Book 1 Chapter 642

642.

The new students chasing Kal were very aggressive.

Everyone had been tense after seeing the magic Kal used to knock down Vito for the first time.

However, seeing Kal not use magic except for traps afterward, the new students aggressively charged at Kal.

'The aftereffects of using grand magic remain!'

Kal was already a globally famous figure.

A hero who reached the hero's position at a young age.

Moreover, a new type of hero never seen before.

Kal's name was all over the world's newspapers throughout the winter break.

At the same time, facts about Kal were also revealed.

Including his school grades and magical abilities.

Because of that, the first-year students knew a fair amount about Kal.

When such a Kal used grand magic, they thought it was different from the information they had.

But seeing Kal no longer using magic, they quickly began to pursue him.

Now, the first-year students who enrolled in Lumen were all full of dreams.

Having been called geniuses since childhood, none of them thought they weren't the best.

'If I succeed in snatching the key from Senior Kal, my school life will be smooth sailing!'

Most of the first-year students saw it as an opportunity to gain the rookie title that would monopolize the attention of professors and seniors.

And…….

Kua-ga-gang-!

"Kyaaah?!"

Amidst the explosions erupting from all sides, a female student from the Summoning Department clutched her head and crouched on the floor, screaming.

The group was already a party in name only.

Their coordinated play was a mess due to their focus on catching Kal.

The students who spotted Kal and chased after him were all caught in the explosions and deemed incapacitated.

With tears welling up in her large eyes, the female student from the Summoning Department hugged her summoned beast tightly and tried to get up.

Then, Kal appeared in front of the student, aiming a crossbow.

"Hmph, don't move."

"Hiccup!"

At Kal's appearance, the student shed tears and hiccuped.

The summoned beast in her arms, the horned rabbit Horn Rabbit, also made a scared "Kyu~ Kyu~" sound.

"Waaaah! I lost! Just don't shoot!"

The terrified first-year female student from the Summoning Department declared her surrender, crying.

Small frame, large eyes.

And seeing the pretty and cute first-year student trembling and crying evoked a protective instinct.

"Ah~ I'm weak to this kind of thing."

Kal licked his lips and casually slung his one-handed crossbow over his shoulder.

"I won't disqualify you, so hurry back."

"Yes……."

Watching the student sniffle and turn away in the opposite direction, Kal turned around.

'Hmph-!'

The student's eyes, walking dejectedly, suddenly changed.

'He fell for it!'

The plan using the honey trap was a complete success.

The Horn Rabbit, which had been in Perenna's arms, also put on a sharp expression.

'Stab him!'

It might be a cowardly tactic, but who cares?

'It's their fault for falling for it!'

Towards the unsuspecting opponent, she released the Horn Rabbit.

And as she turned around with a smirk, Perenna's head snapped back.

"Wh-how……."

Kal chuckled, "Hmph."

"Even if I shot my crossbow, the Horn Rabbit could block it. I was waiting for you to let your guard down to finish you off easily."

"B-but you said you were weak to this kind of thing just now……."

"Ah, that? Of course, it was a lie."

Kal shrugged and looked at Perenna, who disappeared after being declared incapacitated, with a solemn expression.

"In Lumen, where schemes and tricks abound, the incompetent cannot survive."

"Just you wait!"

Perenna shouted, her eyes blazing.

Kal, smiling faintly, waved and muttered inwardly.

'Perenna Hergin. Unlike her older sister Eliza, she's a viper who will resort to any means necessary.'

Setting aside her personality, Eliza preferred to confront opponents head-on.

Unlike such Eliza, Perenna was the type to use everything at her disposal.

Kal already had the information on the new students filled in his head.

It was Perenna's mistake to approach such a Kal carelessly.

"By the way."

Kal, who had already incapacitated nearly 200 new students, stroked his chin.

"Kuh~ I'm the weakest among the third-years, but I'm unrivaled among the first-years."

After a moment of smugness, Kal headed towards the base.

He had used all the traps he had set.

'First, resupply.'

At that moment.

Kal flinched at the killing intent felt from afar and immediately slid.

Kwak-! Tdiding-!

As an aura-imbued arrow flew over his head, Kal swallowed dryly.

'It seems they're finally making their move.'

Milia Rola.

She was the number one target of Kal's caution among the new students.

Kal designated Milia as the number one target because of her weapon.

'A bow!'

Milia, whose main weapon was a bow, unleashed overwhelming long-range attacks.

'Her range is longer than Juen's!'

Of course, there were differences in power and rate of fire.

The problem was that for Kal, Milia, who sniped from outside his perception range, was a more disadvantageous match-up than Juen, whose strengths were overwhelming power and rate of fire.

'And that… she's a strategist!'

Despite having opportunities to snipe all along, Milia had been observing Kal.

And she attacked at the most inconvenient timing.

Even in the information Kal had, she was a very intelligent student.

'Moreover!'

Kal, pushing off the ground, ran into the bushes at full speed.

Wheee-! Whak-!

An arrow narrowly grazed Kal.

Seeing the arrow, Kal hurriedly took out a red cloak from his pocket and wrapped it around himself.

Kua-aang-!

A huge explosion resounded.

An arrow that caused an immense explosion.

It wasn't Milia's ability.

'No, it's an ability! She just spent her own fortune!'

Milia Rola.

She was none other than the heir to the Rola Trading Company, which dominated the southern continent's commerce.

'And she doesn't hesitate to rely on items!'

Lumen students usually had strong pride.

Therefore, even in exams where using tools was allowed, they would take the exam purely with their own abilities.

But Milia was different.

Pursuing efficiency to the extreme.

In such situations, she actively used tools.

For Kal, she was an incredibly troublesome opponent.

Kal, having avoided being caught in the explosion, put on an invisibility cloak and moved quickly.

***

'Hmm?'

Milia narrowed her eyes as she saw Kal evade her attack and disappear.

'I thought I'd hit him at least once?'

She thought she could inflict some damage, even if not a fatal blow, but Kal had dodged all of Milia's sniping.

That was quite surprising.

Milia didn't know.

That Kal had spent the entire winter break running away from Duran's sword, which was far more dangerous and faster than her arrows.

Duran's words to Kal during their combat training were this:

'Don't expect to counterattack. Don't even expect to block. Just dodge.'

The special training with such a Duran paid off, allowing him to reach a state where he could sense killing intent and move preemptively.

Milia, surprised, lightly licked her upper lip with her tongue.

'Well, it's only fun to hunt something that can put up this much of a fight.'

Milia quickly headed towards where Kal had been.

Even with an invisibility cloak, traces remained.

Arriving at where Kal had been, Milia focused her aura into her eyes.

Maximizing her ocular power, Milia followed the traces left by Kal.

Milia's lips curled into a smile as she confirmed the direction Kal had gone.

'Now, let's see if Senior gets to experience what he did to me.'

Kwaang-!

An explosion occurred.

Kua-ga-gang! Boom-! Kua-ga-gang!

Explosions continued to occur.

While Kal toyed with the new students using guerrilla tactics, Milia set up a trap zone around the area using magic landmines, just like Kal had.

The reason for doing so was extremely simple.

To inconvenience Kal.

Milia, who was listening to the continuous explosion sounds as if they were musical melodies, ascended a tall tree with an aura step.

Kwaang-!

And she looked at the place where the explosion had occurred through her telescope.

Kal was moving quickly.

"To break through all those traps… as expected of Senior Kal."

Milia murmured, taking her eyes off the telescope.

"Amazing."

Milia had admired Kal long before he became a hero.

Although she was born to parents leading a large trading company, she was ultimately a commoner.

And she couldn't help but be drawn to Kal, who rose to the position of Vice President of the Lumen Student Council as a fellow commoner.

Moreover, he overcame various trials with skill levels that could have led to expulsion at any moment.

While others dismissed Kal's survival as mere luck, Milia was different.

'If one could survive by luck, there would be no reason for Lumen to be the best hero academy.'

She could see that he had won everything he had by confronting it with his all.

That's why he caught her eye.

Even more so than Leo Flov, who shone brilliantly.

And eventually, Kal succeeded in reaching the position of hero.

For those living in this era, there is a hero whom everyone admires.

For Milia, that person became Kal.

She literally became a fan.

That's why she wanted to see him up close.

His struggle to overcome crises and trials.

Kal's appearance, toying with the idiotic classmates who underestimated him and charged at him, was also cool.

'Still, what I want to see is Senior overcoming crises.'

Originally, Milia's hobby was hunting.

She found a peculiar pleasure in watching her prey struggle.

'If it were a 1-on-1 duel… I would have stood no chance against him.'

Even if Kal was recognized for qualities other than brute force and became a hero, he was still a hero recognized by God.

Furthermore, he was a student who had endured for three years at Lumen.

There was no way she, who had just become a first-year, could defeat Kal.

'Forget hunting, I would have been the one hunted.'

However, the current Kal had to face hundreds of people.

Because of that, she could corner Kal like prey.

Milia, watching Kal's movements, curved the corners of her lips.

"So that's your base, Senior."

Smiling "Hmph," Milia headed towards Kal's location.

***

"I thought I was going to die!"

Kal shuddered.

"If it weren't for Duran's special training, it would have been over long ago."

Shaking his head, Kal turned his head.

Click- click-

There, a girl was approaching the inside of the cave.

"Milia Rola."

"Oh my, you know me? That's such a great honor."

Milia smiled brightly.

Kal scratched his head, looking at Milia.

And as he was about to quickly leap away.

Whak-!

"Kuhk?!"

An arrow shot by Milia pierced Kal's thigh.

Milia, who had suddenly drawn her bow, said,

"I'm sorry. Senior Kal. I ended up hurting you. Ah, to think I hurt the Senior I admire so much."

"……."

Kal let out a hollow laugh, looking at Milia, who was trembling with feigned regret.

"You look happy?"

"……."

"Just laugh."

At Kal's words, Milia's contorted mouth formed a crescent smile.

Kal, who struggled to get up, said to the smiling Milia.

"Are you a pervert? A pervert who likes hurting others."

"Yes. That's right. I'm a pervert. But not with just anyone. I enjoy hurting what I like."

Milia's eyes sparkled.

"How was it? How does it feel to be trapped by your own traps? How does it feel to be prey? Ah, don't misunderstand. I truly admire Senior Kal. If it were 1-on-1, I would have been no match. I'm not asking this to tease you, Senior Kal."

A blush spread across Milia's face.

Kal muttered inwardly, seeing the genuinely shy Milia.

'Wow, this girl's eyes are wild.'

Having experienced everything and met all sorts of people at Lumen,

He could confidently say this was the first time he had encountered someone as deranged as Milia.

Kal shook his head and reached into his pocket.

Then he took out the key and threw it with all his might towards Milia.

Milia dodged the key flying towards her head by tilting her head back sharply.

"To think I could hunt Senior Kal! What an honor!"

At Milia's words, Kal chuckled.

"I'm sorry."

"Yes?"

"I won."

"As expected of Senior Kal! To have a trump card to overcome this situation!"

Milia smiled brightly, as if she had believed it.

"But even so, wouldn't you be defeated by the remaining first-year students in that state?"

"Ah, them. I dealt with them all a while ago."

"What?"

As Kal grinned, Milia's eyes widened.

"What do you mean……."

"Your traps. I used them well."

"……!"

'He figured that out?'

As Milia's eyes widened.

Thwack-!

Something hit the back of the defenseless Milia's head.

It was the key Kal had thrown.

Tap-!

Kal, catching the returned key, smirked and then lunged towards one side of the cave.

Kal leaped into the underground tunnel, covered by the invisibility cloak, and winked at Milia.

"Not bad, junior."

The moment Kal entered the tunnel.

Flash-! Kua-ga-ga-gang-!

Kal's explosive potions, set throughout the cave, began to detonate all at once.

Milia collapsed to the ground, seeing the explosion rushing towards her.

'The prey was me. I was just playing in Senior's palm from the very beginning.'

Kua-ga-gang-!

Milia covered her cheeks with both hands.

'Truly amazing!'

With Milia as the last one, the new students were annihilated by Kal's hand.