Book 1 Chapter 98

Leo sighed as he arrived at the lake south of Naygrand.

"This isn't it. Is this the second dead end?"

Leo took out a map and marked an X on the lake.

'Now one to the east, one to the north. The last one is…'

Leo turned his head and looked at the ruined castle.

'One at the castle ruins.'

Since the lake at the castle ruins overlapped with Leo's final destination, he could check it last.

'By the way.'

Leo, tucking the map into his chest, looked back.

"So why have you been chasing me?"

In response to the question, the source of the presence between the buildings appeared before Leo.

"Did you know I was chasing you, Leo-doryeong?"

"Yeah."

"You're amazing as always."

"So. The castle ruins are in the opposite direction, aren't they? Why did you follow me all the way here?"

"Why did you come all the way here, Leo-doryeong?"

"I had some personal business."

"I also came because I had some personal business."

"What is it?"

Chaaaaak-!

"A match."

As Chen Xia unleashed her aura, a silky ripple formed around her.

Wrapping it around her body like a feathered robe, Chen Xia extended her right hand towards Leo and lowered her stance with her left hand on her back.

"Why all of a sudden?"

"I wanted to know. How big the gap is between Leo-doryeong and me. And…"

Chen Xia wore a serious expression.

"What kind of person you are."

Leo drew his sword.

"Is that all?"

"I also covet the position of class representative."

At those words, Leo burst into laughter.

"Why are you laughing?"

"No. It seems like this is the first time you've honestly revealed your ambition."

Chen Xia was one of the top students in the first year.

And no matter who they were, the top students aimed for Leo's class representative position.

Having lived as the best their whole lives, they couldn't be satisfied with anything less than being the best.

However, there was one student who had remained a step behind.

That was Chen Xia.

'You definitely had ambition.'

"I'm curious why you're suddenly revealing your ambition."

"It's a battle royale. A stage where true skills can be tested. And…"

Her eyes deepened.

"I came to see."

"What?"

Paaat-!

Chen Xia, stomping the ground, charged towards Leo.

'An attack first?'

Chen Xia was basically a warrior with a strong defensive inclination.

Due to the nature of the water element, she was more advantageous in defense and evasion than offense.

There were times when students in the Knights Department debated who could break through her soft defense.

'Celia and Duran were predicted to have a chance.'

But that was just a possibility.

Even the two people, who were evaluated as having the strongest offensive power among their peers in the Knights Department, could not be sure they could break through Chen Xia's defense.

That's how overwhelming Chen Xia's defense was.

She abandoned that advantage and went on the offensive.

'Well, it's not like her attacks are weak.'

Hwaleuk-!

Leo unleashed his fire aura.

Chen Xia's small hands moved gently.

But the attack that followed that gentleness was truly ferocious.

Chen Xia's water aura scattered into small water droplets in all directions.

All the water droplets became sharp needles.

"……!"

Leo hastily wrapped himself in his fire aura.

Pabababa-!

Hundreds of needles rained down from all directions.

Chiiik!

The water needles collided with the wall of fire, creating steam.

Although there were an incredible number of needles, they could not penetrate the wall of fire.

"You'll need an awl, not needles."

A palm-sized water droplet formed in Chen Xia's hand, which then turned into a sharp awl.

Paaat-!

The awl-shaped water aura pierced Leo's fire aura and aimed for Leo.

Hwiik!

Leo dodged the attack by tilting his body.

As he straightened up, Chen Xia's instep came into view.

Chen Xia's main strength was martial arts.

The biggest disadvantage of martial arts was the difficulty of closing the distance against an opponent with a weapon.

But conversely, it meant that if she could close the distance, she could make her opponent helpless.

Leo raised his free hand, not holding a sword, and blocked Chen Xia's attack.

Kwaang-! Puuk-!

A blow that felt like it would break his forearm struck his right arm, and his feet dug deep into the dirt floor-!

But he had no time to care about that.

Chen Xia's fist, after retracting her foot, aimed for his right side.

Leo, unable to use his sword due to the aura-infused attack, quickly blocked Chen Xia's attack with his left hand.

Peok-!

Leo's body was sent flying as if he had been beaten with a giant club.

Cheompeong-!

Leo's body plunged into the lake, sending a column of water high into the air.

"As expected of Leo-doryeong… to counterattack even while being thrown like that."

Chen Xia tore off the left sleeve of her scorched and tattered blouse and scowled.

Even as he was thrown back, Leo's fire aura succeeded in piercing Chen Xia's defense.

Cheompeong.

Leo, emerging from the water, shook his tingling right hand and looked at Chen Xia.

Seeing Leo like that, Chen Xia smiled.

"As expected, Leo-doryeong is amazing. You're fine even after I attacked with all my might."

"Fine? Does this look fine to you? It hurts like hell."

Seeing Leo grumbling, Chen Xia gave a bitter smile.

'Isn't the fact that he still has the energy to joke proof that he's fine?'

Even so, Chen Xia prepared for Leo's attack.

'I used a surprise attack once. Leo-doryeong is not the kind of person to fall for the same trick.'

She had other methods, but now was not the time to attack carelessly against Leo.

'Leo-doryeong's attack then.'

Chen Xia recalled the first day she learned the Breath of the Hero.

'That must be the maximum firepower Leo-doryeong can unleash.'

Go-ooo-!

Chen Xia unleashed her aura.

As a result, her black hair fluttered.

Her obsidian-like black eyes turned sapphire blue.

'If only I can deflect that sword strike!'

"You're not yourself, Chen Xia."

"Yes?"

"Water is a force that always changes according to the flow."

Leo tilted his head.

"But you're too stiff right now."

"……!"

"Is something wrong?"

Chen Xia, who had been looking at Leo with a stiff expression, smiled.

"Nothing is wrong."

Leo reached out his hand.

Woong-!

The sword, reacting to the aura, was drawn into Leo's hand.

Hwaleuk-!

'If I can just block that sword strike!'

Seeing Chen Xia concentrating, Leo readjusted his sword.

Go-ooo-!

Intense heat enveloped Chen Xia's skin.

Chen Xia tensed her whole body.

'It's coming!'

Kugugugugu-!

Seeing Leo's fire aura engulfing him, Chen Xia took a breath.

The Breath of the Hero was activated, and a powerful water current formed around her.

The water aura, which swallowed Leo's sword strike, changed the flow of the sword strike.

At that moment, Chen Xia felt that something was wrong.

'It can't be just this much.'

"I told you."

Chen Xia flinched at the voice from behind her.

"You're stiff."

Teop-!

She felt Leo's palm touch her back.

Concentrating his aura at the tips of his palm, Leo pushed his aura into Chen Xia's back.

Puuuung-!

"Keok?"

The compressed aura exploded, sending Chen Xia flying.

Chen Xia, rolling on the ground pitifully, gasped as she saw the sword touching her neck.

"You lost."

Chen Xia gave a hollow smile.

"Leo-doryeong. Are you really fifteen years old?"

"Of course. How old do I look?"

"You look like an old man who's been through battles."

Leo playfully grinned and then smacked Chen Xia's head before stepping back.

"What? Aren't you going to eliminate me?"

Chen Xia's face suddenly turned cold.

Her voice was chilling, completely unlike her usual self.

"No matter who you are, Leo-doryeong, I won't tolerate it. I don't need such mercy…"

"You're mistaken."

Leo chuckled.

"This is a battle royale. How I use the loser is up to me."

"What?"

"If you're a loser, you should listen to the winner, shouldn't you? I have some annoying people chasing me. You deal with them."

With that, Leo leaped away.

"What…"

Chen Xia, with a bewildered expression, suddenly saw a flash of light in the distance.

"He is my target. Do not interfere, Eliza Hergin."

"Don't be ridiculous! Leo Flob is my prey!"

A familiar voice was heard.

A moment later, Duran and Eliza, who arrived at the lakeshore, stopped upon seeing Chen Xia.

"Duran-kun, Eliza-yang. The castle ruins are that way, why are you here?"

"And why are you here? Were you also after Leo Flob?"

Seeing Duran approaching with a frown, Chen Xia gave a bitter smile.

"The fact that you say 'you too' implies that you are also after him, Duran-kun."

'So this is what he meant.'

Chen Xia, understanding the meaning of his words asking her to deal with the annoying ones, laughed hollowly.

"Did you lose?"

"Yes."

"Where did he go?"

To that question, Chen Xia replied.

"He headed that way."

As Duran was about to chase Leo, Chen Xia said.

"Duran-kun, I'm injured, so could you please go with Nella-yang?"

"Why should I do that?"

"It's the department competition right now, and you and I are from the same department. Surely, Duran-kun, you're not going to abandon a fellow department member for a personal match?"

Seeing Chen Xia speaking with a smile, Duran scowled.

"You sly fox!"

Having mentioned the Knights Department, Duran couldn't ignore Chen Xia.

"Good luck. I'm going to finish Leo Flob."

As Eliza taunted him, Duran's face contorted in misery.

"Eliza-yang. I'm having trouble walking, so could you give me a ride?"

"Shia. I would help you if you were from the Summoning Department, but you know we are enemies now, right?"

"Heavens! I helped you with your studies all the time! Are you discarding me now that I have no more use for you? Is that it?"

"W-what?"

"You said you'd definitely repay your debts when you borrowed my notes every day!"

"I-I'll definitely repay my debts! But there's no need to repay them now…!"

Eliza frowned.

Eliza wasn't a student who diligently attended classes other than her major.

The always kind Chen Xia had helped Eliza study during the midterm exams.

She had brought up that incident now.

"You acted so noble, but you're no different from those lowly scoundrels."

Duran smirked, and Eliza's eyes widened at his words.

A smile played on Duran's lips.

'If I can't fight Leo Flob, neither can you.'

Duran's smile, as if suggesting they go together, made Eliza shout.

"Ah! We can go together! Together! Shia! We'll only accompany you to the central castle ruins! After that, we are enemies!"

"Thank you, Eliza-yang."

Chen Xia, who had played both students like puppets, sighed as she looked in the direction Leo had disappeared.

'I don't know why he's not going to the central castle ruins… but hurry up and finish, Leo-doryeong.'

***

Central Castle Ruins.

"Who dares to look!"

Hwarurureuk! Kguang!

"Cough! It's Celia Zerdinger!"

"Damn it! I was so close!"

Naturally, the central castle ruins, the only safe zone in this city, were swarming with students.

To enter the central castle ruins, one had to pass through the gates to the north, east, south, and west.

One could also climb the castle walls, but that would expose them to concentrated fire from students positioned around the area, so no one dared to attempt to climb over the walls rashly.

However, passing through the gates was not easy either.

This was because students from other departments guarded each gate.

"Damn it! That's impossible! Let's go somewhere else!"

The Jureden party left the wall guarded by Celia and arrived at the west gate.

And seeing a student guarding the west gate, they wrung their hands.

"Chloe Muller!"

At the west gate, Chloe stood holding a staff as tall as herself.

'Now only the south and east gates are left. If other top-tier students from other departments are guarding those, it'll be troublesome!'

Eliza, the second-ranked student in the Summoning Department, had already gone to chase Leo.

'Please, Wardern! Just guard one gate for me!'

If they were outside the castle ruins and weakened by a curse, they would become targets for the students inside.

Depending on the curse, the chance of being completely wiped out was high.

Feeling their mouths dry, Jureden was about to move to the south gate when.

Kyaaaaak-!

"Huh?"

Jureden, startled by the monstrous scream from above, looked up at the sky in confusion.

Chloe also looked up at the sky with a puzzled expression.

There, a black dragon with a ferocious appearance was flying.

"Black Wyvern?"

"No way! A top-tier summoned beast can't possibly appear!"

While the Jureden party was surprised.

Jjeok-!

The black dragon, opening its mouth, began to spew breath towards the Jureden party.

"Ugh! What is this?!"

The breath, with its powerful acidic effect, melted the ground.

Jureden looked up at the sky with a grim expression.

'That's not a summoned beast! Could it be a monster? Are there monsters that look like that?'

Jureden tried to identify the unknown dragon using the information in his head.

But there was no way he could identify the true nature of Fafnir, a magical beast that had been extinct since the Great Heroes of the Age of Cataclysm.

Fafnir, with its mouth agape, aimed at the Jureden party, spewing breath.

Kyaaaaak!

"Damn it! Evade for now!"