Editor : Amethyst00



Everyone murmured, looking back and forth between Leo and Rhys.

Rhys, who was sitting in the 5th-year spectators’ seats, narrowed his eyes as he looked at Leo.

‘As expected.’

Rhys immediately understood why Leo had pointed him out.

‘He means to prove it with skill.’

Not a bad idea.

After Leo was announced as the student council president candidate, the backlash had been unexpectedly mild.

But even so, it wasn’t something that could be easily glossed over.

The situation was, quite literally, the calm before the storm.

Various factors were intertwined, so people were holding back from talking about it, but no one knew when dissatisfaction might erupt.

Moreover, everyone thought, ‘No way a 1st-year will actually become the student council president, right?’

The right to nominate the next student council president belonged to the current president.

However, the final approval was made by the principal.

While the president’s opinion was respected, overly unreasonable candidates were not approved.

Rhys rested his chin on his hand.

‘The principal did permit Leo, though.’

When Rhys recommended Leo as the next student council president, the principal gladly agreed.

‘Many people are starting to recognize Leo’s value.’

At this rate, it was practically certain that Leo would become the next student council president.

However—

‘The students won’t accept it.’

That was why Leo had to prove himself somehow.

That he was someone worthy of becoming the student council president.

Rhys had thought Leo would start proving that after becoming president.

But surprisingly, Leo was trying to prove himself before becoming president—

Right in front of all the students.

In a sense, it was bold, but at the same time, it could be reckless.

At this point, Rhys had no intention of going easy on Leo.

‘The moment I go easy, no one will acknowledge him.’

Looking at his cousin who chose to face things head-on rather than turn away, Rhys curled his lips into a faint smile.

[Um… Rhys. What are you going to do?]

Sheirra, who was acting as the MC, asked in a hushed voice.

Rhys laughed at her question.

“Since he came forward with a challenge like this, avoiding it wouldn’t be polite, would it?”

And so, an unprecedented duel evaluation between the 1st-year grade representative and the 5th-year grade representative was arranged.

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Afterward, the 1st-years began nominating their opponents.

For most students, their matchups had been decided in advance, so the process went smoothly.

Once everyone had their opponents—

Seeing who Leo was matched with, Eliana clicked her tongue.

“Wow. Crazy bastard. Seriously crazy.”

Leo was the only one who had chosen to fight a senior in this duel evaluation.

Watching her with an exasperated face, Nella asked,

“Will you be okay?”

Leo smiled at her worried tone.

“I’ll have to find out by clashing.”

Even though he had caused such a huge stir, Leo remained calm, leaving his classmates speechless.

Chelsea came up beside Leo, clenched her fists tightly, and her eyes sparkled.

“Leo-oppa, all the best!”

Chelsea fully supported Leo’s bid for the student council presidency.

Seeing that, Tade said,

“No matter what, a 1st-year student council president is impossible.”

“Ah? Are you saying Leo-oppa can’t become president? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“N-no, I’m just being realistic—hey! Stop! Why are you kicking me?!”

With a fierce expression, Chelsea kicked at Tade, who frantically ran away.

Meanwhile, two students appeared atop the duel stage set up in the middle of the training ground.

The 1st-years watching tensed up.

“Leo’s match is shocking enough, but…”

“This one doesn’t look easy either.”

Two girls with black hair had stepped onto the stage.

One was Celia Zerdinger, a girl with black hair and vivid red eyes.

The other was Chen Xia, with black hair and black eyes.

It was a duel between two students competing for 1st place in the Knight Department.

In terms of elemental advantage, Chen Xia had the upper hand.

However, this was not a duel that could be decided by elemental advantage alone.

As everyone watched intently, Sheirra, acting as the announcer, spoke brightly.

[Now! We’re starting off with a much-anticipated 1st-year match! Celia Zerdinger versus Chen Xia! Wow! As a 5th-year in the Knight Department, I’ve been curious about how my juniors fight!]

Standing cheerfully between the two, Sheirra’s eyes sparkled.

But she didn’t continue further.

She clearly wanted to chatter more, but having been scolded by Harrid earlier, she restrained herself.

[Alright then! The 1st-year midterm sparring evaluation! 1st match—starts now!]

With that announcement, Sheirra stepped down from the stage.

Facing each other, Celia drew her sword and spoke.

“This is the 1st time we’ve had a proper match like this, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

Chen Xia smiled softly and took her stance.

They had sparred before, but never tested their full abilities against each other.

This was the 1st time they were dueling formally—

And before the eyes of everyone, they had to use their full strength to defeat other.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“I’m looking forward to it too.”

Chen Xia smiled.

“Celia-yang, you also train privately with Leo-doryeon, right? I’d like to see how much you’ve improved.”

At those words, Celia lowered her stance and activated her aura.

“You shouldn’t be so relaxed.”

Fwoosh—!

Aura flared around Celia’s body.

“Or you’ll be taken down in an instant!”

With fiery aura wrapped around her sword, Celia charged at Chen Xia at incredible speed.

Seeing this, Chen Xia spread her palm and summoned water aura.

Swish—!

A thin veil of water wrapped her body like silk as she spun gracefully.

‘Celia-yang never stops.’

Celia’s swordsmanship was extremely aggressive.

Although she used a rapier and might appear elegant, her fighting style was actually quite brutal.

‘At the start of the 1st semester, her swordsmanship was a lot more restrained.’

Someone had clearly changed Celia’s swordsmanship tendencies.

‘That doesn’t mean her swordsmanship is crude or rough, though.’

She used overwhelming firepower to force openings, then relentlessly exploited them.

In fact, it was hard for her opponent to find any opening in her attacks—

That alone proved that she wasn’t just relying on brute force.

Thus, Chen Xia knew it would be foolish to block Celia’s strikes head-on.

Water was certainly suited for defense, but its greatest strength lay in evasion.

Crash—!

With fluid, water-like movements, Chen Xia deflected Celia’s thrust.

Celia lost her balance momentarily.

But Chen Xia didn’t capitalize on the opening.

Whoosh—!

Celia quickly regained her posture and unleashed her aura flames in all directions.

Aura Release.

Ssssss—!

The spreading flames evaporated Chen Xia’s water aura.

Fire that seemed capable of turning everything into ashes.

Yet Chen Xia didn’t retreat. She clenched her fists.

Then, she dashed straight into Celia’s burning reach.

‘She’s not backing down?’

Celia was startled by the unexpected move.

She had anticipated a prolonged battle with Chen Xia.

But Chen Xia suddenly rushed in, aiming to end the fight instantly.

Thud—!

Chen Xia’s fist struck Celia’s chest.

Celia barely managed to deploy her aura armor in time, but it was too late.

“Kh!”

She hastily backed away.

In close combat against Chen Xia, whose specialty was martial arts, Celia was at a disadvantage.

She stepped back to create space for her sword swings.

But Chen Xia didn’t pursue.

‘What? I thought she’d follow up the attack since she has the advantage.’

Celia looked puzzled.

Chen Xia, in turn, smiled faintly.

Her uniform was scorched, and her hands badly burned.

For someone whose specialty was unarmed combat, those burns were surely a serious handicap.

Step, step—

But Chen Xia didn’t seem to care.

She simply lowered her hands and closed the distance again.

Celia wiped her mouth lightly.

‘She’s different from I what known.’

The atmosphere had changed.

The usually gentle and kind Chen Xia now felt like a sharply honed blade.

Even her soft smile felt like a cold edge.

‘So this is Chen Xia in real combat.’

Sweating, Celia tightened her grip on her sword.

‘She’s different from me. No—from any Knight Department student.’

Chen Xia had gained the upper hand in their earlier exchanges.

If things continued at this measured pace, Celia would eventually fall behind.

'But if this were a actual battlefield rather than a duel—'

Chen Xia’s fighting style would destroy not only her opponent, but herself as well.

A hero’s place was the battlefield—

A place filled with endless variables.

That was why Chen Xia’s style was far from what a “hero” should embody.

Even at Lumene’s Knight Department, no one taught such a combat style.

‘What the heck is she?’

Seeing a side of Chen Xia she never knew, Celia couldn’t hide her confusion.

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Leo, sitting in the 1st-year stands, narrowed his eyes.

‘As I expected.’

Resting his chin on his hand, Leo murmured inwardly.

‘She’s an assassin.’

He had sensed it back during the Interdepartmental Tournament when Chen Xia had challenged him that she wasn’t a typical knight.

She was specialized for one-on-one situations.

But even in those one-on-one fights, her style wasn’t that of a normal knight.

Now, watching her duel with Celia, his suspicions were confirmed.

Chen Xia’s movements resembled those of an assassin.

‘Though she doesn’t seem like an ordinary assassin either.’

With her level of skill, she had no need to rely on exploiting openings.

Her fighting style simply resembled that of an assassin.

‘She's ideal for a bodyguard or hired killer, but not for someone pursuing the path of a hero.’

Not only Leo, but the 4th and 5th-years as well looked surprised after grasping Chen Xia’s true nature.

From afar, Professor Ain narrowed his eyes.

Beside him, Yura asked,

“You look displeased, Senior Ain.”

“How could I not be? To use such talent as a pawn for a mere ‘individual’. It’s an incredible waste.”

“But what can anyone do? Chen Xia’s status is what it is.”

“Even so, half-blood or not, she’s still the emperor’s daughter. And yet she’s treated like this.”

“Xian is strict about bloodlines. And the other half of hers belongs to the ‘Shadow Clan,’ so it can’t be helped.”

Yura clicked her tongue regretfully.

The Xian Empire—

A great power at the far eastern end of the continent.

While it didn’t dominate the entire western continent like Lordren, it ruled half of the eastern one.

And by bloodline alone, Chen Xia was the emperor’s daughter.

Of course, only the professors knew this fact.

Chen Xia herself had never once mentioned her status.

‘I don’t like it.’

Ain narrowed his eyes.

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Thud—!

‘If this keeps up, I’ll lose!’

Celia clenched her teeth.

Chen Xia’s attacks, precisely calculating both inflicted and received damage, were chillingly methodical.

Celia had never faced anything like it before, which only made it more disorienting.

But she kept her composure.

‘Xia’s attacks are so delicate they could collapse at any moment.’

Her assaults teetered on the edge of balance—dangerously precise, yet fragile.

Still, Chen Xia maintained that balance perfectly.

‘I have to make her slip.’

Thinking that, Celia gripped her sword tightly.

Seeing this, Chen Xia smiled faintly.

‘You’ve steadied your heart. As expected of Celia-yang.’

Chen Xia’s offense was like a swamp.

Once you were caught, you couldn’t escape.

Celia acknowledged that and bet everything on a decisive move.

‘Quick to decide.’

To Chen Xia, Knight Department students were all easy prey.

She had been trained in how to bring about a person’s ‘ruin.’

So these upright, properly raised students were easy to dismantle.

‘Well, except for Leo-doryeon.’

It wasn’t just a difference in skill—

It was as if they had fought vastly different numbers of battles.

“Celia-yang… you’re like a flame.”

“What?”

“You shine so brightly.”

Chen Xia smiled softly as her aura swelled.

‘If Celia-yang has gone all in, I can’t respond halfheartedly.’

Unlike others, Celia’s attack power was on a whole different level.

‘If I respond halfheartedly, I’ll be overwhelmed instantly.’

If this weren’t a duel, she could’ve used other means—

Any methods, no matter how underhanded.

She had been taught that victory held more value than honor.

‘But this is a duel.’

And right now, she didn’t want to win that way.

Because the sight of Celia’s flame reminded her of someone.

Swish—!

A torrent of water whirled around Chen Xia.

The current took the shape of a dragon.

“Prominence.”

Fwoosh—!

Crimson flames surged.

“Water Dragon.”

A massive dragon of water opened its jaws and roared.

Whoosh! Boom! Sssssssss—!

Flame and water dragon collided, releasing an immense cloud of steam.

When the steam cleared, both Celia and Chen Xia were barely standing at the edge of the arena.

“I had a big advantage before.”

Chen Xia smiled bitterly, tearing away her burned uniform.

“But now it’s even again.”

“Kh…!”

Celia’s expression twisted in frustration.

Both were utterly exhausted.

Seeing the two staggering, Sheirra rushed onto the stage.

[Stop! The professors say that’s enough! Any more and you’ll get seriously hurt!]

Stepping between them, Sheirra exclaimed,

[You’re both amazing! You don’t look like 1st-years at all! Excellent! The duel result is a draw! Both of you showed incredible skill!]

Applauding, Sheirra smiled brightly.

[Both of you, head to the medical tent for treatment.]

“Yes.”

Chen Xia smiled softly and headed off without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Celia gritted her teeth.

‘It doesn’t feel like a draw.’

Her strongest attack hadn’t worked on Chen Xia.

Dragging her aching body, Celia also walked toward the medical tent.

“I wonder what would’ve happened if they kept fighting.”

“Chen Xia would’ve won.”

At Chelsea’s question, Leo replied flatly.

She looked startled.

“Weren’t they evenly matched?”

“They were. But Chen Xia had a slight edge. And she wouldn’t have lost that advantage.”

“I see.”

“But.”

“But?”

“Next time, I can’t say for sure Chen Xia would win.”

‘Their skills are nearly equal. The difference is experience. The same method won’t work on Celia twice.’

As students cheered for Celia and Chen Xia, the next match began.

More big matches between top-ranking students followed, bringing waves of excitement and awe.

And then—

After all other duels were over, only one remained.

Leo stepped onto the stage, rotating his wrist to loosen up.

Step, step—

Another set of footsteps approached.

Everyone held their breath.

Leo smiled as he looked at the man before him.

The strongest student in Lumene Academy.

Rhys Zerdinger.

“Let’s have a good match, Leo.”

“I look forward to it, Rhys-hyungnim.”

The two exchanged smiles, their expressions alike.