Book 1 Chapter 739
739.
CRASH! ROOOOAR! BOOM-!
“Isn’t that where the third-years are having their combat class?”
“They’re really going at it today.”
The fifth-year students, attending Hero Studies, muttered indifferently at the sound of battle coming from outside their classroom.
It was clearly noise pollution, but if they couldn’t concentrate on their lessons to this extent, they wouldn’t survive in Lumen.
The fifth-years, on the verge of graduation, listened to the lecture with utter peace.
It was clear they wouldn’t bat an eye even if a meteor suddenly fell from the sky.
“Is there anyone who can answer this question?”
Mel said with a smile, posing a question to the fifth-years.
For a moment, their faces were filled with tension.
Even though the fifth-years had been through countless battles, both on land and in the air, during their five years at Lumen, their opponent was none other than the Dragon Lord.
He insisted he wasn’t the Dragon Lord, but it was an open secret.
As such, Mel’s class was one of the few where the fifth-years became excessively nervous.
At that moment, Runba raised his hand.
“Yes, student Runba.”
“Professor, could you pick on a sleeping student instead?”
“It’s okay to sleep if you’re tired.”
Mel said with a sweet smile, unfazed.
At those words, everyone’s gaze turned towards the window in the back row.
There, Elena Zerone, the Queen of Lumen, was sleeping peacefully, her head on her desk.
Other professors would have immediately pointed her out and woken her up, but Mel did not.
‘Even so, sleeping so peacefully during the Dragon Lord’s class.’
Niel, sitting next to her, shook his head.
“Student Runba, since you raised your hand, please answer.”
“Yes.”
Runba nodded and said,
“The first hero Lord Licinas recruited to his party was the Hero of Beginnings, Kyle……”
RUMBLE-!
At that moment, a shockwave powerful enough to shake the entire classroom washed over them.
‘The third-years are really going wild today.’
Thinking so, Runba glanced out the window.
And his jaw dropped.
“Student Runba?”
Seeing Runba pause his answer, Mel tilted his head.
Following suit, the gazes of all the students turned to Runba.
Realizing Runba was frozen while looking out the window, they naturally turned their heads towards the window.
And they froze, just like Runba.
ROOOOAR-!
From the dust kicked up by the training grounds, visible from the classroom, a black dragon soared into the air, unleashing a breath attack towards the ground.
ROOOOAR-!
The shockwave that reached the classroom made the windows shake.
CRACK-
Even though the windows were cracked, the fifth-years could only stand frozen.
It wasn’t just the shock of the sudden appearance of a black dragon in the middle of Lumen, but they instinctively recognized who the black dragon was and their minds simply stopped functioning.
“What? So loud?”
At that moment, Elena, who had been sleeping, sat up.
Elena, looking around groggily, noticed her classmates staring outside.
“What? What’s going on outside….”
Even Elena, who naturally turned her head to look out the window, froze at the sight that met her eyes.
Elena, with her mouth hanging open blankly, rubbed her eyes.
But the majestic figure of the black dragon did not disappear.
“What is this… Is this a dream?”
Elena, denying reality, tried to lay her head back down on the desk.
Seeing this, Mel smiled and said,
“This is something you’ll all be doing soon.”
At those words, the faces of the fifth-years turned pale.
With her face buried in her desk, Elena tore at her hair.
“That damn old man…! He has to do things in moderation!”
***
‘Why does my ear suddenly itch? Is someone badmouthing me?’
Leo frowned and looked towards the training grounds.
“Aaaaah!”
He saw Iliana running wildly, letting out a desperate scream.
And in front of the training grounds, most of the third-years had already rushed.
Protected by a magic barrier, the third-years, clinging close to the barrier, desperately cheered for Iliana beyond the invisible, transparent barrier.
“Iliana! You’re almost right behind him!”
“Dodge! Dodge!”
“Breath!”
FLASH! ROOOOAR-!
“Uoooooot!”
As Iliana dodged to the left, a laser breath swept through the path she had been running.
“I… I’m alive…! If it weren’t for the class president’s hellish training, I wouldn’t have been able to dodge it!”
Iliana shivered and muttered, recalling the special training from the previous time in Dweno’s world.
Under the relentless, overwhelming attacks of the dragon, Iliana was exhausted.
‘I… I have no strength…! My whole body aches…’
Even though she dodged the direct hit, the slightest graze brought immense pain, showing how brutal Licinas’s attacks were.
It was when Iliana’s face contorted in pain.
“Cheer up! Cheer up more! Now is important!”
“Concentrate! Concentrate!”
“You can do more!”
“Don’t give up!”
“Snap out of it!”
“I believe in you!”
“Work hard!”
Cheers poured down from the third-years towards Iliana, who had collapsed on the ground.
“E… Everyone…!”
Iliana, who barely managed to get up, had a moved expression.
All her classmates, regardless of their department, were cheering for Iliana at the top of their lungs.
Iliana, being sociable, had made friends across all departments.
‘So this is why they say friends, friends.’
Her heart was touched.
To be cheered on with such unity while challenging an impossible fight!
‘Yes! I won’t give up!’
Iliana used her sword as a staff and stood up with her trembling body.
‘Luna-nim did too… Kyle-nim never gave up!’
“Ooooh!”
Cheers erupted from the third-years upon seeing this.
“That’s right! The longer you last, the later our turn comes!”
“We won’t forget your sacrifice!”
“Our grade’s best speed! Iliana Raden! Fight!”
“Hey! You guys cheered for me just to delay your turn? You scoundrels… Cough!”
Licinas’s tail whipped out like a whip, brutally sending Iliana flying.
“Oh, dear.”
Leo, watching the scene, clicked his tongue with a regretful expression.
Then, his ear itched again, and he dug into it with his pinky finger.
“It’s been itching like crazy since a while ago. Is someone really badmouthing me?”
“Would there be such a bold person?”
At that moment, Chen Sia, who had sat down next to Leo, said in a slightly sharp voice.
At her words, Leo stared intently at Chen Sia.
“You seem quite displeased with me right now, don’t you?”
“Me? No, I couldn’t possibly harbor such disrespectful feelings towards you, young master Leo.”
Leo clicked his tongue at her somewhat curt and sharp reply.
“There must be some misunderstanding. Today’s mock battle wasn’t my idea.”
Despite his words, Chen Sia did not retract her look of disbelief.
“You don’t believe me?”
“I can believe anything else, but not that. You always seem to be thinking about how to torment students more.”
“Anyone would think I’m desperate to torment students. And it’s all for your own good.”
Chen Sia snorted at his words anyway.
As Leo pondered how to resolve the misunderstanding given her attitude,
“Oppa Leo, isn’t this a bit too much this time? Even so, a 1-on-1 with Lord Licinas.”
Chelsea approached with a tearful face.
At her words, Leo sighed deeply.
“This isn’t my idea.”
“Liar.”
Chelsea pouted, showing her disbelief.
‘Have I tormented them that much?’
Leo briefly reflected on his past.
Indeed, there were many times he had made them suffer.
It was understandable that deep distrust would settle in their hearts.
However, he had been genuinely wronged before.
“It’s really not me.”
“…Let’s leave it at that.”
“Hmph. I suppose so.”
“Are these kids going through puberty? Why are they so rebellious?”
Finally, Leo reached out and pinched Chelsea and Chen Sia’s cheeks.
“Hey, Leo.”
“Are you here to protest too?”
“No.”
Actually, Kal had come to protest, but seeing Chelsea and Chen Sia being punished, he quickly abandoned that thought.
“I have something to ask.”
“What is it?”
“The remaining participants don’t have to fight after class ends, right?”
“Do you think they won’t? They said it’s combat class all day today.”
“Sob.”
“Are you crying?”
“I’m just so moved that I can fight Lord Licinas.”
Kal, covering his mouth and unable to control his emotions.
Seeing his reaction, Leo sighed and released Chelsea and Chen Sia’s cheeks.
“Even I think it’s a bit much.”
“If it’s too much, then you shouldn’t do it.”
Chelsea replied sharply, and Leo immediately put Chelsea in a headlock and punched the top of her head.
“I told you it’s not my idea.”
“Ow! Ow!”
After delivering his punishment, Leo released Chelsea and said,
“Just think of it as a simple test.”
“A test?”
Leo looked at Iliana on the training grounds.
“You just need to show your potential against the King of Wisdom.”
Then, Leo’s gaze turned to the beautiful black dragon.
“You’ve met Aron, Luna, and Dweno, haven’t you?”
“Yes, we have.”
As Kal nodded, Leo said,
“Licinas is a little different from those guys.”
“Well… they’re different species, so it’s natural for them to be different, right?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Leo gave a bittersweet smile as he looked at Licinas.
“While those three dedicated their all to saving the world, they didn’t shoulder the world itself.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It means that it was only when Licinas showed us hope that we could challenge the impossible.”
The world is in crisis, so save the world.
It seems like a very natural statement now, but during the age of disaster, anyone who said such a thing was considered foolish.
Licinas was the one who thought what no one else could.
“The one who persuaded and led the great heroes, saying the world could be saved, that was Licinas. Our leader.”
“Ah…”
“As someone who shouldered the world in the past. As the one who chose great heroes and led the world to salvation.”
Leo continued, looking at Licinas’s figure.
“I want to confirm your potential, as you are the ones who should walk the same path as us. And I probably want to be reassured. So, even if it’s difficult, please do your best.”
Hearing this, the three clenched their fists.
It felt heavy.
It was a weight that only the three who knew Leo’s true identity could feel.
“Th-this is bad. What if I disappoint Lord Licinas?”
Kal’s voice trembled.
He realized the significance of this mock battle was far greater than he had imagined.
At Kal’s words, anxiety also appeared on Chelsea and Chen Sia’s faces.
It was clear that Licinas could not remain in the mortal world for long.
The pressure of potentially disappointing the King of Wisdom approached them like fear.
Seeing the three anxious, Leo smiled.
“Don’t worry, Licinas will never be disappointed in you.”
Leo smiled gently.
“Licinas knows well that you are still young and have infinite potential.”
“As expected of Lord Licinas…!”
“You are so compassionate.”
Chelsea and Chen Sia felt relieved.
However, Kal remained uneasy.
Leo’s smile was terrifying.
“Instead, he’ll be disappointed in me.”
The smile vanished from Leo’s face.
“If you disappoint him, he’ll relentlessly scold me.”
A demonic aura flickered across Leo’s face for a moment.
“So, if there’s anyone who fails to satisfy Licinas, I intend to personally train with them.”
Then, Leo smiled faintly.
“I sincerely hope that doesn’t happen.”
With those words, Leo approached the training grounds to get a closer look at Iliana.
Left alone, Kal muttered as he watched Leo’s retreating back.
“He really seems like a great demon king.”
At his words, Chelsea made a tearful face.
“Then what should we call Lord Licinas, who scolds that great demon king?”
Chen Sia muttered with a deep sigh.
“Perhaps the Great Demon God?”
Looking at those two wicked great heroes, Luna and Aron, who, despite their overwhelming genius, never held back their praise when they did well.
And Dweno, who was strict but benevolent.
The three missed those great heroes.