Editor : Amethyst00



“Do you know me?”

“I know you very well.”

Seeing Leo answer with a faint smirk, Sillatna crossed her arms.

With a voice dripping with mockery, she asked:

“Come to think of it, didn’t the Mage of Mystic Eye defeat another fragment of mine in Lumeria City not long ago? You were there then, weren’t you?”

Heh-heh— Sillatna let out a chilling laugh.

“But wasn’t that brief glimpse the end of it? What exactly is our relationship supposed to be?”

“A very beautiful one.”

Step— step—

Leo walked right up to Sillatna.

“You, the other Legion Commanders, and even Erebos. I’ll rip you all to pieces and kill every last one.”

“Oh my. Not only overflowing with spirit but also an ignorant brat who doesn’t know his place.”

Sillatna burst into cackling laughter.

“You think just because you’re All-Class and doing a bit well that you’re anything special? You’re nothing but another worthless insect—”

Wham—!

Crunch—!

Without hesitation, Leo kicked Sillatna in the shin.

Thud—

Her shin snapped, and she lost her balance, collapsing to her knees.

If this fragment of Sillatna had been intact, Leo would never have dared to face her so recklessly.

But now, this fragment was one already driven to the brink of destruction by the Sword Saint.

Weakened beyond recognition, she posed no real threat to Leo.

“How vulgar.”

Sillatna grimaced, looking up at Leo.

“A first-year brat dares to treat me like this—”

She froze mid-sentence.

Her face stiffened.

Something was wrong in the eyes looking down at her.

Sillatna, Queen of Monsters.

From before the Age of Calamity, she had reigned as a terror of nightmares, one of Tartaros’s Legion Commanders.

Without question, for thousands of years, uncountable heroes had feared her name.

Many of history’s greatest figures had tried to subjugate her—but not once had any succeeded.

In fact, it had always been the opposite. Sillatna was the hunter, and the heroes were her prey.

The Devourer of Heroes.

Another name for the Monster Queen.

Among the Legion Commanders, she held the mightiest power, yet unlike the cautious Lich King or the prudent Giant King, Sillatna was reckless and cruel.

She had always charged to the front, consuming countless heroes.

And now, she was feared even more than the Lich King or the Giant King themselves.

Yet the eyes Leo leveled at her were not like anyone else’s.

‘Are those really the eyes of a first-year brat?’

Hatred and rage—that much was familiar.

Normally, Sillatna would have sneered at such a look.

But not with Leo.

His gaze was unmistakable: the eyes of a predator staring down prey.

The same eyes she had always turned on the heroes she devoured.

A chill ran down Sillatna’s spine.

‘What is this brat?’

From deep within rose anger and hatred—yet alongside it came a surge of dread.

“A human trash.”

Murderous intent shimmered in her voice.

“Don’t you dare glare at me with those insolent eyes—”

Crunch—!

Leo rammed his sword into Sillatna’s mouth.

“Stop barking. I don’t want to hear it.”

“Ah! Ahh! Aghhh!”

Blood gushed out in bursts as she clutched her mouth with both hands, murderous intent flaring in her eyes.

Her broken knee healed.

As she tried to stand, Leo lashed out and kicked her other knee.

Crunch—!

“Kneel.”

Thud—!

Losing her balance, Sillatna toppled forward onto the ground.

Gurgle— gurgle— blood spilled from her mouth.

Thud—!

Leo stomped down on her head.

Her body trembled violently.

She felt immense humiliation, but that wasn’t why her body was shaking.

From the distant edge of memory.

From the far reaches of her past, a scene rose up.

At that time, Sillatna herself had trembled in fear.

A being who could make even a Legion Commander quiver.

When she had boldly stepped forth to destroy the last remaining greatest enemy—

She had been forced to face terror and despair.

And now, this felt the same.

‘No way… no, it can’t be…’

Thud—!

Sillatna braced her arms and head, forcing off Leo’s boot and lifting her face with difficulty.

Leo stepped back a few paces.

‘No. Impossible.’

She raised her chin, glaring directly into Leo’s eyes.

And in that instant—

Her vision wavered.

A gloomy, ashen sky.

A world plunging into ruin.

It was the sight she had long desired—yet one she dreaded most of all.

Kneeling before her, the Monster Queen had once looked up at a lone human.

A great hero, the Hero of Beginning, Kyle, staring down at her with cold eyes.

Flash—!

The hallucination shattered.

“This… can’t be.”

Sillatna’s body shook violently.

That terrifying Hero of Beginning overlapped perfectly with the brat before her eyes.

She denied the thought.

But as if mocking her denial, Leo curved his lips into a smirk at her words.

“Ky… yle!”

Grinding out that name, Sillatna glared at him.

“This time, not a single one of you will be left alive.”

Crunch—!

“Kh…?!”

Leo’s sword pierced Sillatna’s chest.

Splurt—!

He ripped the blade upward, savagely tearing her upper body apart.

Ssshh—!

Her form crumbled into black dust.

It was annihilation.

And a fragment destroyed in such a way could not even pass news of it back to the main body.

Her body collapsed.

Heh— heh—!

Her shoulders shook.

“Keheheheh! Kehahahahaha!”

Even as her fragment crumbled, she burst into crazed laughter.

“So it really is you! Kyle! And what then? What can you possibly do alone?!”

She clutched her head, cackling like mad.

“Who do you have at your side? Aaron, always quaking in fear? Dweno, who did nothing but craft trash? That detestable pretender Luna? Or the idiot Lysinas? Who, I ask?! You alone will defeat us?! Subjugate the great Primordial Flame?! Dream on, hahahahaha!”

Ssssshh—!

As she dissolved into black dust, Sillatna sneered at Leo.

“You can do nothing! You’ll just watch helplessly as the world you barely saved burns again! Hero of Beginning, Kyle!”

Glare—!

Her eyes blazed.

“You’ll fail just like your companions did! You’ll die in despair! Ahahaha!”

With an annoyed look, Leo crushed her head underfoot.

Crunch—!

Like pottery shattering, it broke apart.

Ssshhhh—!

Only her mouth remained, whispering mockingly.

“I look forward to that day. Heheheheh.”

Swoosh—!

And then, like a shadow fading, she was gone.

Leo looked down and muttered:

“Alone, huh…”

“Leo?!”

“Hey! What are you doing there?”

Urgent voices rang out from afar.

Celia and Chloe were rushing toward him.

“You okay?”

At Chloe’s worried question, Leo nodded.

“I’m fine. What about you two?”

“I’m always fine, obviously.”

Celia answered with confidence.

“The demons are more or less cleared out.”

“Good.”

“…? Something happened?”

Chloe asked curiously, and Leo gave a faint smile.

“No, nothing.”

He reached out and ruffled Chloe’s hair.

“Just feels reassuring.”

Saying that, Leo walked forward.

Celia, watching his back, tilted her head with folded arms.

“What’s with him all of a sudden?”

Then, seeing Chloe blush and mumble incoherently, Celia teased:

“Chloe.”

“Wh-what?!”

“Lucky you, huh?”

Blushing furiously, Chloe swatted Celia’s shoulder and fanned her face.

‘I’m not alone.’

Looking out over Lumene, Leo whispered to himself.

‘I have new comrades. And…’

He clenched and unclenched his fists.

‘The bonds with my old companions aren’t broken either.’

The knowledge they passed on.

The power they left behind—preserved in the Hero Records.

‘You’re still afraid of them, aren’t you?’

Leo tightened his fist.

‘The great heroes who vanished long ago—and the great heroes who will rise again someday.’

bl

The Tartaros assault on Lumene.

The incident sent shockwaves through the world.

And the fact that the intruder had been inside the Three Great Class Academy shook things further.

“Other countries must be in trouble now.”

Carl clicked his tongue.

“They’ve been putting pressure on Lumene over the first semester’s incidents, and now it’s backfired.”

Those nations’ elites, who had criticized Lumene for being untrustworthy in the face of Tartaros, had now handed Lumene an excuse to push back.

At Carl’s words, Chelsea made a flat expression.

“Still, Lumene won’t use this as some political or diplomatic card. It’s always been neutral, after all.”

“True. Though at least now they’ll have reason to tell them to quit whining.”

Flap—!

Closing the newspaper, Carl smirked faintly.

“By the way, the Principal’s power was something else.”

That single sword strike from Kalian, splitting the sky itself, had been more than enough to shock everyone.

The Sword Saint’s reputation was legendary.

His feats were called a living myth.

But since he had withdrawn from the frontlines long ago, no one of this generation had seen his true power firsthand—until now.

“How is that even possible with a sword?”

Carl muttered in disbelief, and Chelsea crossed her arms.

“Mm… even if my father poured everything into his magic, I doubt he could manage it.”

Not only Carl and Chelsea, but the other students were abuzz with the Principal’s display.

Then, Eliana entered the classroom, face gloomy.

“What’s wrong? Why that look?”

At Chelsea’s question, Eliana’s shoulders slumped.

“The midterm exam schedule got posted on the grade board.”

Groans erupted all around.

Carl clutched his head.

The students of Class 5 all looked dispirited.

Seeing them, Leo spoke.

“You knew exams were coming. Why act surprised?”

“Exactly.”

Chelsea backed him up.

“Easy for you honor students to say, huh?”

“Lucky you! Share some study tips already!”

“We couldn’t even study properly with the joint training!”

Eliana shouted on behalf of the group, and Tade replied dryly:

“You don’t study even without joint training…”

“Daring to slap me with facts, are you?!”

“Let go of me!”

Eliana grabbed his mouth, trying to shut him up, but Tade shoved her off.

The class was turning rowdy when Chelsea remarked:

“Still, this midterm’s better, right? It’s more practical than written.”

At that, Carl leaned back, hands behind his head.

“True. The sparring evaluation makes up most of the score this time.”

“Yeah. Even if you lose, you can score well. It’s about how you fight, after all.”

“I heard the sparring’s mostly random, but you can also challenge specific opponents if you want…”

Creak—!

Before he could finish, the classroom door slammed open.

Everyone turned toward the newcomer.

It was none other than Duran.

Step— step—

He strode up to Leo.

“Leo Plov.”

“What is it?”

“You’ve heard about the sparring evaluation, right?”

His golden eyes gleamed.

“This time, I’ll prove once and for all who’s the best.”

“Don’t you ever get tired?”

Chelsea muttered with a scornful look.

“Shut it, Chelsea Lewellin.”

“Hmph!”

As always, the two locked glares.

But then, noise stirred outside the classroom.

Class 5 students peered out curiously and gasped.

“Wait! Why is he at the first-year building?”

“Whoa! He’s gorgeous!”

Exclamations broke out.

Moments later, a young man walked into Class 5.

The whole room fell silent.

He was too famous a student.

Step— step—

“Leo.”

“Brother Rhys.”

Standing before Leo was the Student Council President, Rhys Zerdinger.

He looked at Leo and smiled faintly.

“Shall we talk for a bit?”