed out his chest and slammed his fist against his chest.

"I have overcome countless trials with this body alone! This powerful body is what made me who I am! If I can't trust my body, who can I trust!"

Watching Jamua's dynamically moving muscles, Chelsea shook her head.

"Chelsea Lewallin! You too can gain such a strong body if you train!"

"I'll pass on becoming that strong."

"In the Knight Department, you should be able to overcome trials with just your body!"

"I'm in the Magic Department."

Chelsea and Jamua exchanged light banter.

All the civilians nearby had already been evacuated to safety.

While Jamua defended against the쏟아지는 magical attacks, Chelsea quickly evacuated the surrounding people.

"By the way."

Chelsea's eyes narrowed as she surveyed the surroundings.

"There's no sign of Hero Hunters."

As Chelsea and Jamua endured Lisina's magic and entered the city of Plove's territory, the first thing they saw was powerful magic indiscriminately destroying the surroundings.

However, there was no sign of people in the surrounding area.

There was only one ogre.

'Are they hiding? But there's no sign of that?'

As Chelsea, who was quickly analyzing the situation through the wind, frowned.

*Thump!* *Thump!*

A giant ogre walked towards them.

*ROOOAR!*

A ear-splitting roar came from the ogre's mouth.

Chelsea, who had covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut at the roar, frowned and looked at the ogre.

Then, her expression turned to one of shock.

The ogre was crying.

"Blood tears."

Jamua narrowed his eyes.

"And Chelsea, look at its hands."

"Huh?"

Chelsea looked at the ogre's hands.

In its hands, a greatsword and a staff had appeared.

"An ogre with a sword and a magic staff?"

As Chelsea looked bewildered, Jamua furrowed his brow.

"That's not all."

*GOOOOO!*

A dark red aura flickered from the ogre's sword, and dark red magic pulsed from its staff.

Chelsea's expression changed drastically upon seeing that.

Aura and magic.

It was not the power a monster should use.

"Indeed."

Jamua muttered.

"Is this the turning point of an era?"

The world had witnessed countless miracles.

If so…

"It's only natural to witness nightmares of equal caliber."

"Senior Jamua, could it be that ogre…"

"Yes."

Jamua clenched and unclenched his fists.

"It must have been a Hero Hunter originally."

"… "

Chelsea's face stiffened.

Monsters are catastrophic beings in themselves.

Especially ogres, which are such threatening monsters.

Monsters with vitality and strength far surpassing humans.

And they also possess cunning intelligence.

But they are intelligent only by monster standards.

Compared to demons or demonic beasts, they are not that threatening.

Even a first-year student of Lumern can handle an ogre.

But what if human strength is added to an ogre's overwhelming physical abilities?

And what if that power belongs to a Hero Hunter who hunts heroes?

'No, in this case, it would be more accurate to say that the Hero Hunter obtained the ogre's power.'

Chelsea looked at the ogre with trembling eyes.

It wasn't out of fear.

"Are you pitying it?"

At Jamua's words, Chelsea flinched and said,

"I'm sorry."

"There's no need to be sorry. I pity it too."

No matter how strong the power obtained, what is the point if one is reduced to a monster?

It was no different from losing one's essential nature.

"Although it's all their own doing."

"Yes."

Chelsea nodded coldly at Jamua's words.

Pity is just pity.

It doesn't change the fact that the opponent is an enemy to be vanquished.

"I will take the front, Chelsea Lewallin."

"Leave the rear to me."

"Heh heh. That little one has become so reliable."

"Children grow up fast."

"You're still short, though!"

Jamua chuckled heartily and patted Chelsea’s head with his large hand.

Chelsea smiled wryly as she looked at Jamua.

'If he weren't my senior, I would have punched him.'

***

Dealing with Hero Hunters transformed into demonic beasts was not only Chelsea and Jamua's task.

*Thump!*

The ground shook.

Abad said as he looked at the approaching Gigantes in the distance.

"So, that's a Hero Hunter?"

"Yes. It uses magic."

Rys looked at the Gigantes with cold eyes.

The demonic beast Gigantes, already called a disaster on the battlefield.

Now, that Gigantes uses magic.

"This will be troublesome."

A murderous intent flashed in Rys's eyes.

***

*WHOOSH!*

"Ugh! There are so many!"

Above the skies of Plove's territory, Celia, riding a Pegasus, looked down with a disgusted expression.

Below, flying demonic beasts were soaring.

"It seems they've tamed demonic beasts with summoning magic."

Utta narrowed his eyes and looked at Fafnir, who had summoned the demonic beasts.

"Is it a being that was originally human? Huh?"

*SCREECH!*

At that moment, a monster's scream was heard from above.

Celia and Utta simultaneously looked up.

A flying demonic beast, blood gushing from its neck, was falling towards the two of them.

*Thwack!*

A silver flash flickered, and the flying demonic beast’s neck was completely severed.

Someone jumped towards the Pegasus from behind the flying demonic beast, which was losing its strength and falling.

*WHOOSH!*

Celia looked at the person clinging to the Pegasus’s wing with a shocked expression.

"G-Grandmother?!"

"Why is Lady Reina here?"

Even Utta, who was rarely surprised, looked dumbfounded.

Reina smiled wryly.

"Oh? It just happened somehow?"