Editor : Amethyst00



The Lumene dormitory was in flames.

Had there ever been an incident in Lumene's history where an outsider broke into the academy and attacked the dormitory in the middle of the night?

'Not that I know of…'

Chelsea gaped wordlessly.

It was, quite literally, an unprecedented event since Lumene's founding.

'…Am I going to get into serious trouble for this?'

The thought crossed her mind.

If a night-duty professor heard the commotion and came rushing over, they'd be doomed.

But then, Chelsea noticed something strange.

Why aren't any of the professors reacting?'

It had already been several seconds since Leo summoned the phoenix and attacked the dormitory.

A short time, yes—but considering the abilities of Lumene's professors, it was still odd.

Most of the professors at Lumene, who trained candidates for herohood, had not officially become heroes themselves. However, that was only because they hadn't achieved a deed grand enough to earn the title.

In terms of strength, some professors could rival—or even surpass—active heroes.

Just the two professors who represented Lumene, Harrid and Sedgen, were already at a level where even the top students couldn't accurately measure their true strength.

So the idea that professors hadn't noticed this level of attack was absurd.

'Which means—they've chosen not to intervene!'

With that realization, Chelsea quietly asked Leo:

"Leo-oppa… Did you talk to the professors beforehand?"

Leo smiled faintly.

'When on earth did he do that?'

Chelsea stared in disbelief.

Then—flash!

FWOOOOSH—

A massive pillar of flame came crashing down from the sky.

Seeing that, Chelsea quickly pulled out her staff.

FWWWWOOOOOSH! BANG—!

A blast of compressed air detonated, scattering the flames.

Tap—

Out from the dispersed blaze, someone emerged.

Black hair. Crimson eyes that burned like they might ignite.

'Celia.'

She pointed her sword straight at Leo, her voice ice-cold.

"Who are you people?"

Her blazing eyes looked as if they might set the air on fire.

Stepping forward, Chelsea took position in front of Leo—as if to say 'I'll handle this.'

Leo gave a small nod.

Carl, who had begun inching backward, whispered urgently.

"Hey, Leo. What are we supposed to do?"

Leo replied without looking.

"You're on guerilla duty against the first-years."

"What?"

"You can handle that much, can't you?"

"W-what about me?!"

Eliana asked, clearly panicking.

Leo glanced up at the sky.

"Perfect timing. The one you're supposed to fight just showed up."

"Huh?"

ZZZZZZZZZZZTTT!

"DIE!!"

With a fierce battle cry, lightning-infused aura crashed down from the sky like a thunderstrike.

FLASH—! KRAKAKAKAKANG—!

Leo raised his hand.

As if drawn to a lightning rod, Duran's aura was pulled toward Leo's fingertips.

Duran's eyes twitched at the sight.

BZZZZZZZT—!

Leo clenched his fist, trapping the lightning in his palm.

FSSSSSS—!

And just like that, the lightning vanished.

"You little—"

Duran's face twisted into a ferocious scowl, while Eliana gaped in disbelief.

"I-I'm supposed to fight Duran?!"

"Good luck."

"Aaaaaugh—!"

Eliana trembled violently.

Leo, watching her frozen figure from behind, gave her back a light push.

"Leo?"

"Eliana."

When Eliana turned around, Leo met her eyes and said, "I guarantee it. You're the fastest of all the third-years."

"……"

Her eyes widened.

Though her expression was hidden under her hood, Leo could sense she was smiling with flushed cheeks.

"I… am fast,"

Eliana murmured to herself as she drew her sword.

"Lightning Swiftblade…!"

'Looks like she really liked that one,' Leo thought, smirking as he turned to walk past Celia and Duran toward the dormitory.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

"You think we'll just let you walk away?!"

Celia and Duran shouted, unleashing flame and lightning aura.

FWOOSH—!

CRACKLE—!

But before either of their attacks could reach Leo, they were blasted away by a powerful burst of wind and light.

Celia and Duran's eyes both twitched in disbelief.

Blocking their path were Chelsea and Eliana.

"I really hate wind mages. They remind me of a nasty little brat,"

Celia growled as she approached Chelsea with a vicious smile. Chelsea gripped her staff tighter.

"Out of the way. I'm not interested in you. I want your leader."

Duran didn't even glance at Eliana, eyes locked on Leo.

"…Haa."

Eliana let out a slow breath as she stepped forward.

Hum—

"So you're a magic swordswoman? Light element too. You remind me of someone I know."

Duran smirked.

Eliana gripped her sword with both hands.

She was equally gifted in both aura and magic—neither side truly superior.

But her personality had always pushed her toward swordsmanship.

Leah had wanted Eliana to become a perfect magic swordswoman, one without flaws on either side.

And not just Eliana—every Lumene student was pushed toward such perfection, even those who weren't dual-classers.

This was because they projected the image of Kyle—the hero who had no weaknesses, a master of all classes—onto themselves.

Eliana activated her magic.

Power surged through her body.

A gift from Luna in Leo's worldline—the spell she had woven into Eliana's sword.

Eliana had given it a name: Lightning Swiftblade.

'Faster than anyone.'

Eliana locked eyes with Duran.

She didn't like complications.

Overwhelming the enemy with sheer speed—that had always been Eliana's preferred approach.

But that was also her greatest flaw.

She was fast, yes—but because her movements were simple, she was easy to predict.

Speed alone could be countered in countless ways.

That was why Leo had advised her to break the habit of charging in recklessly, and instead, strike from range with rapid spells, moving swiftly from the rear, only engaging in close combat when an opening presented itself. A flawless strategy on paper.

But it wasn't a strategy that suited Eliana.

Eliana recalled the words Leo had spoken to her just a week ago.

"Being simple means you can focus solely on moving fast—without complicating things."

If her speed became unpredictable, her simplicity would become her strength.

It was a straightforward path—but an incredibly difficult one.

And it was impossible to walk without complete trust in oneself.

Eliana lowered her stance.

FLASH—!

"……!"

CLANGCLANGCLANG!

Duran jerked his body back in alarm.

He deflected the blade that had gone straight for his throat.

Sparks burst between their crossing longswords.

'What is this speed?!'

With a hardened expression, Duran attempted to counterattack.

SWISH—!

But his blade sliced through empty air.

And that was just the beginning.

Flash! Clang! Clang! CLANG! CLANG! CLANGCLANGCLANG—!

Eliana launched a head-on charge, her movements wild yet controlled, her strikes relentless.

Duran's golden eyes followed her, tracking every path.

He could see it all. Her movements were honest and direct.

No feints. No tricks.

Just a raw, unrelenting charge.

Duran prided himself on his own speed.

But Eliana's speed was on another level.

Had anyone else been in his place, they likely would've been overpowered already.

'She's strong.'

Duran's eyes slowly turned away from Leo.

He focused entirely on the opponent in front of him.

BZZZZT—!

Crackling lightning surged around Duran's body.

Meanwhile, not far from them, Chelsea was being pursued by Celia.

FWOOSH—!

Celia's flaming aura incinerated every spell Chelsea cast.

Her flame overwhelmed even Chelsea's rapid-fire incantations.

'These spells… they seem familiar…'

Celia narrowed her eyes.

These were magic she recognized.

And then the realization hit her.

"You—! You're Chelsea Lewellin, aren't you?!"

"Oh no~ I've been found out~"

"You… What the hell do you think you're doing?! Attacking the dorm?!"

Celia raised her voice, incensed, as Chelsea stuck out her tongue.

"I got permission! This is a totally legal way to kick your butt!"

Celia snorted.

"As if Senior Leah would ever allow something like this. And what did you say? Kick my butt?"

Her lips curled into a mocking smirk.

"You?"

"……"

Chelsea's expression twisted with frustration.

She and Celia had been rivals since the entrance exam.

No—since childhood.

But in truth, it had never really been a rivalry. Celia had always been a step ahead.

Chelsea had felt bitter about it—but at the same time, she accepted it.

Because deep down, she acknowledged Celia's strength.

Despite disliking her personality, Chelsea had admired Celia as Abad's rival.

And since Chelsea had always chased after Abad's back, she had no choice but to admit that Celia stood above her.

'But thinking about it now… I kind of hate that.'

A crooked smile spread across Chelsea's lips.

WHOOOOOM—!

Magical energy surged around her.

'The spell Leo-oppa taught me… how powerful is it, I wonder?'

Chelsea opened her mouth.

"–♬"

"……? Singing?"

Celia blinked, confused at the soft melody spilling from Chelsea's lips.

"You've got some nerve. Singing at a time like th—!"

THUMP—!

Suddenly, a sharp impact from the side made Celia's head spin.

"Wha?!"

With a cry of alarm, she struggled to regain her balance.

It was magic—wind magic.

Celia's eyes narrowed.

At the same time, an onslaught of high-speed wind spells began to swirl around her.

Chelsea's song dominated the air around them.

'Chelsea can cast magic like this?!'

Celia stared in disbelief.

'This is… this is even beyond Abad!'

WHOOSH!

"Kh—!"

Celia barely dodged the spell as she shouted in frustration.

"What the hell happened to you?!"

bl

"The will to move forward is important to anyone—yes, even to the Great Heroes."

Step. Step.

Leo tightened his grip on his sword as he gazed at the Lumene students approaching from afar.

"If you don't look ahead, you stagnate. And if you stagnate, you can't move forward."

You can't achieve anything by standing still.

It was a truth he had learned—not from mentors, but from his own companions.

Leo recalled Lysinas, the one who had reached out a hand to him when he was lost and going in circles.

That hand had pulled him forward.

But that wasn't all.

Luna had pushed him on from behind.

Aaron had given him the courage to advance.

And Dweno had shown him the path he needed to follow.

Leo swung his sword.

SLAASH—!

A single deep line tore across the ground before him.

Thud—

Someone dropped to the ground with a stifled gasp as the slash brushed past their nose by a hair's breadth.

Chen Xia sat frozen, her lips moving soundlessly.

She had tried to sneak around to Celia and Duran's side—only to be intercepted.

Leo's eyes met hers.

"Sorry, but you're not crossing that line."

Leo smiled faintly.

"Because I think the lot of you and I need to have a talk."

"'The lot of you'…?"

"That's right."

Leo raised his hand.

FWOOSH! CRACKLE—!

Flames burst upward as ice magic clashed against them.

He parried Chloe's spell—and immediately after, Abad's attack came flying in.

WHOOOSH—!

THUD! RUMBLE…!

Leo raised a wall of earth through elemental art, blocking Abad's spell.

BOOM—!

Even before the collapsing earth could settle, Walden emerged without pause.

His arms were clad in spirit armor, his body infused with the Elemental Lord of Earth.

As Leo saw Walden rush in, he simply raised a leg.

BOOM! WHOOMPH—! RUUUMBLE—!

Walden's face twisted.

Leo had stepped on his foot—misaligning his entire attack.

Looking down at him, Leo could tell.

"His arm… isn't moving."

Walden stood frozen, as if something massive had pinned him in place.

Faced with overwhelming force, the others were struck dumb.

Leo calmly opened his mouth.

"What you're about to see now—"

"—you can think of it as the destination of the path you're currently walking."

For a moment, the hero candidates blinked, confused.

"When someone realizes a place is beyond their reach, they tend to fall into despair."

"Still… don't let yourselves break."

WHOOOOOOM—

Gray mana began to pour from Leo's body.