Editor : Amethyst00



Leo's howl burst out from his mouth, overwhelmed the surroundings.

"Damn, he's not even a real beastkin…!"

"His howling is stronger than that of the Azonia bunch!"

"He even uses star sorcery and draconic art!"

"Ah! Seriously! Is there anything our president can't do?!"

The 4th and 5th-year students on the front line voiced their dismay.

But even amidst that, they held their formation firmly.

It was clearly different from before.

'Of course it's different.'

Leo's intention was clear.

To sweep away his seniors head-on.

They were caught off guard at first by this uncharacteristic aggressiveness from Leo, but only briefly.

Once they realized he was charging in boldly, they simply had to devise a strategy to match.

Even if Leo's movements changed, it wouldn't matter.

They were familiar with the Leo they knew, and could respond accordingly.

They also handled the howling better this time.

Howling was a kind of fighting spirit— a technique that transmitted sheer presence into the opponent's body through sound.

The way to counteract it was simple.

To raise and match to the one's own spirit to the Howling and resist it.

"Haaaap!"

"Hooo!"

"Hyraaaap!"

"A girl yelling 'Hyraaap'? What even is that?!"

"Shut up!"

Leo smiled subtly as he watched the 4th and 5th-years shout and raise their fighting spirit.

Moments like that proved they were still Lumene students after all.

'They've still got some room to breathe.'

Seeing the front line growing more solid, Leo raised his sword.

Vwooom—!

Gray aura rippled around Leo's body.

The front line warriors tensed up at the sight of that aura.

It was already well known that Leo wielded a variety of aura types.

Among them, the most destructive was Zerdinger's Flame.

But the students of Lumene now knew—

Leo was at his strongest when enveloped in that gray aura.

"Now that you mention it… doesn't that aura look a lot like Lord Kyle's?"

"He's all-class, right? Just like Lord Kyle."

"Wait. So do all-class abilities mean you get the same kind of aura?"

'That's because I am Kyle.'

Leo let out a dry chuckle, but he couldn't just say it outright.

'Well, I don't plan on fighting with my own techniques today anyway.'

The glowing gray aura began to shift into golden hue.

Golden radiance burst forth from Leo's red eyes.

Seeing that, the frontline's expressions shifted drastically.

Boom—!

As he gathered his aura, Leo slashed his sword toward the sky.

Sssshing—!

A golden crescent-shaped sword energy shot into the air.

The students in the rear looked up.

"What? Where'd that go?"

"Isn't that just going to fall back down?"

Just as they were tilting their heads in confusion…

The golden slash exploded in the sky.

And then—

KWAAAAANG—!

"……!"

"What the hell is this?!"

"Mages! Deploy shield spells!"

A rain of sword energy began to fall from the sky.

Sword Rain.

A technique Aaron frequently used against multiple opponents. It is literally raining blades of aura from sky.

'When Aaron uses it, it really comes down like a downpour.'

The 4th and 5th-years were visibly flustered by the unexpected attack.

"Takon! I think we should retreat the defensive line for now!"

"No! That's exactly what Leo wants! If the front line breaks, the rear is immediately done for!"

At Niel's words, Eren shouted urgently.

Among the 4th and 5th years, there was no one who could keep pace with Leo’s speed and support each other against him.

Takon, hearing their exchange, gripped his shield tightly and said.

"We'll stop Leo!"

At those words, the frontline locked into position.

Leo charged forward without slowing his pace at all.

Whoosh—!

Golden flames briefly engulfed Leo's body, then vanished.

"Wait! Why isn't he slowing down?"

"He's seriously going to crash straight in?!"

"No way! Even Leo would get trampled to pieces at that speed!"

Despite their panic, they quickly readied their weapons.

Then, in front of Leo, a girl clad in heavy armor raised her mace.

Facing Leo's straight-on charge, she swung her mace at him.

An attack so powerful it would reduce boulders to dust on contact.

But she already knew—this wouldn't work on Leo.

'There's no way this'll hit!'

Leo would likely dodge and exploit the opening to take her down.

She should've used her great shield to push him back, not attack, but she reversed the order.

'If he dodges, I'll use my shield to knock him back!'

As she thought that and steadied her stance, her face suddenly contorted in shock.

'Huh? He's not dodging?'

She watched, stunned, as her mace headed straight for Leo's forehead.

She braced herself, thinking he might dodge at the last 2nd—

Thunk.

The mace touched Leo.

"Huh?"

She let out a dumbfounded sound, never expecting to land a hit.

CRACK—!

The mace's head shattered instantly.

Leo batted the girl away with a single arm.

WHAM—!

"Guhak?!"

She was sent flying mercilessly to the ground.

And that was just the beginning—

KABOOM—!

"Waaagh!"

"Ghhkk?!"

It was like a tank rampaging through an infantry unit.

Students from the Knight Department were being flung aside one by one.

Whenever they attacked, their attacks simply bounced off Leo.

Not a single wound marred his body.

"What the—?! Why aren't our attacks working— GAH!"

A 5th-year Knight student was launched skyward after colliding with Leo.

Leo's body was currently clad in Dweno's Aura.

They didn't know it, but what they were facing was a fragments of the strongest warrior in history, Aaron and the greatest frontline vanguard, Dweno.

Their techniques and power were far beyond what the 4th and 5th-years could anticipate.

Their initial strategy against Leo was flawed from the start.

Fwoooosh—

Leo grinned as the flame aura flickered before him.

"You're not getting past here!"

The front line hadn't broken yet.

Their formation was shaken by Leo's reckless charge, but it wasn't destroyed.

If they could stop Leo even once, the plan would proceed smoothly from there.

That's why Niel stood in his path.

These types of charge attacks lost force when speed and momentum were cut off.

And Niel, as a fire aura user, boasted the highest raw offensive power among the 5th-years.

Beside her, Takon blocked Leo's way, dual blades drawn.

Takon, clad in wind aura.

"I'll cover you, Niel."

"I'm counting on you."

Fire and wind aura, an excellent combination.

If Niel launched a strong attack, Takon would fill in the gaps and press on Leo.

Despite their rivalry, they could coordinate well enough in critical moments.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have stayed at the top of their year for four years.

'The current twin aces of Lumene's Knight Department.'

Compared to Rhys and Hark in their 5th-year, the two still fell short.

But that was only when compared to them.

They were far from weak.

And together, they had the skill to blunt Leo's momentum.

Leo was surrounded, if he lost momentum here, things could get tricky.

Vwoooom—!

More students swarmed around to support Niel and Takon.

Watching the situation, Leo grinned.

"Niel-sunbae, so when are you getting married?"

"What?"

Niel's face instantly twisted in fluster.

Takon flinched as he saw that.

"Niel! Focus!"

"Hah?!"

Startled, Niel moved to swing her sword but Leo had already darted forward and grabbed Niel by the neck.

"Grrkh!"

Niel tried to shake him off.

But Leo shoved her into Takon with brute force, slamming the two together.

With the two tangled and falling, Leo dashed forward without slowing.

"Why'd you freeze up, Niel?!"

'Damn it!'

Niel gritted her teeth, realizing Leo had used spirit art to whisper something only she could hear. She sprang back up.

'To catch me off guard like that… That's so unlike Leo!'

That's why it worked.

It might seem underhanded, but in this situation, making such a mistake was her own fault.

BOOM—!

"Kyaaa!"

"He broke through!"

"Stop him!"

"Why's he so damn hard?!"

Screams erupted all around.

In that chaos, Leo raised his hand.

Black magic power shimmered from his palm.

SLAM—!

Leo slammed his hand onto the ground.

A dark power rippled beneath the feet of the pursuing Knight Department students, trapping them in place.

"What the hell is this?!"

"Draconic Art?!"

Shadow Swamp.

It was spell used by Lysinas.

With their ankles bound, Leo turned his crimson eyes toward the Magic Department students preparing a counterattack.

They tried to respond calmly.

But—

VROOOOOM—!

Star sorcery surged around Leo's body.

He completed his chant quickly and unleashed his spell.

"Lux Fragment."

Ziiing—!

Star fragments scattered in all directions.

Another spell often used by Luna when facing multiple foes.

BOOMBOOMBOOM—!

"Gahk!"

"Block it!"

"W-What kind of spell is this?!"

"Leo, you bastard! Did you invent another unique spell?!"

"Damn it! That aura skill and aura armor earlier were brand new too!"

They were wrong.

Neither the aura skills nor the magic belonged to Leo.

They belonged to Aaron, Dweno, Lysinas, and Luna.

Unknown, transcendent powers far beyond their comprehension.

To the 4th and 5th-years, Leo was now an unfathomable enemy.

Not just powerful foe—

But someone who shattered their very common understanding.

The 4th and 5th-years appeared unified on the surface.

Which is why they didn't break immediately.

Even a single heavy blow wasn't enough to destroy them outright.

It only weakened bit by bit.

But—

When faced with one unknown after another—

"Takon! What are you doing?! Command properly!"

"Eren! What's the next move?!"

"You! Go stop Leo already!"

"Can't you see I'm immobilized?!"

"What? Are you talking back to your senior?!"

They collapsed rapidly.

A disgraceful sight, unworthy of being call 4th and 5th years.

But no matter how talented the individuals, without genuine bond, this was inevitable.

Genuine bond comes through clashing and understanding, not just recognizing strengths, but acknowledging weaknesses too.

But the 4th and 5th years had never truly bothered with that.

'They just followed one person's orders.'

Runeba bit his lip.

They fell apart far faster than he had anticipated.

"Didn't think we'd collapse without even putting up a fight. Still, this is too much."

As Runeba grew more anxious, Leo stood before him.

"You know most of the 4th and 5th-years are like you, Runeba-sunbae?"

"What?"

Leo spoke with a bitter smile.

"You seniors lack the ambition to climb higher."