Book 1 Chapter 634

Aein watched the screen unfolding before her, arms crossed.

Beyond the screen, she saw the five students who had become gatekeepers.

Yura clicked her tongue upon seeing Leo, who remained seated, waiting for the fourth and fifth-year students.

"When I sometimes look at him, I think he's beyond having a strong heart and is just out of his mind."

Aein sighed at Yura's mumbling.

"It is a quality that is essential for a hero."

When a great trial strikes.

There are things that cannot be solved unless one is out of their mind.

An act of jumping in without hesitation into a situation where hesitating, laughing, or even making a slight mistake could cost one's life.

'Well, even in everyday life, there are sometimes people who are not right in the head. Just looking at these two.'

Aein's gaze briefly fell on her two juniors, Yura and Ren, whom she was ashamed to introduce to anyone.

"Indeed, that aspect is necessary."

Yura nodded.

"But, Senior Yura, aren't there people who are not right in the head in everyday life as well?"

"Ah, yes."

Ren nodded at Yura's words.

The gazes of the two professors briefly flickered towards Aein.

Making eye contact with the two professors, Aein grabbed them by the neck without hesitation.

"How dare you!"

"Why! Why! You thought of it first!"

"Hmph, resorting to violence first. As expected of Aein, whose brain is filled with nothing but muscle."

Yura protested, while Ren shot a cold glare.

Artian covered his mouth and smiled gently as he watched the three professors, as boisterous as ever.

"I bet there wasn't a quiet day during your school days, the three professors. How was it, Professor Halind?"

"They were brats you couldn't be proud of."

Halind said without mercy.

"By the way, I wonder if student Leo will be alright waiting without any preparations like this."

Currently, Leo was waiting for the fourth and fifth-year students in a defenseless state.

The fourth and fifth-year students were already using magic or summoning to scout Leo.

"I'm sure student Leo can block such reconnaissance."

"He probably intends to crush them with brute force."

"That's not like student Leo."

It was a well-known fact that Leo's strength already surpassed that of students, comparable to those who had ascended to the ranks of heroes.

The Hero Slayer incident that became a topic of conversation during the past winter break was a prime example.

Riss, Ulta, and Jamua were individuals whose skills were such that it wouldn't be strange for them to already be ranked as heroes.

'It's true that those who have achieved great deeds and gained the qualification of a hero are strong. But the qualification of a hero is not the sole measure of strength.'

In reality, there are many individuals who possess strength equal to or greater than heroes, even if they haven't officially become heroes.

What these individuals lack compared to heroes is their achievements.

'Riss, Ulta, and Jamua. Even if those three joined forces, they couldn't have taken down the Hero Slayer.'

That was, quite literally, a monster that defied all standards.

'It would be the same even if Celia, Abad, and Chelsea lent their strength. Moreover, what they faced were not the Hero Slayers, but the Hero Hunters who gained their power through the world of legions.'

Halind looked at Leo, recalling the report about the Hero Slayer.

'Although Reina borrowed the power of the Spirit of Purification to confront him… it probably still wasn't enough.'

Judging by the circumstances, it was obvious that Leo alone had defeated the Hero Slayer.

'If we were to gauge Leo's current strength, it would be comparable to Kalin's in his prime.'

Halind gauged Leo's pure strength.

Of course, this was purely 'strength.'

Literally, the capacity of pure mana.

Considering Leo's experience and skills,

and his all-class application, it's impossible to know how strong he could become.

'Perhaps he possesses strength comparable to the Giant King or the Necro King.'

In the history of the Heroic Era, only five individuals were officially capable of facing a Legion Commander alone since the Age of Calamity.

They were all heroes of the Genesis.

Of course, unofficially, there were Berkkia and Bihard, but even Halind couldn't know about everyone not recorded in history.

'He was already complete mentally, skillfully, and experientially.'

Halind shook his head, recalling his first year.

In his life, he had never encountered a student with nothing to teach.

That's how extraordinary a being Leo was.

However, that didn't mean the fourth and fifth-year students would be swept away by Leo so easily.

No, in fact, if exposed in such a defenseless state, even Leo would be in danger.

An unarmed individual against a multitude that is thoroughly prepared.

No matter how overwhelming his strength, Leo's current actions were too reckless.

However, Leo was waiting for the opponents to come with thorough preparations.

Halind, who had been watching Leo silently, said,

"He's probably trying to make them understand clearly. What the fourth and fifth-year students are lacking."

***

From the moment Leo arrived on the uninhabited island, he spent his time twirling a palm-sized key he held in his hand before raising his index finger and balancing himself.

Leo, who yawned and showed a bored expression, snatched the key with a *tak* and muttered to himself.

'The weakness of the fourth and fifth-year students is their lack of a central focal point.'

Leo didn't think the fourth and fifth-year students were lacking in skill.

They too had gone through thick and thin in Lumern and survived until now.

However, there was something they were 2% short of compared to the graduates.

'Their unity is like a sandcastle.'

Leo clicked his tongue.

Lumern, fundamentally.

No, all Hero Academy Schools fundamentally train students to be able to 'Giant Kill.'

They teach how to fight against someone overwhelmingly stronger than oneself.

Such training was natural.

Heroes are beings who must overcome trials, and trials mean things that are difficult to handle with one's own strength.

The most basic way to fight someone stronger than oneself is to combine one's strength.

Therefore, heroes fundamentally become stronger as they unite.

Strengthening bonds with those around them is also a virtue of a hero.

But the current fourth and fifth-year students had weak bonds.

'For the current fourth-year and fifth-year students, there are those who simply need to follow without complex thoughts.'

For the fourth-year students, that person was Ril, and for the fifth-year students, it was Elena.

Elena, in particular, had absolute charisma for the fifth-year students.

Not only did she control the entire grade from the moment she entered, but she also displayed charisma that overwhelmed even the previous grades.

Ril, on the other hand, did not display as overwhelming charisma as Elena.

However, the current fourth-year students had been evaluated as a relatively weaker cohort compared to other grades.

In fact, in the battle against Russet, Seirun did not feel much threat from anyone other than Ril among the current fourth-year students.

Ril had been taking care of and helping his classmates with all his might, and had gone through it all until the fourth year.

'Sometimes, I even see absolute loyalty towards Ril. Is it because Ril comes from a military family?'

It wasn't absolute obedience, but for the fourth-year students, Ril was a commander they absolutely had to follow.

'While Ril and Elena show more unity than other grades when they lead. Without them, they act separately.'

In terms of having an absolute leader, it was similar to Leo's classmates, but there was a crucial difference.

'I made sure they could walk on their own.'

It was different from Elena, who was a dictatorial style, or Ril, who had been the support of his classmates with his gentle leadership.

Of course, this couldn't be blamed on the two individuals.

Leo was a seasoned great hero, and the two were still young, no matter how outstanding they were.

'In any case, the professors want the fourth and fifth-year students to know. What they are lacking. How much they have relied on Elena and Ril without even realizing it.'

That's why they pitted them against Leo.

'When they face an overwhelmingly strong opponent they need to unite against. How un-unified they are without Elena and Ril.'

Leo, accurately grasping the professors' intentions, chuckled.

'If that's what the professors are thinking, I should follow suit.'

Leo extended his hand forward.

*Kwahng-!*

A giant sphere of fire flying from the front met Leo's hand and exploded.

*Hwaruruk! Ttak- Ttak-*

The surrounding area was devastated and burned.

However, the spot where Leo was sitting remained intact.

Leo smiled faintly as he looked at the fifth-year magic student who had shot magic at him.

"Tsk!"

The magic student, who clicked her tongue, disappeared.

"Warp magic. You've devised an interesting strategy."

Leo chuckled, and with his free hand, drew his sword while still seated and deflected an arrow of aura flying towards his back.

*Ting-! Bibibibing-!*

The hundreds of aura arrows deflected and shot up into the sky.

Not only that.

All sorts of auras, magic, and summoning spells attacked Leo from all directions.

"You didn't let your guard down and came prepared."

Leo stood up.

His red eyes flashed.

"Now, then. What are the shortcomings of my dear seniors… I, this junior, will engrave them into your bones."

If the professors had heard, they would have stopped him, saying that just telling them would be enough, but unfortunately, there wasn't a single professor who could say that here.

In fact, the professors didn't know.

That Leo was capable of training students more rigorously than Lumern's professors.

'Super senses.'

Leo's senses sharpened.

As Leo prepared to move, those attacking from a distance simultaneously disappeared with a warp.

'A large-scale warp gate magic circle. Are they trying to chip away at my stamina by attacking from afar and then retreating? It's true that I'm weak in long battles. You've devised a good plan.'

Leo lowered his stance.

'Of course, that's only if they can buy time.'

*Kwak-! Paang-!*

He moved with an aura step, shooting out like a bullet.

He ran in a straight line towards the place where the warp gate magic circle was unfolding.

"They've found the gate location!"

"How? There was no sign of any detection magic used?!"

"How should I know?!"

"Kuhuk! Front line, block Leo! Mages, prepare for relocation!"

The fourth and fifth-year knights blocked Leo.

*Hwaruruk-*

*Kwagagagang!*

Five swords barely managed to block Leo's swinging sword.

The knight students' faces turned pale from the destructive power imbued in those swords.

In particular, the fifth-year male student directly in front of Leo had to make eye contact with Leo.

'Huh? Wait a minute. He looks like he's really going to kill me?'

Leo had never openly clashed with his seniors at school.

And even after becoming student council president, he had never acted arrogantly in front of his seniors, even after reaching the position of a hero.

Although there were some who disliked Leo, the majority of the upperclassmen acknowledged Leo because

Leo had always treated his seniors with respect.

Given that Leo, who always treated them with respect, was now emitting a ferocious killing intent from both his eyes, his seniors couldn't help but be flustered.

He was even part of the student council, so he had exchanged lighthearted jokes with Leo in the student council room on occasion.

And the Leo in front of him now was not the Leo he knew.

A ferocious aura, as if it would destroy everything in front of him.

He looked like a wild beast.

"Hey, hey, hey! Leo! It's me! Me! Belges! Your senior…"

*Kwak-*

Leo's hand gripped Belges's face and slammed him into the ground.

*Kwahng-!*

A massive explosion of flames erupted from Leo's hand.

Belges, trembling, was instantly declared dead and warped away.

"Senior, you say?"

At Leo's chilling voice, the fourth and fifth-year students realized what nickname Leo was called among the second and third-year students.

'Demon King.'

"Come at me with the resolve to die."

Leo said chillingly, radiating a ferocious aura.

"I won't go easy on you just because you're my senior. I'll tear you all apart."

"L-Let's retreat and regroup!"

"Why are his eyes like that?"

"You, you guys did something wrong to Leo, didn't you?! I've been really good to him since my first year!"

"Is this the time to be arguing that! First, run! Run!"

The knight students tasked with holding Leo back were completely overwhelmed by Leo's completely different aura from usual.

"Khuheoreoreong!"

Leo roared like a beast.

The howling of beastmen.

Howling is a power that instills courage in allies and instills fear in enemies.

The knight students, momentarily exposed to the howling defenselessly, stumbled.

Today, Leo had no strategy.

He would simply hunt his seniors with overwhelming power.

A red glow emanated from Leo's eyes, and howls continued to erupt from his mouth.

Watching him, a female student muttered with a frightened face.

"Th-This isn't a Demon King, it's a boss monster…"