Book 1 Chapter 791

791.

The Lumern dormitory burns.

Has there ever truly been an incident in Lumern's history where outsiders invaded the school and attacked the dormitory at night?

'Not that I know of.'

Chelsea's mouth opened and closed.

It was, quite literally, an unprecedented catastrophe since Lumern's founding.

'…Am I going to be in big trouble?'

That thought crossed her mind for a moment.

If the professors on duty rushed over, alerted by the commotion, it would be a huge problem.

Thinking that far, Chelsea suddenly felt something was amiss.

'Why aren't the professors reacting at all?'

A few seconds had passed since Leo summoned Phoenix and attacked the dormitory building.

A short time, if one were to call it short.

But considering the abilities of Lumern's professors, it was certainly strange.

Among Lumern's professors who teach hero candidates, there are more who have not reached the rank of hero than those who have.

But that only means they haven't accomplished feats worthy of becoming a hero.

There are also professors who are on par with heroes, or possess overwhelming power greater than active heroes.

Take the two professors who represent Lumern right now.

Even just Halind and Sedjen are at a level where students find it difficult to properly gauge their skills.

It made no sense that such professors failed to detect an attack of this magnitude.

'That means the professors aren't going to intervene!'

Having realized that, Chelsea quietly asked Leo.

"Brother Leo. Have you perhaps talked to the professors?"

Leo smiled faintly.

'When on earth did he talk to them?'

Just as Chelsea made a surprised expression.

Flash-!

Fwoosh-!

A massive pillar of flame descended from the sky.

Seeing it, Chelsea drew her staff.

Whoosh! Bang-!

Compressed air exploded, scattering the flames.

Thud-!

Someone appeared from within the scattered flames.

Black hair, and eyes as red as if they were burning.

'Celia.'

Celia pointed her sword at Leo and spoke in a chilling voice.

"Who exactly are you?"

Seeing Celia glaring with eyes that seemed ready to spark fire at any moment, Chelsea stepped forward.

Leo nodded, as if Chelsea was signaling that she would handle it.

Karl, who had discreetly backed away, asked.

"Hey, Leo. What should we do?"

Leo looked at Karl, who whispered the question, and said.

"You, create a guerrilla diversion against the first-years."

"What?"

"You can do that much, right?"

"Me, what about me?"

As Illiana asked in confusion, Leo glanced up at the sky.

"Looks like the friend you need to face has just appeared."

"Huh?"

Crackle-crackle-crackle!

"Die!"

With a fierce roar, an aura of lightning struck down from the sky as if a lightning bolt had fallen.

Flash-! Crash-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang!

Leo raised his hand.

Then, as if drawn to a lightning rod, Duran's aura gathered at Leo's fingertips.

Duran's eyes twitched at the sight.

Crackle-crackle-crackle-!

As Leo, who had trapped the lightning in his hand, clenched his fist.

Hiss-s-s-s-!

The lightning vanished.

"You bastard…"

As Duran made a fierce expression, Illiana's mouth opened and closed.

"You, you want me to fight Duran?"

"Good luck."

"Awooouuuh-!"

Illiana trembled violently.

Leo, who was watching her stiffly standing back, gently pushed Illiana's back.

"Leo?"

"Illiana."

Leo spoke to Illiana, who had turned to look at him.

"I promise you. You're the fastest among the third-years."

"…"

At those words, Illiana's eyes widened.

She was wearing a hood so he couldn't see her face, but Leo thought she must be looking flushed for some reason.

"I… am fast."

Illiana muttered softly and drew her sword.

"Light-speed Quick Blade…!"

'She seems to really like it.'

Leo chuckled and tried to pass Celia and Duran, heading towards the dormitory.

"Where do you think you're going!"

"Do you think we'll just let you pass!"

Celia and Duran roared, unleashing auras of flame and lightning.

Whoosh!

Flash-!

However, their attacks were repelled by intense wind and a flash of light before they could reach Leo.

Celia's and Duran's eyes twitched simultaneously.

Chelsea and Illiana blocked their way.

"I really hate wind-attribute mages. They remind me of a foul-tempered brat."

As Celia approached Chelsea with a fierce smile, Chelsea gripped her staff tightly.

"Move. I'm interested in your leader, not you."

Duran didn't even glance at Illiana, glaring at Leo.

"Hmph."

Illiana inhaled, looking at Duran.

Hum-

"A magic swordsman? A light-attribute magic swordsman. You remind me of someone I know."

Duran smirked.

Illiana held her sword with both hands, looking at Duran.

Clearly, Illiana had both aura and magic.

Both talents were outstanding, to the point where it was impossible to determine which was superior.

However, due to her personality, she couldn't help but lean more towards swordsmanship.

Rea wanted Illiana to become a magic swordsman with no flaws in both swordsmanship and magic.

It wasn't just Illiana.

Even without being a dual-class, Lumern students pursued perfection in combat, seeking to have no major weaknesses.

This was a result of projecting Kyle's image, who had no particular weaknesses as an all-rounder, onto Lumern students.

Illiana used magic.

Magic permeated her body.

The magic Luna had gifted Illiana in Leo's timeline.

Illiana named this sword "Light-speed Quick Blade."

'Faster than anyone.'

Illiana stared directly at Duran.

She disliked complicated things.

Simply overwhelming an opponent with sheer speed was best.

However, that was Illiana's biggest weakness.

She was fast but simple, making her easy to predict.

If she only moved fast, there were countless ways to counter her.

So, a strategy of correcting her habit of reckless charges, moving quickly from the rear, bombarding with magic, and engaging in close combat when an opening appeared seemed perfect.

But it wasn't the right fit for Illiana.

Illiana recalled her memories from the past week.

'Leo told me. Simplicity, in other words, means being able to focus solely on moving quickly without complicated movements.'

She just needed to move so fast that she was unpredictable.

A simple yet extremely difficult path.

And something impossible without belief in oneself.

Illiana lowered her stance.

Flash-!

"…!"

Clang-clang-clang-clang-!

Duran urgently twisted his body.

And parried the sword that had aimed for his neck.

Sparks flew between the crossed longswords.

'What is this speed?'

Duran tried to counter-attack with a grim expression.

Swoosh-!

But Duran's sword cut through empty air in vain.

And that was just the beginning.

Flash! Clang-! Clang! Clang! Crash-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang!

Moving in a straight line, Illiana began to charge at Duran indiscriminately.

Duran's golden eyes tracked Illiana.

Her path was clearly visible.

The opponent was very straightforward.

No tricks, no mind games.

Just a simple, persistent charge.

Duran was confident in his speed.

But Illiana's speed was a level above that.

If it hadn't been Duran facing Illiana, he might have been subdued much earlier.

'She's strong.'

Duran took his eyes off Leo and began to concentrate on the opponent in front of him.

Crackle-crackle-

Lightning began to rage around Duran's body.

Further away, Chelsea was being pursued by Celia.

Fwoosh-!

Celia's blazing aura of flame destroyed all of Chelsea's magic.

Celia's firepower was stronger than Chelsea's high-speed chanting.

'This magic… from somewhere…'

Celia furrowed her brows.

They were familiar spells.

Having thought that far, Celia's eyes suddenly snapped open.

"Hey! You're Chelsea Rwalyn, aren't you!"

"Oh my? I've been found out."

"What are you doing! Attacking the dormitory!"

As Celia raised her voice, Chelsea stuck out her tongue.

"It's an authorized act! Something that allows me to legitimately teach you a lesson!"

Celia scoffed at Chelsea's words.

"Rea would never permit something like this, would she? And what? You'll teach me a lesson?"

Celia curled the corner of her lips.

"You?"

"…"

Chelsea made an indignant expression.

She had been at odds with Celia since the entrance exam.

No, to be exact, since they were children.

But while it was called a rivalry, Celia's skill had always been a step ahead.

She felt indignant, but at the same time, she accepted it.

Because deep down, she acknowledged Celia.

Regardless of how much she disliked her, Celia was the rival of Abad, whom she admired.

As Chelsea, who followed in Abad's footsteps, she had no choice but to admit that Celia was a step above.

'Come to think of it, I don't like it, do I?'

Chelsea grinned.

Rumble-

Mana surged.

'How strong will the magic Brother Leo taught me be…?'

Chelsea opened her mouth.

"-♬"

"…? A song?"

Celia's eyes twitched at the melody flowing from Chelsea's lips.

"You're very relaxed. To think of singing in this situation…!"

Thud-!

Suddenly, Celia felt her mind grow faint from the shock from her side.

"What?!"

Celia, who let out a gasp of alarm, quickly regained her balance.

It was magic.

Wind magic.

Celia's eyes hardened.

At the same time, wind magic began to rage with incredible speed.

Chelsea's song dominated the surroundings.

'Chelsea can use this kind of magic?'

Celia looked at Chelsea with astonished eyes.

'This is even much more than Abad…!'

Whoosh!

"Urgh?!"

Celia quickly dodged Chelsea's magic and cried out.

"What on earth happened!"

***

'The will to move forward is important to everyone. Even if they are a great hero.'

Step- step-

Leo gripped his sword, watching the Lumern students approaching from a distance.

'If you don't look ahead, you're bound to stagnate, and if you stagnate, you can't move forward.'

You can't do anything just by standing still.

It was none other than his comrades who taught him that fact.

Leo recalled Risinas, who had extended a hand to him when he was lost and circling in place.

That hand led him.

Not only that.

Luna, who pushed him forward.

Arion, who gave him courage to advance.

Even Dweno, who showed him the direction to go.

Leo swung his sword.

Swoosh-!

A deep line was carved into the ground.

Thump-

Someone unknowingly slumped to the ground from the slash that grazed past their nose.

It was Chen Sia whose mouth was opening and closing.

She had tried to bypass Leo's senses and go towards Celia and Duran, but was blocked.

Chen Sia's eyes met Leo's.

"I'm sorry, but don't cross that line."

Leo smiled faintly.

"Because it seems like you guys need to have a talk with me."

"You… guys?"

"Yes."

Leo raised his hand.

Fwoosh! Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble!

An aura of flame and ice magic clashed.

As Chloe's magic was blocked, Abad's magic flew in immediately.

Whoosh-!

Thud-! Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!

Leo used spirit art to create an earth wall, defending against Abad's attack.

Clang-!

As the earth wall surrounding Leo was destroyed, Wareden appeared without a moment's pause.

Spirit Armored was imbued in his hand.

Leo lifted his foot, looking at Wareden, who had the great earth spirit imbued in his body.

CRACK! Whoosh-! Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!

Wareden's face hardened.

Leo, who had made Wareden's attack miss by stepping on his foot, looked down at Wareden.

'His arm…'

Wareden couldn't move, as if he had been crushed by something enormous.

As everyone stood frozen at his overwhelming skill.

"What you're about to see from now on, you can consider it the destination of the path you are walking."

Leo said calmly.

At his words, the hero candidates momentarily made puzzled expressions.

'When they realize they can never reach it. People despair.'

"Even so, never give up."

Rumble-

Gray mana flowed from Leo's body.