Editor : Amethyst00



"……"

The issue with the 4th and 5th years wasn't merely unity.

There was a decisive difference between the current 3rd years and the 4th and 5th years.

'These guys lack that obsession to be the best.'

And it was no surprise.

Just as the 3rd years had Leo, the 4th and 5th years had Elena and Lyl.

The difference was that Leo started by walking in step with his peers.

And, he kept making them look at his back.

No matter how far he went, they wouldn't lose sight of their goal.

That's why, even if the distance between them was now so vast he could no longer be seen. The 3rd years didn't give up.

Not now, and even if that future seemed infinitely distant, they still wouldn't reach him.

'But again… you never know.'

There's no law that says one of them won't one day catch up and cling tightly to his back.

But Elena and Lyl never walked in step with them.

So, the 4th and 5th years gave up trying to chase after Elena and Lyl.

And instinctively, they set Elena and Lyl as their own limit.

It wasn't the girls' fault.

Unlike Leo, they were too young to be mindful of those around them.

"They might still become heroes even if they're like this."

Having one's name entered in the Hero Record.

That was the goal for all hero candidates.

But…

"That's probably as far as they'll go."

'At this rate, the outcome is obvious.'

Leo knew it.

He knew that they were outstanding hero candidates.

His seniors would never look away from the disaster looming in the future.

'They'll fight with everything they have for the sake of tomorrow.'

But would they survive that chaos?

'Most likely, they'll end up like us and Heroes of the Dawn, sacrificed for the sake of the era.'

That wasn't necessarily wrong.

No, in fact, it was something incredibly noble and dignified.

But…

'If possible… they should live to see the future.'

During the Age of Calamity, Leo had never once dreamed of a future.

Even someone like him found the current era joyful and full of happiness.

Which made his heart all the heavier.

If they had been with him, how much more joyful, how much more fulfilling would it have been?

'Even if it wasn't me… if one of them had come back instead, they would've felt the same.'

That's why Leo wished the new generation would be different from them.

He sincerely hoped that those precious ones could move forward toward the future together.

The desire for the next generation to live in a better world—

'That's what it means to be an adult.'

And so, Leo decided to be cold-hearted.

'The moment someone defines their own limits… it really is the end.'

But the future that awaits them.

The battlefield wouldn't be a place gentle enough for those who've set Elena and Lyl as their limit to survive.

People grow only as much as they see.

The higher the goal…

Even if it's so far away that you can't even see it, when you reach for it, that's when you can truly surpass your limits.

'Most of the seniors probably won't be able to surpass it by themselves.'

They've already confined themselves to their own molds.

After graduation, the limits they've set for themselves will only become stronger chains that bind them.

Even if they do surpass those limits, it will take an extremely long time. Some might never break through at all.

'And I doubt we have the luxury of waiting that long.'

If that's the case…

"You… what kind of future are you seeing right now?"

At Runeba's question, Leo smiled.

"Do you want to know?"

"……"

"Then I'll show you."

Fwoooosh—

Gray mana flowed from Leo's body.

He couldn't take people onto the battlefield when it was obvious they were going to die.

'In that case, the only answer is to crush them thoroughly, so badly they can't even recover.'

That's the only way to break the shell called "limits."

And if they still manage to stand up after being crushed like that… only then would they truly be worthy.

"Prove it."

"What?"

"That you too are heroes suited for a new era."

bl

Luke had his eyes closed, focusing his mind.

Whoosh—! Boom!

"Guh!"

A scream filled with pain rang out from a fellow student in the knight department.

Luke gripped the sword in both hands tightly, recalling what Chen Xia had said just a moment ago.

'You see, except for one person, I'm the strongest among the 3rd-years in the darkness.'

It wasn't just a simple boast.

Chen Xia had begun hunt the 2nd-years one by one.

'What makes Xia-sunbae so terrifying is… you can't find her in the dark.'

No matter how much the 2nd-years used detection spells, summoning art, elementals, or sharpened their senses, they couldn't find Chen Xia hidden within the veil of darkness.

But—

"Haaah!"

Fwoooosh—!

Haviden swung his sword at Chen Xia as she targeted him.

Chen Xia evaded his attack with smooth, flowing movements.

Zeeeeeng—! BANG—!

With a massive explosion, Juen, who was under the protection of knight students, fired magic bullets.

Shasha's summoned beasts launched an attack while surrounding Chen Xia.

Summoners typically fall into two main categories.

One summons a powerful beast and strengthens it, the combat-type.

The other summons countless creatures and commands them, the commander-type.

And, Shasha was clearly the latter.

With her overwhelming spiritual power, she summoned over hundreds of beasts and commanded them.

It is like an inescapable net, dense yet intricate.

But Chen Xia flowed through the net like water, slipping away and vanishing into the darkness again.

"She's like a water elemental!"

"Beautiful…"

"Is this really the time to admire her?!"

Juen shouted through gritted teeth.

But Chen Xia's movements were beautiful enough to make them forget the situation.

The water-like garment draped over her shimmered each time she appeared.

When she used her aura steps barefoot, she glided over the ground like a water elemental skimming a lake.

Her attacks were like the brush of a soft hand.

Even Luke had to admit, she was beautiful.

So elegant and graceful that any man would gasp in awe.

But—

KA-BOOM—!

"Urgh!"

The power unleashed from her fingertips was terrifying.

Appearing behind Aina, Chen Xia struck a palm to her back.

Like a water bomb detonating—

The pressure was immense. Aina dropped to her knees and gritted her teeth.

They couldn't counterattack against Chen Xia who vanished into the darkness.

Even with light magic, this entire forest was covered in darkness and that darkness was Chen Xia's domain.

That said, whenever she attacked, she had no choice but to reveal herself.

And the 2nd-years wouldn't miss that moment. They tried to catch her.

But Chen Xia slipped away every time and disappeared again.

They were being hunted unilaterally.

Yet oddly, there was no sign of panic among the 2nd-years.

"Time is on our side!"

Shasha covered her mouth with her fan as she spoke.

She was right.

Time favored the 2nd-years.

It was true that Chen Xia had rendered many 2nd-years combat-ineffective.

And they were helplessly getting beaten now.

But even now, Chen Xia was expending her mana.

To hide her presence in darkness required aura consumption.

So did the attacking.

Additionally, she was facing not dozens, but hundreds of 2nd-years.

In a prolonged fight, even Chen Xia would tire.

Then they could win.

It was when the 2nd years were focusing on defense with that thought.

From Luke’s body, who had closed his eyes to focus, silver aura began to surge.

'Transcendence.'

Luke's unique magic that let him take a step beyond his limit.

Turning into a silver flash, Luke charged at Shasha.

"Eh? Eeeek? KYAAAA!"

"Sorry!"

Luke's sword flashed past Shasha, making her screamed in panic.

Having narrowly missed slashing her, Luke apologized earnestly.

"At least you're better than Aina! She didn't even say sorry when she did it!"

Shasha squealed in shock, but Luke, realizing she meant that as forgiveness, chuckled and chased after the now-visible Chen Xia.

"Impressive concentration."

Chen Xia smiled as she stepped across with aura steps.

Her white soles hit the water, and she slid forward.

Tremendous speed.

But Luke had confidence in his speed too.

'Got her! I've—'

Luke's eyes gleamed as he slashed at her clothes.

But Chen Xia slipped past his attack at that moment.

'Huh?'

The reason Luke's blade didn't reach her was simple.

Chen Xia was faster than him.

But—

'Why?'

Luke's face filled with confusion.

He was one of the fastest 2nd-years.

He was even considered faster than Chen Xia in pure speed.

Unless he failed to predict her path.

Until now, he couldn't catch her because he couldn't read her movement.

But now it was different, he had predicted it and cut off her path.

That should've meant he could catch her now.

Yet she had outpaced him.

'Was Xia-sunbae hiding her strength all this time?'

While Luke was reeling in shock, Aina and Haviden appeared on either side of Chen Xia and slashed at her.

Chen Xia spread both palms.

BOOOOM—!

The water aura she hurled clashed with their aura.

The shockwave sent Aina and Haviden flying.

"Urgh?!"

"Wait! That power just now—it got stronger…?!"

Their eyes widened.

Chen Xia had already vanished again.

'She's faster… and stronger…?'

Luke stared dumbfounded in the direction she disappeared.

Flowing smoothly like water…

'Like water flowing…?'

"Ah…!"

Luke suddenly screamed.

"What is it, Luke?"

Aina asked, puzzled. Luke spoke quickly.

"The flow! It's the flow!"

"What are you talking about?"

Shasha tilted her head, and Luke spoke urgently.

"Look around! Even though Xia-sunbae attacked, there're no wet spots!"

When fire aura passes, it burns.

When water aura passes, it soaks.

But there was none of that here.

"Xia-sunbae's aura never scattered! It's still flowing around her!"

Everyone froze.

If fire grows stronger as it blazes… if wind becomes stronger the faster it is… and if earth strengthens as it hardens…

Then water becomes stronger the more it gathers.

But water aura doesn't stay around the user.

It scatters after use.

That's why water users often lack offensive power compared to other attributes.

But what if the water kept flowing around the user?

The flow would become faster, heavier, and more intense.

"Time isn't on our side!"

As time passed, the destructive power of her aura would skyrocket.

As soon as Luke finished—

"That's correct."

Chen Xia appeared from the darkness, arms spread wide.

"My mana trait is: I make water flow around me."

She smiled gently.

"But if that flow breaks, the water will scatter."

The flow breaks—

That's mean the opponent's attack hits the water.

But in darkness, that wouldn't happen.

That's why Chen Xia could say it with certainty.

'Aside from Leo-doryeong, I'm the strongest in the dark.'

Chen Xia clenched her fist.

ROOOAAAR—!

The massive water aura around her fist surged like a furious wave.

"When someone dwells in the dark, you never know what they'll do. They might set cowardly traps… or prepare secret techniques, like now. They do things beyond your common sense without hesitation."

Chen Xia walked slowly.

"That's why so many heroes were hunted by those traitors in the dark. And why the shadows have protected the heroes all this time."

She smiled faintly.

"If this had been real combat, I could've killed all of you."

There wasn't a soul who thought she was bluffing.

Her display shattered every assumption the 2nd-years had held until now.

"So now it's time for punishment, my dear juniors."

In the blink of an eye, the 2nd-years were wiped out by Chen Xia.

Sitting alone on a rock, shaking off the muddy water on her shoes, Chen Xia smiled.

"Next time, maybe I'll set a trap?"

In the forest, wrecked as if a tsunami had passed.

Her innocent smile looked just a little eerie.