Editor : Amethyst00



The male students, now changed into their gym uniforms, headed for the training ground.

In the vast training ground, there were more classes present besides Class 5.

All classes with overlapping combat training schedules were gathered there.

Thanks to the enormous size of the training ground, their areas of activity never overlapped.

Standing before the groups of students gathered on the dirt ground was Associate Professor Sena.

Professor Harrid observed the lesson quietly from behind.

“In combat training class, you will practice applying your abilities in various ways. Any questions?”

Eliana raised her hand.

“Yes, Eliana?”

“What exactly does it mean to apply our abilities? Is it different from the training we do in our major courses?”

“It is different. Let’s take magic as an example. Eliana, please create a Fireball.”

As an aspiring dual-class Magic Swordswoman, Eliana easily created a fist-sized Fireball.

“Now! Eliana. How will you apply that Fireball to maximize its efficiency?”

“Hmm! First, I’d inject more mana into the spell structure. Then I’d add damage-boosting formulas and spell-duplication formulas!”

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Fireball grew larger, then split into two.

“Like this, I can maximize the Fireball’s efficiency!”

“Is that all?”

“Eh? Um… well, from here I could add another formula…”

Flustered, Eliana trailed off. Professor Sena smiled kindly.

“That’s fine. Next, Chelsea?”

“Yes, Professor.”

“What other ways could you maximize the Fireball’s efficiency?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t think of anything else beyond what Eliana said.”

“I see. Then, next…”

The magic majors quietly averted their eyes. If even the class’s top magic student couldn’t answer, how could they?

“Leo?”

“Yes.”

“How would you maximize the Fireball’s efficiency?”

“Control. Even if you raised its power, it’s only efficient if you can hit the target.”

“Correct! Five points to Leo.”

The overly simple answer left the students with blank, deflated expressions.

“When training your abilities, most of you tend to focus on power rather than control. That’s why many students are clumsy at controlling their abilities.”

At her words, the students looked baffled. How could they be poor at control when they used their abilities daily?

“Here’s a test.”

Professor Sena summoned a Wind Elemental, a Sylph.

“If anyone here can catch this Sylph, I’ll give them extra credit. You may use all your abilities.”

The students’ eyes blazed with determination as they tried to catch it.

But no one succeeded. The Sylph wasn’t particularly fast or blasting out powerful gusts, but its almost supernatural movements easily slipped through every attempt.

Even when several students lunged at once, they failed.

“Pant—pant! That might not even be a Sylph!”

Collapsing flat on the ground, Carl gasped for breath.

“Then what is it!?”

Chelsea retorted, sinking to her knees.

“How should I know?!”

Hovering in the air with its hands on its hips, the Sylph struck a smug pose.

Whoosh—!

A swirl of fiery aura surged.

Leo had suddenly charged at the Sylph.

The elemental smirked confidently and tried to dodge. Leo sped up, closing the distance, and reached out.

The Sylph darted away—but fiery aura burst from the back of Leo’s hand, blocking its escape route.

As if expecting that, the Sylph swerved in midair. But the wall of aura instantly shifted into rope-like tendrils that chased after it.

The Sylph faltered in surprise.

Then, in a panic, it suddenly shot upward with unexpected speed, narrowly escaping before the fiery rope ensnared it.

“That’s cheating, Sylph!”

At Sena’s words, the spirit made an apologetic face. It seemed to have unconsciously used more strength than allowed.

“Still, excellent work, Leo.”

Sena clapped.

“As you saw, Leo didn’t use overwhelming power. Combat training focuses on adapting your abilities like this in battle.”

Class 5 now understood what she meant about their weak control.

Watching from behind, Harrid chuckled faintly.

No wonder Ain drools over him.

Just from aura control alone, Leo was clearly the first place among first-years.

“Heh, not very elegant.”

Crackle—!

Golden aura sparked violently, engulfing the Sylph in a flash.

Snap—!

Before the elemental could react, a hand seized it.

Thud—!

Landing firmly, the boy, Duran, glared at Leo.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

“As expected, Duran! Truly outstanding skill, befitting the honor student!”

“You flatter me.”

Duran replied to a middle-aged teacher.

“Well now? Isn’t this odd? Harrid, the most respected professor at Lumene— none of your Class 5 students could catch the Sylph, but my Class 1 student handled it easily.”

Harrid regarded the flamboyantly dressed teacher with a weary expression.

“Ah, right! Class 5 had the lowest average entrance score, didn’t they? My, my, how rude of me to forget and say such things.”

“Aren’t you going to teach, Sedgen?”

Harrid sighed at Professor Sedgen, who made an exaggerated bow of apology.

“Of course! That’s exactly why I came!”

Sedgen spread his arms wide.

“Class 1 and Class 5! Let’s have an inter-class match! Surely you won’t back down? Of course, even if you did, I wouldn’t blame you! After all, my elegant Class 1 boasts not one, but three honor students! Hahaha!”

Gesturing to three students at the front—including Duran—Sedgen laughed heartily.

Leo called out to two of them.

“Hello, elegant and lovely students of Class 1.”

Celia and Chloe, who had been keeping their heads low, lifted them and glared at him with murderous eyes.

Naturally, Leo didn’t flinch in the slightest.

“Associate Professor, why is that professor acting like that?”

Chelsea asked, baffled.

“That’s Professor Sedgen. He joined the faculty the same year as Professor Harrid.”

“Professor Sedgen… isn’t he just as famous as Professor Harrid?”

“Yes, he’s renowned as one of Lumene’s greatest professors.”

Unlike Harrid, who was notorious, Sedgen was highly sought after as a teacher.

Yet, graduates ranked Harrid as the most respected professor, and Sedgen second.

This fueled Sedgen’s intense rivalry with him, Sena explained.

Hearing this, Class 5 students glanced at Sedgen, who kept throwing barbed remarks at Harrid.

Professor Harrid doesn’t even blink.

Professor Sedgen just looks kind of pitiful.

Unable to watch Sedgen’s one-sided needling any longer, Sena interjected.

“Professor Sedgen, since this is the first class, perhaps an inter-class match is a bit sudden…”

“Oh! Student Sena Tillia—no, Assisstant professor Sena!”

Sedgen spread his arms and stepped toward her.

“How long has it been! I’ve worried much about you! Seeing you now as Associate Professor my heart swells with pride!”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Sena smiled awkwardly.

“But even so, Associate Professor Sena! It doesn’t matter if it’s the first day! At Lumene, unexpected situations can arise at any time!”

“Still…”

“Our proud Class 1 students are always ready for an inter-class match! Isn’t that right?”

“Yes!”

“Truly elegant!”

Beaming, Sedgen nodded.

Carl chuckled and walked over to Class 1, teasing the students he’d befriended during the trial period with his usual cheek.

“Elegant indeed, Class 1 students!”

“Do you want to die?”

“Stop mocking us!”

Several Class 1 students, including Celia and Chloe, growled at him.

But Carl only grinned and carried on.

“So, what event shall we compete in?”

“Hehehe! You don’t run away, I see! Are you sure? Class 5 is certain to lose.”

“I don’t care about victory or defeat.”

Harrid’s dry voice cut in.

“What matters is that the students learn something from the result.”

“Then your students will learn the pain of defeat!”

“Even so, they’ll learn how to stand up again. And…”

Harrid smirked faintly.

“They may also learn the composure of victory.”

Class 5 students were moved by their teacher’s cool retort.

“Professor Sena was right!”

“He may sound scary, but he really cares about us!”

“We respect you, Professor!”

Sedgen’s smile turned wicked.

“Very well. Let’s add stakes. The losing class cleans the first-year building’s restrooms for a month. And the losing class’s professor buys drinks for the winners!”

“I don’t mind.”

At that, Class 5 erupted in screams.

“Whaaaat!”

“You just agreed like that!?”

“Uh, lovely young ladies?”

Carl, who had been cheekily provoking moments earlier, now broke into a cold sweat.

“You’ll go easy on us, right? Maybe settle for a tie?”

“We’re going to win, no matter what.”

“That’s right, elegantly.”

Celia brushed her hair back with a cold smile, while Chloe cracked her knuckles with a wicked grin.

“Leo! Chelsea! We’re counting on you! Save our class!”

Carl quickly clung to them with a tearful face.

In Class 5, only Leo, the honor student representative, and Chelsea, second-ranked in the western entrance exam, could stand against Class 1’s elites.

“I don’t plan on losing.”

“Of course. A mage of the Lewellin family doesn’t learn something as trivial as defeat.”

Leo spoke calmly, and Chelsea smirked, crossing her arms.

“So? What will the event be?”

“Hehehe! Isn’t there a traditional event for combat training classes at Lumene?”

At Harrid’s question, Sedgen gave a sly smile.

“As expected, that one.”

Harrid sighed quietly.

Tension grew between Classes 5 and 1.

“No way… that?”

“To think we’d actually do it.”

“I’ve tried it before.”

The students swallowed nervously. Only Leo looked puzzled.

“Sounds pretty intense?”

“It’s no joke. It’s an official event even in exchange matches with other Hero Academies.”

Chelsea’s voice was tight. If it was a formal event used for inter-academy pride, it had to be brutal.

Clap—!

Sedgen’s aide handed him something—a fist-sized transparent sphere.

“One of Lumene combat training’s traditions! The match will be decided with Bastera!”

After all that serious buildup, it’s just ball games?

Leo baffled.